Department of International Business, Marketing, Strategy and Law
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Item Microeconomic theory and foreign policy crisis decisions: Bangla Desh, 1971(1991) Siddiqui, AsifThis study analyzes the Bangladesh Crisis by building upon previous works that have applied microeconomic theory to international relations. One of the most innovative lines of inquiry from the realist school is to study international relations through analogy with microeconomic theory. Although used to analyze conflict, war, and the workings of the international system, a strict application of microeconomic theory to interstate crises is rare. This thesis will endeavour to contribute to this linkage.Item Theory of foreign policy crisis decisions: a microeconomic approach to Pakistan, India and the secession of Bangla Desh(1994) Siddiqui, AsifThis study analyzes the Bangla Desh Crisis by building upon previous works that have applied microeconomics theory to international relations.Item A microeconomic approach to foreign policy crisis behaviour(1997) Siddiqui, AsifThis essay is a extension of Kenneth Walt's Theory of International Politics to the study of foreign policy behaviour.Item Sexual harassment law in America: thirty years of evolution(1998) Siddiqui, AsifFrom data generated in the 1988 Working Waman study, one estimate is that nearly 82 percent of the companies responding need immediate help in training their employees~either with a first time training effort or with additional effort to train supervisors and general employees. The survey showed that harassment can cost the typical Fortune 500 service or manufacturing company $6.7 million per year in absenteeism, turnover, and lost productivity associated with sexual harassment, at a cost of $282.53 per employee. These figures do not include the cost of litigation, responding to charges filed with regulatory agencies, destructive behavior or sabotage. On the other hand, the survey said that meaningful steps~such as employee training~can be undertaken for as little as $200,000, or $8.41 per employee. It is nearly "34 times [as] expensive to ignore the problem."Item Labour in the third wave: the future of work in America and the world(1999) Siddiqui, AsifThis essay will examine the changes that knowledge has wrought to the labour sector in the Third Wave.Item Promises made to me(2006) Thomson, Stanley BruceUniversities across the globe have marketed their institutions in nondomestic markets to tap into the lucrative international student market. Higher education is big business, but I ask, "At what cost?" International students face many hurdles when studying away from home. Lack of friends, family, and cultural support is the first step that leads to a deep sense of isolation in many students. Most of these students do find friends and a support system, but for a few, the final price is a burden too heavy to bear. This poem was written after 10 months of my own experience as an international student and talking to other students about their concerns.Item Intellectual capital and strategic human resource management in social service non-profit organisations in Australia(2006) Kong, Eric; Thomson, Stanley BruceVery little systematic research has focused on the Intellectual Capital (IC) and Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) link in the social service non-profit sector. Using data gathered from Australian Social Service Non-profit Organisations (SSNPOs), this paper fills this gap by building a nascent body of literature that put forth that IC plays a central role in SHRM in SSNPOs. SSNPO executives perceived IC as a tool to capture a complete picture of organisational potential, thus providing the necessary picture to formulate strategy for long-term development. Finally, the paper proposes a new model which illustrates that IC drives SHRM in the social service non-profit sector.Item Electronic signatures and ethics(2007) Srivastava, Aashish; Thomson, Stanley Bruce; Quigley, MarianThe advent of the Internet once again raised the question as to what constitutes a signature and what form of signature should be used to sign electronic documents. This led legal jurists and academics to examine what a signature is. Traditionally, a signature is “the name of a person written with his or her own hand” (Merriam- Webster Online Dictionary, 2006), and since 439 AD in the Roman Empire, a signature authenticated wills (Nicholas, 1965). However, courts have accepted various other forms of signature such as initials, marks, rubber stamp, typed name, and a printed name.1 Thus the validity of a signature is not to be tested by its form but rather by the functions it performs (Reed, 2000).Item Hybrid human resource management in post-Soviet Kazakhstan(2007) Minbaeva, Dana B.; Hutchings, Kate; Thomson, Stanley BruceThis paper explores Human Resource Management (HRM) practices in foreign-owned subsidiaries in Kazakhstan and examines the development of HRM and the extent to which practices and policies are reflective of their countries of origin, older-style Soviet and post-Soviet practices, or an emerging Kazakhstan. The discussion is based on findings which utilised a questionnaire-based survey, secondary data and interviews with HR managers. The paper concludes that HRM and employee relations practices utilised are a hybrid of old-style Soviet and Western-based approaches (US and European), and also provided are some implications for theory and managerial practice.Item E-business law in China: strengths and weaknesses(2007) Srivastava, Aashish; Thomson, Stanley BruceWith 123 million Internet users, China represents a phenomenal potential market for e‐business. The astounding success of China in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) can be partially explained by a series of reforms of policies, regulations, and laws. Can the introduction of China's new electronic signatures law produce the same results for e‐business in China? This paper analyses the electronic signatures law as a tool fashioned by Chinese lawmakers to encourage e‐business growth in China as they encouraged FDI. We find that China has created an electronic signature law that mirrors the open, flexible, and ever‐changing e‐environment. The fact that the law is not technology‐specific, but rather technology‐neutral, allowing for technological advances, is one of its strong points. A negative aspect of the law is its lack of a set guideline for identification requirements for purchasers of a reliable electronic signature, more commonly known as a digital signature, from electronic certification service providers. Despite the few negative aspects, the electronic signatures law should encourage the development of e‐business in China.Item Devolvement of HR practices in transitional economies: evidence from China(2008) Zhu, Cherrie Jiuhua; Cooper, Brian; Cieri, Helen De; Thomson, Stanley Bruce; Zhao, ShumingChina's progressive integration into the global economy has strengthened its position as a ‘magnet’ for foreign direct investment. The inevitably increased competition in the Chinese economy has led firms to adopt more market-oriented approaches to human resource management (HRM). Based on a survey of 618 managers in state-owned enterprises, domestic/private- and foreign-invested firms operating in the Jiangsu Province of China, this study investigates the extent to which HR practices have been strategically devolved to line managers, and the relationship between this devolvement and the performance of firms in China. Overall, there was little evidence of devolvement to line managers. We found no evidence of a relationship between the degree of devolvement and firm performance, although the provision of formal training to line/middle managers was predictive of performance.Item A retrospective and prospective analysis of HRM research in Chinese firms: implications and directions for future study(2008) Zhu, Cherrie Jiuhua; Thomson, Stanley Bruce; Cieri, Helen DeBased on an extensive review and analysis of 182 articles published in the field of human resource management that focus on China since its economic reform, this article discusses the major reasons for the growth in this area of research. We identify five major categories spanning research and practice, ownership type, and research method. Further, we examine issues and deficiencies in the research literature. Based on our analysis of each research category, we present a substantial series of research questions and implications for future research on HRM in China.Item Framework analysis: a qualitative methodology for applied policy research(2009) Thomson, Stanley Bruce; Srivastava, AashishPolicies and procedures govern organizations whether they are private or public, for-profit or not-for-profit. Review of such policies and procedures are done periodically to ensure optimum efficiency within the organization. Framework analysis is a qualitative method that is aptly suited for applied policy research. Framework analysis is better adapted to research that has specific questions, a limited time frame, a pre-designed sample and a priori issues. In the analysis, data is sifted, charted and sorted in accordance with key issues and themes using five steps: familiarization; identifying a thematic framework; indexing; charting; and mapping and interpretation. Framework analysis provides an excellent tool to assess policies and procedures from the very people that they affect.Item An intellectual capital perspective of human resource strategies and practices(2009) Kong, Eric; Thomson, Stanley BrucePrevious research has investigated the relationships between intellectual capital (IC) and human resource management (HRM). Others have described the link between IC and strategic initiatives in an organization including strategic human resource management (SHRM). However, little systematic work has been done to develop a holistic overview of connections between the three concepts. Through an analysis of the recent IC literature and the literature that discusses IC, SHRM and HRM, this paper argues that not only are the three concepts closely connected, but also IC should play a key role in SHRM processes and HRM practices in organizations. The strategic connections also demonstrate that IC can be conceptualized as a holistic partner to both SHRM and HRM; thus, adding strong support for the need to measure IC accurately. A theoretical framework is proposed to illustrate IC, SHRM and HRM connections. Finally, the paper suggests directions for future research.Item A market segmentation approach for higher education based on rational and emotional factors(2010) Angulo-Ruiz, Fernando; Pergelova, Albena; Rialp, JosepMarket segmentation is an important topic for higher education administrators and researchers. For segmenting the higher education market, we have to understand what factors are important for high school students in selecting a university. Extant literature has probed the importance of rational factors such as teaching staff, campus facilities, and quality of education. Less attention has been devoted to the relevance of emotional factors such as personal values. The aim of this paper is to suggest a segmentation approach based on integrating rational and emotional factors that prospective students value when selecting a university. We gather information from 21 focus groups and develop a survey applied to a sample of high school students. We find six segments characterized by distinct rational and emotional underlying factors that lead to a particular composition for each segment. The factors discussed in this research can be used as a guide for higher education managers to develop segmentation and communication plans.Item Understanding donor response to donation appeals : the role of deservingness in the dictator game and optimum donation promises in charity auctions(2010) Wong, LeoMarketing research has attempted to shed light on donor responses to a variety of donation appeals and strategies. More recently, research has examined the effect of changing the content of an appeal in both a donation solicitation and a cause related marketing context. Some charities are highly successful with their marketing and fundraising strategies, while many others struggle to fund their services. This discrepancy in donor support is cause for concern from a public policy perspective, where optimizing the distribution of dollars is a key objective. Particularly in a recessionary economy, with more and more charities appealing to donors for their support, charity choice has become more crowded than ever before. The question of which charity is chosen and how much to ‘spend’ on that charity can determine which charities succeed and which ones fail, as donors become increasingly concerned with maximizing the impact of their donor dollars. I begin the dissertation with a thorough review of the relevant literature to provide a foundation and backdrop to the issues I study in two sets of studies. In the first set of studies, I examine deservingness of a recipient, where judgments are affected by the donation appeal content. Specifically, I look at how recipient information profiles can affect donor response. In the second set of studies, I examine donor response in a novel cause-related marketing format - online charity auctions – where I vary factors related to the auction products, price and the percentage of auction price that is donated to charity. These two papers contribute to the research in donor response to charity appeals by shedding light on the deliberative aspect of the decision process. Public policy and managerial implications are discussed, where an increasingly competitive environment with many comparative options are becoming standard challenges for charity fundraisers. A review of the relevant research areas for both papers precedes the studies to provide a foundation and motivation for our hypotheses and research designs.Item Stigma theory and religion in the workplace(2010) Thomson, Stanley BruceThe application stigma theory provides significant insights into the strategies used to manage one's own religious beliefs and the beliefs of others in the workplace. Avoidance is the most common method used by participants and religious belief guided participants in their choice of jobs, the organization and their decisions to leave.Item The emergence of the institution of mingongzhi and its implications for a unified labour market in China(2010) Zhu, Cherrie Jiuhua; Zhang, Mingqiong; Thomson, Stanley Bruce; Nyland, Chris; Guo, Yue; Wang, Yue; Ramburuth, PremThere have been significant changes in the available workforce in Chinese cities due to the influx of millions of migrant workers as the consequence of economic reforms. Drawing on institutional theory, this chapter discusses the emergence of the 'institution of mingongzhi' (mingong means farmer-turned workers and zhi means system in Chinese) and provides a justification for applying the label of institution. Mingongzhi refers to a social-economic system under which certain people or social groups, known as mingong here, are socially excluded in urban areas of contemporary China. Based on the empirical evidence from the case studies and surveys conducted in Changsha and Haerbin, we found the existence of the institution of mingongzhi even after many of the barriers for rural migrants were removed by the central government. We argue that mingongzhi needs to be deinstitutionalized if China is to establish a unified labour market as advocated by the International Labour Organization and the World Trade Organization.Item Sinophobia as corporate tactic and the response of host communities(2011) Nyland, Chris; Forbes-Mewett, Helen; Thomson, Stanley BruceChina's State Council has charged that in 2009 BHP Billiton inflamed Australians' fear of “Chinese colour” in order to undermine Chinalco's (Aluminium Corporation of China) effort to increase its share of the Rio Tinto company. Though unproven, this is a serious charge and the more so because it suggests there is a risk that in the future firms challenged by Chinese competitors may emulate the alleged practice. Given this possibility, anti-racists require a sophisticated understanding of how firms might incorporate Sinophobia into their business strategies and how Chinese foreign direct investment is viewed by national and local communities. To further this response, we review the literature on the use of racism as a corporate tactic, discuss the Chinalco-BHP struggle, and provide a study of how one community reacted when offered the chance to host a large Chinese investment.Item Family values: Canadian problems, South Asian solutions?(2011) Siddiqui, AsifOverview: 1. Background to Paper; 2. Importance of Family in Canada; 3. Caveats about Families; 4. Families circa 1960’s; 5. Changes and Developments; 6. Families in 21st Century; 7. South Asian Immigration and Family; 8. John Berry’s Acculturation Framework; 9. Evolutionary Model of Social Change; 10. Nancy Fraser: Universal Breadwinner vs. Universal Care-giver; 11. Individual Human Rights vs. Collective Good.