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This paper examines the perceptions of Bolivians engaged in the country's apparel industry regarding barriers and challenges to participation in the global textile and apparel complex. Small Bolivian apparel producers perceive the apparel industry as a source of employment and an opportunity to improve the well being of their families. Government/small business relationships, economic and political uncertainty of trade partners, inadequate infrastructure, a depressed domestic market, and global trade policies were identified by participants as barriers to further development of the apparel industry. Apparel producers require support from both public and private sectors to foster entrepreneurship, promote Bolivian apparel products and join regional production networks to revitalize the apparel industry in Bolivia.

This study aims to generate additional insights into the relationship between knowledge sharing (KS) and psychological safety (PS) in an inter-organisational arrangement through the lens of the knowledge-based view and PS theory.

A relational data survey was designed to collect systematic information from key actors in two manufacturing organisations. The questionnaire assessed KS as the dependent variable and four independent variables – three behavioural (respect, tolerance, trust) and one contextual (suitable working environment) – as proxies of PS. The multiple regression quadratic assignment procedure was used to analyse the effect of PS on KS.

This paper strengthens the findings of previous studies that identify PS as a relevant antecedent of KS in organisations. Additionally, the paper also suggests that a relational approach is more relevant to understand PS as a group concept measured through networks of respect, tolerance, trust and suitable working environments.

This study may help managers identify ways in which they can strengthen the work-related relationships when such behavioural and contextual variables occur in inter-organisational arrangements, and thus obtaining additional relational rents based on an increase in KS.

This study contributes to the literature on how KS in organisations is driven by behavioural and contextual variables that can be operationalised as PS. Moreover, this study expands the understanding of previous research on PS by taking a relational approach to its conceptualisation and measurement within a Latin American context.

This research investigated the individual and combined effects of dynamic and operational capabilities on new product success using an improved measurement instrument.

The empirical data were collected from 872 manufacturing firms in Thailand via a questionnaire survey. Then data were analyzed by covariance-based structural equation modeling.

The improved measurement instrument provided good reliability and validity. Dynamic capabilities improved new product success through operational capabilities, which fully mediated this relationship. Dynamic capabilities negatively moderated the effect of operational capabilities on new product success.

The empirical model derived from private manufacturing company data should be further tested in service industries, public firms and nonprofit organizations.

The research provided two implications: the complementarity between dynamic capabilities and operational capabilities and the measurement instruments and the industrial benchmarks.

This study contributes three new insights: firstly, the complementary role of dynamic capabilities and operational capabilities supporting new product success; secondly, the mediating role of operational capabilities and thirdly, the moderating role of dynamic capabilities in this relationship.

This paper describes the approach used by the authors to select the flux materials for a simple water‐soluble solder paste flux formulation, what those materials were, and how they interacted to give the correct properties. Consistency of formulation and performance are discussed with emphasis on the need for adequate process parameter control as with any formulation. With this water‐soluble paste formulation various circuit card designs were successfully built possessing 25‐mil pitch, and larger, components. The cards were cleaned in aqueous cleaners and passed IBM standard insulation resistance testing.

The terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001 were a very traumatic event for the entire nation. This was especially true for law enforcement. Many law enforcement officers and other first responders lost their lives in the initial response to the attack while attempting to save the lives of the citizens they were sworn to protect. As a result of the 9/11 attacks, many changes have occurred in the missions, operations and tactics of local law enforcement agencies in the United States.

This chapter attempts to examine the changes that were forced upon law enforcement by the events of 9/11 and to look at what the future might hold for law enforcement in an enhanced homeland security environment.

Terrorism presents additional duties for law enforcement. Traditional police missions have not been lessened, but new threats to the public have arisen.

Purpose – The goal of this chapter was to empirically describe the patterns and dimensions of community interaction of typically underserved families of children with autism and other developmental disabilities within a family quality of life (FQoL) context.

Methodology – We utilized the theoretical framework of FQoL to examine the community interactions of 149 families who voluntarily participated in this study. The Family Quality of Life Survey (FQoLS-2006) was used to collect data from the primary caregivers of the children with the disability, 92% of which were mothers. We conducted an in-depth examination of the six dimensions (importance, opportunities, initiative, attainment, stability, and satisfaction) of community interaction.

Findings – Most families viewed community interaction as very important to their FQoL and the majority (62%) were satisfied with their community interaction, although just over a third reported high attainment, and only 48% reported having adequate opportunities for community interaction. Families of children with autism reported lower attainment of community interaction when compared to families of children with other developmental disabilities (t=2.63, df=147, p=0.01). Some race-related and child-related differences were also observed in the initiative taken to pursue community interaction and discrimination experienced by families.

Limitations – Results must be interpreted with caution, as the participants in this study were all volunteers and the majority were mothers, and therefore may not be representative of all families of children with disabilities. Despite the limitations, findings from this study are a first step in understanding the multidimensional nature of community interaction of low-income, minority families.

The purpose of this paper is to understand how personal relationships influence behavior within a supply-chain context.

This research employs a qualitative methodology that allows for a rich assessment of how buyers and suppliers of logistics services interact within the context of personal relationships (e.g. friendships), that are themselves embedded within interfirm relationships. Based on a grounded theory approach, a model is developed describing how and why personal relationships are important for supply-chain managers to consider when cultivating interfirm connections.

The findings reveal how managers act/interact within the context of personal relationships, as well as the outcomes/benefits associated with the development of personal relationships.

This study uses qualitative interviews to generate theory. The generalizability of the findings will have to be empirically examined in future research.

Managers can use the findings to understand explicitly what types of benefits personal relationships can yield. Further, this study presents to managers the specific actions that buyers and suppliers of logistics services engage in, when developing a personal relationship, in order to facilitate the generation of positive business outcomes.

A notable weakness in the supply-chain relationship literature is the unfulfilled need for research examining interfirm relationships at a micro/individual level, rather than the traditionally adopted firm-to-firm view, in order to account for the social/relational elements of firm-level relationships. This paper addresses that gap by exploring personal relationships within supply chains.