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Four demographic variables (education, age, gender and internet use) and two psychographic variables (attitude towards NASCAR sponsors and NASCAR involvement) were investigated for impact on NASCAR fan ability to recall sponsor brands. Regression analysis indicates that the above variables are significant predictors of ability to recall sponsor brands, combining to explain 33% of observed variance.

Purpose – To describe the evolution of an integrated ‘lean’ and ‘agile’ supply chain process that employed Just‐in‐time (JIT) lean manufacturing approaches at an electronics company. Design/methodology/approach – A case study was designed to examine the links between specific efficiencies and cost savings that derived from transitions in the evolution of the integrated lean and agile supply chain. The case study focused on the company's supply chain management innovations that led to specific improvements in production processes that in turn resulted in enhanced financial outcomes. Findings – The data revealed how specific quality enhancing and lean manufacturing components evolved over a period of seven years in a two stage transition from a ‘lean’ supply chain to one that represented an integrated lean and agile paradigm based on the decoupling point approach (Christopher & Towill, 2001). Research limitations/implications – A single site case study limits the generalizability of the findings. Additional research is necessary to replicate the findings in other firms/industries. Practical implications – By incorporating improvements in production processes in the supply chain, managers can determine how inefficiencies in the supply chain process can be tracked and eliminated to improve a firm's financial performance. Originality/value – Research that documents links between different managerial functions, e.g. supply chain management, improved manufacturing processes, and accounting issues (e.g. cost reduction and improved profitability), is particularly useful.

The purpose of this paper is to compare the perceived benefits of public libraries between five culturally different countries: Finland, Norway, the Netherlands, South Korea and the USA.

The data were based on representative samples of Finnish, Norwegian, Dutch, Korean and American adult library users. In Finland a mail survey was used and in other countries web surveys were used for data collection. The distribution of the proportion of those benefiting from the library in various areas of life at least sometimes was compared across countries. The pattern of benefits was compared across countries by forming four outcome indexes from the 19 benefit areas. The differences in the outcomes between the countries were explained by demographics and library use variables.

The intensity of perceived benefits differ considerably, with the Finns and Americans reporting a higher level of benefits than the South Koreans, who in turn derive more profit than the Norwegians and the Dutch. The large difference in library supply between Finland and other countries may explain the differences in the perceived benefits in part of other countries but the USA.

The study covered only some socio-economic and library usage factors as independent variables explaining the variation of benefit patterns. A more thorough analysis of library supply between the countries may explain some differences in perceived benefits.

The policy implications of these findings are discussed.

This is the first across-country study comparing and explaining the patterns of perceived benefits between culturally different countries.

This paper aims to focus on one of the most frequently cited problems with respect to the performance management process: the prevalence of performance appraisal distortion.

Through semi‐structured interviews with managers, this paper attempts to answer the following question: Which factors influence managers' motivation to distort the performance evaluation ratings of their subordinates?

This paper offers three main contributions or implications. First, from a methodological point of view, using a qualitative research design to investigate the appraisal of subordinates' performance is useful because it allows us to reduce the gap between research and practice. Second, this study shows that researchers must embrace or integrate various theoretical perspectives (rational, affective, political, strategic, cultural, justice, and symbolic), given that managers' motivation to evaluate subordinate performance cannot be analyzed outside of the social context. Third, from a practical point of view, managers' motivation to evaluate subordinate performance is less about the technique used and more about leadership support, execution, and overall performance culture.

To date, prior research has focused on improving performance appraisal accuracy through experimental research design by emphasizing rating criteria, rater errors, rater training, and the various rating methods. Despite extensive research, very little progress has been made toward improving rater accuracy.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a research model to examine the perception of non-professional investors toward the cybersecurity reporting framework developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

The proposed hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling with data collected from Amazon's Mechanical Turk platform.

The findings conclude that investors' perceived benefits of the cybersecurity risk framework are positively related to investment intention. Information quality and cybersecurity awareness also positively influence perceived benefits of the risk framework and investment intention.

Findings of this study are relevant to both regulatory bodies and firms because non-professional investors’ perceptions of the benefits of the AICPA’s reporting framework are unveiled.

Findings from this research help to provide a more in-depth understanding of the impact of various factors on investor’s decision-making process and also significant insights into the non-professional investor’s attitude toward the AICPA’s framework.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of physical environment design (PED) and its antecedents on consumers’ emotional well-being (EWB). Drawing on place identity and emotional theories, the study aims to provide a new perspective to retail store experiences.

A survey of 800 respondents was conducted in London, out of which 764 responses were constructively used. The data was collected from international retail outlets, and structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data.

The empirical results show that PED has a positive effect on consumers’ EWB. Among the antecedents, visual identity does not have any significant effect on PED and EWB. In contrast, communication had a significant effect on PED but did not have any effect on EWB, and further, cultural heritage had a positive effect on both PED and EWB. Further, moderator analysis identifies the boundary conditions under which specific theories hold.

The value of this paper lies in its potential to be used for creating the perfect design planning in retail stores. Significant implications for managers and researchers are highlighted.

This paper presents an innovative approach to develop the principles of retail store’s PED to support the EWB of consumers.

The purpose of this paper is to compare the perceived benefits of public libraries and their structure in the major areas of life between Finland, Norway and the Netherlands.

The data were based on representative samples of Finnish, Norwegian and Dutch adult library users. In Finland a mail survey was used and in Norway and the Netherlands web surveys were used for data collection. The distribution of the proportion of those benefiting from the library in various areas of life at least sometimes was compared across countries. The structure of benefits was compared across countries by factor analysis.

The results showed that the level of the nineteen benefits observed was considerably higher, and the range of benefits remarkably broader in Finland compared to Norway and the Netherlands. It is likely that the greater supply of library services in Finland compared to the other two countries explains the differences in benefits derived from the public library. The study validated the measurement instrument for the perceived overall outcomes of public libraries.

Comparing only three countries is too limited for producing valid results on the relations between the supply of library services and their use and the benefits derived from that use. Analyzing these associations in a larger sample of countries would create reliable results also for policy making.

The policy implications of these findings are discussed.

This is the first across-country comparison observing perceived benefits of public libraries across major areas of life.