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Understanding the Stability-Change Paradox: Insights from the Evolutionary, Adaptation and Institutionalization Perspectives
Daewoo Park, Hema A. Krishnan |
265 |
Understanding the Stability-Change Paradox: Insights from the Evolutionary, Adaptation and Institutionalization Perspectives
Daewoo Park
Xavier University
Hema A. Krishnan
Xavier University
Examining the paradoxical nature of organization and management, three prevailing organization-environment relations and organizational change perspectives are discussed: the evolutionary, adaptation, and institutionalization perspectives. Their implications for paradoxical phenomena (in particular, stability and change) in intra- and inter-organizational structure are also discussed. Finally, an integrative perspective is suggested for future organizational theories and perspectives.
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Strategic Adaptation of Firms during Economic Liberalisation: Emerging Issues and a Research Agenda
Sougata Ray |
271 |
Strategic Adaptation of Firms during Economic Liberalisation: Emerging Issues and a Research Agenda
Sougata Ray
Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, India
A large number of emerging economies around the globe have been charting a new path of development, popularly known as economic liberalisation, by adopting market based policies and administrative mechanisms. These rapid and widespread economy wide changes put pressures and pose challenges on firms, both domestic and foreign, public and private to adapt to the emerging situation. The paper establishes the uniqueness, importance, and, need for firm level managerial research in these country contexts. It identifies a set of critical strategic management issues faced by firms in the context of a liberalising economy. The paper also outlines a broad research agenda to test the power of existing theories developed through research in market oriented economies in explaining the strategic behaviour of firms during economic liberalisation and develop grounded theories in areas where anomaly exists.
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Application of Activity Based Costing (ABC): The Case of a Non-
Government Organization
Ping Chiu Ip, Ping Wai Li, Joseph S.W. Yau |
282 |
Application of Activity Based Costing (ABC): The Case of a Non-
Government Organization
Ping Chiu Ip
ABC Technologies (Hong Kong) Limited, Hong Kong
Ping Wai Li
City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Joseph S.W. Yau
Open University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People’s Republic of China, non-government organizations (NGOs) play a pivotal role in the planning and provision of social services. With the government’s emphasis on accountability, output control and cost-effectiveness in the delivery of services, NGOs need information to measure their activities, link their inputs with outputs, and facilitate accomplishing their goals. This research investigates how the Activity Based Costing (ABC) model can be applied to an NGO in Hong Kong SAR in determining the activity and service costs, analyzing the activity and service performance, and measuring the linkage between inputs and outputs.
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Collaborative Planning and Management Frameworks: Approaches to
Effective Urban Governance by Adoption of Emerging Technologies
Habib M. Alshuwaikhat, Danjuma I. Nkwenti |
294 |
Collaborative Planning and Management Frameworks: Approaches to
Effective Urban Governance by Adoption of Emerging Technologies
Habib M. Alshuwaikhat
King Fahd University, Saudi Arabia
Danjuma I. Nkwenti
King Fahd University, Saudi Arabia
The adoption of emerging technologies for information and communication in the arena of urban development has augured well for most governments and organizations around the world. Yet while this has been received with much enthusiasm and appeal, in most developed countries, there seems to be some resistance and confusion, if not outright resentment in developing countries. This last aspect results from a lack of insights as well as the know-how of implementation mechanisms and derived benefits. This paper outlines a comprehensive framework to identify issues of concerned. The key impetus is effective communication through the use of various multimedia systems to enhance decision at both policy and public levels. The first part provides a general background to emerging technologies for information and communication within the arena of urban development. Emphasis is given to their successes and failure. The second part proposes a comprehensive framework that provides various alternatives to addressing particular, or general planning and management concerns within an urban set up, for effective governance. The third and final part concludes with recommendations on the need and approaches to accommodate new developments for information and communication with respect to environment, socioeconomic and sociocultural dynamisms for sustainable urban systems.
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NAFTA: Does it have any Effect on the U.S.A. Economy?
Syed Shahabuddin |
306 |
NAFTA: Does it have any Effect on the U.S.A. Economy?
Syed Shahabuddin
Central Michigan University
NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, has been in existence for nearly six years. During that period of time critics and advocates have presented opposing points of view, deleterious and damaging or beneficial and advantageous. The difficulty is knowing where the truth lies because in addition to supporters and critics, there are neutral parties who have conducted research on the effect of NAFTA on the U.S. economy. As always happens in the case of very controversial topics statistics can be found to support either side. The purpose of this articles is to present both sides with data to support or nullify each point of controversy plus reports by neutral parties. Only by weighing the evidence from all sides can the controversy be resolved.
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The Development of a New Central Bank Reserve Adjustment Model,
with Applications
Chin-Tsai Lin, Li-Hui Chen |
316 |
The Development of a New Central Bank Reserve Adjustment Model,
with Applications
Chin-Tsai Lin
Yuanpei Institute of Science and Technology, Taiwan
Li-Hui Chen
Shu-Te University, Taiwan
Source base (SB) and adjusted monetary base (AMB) are the conventional means of measuring a monetary base. Manfred adopted AMB and M1 to construct the St. Louis reserve adjustment model. This investigation modifies Manfred’s model based on the Central Bank (CB) changing the intermediate target from M1B to M2. A novel reserve adjustment model involving M2 is also constructed. This model is also modified to be a Weighted Averaged Reserve Adjustment Ratio Application Model. The proposed model can be applied by the CB to estimate the optimal weighted average adjustment ratio particularly when reserve policy is adopted to affect money supply M2.
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Impact of Liberalisation on the Competitiveness of the Australian
Clothing Industry: An Empirical Study
I.K.M. Mokhtarul Wadud, Mahendhiran Nair |
325 |
Impact of Liberalisation on the Competitiveness of the Australian
Clothing Industry: An Empirical Study
I.K.M. Mokhtarul Wadud
Monash University, Malaysia
Mahendhiran Nair
Monash University, Malaysia
Liberalisation of the Australian economy over the past twenty years has had a significant effect on the domestic clothing industry. In this paper, we empirically assess the impact of external competition on the Australian clothing industry. Here, we examine the impact of price of labour, capital labour ratio and openness on the output of the domestic clothing industry using the unrestricted error correction model (UECM). Based on the ‘bounds test ‘ (Pesaran et al., 2001) we assess if the output of clothing industry is cointegrated with the above-mentioned determinants. The estimated short-run and long- run elasticities with respect to the determinants are reported. Strategies to enhance competitiveness in the Australian clothing industry are given in the paper.
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Anatomy of a Train Wreck: A Case Study in the Distance Learning of
Strategic Management
Stephen M. Crow, Ron G. Cheek, Sandra J. Hartman |
335 |
Anatomy of a Train Wreck: A Case Study in the Distance Learning of
Strategic Management
Stephen M. Crow
University of New Orleans
Ron G. Cheek
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Sandra J. Hartman
University of New Orleans
This paper is an outcome of a distance learning pilot program funded by a board of regents for higher education in a southern state. The pilot program was delivered through two distance learning technologies - compressed video and an online software package from Blackboard, Inc. This paper describes in detail the many things that went wrong in an overly ambitious undertaking in distance learning in an atmosphere of untested technical support. The conclusion drawn from the pilot program is that distance learning can be an excellent alternative to traditional teaching techniques provided that the instructor and the students have a critical mass of computer know-how and a predisposition for distance learning and that the technological framework that supports distance learning is reliable.
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Directions of Bank Lending and Malaysian Economic Development:
An Empirical Study
Tuck Cheong Tang |
342 |
Directions of Bank Lending and Malaysian Economic Development:
An Empirical Study
Tuck Cheong Tang
Monash University Malaysia
This study investigates the effects of the sector-wise commercial banks lending on Malaysian economic development. The results confirm the presence of a long run relationship among real income and sector-wise classification of commercial bank’s financing. In long run, bank financing on general commercial, manufacturing, and housing is significantly promoting economic activity. Financing on agriculture and real estate, however, yields negative effect on economic activity. The study suggests that commercial banks should act as an efficient financial intermediation devoted to allocating resources to the most productive uses in country’s development.
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Quality Costing: Modeling with Suggestions for Managers
Claude R. Superville, Stacey F. Jones, Joseph L. Boyd |
346 |
Quality Costing: Modeling with Suggestions for Managers
Claude R. Superville
Texas Southern University
Stacey F. Jones
Benedict College
Joseph L. Boyd
Texas Southern University
This article provides a review and analysis of the various COQ models that have been proposed, explains the proper allocation of quality investment by firms, and provides suggestions for managers on the most beneficial distribution of quality initiatives and spending that will maximize a firm’s return on investment.
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An Empirical Examination of the Relationship between Management
and Corporate Social Performance
Roy L. Simerly |
353 |
An Empirical Examination of the Relationship between Management
and Corporate Social Performance
Roy L. Simerly
East Carolina University
If the recent collapse of Enron had been just the bankruptcy of a large corporation, history would have taken little notice. However, this event resulted in the unraveling of a host of problems in corporate offices across many industries. This event focused attention on almost every segment of corporate and government entities who apparently failed in their ethical duty to the general public. “Corrupted by the chase for an ever-greater piece of the action, accountants, lawyers, analysts, and managers have shirked their duty on a scale not seen since the 1920s” (Nussbaum, 2002). Therefore, it seemed appropriate to draw attention to an area of corporate social performance (CSP) research that has received little attention - the relationship between top management team functional backgrounds and the CSP orientation of their organization. This paper looks at selected top management team characteristics to show that there is a relationship between functional background and CSP.
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Development and Cost-Effective Application of an Expert System for
Improving Productivity: A Real-World Case Study
Chia-Ling Chao, Shwu-Min Horng |
360 |
Development and Cost-Effective Application of an Expert System for
Improving Productivity: A Real-World Case Study
Chia-Ling Chao
Tamkang University, Taiwan
Shwu-Min Horng
National Taipei University of Technology, Taiwan
This paper presents a case study of an expert system combining a knowledge-based system and regression analysis to support decision making involved in improving the productivity of an organization. A pharmaceutical distributor in Taiwan is used as an example to illustrate the development and application of an expert system to tackle the daily decision problem of handling uncertainty in carrying out delivery tasks. Regression analysis is used as a method to predict the working time of drivers undertaking the delivery tasks. The application of a knowledge-based system coupled with the use of regression analysis is proposed to balance the workload, increase capabilities of handling more orders, improve productivity, ensure decision consistency, and reduce relevant costs. To determine whether or not the proposed expert system will be technically feasible and cost-effective, a systematic way of predicting the success or failure of the system is implemented. It is found that the project would be worth much more than what it would cost. Thus, the proposed expert system is economically justified.
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A Study of Marketing Ethics in Korea: What do Koreans Care About?
Sang Yong Kim, Sung Yong Chun |
377 |
A Study of Marketing Ethics in Korea: What do Koreans Care About?
Sang Yong Kim
Korea University, Korea
Sung Yong Chun
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Korea
This study explores the general marketing ethics among Koreans. Based on a scenario approach, we focus on the ethical problems developed or identified from previous research in the western countries. We find that the people in our sample perceive the relative seriousness of ethics problems in Korean enterprises in this order: bribery, unfair price increases, exaggerated advertising and sexual discrimination. And, by examining marketing-related ethical issues, first we find marketing- related experiences make the sense of ethics weaker. Second, the younger generation in Korea shows less ethical reaction in general. Third, Koreans in the 30s show a unique ethical sense compared to the other age-groups.
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The Relative Effects of Client-Following and Market-Seeking Strategies
in the Internationalisation Process of Financial-Service Companies:
A Comparison of Spanish and Finnish Entities
Clara Cardone-Riportella, Maria José Álvarez-Gil, Nora Lado-Cousté,
Viveca Sasi |
384 |
The Relative Effects of Client-Following and Market-Seeking Strategies
in the Internationalisation Process of Financial-Service Companies:
A Comparison of Spanish and Finnish Entities
Clara Cardone-Riportella
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain
Maria José Álvarez-Gil
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain
Nora Lado-Cousté
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain
Viveca Sasi
Helsinki School of Economics and Business Administration, Finland
We do not know, as yet, whether or not the internationalisation patterns followed by manufacturing firms can be applied without further revisions to the service companies, as a whole, and to the financial service industries. This article examines the internationalisation patterns followed by Finnish and Spanish financial-services companies, to find out whether they are more influenced by “customer following” or “market seeking” approaches. It can be acceptable that larger Finnish firms which have been leaders in internationalisation are market seekers, while the smallest ones are following the market leaders or their industrial customers. When Spanish firms are considered, no conclusive evidence is found. It seems that they are following both, their customers and their leaders, as well as opening new markets.
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Determinants of Credit Card Rates and Policy Implications
Yu Hsing, Jo-Anne Gibson, Tin-Chun Lin, Dawn Wallace |
395 |
Determinants of Credit Card Rates and Policy Implications
Yu Hsing
Southeastern Louisiana University
Jo-Anne Gibson
Southeastern Louisiana University
Tin-Chun Lin
Southeastern Louisiana University
Dawn Wallace
Southeastern Louisiana University
Since January 2001, the Federal Reserve Bank has reduced the federal funds rate eleven times from 6.5% to 1.75% in order to stimulate the sluggish economy. However, credit card rates have not dropped substantially. According to statistical tests, all the variables have unit roots. However, the whole regression is cointegrated, suggesting that the credit card rate and the independent variables have a long-run stable relationship. Empirical results show that in the logarithmic form, the federal funds rate affects the credit card rate with a relatively small elasticity of 0.173 and that the prime rate and the cost of funds do not affect credit card rates. A higher delinquency rate or smaller resolving debt is expected to increase the credit card rate. In view of the above results, management should be more cautious in expecting increases in sales due to the rate cuts.
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Valuing the Time-Lag Risk Premium of Seasoned Equity Offerings
Chi-Tsai Yang, Soushan Wu, Her-Jiun Sheu |
401 |
Valuing the Time-Lag Risk Premium of Seasoned Equity Offerings
Chi-Tsai Yang
China Development Industrial Bank, Taiwan
Soushan Wu
College of Management, Chang Gung University, Taiwan
Her-Jiun Sheu
College of Management, National Chi-Nan University, Taiwan
Price discounting of Seasoned Equity Offerings (SEO hereafter) in Taiwan and Japan is largely owing to the extended time lag between the pricing day and offering day. Since the market price on the offer day is unknown on the pricing day, the underwriter bears the risk of the market price falling below the offer price. This type of risk is defined herein as a time-lag risk. This work classifies time-lag risks into the underwriting risk and the liquidity risk, which are then individually analyzed using options pricing theory to derive the risk-incurred discount and the composite discount for each risk separately. The underwriting risk is assessed by treating the underwriting contract as a European put. Meanwhile, the liquidity risk is analyzed by calculating the lower bound of the discount with arbitrage cost, and the upper bound of the discount with look-back put.
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Equity or Debt as a Security Choice: Evidence from Small-Medium
Firms in Malaysia
Abd. Ghafar Ismail, Azila Abdul Razak |
408 |
Equity or Debt as a Security Choice: Evidence from Small-Medium Firms in Malaysia
Abd. Ghafar Ismail
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Azila Abdul Razak
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Firms, which are interested to set up or to expand their business use several alternative methods of financing such as using their own money, bank loans, equity, venture capital, issuing bond or all the combination of all the listed alternatives. The current trend shows that the used of equity has been emphasized in firm’s growth and development. Thus, this paper tries to find out which method of financing is suitable for the firm to increase it’s value. Apart from that, this paper also wants to examine whether equity financing is a new trend as a method of financing for small-medium firms. The analysis is also directed to identify the relationship between firm’s characteristics and the methods of financing. Then, a model is to be developed to relate the firm’s size, age, organizational form and the intended use of fund with method of financing. The findings of this paper show that: first, both older and younger firms prefer to choose debt financing; second, both small and big firms tend to use debt financing rather than equity financing; third, in terms of organizational form, both corporations and sole proprietorship firms also choose debt financing to finance their businesses; fourth, all firms use the debt financing to finance fixed assets or operating expenses. Therefore, the potential implications shows that small-medium firms prefer to choose debt financing rather than equity financing to set up and expand their businesses.
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