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Traditionally, the debate on communication value and the contribution of communication professionals to organisational decision-making has been linked to diverging roles (managers, technicians). This chapter introduces an alternative view, based on an exploratory, qualitative study of communication professionals in Finland. It focuses on the diverse ways in which these professionals contribute to organisational decision-making. The results show a rich, constantly developing picture of communication practices, which challenges the traditional dichotomy of manager and technician roles.

The objective of this research is to investigate the effects of sex role orientation on role structure in family decision making in Malaysia. Four different purchase decisions were examined. A total of 240 couples were interviewed separately in four major cities in Malaysia. Structured questionnaires were used to interview husband and wife separately. It was found that there is no difference in sex role orientation among the four cultural groups of families. Also it was found that wives with higher levels of education have more modern sex role orientation. The effect of sex role orientation on wives' relative influence was found for the purchase of furniture, electrical appliances and groceries.

The purpose of this paper is to observed the gender roles and changes in decision-making structure in a village of the Punjab, Pakistan. Spatial mobility of young females by time periods and responsibility regarding supervision of young boys and girls are also included. Decision making regarding education, family disputes, property and domestic purchases are described from 1960 through 2008.

A sample survey was conducted in the village. Systematic sampling technique is used for the selection of the respondents of age 55+ years. An interview schedule was developed as a tool for data collection. The results are based on descriptive and decade wise analyses.

Results show traditional gender roles, particularly of women are changing since 1980s, mainly due to education that has partially influenced their autonomy. Positive change in attitudes toward daughters is observed to have appeared in the recent past. Fading away of role of grandparents in decision making is evident from the data. To an extent, it has replaced the autonomy of parents and grownup children.

This study is an original research which is significant to develop the understanding of the changing gender roles in the rural community of the Punjab, Pakistan. Furthermore, public policies might be designed to encourage or discourage the change in a structured manner.

The emerging roles of management accountants as either hybrid accountants or business partners are a cause for much debate in the literature. Of the two characteristics related to these roles, namely information provider and interpreter, and decision-maker, the latter remains under-researched. The present study adds to the decision-maker debate by examining business decision-making involvement. Survey responses from a diverse sample of mostly Institute of Management Accountants (USA) and Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (UK) members were obtained and analysed to examine their current business decision-making involvement, including an investigation guided by role theory into possible contextual factors associated with different levels of decision-making involvement. The business decision-making involvement of management accountants varies significantly, and is less pervasive than widely believed. A significant proportion (53%) of management accountants in traditional management accounting positions report no, or limited, business decision-making involvement. Management accountants employed in smaller firms, and middle-aged professionals, are more likely to be involved in making business decisions. The inverted u-shaped association between age and decision-making involvement identified in this study, requires further investigation. The large cross-sectional analysis of the present study extends prior research which was mostly narrowly focussed due to its case study nature. The varying levels of decision-making involvement, and contextual variables associated with higher level involvement, shed some light on the intricacies of the role of management accountants. Professional associations and educators should note that the roles of today’s management accountants vary greatly between information provider and decision-maker.

Investigates the differences in protocols between arbitral tribunals and courts, with particular emphasis on US, Greek and English law. Gives examples of each country and its way of using the law in specific circumstances, and shows the variations therein. Sums up that arbitration is much the better way to gok as it avoids delays and expenses, plus the vexation/frustration of normal litigation. Concludes that the US and Greek constitutions and common law tradition in England appear to allow involved parties to choose their own judge, who can thus be an arbitrator. Discusses e‐commerce and speculates on this for the future.

Proposes that previous discussions of strategic decision making in the strategic management literature have not effectively addressed the role of third parties including consultants. Offers three roles of third parties, including the consultant as provocateur, legitimizer and expert. Propositions are developed suggesting a contingency approach to the timing and role of third parties in the strategic decision‐making process.

This paper aims to explore how volunteers choose one nonprofit organisation (NPO) rather than another. It identifies the drivers of choice, and the relationship between them, to enable NPOs to strengthen their volunteer recruitment.

A total of 51 service-delivery volunteers were interviewed, drawn from 5 leading NPOs. A laddering technique was used to understand the context in which the choice of organisation was made and the underlying personal needs and goals. The data was analysed using means-end chain (MEC) methodology to uncover the relationships between, and hierarchy of, the decision drivers.

Brand, cause, and role were found to be important in meeting personal needs and goals through volunteering. The paper makes three contributions. Firstly, it presents a clearer understanding of NPO choice through adopting an integrated theoretical perspective. Secondly, it identifies the decision-making process and key relationships between the attributes of the NPO, the consequences for the volunteer, and the connection to their personal needs. Finally, the study makes an important contribution to literature through presenting a new conceptual framework of volunteer decision-making in the nonprofit context to act as a catalyst for future research.

This research is both impactful through, and limited by, its context selection: regular service-delivery volunteers from five NPOs within two causes. The paper presents a rich research stream to extend this understanding to other nonprofit stakeholders, other causes including medical volunteer, and smaller NPOs.

In an increasingly competitive nonprofit environment with a growing need to support the vulnerable in society, NPO sustainability is dependent on their ability to recruit new volunteers. NPOs compete not only with other organisations with similar causes but also those offering similar volunteering roles, and other uses of time to meet personal needs such as sport, career, or community. Understanding how volunteers make their choice of NPO rather than other uses of their time is of vital importance to make the most effective use of scarce marketing resources. This paper contributes to that practitioner understanding.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to extend the understanding of generic motivations of volunteers to consider specific choice of NPO. Unlike previous literature, the authors bring together theory on brand, cause, and role with personal needs. The authors are also the first to apply MEC methodology to the nonprofit context to uncover the personal underlying, less salient reasons behind NPO choice and the relationship between them.

This paper seeks to argue that family purchase decision making at the bottom of the pyramid (BOP) is dynamic, heterogeneous and an evolving process that can be influenced by contextual macro‐environmental constraints. Because established perceptions of family purchase decision making are primarily drawn from western markets, this Zimbabwean study aims to provide a contrasting perspective.

Qualitative data collection methods comprising in‐depth, one‐to‐one consumer interviews, focus groups, ethnographic observations and cases studies were used to conduct the research.

Key findings include the identification of changing and multiple family buying models, which are influenced by the constraints consumers face at the BOP, as well as the distinct roles of children, which differ from those common in developed western countries.

The sample used for consumer interviews is small and confining the focus to the food and personal hygiene sector may limit generalization of findings to a broader population.

The study provides managers with insights on the importance of understanding family purchase decision making at the BOP and the importance of adapting the marketing mix elements such as promotion strategies to suit the challenges faced by these consumers.

The study provides insights into how firms can improve livelihoods at the BOP by provision of employment and business opportunities through their partnerships with social networks.

Research into the BOP is a relatively new area of study in international business. The majority of studies have focused on Latin America and Asia, ignoring the 800 million BOP consumers in Africa. Hence this research expands knowledge in the area by employing empirical mixed research methods to study consumers in their real world setting thereby providing new insights on marketing to the BOP.

Previous research has hypothesized that males and females evaluate the level of fairness of a particular decision using different conceptual models of justice. Other research has proposed that one’s sex‐role orientation, i.e. whether a person has masculine or feminine traits, provides another perspective when judging a decision as being fair or unfair. In this paper we propose to test whether sex‐role orientation does indeed tell a different story than simply using biological sex as a predictor.

The research question is: what are older adults’ experiences of shared decision making (SDM) in a healthcare setting? This involved exploring older adults’ experiences and opinions of decision making in a healthcare setting, and understanding what SDM means to older adults. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

A qualitative study using face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with adults over 65 years was conducted. Thematic analysis was used.

Three broad themes were identified which ascribed roles to individuals involved in decision making. This includes the way in which older adults felt they should be involved actively: by asking questions and knowing their own body. The doctors’ role was described as assistive by facilitating discussion, giving options and advice. The role of the family was also explored; older adults felt the family could impact on their decisions in both a direct and indirect way. There was some confusion about what constituted a decision.

This was a small qualitative study in a market town in England.

Clinicians should facilitate the involvement of older adults in SDM and consider how they can increase awareness of this. They should also involve the family in decision making.

There are limited studies which look at this issue in depth.