Search results

The purpose of this study was to explore an innovative strategy for studying the Brazilian negotiator’s unique and paradoxical characteristics from a cultural point of view to acquire a better understanding of the nature of international business negotiations in Brazil.

The study is of a qualitative nature, using a multiple-case study design at three levels (small-, medium- and large-scale negotiations). Interviews were conducted with Brazilian and German managers to capture the emic–etic view of the Brazilian negotiator. The Strategic Trinity Model was developed to assess the behavior of the Brazilian negotiator in agreement with three metaphors: “African Capoeirista”, “Portuguese Bureaucrat” and “Indigenous Warrior”.

The three roles “African Capoeirista”, “Portuguese Bureaucrat” and “Indigenous Warrior” comprised similar as well as contradicting characteristics. The Brazilian negotiator chose naturally and even paradoxically from these role features, effectively negotiating any given situation, context and time. During the pre- and post-negotiation phases, traits of the “African Capoeirista” and “Indigenous Warrior” were the most salient. During the formal negotiation phase, however, the characteristics of the “African Capoeirista” and “Portuguese Bureaucrat” dominated.

International business negotiations in Brazil call for an in-depth comprehension of the paradoxical roles that local negotiators take on to achieve better negotiation outcomes.

The present study unveiled the contradicting Brazilian negotiating style in international business negotiations, thus acquiring a better understanding of the negotiation process in the Brazilian market.

The facility manager has selected an architect. He/she might be getting ready to start a great project ‐ but perhaps not. Facility managers are often put into the position of selecting and negotiating contracts for architecture services. This paper is based upon research sponsored by the American Institute of Architects. From input gathered at an owners’ forum last year, this paper focuses on potential improvement areas for architects. It also assists the facility manager to prepare and negotiate a contract that will help ensure the delivery of expectations. This is accomplished by: understanding what to put into the architect’s contract to protect an organisation’s interests and realise expectations; developing a contractual format that will minimise surprises; learning what many owners think are the most common shortcomings of an architect. The facility manager must learn how important it is to select the most suitable architect for their organisation and consolidate the learning by negotiating a contract that will protect the company’s interests and help to achieve the desired results.

Change in facility design is occurring frequently and designers are having to respond to uncertain requirements. Facility programming is described as one possible solution to the problem, being a structured process of problem solving which allows organised decision making. The five steps which make up the process are described and one result of its use in a recently completed facility in the USA is outlined.

Mobile data traffic globally is increasing rapidly in both enterprise and consumer segments. The purpose of this paper is to identify a new network architecture and opportunity that support ubiquitous mobile work for higher-education institutions.

It reviews existing literature and enabling technologies and proposes integrating both wide-area Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-Advanced) and local-area IEEE 802.11ac networks for seamless, gigabit-speed services. A decision framework for moving toward such architecture and a cost/benefit analysis are also presented.

Integrating both LTE-Advanced and IEEE 802.11ac networks for seamless connectivity is technically and organizationally feasible, provided that a higher-education institution has faculty and staff that require locational and interactional mobility. The cost/benefit analysis also shows that moving to the new architecture has potential benefits that can accrue to the higher-education institution.

With the coming availability of these wide-area and local-area gigabit networks, a new architecture that can ubiquitously supports mobile workers may be advantageous to universities and colleges.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is one of the first that proposes such integrated architecture in the context of higher-education institutions. In addition to the examination of technological issues and proposed architecture, the decision framework, and cost/benefit analysis should be valuable for institutions contemplating the move toward the new architecture and for guiding further research in this area.

There are many dynamics within the workplace that are beyond the control of the facility manager. Seeks to consider the drivers that influence the need for managers to consider outsourcing or when changing an existing provider.

A conceptual discussion and approach are taken.

Outsourcing of services is one of the dynamics of the work place. Regardless of the type of outsourcing effort, there is a structured process that will help assure success. There are fixed and flexible costs that need to be budgeted, including some hidden expenses. A well planned transition with all parties is essential.

Provides a focus for the facility manager considering outsourcing.

Every organisation has an existing set of values, an “organisational culture”. Could a richer set of values improve the organisation? If so, how is the organisation better. What are some ways of enriching the existing values, and who can do it? These issues are examined and their application is explored through examples.

Some economic commentators claim that inequality of wealth or income reduces economic development and growth of GDP. But this is counterintuitive, since economic breakthroughs usually occur by dint of great effort, or discovery, or invention, which brings great wealth to those responsible (think Bill Gates). Nor is this thesis supported by a proper interpretation of the facts of the matter, despite the contentions of several authors in this regard. Torsten Persson and Guido Tabellini (1994) (hence, PT) have an interesting thesis. It is that inequality is harmful for economic growth. That is, ceteris paribus, the more equal is the income or wealth distribution, the better are a country's prospects for economic development.

This paper represents a discussion of transfer pricing (TP). Key factors are identified and propositions developed from tax accounting and other perspectives. Stages of the TP decision process are identified along with the critical factors directly affecting sales and a TP audit. Propositions are derived which show relationships among these variables and tax rates, competition, and TP methodologies. Finally, academic research implications are suggested.

OVER A QUARTER of a century ago, in September 1938, we published a review of diffuser behaviour by G. N. Patterson which, together with one of its main information sources by Gibson, has formed the accepted guide to diffuser design. Patterson's paper was broad in scope and made clear reference to the effect of parameters which were not fully investigated until much later. It is the purpose of this paper to review experimental work, much of it being along the lines formulated by Patterson, and to indicate the improved analytical understanding of diffusers.