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This section presents abstracts of papers related to business policy and strategy, including "Competition, Learning, or Legitimacy: Understanding the Adoption of Websites by Consumer Magazines," about corporate earnings restatements; "A Road to Directorship: How Corporate Executives Secure Positions on Other Firm's Boards," about the role of outside directors; and "A Selection that Cannot Stand the Test: Succession Context and New CEO Dismissal," about executive succession.

This section presents abstracts of several papers on conflict management. Some of the papers include "Knowing Your Place: Self-Perceptions of Status in Social Groups," which focuses on the impact of social categorization and disagreement on individuals' affective and cognitive reactions in decision-making settings; "The Impact of Social Similarity on Affective and Cognitive Reactions to Opinion Conflict," about how workers interact and resolve conflicts in businesses; and "Are Prime Movers More Powerful? Evidence from Experiments on Competitive Choice and Interaction," which examines the effect of outside options on trust and trustworthiness.

This section focuses on several studies presented at a conference on international management. The article, "The Impact of Trade Liberalization Policies on National Patters of Corruption and Software Piracy," focuses on the impact of trade liberalization policies on national patterns of corruption and software piracy. "Repetition of Foreign Market Entry Forms: Managerial and Organizational Drivers," studies the repetition of forms of entry in a foreign market by taking into account not only organizational factors but also the managerial risk determinants of such repetitions. "Foreign Expansion Under Uncertainty: A Strategic Real Options Perspective," investigates the expansion of 30 of the largest global manufacturing companies in 6 industries in China over the last 20 years.

This section presents conference paper abstracts on management arts. The purpose of a performance on vulnerability is to open a new perceptual and reflective path for members of the audience to experience their own vulnerability. The performance lasts about five minutes, with the performer standing on a stage alone reciting a short narrative. A short poem examines stereotypes often held by blue-collar workers regarding knowledge workers. These beliefs reflect a growing sense of separation within democratic societies between the poor and the rich. A quilt serves three purposes. First, it is a piece of art which may be enjoyed on a purely aesthetic level. Second, it is an example of a personal research process. Third, it acts as an investigation of a well-known company, such as Southwest Airlines. Jewelry as an art form has been part of human culture since man first walked the planet. Evidence of human ornaments occurs from the beginning of the Paleolithic period. Although precious stones were virtually unknown in the Neolithic period, materials included animal bone, shells, clay, stones, bronze, gold and silver. The ideological and symbolic function of jewelry in prehistoric times appears to have been more complex than it is at present.

This section presents several conference symposia abstracts on social issues in management, including a paper on organizational deviance and unethical behavior, a study of the applicability of the resource based view to the development of a theory of political capabilities, and an examination of the complex challenges and potential benefits associated with organizational relationships that are premised on ideological considerations.

This section presents conference symposia abstracts on entrepreneurship, including a symposium that examines the phenomenon of new venture alliances through different disciplinary lenses, a discussion on research of institutional entrepreneurship, and a discussion of entrepreneurial exit and harvest strategies of firms.

This paper identifies institutional variables that shape the process of market creation. Our comparative case study of prefabrication in the post-war construction industry in France and Denmark (1945-1968) demonstrates that the two markets evolved differently and in correlation with the theorization of the new technology. Three factors seem to explain the divergence: technological, resource and administrative continuities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents conference symposia abstracts on social issues in management. "The Role of Governance in Corporate Social Responsibility," discusses corporate governance and social responsibility. "Corporate Social Performance: Implications for Individual Behavior and Firm Financial Performance," examines the discourses of sustainability as they pertain to biotechnology and agricultural futures. "Boards of Directors/Boards of Trustees: Common Ground? Governance Structures and Performance," focuses on the relationship between profit and nonprofit governance theory and research.

This section presents organization and management theory conference symposia abstracts. "Organizational Identity: Meanings, Constraints, Sanctions and Consequences" contains presentations on organizational identity, new theoretical developments and empirical evidence developing this line of thought. "Interdependence in Organizations, Circa 2005," considers the nature of interdependence in organizations and its consequences for organizational actors at all levels. "Set-Theoretic Methods in Management and Strategy Research," discusses set-theoretic methods in social sciences.

This study tests a risk assessment model for employer compliance with U.S. employment discrimination laws. Data from N = 101 federal court cases that involved multinational employers operating both outside and inside the U.S. were used to identify risk factors that predict the likelihood that foreign employers operating inside the U.S. -- and U.S. employers operating outside the U.S. -- will be subject to lawsuits under U.S. employment discrimination laws. Employment lawsuits based on sex discrimination against females was the most significant risk factor. Employers whose home country was from a Western culture were at greater risk for charges of sex, age, and religious discrimination. Employers whose home country was from an Asian culture were at greater risk for charges of Race and National Origin discrimination. Implications for research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypotheses derived from negotiation theories are used to predict settlements of employment lawsuits. Out of the 159,120 U.S. Federal District Court cases studied, most were settled; but settlement rates were lower in ideologically-oriented cases (Civil Rights, NLRA, RLA) than in economically-oriented cases (ERISA, FLSA). When parties were repeat players settlement rates were closer to 50%. Class Action lawsuits settled less often. When settlement negotiations failed judgments for employers were more likely in Civil Rights cases, but less likely when the federal government was a plaintiff. Although Civil Rights cases were more common, plaintiffs received more in ERISA cases. Risk factors also influenced settlement rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent legal history indicates that courts and administrative agencies are giving weight to numerical measures of work-force integration and discrimination. Courts have examined the extent to which various groups are represented in an employer's work force and the extent to which underrepresented groups are placed at a disadvantage by an employer's practices. Such information, stated numerically, can establish a prima facie case of discrimination. Administrative agencies have required employers to set numerical goals for increasing the representation of groups that are underrepresented in the employer's work force. This paper examines the legal background of numerical measures and proposes models for computing work-force representativeness. It then proposes a disaggregated Markov forecasting model as a method for setting numerical goals, as required in Affirmative Action planning. That model predicts changes in work-force representativeness, assuming a given numerical impact on the employer's internal and external labor markets of "good faith efforts" to make employment practices more advantageous to underrepresented groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent legal history indicates that courts and administrative agencies are giving weight to numerical measures of work-force integration and discrimination. Courts have examined the extent to which various groups are represented in an employer's work force and the extent to which underrepresented groups are placed at a disadvantage by an employer's practices. Such information, stated numerically, can establish a prima facie case of discrimination. Administrative agencies have required employers to set numerical goals for increasing the representation of groups that are underrepresented in the employer's work force. This paper examines the legal background of numerical measures and proposes models for computing work-force representativeness. It then proposes a disaggregated Markov forecasting model as a method for setting numerical goals, as required in Affirmative Action planning. That model predicts changes in work-force representativeness, assuming a given numerical impact on the employer's internal and external labor markets of "good faith efforts" to make employment practices more advantageous to underrepresented groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The legal profession in Canada is undergoing a paradigmatic shift in the way it relates to the civil justice system, clients and itself. Significant changes in technology, client sophistication and a general resistance to change have brought the tenuous viability and effectiveness of the traditional law firm business model into sharp relief. Compounding these issues is the lack of access to justice for the middle class; this has been recently acknowledged as a crisis in the civil justice system by The Supreme Court of Canada in the landmark case Hryniak v Mauldin. It is thus becoming increasingly clear from a legal perspective and the perspective of business strategy that the traditional, corporate law firm must change and innovate to remain viable and serve the needs of their clients and the public at large. This paper attempts to determine, from a data based approach, the extent to which law firms have embraced an ethic of innovation and to what extent they would be receptive to innovation within their traditional business model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a law and institution based approach of the family business uniqueness. The analysis of the family concept through institutions and law gives way to the identification of the original effect that explains the specific behavior of the family business: The No Exit Option Effect. We explain the effect distinguishes family from others social group. Therefore it allows defining family business uniqueness and gives a new analysis of non-economic goals, socioemotional wealth and corporate governance in family business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mid-2006, the passing of the Russian NGO Law set clear parameters for Russian NGO activity and civil society development. In this paper we assess the impact of the NGO Law on both NGOs and Russian civil society. Our findings illustrate that the NGO Law and reliance on government-based grants has led to a reduction in NGO activity and curtailment of civil society development. To conclude, we note the divergence in civil society development between the Russian Federation and those CEE states influenced by Europeanization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses misunderstandings between parties to strategic alliances, focusing on the possibility of divergent expectations which are not reflected in the formal contract. The importance of harmonizing expectations between allies is stressed and the concept of a psychological contract is described. Potential discrepancies between the psychological contract and the written agreements can lead to conflict, and the need to be aware of this possibility in order to manage any disagreements which might arise is emphasized.

While believed hyper-rational free-market solutions to wealth management, the field of hedge funds is actually rooted in a highly institutionalized environment; its very development depended on significant institutional innovation by knowledgeable actors (institutional entrepreneurs) long before the first organizational form appeared. This study sheds light on issues of field emergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forensic experts who help managements as advocates in human resource lawsuits are growing in number in our litigious society. Technical system consultants and change agent consultants function differently from them. These three types of consultation are analyzed. The dangers of the "hired gun" image of the forensic consultant are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Survey data are used to test a set of propositions concerning the factors leading to greater board of director role importance in subsidiaries. Subsidiary boards are found to have greater role importance when there is greater: (1) perceived change occurring in an MNC's industry; (2) need for advice to management; (3) perceived director liability; and (4) need for knowledge of local economic, political, and social conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]