Knowledge transfer across permeable boundaries: An empirical study of clients’ decisions to involve management consultants

We investigate the relationship between the knowledge requirements of projects and clients’ decisions whether to procure services from external management consultants for the execution of these projects. Using data from interviews with client decision-makers regarding the execution of 86 projects, we find that knowledge requirements are strongly associated with the decision whether or not to involve external consultants. The results highlight the closeness of the relationships between clients and consultants, supporting Kitay and Wright's [Kitay, J., & Wright, C. (2004). Take the money and run? Organisational boundaries and consultants’ roles, The Service Industries Journal, 24(3) 1–18] view of the permeability of the boundaries between many client organizations and their consultants. The findings also confirm our expectation that clients use the services of external management consultants in order to procure functional or industry-specific knowledge which consultants can pool and apply efficiently across many projects.     

Interregionale Lieferverflechtungen in Österreich 1976

Summary The first multiregional input-output table (MRIOT) for Austria is the product of an attempt to apply an information-minimizing model to a set of data of varying quality. This set includes data of high reliability, rough estimates, and a number of hypotheses. Since this exercise represents a kind of pilot study, not much attention was paid to refined statistical analysis. Thus the results should rather be taken as an attempt to test the underlying methodology.However, the relatively favorable data situation for 1976 and the flexibility of the mathematical model led to estimates which might be considered a rough approximation of intersectoral and interregional relations in Austria.     

Die Erstellung der fortgeschriebenen Input-Output-Tabelle 1970

Summary The Austrian Input-Output Table for 1970 (32×32, current, purchaser prices) was estimated on the basis of the official 1964 table (55×55), using a slightly modified version ofC. Almon's rejuvenating procedure. This biproportional algorithm permits the introduction of information on intermediate deliveries for the target year as well as the explicit consideration of different degrees of reliability attached to this kind of information. In addition, an import matrix for 1970 was used to define lower boundaries for the elements of the updated Input-Output Table. The results of the updating procedure were tested for plausibility in successive steps and a number of restrictions was imposed on elements or sums of elements to ascertain a good updating performance.Besides methodological aspects of updating the article concentrates on statistical problems connected with the estimation of margins (gross production, value added and final demand by Input-Output sectors) and intermediate deliveries in Austria for 1970.     

The sky is the limit? The determinants and constraints of European airports commercial revenues

This study investigates the determinants of commercial and retail airport revenues from real estate operations. Aviation revenues per passenger are mainly determined by the national income per capita in the area where the airport is located, the percentage of leisure travelers and the size of the airport. Main drivers of commercial revenues per passenger include the number of passengers passing through the airport, the ratio of commercial to total revenues, national income, the share of domestic and leisure travelers and the number of flights. These results are in line with previous findings of a negative influence of business travelers on commercial revenues per passenger. We also find that a large amount of retail space per passenger is generally associated with lower commercial revenues per square meter confirming decreasing marginal revenue effects. Real estate revenues per passenger are positively associated with national income per capita at airport location, share of intra-EU passengers and percent delayed flights.     

Virtuousness and the Common Good as a Conceptual Framework for Harmonizing the Goals of the Individual,Organizations, and the Economy

Despite the expansion of the regulatory state, we continue to witness widespread unethical practices across society. This paper addresses these challenges of ethical failure, misalignment, and dissonance by developing a conceptual framework that provides an explicit basis for understanding virtuousness and the common good directed toward the goal of eudaimonia or human flourishing. While much of the literature on virtuousness has focused on the organization, this paper uses a more comprehensive understanding that also incorporates the agent and the economy examined through their relational order. The common good provides direction for guiding behavior of all the various stakeholders and the context for understanding virtuousness, while it is through virtuousness that the common good is effectively realized. Virtuousness and the common good are therefore in effect ‘two sides of the same coin.’ This paper develops a virtuousness–common good conceptual framework which explores the basis for harmonizing the goals of the individual, organization, and the economy.     

Market orientation of retail brands in the grocery chain: the role of supplier relationships

The role of retail brands has grown gradually and today they are regarded as one of the key strategic factors in the positioning of retail firms. However, developing retail brands that are competitive in terms of price and quality as well as in offering unique and specific values to consumers requires long-term, mutually beneficial retailer–supplier relationships that involve information exchange and a combination of the parties' core competencies and resources. This study investigates inter-firm activities in developing market-oriented retail brands in the grocery chain in four European countries. The aim is to identify critical factors that influence the role of these activities. Factors related to the internal organization, the nature of the supplier relationships and the market structure are discussed.     

Creating and consuming experiences in retail store environments: Comparing retailer and consumer perspectives

This article investigates the substance of arguments about an experience-oriented economy and experience-seeking consumption in retailing. Employing a case study research approach (n=7) and the Critical Incident Technique (n=252), we show how retailers as well as consumers relate to in-store experiences. The results point out that retailers’ use ever more advanced techniques in order to create compelling in-store experiences to their consumers. In contrast, the depiction given by consumers reveals that their in-store experiences to a large extent are constituted by traditional values such as the behavior of the personnel, a satisfactory selection of products and a layout that facilitates the store visit.