US foreign trade zones and import intensity examining determinants of import intensity in US foreign trade zones

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Belay Seyoum
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Trade ◽  
Business Strategy ◽  
Major Objective ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Free Trade Zones ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Import Intensity ◽  
Do So

Purpose The paper aims to investigate the effects of several determinants of firm import intensity in US foreign trade zones (FTZs). Even though the major objective for the establishment of US FTZs is to encourage exports by facilitating the duty-free entry of imports, US firms have used it as a gateway to import goods into the US market. Currently, over 90 per cent of US FTZ output is consumed in the USA. The author examines the major determinants for such import intensity in US FTZs. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on a survey that was conducted to explore the factors that influence import intensity of firms operating in US FTZs. Findings The findings reveal that besides export orientation of firms, the most promising predictors of import intensity of firms operating in USA FTZs are the policy environment in the form of inverted tariff benefits and firm business strategy. Practical implications The findings are important for managers presently operating in US FTZs or intend to do so in future. Originality/value Even though there are numerous studies on free trade zones and exports, this is the first study to examine the import intensity of US FTZs and their determinants.

Popular reporting: learning from the US experience

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Manes-Rossi ◽  
Natalia Aversano ◽  
Paolo Tartaglia Polcini
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Legitimacy Theory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The City ◽  
Qualitative Characteristics ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore a citizen-centered tool for public accountability, the popular report (PR). Elaborating on previous studies and on content analysis of a sample of municipalities in the USA, this paper aims to identify the qualitative characteristics and content elements that PR should have to serve as a legitimation tool. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a mixed methodology. After the analysis of previous studies on PR and best practices in US municipalities, a list of content elements and qualitative characteristics of PR is compared with results emerging from the content analysis of PR published by of a sample of municipalities in the USA. Findings The analysis reveals that the PR should embed information about the government’s sources of revenues and taxes, expenditures, cost of government services, liveability and governance of the city. Research limitations/implications The paper offers new knowledge on reporting centered on citizens, framing the analysis in the legitimacy theory. Even though the research relates only to the US context, the results may assist standard setters in preparing guidelines for local governments to communicate financial data to citizens and stimulate further research in other contexts. Practical implications The results may encourage local governments to prepare a PR suitable to discharge accountability and gain legitimation. Originality/value This study is the first to discuss the PR within a theoretical framework, in this case, legitimacy theory. Moreover, a further novelty lays in the analysis carried out on the PRs published by US municipalities in order to derive qualitative characteristics and content elements with which the PR should comply.

Lobbying: a critical dimension of business strategy

2015 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clifford D. Scott
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Business Strategy ◽  
Critical Dimension ◽  
Criminal Code ◽  
Full Spectrum ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Empirical Estimates ◽  
The Us ◽  
Us Government ◽  
The Usa

Purpose – This paper aims to prepare executives to pilot a US lobbying effort within the bounds of the US Federal law. Lobbying law may be thought of as the “regulation of regulation”, as it defines the ground rules for those wishing to have a direct impact upon all other regulatory systems. The article outlines what the US lobbying law requires, what it forbids and, perhaps most important, what the law does NOT regulate. Design/methodology/approach – The paper takes the full spectrum of US laws and regulations relevant to lobbying – including the Internal Revenue Service Code (tax code), the Federal Election Campaign Act, the Ethics in Government Act, the internal rules of both the House and Senate, the US Criminal Code and the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act – and organizes them into a single 2 × 2 matrix, explaining what all parties must do as well as what they must not do. Via this approach, the rules that govern the “marketplace” for lobbying in the USA are explained. The competition to shape US government policy transpires within this marketplace. Findings – Few activities the executive may engage in carry the potential payback of a well-executed lobbying campaign: empirical estimates range to returns on investment in the thousands of per cent. But the uninitiated may easily step over the line and invite both legal and public relations (PR) nightmares. Practical implications – Effective lobbying can afford a corporation or industry a lasting competitive advantage. Every well-rounded business strategy should include such a component, and every well-rounded executive should be capable of performing in this arena. A solid grounding in the legal matrix forming the boundaries of this activity is a prerequisite for effective performance. Originality/value – The paper organizes and outlines lobbying law in a fashion digestible by executives without legal training. It is of value to anyone wishing to engage in lobbying activities targeted at the US Government.

“Oh, stop! You flatter me”: ingratiation in retail settings

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (9) ◽  
pp. 895-915 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ainsworth Anthony Bailey
Keyword(s):  
Critical Incident ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Responses ◽  
Perceptions And Attitudes ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Incident Reports ◽  
Influence Tactic ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – Even though there has been anecdotal evidence regarding the use of ingratiation techniques in retail salesperson-shopper interactions, surprisingly, there has been limited research on the nature of these ingratiatory techniques and their impact on consumers’ perceptions and attitudes. The research reported here was conducted to determine the extent to which different ingratiation techniques that have been identified as techniques used in non-retailing domains are also used by retail salespersons in salesperson-shopper interactions. In addition, it sought to assess whether there are additional ingratiation techniques used by retail salespersons in salesperson-shopper interactions that have not been identified in existing ingratiation literature. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Two studies, drawing on research on ingratiation in other domains, were conducted in pursuit of realising the purpose. Study 1 was a survey involving a sample of 282 participants, which yielded 267 useable critical incident reports and 283 discrete examples of ingratiatory behaviours. Participants responded to various questions including a critical incident question. Cross-tabulations were, for the main part, used in assessing responses. A second survey involving 158 participants was undertaken as a verification study. This Study 2 yielded 144 useable responses. Findings – Based on a critical incident technique (CIT), other enhancement: compliment and praise was the ingratiation technique most frequently cited by participants in the first sample, with product-customer enhancement being second and favour-rendering third. The Study 2 confirmed other enhancement: compliment and praise and product-customer enhancement as the top two techniques. Four new categories of ingratiatory behaviours emerged in retail salesperson-shopper interactions, and many of the ingratiatory behaviours previously identified in non-retailing contexts also exist in this retailing context. Research limitations/implications – Both samples are US samples, and the method used was the CIT. Though the US samples are appropriate for this study, the study could be extended to other groups and across cultures, to see whether cultural differences in the use of, and consumer responses to, ingratiation techniques exist. The study also did not look at the retail salespeople’s perspectives regarding the use of these techniques. Hence further research should address dyadic interpretations of a single ingratiatory encounter; and efforts should also be made to assess how consumers respond to ingratiation in retailing. Practical implications – The studies result in a classification of the influence techniques used most often in retail settings in the USA. Retailers should be aware that customers may, therefore, expect certain kinds of influence tactics and may not respond in the same way when there is a departure from a “customary” influence tactic. Originality/value – Not much research has explored the different kinds of ingratiation techniques used in retail contexts; nor has the stream of research sought to categorise them.

Organizational processes for B2B services IMC data quality

2014 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debra Zahay ◽  
James Peltier ◽  
Anjala S. Krishen ◽  
Don E. Schultz
Keyword(s):  
Data Quality ◽  
Corporate Culture ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Rates Of Return ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Customer Data ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Cross Platform ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Do So

Purpose – The objective of this paper is to investigate IMC metrics in the lens of an institution-wide change management process, and to do so, the authors develop and test an organizational data quality enhancement model. Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative research was conducted, with a follow-on quantitative pre-test. A subsequent, larger-scale quantitative survey resulted in a total of 128 responses, 124 useable. A regression analysis was conducted using the factor scores of the six organizational dimensions as independent variables and overall data quality as the dependent variable. Findings – The findings show that overcoming poor IMC data quality requires a corporate culture that reduces cross-functional and departmental divides. The authors also support the idea that horizontally organized learning organizations not only have superior IMC data, but they also achieve higher rates of return on their cross-platform IMC efforts. Research limitations/implications – The research has limitations in terms of substantive generalizability, since it focuses on one industry within the USA. Future research can expand to other industries and expand to a global setting in order to replicate these findings. Practical implications – Most improvement seems to be needed in the area of sharing customer data. The findings provide a signal to marketing organizations that want to connect with their customers that data quality must be a strategic priority, with appropriate processes in place to manage data at every touch point. Originality/value – Research is needed that establishes effective methods for measuring the success of data-driven communication efforts to support management.

A review of angel investing research: analysis of data and returns in the US and abroad

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 716-734 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael B. McDonald ◽  
Ramon P. DeGennaro
Keyword(s):  
Investment Project ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Us ◽  
Angel Investing ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Research Analysis ◽  
Angel Investors

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the literature on angel investors. Research on angel investors is sparse because data are sparse. Most comprehensive studies of angel investors have focused on the USA and UK. In these studies, definitions of angel investors and estimates of returns on angel investments vary dramatically. What can one make of this wide range of reported returns? Design/methodology/approach The authors examine the literature and find that the calculations of reported results are vague. Findings Most researchers do not explicitly report if their estimates are equal-weighted or value-weighted, nor do they say whether the results are weighted by the duration of the investment. The authors show that the unit of analysis – investment, project or angel – affects interpretations. Practical implications Limitations on the comparability between various studies of angel investing returns leave the current literature incomplete. They also offer opportunities for future study in the area. Originality/value The authors are the first to examine the angel investing literature in a comprehensive fashion, comparing between various returns found across all major studies of the subject done to date.

Selling structured products to retail investors in the US

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 59-63
Author(s):  
Margaret Sheehan
Keyword(s):  
Financial Services ◽  
Regulatory Agencies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Structured Products ◽  
The Us ◽  
Retail Investors ◽  
Investment Advisers ◽  
And Control ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Do So

Purpose To explain the inherent risks, draw attention to SEC and FINRA guidance, and suggest ways to limit and control the sale of structured securities to retail investors. Design/methodology/approach Explains potential problems with the sale of structured securities to retail investors; recommends marketing, disclosure, training, suitability, and supervision guidelines; summarizes the results of an SEC sweep examination; draws conclusions. Findings Both the SEC and FINRA have stopped short of saying that retail sales of structured products is unsuitable per se, but both have demonstrated unease about this activity and clearly indicated that firms who engage in it have heightened and specific disclosure, training, suitability and supervisory obligations. Practical implications Although firms certainly can sell these products in the retail market in a responsible and compliant manner, they should do so with thought, preparation and caution, because the regulatory agencies are watching. Originality/value Practical guidance from experienced financial services and securities lawyer concentrating on investment advisers and broker-dealers.

Deconstructing heritage: enabling a dynamic materials practice

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-28
Author(s):  
Tina M. McCarthy ◽  
Eleni Evdokia Glekas
Keyword(s):  
Content Type ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
Sustainable Community Development ◽  
Dynamic Materials ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Industry Practice ◽  
Critical Heritage ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address a gap in current heritage practice within the USA, as defined by the US Secretary of Interior’s Standards, which offers no treatment for a building entering the end of its lifecycle. Design/methodology/approach Building on research conducted for “Deconstructing the Culture of Demolition,” Master of Design Studies thesis completed in 2018, this paper seeks to better understand how deconstruction industry practice could be changed by the inclusion of heritage values through a case study of the sustainability non-profit Emergent Structures of Savanah, Georgia. Findings The benefits of replacing demolition with deconstruction extend beyond the preservation of materials alone. Applying critical heritage theories to deconstruction practice addresses challenging issues in the discipline, such as mutability of heritage objects and equity in heritage practice. Deconstruction redefines the concept of death in the built environment, harnessing its energy to serve the heritage goals of memory, revival and sustainable community development. Practical implications The findings are based on real-world practice, linking heritage methodology to deconstruction practice. These examples will be useful to preservation professionals who deal with demolition in the course of their work, to rethink the idea of waste and value in heritage practice. Originality/value This paper explores best practices in promoting heritage value and community engagement through deconstruction. This insight will promote interdisciplinary communication around historic materials and their treatment, which remains unexplored in both deconstruction and heritage research.

Healthcare fraud under the microscope: improving its prevention

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 1039-1061 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole F. Stowell ◽  
Martina Schmidt ◽  
Nathan Wadlinger
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Insurance Companies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Us Economy ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Health Institutions ◽  
The Government ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to make readers aware of the extensiveness of healthcare fraud in the USA and how it involves and affects the government, healthcare providers, insurance companies, patients and the public. In addition, recommendations are made that may help control this pervasive type of fraud. Design/methodology/approach A range of different journal publications, information from government health institutions and law enforcement websites, healthcare fraud cases and healthcare laws are used as a basis to provide information about how fraudsters are committing healthcare fraud and how to prevent this fraud from occurring. Findings Despite increased funding and prosecution efforts by the government, healthcare fraud continues to be a major threat to the US economy and public. While healthcare fraud will never be eradicated, specific efforts can be deployed to help rein in these complex fraud schemes. Practical implications The paper provides a useful resource of information on healthcare fraud for healthcare providers, insurance companies, patients and the public that may help combat healthcare fraud and prevent financial losses. Social implications Every dollar saved from combating fraud could be used to improve access to more or better health services and can, thereby, save lives. Originality/value This paper provides recommendations regarding healthcare fraud that could help prevent this large drain on the US economy.

Relative culture

2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Maria Zajenkowska ◽  
Jeffrey M. Zimmerman
Keyword(s):  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
American Expatriates ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Context Dependent ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this study was to advance the understanding of the effect of extraversion on an expatriate's level of contexting (adopting a higher or lower level of context) while abroad. Particularly, this study focused on Polish expatriates in the US and American expatriates in Poland. Design/methodology/approach – The participants were 30 American expatriates living in Poland and 41 Polish expatriates living in the USA. Findings – The results from the regression analysis suggest that extraversion has a different effect on contexting among Polish expatriates than American expatriates, the higher the level of extraversion, the more context dependent the American expatriates were. Moreover, Polish and American expatriates differ in terms of contexting related to the universalism and the particularism dimensions of the seven cultural dimensions from Hampden-Turner and Trompenaars. Originality/value – This advanced understanding led the researchers to give practical implications on the training of expatriates for their abroad assignments.

OCIE issues risk alert on the most frequently identified advisory fee and expense compliance issues

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Robert Van Grover
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Investment Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Informed Decisions ◽  
Policies And Procedures ◽  
The Us ◽  
Investment Advisers ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose To summarize and interpret a Risk Alert issued on April 12, 2018 by the US SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) on the most frequent advisory fee and expense compliance issues identified in recent examinations of investment advisers. Design/methodology/approach Summarizes deficiencies identified by the OCIE staff pertaining to advisory fees and expenses in the following categories: fee billing based on incorrect account valuations, billing fees in advance or with improper frequency, applying incorrect fee rates, omitting rebates and applying discounts incorrectly, disclosure issues involving advisory fees, and adviser expense misallocations. Findings In the Risk Alert, OCIE staff emphasized the importance of disclosures regarding advisory fees and expenses to the ability of clients to make informed decisions, including whether or not to engage or retain an adviser. Practical implications In light of the issues identified in the Risk Alert, advisers should assess the accuracy of disclosures and adequacy of policies and procedures regarding advisory fee billing and expenses. As a matter of best practice, advisers should implement periodic forensic reviews of billing practices to identify and correct issues relating to fee billing and expenses. Originality/value Expert guidance from experienced investment management lawyer.

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