Stigma & dirty work: In-group and out-group perceptions of essential service workers during COVID-19

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on essential service workers has given rise to their newfound “hero” status, resulting in a dramatic shift of their occupational value. Service work has been long envisioned as “dirty work”, and further, stigmatized by members of society (the Out-Group), until recently. This study utilized occupational stigma theory to identify the mechanisms under which both essential service workers and society at large came to unify around the importance of perceived dirty work in the United States. Critical discourse analysis was employed as a qualitative methodology, particularly examining the In- and Out-Group’s coping mechanisms for coming to terms with the value of “dirty” service work heroes. Theoretical implications include the utilization of stigma theory for Out-Groups, and revealed a previously undetected Out-Group coping tactic. Practical implications include the urgency for keeping the “hero” story alive so that all service workers benefit from the movement.     

New development: The application of incomplete contract theory to documenting Social Impact Bonds

ABSTRACT

Nobel laureate Oliver Hart’s work in developing a theory of incomplete contracting is relevant to explaining the evolution of the pay for success contracts that undergird Social Impact Bonds (SIBs). By its very nature, a pay for success contract that supports a SIB is likely to be functionally incomplete in that it is unable to describe and differentiate in the initial contract all relevant future states of the world in which the contract is to operate. Navigating this incomplete world can be particularly challenging when it comes to government contracting for quality outcomes in social services. Accordingly, Hart’s incomplete contracting framework can help us to think more clearly about how to document a pay for success contract that best supports a SIB transaction.     

Strategic alliances: a hospitality industry perspective

The article focuses on strategic alliance theory as it applies to the hospitality industry. Citing research as well as real-world examples, the authors integrate a variety of concepts and develop four propositions about the growing use of strategic alliances in the hospitality industry. These propositions include the following: P1: Hospitality alliances will evolve from equity joint ventures to collaborative joint ventures (non-equity) as competitor alliances will emerge. P2: Contractual agreements will evolve from simple franchise and management contracts to more complex resource-sharing, non-equity agreements. P3: Complex resource sharing between allying partners will help incumbent firms build relationships with partner firms that will lead to the development of competitor alliances. P4: Technology will help in the development of competitor alliances, which will also help to increase incumbent firms’ productivity and profitability.     

经济新闻自由度与资本市场的有效性

从金融经济学"效率市场假说"的理论与实证研究结果角度分析经济新闻自由对于金融市场发展的影响后认为,经济新闻自由是实现效率市场的宏观机制之一;只有充分的经济新闻自由,信息才能迅速而充分地扩散到市场,并被包括到资产的价格中,从而实现效率市场,促进资本市场的发展。利用世界银行各国股市市值数据与"自由之家"对各国新闻自由度的评定数据进行的统计分析表明,经济新闻自由与股市市值之间具有显著的正相关性。     

Organisational design implications of global sourcing: A multiple case study analysis on the application of control mechanisms

Global sourcing has become an intended practice for many multinational corporations. Organisational design implications of global sourcing are rarely considered although they are one of the main facets of a global sourcing strategy. By elaborating on the information processing perspective of contingency theory, we derive explanations for the application of different control mechanisms in the global sourcing context. Our findings from case studies at eight multinational companies suggest that variations in control mechanisms can be explained by two contingencies: (1) corporate organisational structure and (2) the distribution of purchasing expertise among subsidiaries. Based on these case study findings, we formulate ten propositions for future research.     

构建和谐地勘的管理体制机制改进路径

和谐两字的哲学内涵,是今天构建和谐社会的精髓所在,也是构建和谐地勘的第一要义.地勘队伍是突破发展瓶颈、提供资源保障的主力军,也是实现科学发展与和谐发展的重要方面军.“十二五”规划《纲要》强调要“实施地质找矿战略工程”.为促进这一战略目标的实现,必须针对构建和谐地勘,尤其是针对构建和谐地勘的影响因素,进一步改进和创新具有地勘特色的管理体制、机制.     

Overcoming the psychological barriers to energy conservation behaviour: The influence of objective and subjective environmental knowledge

Energy conservation is a crucial aspect of responsible consumption which is the reflection of individual efforts for sustainability. However, especially young consumers are reluctant to reduce their energy consumption despite their pro‐environmental attitudes. Resistance to behavioural change can be attributed to various psychological barriers that help consumer to avoid engaging in pro‐environmental actions. In this context, the first aim of the study is to extend the theoretical and empirical evidence regarding impeding effects of psychological barriers on individual energy conservation behaviour. Secondly, the study investigates the alleviating role of environmental knowledge on those barriers that limit energy conservation. Proposed impeding effects of objective and subjective environmental knowledge on various denial mechanisms, which are in turn expected to hinder energy conservation, were tested using the survey data collected from young Turkish consumers. Results suggest that denial mechanisms hinder young consumers’ energy conservation behaviour indirectly through diminishing feelings of moral obligations. Moreover, it was found that objective environmental knowledge's effect can be used to break down the psychological barriers and to facilitate the change towards more sustainable energy consumption patterns. Implications of the findings and directions for future research are discussed.     

人力资源强市是一个系统工程

人力资源强市是一个系统工程,需要政府各部门齐抓共管,更需要用人单位齐心协力,不但要树立人力资源是第一资源的观念,而且需要政府制定人力资源强市的政策及制度,更需要把政策和制度具体化为工作机制。人力资源强市的着力点是人力资源的开发管理,要做好人力资源的开发管理,就要转变观念,顺应＂人才主权＂时代的要求。     

完善我国政策性金融监督的框架设计

为尽可能防止“政府失灵”“内部人控制”和寻租现象,完善我国政策性金融监督非常必要。根据国际上通行的政策性金融监督机制和权力结构,结合我国政策性金融监督体系存在的问题,建议应从制度安排及协调机制、监督内容设计等方面着手,进一步完善我国政策性金融监督体系。