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PurposeThe paper seeks to review recent developments in theory and research regarding the nature and role of relations and networks in business markets and to argue for a more dynamic, interactive and evolutionary view.Design/methodology/approachComplexity theory, as well as theories of distributed cognition and control, is used to show that business markets, relations and networks are complex adaptive systems of interacting people, firms, activities, resources and ideas in which no one player is in control.FindingsThe theoretical perspective described has profound implications for management practice, policymaking and research. In particular it leads to the concept of soft assembled strategies in which management and firms utilize the inherent response properties of the relations and networks in which they operate to extend what they can do, sense, know and think.Research limitations/implicationsRelevant research methodologies for addressing the academic, management and policy issues arising from this perspective are described.Originality/valueThe paper shows the relevance of developments in the complexity sciences and distributed cognition to business marketing and management.

AbstractDo women experience orgasm because this trait was shaped by natural selection to augment female fitness? Or are women merely the lucky recipients of developmental patterns favored by selection to produce orgasm in males? A recent and widely publicized book by Elisabeth Lloyd (2005a) contends that there is insufficient evidence to validate any of the adaptive explanations yet proposed for female orgasm. We agree. But our reading of the data differs from Lloyd's. In this essay, we outline why, unlike Caton (2006), whose review of Lloyd's book appeared previously in this journal, we are not persuaded by Lloyd's argument that female orgasm is a nonadaptive byproduct of orgasm in men. We hold this view because we disagree with the criteria Lloyd uses to evaluate evolutionary hypotheses, and because we believe Lloyd defines female orgasm too narrowly, ignoring critical information about its affective aspects.

We study a unidimensional model of spatial competition between two parties with two types of politicians. The office oriented politicians, referred to as "opportunist" politicians, care only about the spoils of the office. The policy oriented politicians, referred to as "militant" politicians have ideological preferences on the policy space. In this framework, we compare a winner-take-all system, where all the spoils go to the winner, to a proportional system, where the spoils of office are split among the two parties proportionally to their share of the vote. We study the existence of short term political equilibria and then, within an evolutionary setup, the dynamics and stability of policies and of party membership decisions.

We study a unidimensional model of spatial competition between two parties with two types of politicians. The office oriented politicians, referred to as "opportunist" politicians, care only about the spoils of the office. The policy oriented politicians, referred to as "militant" politicians have ideological preferences on the policy space. In this framework, we compare a winner-take-all system, where all the spoils go to the winner, to a proportional system, where the spoils of office are split among the two parties proportionally to their share of the vote. We study the existence of short term political equilibria and then, within an evolutionary setup, the dynamics and stability of policies and of party membership decisions.

Cash flows of a business are the most fundamental events upon which accounting measurements are based and upon which investors and creditors are assumed to base their divisions. Then why did the FASB wait until November 1987 to issue a standard "requiring" businesses to provide a Statement of Cash Flows, and what subsequent changes have been made to the standard? Possibilities of the delay include; (1) fear or regression from accrual accounting emphasis to a cast emphasis; (2) the area of cast flows was not perceived to be "urgent" enough to warrant the attention of the standard-settings bodies; and (3) pressure from practitioners and political groups on standard-setting bodies forced the delay. Once passed, SFAS No. 95, "Statement of Cast Flows" has been amended by two additional standards, SFAS 102 and 104, in February and December 1989, respectively, SFAS 102 deals primarily with Cast Flows from Hedging Transactions, while SFAS 104 pertains to Cast Flows from Certain Securities Acquired for Resale.

Explores the development of 1990s US antipoverty programs. A quick look at the contextual factors of economic performance, public opinion, & population subgroup poverty trends is followed by a discussion of the impact of (pre)taxes & (pre)transfers on poverty. Against this backdrop, the safety net, comprising social insurance & means-tested transfers, is detailed. Focus turns to the degree to which tax & transfer programs alleviate poverty, updating Daniel Weinberg (eg, 1991) & addressing four questions: the size of the poverty gap & its change since 1979; the effectiveness of programs to fill that gap; shifts in tax & transfer program effectiveness over time; & differential policy effects across the elderly, one- & two-parent families, & childless families. Program impact on labor supply, saving, & family formation is also considered. It is found that the tax & transfer system has measurable effects on low-income family behavior; a positive relationship between post-tax wage rates & labor force participation is revealed. It is argued that policy developments hinge on welfare reform lessons: (1) Benefits will continue to be connected to responsibility. (2) A diminution of support for social insurance & the disabled is unlikely. (3) Fiscal climate (ie, deficits) drives antipoverty spending. Opinions on the direction of the policy debate are offered. 3 Tables, 8 Figures, 1 Appendix. J. Zendejas