Antecedents to women's participation in international assignments in multinational enterprises

This paper reviews the literature on women participation in international assignments. Despite decades of equal opportunity legislation, and a focus on diversity issues by multinational enterprises, women's participation still remains low. Over the past 20 years women's participation has increased, however organisations still need to focus on many issues to increase this participation over the next 10 -15 years. Reasons were put forward in the paper that explains their participation. The paper covers macro, organisational, interpersonal and individual factors. These reasons were explored in the paper, and a model was developed that explains women's participation. Future research in the field was also proposed.

Expanding the buyer-supplier relationship definition: its antecedents and relationship with performance outcomes

This paper aims to contribute to current buyer-supplier relationship literature through conceptually examining associations between the buyer-supplier relationship itself, organisational antecedents and the external environment. Whilst the presence of relational components within the transaction has been acknowledged, there is, has been, and remains, great difficulty in defining and understanding the dynamics of the buyer-supplier relationship itself. This study aims to address current research limitations and further develop understanding of the dynamics between buyers and suppliers, through a grounded theory research approach. The core focus is to understand the basic motivations and considerations for organisations when potentially considering relationship development with a trade partner. Thus, the organisational attributes that must be apparent and those preferred by potential trade partners are studied. Development of a conceptual model leads to the recognition of three key research questions that are to be addressed in future empirical investigation of the model.

Psychic distance : antecedents, retail strategy implications and performance outcomes

The authors propose a conceptual model of the psychic distance–organizational performance relationship that incorporates organizational factors (international experience and centralization of decision making), entry strategy, and retail strategy implications. The findings suggest that when entering psychically distant markets, retailers should adopt low-cost/low-control entry strategies and adapt their retail strategy to a greater extent than in psychically close markets. However, the authors find that such strategic responses have an adverse effect on performance. They find that international experience, psychic distance, entry strategy, and retail strategy adaptation are significant drivers of organizational performance and factors that determine critical success in international retailing.

Quality of internal control procedures : antecedents and moderating effect on organisational justice and employee fraud

Purpose – This study aims to bring together theoretical concepts from the organizational justice, internal control and fraud literature to develop two distinct models relating to employee fraud and the quality of internal control procedures (ICP), respectively.

Design/methodology/approach – Survey data from 64 Australian firms were used to develop the two models. The first model was tested using a logistic regression analysis, and the second model was tested using a multiple regression analysis.

Findings – The first model reveals that the quality of ICP has a moderating effect on the relationship between perceptions of organizational justice and employee fraud. The second model indicates that ICP quality is significantly and positively related to three key organizational factors: the corporate ethical environment, the extent of risk management training of staff, and the internal audit (IA) activity level.

Practical implications – Risk management strategies relating to employee fraud will need to pay greater attention to organizational factors that affect both perceptions of justice at the workplace and ICP quality, including fostering a more ethical and equitable work environment, increasing IA activities and staff training in risk management.

Originality/value – Using the fraud triangle framework, this study extends previous literature by providing empirical evidence on the role of organizational justice and ICP regarding employee fraud.

Consumer dissatisfaction with self-service technologies : an empirical exploration of its antecedents

Self-service technologies (SSTs) are commonplace for consumers' use, which is reflected in the growing body of literature that pertains to SSTs. The bulk of this literature has focussed on the adoption of SSTs, while relatively little attention has been given to consumers' consumption and evaluation of SSTs. Arguably, this is an area worthy of exploration in the light of frequent reports of consumers' dissatisfaction with SSTs. Therefore, this paper examines the antecedents of consumers' overall dissatisfaction with an SST encounter, and finds that consumers' dissatisfaction with the attributes of the SST and consumers' perceptions of causal controllability explain 50 per cent of the variance in consumers' overall dissatisfaction with the SST Insights into removing the causes of SST dissatisfaction are offered to managers, which are, arguably, important for consumer retention.

The application of a fuzzy rule based system in an exposition of the antecedents of sedge warbler song flight

The utilization of a fuzzy aspect within data analysis attempts to move from a quantitative to a more qualitative investigative environment. As such, this may allow the more non-quantitative researchers results they can use, based on sets of linguistic terms. In this paper an inductive fuzzy decision tree approach is utilized to construct a fuzzy-rule-based system for the first time in a biological setting. The specific biological problem considered attempts to identify the antecedents (conditions in the fuzzy decision rules) which characterize the length of song flight of the male sedge warbler when attempting to attract a mate. Hence, for a non-quantitative investigator the resultant set of fuzzy rules allows an insight into the linguistic interpretation on the relationship between associated characteristics and the respective song flight duration.

Antecedents and consequences of customer satisfaction with interactive voice response

The aim of this study was to empirically test a model of antecedents and consequences of customers’ satisfaction with interactive voice response (IVR). IVR is a commonplace selfservice technology, yet it has seldom been the focus of academic research. As customers’ frustration with IVR is apparent, understanding how customers evaluate IVR and their subsequent behavioural intentions is important. Findings of a study of Australian Football League members who were users of its IVR system indicated that customer satisfaction resulted when it was easy to use, offered fast service and provided customers with feelings of control. Overall satisfaction with the IVR system was related to customers’ intentions to reuse it and their trust in the AFL. Managerial implications of the findings are discussed.

Nature, extent and antecedents of risk managment practices in knowledge-intensive firms

This study provides empirical evidence on the nature and extent of risks faced by Small to Medium-Sized Knowledge Intensive Firms (SMKIFs) and the risk management approaches adopted by them. The study also assesses the effects of selected organisational factors such as industry, entity size and risk governance leadership on the commitment by SMKIFs to using an Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) approach. Data was obtained through a questionnaire survey of SMKIFs in the state of Victoria, Australia which were either in the bio-technology (bio-tech) or the accounting and legal (business services) industry sectors. Based on a total of 104 (13%) useable responses from senior managers in charge of risk management, some of the key findings include the identification of the top three risks faced by SMKIFs being (i) potential damage to firm’s reputation, (ii) inability to recruit and retain workers who have appropriate skills and expertise, and (iii) increase in costs. Interestingly, while 51% of the respondents described their firms as being willing to or keen to take risks, 38% saw their firms as being either preferring not to take risks or refuse to take risks, with the remainder of the firms (11%) viewed as neutral. The data also indicates that more than half of the respondent firms (54%) had established either a complete or a partial ERM system. Further, data analysis based on a binary logit regression model indicates bio-techs, firm size and directors’ support of risk management as key predictors of ERM implementation in SMKIFs.

Changes in antecedents of BMI between 1976 and 2006

Overweight/obesity has reached epidemic proportions in Australia. This thesis confirmed and extended the relationship between lifestyle and body mass index in that dense energy foods, snacking and low levels of physical activity were associated with higher BMI while plant foods, vegetarianism and, in men, large breakfasts were associated with lower BMI.

Antecedents to postoperative pulmonary dysfunction in adults after cardiac surgery

The previously unexplored trajectory of postoperative pulmonary dysfunction was mapped in adults having cardiac surgery. Factors including hypoxaemia, positive fluid balance, severe pain and impaired functional status were associated with the development of pulmonary dysfunction and pneumonia. These antecedents are amenable to treatment in the form of prompt preventative nursing intervention that has a fundamental influence on patient outcome.

The dance of trust in high risk multi-partner collaborations : an exploration of the antecedents of trust in cross-sector R&D projects

This paper explores the dance of trust in cross-sector R&D collaborations, and does so by drawing on a multi-method study (involving qualitative research, case studies and a survey of project leaders) of the Australian Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) Program. R&D collaborations formed under this Program involve two main types of risk, venture or performance-related and relational, and these are problematic given power, information and risk impact asymmetries among the partners. Within the CRCs these risks are addressed through formalisation, employing the “right people”, and through relationship building. Trust (theorised following Sako as a multi-dimensional construct) is central to these processes. Where trust is formed among CRC participants, and is reinforced over repeated interactions, then relational and performance risks cease to become a major concern for CRC managers. In the CRCs, trust is formed and sustained as a multi-level process. Engagement and relationship commitment is achieved at an organizational level, and partner reputation, credible commitments and the institutional context are important factors here. At the project level, trust, in conjunction with a task focus, leads to a positive collaboration experience and this is associated with positive project outcomes. Within CRC projects, capabilities for communication and cross-sector management are important for the formation and maintenance of trust. The paper concludes by discussing the managerial implications of the study’s findings and by identifying areas for further research and conceptual development.