Using replication research for just-in-time purchasing construct development

Using replication research, the validity of the just-in-time purchasing (JITP) construct is established. Although empirical researchers have examined JITP over the last two decades, a consistent set of valid, reliable factors has not been used. The lack of valid construct is a barrier to hypotheses testing and meta-analyses on JITP. This study confirmed the validity of six JITP factors: top management commitment, employee relations, training, supplier quality management, transportation, and quantities delivered using two different data sets and testing the first- and second-order structure of the JITP construct. Content validity, reliability, unidimensionality, convergent validity, discriminant validity, criterion-related validity, and an invariant factorial structure of the JITP construct were empirically established.     

Measurement of patient-reported outcomes. 1: The search for the Holy Grail

Abstract

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are used to collect information directly from patients. They may cover several different types of outcomes ranging from symptoms, functioning, utility, satisfaction, through to quality-of-life (QoL). They generally consist of self-completed questionnaires that can be administered by means of hard copies or in a range of electronic formats. PROMs vary considerably in terms of the constructs they assess, the care with which they are developed, and their scientific quality. However, none of the PROMs available approach the quality of measurement achieved by measures/instruments used in physics. PROs are examples of latent variables. These are not directly observable, but can be inferred from, for example, responses to a questionnaire. The only measure of a latent variable that approaches the quality of measurement achieved by the physical sciences is the Lexile Framework for Reading. This framework is based on a construct theory that grew out of an analysis of several available reading measures. A specification equation was generated that was able to link the construct theory to scores obtained with the Lexile measure. A fundamental requirement of this quality of measurement is that the data collected with the model fit Rasch Measurement Theory (RMT). It is argued that PROM developers should aspire to match this level of measurement sophistication if their instruments are to provide valid insights into the impacts of disease and its treatment.     

The nature of ethical entrepreneurship in tourism

This article examines ethical entrepreneurship in tourism by developing a Weberian Ideal-Type Construct for an ethical tourism entrepreneur, and thereby deeper understanding of ethical tourism entrepreneurship. This research contributes to the extremely scarce literature at the academic juncture of ethics, tourism and entrepreneurship, which is significant as tourism is characterised by entrepreneurial idiosyncrasies with ethical challenges. The study is methodologically rooted in Personal Construct Theory. The qualitative findings from 15 semi-structured interviews with entrepreneurs, who have been commended for their ethical business conduct, show that ethical entrepreneurship in tourism is based on intuitionism, care and relationships, future-orientation, humility and benevolence as key virtues. These findings challenge the more traditional views of entrepreneurial attributes, such as egoism, risk-taking and opportunism.     

科学定位从容变性适度扩容--我对劳动价值的新认识

深化对劳动和劳动价值论的研究和认识,应包括三方面的内容:科学定位;从容变性;适度扩容.首先从劳动价值论的诞生和演变过程中确立马克思劳动价值论的科学地位;分析马克思劳动价值论由革命的理论转变为不仅是革命理论,也是建设理论;论述马克思劳动价值论要与时俱进地完善、丰富和发展.     

世界动漫产业链模式对中国式动漫产业链构建的启发

中国的动漫产业在各级政府的大力推动之下呈现出遍地开花的繁荣景象,但是,动漫产业的发展并不容乐观,其沿用的产业链模式仍然沿袭着国外通常的产业链模式,这从根本上制约了中国动漫产业的长足发展。所以,探讨符合中国国情的产业链,培植中国式的产业链模式,就显得尤为迫切。而且,在由"中国制造"到"中国创造"的角色转变过程当中,中国式动漫产业链模式的构建研究无疑具有世界性的意义,极有可能标志着于美日韩之外的第四种产业模式的崛起。     

操作风险管理体制：框架、模式与建构

从理论上讲,一个完整全面的操作风险管理框架至少应该在理论上包括风险管理战略、风险管理流程、基础设施和风险管理环境等四个组成部分。从实践上看,国际上形成了三种比较典型的各具特色的有关操作风险管理体制模式,对于中国各商业银行操作风险管理体制的建构,具有借鉴价值。     

Validating new product creativity in the eastern context of Malaysia

This paper examines the etic vs. emic nature of the new product creativity (NPC) construct often used in the strategic marketing and management literatures. The current study compares the NPC measure developed by Im and Workman (2004) in the West in an Eastern context by utilizing data from 172 Malaysian companies. The results show that NPC, which is the combination of new product (NP) novelty and NP meaningfulness, has a different connotation in Malaysia. The findings demonstrate that from the novelty perspective NPC is an emic phenomenon. After the construct validation process, the Western claim that NPC is a seed of firm performance is tested. The results verify NPC's relationship with NP performance as a source of competitive advantage for Malaysian firms and thus suggest that this relationship is etic in nature. These findings have significant implications for firms' global innovation strategies.     

非政府组织在构建和谐社会中的责任和作用

非政府组织在中国的经济和社会生活中的地位和作用越来越显得重要和突出,在构建社会主义和谐社会的过程中扮演着重要的角色,它为国家权力和公民权利的良性互动提供了肥沃的土壤。健全而成熟的非政府组织,在促进社会整合,协调社会各方面利益关系,化解社会矛盾,促进社会和谐,维护社会稳定和社会的公平与正义,促进社会健康有序的发展等方面发挥着重要的作用。     

合同环境下优化路桥项目施工总工期之方法探讨

在合同环境下,针对某一路桥工程,在一定资源的约束下,可以通过施工作业方式的选择、施工段的排序、施工段数的合理确定、项目总成本和质量控制及经理人素质的提高等方法来进一步缩短和优化路桥项目施工总工期。     

Business values dimensions: A cross-culturally developed measure of workforce values

Using a stratified random sample drawn from 11,709 business professionals’ survey responses across 26 societies, we investigated and failed to find support for the construct validity of the Schwartz Values Survey’s (SVS) a priori 10-factor circumplex model of human values, originally developed from student and teacher responses. Subsequent exploratory factor analysis estimated an initial five-factor solution, the Business Value Dimensions (BVD) model. In turn, CFA supported the cross-cultural validity of this alternative configuration of values for business professionals. Internal consistency reliabilities for these five values factors are reported for the 26 societies plus an additional 25 societies that did not meet sample size criteria to be included in the analyses. As a result, findings are provided for a total of 51 societies (14,724 business professionals). We present the five-factor BVD model for use in future international research with business professional populations.