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1 – 10 of 710Kirit Vaidya, David Bennett and Xiaming Liu
The paper assesses the extent to which China's comparative advantage in manufacturing has shifted towards higher‐tech sectors between 1987 and 2005 and proposes possible…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper assesses the extent to which China's comparative advantage in manufacturing has shifted towards higher‐tech sectors between 1987 and 2005 and proposes possible explanations for the shift.
Design/methodology/approach
Revealed comparative advantage (RCA) indices for 27 product groups, representing high‐, medium and low‐tech sectors have been calculated. Examination of international market attractiveness complements the RCA analysis. Findings for selected sectors are evaluated in the context of other evidence.
Findings
While China maintains its competitiveness in low‐tech labour intensive products, it has gained RCA in selected medium‐tech sectors (e.g. office machines and electric machinery) and the high‐tech telecommunications and automatic data processing equipment sectors. Evidence from firm and sector specific studies suggests that improved comparative advantage in medium and high‐tech sectors is based on capabilities developing through combining international technology transfer and learning.
Research limitations/implications
The quantitative analysis does not explain the shifts in comparative advantage, though the paper suggests possible explanations. Further research at firm and sector levels is required to understand the underlying capability development of Chinese enterprises and the relative competitiveness of Chinese and foreign invested enterprises.
Practical implications
Western companies should take account of capability development in China in forming their international manufacturing strategies. The rapid shifts in China's comparative advantage have lessons for other industrialising countries.
Originality/value
While RCA is a well‐known methodology, its application at the disaggregated product group level combined with market attractiveness assessment is distinctive. The paper provides a broad assessment of changes in Chinese manufacturing as a basis for further research on capability development at firm and sector levels.
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Reza Ziarati, John Griffiths, Matthew Bennett and Phil Payne
Describes the “educational partnership” between theUniversity of Central England and the Rover Group. Outlines thebackground and explains the nature of the developing links…
Abstract
Describes the “educational partnership” between the University of Central England and the Rover Group. Outlines the background and explains the nature of the developing links between the two. Identifies the precise benefits accruing to both sides as a result of the partnership. Finally, provides a detailed synopsis of a project sponsored by Rover in 1993, as an example.
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Zoë Smith, Karenza Moore and Fiona Measham
Commonly known as ecstasy, MDMA has been central to the British acid house, rave and dance club scene over the last 20 years. Figures from the annual national British Crime Survey…
Abstract
Commonly known as ecstasy, MDMA has been central to the British acid house, rave and dance club scene over the last 20 years. Figures from the annual national British Crime Survey suggest that ecstasy use has declined since 2001. This apparent decline is considered here alongside the concurrent emergence of a ‘new’ form of ecstasy ‐ MDMA powder or crystal ‐ and the extent to which this can be seen as a successful rebranding of MDMA as a ‘premium’ product in the wake of user disenchantment with cheap and easily available but poor quality pills. These changes have occurred within a policy context, which in the last decade has increasingly prioritised the drugs‐crime relationship through coercive treatment of problem drug users within criminal justice‐based interventions, alongside a focus on binge drinking and alcohol‐related harm. This has resulted in a significant reduction in the information, support and treatment available to ecstasy users since the height of dance drug harm reduction service provision pioneered by the Safer Dancing model in the mid‐1990s.
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This paper aims to argue that resilience – and its underlying socio-ecological perspective – is a critical concept that could serve to integrate different views on, and approaches…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to argue that resilience – and its underlying socio-ecological perspective – is a critical concept that could serve to integrate different views on, and approaches to, social marketing. The aim is to inspire social marketers to move away from narrow, issue-based interventions targeting individual behaviours and to consider the impact of social ecologies, particularly the contribution resilience research can make to behaviour change.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a conceptual paper; socio-ecological models and the resilience concept are discussed and applied to a current “wicked problem” – obesity.
Findings
From a socio-ecological perspective, research findings highlight the impact macro, meso and micro forces have on behaviour and the importance of a child’s micro-system and the influence it has on development and life outcomes. Building resilience requires a relationship-building, person-centred, holistic and long-term developmental approach to behaviour change.
Research limitations/implications
This is a conceptual paper that introduces new concepts to the social marketing field. Future research should focus on understanding how to implement a resilience-building approach in practice – including the interrelationships and interactions between individual, family and community resilience – and how resilience can be integrated within systematic, socio-ecological thinking when addressing “wicked problems”.
Practical implications
Rather than blaming and targeting individuals, the goal should be to create an environment that supports parents, families and communities to build resilience at the micro, meso and macro levels. The findings support the argument that social marketers should adopt an upstream approach to develop interventions that make the environment the primary focus. Social marketers should collaborate with, and learn from, social workers, psychologists and educationalist to further their understanding of resilience. This would have a positive, sustainable impact on a whole range of social and health issues, ultimately helping to address the overarching issue of social inequality.
Social implications
Building resilience amongst individuals, families and communities offer a means to achieve fundamental positive social change and to reduce social, economic and health inequality.
Originality/value
The paper offers a unique perspective on how and why resilience – and its underlying socio-ecological framework – should be applied within the social marketing field.
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Rebekah Russell-Bennett, Matthew Wood and Jo Previte
The social marketing literature tends to focus on upstream marketing (policy) and downstream (individual behaviour change) and has a limited view on midstream (working with…
Abstract
Purpose
The social marketing literature tends to focus on upstream marketing (policy) and downstream (individual behaviour change) and has a limited view on midstream (working with partners and community groups) social marketing. The paper proposes midstream social marketing should also include an understanding of how services and service employees influence and support individual behaviour change goals. The paper presents four key services marketing principles – derived from services theory and thinking – which the paper believes to be essential for implementing effective midstream social marketing.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a conceptual paper that uses service theory and case-examples to show how service thinking can be used as a midstream social marketing approach.
Findings
For effective uptake and impact of social marketing services amongst people and populations, social marketers need to design programs that consider the service experience, the service employee, service quality/customer value and the active role of the customer in value creation.
Research limitations/implications
Services marketing is a well-established sub-discipline of marketing which, until recently, has not interacted with social marketing. The extension and application of services theory for social marketing can enrich and propel the social marketing discipline forward. Further research is recommended to evaluate how service principles can be applied in practice.
Social implications
Given that social marketing services tend not to be accessed in sufficient numbers by the people who most need them, social marketers need to think beyond the technical, cognitive, and organisational-focused goals when designing social services.
Originality/value
This paper identifies key service theories that social marketers should understand and use and is thus a source of fresh ideas for theory and practice.
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Yasaman Sarabi, Matthew Smith, Heather McGregor and Dimitris Christopoulos
Corporate success depends partially on the quality of knowledge accessible to the executive board. One route of access to such knowledge is the appointment of directors who…
Abstract
Purpose
Corporate success depends partially on the quality of knowledge accessible to the executive board. One route of access to such knowledge is the appointment of directors who already hold directorships with prominent other corporate actors. Such director appointments provide interlocks to a corporate knowledge ecosystem (Haunschild and Beckman, 1998). The purpose of this paper is to examine how linkages between companies belonging to different sectors impact firm performance and to examine how linkages created by female directors, as opposed to male directors, shape performance.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper investigates the interlocks created between UK FTSE 350 companies from 2010 to 2018. It draws on network analysis to map the roles that male and female directors play in linking firms with varying sector classifications. The paper provides an examination of the impact of these roles on firm performance, through a panel data regression analysis.
Findings
This paper finds that there is an increase of inter-industry brokers over the period, and that men are still dominant in both the network and creating inter-industry ties amongst companies. However, the role of women in establishing these ties appears to be changing, and women are more important when it comes to create inter-industry ties among key economic sectors.
Originality/value
This paper provides a novel approach to examine the interplay between gendered inter (and intra) sectoral linkages and firm performance. It provides an original application of the two-mode brokerage analysis framework proposed in Jasny and Lubell (2015).
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Merideth Thompson, Dawn S. Carlson and K. Michele Kacmar
The authors examine a boundary management tactic for managing the work–family interface: putting family first (PFF). PFF is a boundary management tactic defined as the voluntary…
Abstract
Purpose
The authors examine a boundary management tactic for managing the work–family interface: putting family first (PFF). PFF is a boundary management tactic defined as the voluntary behavior of intentionally putting family obligations ahead of work obligations in a way that violates organizational norms
Design/methodology/approach
In Study 1, The authors develop a theoretically derived measure of PFF and distinguish it theoretically and empirically from similar existing constructs, examining convergent and discriminate validity to demonstrate its uniqueness. In Study 2, the authors demonstrate PFF's predictive validity beyond the job incumbent using a three-way matched sample of 226 individuals, including the job incumbent's coworker and spouse.
Findings
The authors established and validated a measure of PFF, developing and replicating the nomological network. PFF crossed over to positively relate to coworker role overload, job frustration and work–family conflict and to spousal stress transmission and relationship tension. Similarly, PFF related negatively to spousal family satisfaction and organizational commitment.
Originality/value
The authors extend the work–family and boundary management literatures by proposing a new form of boundary management, PFF, which is a tactic for managing the work–family interface, and explore how its use influences not only the job incumbent but also the coworker and the spouse.
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Min Wan, Suzanne Zivnuska and Matthew Valle
The purpose of this study is to explore the mediating effect of moral disengagement in the relationship between mindfulness and unethical behaviors. The authors also explored the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore the mediating effect of moral disengagement in the relationship between mindfulness and unethical behaviors. The authors also explored the moderating effect of perceptions of politics on the mediational chain.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors administrated time-lagged surveys at two time periods separated by six weeks. Respondents were 206 full-time employees working in the USA. Hierarchical, moderated multiple regression analyzes were used to test the mediation and moderation effects.
Findings
Results showed that mindfulness reduced destructive deviant behavior and unethical pro-organizational behavior through moral disengagement and the mediation effects were weaker when employees’ perceptions of politics were stronger.
Research limitations/implications
The results indicate that mindfulness and perceptions of organizational politics combine to have profound impacts on employee unethical behaviors. Organizations seeking to minimize the occurrence of deviance and unethical behaviors may do well to support employee mindfulness and as well as minimizing organizational politics. The findings suggest that the political context has a negative impact on even the behavior of mindful employees. Therefore, building mindfulness while simultaneously reducing politics are equally important goals.
Originality/value
Our study extends the theoretical development of mindfulness research by examining the interactive effects of perceptions of organizational politics and mindfulness and broadens the theoretical rationale for explaining the linkages between mindfulness and unethical behaviors.
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James Bennett, Mark Owers, Michael Pitt and Matthew Tucker
This paper aims to examine the impact of social networking in the workplace and to assess its use as an effective business tool.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the impact of social networking in the workplace and to assess its use as an effective business tool.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper examines positive and negative perceptions of social networking in the workplace and provides a critical review of literature in the area. The drivers of, and barriers to, change are explored, and whether the reasons for some organisations prohibiting or restricting social networking in the workplace are well‐founded or corporate suicide. The link between social networking and organisational culture is examined, looking at whether social networking tools are capable of revitalising and reshaping the culture and brand of an organisation, which in turn can lead to better ways of working and increased levels of employee productivity and satisfaction.
Findings
The findings indicate that the business advantages and benefits of social networking in the workplace are still very much underappreciated and undervalued. Although some organisations across the world have started to implement some of the facets of social networking technology and reap the business benefits, fear, resistance and risk are the opinions that still dominate many organisations.
Originality/value
The value of social networking technology in the workplace is yet to be determined. This paper addresses gaps in the current literature and demonstrates that the business benefits of social networking far outweigh the negative perceptions that are still predominant in the pre‐millennial generations. The paper highlights that social networking technology can facilitate improved workplace productivity by enhancing the communication and collaboration of employees which aids knowledge transfer and consequently makes organisations more agile. Moreover, social networking can provide enhanced levels of employee satisfaction by reducing the social isolation of teleworkers and making them feel part of organisational culture during long absences from the physical office.
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