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1 – 10 of 23Michael Dreyfuss and Gavriel David Pinto
Every business company deals with the dilemma of how much to invest in long-term (LT) versus short-term (ST) problem (LTvST problem). LT operations increase the reputation of the…
Abstract
Purpose
Every business company deals with the dilemma of how much to invest in long-term (LT) versus short-term (ST) problem (LTvST problem). LT operations increase the reputation of the company, and revenue is rewarded in the future. In contrast, ST operations result in immediate rewards. Thus, every organization faces the dilemma of how much to invest in LT versus ST activities. The former deals with the “what” or effectiveness, and the latter deals with the “how” or efficiency. The role of managers is to solve this dilemma; however, they often fail to do so, mainly because of a lack of knowledge. This study aims to propose a dynamic optimal control model that formulates and solves the LTvST problem.
Design/methodology/approach
This study proposes a dynamic optimal control model that formulates and solves the dilemma whether to invest in short- or LT operations.
Findings
This model is illustrated as an example of an academic institute that wants to maximize its reputation. Investing in effectiveness in the academy translates into investing in research, whereas investing in efficiency translates into investing in teaching. Universities and colleges with a good reputation attract stronger candidates and benefit from higher tuition fees. Steady-state conditions and insightful observations were obtained by studying the optimal solution and performing a sensitivity analysis.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first one to explore the optimal strategy when trying to maximize the short and LT activities of a company and solve the LTvST problem. Furthermore, it is applied on universities where teaching is the ST activity and research the LT activity. The insights gleaned from the application are relevant to many different fields. The authors believe that the paper makes a significant contribution to academic literature and to business managers.
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The author looks at how advertising aimed at cisgender men has shifted over the last two decades, moving from standard representations of hegemonic forms of masculinity to the…
Abstract
The author looks at how advertising aimed at cisgender men has shifted over the last two decades, moving from standard representations of hegemonic forms of masculinity to the adoption of the language and style of “postfeminist authenticity.” Drawing on a range of insights from across the social sciences and using the examples of three popular grooming products, Axe, Gillette, and Dollar Shave Club, the author critically examines the manner in which these new campaigns emphasize individual self-improvement and consumption choices as a means to solving the problems generated “by traditional, supposedly inauthentic, expressions of masculinity.”
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Peace on Earth has often been elusive, with more times on Earth spent at war rather than peace. This paper examines the nature of peace with its antithesis of war, focussing on…
Abstract
Peace on Earth has often been elusive, with more times on Earth spent at war rather than peace. This paper examines the nature of peace with its antithesis of war, focussing on the impact of war on the planet, which is not a primary consideration when war is waged. War leaves negative planetary legacies, which are of major concerns in times of population growth whilst living on a finite planet. Who should be responsible for planetary impact of war is considered, with some focus on government and other organisations. Collaborative strategies for caring for the planet through guidelines and level of departments of defence and national law-making organisations at national levels are discussed, as well as overviewing the focus and role of the United Nations and the associated Sustainability Goals. The paper concludes by suggesting that a more powerful way to influence us in our responsibilities to live peacefully, rather than a virtuous ‘should not’ approach, is the need to shift back to a moral positioning in our perspectives as humans being part of the ecosystem, so that we view ourselves as being at one with all life. In this perspective, if we incur harm to this planet, we are harming ourselves. Suggestions for living in a more peaceful way are drawn from indigenous wisdom and spiritual teachers, particularly the current Pope Francis.
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Structural explanations of racial stratification are weakened by a failure to in‐corporate attitudinal and ideological factors into their theories. But attitudinal researchers…
Abstract
Structural explanations of racial stratification are weakened by a failure to in‐corporate attitudinal and ideological factors into their theories. But attitudinal researchers have tended to focus on racial prejudice and tolerance and neglected non‐racially specific beliefs that support white dominance. This article reviews the limits of each approach, discusses the problem of ideology for race relations theory and explores how, through the analysis of ideology, attitudinal and structural analysis might be synthesised. Findings on the relation between adherence to individualist explanations of poverty, perceptions of racial discrimination in employment and attitudes toward affirmative action programs are used to exemplify the power of class ideologies in shaping beliefs about racial inequality and vice versa. An exploration of ideologies of local autonomy and attitudes toward public housing and residential desegregation might elicit similar findings.
Communications regarding this column should be addressed to Mrs. Cheney, Peabody Library School, Nashville, Tenn. 37203. Mrs. Cheney does not sell the books listed here. They are…
Abstract
Communications regarding this column should be addressed to Mrs. Cheney, Peabody Library School, Nashville, Tenn. 37203. Mrs. Cheney does not sell the books listed here. They are available through normal trade sources. Mrs. Cheney, being a member of the editorial board of Pierian Press, will not review Pierian Press reference books in this column. Descriptions of Pierian Press reference books will be included elsewhere in this publication.
This paper aims to explore how established multinational enterprises (MNEs) have responded to the perceived threat from rising power firms by seeking to alter the intellectual…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore how established multinational enterprises (MNEs) have responded to the perceived threat from rising power firms by seeking to alter the intellectual property institutional environment in key emerging economies.
Design/methodology/approach
The key place of emerging economies in the efforts of established MNEs to seek patent law change is discussed. Two case studies review developments related to pharmaceutical patents in India and South Africa, highlighting the influence of MNEs in driving policy change and the contested nature of their actions.
Findings
While India and South Africa both present evidence of MNEs seeking to influence pharmaceutical patent laws, distinct differences emerge. In India, most MNE pressure has been in response to the emergence of an active domestic industry and a patent law oriented towards generic entry, while the MNE priority in South African has been geared towards maintaining MNE dominance and a system which leads to generous granting of patents.
Practical implications
Managers and decision-makers seeking to invest in emerging economies must take account of a plethora of institutions present, which may be better suited towards local industrial and consumer interests and may prompt resistance to any established MNE-led attempt at institutional change.
Originality/value
The article offers a comparative perspective on pharmaceutical patent laws in India and South Africa, which have been subject to significant contestation by policymakers, civil society organisations and both rising power and established MNEs. The comparison explores and questions the increasingly widespread “institutional void” thesis in international business.
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Discusses issues concerning the relationship between codified marketing theory and practical strategic marketing expertise, particularly with respect to the importance of “tacit”…
Abstract
Discusses issues concerning the relationship between codified marketing theory and practical strategic marketing expertise, particularly with respect to the importance of “tacit” or unarticulated knowledge. The trajectory of argument draws attention to the role of words as symbolic modelling devices and explores implications of this position for theorising marketing expertise. Makes use of a multidisciplinary perspective and draws material from work in cognitive science, the psychology of expertise and the philosophy of science. Sets the problematisation of practical theory in marketing within a broader context of a possible epistemological “crisis” of rationality in practical disciplines. The conclusion suggests that an epistemology of expertise for marketing management demands both theoretical and linguistic sophistication and implies a pedagogic shift towards a model of philosophic enquiry in marketing.
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Alexander Nikolenko and Brian H. Kleiner
Organizations are subject to a variety of constantly changing internal and external influences, such as organizational strategy and environmental conditions. Of these, of…
Abstract
Organizations are subject to a variety of constantly changing internal and external influences, such as organizational strategy and environmental conditions. Of these, of particular importance are the development of the global marketplace and increasing global competition, and the emergence of a knowledge‐based economy that is characterized by a high level of development of communications and information technologies. In response to these factors, new forms of organization structure have emerged: the horizontal organization, the network organization and the virtual corporation. Asks whether such structures are adequate to meet the constant change of the world into which we are moving, and whether they can meet the needs of organizations in varying situations in different economies in disparate countries and with different cultures.
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Liza Turner McAninch, Kathleen Owings Swan and Mark Hofer
This article provides a starting place for teachers wanting to dabble with the latest trend in technology—podcasting. The authors present a general overview of a tool that will…
Abstract
This article provides a starting place for teachers wanting to dabble with the latest trend in technology—podcasting. The authors present a general overview of a tool that will most likely be part of the teaching vernacular, if not now, in the very near future. We offer a short tutorial on podcasting as well as perspectives on how teachers might incorporate podcasts into their curricula. We also summarize the value and limitations of podcasts, and perhaps most importantly, we include a resource guide to some of the more intriguing and useful podcasts currently available.