Winai Wongsurawat

Does grade inflation affect the credibility of grades? Evidence from US law school admissions

While the nature and causes of university grade inflation have been extensively studied, little empirical research on the consequence of this phenomenon is currently available. The present study uses data for 48 US law schools to analyze admission decisions in 1995, 2000, and 2007, a period during which university grade inflation appears to have been prevalent. Controlling for a number of admissions characteristics, the analysis suggests that higher rates of grade inflation were associated with greater increases in emphasis on standardized test scores between 1995 and 2000. On the contrary, although grade inflation continued between 2000 and 2007, law schools appeared to have reduced the importance of both grades and test scores as admissions factors. The implication of such behavior on minority representation in these institutions is also discussed.

Core constructs of corporate social responsibility: a path analysis

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the causal relationships among four components in corporate social responsibility (CSR) domain. This study posits that CSR is mainly influenced by: accountability, responsibility, transparency, and competitiveness.Design/methodology/approach – A path analysis is employed to determine the relationships, while confirmatory factor analysis is applied to assess the construct validity of the model. The data presented in this study were collected from Taiwanese companies in the year 2009 using questionnaires. A total of 170 companies were analyzed.Findings – The results show that both accountability and transparency provide statistically significant contributions to the prediction of competitiveness, which in turn has a significant effect on responsibility.Research limitations/implications – First, the paper encompasses four core factors influencing the measurement of CSR. Second, the sample size used to analyze the diversity of concepts may appe...

What's a Comment Worth? How to Better Understand Student Evaluations of Teaching.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to critically analyze the value of the written comments section on student evaluations of teaching and develop a framework to improve the interpretability of such data.Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews past investigations into the reliability and interpretability of student evaluations of teaching, and then constructs a framework that can potentially improve the value of data gathered from written comments.Findings – It is shown that including information about the congruence of the comment writers empirical ratings with those of the average class participant may help instructors separate thoughtful comments that represent the majority sentiment from attitudes of a vocal minority or those with personal biases.Practical implications – The proposed scheme can be implemented electronically while preserving the confidentiality of the evaluators.Originality/value – The paper offers constructive suggestions on improving the written comments section, a compon...

Information technology (IT) outsourcing by business process outsourcing/information technology enabled services (BPO/ITES) firms in India: A strategic gamble

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand the roles various drivers such as cost, strategy and risk play when business process outsourcing/information technology enabled services (BPO/ITES) firms in India outsource their information technology (IT) functions to third-party vendors. If all key drivers associated with IT outsourcing were understood, and such knowledge of those variables was incorporated into the reasons for outsourcing, there would be a greater probability of a successful outcome. Design/methodology/approach – A “hybrid” (quantitative and qualitative) research methodology was used to gain insight into the IT-outsourcing paradigm by BPO/ITES firms in India. A structured questionnaire related to IT-outsourcing activities conducted from 1999 to 2010 was distributed to nine firms. The resulting data were then analyzed. In addition, two Indian BPO/ITES firms that had outsourced their IT to a third-party vendor to cut cost generously granted in-depth information into their IT-outsourci...

Management fees and total expenses of mutual funds in Thailand

To encourage disciplined saving and stimulate growth in capital markets, the Thai government recently introduced two new classes of mutual funds, which provide unique income tax benefits. Using panel data constructed from annual reports, this article offers a general overview of these new funds in terms of size, family affiliation and performance. Special emphasis is placed on fees and total expense ratios, because such features of asset management industries in developing countries such as Thailand have been understudied. Consistent with findings for other countries, Thai funds investing in high-risk, equity securities charge consistently higher fees and expenses than those that focus on fixed income securities. Investors of large funds pay higher management fees, while funds belonging to big families appear to charge lower management fees and total expenses. Finally, there is some suggestive evidence of a negative association between fees charged and investment returns, although simultaneity renders any causal implications inappropriate.

Characteristics of Successful Small and Micro Community Enterprises in Rural Thailand

Abstract This research aims to articulate the most salient factors that set apart successful small and micro community enterprises in the province of Phetchaburi, Thailand. The authors utilize both quantitative and qualitative research techniques. Approximately one hundred questionnaires were sent to leaders of the community enterprises. Simple statistical analysis was used to investigate the differences in motivation and business practices of successful and unsuccessful ventures. In addition, first hand observations and unstructured interviews were conducted to complement the empirical analysis, and enrich the findings. Five factors emerged as the most important determinants of success: members’ drive for business ownership; systematic division of work; regular accounting records; intelligent marketing plans; and achieving some kind of quality certification. In addition to identifying salient factors associated with success in Thai community enterprises, this paper also offers numerous vignettes that illustrate the relevance of management theories and concepts in practice.

A survey of mutual fund fees and expenses in Thailand

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to supply basic statistics of fees and expenses charged by mutual funds in Thailand, and to investigate the economic determinants of the variations in these charges.Design/methodology/approach – The authors construct an original dataset on characteristics of Thai mutual funds from annual reports filed between 2005 and 2007, and then use statistical analysis to investigate variations in fees and expenses.Findings – Funds that are small, entail higher risk, and offer special income tax benefits charge higher fees and expenses. Bond funds that produce high returns on investment tend to charge significantly lower fees and expenses when compared to those that produce low returns.Practical implications – Statistics from the gathered data can help investors better evaluate Thai mutual funds. Determinants of variations in the fees and expenses can yield useful insights for policy makers regarding the competition and efficiency of the asset management industry.Originality/...

Enhancing the employability of IT graduates in Vietnam

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the key determinants of employability of information technology (IT) graduates in Vietnam and examines their impact on self-perceived employability and the duration of the job search. Design/methodology/approach – This study is based on data collected from the responses to an online survey from more than 500 IT graduates from different higher education institutions in Vietnam. Employability, its outcome and its key determinants were integrated into one model. Exploratory factor, confirmatory factor and path analyses were conducted to test the model by means of structural equation modeling. Findings – The self-perceived employability of IT graduates in Vietnam was determined by graduates’ English language skills, soft skills, adaptability skills, the quality of the institution’s IT program and job seeking efforts. Results also indicated that work experience, professional competencies and employability made the job search duration shorter, but job seeking e...

Upgrade strategies in the Thai silk industry: balancing value promotion and cultural heritage

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to substantiate Porters ideas through multiple case studies of firms in one of Thailands potential niches – Thai silk. Design/methodology/approach – This study examined upgrading strategies adopted by six companies involved in the production and distribution of silk and silk products in Thailand. Information was gathered from company documents and interview statements given by company executives and government policy makers. Standard approaches to organizing and analyzing qualitative case study data, including description, pattern identification, concept categorization and generalization were utilized. Findings – The companies have implemented upgrading strategies in the following four main areas: first, balancing efficiency and old customs in production; second, innovating new products while preserving unique traditional features; third, developing modern marketing and distribution techniques with a cultural flare; and fourth, building linkages and clusters. Pract...

Weathering the downturn: 11 lessons from Indian multinationals

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to highlight successful strategies leaders can use to sustain and grow business during the economic business cycle variation. Design/methodology/approach – Opinions were based on 32 interviews conducted during December-2010 to November-2011 with CXOs, Business/Functional Heads from seven leading Indian IT/ITES public listed companies that partnered and delivered solutions to global corporations including Fortune-500 companies. One of the interview queries was to share experience, views and opinions on what works during recession and how should one tackle recovery. Findings – This paper offers 11 handy strategies for practitioners like executives, leaders and managers to manage the economic cycles better. These common findings from several cases are summarized supported with specific examples. They are: cost management need not go overboard; incessantly monitor, control and sustain; communication, culture and empathy helps; quality bolsters empathy; stay invested to be relevant; innovation needs to be disruptive; diversification leverages law of averages; people are imperative; customers need to be venerated; change and risk management is inevitable; coherence and prudence needed. Practical implications – The paper provides strategic insights and practical solutions that can protect organizations world-wide from failing during economic recessions. Social implications – The paper provides strategic insights and practical solutions that can have a broader social impact. Originality/value – The paper presents the arguments in a condensed and easy-to-digest format supported with live organization examples for easy comprehension.