Business Commons^™

...And The Twain Shall Meet?, Lance A. Compa

Lance A Compa

[Excerpt] No country or company should gain a commercial edge in international trade by jailing or killing union organizers, crushing independent union movements, or banning strikes. Gaining an advantage in labor costs should not depend on exploiting child labor or forced labor, or discriminating against women or oppressed ethnic groups. Deliberately exposing workers to life-threatening safety and health hazards, or holding wages and benefits below livable levels should not be permissible corporate strategies. But these are exactly the abuses that happen all too often in a rapidly globalized world trading system based on "free trade."

Corporate Social Responsibility And Workers’ Rights, Lance A. Compa

Lance A Compa

[Excerpt] Corporate social responsibility (CSR) brings an important dimension to the global economy. CSR can enhance human rights, labor rights, and labor standards in the workplace by joining consumer power and socially responsible business leadership—not just leadership in Nike headquarters in Oregon or Levi Strauss headquarters in California, but leadership in trading house headquarters in Taiwan and Hong Kong, and leadership at the factory level in Dongguan and Shenzhen. Ten years ago, I would not have said this. I viewed corporate social responsibility and corporate codes of conduct as public relations maneuvers to pacify concerned consumers. Behind a facade of …

Training And Service Quality: A Case Study Analysis Of Regional Australian Restaurants, Grant Cairncross, Simon J. Wilde, Lucinda Hutchinson

Dr Simon J Wilde

The incorporation of training procedures, both formal and informal, within hospitality firms is recognised as a vital element in achieving sustainable perceived service quality. Yet, despite this importance, relatively little is known about the extent, nature and determinants of training in hospitality firms in regional Australia. Restaurants in particular have proven hard to analyse because many are what the Australian Bureau of Statistics calls micro-businesses who employ less than five staff, or are small businesses with five to twenty employees, and have little in the way of training resources and expertise in the area. An examination of six restaurants in …

Factors For Business Establishment In Regional Australia: An Analysis Of The Mid North Coast Of New South Wales, Douglas Neil, Margaret Frances Drever, Bruce Armstrong, Don Dingsdag

Dr Bruce Armstrong

This paper examines reasons why businesses relocated or established on the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. The region is characterised by having one of the highest levels of unemployment in Australia, one of the lowest average incomes and a high dependency on social security infrastructure. The region also has a climate, which has been described as one of the best in Australia. These conditions make it an attractive location for ‘lifestyle’ reasons as well as a large reserve of unutilised labour. Data used in the preparation of the paper was gathered initially in 1996 and updated …

Firm Strategic Control: Direct Ownership, Indirect Ownership, Dispersion And Board Of Directors, Timothy Kiessling, Keith Duncan

Keith Duncan

Our empirical study of 246 Directors, financial executives, accountants and credit/security analysts explore the concept of firm strategic control and what theoretically developed attributes contribute to an entity having strategic control over another. Our results suggest that strategic control is established with 100 per cent ownership but where there is less than 60-64% ownership then other strategic control attributes are necessary. Our results delve into what combinations of Direct ownership, indirect ownership, dispersion and Board of Director representation are required for strategic control.

Sustainability- The Missing Ingredient In Strategy, Ingrid Bonn, Josie Fisher

Ingrid Bonn

While strategy has been addressed in the literature since the 1960s and sustainability has received a lot of attention recently, there has been little attention paid to the question of how sustainability considerations might be integrated into an organisation's strategy. In this paper a framework that outlines how sustainability can be addressed strategically in organisations is introduced and analysed. It is argued that all three dimensions of sustainability- economic, environmental and social- must be integrated into all aspects of an organisation's strategy and need to be addressed on an ongoing basis.

Why Do People Use Or Not Use An Information Technology: An Interpretive Investigation On The Adoption And Use Of An Electronic Medical Records System, Li Long

Theses and Dissertations

In the literature of information technology acceptance, much empirical evidence exists that is inconsistent with Technology Acceptance (TA) Models. The purpose of this study is to find out why the extant TA models fail to predict in reality as they purport to in theory. This research argues that the extant literature has not been able to explain how individuals actually form their perceptions about using an information technology. Since past research attempting to do this has been unsuccessful or empirically refuted, this research uses an interpretive case study to investigate the experiences of professionals’ adoption and use of an information …

2008-12-04, Morehead State University. Board Of Regents.

Morehead State Board of Regents Agenda Books and Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

2008-12-04 Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes for December 4, 2008.

Work Is Fun: The Phenomenon Of Boys Enjoying Work In A Camp Setting, Zina Lenore Bennion

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceived outcomes of participation in a summer camp that included physical work and service as a major component. A qualitative data analysis approach was used. A convenience sample of 10 male adolescents and 10 parents were selected. The data was analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding. Data analysis was used to ascertain perceived outcomes from the program from both boys and their parents. Analysis of the data showed the emergence of a core theme of boys learning to work and enjoying work. Enjoying work was the term chosen to represent …

Dealing With Virtual R&D Teams In New Product Development, Nader Ale Ebrahim, Shamsuddin Ahmed, Zahari Taha

Nader Ale Ebrahim

National and global collaboration in research and development (R&D) is becoming increasingly important in creating the knowledge that makes research and business more competitive. Multinational enterprises have increased their research and development (R&D) investment in different countries. These multiple sites encourage the development of more ideas, due to the varied international backgrounds in global networks and the knowledge spillovers. In order to secure the viability of business processes, services and products R&D teams need to access and retrieve information from as many sources as possible. From the other perspective virtual teams are important mechanisms for organizations seeking to control scarce …

Effective Basemetal Hedging: The Optimal Hedge Ratio And Hedging Horizon, Michael Dewally, Luke Marriott

Finance Faculty Research and Publications

This study investigates optimal hedge ratios in all base metal markets. Using recent hedging computation techniques, we find that 1) the short-run optimal hedging ratio is increasing in hedging horizon, 2) that the long-term horizon limit to the optimal hedging ratio is not converging to one but is slightly higher for most of these markets, and 3) that hedging effectiveness is also increasing in hedging horizon. When hedging with futures in these markets, one should hedge long-term at about 6 to 8 weeks with a slightly greater than one hedge ratio. These results are of interest to many purchasing departments …

Developing A Grounded Theory Model On Collaboration In Learning, Michelle J. Boese, Hong Sheng, Richard H. Hall

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Purpose of This Research is to Develop a Grounded Theory Model to Explain the Factors Influencing Collaborative Learning in Higher Education, the Role of Technology in Facilitating Collaboration, and the Outcome of Collaboration. We Assigned 28 Participants to Small Groups to Work on Course-Related Questions; Half of the Groups Were Face-To-Face Groups and the Other Half Groups Were Collaborating in a Simulated Virtual Environment with the Aid of Information Technology. Interview Data Was Collected and Analyzed Following the Grounded Theory Approach. Congruent with Distributed Cognition Theories, the Results of Our Study Suggest that Both Social and Technological Factors Were …

The Smart Shopping Construct: Scale Development And Validation, Kelly Green Atkins

Doctoral Dissertations

This study was designed to gain a better understanding and conceptualization of the term smart shopping. The specific research objectives were to: (a) investigate consumers‟ perceptions of the term smart shopping; (b) develop a measure of smart shopping; and (c) validate the measure of smart shopping.

A comprehensive literature review was used to identify existing smart shopping theories and to identify opportunities for expanding on the existing meanings of the term. To obtain consumers‟ perceptions of the term smart shopping, two focus group interviews and fifteen face-to-face in-depth interviews were employed for initial item generation and instrument development. Scale development …

Relationships Between High School Students’ Perception Of Teacher Effectiveness, Attitudes Towards Hospitality And Intent To Select Hospitality As A Career, Eva Marie Smith

Doctoral Dissertations

The aspects of the learning environment have the potential to be an important influence in the career decision-making process of students. Teacher effectiveness was also a revealed as a component of student success. However, the connection between teachers’ effectiveness and student’s career development exhibited a gap in the literature. The idea that a teachers’ effectiveness in the classroom can have a direct impact on a students’ decision to choose a vocation, particularly hospitality, as a post secondary career path has not been thoroughly examined. The purpose of this study was to explore possible relationships between student perception of teacher effectiveness …

Exploring Relational Aspects Of Time-Based Competition In Supply Chains, Rodney Wayne Thomas

Doctoral Dissertations

In today’s evolving business environment, firms must increasingly focus on rapid adaptation, quick response, and time-based performance (Wisner et al., 2008; Eisenhardt and Martin, 2000; Barney et al., 2001). In order to remain competitive, firms are becoming time-based competitors because consumers have become more demanding. Firms now must quickly adapt, innovate, and implement new ways of serving the ever-changing preferences of customers (Dickson 1992). These changing consumer demands require firms to seek time-based sources of competitive advantage such as speed and flexibility in order to survive in hypercompetitive global markets (D'Aveni 1994; D'Aveni 1998).

Time-based competition (TBC) theory formally recognizes …

Multivariate Mixed Data Mining With Gifi System Using Genetic Algorithm And Information Complexity, Suman Katragadda

Doctoral Dissertations

Statistical analysis is very much dependent on the quality and type of a data set. There are three types of data - continuous, categorical and mixed. Of these three types, statistical modeling on a mixed data had been a challenging job for a long time. This is due to the fact that most of the traditional statistical techniques are defined either for purely continuous data or for purely categorical data but not mixed data. In reality, most of the data sets are neither continuous nor categorical in a pure sense but are in mixed form which makes the statistical analysis …

Workplace Spirituality And Buddhist Meditation, Pawinee Petchsawang

Doctoral Dissertations

Spirituality has received increased attention in the management field over the past few decades. However, there has been little empirical work supporting the benefits of bringing spirituality to the workplace. This dissertation aims to examine the effectiveness of an intervention (the Buddhist Mind Development Program (BMDP)) that is designed specifically to promote spiritual well-being in an Eastern context. First, workplace spirituality was defined to be grounded in the literature. Second, a workplace spirituality measurement was developed relying on conventional psychometric approaches. Third, a quasi experimental study—a pretest and a posttest with nonequivalent comparison groups design—was employed.

The data were collected …

When Identity Thieves Strike, Know How To Strike Back, Robert E. Holtfreter

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Business

This article counsels victims of identity theft on how to help authorities track down the perpetrators of the fraud.

Minerva 2008, The Honors College

Minerva

This issue of Minerva includes an article on the completion of the restoration of Colvin Hall; a reflection by Ruth Nadelhaft, former UMaine Honors program director; and an article on Honors alumnus and Nobel Peace Prize winner Bernard Lown and his 2008 Rezendes Visiting Scholar in Ethics Lecture/Distinguished Honors Graduate Lecture.

December 2008, Inland Empire Business Journal

Inland Empire Business Journal

Columns

Executive Time Out..................................2

Editorial....................................................6

Opinion ....................................................6,15

Motivation .................................................6

Investments and Finance ............................9

Management. .............................................10 & 27

Real Estate Notes........................................11

The Lists:

Inland Empire's Top Luxury Auto Dealers ............ 13

Business Brokerage Firms Serving the Inland Empire ... 26

Close-Up. .....................................................20

Commentary ................................................ 25

Corporate Profile........................................... 28

Restaurant Review.........................................34

Computers.......................................................36

Manager 's Bookshelf. .................................... 38

New Business Lists:

County of San Bernardino .............................. 40

County of Riverside..........................................41

Inland Empire People and Events......................43

The Un-comfort Zone..................6

Focus Like Tiger Woods..................7

From Hunting to Hired.....................16

Five Fatal Business Mistakes You Don’t Know You’re Making.........18

What is to Blame for the Mortgage Crisis..................30

Nigerian Stock Market Reflection Of The Global Finance Crisis: An Evaluation, Sere- Ejembi A. A.

Bullion

With its roots in banking, the sub-prime mortgage crisis that commenced in the United States in 2007 soon resonated in other sectors of its financial system, and the economy, at large. It spread quickly to the developed economies in Europe, including the United Kingdom, and Asia. In the case of the Nigerian stock market, following initial relative insulation, the speed of contagion and response was comparatively slower. However, the effects began to manifest in the first quarter of 2008. The objective of this paper, therefore, is to review the global financial crisis, in the context of its recent effects on …

Central Bank Communication And Monetary Policy: The Case Of Central Bank Of Nigeria, Egbuna N. E.

Bullion

The importance of concise communication in monetary policy making cannot be over emphasised . A g o o d communication of policy definitely strengthens the institutional independence of central banks and enhances the effectiveness of monetary policy. However, no one single method could fit all when it comes to designing good communication strategies because central banks face different constraints as they try to fine-tune their messages. With current reforms and financial liberalization, there is added impetus for increased communication between the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), market operators, stakeholders and the public in general. Monetary policy needs to be explained …

Electronic Banking In Nigeria: Problems And Prospects From The Consumer's Perspective, Agbada A.O

Bullion

This paper explores the adoption of electronic banking [e-banking] in Nigeria. It examines the problems and prospects of e-banking in Nigeria from the consumer's perspective. The research findings show that a number of problems ranging from human, operational and technical constraints hinder the maximum utilization of services provided through e-banking channels in Nigeria. However, the results from the study have also revealed that despite these problems, the rate of adoption of e-banking services in Nigeria is phenomenal as banks have recorded outstanding successes in some areas. Nigeria is a consuming nation and based on the experience from other sectors of …

Investing Africa's External Reserves In Africa: Issues, Challenges And Prospects, Onwioduokit A. E.

Bullion

The paper underlined the challenges and opportunities for managing Africa's external reserves by Africans after identifying several pre-conditions for an African currency to emerge as international currency and noted that these conditions have not yet crystallized in Africa. Although African external reserves have grown over time the benefits of such growth in terms of facilitation of domestic financial markets and even the earning are not commensurate with the reserves growth rate. The non-convertibility of African currencies, volatile macroeconomic and sometimes volatile political environment coupled with the shallowness of the domestic markets are the main challenges that are faced by the …

Five Decades Of Agricultural Policies In Nigeria: What Roles Has Statistics Played?, Akinboyo O. I

Bullion

All over the country and internationally, the publications of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) such as the Annual Report and Statement of Accounts, the Statistical Bulletin, Economic and Financial Review, the Bullion and Nigeria: Major Economic and Banking Indicators and those of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have become a veritable source of data and reference materials on Nigeria. Without basic i n f o r m a t i o n o n e c o n o m i c developments, it would be very difficult for policy makers to assess economic performances. The f o …

Organizational Culture And Job Satisfaction In Korean Professional Baseball Organizations, Yun Seok Choi, Jeffrey J. Martin, Meungguk Park

Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies

The purpose of this study was to identify the pattern of organizational culture and investigate a link between organizational culture and job satisfaction in the Korean Professional Baseball League (KPBL). The findings of the present study revealed that the baseball clubs in the KPBL tended to emphasize a market culture. The results of this study also suggest that the clan culture has a significant influence on overall employee job satisfaction and satisfaction with co-workers, supervision and personal growth. Given the importance of a conceptual relation between organizational culture and job satisfaction in effectively managing sport organizations, implications and suggestions for …

Sp711 Tough Times, Tough Choices... You're Not Alone In A Financial Crisis, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Financial Management

When income doesn’t cover expenses for several months, you and your family face tough choices. But these choices don’t have to be made alone. Reaching out for help during times of financial stress may make the difference in whether your family emerges from the crisis with its emotional and physical health intact.

Supportive people in one or more of the following agencies and organizations may help you work through the problems that accompany a temporary crisis or a long-term life change. You pay for most of their services through tax dollars and community support. Tap their resources as you face …

Technical Analysis: The Interface Of Rational And Irrational Decision Making, William Martin

Publications – Dreihaus College of Business

No abstract provided.

Metropolitan Report - December 2008, Division Of Business And Economic Research, College Of Business Administration, University Of New Orleans

UNO Metropolitan Report

No abstract provided.