Department of Management and International Business Research Working Paper Series

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    Partnering for progress: Business partnership with non-profits in New Zealand
    (Massey University. Department of Management and International Business, 2008) Eweje, Gabriel; Palakshappa, Nitha
    This paper examines partnerships between business organisations and non-profits in New Zealand. Collaboration is becoming increasingly essential as organisations grow in both size and influence, and public pressure intensifies for organisations to address pressing social and environmental concerns. An increasing number of businesses have responded by engaging in corporate citizenship programmes to resolve social problems. Social partnerships between business and non-profits are widely promoted as important new strategies which will bring significant benefits to wider stakeholders. A key concern in business/non-profit collaboration is how organisations might collaborate to achieve mutually beneficial objectives and align with the organisations corporate social responsibility. This research seeks to develop an understanding of what the objectives of such relationships might be and to what extent these objectives are achieved.
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    Stakeholder engagement as a facilitator of organizational learning
    (Massey University. Department of Management and International Business, 2008) Wu, Minyu; Eweje, Gabriel
    This paper examines the relationship between stakeholder engagement and competence building. Following the dual perspective of the firm, which indicated that managers deal with both transactions and competences concurrently, we argue that stakeholder interactions also concern both transaction cost reduction and value creation. Based on a review of the extant literature, we incorporated a micro-macro connection between organizational learning and competence building. Further to this, we developed a conceptual framework by linking stakeholder engagement and organizational learning. This framework demonstrates that stakeholder relations may have significant effects on organizational learning and thus stakeholder engagement can play the role of facilitator in building firm competences.
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    Power and multistakeholderism in internet global governance. Towards a synergetic theoretical framework
    (Massey University. Department of Management and International Business, 2007) Antonova, Slavka
    With the advancement of multistakeholder collaboration as a governance principle in theglobal Internet Governance, how to investigate the political process in a ‘shared power’environment emerges as a challenging methodological issue. In this paper, a synergetic theoretical approach is proposed to the study of Internet governance political process, which focuses on the concept of power, and crosses the boundaries of three academic fields, namely, Political Philosophy, Political Science and International Relations, and Organization Studies. This approach aggregates, in a descending analytical manner, concepts intrinsically linked to the contemporary shifting governance paradigm (i.e. governmentality, global governance, global public-policy networks, shared power, multistakeholder collaboration). In addition, such an approach brings the collaborative process into focus (rather than the decisions it leads to) by accentuating the productive potential of a collaboration based on the ‘shared power’ formula. Each of those theoretical reflections on shifting power relations provides building elements for a synergetic theoretical framework that can be, and has been, applied to the investigation of the emergent Internet governance regime. As a result, stakeholder alliances can be mapped, instances of power dynamics can be discerned, and some longitudinal tangible and intangible outcomes of the multistakeholder collaboration can be envisioned.
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    Re-conceiving management education: Artful teaching and learning
    (Massey University. Department of Management and International Business, 2007) Bathurst, Ralph; Sayers, Janet; Monin, Nanette
    Artists derive inspiration from daily life. According to John Dewey, common experiences are transformed into works of art through a process of compression and expression. In this paper we adopt this frame, showing how it is used within the pedagogical environment. Students were asked to reflect on their lives and offer an artful response to those experiences. Artfulness is defined here as a process which relies on the discursive practices of satire, and in particular irony and parody. We demonstrate the use of these rhetorical techniques as reflective tools, offering a service management class as an exemplar. In this class students were asked to consider their common experiences as both customers and service providers, and create an ironic artefact. We analyse a cartoon sequence produced by students in response to this assignment, where they parodied the fast-food service experience, illustrating how a business studies classroom can be transformed into an artful space.
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    Everyman with fangs: The acceptance of the modern vampire
    (Massey University. Department of Management and International Business, 2007) Cardow, Andrew
    The vampire, an enduring demon from the European middle ages has through the course of the 20th century undergone a journey of transformation. The journey of the beast describes a circle, starting and ending with the depiction of the vampire as a soulless, evil killing machine. From the Middle Ages, moving into the 18th century the vampire slowly becomes more sophisticated, becoming first Varney, then Dracula, then in the last quarter of the 20th century as the accepted and understood Vampires Louis and Lestat. From there the vampire is found in television, theatre and cinema in such films as Fright Night, Blade, and The Lost Boys. Finally with the appearance of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the vampire becomes once again everyman with fangs and the circular journey began in the European Middle Ages has been completed.
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    Home-based internet businesses as drivers of variety
    (Massey University. Department of Management and International Business, 2007) Sayers, Janet; Van Gelderen, Marco; Keen, Caroline
    The paper shows how and why Home-Based Internet Businesses are drivers of variety. This paper argues, by means of five theoretical perspectives, that because of the variety HBIBs generate, they contribute to the economy over and above their direct and indirect contributions in terms of revenue and employment. A multiple case study approach is employed studying the best practices of eight HBIBs. It is found that HBIBs generate variety because of the unique way in which they operate, and because of the reasons why they are started. How HBIBs operate can be captured in the acronym SMILES: Speed, Multiple income, Inexpensive, LEan, and Smart. They are founded (amongst other motives) for reasons of autonomy, freedom and independence. Both aspects – the how and why – of HBIBs are conducive to the creation of variety as they facilitate trial-and-error commercialization of authentic ideas. Five theoretical perspectives posit that variety is important for the industry and the economy: evolutionary theory, strategic management, organic urban planning, opportunity recognition, and the knowledge economy. The findings are discussed in the context of each perspective.
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    Research based yet action oriented: Developing individual level enterprising competencies
    (Massey University. Department of Management and International Business, 2007) Van Gelderen, Marco
    This paper outlines an approach to teaching enterprising competencies in the university setting of Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand. It is characterised by two features. First, it has an experiential component in the form of developmental exercises; forms of practice which are devised by the students themselves. Second, the exercises are research-based: students study academic articles and book chapters that give clues about how to practice the various competencies. The method is inspired by Gibb’s (1993, 1998, 2002a, 2002b) ideas about simulating the essences of enterprise in the learning environment. The approach used at Massey is outlined at the end of the paper. The paper begins with offering the rationales for the course. First, it provides arguments as to why enterprising competencies are becoming increasingly important for our students. Second, it is argued why, out of three approaches to competency, the behavioural approach is deemed to be the most suitable for the approach employed at Massey. Third, in the debate about generic versus situation specific competencies, it argues for the relevance of generic competencies. The paper then describes entrepreneurship / small business (E/SB) research on competencies, and discusses why entrepreneurship research is often of little help for ‘how to’ approaches. Finally, the Massey approach is described in detail.
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    Tourist attraction? Or reverence – The Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum. A case study of the tensions between intent and presentation
    (Massey University. Department of Management and International Business, 2007) Cardow, Andrew; Emerson, Alistair
    The military museum has in the last quarter of the 20th Century undergone a transformation in Western societies. The military museum has become less concerned with remembrance and more concerned with education and analysis. In New Zealand the armed services operate three museums; the Army, Air Force and Navy Museums. The following article is a case study based upon an interview undertaken with the Director of the Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum. This case study highlights the tensions a military museum Director may encounter in undertaking their duties, and satisfying their diverse stakeholders. For the Director of the RNZAF museum, a conflict has arisen between the needs to offer critical analysis of historical actions (in an educative context); to provide a tourist destination (as a primary means of funding) and to ensure a site of remembrance for those affected by the events portrayed.
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    A tiger by the tail: The artistry of crisis management
    (Massey University. Department of Management and International Business, 2007) Bathurst, Ralph
    This paper explores the reasons for the failure of local and national leaders to adequately deal with the crisis that resulted from Hurricane Katrina September 2005. It is argued that the failure of instrumentality demonstrates alternative management strategies are required. The aesthetic lens offers options that could have helped avoid many of the disastrous consequences of the flooding.
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    The relationship between different email management strategies and the perceived control of time
    (Massey University. Department of Management and International Business, 2006) Forsyth, Darryl; Chen, EeMun
    Time management research, and the psychological construct of perceived control of time, are drawn on to investigate populist claims of the virtues of regularly filing and organising ones electronic mail. Using a process model of time management, it would seem that filing of email may increase ones time control perceptions and thus their job satisfaction and wellbeing. One hundred and sixty five participants were involved in a questionnaire-based field study. Analyses of variance revealed that for some e-mail users, not having a filing system may result in a high perceived control of time. Furthermore, challenging assumptions regarding optimal e-mail organisation, those that tried to frequently file their incoming messages, but did so somewhat unsuccessfully, had significantly less perceived control of time. These results highlight individual differences in control of time perceptions, and recommendations are made regarding organisational e-mail behaviour and training.