The effects of pre-IPO corporate activity on newly-public firms' growth

We investigate firms' pre-IPO corporate activity. We find that firms involved in extraordinary – i.e., beyond momentum – amounts of acquisitions, JVs, and alliances in the year leading up to their IPOs (1) are more likely to engage in post-IPO corporate activity; and (2) enter into their first post-IPO transaction twice as fast as other firms. Our results indicate that signaling via extraordinary corporate activity can have a significant effect on entrepreneurial firms’ growth. The implications are discussed.     

Individualism Behind Collectivism: A Reflection from Saudi Volunteers

Volunteering is growing rapidly worldwide and has been recognized as a significant social force, contributing to social development. Motives for volunteering vary widely, ranging from collectivistic factors to individualistic ones. Collectivism is often identified as a main factor that contributes to volunteering, especially in collectivist societies. Our analysis shows that in Saudi Arabia—typically classified as a collectivist society—individualistic considerations such as learning skills, meeting friends, and releasing guilt mediate the effect that collectivistic motivations (e.g., prosocial personality and community identity) have on the decision of continuous volunteering. This finding is applicable to both males and females, to people in different forms of employment, across ages, and regardless of family members’ volunteering behavior, according to moderation analyses.     

Re-distributed manufacturing and the food-water-energy nexus: opportunities and challenges

Abstract

Addressing the intersection of two important emerging research areas, re-distributed manufacturing (RDM) and the food-energy-water (FEW) nexus, this work combines insights from engineering, business and policy perspectives and explores opportunities and challenges towards a more localized and sustainable food system. Analysis centred on two specific food products, namely bread and tomato paste reveals that the feasibility and potential of RDM vary with the type of food product and the supply chain (SC) components. Physically, energy efficiency, water consumption and reduction of waste and carbon footprint may be affected by scale and location of production activities and potentials of industrial symbiosis. From the business perspective, novel products, new markets and new business models are expected in order for food RDM to penetrate within the established food industry. Studies on policies, through the lens of public procurement, call for solid evidence of envisioned environmental, social and economic benefits of a more localized food system. An initial integrated framework is proposed for understanding and assessing food RDM and the FEW nexus.     

A Regression Analysis of Motivations for Saudi University Male Student Volunteers

Abstract

As a major national asset for promoting social development, volunteer groups have grown rapidly worldwide and have brought significant benefits to individuals, communities, and society in general. Volunteering is encouraged and common among Muslims in the Middle East, but there is rare study on why they volunteer. This study used multiple regression to explore what motivates Saudi male university students to volunteer with a sample of 223 subjects. The results show that all predictor variables such as pro-social personality, values function, career function, social function, enhancement function, protective function, and learning function of volunteering, community identity, institutional facilitation, and Islamic cultural motivation, are statistically significantly correlated to students’ volunteering intentions, but these factors contribute to the ordinary least square regression model at different levels. Only career (B?=?0.217), social (B?=?0.212), learning (B?=?0.280), and enhancement functions (B?=?0.230) of volunteering have statistically significant influence on Saudi university male students’ volunteering intention. Findings highlight a need for a focus on instrumental needs of volunteers by government and NGOs. In regards to future research, gender and educational impacts on volunteers’ motive should be explored.     

Exploring Children's Stereotypes Through Drawings: The Case of Musical Performance

Drawings of 'a person' and of 'a person playing music' were collected from children aged seven to eight years and 10–11 years to discover whether children's musical representations would reflect gender differences evident in musical learning and performance, and the increased gender rigidity with age found in instrument preferences. As in previous drawing studies, same sex figures were overwhelmingly portrayed, although older girls drew more opposite sex figures than the other children. All except the older girls overwhelmingly drew same sex musicians irrespective of the gender stereotype of the instrument portrayed. The older girls drew similar numbers of male and female figures playing masculine instruments. Fewer feminine instruments were drawn by older than by younger boys. The increased gender rigidity with age accords with the results of the preference studies, but gender stereotyping was much weaker. This is discussed in relation to what the different methodologies measure.     

A new approach to motivation: Four-drive model

ABSTRACT

This article presents a new approach to the field of motivation. To start, it reviews the previously available literature in the field and analyzes some of the more popular theories and finds the gaps. A new model is put forward, which aims to cover the relevant parameters—as well as to plug the identified gaps. The model proposes four types of drives—sensual, material, emotional, and spiritual. A quantitative study was done to validate the proposed theory and to have a better understanding in identifying the socioeconomic parameters that are significant in predicting which drive is likely to dominate in a person. Using the proposed theory and the results from the quantitative analysis, a model for motivation is proposed. This research is part of an ongoing research effort to test, validate, and generalize the proposed model.