Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Empowered teams effecting positive corporate culture change

Many manufacturers have implemented a participative, team‐based approach to remain competitive in this global arena. Numerous studies have extolled the competitive advantages of implementing this approach. Few studies, however, have examined employees’ perceptions of participative management. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine issues of culture change from the employees’ point of view by investigating the transition from piece rate to team‐based production in a sewn‐products plant. Using the case study approach, 16 in‐depth interviews were conducted, observations were made, and written documents were analyzed. Employees’ perceptions of their work environment prior to the transition, the transition itself, and the resulting new corporate culture are discussed. The new corporate culture is described as an open, participative environment built on trust where employees feel empowered to make decisions for the betterment of their team and the plant as a whole. Negative outcomes of the participative approach are also addressed.
CEO duality: Balance of Power and the Decision to Name a NewlyAppointed CEO as Chair

We examine CEO succession and CEO duality within the context of the balance of power among three central parties in the process: board of directors, incumbent CEO, and incoming CEO. Drawing on upper echelons thinking (Hambrick & Mason, 1984) we analyze the impact of board, incumbent CEO, and incoming CEO power on the appointment of the CEO to the position of board chair. Findings demonstrate that CEO duality is more likely to occur under conditions of outside CEO succession when the successor has prior chair experience and that tenure of the CEO predecessor reduces the likelihood of CEO duality.
Reporting sexual risk behavior for HIV: a practical risk index and a method for improving risk indices.

OBJECTIVES As a means of enhancing public health efforts to control sexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), methods were developed to report on risk behavior in a manner that is comparable and widely interpretable. METHODS An elementary sexual behavior risk index (the vaginal episode equivalent index) that is in accord with some of the essential knowledge about sexual transmission of HIV is described, and a multivariate ordinal risk (MOR) method that can be used to improve such risk indices is introduced. RESULTS An example shows that these approaches are applicable to observational studies of seroconversion. CONCLUSIONS The MOR represents a powerful new tool to develop valid comparable measures of sexual risk behavior and, thereby, to advance HIV prevention research.
Supply‐chain re‐engineering using enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems: an analysis of a SAP R/3 implementation case

The development of enterprise resource planning (ERP) packages has created an opportunity to re‐engineer supply chains within and beyond the organizational scope. Most notably, SAP R/3 has been widely implemented to create value‐oriented supply chains that enable a high level of integration, improve communication within internal and external business networks, and enhance the decision‐making process. Though many organizations have reported dramatic improvements from SAP R/3 implementation, others have experienced difficulties in getting the R/3 modules aligned with other business components and systems. Describes a case study of a failed implementation of SAP R/3 to re‐engineer the supply‐chain and business processes of a major manufacturer. Lessons, in terms of factors that led to failure and their future implications, are discussed in the light of the contrasting experiences of several best practice companies. Based on the overall analysis, a framework for effective implementation of SAP R/3 is proposed.
Direct Investment in Real Estate: Momentum Profits and Their Robustness to Trading Costs

This article studies the ability of momentum strategies to generate extra-profits in private real estate markets. We test a variety of frequencies of portfolio re-weighting and periods over which winner and loser segments are identified. Finally, since real estate returns tend to be highly persistent, we also test whether our results are sensitive to the presence of smoothing.We find strong potential gains from momentum strategies based on preceding returns over a six to twelve month period. Whether these gains are attainable to real world investors depends on assumptions on transactions costs. However, we find some momentum strategies still produce excess returns when net returns are used. Finally, our findings hold even if returns are unsmoothed to reflect underlying market prices.
Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Performance

By integrating the agency and stakeholder perspectives, this study aims to provide a systematic understanding of the firm- and institutional-level corporate governance factors that affect corporate social performance (CSP). We analyze a large global panel dataset and reveal that CSP is positively associated with board independence, but negatively with ownership concentration. These results underscore the idea that the benefits of CSP do not flow to shareholders to the same extent as the costs and that the allocation of resources to CSP is lower when shareholders are powerful. Furthermore, these findings indicate that independent directors should be understood as agents in their own right, not only focused on defending shareholder interests. We also find that CSP is negatively related to investor protection and shareholder-oriented environments, while it is positively related to egalitarian environments. Finally, we jointly analyze firm-level drivers and institutional contexts.
A Study of the Effect of Environmental Characteristics on Overall Service Quality, and Repurchase Intentions in Korean Foodservice Firms

This study was to examine the effect of the environmental characteristics on overall quality of employee and food service in Korean foodservice firms. The four factors of the environmental characteristics of Korean foodservice firms consist of service, atmosphere, food & beverage, and event. To analyze the data collected from 414 respondents, the several statistical methods were used including frequency and descriptive analysis, factor analysis, reliability test, and multiple regression analysis. The empirical results are as follows: First, the employee service factor has a significantly positive effect on overall employee service quality. Second, the food & beverage factor has a significantly positive effect on overall employee service quality. Third, the food & beverage factor has a significantly positive effect on overall food & beverage service quality. Fourth, the event factor has a significantly positive effect on overall food & beverage service quality Managerial implications can be drawn from the present data. First, Korean restaurant managers can identify which factors of environmental characteristics influence customers' attitudes and evaluations in service encounter. Second, Korean restaurant managers can use the environmental characteristics as differentiation strategy, and allocate their resources into the activities of marketing strategy.
Different Seasonal Patterns in Song System Volume in Willow Tits and Great Tits

In most species of seasonally breeding songbirds studied to date, the brain areas that control singing (i.e. the song control system, SCS) are larger during the breeding season than at other times of the year. In the family of titmice and chickadees (Paridae), one species, the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), shows the typical pattern of seasonal changes, while another species, the black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus), shows, at best, very reduced seasonal changes in the SCS. To test whether this pattern holds up in the two Parid lineages to which these two species belong, and to rule out that the differences in seasonal patterns observed were due to differences in geography or laboratory, we compared the seasonal patterns in two song system nuclei volumes (HVC and Area X) in willow tits (Poecile montanus), closely related to black-capped chickadees, and in great tits (Parus major), more closely related to blue tits, from the same area around Oulu, Finland. Both species had larger gonads in spring than during the rest of the year. Great tit males had a larger HVC in spring than at other times of the year, but their Area X did not change in size. Willow tits showed no seasonal change in HVC or Area X size, despite having much larger gonads in spring than the great tits. Our findings suggest that the song system of willow tits and their relatives may be involved in learning and producing nonsong social vocalizations. Since these vocalizations are used year-round, there may be a year-round demand on the song system. The great tit and blue tit HVC may change seasonally because the demand is only placed on the song system during the breeding season, since they only produce learned vocalizations during this time. We suggest that changes were not observed in Area X because its main role is in song learning, and there is evidence that great tits do not learn new songs after their first year of life. Further study is required to determine whether our hypothesis about the role of the song system in the learned, nonsong vocalizations of the willow tit and chickadee is correct, and to test our hypothesis about the role of Area X in the great tit song system.
A Small Services Firm Marketing Communications Model for SME‐Dominated Environments

This research seeks to explore existing research for marketing management and marketing communications systems for small professional service firms. Further, through primary research methods, it examines the case of construction consultants in Cyprus (CCCs), and it identifies the specific differentiating factors of these firms compared to literature review expectations. Consequently, this research, through the combination and comparison of the literature review and primary research findings, develops a marketing communications (MC) model for small professional services firms in SME dominated environments. This model aims to assist the wider marketing practises of small professional firms having to compete in a rarer type of competitive environment; the SME dominated one. Further, the findings of this research assist such firms to improve their understanding of the marketing communications environment so as to be in a position to develop more effectively and efficiently their marketing communications plan and strategy. Finally, this research will assist governmental departments and professional chambers and associations in improving their comprehension, organization, monitoring, and control of such firms at a collective/industrial level.
Vermögensteuer und ihre Implikationen für den Wirtschaftsstandort Deutschland - eine betriebswirtschaftliche Analyse (Wealth Tax and its Implications for Germany as a Location for Business - An Economic Analysis)

German Abstract: Die (Wieder-)Einfuhrung einer Vermogensteuer ist in den vergangenen Jahren erneut in den Fokus der politischen Diskussion geruckt. Der vorliegende Beitrag vermittelt einen Eindruck von den Belastungswirkungen, die aus der Umsetzung von aktuell vorliegenden Besteuerungskonzepten resultieren wurden. Auf der Basis von realen Jahresabschlussdaten wird eine mehrperiodige Veranlagungssimulation durchgefuhrt, die insbesondere ermoglicht, den zu erwartenden Eigenkapitalverzehr sowie den Anstieg der Steuerbelastung fur die betrachtete Unternehmensgruppe zu quantifizieren. Von besonderem Interesse sind hierbei Unternehmen deren laufende Ertrage nicht ausreichen, um die Belastungen durch die Vermogensteuer zu tragen und damit einem Substanzverzehr ausgesetzt sind. Es zeigt sich, dass etwa die Halfte der Unternehmen im Untersuchungszeitraum von sechs Jahren in mindestens einem Jahr einen Substanzverzehr erfahrt. Der Vermogensteuer kommt somit keinesfalls der vielfach postulierte Charakter einer eher masig belastenden und im Wesentlichen substanzverschonenden Steuer zu. Zusatzbelastungen von knapp 100 bis zu 300% der Ertragsteuerlast sind keine Seltenheit und veranschaulichen das Gefahrdungspotenzial dieser Steuer fur den Wirtschaftsstandort Deutschland.English Abstract: The (re-)introduction of a wealth tax has become a focal point of interest as a result of last years’ political discussions. We analyze the impact of implementing currently discussed wealth tax concepts on the overall tax burden and companies’ equity. Simulating a tax assessment based on real annual financial statement data from German listed firms in a multi-period setting, we quantify the expected equity erosion as well as the increase in tax burden of these companies that is induced by wealth taxation at the corporate and shareholder level. Special attention is given to companies whose current yield is very low and thus have to take additional loans or liquidate assets to settle their wealth tax bill. Our findings indicate that about half of the companies suffer at least in one year from wealth tax-induced asset erosion within the six-year period under review. In contrast to the usually postulated moderate effects of a wealth tax on firms, our results indicate that the additional burden arising from wealth taxation can range from nearly 100% to 300% of the profit tax burden, highlighting the magnitude of the risk from wealth taxation for Germany as a location for business.
An empirically validated quality management measurement instrument

Purpose – To develop a quality management (QM) measurement instrument that has sound psychometric properties and recognizes a key feature of the field, i.e. QM is currently characterized by three competing approaches: standards‐based; prize‐criteria; and, elemental implementation approaches.Design/methodology/approach – The three disparate approaches were analyzed to identify sets of key constructs and associated items. The assembled instrument was empirically validated through a survey of 418 Australian manufacturing organizations. A full set of reliability and validity tests were performed. Wherever applicable, confirmatory approach using structural equation modeling was used.Findings – The results of psychometric tests suggest that the constructs of the three approaches have good empirical support. In the manner in which the instrument is presented, it is possible to separately measure constructs related to each of the three approaches.Research limitations/implications – The measurement instrument has .
In the Quest of Measuring the Financial Cycle

The recent financial crisis has demonstrated the importance of the linkages between the financial sector and the real economy. This paper sets out to develop two complementary methods for assessing the position of the economy in the financial cycle in order to identify emerging imbalances in timely manner. First, we construct a composite indicator using variables representing risk perceptions in the financial sector and calibrate this indicator to capture the credit losses the Czech banking sector experienced during the recent crisis. Second, we focus on the transitions of loans from one risk category to another, which allows us to capture the financial cycle from the perspective of the debt-paying ability of non-financial corporations. Both financial cycle measures can be used by policy makers for a wide range of policy decisions, including that on the setting of the countercyclical capital buffer.
INFLUENCE OF INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENTS DIVERSIFICATION ON MNE CAPITAL STRUCTURE

This paper considers stock investing bias that results from exchange rate risk impact as a factor influencing MNE capital structure. This bias should be considered as a supply factor. International diversification theory recognizes the exchange risk to be one of the most influential factors of investment portfolios returns. It defines investment returns level as well as the total risk and return structure. The impact of this factor on MNE capital structure is theoretically proved from international investments diversification theory point of view. This hypothesis however requires empirical testing. Exchange rate risk affects portfolio investors’ decisions thus creating financial resources supply and influencing corporate capital structure. Stock investing bias arises due to the appearance of exchange rate risks since they transform the risk-free debt securities into risky papers that unlike stocks have the most part of their risk accounting for exchange rate risk. The share of exchange rate risk in the total risk structure of equities is twice less compared to bonds. This decreases the investment attractiveness of debt securities and makes stocks more attractive all others equal
Severe growth defect in a Schizosaccharomyces pombe mutant defective in intron lariat degradation

The cDNAs and genes encoding the intron lariat-debranching enzyme were isolated from the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe based on their homology with the Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene. The cDNAs were shown to be functional in an interspecific complementation experiment; they can complement an S. cerevisiae dbr1 null mutant. About 2.5% of budding yeast S. cerevisiae genes have introns, and the accumulation of excised introns in a dbr1 null mutant has little effect on cell growth. In contrast, many S. pombe genes contain introns, and often multiple introns per gene, so that S. pombe is estimated to contain approximately 40 times as many introns as S. cerevisiae. The S. pombe dbr1 gene was disrupted and shown to be nonessential. Like the S. cerevisiae mutant, the S. pombe null mutant accumulated introns to high levels, indicating that intron lariat debranching represents a rate-limiting step in intron degradation in both species. Unlike the S. cerevisiae mutant, the S. pombe dbr1::leu1+ mutant had a severe growth defect and exhibited an aberrant elongated cell shape in addition to an intron accumulation phenotype. The growth defect of the S. pombe dbr1::leu1+ strain suggests that debranching activity is critical for efficient intron RNA degradation and that blocking this pathway interferes with cell growth.
How Does Family Management Affect Firm Performance : Evidence from Taiwanese Firms

This study used the panel data of 465 Taiwanese listed companies by applying both accounting and market-value indicators to an examination of family management’s influence on firm performances. The empirical results show that family firms in Taiwan have performed better than non-family firms. The combination of equity ownership and management right has helped family firms reduce agency cost and enhance firm value in the long run. As for family management, the empirical results suggest that if the founder serves as the chairman and CEO at the same time, it is most beneficial to the firm’s performance. When the position of CEO is passed to a hired manager, it may enhance firm performance in the short-run. On the other hand, when the position is passed down to a descendant, it may be conducive to firm value in the longrun.
The Convergence of Planning and Execution: Improvisation in New Product Development

The field of marketing strategy often makes the important assumption that marketing strategy should occur by first composing a plan on the basis of a careful review of environmental and firm information and then executing that plan. However, there are cases when the composition and execution of an action converge in time so that, in the limit, they occur simultaneously. The authors define such a convergence as improvisation and develop hypotheses to investigate the conditions in which improvisation is likely to occur and be effective. The authors test these hypotheses in a longitudinal study of new product development activities. Results show that organizational improvisation occurs moderately in organizations and that organizational memory level decreases and environmental turbulence level increases the incidence of improvisation. Results support traditional concerns that improvisation can reduce new product effectiveness but also indicate that environmental and organizational factors can reduce negative effects and sometimes create a positive effect for improvisation. These results suggest that, in some contexts, improvisation may be not only what organizations actually practice but also what they should practice to flourish.
Effect of Pyridoxine , Rifampin , and Renal Function on Hematological 1 Adverse Events Induced by Linezolid : a Comparative Study . 2

Alex Soriano. 21 Department of Infectious Diseases. Hospital Clínic of Barcelona. 22 C/ Villarroel 170. 23 Barcelona 08036, Spain. 24 e-mail: asoriano@clinic.ub. es 25 Telephone: 00+34+932275708. 26 Fax: 00+34+934514438. 27 AC CE PT ED Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology and/or the Listed Authors/Institutions. All Rights Reserved. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. doi:10.1128/AAC.00247-07 AAC Accepts, published online ahead of print on 30 April 2007
Analysis of fluorescent pseudomonads based on 23S ribosomal DNA sequences

The regions from positions 1391 to 1545 and 1620 to 1865 (Escherichia coli numbers) of the 23S ribosomal DNA sequences have been analyzed for a number of Pseudomonas fluorescens and P. putida isolates. Variability was observed only in three smaller regions from positions 1484 to 1508, 1531 to 1542, and 1714 to 1748, corresponding to helices 58, 59, and 63, respectively, where up to 53% dissimilarity was found. Sequence analysis did not allow clear distinctions among P. fluorescens biovars, P. chlororaphis, and P. putida biovar B.
Alcohol Consumption and Oxidative DNA Damage

To examine the effects of alcohol consumption on cancer risk, we measured oxidative DNA damage and its repair activity in the livers and esophagi of rats fed with ethanol. Using our previously designed protocol for feeding rats with a high concentration of ethanol, we examined the effects of ethanol consumption on 8-oxo-Gua generation and repair activity in the livers and esophagi of rats. We found that a high concentration of ethanol accompanied with a vitamin-depleted diet increased 8-oxo-Gua and its repair activity. 8-Oxo-Gua is known to induce point mutations, leading to carcinogenesis. Therefore, these results suggested that a high concentration of ethanol and an irregular diet increased liver and esophageal cancer risk. On the other hand, we showed that a low concentration of ethanol decreased 8-oxo-Gua and its repair activity in the livers of mice treated with a carcinogen. Taken together, the effects of ethanol consumption on cancer risk depend on the ethanol concentration and the diet pattern.
A Model of Career Counselling Practice for Use with Unemployed Clients Referred from Employment Agencies

This article presents an overview of a practical approach to providing career counselling for unemployed clients of employment agencies. The intervention was designed not simply to generate information from the client, but to generate insight and promote self-esteem in the client. There is as much emphasis on the process itself and the awareness it heightens as on the simultaneous and almost incidental identification of vocational aspirations and pathways. The goal of intervention is to identify ways to improve the employability of the client, not simply to reduce the numbers of unemployed.