Service Businesses and Productivity*

The records of superior performance of selected service firms over many years suggest that they may be more productive than others. This article uses the Theory of Swift, Even Flow to explain why that might be true. In the process, this article improves Schmenner's 1986 service process matrix. The redefinition of the axes of this matrix and of the resulting diagonal leads to enhanced understanding of productivity for service operations and helps to explain how some leading service companies have been able to sustain their competitive positions for decades.     

Nonparametric Engel Curves and Revealed Preference

This paper applies revealed preference theory to the nonparametric statistical analysis of consumer demand. Knowledge of expansion paths is shown to improve the power of nonparametric tests of revealed preference. The tightest bounds on indifference surfaces and welfare measures are derived using an algorithm for which revealed preference conditions are shown to guarantee convergence. Nonparametric Engel curves are used to estimate expansion paths and provide a stochastic structure within which to examine the consistency of household level data and revealed preference theory. An application is made to a long time series of repeated cross–sections from the Family Expenditure Survey for Britain. The consistency of these data with revealed preference theory is examined. For periods of consistency with revealed preference, tight bounds are placed on true cost of living indices.     

基于知识采纳模型和多层感知机神经网络的评论有用性识别研究

移动互联网、社交媒体平台及电子商务的迅速发展,产生了大量的用户评论,其商业价值凸显,如何有效识别用户评论的有用性成为重要研究主题。本文提出基于知识采纳模型(Knowledge Adoption Model, KAM)理论和多层感知机(Multilayer Perceptron, MLP)神经网络的分类算法对评论文本进行有用性识别。该算法根据知识采纳模型理论从评论质量和评论来源可信度两方面进行评论有用性识别的特征提取：利用先验领域知识词典构造领域词占比、停用词占比等评论质量方面的特征,有效解决了特定领域评论存在的领域知识壁垒问题;根据评论作者的粉丝数、作者获赞数等信息构建评论来源可信度方面的特征。为了验证本文所提方法的识别效果,本文采用知乎论坛中医相关评论数据进行实验;实验结果表明,本文提出的方法能有效提高在线评论有用性的分类效果,提高了可解释性。     

Policies as theories

The received view of the scientific method, as represented for instance by logical positivism, has only historical interest for the specialists, but it is still widely, if implicitly, held by decision and policy analysts. On the other hand, recent developments in philosophy and the history of science, which stress the fallibility of theories and the social and historical character of scientific knowledge and criteria, have not yet been assimilated by analysts. This paper argues that these recent methodological developments offer important insights into many theoretical and professional problems facing students of policy-making. Thus, an appreciation of the craft aspects of scientific inquiry not only clarifies the subtle relationship between theory and practice in any type of systematic analysis, but also suggests a conceptual model of the analyst's task that is quite different from the conventional decision-making paradigm. Again, Popperian and post-Popperian views of the evolution of knowledge are shown to be relevant to the evaluation of policies and to the study of their development. Particularly important in this respect is the notion, due to Lakatos, of problem shifts in competing research programmes. Even the role of advocacy in policy arguments appears in a new light after we realize the importance of persuasion and propaganda in the history of scientific development. There are reasonably well-defined situations in which the use of persuasion, far from violating the analyst's code of professional behavior, is not only unavoidable but also rationally justifiable.     

Determinants of voluntary assurance on sustainability reports: an empirical analysis

Driven by the ongoing discussion of corporate responsibility, growing numbers of companies have been publishing what have become known as sustainability reports. These reports have in part been subject to voluntary external assurance. Although the percentage of assured reports is significant, the market for this kind of assurance is still in an early stage of development. In this context the present article will ascertain the theoretical determining factors in the demand for voluntary external assurance and subject these in relation to the markets in Germany, the Netherlands and Great Britain to empirical analysis. In the context of the development of hypotheses shaped by agency theory, the constructs of agency costs and signalling can be distinguished. Variables measuring these constructs will be examined. It can be shown that the type and scope of the reporting (i.e., the choice of the Global Reporting Initiative ‘application level’), the existence of a sustainability department, and the size of the company are associated with the demand for voluntary assurance. Additional control variables are examined. Here it appears that the demand for external assurance is highest in Great Britain. Finally, research opportunities in this field will be indicated and recent normative developments briefly sketched.     

Convergence and Divergence Dynamics in British and French Business Schools: How Will the Pressure for Accreditation Influence these Dynamics?

This paper focuses on convergence and divergence dynamics among leading British and French business schools and explores how the pressure for accreditation influences these dynamics. We illustrate that despite historical differences in approaches to management education in Britain and France, these approaches have converged partly based on the influence of the American model of management education but more recently through the pursuit of accreditation, in particular from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business and the European Quality Improvement Standard. We explore these dynamics through the application of the resource‐based view of the firm and institutional theory and suggest that, whilst achieving accreditation is a necessary precursor for international competition, it is no longer a form of competitive advantage. The pursuit of accreditation has fostered a form of competitive mimicry reducing national distinctiveness. The resource‐based view of the firm suggests that the top schools need a more heterogeneous approach that is not easily replicable if they are to outperform the competitors. Consequently, the convergence of management education in Britain and France will become a new impetus for divergence. We assert that future growth and competitive advantage might be better achieved through the reassertion of national, regional and local cultural characteristics.     

History in Organization and Management Theory: More Than Meets the Eye

Abstract

There has been a growing debate about the role of history in management research with several authors making suggestions on how to bring the two (back) together and others even highlighting the need for a “historic turn”. What we argue in this paper is that, while history was indeed sidelined by the scientization of management since the late 1950s, it started to make a comeback from the 1980s onwards and is increasingly employed in a number of research programs. We stress that the crucial question for management scholars engaging with history (or wanting to do so) is how it relates to theory. First of all, we present a systematic overview of the way history has been used—both at the micro (organizational) and macro-levels of analysis—distinguishing between what we refer to as “history to theory” and “history in theory”. In the former, we consider those research programs, such as (neo-)institutionalism, where history serves as evidence to develop, modify or test theories. In the case of “history in theory” we identify research programs where history or the past are part of the theoretical model itself as a driver or moderator, with “imprinting” as a prime example. Second, we also identify a growing number of studies that go further by displaying what we call “historical cognizance” in the sense of incorporating period effects or historical contingencies into their theorizing efforts. Finally, drawing on our broad overview, we make more specific suggestions for increasing the visibility and influence of history in organization and management theory.     

基于心流体验视角的在线消费者购买行为影响因素研究

在线消费者处于虚拟的网络环境中,具有其独特的需求和行为特征,而"心流体验"理论在解释影响在线消费者行为的情感和认知因素方面有重要意义.本文将从"心流体验"视角探索影响在线消费者购物行为的因素.本文研究表明,网站设计维度、表现维度、消费者自身维度和网站内容维度都会显著影响在线消费者心流体验,从而导致消费者增加无计划的购买数量以及增强重复购买的意愿.     

Adverse Selection in Competitive Search Equilibrium

We study economies with adverse selection, plus the frictions in competitive search theory. With competitive search, principals post terms of trade (contracts), then agents choose where to apply, and they match bilaterally. Search allows us to analyze the effects of private information on both the intensive and extensive margins (the terms and probability of trade). There always exists a separating equilibrium where each type applies to a different contract. The equilibrium is unique in terms of payoffs. It is not generally efficient. We provide an algorithm for constructing equilibrium. Three applications illustrate the usefulness of the approach, and contrast our results with those in standard contract and search theory.     

HRD university education: an international research agenda

Based on the observation that the systematic study of university-based HRD education - especially in an international comparative approach - is an important but under-explored area of scholarship, this article reports on the results of a need-sensing process among a panel of twenty-one senior HRD administrators and scholars in the United States and Great Britain. The resulting research agenda identified knowledge gaps and research needs in three broad areas: subject matter of HRD education; institutional characteristics, arrangements, and linkages; and outcomes and effectiveness of HRD education. Several categories were identified in each of the three areas and examples described. The implications of this study for research and theory building in international and comparative HRD are discussed.     

System Dynamics as a Structural Theory in Operations Management

The purpose of the paper is to demonstrate the usefulness of (1) system dynamics as a structural theory for operations management and (2) system dynamics models as content theories in operations management. The key findings are that, although feedback loops, accumulation processes, and delays exist and are widespread in operations management, often these phenomena are ignored completely or not considered appropriately. Hence, it is reasoned why system dynamics is well suited as an approach for many operations management studies, and it is shown how system dynamics theory can be used to explain, analyze, and understand such phenomena in operations management. The discussion is based on a literature review and on conceptual considerations, with examples of operations management studies based on system dynamics. Implications of using this theory include the necessary re‐framing of some operations management issues and the extension of empirical studies by dynamic modeling and simulation. The value of the paper lies in the conceptualization of the link between system dynamics and operations management, which is discussed on the level of theory.     

A Stochastic,Psychometric Valuation Model for Personnel Selection Systems*

This paper describes a method for the valuation of personnel selection systems that is based on contributions from accounting, utility theory, psychometric techniques, Markov processes, labor economics, and present-value analysis. The model developed here can be used by managers to assess the usefulness of proposed selection procedures. It extends previous work in the area by including both the stochastic nature of the employment process and the time value of the associated costs and benefits.     

Planning without vision— Roots of the urban disaster

Urban planning, especially in the United States, arose in reaction to the forces of industrialization. Yet urban development remained subordinate to the deeper powers of the rising technological order and failed to find an independent inspiration, ideal, or initiative by which cities could integrate the bewildering social changes. A kind of self-defeat is proclaimed in the very language of planning. How did this happen? Even to begin to perceive the causes, it is necessary to search in the history, philosophy, and customs of the society within which urban planning emerged.     

Determinants and Consequences of Perceived Complexity in Human-Computer Interaction*

A number of recently published studies on human-computer interface variables report contradictory results. A lack of underlying theory may be the cause. This study investigates the usefulness of employing an intermediate variable–perceived complexity–in examining the impact of two information system (IS) variables on performance: the mode of presentation, which has been extensively studied; and the number of windows, which has scarcely been studied. The study demonstrates the usefulness of understanding the role of perceived complexity in human-computer interaction. The specific results support past findings with regard to graphs vs. tables and reveal new findings on the role of windows. Most interesting is the interaction between the two IS variables. The use of more windows is significantly more beneficial for tabular, rather than graphical, presentation. The realization that perceived complexity is affected by task complexity and by IS variables has important implications for the design of flexible information systems. These implications are discussed.     

合作与竞争理论的实验研究

广州８０名大学生应邀参加了合作与竞争的实验。我们详细地设计了实验规则、讨论主题 ,以尽力创造出合作或者竞争的实验环境。在不同的实验环境中 ,参加者的行为方式和结果各不相同。在实验的各个阶段 ,参加者还填写了一些问卷 ,反馈自己对各自实验环境的感受。根据问卷的调查得到的数据 ,我们使用定量方法进行了分析。结果表明我们的实验是成功的 ,合作的工作目标有利于增进彼此的关系 ,导致开放、坦诚的交流。采用诱导式的交流方式能取得理想的工作结果。在此基础上我们结合中国传统文化 ,针对合作与竞争理论在中国的应用提出了一些行之有…     

A new industrial strategy for the United Kingdom

Today Britain is at a crossroads in terms of industrial strategy. Its relative share of world trade in manufactured goods has declined; the pound has dropped steadily over these past years; productivity in Britain has not increased; the country is heavily over-taxed from the point of view of personal taxation; legislation and general attitudes, combined with the current recession, have caused corporate profits to be depressed to a dangerously low level, thus discouraging risk-taking investment.However, although there are weaknesses arising from attitudes, there are also inherent strengths which Britain itself and her critics tend to overlook. This paper will attempt to correct misapprehensions and put the situation into its proper perspective.     

配网分时电价实用预测模型研究

在电力市场环境下,进行准确的电价预测对市场中的各参与者具有极其重要的意义.针对配网分时电价,本文使用规划优化方法,采用一般时段划分,集中负荷具体到配网变电站的每条出线,建立了优化的配网分时电价预测模型,并根据经济学原理定义电价.通过数学规划的Kuhn Tucker条件,求得电价的计算公式.探讨了电价公式中各分量的计算方法,并进一步通过算例初步验证了本模型的有效及实用性.     

APPLICATIONS OF A RISK AVERSION CONCEPT

In decision theory the concept denoted variously as “risk aversion increment” or “risk premium” has not been fully exploited, although it is neither new nor complex. In this paper we will show how the concept of the risk aversion increment can be used for developing an alternative to the explicit use of the utility function. For most people the use of a risk aversion increment provides a better conceptual reference than does the use of a utility function. To illustrate the usefulness of the concept as a basis for gaining insight into problem statements and their analysis, the following applications are developed: 1) general results for the exponential utility function. 2) estimation of utility functions. 3) general results for various combinations of utility functions and probability distributions. 4) use in sequential decisions. 5) application in the theory of incentives.