Economic rationality and ethical behaviour: ethical business between venality and sacrifice

This paper argues that economic rationality and ethical behavior cannot be reduced one to the other, thus casting doubt on the validity of assertions such as 'profit is ethical' or 'ethics pays'. In order to express ethical dilemmas in a way which opposes economic interest with ethical concerns, we propose a model of rational behavior that combines these two irreducible dimensions in an open but not arbitrary manner. Behaviors that are neither ethical nor profitable are considered irrational (non-arbitrariness). However, behaviors that are profitable but unethical, and behaviors that are ethical but not profitable, are all treated as rational (openness). Combining ethical concerns with economic interest, ethical business is in turn seen as an optimal form of rationality between venality and sacrifice. Because everyone prefers to communicate that they act ethically, ethical business remains ambiguous until some economic interest is actually sacrificed. We argue, however, that ethical business has an interest in demonstrating its consistency between communication and behavior by a transparent attitude. On the other hand, venal behaviors must remain confidential to hide the corresponding lack of consistency. This discursive approach based on transparency and confidentiality helps to further distinguish between ethical and unethical business behaviors.     

An Explanation of the Life Span of New French Firms

In contrast to previous studies on firm survival which tend to focus on features related to the structure of the firms and their area of activity, our aim here is to widen the perspective usually adopted in the field, taking into account a larger and more qualitative set of variables. Among these variables, features related to the individual characteristics of the entrepreneur, to the context of entrepreneurship and to the insertion in entrepreneurial networks are significant to explain the life span of new firms. The empirical material is drawn from two surveys, which provide detailed data about a group of new firms created in France in 1994 and closed down before 1997 or still running in 1997. Our empirical approach on qualitative data is based on data analysis methods (linear discriminant analysis, barycentric discriminant analysis, analysis of variance). According to the characteristics of the entrepreneur, the main explanatory factors for the survival of new firms are the fact that they are entrepreneurs who have taken over firms, that they have acquired during their previous occupational activity an experience in the same branch of activity and that they experience a successful integration into the entrepreneurial networks. These three factors show that the survival of young firms is indirectly conditioned by the existence of an initial custom, by the mastery of a job and by the know-how in the entrepreneurial function.     

基于不同人群话语分析的城市历史景观 层积机制研究——以襄阳为例

人对城市风景的感知与理解,推动了城市历史景观的 层积过程。基于不同人群话语分析,以元素类别和空间类型2种 分类方式构建相对系统、科学的城市历史景观层积识别框架, 探讨城市历史景观的动态演变机制。以明清时期襄阳为例,分 政府和文人2类话语组对历史书籍、诗文的语汇逻辑、情感倾向 进行统计分析,设置等里数同心圆坐标,以古城物理中心位置 为圆心,标记元素空间点位。厘清作为主动因的话语作用于城 市历史景观各元素及空间类别并最终实现文化层积的全过程, 梳理出明清时期襄阳城市历史景观层积机制和基础框架,以期 推动城市历史景观保护与发展,为襄阳的保护实践提供参考。     

Firm innovation persistence: a fresh look at the frameworks of analysis

This paper introduces the special issue on innovation persistence. It delineates three complementary theoretical frameworks assessing drivers and implications of innovation persistence: ‘knowledge accumulation’ approach, the ‘success-breeds-success’ hypothesis and the concept of sunk costs in R&D activities. It emphasizes how path dependence could be related to innovation persistence. It provides an extensive overview of the main empirical findings of recent papers and suggests a new research agenda about firms’ dynamic capabilities and innovation persistence. Finally it highlights a set of issues that deserve further investigation in the future. The contributions to this issue are set out as well.     

绿色食品区域优势品牌发展对策研究——以黑龙江省为例

绿色食品品牌竞争日益加剧,通过对绿色食品品牌的区域核心价值的强化,赋予其与众不同的品牌附加内涵,从而促进绿色食品区域优势的品牌形成。     

浅论虹吸式排水技术在大型屋面中的应用

随着现代生活水平的不断提高,人们开始对排供水系统的要求也越来越高,本文提出了虹吸式排水技术存在的利弊问题和解决措施,及在大型屋面的应用,阐述了我国排水技术发展方向的观点。     

带式输送机常见事故分析及预防措施

带式输送机发生事故后,将严重影响煤矿安全生产,造成重大经济损失。对其发生事故的原因应具体分析并采取相应的预防及处理措施。     

Sub-national institutions,firm strategies,and firm performance: A multilevel study of private manufacturing firms in Vietnam

Some private small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in transition economies have actively internationalized. This decision needs to accommodate institutional conditions that vary, not only between countries, but also within an individual country. Our paper examines the relationship between export strategy and firm performance, and the extent that sub-national institutional factors moderate this relationship. Using multilevel data analysis techniques with a sample of private manufacturing firms in Vietnam, we find institutional factors moderate export strategy and firm performance's relationship.     

An assessment of the 2008 telecommunications restructuring in China

The restructuring in the Chinese telecom sector in 2008 has prompted heated discussion among telecom analysts and experts. Past research tends to take an optimistic view that China has embarked on a liberalizing route, resulting in utopian projections that domestic competition and foreign liberalizing forces would lead to the emergence of a telecom market operated primarily under the principles of free market economics in the near term. This paper, instead, argues that current telecom restructuring was largely driven by domestic agendas. Drawing from the bargaining perspective, this paper finds that, while it is true that market mechanisms play a significant role in the telecom industry, the impact of competition and privatization on the telecom market ultimately depends on the political endowments of Chinese society.