Meanings of Ethical Consumption in Fashion and Clothing Markets

Much of the previous research on ethical consumption has tended to divide ethical consumption into two opposite categories or to define ethical consumption a priori. In this paper my aim is to argue that a more nuanced understanding is needed. Drawing on normative ethics and cultural consumer research this study brings new insights into ethical consumption fashion and clothing consumption. The preliminary findings of consumer interviews conducted suggest that ethical stances to consumption appear as rather complex constructions, and that ethical conduct in the marketplace is under continuous negotiation. [to cite]

Consolidations and the sequence of acquisitions to monopoly

SIGLEAvailable from UuStB Koeln(38)-981102615 / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman

The incentives to form research joint ventures Theory and evidence

'The literature on research joint ventures (RJVs) has emphasized internalizing spillovers and cost-sharing as motives for RJV formation. In this paper the authors develop two additional explanations: product market complementarities and firm heterogeneity. They analyze a model of RJVs with asymmetric firms and differentiated products. They then test these various explanations for RJV formation by estimating an endogenous switching model using data now available through the U. S. National Cooperative Research Act.' (author's abstract)Die Literatur ueber Forschungs-Joint Ventures (FJV) hat bisher die Internalisierung von Spillovers und die Kostenaufteilung als primaere Motive, ein FJV zu gruenden, hervorgebracht. In diesem Beitrag werden zwei weitere Gruende angefuehrt: Produktmarktkomplementaritaeten und Unternehmensheterogenitaeten. Die Autoren analysieren ein Modell ueber FJV mit asymmetrischen Unternehmen und differenzierten Produkten. Anschliessend testen sie die verschiedenen Erklaerungen, ein FJV zu gruenden. Hierbei wird ein endogenes 'switching'-Modell geschaetzt, in dem Daten vom 'U.S. National Cooperative Research Act' benutzt werden. (HH)German title: Anreize, ein Forschungs-Joint Venture zu gruendenSIGLEAvailable from UuStB Koeln(38)-991102758 / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman

Consolidations and the sequence of acquisitions to monopoly

'We examine horizontal merger activity between firms which have differing costs. Upon merging owners can transfer technology to an acquired firm and can decide whether to operate their firms as separate entities in the product market or consolidate their acquisitions. Thus, in our analysis, mergers can exhibit both an efficiency effect and a market power effect. The purchase prices of target firms are determined via a bargaining game. We find that the largest firm is likely to be acquisitive and that the optimal sequence of mergers entails targeting the next largest rival firm. We find that not consolidating an acquired firm can reveal the intention to acquire additional firms. The optimal sequence of mergers with technology transfers and no consolidations is found initially to be welfare improving. Ultimately, however, the acquisitions lead to consolidation and a decrease in total welfare.' (author's abstract)In dem Beitrag werden horizontale Unternehmenszusammenschluesse zwischen Unternehmen mit unterschiedlichen Kosten analysiert. Fuer das erwerbende Unternehmen stellt sich die Frage, ob es Technologie zu einer erworbenen Firma transferieren sollte und ob es das erworbene Unternehmen als getrennte Einheit im Produktmarkt betreiben oder mit dem fusionierten Unternehmen zusammen am Markt operieren will. In der Analyse werden der Effizienzeffekt und der Marktmachteffekt beruecksichtigt. Der Kaufpreis des zu erwerbenden Unternehmens wird in einem 'bargaining game' ermittelt. Im Ergebnis zeigt sich, dass das groesste Unternehmen wahrscheinlich das erwerbende sein wird und dass die optimale Reihenfolge von Fusionen sich auf das naechstgroesste Konkurrenzunternehmen bezieht. Ausserdem zeigt sich, dass die Nichtkonsolidierung erworbener Unternehmen darauf hindeutet, dass eine Absicht zum Erwerb weiterer Firmen vorliegt. Die optimale Folge von Fusionen mit Technologietransfer und ohne Konsolidierungen erhoeht anfangs die Wohlfahrt. Letztlich aber fuehren die Erwerbungen zur Konsolidierung und zu einem Absinken der Gesamtwohlfahrt. (HH)German title: Konsolidierungen und die Folge von Akquisitionen zum MonopolSIGLEAvailable from UuStB Koeln(38)-981102615 / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman

Adoption of managerial ideologies in Finnish academic management education 1960-2007

The article analyses when and how different management paradigms have been adopted for teaching, in the subject of organization and management, by examining the curricula and study guides of the eight main business schools in Finland.The data was analysed in three ways: (1) the analysis of all the reading lists in curricula and study guides, (2) the analyses of subject descriptions in the study guides and (3) the analysis of individual course descriptions in the study guides.Theoretically, the study draws on the literature on German-style and American-style business schools, and on the literature on management paradigms and their dissemination.Our findings indicate that there are differences in the adoption of different management paradigms in management education in German-style and American-style business schools in Finland. For example, between 1980 and 1995, the most commonly used paradigm in teaching in German-style schools was the human relations paradigm, while in American-style schools the most popular paradigm was structural analysis.The results suggest that different traditions in arranging higher management education may have an impact on the content of teaching.This provides an interesting point of departure for investigating the contents of management education in other countries, too

EU KLEMS

Productivity in the European Union: A Comparative Industry Approach (EU KLEMS, 2003) This project aims to create a database on measures of economic growth, productivity, employment creation, capital formation and technological change at the industry level for all European Union member states from 1970 onwards. This work will provide an important input to policy evaluation, in particular for the assessment of the goals concerning competitiveness and economic growth potential as established by the Lisbon and Barcelona summit goals. The database should facilitate the sustainable production of high quality statistics using the methodologies of national accounts and input-output analysis. The input measures will include various categories of capital, labour, energy, material and service inputs. Productivity measures will be developed, in particular with growth accounting techniques. Several measures on knowledge creation will also be constructed. Substantial methodological and data research on these measures will be carried out to improve international comparability. There will be ample attention for the development of a flexible database structure, and for the progressive implementation of the database in official statistics over the course of the project. The database will be used for analytical and policy-related purposes, in particular by studying the relationship between skill formation, technological progress and innovation on the one hand, and productivity, on the other. To facilitate this type of analysis a link will also be sought with existing micro (firm level) databases. The balance in academic, statistical and policy input in this project is realised by the participation of 15 organisations from across the EU, representing a mix of academic institutions and national economic policy research institutes and with the support from various statistical offices and the OECD. This project is funded by the European Commission, Research Directorate General as part of the 6th Framework Programme, Priority 8, "Policy Support and Anticipating Scientific and Technological Needs". The 2017 update of the EU KLEMS database has been funded by the European Commission under the service contract ECFIN-163-2015/SI2.716986 for the 'Provision of updated EU KLEMS-type data for growth and productivity analysis'. Any errors or omissions are entirely the responsibility of The Conference Board. For comments and suggestions please send an email to [email protected]

EU KLEMS

Productivity in the European Union: A Comparative Industry Approach (EU KLEMS, 2003) This project aims to create a database on measures of economic growth, productivity, employment creation, capital formation and technological change at the industry level for all European Union member states from 1970 onwards. This work will provide an important input to policy evaluation, in particular for the assessment of the goals concerning competitiveness and economic growth potential as established by the Lisbon and Barcelona summit goals. The database should facilitate the sustainable production of high quality statistics using the methodologies of national accounts and input-output analysis. The input measures will include various categories of capital, labour, energy, material and service inputs. Productivity measures will be developed, in particular with growth accounting techniques. Several measures on knowledge creation will also be constructed. Substantial methodological and data research on these measures will be carried out to improve international comparability. There will be ample attention for the development of a flexible database structure, and for the progressive implementation of the database in official statistics over the course of the project. The database will be used for analytical and policy-related purposes, in particular by studying the relationship between skill formation, technological progress and innovation on the one hand, and productivity, on the other. To facilitate this type of analysis a link will also be sought with existing micro (firm level) databases. The balance in academic, statistical and policy input in this project is realised by the participation of 15 organisations from across the EU, representing a mix of academic institutions and national economic policy research institutes and with the support from various statistical offices and the OECD. This project is funded by the European Commission, Research Directorate General as part of the 6th Framework Programme, Priority 8, "Policy Support and Anticipating Scientific and Technological Needs". The 2017 update of the EU KLEMS database has been funded by the European Commission under the service contract ECFIN-163-2015/SI2.716986 for the 'Provision of updated EU KLEMS-type data for growth and productivity analysis'. Any errors or omissions are entirely the responsibility of The Conference Board. For comments and suggestions please send an email to [email protected]