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Using an experimental design setting, this study investigates how global firms can make use of warranty strategies to influence consumers’ evaluations of hybrid products that are designed in one country and manufactured in another. The results confirm that consumers tend to perceive lower quality and higher purchase risk when evaluating products manufactured in a country perceived to be of lesser capability than its country of design (i.e., negative hybrid effects). However, global firms with products that carry such negative hybrid effects can develop appropriate warranty strategy to overcome such biases. For instance, the results show that consumers improve their assessment of the quality and purchase risk of the negative hybrid products when these products carry warranty with wider coverage and longer duration than the standard package, and when the firm providing the warranty has good warrantor reputation. Implications of these findings for international marketing and research are also discussed.

This paper aims to propose a theoretical arrangement for the study of applied computer and information ethics carried out in an interdisciplinary and a democratic manner by which the information and communications technologies are seen as an ethical environment, and human-computer couplings are seen as hybrid moral agents.

New ethical issues emerge dynamically in such environment which must be interpreted according to human sentience and computer ontology. To attribute moral meaning to acts perpetrated by human-computer hybrids, a hybrid of two semiotics must be likely used that bridge the gap between signs and things from opposite directions.

The author argues that ecosocial dynamics and material semiotics can be harnessed together as in a theoretical mashup for that purpose, and that such harnessing will allow us to engage with a posthumanist/post-social ethics here and now.

The originality of the proposal resides in bringing hybridity to the center of the picture, forcing interdisciplinary teams to engage with one unified, even if hybrid, agency regardless of conflicting ontologies and epistemologies.

Gives a bibliographical review of the finite element methods (FEMs) applied for the linear and nonlinear, static and dynamic analyses of basic structural elements from the theoretical as well as practical points of view. The range of applications of FEMs in this area is wide and cannot be presented in a single paper; therefore aims to give the reader an encyclopaedic view on the subject. The bibliography at the end of the paper contains 2,025 references to papers, conference proceedings and theses/dissertations dealing with the analysis of beams, columns, rods, bars, cables, discs, blades, shafts, membranes, plates and shells that were published in 1992‐1995.

Examines the use of warranty and warrantor reputations, which have been shown to be credible signals of product quality for uni‐national products, to overcome consumers’ negative perceptions about hybrid products. An experiment is conducted, in which the level of warranty coverage and the warrantor’s reputation are manipulated. Results indicate that warranty strategies, in terms of warranty coverage and warrantor reputation, are effective in overcoming consumers’ negative perception about the hybrid product’s quality. Strategy implications for firms in the advanced and emerging economies are discussed.

This study examines the role of hybrid products employed in companies' innovation strategy within three American industrial sectors: tires, typewriters and photography cameras.

The authors selected historical cases that enabled us to present the role of hybrid products in periods of discontinuous change. Different sources are employed in this study: papers, books, cases, working papers, videos, manuals and product catalogues, companies' annual reports, company websites, advertising, collectors' websites and museums, in addition to press and other media reports.

The authors’ historical case analysis points to two forms of hybrid products. (1) Exploitation-hybrid, which incorporates significant elements from the existing dominant design and aims at extending the revenue-generating opportunities of the existing products. (2) Exploration-hybrid, which works as an offensive strategy, as the firm uses the exploration-hybrid to promote a gradual and controlled adoption of new technology by reducing risks and the cost of change for the customer.

The authors’ proposed definitions strengthen the idea that hybrids are not only a reflection of organizational inertia (exploitation-hybrid). Hybrids can also mean a more proactive stance in the strategy of developing and adopting new technology (exploration-hybrid).

This study acknowledged hybrid products as a learning instrument that materialized the organizational ambidexterity, favoring at the same time exploitation, generally attributed to organizational inertia, and the exploration of new segments of customers or the use of new technologies.

Claimed to be programmable logic controllers (PLCs) that act like distributed control systems (DCSs), various people define hybrid systems differently: by functions, by industries served, by architecture, and even by no label at all. As a result, there is still confusion about the label “Hybrid Systems.” This paper aims to explore these issues briefly and to help understand and reduce confusion about these relatively recent hybrid systems, which are now also being called “Programmable Automation Controls” (PAC).

The paper compares DCSs, PLCs, centralized computer systems, use of industrial professional (personal) computers, original hybrid control systems, current hybrid control systems, evolution to PAC and shows evolution of new programming standards.

Hybrid control systems can readily become part of the overall plant productivity. This is a stepping‐stone towards complete enterprise control systems.

No small part of this capability is the emerging standard for easy consistent configuration of hybrid systems, regardless of the vendor who supplies them.

Because of the emerging configuration standard, the hybrid system can be re‐configured as needed due to plant changes or market swing. This provides the user with “agile manufacturing.”

More than a “cheap DCS,” these hybrid control systems can be an inexpensive stepping‐stone towards managing the business as it was meant to be managed. What is important is that these elements can be introduced in manageable increments to meet tight budgets.

Biological evolution in humans, as in other living things on earth, is slow. Human intellectual capacity to transform the earth and its inhabitants can move readily. The purpose of this paper is to ask whether such advances may actually change humans themselves or human/computer hybrids, and what this implies as humans inevitably advance the capabilities of their digital “off‐spring”, ranging from autonomous digital devices to human/computer hybrids. Is “consciousness” an accidental consequence of ratiocination or must such capabilities by intentionally addressed?

Outlines the mixed relationship between humans and computers or “artificial intelligence” and how it may become necessary for the two to interact more closely.

The paper finds that humans will need to work closely with computerized intelligence to enhance their complexipacty and to address the growing complexity of decision‐making environments.

Following the thoughts of Wallach and Allen in their book, Moral Machines (reviewed elsewhere in this issue), the need for heuristics will require the addition of an ethical judgment component – often considered subjective – to computer decision algorithms. The possibility that this would involve endowing computers with “consciousness” opens potentials for both utopian and dystopian manifestations.

Provides a possible insight into the reliance that may be placed upon computerized intelligence in the future.

One of the key dilemmas facing senior managers is IT investment. Much rides on it, yet it often fails to deliver. The usual cause of failure is cited as “human error”. Yet senior managers are perhaps expecting too much of IT managers, who are often technologists forced into management (in furtherance of their careers). Recently, much has been made of the potential of “hybrid managers”, individuals who combine computer literacy with business acumen and a flair for management. Offers a review of the status and potential of the hybrid manager and includes a sketch of the training required to help develop the necessary skills.

Eighty‐five participants attended the 4th ISHM Display meeting at the Jaarbeurs Congress Centre in Utrecht on 16 October, 1986. The programme of the day started with the annual general membership meeting of the Benelux Chapter. The chairman, Mr T. Kwikkers, gave a short review of the state of affairs of ISHM‐Benelux and of the activities of the last year. He mentioned the temporary enlargement of the executive committee to give a new generation a chance to gain experience in the ISHM organisation and to take up some new activities. In order to raise publicity for ISHM and Hybrid Circuits a new brochure has been designed and a set of material for demonstration purposes was collected. With the material every member of the chapter can easily set up a presentation for schools or customers. This year ISHM‐Benelux has grown from 85 to 100 members and enjoys a healthy financial situation. Next year again emphasis will be put on public relations. Professor R. Govaerts signified that he was no longer available for a position in the executive committee. As Prof. Govaerts has been very active and stimulating for the ISHM‐Benelux Chapter from its foundation in 1976 up to now, the general membership meeting decided to appoint him as (the first) honorary member of this chapter. Except for Professor Govaerts, the sitting executive committee, consisting of 15 members, was re‐elected for another year. After the European conferences in Bournemouth and Hamburg the ISHM‐Benelux chapter is asked to organise the 1991 Conference. The executive committee is already looking out for candidates for a function in the organising committee, which must be formed in the coming year.

A recent meeting involved co‐operation with the organisers of the Canadian High Technology Show and the local Chapter of the SMTA. The programme included an inspiring keynote address by Mr Frank J. Pipp, Xerox Corporation. The topic of the address was ‘Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Control and the Evaluation of Total Quality Control in Xerox Corporation.’