On the robustness of the results of adoption date choice studies: The case of pension accounting

This paper examines the robustness of the results of adoption date choice studies to sample selection criteria, variable set, and the approach to model building. We use the new pension accounting standard (SFAS 87) in our examination. To this end, we develop a model of the relationship between the adoption date of the pension standard and the variables commonly used in adoption date studies. The variables are: (1) Firm size (2) income change prior to the adoption date and proxies for income management; (3) tightness of debt constraints; and (4) extent of the impact of the standard on financial statements.The results are consistent with the smoothing and compensation hypotheses, but not with the size hypothesis. Debt constraints did not have a significant effect on the selection of the adoption date; but, to the extent that the funding status of pension plans is a measure of the income effect of SFAS 87, the results are also consistent with the selection of adoption date to ease accounting-based debt constraints.Further tests indicate that the results of adoption date choice studies depend on the sample selection critiera, the variable set, and the approach to model building. Future researchers should be aware of the sensitivity of the results to these factors.     

Make-or-buy decisions regarding temporary agency work – an empirical analysis of the decision process and expected effects

Although the use of temporary agency work (TAW) in firms is heavily debated in the literature, the decision processes and motives behind using or not using TAW are often neglected or only analyzed in rough categories. We address these issues using a theoretical framework for HR outsourcing decisions. Specifically, we ask what triggers the decision about usage of TAW, whether firms have internal alternatives to using TAW, and what their expectations were when they made the decision. We focus on detailed expectations about the effects and analyze how users an d non-users of TAW differ in their respective expectations. Our analyses show that TAW is not a personnel service used by the majority of firms. Besides monetary costs, quality, and flexibility effects, stakeholder and transaction cost effects are relevant for the make-or-buy decisions. Users and non-users of TAW differ significantly in their expectations about some of the effect categories.     

A comparison of graduating seniors who receive job offers and those who do not according to hospitality recruiters’ selection criteria

This study used an exploratory mixed methods approach to identify the characteristics possessed by hospitality graduating seniors who receive job offers. Quantitative analyses reveal that: (a) seniors who receive job offers are different from those who do not in relevant work/internship experience, perceived person-organization and person-job fit, leadership/career preparedness, professionalism, and interview behaviors and (b) student characteristics have various effects on recruiters’ hiring decisions in different hospitality segments. Suggestions are provided to help students better prepare for a hospitality career and hospitality programs better educate students for employments. Future research is advocated to address the limitations.     

Benchmarking Best Practice in Hotel Front Office

Abstract

During the past decade there have been significant changes in the hotel sector, the marketplace and its operations. This paper reports a research study across a number of western European countries into the changing functions within front office operations and the role of personnel in a range of hotels and locations. Issues addressed include the flattening of organisations; the increasing expectation of multi-tasking and multi-skilling; and creating a balance between technological solutions and the delivery of quality customer care. These issues are linked to wider findings on the growth in the need for the more generic skill types together with the importance of personal attributes as key selection criteria and the growing emphasis of the employers role in providing training for vocational skills. Work in these areas has seen a decline in routine activities and has become increasingly complex, involving the use of a wide range of software, maintaining in-house systems and the expectations of faster response to more complex methods of communications. Industry has realised the importance of customer care and the subsequent increase in focus by operators on its provision. These issues have led to the setting of procedures and benchmarks for the various functions and services of front office and the empowerment of employees in their implementation. The paper provides an insight into changes in front office and the manner in which technology is acting as an enabling force rather than replacing traditional roles. The paper addresses education and training implications for the hotel sector and education providers by examining current curricula and training provision and questions the relevance of some “sacred cows” that have traditionally been taught. The paper concludes with recommendations for future education and training provision.     

LETTER FROM THE GUEST EDITOR

ABSTRACT

Research was undertaken to gain a better understanding of the nature and competitive importance of bidding on events by destination marketing organizations, with emphasis on identifying event selection criteria and critical success factors for winning bids. Data were collected on the goals and nature of the event bidding process from convention and visitor bureaus in Canada. Canadian bureaus were found to be very active in bidding on a diverse range of events, especially meetings, conventions, political events, and sports. Most bureaus encouraged and assisted other local organizations to make bids and themselves concentrated on major events with city-wide economic impacts. Although event selection criteria were frequently not formalized, respondents stressed potential economic impacts, size, media exposure, time of year, available venues, and local involvement. The most important critical success factors for winning bids were strong partners, excellent presentations, and treating each bid as a unique process, but many respondents also felt their destination needed bigger and better facilities and more marketing/bidding resources. To aid in future research and theory-building, a framework is presented to illustrate event bidding as an exchange process between owners and sellers, including antecedent conditions and event selection criteria.     

Association Meeting Planners' Perceptions of Five Major Convention Cities

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to report the pre-test results of a questionnaire designed to examine association meeting planners' site selection criteria and performance of five major convention cities. Pre-testing is necessary to ensure face (content) validity of the instrument by assessing the meaning of questions (ambiguity and bias), continuity and flow, question sequence, scale variability, and length and timing. The findings from the pre-test provided significant feedback for content validity of selection criteria used in the study, measurement and scaling, and flow of the questionnaire. The implications were discussed.     

Criteria employed for go/no-go decisions when developing successful highly innovative products

Based on a sample of 77 highly innovative products, this study examines the usage and the relative importance of a set of go/no-go decision criteria at four major gates of the new product development (NPD) process. The findings reveal that go/no-go criteria can be grouped into five dimensions: strategic fit, technical feasibility, customer acceptance, market opportunity, and financial performance. Strategic fit dimension is mainly applied in approving the new product concept. Technical feasibility dimension is crucial in approving the new product concept and the product prototype. The usage of customer acceptance dimension is notably high throughout the entire development process, particularly after product launch. Market opportunity dimension is mostly employed to approve the new product concept and the maintenance of the product on the market. Financial performance dimension stands out near the end of the development process.     

中国证券市场监管有效性研究

本文通过对监管部门等进行问卷调研,提炼和归纳了判别监管有效性的6个标准:综合性、针对性、严密性、前瞻性、权威性、及时性,从逻辑上论证了6个标准很好地满足了促进性、判别性、独立性、完整性这4个条件;引入并运用层次分析法对6个判别标准的重要性排序进行了实证研究,根据所有被调查者整体组合的综合权重向量,建立了监管有效性模型。论文分别运用七级标度、有效性模型,分两个阶段对中国证券市场监管有效性进行实证检验,一并加以比较。结论是二者结果相近,由此证明了6个判别标准及其有效性模型的适用性。研究发现,所有被调查者对中国证券监管效果的整体评价和对具体政策效果的评价都没有达到及格水平,得分最低的是前瞻性。     

美国国家质量奖述评

对美国国家质量奖的产生和发展、组织管理、评选程序、评奖标准以及对美国济的促进作用作了全面的介绍和评述。     

Testing Segment Stability: Insights from a Rural Tourism Study

The majority of earlier segmentation studies have focused on finding segmentation solutions rather than on applying the results to practice, and testing the viability of the results. In this study a unique opportunity is used to test how the segmentation solutions of an earlier rural tourism segmentation study conducted in 2009 represent rural tourist segments in 2011, and how well rural tourists can relate to the segments found in the earlier study by using multiple choice questions. Also, different segmentation methods are compared regarding their accuracy to identify the segments. These results show that the four segments identified in the earlier study continue to exist two years later as respondents are able to relate to the segments quite well. However, segment sizes are crucially different and there is some overlap between segments. Travel motivations measured using binary scale produce more accurate segments than motivations measured using a Likert-type scale.