Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Strategy tools as boundary objects

The strategy literature has generated an array of strategy ‘tools’, such as core competences and scenario planning. While these are used extensively in strategy teaching and in strategic planning processes, we have few insights on how they are used in practice or of their consequences. Our thinking on tools is shaped by the growing strategy-as-practice perspective, which views strategy as a type of work that people do, not just a property of organizations (Whittington, 2003). Thus, we shift our attention to what actually happens when individuals use a strategy tool, rather than simply assuming their usage. So far, current research has only focused on the intended ‘textbook’ purposes of strategy tools. We argue that we need to know much more about how these tools are used and for what purposes. Focusing upon actual use will offer insights into users’ intentions and the implications of using tools for specific interactions. In particular, different users may employ the same tool not only in different ways but for different reasons. Practitioners may thus be less concerned about the ‘proper’ or ‘improper’ use of a strategy tool than with applying it in particular situations that appear to be appropriate. However, strategy tool use may also lead to unintended consequences. While the language implicit in a particular tool shapes its results, such as a report, the report’s content may not be understood by individuals who are unfamiliar with that specific language. Hence, the use of strategy tools may constrain effective communication across organizational boundaries. There is a literature on boundary objects, which examines how tools and artefacts span work boundaries within organizations (e.g. Bechky, 2003a, 2003b; Carlile, 2002, 2004; Henderson, 1991; Star and Greisemer, 1989), that has not been incorporated into the strategy literature. We aim to build from this literature in order to better understand how strategy tools enable or con strain interaction across intra-organizational boundaries. The boundary objects literature is relevant to strategic organization because it helps us to STRATEGIC ORGANIZATION Vol 7(2): 223–232 DOI: 10.1177/1476127009102674 Copyright ©2009 Sage Publications (Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore and Washington DC) http://so.sagepub. com
Meta-Analysis of Phosphorus Loss from No-Till Soils.

Agriculture is a significant contributor to phosphorus (P) enrichment in aquatic ecosystems. No-till (NT) farming has been proposed as an alternative approach to conventional tillage (CT) in reducing soil P export, but published data have shown contrasting impacts, likely due to the interacting effects of different physical (climate region, rainfall variability, transport pathway, slope gradient) and management variables (NT duration, crop species). We conducted a meta-analysis to understand the extent to which each of these variables controls the concentration and load of different P fractions (dissolved P, particulate P) in agricultural runoff and leaching. In comparison with CT, particulate P loss was significantly lower with NT adoption (45 and 55% reduction in concentration and load, respectively), but an increase in dissolved P loss was observed. The extent of the reduction or increase, however, varied with different physical and management variables. In comparison with CT, for example, NT was not effective in reducing particulate P concentration during wet years and particulate P load on steep slopes (4-9%). Total P concentration was also similar with CT at sites under prolonged NT duration (∼10 yr) and at NT fields planted with soybean [ (L.) Merr. ]. Our results underscore the need to consider the covarying physical and management factors when assessing the potential of NT farming in controlling P loss in the environment. The limited impact of NT on dissolved P loss remains a serious impediment toward harnessing the water quality benefits of this management practice.
To Steal or Not to Steal: Firm Attributes, Legal Environment, and Valuation

Data on corporate governance and disclosure practices reveal wide within-country variation that decreases with the strength of investors' legal protection. A simple model identifies three firm attributes related to that variation: investment opportunities, external financing, and ownership structure. Using firm-level governance and transparency data in 27 countries, we find that all three firm attributes are related to the quality of governance and disclosure practices and that firms with higher governance and transparency rankings are valued higher in stock markets. All relations are stronger in less investor-friendly countries, demonstrating that firms adapt to poor legal environments to establish efficient governance practices.
Union‐Division: On the Paradoxes of Purpose and Membership Scope in Union Mergers

Union mergers raise central questions about a union's raison d'etre and the range of constituents it can serve effectively. Whereas the challenges posed by union purpose and scope of membership have long engaged researchers, few studies have fleshed out the contradictory issues that engage committed members and leaders during a merger. We argue that in mergers, fundamental themes in unionism intersect in paradoxical ways. We analyse a merger of tertiary education unions in New Zealand and situate its debates within a changing context for industrial relations. The case provides insight into the tensions inherent in union mergers by addressing the drivers for integration and differentiation as well as the role of leaders in shaping these. The findings elucidate paradoxical dynamics inherent in mergers: the paradox of purpose confronts the tension between industrial and craft unionism and the paradox of membership scope considers critical mass and communities of interest. The conclusion reflects on identity, leadership and context during mergers and poses contributions to research and practice.
An Alternative Model of Continuing Professional Development for Teachers: Giving Teachers Time.

The paper reports on the outcomes of a Department of Culture, Museums and Sport (DCMS) funded project which provided resources for three groups of teachers in different subjects and age phases to have some time where they were freed from their teaching responsibilities, and also given time to meet together with other teachers to share ideas. The idea underpinning the project was to explore a model of continuing professional development for teachers which was different in approach to recent Department for Education and Skills (DfES) ‘strategy’ and training based approaches.The three groups of teachers (primary science, secondary history and secondary science) met together with curriculum tutors from the local School of Education to explore ideas about how to develop innovative approaches in aspects of their subject teaching. In addition to funding four days of supply cover for the teachers involved to meet, the teachers were also given at least two days of supply cover during the course of the project to develop their ideas. Towards the end of both academic years, the groups met again to share their ideas. The paper describes the outcomes of the project and the teachers’ perceptions of the process issues and problems involved in pedagogical innovation. The paper also considers some of the broader issues arising from the project, in terms of how to make the most effective use of teachers’ time, in an era when there are many competing demands on this finite resource.
The Correlates of Entrepreneurship in Three Types of Firms

The objective of the research was to discover the chief determinants of entrepreneurship, the process by which organizations renew themselves and their markets by pioneering, innovation, and risk taking. Some authors have argued that personality factors of the leader are what determine entrepreneurship, others have highlighted the role played by the structure of the organization, while a final group have pointed to the importance of strategy making. We believed that the manner and extent to which entrepreneurship would be influenced by all of these factors would in large measure depend upon the nature of the organization. Based upon the work of a number of authors we derived a crude typology of firms: Simple firms are small and their power is centralized at the top. Planning firms are bigger, their goal being smooth and efficient operation through the use of formal controls and plans. Organic firms strive to be adaptive to their environments, emphasizing expertise-based power and open communications. The predictiveness of the typology was established upon a sample of 52 firms using hypothesis-testing and analysis of variance techniques. We conjectured that in Simple firms entrepreneurship would be determined by the characteristics of the leader; in Planning firms it would be facilitated by explicit and well integrated product-market strategies, and in Organic firms it would be a function of environment and structure. These hypotheses were largely borne out by correlational and multiple regression analyses. Any programs which aim to stimulate entrepreneurship would benefit greatly from tailoring recommendations to the nature of the target firms.
Age‐related changes in GM1, GD1a, GT1b components of gangliosides in Wistar albino rats

In this study, age‐related changes of GM1, GD1a, GT1b fractions of gangliosides were investigated in whole brain of male Wistar albino rats. Insignificant increases were detected in GM1 values from the third to the 24th month, whereas GD1a and GT1b concentrations of ganglioside in 24‐month‐old rats decreased significantly as compared to 6‐month‐old rats. Although there were no significant differences in the GD1a/GT1b ratio of any groups, GM1/GD1a and GM1/GT1b ratios were significantly increased as compared to 6‐month‐old rats. The increase in the ratios of gangliosides are not due to an increase of GM1 fractions; they result from a decrease of GD1a and GT1b fractions of gangliosides. In conclusion, the concentration of ganglioside decreased with ageing. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Variabilities in Rainfall Onset, Cessation and Length of Rainy Season for the Various Agro-Ecological Zones of Ghana

This paper examines the onset and cessation dates of the rainy season over Ghana using rain gauge data from the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) over the period of 1970–2012. The onset and cessation dates were determined from cumulative curves using the number of rainy days and rainfall amount. In addition, the inter-annual variability of the onset and cessation dates for each climatic zone was assessed using wavelet analysis. A clear distinction between the rainfall characteristics and the length of the rainy season in the various climatic zones is discussed. The forest and coastal zones in the south had their rainfall onset from the second and third dekads of March. The onset dates of the transition zone were from the second dekad of March to the third dekad of April. Late onset, which starts from the second dekad of April to the first dekad of May, was associated with the savannah zone. The rainfall cessation dates in the forest zone were in the third dekad of October to the first dekad of November, and the length of the rainy season was within 225–240 days. The cessation dates of the coastal zone were within the second and third dekad of October, and the length of rainy season was within 210–220 days. Furthermore, the transition zone had cessation dates in the second to third dekad of October, and the length of the rainy season was within 170–225 days. Lastly, the savannah zone had cessation dates within the third dekad of September to the first dekad of October, and the length of rainy season was within 140–180 days. The bias in the rainfall onset, cessation and length of the rainy season was less than 10 days across the entire country, and the root mean square error (RMSE) was in the range of 5–25 days. These findings demonstrate that the onset derived from the cumulative rainfall amount and the rainy days are in consistent agreement. The wavelet power spectrum and its significant peaks showed evidence of variability in the rainfall onset and cessation dates across the country. The coastal and forest zones showed 2–8- and 2–4-year band variability in the onsets and cessations, whereas the onset and cessation variability of the transition and savannah zones were within 2–4 and 4–8 years. This result has adverse effects on rain-fed agricultural practices, disease control, water resource management, socio-economic activities and food security in Ghana.
Founding-Family Ownership and Firm Performance: Evidence from the S&P 500

We investigate the relation between founding-family ownership and firm performance. We find that family ownership is both prevalent and substantial; families are present in one-third of the S&P 500 and account for 18 percent of outstanding equity. Contrary to our conjecture, we find family firms perform better than nonfamily firms. Additional analysis reveals that the relation between family holdings and firm performance is nonlinear and that when family members serve as CEO, performance is better than with outside CEOs. Overall, our results are "inconsistent" with the hypothesis that minority shareholders are adversely affected by family ownership, suggesting that family ownership is an effective organizational structure. Copyright 2003 by the American Finance Association.
Intra-Family Time Allocation to Housework: French Evidence

We analyse new time diary data from France to explore the relationship between economic variables and husbands’ share of housework time. Consistent with both bargaining and specialization models of the family, we find that the greater the husband’s share of labor income, the lower his share of housework time; the greater the wife’s market hours, the lower his housework time, but the larger his share of housework time. Treating market work as endogenous substantially lowers the size of these estimates, but they remain statistically significant. A parsimonious specification based on the specialization model generates estimates for housework share wage elasticities. The own wage elasticity of wives’ housework is -0.3 and the elasticity of husbands’ housework share with respect to wives’ wages is +0.25.
A risk‐driven approach to the internal audit

Internal auditors should consider the risks pertinent to an auditee when planning the work. Internal auditors may select a procedures‐driven approach or a risk‐driven approach. In a procedures‐driven approach, the audit procedures are chosen without full consideration of the risks present. Rather, the internal auditor may use procedures because they are commonly employed or because they were used on the last examination of the auditee. In a risk‐driven approach, specific procedures are planned only after consideration of the risks. A risk‐driven approach is generally more effective and efficient than a procedures‐driven approach because the internal auditor′s efforts are focused on areas with relatively more risk.
Study Abroad Programs and American Student Worldmindedness

Abstract The authors surveyed students participating in Study Abroad Programs (SAPs) designed to increase students' exposure to different cultural contexts. The study measures worldmindedness, the extent to which individuals value global perspectives on various issues. It was hypothesized that participation in a SAP and the cultural difference between a student's point-of-origin and SAP location will have a positive impact on the development of worldmindedness. The results support the research hypotheses, and offer insight into preparing business students for a culturally diverse workplace.
Sensemaking in Enterprise Resource Planning Project Deescalation: An Empirical Study

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) projects are very challenging and expensive to implement. Past research recognizes that escalation, defined as the commitment to a failing course of action, is common in such projects. While the factors that contribute to escalation have been extensively examined, the literature on deescalation of projects is very limited. Therefore, this research examines deescalation, defined as breaking the commitment to a failing course of action, of an ERP project. This study is organized as a case study of a complex ERP project that was undertaken after a merger of two organizations. It examines how the project team members’ sensemaking is implicated in deescalation. Applying sensemaking as a theoretical lens, this engaged management scholarship research contributes to practice by providing recommendations on how to better manage ERP project deescalation. It contributes to theory by providing a nuanced understanding of ERP project deescalation through project team members’ sensemaking activities.
Non‐mirror‐symmetric patterns of callosal linkages in areas 17 and 18 in cat visual cortex

In the cat, callosal connections in area 17 are largely confined to a 5–6‐mm‐wide strip at the 17/18 border. It is commonly thought that callosal fibers extending from between the 17/18 border regions interconnect loci that are mirror‐symmetric with respect to the midline of the brain, but this idea has not been tested experimentally. The present study examined the organization of callosal linkages in the 17/18 border region of normal adult cats by analyzing the patterns of connections revealed in one hemisphere after small injections of different fluorescent tracers into the opposite 17/18 callosal region. The location of the injection sites within areas 17 and 18 was assessed by examining architectonic data and by inspecting the labeling pattern in the ipsilateral visual thalamus. Area 17 and 18 were separated by a 1 –1.5‐mm‐wide zone of cytoarchitectonic transition rather than by a sharp border.
Treatment of comminuted intraarticular distal femur fractures with limited internal and external tensioned wire fixation.

OBJECTIVE Evaluate the treatment of C3 distal femur fractures with limited internal fixation and tensioned wire circular external fixation. DESIGN Prospective cohort study, from June 1992 to July 1996. SETTING Urban Level I trauma center. PATIENTS Sixteen fractures in sixteen patients: nine male, seven female. Fractures: C3.1 one, C3.2 one, C3.3 fourteen. Twelve fractures were open: one GI, seven GII, two GIIIA, one GIIIB, and one GIIIC. INTERVENTION Fractures were treated with limited open fixation of the condylar joint surface and tensioned wire circular external fixation of the metaphysis and shaft for axial alignment. Three fractures had acute autologous bone grafts. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS The patient's extremity function was evaluated by the authors by using the Sanders et al. Distal Femur Functional Evaluation. RESULTS Sixteen of sixteen fractures healed. Two patients had delayed bone grafting for delayed union. Average frame time was twenty-five weeks. Average range of motion was 0 to 92 degrees. Five patients had less than 90 degrees of flexion. Five patients required a quadricepsplasty. Average follow-up was thirty-five months. One patient developed a pintract infection. One patient developed septic arthritis, and another developed osteomyelitis. The average Sanders et al. Function knee score was twenty-eight, with a maximum possible score of forty. CONCLUSIONS C3 fractures of the distal femur are associated with severe soft tissue injuries and bone loss. Loss of function appears to be directly related to these factors. Treatment with limited internal fixation and tensioned wire external fixation has equivalent results to other methods but has a higher incidence of infection and complications. Joint motion is retarded by binding of the soft tissues with fixation wires and pins. The technique is recommended only for salvage of severely comminuted and open fractures of the distal femur with extensive soft tissue injury. Distal femur fractures with moderate comminution and soft tissue injury should be treated with alternate methods.
Tax Base and Crowding-In Effects of Balanced Budget Fiscal Policy

A dynamic general equilibrium business cycle model is constructed with staggered price adjustment, monopolistic wage setting and distortionary taxation. The government purchases goods, runs an unemployment benefit system and balances its budget through a proportional tax on labour income. A temporary tax-financed increase in government expenditures can lower the tax rate through a demand-induced widening of the tax base. It is shown analytically that this allows private consumption to rise, under realistic conditions, despite the negative wealth effect of increased fiscal spending.
Framing the Crisis, Defining the Problems: Decoding the Euro Area Crisis

Abstract From autumn 2009 onwards, the euro area has experienced a sustained economic crisis that has mutated into a social and political crisis. In ‘hard times’, existing paradigms come under strain and a high level of contestation concerning policy prescriptions is to be expected. Crises tend to act as focal points for institutional, policy and political change that leave significant legacies. European Union and euro area actors had to engage in a process of collectively decoding the crisis and the problems it engendered given the strong and sustained signals emanating from the financial markets, rating agencies and Europe's international partners. The crisis opened up a deep cleavage within the euro area between creditor and debtor states or Europe's core and periphery. The objective of this paper is to analyse how the crisis was decoded as this had a major impact on the choice of policy instruments and policy responses.
Assessment of competitive tendering methods of procuring educational building projects in Nigeria

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess educational building projects with a view to determining the level of utilization of competitive tendering methods, factors influencing their choice and predisposition to risk factors, in order to ensure effective construction project delivery.Design/methodology/approach – The paper assessed the level of utilization of competitive tendering methods, the factors influencing their choice and finally the predisposition of each of the methods to risk factors, adopting survey method which involved primary data, obtained by using multiple‐choice questionnaire administered to the respondents (architects, quantity surveyors, builders, structural engineers, civil engineers, mechanical and electrical engineers). Findings – It was found that the usage of open competitive tendering methods outweighed selective tendering method of procurement as a result of accountability and price competition involved, which made it predisposed to not only financial risk factors, but al.
Antitrust and Prices

This study examines the effects of antitrust prosecution on prices charged by firms indicted for price fixing. In a survey of 25 cases filed between 1973 and 1984, prices are found to gradually rise by about 7 percent over the 4 years following an indictment. However, the severity of penalties is negatively correlated with prices. These two findings suggest either that penalties are too lenient or that prosecution is too broad, penalizing economically efficient conspiracies along with those that are inefficient.