Trust, control, interactionand performancein IJVs: A taxonomy of German-Chinese Joint Ventures

Control and trust are recurring themes in the analysis of the management of International Joint Ventures (IJVs). Both issues (and their antecedents) have been analysed in isolation and in their relation with performance, though hardly any study exists which analyses them simultaneously in their interdependence. More importantly however, there are few, if any, studies that have empirically tested the existence and nature of the mechanisms that are assumed to link control and trust to performance. It is the purpose of this paper to empirically investigate these mechanisms in view of the interaction processes taking place between the JV partners. Analysing the interaction processes in the context of control, trust and performance is expected to provide a better understanding of the relationship between control, trust and performance. To this aim a concept of inter-firm interaction in IJVs is proposed. The empirical basis for this study consists of data gathered through a questionnaire survey among German and Chinese General Managers of German-Chinese Joint Ventures (GCJVs) in the People?s Republic of China carried out in 2000/01. Using Cluster-Analysis two JV types are derived, which allow for some first yet tentative inferences to be made regarding the complex interplay between control, trust, performance, and interaction in GCJVs. --Joint Venture,China,empirical study,trust,control

Explaining foreign firms' approaches to corporate political activity in emerging economies: the effects of resource criticality, product diversification, inter-subsidiary integration, and business ties

Despite the increasing scope for transactional approaches to corporate political activity (CPA) in emerging markets and rising concerns about the use of relational approaches, foreign firms in emerging economies appear to be reluctant to adopt transactional approaches to CPA. Using Resource Dependence theory we argue that criticality of resources, product diversification, integration with other foreign subsidiaries, and business ties may explain why foreign firms adopt a transactional or a relational approach to CPA. We test our hypotheses using a sample of 105 subsidiaries of foreign firms in India. We find that unrelated diversification and close integration with other subsidiaries of their parent firm makes subsidiaries more likely to adopt a transactional approach, whereas local resource criticality and ties to local businesses makes subsidiaries less likely to use a transactional approach to CPA. Our findings enhance our understanding of the factors that determine foreign firms’ choice of approaches to CPA in emerging economies

Delbruck scattering and the g-factor of a bound electron

The leading contribution of the light-by-light scattering effects to g-factor of a bound electron is derived. The corresponding amplitude is expressed in terms of low-energy Delbruck scattering of a virtual photon. The result reads Delta g = (7/216) alpha (Z alpha)^5

Information technology in management personnel on the example of KC "Jobs"

Analysis of the workings and personnel decisions in the field of human resource management. They are inextricably linked to the processes of information processing. The higher the effect of the use of personnel information, the more objective decisions will be made by the heads of a wide variety of human resources issues. In this regard, there is a need in the compilation and dissemination of the experience gained in the application of modern technologies, as well the creation of new software products. Consideration of "human process management" module. It is designed to automate the management processes in terms of the conduct of personnel information in the context of positions and employees in order to provide the head of information for management decision making and carrying out related activities. Consideration of the positive and negative sides of the module, as its distinctivefeatures

In Vivo Models for Cholangiocarcinoma—What Can We Learn for Human Disease?

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) comprises a heterogeneous group of primary liver tumors. They emerge from different hepatic (progenitor) cell populations, typically via sporadic mutations. Chronic biliary inflammation, as seen in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), may trigger CCA development. Although several efforts were made in the last decade to better understand the complex processes of biliary carcinogenesis, it was only recently that new therapeutic advances have been achieved. Animal models are a crucial bridge between in vitro findings on molecular or genetic alterations, pathophysiological understanding, and new therapeutic strategies for the clinic. Nevertheless, it is inherently difficult to recapitulate simultaneously the stromal microenvironment (e.g., immune-competent cells, cholestasis, inflammation, PSC-like changes, fibrosis) and the tumor biology (e.g., mutational burden, local growth, and metastatic spread) in an animal model, so that it would reflect the full clinical reality of CCA. In this review, we highlight available data on animal models for CCA. We discuss if and how these models reflect human disease and whether they can serve as a tool for understanding the pathogenesis, or for predicting a treatment response in patients. In addition, open issues for future developments will be discussed

Cognition and Brain Function in Schizotypy: A Selective Review

Schizotypy refers to a set of personality traits thought to reflect the subclinical expression of the signs and symptoms of schizophrenia. Here, we review the cognitive and brain functional profile associated with high questionnaire scores in schizotypy. We discuss empirical evidence from the domains of perception, attention, memory, imagery and representation, language, and motor control. Perceptual deficits occur early and across various modalities. While the neural mechanisms underlying visual impairments may be linked to magnocellular dysfunction, further effects may be seen downstream in higher cognitive functions. Cognitive deficits are observed in inhibitory control, selective and sustained attention, incidental learning, and memory. In concordance with the cognitive nature of many of the aberrations of schizotypy, higher levels of schizotypy are associated with enhanced vividness and better performance on tasks of mental rotation. Language deficits seem most pronounced in higher-level processes. Finally, higher levels of schizotypy are associated with reduced performance on oculomotor tasks, resembling the impairments seen in schizophrenia. Some of these deficits are accompanied by reduced brain activation, akin to the pattern of hypoactivations in schizophrenia spectrum individuals. We conclude that schizotypy is a construct with apparent phenomenological overlap with schizophrenia and stable interindividual differences that covary with performance on a wide range of perceptual, cognitive, and motor tasks known to be impaired in schizophrenia. The importance of these findings lies not only in providing a fine-grained neurocognitive characterization of a personality constellation known to be associated with real-life impairments, but also in generating hypotheses concerning the aetiology of schizophreni