Yvonne Stedham

Boards of Directors and the Adoption of a CEO Performance Evaluation Process: Agency - and Institutional - Theory Perspectives

Using both agency and institutional theories, we examined factors associated with the board’s adoption of a formal process for evaluating the performance of the corporation’s chief executive officer (CEO). Our sample was drawn from the hospital industry. Results show that an independent board chairperson, the level of market competition and the degree of managed care penetration were significant predictors of whether or not the board had adopted a formal CEO evaluation process. These findings imply that initiatives to improve governance effectiveness based on agency theory should take into account the institutional environment of corporate boards.

Measuring national culture: does gender matter?

Understanding cultural differences is critical to international business success. Hofstedes (1980) model of national culture is widely used to identify such differences. The cultural dimensions identified in Hofstedes model, however, are not gender‐specific, with one exception, masculinity/femininity. Hofstedes data were gathered in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Considerable change has taken place since that time, particularly in the areas of education, legislation, and workforce composition. It is proposed that these changes, among others, may have resulted in gender differences in dimensions of national culture. This study provides an exploratory examination of gender differences in cultural characteristics in two industrialised countries with distinctly different cultures, Japan and the USA. Results indicate that gender differences exist in the power distance dimension for Japan and in the individualism/collectivism dimension for Japan and the USA. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Board Characteristics, Managerial Controls and Corporate Strategy: A Study of U.S. Hospitals

This study examined the relationships among board characteristics, emphasis on managerial controls, and corporate strategy. Results suggest that certain board characteristics that decrease board members’ access to information about CEO performance-related behavior, e.g., infrequent CEO-board meetings and lack of a strategic planning committee, are likely to increase the emphasis on out come based controls. Results also indicate that an emphasis on out come based controls is likely to lead to more risk averse strategic decisions on the part of the CEO, specifically with respect to capital investment.

Comparing business ethics in Russia and the US

In this comparative survey of seventy-three Russians and ninety-two US managers, we explore differences and similarities in ethical decision-making among respondents from these two countries within a business context. Using Reidenbach and Robins (1988) multi-criteria ethics instrument, we examined whether business people in Russia and the US differed in their judgement of the ethical content of business decisions. Russia and the US provide an interesting comparison because of the extreme differences in their cultural characteristics as well as in their economies and related business development. Our results indicate that, while Americans, in general, tended to assess certain actions as less ethical when applying utilitarian or justice criteria, the ethical judgements of the two groups differed by situation and by criteria employed.

Conceptualizing the global competency cube: a transnational model of human resource

Presents a conceptual framework that attempts to bridge the lag between strategic need and international human resource (IHR) support practices. Looks at the idea of competencies being an alternative to the traditional construct of jobs. Presents a model consisting of three balanced transnational competencies. Concludes with a series of HR applications of the model.

Voluntary turnover among non-supervisory casino employees

As gaming is expanding nationally and internationally, existing gaming operations are facing increased competition for employees with gaming experience. This study investigates the factors related to employee turnover in the gaming industry. Workers of six casinos in Reno, Nevada were surveyed concerning their work attitudes and turnover intentions, resulting in a sample of 492 observations. The sample represents all non-supervisory job types typically found in casinos. Pearson correlations and multivariate regression analysis were employed to investigate the relationships among turnover intentions and job satisfaction, specific satisfaction dimensions, organizational commitment, worker perceptions, pay, and labor market conditions. The results show that job satisfaction and organizational commitment are most strongly related to turnover. In contrast to previous findings, labor market conditions and pay play only a minor role in an employees decision to quit. Instead, perceived lack of job security, satisfaction with supervision, and perceived employer concern with employee well-being emerge among the most important factors. The results imply that employers in the gaming industry can manage employee turnover by providing effective supervision that is based on employee participation and fair treatment of employees. Training of supervisors, therefore, may be a relatively inexpensive method of controlling employee turnover in casinos.

Ethical Judgment in Business: Culture and Differential Perceptions of Justice Among Italians and Germans

This study focuses on the cultural context of ethical decision making by considering the relationship between power distance and ethical judgment. Specifically, we propose that this relationship exists because of the influence of peers on ethical judgment and perceptions of justice. Considering the importance of peers in stage three of Kohlbergs model of moral development, we argue that peers are the basis for social comparisons, social cues and social identification and, hence, are critical to an individuals beliefs about justice. Using scenarios developed by Reidenbach and Robin, data were collected from German and Italian graduate business students. Germany and Italy differ substantially in power distance, but not in the three other cultural dimensions of Hofstede. Results show that the ethical assessment of the respondents from the two countries differs when justice criteria are used. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.

Sexual harassment in casinos : Effects on employee attitudes and behaviors

This study focuses on sexual harassment and job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and employee turnover among casino employees. It is the first study investigating sexual harassment in the gaming industry. Based on sex-role spillover theory it was expected that sexual harassment has less of an impact on casino employees than on employees in other industries. Six Reno, Nevada casinos participated in the study and 330 responses were generated from casino employees. The study results show that sexual harassment of and by casino employees is perceived to occur at about the same rate as in other industries. Sexually harassed employees were compared to employees who indicated that they had not been sexually harassed. Sexually harassed employees were less satisfied with their jobs and less committed to the organization. However, they were not more likely to quit their jobs. Sexually harassed employees tended to be younger, Caucasian, and in dealer positions. Hence, in addition to the well-publicized cost of sexual harassment lawsuits, the study shows that sexual harassment in casinos may well be the source of hidden costs important to human resources managers. A result of major interest was that employees who had been harassed held management responsible for not ensuring a work environment that is free of sexual harassment. Implications for casino management are discussed.

Research Note: Gender and Salary: A Comparative Study of Accountants in the US and Australia

The existence of a salary differential between men and women who are accountants has been noted in many countries. This study focused on the salary of accountants in the US and Australia. For both countries, the results support the existence of a gap in salary between male and female accountants. Job responsibility was significantly related to salary whereas gender was not. Men who were accountants in Australia were likely to have a higher level of education and more experience than women. In the US, female accountants were marginally less satisfied with their salary than male accountants. This was not true for Australia. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Accountants in Japan: culture, organisational factors and job satisfaction

This paper examines the relationship between organisational factors and the job satisfaction of accountants in Japan. Data were collected on perceptions of career-related factors and factors related to the provision of technical information from 235 accountants working in accounting firms in Japan. Prior research in the USA and Australia has shown that career development and performance evaluation are factors considered highly important to the job satisfaction of accountants. Cultural characteristics are reflected in the values held by a society. Hence, it is to be expected that job satisfaction and its determinants are culture specific. In this study, we utilise Hofstedes cultural framework to identify factors that may be related to the job satisfaction of Japanese accountants. The results of this study indicate that, although career development is also important to the job satisfaction of Japanese accountants, performance evaluation is not valued. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.