The Dynamics of Global E-Commerce: an Organizational Ecology Perspective

Purpose - A classical model of organizational ecology dynamics which is utilized to characterize an ecosystem called the internet is proposed and a parallel is drawn between the population ecology model and the current global e-commerce environment. Design/methodology/approach - Survivorship theory is applied to global e-commerce. The Verhulst-Pearl logistic equation can be used to describe the inhibition of growth within an ecosystem. The approach is to apply the Verhulst-Pearl logistic equation to describe international growth dynamics of the internet. Findings - When applying the Verhulst-Pearl equation to the internet environment around the world, the number of domain names or host counts, the rate at which there is an increase or decrease in the number of domain names, and the availability of information technology infrastructure are all factors that are part of the equation. The model of population dynamics presented in our discussion lends itself to the description of the current pattern of growth within the internet environment. Practical implications - The application of population ecology to international growth dynamics describes the long-term survival and differentiation strategies that impact success. The next evolution of firms on the internet, which may be the ultimate survivors, should follow the path characterized as low cost producers with a focus on meeting the needs of the consumers on the internet. An ecological approach allows managers to ascertain the effectiveness of their organizations in the internet environment and accordingly devise strategies to embrace changes and challenges of the global environment. Originality/value - The population ecology conceptual framework offers promise for a more sophisticated and methodologically rigorous approach to future investigations by both researchers and practitioners. The operationalization of the organizational ecology model for application to the internet is an extension of the literature

The Assurance of Learning Tool as Predictor and Criterion in Business School Admissions Decisions: New Use for an Old Standard?

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business incorporates program assessment as an integral part of the accreditation process. Assessment tools created to meet assurance of learning standards, however, must go beyond grades and measure student learning directly. The author shows that an in-house assessment tool predicted student learning and correlated well with admissions criteria used to select students into an MBA program. Specifically, assessment exam scores from 182 MBA students correlated 0.47 with their final MBA grades. The assessment exam scores themselves were also well predicted by student GMAT scores and undergraduate grades. The results show that assurance of learning assessment tools can be useful for more than just accreditation decisions. (Contains 2 tables.

The Dynamics of Global E-Commerce: an Organizational Ecology Perspective

Purpose - A classical model of organizational ecology dynamics which is utilized to characterize an ecosystem called the internet is proposed and a parallel is drawn between the population ecology model and the current global e-commerce environment. Design/methodology/approach - Survivorship theory is applied to global e-commerce. The Verhulst-Pearl logistic equation can be used to describe the inhibition of growth within an ecosystem. The approach is to apply the Verhulst-Pearl logistic equation to describe international growth dynamics of the internet. Findings - When applying the Verhulst-Pearl equation to the internet environment around the world, the number of domain names or host counts, the rate at which there is an increase or decrease in the number of domain names, and the availability of information technology infrastructure are all factors that are part of the equation. The model of population dynamics presented in our discussion lends itself to the description of the current pattern of growth within the internet environment. Practical implications - The application of population ecology to international growth dynamics describes the long-term survival and differentiation strategies that impact success. The next evolution of firms on the internet, which may be the ultimate survivors, should follow the path characterized as low cost producers with a focus on meeting the needs of the consumers on the internet. An ecological approach allows managers to ascertain the effectiveness of their organizations in the internet environment and accordingly devise strategies to embrace changes and challenges of the global environment. Originality/value - The population ecology conceptual framework offers promise for a more sophisticated and methodologically rigorous approach to future investigations by both researchers and practitioners. The operationalization of the organizational ecology model for application to the internet is an extension of the literature

Millennial Research on Fleek: Suggestions for Improving Generational Research Design

This special issue will examine and embrace the uniqueness of millennials. We look at a number of issues related to this generational cohort, examining what makes them unique, challenging and even assets to those they come into contact with in their lives. In our opening article we discuss the unique attributes of millennials, provide researchers a framework for generational research best practices, and provide an overview of the articles featured in this special issue

Investment Behavior and the Small Firm Effect

Our purpose in this review is to develop one explanation of market behavior which is consistent with the many empirical findings that appear to be inconsistent with the market efficiency hypothesis. To date, researchers have attempted to reconcile their empirical results with market efficiency based on either measurement error or structural inefficiencies. We propose a different approach to market efficiency. We posit that the empirical findings previous researchers report are by their nature ex post, and are a direct result of a market which is best described as efficient. We develop a model and provide a simulation to support this explanation

A Strategic Conceptualization Of The IT Outsourcing Decision And The Role Of Teams

We examine how organizational, individual, and team factors affect team-based judgment of value for outsourcing information technology (IT) services.  The study of team-based judgment of value is important because team designs are growing in popularity to support the customization of IT services to meet larger, organizational objectives.  A strategic reconceptualization of how IT outsourcing decisions are operationalized through team-based judgments of value is fundamental for understanding how organizational objectives, work requirements, and contractual conditions are framed and executed.

Sustainable Competitive Advantage of Internet Firms - A Strategic Framework and Implications for Global Marketers

Purpose – At the core of an international marketing strategy is the internet firm’s goal of building and sustaining a competitive advantage. The purpose of this paper is to present an integrative framework to explain the role that customer behavior and customer relationship management (CRM) play in developing a profitable, sustainable competitive advantage for internet companies. Design/methodology/approach – The integrative framework utilizes existing theoretical concepts from the areas of strategy and internet marketing and develops a framework to provide firms with insights into how they can gain the competitive advantage. Findings – This paper links global customer behavior to the firms’ business value chain and provides guidelines for strategic implications. In this conceptual paper, it is discussed that understanding consumer decision-making behavior on the web and managing these relationships are critically important to achieve a superior performance. Research limitations/implications – This is not empirical research. A theoretical model is presented for future testing by researchers using statistical techniques such as structural equation modeling. Practical implications – The framework provides managerial insights into building and sustaining a competitive advantage using a consumer-centric approach, coupled with CRM technology on a global scale. Managerial value is derived by providing an understanding of the link between a sustainable competitive advantage, customer-focused strategies, consumers’ needs and wants, the firm’s performance, and shareholder value. Originality/value – It is important for global marketers to understand how consumer decision-making on the web affects strategic and financial performance. This paper extends the current literature by integrating consumer decision behavior on the web, CRM, and the firms’ performance. This framework explains the creation of a sustainable competitive advantage using customer-focused strategies to develop customer loyalty for superior firm performance

Sustainable Competitive Advantage of Internet Firms - A Strategic Framework and Implications for Global Marketers

Purpose – At the core of an international marketing strategy is the internet firm’s goal of building and sustaining a competitive advantage. The purpose of this paper is to present an integrative framework to explain the role that customer behavior and customer relationship management (CRM) play in developing a profitable, sustainable competitive advantage for internet companies. Design/methodology/approach – The integrative framework utilizes existing theoretical concepts from the areas of strategy and internet marketing and develops a framework to provide firms with insights into how they can gain the competitive advantage. Findings – This paper links global customer behavior to the firms’ business value chain and provides guidelines for strategic implications. In this conceptual paper, it is discussed that understanding consumer decision-making behavior on the web and managing these relationships are critically important to achieve a superior performance. Research limitations/implications – This is not empirical research. A theoretical model is presented for future testing by researchers using statistical techniques such as structural equation modeling. Practical implications – The framework provides managerial insights into building and sustaining a competitive advantage using a consumer-centric approach, coupled with CRM technology on a global scale. Managerial value is derived by providing an understanding of the link between a sustainable competitive advantage, customer-focused strategies, consumers’ needs and wants, the firm’s performance, and shareholder value. Originality/value – It is important for global marketers to understand how consumer decision-making on the web affects strategic and financial performance. This paper extends the current literature by integrating consumer decision behavior on the web, CRM, and the firms’ performance. This framework explains the creation of a sustainable competitive advantage using customer-focused strategies to develop customer loyalty for superior firm performance

The L&E of Intellectual Property – Do we get maximum innovation with the current regime?

Innovation is crucial to economic growth – the essential path for lifting much of the world population out of dire poverty and for maintaining the living standard of those who already have. To stimulate innovation, the legal system has to support the means through which innovators seek to get rewarded for their efforts. Amongst these means, some, such as the first mover advantage or 'lead time,' are not directly legal; but secrets and intellectual property rights are legal institutions supported for the specific purpose of stimulating innovation. Whilst the protection of secrets has not changed very much over recent years, intellectual property (or IP) has. IP borrows some features from ordinary property rights, but is also distinct, in that, unlike physical goods, information, the object of IP, is not inherently scarce; indeed as information and communication technologies expand, the creation and distribution of information is becoming ever cheaper and in many circumstances abundant, so that selection is of the essence ('on the internet, point of view is everything'). Where rights on information extend too far, their monopolising effect may hamper innovation. The paper investigates the underlying structure of IP rights and surveys what we know empirically about the incentive effects of IP as about industries that flourish without formal IP

Human sterile alpha motif domain 9, a novel gene identified as down-regulated in aggressive fibromatosis, is absent in the mouse

BACKGROUND: Neoplasia can be driven by mutations resulting in dysregulation of transcription. In the mesenchymal neoplasm, aggressive fibromatosis, subtractive hybridization identified sterile alpha motif domain 9 (SAMD9) as a substantially down regulated gene in neoplasia. SAMD9 was recently found to be mutated in normophosphatemic familial tumoral calcinosis. In this study, we studied the gene structure and function of SAMD9, and its paralogous gene, SAMD9L, and examined these in a variety of species. RESULTS: SAMD9 is located on human chromosome 7q21.2 with a paralogous gene sterile alpha motif domain 9 like (SAMD9L) in the head-to-tail orientation. Although both genes are present in a variety of species, the orthologue for SAMD9 is lost in the mouse lineage due to a unique genomic rearrangement. Both SAMD9 and SAMD9L are ubiquitously expressed in human tissues. SAMD9 is expressed at a lower level in a variety of neoplasms associated with β-catenin stabilization, such as aggressive fibromatosis, breast, and colon cancers. SAMD9 and SAMD9L contain an amino-terminal SAM domain, but the remainder of the predicted protein structure does not exhibit substantial homology to other known protein motifs. The putative protein product of SAMD9 localizes to the cytoplasm. In vitro data shows that SAMD9 negatively regulates cell proliferation. Over expression of SAMD9 in the colon cancer cell line, SW480, reduces the volume of tumors formed when transplanted into immune-deficient mice. CONCLUSION: SAMD9 and SAMD9L are a novel family of genes, which play a role regulating cell proliferation and suppressing the neoplastic phenotype. This is the first report as far as we know about a human gene that exists in rat, but is lost in mouse, due to a mouse specific rearrangement, resulting in the loss of the SAMD9 gene