Logistics Outsourcing Relationships : Measurement, Antecedents, and Effects of Logistics Outsourcing Performance
In recent years, logistics outsourcing has gained increasing importance and today is used by a large number of firms across virtually all industries worldwide. Logistics service providers have developed a wide array of services that are utilized to improve logistics processes - and mainly to cut costs.This book uses state-of-the-art scientific methods to reveal that most firms currently do not realize the full potential of logistics outsourcing. It shows the complexity of outsourcing performance and that its true drivers lie in the relationship between service providers and their customers. Through the results of a large-scale empirical survey, the book also emphasizes the importance of a firm's approach towards outsourcing: solely striving for cost reductions may be a dead end, while the often overlooked increased logistics service levels are equally important for boosting logistics performance. In the light of current outsourcing practices, this indicates substantial room for improvement for most firms.
Local Heroes in the Global Village : Globalization and the New Entrepreneurship Policies
The book contributes to the debate what role public policies play in stimulating national and regional economic growth. With a better understanding of the complexity and variety of existent entrepreneurship policies in the U.S. and Germany the reader of this volume will be able to formulate best practice, hands-on strategies which aim to promote nations as well as regions in an "entrepreneurial economy".This volume brings together conference contributions of leading academics and policy advisors from the United States and Europe,The volume has the virtue of both providing solid empirical analysis and theoretical underpinning from leading economists,social scientists as well as a fresh perspective on the myths and realities concerning the operation of the U.S
Liquidity, markets and trading in action : An interdisciplinary perspective
This book addresses four standard business school subjects: microeconomics, macroeconomics, finance and information systems as they relate to trading, liquidity, and market structure. It provides a detailed examination of the impact of trading costs and other impediments of trading that the authors call “frictions”. It also presents an interactive simulation model of equity market trading, TraderEx, that enables students to implement trading decisions in different market scenarios and structures. Addressing these topics shines a bright light on how a real-world financial market operates, and the simulation provides students with an experiential learning opportunity that is informative and fun.
Life Cycle Investing and Occupational Old-Age Provision in Switzerland
Florian Zainhofer uses the theory of life cycle investing, i.e. how we should optimally choose our savings rate and risky asset share throughout our lives, as a framework to study the implications of a potential BVG individualization. Following an introduction on the Swiss system of old-age provision, the author reviews recent life cycle models of portfolio choice and covers their numerical solution algorithms in depth. He presents an empirical analysis of Swiss workers’ earnings dynamics since these are important determinants of life cycle investment behavior. To further investigate the implications of a flexible contribution rate and risky asset share in the mandatory BVG, the author proposes a model adapted to Swiss conditions and parameterized with the estimated earnings dynamics.
Learning in Economic Systems with Expectations Feedback
Recently economists have more and more focussed on scenarios in which agents' views of the world may be erroneous. These notes introduce the concept of perfect forecasting rules which provide best least-squares predictions along the evolution of an economic system.
Lean Brain Management : More Success and Efficiency by Saving Intelligence
Intelligence is wasted on problems that themselves have been caused by an excess of intelligence. Lean Brain Management strives toward uncompromising Lean Brain Quality. Lean Brain stands for consistent economization of intelligence in all realms of life: Intelligent systems will only be operated by unskilled workers. Education, universities, and schools would become obsolete. A week of training would be enough for virtually any job. ("You are now the physician for the measles in the State of Ohio. In response to phone calls, send this prescription.") Lean Brain is not aimed at dumbing down! Lean Brain can survive on just a very small amount of central intelligence. Potential savings amount to trillions! This is demonstrated using Germany as an example. With this book, Dueck presents a radical suggestion for world improvement. The desire to laugh infinitely about it will eventually segue into a collective rude awakening. The book contains concrete advice for managers to economize on intelligence, and is thus--in keeping with the theme--written in an easy-to-read fashion.
Leading Pharmaceutical Innovation : Trends and Drivers for Growth in the Pharmaceutical Industry
Pharmaceutical giants have doubled their investments in drug development in the past decade only to see new drug approvals remain constant. This book investigates and highlights a set of proactive strategies aimed at generating sustainable competitive advantage based on value-generating business practices. We focus on three sources of pharmaceutical innovation: new management methods in the drug development pipeline, new technologies as enablers for cutting-edge R&D, and new forms of cooperation and internationalization, such as open innovation in the early phases of R&D. Our findings are illustrated by cases from Europe, the US, and Asia.
Leading in a VUCA World : Integrating Leadership, Discernment and Spirituality
Brings together works by specialists from different disciplines and continents to reflect on the nexus between leadership, spirituality and discernment, particularly with regard to a world that is increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA). The book spells out, first of all, what our VUCA world entails, and how it affects businesses, organizations, and societies as a whole. Secondly, the book develops new perspectives on the processes of leadership, spirituality, and discernment, particularly in this VUCA context. These perspectives are interdisciplinary in nature, and are informed by e.g. management studies, leadership theory, philosophy, and theology.
Key Account Management in Business-to-Business Markets: An Assessment of Its Economic Value
In times of fierce competition in business-to-business markets strong and economically sound business relationships with a company's customers rank among the main success factors. As a well established marketing management conception, key account management is of particular significance in this context. Interestingly enough, empirical research studies have recently proved that relationship marketing, and particularly key account management, does not achieve the economic value originally expected.
Jacob Mincer : A Pioneer of Modern Labor Economics
This volume contains essays by or about Jacob Mincer who, along with Gary Becker, is a founding father of modern empirical labor economics. His methodology analyzes the economics of the working world, and his human capital model is a fundamental tool in empirical economics.
Computational Aspects of General Equilibrium Theory : Refutable Theories of Value
This monograph presents a general equilibrium methodology for microeconomic policy analysis. It is intended to serve as an alternative to the now classical, axiomatic general equilibrium theory as exposited in Debreu`s Theory of Value (1959) or Arrow and Hahn`s General Competitive Analysis (1971). The methodology proposed in this monograph does not presume the existence of market equilibrium, accepts the inherent indeterminancy of nonparametric general equlibrium models, and offers effective algorithms for computing counterfactual equilibria in these models. It consists of several essays written over the last decade, some with colleagues or former graduate students, and an appendix by Charles Steinhorn on the elements of O-minimal structures, the mathematical framework for our analysis.
Competition Policies in Emerging Economies : Lessons and Challenges from Central America and Mexico
Do small developing economies, or SDEs, need a specific competition policy to create competitive markets? Against the backdrop of globalization, protectionist policies that promote state ownership and heavy regulation of key industries are proving increasingly ineffective for driving growth. Countries around the world are instituting reforms to promote competition and business creation, yet the economic and political concentration of power, feeble judicial systems, and the scarcity of human and financial resources pose special challenges to SDEs. Competition Policies in Emerging Economies features an in-depth analysis of two strategic industries — telecommunications and banking — in several Central American nations which sheds light on the dynamics of the transition to deregulation and trade liberalization. Examining the lessons learned from these experiences and presenting discussion of political, legal, economic, financial, cultural, and organizational issues, the book provides unique perspectives on competition policy and economic development.
China's Energy Revolution in the Context of the Global Energy Transition
This book is an encyclopaedic analysis of the current and future energy system of the world’s most populous country and second biggest economy. What happens in China impacts the planet. In the past 40 years China has achieved one of the most remarkable economic growth rates in history. Its GDP has risen by a factor of 65, enabling 850,000 people to rise out of poverty.
Channel strategies and marketing mix in a connected world
Aims to revisit the “traditional” interaction between channel strategies and the marketing mix in a connected world. In particular, it focuses on the following four dimensions in this context: Consumers, Products, Value Proposition and Sustainability. Keeping in mind the growing digitalization of business processes in the retail world and the move towards omni-channel retailing.
Cellular Genetic Algorithms
CELLULAR GENETIC ALGORITHMS defines a new class of optimization algorithms based on the concepts of structured populations and Genetic Algorithms (GAs). The authors explain and demonstrate the validity of these cellular genetic algorithms throughout the book. This class of genetic algorithms is shown to produce impressive results on a whole range of domains, including complex problems that are epistatic, multi-modal, deceptive, discrete, continuous, multi-objective, and random in nature. The focus of this book is twofold. On the one hand, the authors present new algorithmic models and extensions to the basic class of Cellular GAs in order to tackle complex problems more efficiently. On the other hand, practical real world tasks are successfully faced by applying Cellular GA methodologies to produce workable solutions of real-world applications.
Catastrophe modeling : A new approach to managing risk
Catastrophe Modeling: A New Approach to Managing Risk is the first book that systematically analyzes how catastrophe models can be used for assessing and managing risks of extreme events. It focuses on natural disaster risk, but also discusses the management of terrorism risk. A unique feature of this book is the involvement of three leading catastrophe modeling firms, AIR Worldwide, EQECAT, and Risk Management Solutions, who examine the role of catastrophe modeling in rate setting, portfolio management and risk financing. Given the uncertainties associated with terrorism the book points out the opportunities for utilizing catastrophe models to set insurance rates and to examine public-private partnerships for providing financial assistance in the event of a terrorist attack. This book is strongly recommended for individuals who must make decisions regarding the management of impacts of catastrophe risks including those in both the public and private sector.
Capital project management ; Vol.2 : Capital project finance
Describes the strategic challenge of adding real economic value, properly and rigorously defined. The author explains how this is accomplished through the capital budgeting process; discusses the importance of free cash flow and finally, capital projects, as financial options, are discussed, as a way to manage risk while enhancing the likelihood of project approval.
Can We Talk? : Seven Principles for Managing Difficult Conversations at Work
This book offers guidance on how to create the right conditions for a meaningful discussion. The author identifies the seven key principles that enable both parties to gain a deeper understanding of what the other person may be thinking and will help establish their point of view more clearly: confidence, clarity, compassion, curiosity, compromise, credibility, courage.
Business Unusual : Values, Uncertainty and the Psychology of Brand Resilience
This book reveals the psychology behind how we feel about businesses, their communications and their leaders in a digital world. From understanding the new dynamics shaping online behaviour, to the evolving expectations driving employees and consumers, Business Unusual will teach you how to build a resilient business - one that is built on trust, an engaged and fulfilled workforce, and the brand values that can empower you to craft resonant communications and relationships.
Business trends in practice : The 25+ trends that are redefining organizations
In Business Trends in Practice: The 25+ Trends That Are Redefining Organizations, best-selling business author and strategist Bernard Marr breaks down the social and technological forces underlying these rapidly advancing changes and the impact of those changes on key industries.



















