James D. Hardy and Leonard J. Hochberg
This comment examines a recent application of world‐system analysis, a neo‐Marxist theory of global historical change. In a recent essay appearing in Foreign Policy, Immanuel…
Abstract
This comment examines a recent application of world‐system analysis, a neo‐Marxist theory of global historical change. In a recent essay appearing in Foreign Policy, Immanuel Wallerstein (2002), the sociologist who initially proposed and then advanced world‐system analysis in the 1970s and 1980s, predicted that the United States would soon cease to be a hegemonic power. We claim that his interpretation of post‐World War II history and his assessment of contemporary events in the Persian Gulf do more to advance his theory than to honor the facts.
In his essay, “How the United States Used Competition to Win the Cold War,” Warren E. Norquist argues that Ronald Reagan deliberately “used competition” to undermine the communist…
Abstract
In his essay, “How the United States Used Competition to Win the Cold War,” Warren E. Norquist argues that Ronald Reagan deliberately “used competition” to undermine the communist regime in the Soviet Union. But what does “competition” mean? The term usually refers to the strategies entrepreneurs and corporations deploy vis‐a‐vis their “competitors” in the market. However, Norquist doesn't provide a clear characterization of how states, in an adversarial context, compete economically with one another. His evidence suggests that the United States — typically a strong proponent of laissez‐faire economics — confronted the Soviet Union economically by deploying a surprising strategy, one congruent with mercantilism.
Kevin W. Caves and Hal J. Singer
In antitrust class-action litigation, courts are increasingly unlikely to accept the presumption that all class members were harmed by price-fixing among a group of firms or by…
Abstract
In antitrust class-action litigation, courts are increasingly unlikely to accept the presumption that all class members were harmed by price-fixing among a group of firms or by exclusionary behavior by a single firm. Econometric methods typically applied in antitrust and other settings estimate the average effect of the challenged conduct, but do not inform impact for individual class members. We present classwide econometric methods and statistical tests for detecting the existence (or lack thereof) of common impact and determining what proportion (if any) of the proposed class suffered injury in many class actions. We conclude that econometric tools can meaningfully inform the legal process, even when courts demand proof of common impact.
Details
Keywords
J. Cairns, N. Jennett and P.J. Sloane
Since the appearance of Simon Rottenberg's seminal paper on the baseball players' labour market in the Journal of Political Economy (1956), the literature on the economics of…
Abstract
Since the appearance of Simon Rottenberg's seminal paper on the baseball players' labour market in the Journal of Political Economy (1956), the literature on the economics of professional team sports has increased rapidly, fuelled by major changes in the restrictive rules which had pervaded these sports, themselves a consequence of battles in the courts and the collective bargaining arena. These changes have not been limited to North America, to which most of the literature relates, but also apply to Western Europe and Australia in particular. This monograph surveys this literature covering those various parts of the world in order to draw out both theoretical and empirical aspects. However, to argue that the existence of what is now an extensive literature “justifies” such a survey on professional team sports clearly begs a number of questions. Justification can be found in at least two major aspects.
Herman Belgraver, Ernst Verwaal and Antonio J. Verdú‐Jover
Prior research from transaction costs economics argued that central firms perform better because they have superior access to information to discipline their alliance partners…
Abstract
Purpose
Prior research from transaction costs economics argued that central firms perform better because they have superior access to information to discipline their alliance partners. Central firms may also, however, face higher costs and risks of unintentional learning and weaken their competence through structural inertia. We propose that these costs and risks are influenced by the learning capacities of the firms in the network and can explain different outcomes for focal firm performance.
Design/methodology/approach
To test our predictions, we use instrumental variable–generalized method of moments estimation techniques on 15,517 firm-year observations from equity alliance portfolios in the global food industry across a 21-year window.
Findings
We find support for our predictions and show that the relationship between network degree centrality and firm performance is negatively influenced by partners’ learning capacity and positively influenced by focal firms’ learning capacity, while firms with low network degree centrality benefit less from their learning capacity.
Research limitations/implications
Future developments in transaction cost economics may consider partner and focal firms’ learning capacity as moderators of the network degree centrality – firm performance relationship.
Practical implications
In alliance decisions, managers must consider that the combination of high network degree centrality and partners’ learning capacity can lead to high costs, risks of unintentional learning, and structural inertia, all of which have negative consequences for performance. In concentrated industries where network positions are controlled by a few large firms, policymakers must acknowledge that firms may face substantial barriers to collaboration with learning-intensive firms.
Originality/value
This study is the first to develop and test a comprehensive transaction cost analysis of the central firm’s unintended knowledge flows and structural inertia in alliance networks. It is also the first to incorporate theoretically and empirically the hazards of complex and unintended information flows on the relationship of network degree centrality to performance in equity alliance portfolios.
Details
Keywords
Erica S. Jablonski, Chris R. Surfus and Megan Henly
This study compared different types of full-time caregiver (e.g., children, older adults, COVID-19 patients) and subgroups (e.g., disability, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation…
Abstract
Purpose
This study compared different types of full-time caregiver (e.g., children, older adults, COVID-19 patients) and subgroups (e.g., disability, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation) in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic for potentially meaningful distinctions.
Methodology/Approach
Data from the 9,854 full-time caregivers identified in Phase 3.2 (July 21–October 11, 2021) of the US Census Household Pulse Survey (HPS) were analyzed in this study using multinomial logistic regression to examine relationships between caregiver types, marginalized subgroups, generation, and vaccination status.
Findings
The prevalence of caregiving was low, but the type of full-time caregiving performed varied by demographic group (i.e., disability, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, generation, and vaccination status). The relative risk of being a COVID-19 caregiver remained significant for being a member of each of the marginalized groups examined after all adjustments.
Limitations/Implications
To date, the HPS has not been analyzed to predict the type of full-time informal caregiving performed during the COVID-19 pandemic or their characteristics. Research limitations of this analysis include the cross-sectional, experimental dataset employed, as well as some variable measurement issues.
Originality/Value of Paper
Prior informal caregiver research has often focused on the experiences of those caring for older adults or children with special healthcare needs. It may be instructive to learn whether and how informal caregivers excluded from paid employment during infectious disease outbreaks vary in meaningful ways from those engaged in other full-time caregiving. Because COVID-19 magnified equity concerns, examining demographic differences may also facilitate customization of pathways to post-caregiving workforce integration.
Details
Keywords
Maretno Agus Harjoto and Yan Wang
Drawing from social capital, social network theory of stakeholder influence and stakeholder management, the purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between board…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing from social capital, social network theory of stakeholder influence and stakeholder management, the purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between board network centrality and firms’ environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Using social network analysis, the authors construct five board network centrality, namely, degree centrality (the number of connections), closeness centrality (distance among firms), eigenvector centrality (the quality of connections), betweenness centrality (how often a firm sits between two other firms) and the information centrality (the speed and reliability of information), as measures of board access for social capital and timely information.
Findings
Using a sample of non-financial firms listed in the UK FTSE 350 index from 2007 to 2018, the authors find that board networks, measured by degree, closeness, eigenvector, betweenness and information centrality, has positive influence on firms’ ESG performance. Furthermore, the findings show that there is a non-linear relationship between board networks and ESG performance, and this relationship is stronger in the sectors where firms that have high product market concentration and high percentage of women board members.
Originality/value
This study unveils that strong board network centrality brings higher social (reputational) capital and information advantages to the firm to effectively, timely and accurately deal with the pressures from stakeholders (stakeholder management), which leads to better ESG performance.
Details
Keywords
Bin Hao and Yanan Feng
This paper aims to offer a novel set of insights to understand the role of network ties in pursuit of radical innovation. In this sense, the purpose of the study is to analyze how…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to offer a novel set of insights to understand the role of network ties in pursuit of radical innovation. In this sense, the purpose of the study is to analyze how the heterogeneity in the content of network ties affects radical innovation performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a comprehensive review of existing literature, this paper conceptualizes how different types of network ties affect radical innovation performance by deriving five research propositions.
Findings
Both buyer-supplier ties and peer collaboration ties are positively related to radical innovation performance, whilst the peer collaboration ties may be further affected by partner similarity. Compared to other two types of network ties, equity ties act as more of moderating roles on spurring radical innovation. Crowding out between network ties prevents firms from knowledge searching within an extensive network scope, reducing the opportunities of mixing and matching different kinds of knowledge needed for radical innovation.
Research limitations/implications
The study suggests a natural way of launching marketing strategy by selectively integrating different sources of knowledge (market, supplier or technology) needed for commercializing radical technologies, highlighting the importance of partner selection for radical innovation among different types of firms surrounding the current market. For managers, it is necessary to identify and select network ties helpful for long-term business and strategic interests.
Originality/value
This paper makes two main contributions. First, it addresses the question of how networks influence radical innovation by identifying three types of network ties and their effects – individual and in combination – on extension of the depth and breadth of knowledge and development of disruptive ideas. Second, it develops the existing literature by demonstrating the crowding-out effect of network ties.
Details
Keywords
Philipp E. Sischka, Alexander F. Schmidt and Georges Steffgen
The present study aimed to investigate the main effect of competition on workplace bullying (WB) exposure and perpetration as well as its hypothesized moderation through passive…
Abstract
Purpose
The present study aimed to investigate the main effect of competition on workplace bullying (WB) exposure and perpetration as well as its hypothesized moderation through passive avoidant leadership style. Specifically, the authors hypothesized that competition would have a stronger influence on WB when supervisors score higher on passive avoidant leadership style.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected among employees (N = 1,260) on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk utilizing an online survey. WB exposure and perpetration were cross-sectionally assessed via self-labeling and behavioral experience self-reports.
Findings
The results partially corroborated the proposed model. Competition and passive avoidant leadership were predictors of WB exposure and perpetration (as determined by both assessment methods). Furthermore, passive avoidant leadership moderated the relationship between competition and self-labeled WB exposure. Passive avoidant leadership only moderated the relationship between competition and self-labeled WB perpetration but not the competition–WB perpetration link assessed with the behavioral experience method.
Practical implications
This study shows that competition needs to be embedded within a leadership style sensitive to the detection of and taking action against WB phenomena.
Originality/value
While other studies have mainly focused on work stressors as antecedents of WB exposure, this study looks at the motivators and facilitators of WB occurrence. Furthermore, not only WB exposure but also WB perpetration is considered here, with the latter being an underresearched topic. Moreover, the authors used two assessment methods in order to test the generalizability of the authors’ findings.
Details
Keywords
Cinzia Dessì and Michela Floris
The paper aims to focus on management‐customer relations as a way to understand the competitive advantages of small/medium‐sized family businesses. The aim of this work is to…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to focus on management‐customer relations as a way to understand the competitive advantages of small/medium‐sized family businesses. The aim of this work is to verify whether management perceptions of business strengths and customer perceptions of the same strengths agree, and whether this agreement (perceptive concordance) can become an important factor in maintaining the firm's competitive advantages.
Design/methodology/approach
The research is carried out through a single case study with a sample of 120 customers.
Findings
The findings indicate that when management and customers agree on certain business issues, performance benefits. Comparing management's perception of strengths and customers' perceptions of the same strengths allow one to relate what the firm thinks of itself to what the customer sees in it.
Practical implications
The research offers useful information about the efficiency of the firm's external communications and demonstrates that a shared language between the firm and its customers does exist and is understood by both entities. Moreover, practical implications are related to customers' degree of satisfaction with respect to management beliefs, and to management's opportunity to correct the weaknesses revealed by the agreement factor.
Originality/value
The paper provides a different perspective on how to analyse competitive advantage inside small to medium‐sized family businesses with cases and specific analyses not considered in depth by the family business literature.