Network Governance at the Firm and Network Level: Goals, Routines, and Social Mechanisms

This article contributes to the general understanding of governance in networks and the achievement of private and common goals. Integrating transaction costs and social network theory, a simple integrated framework is provided for understanding why firms collaborate and under which conditions they establish durable networks that succeed in achieving goals. Network theory is extended by explicitly distinguishing between firm and network level governance, and by identifying governance mechanisms that adapt, coordinate, and safeguard customized exchanges. This way issues as how networks evolve, how they are governed, and ultimately, how collective outcomes might be generated can be better comprehended. This is especially relevant to policy planners and those having a perspective that goes beyond the performance of individual organizations.network governance, social network theory, governance mechanisms., Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Food Security and Poverty, Industrial Organization, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods,

Initial spare parts assortment decision making for rolling stock maintenance: a structured approach

Design for maintenance and maintenance operations become increasingly important in recent years. In the capital-intensive industry, maintenance expenditures can add up to several times the initial investment. In order to be competitive in their business, owners and users of these capital goods have to take into account the total life cycle cost at investment (the lifespan of a train is about 30 years), the renewal decisions for their installations and the logistic management of the spare parts. Erroneous or unstructured initial spare parts assortment decision-making part of the logistic management can lead to undesired downtime and increases the risk of obsolete or unavailable components. Decision making is further complicated by non- existent data in the early design phase and several information management problems. Based on a case study at NedTrain (the largest maintainer of rolling stock in the Netherlands) and literature review a Decision Support Model to structure and to improve the initial spare part assortment for the rolling stock maintenance is proposed

Corporate Social Communication and Corporate Social Performance

The purpose of this paper is to provide firms in the food and agricultural sector a model that enables them to assess their corporate social initiatives in conjunction with their stakeholders. Building on the concepts of corporate social responsibility (CSR), corporate social performance (CSP) and the relational view the paper argues that firms can improve the results of their corporate social initiatives by setting up a dialogue with their stakeholders and to relate this to their internal organizational delivery system. The CSP model is based on the SERVQUAL methodology. The model addresses how a potential (mis)match between a firm’s CSR initiative and stakeholders expectations and experiences is related to four gaps in the firm’s internal organizational delivery system and how this effects the firm’s CSP. CSP measurement is a fundamental part of a firm’s strategy if one accepts the tenet that firm survival and growth depends on the ability of firms to meet the needs of their stakeholders and to manage corporate image. It is to the firm to make stakeholder’s expectations transparent and plan action in alignment with the firm’s business strategy. The paper contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of CSP measurement by linking a firm’s CSP to the firm’s delivery system. It addresses how CSP can evolve over time by putting the dialogue with stakeholders central

Dynamics in Inter-Firm Collaboration: The Impact of Alliance Capabilities on Performance

In this study we question the direct relationship between a firm’s alliance capability and alliance performance. We contend that this relationship is mediated through post-information factors such as alliance management and relational quality.Drawing from the Resource Based View a model is presented that explicates these indirect relationships. Partial least squares analysis was used to test three hypotheses, using a sample of Dutch alliance managers responsible for non‐equity alliances in agribusiness and the food industry. Our empirical findings affirm the hypothesized indirect relationships between a firm’s alliance capability and alliance performance

Agrarisch ondernemerschap in een bedrijfskundig perspectief

The aim of this study is to gain insight into the relations which leads to financial success. These relations concern the environment of the organization and levels of management levels of management and financial success and finally the environment of the organization' and financial succes. When insight is gained into these relations one can improve management in such a way that the best fit between environment and management can be obtained in order to get optimal financial results. The research was carried out in the pot-plant nursery branch. For this purpose these three variables were defined, measured and their interrelations analyzed. The measurement tools have been tested on validity and reliability. Hypotheses have been formulated and tested. The observation sessions were conducted at thirty nine pot-plant nurseries. The hypotheses concern the interrelations between complexity of the organization, personal traits of the entrepreneur, level of management and financial success.</p

Newspaper commentaries on terrorism in China and Australia: A contrastive genre study

This thesis is a contrastive genre study which explores newspaper commentaries on terrorism in Chinese and Australian newspapers. The study examines the textual patterning of the Australian and Chinese commentaries, interpersonal and intertextual features of the texts as well as considers possible contextual factors which might contribute to the formation of the newspaper commentaries in the two different languages and cultures. For the framework of its analysis, the study draws on systemic functional linguistics, English for Specific Purposes and new rhetoric genre studies, critical discourse analysis, and discussions of the role of the mass media in the two different cultures. The study reveals that Chinese writers often use explanatory rather than argumentative expositions in their newspaper commentaries. They seem to distance themselves from outside sources and seldom indicate endorsement of these sources. Australian writers, on the other hand, predominantly use argumentative expositions to argue their points of view. They integrate and manipulate outside sources in various ways to establish and provide support for the views they express. It is argued that these textual and intertextual practices are closely related to contextual factors, especially the roles of the media and opinion discourse in contemporary China and Australia. The study, by providing both a textual and contextual view of the genre under investigation in the two languages and cultures, aims to establish a framework for contrastive rhetoric research which moves beyond the text into the context of production and interpretation of the texts as a way of exploring reasons for the linguistic and rhetorical choices made in the two sets of texts