Business Commons^™

Work Groups And Teams In Organizations, Steve Kozlowski, Bradford Bell

Bradford S Bell

[Excerpt] Our objective in this chapter is to provide an integrative perspective on work groups and teams in organizations, one that addresses primary foci of theory and research, highlights applied implications, and identifies key issues in need of research attention and resolution. Given the volume of existing reviews, our review is not intended to be exhaustive. Rather, it uses representative work to characterize key topics, and focuses on recent work that breaks new ground to help move theory and research forward. Although our approach risks trading breadth for depth, we believe that there is much value in taking a more …

Backpackers, Byron And Brand: The Power Of Wom, Janet Hanlan, Stephen Kelly

Adjunct Professor Stephen J Kelly

Tourist destination brand image is a major influencing factor in traveler destination choice. This exploratory research into the information sources from which destination brand image evolves, aims to provide insights which may improve destination marketing communication strategies. Indepth interviews with 21 international backpackers on Australia’s northern New South Wales coast indicate that mainstream media played little or no part in the formation of respondents’ image of the coastal destination of Byron Bay. Research findings show word-of-mouth (WOM) and autonomous independent information sources were the key mediums through which respondents formed their image of this iconic Australian tourist destination. Findings suggest …

Library Sector Leadership: Bridging Theory And Practice, Melanie Mills, Charlotte Innerd

Melanie Mills

Explore the issue of leadership in libraries with one current student and one graduate of The University of Victoria's Professional Graduate Certificate in Library Sector Leadership. Looking specifically at Kouzes and Posner's 'Five Practices of Exemplary Leaders' and Quinn et al.'s 'Competing Values Framework', we hope to share our own discoveries and insights and add to the important discussion of leadership in Libraries.

The Relationship Between Personality And Self-Report Abilities, Julie Schermer, Andrew Johnson, Philip Vernon, Kerry Jang

Andrew M. Johnson

The relationship between self-report abilities and personality was examined at both the phenotypic (zero-order) level as well as at the genetic and environmental levels. Twins and siblings (N = 516) completed self-report ability and personality questionnaires. A factor analysis of the ability questions revealed 10 factors, including politics, interpersonal relationships, practical tasks, intellectual pursuits, academic skills, entrepreneur/business, domestic skills, vocal abilities, and creativity. Five personality factors were examined, including extraversion, conscientiousness, dependence, aggression, and openness. At the phenotypic level, the correlations between the ability factor scores and personality factor scores ranged from 0 to .60 (between political abilities and extraversion). …

New Models For Book Publishing, Kwanghui Lim

Kwanghui Lim

No abstract provided.

Consulting Ethics, William Feighery

William Feighery

An important, if much neglected, arena within the field of tourism studies is the role of tourism scholars as consultants in the development process. For individuals within this field of ‘expert knowledge’ participation in consultancy projects often places them at the heart of complex and competing interests at local, national and international level. Such complexity necessitates ethically informed decisions. In this paper I first explore the evolution of tourism related research and consultancy, before considering the rise of ethics in arenas of professional practice. Further, I consider the Foucauldian construct of ‘technologies of the self’ as potentially offering an ethical …

The Innovative Organisation, Kwanghui Lim

Kwanghui Lim

No abstract provided.

Nasaba Convention 2010, Karen Ahmed

Karen Hunt Ahmed

No abstract provided.

Chicago Microfinance Conference 2010, Karen Ahmed

Karen Hunt Ahmed

No abstract provided.

Ideacheck: Bcg Report On The Innovation Imperative In Manufacturing, Kwanghui Lim

Kwanghui Lim

In March, the Boston Consulting Group published a report on "The Innovation Imperative in Manufacturing". The report assesses the level of competitiveness of US firms, both across different states of the US as well as in comparison to other countries. Here is my IdeaCHECK on the report: http://cite.org.au/store/viewitem.asp?idProduct=573.

Tilting At Windmills? The Environmental Movement And The Emergence Of The U.S. Wind Energy Sector, Wesley Sine, Brandon Lee

Brandon Lee

Through a study of the emergent U.S. wind energy sector, 1978–1992, this paper examines how large scale social movements external to an industry can influence the creation of new market opportunities and hence encourage entrepreneurship. We theorize that through the construction and propagation of cognitive frameworks, norms, values, and regulatory structures, and by offering a preexisting social structure, social movement organizations influence whether entrepreneurs attempt to start ventures in emerging sectors. We find that the direct and indirect effects of social resources (e.g., environmental groups) had a larger impact on entrepreneurial activity in this sector than the availability of natural …

Should Genes Be Patented - Introduction To The Ipria&Cite Public Event, Kwanghui Lim

Kwanghui Lim

No abstract provided.

The Infrastructure Of Collective Action And Policy Content Diffusion In The Organic Food Industry, Brandon Lee

Brandon Lee

Little is known about the relationship between industry self-regulation organizations and the diffusion of policy content. Using the organic food industry as a context, this study examines the relationship between local and federated standards-based certification organizations and specific changes in U.S. state laws. The study’s findings indicate that local structures correspond to greater legal innovation and elaboration, but less variation. Conversely, federated structures correspond to less legal innovation and elaboration, and greater content variation. These findings both challenge extant theories regarding organizational capacities of local and federated organizations and extend contemporary conceptions of diffusion.

Gender Differences In Mba Students: Work-Life Balance, Opting Out And The Increasing Importance Of Flexibility, Jennifer Keil, K. Somerville

Jennifer Keil

Notre Dame Mendoza Business School Presentation 2008, Karen Ahmed

Karen Hunt Ahmed

No abstract provided.

Under Cover Of Science: American Legal-Economic Theory And The Quest For Objectivity, James Hackney Jr.

James R. Hackney Jr.

No abstract provided.

Why I Quit The Railroad, Linda Niemann

Linda G. Niemann

The article presents the author's reasons for leaving her job in the railroad industry. She wasn't thrilled to be force-assigned to the foreman's spot on Union Pacific's Lawrence switcher. Being the junior switchman on the California coast for years, she was used to jobs that weren't so plum. What made it tough were a difficult yardmaster and her help, a switchman who outranked her but didn't want the responsibility of the foreman's spot.

The Lord Of The Night, Linda Niemann

Linda G. Niemann

The article presents the author's reflection on the management of Southern Pacific after it was acquired by Union Pacific (UP). The year preceding the UP merger, 1995, everyone tried to earn the maximum they could in preparation for whatever union-negotiated guarantee would come down the pike. Downsizing hit this system hard. The union contract did away with the system seniority that provided trainmen the freedom to work anywhere on the railroad.

Phenotypic And Genetic Relationships Between Vocational Interests And Personality, Julie Harris, Philip Vernon, Andrew Johnson, Kerry Jang

Andrew M. Johnson

Relationships between personality and vocational interest factors were examined at the phenotypic and genetic levels. Twins and siblings (N = 516) completed self-report personality and vocational interest scales. Following factor analyses of each scale, five personality and six vocational interest factors were extracted. At the phenotypic level, correlations between personality and vocational interests ranged from zero to .33. Heritability estimates of the scales showed that genetic components accounted for 0–56% of the variance for the vocational interest factors and 44–65% for the personality factors. Genetic correlations between the two areas ranged from zero to .50. The results suggest that personality …

Accessing Board Positions: A Comparison Of Female And Male Board Members’ Views, Alison Sheridan, Gina Milgate

Gina C Milgate

In Australia, as in many Western industrialised countries, women accessing corporate board positions are still the exception to the rule. This paper reports research exploring men's and women's views on the factors crucial in attaining a board position. While both groups identified the importance of a strong track record, a good understanding of business principles and business contacts in gaining board positions, we found that women also highlighted the importance of high visibility and family contacts to account for their nomination to boards. It seems that women's competence has to be widely acknowledged in the public domain or through family …

"She Says, He Says”: Women’S And Men’S Views Of The Composition Of Boards, Alison Sheridan, Gina Milgate

Gina C Milgate

While women have continued to increase their representation in the paid workforce, their representation on corporate boards in Australia remains very low. In this paper, the views of men and women board members of publicly-listed companies in Australia concerning the adequacy of the composition of boards and the factors contributing to women’s low representation are explored and contrasted. It seems that these “successful” men and women have significantly different views on the benefits of homogeneity or diversity of board membership. While the men believe the current composition is generally adequate, the women are concerned about the lack of diversity of …

The Hospital Yard, Linda Niemann

Linda G. Niemann

Presents an article on working at a small switching yard in San Jose, California. Reason for thinking the switching yard as a hospital yard; Description of the yard; Details on workers at the yard.