Trust and ethics in international business negotiations: A cross-cultural analysis

The growing interdependence in the global economic and political arena is resulting in accelerated growth in cross-national commercial relationships. Since some form of negotiation precedes most commercial activities and relationships, the topic of cross-cultural negotiation is of crucial importance to academicians, practitioners, and policy formulators. Despite its importance, research on cross-cultural business negotiation has not been very systematic and most of the empirical studies lack the explanatory power that is necessary for theory building. This study attempts to overcome this shortcoming by systematically linking different dimensions of national culture with different types of negotiation behavior. This dissertation studies the relationship between different dimensions of national cultures identified by Triandis (1972), Hall (1960, 1973, 1976), and Hofstede (1980, 1981) and the level of trust that negotiators repose on their opponents during negotiations. In this study, trust is deemed to be a mediating variable through which different dimensions of culture influence ethical negotiation behavior in international negotiations. The cultural dimensions being investigated include the collectivism-individualism, the low-context-high-context, the small-versus large-power distance, and the strong-versus weak-uncertainty avoidance dimensions. The study draws from the literature of anthropology, management, psychology, sociology, ethics, cross-cultural management, conflict resolution, relationship marketing, and international business. The intent of this dissertation is to investigate and provide explanations as to how negotiators perceive and conduct their ethical behavior in cross-cultural negotiations and how trust (or the lack thereof) affects a negotiator\u27s bargaining tactics with a foreigner as opposed to a negotiator from his/her home country. To empirically investigate the relationships among culture, trust, and negotiation behavior, the study examines the attitude of subjects from Canada, Mexico, and the USA—the member countries of the NAFTA. Based on a comprehensive literature review, this study proposes a model showing the relationship among culture, trust, and ethical negotiation behavior. Based on this model, labeled as the CTB model, the study proposes seven hypotheses which are subsequently tested. Prior to the main study, two pre-tests were conducted to validate the instrument. Statistical analyses of 225 responses received from business people from Canada, Mexico, and the USA, who have experience in international business and negotiations, suggest that the national culture plays an important role in determining the level of trust that a negotiator is likely to place in a foreign negotiator relative to a home-country negotiator. The findings also suggest a negative relation between the level of trust and various questionable negotiation tactics. To gain further insight into the intricacies of negotiation behavior, quantitative analyses of data were supplemented by a series of interviews with cross-cultural negotiation experts. The overall findings suggest that the negotiation behavior of Canadian and US business people are not likely to vary significantly between their intra-cultural and cross-cultural negotiations. However, the negotiation behavior of Mexican business people is likely to vary significantly across their intra-cultural and cross-cultural negotiations. The study also indicates that prior relationships play a far more important role in Mexico than in Canada and in the USA. Finally, the study discusses managerial and research implications of the findings and provides directions for future research

A Strategic Approach to International Training: A Contingency Based Global Training Model

Training issues are complex regardless of the size or location of the actors involved. As firms make their way up the ladder of internationalization, the contextual nature of training as well as the limitations of its generalizability can inhibit its effectiveness in sharing between the various organizational sub-units, particularly those with different national cultures. In light of this, a model matching appropriately designed training regimens with the suitable type of international business operation is proposed in this paper. A number of propositions are also drawn from the model. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of the model and possible future research

Arab Spring and Jordanian Consumers' Animosity Toward Foreign Products: What Managers Need to Know

The recent democratization movement across the region of Middle-East and North-Africa, popularly known as the “Arab Spring”, is likely to have far reaching consequences for business, economic and political environments of the Arab countries. Focusing on Jordan as a proxy for the Arab region and Britain for the West, this paper examines how Jordanian people view British products. Since granting independence to Jordan in 1946, Britain has maintained close diplomatic, political, and trade relationship with its former colony. Based on empirical data, this paper analyzes how different segments within the Jordanian society perceive Britain and its products. The findings indicate that Jordanians do harbor animosity toward Britain and its products, which consequently, result in their unwillingness to purchase British products. The findings further indicate that such animosity is affected by geographical location, educational level, and the extent of xenophobia that people harbor. The paper concludes with a discussion of the managerial implications of the findings in the light of the Arab Spring and makes necessary recommendations for both practitioners and researchers

Heat recovery in the textile dyeing and finishing industry: lessons from developing economies

Many developing countries, including African ones, look forward to developing strong integrated textile industries to add value to already-available raw materials. Dyeing and finishing activities are, however, energy-intensive. In many cases, these depend on imported fossil fuels. By turning to heat recovery, significant cost savings can be achieved improving profitability and competitiveness. The techniques and technologies of heat recovery from waste water and exhaust air are analysed. Experiences prove that in most cases heat recovery requires low investment and has a low payback of normally less than 2 years. The case of the Mauritian dyeing and finishing industry is highlighted, including the possible use of a low-cost heat recovery unit made from indigenous resources

The challenges and potential options to meet the peak electricity demand in Mauritius

This paper reviews the current challenges facing Mauritius in terms of meeting peak electricity demand. As a fast-developing island-economy with a very high population density, this is a crucial issue. The more so that it imports 80% of its energy requirements in terms of fossil fuels, relies significantly on tourism and needs to protect its fragile ecosystems. The nature of the peak electricity demand and its evolution is firstly analysed. Reference is made to past scenarios for electricity supply, the obstacles to their implementation and their relevance in terms of sustainability. The forecasts underpinning the latter scenarios are found to be over-estimated. Demand-Side Management projects are discussed and their potential to promote an alternative scenario based on revised forecasts are discussed. Hence a new Maurice Ile Durable      (Mauritius Sustainable Island, MID) scenario is proposed in view of stabilising the peak demand, reducing the rate of increase of total electricity demand and making the capacity margin positive. The newly-devised scenario is not only more sustainable but also addresses several political and socio-economic issues to bring holistic win-win solutions. Institutional and regulatory reforms as well as a relevant Business Framework are also important in order to meet the challenges of MID. The new scenario relies only on existing technology with an excellent track-record and provides the transition to a more sustainable future

The challenges and potential options to meet the peak electricity demand in Mauritius

This paper reviews the current challenges facing Mauritius in terms of meeting peak electricity demand. As a fast-developing island-economy with a very high population density, this is a crucial issue. The more so that it imports 80% of its energy requirements in terms of fossil fuels, relies significantly on tourism and needs to protect its fragile ecosystems. The nature of the peak electricity demand and its evolution is firstly analysed. Reference is made to past scenarios for electricity supply, the obstacles to their implementation and their relevance in terms of sustainability. The forecasts underpinning the latter scenarios are found to be over-estimated. Demand-Side Management projects are discussed and their potential to promote an alternative scenario based on revised forecasts are discussed. Hence a new Maurice Ile Durable      (Mauritius Sustainable Island, MID) scenario is proposed in view of stabilising the peak demand, reducing the rate of increase of total electricity demand and making the capacity margin positive. The newly-devised scenario is not only more sustainable but also addresses several political and socio-economic issues to bring holistic win-win solutions. Institutional and regulatory reforms as well as a relevant Business Framework are also important in order to meet the challenges of MID. The new scenario relies only on existing technology with an excellent track-record and provides the transition to a more sustainable future

Diagnostic Challenges inInfections related to Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is an ancient disease, described by Hippocrates and traction techniques were recommended to straighten the spine. Motor vehicle accidents, falls, attempted suicide, gunshot wounds, military conflicts and support injuries are most common cause of SCIs. Most hospitalized SCI patients have nosocomial infection. SCI Patients may suffer from stress, malnutrition, renal failure; receive medications that impair immune responses. Frequent insertion of urologic, vascular, orthopedic, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and neurosurgical devices predispose to various prosthesis-related infections. Diagnostic challenges include inability to recognize the signs and symptoms of cord damage, and delay in diagnosing spinal epidural abscess. Treatment of infection e.g., two opposing factors resulting from changes in body composition in following SCI can alter the disposition of systematically administered antibiotics, such as vancomycin and aminoglycosides. Frequently diagnosed infections in SCI patients are urinary tract infection (UTI), pneumonia, pressure sores, osteomyelitis, infection due to multi-resistant organisms, and intra-abdominal infection. SCI patients are at high risk for Fournier gangrene that affects the perineal and genital regions and usually results from polymicrobial infection.Common pathogens are Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA),Streptococci, vancomycin resistant Enterococcus(VRE)gram-negative bacilli including ESBL producing Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. Earlydiagnosis, gram negative coverage when initiating empirical antibiotic therapy has lower mortality and better outcomes

A simple method for measuring carbon-13 fatty acid enrichment in the major lipid classes of microalgae using GC-MS

A simple method for tracing carbon fixation and lipid synthesis in microalgae was developed using a combination of solid-phase extraction (SPE) and negative ion chemical ionisation gas chromatography mass spectrometry (NCI-GC-MS). NCI-GC-MS is an extremely sensitive technique that can produce an unfragmented molecular ion making this technique particularly useful for stable isotope enrichment studies. Derivatisation of fatty acids using pentafluorobenzyl bromide (PFBBr) allows the coupling of the high separation efficiency of GC and the measurement of unfragmented molecular ions for each of the fatty acids by single quadrupole MS. The key is that isotope spectra can be measured without interference from co-eluting fatty acids or other molecules. Pre-fractionation of lipid extracts by SPE allows the measurement of13C isotope incorporation into the three main lipid classes (phospholipids, glycolipids, neutral lipids) in microalgae thus allowing the study of complex lipid biochemistry using relatively straightforward analytical technology. The high selectivity of GC is necessary as it allows the collection of mass spectra for individual fatty acids, including cis/trans isomers, of the PFB-derivatised fatty acids. The combination of solid-phase extraction and GC-MS enables the accurate determination of13C incorporation into each lipid pool. Three solvent extraction protocols that are commonly used in lipidomics were also evaluated and are described here with regard to extraction efficiencies for lipid analysis in microalgae

Review of numerical studies of boiling two-phase flow in smooth tubes

The rapid and continuous depletion in the available energy resources nowadays has resulted in the quest for alternative sources of energy and more energy efficient processes. This review article present a broad and critical review of past researches on flow boiling and condensation, basically to provide a comprehensive understanding of both boiling and condensation heat transfer (HT) process as they are important phenomena that find application in various areas in the thermal science field and industry which includes; power generation, refrigeration and air conditioning, nuclear reactors, chemical engineering, high-power electronics component cooling and so on. An in-depth understanding of this phenomenon will help to know how to attain very high heat transfer rates with small variations in the surface temperature. Consequentially, this results in better energy efficient process with huge reduction in system size, volume and energy consumption, hence significant fall in the heat energy required to undertake the process. Fundamental parameters affecting these phenomena such as the classification of channel and their applications based on their properties and advantages, flow patterns and heat transfer mechanisms, heat transfer coefficient and critical heat flux are fully discussed. Finally, recommendation are made to provide clue for future researches in this area.Papers presented at the 13th International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics, Portoroz, Slovenia on 17-19 July 2017 .International centre for heat and mass transfer.American society of thermal and fluids engineers