IDENTIFICATION OF ECONOMIES OF SCOPE IN A STOCHASTIC PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENT

This paper extends the definition of economies of scope to multioutput firms that face an uncertain production environment. Identification of economies of scope in this environment, however, requires separability assumptions on the technology. These identification restrictions are demonstrated in the paper, and for each identification restriction the definition of economies of scope is generalized to the case of uncertain production and risk aversion.Production Risk, Multioutput, Production, Identification, Risk and Uncertainty,

Impact of strategy, HRM Strength and HRM bundles on innovation performance and organizational performance

This study uses structural equation modeling to test a model of the impact of human resource management bundles on perceived organizational performance and innovation performance, on a large sample of companies. Strategic management orientation and innovation as a strategic factor are proposed to influence the existence of two types of HR bundles, functional flexibility and performance management, as well as contributing to stronger HR systems. HRM Strength, which integrates the metafeatures of an HRM system and provides a common interpretation of organizational goals, has a strong positive impact on both innovation and organizational performances. Finally, while both the functional flexibility and performance management bundles have a positive impact on organizational performance, they do not seem to affect innovation performance.

Dynamical evolution of V-type photometric candidates in the outer Main-belt

V-type asteroids, characterized by two absorption bands at 1.0 and 2.0 $\mu m$, are usually thought to be portions of the crust of differentiated or partially differentiated bodies. Most V-type asteroids are found in the inner main belt and are thought to be current or past members of the Vesta dynamical family. Recently, several V-type photometric candidates have been identified in the central and outer main belt. While the dynamical evolution of V-type photometric candidates in the central main belt has been recently investigated, less attention has been given to the orbital evolution of basaltic material in the outer main belt as a whole. Here we identify known and new V-type photometric candidates in this region, and study their orbital evolution under the effect of gravitational and non-gravitational forces. A scenario in which a minimum of three local sources, possibly associated with the parent bodies of (349) Dembowska, (221) Eos, and (1459) Magnya, could in principle explain the current orbital distribution of V-type photometric candidates in the region.Comment: This paper has 6 figures and 1 table. Accepted for publication in MNRAS. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1401.633

Writing new scripts: redefining managerial agency in Cuba

Transitional societies are faced with particularly challenging and pressing problems. These usually involve the passage from a centralised, socialist-based society, to a decentralised, market-based economy. This paper addresses a somewhat different case: that of Cuba. According to the official discourse, the island is not in a state of transition. On the contrary, it is assumed that the conquests of the revolution are there to stay. Nonetheless, significant changes are taking place. The market logic is being adopted in a growing number of cases, ranging from empresas mixtas to the weak signals of entrepreneurial activity. Drawing on a series of eight focus groups with a total of 106 Cuban executives and management scholars, this paper addresses the uniqueness of the Cuban case on the basis of the theory of structuration. The paper reports how the need to keep the faith is being added with the adoption of Western management practices, and how the interplay between planned and emergent change is sculpting transition through the redefinition of managerial scripts.Cuba, managerial scripts, agency, structuration theory, focus groups

The dynamics of managerial ideology: analyzing the cuban case

After the collapse of state socialism in Eastern Europe, management researchers devoted considerable energy to investigate ways to smooth transition to market economies. But one country of the former Soviet bloc, Cuba resisted transition and reaffirmed loyalty to communism. Little is known about management in Cuba on the managerial impacts of the combination of two major environmental forces: the American embargo and the Soviet Union collapse, both of which have challenged the sustainability of the communist regime. This study intends to approach one particular aspect of management in Cuba: the relationship between national ideology and management practice. To analyze these topics, direct qualitative data from focus groups with Cuban managers and management professors was obtained and complemented with documentary analysis. Results suggest that the dynamics of managerial ideology can be understood as the interplay of several processes operating at distinct levels: institutional, professional, organizational and individual. The study provides a nested, multi-level understanding of management and organization as parts of a wider institutional context, which is both a source of constraint and a non-tangible resource to be used by ideological bricoleurs. The interplay between the acceptance of ideology and its use as a practical resource is a potential source of change. As such, the same professional class (managers) may be both a source of continuity and a trigger of change - a finding that is line with institutional theorys claim that it is necessary to understand both institutionalization and de-institutionalization for understanding organizational change and continuity.Cuba, managerial ideology, institutional change, ideological bricolage

Paths to positivity: exploring the dynamics of positive organizing

This paper advances a theory about the way patterns of positive and negative organizing unfold. It is grounded in data collected from 58 individuals. We followed an inductive logic and used critical incidents to collect information on positive and negative processes and outcomes. From this we extracted six dimensions, which are present in different combinations in the 116 incidents narrated by the participants: recognition/ indifference, communication/silence, interaction/separation, confidence/distrust, loyalty/betrayal, and organizational transparency/organizational secrecy. We then analyzed how these dimensions fit together and discovered that they could be organized around four major patterns combining the clarity/opacity of organizational rules and the considerate/ detached behavior of leaders. We assert that positive leaders are essential in the creation of positive organizations, regardless of the features of the external context.positive organizing; organizational energy; leadership

What is an "exemplary workplace"? Evidence from Cuba

Management researchers and practitioners have developed a marked interest for the notion of “good companies to work for”, “exemplary workplaces”, “meaningful work”, “virtuous organization”, “truly healthy organizations” or “authentizotic organizations”. We complement the previous studies, conducted in the context of capitalistic economies, with an analysis of the representation of the “exemplary organization” in the context of a communist country, Cuba. An inductive study with 39 managers suggests that some elements of the exemplary workplace profile are heavily influenced by the local conditions (e.g., transportation system), whereas others may be viewed as probably general (social contribution). We also conclude that the balance between material conditions and social issues is a major determinant of how people evaluate the “exemplarity” of their organization.exemplary workplaces; meaning at work; Cuba