bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A foundation for understanding online trust in electronic commerce
Authors: Kracher Beverly , Corritore Cynthia L. , Wiedenbeck Susan
Published: June 2010

Trust is a key concept in business, particularly in electronic commerce (e‐commerce). In order to understand online trust, one
must first study trust research conducted in the offline world. The findings of such studies, dating from the 1950’s to the present, provide a foundation for online trust theory in e‐commerce. This paper provides an overview of the existing trust literature from the fields of philosophy, psychology, sociology, management, and marketing. Based on these bodies of work, online trust is briefly explored. The range of topics for future research in online trust in e‐commerce is presented.
Angels and artifacts: Moral agents in the age of computers and networks
Authors: Miller Keith , Larson David
Published: June 2010

Traditionally, philosophers have ascribed moral agency almost exclusively to humans (Eshleman, 2004). Early writing about moral agency can be traced to Aristotle (Louden, 1989) and Aquinas (1997). In addition to human moral agents, Aristotle discussed the possibility of moral agency of the Greek gods and Aquinas discussed the possibility of moral agency of angels. In the case of angels, a difficulty in ascribing moral agency was that it was suspected that angels did not have enough independence from God to ascribe to the angels genuine moral choices. Recently, new candidates
have been suggested for non‐human moral agency. Floridi and Sanders (2004) suggest that artificially intelligence (AI)
programs that meet certain criteria may attain the status of moral agents; they suggest a redefinition of moral agency to clarify the relationship between artificial and human agents. Other philosophers, as well as scholars in Science and Technology Studies, are studying the possibility that artifacts that are not designed to mimic human intelligence still embody a kind of moral agency. For example, there has been a lively discussion about the moral intent and the consequential effects of speed bumps (Latour, 1994; Keulartz et al., 2004). The connections and distributed intelligence of a network is another candidate being considered for moral agency (Allen, Varner & Zinser, 2000). These philosophical arguments may have practical consequences for software developers, and for the people affected by computing. In this paper, we will examine ideas about artificial moral agency from the perspective of a software developer.
Feminist research and computer science: starting a dialogue
Authors: Björkman Christina
Published: June 2010

In this paper I discuss how feminist research focusing epistemological issues can be used within computer science (CS). I approach and explore epistemological questions in computer science through a number of themes, which I believe are important to the issues of what knowledge is produced as well as how it is produced and how knowledge is perceived in CS. I discuss for example paradigms and metaphors in computer science, the role of abstractions and
the concept of naturalisation. In order to illustrate epistemological views in CS and how these can be questioned from the viewpoints of feminist epistemology, I also do a close reading and commenting of a recent book within the philosophy of computing.
The social relations of large scale software system implementation
Authors: Stepulevage Linda , Mukasa Miriam
Published: June 2010

This paper focuses on the integration of generic software such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) into organisational life. These applications have gained prominence as the IT systems of choice in many organisations. The perspective that dominates the literature studying these applications reflects a rationality based on alignment of the software and organisational processes and fails to consider the ethical issues that arise when a new work system is being constructed, such as the possibilities for end‐user participation. Drawing on the strand of research that studies implementations of new technologies as social relations, this paper considers the experiences of end user groups as they engage in adaptation of the software and embed technology in contexts of local use. Design and use activities are complex and multifaceted and the embedding of software for local use represents an overlap between them. This paper explores whether the shift towards large scale generic software allows for a blurring of a boundary between what are construed as design activities and use activities in applications for office work. It is significant to the construction of this boundary that office work
is gendered female in the U.K. where clerical and secretarial work is usually done by and considered to be suited to women. The paper draws on a case study of the introduction and integration of a generic software application for supporting the administration of student records at a UK university to explore the social relations of end‐user participation in the implementation of these software packages. The paper presents an analysis of the implementation activity, IToffice worker relations, and the different constructions of skills and knowledge understood to be required as the workers attempted to deal with this software application.
‘I fell in love with the machine’ Women’s pleasure in computing
Authors: Corneliussen Hilde
Published: June 2010

Enthusiasm over technology is found among men. Or, at least, that is the impression we get from the main body of earlier research, which leaves us with an understanding of men as computer enthusiasts, while women are more reluctant and ‘rational’ in their relation to the computer. In this paper I will argue that women do in fact enjoy working with computers. The empirical material is from a study of a group of students taking a computer course. We will meet women who enjoy working with computers, and explore how they express their pleasure in relation to the computer. Contrary to earlier claims that ‘computing is incompatible with being a girl’, we will find that many of the 21 women in this study are not afraid to articulate their pleasure in computing.
An approach to facilitating communication of expert arguments through visualisation
Authors: LePoire David J
Published: June 2010

Many public issues, such as environmental actions, involve a large number of diverse stakeholders such as governments, corporations, organizations (e.g. NGOs), and concerned citizens. Discussions frequently become contentious as the stakeholders defend their potentially conflicting goals with various assumptions, views, and expert testimony. These issues also tend to involve a range of fields. For example, the disposition of nuclear waste includes issues of economics, science, engineering, politics, and intergenerational justice, each with large uncertainties due to dependences on indirect estimations and the long time periods involved. At the same time that these complex issues might increase in number, due to applications of new technologies, tools are being developed on the Internet to enable flexible learning, visualization, collaborative conferencing, distributed computing, and meaning‐based (semantic) context. These tools might enable improved techniques for debating and discussing these complex issues. A technique that might facilitate orderly discussion of various arguments would include explicit recording and visualization of the evidence, its assumptions and uncertainties, their relationships in constructing the overall argument, and the ways the evidence needs to be generalized to support the argument. A simple argument visualization approach is explored based on a combination of an argument logic framework and techniques for fusing generalized data that are similar to kriging in spatial analysis. This approach is then applied to a recently contested risk analysis of nuclear waste disposition that was debated in a peer‐reviewed journal, involving concerns about uses of data, complex computational models, uncertainty analysis, and expert judgment. The need for wider understanding of such complex issues might be addressed by a convergence of techniques to facilitate greater understanding and the advanced Internet technologies to lower barriers to their adoption.
Social and ethical dimensions of computer‐mediated education
Authors: Brey Philip
Published: June 2010

This paper addresses social and ethical issues in computer‐mediated education, with a focus on higher education. It will be argued if computer‐mediated education is to be implemented in a socially and ethically sound way, four major social and ethical issues much be confronted. These are: (1) the issue of value transfer in higher education: can social, cultural and academic values be successfully transmitted in computer‐mediated education? (2) the issue of academic freedom: are computer‐mediated educational settings conducive for academic freedom or do they threaten to undermine it? (3) the issue of equality and diversity: does a reliance on computer networks in higher education foster equality and equity for students and does it promote diversity, or does it disadvantage certain social classes and force conformity? (4) the issue of ethical student and staff behaviour: What kinds of unethical behaviour by students and staff are made
possible in computer‐mediated education, and what can be done against it? Existing studies relating to these four issues are examined and some tentative policy conclusions are drawn.
Ethical EU eJustice: elusive or illusionary?
Authors: Lodge Juliet
Published: June 2010

eJudicial cooperation is a goal of EU policy. It appears to offer procedural and technical ICT solutions to enhancing EU security. This paper outlines particular dilemmas posed by operationalising ejudicial cooperation within the EU and its member states, and assesses how political weakness is reconfigured as a problem of technical ethics. The application of biometrics and ICT based ejustice potentially bring the EU closer to the citizen without closing the confidence and trust deficit. The paper first outlines three political dilemmas of ejudicial cooperation: political competence, public accountability, and globalisation imperatives. It examines the rationale for introducing biometric IDs, highlighting a general problem of ejudicial cooperation and egovernance which aggravate the trust deficit. Then, it assesses the technical and managerial procedures to ethical practices for quality justice and security to combat the trust deficits which elude open public accountability and compromise trust.
The study of database design must address privacy concerns
Authors: Appel Florence
Published: June 2010

The proliferation of electronic databases has given rise to many practices and occurrences that pose serious threats to personal privacy. This paper argues that attention to privacy should be an integral part of the database design process, and that database designers are uniquely positioned to ensure that this happens. To motivate students to become privacy‐conscious database design professionals, computer science programs must meet the challenges of implementing an “ethics across the curriculum” methodology to integrate privacy content throughout the design thread of the introductory
database course.
Towards morally defensible e‐government interactions with citizens
Authors: Ben Fairweather N , Rogerson S
Published: June 2010

This paper looks at citizen‐facing e‐government. It considers how the non‐discretionary nature of the citizen’s relationship
with government makes citizen‐facing e‐government different from business‐consumer e‐commerce. Combined with the moral basis of the state, the paper argues that there is an obligation for the state to set an example, which should affect the design of citizen‐facing e‐government, with design‐for‐all being an appropriate philosophy. Other consequences should include a preference for open standards and a wariness of unintentional endorsement of commercial products. E‐government should also offer a good level of data protection and security, and has a role in educating citizens in matters of computer security. Advantages and disadvantages that may come from e‐government adoption are
considered, including a number of ways in which cost savings and increases in convenience may be achieved. There are brief discussions of questions of distribution of the benefits of e‐government adoption and of the relationship of e‐government to e‐democracy.
Information sharing for social inclusion in England: A review of activities, barriers and future directions
Authors: Foley Paul , Alfonso Ximena , Al Sakka Mohammed
Published: June 2010

A number of central government policy initiatives in the UK are encouraging the sharing of information between government and other partners. A relatively large amount of information is available to enhance social inclusion but this data does not always have the detail (granularity) required to investigate small areas. As a result information sharing of locally generated information is increasing in the UK, particularly for issues such as health and crime where information is not readily available for Local Authorities. Legal and ethical issues associated with sharing locally generated information are frequently perceived as problematical. Examples of methods and protocols to overcome these problems are reviewed. It is possible that the activities of the Cabinet Office Committee on data sharing (MISC31) will act as an incentive for data sharing. However, an equally important catalyst will be commitment and support across UK central government and at the local level by Chief Executives and members to the principles and benefits of information sharing for better informed policymaking.
Influences on and incentives for increasing software reliability
Authors: Grodzinsky F. S. , Miller K. , Wolf M. J.
Published: June 2010

We contend that software developers have an ethical responsibility to strive for reliable software. We base that obligation on long standing engineering traditions that place the public good as a central tenant and on the professional relationship between a software developer and the users of the software developed.
Confucianism and the Art of Chinese Management
Authors: Hill John S.
Published: June 2010

China has become a driving force in the world economy, yet East‐West cultural differences remain a problem area for many managers. This paper examines the importance of Confucianism in shaping societal values in China and how these values have affected the Chinese style of management. Confucian principles are extracted from the extant literature and used to explain the cultural underpinnings of Chinese leadership patterns, interpersonal behaviors and individual values. The longevity of Confucian influences throughout Chinese culture is a major factor in China’s resistance to Western management practices. There is also evidence that mainstream Confucian principles emphasizing teamwork, relationships and strong corporate cultures are gaining traction in the West. Future Western researchers should pay increased attention to East Asian philosophies and Asian‐based religions in their attempts to understand non‐Christian lifestyles and management methods.
The Transformation of Biomedical Industry in China: From Academic Affair to Commercialization
Authors: Wu Xiaohong
Published: June 2010

China was the only developing country that participated in the human genome project and contributed 1 per cent of human genome sequencing in 2000. And it finished rice genome sequencing independently in 2002. China’s biomedical industry, however, remains largely an academic affair. The industry is characterized by its inability to support and commercialize innovative research, which in turn has resulted in the prevalence of generic drugs. Managers of Chinese firms have been focusing on the shortterm profits that can be generated by generics rather than the longer‐term potential profits arising from innovative research. But the viability of such short‐cut strategy is now called into question as the IPR infringements will mean hefty fines to the violators in the wake of China’s WTO accession. There is hence an urgent need to make the timely transformation from academic affair to commercialization. This paper examines the reasons why biomedical industry remains largely an academic affair in China by stacking China against the key success factors of biomedical industry in the world. It then suggests the ways to make the transformation by filling the gap between basic research and commercial products and cultivating the necessary business environment for biomedical drugs in China.
Re‐Engineering Economic Space: The Case of Singapore’s Transborder Industrialization “Gambits” in Asia
Authors: Yeoh Caroline , How Wilfred , Sim Victor
Published: June 2010

The exportability of Singapore’s industrial‐development model to other Asian environments has been one of the hallmarks of the city‐state’s regionalization program, together with the state‐led, market‐driven intervention that has underscored the citystate’s development strategies. The paper presents an empirical analysis on the portability of this transborder industrialization strategy, and contributes new insights to the discourse on state‐enterprise networks in promulgating transnational entrepreneurial ventures. Empirical evidence from on‐site surveys and interviews in Indonesia, China, Vietnam and India will be presented. Our study concludes that, while the calculated, schematised efforts have been remarkable, this attempt at re‐engineering economic space beyond the city‐state has not fully accounted for the intricacies of either economic, or socio‐political, realities in the host environments.
The Emergence of International Outsourcing Agents in China: A New Type of Player in International Supply Networks
Authors: Liu Zheng , Shi Yongjiang
Published: June 2010

As China emerges as a centre of manufacturing of the world, more and more small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) start to outsource their production and related supply chain management in China. But it is very difficult to effectively manage the international outsourcing and supply chain mainly because their limited size and resources. International outsourcing agents emerge as a potential solution pursued by many western companies. Currently it has very limited information from both practical and theoretical aspects to understand the agents and their characteristics. This paper, based on four case studies of agents in three major industrial sectors in China, introduces business models and growth paths of the international manufacturing outsourcing agents, and establishes a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) for evaluation. The paper seeks to help western SMEs and hightech startups recognize the Chinese maturing and an ideal system for implementation, and to provide theoretical insights about the agents role and characteristics in international supply networks.
Dependency or Interdependency: United States Power Generation Firms’ Entry into China
Authors: Croft Lena , Makino Shige
Published: June 2010

Conventional theories of market entry assume choice availability. This investment assumption is subject to challenges in the power generation market of an emerging economy where the host government controls most key resources and market entry choices. With such constraints, entrants become heavily dependent on their host country partners. This study investigates how the resource dependency frameworks explain better in respect of some US power generation firms that manage to operate electricity facilities in China whereas some have to abort. Using cross‐case analysis, patterns emerged illustrate how two groups of entrants manage key resources differently.
Cultural Differences Influencing German HR Policies in Asia
Authors: Stehle Wolfgang , Erwee Ronel
Published: June 2010

Researchers still debate the relevance of using cultural frameworks and socio‐economic differences between countries versus focussing on institutional differences when analysing issues affecting the transfer of Human Resource policies between countries. This paper first compares four countries from Europe and Asia on a macroeconomic level as well as on cultural dimensions. It then investigates perceived cultural differences between managers on the transfer of human resource policies by contrasting the perceptions of German headquarters managers with those of their subsidiary managers in Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia. This exploratory study uses qualitative methodology to analyse twenty four in‐depth interviews with Human Resource directors and line managers in German electrical, mechanical and chemical companies. The study confirms the importance of perceived cultural differences between managers at headquarters and in the subsidiaries and highlights the presence of misperceptions based on overgeneralisations emanating from the German headquarters as well as local subsidiaries. Convergence is confirmed on a HR policy level with crossvergence taking place on a process level via regional platforms. The growing role of the subsidiary HR director as a cultural translator and regional team player is found to be a key element in the transfer process.
A Conversation with Dominic Barton, Chairman of McKinsey &
Company Asia‐Pacific Region
Authors: Chen Roger , Li Zhan
Published: June 2010

A Conversation with Dominic Barton, Chairman of McKinsey & Company Asia‐Pacific Region. Barton offers advice for MNCs on doing business in Asia, and discusses the challenges of entering the Asian market. Conversely, he also talks about Asian companies becoming global players.
Is China on the Investment Development Path?
Authors: Marton Katherin , McCarthy Cornelia
Published: June 2010

The paper investigates the relationship between China’s net direct foreign investment position and economic development and the investment development path (IDP) theory introduced by Dunning (1981). Using annual data for the period 1979 to 2005 and a fourth order single variable polynomial function we demonstrate that form of the IDP for China and conclude that China entered stage 3 of the path postulated by the IDP theory. By analyzing key factors which have impacted FDI inflows and outflows we find that certain idiosyncratic characteristics of Chinese companies and institutional factors may limit the significant increase in the multinationalization of Chinese firms which would be required for the country to move along the IDP.
Correlates and Predictors to Organizational Commitment in China
Authors: Peterson Douglas K. , Xing Yuanyuan
Published: June 2010

Managers need to be able to understand whether the constructs of organizational commitment apply cross culturally. This study adds to a growing knowledge base regarding organizational commitment internationally, and uses workers in government controlled, mixed economy, and privately owned businesses in China’s interior. The study uses questionnaires of antecedents of commitment and tests Mowday et al’s (1979) OCQ and Meyer and Allen’s (1991) ACS, NCS, CCS. While we were are able to verify some antecedent conditions surrounding Mowday et al (1979) and Meyer and Allen’s (1991) commitment measures, we discovered the conditions surrounding commitment in persons who live outside the commercial zones may be more complicated than theory predicts. Artifacts that may modify antecedent‐commitment main include culture, language, firm ownership/control, and expectations of workers moving from government employment more market based jobs. We suggest that more study is required in relationship to conceptual space, theory development, measurement, validation, and analysis in former centrally planned and communistic countries. As is usually true in China, things are not as straightforward or simple as they seem. This study seems to verify that sentiment.
Risk Management and Derivatives Use in Australian Firms
Authors: Batten Jonathan A. , Hettihewa Samanthala
Published: June 2010

Country‐specific information on risk management is increasingly important, not only for investors and decision makers in international markets but also, for those in national and regional markets. This study reports the results of a cross‐sectional survey of risk management practice and derivatives use by a sample of Australian firms. Overall, the results suggest that firm‐specific factors appear to have some influence on risk management practice with the industry of the respondent being the most important, while the degree of international exposure has the least. Larger and more internationally exposed firms are likely to have more frequent reporting of derivatives use, and are more likely to use swaps and options to manage risks than other types of firms. Issues and implications for international firms are discussed.
A Comparison of Work Enthusiasm and its Antecedents Across Two Chinese Cultures
Authors: Taormina Robert J. , Gao Jennifer H.
Published: June 2010

Work enthusiasm and organizational socialization (Training, Understanding, Coworker Support, and Future Prospects) were compared in two predominantly Chinese regions, i.e., Macau (a former Portuguese territory in China) and Zhuhai in the People’s Republic of China. Data were collected from 276 (96 Macau and 180 Zhuhai) full‐time, line‐level, ethnic Chinese employees in the two regions. Results revealed the Zhuhai employees to be much more enthusiastic at work. The Zhuhai employees also evaluated Training, Understanding, and Future Prospects more highly than did the Macau employees (no differences were found for Coworker Support). Regression analyses revealed Future Prospects to be the strongest predictor of work enthusiasm in Zhuhai, while education and years on the job explained most of the variance for work enthusiasm in Macau. The results of the comparisons are discussed in terms of the similarities and differences in the cultures and economic development of the regions.
Foreign Direct Investment in China: Beyond the Representative Office
Authors: Quer Diego , Claver Enrique
Published: June 2010

Nowadays, China is one of the most important destinations for international expansion of firms from all over the world. Based on the traditional theory on foreign direct investment and the resource‐based view of the firm, this paper analyzes the influence of various tangible and intangible firm‐specific factors on the choice amongst three different modes of entry into China: representative office, joint venture and wholly‐owned subsidiary. The results obtained suggest that the size of the investing firm, its performance as well as its experience regarding the country have a positive influence on the choice of types of foreign direct investment that involve a high level of resources commitment. In addition, the specific aim of the project affects these relationships.
Avoidance as the First Choice of Default Management: Challenges in Overseas Korean Organizations
Authors: Yang Inju , Kelly Aidan
Published: June 2010

Avoidance becomes the default management style for dealing with cross‐cultural conflict in overseas Korean organizations rather than a collaborative style. We argue in this conceptual paper, this is due to the absence of personalized informal social ties that are utilized in domestic Korean organizations to progress information sharing and conflict resolution, and to the absence of a structured and transparent conflict resolution mechanism understood and accepted by both Korean managers and overseas workers.
Adding Value To Buyer‐Supplier Relationships In China
Authors: Sternquist Brenda , Finnegan Carol A. , Chen Zhengyi
Published: June 2010

China’s economy is transforming at a brisk pace. A partially dismantled command economy and introduction of competition have fueled consumer demand for a greater selection of innovative new products in the retail market. The challenge for retail buyers is to adjust their procurement processes to respond to consumer needs in an efficient and effective manner. This study examines factors influencing buyer‐supplier relationships in a transition economy. We present a model to explain the factors driving retail buyer dependence on suppliers. We find that retailer evaluation of supplier credibility mediates the relationship between retailer perceptions of a supplier ability to add value to its business and the ability to achieve its desired goals. In part, this is due to the supplier’s market orientation. Interestingly, guanxi ties have no impact on the retailer perceptions of the supplier credibility, but have a positive affect on retailer dependence on its supplier partners.
Export Barriers and Firm Internationalisation from an Emerging Market Perspective
Authors: Ahmed Zafar U. , Julian Craig C. , Jumaat Mahajar Abdul
Published: June 2010

This study is concerned with an empirical investigation that explores the barriers to export that emerging market entrepreneurs face when engaging in international business. The data was gathered from a survey of 214 manufacturing firms, headquartered in Malaysia, and considered to be an emerging market. Statistical analysis was carried out using one‐way analysis of variance and the Tukey‐Kramer Multiple Comparison Procedure. The study’s key findings indicate that exporters and non‐exporters perceive the importance of the need to adapt products to meet foreign customer preferences and a lack of capacity dedicated to a continuing supply of exports differently as barriers to export. However, other than those barriers to export the study findings indicate no significant differences in the perceptions of exporters and non‐exporters from an emerging market towards the different barriers to export.
FDI Impacts On Industrial Agglomeration: The Case Of Java, Indonesia
Authors: Kuncoro Mudrajad , Wahyuni Sari
Published: June 2010

This paper attempts to examine which theory is best at explaining the geographic concentration in Java, an island in which most of the Indonesia’s large and medium manufacturing industries have located overwhelmingly. Our previous studies on Java have found that there was a stable – albeit increasing trend – and persistent geographic concentration in Java over the period 1976‐1995. Yet some critical questions exist: Why geographic concentration in Java persisted during this period? To what extent relevant theories and empirical literature can be used as an explicit test of competing theories on agglomeration forces? In answering those questions, we compare the three major grand theories of geographic concentration: Neo‐Classical Theory (NCT), New Trade Theory (NTT) and New Economic Geography (NEG). Using the regional specialization index as a measure of geographic concentration of manufacturing industry and pooling data over the period 1991‐002, our econometric analysis integrates the perspectives of industry, region (space) and time. We further explore the nature and dynamics of agglomeration forces underpinning the industrial agglomeration in Java by testing some key variables. Our econometric results rejected the NCT hypotheses and showed that the NTT and NEG can better explain the phenomena. It’s apparent that manufacturing firms in Java seek to locate in more populous and densely populated areas in order to enjoy both localization economies and urbanization economies, as shown by the significance of scale economies and income per capita. The former is associated with the size of a particular industry, while the latter reflects the size of a market in a particular urban area. More importantly, the results suggest that there is a synergy between thickness of market and agglomeration forces. The interplay of agglomeration economies is intensified by the imperfect competition of Java’s market structure. We find that Java’s market structure may restrict competition so that firms tend to concentrate geographically. Instead of providing some important recommendations for local and central governments and practical implications for investors and manufacturing firms, this paper gives empirical evidence with respect to path dependency hypothesis. The finding supports the NEG’s belief that history matters: older firms tend to enhance regional specialization.
On the Relationship Between Asian Credit Default Swap and Equity Markets
Authors: Chan Kam C. , Fung Hung‐Gay , Zhang Gaiyan
Published: June 2010

When extended to sovereign issuers, the Merton‐type structural model suggests a negative relationship between sovereign credit default swap (CDS) spreads and stock prices. In practice, capital structure arbitrage that exploits such relationships should foster the integration of CDS and the stock market and improve price discovery. This paper studies the dynamic relationship between sovereign CDS spreads and stock prices for seven Asian countries for the period from January 2001 to February 2007. We find a strong negative correlation between the CDS spread and the stock index for most Asian countries. A long‐run equilibrium price relationship is found for China, Korea, and Thailand. The limited integration in other countries may arise from market frictions and model applicability. In terms of price discovery, CDS markets play a leading role in five out of seven countries. Therefore, equity investors should span the CDS market for incremental information. The stock market has a feedback effect for two countries and dominates price discovery for only one country.
What Drives Returns and Underpricing of Seasoned Equity Offerings in Taiwan?
Authors: Fung Hung‐Gay , Tsai Pei‐Shan , Yu Chin‐Ping
Published: June 2010

We use over 200 firms in Taiwan to examine two issues: (1) how investors in Taiwan react to seasoned equity offerings (SEOs) when firms plan to make capital investments, and (2) factors driving the underwriting price of the stock offerings. Our results indicate that investors seem to have strong negative reactions to the SEOs announcement; they prefer alternative financings for firms with good profitability when they make capital investments. Several interesting results related to underpricing of SEOs are noted. First, larger firms and larger underwriters appear to have more underpricing. The number of underwriters will have a net positive effect on underpricing. Finally, the brokerage firm in comparing to the bank as the underwriter would yield a net positive effect on the underwriting price.
Do Spinoffs Create Value in Hong Kong?
Authors: Tai‐Leung Chong Terence , Wai‐Hong Wong Daniel , Khim‐Sen Liew Venus
Published: June 2010

There is a broad consensus in the literature that spinoffs tend to create value for shareholders and exhibit positive long‐run excess returns. However, most of the prior studies are confined to the US and the European cases. The spinoff problems in Hong Kong are surprisingly under‐studied despite its important role as a global center of capital formation. In this paper, we find that there is a short‐run value creation for the Hong Kong spinoffs. However, the financial health of the spinoff companies, measured by various financial ratios, tends to deteriorate in the long‐run. In general, Hong Kong spinoffs generate negative returns to investors.
The Predictability of REITs Returns: Evidence From Japan
Authors: Cheong Shum Wai , Wong Karen H.Y.
Published: June 2010

Using Japan REITs stock data, this paper examines the risk‐return relations conditional on up and down markets periods. The results show that beta is significantly and positively (negatively) related to realized returns in up (down) markets before and after controlling for extra risk factors. The same conditional results are found for unsystematic risk and total risk, providing evidence that investors do not hold well‐diversified portfolios. Though skewness is significantly priced, the coefficients are unexpectedly positive (negative) in up (down) markets, indicating that investors dislike positively skewed portfolios and would ask for compensation if they are required to hold them during up markets. One possible reason is that the investors have a poor concept of skewness and/or they are too aggressive during bullish markets and so they ignore the benefit of positive skewness. Subsidiary results highlight that there is no seasonal effect in the conditional relation between beta/unsystematic risk/total risk/skewness and returns. This study is the first comprehensive study of the risk‐return relations in Japan REITs market, which provides out‐of‐sample evidence relative to earlier tests on Asian and international stock markets. The findings give important insights and provide useful guidance on investing in Japan REITs market.
Long‐term Dependence in Asian Foreign Exchange Markets
Authors: Hsieh Shu‐Fan , Shyu So‐De
Published: June 2010

We investigate the long‐term dependency behavior of Asian foreign exchange markets by using rescaled range analysis. Emerging markets in Korea, Taiwan, India, and Thailand, show evidences of long memory in the exchange rate return series, while the exchange rate return persistence is not found in more developed and mature markets in Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Our results suggest that the return‐generating processes and presence of long memory depends on the degree of market development. In addition, the findings suggest that Asian financial crisis affects long‐term dependences of Korean won and Thai baht in which their economies and currency were hard hit by the crisis.
Outsourcing in India: The Past, Present, and Future
Authors: Raghuram Sumita
Published: June 2010

Mr. N. Krishnakumar is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of MindTree Consulting and the Chairperson of Emerging Companies Forum, NASSCOM, India. MindTree Consulting was founded in 1999. It is an international IT and R&D services company that delivers business and technology solutions through global software development. MindTree is coheadquartered in Somerset, New Jersey and Bangalore, India, and employs over 7500 professionals worldwide. It has development centers in both India and US. In 2009, MindTree was named among the world’s top 100 outsourcing service providers by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals and has been consistently ranked high among the Best Place to Work in India. National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) is the Indian chamber of commerce and is a consortium that serves as an interface to the Indian software industry and Indian BPO industry. It has more than 1200 organization members, of which over 250 are global companies from across US, UK, EU and APAC. NASSCOM was set up in 1988, at Mumbai to facilitate business and trade in software and services and to encourage advancement of research in software technology. The Emerging Companies Forum, one of the four forums of NASSCOM, is aimed at strategizing the growth potential of small and medium outsourcing enterprises.
Research on Increasing the Production Yield Rate by Six Sigma Method: A Case of SMT Process of Main Board
Authors: Lin Ching‐Kun , Chen Hsien‐Ching , Li Rong‐Kwei , Chen Ching‐Piao , Tsai Chih‐Hung
Published: June 2010

Face the process yield rate improvements of motherboard, although general enterprises finish deployment goal of each functions by overall quality managements, through quality improvement methods, industry engineering methods, plan‐do‐check‐act (PDCA) methods and other improvement solutions, but it is only can be improved partially and unable to enhance the yield rate of product to the target. It only can takes one step ahead to enhance the process yield rate of motherboard with six sigma (6 σ) overall DMAIC process and tactics. This research aimed to use six sigma quality improvement tactics by DMAIC systematic procedure and tactics, and find the key factors that effect to the process yield rate of surface mount technology. It also identified the keys input and process and output index to satisfy customer requirements and internal process index. The results showed that the major effective factors by fishbone and process failure modes and effects analysis (PFMEA). If the index of input and output that can be quantified, the optimum parameter can be found through design of experiment to ensure that the process is stable. If the factor of input and output that cannot be quantified, we found out the effective countermeasure by Mind_Mapping, make sure whole processes can be controlled stably, to reach the high product quality and enhance the customer satisfaction.
An Application of Total Quality Management Efficiency Model in the Korean Distribution Industry
Authors: Yoo Hanjoo , Park Jong‐Woo , Song Gwangsuk
Published: June 2010

The purpose of this study is to analyze the efficiency of the service quality activity itself by using the DEA Model, in contrast to previous quality evaluation methods, as an attempt to evaluate the service quality activities of the distribution industry. Furthermore, by complementing the shortfalls of the weighted value of the DEA Model, it recommends a DEA/PS Model that is appropriate in the evaluation of service quality activities. Based on this model, the study proposes the SQAE Model, an evaluation tool to complement the traditional measuring method. According to the results of the analysis of 18 sample distribution businesses, there was a discrepancy by business in the results of the Traditional Scoring System and the Evaluation Measuring System. Therefore, it is most desirable to not only be active in service quality activities but also increase efficiency at the same time.
The Development of the Distribution/VMI Game Based on Theory of Constraints
Authors: Zheng Kai‐Wen , Tsai Chih‐Hung , Li Rong‐Kwei , Chen Ching‐Piao , Tsai Shih‐Chieh
Published: June 2010

As the flourish of today’s supply chain, the traditional model of replenishment will cause accumulation of excessive inventory to the retailers and customers, or cause shortages and inability to meet the demands. To solve this problem, Theory of Constraints (TOC) proposed the replenishment model of demand‐pull, combined with the establishment of factory‐warehouse to achieve performance improvement. In the absence of empirical research, this study applied the Bean Game developed by Dr. Goldratt to design a supply chain system for different scenarios, in order to allow players and managers better understanding and supporting the TOC replenishment method through the operations of the game.
The Moderate Effect of SPC on the Relations Between Practicing JIT and Production Performance
Authors: Jeong Soo Park
Published: June 2010

Our goal of this study is to confirm whether manufacturing companies’ practicing JIT production system have positive effect on production performances and to confirm that manufacturing companies’ practicing SPC shows positive moderate effect on the relation between practicing JIT and their production performances. Based on empirical study to manufacturing companies nationwide, we can conclude that taking JIT practices of sample companies has positive effect on production performances and, moreover, practicing SPC has positive moderate effect on the relation between JIT practices and production performances. These conclusion represents managerial implication that concurrent practicing JIT and SPC could generate more improved production performances.
Research on the Performance of Protocols and the Evaluation Metric for VIDEO Transmissions in an Ad Hoc Network
Authors: Chen Ruey‐Shin , Chao Louis R. , Chen Ching‐Piao , Tsai Chih‐Hung
Published: June 2010

Video transmission effectiveness in the Ad Hoc network is becoming important recently, if different routing protocols are applied. Some researchers conclude that the reactive protocols are better for file transfer protocol (FTP) and constant bit rate (CBR) or hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) transmission in an Ad Hoc wireless network but the performance report of video transmission is not much. This study adopts Qualnet (Network Simulator) as a simulation tool for environmental designing and performance testing, and employs an experimental design with eight groups. Our experiment shows that: (1) The performance of AODV (reactive) protocol is better than DSDV, ZRP and DSR when the transmission load has only one video stream; (2) Proactive (DSDV) and Hybrid protocols (ZRP) are better for a smaller Ad Hoc network when it transmits a video stream with some applications (VoIP, FTP and CBR). We conclude that packet loss rate is sensitive to the quality of video transmission and it has negative relationship with Peak Signal‐to‐Noise Ratio (PSNR) value. In addition, our experiment also shows that PSNR is a simple Metric for the performance evaluation of video transmission.
Factors Affecting on the Performance of Overseas R&D
Authors: Cho Jungeun , Kim Donghee , Kim Soo W. , Oh Jungsuk
Published: June 2010

Many companies are trying to acquire innovative technologies and relevant knowledge by sending R&D work overseas. Although recent research has been focusing on the aspects that motivate MNCs to establish offshore R&D facilities, such as cost reduction and market expansion, little is known about external or circumstantial factors influencing the performance of global R&D activities. Searching for enhancers of offshore R&D facilities, we investigated the relationships between the performance of offshore R&D and the technological capabilities of a parent company, its home country, and its R&D hosting country. Both patent data of EU and the EU R&D scoreboard of 134 overseas R&D labs from 46 MNCs, dating from the period of 2003 to 2005, are used in the analysis. The same time period is applied in calculating the RTA of each country. Regression analysis results support our main hypothesis that the technological capabilities of the parent company and the hosting country positively affect the performance of overseas
R&D.
Exploring Culture Dimensions and Enablers in Quality Management Practices: Some Findings
Authors: Fai Pun Kit , Jaggernath‐Furlonge Surujdaye
Published: June 2010

Although many adherents openly praise the importance of quality management practices (QMP) in organisations, others have identified significant costs and implementation obstacles. Some recent studies showed that QMP have failed due to the ignorance of quality cultures. How to improve the success rate of QMP in organisations has become a critical issue both in the academy and in practice. This paper discusses the common enablers of and cultural impacts on QMP. It explores the dimensions of national versus organisational culture, and identifies the main features of four quality culture models as advocated in the literature in relation to facilitating QMP in organisations. It was found that flat structures, decentralised functions, empowerment, flexibility, innovation, limited rules and regulations and teamwork favor the QMP implementation. For facilitating culture changes for QMP, values associated with low power distance, low uncertainty avoidance and collectivism would have to be nurtured. Further research is needed to incorporate the findings and develop a practical quality culture approach for real applications in industry.