Voluntary regulations have emerged in recent years as a popular way to address environmental problems. In particular, standards, certification and labeling are popular, market-based mechanisms that aim to use the provision of otherwise difficult to obtain information in order to create a market...

This article addresses the issue of termination of employment because of the conduct of the employee in her leisure time, in the light of the human right to private life. It explores the impact on the retention of employment of activities taking place outside the workplace and outside working...

This paper compares the impact of institutions on men and women's decisions to establish new business start-ups between 2001 and 2006. We use data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor survey (GEM) which cover at least 2,000 individuals per year in each of up to 55 countries and have merged...

This paper models the disclosure of knowledge via licensing to outsiders or fringe firms as a threat, useful in ensuring firms keep their commitments. We show that firms holding intellectual property are better able to enforce agreements than firms that don't. In markets requiring innovation to...

This paper assesses current issues of economics and law, to propose that economic understanding, law reform and public policy should recognise and encourage hybrid types of collaboration, whilst simultaneously recognising that. pitfalls also exist. It is acknowledged that innovation is...

This paper presents a comparative study of the New Product Development (NPD) environment and practices between American and British firms. Our analysis is based on an in-depth survey of 63 British and 37 American firms. The selected firms represent key industrial sectors of computer,...

In this paper, we explore the relationship between aspects of firms' potential absorptive capacity (PACAP) on their involvement in exploratory alliances. Our study is based on survey data from firms in the US and European (the UK, Germany, France and Ireland) biopharmaceutical sectors. We use...

The UK manufacturing sector is facing massive challenges to survive in today's global and volatile marketplace. In an attempt to overcome these challenges, companies are adopting newer management systems to clarify their vision and strategy and translate them into action. The balanced scorecard...

This paper challenges the critical articles that have classified thematic initiatives as 'fads' or 'fashions' of their period with little real value. Using business process reengineering (BPR) as an example, the paper suggests that it is important to 'unpack' thematic initiatives into their key...

This paper examines relationships developed in the UK's defence branch of the aerospace supply chain. Comparisons are made between economic and formal contractual relationships. Major customers, in this paper we refer to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), have tended to developed complex and...