Michael A. Mayo, Lawrence J. Marks and John K. Ryans
U.S. international marketing practitioners identified the mostdifficult ethical problems they have encountered in foreign trade. Theseethical problems were rated as occurring…
Abstract
U.S. international marketing practitioners identified the most difficult ethical problems they have encountered in foreign trade. These ethical problems were rated as occurring infrequently and having a moderate impact on a firm′s overseas competitiveness. Conversely, the respondents saw ethical problems as likely to tarnish the firm′s domestic image and to generate much concern for top management. This suggests such problems may have a stronger negative impact upon a firm′s domestic public image but may not be a major factor inhibiting its international trade. The strategic alternatives to, and management implications of, avoiding markets which may pose ethical problems are discussed.
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John J. Lawrence and Byron Dangerfield
Accreditation reviews represent an important component of many educational institutions’ quality assurance systems. Integrating application for a quality award into the…
Abstract
Accreditation reviews represent an important component of many educational institutions’ quality assurance systems. Integrating application for a quality award into the reaccreditation process can add a new dimension to the reaccreditation process and provide a college with significant benefits. The College of Business and Economics at the University of Idaho used application for the Idaho Quality Award, which is based on the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, as its primary means for carrying out the self‐evaluation process required for AACSB professional reaccreditation. This paper discusses the college’s experiences combining AACSB self‐evaluation with application for a state quality award, describing the motivation for using this approach, how the college went about it, and the significant benefits that the college realized as a result.
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John J. Lawrence and Michael A. McCollough
The lessons of quality management apply to services as well as tangible goods. Awareness also has been increasing that services, like tangible goods, can be guaranteed as a means…
Abstract
The lessons of quality management apply to services as well as tangible goods. Awareness also has been increasing that services, like tangible goods, can be guaranteed as a means of implementing a total quality management (TQM) orientation in the organization. While higher education has been exploring some of the tenents of TQM, it has been slow to embrace the power of service guarantees. In this conceptual article we present a system of service guarantees designed to foster a TQM orientation in higher education. We propose that institutions consider a system of guarantees aimed at three primary constituent groups – students, faculty, and employers – over the short, medium and long term. The rationale and implications of the guarantee system are explored, and possible impediments are discussed.
Steven Pharr and John J. Lawrence
To examine the efficacy of admission requirements as predictors of academic success in core business coursework, and as a rationing mechanism for limited course capacity, for both…
Abstract
Purpose
To examine the efficacy of admission requirements as predictors of academic success in core business coursework, and as a rationing mechanism for limited course capacity, for both transfer and non‐transfer students following integration of the core business curriculum.
Design/methodology/approach
Regression analysis is used to test the efficacy of admission standards in explaining transfer and non‐transfer student performance in the core business curriculum, before and after substantial curricular revision. Fisher's r‐to‐z transformation is used to test differences between student groups and core curriculum formats. Stepwise regression was used to identify an accurate predictor of transfer student performance for the integrated business core.
Findings
Efficacy of the admission standard decreased for transfer students following introduction of the new curriculum. While adequate for all students taking the traditional business core, it is a much less effective predictor of success for transfer students under the new curriculum. A modified admission standard for transfer students restored efficacy to previous levels.
Research limitations/implications
The paper considers only one school's experience with revision of its core curriculum.
Practical implications
Re‐examination of admission standards following curricular revision is necessary to ensure effective screening of transfer students. The root problem, however, may not be addressed in its entirety by a unique transfer student admission standard. Non‐transfer students benefit from acculturation as freshman and sophomores, as well as prerequisite courses specifically modified to prepare them for the integrated curriculum.
Originality/value
This paper documents a potential problem for business schools that have, or are considering, significant curricular revisions.
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Vijayan P. Munusamy, Michael E. Valdez, Kevin D. Lo, Amanda E. K. Budde‐Sung, Cristina M. Suarez and Robert H. Doktor
Two landmark studies of national culture undertaken approximately a quarter century apart present a unique opportunity for a longitudinal analysis of the shift in cultural values…
Abstract
Two landmark studies of national culture undertaken approximately a quarter century apart present a unique opportunity for a longitudinal analysis of the shift in cultural values in work organizations over time. Using comparable data from Hofstede and GLO BE, we investigate the hypothesis that, in the rapidly developing nations of Asia, there has been a convergence of collectivist values in work organizations toward the level of collectivist values found in work organizations in the highly developed nations of the major economies. Findings suggest that collectivist values in rapidly developing nations are converging towards collectivist values of highly developed countries. This convergence is not exclusively due to economic growth or wealth but rather due to the speed of the economic growth. Specifically, periods of prolonged rapid economic transformation appear to also have a transforming effect on national cultural values. Implications of this finding and directions for future research are discussed.
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Total productive maintenance, or TPM, represents a major shift in the way an organization approaches the maintenance function and implementation typically requires a significant…
Abstract
Total productive maintenance, or TPM, represents a major shift in the way an organization approaches the maintenance function and implementation typically requires a significant change in organizational culture. Most references on TPM suggest a variety of ways to promote this cultural change, including top management support, training and changes in reward systems. Despite these efforts, many organizations still find it difficult to create the necessary change in culture. This paper proposes an additional means to help bring about the cultural change necessary to make TPM work: mathematical modeling. Using examples of four mathematical models in the maintenance field, the paper describes how such models might be used to promote this cultural change by making the potential benefits of TPM more tangible and objective to employees and by improving employees’ understanding of how their involvement in TPM can affect the organization and its customers.
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Major concern over monopolies and trusts was one of the distinguishing marks of the American Economic Association from its foundation and lasted well into the early 1900s (Coats…
Abstract
Major concern over monopolies and trusts was one of the distinguishing marks of the American Economic Association from its foundation and lasted well into the early 1900s (Coats, 1960). The failed merger attempt of the Northern Securities Company and the subsequent panic of 1902–1903, the 1907 financial crisis and its aftermath, as well as the ostensibly illegal financial practices of many conglomerates, all contributed to keep the trusts issue alive on academic circles. But it was only after the 1911 Court decisions that the debate on the trust problem and the necessary measures to amend the existing antitrust legislation acquired new vigor and incisiveness.3
John J. Lawrence and Holly S. Lewis
Weak supplier bases and weak infrastructures pose significant obstacles to the use of just‐in‐time (JIT) purchasing in developing countries. Explores the use and effectiveness of…
Abstract
Weak supplier bases and weak infrastructures pose significant obstacles to the use of just‐in‐time (JIT) purchasing in developing countries. Explores the use and effectiveness of JIT purchasing practices in one such developing country, Mexico, in an attempt to lay a foundation for understanding the use of JIT purchasing in developing countries in general. Analyses two distinct activities characteristic of JIT purchasing: JIT deliveries from suppliers and supplier involvement in improvement activities. Uses a large sample mail survey and comparative case studies. Indicates that both JIT deliveries and supplier involvement in improvement activities can enhance performance in Mexican operations under certain circumstances. Finds the effectiveness of pursuing JIT deliveries depends on plant and company size. Achieving high levels of supplier involvement appears to depend in part on the extent that Mexican managers have developed a network within the parent company. Provides recommendations for managers and suggestions for areas requiring further research.
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John J. Lawrence and Steven Pharr
Admission standards are commonly employed as a means of maintaining the quality of an academic program’s student pool, and as a result, the program itself. The past decade has…
Abstract
Admission standards are commonly employed as a means of maintaining the quality of an academic program’s student pool, and as a result, the program itself. The past decade has seen a number of efforts to integrate academic content and incorporate models of team‐based learning. While the emphasis and demands of these programs have changed, as well as the expectations of incoming students, admission standards have not. This study considers whether undergraduate business admission requirements developed and validated for traditional curricula remain valid admission standards for integrated programs. The relationship between student performance in various predictor courses and performance in upper level business courses is compared for students in an integrated program and those taking the traditional curriculum. Results indicate that the traditional predictor courses remain valid predictors of performance for the integrated program. Additionally, opportunities for improvement exist in the addition of courses emphasizing communication and reasoning skills.