An ‘Invidious Comparison,’ Class and Status, 1929-60: Effects of Employment,Cost and Time on Veblen's Theory of Class*

Abstract . A consequent of Thorstein Veblen's theory of ‘invidious comparison’ is investigated as it applies to class and status. This research evaluates specifically shifting socioeconomic effects within the structure of society that are often taken to be important causes for determining leisure interests by class. That time, employment, personal debt, and costs effect leisure were hypothesized to be decisive factors in the class leisure outcome. The relative and total predictive influence of the independent variables was analyzed and found to predict differences of leisure interests between the social classes. The findings lend support to Veblen's notion of the leisured class and its acquisition of status.     

The Effects of Rhetorical Figures and Cognitive Load in Word‐of‐Mouth Communications

Advertising messages often are intended to ignite large‐scale word‐of‐mouth campaigns among consumers. Drawing primarily from memetic theory, cognitive fit theory, and perceptual fluency, this research examines how rhetoric and cognitive load interact to enhance or diminish desirable effects such as retention of the original intent of the message (copy‐fidelity) and engendering a desire to pass the message along (fecundity). Certain types of rhetoric are shown to aid this process by making some messages more attractive for retransmission and increasing retention of the original message, while cognitive load modifies which types are effective in accordance with cognitive fit and perceptual fluency. The results suggest that low‐deviation high‐complexity message forms (known as reversal) are the most effective for creating positive word‐of‐mouth outcomes and limiting potentially negative outcomes. Additionally, the results show that destabilization messages are more likely to yield mutated word‐of‐mouth messages that consumers still feel a strong desire to pass along to others. For practitioners, the results indicate what message forms should be used to effectively spark word‐of‐mouth campaigns.     

Business intelligence methods — How ethical

In recent years, we have experienced some revival of society's concerns with the ethics of business practices as a result of several scandals. However, severe competitive pressures seem to continue to force executives to resort to marginally ethical ways that would provide knowledge about competitors' operations. Therefore, an empirical study was conducted during Spring and Summer of 1991 about information gathering methods by businesses regarding operations of competitors. Respondents were employed in a variety of different industries. A convenience sample was administered in two adjoining states, with one group residing in an urban city and the other in smaller predominantly rural communities.Analysis of perceptions held by these two groups supports the hypothesis that rural residents tend to be more conservative and less approving of questionable methods of information gathering. Similarly, within each group and in the sample as a whole, differences in condoning or disapproving information gathering methods were discovered on the basis of demographic characteristics of respondents.John Hallaq is a professor of marketing and international business at the University of Idaho. He won the A. D. Davis Free Enterprise Award in 1989. He has presented and published several articles dealing with country comparative studies and privatization trends.Kirk Steinhorst is a professor of statistics and statistical consultant at the University of Idaho. Recent articles include collaborative research in business, ecology, and geology.     

Constitution

In looking toward the futures of Europe, the focal point of the legal and governmental aspects of European life has recently become the Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe—or just the ‘Constitution’ as it has become colloquially known. That socio-linguistic act of referring to a document as a constitution is a mammoth move. First, it ignores all of the concerns and hand-wringing around the idea of producing a legal document called a constitution that might immediately be thought of as a sovereign-building document, such as the German constitution or the Irish constitution. Second, it suggests that the people of Europe are in some way similarly situated as together to constitute something. In this article, the author continues a series of reflections on words regarding futures, and takes an extensive look at the use, misuse and power of the word ‘constitution’.     

An economic analysis of patient simulators clinical training in nursing education

Patient simulators have become widely used in medical education including increasing use in nursing education. Research suggests their usefulness in developing nursing competence. Little research to date, however, has examined the financial feasibility of the use of patient simulators as an educational tool. The extent to which a simulation lab comprising six Laerdal SimMan high-fidelity patient simulators and a staff of nurse educators is a financially feasible alternative to classroom-based education is examined.     

Measurement of Modern and Traditional Self-Concepts in Asian Transitional Economies

This article describes the development and validation of a new consumer self-concept scale created for use in Confucian societies whose economies formerly were centrally planned but are now moving toward a free-market system. Traditional self and modern self are proposed to be the two subconstructs of the perceptions of self. The empirical work involved with the scale development and validation using data from Vietnam and China are presented. Managerial implications and future research directions are also discussed in this article.     

Accounting Price of an Exhaustible Resource: Response and Extensions

Wei (Environ Resour Econ 60:579–581, 2015) presents a novel derivation of the accounting price for an exhaustible resource in a non-optimal economy subject to an allocation mechanism. We show that Wei (2015) and Hamilton and Ruta (Environ Resour Econ 42:53–64, 2009) are in fact employing different and mutually exclusive allocation mechanisms for the economy, and this explains the differences between the respective accounting prices. Because accounting prices must be defined subject to the allocation mechanism for the economy, the prices derived in the two papers are equally valid within their respective allocation domains. Further analysis shows that if there is declining marginal product of factors, a ‘Hartwick investment rule’ for the model economy (set investment just equal to depletion, valued at the accounting price) will lead to declining consumption for the Wei (2015) accounting price, and increasing consumption for the Hamilton and Ruta (2009) accounting price. This result is extended to consider the accounting standards recommended in the UN SEEA (System of environmental-economic accounting 2012: central framework. United Nations, European Commission, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, World Bank, 2012), as well as accounting for environmental externalities from resource use.     

Career capital in global Kaleidoscope Careers: the role of HRM

The results of this qualitative study of international talent show that although the acquisition of career capital through international assignments is perceived to be desirable both from an individual and organisational perspective, the global mobility needs and preferences of these two parties rarely coincide. This is due to the fact that individual mobility requirements come in cycles aligned to life cycle stages whereas organisational mobility needs ebb and flow like waves in response to perceived threats and opportunities. This presents opportunities and challenges for individuals in the acquisition and utilisation of career capital to balance work- and non-work-related demands in their global Kaleidoscope Careers. The role of human resource management (HRM) is to facilitate this process through mentoring, networking and other opportunities to engage in storying, enabling employees to accommodate their changing needs at different life cycle stages. Failure to offer such support can manifest itself in demotivation, business performance issues as well as difficulties in terms of diversity and inclusion. Thus this paper offers a contribution to academic literature in the field of career theory as well as international HRM professional practice.