Your search

This case is about a family-owned discount store chain that was unable to survive much beyond its founder. It tells the story of a first-generation American family and its struggle to grow and prosper in a family business during the early 1900s. The case takes the reader through the business' growth, maturity, decline, and, ultimately, its demise in 1991, which was brought about by issues such as organizational structure, the role of family in the family business, lack of succession planning, and myopic strategic planning. The author uses fictitious names, dates, and places to protect the surviving family members' privacy, and to ensure confidentiality.

Most studies of corporate social responsiveness (CSR) focus on the relationship between CSR and profit. Here, we use three perspectives (institutional theory, economic theory and agency theory) to explain CSR. Industry norms, market share and indicators of management reputation predict variance in CSR. The combined perspectives improve understanding of both CSR and the CSR-profit relationship in two ways. First, they suggest that CSR levels and their relationship with profit will vary by industry. Second, they suggest that stock market measures and accounting measures will respond differently to CSR measures. Stock market measures lead, while accounting measures lag, CSR.

Management researchers are always in search for new controlled environments from which they can gather data. This article proposes the use of total enterprise simulations as a research setting for studying management decision making. Using INTOP, the authors present examples of analyses that were conducted from a data base generated from the responses of executive MBA participants. Using a multiple regression, policy-capture approach, differences in the decision making strategies between groups are examined. Also discussed is an approach to developing a performance criterion that may be used when testing hypotheses regarding managerial decision-making effectiveness. The authorsconclude that total enterprise simulations represent a research setting that warrants further exploration. © 1990, SAGE Publications. All rights reserved.

Chatbots emulate human dialogue to provide a more intuitive user interface to applications or simply provide entertainment. Chatbots rely on technology to function and new and emerging technologies such as NLP (Natural Language Processing) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) can be used to increase the ability of chatbots to emulate a more natural and free flowing conversation. As more and more mobile device users transition to increased use of texts and messaging chatbots can be used to provide consumers with multilingual support and services. While some chatbots have been developed in other languages, currently most converse only in English, and only a few can communicate in multiple languages. If configured correctly multilingual chatbots have the potential of providing a digital communication option that transcends language barriers. For our research we focused on the use of a chatbot that links the English-speaking Tutor Mike system with Google Translate, thus providing conversational capability in 103 languages, which is more than any other artificial multilingual agent is currently capable of. Two humans communicated with the system using German, Spanish, and Korean, and a group of undergraduate students reviewed the English translations of the chatbot’s replies. Results show that the responses from German and Spanish were cogent and natural, but those from Korean were less understandable. As a caveat, Asian languages lack much of the linguistic nuances of European languages. For example, there may be no plural form or gender in the Asian language. Unlike German where nouns and adjectives constantly change endings depending on what they are doing in a sentence and, unlike Spanish, which have numerous verb conjugations, Asian languages require no such changes. This might impact the translation ability and quality of a multilingual chatbot. Additional research and enhancements can improve chatbots used for European to Asian language translations and vice-versa. Regardless, our research shows promising results in the future use of multilingual chatbots to allow communication across the globe with business potential in the use of such chatbots to provide customer service and online live interaction with customers across the world.

This article presents a systems dynamics model to illustrate some of the aspects of Deming's System of Profound Knowledge. As a pedagogical tool, it would serve as a useful introduction for those new to Deming's ideas. It not only introduces the main parts of his system, but also highlights their interconnectedness. The model environment, an interactive management flight simulator, and the model content combine to provide several learning opportunities. The model uses the assumptions of regression to the mean, the 80:20 Rule, random walks, and learned helplessness to present a theory of how, managers learn to reduce quality in organizations. Those interested in exploring or teaching Deming's System can use the model as a launching point from which to explore the system further. Running the simulation provides an opportunity to identify and challenge assumptions, explore the harmful effects of tampering, examine the fundamental attribution error, develop control charts, and challenge the application of behaviourism in management.

This paper discusses the six core business processes and supporting technology that are impacted by an enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation. It begins with a brief history of the evolution of ERP and the information systems technology that enabled its development. A discussion of project implementation team preparations is followed by a description of process mapping and its significance to the success of an ERP implementation. Highlights of “As-Is” and “To-Be” process mapping and change management conclude the paper. © 2004, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Traditionally, the concept of entrepreneurship included a for-profit bottom line. Recently, however, researchers have begun to explore an adaptation of this model called “social entrepreneurship”; that is, creating organizations for the greater good of a community, region, nation, or the world. These entrepreneurs use money that they made or inherited to establish organizations from a missionary and visionary posture. This is an arena where women have had significant impact, yet little has been written to celebrate their contributions. The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of such philanthropy, to suggest where this social ethic might have had its origins, and to provide samples of women who have been entrepreneurial in their social commitment. Suggestions for future research on women's entrepreneurial philanthropy will also be made. © 2004, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Leadership theory has little value if it cannot be applied to real world situations. A summary review of the literature on leadership theory is provided here first. A disguised real case concerning Ted Shade, a Vice-President at Galactic Chips, Inc. is then provided which describes a manager who is extremely task-oriented. The case analysis follows. It includes questions and answers which connect leadership theory to case specifics and requires learners to analyze the case using differing leadership models. © 2003, MCB UP Limited

An attitude survey was conducted with 72 management majors attending a prestigious business university in Beijing, China. The results indicate that there is still a significant “glass ceiling” effect to accepting women as they climb up the management hierarchy. The group estimated that it would take at least 32 years before equality would be reached. Women were less likely to prefer to work for a woman than for male subjects. Women were described as more incompetent, slower, weaker, more a follower-than-a-leader, more lenient, more democratic, less active, and more friendly than male managers. Women were significantly more in agreement with the idea of being both a professional and a wife. The results reflect a similar attitudinal position to US women. The conclusion is that it will not be easier for Chinese women to succeed than it is for women in theUSA. © 2001, MCB UP Limited

Professors in management and business are encouraged to incorporate critical thinking as an objective in their courses. "The Lobster Tale" provides an opportunity to engage students in various levels of critical thinking, ranging from a relatively superficial reading to an examination of the deeper, often hidden issues. Using the foundations of critical theory and systems theory, the story draws on economics, social theory, philosophy, and other disciplines to present a simplified version of the complexities found in our global environment. It can be used to supplement a variety of courses in the business curriculum and to encourage students to challenge not only assumptions but also conventional wisdom and, perhaps, knowledge itself. © 2009 The Author(s).