Is similarity a constraint for service-to-service brand extensions?

Are service brands constrained in launching new service offerings? Both research evidence and managerial wisdom suggest brands should extend to similar categories. However, in five studies using real-life brands - four experiments and one large-sample survey - we provide evidence that similarity is less of a constraint for service brands extending to other service categories (service-to-service extensions), compared to cases involving parent brands or extension categories of a product nature. Importantly, we demonstrate that such an effect occurs because service brands possess associations relevant across the spectrum of service categories. Our results suggest that service brand managers have the opportunity to stretch their brands to dissimilar service offerings; yet, they need to ensure the marketing execution does not make the brands’ service associations inaccessible to consumers. The findings suggest that even product brands can build service associations by adding service components to their offering, thus becoming “servitized” and better able to extend to dissimilar service categories. Overall, our work contributes to the academic debate documenting that the principles governing the management of product vs. service brands are not identical.     

Policy Issues Raised by For-Profit Spinoffs from Professional Associations: An Evaluation of a Recent AICPA Initiative

This paper provides an evaluation of the spinoff of a for-profit company from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), a nonprofit professional association. The evaluation is based on a review of the literature on public policy issues surrounding organizational conversions from nonprofit to for-profit legal status. Many criticisms of this for-profit spinoff were voiced by professional leaders and accounting regulators, and we demonstrate that these criticisms are grounded in widely recognized policy principles relating to nonprofit conversions. The public policy issues raised by this study have implications for the governance of professional associations in all disciplines.     

Institutional duality and political strategies of foreign-invested firms in an emerging economy

This study investigates how the complex institutional environment surrounding foreign-invested firms (FIEs) affects their corporate political strategies (CPS) in China. Analyses of data on 442 FIEs operating in China show that the relative potency of dual institutional pressure from FIEs’ home and host countries shapes their strategic choices. Institutional factors at the country, region, and firm levels not only affect firms’ adoption of multiple firm-based tactics but also shape their collective-oriented associational activities. Moreover, participation in both foreign and domestic business associations enhances an FIE's adoption of firm-based political tactics, but joining domestic business associations has a stronger effect.     

HOLDINGS OF NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN COMPANIES IN FINLAND: PERSISTENCE AND CHANGE IN THE LONGER TERM

Applying an approach of neo‐institutional research, this article examines the history of company holdings of the national government and local governments in Finland in the longer term. The article examines the genealogy of the institutional forms of these holdings, the diffusion, adoption and adaptation of these forms, and the political legitimacy of new forms and the political de‐legitimation of earlier forms. For theory, the results indicate that the individual tailoring of institutional forms offers flexibility but increases complexity. For practice, the results suggest that the company form may too easily marginalize alternative institutional forms such as co‐operatives, associations, and foundations.     

珠江三角洲产业集群治理主体的变化趋势

珠江三角洲的产业集群表现为专业镇的形态，其治理主体为当地镇政府。面对不断增长的挑战。需要培育和发展新的治理主体，这包括核心大企业和行业协会.根据分工网络的特征和产业集群的成因，珠江三角洲的产业集群可以分为四种类型，它们有不同的核心企业，也有不同的升级路径。行业协会在推进行业协调与治理及为企业提供多方面服务方面可以发挥重要作用，行业协会功能的发挥仍需一个培育过程。     

What drives customer loyalty in grocery retail? Exploring shoppers' perceptions through associative networks

Mental associations play a key role in shaping customer-brand relationships and are critical to the development of favourable attitudes and emotional attachment towards a brand. By exploring shoppers’ knowledge structures, this study identifies what drivers of customer loyalty are more relevant to customers in the context of grocery retail. A mix-method study on shoppers’ perceptions and values associated to their most patronised grocery store is presented. Through focus group discussions, concept maps and associative network analysis, three types of associations are identified: functional, relational and premium store associations. Salience and relationships among these dimensions are also discussed.     

Managerial mindset as the mechanism of the country-of-origin effect: evidence from Chinese multinational enterprises’ approach to employer associations

The country-of-origin effect (COE) on employment practices in multinational enterprises (MNEs) has become an important area of international human resource management research. However, research on the mechanisms of the COE, a fundamental and critical aspect of the country-of-origin phenomenon, is scant. This study seeks to empirically explore the mechanisms through which country-of-origin influences Chinese MNEs’ approach to host-country employer associations. Analysis of qualitative data from 13 Chinese MNEs revealed that country of origin affected the approach of Chinese MNEs to host-country employer associations in the form of transfer of managerial norms. It also revealed that it was the mindset of those home-country nationals who were key decision-makers at subsidiaries that enabled the COE in Chinese MNEs. This paper highlights the importance for future studies of international strategic human resources management to pay attention to micro-foundations of cross-border practice transfer and to incorporate analyses of managerial cognition in the investigation of MNEs’ management practices.     

“专业社团建设＋创业实体运作”创业教育模式探幽——以常州轻工职业技术学院艺术设计系创业教育模式为例

创业能力是高职院校人才培养过程中不可缺少的一种核心能力。以常州轻工职业技术学院艺术设计系＂专业社团建设＋创业实体运作＂创业教育模式成功实践为例,提出将创业、营销类课程与专业课程有效融合,加强学生的创业教育,并在专业社团活动的基础上建立创业实体,进一步增强学生的自主创业能力,为学生未来创业打好基础。     

老年协会参与对老年虐待的影响

本文基于第三期全国妇女社会地位调查老年专项调查数据, 使用倾向值分析和工具变量方法,研究老年协会参与对老年虐待的影响及其作用机制。研究发现老年协会参与能有效抑制老年虐待。从作用机制来看,老年人在家庭私人生活领域之外的社会参与程度越高,参加文娱活动、志愿服务、互帮互惠等社会交往活动越频繁,法律意识越强,遭受家庭成员虐待的风险越小。但是目前广大老年人群特别是非精英的普通弱势老年人参加各类社会组织的积极性和广泛性还不够。对此,政府有关部门应强化城乡基层老年社会组织建设,为广大老年群体尤其是普通老人积极参与创造条件。针对家庭赡养中的虐老问题,老年社会组织应从法律、社会治理等方面开展鉴别、预防和干预工作,提升老年人法律素养,实施家庭支持策略强化延续家庭养老功能,维护弱势老年人合法权益。     

美国农产品行业协会成功的治理经验及启示

文中介绍了美国农协的形成、法律地位及构建原则,从组织架构、权力机构与决策机制、运行等几个方面对农协治理成功经验作了总结。并对我国农协发展提出了改进建议。