Ethan W. Gossett and P. D. Harms
Acute and chronic pain affects more Americans than heart disease, diabetes, and cancer combined. Conservative estimates suggest the total economic cost of pain in the United…
Abstract
Acute and chronic pain affects more Americans than heart disease, diabetes, and cancer combined. Conservative estimates suggest the total economic cost of pain in the United States is $600 billion, and more than half of this cost is due to lost productivity, such as absenteeism, presenteeism, and turnover. In addition, an escalating opioid epidemic in the United States and abroad spurred by a lack of safe and effective pain management has magnified challenges to address pain in the workforce, particularly the military. Thus, it is imperative to investigate the organizational antecedents and consequences of pain and prescription opioid misuse (POM). This chapter provides a brief introduction to pain processing and the biopsychosocial model of pain, emphasizing the relationship between stress, emotional well-being, and pain in the military workforce. We review personal and organizational risk and protective factors for pain, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, optimism, perceived organizational support, and job strain. Further, we discuss the potential adverse impact of pain on organizational outcomes, the rise of POM in military personnel, and risk factors for POM in civilian and military populations. Lastly, we propose potential organizational interventions to mitigate pain and provide the future directions for work, stress, and pain research.
Xin Chen, En Xie, Mike W. Peng and Brian C. Pinkham
The purpose of this paper is to examine an important yet underexplored research question in the literature: What determines the length of contract governing buyer–supplier…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine an important yet underexplored research question in the literature: What determines the length of contract governing buyer–supplier relationships during market transitions? The length of contract is a solid indicator of the comprehensiveness of a contract. By integrating transaction costs economics, the embeddedness perspective and the institution-based view, the paper develops a model that incorporates specific investments and perceived opportunism, strategies to select suppliers and buyer firms’ confidence in the institutional environment. It further posits how buyer firms’ dependence on suppliers moderates these relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected nationwide via face-to-face interviews with 328 executives in 164 Chinese firms who shared information pertaining to 774 buyer–supplier contracts. A fine-grained mixed-empirical method was designed to test the proposed hypotheses, to confirm the reliability and to generalize the research findings.
Findings
All the proposed factors significantly influence the length of the contract. Results obtained through a moderated mediating model suggest that buyers with supplier-specific investments and that choose market-based selection relative to a relationship-based tend to perceive more opportunism in buyer–supplier relationships, which will lead to shortening the length of the contract. However, the buyer’s perception of opportunism will decrease when buyers perceive higher levels of confidence in their legal institutions.
Practical implications
The study discusses several practical implications for B2B managers who typically involve in interfirm exchanges as well as for emerging economies’ institutions.
Originality/value
Leveraging theoretical insights from transaction cost economics, the institution-based view and buyer–supplier relationships literature, this empirical study adds unique contributions to B2B research in general and emerging economies’ institutional literature in particular.
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In recent years, the concept of generic strategies for achieving competitive advantage has gained prominence in the field of strategic management (BCG, 1976; Buzzell, Gale &…
Abstract
In recent years, the concept of generic strategies for achieving competitive advantage has gained prominence in the field of strategic management (BCG, 1976; Buzzell, Gale & Sultan, 1976; Porter, 1980; Hambrick, 1983; Karnani, 1984; Wright, 1987). Two generic strategies often mentioned in the literature are low‐ cost position and high differentiation position. Porter also mentions a third generic strategy called ‘focus’. However, this strategy is merely a specialised application of the two main generic strategies in a narrow market segment.
Concrete is a widely used construction material which can be prepared using locally available resources (aggregates, cement and water) by following relevant standard guidelines…
Abstract
Purpose
Concrete is a widely used construction material which can be prepared using locally available resources (aggregates, cement and water) by following relevant standard guidelines. The residual properties of concrete determined by heating in an electric furnace may not produce a similar effect of fire. The purpose of this paper is to compare the effect of a fire with that coming from the exposure of normal strength concrete to predetermined reference temperatures, for which two sets of specimens were heated in a fire furnace provided with gas burners and an electric furnace.
Design/methodology/approach
The concrete cubes and cylinders were subjected to 200oC, 400oC, 600oC and 800oC temperature in a gas-controlled fire furnace and an electric furnace for 2 h. The physical properties and mechanical properties of concrete were determined after cooling the specimens in air. The quality of concrete specimens was determined using the ultrasonic pulse velocity test, and surface hardness of the heat-exposed cubes was recorded using the Schmidt rebound hammer.
Findings
The fire-exposed specimens were found to have lower residual compressive strength, tensile strength and higher porosity/voids/internal cracks than the specimens heated in an electric furnace at the same temperature. Further, a good agreement with compressive strength and rebound numbers was observed for each of the two heating systems (flames coming from gas burners and electric furnace).
Originality/value
Normal strength concrete specimens exposed to heat in an electric furnace will not give the same effect of fire having the same maximum temperature. Further, it is noticed that concrete subjected to elevated temperature is sensitive to heating modalities, be it the flames of a gas furnace or the radiation of an electric furnace.
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Peng S. Chan and Ravi R. Chinta
In recent times the term “industrial policy” has sparked a lively American debate. The apparent decline of America's competitive position in the world economy, widespread concern…
Abstract
In recent times the term “industrial policy” has sparked a lively American debate. The apparent decline of America's competitive position in the world economy, widespread concern over the deterioration of such basic industries as steel and automobiles (also called “Rust belt industries”), and increasing concern about the potential of U.S. to main‐tain its lead in high technology have led to renewed reap‐praisal of government's role in economic life.
The US health care industry has experienced dramatic economic,social and technological changes since the late 1970s. These changeshave reshaped the structure and function of…
Abstract
The US health care industry has experienced dramatic economic, social and technological changes since the late 1970s. These changes have reshaped the structure and function of inpatient hospitals and continue to drive their evolution into the 1990s. Examines the causes and effects of these changes on major for‐profit hospital firms, and suggests viable strategies for them to compete in the future.
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Peng S. Chan and Ravi R. Chinta
Consider the case of Procter and Gamble (P&G), when it ships carloads combining diapers and other paper products. It saves transportation costs (about 10% of sales) relative to a…
Abstract
Consider the case of Procter and Gamble (P&G), when it ships carloads combining diapers and other paper products. It saves transportation costs (about 10% of sales) relative to a firm that sells only diapers. This is one example of synergies among divisions that seem to explain the superior performance of companies like P&G. Examples of other related companies are General Foods, General Mills, Pillsbury, Dupont, 3M, Westinghouse etc., each of which try to exploit some form of synergy or other. But at the same time, managers also find that there are several conglomerate firms comprised of unrelated business units which are also performing well. Examples of conglomerates in this category include ITT, Rockwell International, Dart Industries, Signal Companies, United Technologies, Gulf and Western Industries, Tenneco, Textron, USX etc. An erudite manager is thus faced with a dilemma. Are synergies real? If they exist, why are they not ubiquitous? Why and when is unrelated growth pattern an attractive alternative?
Peng S. Chan and Robert T. Justis
Franchising, as a popular form of entrepreneurship, continues to beincreasingly accepted throughout the world. However, due to many fraudsand failures in the past, franchise laws…
Abstract
Franchising, as a popular form of entrepreneurship, continues to be increasingly accepted throughout the world. However, due to many frauds and failures in the past, franchise laws have been established to ensure full disclosure on the part of the franchisor to all prospective franchisees. Surveys 101 companies and their disclosure documents, to ascertain how they operated their business and the extent to which they complied with the disclosure regulations. It was evident that the disclosure rules provided increased knowledge for prospective franchisees, although not all franchisors adhered to the spirit and letter of the law.
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Examines the key elements that are involved in managing successfulturnarounds. An analysis of the turnaround strategies of more than tenglobal companies revealed that these…
Abstract
Examines the key elements that are involved in managing successful turnarounds. An analysis of the turnaround strategies of more than ten global companies revealed that these strategies incorporated similar sequential processes: identification of problem and need for change; replacement of incumbent CEO; major cost‐cutting attempts; refocusing on core businesses, and reinvesting for the future.
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Chan Choy Peng and Keith Ridgway
Describes the development of an integrated computerized engineeringdatabase and CAD/CAM system at Presto Tools Ltd, Sheffield, UK.Following an examination of the existing computer…
Abstract
Describes the development of an integrated computerized engineering database and CAD/CAM system at Presto Tools Ltd, Sheffield, UK. Following an examination of the existing computer hardware and software systems the factors inhibiting the development of an integrated environment were identified. Using a suite of computer programs and application packages including Smartware II, Anvil‐5000 (CAD) and Pathtrace (CAM), an integrated system was developed with the objective of creating a more responsive and interactive manufacturing environment. Describes the original facilities, and the development of the new system.