Enterprise and Innovation

Permanent link for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10292/1125

Enterprise and Innovation is the name of the Research Paper Series of the Business School at AUT (ISSN 1176-1997). Enterprise and Innovation serves as an interdisciplinary forum for original research undertaken within the Business School, highlighting and supporting the active research culture here. The aims of the forum are to provide a channel for the dissemination of working papers for discussion prior to subsequent development.

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Now showing 1 - 20 of 34

Employee social liability – more than just low social capital within the workplace
(Faculty of Business and Law, Auckland University of Technology, 2014) Morrison, RL; Macky
We describe a construct termed employee social liability (ESL); the antithesis of employee social capital. A conceptualisation of social liability does not yet exist and is the aim of this paper. We propose that ESL arises from workplace social networks and comprises four distinct components: negative behaviour from others, distrust of others, unwanted social demands on resources, and a lack of reciprocity. Social networks therefore include relationships that build an employee’s social capital, others that create social liabilities and some relationships that might do both. An individual can therefore have high or low levels of capital and many or few liabilities. We propose that employees with high social capital, and relatively few social liabilities, should also have improved well-being and performance outcomes.
Emotions experienced through organisational events: an exploratory framework of perceived justice and outcomes
(AUT Faculty of Business, 2003) Smollan, R. K.; Matheny, J.
Organisational events trigger a range of emotional experiences for employees. This paper provides a two-by-two matrix that places an inclusive set of emotions in a grid of perceived outcomes and perceived justice. In so doing, it highlights emotional intelligence as an important course of further study regarding organisational change events. Specifically, it provides a series of propositions about the likely emotions arising from the combination of perceived outcomes and justice and the individual differences in these responses to organisational change events.
Retailers’ perceived value of manufacturers’ brands
(AUT Faculty of Business, 2003) Glynn, M.; Motion, J.; Brodie, R.
Most of the theoretical and empirical research into brand equity has focused on business to consumer relationships and the value created with end-customers (consumer-based brand equity). Little is known of the processes where brands create value in business-to-business relationships such as in manufacturer-retailer relationships. This article reports the qualitative findings of a research project into this under-researched area investigating the role of brands in business-to-business relationships. The results show that manufacturers’ brand equity is linked to the value of the brand performance as perceived by the retailer. This perceived value has an impact on key relationship variables such as commitment, trust, dependence and cooperation. To obtain the optimal value from the brand, both manufacturers and retailers need to manage these sources of brand asset value within the business relationship. Although large brands have considerable influence in the relationship, smaller brands can also offer value to retailers and play an important part in the management of product categories within the store. A conceptual model is developed that shows the impact of the sources of brand value within a business-to-business relationship.
Performance appraisal of administrative staff in a Tertiary Institution: perception
(AUT Faculty of Business, 2006) Naming, A.; Wright, N.
There is little empirical evidence relating to how university administrative employees view the performance appraisal process (Analoui & Fell, 2002). The aim of this paper was to investigate administrative staff perceptions and understanding of the appraisal system using AUT University (AUT) as a case study. Areas investigated included (1) how administrative staff viewed the process, (2) did it impact on their motivation, and (3) did it help or hinder career development. The research for this paper was a partial replication of the Analoui and Fell study of appraisal systems at The University of Bradford (UK). The Analoui and Fell questionnaire and interview guide were modified to suit the AUT context. The AUT sample consisted of 543 staff members with a response rate of 20 per cent. It was found that there was no evidence that the respondents wanted the process discontinued even though comments from those who had been through a Performance and Development Review (P&DR) and Formative Appraisal (FA) indicated a range of positive and negative experiences. In terms of performance appraisal as a motivational tool, few respondents felt that the process motivated them. There was evidence that FA was beneficial in helping with career development. The stated main purposes of AUT performance appraisal is: to assist in administration (pay increase and promotion), and developmental (training) decisions, with the latter purpose being secondary. Resulting from this study recommendations are (1) the current process should be evaluated, and (2) appraisers and appraisees should undertake training prior to an appraisal. On-going research should be undertaken to find out how administrative staff in the wider NZ university sector view the process. To follow-on from the current research, a longitudinal study should be undertaken of administrative staff reactions immediately after an appraisal. Research should also be undertaken to investigate if administrative staff associate completion of the performance appraisal process which includes the setting of goals with an increased work overload.
Paying attention to the Construct Of Salience In Identity-related Literature and Beyond
(AUT Faculty of Business, 2004) Anderson, H.; Matheny, J.
This paper reviews the salience construct, proposing a definition of salience as a phenomenon of connection between a stimulus and a person. Our framing of the salience construct includes its elements, temporality, and several ontological perspectives of salience. In answer to calls for clarity in the use of concepts in the identity-related literature, this framing is applied to Identity Theory and Social Identity Theory. We find each theory unclear in its use of salience, the naming of the elements of salience and the ontological perspective of salience. The importance of gaining clarity in defining and using salience is the contribution to answering questions inherent to identity theories, namely ‘Is an identity triggered by an object of salience, or does the active identity determine which objects of salience gain attention?’ Research propositions based on the proposed definition of salience and the results of the analysis are offered. The implications a precise definition of salience has for identity-related literature and micro-organisational theories, such as leadership and motivation, are briefly outlined.
Internet strategies for established retailers: five case studies from New Zealand
(AUT Faculty of Business, 2003) Doolin, B.; McQueen, B.; Watton, M.
This paper reports the findings of research on the strategic responses of established retailers to the challenges and opportunities offered by the Internet and the development of electronic commerce. The paper identifies a range of factors that influence the adoption of Internet retailing and presents a simple framework for categorising Internet strategies based on five case studies of New Zealand retailing companies.
Measuring intangible value in business to business buyer-seller relationships: an intellectual capital perspective
(AUT Faculty of Business, 2003) Baxter, RA; Sheelagh, M.
The value in a firm's relationships needs to be developed and managed carefully and marketing managers need to be able to quantify this value in order to manage it and in order to argue for their share of the firm’s resources to develop it. This paper describes a study that aims to test a hypothesised model of the intangible part of the value that is manifested in buyer-seller relationships and a set of scales to measure it. The focus of the research, which synthesises a framework from the intellectual capital literature, is on business to business situations and on the value of the relationship to the seller, rather than to the buyer. In the study described, data from a survey of relevant managers were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling techniques to test the hypotheses.
Innovation networks and the development of consumer-driven ICT-based Management Systems
(AUT Faculty of Business, 2003) Mowatt, S.; Cox, H.
This paper examines the use of consumer-driven innovation networks within the UK food retailing industry using qualitative interview-based research analysed within an economic framework. This perspective revealed that by exploiting information gathered directly from their customers at point-of-sale and data mining, supermarkets are able to identify consumer preferences and co-ordinate new product development via innovation networks. This has been made possible through their information control of the supply-chain established through the use of transparent inventory management systems. As a result, supermarkets e-business systems have established new competitive processes in the UK food processing and retailing industry and are an example of consumer-driven innovation networks. The informant-based qualitative approach also revealed that trust-based transacting relationships operated differently to those previously described in the literature.
The virtuous entrepreneur: new ventures and human flourishing
(AUT Faculty of Business, 2007) Blackburn, M.; McGhee, P.
Entrepreneurship research in recent years has expanded to include the ethical dimension of new venture creation and various normative frameworks have been applied to the entrepreneurship role. Despite this, entrepreneurship is still widely viewed as a business phenomenon which bases its claim to be a key contributor to social good on economic grounds only. In this paper, the social good against which entrepreneurship success is measured is defined in terms of a broader notion of human flourishing derived from virtue ethics theory. Virtue ethics as a moral theory emphasises positive traits of character shown by habitual action which fit those who have them to lead good lives in terms of a particular notion of professional excellence. In this paper, the writers argue, with reference to virtue ethics, that new measures of success are needed for entrepreneurship, which take into account the key professional concerns, beliefs and features of entrepreneurship. The roles and responsibilities of entrepreneurs enable them to contribute to society in ways that go beyond economic achievements, thus achieving the broad goal of entrepreneurship, human empowerment through opportune innovation, risk-taking and creativity. Having described these specific roles and responsibilities and how they inform the development of a regulative ideal which influences moral purpose and action, the paper goes on to explore the question: what traits of character constitute the entrepreneur who will be well equipped to achieve success as defined? A range of traits which might contribute to entrepreneurial success such as creativity, courage and toughness are suggested and described. The entrepreneur who has these attributes will be an excellent practitioner: one who embodies qualities of character which contribute to the achievement of the proper goals of entrepreneurship.
Assessment preferences of MBA and MBus students: a New Zealand study
(AUT Faculty of Business, 2006) Selvarajah, C.; Pio, E.; Meyer, D.
Assessment is often seen as a significant influencer of learning. Cooperative learning which encourages group work is viewed as a major contributor to the development of relevant workforce knowledge and skills, particularly in the context of an increasingly diverse demographic student population. This study seeks to explore the assessment preferences of MBA and MBus students in New Zealand through the use of a survey linking culture and educational preferences. It is hypothesized that the four variables – competition requirements, structure requirements, respect for education and motivation to study will have an influence on assessment preferences, but these relationships will be suppressed or mediated by attitudes to cooperative learning. Results indicate that the most preferred form of assessment is individual assignments with the least preferred being exams for all ethnicities. However, some ethnic differences in assessment preferences did surface and these have been explored. Implications for educators are discussed including the need to legitimize knowledge and traditions from many cultural realities.
The use of Performance Measurement as an Accountability Mechanism: a case study in the UK National Health Service
(AUT Faculty of Business, 2003) Northcott, D.; Chang, L.-C.
The UK Labour government has recently developed the NHS Plan, which specifies long-term objectives and strategies for the development of the National Health Service. Along with the NHS Plan has come the development of Service and Financial Frameworks (SaFFs). The aim of SaFFs is to overcome the potential agency problem that exists between government and NHS organizations (Heymann, 1988) by enhancing the accountability of local NHS organizations for delivering the outcomes required by the NHS Plan. This study uses a case study to explore how the SaFF has been applied as a new NHS performance measurement tool and identifies issues affecting the usefulness of the SaFF as an accountability mechanism. The findings illustrate how the introduction of SaFFs has allowed the government to introduce additional non-financial/process performance indicators and tougher performance monitoring processes. This study also identifies issues related to the choice, relevance and informational quality of performance indicators. The findings suggest that, given the shortcomings in the SaFF’s performance measurement contributions, a key early aim of this new accountability mechanism may be to serve central government’s need to deliver a political message to the public. If the SaFF is to develop into an effective accountability mechanism and support the key aims of the NHS Plan, careful selection of performance indicators and adequate information systems will be crucial.
Exploring entrepreneurship in the Public Sector: examining the application of Strategic Entrepreneurship to SOEs
(AUT Faculty of Business, 2005) Luke, B.; Verreynne, M. L.
The purpose of this research is to elaborate on a model of entrepreneurship within the public sector. Case studies involving state-owned enterprises (SOEs) trace three examples of entrepreneurial ventures. A theme of strategic use of entrepreneurial action within these organisations emerges. We argue that these examples are representative of both a field of enquiry and a specific concept which has been termed “strategic entrepreneurship”. On the strength of the findings from this study we are able to draw two important conclusions. First, empirical support is found for the notion of “strategic entrepreneurship”, which is defined and explained in this paper. Second, incidences of strategic entrepreneurship are demonstrated in the SOEs, which extend the range of entrepreneurial types usually described in the public sector.
Accruals and Cash Flows Anomalies: evidence from the New Zealand Stock Market
(AUT Faculty of Business, 2005) Koerniadi, H; Tourani-Rad, A
This paper investigates the presence of accruals and cash flows anomalies in the New Zealand stock market for the period of 1987 to 2003. There is insignificant evidence of accruals anomaly. We find, however, that the poor performance of the highest accruals firms contributes most to the positive hedge return. As earnings are positively associated with accruals, it seems that investors are misled by the high accruals in high earnings firms. Further test results based on discretionary accruals support this hypothesis. We also find strong evidence of cash flows anomaly during the sample period.
Do insiders crowd out analysts?
(AUT Faculty of Business, 2004) Gilbert, A; Tourani-Rad, A; Wisniewski, T
Both insiders and analysts are involved in the collection and dissemination of information to the market, roles which impact heavily on price efficiency and resource allocation. The differences between the two groups, however, result in a competitive relationship with analysts at a disadvantage as they face greater costs associated with information gathering. As a result they may choose not to participate in a onesided competition. We employ transaction data to examine the impact of firm-year aggregate insider trading intensity on the level of analyst following. We find a negative relationship between insider trading intensity and analyst coverage. This result was driven by large blockholders suggesting that analysts are attracted to higher levels of information asymmetry from which they profit.
Insiders and the law: the impact of Regulatory Change on Insider Trading
(AUT Faculty of Business, 2004) Gilbert, A; Tourani-Rad, A; Wisniewski, T
The impact of regulations in minimizing the detrimental effects of insider trading is unsettled. In this paper, we investigate the impact of the introduction of the Securities Market Amendment Act 2002 in New Zealand on several aspects of the market. After examining a sample of companies listed before and after the new laws introduction, we find strong evidence of a reduction in the cost of capital, bid-ask spreads and volatility accompanied by increases in liquidity, all as predicted. We conclude that the change in regulations has had a positive impact on the market.
The impact of regulations on the informational basis of insider trading
(AUT Faculty of Business, 2006) Gilbert, A; Tourani-Rad, A
While insider trading has been regulated in the vast majority of countries with financial markets, the efficacy of these regulations has only been sparsely examined. In this paper we examine the impact of major regulatory changes in New Zealand on the profitability and informational basis of insider transactions. We conclude that the law changes have both significantly reduced the profitability of insider trading and forced insiders to change the source of the information they use from private information to knowledge of market misvaluation. The results show that well constructed insider trading laws can be effective in controlling insider behaviour and profitability.
Gender differences in the relationship between workplace friendships and organisational outcomes
(AUT Faculty of Business, 2007) Morrison, R.
The current study investigated gender differences in (a) perceived benefits of workplace friendships and (b) the relationship between friendship factors and organisational outcomes. Four hundred and forty-five respondents completed a questionnaire which asked them to describe the benefits they received from workplace friends, and which measured workplace friendship prevalence and opportunities, workgroup cohesion, job satisfaction, organisational commitment and intention to leave. Friendships at work were found to be significantly more strongly correlated with job satisfaction for men. In addition, women were significantly more likely than men to describe the benefits of workplace friendship in terms of social and emotional support, while men were more likely to focus on the benefits friends provided them in their career or in functional aspects of “getting the job done”. Findings are discussed in the context of other organisational and gender research.
Stock market volatility around national elections
(AUT Faculty of Business, 2006) Bialkowski, J.; Gottschalk, K.; Wisniewski, T.
This paper investigates a sample of 27 OECD countries to test whether national elections induce higher stock market volatility. It is found that the country-specific component of index return variance can easily double during the week around an Election Day, which shows that investors are surprised by the election outcome. Several factors, such as a narrow margin of victory, lack of compulsory voting laws, change in the political orientation of the government, or the failure to form a coalition with a majority of seats in parliament significantly contribute to the magnitude of the election shock. Our findings have important implications for the optimal strategies of risk-averse stock market investors and participants of the option markets.
Wages and conditions of Clinical Coders in New Zealand: a report of surveys conducted in 1998 and 2004
(AUT Faculty of Business, 2004) Douglas, J.
This report reports on surveys on the wages and conditions of Clinical Coders in New Zealand’s public health sector undertaken in 1998 and 2004. Human Resource Managers in Crown Health Enterprises in 1998 and District Health Boards in 2004 were asked to provide information relating to the wages and conditions of the Clinical Coders they employed. There was a 100% participation rate from the 23 Crown Health Enterprises in 1998 and an 86% participation rate by District Health Boards in 2004. General information relating to coding practice and coding education was sought from the Public Service Association, Ministry of Health, New Zealand Health Information Service, and the Faculty of Health at the Auckland University of Technology. The 2004 survey showed growth in the number of Clinical Coders employed across the sector. There could have been falls within the six year period but surveys were not conducted to measure this. Overall there was a small movement in wages between 1998 and 2004. The average starting salary increased by 4.9% to $29,867 per anum. At the top end of Coders’ salaries, nearly half of the Crown Health Enterprises in 1998 paid within a range of $34,000 to $$36,000. In 2004 eight of the District Health Boards paid Coders between $42,000 and $46,000. This shift in salary rates is an increase of approximately 26%. During the period 1998 to 2004 there has been a change in legislation from the Employment Contracts Act 1991 to the Employment Relations Act 2000. The 2004 survey has shown an inconsistency with the goal of the ERA for increased collective employment arrangements. In 2004 more District Health Boards were utilising a mixture of collective and individual agreements whereas in 1998 the majority of Crown Health Enterprises employed Coders under collective contracts only. Overall, the surveys revealed that Clinical Coders have had some gains at the enterprise level of wage increases as to be expected, although these did not appear to be in line with inflation. Despite the apparent keenness by this occupational group for improved standardisation of wages, conditions and training, (in part the impetus for this research), there has been no evidence that any such substantial improvements have occurred over the six years.
Examining the effects of Referent Power on Intrinsic Motivation in organisations: a self-concept based approach
(AUT Faculty of Business, 2003) Boggs, C.; Collins, B.; Verreynne, M. L.
Using a self-concept based approach we examine the literature for evidence of effects, induced by referent power, on the intrinsic motivation of employees. We propose that the subject of a referent power relationship will be intrinsically motivated to affirm, or enhance their self-concept, in relation to characteristics of a referent agent. Hypotheses were developed and tested using data from 311 employees of a large consulting firm. We found empirical support for the view that referent motivation leads to behaviour in individuals that is in accord with characteristics of a referent agent, with this behaviour resulting in affirmation or enhancement of their self-concept.

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