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We use a resource‐based perspective to discuss firm idiosyncrasies in valuing goods. Previous research has suggested that asymmetric valuation processes form an early and often pivotal step in the development of uniqueness (Barney, 1986; Jacobson, 1992; Rumelt, 1987; Winter, 1995). We go beyond this work in clearly differentiating between the aspects of the valuation process that are idiosyncratic and those that are not. Indeed, we attempt to shed light on the following questions: (1) Which factors determine the value a firm places on a good that it is considering for purchase? (2) Can these factors vary across firms? (3) To what degree, and in what ways, can valuation discrepancies lead to competitive advantages? A model of valuation is developed and propositions are discussed based on the logic and model.

Considerable confusion reigns as to whether social rights are genuine rights and whether they are justiciable, that is to say whether they are subject to scrutiny by the courts ‐ and, if so, to what extent. The confusion is kept alive not to say enhanced by a large number of legal writers who, for ideological reasons, will not accept that social rights are full rights in themselves and will not even reconcile themselves to the fact that they are part of positive law. I believe therefore that it is important ‐ indeed high time ‐ for us, firstly, to review the various arguments put forward ‐ particularly by German writers ‐ and examine them from a purely legal viewpoint in order to show that social rights are justiciable and, secondly, to highlight the “structural” characteristics of social rights which lend their justiciability certain distinctive traits.

People believe that they know who they are and that who they are matters for what they do. These core beliefs seem so inherent to conceptualizations of what it means to have a self as to require no empirical support. After all, what is the point of a concept of self if there is no stable thing to have a concept about and who would care if that concept was stable if it was not useful in making it through the day? Yet the evidence for action-relevance and stability are surprisingly sparse.

This paper outlines the identity-based motivation theory, a theoretical approach that takes a new look at these assumptions and makes three core predictions as to when an accessible self-concept influences behavior. These are termed “dynamic construction”, “action-readiness”, and “interpretation of difficulty”. That is, rather than being stable, which identities come to mind and what they mean are dynamically constructed in context.

People interpret situations and difficulties in ways that are congruent with the currently active identities and prefer identity-congruent to identity-incongruent actions. When action feels identity-congruent, experienced difficulty highlights that the behavior is important and meaningful. When action feels identity-incongruent, the same difficulty suggests that the behavior is pointless and “not for people like me.”

Recent intensification of the “politicisation of childhood” has been observed by analysts in numerous social science disciplines, and in a variety of public policy domains. Sociologists of childhood, for example, often attribute this greater politicisation both to shifts in the social construction of “social problems” and visions of children's agency (for example Mayall, 1994; Oakley, 1994, p. 17; Qvortrup, 1994; Livingstone, 2002, p. 13). Others observe this politicisation in changing patterns of defamilialisation and refamilialisation of social care and their implications for patterns of social solidarity (Leira & Saraceno, 2002 or Wincott, 2006, for example). Indeed, the politicisation of childhood – defined as the move from childhood being understood as primarily a family or parental responsibility to it being also a matter of public importance and concern – has emerged as a major theme in debates about “modernising” social policy paradigms (for example, Leira, 2002; Jenson, 2004; Esping-Andersen, Gallie, Hemerijck, & Myles, 2002).

During recent years, the concept of civil society, particularly global civil society, has come to the fore in both academia and policy circles. A key component of recent theoretical and policy research is the attempt to do international comparative research on the meaning of civil society. The purpose of this paper is to argue that the language and the terminology used to describe the agents of civil society are reflective of cultural and historical contexts of societies, have distinct meanings and cannot be used interchangeably.

In different national contexts, the key agents of civil society are referred to differently; nonprofit sector, voluntary and community sector, third sector and social economy. In comparative studies, scholars often list these concepts to indicate that they recognise that the agents of civil society are referred to differently in different societies. The article offers a socio‐historical analysis of each concept. It is concluded that teasing out the differences, as well as the similarities, between the nonprofit sector, voluntary and community sector, third sector and social economy, is crucial to robust comparative research on civil society.

This paper exposes a number of limitations of each of the terminologies used to describe civil society. They all present a much more limiting notion of civil society than that proposed by the founding fathers. None seem to capture the range of civil associations in any society. Yet, assumptions are made that the terminologies used have similar meanings rather than attempting to clarify and define exactly what is being written or described. This is exacerbated by the interchangeable usage of nonprofit/third sector/community and voluntary sector/social economy. In order to progress beyond culturally specific understandings of civil society, it is necessary to examine the terminology used and how it emanates from a specific cultural and political context. Having a clear understanding of the language used and what it signifies is crucial to robust cross‐national comparative research.

This paper examines context specific understandings of civil society and the terminology used to define it; a question not previously addressed. It is hoped that this article will generate much needed further debate on cross‐national meanings of civil society.

The purpose of this paper is to report on findings from research into the role of language and discourse in shaping responses to older people at risk of abuse in England. Critical discourse analysis is used in this research to deconstruct policy to identify hidden meaning.

The study comprised of a critical discourse analysis (CDA) of the coalition governments underpinning policy statement outlining its approach to safeguarding adults in “A Vision for Adult Social Care: Capable Communities and Active Citizens.”

This paper analyses the policy statement in some detail to explore its ability to guide practice in supporting older people at risk of harm. The results suggest ideological, philosophical and economic discourses underpinning policy may promote “Big Society” rather than address the abuse of older people, and that this might leave some older people vulnerable and at risk.

It is acknowledged the qualitative approach of CDA has its limitations as issues of subjectivity and interpretation exist. Fallibility is always present and no research can give a “complete” view of the world.

Drawing on this analysis may provide a heightened awareness of the use of discourse to expose potentially hidden motivations in others, and ourselves, by seeking out the ideological, philosophical and theoretical hiding places which enable specific discourses to become taken for granted.

By identifying the taken for grantedness of some discourses in everyday life, the author can gain a better understanding of how to challenge the status quo.

This paper explores practice in safeguarding adults from an ideological, economic and philosophical perspective.

Valence is one of the key dimensions underlying actor engagement, yet there is limited research to provide a comprehensive understanding of the concept. The purpose of this paper is to conceptualise engagement valence in actor networks and develop an agenda for future research.

The exploration of the psychological foundations of the concept of valence and a systematic literature review from a multiple database search contribute to four sets of propositions defining the domain of the concept of actor engagement valence.

The propositions posit that valence resides in the engaging actor’s past, current and future psychological dispositions, which can shift between positive, negative and ambivalence. Actor engagement valence is triggered by the engagement objects and value propositions of other actors in the network. The antecedents of actor engagement valence comprise individual factors such as cognitive evaluations and hedonic feelings, as well as network-related factors such as social norms and shared beliefs, and the network structure. The net balance of actor engagement valence determines the actor’s engagement behaviours, and this relationship is moderated by individual and network factors.

This is the first study to conceptualise actor engagement valence, which contributes to the refinement of the actor engagement concept. This research defines the conceptual domain, deepens the understanding and provides an agenda for future research into the valence of engagement among actors in networks. The study recognises the institutional influences on actor engagement valence, and contributes to an understanding of the nature of actors’ psychological dispositions and how their valence determines the actors’ behavioural engagement manifestations.

A number of studies in the international marketing literature have focused on the identification and discussion of differences across nations and cultures. Unfortunately, the majority of these investigations focus on existing differences without addressing which of these differences have the potential to substantially affect international operations or how to make comparisons within a framework which allows some measure of flexibility across nations and cultures. The objectives of this study were twofold: (1) to develop and measure the national identify of several different cultures in order to establish a means by which similarities and differences can be placed into a practically applicable context for international marketing decision making; and (2) to establish initial generalizable national identity norms for making broad cross‐cultural/cross‐national comparisons. The results based on a five‐country sample (i.e. the USA, Mexico, Japan, Sweden and Hong Kong) show that, within the theoretical framework of national identity it is possible to identify such differences. Implications for both academic research as well as managerial decision making in an international marketing context are presented.