Business Commons^™

Road Rescue Implements A Continuous Process Improvement Framework, John Olson, Paul Savory

John Olson

Continuous improvement programs traditionally focus on making small incremental improvements to a system. Unfortunately, their success can be limited due to the rapid changing environment within which most small companies operate. Improvement efforts should be flexible enough to capitalize on incremental and radical changes to a system. This paper presents a case analysis of how Road Rescue, an ambulance manufacturer, uses a continuous improvement framework to capitalize on both radical and incremental improvement opportunities. Results include a 10% increase in throughput, reduced cycle time of 44%, increased customer satisfaction, and higher quality.

Predicting Financial Distress: A Comparison Of Survival Analysis And Decision Tree Techniques, Adrian Gepp, Kuldeep Kumar

Kuldeep Kumar

Financial distress and then the consequent failure of a business is usually an extremely costly and disruptive event. Statistical financial distress prediction models attempt to predict whether a business will experience financial distress in the future. Discriminant analysis and logistic regression have been the most popular approaches, but there is also a large number of alternative cutting - edge data mining techniques that can be used. In this paper, a semi-parametric Cox survival analysis model and non-parametric CART decision trees have been applied to financial distress prediction and compared with each other as well as the most popular approaches. This …

The Relation Between Variance And Information Rents In Auctions, Brett Katzman, Julian Reif, Jesse Schwartz

Jesse A. Schwartz

This paper examines the conventional wisdom, expressed in McAfee and McMillan's (1987) widely cited survey paper on auctions, that links increased variance of bidder values to increased information rent. We find that although the conventional wisdom does indeed hold in their (1986) model of a linear contract auction, this relationship is an artifact of that particular model and cannot be generalized. Using Samuelson's (1987) model, which is similar but allows for unobservable costs, we show that increased variance does not always imply increased information rent. Finally, we give the appropriate measure of dispersion (different from variance) that provides the link …

Jayaashree Industries: Revolutionising Sanitary Pad Use In India, Arcot Desai Narasimhalu, Christopher Dula

Arcot Desai NARASIMHALU

Arunachalam Muruganantham is a social entrepreneur dedicated to solving India’s menstrual health problems. He developed an unprecedented product as a solution: a low-cost, locally produced sanitary pad. In a paragon effort of frugal innovation, he reverse-engineered the industrial processes used to make sanitary-pads. The result was a small-scale, low-cost machine that could manufacture quality pads sold at a retail price 20% lower than the cheapest mass-produced brands. However, no one bought his pads until his wife began to sell them. After which, the two were unable to keep up with demand. This triggered his realization concerning the importance of including …

Cultural Diversity And The School-To-Work Transition: A Relational Perspective, William Feighery

William Feighery

Drawing on evidence from the European tourism sector and adopting a Bourdieusian approach, this chapter embraces a relational perspective on the school-to-work transition. Taking account of macro public policy, as well as meso organisational and micro individual social spheres, the reported study sought to develop insights on the perceived value of, and demand for, diversity in the European tourism sector. Based on data from three research instruments, it is suggested that in the European tourism sector, the school-to-work transition is in a process of transformation as a number of forces, including neoliberalism, globalisation and the “democratisation” of education, mitigate against …

What's Your Pitch? The Power Of Wow! (Worksheet For The Webinar On January 18, 2011), Connie Reimers-Hild

Connie I Reimers-Hild, PhD, CPC

Elevator pitches are created to sell your idea, business, product or service in 30 seconds or less (the time it takes to go from the first floor to the top of the building in an elevator). A great pitch has the power to help anyone...from a University employee to a new entrepreneur to a team working in a high-growth firm.

It’s important to develop and practice an effective pitch, complete with an awesome "Wow Factor," so you are ready to use it under fire (pretend you just stepped onto an elevator with Warren Buffett or Bill Gates)!

This interactive webinar …

What's Your Pitch?, Connie Reimers-Hild

Connie I Reimers-Hild, PhD, CPC

We all need to have our "pitch" ready! This PowerPoint, when used with the corresponding worksheet of the same title (What's Your Pitch), walks people through the process of creating an Elevator Pitch or Quick Pitch for their idea, business or organization. In the global economy, it is important for all of us to be able to clearly communicate what we do so we can sell ourselves and help others understand the purpose of what we are working to accomplish. A great pitch has the power to help anyone...from a University employee to a new entrepreneur to a team working …

Business Models For Online Learning: An Exploratory Survey, Karen Vignare, Christine Geith, Stephen Schiffman

Stephen Schiffman

Despite the rapid growth in the adoption of online learning, there is a dearth of detailed information on effective business models, business strategies and effective practices on which to build sustainable online education programs. A survey instrument was developed as an initial attempt to define business models and business strategies for online learning. The survey results yielded some interesting data about which online learning financial models seem to have more or less "control" of which business functions. The sample was a convenience one and as such will require further filtering of data. It is also clear that more needs to …

Tourism And Self-Orientalism In Oman: A Critical Discourse Analysis, William Feighery

William Feighery

It is established in the literature that touristic images of the Orient are grounded in Occidental authority and dominant global power relations. Scholars have suggested that indigenous image creators in the Middle East continue to read from an Occidental script, perpetuating oppositional perspectives of us and them, the familiar and the strange, the dynamic and the atrophied – fuelling the development of neo-Orientalist tourist sites/sights. This paper explores the extent to which such scripting continues to persist in official representations of rentier states in the Arabian Peninsula. Through a critical discourse analysis of the Omani tourism promotional film Welcome to …

Accession Tournaments: The Application Of A Game Theory Derivative To The Multi-Dimensional Family Business Accession Process (Interactive Paper), Justin Craig, Clay Dibrell

Justin B. Craig

We argue that the recent governance and professionalization focus in family business research conversations, while helpful in understanding succession, and family businesses in general, needs to be complemented with a theoretical discussion of the multi-dimensional accession process. We contend that this process is multi-dimensional as, unlike in a corporate setting where the incumbent is succeeded by a suitable successor, multi-generational family businesses are more complex and there is potentially a plethora of positions of influence for which actors can compete. We use tournament theory to propose how family actors will act in accession tournaments and propose that the absence of …

Overcoming The Liability Of Theoretical Newness: The Case For Stewardship Theory (Summary), Justin Craig, Clay Dibrell, Donald Neubaum

Justin B. Craig

To overcome stewardship theory’s liability of newness, we introduce a validated and reliable measure for stewardship. Using Dubin’s features of a theoretical model to position stewardship theory, we endeavour to take a structured approach in the Kuhn-characterised normal science stage of entrepreneurship. There is a danger that stewardship theory currently bears many of the hallmarks of a summative unit (in Dubin’s terms), where a summative unit is one that can be referred to as a global unit that stands for an entire complex phenomenon; conveys a great deal of meaning but is always diffuse; draws together a number of different …

Discourse And The Governance Of Diversity In England's Official Tourism Texts, William Feighery

William Feighery

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 …

Writing To Learn Business Law, Robert Bennett, William Templeton

William K. Templeton

Women On Boards, Caitlin Byrne

Caitlin Byrne

Last weekend I graduated with a Ph.D. from Bond University. The graduation ceremony itself was monumental – the culmination of three years of sheer intellectual and physical effort, and not just on my part, but also on the part of my partner, my children, my friends and academic supervisor, and so many others who supported me in the Ph.D. journey. The celebrations afterwards were jubilant – with graduates, their families and friends alongside academic staff milling about on the university grounds, and all buzzing with a shared sense of achievement and pride.

Building Momentum For Business School Curriculum Change: Measurable Lessons From A Pilot Course In Real Business Experience, Mark Uchida, Craig Caldwell, Friel Terry, Lawrence Lad

Lawrence J. Lad

Curriculum change requires thoughtful planning and a willingness to experiment with different modes of content delivery. While many business schools are experimenting, few measure student outcomes against the traditional courses they replace. One element of Butler University's College of Business Administration curriculum revision was a pilot course, "Real Business Experience ", in which students developed a professional business plan, sought and received funding from a professional level funding panel, and ran their businesses. To determine whether the pilot course was successful in reaching its goal of "teaching students about the messiness of business and developing more adaptable and confident business …

The Impact Of Firm Natural Environment Policy On The Market Orientation To Innovation Relationship In Smes (Interactive Paper), Clay Dibrell, Justin Craig, Eric Hansen

Justin B. Craig

As the natural environment emerges as a strategic issue, conceptual linkages are leading to empirical investigations that examine the antecedents and effects of incorporating the natural environment into firm processes such as market orientation and entrepreneurial behaviors. This project is part of an ongoing research agenda that examines the role of the natural environment in new and growing ventures. Specifically, in this paper, the research questions investigated are: How do small-to-medium sized firms (SMEs) incorporate natural environment issues in relation to the way they present themselves to, and receive information from, their customers and competitors (i.e., market orientation)?; and, How …

Conteted Heritage In The Ancient City Of Peace, William Feighery

William Feighery

As the imperial capital of thirteen dynasties Xi’an, formerly known as Chang’an (eternal peace), houses a legacy of many of the most important periods of Chinese history and is one of the great archeological centers of the world. This legacy of political and cultural dominance places Xi’an at the forefront of debates on cultural heritage and its role in the evolution of China in the 21st century. Xi’an is currently under a triad of influences from processes of globalization, urban transition and domestic and international tourism. In recent decades and particularly since the dawn on the new millennium, the historic …

The Road To Legitimacy: A Study Of Startups And Their Established Competitors In The Australian Wine Industry (Summary), Clay Dibrell, Aaron Johnson, Peter Davis, Ken Moores, Justin Craig

Justin B. Craig

A barrier to startup success is the liability of newness. One strategy to overcome this obstacle is through gaining venture legitimacy. Legitimacy is defined as acceptance, suitability, and appeal of the startup as judged by external and internal stakeholders such as the marketplace, industry competitors, and employees. Through attainment of legitimacy, a startup now has increased opportunities to access resources required for survival and growth. Drawing from institutional theory, a startup should heed external institutional forces and adapt to isomorphic pressures to gain legitimacy in an industry. Alternatively, a resource-based view perspective suggests that internal coordination and marshaling of resources …

Tourism, Stock Photography And Surveillance: A Foucauldian Interpretation, William Feighery

William Feighery

No abstract provided.

Trade Usage And Disclaiming Consequential Damages: The Implications For Just-In-Time Purchasing, Robert Bennett

Robert B. Bennett

Heritage Tourism In Xi'an: Constructing The Past In Contested Space, William Feighery

William Feighery

No abstract provided.

Reflexivity And Tourism Research: Telling An(Other) Story, William Feighery

William Feighery

No abstract provided.

Reading Tourism Texts In Context: A Critical Discourse Analysis, William Feighery

William Feighery

This article discusses the method of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) employed in a study focusing on the textual representation of ethnocultural diversity by official tourism organizations (OTOs) in England. The underlying principles of CDA are outlined, as well as the specific approach adopted in the study. The study employed a three-dimensional approach to CDA, which included an analysis of written and spoken language as text, as discourse practice, and as social practice. By way of an example, a critical reading of a promotional text is provided that focuses on the dimension of discourse practice. This critical reading outlines some of …

Linking Transgenerational Value Creation With Natural Environment And Sustainability Policy In Family And Non-Family Owned Firms: Extending The Agency-Stewardship Theory Debate, Justin Craig, Clay Dibrell

Justin B. Craig

In this paper, we extend the existing agency-stewardship theory debate by linking transgenerational value creation with the natural environment. We enlist stewardship and agency theories to frame our discussion. Specifically, a firm with a positive natural environmental sustainability policy (ESP) acts as a proxy for the attributes of stewardship theory, whereas a neutral firm position toward ESP operates as a surrogate for agency theory. We test stewardship theory within the context of non-family (n=175) and family-owned (n=216) firms. Our findings suggest that family-owned firms do exhibit forms of stewardship behavior, while non-family-owned firms displayed propensity toward agency-like actions.

American Law Of Real Estate, J. Reitzel, Robert Bennett, M. Garrison

Robert B. Bennett

Note: full-text not available due to publisher restrictions. Link takes you to an external site where you can purchase the book or borrow it from a local library.

Negative Image? Developing The Visual In Tourism Research, William Feighery

William Feighery

Today, knowledge about the world is increasingly articulated visually and the ocularcentric nature of tourism is widely recognised by tourism 'professionals' and academics, as well as by tourists and 'locals'. This article examines the role of visual evidence in tourism research and takes as its starting point the convolution of 'looking', 'seeing' and 'knowing' in western culture. It then considers the 'status' of image-based research in the social sciences with particular reference to tourism studies. It is suggested that the recent interest in the so-called 'pictorial turn' heralds new opportunities for tourism researchers to embrace emerging visual methodologies and in …

Civility In The Academy, Robert Bennett

Robert B. Bennett

Note: full-text not available due to publisher restrictions. Link takes you to an external site where you can purchase the article or borrow it from a local library.

Dirty Little Secrets, Robert Bennett

Robert B. Bennett

Note: full-text not available due to publisher restrictions. Link takes you to an external site where you can purchase the article or borrow it from a local library.

Changing The Culture, Robert Bennett

Robert B. Bennett