William J. Ritchie

Does executive intuition matter? An empirical analysis of its relationship with nonprofit organization financial performance

This study tests the relationship between a chief executive’s intuitive decision style and financial measures of nonprofit organization performance. Providing additional support for earlier theories that emphasized top managers’ ability to influence change in their organizations, executive intuition was found to be significantly associated with three of the six financial performance outcomes examined in this study. Executive intuition was a significant and positive predictor of both fiscal performance measures and one of two public support measures. Implications and future research ideas are offered.

Configurations of slack and their performance implications: an examination of high‐tech IPOs

Purpose – This study aims to improve the understanding of the relationship between organizational slack and firm performance for high technology initial public offerings (IPOs).Design/methodology/approach – Using cluster analysis the paper investigates configurations of slack and their associated performance implications.Findings – The findings indicate the existence of distinct configurations of slack resources and associated performance differences among the configurations. Implications of the findings for managerial practice and future research are discussed.Originality/value – The purpose of this study is to extend slack measurement research by examining the slack and performance relationship in high‐technology IPOs from a configurational perspective.

Why be first if it doesn’t pay? The case of early adopters of C-TPAT supply chain security certification

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on adoption of certified management standards, specifically public standards. Such standards play an increasingly important role in today’s business environment. However, to generate adoption benefits, they must be first widely accepted – a situation where they have become viewed as the de facto norms. For this state to occur early adopters play a critical role. Past research has argued that early adopters, in exchange for assuming more risk, are rewarded with higher economic returns. Yet, these findings are based on private, not public standards. With public standards, early adopters do not receive such benefits. There is evidence that public standards are becoming more important. This situation leads to a simple but important question addressed in this study – if early adopters assume the risks of embracing a new public standard without economic benefits, then what is their motivation? To resolve this question, this study draws on agency theory and prospect theory. The authors argue that early adopters embrace such standards because of their desire to minimize risk resulting from failure to support the goal at the heart of the public standards. Design/methodology/approach Data were obtained from the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) Partners Cost Benefit Survey and analyzed through structural equation modeling. Findings Early adopters of public standards are not driven by economic benefits but rather by the need to minimize their exposure to the risks associated with failing to satisfy the goals associated with a public standard. In other words, they were motivated by the need to minimize costs. In the case of C-TPAT, these costs are those of failing to provide or improve network security. Research limitations/implications This study has shed new light on the standards adoption process by clarifying the specific motivations that drive early adoption of a public standard. In addition to identifying the loss aversion motives of early adopters and economic benefit motives of later adopters, the authors have also elaborated on the notion that standards have differing levels of precedence, particularly when comparing private with public standards. Practical implications In a world characterized by increasing demands for outcomes such as improved security and where governmental funding is falling, due to growing deficits and governments that are becoming more conservative, the authors expect the use of public standards to increase. Originality/value Different from prior research on private standard, the paper focuses on the organizations involved in the adoption and diffusion of a public standard, with special attention being devoted to the early adopters. The paper provides a theoretical explanation for the actions of early adopters of a public standard through the theoretical lens of prospect theory.

Team Culture and Business Strategy Simulation Performance

Many capstone strategic management courses use computer-based simulations as core pedagogical tools. Simulations are touted as assisting students in developing much-valued skills in strategy formation, implementation, and team management in the pursuit of superior strategic performance. However, despite their rich nature, little is known regarding the relationship between team-level attributes and simulation performance. This research reports the findings of a multiyear study that uncovered a clear link between specific team cultural values, as measured by the Competing Values Framework, and simulation performance. It then explores how these findings may influence the pedagogical use of simulations in the strategy classroom in areas ranging from using culture as a performance tool to diagnosis and training.

Job satisfaction in the home health care context: validating a customized instrument for application.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this study is to present the development and validation process of a customized job satisfaction instrument within the home health care setting. During development, home health care agency directors selected items from preexisting scales to create a new 15‐item instrument designed to measure job satisfaction, supervisory relationships, and job environment. The instruments reliability and validity were examined using a two‐step approach. First, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was carried out with a sample of 398 aides, and three factors were identified. Second, confirmatory factor analysis was conducted with an independent sample of 328 aides using the three‐factor solution that was selected from the EFA. The reliability estimates for the job satisfaction, supervisory relationships, and job environment scales were 0.84, 0.93, and 0.74, respectively. Results from this study yield a statistically sound instrument that offers potential advantages to those interested in better understanding job satisfaction and two related constructs of employees in health‐related fields. Both research and practical implications are discussed. The final instrument will be a valuable tool for collecting information from home health care workers, a population that has historically been difficult to access and measure.

Founder-CEO board involvement and optimal IPO valuation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to extend governance research in the small business context by examining the moderating influence of top executive involvement on the board of directors on market valuation. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on a sample of initial public offering (IPO) high-tech firms engaged in late-stage funding, the study uses stepwise regression to test board involvement moderation effects. Findings – Primary market investors reward governance structures that limit founder power. Originality/value – The current study introduces the notion that optimal market valuation depends not only on whether a CEO-founder governs the firm, but also on level of involvement on the board of directors.

The influence of plural organizational forms on beliefs and outcomes related to new product adoption

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore product adoption beliefs and actions of a large retail food organization with both corporate-owned stores and privately held franchise stores. Design/methodology/approach – The authors used a case study approach involving survey data collection from 190 corporate-owned and licensed retail outlets that were members of a large, single organization. Ordinary least squares regression and mean differences (t-tests) were used to test the data. Findings were elaborated upon based upon structured interviews. Findings – Corporate-owned retail outlets invested heavily in food safety innovation, while franchised retail outlets pursued minimal investment to retain product flexibility. The level of adoption is contingent upon ownership structure, as well as institutional forces emanating from the corporate environment, the customer, and peer organizations. Research limitations/implications – The findings offer greater insight into methodological issues associated with ...

Eastern Truss Company: the technology adoption decision

Synopsis Located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, Eastern Truss Company produced trusses used in construction of both large warehouses and custom homes. This case presents the student with the opportunity to analyze the critical factors associated with the decision of whether Eastern should adopt a new production technology and whether cash flows from reduction of temporary workers will cover adoption coasts. The student must evaluate the decision to adopt the production technology through the lens of operations management tools. This case is appropriate for undergraduate business studies in the field of operations management. Research methodology Case study. Relevant courses and levels Undergraduate operations management.

The ancient Hebrew culture: Illustrations of modern strategic management concepts in action

Using archival analysis of modern English translations of Hebrew Old Testament books, the current study identifies associations between the actions and writings of ancient Israels leadership and modern-day principles of strategic management. The results of this study provide examples of four key concepts in mainstream strategic management: (1) organisational mission, (2) organisational culture, (3) organisational structure, and (4) environmental scanning. Chronicling selected activities of the ancient Hebrew culture provides rich illustrations of modern strategic management concepts in practice more than three millennia ago.