Dimock's naturalistic ethics

Between 1937 and 1958 Marshall Dimock developed a naturalistic account of the administrative function. This account emphasized an organic and instrumentalist account of ethics which was akin to American pragmatism in its ontological assumptions, vocabulary, and conceptualization. His theory was self-consciously aimed at identifying and responding to the problems of an administrative theory and practice plagued by dichotomies. Through an organizational leadership comprised of a moral elite, Dimock hoped to integrate the processes of administration and value creation.     

Devolution Paradox and the US South

There is an inherent trade-off in federalism regarding representation and equity. With the devolution of responsibilities to regional governments offering increased representation, there comes the inequity of services provided by some governments and not others. However, citizens in these federations may want the best of both worlds—desiring regional control but without the regional policy variation. This tension, dubbed ‘the devolution paradox’ in a study of federal countries in Europe, was less apparent in one key group of regions—those with historic ties through language, culture, or experience. This article examines US respondents to identify whether the devolution paradox is evident in this country and looks specifically at the South, a region with long-standing distinctiveness. We find that there is evidence of the devolution paradox among the American public and that the South is indeed different.     

Consumer Preference for Neotraditional Neighborhood Characteristics

Abstract

Much research on residential mobility relies on examining people's choices within the context of what is available in a local housing market. However, it is difficult to determine the demand for alternative housing or neighborhood types that may not be available or are available only in limited quantities. Hence, the market may not accurately reveal consumer preferences for such alternatives.

We estimate a discrete choice model of neighborhood choice by using data from a choice‐based conjoint analysis survey that allows us to vary characteristics experimentally. The model is used to determine consumer preferences for neotraditional neighborhood design features, including neighborhood layout, housing density, surrounding open space, and commuting time, while holding other characteristics, including school quality and neighborhood safety, constant. The results indicate that the neotraditional design with higher density is less preferred on average, but that niche marketing, additional open space, or other amenities can overcome its negative effects.     

Fracking and public relations: rehearsing the arguments and making the case

Large‐scale shale gas reserves have recently been discovered under many parts of the UK. Although the UK government and the business community have been very keen to stress the economic benefits associated with the development of these resources, a range of environmental organisations and community groups are vociferously opposed to such development. With this in mind, this research note describes the characteristics of shale oil and hydraulic fracturing, outlines the initial developments within the UK, rehearses some of the principal arguments and claims on the perceived benefits and costs associated with the hydraulic fracturing of gas shale resources and offers a discussion on how the case for and against shale gas development is being made. The discussion suggests that local opposition groups are well organised and have been harnessing information and communication technologies and social media to good effect. Within the shale gas industry, there is a consensus that managing and turning round widespread negative public perceptions about shale gas development will be essential if shale gas resources are to be commercially exploited. Public relations and media companies will have a key role to play in achieving that goal, but they face a range of testing challenges if they are to be successful. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Factory： Organizational Culture,Organizational Structure,in the Small to Medium Size 21st Century Chinese Factory

China is the ＂factory to the world＂, but little is known outside of China about the small to medium size （SMS） Chinese factory. This ignorance can cause considerable misunderstanding, particularly among Western buyers of goods made in China. The Chinese factory originated in the 18th century and changed as China itself has changed. Still, the Chinese factory is different from factories that emerged in the 18th century Europe and the 19th century America, during their respective ＂industrial revolution＂ periods. This paper is a qualitative analysis of the SMS Chinese factory more than a decade into the 21st century, across industries, across regions, based on the author＇s participant observation in the course of 14 research trips to China lasting a total of two years across a 10-year time period. China has the most efficient SMS factories in the world, although many are working significantly below capacity. New Chinese factories are state-of-the-art, clean, healthful, safe, and able to deliver orders substantially on targeted schedule. Quality Control （QC） can be erratic and passed on to the buyer. On balance, strengths far exceed weaknesses, and opportunities outweigh threats, even as Taiwanese investments begin to be withdrawn from mainland China.