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The purpose of this paper is to test how an individual’s attractiveness to three types of appraisal systems relates to self-rated psychological entitlement and ethics; and constructs rated by others of: conscientiousness, extraversion and agreeableness.

A sample of 148 students in graduate-level business courses and matching close friends/significant others were surveyed. Data were analyzed using hierarchical regression and path analysis.

Path analysis indicated acceptable fit for the overall model of attractiveness to three appraisal types.

Advocates of forced distribution ranking systems (FDRS) suggest that such systems stimulate a high-talent culture and that achievers and strong performers are attracted to FDRS. In contrast, the findings suggest that FDRS are attractive to individuals with high levels of psychological entitlement and low levels of conscientiousness.

Advocates of FDRS and prior research have indicated that such systems reduce leniency bias and stimulate a high-performance and high-talent culture in which honesty is expected and poor performance is not tolerated. Others have found that high achievers and high performers are likely to find such systems attractive. The present study suggests that one downside of FDRS is its attractiveness to workers with low levels of conscientiousness and higher levels of psychological entitlement, which are two personality traits associated with lower levels of performance and a variety of negative outcomes.

Determining the attributes of effective business teachers is critical to schools as they strive to attract and retain students, assure learning, obtain and maintain reputation and accreditations, and place their alumni in the competitive job market. The purpose of this paper is to examine students and faculty perceptions of teaching effectiveness in five culturally disparate countries: Colombia, France, Lebanon, Sweden, and the USA.

A survey was designed based on previous research complemented by an extensive literature review as well as personal communications with faculty in different international business schools. The survey considered 39 teaching attributes related to three specific dimensions: class delivery, class preparation and design, and instructional traits and personal characteristics. The survey targeted students and faculty from seven business schools located in five countries.

This study offers new conceptual and analytical analyses from a cross-country comparative perspective. Rankings of the importance of perceived teaching attributes for both major groups involved in the teaching of business, faculty and students, are reported. The attributes are also ranked by teaching taxonomy and examined across countries.

This study provides practical results that can be useful to instructors wishing to increase their teaching effectiveness and to universities considering revising their student evaluation forms.

This study includes data collected from faculty and students from several schools located in culturally disparate countries and, thus, increases the applicability of the results in a cross-cultural manner and provides implications for practice internationally.

Fused filament fabrication of continuous-fiber-reinforced polymers is a promising technique to achieve customized high-performance composites. However, the off-axis tensile strength (TS) and Mode I fracture toughness of fused filament fabricated (FFFed) continuous-glass-fiber-reinforced (CGFR) nylon are unknown. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mechanical and fracture behavior of FFFed CGFR nylon with various fiber content and off-axis fiber alignment.

Tensile tests were performed on FFFed CGFR-nylon with 9.5, 18.9 and 28.4 fiber vol. %. TS was tested with fiber orientations between 0^∘ and 90^∘ at 15^∘ intervals. Double cantilever beam tests were performed to reveal the Mode I fracture toughness of FFFed composites.

TS increased with increasing fiber vol. % from 122 MPa at 9.5 vol. % to 291 MPa at 28 vol. %. FFFed nylon with a triangular infill resulted in 37 vol. % porosity and a TS of 12 MPa. Composite samples had 11–12 vol. % porosity. TS decreased by 78% from 291 MPa to 64 MPa for a change in fiber angle θ from 0^∘ (parallel to the tensile stress) to 15^∘. TS was between 27 and 17 MPa for 300 < θ < 900. Mode I fracture toughness of all the composites were lower than ∼332 J/m2.

Practical applications of FFFed continuous-fiber-reinforced (CFR) nylon should be limited to designs where tensile stresses align within 15^∘ of the fiber orientation. Interlayer fracture toughness of FFFed CFR composites should be confirmed for product designs that operate under Mode I loading.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study showing the effects of fiber orientation on the mechanical behavior and effects of the fiber content on the Mode I fracture toughness of FFFed CGFR nylon.

AN ESTEEMED correspondent points out that there are about two dozen library magazines of all sorts and sizes in circulation, whereas when he started his career there were no more than three. Our correspondent has himself had considerable editorial experience, and it may be that he is still in harness in that regard. One of his earliest efforts was in running the magazine of the old Library Assistants' Association, and it is not likely that that magazine has ever reached the same heights of excellence as it attained in his day. He observes that there are far too many library magazines now in circulation. We agree.

This paper examines the determinants of corporate dividend policy in Jordan. The study uses a firm‐level panel data set of all publicly traded firms on the Amman Stock Exchange between 1989 and 2000. The study develops eight research hypotheses, which are used to represent the main theories of corporate dividends. A general‐to‐specific modeling approach is used to choose between the competing hypotheses. The study examines the determinants of the amount of dividends using Tobit specifications. The results suggest that the proportion of stocks held by insiders and state ownership significantly affect the amount of dividends paid. Size, age, and profitability of the firm seem to be determinant factors of corporate dividend policy in Jordan. The findings provide strong support for the agency costs hypothesis and are broadly consistent with the pecking order hypothesis. The results provide no support for the signaling hypothesis.