Climate change in Northern Sweden: intra-regional perceptions of vulnerability among winter-oriented tourism businesses

Climate change is a potential threat to society and business. Although research has noted that the tourism sector may be robust on the macro scale, significant losses at local levels have been suggested. This paper examines Upper Norrland, in Northern Sweden, by measuring the perceptions of winter-oriented tourism entrepreneurs. Their perceptions of potential threats from climate change are assessed, including how entrepreneurs view the future, in terms of climate change impacts and sustainability of the region as a winter-tourism destination. A quantitative survey of entrepreneurs (n = 63) gave responses along geographical and operator dimensions to reveal local differences within the Upper Norrland region, showing the coastland to be perceived as more exposed to change than inland areas. Venue-based businesses see climate change as a higher priority than activity-based, potentially mobile, businesses, regardless of their location. The general perception among businesses is that climate change will not drastically impact the tourism sector over the next 10 years. A basic model for mapping local differences is outlined to stimulate further study of the under-researched intra-regional nuances in climate change and tourism research. A case is made for regional planners to use this tool and to educate local businesses on adaptation techniques.     

A goal programming model for achieving racial balance in public schools

This paper develops a goal programming model for achieving racial balance in segregated public schools. The model is illustrated and offered as an improvement upon linear programming, a model previously applied in the literature which allows a single objective function only and, in comparison with goal programming, requires more variables and constraints. Goal programming, a member of the general multiple objective linear programming (MOLP) model, improves upon these among other disadvantages thereby emerging as a more efficient tool for student assignment problems.     

Capital Structure Swaps and Shareholder Wealth

We show how capital structure swaps can increase the wealth of a firm's long‐term shareholders when a firm's debt or equity is misvalued. We review the conventional rule that a firm should issue equity and use the proceeds to retire outstanding debt (an equity‐for‐debt swap) when equity is overvalued, or repurchase equity with proceeds of new debt (a debt‐for‐equity swap) when equity is undervalued. We also analyse the more complex case where a firm's debt and equity are both undervalued, showing the optimal swap may be to issue undervalued equity, contrary to the conventional rule.     

Willingness to relocate internationally

This study used a sample of 405 managers and their spouses from twenty Fortune 500 multinational corporations to document the availability of American managers for international assignments. Aside from their spouses' feelings about international relocation, managers' willingness to relocate internationally was also predicted by their own attitudes about moving in general and their willingness to relocate domestically. Implications for human resource policy suggest that corporations must increasingly focus on human resource policies targeted toward the spouse. Results suggested that monitoring managers' intentions to relocate will enhance the organization's ability to adequately staff international sites with experienced managers. © 1995 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

A gendered look at entrepreneurship ecosystems

Small Business Economics - Underlying entrepreneurship ecosystems is the implicit assumption that all entrepreneurs have equal access to resources, participation, and support, as well as an equal...     

A multidimensional perspective of SME internationalization speed: The influence of entrepreneurial characteristics

This paper contributes to a multidimensional perspective on the speed of SME internationalization. It examines the influence of entrepreneurial characteristics – experience, rationales and innovation strategies – on multiple dimensions of internationalization speed. Findings from a sample of 180 SMEs show that earliness, speed of deepening, and speed of geographic diversification can be viewed as three different strategic alternatives and that each dimension is predicted by a different set of entrepreneurial antecedents. Earliness of internationalization is associated with entrepreneurs’ international business experience and their perception of opportunities abroad as well as preference for an innovation strategy characterized by ambidextrous innovation. Speed of deepening is related to entrepreneurs’ international business experience, their orientation towards differentiation vis-à-vis competitors, and commitment to innovation and a strategy focusing on exploration. These results indicate the importance of distinguishing between different forms of innovation. Speed of geographic diversification is predicted only by entrepreneurs’ orientation towards differentiation vis-à-vis competitors.     

Business students’ experiences of technology tools and applications in higher education

There has been much debate about the increasing use of technology in all learning, training and development contexts. In the case of higher education, although technology may not have fundamentally changed teaching practices, students report how several technologies and applications help with their learning, research and collaborative activities. Through a survey of business students at an Irish university, this paper examines their expectations and experiences of faculty usage of technology tools and applications. Although, on the surface, the findings provide some degree of confidence that students’ expectations of technology usage are being met, students would, nonetheless, like to see faculty make even greater, and more effective, use of technology in the classroom. The study provides faculty with examples from students of technology usage that supports their learning and these examples may be useful for faculty when designing and delivering their courses. Beyond the higher education context, the research highlights some broader practical implications for training and development in a corporate setting.     

Discussion of “A Theoretical Framework of Professional Accountants’ Identity Formation and Directions for Future Research”

Many researchers believe the tremendous industrial development over the past two centuries is unsustainable because it has led to unintended ecological deterioration. Despite the ever-growing attention sustainable supply-chain management (SSCM) has received, most SSCM research and models look at the consequences, rather than the antecedents or motives of such responsible practices. The few studies that explore corporate motives have remained largely qualitative, and large-scale empirical analyses are scarce. Drawing on multiple theories and combining supply-chain and business ethics literature, we purport that instrumental, relational, and moral motives are behind a firm’s engagement in SSCM practices. Specifically, we examine the links between corporate motives, SSCM practices, and firm performance. Using a sample of 259 supply-chain firms in Germany, we empirically test five hypothesized relationships. Our results reveal that relational and moral motives are key drivers, and that firms exhibiting high levels of moral obligations tend to outperform those primarily driven by amoral considerations. Findings of this study contribute to multiple literatures espousing sustainability management and can help policy makers, stakeholder groups, and scholars develop more robust strategies for encouraging firms to practice SSCM.     

Business Ethics Perspectives: Faculty Plagiarism and Fraud

Faculty plagiarism and fraud are widely documented occurrences but little analysis has been conducted. This article addresses the question of why faculty plagiarism and fraud occurs and suggests approaches on how to develop an environment where faculty misconduct is socially inappropriate. The authors review relevant literature, primarily in business ethics and student cheating, developing action steps that could be applied to higher education. Based upon research in these areas, the authors posit some actions that would be appropriate in higher education and suggest topics for continued study.     

Advertising Myopia

This article points out a firm's advantages in promoting the generic product rather than the brand. Promoting the generic product—generic advertising—can lengthen the product's life cycle, increase per capita consumption of the product and expand the size of the market for the product. The authors discuss the types of situations in which generic advertising is used, and the reason that it is not used more extensively. They present a viable solution to this dilemma.