Japan Banking Inc.: Problems, Solutions, And Implementation: An Economic And Cultural Perspective

The focus of this paper is to obtain a realistic estimate of real Japanese Bank Losses. The insights gained will include: Factors contributing to bad loans, method of disposal of bad loans, future prescriptions regarding the Early Warning System/Diversion Process will be put forth and conclusions for future economic methods to monitor guide turnaround

Strategies For Mass Customization

Mass customization allows firms to produce only things their customers want (or produce after they have orders in hand). This approach, make-to-order, brings many benefits to firms in terms of cost and profit because of lower inventory levels, maximum sales, elimination of material waste, flexible production and, most of all, customer satisfaction. However, mass customization may not be the panacea for all organizations. While some companies are very successful with mass customization, others are not.  This paper illustrates that mass customization strategies depend on an understanding of the conditions in each industry

Strategies For Mass Customization

Mass customization allows firms to produce only things their customers want (or produce after they have orders in hand). This approach, make-to-order, brings many benefits to firms in terms of cost and profit because of lower inventory levels, maximum sales, elimination of material waste, flexible production and, most of all, customer satisfaction. However, mass customization may not be the panacea for all organizations. While some companies are very successful with mass customization, others are not.  This paper illustrates that mass customization strategies depend on an understanding of the conditions in each industry

Aligning Public Sector Agencies: Revisiting Luftman\u27s Enablers and Inhibitors of Alignment

This paper discusses the results of a research study in the alignment of Business Strategy with Information Systems and Technology (IS/IT) in government. A qualitative research method was used to examine social enablers of alignment in six government agencies. The paper contrasts the findings with the study of Luftman et al (1999) that identified several important enablers and inhibitors of alignment using data collected from 500 company executives. The results show that management support is an important social enabler of alignment that includes literacy in technical matters and cohesive decision-making that comes from sound business and IS relationships. A business planning style that involves business and technical staff, and open business plan communications that engages internal and external stakeholders, were also found to be social enablers of alignment

A walnut-containing meal had similar effects on early satiety, CCK, and PYY, but attenuated the postprandial GLP-1 and insulin response compared to a nut-free control meal.

Regular nut consumption is associated with lower adiposity and reduced weight gain in adulthood. Walnut feeding studies have observed minimal effect on body weight despite potential additional energy intake. Several mechanisms may explain why consuming nuts promotes weight control, including increased early phase satiety, possibly reflected in postprandial response of gastrointestinal and pancreatic peptides hypothesized to affect appetite. The purpose of this study was to compare postprandial insulin, glucagon and gastrointestinal peptide response and satiety following a meal with ∼54% of energy from walnuts or cream cheese, using a within-subject crossover study design in overweight/obese adults (N = 28). Sixty minutes after the walnut-containing meal, glucagon-like peptide-1 was lower than after the reference meal (p=0.0433), and peptide YY, cholecystokinin and ghrelin did not differ after the two meals. Sixty and 120 min after the walnut-containing meal, pancreatic polypeptide (p = 0.0014 and p = 0.0002) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0079) were lower than after the reference meal, and 120 min after the walnut-containing meal, glucagon was higher (p=0.0069). Insulin and C-peptide increased at 60 min in response to both meals but were lower at 120 min after the walnut-containing meal (p=0.0349 and 0.0237, respectively). Satiety measures were similar after both meals. These findings fail to support the hypothesis that acute postprandial gastrointestinal peptide response to a walnut-containing meal contributes to increased satiety. However, inclusion of walnuts attenuated the postprandial insulin response, which may contribute to the more favorable lipid profile observed in association with regular walnut consumption

Information Systems Foundations: Theory Building in Information Systems

This volume presents the papers from the fifth biennial Information Systems Foundations Workshop, held at The Australian National University in Canberra from 30 September to 1 October 2010. The focus of the workshop was, as for the others in the series, the foundations of information systems as an academic discipline. The emphasis in the 2010 workshop was on theory building in information systems, which is a non-trivial and difficult issue because the field deals with such a wide range of phenomena, from the highly technological in nature to the distinctly human and organisational in focus. The theory building problem stems from the fact that the sciences that underlie and deal with technologically-oriented fields generally result in theories that fit within the ‘covering law’ model—that is, are assumed and believed to have universal applicability and explanatory and predictive power—whereas, by contrast, theories in the human sciences are generally much more conditional, contextual, tentative and open to exceptions. Successfully marrying the two is, not surprisingly, a challenge that the chapters in this volume explore

Corporate Ethics: China vs. USA

Fairness is one of the basic aspects of business exchange.  Ethics are principles used to establish fairness.  This study will look at background and origins for different American and Chinese ethical beliefs.  It is important for U.S. and Chinese firms to understand each other’s cultural perspectives, especially as the Chinese market opens up.  Methods to resolve ethical conflict will be reviewed.  Business agents from both cultures can relate and deal with each other if they have the knowledge, skills, and patience to do so.  This study builds on prior research that suggests that younger Chinese are more concerned with profit than with abiding by regulations or adhering to corporate ethics.  The major argument of this study is that future Chinese business leaders, born after China’s one-child policy was implemented in 1979, will be primarily concerned with self-interest and making decisions that will benefit them individually.  Guanxi (interpersonal connections or human relationships), corporate ethics and social responsibility (CESR) beliefs will be reduced in importance and influence.  American managers should incorporate this information when formulating a “China strategy”

Determination Of The Performance Measure Of Executive Compensation

This paper investigates the principal-agent model of executive compensation through an empirical study of the interaction between CEO compensation and firm performance. As a multi level regression analysis that specifically shows the weight of the variance of the main independent variable, above and over the other independent variables, the stepwise multiple regression is employed to induce a statistical model of the pay-performance sensitivity. The stepwise multiple regression offers insights into the different weight assigned to the performance measure. In this respect, variances of the variables related to the change in the market value of firms are specifically weighted against each other in order to determine specific characteristics of the pay-performance relationship. The analysis is consistent with the agency theory that firm’ executives take advantage of the lack of control by firms’ owners to pursuit their personal interests. As the United States’ economy tumbles, the change in CEO total compensation does not seem to follow the accounting criteria of performance measures typically specified in management compensation contracts. The study reveals a lack of relationship between CEO compensation and firm performance. The link running from the change in the market value of firms and the change in CEO total compensation is flawed. The incentives faced by shareholders to discipline executives would be able to increase the performance of firms. It would be absurd for the compensation committee to rely on the single firms’ total assets value as the performance measure of CEO compensation. Other performance vehicles, such as returns, earnings, and cash flows should be considered in the determination of executive compensation