An empirical analysis is presented of the effects of selectedcontingency variables on the product innovation activities of firms inentertainment electronics and major household…
Abstract
An empirical analysis is presented of the effects of selected contingency variables on the product innovation activities of firms in entertainment electronics and major household appliance industries in West Germany. The following contingency variables were analysed: the size and industry affiliation of the firm, the top management function executed either by owners or salaried managers, and the competitive pressure that a firm has to face. The empirical findings indicate that smaller enterprises, owner‐run firms and those facing comparatively less competitive pressure are especially active in product innovation, while product innovation plays a less significant role in large and manager‐run firms, as well as in enterprises facing intensive competitive pressure. Conclusions are drawn for competitor analysis and business strategies of firms with regard to the German industries considered.
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The significance of the market orientation for corporate management is the subject of a long‐standing controversy. This empirical study conducted in Germany, the largest European…
Abstract
The significance of the market orientation for corporate management is the subject of a long‐standing controversy. This empirical study conducted in Germany, the largest European market, shows that together with other basic dimensions of management, the market orientation contributes substantially to corporate success. Indicates that popular practical measures designed to implement the market orientation within the organization may cause negative side effects in terms of corporate success. These risks could be controlled by taking a number of actions suggested in this article. Detecting these risks requires a holistic research approach to corporate management, of which the market orientation represents only one basic dimension. An integrated perspective of research, such as the one presented in this paper, represents a new approach for conducting empirical research on the question of whether the market orientation exerts an impact on corporate success.
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International employment continues to grow for the industrializednations as their economies become more interdependent. An example ofthis trend involves Germany and the US…
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International employment continues to grow for the industrialized nations as their economies become more interdependent. An example of this trend involves Germany and the US employment and career issues which need to be considered when consulting abroad. Research was conducted in order to compare and contrast German and US outplacement/career practices. Specific interview impressions were gathered from several outplacement/career management professionals in Germany. Provides details about outplacement consulting services, differences in employee/career aspects between German and US employees, and the unique challenges faced by German employees. Although many outplacement services are similar between the two nations, German consultants appear to provide more of an “administrative” focus when working with German employees, whereas the US consulting firms provide more of a “sales” focus. German employees have historically had more employment protections than their counterpart US employees. However, political and economic changes in Germany are more volatile than those experienced in the USA. The “safety net” for German employees is beginning to crumble, and with these changes come insecurity and emotional distress. Knowledge of these nuances can assist career professionals in working with a German workforce.
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Harry Weber and Wolfgang Mathis
The purpose of this paper is to present a procedure for approximating DC operating points of nonlinear circuits. The presented approach can also be applied in case of multiple DC…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a procedure for approximating DC operating points of nonlinear circuits. The presented approach can also be applied in case of multiple DC operating points.
Design/methodology/approach
A generalized Carleman linearization is used, which transforms an algebraic nonlinear equation into an equivalent infinite-dimensional linear system. In general, no close-form solution can be given for the infinite-dimensional linear system. Hence, the infinite-dimensional linear system is approximated by a finite one over a predefined interval using a self-consistent technique. The presented procedure allows to approximate all possible DC operating points within a predefined interval. To isolate all DC operating points, the initial interval is gradually divided into subintervals.
Findings
It is shown that the presented approach is not restricted to the polynomial case and allows to approximate all DC operating points. The presented approach can be applied in case of multiple DC operating points and does not depend on the domain of attraction of the DC operating points.
Originality/value
A new procedure for the approximation of DC operating points of nonlinear circuits based on a generalized Carleman linearization is presented. This approach can be applied in case of multiple DC operating points and is independent of the domain of attraction. Further, this generalized approach is not restricted to the polynomial case and can be applied to a variety of circuits.
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The author attempts to reconstruct the political way of thinkingpervading Schmoller′s works. Schmoller′s pleading for a primarilyaristocratic constitution results from a theory of…
Abstract
The author attempts to reconstruct the political way of thinking pervading Schmoller′s works. Schmoller′s pleading for a primarily aristocratic constitution results from a theory of justice in which each member of the community is rewarded according to his or her contribution to the community. The epistemological precondition for this is Schmoller′s axiom on the formation of communities.
Charitable Choice Policy, the heart of President Bush’s Faith‐Based Initiative, is the direct government funding of religious organizations for the purpose of carrying out…
Abstract
Charitable Choice Policy, the heart of President Bush’s Faith‐Based Initiative, is the direct government funding of religious organizations for the purpose of carrying out government programs. The Bush presidential administration has called for the application of Charitable Choice Policy to all kinds of social services. Advocates for child‐abuse victims contend that the Bush Charitable Choice Policy would further dismantle essential social services provided to abused children. Others have argued Charitable Choice Policy is unconstitutional because it crosses the boundary separating church and state. Rather than drastically altering the US social‐policy landscape, this paper demonstrates that the Bush Charitable Choice Policy already is in place for childabuse services across many of the fifty states. One reason this phenomenon is ignored is due to the reliance on the public‐private dichotomy for studying social policies and services. This paper contends that relying on the public‐private dichotomy leads researchers to overlook important configurations of actors and institutions that provide services to abused children. It offers an alternate framework to the public‐private dichotomy useful for the analysis of social policy in general and, in particular, Charitable Choice Policy affecting services to abused children. Employing a new methodological approach, fuzzy‐sets analysis, demonstrates the degree to which social services for abused children match ideal types. It suggests relationships between religious organizations and governments are essential to the provision of services to abused children in the United States. Given the direction in which the Bush Charitable Choice Policy will push social‐policy programs, scholars should ask whether abused children will be placed in circumstances that other social groups will not and why.
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Marina McCarthy, Nancy DiTomaso and Corinne Post
This chapter explores a relatively underresearched assumption in the diversity literature, namely, that more variety in demographic characteristics, educational or functional…
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This chapter explores a relatively underresearched assumption in the diversity literature, namely, that more variety in demographic characteristics, educational or functional backgrounds, or hierarchical status in the workforce represents a wider repertoire of perspectives, approaches, and ways of thinking. Using data from members of innovation teams across 27 organizations in 11 industries (for which variation in thinking should be highly valued), we explore at the individual level whether people with different demographic and informational backgrounds evidence differences in ways of thinking which we define in terms of cognitive styles, learning styles, cultural orientations, and communication preferences. We find large differences in ways of thinking due to culture and communication preferences but modest and limited differences in ways of thinking by level and type of education, occupational function, and hierarchical status. We find few differences by gender. The findings raise questions about the frequently repeated claims that categorical and informational diversity among organizational members reflects differences in ways of thinking.