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Production systems are becoming more and more information intensive activities. Production management is faced with new challenges which demand an overall information approach to production information systems planning. However, production systems are not all alike. Each system presents different information implications for system selection and operation. An information systems view of production information systems is offered. The analysis is based on principles central to systems thinking in general, with specific reference to production systems. Various such systems, including hierarchical, MRP, JIT, OPT and FMS, are then examined from a major aspect of systems design, the concept of system guarantors. Each of these systems has proved successful in certain production environments. However, from an information systems point of view, the question is not always one of net return or claims of increased productivity, but rather who or what will in the final analysis guarantee the system's results.

This study explores how dimensions of organizational culture are related to performance in a sample of Christian churches. Alternative models of the relationships of four dimensions of organizational culture with multiple measures of church performance were explored using data provided by staff and pastors describing 53 Christian churches. We identified a model that fit the data very well in which the relative strength of four organizational cultural dimensions are predictors of the levels of seven alternative measures of church performance covering membership growth, constituent satisfaction, staff and constituent learning and development, and internal business processes. Church leaders desiring to improve performance could consider focusing on strengthening the culture dimensions that may be related to each area of church operations.

This study investigates the relationship between organizational culture and organizational performance in non-profit religious organizations (churches). A quantitative methodology was utilized to explore this relationship. Denison's model of organizational culture which includes examining the organization in four areas (involvement, consistency, adaptability, and mission) was explored to determine how this theoretical model aligns with the culture of the church and its efforts to perform at optimal level. Data were provided by staff and pastors of 43 Christian churches. The findings showed partial evidence for a relationship between culture and performance in churches. Church leaders can utilize these findings to determine if the balanced scorecard method should be implemented in their churches as a means of discovering if the values and beliefs of the church are influencing the church's overall performance.

The purpose of this study is to construct and validate a generalizable scale to measure service induced perceived stress for customers of personal services with a high level of intangibles having both online and offline components.

Five studies were conducted to this end. The first was qualitative and the rest were quantitative (survey) with a total sample size of 1,300. The last study was conducted in a different country than the first four.

The studies resulted in a five-dimensional SERVSTRESS scale to measure service induced stress for customers with the following dimensions, namely, psychological stress; information stress; complexity stress; personnel stress and outcome stress. The scale was tested in a nomological network.

The present study addresses a hitherto unaddressed gap in marketing literature with the construction and validation of a scale to measure service stress of a customer (named SERVSTRESS) using data from five studies spanning two countries.

The SERVSTRESS scale is relevant for the practitioners as it adds more value beyond the traditional service quality measures and allows the marketer to understand the nature of the stressors (with a specific focus on which is going right and which is going wrong) in the service delivery and allow him/her to take remedial actions.

The originality of the study is in the creation of a new scale to measure personal service stress and uncovering its underlying dimensions.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an in-depth consideration of the color line in the US music market, much deeper treatment than that of a superficial social construct.

Content analysis was performed using archives from the Performing Arts Division of the New York Public Library.

A complex intersection of social and capitalist influences is fueled by culture and economics, filtered through the contributions of artists and media. Six major categories: social, media, artist, culture, industry, and economics contribute to its development and propagation. It continues to affect contemporary music markets.

Interpretation of archival data is subject to availability of material and subjectivity of the researcher. Steps were taken to minimize bias. The research implies an opportunity for the US music market to celebrate diversity and social justice.

Focusing on the symbolic use of music, marketers have the opportunity to empower consumers to embrace diversity, reversing the trajectory of the color line.

Embracing cultural heritage and celebrating diversity can promote economic gain without detriment to cultural interests.

The present research provides a much deeper consideration of the color line in the American Music Market than previous literature does. The consideration includes a combination of forces, from profit focused to cultural.

Neoliberalism has profoundly influenced the relationship between law and the state. Market rhetoric and ideology have fostered Janus faces of law, a double vision of law where both sides of the face adhere to one another through neoliberalism. One face relies on market values and individual liberty, seemingly favoring the reduction of state authority, actually to enhance law’s power. The other Janus face, also drawing on values of market efficiency and individual responsibility, expands criminal justice and its role in the state. Together the Janus faces of law diminish democratic values and practices of law in favor of economic growth, efficient governance, and punishment.

The purpose of the present study is to propose identifying similar characteristics and managerial actions of the sector brand identity elements among the associations that compound the Brasil Fashion System (BFS) brand.

An exploratory qualitative research was developed through in-depth interviews conducted with associations of the Brazilian fashion sector.

The results indicate that there are characteristics of the elements of brand identity that are similar between the associations that compound the BFS brand. However, there are also several distinct characteristics among them, which makes it difficult, in large part, to consolidate the brand identity of the Brazilian fashion industry abroad.

Moreover, it was indicated that for sectorial brand cases with a great divergence among brand partners, the creation of sub-sectorial brand specific for each partner could bring better results, as in this way, brands could be created with more suitable attributes for each partner, which will better suit their target audiences.

A practical contribution is also obtained, as the study can help in elaborating upon improvements for the sectorial brands that represent a large partners group.

An empirical evidence of how to identify common attributes between sectorial brand partners was presented to have a consolidated brand image in the external market.

Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT; Lent, Brown, and Hackett 1994, 1996) proposes that career interests, goals, and choices are related to self-efficacy beliefs and outcome expectations. It suggests that peopleʼs self-efficacy beliefs and outcome expectations with regard to self-employment would predict their goals to become selfemployed. This study explores the ability of SCCT to predict goals for self-employment in a sample of 115 undergraduate business students. Results indicated that students with higher entrepreneurial self-efficacy and higher self-employment outcome expectations had higher intentions to become self-employed. These findings imply that educators and policy-makers may boost student entrepreneurial intentions by (1) enhancing studentsʼ confidence to succeed in an entrepreneurial career and (2) enhancing studentsʼ expectations of strong positive outcomes resulting from an entrepreneurial career

The purpose of this paper is twofold: to understand how recent developments in systems thinking and social construction can influence understanding of knowledge transfer (KT); and to propose a new systems‐based knowledge transfer model.

The paper is a review of the literature on knowledge transfer, systems thinking and social construction leads to the proposal of a new KT paradigm.

The Dynamic Knowledge Transfer Capacity model (DKTC) found in this paper identifies the components required for social systems to generate, disseminate and use new knowledge to meet their needs. The model includes pre‐existing conditions, (need and prior knowledge) and four categories of capacities (generative, disseminative, absorptive and adaptive/responsive) that social systems must possess for KT to take place.

The paper shows that the DKTC model is particularly well suited to analyzing complex systems with multiple stakeholders as opposed to small‐scale knowledge transfer systems. Empirical analysis in complex systems environments will help verify, enrich and generalize the model.

The paper sees that in an increasingly knowledge‐based economy, the ability to base decisions on the latest knowledge is vital for the success of organizations. The capacity for effective and sustained exchange between a system's stakeholders (researchers, government, practitioners, etc.); exchanges characterized by significant interactions reflected within the DKTC model, results in the appropriate use of the most recent discoveries in the decision making process.

The paper proposes a new knowledge transfer paradigm that views knowledge as a systemic, socially constructed, context‐specific representation of reality. The proposed knowledge transfer model is in sharp contrast to past attempts, focusing attention on the capacities that must be present in organizations and social systems as a precondition for knowledge transfer to occur.