Environmental dynamism and strategic decision‐making rationality: an examination at the decision level

Several approaches have been used to explore environmental dynamism as a contingent predictor of the relationship between rational‐comprehensive strategic decision‐making and firm‐level performance. At the decision level of analysis, however, small sample sizes, low statistical power, and statistical dependence have plagued the research. Through the use of a simulated decision‐making environment and multilevel analysis, this study examined 400 decisions from 54 executive teams. Consistent with much of the existing firm‐level research, the results indicated that environmental dynamism may moderate the relationship between rational‐comprehensive decision making and decision quality. Surprisingly, the form of the relationship differed from much of the firm‐level research. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The attitudes and nutritional knowledge of 11‐ to 12‐year‐olds in Merseyside and Northern Ireland

School is a major area for providing young people with nutritional knowledge and skills. In Northern Ireland home economics (HE) is taught to 11‐ to 12‐year‐olds. The 1988 Education Reform Act introduced the national curriculum and HE as a subject was effectively abolished in English schools, and key stage 3 pupils in England are taught nutrition in Science, Design and Technology and in the cross curricular theme of health education. The aim of the study was to compare the attitudes and nutritional knowledge of children in Merseyside, England (M) and Northern Ireland (NI). A questionnaire was designed, which examined attitudes to aspects of healthy eating and tested the subject's knowledge, practical and theoretical, on nutrition and healthy eating. Subjects aged 11–12 years were recruited (M: 541, NI: 128). The majority ‘understood and knew what to eat to have a healthy diet’, ‘liked the taste of healthy food’ and considered that ‘there were healthy foods at home’. However, a significantly greater number in Merseyside agreed that ‘their health will be affected in the future by what they eat now’ (M: 71%, NI: 54%, P < 0.01) and agreed that ‘they enjoyed cooking’ (M: 76%, NI: 56%, P < 0.01). Whereas more from Northern Ireland agreed that ‘they do not know what foods to eat to have a healthy diet’ (M: 14%, NI: 30%, P < 0.01), ‘that healthy eating involved “dieting” ’ (M: 29%, NI: 59%, P < 0.01) and agreed that ‘there are no healthy food choices at school’ (M: 23% NI: 42%, P < 0.01). More subjects from Merseyside disagreed that ‘healthy eating is a waste of time’ (M: 87%, NI: 77%, P < 0.01). The mean knowledge scores (correct answers) from Merseyside were significantly greater than from Northern Ireland (total score: M: 51%, NI: 43%P < 0.05; practical score: M: 58%, NI: 49%P < 0.05, theory score: M: 38%, NI: 31%, P < 0.05). The results indicate that the healthy food message seems to have been better learnt by children in Merseyside but results of surveys in Merseyside into eating habits suggest that many have not put this knowledge into practice.     

A cognitive style perspective on ethical questions

Previous research has shown that cognitive style impacts several areas of human behavior of interest to marketers. This article reports the results of an exploratory study testing the proposition that cognitive style can influence one's perceptions of what is and is not a matter of ethics. The findings indicate that cognitive style can play a role in one's perceptions of ethics, and may help further our understanding of the factors that bear on ethical points of view.Roger P. McIntyre is Assistant Professor of Marketing at East Carolina University. He has published in theJournal of Macromarketing, theJournal of Travel Research, theInternational Marketing Review, theJournal of Euromarketing, and numerous proceedings. His research interests center on the influence of cognitive style on marketing relationships.Margaret M. Capen is an Associate Professor of Decision Sciences at East Carolina University, with a Ph.D. in Economics. She has published in such journals asApplied Economics, Journal of Industrial Relations, andThe Real Estate Appraiser. Her primary research interest is in applied linear models.The authors thank Michael P. Mokwa for his guidance.     

Reviews

Regenerating town centres. Evans, R. 1997: REGENERATING TOWN CENTRES. Manchester: Manchester University Press, £30.00 cased.

Privatised utilities. Marvin, S., Graham, S. and Guy, S. 1996: PRIVATISED UTILITIES AND REGIONAL MANAGEMENT. Harlow: SEEDS (South East Economic Development Strategy), £25.00 plus £3.50 postage and packing.

Women returners. Chisholm, L. (ed) 1997: GETTING IN, CLIMBING UP AND BREAKING THROUGH. London: The Policy Press, £15.25 paper.

Regionalism. John, P. and Whitehead, A. (eds) 1997: POLICY AND POLITICS VOL 25 NO. 1 SPECIAL ISSUE. REGIONALISM IN ENGLAND: CURRENT TRENDS AND FUTURE PROSPECTS. Policy Press.

Socially regulated labour markets. Peck, J. 1996: WORK-PLACE. THE SOCIAL REGULATION OF LABOUR MARKETS. New York and London: The Guilford Press, £16.99 paper £35.00 cased.

Private delivery — public goods. Arnold-Forster, J., Lee, M. and McLeod, J. 1997: HAND IN GLOVE: PRIVATE SECTOR DELIVERING PUBLIC GOODS. London: Fabian Society, supported by Generale des Eaux, £15.00 paper.

Bio-tech. Milhell, D., Kingham, D. and Stott, M. 1997: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BIOTECHNOLOGY SECTOR IN OXFORDSHIRE: IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC POLICY. Oxford: Oxford Innovation Limited, £5.00 paper.     

Employment in the EC,EFTA, and the EEA: A regional analysis

This study examines free trade zones from a regional perspective. These trade agreements are an attempt to create a large functional and administrative region that can improve the competitive position of member countries. With this in mind, techniques commonly used in regional economics can be employed to study the competitive effects of free trade zones. This paper develops the application of shift-share analysis to free trade zones. More specifically, the paper conducts a shift-share analysis of Europe over two time periods to asses the competitive advantages from belonging to the European Common Market.     

Volume and skewness in international equity markets

We examine the relation between trading volume and skewness in 11 international stock markets using daily and monthly data from January 1980 to August 2004. We construct single equation and VAR models of the relation between the first three moments of market returns and trading volumes. Our results show hitherto unrecognised channels of influence, and support the investor heterogeneity approach to explaining return asymmetries.     

Managerial discretion and internal alignment under regulatory constraints and change

This paper investigates the effects of regulatory constraints and their relaxation on managerial discretion and internal fit in the context of the U.S. airline industry. Our results suggest that when managers' discretion is limited in one realm of choice, they compensate by using their greater level of discretion in some other arena to achieve internal fit. We show that the pursuit of fit matters, in the sense of having measurable efficiency consequences, and that fit trumps ‘best practice,’ at least in this context. In this respect, our findings provide a validation of the contingency perspective on internal fit. The ability to achieve fit under changing conditions may express a dynamic managerial capability necessary for adaptive organizational change. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Capturing the Minds of a Lost and Lonely Generation

UNICEF states that in 88 countries studied ‘more than 13 million children currently under the age of 15 have lost both parents to Aids, most of them in sub-Saharan Africa’ (UNICEF 2002). The impact of this Aids pandemic cannot be overstated. Indeed the long-term impact of such statistics is scarcely imaginable and has not been experienced in the world to date. Sustainable, indigenous technology may be a way of providing a meaningful educational experience for such marginalised young people. However the concept of sustainable, indigenous technology is not always clearly defined. This paper seeks to discuss this concept in relation to education and in particular considers the impact of the HIV/AIDs pandemic in Tanzania. The paper will outline: