The effects of technological turbulence and breadth on supply chain technology acceptance and adoption

The current empirical study examines the intention to use and subsequent implementation of a supply chain technology. Specifically, the authors extend the technology acceptance model (TAM) to incorporate the state of the technology environment (technological turbulence) and the extent to which other supply chain technologies have already been adopted by the firm (technological breadth). A series of seemingly unrelated regressions (SUR) were used to analyze survey data from 195 respondents. The results show that in technologically turbulent environments, the relationships between the firm's perceived usefulness and ease of use and the firm's intention to use a supply chain technology are stronger. The study also finds that the relationship between the firm's intention to use a supply chain technology and the implementation of the technology is weaker in firms with greater technological breadth.     

Learning from the world? Horizontal knowledge flows and geopolitics in international consulting firms

This paper examines the nature of the contemporary multinational corporation (MNC) through a study of the use of knowledge management systems (KMS) in four major international consulting firms. In particular, we explore whether and how such systems facilitate horizontal (inter-subsidiary) flows of knowledge, as described in the network view of the MNC. Our analysis reveals the presence of horizontal flows within the four firms, but flows that are contextually constrained and partly shaped by geopolitical power relations. Thus, our study gives some support to the image of the MNC as a network whilst highlighting the contextual limits of horizontal knowledge transfer and, importantly, the geopolitical conditions under which such knowledge transfer takes place. At the same time, it challenges the claim that consulting firms are model organizations in the area of knowledge management as well as the more negative view that questions the ability of KMS to facilitate knowledge transfer.     

B Corp Certification and Its Impact on Organizations Over Time

Journal of Business Ethics - This study explores the impact of B Corp certification and its associated impact assessment on four case studies of small and medium-sized Brazilian companies certified...     

Twenty-five years of business systems research and lessons for international business studies

Since 1992, the national business systems (NBS) approach has been increasingly used to analyse not only firm characteristics, structures and strategies within NBS, but also the nature of international business and its interactions with both national and transnational institutions. In reviewing 25 years of NBS literature, we heed calls in IB journals urging researchers to use NBS notions and findings in IB research. Our systematic review of 96 articles analyses the patterns and contributions of NBS literature, revealing four thematic junctures: (1) comparative business systems, (2) firm internationalisation and the management/organisation inside MNCs, (3) the role of internationalisation in the development of organisational capabilities and innovation and (4) the emergence of transnational communities in and across firms and societies. Themes are described in terms of (a) the research questions (RQ) they focus on, (b) how NBS approach investigates the RQ and what are the major findings, (c) how IB frames and approaches the same RQ, (d) how does the NBS approach extend the perspectives of IB and (e) what are the problems faced by NBS in terms of developing further insights into the RQ. Our review contributes to the recent endeavour of IB research to institutionalism, encouraging a productive dialogue between IB and NBS research.     

A Comparison of Ex Post and Ex Ante Measures of Producers' Surplus in Estimating the Returns to Canadian Federal Sheep Research

The returns to Canadian federal sheep research expenditures between 1968 and 1984 are estimated using the economic surplus approach. Ex post and ex ante measures of the change in producers' surplus are compared. Regression analysis is used to estimate the lag structure of the effects of research on the national supply function, facilitating the estimation of returns on average and at the margin. The effect of the excess burden of tax collection on returns to sheep research is investigated. The internal rate of return to sheep research has been about 25% at the margin exclusive of the effects of the excess burden. This rate of return falls to 20% when the costs of an excess burden of 20 cents on the dollar is assumed. Nous calculons le rendement estimatif des défenses consacrées à la recherche sur le mouton par le gouvernement du Canada entre 1968 et 1984 à ?aide ?une méthode fondée sur les surplus économiques. Nous comparons les mesures objectives (ex post) et subjectives (ex ante) des changements survenus au chapitre des excédents à la production. ?analyse de régression nous permet ?estimer la structure de retard des effets de la recherche sur la fonction de ?approvisionnement national, ce qui facilite ?évaluation du rendement moyen et du rendement à la marge. Nous examinons également les effets du fardeau excessif de ?impôt sur le rendement de la recherche sur le mouton. Le taux interne de rendement de la recherche portant sur le mouton a été évalué à environ 25% à la marge, en excluant les effets du fardeau excessif. Ce taux de rendement est abaissé à 20 % lorsqu'on tient compte ?un coût présumé du fardeau excessif de 20 cents par dollar.