Long range planning for universities

Slower growth in the demand for university places, increasing volatility in the composition of this demand and governmental cut-backs in higher education have created new pressures on university managers. Universities have, however, not adopted long-term strategic planning as a means of handling these problems.

Despite obvious differences of mission and market, the university shares all the problems that business concerns have in adapting to a changing environment. A systematic approach to strategic planning in universities is outlined. The system represents an interesting case study of long range planning for non-profit making service institutions, an expanding sector of today's economy.     

A social comparison perspective of treatment seeking by the homeless

The homeless will readily list ailments they claim to have, yet they will also claim that such ailments are not a problem and do not warrant treatment. In an attempt to understand this apparentparadox, data from a sample of homeless individuals were re-analyzed from a social comparison perspective. It was hypothesized that increased entrenchment in homelessness (increased isolation from nonhomeless environments and further involvement in the homeless environment)—operationalized by longer time spent on the street and a greater number of street friends—would lead homeless individuals to alter their perceptions of what constitutes a problem worthy of treatment. Results supported this hypothesis, in direction, and in almost all tests conducted. The involvement of adaptation level theory in such a social comparison process and the implications for intervention and treatment are discussed.     

Sales forecasting— using a combination of approaches

The authors of this article argue that when market researchers and managers are faced with two or more forecasts of the same event, the typical approach is to attempt to determine which is better (or best). The superior forecasting technique is then accepted and the rest are discarded. However, in today's uncertain markets such a procedure is generally inferior to combining different forecasting approaches. Not only will the composite forecast usually have a lower average error but significant information will be generated from the diverse forecasting sources, providing management with valuable insights and diagnostics.     

Rethinking a Case of Paranoia as a Workplace Complaint

This essay re-reads Freud’s essay “A Case of Paranoia Running Counter to the Theory of the Disease” (1963) through Marxist feminist writing on the division of labor. I approach the story presented in that essay as a workplace complaint and use it to meditate on sexual harassment as a haunting of the workplace.     

学术期刊面对市场化呼声的路径选择

在近十多年以来,学界和相关管理部门公开发表的许多文章及讲话,认为我国学术期刊要“做大做强”,只能向欧美发达国家学习,要实行全面的市场化及国际化。但是仔细分析期刊市场与结构,可以发现这些呼声与建议所依据的论据并不充分,论证并不严密,不同类型的期刊,其实应选择不同的发展路径。多数的人文社科期刊和部分科技期刊,其实并不适宜走完全的市场化路径,采取一定措施保障其生存发展更为适宜。部分学术期刊,可以根据自身条件,调整办刊模式,与绝大多数的大众期刊一样,勇敢尝试走向“市场化”道路。     

Relational Personality Theory and Holland's Typology Among Women: An Exploratory Investigation

Relational personality theorists propose that women have a tendency to view themselves in the context of relationships with others and to make decisions to optimize and maintain relationships. The current study explored whether relational identity may underlie women's career interests as measured by Holland's typology and examined possible implications of this relationship in career settings. Measures of women's connected self and the Social dimension of Holland's typology were found to be related but separate constructs. Participants with Social interests also indicated some variation in their interest in working in collaborative environments and/or in helping roles on the job.