Business Commons^™

Reducing Long Distance Truck Driver’S Intention To Leave: An Analysis Of Professional Drivers And Owner Operators Using Importance/Performance Methods, Robert M. Cosenza, Robert Neil Southern, Tracy Anna Cosenza, Jerry W. Wilson

Journal of Transportation Management

Since it is widely known that turnover is highest among unsatisfied employees, the authors argue that long haul professional drivers (PDs) and owner operators (OOs) can be retained by using a yearly importance/performance analysis of company drivers. Because qualified drivers are becoming more scarce and difficult to recruit/retain, carriers need to focus on increasing driver retention. In this article, we suggest an Importance/Performance (IP) model which uses an “if then” perspective, relating intention to leave as a function of the PD/OO: IP structure. This model is used to explain the managerial changes that could be made to retain professional drivers …

Increasing Responsiveness Through The Firm-Lsp Relationship Structure: A Behavioral Perspective, David M. Gligor, Mary C. Holcomb

Journal of Transportation Management

This study investigates the behavioral aspects of the firm-logistics service provider (LSP) relationship in order to better understand the avenues through which LSP responsiveness to changing customer needs can be enhanced. Because the research examining the behavioral aspects of the firm- LSP relationship is sparse, a dyadic qualitative research approach was taken to explore the development of a relationship structure that will facilitate the level of responsiveness that the firm desires. This study revealed that the key to enhancing LSP responsiveness lays in the structure of the firm-LSP relationship. Specifically, it was found that the level of cooperation, coordination, communication, …

Conflicting Perspectives On The Government Mandate For The Use Of Electronic On-Board Recording Devices In Commercial Motor Vehicles: A Case Study, Helen Maclennan

Journal of Transportation Management

In July of 2012, the President signed into law the bill, “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century” or MAP21, also known as the Surface Transportation Act. The Act instructs the Secretary of Transportation to promulgate regulations requiring the use of electronic on-board recording devices (EOBRs) to verify hours of service compliance by commercial motor vehicle drivers. The mandate has drawn opposition from many drivers and trade organizations, while simultaneously drawing support from government, union organizations and other trade organizations. Consequently, it appears that the EOBR mandate will continue to be a source of potential conflict for management and …

Driver Vs. Manager Perceptions Of Commonly Used Safety Practices In Commercial Motor Vehicle Operations, Stephen M. Swartz, Matthew A. Douglas

Journal of Transportation Management

This research investigated the perceptions of Commercial Motor Vehicle Operators and Safety Professionals regarding 35 commonly implemented practices used to improve operating safety. Several differences were found in how drivers of different backgrounds rated various practices, and between the drivers and safety managers. These differences were found to be persistent even when combined with measures of safety performance and experience. Managers tended to overvalue (relative to drivers) practices related to hiring, while drivers tended to overvalue (relative to managers) practices related to company support and reward systems. Motor Carriers, insurers, and regulators could consider areas of agreement with respect to …

Managing Rental Car Businesses In The New Economy: Using A Multivariate Decision Model Approach, Anthony Narsing, Terry Sanders, Len Kistner, Jerry Williams

Journal of Transportation Management

U.S. rental car organizations are having to modify their business models to adapt to the new economy, which includes increased fuel costs, reduced business and leisure travel, and reduced resale of low mileage rental units. Revenue is negatively impacted due to increased maintenance as a result of higher mileage requirements placed on the rental inventory. Changes in the depreciation allowance on the rental car fleet reduced the potential value of vehicles by requiring fleet operations managers to maintain the fleets for longer periods of time. This article presents a multivariate decision-making model, which used in conjunction with in-house performance indicators, …

Cover & Front Matter

Journal of Strategic Security

No abstract provided.

Assessing Whether Oil Dependency In Venezuela Contributes To National Instability, Adam Kott

Journal of Strategic Security

The focus of this article is on what role, if any, oil has on Venezuela's instability. When trying to explain why a resource-rich country experiences slow or negative growth, experts often point to the resource curse. The following pages explore the traditional theory behind the resource curse as well as alternative perspectives to this theory such as ownership structure and the correlation between oil prices and democracy. This article also explores the various forms of instability within Venezuela and their causes. Finally, the article looks at President Hugo Chavez's political and economic policies as well as the stagnation of the …

European Strategies For Energy Security In The Natural Gas Market, Boyka M. Stefanova

Journal of Strategic Security

This article examines the European Union's (EU) approach to energy security on the example of its natural gas imports from Russia, the largest supplier of gas to European markets. Two major projects, Nord Stream in the Northern and Western part of the EU, and Nabucco in South-Central Europe, demonstrate opposing energy security strategies, seemingly at odds with the EU objective of achieving energy independence from Russia. The question arises: Are these strategies sustainable? How can they be reconciled and pursued under a common policy? The main argument is that such conflicting sub-regional policy initiatives are amenable to progressive realignment and …

The 2011 Mena Revolutions: A Study In U.S. Energy (In)Security, Jessie Rumsey

Journal of Strategic Security

The recent upheavals in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have brought into stark relief the conflict between democratic values and strategic interests in U.S. foreign policy. Americans are known for commitment to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, yet the U.S. Government is frequently unwilling to step forward and openly express even rhetorical support for reform movements in foreign countries. In fact, initial American reluctance to support the recent "Arab Spring" uprisings serves as another example of what scholars argue is a general exception in the MENA to broader post-Cold War rising costs of maintaining autocracy. This …

The Strategic Implications Of China's Rare Earths Policy, Shane Bilsborough

Journal of Strategic Security

Drawing on literature in China studies, strategic theory, and expert interviews, this article analyzes the possibility of "rare earths" being leveraged by the People's Republic of China (PRC) in a crisis. The evidence suggests China's position in the rare earths market could constitute a significant security liability for the United States. It also seems that even if coercion fails to materialize, China's rare earths policies have the potential to intensify security dilemmas in Sino-American relations.

Arctic Energy Resources: Security And Environmental Implications, Peter Johnston

Journal of Strategic Security

In recent years, there has been considerable interest in the Arctic as a source for resources, as a potential zone for commercial shipping, and as a region that might experience conflict due to its strategic importance. With regards to energy resources, some studies suggest that the region contains upwards of 13 percent of global undiscovered oil, 30 percent of undiscovered gas, and multiples more of gas hydrates. The decreasing amount and duration of Arctic ice cover suggests that extraction of these resources will be increasingly commercially viable. Arctic and non-arctic states wish to benefit from the region's resources and the …

Dominican Resort Tourism, Sustainability, And Millennium Development Goals, Vinod Sasidharan, Marilyn E. Hall

Journal of Tourism Insights

The tourism industry continues to be touted as the main income and employment generator for Caribbean nations. In the Dominican Republic (DR), international tourism has become one of the largest industries and is a major contributor to the country’s economic growth. A recent trend in the DR is the development of luxurious residential resort complexes and private resort cities, mainly designed and created for foreign ownership. The Dominican government support for such projects has been very strong due to the economic propensity of these high-end resorts to assist the country in generating local opportunities for stable employment, creating basic infrastructure, …

The Youth Bulge In Egypt: An Intersection Of Demographics, Security, And The Arab Spring, Daniel Lagraffe

Journal of Strategic Security

During the Arab Spring, Egyptians revolted against decades of poor governance and failed institutions. A wide range of grievances contributed to the eventual fall of the Mubarak regime, and most of these grievances were influenced by the demographic composition of the Egyptian population. This paper argues that the youth bulge in Egypt played a major role in the political transition and as such serves as the prime example of the intersection of demographics, security, and the Arab Spring.

Libya And Resolution 1973: The Law Of Politics, Monica Naime

Journal of Strategic Security

This paper analyzes recent developments in the intervention in Libya from the perspective of international relations and international law. The evidence suggests that states decided to intervene in Libya prior to sanction from the United Nations Security Council's Resolution 1973. The implication from the Libyan example is that politics was the impetus for the formulation and implementation of law, and not the other way around. Law "happens" in a context, and this context is shaped and bounded by international politics. This article is intended to invigorate further research into how international politics influences the creation, interpretation, and application of international …

Cover & Front Matter

Journal of Strategic Security

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of The Arab Spring On Islamist Strategies, Ioana E. Matesan

Journal of Strategic Security

The revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt created a contagion effect that inspired a series of uprisings by sending two signals: first, that even entrenched authoritarian regimes are vulnerable; and second, that nonviolent tactics can be effective in bringing about dramatic political changes. Subsequent developments, especially in Libya and Syria, convoluted these messages. Nonetheless, the political openings and the electoral victory of Islamists in Egypt and Tunisia continue to send the signal to many Islamist opposition groups that nonviolent means and participation in politics can be effective ways to produce political change. The chance of gaining power through electoral means can …

War Without Violence: Leveraging The Arab Spring To Win The War On Terrorism, Pat Proctor

Journal of Strategic Security

After a decade of war, the United States has failed to eradicate the threat of salafist jihadism. No matter how hard it tries, the United States cannot kill its way to victory in the war on terrorism. Sweeping changes across the Middle East—dubbed the "Arab Spring" by the media—have presented the West with a unique opportunity to pursue an alternative approach. Rather than engaging in war (politics through violence), the United States should engage in mass politics (war without violence) to compel the Arab world to reject the salafist jihadism idea. This article proposes a strategy calibrated to defeat international …

Learning From Libya, Acting In Syria, Caitlin A. Buckley

Journal of Strategic Security

The international community has reached an impasse. The violence committed by Syrian President Assad's government against opposition forces, who have been calling for democratic reform, regime change, and expanded rights, has necessitated a response from the international community. This article explores various ways the international community could respond to the crisis in Syria and the consequences of each approach. It compares the current calamity in Syria to the crisis in Libya and examines the international community's response to the violence perpetrated by Qaddafi's regime. It further analyzes reports, primarily from the UN and news sources, about the ongoing predicament in …

The Role Of Returns Management Orientation, Internal Collaboration, And Information Support In Reverse Logistics, Enping (Shirley) Mai, Haozhe Chen, Kenneth Anselmi

Journal of Transportation Management

While reverse logistics has gained significant interest in recent years, the research on its antecedents is still far from comprehensive. The current study utilizes data collected from China to empirically test a conceptual model that is developed based on the resource based view of the firm. It is proposed that returns management orientation, internal collaboration, and information support are important predictors of reverse logistics performance. The structural equation modeling analysis supports these proposed relationships. Furthermore, the current study also confirms the positive relationship between a firm’s reverse logistics performance and market performance.

Understanding Supply Chain Security Strategy, Zachary Williams, Jason E. Lueg, Sean P. Goffnett, Stephen A. Lemay, Robert L. Cook

Journal of Transportation Management

In the post-9/11 environment, organizations are acutely aware of the need to secure their supply chains from risks of being a target of, or an unwilling participant in, a terror attack. However, supply chain security (SCS) comes at a cost and increasing levels of protection have increasing levels of costs to the firm. So some firms engage in strategic initiatives to secure the supply chain (SC) while others do not; and each firm engages in varying degrees of activities to ensure SCS. Therefore, in this study, the researchers sought to explore what types of SCS strategies exist. The researchers analyze …

The Physical Distribution Security System: Who Is Affecting The Vulnerability Of Goods Transprtation?, Luca Urciuoli

Journal of Transportation Management

The purpose of this study is to explore the vulnerability of physical distribution networks to antago- nistic threats. Previous research identifies globalization and Just in Time (JIT) as the main causes of vulnerability. However, cargo crime has always existed, even before the identification of these trends. In this explorative study new factors are brought to light. In particular, it appears that stake- holders’ dynamics are influencing the level of security.

Assessing The Strategic Evolution Of U.S. Low Cost Airlines In The Post-9/11 Environment, Carl A. Scheraga, Paul Caster

Journal of Transportation Management

It has been suggested in the literature that low-cost airlines have, in varying degrees, departed from the original low-cost model introduced by Southwest Airlines. This study provides a multi-year analysis in the post-9/11 time period, for the years 2004-2009, of the demonstrated strategic positioning choices of U. S. low-cost airlines. The sample utilized is restricted to U. S. low-cost carriers so as not to conflate operating environments. Furthermore, a quantitative methodology is employed to measure effectively these choices and to facilitate inter-airline comparisons. Airlines, as part of their strategic planning process, articulate positions with regard to cost leadership, product differentiation, …

A Comparison Of Logistics Strategies And Integration In The U.S. And Ghana, Michael A. Mcginnis, John E. Spillan, Ali Kara, King Obed Domfeh (Dok)

Journal of Transportation Management

This manuscript empirically compares logistics strategies and outcomes in Ghanaian and U.S. firms to test the underlying factor structure and measurement equivalences of the Bowersox/Daugherty model and its relationship with critical success factors. A structured questionnaire was used to gather data from Ghanaian and American logistics managers. Using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), we compared the three dimensions of Overall Logistics Strategy (OLS) - Process Strategy, Market Strategy, and Information Strategy – in the two countries. A structural equation model (SEM) was then used to assess the impact of OLS on perceived organizational competitiveness in the two countries. Although the economic, …

Ten Years Of Gwot, The Failure Of Democratization And The Fallacy Of “Ungoverned Spaces”, David P. Oakley, Patrick Proctor

Journal of Strategic Security

October 7, 2011, marked a decade since the United States invaded Afghanistan and initiated the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). While most ten-year anniversary gifts involve aluminum, tin, or diamonds, the greatest gift U.S. policymakers can present American citizens is a reconsideration of the logic that guides America's counterterrorism strategy. Although the United States has successfully averted large-scale domestic terrorist attacks, its inability to grasp the nature of the enemy has cost it dearly in wasted resources and, more importantly, lost lives. Two of the most consistent and glaring policy flaws revolve around the concepts of filling "ungoverned spaces" and …

Policy Intervention In Fata: Why Discourse Matters, Nazya Fiaz Dr.

Journal of Strategic Security

Despite years of wide-scale counterterrorism measures in Pakistan's FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas), the injection of substantial funds, and the "close" collaboration between the United States and Pakistan, the ugly truth is that the extremism and militancy in FATA continues to recruit members. Moreover, there is little indication that the killing of Usama bin Ladin will have any significant effect on reducing support for militancy. While taking stock of these realities, this article will not seek to rehash the many successes and failures of the counterterrorist operations in FATA. Instead, its purpose will be to argue that while the causes …

Cover & Front Matter

Journal of Strategic Security

No abstract provided.

Deterring And Dissuading Nuclear Terrorism, John J. Klein

Journal of Strategic Security

While nuclear deterrence theory may be well-suited to dealing with nuclear-armed states, its suitability for deterring nuclear terrorism has frequently been questioned since 9/11. While terrorist organizations do not necessarily act uniformly or according to the same underlying beliefs, many of the most aggressive organizations are motivated by an ideology that embraces martyrdom and an apocalyptic vision.1 This ideology may be based on religion or a desire to overthrow a government. Consequently, terrorists motivated by ideology who intend to use a stolen or improvised nuclear device against the United States or its interests may not care about the resulting military …

A Systems-Based Approach To Intelligence Reform, Austen Givens

Journal of Strategic Security

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 prompted the most comprehensive changes to the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) since its creation via the National Security Act of 1947. Recent structural and organizational reforms, such as efforts to enhance information sharing and recruit speakers of hard-target languages, have also triggered new challenges to successful transformation. In light of the systemic problems facing the IC, this paper argues that systems engineering, a discipline increasingly useful in organizational change, offers a more efficient, holistic approach to the intelligence reform process than the status quo. Systems engineering views the IC as an integrated and …

Using Civic Engagement And Collaboration To Create Community Change: Lessons From Charlotte, N.C., Joanne G. Carman, Rebecca A. Hefner

The Foundation Review

· The city of Charlotte, N.C. undertook a deliberative democracy process using the AmericaSpeaks “21st Century Town Meeting” process.

· The University of North Carolina-Charlotte performed a retrospective, process evaluation of the initiative examining the initiative’s components, coverage, participant feedback, short-term outcomes, and lessons learned.

· Early planning and implementation was done by volunteers, which ultimately was not sustainable. A new center, housed within an existing organization, was created to implement the recommendations.

· The initiative achieved a number of early successes, such as increasing the number of school nurses, expansion of an early childhood development program and an increase …

Evaluation For Models And Adaptive Initiatives, Heather Britt, Julia Coffman

The Foundation Review

· Although there has been a growing emphasis on use of experimental designs in evaluation, there is also increasing agreement that evaluation designs should be situation specific.

· The nature of the program is one of the key factors to consider in evaluation design.

· Two types of programs – models, which provide replicable or semi-standardized solutions, adaptive initiatives, which are flexible programming strategies used to address problems that require unique, context-based solutions – require different evaluation designs.

· Evaluation of models requires understanding the stage of development of the model program, with summative evaluation done only when the model …