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The Bureau of Economics in the Federal Trade Commission has a three-part role in the Agency and the strength of its functions changed over time depending on the preferences and ideology of the FTC’s leaders, developments in the field of economics, and the tenor of the times. The over-riding current role is to provide well considered, unbiased economic advice regarding antitrust and consumer protection law enforcement cases to the legal staff and the Commission. The second role, which long ago was primary, is to provide reports on investigations of various industries to the public and public officials. This role was more recently called research or “policy R&D”. A third role is to advocate for competition and markets both domestically and internationally. As a practical matter, the provision of economic advice to the FTC and to the legal staff has required that the economists wear “two hats,” helping the legal staff investigate cases and provide evidence to support law enforcement cases while also providing advice to the legal bureaus and to the Commission on which cases to pursue (thus providing “a second set of eyes” to evaluate cases). There is sometimes a tension in those functions because building a case is not the same as evaluating a case. Economists and the Bureau of Economics have provided such services to the FTC for over 100 years proving that a sub-organization can survive while playing roles that sometimes conflict. Such a life is not, however, always easy or fun.

The purpose of this study is to revisit the conventional wisdom about a key contribution [i.e. strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats (SWOT) analysis] in the field of strategic management. The societal context and the role of academics, consultants and executives is taken into account in the emergence of SWOT analysis during the 1960–1980 period as a pivotal development within the broader context of the satisfactory, opportunities, faults, threats (SOFT) approach. The authors report on both the content and the approach, so that other scholars seeking to invigorate indigenous theories and/or underreported strategy practices will thrive.

Applying a historiographic approach, the authors introduce an evidence-based methodology for interpreting historical sources. This methodology incorporates source criticism, triangulation and hermeneutical interpretation, drawing upon insights from robust evidence through three iterative stages.

The underreporting of the SOFT approach/SWOT analysis can be attributed to several factors, including strategy tools being integrated into planning frameworks rather than being published as standalone materials; restricted circulation of crucial long-range planning service/theory and practice of planning reports due to copyright limitations; restricted access to the Stanford Research Institute Planning Library in California; and the enduring popularity of SOFT and SWOT variations, driven in part by their memorable acronyms.

In the spirit of a renaissance in strategic planning research, the authors unveil novel theoretical and social connections in the emergence of SWOT analysis by combining evidence from both theory and practice and delving into previously unexplored areas.

Caution is advised for scholars who examine the discrete time frame of 1960–1980 through mere bibliometric techniques. This study underscores the risks associated with gathering incomplete and/or inaccurate data, emphasizing the importance of triangulating evidence beyond scholarly databases. The paradigm shift of strategic management research due to the advent of large language models poses new challenges and the risk of conserving and perpetuating academic urban legends, myths and lies if training data is not adequately curated.

Aim of the present monograph is the economic analysis of the role of MNEs regarding globalisation and digital economy and in parallel there is a reference and examination of some legal aspects concerning MNEs, cyberspace and e‐commerce as the means of expression of the digital economy. The whole effort of the author is focused on the examination of various aspects of MNEs and their impact upon globalisation and vice versa and how and if we are moving towards a global digital economy.

Reports on a survey of chain and independent restaurants in the USA designed to learn about current practices in selection and retention of managerial personnel; of 584 surveys sent out, 112 were returned for a response rate of 19.2 per cent. Findings indicate that reference checks, structured interviews and unstructured interviews are the most frequently‐used and effective selection procedures. Chain restaurants are more likely to use structured interviews, credit checks and police checks than independent restaurants. Annual managerial turnover is 18.6 per cent for the combined sample and costs US$8,858 per turnover incident. Chain restaurants report higher and more costly managerial turnover (29.7 per cent for chains against 5.8 per cent turnover for independents; US$11,112 per incident for chains against US$3,386 for independents). Provides two examples of good selection practices.

Content analyses of US and Japanese magazine advertisements featuring products and services in a home setting reveal several significant differences over time and support hypotheses based on comparative cultural values and economic conditions. As expected, recent Japanese advertising has increasingly emphasised status to a much greater degree than recent US advertising, and recent US advertising has continued to emphasise personal efficacy to a much greater degree than does Japanese advertising. Both cultures are found to use materialistic themes in their advertisements.

The use of sex and sexy illustrations in advertising is a subject that has been shunned by writers in fields such as communications, psychology, behavioural sciences, and even in the specific areas of consumer behaviour, marketing, and advertising. Although the current literature on consumer behaviour and advertising considers sex in the Freudian or Maslow sense, its use in advertising has not been explicitly elucidated. This is somewhat surprising when one considers that Freud maintained that sex or libido is the most important of all instincts and that apparent motives for an act often can be found in the sexual drive exerting itself in an unconscious and devious fashion.

Discusses the theories of Thorstein Veblen and C. Wright Mills on status emulation and craftsmanship. Applies these theories to the business situataion, especially public administration. Concludes that, if contamination by emulatory values and behaviours can be limited, the ideal of authentic public administration emphasizing organizational humanism and craftsmanship is still possible.

Defines the term “emerging market” and identifies the necessary preconditions which allow stock markets to develop: government commitment, market economy, a legal system and generally available education. Discusses some factors affecting equity market growth, e.g. economic and regulatory development/reform, legal and market structure reform, requirements for financial intermediaries, disclosure, accounting standards and education/training for participants in financial markets. Explains how these factors apply to India, giving statistical indicators for the economy and the Bombay Stock Exchange for 1991‐1995. Believes the prospects for foreign and domestic equity investment in India and other developing countries are good providing that they maintain a stable economy and an investor‐friendly environment

Currently, inflation seemingly has ceased to be a serious problem to several western economies. Yet, its potential threat is not necessarily over, and changes in overall economic policies may reactivate inflationary pressures. Furthermore, in many industrialized as well as less developed countries, inflation is still a central problem whose influences cannot he ignored especially for exporters. It is the purpose of this article to analyze the effect of inflationary pricing on various dimensions of marketing activity. At this stage the emphasis is mainly theoretical. Nevertheless, the time to prepare for inflation is before it occurs.

This is the second of three installments introducing fundamental concepts to convergence market participants who are less familiar with financial derivatives markets, instruments and conventions. Each installment includes suggested reading. Future installments will discuss weather, energy, as well as insurance and reinsurance concepts for the benefits of capital markets practitioners.