Copyright (c) 2009 Marquette University All rights reserved. http://epublications.marquette.edu Recent documents in e-Publications@Marquette en-us Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:35:05 PST 3600 http://epublications.marquette.edu/market_fac/5 http://epublications.marquette.edu/market_fac/5 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:16:55 PST Generation Xers in Japan continue to draw increasing attention not only because they constitute a promising segment for many products and services but also because they are expected to play a critical role in shaping their country's political and economic relations with other countries. This paper examines their attitudes toward US products, businesses, and government. It also examines their behavioral intentions and their expectations of their government in terms of managing American business involvement in Japan. Findings and implications are presented. Syed H. Akhter http://epublications.marquette.edu/market_fac/4 http://epublications.marquette.edu/market_fac/4 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:59:43 PST Securing a mutual fund that meets investment goals is an important reason why some investors exclusively stay with a particular mutual fund and others switch funds within their fund family. This paper empirically investigates investor attitudes toward mutual funds. Our model, based on investor responses, develops an investor's "risk profile" variable. Results indicate that regardless of whether the investors invest in nonemployer plans or in both employer and nonemployer plans, they consider their investment risk, fund performance, investment mix, and the capital base of the fund before switching funds. The model developed in this study can also assist in predicting investors' switching behavior. Mary Jane Lenard http://epublications.marquette.edu/market_fac/3 http://epublications.marquette.edu/market_fac/3 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:21:34 PST This paper examines the effect of economic globalization on human development and argues that the relation between economic globalization and human development is mediated by economic freedom and corruption. Findings suggest that economic globalization affects economic freedom positively and corruption negatively. In turn, economic freedom has a positive effect and corruption has a negative effect on human development. All relations are in the hypothesized directions and significant. Research, business, and public policy implications as well as directions for future research are presented. Syed H. Akhter http://epublications.marquette.edu/market_fac/2 http://epublications.marquette.edu/market_fac/2 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:36:03 PST Abstract: Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine how the perception of price-value tradeoff is related to overall satisfaction, purchase intention, word-of-mouth advertising, and actual repurchase behavior. Design/methodology/approach - Data on subscribers and single ticket buyers of a major symphony orchestra in the Midwest are used to test the hypotheses. Findings - The ANOVA results show significant differences across the three levels of price-value tradeoff in each of the response variables. Additional analyses of cross-tabulated data show that some of the bivariate relations conform to, as well as depart from, the rational consumer behavior model. Research limitations/implications - Although the hypotheses are supported, bivariate relations examined in this study can mask or overstate true relations due to the omitted variables bias. Future research can explore reasons for favorable behaviors of consumers whose perception is that the value they receive is overpriced, and also for unfavorable behaviors of consumers whose perception is that the value they received is under-priced. Practical implications - The different niches at the edges provide opportunities for marketers to fine-tune segmentation and marketing mix strategies. The use of standardized strategies for these niches with different perception and behavior linkages will yield suboptimal results. Originality/value - While previous research has mostly focused on price-quality linkages, this study extends the body of research by examining the perception of price-value tradeoff and its relation to overall satisfaction, purchase intention, word-of-mouth advertising, and actual repurchase behavior. This adds to our understanding of post consumption behavior, showing how consumers respond to the perception of price-value tradeoff. Syed H. Akhter http://epublications.marquette.edu/fin_fac/10 http://epublications.marquette.edu/fin_fac/10 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:56:49 PST Various states and other local jurisdictions have enacted laws intending to reduce predatory and abusive lending in the subprime mortgage market. These laws have created substantial geographic variation in the regulation of mortgage credit. This article examines whether these laws are associated with a higher or lower cost of credit. Empirical results indicate that the laws are associated with at most a modest increase in cost. However, the impact depends on the product type. In particular, loans with fixed (adjustable) rates are associated with a modest increase (decrease) in cost. Anthony Pennington-Cross http://epublications.marquette.edu/mgmt_fac/1 http://epublications.marquette.edu/mgmt_fac/1 Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:15:41 PST We introduce management and spirituality scholars to the "knack" passages from the c. 4th century B.C.E. text, the Zhuangzi. The knack passages are parables about low status figures, such as wheelwrights, furniture makers and cooks, whose actions offer insights into the spirituality of ordinary work and, we argue, of entrepreneurship. Such non-corporate settings are lesser-studied domains for spirituality. Ancient Chinese writings have been noticed by spirituality and management writers but we call for deeper scholarly textual attention. We seek also to model more attention to the renaissance in scholarship on classical China. More ambitiously, we hope to show that these passages are not only germane but worthy of careful consideration. Our efforts reflect the influence of Slingerland's (2003) study of "effortless action" as a central soteriological goal in ancient China. Alex Stewart http://epublications.marquette.edu/market_fac/1 http://epublications.marquette.edu/market_fac/1 Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:15:58 PST Purpose - The goals of the paper are to propose, measure, and empirically test the expectations model of economic nationalism. The model posits that economic nationalism is reflected in people's expectations of their government, domestic firms, and the general public, in terms of restricting the activities of foreign firms. Design/methodology/approach - A confirmatory factor analysis is conducted to test the model, using the LISREL procedure. Findings - Results show acceptable fit for the proposed model. Reliability of each of the three dimensions of economic nationalism is in the acceptable range. A nomological validity test showed that economic nationalism is related to other constructs not included in the model. Research limitations/implications - A limitation of the model is that it is based on a single sample. Future studies can test the generalizability of model with samples from different countries. Practical implications - The implication of the study is that increasing globalization might lead to an increase in economic nationalism. Business executives, therefore, need to focus not only on the benefits that they will derive from entering a country, but also the benefits they will deliver to the domestic economy by entering the country. Originality/value - The paper presents an expectations model of economic nationalism. The model is based on the premise that people's expectations of their government, domestic businesses, and the general public in terms of their role in restricting the activities of foreign firms are reflective of economic nationalism. The more people expect of these three players the more economically nationalistic they will be. The value of the paper is to researchers in international business and global marketing and to business executives involved in managing global operations. Syed H. Akhter http://epublications.marquette.edu/socs_fac/7 http://epublications.marquette.edu/socs_fac/7 Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:20:44 PST Louise Cainkar http://epublications.marquette.edu/bio_fac/8 http://epublications.marquette.edu/bio_fac/8 Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:47:59 PST The ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila is a model organism for molecular and cellular biology. Like other ciliates, this species has separate germline and soma functions that are embodied by distinct nuclei within a single cell. The germline-like micronucleus (MIC) has its genome held in reserve for sexual reproduction. The soma-like macronucleus (MAC), which possesses a genome processed from that of the MIC, is the center of gene expression and does not directly contribute DNA to sexual progeny. We report here the shotgun sequencing, assembly, and analysis of the MAC genome of T. thermophila, which is approximately 104 Mb in length and composed of approximately 225 chromosomes. Overall, the gene set is robust, with more than 27,000 predicted protein-coding genes, 15,000 of which have strong matches to genes in other organisms. The functional diversity encoded by these genes is substantial and reflects the complexity of processes required for a free-living, predatory, single-celled organism. This is highlighted by the abundance of lineage-specific duplications of genes with predicted roles in sensing and responding to environmental conditions (e.g., kinases), using diverse resources (e.g., proteases and transporters), and generating structural complexity (e.g., kinesins and dyneins). In contrast to the other lineages of alveolates (apicomplexans and dinoflagellates), no compelling evidence could be found for plastid-derived genes in the genome. UGA, the only T. thermophila stop codon, is used in some genes to encode selenocysteine, thus making this organism the first known with the potential to translate all 64 codons in nuclear genes into amino acids. We present genomic evidence supporting the hypothesis that the excision of DNA from the MIC to generate the MAC specifically targets foreign DNA as a form of genome self-defense. The combination of the genome sequence, the functional diversity encoded therein, and the presence of some pathways missing from other model organisms makes T. thermophila an ideal model for functional genomic studies to address biological, biomedical, and biotechnological questions of fundamental importance. Jonathan A. Eisen http://epublications.marquette.edu/fin_fac/9 http://epublications.marquette.edu/fin_fac/9 Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:13:21 PST Federal, state, and local predatory lending laws are designed to restrict and in some cases prohibit certain types of high-cost mortgage credit in the subprime market. Empirical evidence using the spatial variation in these laws shows that the aggregate flow of high-cost mortgage credit can increase, decrease, or be unchanged after these laws are enacted. Although it may seem counterintuitive to find that a law that prohibits lending could be associated with more lending, it is hypothesized that a law may reduce the cost of sorting honest loans from dishonest loans and lessen borrowers' fears of predation, thus stimulating the high-cost mortgage market. Giang Ho