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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the historical contributions of complex innovations (both creative and tactical components) in a formative period in a major Australian department store, David Jones Ltd.

The study uses a context-specific lens to examine complex retail innovation. The study adopts a longitudinal design with the focus on a single firm, which met the inclusion criteria. Data collection was predominately from company archival materials and publicly available documents, including newspapers.

An in-depth analysis of two complex innovations demonstrates the retailer’s successful management of both marketing exploration (innovation) and marketing exploitation of that innovation. Effective marketing requires operational, tactical marketing exploitation to dovetail marketing exploration.

The study is limited to one successful department store. Notwithstanding, there are expectations that the lessons extend to many other retailing organizations.

The practical relevance is clear, with the emphasis on retail innovation (and especially complex innovation) as a basis for both surviving and thriving in an ever-changing marketing environment.

The use of a complex innovation approach is a novel way of examining marketing history. The study concludes that both marketing exploration and marketing exploitation are essential for retail longevity.

This chapter shows the prevalence, trends and heterogeneity in maternal smoking around birth in the United Kingdom (UK), focussing on the war and post-war reconstruction period in which there exists surprisingly little systematic data on (maternal) smoking behaviours. Within this context, the authors highlight relevant events, the release of new information about the harms of smoking and changes in (government) policy aimed at reducing smoking prevalence. The authors show stark changes in smoking prevalence over a 30-year period, highlight the onset of the social gradient in smoking as well as genetic heterogeneities in smoking trends.

WITH tailless aeroplanes, all known aerodynamic control devices possess the peculiarity of not only producing moments about one axis, but of also causing secondary moments about one or both of the other axes. Horizontal controllers forming part of the wing near the tips in wings having sweep‐back or sweep‐forward, for instance, do not produce rolling moments alone, when differ‐entially deflected; they also cause yawing and pitching moments. Similarly, wing‐tip disk rudders operated on such wings not only produce yawing moments, but may cause rolling and even pitching moments.

The Pure Food and Health Society of Great Britain held a conference at the Inns of Court Hotel, Holborn, on May 27. Mr. H. E. MORGAN presided, supported by LORD CAMOYS and Mr. S. F. EDGE. The principal objects of the conference were to discuss (1) the best methods of preventing food frauds and substitutions that are injurious to consumer and honest manufacturer alike; (2) some means of educating the public, preferably by advertisement, so that they can discriminate genuine and good from inferior, worthless, and fraudulent articles.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of earnings management on financial performance. In addition, the authors investigate whether corporate social responsibility has a moderating effect on the impact of earnings management on financial performance.

The empirical study is based on a sample of French companies listed on the CAC-All-Tradable index over the period 2008–2018. Feasible generalized least square regression method is used to estimate the econometric models.

Based on panel data of 3,003 French firm-year observations, the authors demonstrate that earnings management has a negative and significant impact on financial performance. Indeed, corporate social responsibility moderates positively the negative impact of earnings management on financial performance in the French context.

The findings have several implications for regulatory, investors and academic researchers. For regulators, it is appropriate to promote more several standards related to corporate social responsibility and earnings management. For investors, considering societal issues is very important in making decisions. For academic researchers, the results show that it is important to discover how corporate social responsibility can influence the relation between earnings management and financial performance.

The existing literature has generally focused on the impact of earnings management on financial performance and the empirical tests did not yield similar results. The study shows that corporate social responsibility has a moderating role in determining the impact of earnings management on financial performance.

The agency theory predicts that there are conflict of interests between managers and shareholders over free cash flow and major operating decisions. Earnings management can help managers hide and retain their private benefits of control. Given that, the purpose of this study is to investigate whether financial leverage reduces agency and information problems caused by earnings management.

The research uses a sample of annual data of 200 firms listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange during 2002-2016. The data required is obtained from the Rahavard Novin database. The research uses multivariate regression models that regress financial leverage on earnings management proxies and other determinants of capital structure.

The research documents that firms with higher income smoothing and the absolute value of discretionary accruals, as the proxies for earnings management, have higher financial leverage. The results suggest that a higher level of financial leverage can discipline managers and generate useful information about firm quality.

The study highlights the informational and disciplining role of debt in the presence of severe uncertainty about firm quality in a developing country.

THE complexity of the problems which are associated with the lateral stability and directional control of tailless aeroplanes was not realized until rather late.

In dealing with the relations of the Public Analysts to the Local Authorities, the very wide differences in status and importance exhibited by the various types of local authorities possessing the power to appoint such officers must first be considered. At first sight this matter may appear to be one of minor significance, but it has in reality a most important bearing on the efficiency of the administration of the Acts, and it is one in regard to which future legislation might effect much‐needed reform.

We publish below a Circular which has been issued by the Ministry of Health (Circular No. 325), addressed to the Town Clerks of the various Councils, urging the Councils not to take actions against vendors of adulterated milk except in cases where it has been proved by repeated sampling that the milk from such vendors is consistently below the legal standard. A more stupid and damaging circular it is not possible to conceive, and the matter is one which calls for very strong representations being made by the Councils throughout the country. The effect of adopting the recommendations of the circular in question would be to practically stultify the Food and Drugs Acts in so far as the sale of adulterated milk is concerned, and it would further encourage the dairy farmer to keep certain breeds of cows which are well known for the very large quantity of milk which they produce of poor quality. The mixed milk from a properly selected herd of cows which are properly fed will never fall below the extremely lenient standard fixed by the Board of Agriculture. Whether the production of inferior or adulterated milk is due to the extraction of cream, the addition of water, improper feeding or improper selection of the cows, is of no moment to the consumer, the motive for the adoption of any of these methods is pecuniary benefit. If the desire of the Ministry of Health is to encourage adulteration and sophistication of food and to bring to nought what little protection is afforded to the consumer by the administration of the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, a more effective Circular could hardly have been issued.