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Full-Text Articles in Business

Entrepreneurship Education Policies In Singapore, Wee Liang Tan Jun 2012

Entrepreneurship Education Policies In Singapore, Wee Liang Tan

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

No abstract provided.


Corporate Image Vacuum: Nature, Characteristics And Implications For The Organization, Noraizah Zainal Abidin, Augustine Pang Jun 2012

Corporate Image Vacuum: Nature, Characteristics And Implications For The Organization, Noraizah Zainal Abidin, Augustine Pang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

A good corporate image is important to organizations (Benoit & Pang, 2008). Even then, some organizations do not have one (Bernstein, 1984/1989; Walker, 2010). Arguably the first study to explicate the notion of corporate image vacuum through the development of the Corporate Image Grid Framework, this study examines how an image vacuum is generated and what organizations can do to fill it. The framework offers a systematic way of assessing an organization’s image to heighten practitioners’ awareness of image management of their organizations. Four organizations drawn from Fortune 2011 list of 50 most admired organizations are studied: Singapore Airlines, Google, …


Negotiating Crisis In The New Media Environment: Evolution Of Crises Online, Gaining Legitimacy Offline, Augustine Pang, Nasrath Begam Binte Abul Hassan, Aaron Chee Yang Chong Jun 2012

Negotiating Crisis In The New Media Environment: Evolution Of Crises Online, Gaining Legitimacy Offline, Augustine Pang, Nasrath Begam Binte Abul Hassan, Aaron Chee Yang Chong

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This study examines how crises originate online, how different new media platforms escalate crises, and how issues become legitimized offline when they transit onto mainstream media. We study five social media crises, which includes United breaks guitars and Southwest Air’s too fat to fly. Crises are triggered online when stakeholders are empowered by new media platforms that allow user-generated content to be posted online without any filtering. Facebook, YouTube and Twitter emerge as top crises breeding grounds due to their large user base and the lack of gatekeeping. Facebook and blogs are responsible for escalating crises beyond the immediate stakeholder …


Building Effective Business Relationships In China, Roy Y. J. Chua Jun 2012

Building Effective Business Relationships In China, Roy Y. J. Chua

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

China’s ways of doing business are becoming more Westernized. But non-Chinese executives still must work hard at building trust in relationships with their Chinese business partners.


Negotiating Crisis In The New Media Environment: Evolution Of Crises Online, Gaining Legitimacy Offline, Augustine Pang, Nasrath Begam Abul Hassan, Aaron Chee Yang Chong Jun 2012

Negotiating Crisis In The New Media Environment: Evolution Of Crises Online, Gaining Legitimacy Offline, Augustine Pang, Nasrath Begam Abul Hassan, Aaron Chee Yang Chong

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This study examines how crises originate online, how different new media platforms escalate crises, and how issues become legitimized offline when they transit onto mainstream media. We study five social media crises, which includes United breaks guitars and Southwest Air’s too fat to fly. Crises are triggered online when stakeholders are empowered by new media platforms that allow user-generated content to be posted online without any filtering. Facebook, YouTube and Twitter emerge as top crises breeding grounds due to their large user base and the lack of gatekeeping. Facebook and blogs are responsible for escalating crises beyond the immediate stakeholder …


Customer Satisfaction Index Of Singapore 2012: Q1 Results, Institute Of Service Excellence, Smu May 2012

Customer Satisfaction Index Of Singapore 2012: Q1 Results, Institute Of Service Excellence, Smu

Research Collection Institute of Service Excellence

Between 2011 and 2012, customer satisfaction for the InfoCommunications sector rose by 1.6-points to 65.9-points (on a 0 to 100 scale). This significant 2.5% improvement reverses the downward trend the sector experienced since tracking begun in 2007.


Internationalization Into The Gcc: Singapore In Retrospect, Caroline Yeoh, Wilfred Pow Ngee How, Hong Hao Chong May 2012

Internationalization Into The Gcc: Singapore In Retrospect, Caroline Yeoh, Wilfred Pow Ngee How, Hong Hao Chong

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

As internationalization becomes, increasingly, the chosen method of (ironically) competing for competitiveness among firms, new and rich frontiers for business come into ever-expanding demand. Among the foremost of these frontiers, the countries of the GCC represent both fertile ground and uncharted waters for internationalizing firms, with cultures as rich as their markets and sometimes byzantine yet fascinating socio-political forces presenting a plethora of challenges to erstwhile investing firms. As a culmination of our research into this region over past years, then, we examine in this paper, as a case study of sorts, the experiences of Singapore firms in the various …


Towards Interactive, Internet-Based Decision Aid For Vaccination Decisions: Better Information Alone Is Not Enough, Terry Connolly, Jochen Reb May 2012

Towards Interactive, Internet-Based Decision Aid For Vaccination Decisions: Better Information Alone Is Not Enough, Terry Connolly, Jochen Reb

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Vaccination decisions, as in choosing whether or not to immunize one's small child against specific diseases, are both psychologically and computationally complex. The psychological complexities have been extensively studied, often in the context of shaping convincing or persuasive messages that will encourage parents to vaccinate their children. The computational complexity of the decision has been less noted. However, even if the parent has access to neutral, accurate, credible information on vaccination risks and benefits, he or she can easily be overwhelmed by the task of combining this information into a well-reasoned decision. We argue here that the Internet, in addition …


Wage-Vacancy Contracts And Coordination Frictions, Nicolas L. Jacquet, Serene Tan May 2012

Wage-Vacancy Contracts And Coordination Frictions, Nicolas L. Jacquet, Serene Tan

Research Collection School Of Economics

We consider a directed search model with risk-averse workers and risk-neutral entrepreneurs who can set up firms that post wage-vacancy contracts, i.e., contracts where firms can make payments to more than one applicant, and where the payments can be different for each applicant and be contingent on the number of applicants. We establish that the type of contracts the literature focuses on are not offered if firms can post wage-vacancy contracts. We show that there exists an equilibrium satisfying a Monotonic Expected Utility property which is efficient. Furthermore, we investigate the role of wage-vacancy contracts on welfare and competition.


In Search Of A Different Accounting Graduate: Entry-Point Determinants Of Students’ Performance In An Undergraduate Accountancy Degree Programme In Singapore, Poh Sun Seow, Gary Pan, Joanne Tay May 2012

In Search Of A Different Accounting Graduate: Entry-Point Determinants Of Students’ Performance In An Undergraduate Accountancy Degree Programme In Singapore, Poh Sun Seow, Gary Pan, Joanne Tay

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

This study investigates the association of prior academic achievement, admission interview, critical thinking, mathematical aptitude, gender and age with successful academic performance in an undergraduate accountancy degree programme at a Singapore university. The purpose of revisiting the determinants of academic performance is twofold: firstly, university accounting education in Singapore has changed greatly since Koh and Koh’s earlier study (1999), so this study examines if determinants previously identified as significant continue to be so in the new setting; secondly, the study tests the usefulness of admission interview in identifying applicants who achieve subsequent academic success. All the data on students’ performance …


Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind: The Value Of Political Connections In Social Networks, Quoc-Anh Do, Yen Teik Lee, Bang Dang Nguyen, Kieu-Trang Nguyen May 2012

Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind: The Value Of Political Connections In Social Networks, Quoc-Anh Do, Yen Teik Lee, Bang Dang Nguyen, Kieu-Trang Nguyen

Research Collection School Of Economics

This paper investigates the impact of social-network based political connections on firm value. We focus on the networks of university classmates and alumni among directors of U.S. public firms and congressmen. Comparing firms connected to elected versus defeated politicians in the Regression Discontinuity Design of close elections from 2000 to 2008, we provide evidence that political connections enhance firm value. However, the value of political connections varies in a more complex way than expected. While connections to powerful members of the Senate generate strong positive impact on firm value, connections to newly elected congressmen are less valuable to firms than …


Asia In The Middle East: The Internationalization Of Singapore Private Firms Into The Gcc, Caroline Yeoh, Wilfred How, Sharmaine Si Min Neo May 2012

Asia In The Middle East: The Internationalization Of Singapore Private Firms Into The Gcc, Caroline Yeoh, Wilfred How, Sharmaine Si Min Neo

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

No abstract provided.


Off The Cliff And Back? Credit Conditions And International Trade During The Global Financial Crisis, Davin Chor, Manova Kalina May 2012

Off The Cliff And Back? Credit Conditions And International Trade During The Global Financial Crisis, Davin Chor, Manova Kalina

Research Collection School Of Economics

We examine the collapse of international trade flows during the 2008-2009 global financial crisis using detailed data on the evolution of monthly U.S. imports over the November 2006 - April 2009 period. We show that credit constraints and the reduction in the availability of external capital were an important channel through which the crisis affected trade volumes. We identify the effects of credit tightening by exploiting the variation in the cost of capital across countries and over time, as well as the variation in financial dependence across sectors. We find that countries with higher interbank interest rates and thus tighter …


From Boardroom To Parliament, Singapore Management University Apr 2012

From Boardroom To Parliament, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

Everyone has different motivations for working, . But the primary incentive for slogging it out in the corporate jungle would be money— at least that is what employers believe. This helps explain why companies are often willing to shell out wads of cash to outbid one another in the labour market for top executives.


Customer Satisfaction Index Of Singapore 2011: Full Year Overview, Institute Of Service Excellence, Smu Mar 2012

Customer Satisfaction Index Of Singapore 2011: Full Year Overview, Institute Of Service Excellence, Smu

Research Collection Institute of Service Excellence

The Customer Satisfaction Index of Singapore (CSISG) computes customer satisfaction scores at the national, sector, sub-sector, and company levels. The CSISG serves as a quantitative benchmark of the quality of goods and services produced by the Singapore economy over time and across countries with 2011 marking its fifth year of measurement.


Is Specialization Desirable In Committee Decision Making?, Ruth Ben-Yashar, Winston T. H. Koh, Shmuel Nitzan Mar 2012

Is Specialization Desirable In Committee Decision Making?, Ruth Ben-Yashar, Winston T. H. Koh, Shmuel Nitzan

Research Collection School Of Economics

Committee decision making is examined in this study focusing on the role assigned to the committee members. In particular, we are concerned about the comparison between committee performance under specialization and non-specialization of the decision makers. Specialization (in the context of project or public policy selection) means that the decision of each committee member is based on a narrow area, which typically results in the acquirement and use of relatively high expertise in that area. When the committee members’ expertise is already determined, specialization only means that the decision of each committee member is based solely on his/her relatively high …


Us Government Efforts To Repair Its Image After The 2008 Financial Crisis, Andrea A. Chua, Augustine Pang Mar 2012

Us Government Efforts To Repair Its Image After The 2008 Financial Crisis, Andrea A. Chua, Augustine Pang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Globalization has intensified the interaction and interdependency among countries. The need to maintain good reputation and establish good relationships should dominate public diplomacy efforts (Hiebert, 2005). Using the US financial crisis 2008 as a case study, this study examines how the world's only superpower repaired its image when it was accused of triggering the financial meltdown that impacted the world economy. Few studies have examined repair strategies by nations. The need to undertake more empirical research to understand how the image-rebuilding rhetoric can aid diplomatic efforts remains relevant today.


The Role Of Faculty Members' Cross-Cultural Competencies In Their Perceived Teaching Quality: Evidence From Culturally-Diverse Classes In Four European Countries, Alain De Beuckelaer, Filip Lievens, Joost Bucker Mar 2012

The Role Of Faculty Members' Cross-Cultural Competencies In Their Perceived Teaching Quality: Evidence From Culturally-Diverse Classes In Four European Countries, Alain De Beuckelaer, Filip Lievens, Joost Bucker

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

In the field of higher education, it has often been claimed that in culturally-diverse classes high levels of cross-cultural competence will result in better teaching performance among faculty. Unfortunately, to date this relationship has not been tested empirically. In this study, we examine the nature of this relationship using course-related survey data from faculty members (N = 46) teaching management-related courses to master's students (N = 1,219) in four EU countries (Belgium, France, Germany, and The Netherlands). Results demonstrate that cross-cultural competence (in particular showing a high degree of cultural empathy and being open-minded) is an important asset for faculty …


Enhancing Internal Communications: How Microsoft Cuts Through The Clutter, Singapore Management University Feb 2012

Enhancing Internal Communications: How Microsoft Cuts Through The Clutter, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

How do you communicate with 5,000 employees across 17 countries in a simple yet effective and compelling way? This was a question that Jovina Ang had to answer back in 2010, when she joined Microsoft Services Asia as marketing communications director.


Large Mutual Fund Families: Bigger May Not Always Be Better, Singapore Management University Feb 2012

Large Mutual Fund Families: Bigger May Not Always Be Better, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

Size is not everything but it may be intuitive for the novice investor to place his money in a mutual fund from large fund families thinking that it will outperform the smaller ones.


Manipulation Of Online Reviews: An Analysis Of Ratings, Readability, And Sentiments, Nan Hu, Indranil Bose, Noi Sian Koh, Ling Liu Feb 2012

Manipulation Of Online Reviews: An Analysis Of Ratings, Readability, And Sentiments, Nan Hu, Indranil Bose, Noi Sian Koh, Ling Liu

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

As consumers become increasingly reliant on online reviews to make purchase decisions, the sales of the product becomes dependent on the word of mouth (WOM) that it generates. As a result, there can be attempts by firms to manipulate online reviews of products to increase their sales. Despite the suspicion on the existence of such manipulation, the amount of such manipulation is unknown, and deciding which reviews to believe in is largely based on the reader's discretion and intuition. Therefore, the success of the manipulation of reviews by firms in generating sales of products is unknown. In this paper, we …


The Ethnocentric Bias: Why One Size Does Not Fit All In The World Of Digital Communication, Michael A. Netzley Feb 2012

The Ethnocentric Bias: Why One Size Does Not Fit All In The World Of Digital Communication, Michael A. Netzley

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

In this chapter Michael Netzley, PhD at Singapore Management University, discusses the opportunity to see beyond traditional markets. Asia is filled with diverse and fragmented markets, more so than we typically find in the West's mature markets. The larger social media conversation reflects values and market assumptions of these mature markets, and all too often the needs of Asia's many emerging markets go unrepresented. Professional communicators must stop relying on advice crafted within different market conditions and instead lead the way forward by producing solid research as the basis for data-driven communication decisions.


The Promise And Challenge Of Ecotourism, Biqi Wu Jan 2012

The Promise And Challenge Of Ecotourism, Biqi Wu

Social Space

The following article is adapted from an ecotourism case study conducted by Wu Biqi. It was supported by the Lien Centre and supervised by Associate Professor John Donaldson of the School of Social Sciences at the Singapore Management University.


Information Systems Procurement Process Risk And Control: Insights From A Public Sector Organization, Gary Pan, Manjari Mehta, Poh Sun Seow Jan 2012

Information Systems Procurement Process Risk And Control: Insights From A Public Sector Organization, Gary Pan, Manjari Mehta, Poh Sun Seow

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

This case highlights the specific risks and issues that may be encountered in the information systems (IS) procurement process in a country where bribery and corruption are more common. PSO is a large Indian public sector organization involved in energy-related business. Being financially deprived, PSO relied on government funding to build its infrastructures. Besides the funding support, PSO also inherited the bureaucratic structure and the corruption practices. Lately, PSO was involved in several IS infrastructure and applications upgrading projects and wanted to review its IS procurement process. Does PSO understand the process risks in public IS procurement? Does PSO have …


Preface, Nirmalya Kumar Jan 2012

Preface, Nirmalya Kumar

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

As late as 2001, Indian outward investment was less than US $1 billion. Instead, India, like all developing countries, was actively courting foreign investment into the country. By 2006, India had reached the tipping point. For the first time, Indian outward investment of US $10 billion had outstripped foreign investment into India. The spending spree continued unabated in 2007. Indian companies arranged or concluded US $21 billion in 40 foreign investment deals in January and February of 2007 alone. Moreover, Indian foreign investment in the financial year closing 31 March 2007 exceeded the cumulative total foreign investment by Indian companies …


Envy As Pain: Rethinking The Nature Of Envy And Its Implications For Employees And Organizations, Kenneth Tai, Jayanth Narayanan, Daniel J. Mcallister Jan 2012

Envy As Pain: Rethinking The Nature Of Envy And Its Implications For Employees And Organizations, Kenneth Tai, Jayanth Narayanan, Daniel J. Mcallister

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Although envy has been characterized by resentment, hostility, and ill will, researchers have begun to investigate envy's benign manifestations. We contend that the substance of envy has been confounded with its consequences. We conceptualize envy as pain at another's good fortune. This reconceptualization allows envy to result in both positive and negative consequences. We then examine how envy affects interpersonal behaviors and job performance, contingent on core self-evaluation, referent cognitions, and perceived organizational support.


Building Situational Stimuli In Assessment Center Exercises: Do Specific Exercise Instructions And Role-Player Prompts Increase The Observability Of Behavior?, Eveline Schollaert, Filip Lievens Jan 2012

Building Situational Stimuli In Assessment Center Exercises: Do Specific Exercise Instructions And Role-Player Prompts Increase The Observability Of Behavior?, Eveline Schollaert, Filip Lievens

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Little is known about how assessment center exercises might be designed to better elicit job-relevant behavior. This study uses trait activation theory as a theoretical lens for increasing the number of behaviors that can be observed in assessment centers. Two standardized exercise stimuli (specific exercise instructions and role-player prompts) are proposed, and their effects on the observability of candidate behavior are examined. Results showed a significant effect of role-player prompts in increasing both the general number of behavioral observations and the number of behavioral observations related to three out of four dimensions. Specific exercise instructions did not have effects on …


Public Housing: Appreciating Assets?, Sock Yong Phang Jan 2012

Public Housing: Appreciating Assets?, Sock Yong Phang

Research Collection School Of Economics

The topic of HDB housing is one that is close to the hearts and minds of the majority of Singaporeans. The first part of the presentation will provide a brief overview of price trends in Singapore’s housing sector. The second part delves into the market and policy factors behind the rapid increase in HDB housing prices since 2006. The monograph “Reflections on Housing a Nation” published by the Ministry of National Development in February 2011, contains numerous statements on the goals of housing policy. Briefly, the government is committed to affordable home ownership as a major pillar of Singapore’s public …


Eco Travel Singapore - Balancing Social And Profit Motives, Biqi Wu Jan 2012

Eco Travel Singapore - Balancing Social And Profit Motives, Biqi Wu

Lien Centre Student Case Studies

No abstract provided.


Impact Investing: Will Hype Stall Its Emergence As An Asset Class?, Philo Alto Jan 2012

Impact Investing: Will Hype Stall Its Emergence As An Asset Class?, Philo Alto

Social Space

From when it was first coined five years ago, “impact investing” has now become more mainstream for traditional investors. However, Philo Alto argues that its development is lagging behind the promise of what it can do, and this, in turn, is hampering its emergence as an asset class in its own right.