The New Economics of Personnel

Abstract. Traditional issues in personnel have generally been analysed by industrial psychologists or sociologists. While their work has produced insights, some of the problems are inherently economic. This paper examines some traditional personnel issues in an economic framework. Worker turnover, incentive problems, promotion decisions, compensation methods, up-or-out arrangement and job tenure are analysed. Some questions for future research are presented in conclusion.     

Reviewing Leadership Styles: Overlaps and the Need for a New ‘Full‐Range’ Theory

A central topic in leadership research concerns the impact of leadership style – the pattern of attitudes that leaders hold and behaviors they exhibit. Since the year 2000, several new leadership styles have been proposed to capture important missing aspects beyond the dominant charismatic/transformational and transactional framework. The authors review the emerging literature on these new styles – ideological leadership, pragmatic leadership, authentic leadership, ethical leadership, spiritual leadership, distributed leadership, and integrative public leadership – as well as the recent work on servant leadership. They also comment on the Ohio State studies on leadership, and then discuss the ways in which these many styles overlap with transformational leadership and each other, and issue a call to leadership researchers to collectively develop a new ‘full‐range’ model of leadership that encompasses and distills what is unique about these various styles. The authors argue that such an integrated full‐range model is necessary for research on leadership style to progress.     

The Failure of Theory to Predict the Way Public Sector Organisation Responds to its Organisational Environment and the Need for a Mosaic-View of Organisational Theory

What does theory predict about the way government size and structure adapts to changes in government’s organisational environment (particularly to uncertainty and complexity)? In this paper, we review the theory and evidence from the literature about the way government size adjusts to such changes -- particularly to changes in macroeconomic fundamentals like gross national product (GDP). We find that the traditional theories from the organisational theory literature—like the contingency-based view, resource-based view and the rational choice view -- fail to provide global explanations for much of the variation we see in the world around us. Instead, theorists need to adopt a “mosaic view” of organisational theory -- accepting that different theories may explain the way public sector size and structure responds to the uncertainty and variability in its (macroeconomic) organisational environment. We also provide several empirical hypotheses to test such a mosaic-view.     

New Tasks for a Theory of the Labor Movement: New Beginnings in Eastern Europe

ABSTRACT: This paper briefly reviews the thinking about labor movements which grew out of the ideological conflicts stemming from the Cold War. The framework proposed by Adolf Sturmthal and James Scoville is contrasted with other recent views, especially in terms of applicability to the labor movement in post-Communist Europe. Some empirical work is brought to bear on the subject.     

发展与平衡的新时代——新中国70年的空间政治经济学

新中国成立70年来,区域经济在空间布局上发生了巨大变化。改革开放之前,在相对封闭的条件下,一系列支持内地发展的政策客观上推动了地区间平衡发展。改革开放之后,在全球化的趋势下,沿海地区获得并发挥了出口导向型制造业的比较优势,但劳动力流动障碍却使得人口空间分布调整滞后于区域经济布局的调整。本文的理论和证据表明,地理因素仍然决定区域经济集聚的程度。由于对地理因素缺乏重视,2003年之后,中国的区域发展政策主要是将资源引导到地理劣势地区,这一政策虽然带来区域间人均GDP差距缩小,但也伴随着资源的空间配置效率下降,沿海地区生产成本上升,以及地理劣势地区投资回报下降且债务负担高企。在经济发展进入新时代的背景下,中国需要重新审视区域发展与平衡的关系。本文认为,区域发展政策应该发挥各地区的比较优势,让劳动力、资本等生产要素按回报在地区间自由流动,同时,在政策导向上以地区间的人均收入均衡替代经济总量的均匀分布,最终开启"在发展中营造平衡"的区域发展新时代。     

企业理论新探:企业自组织理论

当今建立在经典科学理论基础上企业理论派别林立,但都没有对企业做出圆满的解释。作为研究自组织系统从无序到有序的规律的复杂性科学,为破解企业“黑箱”提供了有力的武器。本文用自组织理论初步探讨了所有企业理论不能避免的五个核心企业问题,并通过述评提供了一个理解企业派别的宏观框架,认为企业自组织理论在未来的企业理论之林中居重要地位,目的是为建立一种新的企业理论“添砖加瓦”。     

Improving Food Safety in the Domestic Environment: The Need for a Transdisciplinary Approach

Microbial food safety has been the focus of research across various disciplines within the risk analysis community. Natural scientists involved in food microbiology and related disciplines work on the identification of health hazards, and the detection of pathogenic microorganisms. To perform risk assessment, research activities are increasingly focused on the quantification of microbial contamination of food products at various stages in the food chain, and modeling the impact of this contamination on human health. Social scientists conduct research into how consumers perceive food risks, and how best to develop effective risk communication with consumers in order to improve public health through improved food handling practices. The two approaches converge at the end of the food chain, where the activities regarding food preparation and food consumption are considered. Both natural and social sciences may benefit from input and expertise from the perspective of the alternative discipline, although, to date, the integration of social and natural sciences has been somewhat limited. This article therefore explores the potential of a transdisciplinary approach to food risk analysis in terms of delivering additional improvements to public health. Developing knowledge arising from research in both the natural and social sciences, we present a novel framework involving the integration of the two approaches that might provide the most effective way to improve the consumer health associated with food-borne illness.     

马克思主义执政理论的新发展

党的十六届四中全会通过的《中共中央关于加强党的执政能力建设的决定》(以下简称《决定》),是我们党的历史上、也是马克思主义发展史上第一个系统总结党的执政经验,并就如何加强党的执政能力建设作出全面部署的纲领性文献。《决定》围绕着“为谁执政、靠谁执政、怎样执政”这个马克思主义执政党执政的根本问题,从七个方面丰富和发展了马克思主义执政理论。一、在执政理念方面。我们党近年来使用的“执政理念”这个概念,是对以执政宗旨为核心的一整套价值判断在观念形态上所作的最高提升。它在党的一切思想和行动中,具有先导性、基础性、全…     

新生代员工参与需求对领导风格偏好的影响

通过问卷调查对594位新生代员工进行分析,并从下属中心视角探讨新生代员工参与需求对其领导风格偏好的影响机制。研究发现,新生代员工参与需求对指令式和授权式领导风格偏好产生显著消极影响,对参与式和教练式领导风格偏好产生显著积极影响,主管信任和员工参与感知在新生代员工参与需求与指令式和授权式领导风格偏好的关系中起显著调节作用。     

The Economist as Engineer: Game Theory,Experimentation, and Computation as Tools for Design Economics

Economists have lately been called upon not only to analyze markets, but to design them. Market design involves a responsibility for detail, a need to deal with all of a market's complications, not just its principle features. Designers therefore cannot work only with the simple conceptual models used for theoretical insights into the general working of markets. Instead, market design calls for an engineering approach. Drawing primarily on the design of the entry level labor market for American doctors (the National Resident Matching Program), and of the auctions of radio spectrum conducted by the Federal Communications Commission, this paper makes the case that experimental and computational economics are natural complements to game theory in the work of design. The paper also argues that some of the challenges facing both markets involve dealing with related kinds of complementarities, and that this suggests an agenda for future theoretical research.     

Next to Production or to Technological Clusters? The Economics and Management of R&D Location

This paper examines the relationshipbetween the location of R&D and productionactivities. By using a sample of 799 Japaneseinvestments in Europe, it distinguishes betweenaffiliates performing only R&D, bothR&D and production, and productiononly. The analysis produces two main results.First, R&D tends to locate close to productionactivities. Interestingly, however, the higherthe science-intensity of a sector, the lessimportant is the linkage with production. Thisis interpreted as the effect produced by moregeneral and transferable scientific work,compared to applied work. Second, by performinga multinomial logit analysis, we show that R&Dactivities, independent or linked toproduction, are attracted by different localfactors. Specifically, geographical proximityto the local science base is an importantfactor for locating only R&Dlaboratories compared to R&D andproduction, and production only. Firmand sector-specific characteristics also affectthe probability of setting up an independentR&D affiliate.     

Universities Need a Market Orientation to Attract Non-Traditional Stakeholders as New Financing Sources

Reflecting the level of priority currently attributed to public university financing in ongoing discussions, the objective of this article is to debate alternative forms of attracting resources from stakeholders not normally associated with the financing of public universities. We begin by detailing sources of university financing as it slowly migrates from the public sector to the market. After we move on to describe the main public university stakeholders and the respective relationships between the parties. Finally, our discussion focuses on different means and alternatives ways, to finance public universities through use of non-traditional stakeholders giving some examples. In conclusions we find that despite university managers normally being aware of such entities, the other internal university actors show a lack of pro-activeness regarding the opportunities presented by different stakeholders. So the public universities need to actively engage with the marketplace, and this reality can be achieved if at internal level they are assigned priorities for the relationships with these new stakeholders.     

The Economics of Counterfeiting

We develop a strategic theory of counterfeiting as a multi‐market large game. Bad guys choose whether to counterfeit, and what quality to produce. Opposing them is a continuum of good guys who select a costly verification effort. In equilibrium, counterfeiters produce better quality at higher notes, but verifiers try sufficiently harder that verification still improves. We develop a graphical framework for deducing comparative statics. Passed and counterfeiting rates vanish for low and high notes. Our predictions are consistent with time series and cross‐sectional patterns in a unique data set assembled largely from the Secret Service.     

A Theory of Production Competence*

Production competence is an enigmatic functional phenomenon. What is it? Can it be measured? Does it affect business performance? The literature barely touches on these issues. If competence is defined as a variable rather than a fixed attribute, it can be measured by how well manufacturing's strengths and weaknesses complement the priorities of the business strategy. Since performance is a measure of how well that strategy works, there should be a definable relationship between competence and performance. This study proposes just such a relationship and promotes production competence as the theoretical link between production process and business strategy.     

Communicating Geographical Risks in Crisis Management: The Need for Research

In any crisis, there is a great deal of uncertainty, often geographical uncertainty or, more precisely, spatiotemporal uncertainty. Examples include the spread of contamination from an industrial accident, drifting volcanic ash, and the path of a hurricane. Estimating spatiotemporal probabilities is usually a difficult task, but that is not our primary concern. Rather, we ask how analysts can communicate spatiotemporal uncertainty to those handling the crisis. We comment on the somewhat limited literature on the representation of spatial uncertainty on maps. We note that many cognitive issues arise and that the potential for confusion is high. We note that in the early stages of handling a crisis, the uncertainties involved may be deep, i.e., difficult or impossible to quantify in the time available. In such circumstance, we suggest the idea of presenting multiple scenarios.     

Comparing Spatial Planning Systems and Planning Cultures in Europe. The Need for a Multi-scalar Approach

Abstract

The article argues that in order to understand changes in planning systems and planning cultures in Europe, there is need to adopt a multi-scalar approach with different entry points of analysis. This should give emphasis to the overlooked aspects of actor constellation, knowledge and policy styles. Without neglecting the importance of institutional and legal contexts of spatial planning the comparative analysis should focus on the changes emerging in actor arenas, at different scales of planning practices (project/local, city, regional, cross/border and the national level). Furthermore, the cultural features of planning, the different steering styles and the norms, values, belief systems, visions and frames of the actors involved in the planning process are significant. Adiachronic historical analysis is needed in order to compare changes of planning systems and cultures between different places.     

企业内部控制理论的发展及其新思考

内部控制是衡量现代企业管理的重要标志.随着我国社会主义市场经济的飞速发展,企业内部控制的重要性日渐突出.笔者通过对企业内部控制理论及其发展的研究与阐述,分析其局限性,从而进一步完善相关理论,提出自己的新思路,仅供商榷.     

公司股利理论及新发展

公司股利理论是公司金融中的重要理论之一,回顾了自1961年MM理论创立以来研究者对于公司为什么发放现金股利、为什么进行股票回购的解释,综合了公司在现金股利和股票回购之间进行选择需要考虑的几个因素,对现金股利和股票回购进行了简单评论.     

基于约束理论的生产系统再造方法

在分析生产系统再造原理的基础上,将约束理论引入生产系统再造过程,提出基于约束的企业生产系统再造方法.这一方法的特点是依据约束理论思想进行约束流程的判别和确定,围绕现有生产系统约束进行再造设计.这一方法还基于约束理论的系统评价指标建立了生产系统再造评价指标, 从而实现对再造效果的动态评价.     

A Theory of Production Competence Revisited*

A recent article [3] proposed a definable relationship between production competence and business performance and presented empirical evidence to support the relationship. The purpose of this note is four-fold. First, it corrects the authors' numerical measure of production competence. The correction changes the nature of the relationship between competence and performance. Second, this note suggests an improved numerical measure of business performance (the dependent variable in the study). The authors of [3] defined performance in a manner which inadvertently captures elements used to measure production competence (the independent variable). The result is a deceptively close fit of the authors' model with the data. The third purpose of the note is to introduce a more appropriate theoretical framework for the production competence construct. It is shown that production competence is closely related to the formulation and implementation of manufacturing strategy and can best be understood within that context. Last, an alternative conceptual model of the relationship between business strategy, production competence, and business performance is presented. The new model includes a construct which measures the “fit” of a firm's business strategy to its external, competitive environment.