Janet S. Adams

Role Model Performance Effects on Development of Entrepreneurial Career Preference

Critics of the trait approach to the study of entrepreneurship have called for adaptation of theory from other disciplines to explain entrepreneurial behavior. This study responds by focusing on the first step in the process by which entrepreneurial career preference is developed. Social Learning Theory was used to investigate the link between a parent role model and development of preference for an entrepreneurial career. Results indicated that presence of a parent entrepreneurial role model was associated with increased education and training aspirations, task self-efficacy, and expectancy for an entrepreneurial career. Two dimensions of entrepreneurial career preference, entrepreneurial preparedness and expectancy, were identified.

Ethics in Family and Non-Family Owned Firms: An Exploratory Study

Limited research on ethics in family business leads to competing arguments regarding whether family firms are more, less or equally as ethical as non-family controlled firms. Comparing structured interview data from 214 respondents in family firms with a proportionally matched sample of 230 respondents in non-family-owned firms, we found few—but important—differences in ethics-related attitudes, behavior and experiences. Fewer family-owned businesses had formal codes of ethics. They were more likely to employ informal methods to promote ethical behavior, with role modeling of expected behaviors regarded as more important than in non-family firms.

DIMENSIONALITY OF COPING: FACTOR STABILITY USING THE WAYS OF COPING QUESTIONNAIRE

This study presents convergent support for the use of five empirically constructed factors from the “Ways of Coping Questionnaire.” Five coping factors were congruent with the factors reported in a study conducted by Folkman and Lazarus in 1985. The results support a concept of coping as defined by the factors, for student populations. Researchers need to explore different coping contexts to facilitate research and increase our knowledge of coping processes.

Developing Entrepreneurial Behaviours: A Social Learning Theory Perspective

Research on entrepreneurial behaviour has been largely descriptive in nature. Critics of the field have called for an interdisciplinary approach to build theory. A social learning theory framework is proposed for explanation and prediction of entrepreneurial development. Research questions are posed and a model developed to guide future enquiry.

Development and validation of a Scale measuring Attitudes toward Smoking

Abstract The authors developed the Smoking Attitudes Scale (SAS) and administered it to 2 samples of U.S. students who were smokers or nonsmokers. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis with LISREL (K. G. Jöreskog & D. Sörbom, 1989) methodology revealed that the SAS consists of 4 factors. The overall instrument possesses good internal consistency and adequate construct validity as well.

Challenges in Teaching Business Ethics: Using Role Set Analysis of Early Career Dilemmas

Emphasis in business ethics texts and courses has generally focused on corporate and other relatively high-level ethical issues. However, business school graduates in early career stages report ethical dilemmas involving individual-level decisions, often including influence attempts from one or more members of their work role sets. This paper proposes the use of role set analysis as a pedagogical technique for helping individuals to anticipate and deal with early-career ethical issues.

Effects of Self-Appraisal Information, Appraisal Purpose, and Feedback Target on Performance Appraisal Ratings

This experiment investigated the effects of three factors on performance appraisal ratings: self-appraisal information, appraisal purpose, and feedback target. Two hundred and three subjects rated a subordinates performance on a clerical task subsequent to receiving either a high or low self-assessment. They were told they would provide performance feedback either to the experimenter (organizational agent) or their subordinate, and their ratings would be used either for an administrative decision or developmental feedback. Performance ratings were significantly higher when subjects received a favorable subordinate self-assessment than when self-assessments were unfavorable. A significant interaction was found between feedback target and the appraisal purpose. Implications for the use of self-appraisals in organizations were discussed.

Research on Working Women: A Report Card of 22 Journals

The study was part of an official project of the Women in Management Division of the Academy of Management to examine the status of research in gender issues in organizations. It specifically looked at 22 major scholarly and trade journals plus the Proceedings of the Academy of Management for the six-year period of 1983–1988 to determine quantity, patterns, and trends in publication of research on issues of interest to the domain of the division. Results show a downward trend in gender-issue publication at a time when working women are becoming an ever-increasing percentage of the work force. This is particularly true of the so-called prestige journals. Psychology journals accounted for 64% of the total, management 13.4%, personnel 19%, and Proceedings 3.5%. Implications for research and careers are discussed.

Accreditation and Academic Professionalism in Business Administration.

Abstract Responses of a sample of professors were examined to determine the effect of being in an AACSB-accredited school versus a school not accredited by AACSB on publications records, total articles published, and perceptions of the effects of poublishing on careers. Respondents in AACSB schools published more articles and saw a significantly greater impact of such publishing on salary, tenure, promotion, and collegiality than did those from non-AACSB-accredited schools. There was a negative relationship between the number of courses taught (whether on the quarter or semester basis) and research productivity during the 5-year period.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities for the Market Economy: An Investigation of Student Perceptions Before and After China's WTO Entry

This exploratory study conducted in the Peoples Republic of China sought to determine the managerial knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) that are perceived as important for the Chinese market economy. Questionnaire responses were collected from 145 business students in 2001 (before Chinas WTO entry) and 141 business students in 2006 (after Chinas WTO entry). The identified set of eight managerial knowledge, skills, and abilities included: business area knowledge and skills, communication skills, creativity/adaptability, ethics, leadership, problem solving, teamwork, and work habits. For each time period examined, the mean score for “importance” of each KSA was significantly higher than the mean score for “presence.” The differences between the importance mean and the presence mean for each KSA was denoted as a “gap.” This study revealed that five of the eight KSAs had a significantly smaller gap in 2006 than in 2001. This suggests that the business education system in China is enabling the development of more effective managers for the Chinese market economy.