Nader Asgary

Toward a model for international business ethics

This paper briefly examines the topic of business ethics and attempts to suggest a code of ethics for multinational firms. While most companies have basic policies on employee integrity, confidentiality and sexual harassment, relatively few have established policies regarding bribery, exploitive child labor, human rights violations and other issues they may encounter in the global market place (Drake, 1998). Until recently, very few companies had truly global operations. Consequently little attention was paid to the issue of ethical guidelines in a global context. Recent changes in international markets have led to an explosion of corporations with global operations, and the need for a global code of ethics has grown commensurately. In this paper we explore the issue of global business ethics and attempt to provide a framework for future discussion. We also examine some of the unique difficulties surrounding the development of any set of global business standards. Key among these difficulties is the issue of competing ethical values in home and host countries.

Managing expatriate: The role of mentors

Sending key managers on foreign assignments is common practice for multinational and international firms. Although firms spend considerable resources to support expatriates, the return they receive remains disappointing. Current research suggests that expatriates are very likely to cut short their visit, and/or return to dissatisfying careers. Effective mentoring promises to remedy some of these problems, yet few firms seem to implement the mentor concept in practice. Based on depth‐interviews of expatriates, we delineate the mentor’s role both in the home and host office. We also develop a checklist of activities for home‐office mentors.

A cost-benefit analysis of an international dual degree programme

This paper provides a cost benefit analysis of undergraduate and graduate international dual degree programmes, which are relatively new and innovative educational approaches to preparing students to succeed in a contemporary international arena. A comparative model of international educational and experiential systems is offered and examples of two-way and one-way dual degree models are investigated. We conclude that international dual degree models are significantly superior in terms of academic, intellectual and experiential learning; therefore, graduates of these programmes will be better prepared to lead international ventures and serve as global citizens. Dual degree programmes require an institution-wide commitment to succeed in the short and long term. Academic institutions need to be flexible, creative, resourceful and forward thinking in order to successfully adopt and implement dual degree offerings. Most students who choose such programmes are positive risk takers and high achievers. Like any new and innovative initiative, the international dual degree offering has its own learning curve and constraints but offers the potential for a great outcome.

Relative Employment and Earnings of Female Household Heads in Mexico, 1987-1995

This study analyzes the determinants of employment and earnings for female-headed households from 1987 to 1995 in Mexico. During those years, the percentage of female-headed households and their employment rate substantially increased. The paper explores the possible causes for the relative changes in labor market outcomes for both female and male-headed households. We use individual-level household survey data from Mexicos Encuesta nacional de empleo urbano for the third quarter of 1987 and 1995. Our findings show that the gender educational gap substantially closed, the percentage of divorced female household heads increased, and the percentage of widows fell. From 1987 to 1995, the average number of children decreased by about one child (from 4.79 to 3.72). In addition, the wages of female heads grew significantly faster than that of their male counterparts, and this contributed to a reduction in the gender wage gap ratio from 24.9 to 19.3 percent during the 1987-1995 period. Also, we find that from 1987 to 1995, the rate of return to education increases for both male and female household heads, but the rate is higher for males than for females. As we would expect, wages increase with experience but at a decreasing rate. Furthermore, our finding shows that wage premium for being employed in the public sector is much higher for females than for males, and it actually increased from 22.4 percent in 1987 to 30.6 percent by 1995.

The Effects of Governmental Restrictions on Outbound Tourist Expenditures

Without a considered analysis of the costs and benefits of policies that restrict tourist activity, the various parties that influence and are influenced by the development of the tourism industry may be frustrated in their search for productive dialogue and consensus. Although restrictive policies on outbound tourism are common and widespread, little prior work has examined the effectiveness and consequences of such policies. This article evaluates the impacts on outbound tourist behavior of lowered duty-free import limits in the case of Mexican cross-border visitors to the United States. Results suggest that (a) stable cross-border expenditures and compensatory behavior by outbound tourists may limit the effectiveness of restrictions on duty-free imports and that (b) these restrictions may increase overall tourism imports, implying that attempts to restrict or regulate tourist activity may produce results that are the opposite of those intended.

The Agony and the Ecstasy: Current Status of Hispanic Individuals’ Achievement in Higher Education and Earnings—With a Glimpse to the Future

Some projections about Hispanic individuals point to a rosy picture regarding gains in higher educational enrollment. Other studies lament that these gains are, at best, minimal. Although the so-called higher education pie is undoubtedly expanding, this article concludes that Hispanic adults are losing, rather than gaining, educational attainment when compared to Black and White adults.

Archaeological tourism in the Middle East: a community-based resource management model

Although archaeological tourism thrives in some Middle Eastern countries, in nations such as Iraq and Syria current conditions hold the industry back. A community-based resource management (CBRM) strategy of sharing power with the local community is proposed as a means of protecting archaeological treasures and advancing the tourism industry. CBRM can be used to gain the local cooperation needed to pursue the industry in the Middle East and elsewhere.

International boundaries and tourism strategies.

Niagara Falls, an acclaimed natural wonder straddling two countries, provides a convenient means of juxtaposing different tourism strategies. Canada focuses on providing ‘activities’ and adult entertainment while the USA has historically provided opportunities to view nature and (to a lesser extent) to participate in family-oriented festivals. The opening of a Canadian gambling casino in the area, coupled with currency fluctuations, has significantly undercut the US tourism industry. Using an econometric model, strategies for reversing the tourism decline in the USA are discussed. By offering family-oriented festivals, the US tourism industry can gain a differential advantage, because the growth of casino gambling in Canada carries an increasingly ‘adult image’. Catering to gamblers is a ‘niching strategy’ in which other target markets tend to be discounted. By catering to under-served markets, the USA can avoid challenging the Canadians ‘on their own turf’ and, thereby, meet with minimal competition and risk when expanding its tourism industry.

Effective leadership for culturally diverse technology projects

The challenges of managing culturally and globally dispersed teams are examined in a field study focusing on technology-intensive product developments. The results have implications for team organization, project execution and leadership, with special significance for the management of product and service developments involving multinational teams. The findings provide insight into the business processes, support functions and managerial leadership style most conducive to high project performance in such culturally diverse team environments that typically involve support functions, suppliers, sponsors, partners, alliances and joint ventures across the globe, and require the integration of many disciplines that often range from R&D to manufacturing and marketing. The focus of this paper is on team leadership and organizational conditioning. Specific suggestions are being made as a framework for assessing team leadership effectiveness and barriers to multicultural team performance.

Contributions and challenges in the struggle to end poverty: the case of Kiva

ABSTRACT This study discusses the American microfinance nonprofit organization, Kiva Microfunds, its organizational development and the impact of its approach to microfinance on the microfinance industry generally. The paper sees Kiva’s particular contribution to the field of microfinance as drawing on internet technologies to bring microfinance to a global user base. As it grew, it maintained is leadership in the niche it created, but it also faces many challenges. We conduct a SWOT-inspired analysis in which we specifically focus on what have been some of the key factors that have led to Kiva’s success and what may be areas of vulnerability that threaten its position of strength, particularly the high interest rates it charges, and the emergence of competitors that may be more effective than Kiva in their shared mission to alleviate poverty. We briefly examine some literature that challenges the received view on the overall value of microfinance and consider some implications for Kiva and conclude by noting that in the current market, Kiva will need to draw on its corporate history of innovation if it hopes to maintain its position of leadership in the face of new organizations like Acumen Fund and One Acre Fund that take different routes to the same goal of reducing poverty.