SBANC Newsletter
March
29, 2005
Issue
365-2005
QUOTE
"To
succeed in life in today's world, you must have the will and
tenacity to finish the job."
-- Chin-Ning Chu
FEATURE
PAPER
Diversity In
Small And Large Work Environments: Why The Semantic Ambiguity?
This
paper was presented by Chad Hartnell of The University of Mississippi,
Geralyn McClure Franklin of The University of Texas of the Permian
Basin, Robert K. Robinson of The University of Mississippi and
Joseph R. Bell of The University of Northern Colorado at the
joint meeting of the United States Association for Small Business
and
Entrepreneurship
and the Small Business Institute in Indian Wells, California
on January 13-16, 2005.
Ask 10
people to define the term diversity, and you will more than likely
get 10 different responses. This is hardly
surprising but perhaps one of the most challenging issues in today’s
diverse business environment. By and large, everyone, both small
and large employers and those in between, “values diversity,” but
as will soon be revealed, the “diversity” they are
valuing may vary greatly from person to person and organization
to organization. Though many academicians, consultants, and politicians
have attempted to define this ambiguous term, general consensus
has yet to materialize, and may never emerge. Diversity has already
achieved the status of being one of those concepts that is, by
its very nature, a paradox. Diversity is simple, yet complicated.
It has, over time, taken on a life of its own with different connotations
for different constituencies. In fact, diversity’s evolving
symbolic meanings “serve as a simple verbal code for the
complex problem from which it originated, but no one is really
sure any longer what it actually means” (Thomas, 1996, p.
6). Given the lack of consensus in the ever-growing body of diversity
literature, it seems that the term itself may be in danger of being
relegated to the role of just another “buzzword.” Yet,
this “buzzword” has now been adopted as justification
for preferential college admissions (Grutter v. Bollinger, 2003)
and may soon become a justification for public sector hiring decisions
as well.
There is no one unifying
definition of diversity from which the fields of management study
or practice may receive direction. Still,
if a single, unifying definition of “diversity” could
be adopted, a more focused analysis on the diversity of intellectual
business knowledge might occur.
This paper
presents a wide range of definitions of diversity. Based on each
definition,
there is some discussion on how and what
an organization, whether small or large, may do to handle diversity
and possibly use diversity to create a competitive advantage. In
the end, the focus turns to the problems and consequences of not
having a consensus on “diversity,” but unfortunately, offers
no unifying definition of the term.
Read the Entire Paper...
TIP
OF THE WEEK
Techniques for Gathering Information
about Potential Employees
Techniques used to gather data |
Characteristics to look for |
| |
| Preliminary screening or interview |
Obvious misfit from outward appearance and conduct |
| Biographical inventory from application bank, resume, or other
document record |
Lacks adequate educational and performance record
|
| Testing |
|
-Intelligence test(s)
|
Fails to meet minimum standards of mental alertness |
-Aptitude test(s)
|
Lacks specific capacities for acquiring particular knowledge
of skills |
-Proficiency or achievement test(s)
|
Unable to demonstrate ability to do job |
| In-depth interview |
Lacks necessary innate ability, ambition, or other qualities |
| Verifying biographical data from references |
Unfavorable or negative reports on past performance |
| Physical examination |
Physically unfit for job |
| Personal judgment |
Overall competence and ability to fit into the firm |
Byrd, M.,
Megginson,
L., & Megginson, W. "Small Business Management." 5
ed. p. 242. New York, New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin.
CONFERENCES
International Council for Small Business 50th World
Conference
The International Council for Small Business (ICSB) is holding its
50th World Conference at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Washington,
D.C. on June 15-18, 2005. The theme for the Conference is “Golden
Opportunities for Entrepreneurship.”
For more information, visit: http://www.usasbe.org/conference/2005-ICSB/index.asp
Global
Entrepreneurs and Incubation
The Second Conference on Global Entrepreneurship and Incubation
will be held at Grand Hyatt Hotel, Atlanta Georgia on April 21-22
2005.
The
conference is will include topics on technical issues: design
standards, import requirements; legal Issues, protecting intellectual
property,
legal
requirements/restrictions, etc. Contact information for
the U.S.: Jon L. Smith, Telephone 432-439-5677 e-mail: SMITJL01@ETSU.EDU.
Contact information for the European Union: Dr. Reinhold Roth, Telephone:
49 421 5905 4132 e-mail: roth@fbw.hs-bremen.de
Case
Teaching Workshop
The European Case Clearing House is holding its first North American case method
workshop. Led by two award-winning case authors, it will give those already familiar
with the case method an opportunity to refresh their existing skills and develop
new teaching techniques. The workshop will be held at Babson College, Babson
Park, Massachusetts on April
16-17, 2005.
For more information, visit: http://www.ecch.cranfield.ac.uk/workshops
Global Automotive Conference 2005
The Global Automotive Conference 2005 will be held at Sloan Convention
Center in Bowling Green, Kentucky on April 6-8, 2005. This unique
Conference serves as a venue where global industry leaders at all
levels interact with practitioners, discuss solutions to industry
challenges, and review “best-practices” and emerging
trends.
For more information, visit: http://www.gac.ky.net
Family
Enterprise Research Conference
The 2005 Family Enterprise Research Conference (FERC) will be held
at the Hilton Portland & Executive Tower Portland, Oregon on
May 21-22, 2005. FERC is committed to developing a community of scholars
interested in the conduct of research on family firms and aims to
enable scholars
to design and develop research projects that are theoretically
sound, empirically rigorous, and of practical significance to family
firms.
For more information, visit: http://www.familybusinessonline.org/programs/ferc/
CALL
FOR PAPERS
Institute
for Small Business & Entrepreneurship
The Institute for Small Business & Entrepreneurship will hold its 28th National
Conference at the Hilton Hotel, North Promenade in Blackpool, UK on November
1-3, 2005. The Conference theme is "ILLUMINATING ENTREPRENEURSHIP: the theory
and practice of enterprise creation and development."
Submission Deadline: April 30, 2005
For more information, visit: http://www.isbe2005.org
Society for Marketing Advances Annual Conference
The Society for Marketing Advances (SMA) will hold its Annual Conference
at the Sheraton Gunter Hotel in San
Antonio, Texas on November 2-5, 2005. This year’s meeting
will include the Elsevier Science Distinguished Scholars Series,
the Sherwin-Williams
Distinguished Teaching Competition Award, and the McGraw-Hill/Irwin
Stephen J. Shaw Award for Outstanding Conference Paper.
Submission Deadline: April 1, 2005
For more information, visit: http://www.marketingadvances.org
17th
Annual Direct Marketing Educational Foundation Educators' Conference
The Direct Marketing Educational Foundation will hold its 17th
Annual DMEF Educators' Conference in
Atlanta, Georgia on October, 16-19, 2005. Topics include: Communication Strategies,
Consumer Behavior in Interactive Environments, Interactive Channels, etc.
Submission Deadline: May 2, 2005
For more information, visit: http://www.educatorsconference.org
IPSI-2005 Belgrade
IPSI is holding a Symposium on Challenges in the Internet and Interdisciplinary
Research at the University of Belgrade, Serbia on June 2-5, 2005.
Topics for the symposium include: Education, Computer science and
engineering, B2B, B2C, E-Business Management.
Submission Deadline: April 15, 2005
For more information, visit: http://belgrade.internetconferences.net/
ANNOUNCEMENTS
USASBE
Survey
USASBE needs your help for a quick survey (less than 5 minutes) to learn more
about any courses that you may be teaching, or that you may be aware of at
your college or university, that deal with the subject of franchising, as well
as your interest in franchising. USASBE is currently working with the International
Franchise Association Educational Foundation to develop cooperative programs
between USASBE and the Foundation, including research and scholarships related
to franchising and entrepreneurship. This information will be shared between
both organizations and will be valuable in developing future programs and services
to benefit USASBE members. Any information about your program or university
will not be released without your permission.
For more information, visit: https://www.formsite.com/IntlFranchiseAssn/form656179114/secure_index.html
The SBANC Newsletter is provided as
a service to the members of our affiliates:
Academy of Collegiate Marketing Educators (ACME), Association
for Small Business& Entrepreneurship (ASBE), Decision
Sciences Institute (DSI), Federation of Business
Disciplines (FBD), International Council for
Small Business Congress (ICSB), Institute
for Supply Management, The International Small Business
Congress (ISBC), Marketing Management Association
(MMA), Small Business
Administration
(SBA), Service Corps of Retired Executives,
Small Business Institute (SBI), Society for
Marketing Advances (SMA), United States Association
for Small Business& Entrepreneurship
(USASBE), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
and Western Decision Sciences Institute (WDSI).
If you are interested
in membership or would like
further information on one of our affiliates,
please see our web site at http://www.sbaer.uca.edu
SBANC STAFF
Main Office Phone: (501) 450-5300
Dr. Don B. Bradley III, Executive
Director of SBANC & Professor
of Marketing
Direct Phone: (501) 450-5345, E-mail: donb@uca.edu
Esther
Mead, Co-Lead Development Director, E-mail: estherledelle@yahoo.com
Amanda Harris, Development Intern,
E-mail: abharris84@yahoo.com
Michael Flanagin, Development Intern, E-mail: whiffleball@aol.com
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