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Dichotomies of disaster management: a reflection on the politics of efficient decision making
|
[
"Decision making",
"Risk",
"Bounded rationality",
"Dichotomies",
"Disaster management politics"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: When presented with something new, the first inclination of infants is to put it in their mouth. This elicits one of two basic responses: revulsion or delight. This simple approach to interacting with the world is really the basic paradigm of human behavior, i.e. determining if something is to be enjoyed or rejected. There is nothing inherently wrong with this mode of survival as it has successfully served the evolution of humans heretofore. The dichotomous view has been reified in ways that are fundamental to social development: friend or foe, positive or normative and so on. It serves as an efficient sorting device to classify things in this manner (Berlin, 1990) and human cognitive behavior has taken advantage of it in numerous ways as we apply either heuristics and/or conscious analysis to our decision making (Kahneman, 2011).\n2. Perspectives on dichotomies: The several general dichotomies (Table I, left column) are discussed in the first sub-section in order to set up the analysis of the more specific dichotomies for disaster management in the next sub-section of the paper (Table I, right column). These dichotomies proceed from broad ideas to more applied concepts as they proceed down the table on each side, respectively. They may already be familiar and operative in some disaster management scenarios. The dichotomies on both sides are explored in summary form in order to provide opportunity for reflection by disaster management scholars and practitioners. A thorough and exhaustive delineation of such dichotomies is worthy of a book-length analysis, yet the hope for this essay is to be a catalyst for further research and application in various disaster management contexts.\n3. How dichotomous thinking can help: Disaster management has been a study of the causes and effects of hazards. The hazards are often framed in terms that dichotomize the study, such as the hypothesis testing approach that seeks to support either an idea or its counterfactual or the cost-benefit analysis that is meant to prioritize risk reduction measures (Smith et al., 2016). Being aware of dichotomous thinking is a meta-level exercise; knowing whether a situation lends itself to dichotomous thinking and/or that one is already thinking dichotomously needs to be established at the outset of any disaster management scenario. Viewing the world as a series of dichotomous decision points may serve, as I have argued, as an efficient means for sorting through information to get to optimal solutions. As disaster management response often requires quick reactions, the dichotomies can be a legitimate part of its decision-making framework.\n",
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"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the variety of dichotomies related to disaster management with an objective to gain a better understanding of how and when dichotomous thinking can improve disaster management, especially in the discourse of disaster management politics.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This is a reflective essay that surveys dichotomies from multiple disciplines in respect to their potential contributions to disaster management.\nFindings: Thinking about disaster management as a collection or series of dichotomies may help to better understand the sources, vulnerabilities, approaches, modes, methods and modes for related decision-making scenarios, particularly in the political realm.\nResearch limitations/implications: The world is not so simply divided at every turn and dichotomous thinking may harbor biases, mask ignorance and/or offend postmodern notions of alterity.\nPractical implications: Portraying disaster management through dichotomies is an efficient way for experts to convey information and structure decisions for political agendas.\nOriginality/value: This study presents a unique perspective of disaster management and how it may shape the thinking and decision making of disaster management politics.\n",
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Infrastructure and economic development in developing economies: New empirical evidence from night-time satellite imagery in Vietnam
|
[
"Economic development",
"Developing countries",
"Infrastructure advancement",
"Light density"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Infrastructure advancement is conventionally viewed as a fundamental factor that fosters economic development since infrastructure facilities such as telecommunication, transportation and energy are used in the production processes of every household and enterprise. Aschauer (1989) tests this conjunction by adding infrastructure capital input to the traditional production function and finds a positive relationship between infrastructure, aggregate output and productivity. Subsequent studies (i.e. Barro, 1990) provide further support for the positive infrastructure-development relationship, and suggest that infrastructure enhancement could improve private sector output and help the economy because it directly and indirectly promotes the development and adoption of innovation processes (Czernich et al., 2011), reduces the operational costs of doing business (Roller and Waverman, 2001) and improves the capabilities of firms through enhanced communication efficiency (Cieslik and Kaniewska, 2004), increased labour productivity (Hulten et al., 2006), widened product scale and extended geographical reach (Straub, 2008).\n2. Empirical design: To empirically examine the effect of infrastructure on economic development, we utilise a series of multivariate analyses on a panel data set containing 63 provinces in Vietnam over the period 2003-2013. To mitigate the issue of possible simultaneous bias, we follow the common practice in economic research (i.e. Iwasaki and Suzuki, 2012) and lag all the r.h.s. variables of our equation for one year. Thus, our baseline model is specified as follows:(1)\n3. Results: 3.1 Baseline results\n4. When and how infrastructure affect economic development: In Section 3, we documented that infrastructure advancement has an overall positive impact on the development of the Vietnamese economy. In this section, we provide two additional investigations into when and how infrastructure can affect this development. Specifically, in Section 4.1 we test whether the participation of the private sector could accelerate the beneficial impact of infrastructure advancement, whereas in Section 4.2 we examine whether the stock of human capital in Vietnam has reached the minimum threshold required to allow the country to fully benefit from infrastructure advancement.\n5. Discussion and conclusion: In this study, we examine whether infrastructure development is related to the development of the economy, and if this is so, whether that developmental impact is conditioned upon different types of infrastructures, or whether it varies over different channels through which the infrastructure affects the economy.\n",
"role": "user"
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"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the impact of infrastructure on economic development in developing economies.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A panel data analysis approach is utilised to evaluate the influence of various types of infrastructure on economic development in Vietnam over the period 2003-2013. Specifically, this study uses spatial night-light data taken from NASA's satellite as an alternative proxy for economic development.\nFindings: The analyses indicate that infrastructure enhancement consistently exerts a positive effect on the economy. Upon further investigations of the channels through which infrastructure could affect economic development, the empirical results reveal, in addition, that the developmental impact of infrastructure tends to be stronger if more rigorous government supervision and oversight of the construction and delivery of infrastructure projects are in place to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of the private sector's investment in infrastructure facilities. Finally, the interaction of infrastructure with human capital appears to exert an especially important influence upon economic development.\nOriginality/value: This study contributes to the debate over whether infrastructure has a real developmental effect in developing countries. Some important policy implications are then drawn from the empirical analysis. As a result, this paper will be of value to other researchers, economists, business leaders and policy-makers attempting to understand the economic benefit of infrastructure development.\n",
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Luxury advertising and recognizable artworks: New insights on the "art infusion" effect
|
[
"Artistic style",
"Luxury products",
"Desire for distinction",
"Recognizability",
"Status signalling",
"Visual artworks"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The use of visual artworks to promote luxury products is becoming increasingly common in marketing communication (Kapferer, 2014). Indeed, recent years have seen a proliferation of luxury advertising campaigns that feature visual artworks. Luxury companies that use this communication strategy typically pair their products with famous paintings or with visual stimuli that are visibly inspired by such artworks. In 2009, for example, Lexus' Every piece is a masterpiece campaign used images that evoke the subjects and styles of popular artworks such as The persistence of memory by Salvador Dali, Four Marilyns by Andy Warhol and Sunflowers by Vincent Van Gogh (Ads Of the World, 2009). In 2011, Hermes promoted a collection of bracelets by inserting pictures of its products into paintings by notable French artists, such as La Grande Odalisque by Gustave Courbet and Nevermore by Paul Gauguin (Orientalist Style, 2014). In 2013, Dior ran an advertisement featuring an image inspired by Edouard Manet's Le dejeuner sur l'herbe. In 2014, Christian Louboutin launched a lookbook that promoted his bags and shoes through images inspired by Paul Cezanne, Camille Pissarro, Claude Monet and other master painters' works (Vogue, 2014). In 2015, the GucciGram promotional initiative invited some emerging artists to create artworks that paired Gucci products with images inspired by Rene Magritte, Francesco Hayez and Grant Wood's most recognizable paintings (DigitalGucci.com, 2015).\nThe \"art infusion\" effect: The efforts to associate luxury products with art reflect a broader marketing strategy aimed at increasing said products' perceived luxuriousness (Huettl and Gierl, 2012) and presenting the luxury company as an art patron (Joy et al., 2014). This practice leverages the so-called art infusion effect (Hagtvedt and Patrick, 2008a, 2008b), in which the sense of excellence typically associated with an artwork spills over onto a product, thereby increasing consumers' evaluations of that product (Lee et al., 2015) and intention to buy it (Huettl and Gierl, 2012). Past research suggests that such an effect derives from the mere association of products with art: artistic elements may be incorporated in the product (Hagtvedt and Patrick 2008a, 2008b; Lee et al., 2015) or merely represented beside the product in an advertisement (Huettl and Gierl, 2012). In all cases, the prestige of art transfers to the products owing to a spillover effect (Hagtvedt and Patrick 2008a, 2008b; Argo et al., 2006; Newman and Dhar, 2014; Newmann et al., 2011).\nRecognizable vs Non-recognizable artworks: Artworks that reflect an artist's most notable style - hereafter, recognizable artworks - are easily identified by a large number of people, regardless of their inherent interest in art (Decrop and Derbaix, 2014; Gabora et al., 2012; Muniz et al., 2014; Schroeder, 2005). Such artworks feature colors, images or painting techniques that are recurrently used by their authors. For this reason, they easily elicit the artist's image in people's minds. Recognizable artworks conform to a preconceived mental schema (Moulard et al., 2014) and, therefore, are more likely to be associated with their creators. However, during their careers, many popular artists also create lesser-known pieces - hereafter, non-recognizable artworks - whose styles deviate considerably from their authors' popular styles. To illustrate, the overwhelming majority of people would likely recognize paintings such as The dream or The demoiselles d'Avignon as belonging to Picasso, but fewer would recognize Boy with a pipe, which expresses a very different and less popular style.\nEmpirical studies: The research consists of three studies, with each testing one of our hypotheses. Study 1 tested whether the incorporation of a recognizable artwork in a luxury advertisement increases the product's perceived luxuriousness more than the incorporation of a non-recognizable artwork by the same artist. Study 2 replicated this finding by using different artworks and tested whether an advertisement that incorporates a recognizable artwork activates a stronger willingness to buy the advertised product in consumers aiming to signal their status. Finally, Study 3 aimed to demonstrate that the incorporation of a recognizable artwork in a print advertisement may also have an opposite effect, particularly by reducing the willingness to pay for the advertised product among consumers with a strong desire for distinction. Figure 1 provides a summary of the research framework.\nStudy 1: Stimuli and pretest\nStudy 2: Stimuli and pretest\nStudy 3: Stimuli and pretest\nDiscussion and implications: The present research makes two significant contributions to the previous literature on art infusion. First, it shows that such an effect may significantly change depending on whether or not consumers perceive the artwork paired with a luxury product as a popular and easily recognized piece of art. Because recognizable artworks increase the perceived luxuriousness of advertised products, marketers involved in the selection of artworks may need to consider the degree of recognizability when designing luxury advertising campaigns. Second, the present research responds to Patrick and Hagtvedt's (2009) call for elucidating the potential moderating role of consumers' goals and characteristics by showing that the effect of art infusion varies based on consumers' chronic desires for status signaling and distinction.\n",
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"content": "Purpose: This research advances current knowledge about art infusion, which is the ability of art to favorably influence the assessment of consumer products. In particular, the research aims to investigate the effectiveness of artworks that evoke their creators' most recognizable style in luxury advertising.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The research encompasses three studies - two conducted online and one in a real consumption situation. The first study explores the effect that a recognizable vs non-recognizable painter's style has on consumers' judgments about luxury products. The second and third studies explore the moderating roles of desire to signal status and desire for distinction, respectively, which are relevant to advertisers interested in targeting these individual differences.\nFindings: Advertisements that incorporate artworks that evoke a painter's most recognizable style enhance the advertised products' perceived luxuriousness. Consumers with a higher desire to signal status exhibit greater purchasing intention in response to recognizable artworks. By contrast, consumers with a higher desire for distinction exhibit greater purchasing intention when the painter's style in the featured artwork is less recognizable.\nPractical implications: The results provide marketers with suggestions on how to select and incorporate visual artworks into luxury brand communication: they could focus on recognizable vs non-recognizable artworks based on whether their main goal is to communicate status or distinctiveness.\nOriginality/value: This research offers novel insights into the practical value of art infusion by showing when and for whom the beneficial effects of pairing art with luxury products are more likely to occur.\n",
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Moving from contractor to owner operator: impact on safety culture - a case study
|
[
"Australia",
"Underground mining",
"Organizational change",
"Occupational health and safety",
"Safety culture",
"Change agents",
"Contractor staffing arrangements",
"Human resource supply",
"OHS management",
"Safety compliance"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Using the case of an underground mining operation in Western Australia (WA) this paper explores safety culture change. The research study underpinning this paper sought to understand whether a change in staffing contractual arrangements, specialised training in hazard identification, mentoring of supervisors and the introduction of a robust safety system could improve the organisations safety culture. Of specific interest in the paper is a discussion on the influence that using contracted labour as opposed to in-house personnel has on the organisational safety culture and subsequent performance. Hence the study mapped in detail the change from using a mix of contractor staff and in-house staff by the organisation to wholly employing in-house staff. The study also sought to determine whether specific training of staff in work-place hazard identification, one-on-one mentoring of supervisory staff and the introduction of a robust safety system would lead to a reduction of work-related injury. This paper explores these issues and provides a model of the change process and the push-pull factors organisations of this kind are faced with. The paper begins with a review of the change literature before specifically narrowing down to the influence on organisational safety culture when using contracted and in-house staff.\nChange in organisations: Change in organisations can be a difficult, emotional and lengthy process that requires skilful negotiations between managers and their employees. This study is no exception. The change process often divides the participants into two groups: the change agents (managers) and the change recipients (employees) who engage in reciprocal sense-making throughout. Change agents seek to determine strategies to facilitate the change process; whereas the change recipient endeavours to determine how the change will directly affect them (Gioia et al., 1994). Studies investigating change processes (Berman and McLaughlin, 1975; Beer et al., 1990) highlight the critical need for processes of \"mutual adaptation\".Ford et al. (2008) argue that resistance to the change process may be an interpretation made by change agents or that their own actions or inactions may have contributed to change recipient's unwillingness to change their behaviour. They describe three sides to the change \"resistance story\" by change agents. First, it may be viewed as a self-serving label given by change agents as a reaction by recipients resisting change. Second, the change agents own behaviour can promote resistance, for example the breaking of trust (Cobb et al., 1995; Tomlinson et al., 2004), personal relationships (Pfeffer, 1994), and incongruent expectations of how the change should occur (Van de Ven and Sun, 2011). Third, the resistance to change may be a positive contribution to the change process (Knowles and Linn, 2004). Caldwell (2003) asserts that the interactions that occur between different change agents within the organisation act as inhibitors to the change process or as Van de Ven and Sun (2011) describe as change model breakdowns.This study supports the second point described by Ford et al. (2008) and the work of Caldwell (2003) in that change agents vary from person to person in organisations. Interpersonal skills and management style can affect the success of change initiatives. For this paper, the change process is reviewed according to Van de Ven and Sun's (2011) discussion of the differences in perceptions of change agents of how the change should occur according to their individual mental models of change. They explain that due to the differences of individuals, their experiences both personal and at work, and the intricacies of their roles and responsibilities, change agents and participants have different interpretations and mental models of the change process (Van de Ven et al., 1999). They argue that participants use these divergent perspectives to support the change or undermine and suppress the efforts of change agents.In order to counter resistance to change Parish et al. (2008) suggest that there is a belief that change recipients can change without disruption to their work flows and that change agents should consider the effect on their employees. They state further that without the commitment of employees to the change process behaviours will remain the same. Dvir et al. (2004) maintain that working with change recipients in forming a vision in which they all share supports behavioural organisational change. It is these personal relationships between change agent and recipient that are crucial to affecting lasting change (Pfeffer, 1994). Johnson et al. (1990) found that employees who have supportive managers are more committed to their organisations and Ford et al. (2008) argue that a trusting relationship between change agents and recipients further supports organisational change. The change process for the underground mine relied on the use of a safety consultant to create a link between management, supervisors and the contracted and in-house mining employees. Management was particularly concerned that the change process could affect the trusting relationship that they had with their current employees. Where the changes were viewed with hostility the mine manager was able to deflect possible confrontations to the consultant. This allowed the personal relationships to remain positive between managers and employees throughout the process.Contract labour vs direct labour\nResearch method: A critical realist perspective (Sayer, 1992) informed the study. The \"realist asserts that organisations are real. They have form, structures, boundaries, purposes and goals, resources, and members whose behaviours result from structured relations among them\" (Dubin, 1982, p. 372). Sayer (1992) defines organisational structures as sets of internally related objects and mechanisms as ways of acting. Objects are internally linked to the structure and their identity depends on their relationship with the other components of the structure. Regulations are structures within organisations; safe work practice is the mechanism and action of those in the workplace. Actions are mediated by the structures of regulation, training, and safety culture maturity. This was a qualitative study for which the data collected were conceptualised and reduced, \"elaborating categories in terms of their properties and dimensions, and relating through a series of prepositional statements\" (Strauss and Corbin, 1998, p. 12) or coding. This process allowed for the emergence of key sensitising concepts from the data (McConnell, 2002) and thus alerted the researcher to possible avenues for future investigation (Clarke, 1997). The analysis of the data taps into the strengths of qualitative research (Eisenhardt, 1989; Eisenhardt and Graebner, 2007; Yin, 2003) to understand how organisations make and adapt to change.The research questions for the study were:(1) How does changing the employment arrangements of staff impact on safety culture?(2) Does specific safety training, mentoring of supervisors and the use of safety systems result in reduced work-related injuries?The sample for the study was limited to the underground mine manager (UMM) who was interviewed by telephone three times during the change process: at the beginning of the study, at the end of the change process and half way through; and the safety consultant was interviewed every week during the process. Work-related injury statistics were collected and tracked from July 2010 to September 2011. It was not possible to interview employees for this study due to funding restraints.\nFindings: In February 2011 the decision was made by the board of an underground mining operation in WA to move from employing contracted staff at their site to only employ in-house staff. The reasoning behind this change in staffing arrangements was due to a rising trend in work-related injury and equipment damage incidents. At this time they had staff from two different contractors as well as their own, managed under two different safety regimes. They had a total of 77 employees, 54 of which were contractors working for the company and 23 direct employees. Their plan was to directly hire these contractor workers and this required them to re-apply for their positions to the mining company. About half of the contractors were hired directly by the company and the remaining half filled by new employees. To this end part of the change process was to employ the best contractors and to weed out those who were underperforming. In May 2011, a safety consultant was contracted to facilitate and manage the change process. From the perspective of managing occupational health and safety (OHS) several processes were required so that the mine was compliant including: ensuring that there were adequate SWPs in place to cover the employee's tasks, capturing their specific work tasks within the site inductions, and re-issuing competency tickets and licences. The change process was to be completed by 1 August 2011; however the required documentation such as SWPs and job hazard analyses (JSAs) were not completed until the end of October 2011 and thus the project over ran by ten weeks.Beginning the change\nDiscussion: Change takes longer than is planned and is not an easy process. The original contract with the safety consultant was to achieve the change process by 1 August 2011 when the mine would no longer employ contracted staff. The process overran by 12 weeks and was completed at the end of October with a \"bedding down\" period of two weeks in November.Although damage to equipment incidents continued to occur there was some evidence that the new safety system and mentoring of shift supervisors had resulted in positive safety culture improvement. It should be noted that many of these incidents occurred with newly appointed staff who had not undergone the hazard identification training. The upward trend of incidents reversed from April 2011 to that of a general downward trend. Injuries requiring first aid treatment were on a decreasing trend and near misses were not only reducing but for three months during the change process none had been recorded. However, the mine recorded its first lost time injury for two years in July 2011.The UMM expected all staff to adopt the new safety system and accept the changes to the organisation without hindering the process resulting in a significant reduction in incidents. However, there was some resistance in that some staff continued to ignore directives and procedural change and continue to operate in their preferred manner. This was mostly with newly appointed staff who had not been a part of the change process from the outset. For example, there were still regular breaches of procedures such as idling vehicles left unattended, failure to wear seatbelts and non-completion of safe work instructions prior to beginning work. These breaches could be described as Ford et al. (2008, p. 362) have as \"unreasonable obstacles or barriers\" to block the change process. Subsequently there was not the significant sustained reduction in incidents that was the vision of the UMM and the safety consultant. This aligns with the findings of Van de Ven and Sun (2011) who noted that change agents and participants can have opposing views of the outcomes of the change process and that these views can restrict the change outcomes.The UMM recognised that it was imperative to enlist the support of the shift supervisors in the change process as not all staff were promoting the changes. As Ford et al. (2008) noted change agents inactions may contribute to the change recipient's unwillingness to change their behaviour. Caldwell (2003) argued that successful change relies on the interpersonal and management style of change agents. To address these shortcomings significant concentrated mentoring occurred with the shift supervisors to encourage them to champion the changes with their crews; to become active change agents. There was evidence that their leadership abilities had improved with several managers actively demanding improved practice. SWPs were updated and with a scheduled monitoring to ensure relevance and continued compliance.Several personnel changes occurred in the company during the change process. The STO who was particularly unsupportive of the change initiatives resigned in April 2011 and was replaced in August 2011. The replacement STO commenced employment 1 August and demonstrated clear support and the safety system was handed over to him to manage. This staff member was ready to take on the challenge of bedding down the change and to become the champion of the safety system for the organisation. New staff continued to be appointed through the process with 20 per cent of the workforce failing to be included in the hazard identification and management training provided at the beginning of the change process. It was agreed that the hazard identification and management training would be conducted regularly (three times a year) by the STO with new staff members. The UMM was head hunted to work for a much larger resources company in Queensland and left the company at the end of September 2011. Fortunately, the incoming UMM, who was on a temporary three-month contract, was highly supportive of the changes.Conclusion\n",
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"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether a change in staffing contractual arrangements, specific training in hazard identification, mentoring of supervisors and the introduction of a robust safety system could improve an organisation's safety culture. How safety conditions change under contracted out labour compared to direct labour and the influence that contracting out has on organisational safety culture is explored.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The study used a case study methodology to detail how the change occurred over a six month period in 2011. As part of the analysis a model of the change process and push-pull factors is offered.\nFindings: - As a result of the change, all areas saw some improvement. Work-related injury statistics dropped significantly, supervisors were clear of their roles, actively monitoring their crews to ensure they worked in a safer manner than before, and staff were actively addressing work-place hazards. With the safety system in place the organisation should be deemed compliant and diligent by the state auditing authorities. This study has also shown that using contractor workers together with in-house workers that are managed under different safety regimes is problematic. The problems don't occur due to the contractor's safety systems being less robust than the parent company's or that contract workers are themselves less safe; it is the added complexity of managing multiple safety regimes and the lack of trust of the robustness of each system that create conflict.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The paper reports on the change process of one mining organisation in Western Australia as a case study from a managerial sample and is thereby limited.\nPractical implications: - This study demonstrates the difficulties in changing safety culture in an underground mining organisation. The paper argues the need for specialised training in identifying hazards by the staff, the mentoring of supervisory staff and the adoption of a robust safety system to support improved safety culture.\nOriginality/value: - There is little research conducted in the resources sector researching changes in human resource supply and OHS management, in particular moving from contracted labour to hiring in-house. This case provides an insight into how a change in staffing hiring arrangements, together with specific safety initiatives, has a positive impact on safety performance.\n",
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] |
Tax evasion in Brazil: the case of specialists
|
[
"Specialists",
"Tax evasion",
"Game theory",
"Tax evasion in Brazil",
"C70",
"H26",
"H83"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Surveys usually draw a line between legal under-reporting of tax obligations, known as tax avoidance, and illegal undervaluation, or tax evasion. In the field of economics, however, it is impossible to distinguish between the two (Lipatov, 2005). In this situation, it makes sense to split these understatements into simple and sophisticated, rather than into evasion and avoidance. Simple tax evasion means not using either specialized accounting or financial specialists. Fiscal responsibility of sub-statements that require special knowledge will be called sophisticated tax evasion (sophisticated tax evasion: Lipatov (2005)).\nTheoretical framework: Allingham and Sandmo (1972) were the first to use economic tools to analyze tax compliance through modern risk theory developed by von Neumann and Morgenstern. Since then, the literature on the economic analysis of tax evasion has evolved and, most likely, few aspects of compliance with the tax law have escaped a preliminary economic review.\nTheoretical proposed model: To analyze both taxpayer behavior in the Brazilian tax system and tax actions aimed at reducing tax evasion, we developed a theoretical model based on the payoffs of Graetz et al. (1986) and expanded upon it using situations proposed by Siqueira (2004), Lipatov (2006) and Oliveira (2011).\nConclusion: As games between the tax authorities, taxpayers and the performance of a specialist characterize a reality that involves scandals perpetrated by large corporations and people with large fortunes, we analyzed the sophisticated evasion. Thus, it was possible to identify two types of equilibrium in a perfect subset: the agent does not withhold taxes, and the agent evades taxes and both tax authorities do not supervise.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to use the instrumental game theory to understand the behavior of the front agents tax evasion and tax authority in Brazil.\nDesign/methodology/approach: In order to analyze the taxpayer's behavior before the Brazilian tax system and tax actions aimed at reducing tax evasion, the authors developed a theoretical model based on the payoffs of Graetz et al. (1986) and increased with situations proposed by Siqueira (2004), Lipatov (2006) and Oliveira (2011).\nFindings: Considering the cases with and without specialists, the main results show that in high dropout situation, penalize taxpayers with high fines or deprivations of liberty may not be as effective. Another result of the analysis is that the audit and inspection costs played an important role in driving the equilibrium system.\nResearch limitations/implications: One limitation of this study is to consider how the exogenous tax authorities earnings (Federal Revenue of Brazil and Federal Police) and not as a function of the goals and certain enforcement policies for each public body.\nPractical implications: The authors suggest the following policy: investing in tax inspectors and unbureaucratic the authorities of the cost structure become a more effective tool to combat non-compliance with tax obligations that the intensity of the penalties imposed by the act of evading.\nOriginality/value: This paper contributes to the literature insofar as it models for the first time, using game theory, the behavior of the evading agent and the tax authority in Brazil.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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A cross-national analysis of PhD models
|
[
"Internationalization",
"Cross-national analysis",
"PhD models"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The PhD is arguably the most advanced research degree that can be earned by those pursuing higher education, is critical for training new researchers across disciplines and contributes to the advancement of original work and knowledge. PhD student experiences (see, e.g. Goodall et al., 2017), the PhD assessment process (see, e.g. Morley et al., 2003; Mullins and Kiley, 2002) and supervisor-PhD student relationships (see, e.g. Mainhard et al., 2009) have previously received considerable attention. While the extant literature based on the PhD degree is recognized, our concern lies with interrogating PhD supervision models, milestones and examination procedures across national contexts. This cross-national analysis contributes to the growing body of work on higher education internationalization that extends beyond the traditional focus on international recruitment and student/faculty exchanges.Across the globe, countries have dramatically increased their university student participation rates. This expansion has also included exponential increases in the number of PhD students and programs, particularly in Western nations (Nettles and Millett, 2006; Sadlak, 2004). However, efforts to increase the number of PhD students and programs are also apparent throughout Latin American, Africa and Asia (Nerad and Heggelund, 2008). Traditionally, PhD supervision models, milestones and examination procedures have varied across national contexts (Cumming, 2009). For instance, in North America, an integrated approach is common, which requires PhD students to complete coursework and receive supervision from a committee. Whereas, in many European countries, PhD programs, to a large extent, follow the master-apprentice model, which requires individual supervisors to work closely with their PhD students. Given the internationalization of higher education and the increase in PhD students and programs, it is not surprising that some universities are beginning to adopt PhD program structures, milestones and examination procedures that resemble those that traditionally exist abroad. For example, approximately 30% of universities in European Union member states have adopted US-style graduate school models that include coursework, while simultaneously continuing to offer individual study models that are consistent with the master-apprentice arrangement (Bitusikova, 2009).In light of prominent global trends and higher education internationalization, university systems may no longer be in a position to adopt an insular approach to the PhD degree. In taking into consideration global trends and future improvements for doctoral education, \"no nation is an island, nor can any afford to be\" (Nerad and Heggelund, 2008, p. 5). The world's best performing economies are technology- and information-driven. Technology and information rather than natural resources have become the sine qua non of postmodern development and research training; and doctoral learning has become the conduit through which nations invest in new economic development (Maringe and Ndofirepi, 2017). Accordingly, interrogating supervision models, milestones and examination procedures allow for critical analyses of varying approaches and the ways in which they prepare and assess PhD students. This may be of particular importance for nations or regions committed to increasing the number of PhD programs, students and graduates. A cross-national analysis of PhD supervision models, milestones and examination procedures can thus serve to systematically compare PhD programs and identify the ramifications of the dominant models and practices that exist in each context. A comparative analysis that includes the United Kingdom, South Africa and the United States examines national contexts that have long-standing PhD traditions. These three nations have been specifically selected due to them facing PhD-related challenges, in addition to them being historically interlinked. As former colonies, South Africa and the United States share long-standing British legacies, despite that each of the two countries has formed unique national traditions (Ashkanasy et al., 2002).\nInternationalization and the PhD: Within the past few decades national borders have been regularly crossed; widespread, albeit uneven exchanges have taken place; and global forces have played a role in shaping higher education (Marginson, 2006; Maringe et al., 2013). While the internationalization of higher education is a contemporary reality, to be sure, exchanges beyond local university contexts have been apparent since the existence of medieval universities (Altbach and Teichler, 2001). Before the advent of widespread internationalization in higher education, countries (and in some cases regions) established their own university traditions, models and norms, upon which PhD degrees were built. This circumscribed development was largely a by-product of growing nationalism in the 19th century (Damrosch, 1995). Despite that PhD degrees developed differently, with respect to their structures, milestones and examination procedures, it became apparent that the PhD played a critical role that transcended borders and regions. The PhD degree, irrespective of where it was being awarded, advanced disciplinary knowledge production and served to produce and reproduce scholarly communities (Boud and Lee, 2009). It is noteworthy that professional doctoral degrees, such as the Doctor of Law (LLD), the Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD), and discipline-specific doctorates, such as the Doctor of Science (DSc), had been awarded well before the emergence of the PhD degree (Bourner et al., 2001). Different approaches to the PhD degree have been apparent not only across national context but also across disciplines (Cumming, 2009). Moreover, within any specific country, PhD supervision models, milestones and examination procedures may vary from one university to the next (Bitusikova, 2009). While PhD degree differences across disciplines and across universities situated in the same country are important, an examination of these differences extends beyond the scope of this paper, which is concerned with a cross-national analysis that takes into consideration the different enduring PhD supervision models, milestones and examination procedures in the United Kingdom, South Africa and the United States. Despite that some variations and exceptions may exist within each nation, the models analyzed are overwhelmingly accepted as common practice in each context.It is noteworthy that irrespective of national context, supervision is at the heart of successful PhD training. In order to engage in a discussion of supervision models; the milestones that supervisors/advisors help their students navigate and reach; and the examination procedures that supervisors/advisors play a role in (directly or indirectly), it is apposite to provide a cursory description of some key aspects of successful supervision. Essentially, the following three ingredients characterize successful PhD supervision (Deem and Brehony, 2000; Maringe and Ndofirepi, 2017). First, completion rates in doctoral training are substantially related to the quality of supervision. Weak supervision often leads to noncompletion or delayed completion, while effective supervision is strongly connected to high and on-time completion rates. Second, quality learning outcomes, which result in strong links to theory and practice, clear identification of theoretical and practical gaps and an intention to fill those gaps, methodological coherence and high levels of critical engagement are significant. Lastly, building capacity to pursue and produce research in the future indicates that earning a PhD is not an end in itself. A major purpose for pursuing a PhD is to develop capacity for knowledge.\nUnited Kingdom: The PhD first emerged in the United Kingdom in 1917, with Oxford being the first university to offer the degree (Crossouard, 2011). This new development signaled opportunities not only for British students but also for students in the British colonies and for partnerships with US institutions (Simpson, 1983). More recently, the PhD degree in the United Kingdom has grown exponentially, with the number of PhD degrees awarded in science and engineering having doubled between 1985 and 2005 (Nerad, 2011). Nevertheless, there have been concerns surrounding a loss of the British PhD's international standing, longer time-to-completion rates and a lack of personal and professional skills for those who earn PhD degrees, with the degree being perceived as too narrowly academic (Green, 2008). Two broad PhD degrees dominate the UK higher education sector; a theory-driven version favored in the more research-intensive universities and a practice-driven version designed for practicing professionals. Each has its fair share of benefits and challenges. While the theory-driven degree is generally considered the gold standard, the professional practice version is increasingly gaining popularity even in research-intensive universities. There are also some riddling contradictions to consider. For example, it is estimated that at some of the most distinguished universities, over 40% of academic staff do not hold a PhD degree (or any type of doctoral degree) (Green, 2008). However, there is also an indication that PhD earners have limited career opportunities in academia and must be prepared for other forms of employment (Harvey, 2000).Supervision model, milestones and examination procedures\nSouth Africa: The first PhD degrees were awarded in South Africa in 1922 at the University of Cape Town (Herman, 2017). Given South Africa's colonial history, its universities and degrees, including the PhD degree, continue to be characteristic of the British system, despite recent efforts to Africanize and fundamentally transform South African universities. The legacy of apartheid continues to be apparent, with historically White universities producing the majority of PhD students. However, within the past few decades there is evidence that at least some changes are taking place, which contribute to a more equitable system of higher education. For example, in 1990, over 90% of PhD degrees were awarded to White students; in 2010, however, approximately 50% of PhD degrees were awarded to students of color (Herman, 2017). This shift can at least in part be attributed to national policy, which has called for preparing and training a new generation of Black researchers and intellectuals (Department of Education, 2001) and to universities instituting more equitable practices, such as the active recruitment of Black graduate students. A shortage of graduate students in general has also been identified as a major concern (Mouton, 2011; Swanepoel and Moll, 2004). In 2007, South Africa produced 26 doctorates per million; this is a relatively low number compared to Korea (which produced 187 per million), Greece (which produced 218 per million) and Portugal (which produced 569 per million) (ASSAf, 2010). The National Research Foundation has thus urged for increasing the number of PhD graduates to 6,000 per annum by the year 2020 (National Research Foundation, 2011).Supervision model, milestones and examination procedures\nUnited States: In the United States, the first PhD degrees were awarded in 1861 at Yale University, but 1875 marked the first efforts to institute systematic PhD programs (Boyer, 1973). German graduate education shaped the nature of the degree, with Americans who studied in Germany introducing the PhD into the United States (Spurr, 1970). During the end of the 19th century, the PhD degree rapidly spread, and by the 1970s, the earning of a PhD degree became a prerequisite for holding an academic position at virtually any university (Boyer, 1973). Perhaps because of the PhD degree's rapid and pervasive growth, the United States has attracted many international PhD students and currently produces the most PhD graduates per annum, with over 53,000 PhD degrees being awarded in 2015 alone (National Science Foundation, 2017). However, PhD graduates in the United States face particular challenges. There has been an overproduction of scholars who have earned PhD degrees, which has contributed to underemployment and the growth of part-time, casualized academic appointments (Cardozo, 2017; Taylor, 2011). In addition to the problems of PhD overproduction, the following challenges have also been identified: inadequate preparation for teaching, lack of training in professional skills and delayed time to completion (Nerad, 2008). While the United States benefits from the symbolic capital of a prestigious university system and a long-standing PhD tradition (Gerhards et al., 2018), it faces considerable challenges.Supervision model, milestones and examination procedures\nDiscussion: Supervision models\nFuture research and conclusion: We set out to engage in a cross-national analysis of PhD supervision models, milestones and examination procedures across three national contexts in order to identify different practices and processes for attaining a PhD. The comparative analysis sheds light on the obscure path to earning a PhD and identifies the ramifications that come with different models. Best models, practices or procedures are not advocated, nor do we make lofty recommendations. We instead highlight some of the benefits and drawbacks of the different models. Nonetheless, it is possible for future efforts to examine the effectiveness of PhD models by evaluating how well they contribute to timely completion, high-quality outcomes and research capacity building in an increasingly competitive global environment. This opens up the possibility of developing frameworks that take on both a comparative and an evaluative approach.\n",
"role": "user"
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"content": "Purpose: This paper provides a cross-national analysis of PhD supervision models, milestones and examination procedures in order to compare PhD programs and their practices.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A comparative approach is employed, which systematically interrogates PhD supervision models, milestones and examination procedures in the United Kingdom, South Africa and the United States via a comprehensive review of the practices and literature.\nFindings: The findings indicate the ramifications of the different approaches and highlight the benefits and drawbacks associated with the different models.\nOriginality/value: By making explicit the dominant supervision models, milestones and examination procedures that exist in the United Kingdom, South Africa and the United States, the authors shed light on the somewhat obscure path to earning a PhD degree.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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Time had but effaced his image when the show began: A reflection on the academic career of Slawomir Magala
|
[
"Scholarship"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: In my contribution to this special issue devoted to the work of Slawek Magala I want to highlight the role of a conference we organized together in 1988, which may be considered to have been the incubator of critical management studies as we know it today. It was during the 75th anniversary of Erasmus University that I started to organize this conference on the Frankfurt School of Social Research entitled The Frankfurt School: How relevant is it today?\nThe conference: After two months of intense preparation and having overcome the initial resistance of the university's academic establishment, who did not want to see their anniversary celebrations hijacked by a symposium of alleged \"Marxists\", I got the support from my colleague and friend Slawek Magala who had the academic network we needed to start inviting people. With the handsome budget provided by the Goethe Institute we both organized the conference, from 30 November till 2 December 1988, around a number of sub tracks next to a general meeting on art and postmodern thought, a concert of the Rotterdam Philharmonic with compositions of Adorno, Alban Berg, Hindemith and Schonberg and a series of exhibitions on architecture, ballet and theatre, hosted by several museums, theatres and dance companies, among which an exposition at the Municipal Museum in The Hague of Frankfurt furniture from before Second World War and a number of paintings by the famous Dutch painter Rob Scholte.\nThe conference's legacy: While the conference certainly shook the scientific world of those days, it is also fair to say that its impact nonetheless was fairly limited. Not only was this the case, because the conference was not supported by the Frankfurt School, as a result of which the attendance of Frankfurt School affiliates from Germany was relatively low. Also, although a large part of the left wing intellectual elite from Europe was present, this could not be said for the presence of French intellectuals of the day. As such the conference missed the infusion of a broad range of postmodern thought that was about to engulf critical management research for roughly a decade after. All in all, the conference could neither be seen as a continuation of the thoughts and ideas of Frankfurt school representatives like Adorno, Benjamin, Marcuse, Horkheimer and their followers nor as an instance of the impending deconstructionist wave taking hold of leftist social thought in business and management studies through the earlier work of Deleuze, Lyotard and Derrida.\n",
"role": "user"
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"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to outline the background and the plot of the academic career of Slawomir Magala, particularly from the point of view represented by the author who had co-created significant international conference on critical theory and the sciences of management which triggered off the critical management studies in the British and subsequently global academic research networks.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The content of the research is based on a mixture of a historical account of a conference on the Frankfurt school of social research, observations and participatory observations, qualitative content analysis and a bibliographical case study.\nFindings: The long-term effects of an international networking event are hard to predict and almost never respect the academic borders and gate keepers.\nResearch limitations/implications: This paper is a very personal point of view.\nPractical implications: This paper is a case study of academic school emergence.\nSocial implications: This paper is a case study of social and political relevance of managerial research.\nOriginality/value: The unique selling point of this paper is that it is based on a critical event in uncritical sciences.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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A data structure for supply chain management systems
|
[
"Data structures",
"Decision support systems",
"Materials management",
"Production scheduling",
"Supply chain management"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: A function of supply chain management (SCM) systems is coordination of activities of entities involved in supply of raw materials, production of goods and services, and distribution of products to customers. A well-coordinated SCM system provides the right type of products to customers when the products are needed.Proper operation of the system requires the integration and coordination of the necessary software modules and activities at each level and between the levels of the system. Interface software at the highest level integrates major components like continuous replenishment program, customer relationship management, enterprise resource planning (ERP), transportation management system, and warehouse management system. In the mid-level echelons and within each of these sub-systems data integrity and flow must be insured to have reliable sub-systems. Finally, at the lowest level, where the data are stored and manipulated, efficient data structures are needed to reduce system overhead and make data available for decision making as quickly as possible.In spite of the importance of SCM, the literature has been silent on appropriate data structures for SCM. This is the first report on the lowest echelon of the system and presents a data structure for storage, update, and retrieval of data related to capacity of resources. Accurate and timely data about available capacity of every component of SCM such as employees, equipment, and transportation media is necessary for effective management of the system. Scheduling of the activities involved in the SCM is an integral part of SCM software. This paper discusses the special characteristics related to capacity of resources and introduces a new version of threaded height-balanced binary search tree for storage and manipulation of capacity-related data.\nBackground: SCM has become an important part of several industries and is gaining acceptance by many others. Information technology research agencies predicted that SCM applications sales would triple by 2004 (Singh, 2003). This drastic upward trend has continued since then. There have been numerous developments in SCM software and technologies that have significant influence on SCM implementation decisions (Singh, 2003). Researchers emphasize the importance of the use of operations research models in SCM decision making and their integration within the organizations' information technology infrastructure (Shapiro, 2001). The architecture used in a real life SCM implementation and several methodologies for sharing information among organizations that are involved in SCM settings are discussed in Ball et al. (2002). Also, a scheme has been developed that integrates software component architecture of SCM and provides intelligence and flexibility (Jones et al., 2001; Verwijmeren, 2004).A methodology that uses Open Application Group business object documents and UML interaction diagrams is developed (Huhns et al., 2002) to define specifications and implementations of software agents which can then be used to automate SCM. A multi-agent system paradigm for modeling supply chain networks is proposed (Verdicchio and Colombetti, 2002) in which the relationships between companies are represented by software agents.Several researchers have discussed the strategic role and implementation issues of SCM and its sub systems in organizations. A strategic framework for a successful implementation of ERP emphasizes four factors; internal and external, enterprise application domain, and the specific choice of technology (Chakraborty and Sharma, 2007). Barriers to mitigating risk in a successful SCM system in small and medium size organizations are identified and their characteristics are explored (Faisal et al., 2007).The forgoing review of SCM in the information technology and computer science literature shows the scarcity of research in this important area and the focus of research in the highest levels of system echelons. The literature emphasizes integration of subsystems at the highest levels and only one published report (Ardalan and Ardalan, 2001) deals with the lowest echelon, and specifically on data structures for SCM software. SCM software are propriety and detailed information about their architecture, specifics of their data structures, and other technical elements are publicly unavailable. Hence, a review of the types of data structures deployed by SCM software is impossible to conduct and report.Development of efficient SCM systems would benefit from the synergy that may result from open communication of SCM researchers and practitioners working on every echelon of the system. This paper attempts to spark interest among the researchers and practitioners to publish their findings and experiences related to all levels, and specifically, the development of data structures for efficient storage and retrieval of information in SCM software.The following sections present the special characteristics of data related to capacity of resources and review a variety of data structures which are shown to be effective with respect to search and update algorithms. Then the paper presents a data structure with efficient search and update procedures that is suitable for capacity-related data in SCM applications.Characteristics of data related to the capacity of resources\nSelection and implementation of the proposed data structure: As mentioned before, capacity-related data should be stored in such a way that both search and update operations can be performed rather efficiently by SCM software in the scheduling process. An efficient way of searching the capacity file for the start and finish time of an activity is to find either the start or the finish time with a direct search and then find the finish or start time using a sequential search. Once these times are found, the available capacity of the resource for the duration of the activity is retrieved and used for scheduling decisions.As was presented above, the data structure threaded height-balanced binary search tree is efficient regarding direct and sequential search, and update operations. We modified this data structure by adding one key to each node to make it suitable for storing capacity information. Therefore, each node in the proposed structure has two keys. These keys denote the start and the end periods of any interval over which the capacity level of the resource remains constant. In the following sections, we present modifications to the algorithms for search and update in threaded height-balanced tree to make them suitable for processing the proposed data structure.To efficiently perform the operations presented above, the keys to the records (period numbers) can be structured as an ordered list. The linked representation is used to represent this tree structure.Figure 3 shows the proposed threaded height-balanced binary search tree equivalent of the data in Figure 1. Note that there are two keys present in each node, one indicating the start and the other indicating the end period over which the level of resource remains constant.To schedule an activity that requires a certain level of a resource, the node(s) containing the start time and the finish time of the activity, and all of those nodes that contain the periods over which the activity is performed should be accessed and used to compare the availability of the resource with its required quantity. The activity will be scheduled if there is adequate capacity of the resource available. The resource is then allocated to the activity and the file is updated to incorporate the changes in the resource levels. The following section presents the procedures for these processes that have been developed and extensively tested to ensure their integrity (Ardalan, 1983).Search and update\nConclusions: This study used the special characteristics related to capacity of resources to develop a data structure that can be efficiently searched and updated as part of scheduling routines in SCM software. The proposed data structure is a modified version of threaded height-balanced binary search tree (Raiha and Zweben, 1979). Each node in the proposed tree has one more key than the regular tree. The algorithms present in the literature on search and update operations on height-balanced binary search trees were modified to suit the new version developed in this study. The algorithms developed in this study are more complicated as they deal with an additional key in each node.\nManagerial implications: The paper suggests two areas for managers to consider. One is to increase the level of communication among the professionals who develop information systems for SCM software. As this study indicated, there is a relatively high level of communication about the top level architecture and management of supply chain systems. The amount of communication about the components of such systems at lower levels should increase to speed up the increase in efficiency of SCM software. More communication among system designers results in faster learning of new knowledge and higher rates of improvements in efficiency of SCM software.The second item that may be viewed as an extension of the first item mentioned above is sharing information about the data structure that was developed and is presented in this study. The goal of publishing the information about this data structure is to encourage managers to share their experience related to the lower level components of SCM systems to enhance the collective knowledge of professionals who develop SCM software.\n",
"role": "user"
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"content": "Purpose: - Efficient operation of supply chain management (SCM) software is highly dependent on performance of its data structures that are used for data storage and retrieval. Each module in the software should use data structures that are appropriate for the types of operations performed in that module. The purpose of this paper is to develop and introduce an efficient data structure for storage and retrieval of data related to capacity of resources.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - A major aim of supply management systems is timely production and delivery of products. This paper reviews data structures and designs an efficient data structure for storage and retrieval of data that is used in the scheduling module of SCM software.\nFindings: - This paper introduces a new data structure and search and update algorithms. This data structure can be used in SCM software to record the availability of non-storable resources.\nOriginality/value: - This is the first paper that discusses the role of data structures in SCM software and develops a data structure that can be used in the scheduling routine of SCM systems. Scheduling is one of the complex modules of SCM software. Some of the special characteristics related to capacity of resources to develop a data structure that can be efficiently searched and updated as part of scheduling routines were used in the new data structure. This data structure is a modified version of threaded height-balanced binary search tree. Each node in the proposed tree has one more key than a node in the ordinary threaded height-balanced binary search tree. The available algorithms in the literature on search and update operations on height-balanced binary search trees are modified to suit the proposed tree.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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Effects of milk phospholipid on memory and psychological stress response
|
[
"Cognition",
"Food additives",
"Personal health",
"Proteins",
"Memory"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Phosphatidylserine (PS) has been shown in 21 double-blind trials to improve memory, learning, attention, word choice, and other cognitive measures as well as mood and the capacity to cope with stress (Monteleone et al., 1992; Cenachhi et al., 1993; Crook, 1998; Hellhammer et al., 2004). Single (50 and 75 mg) as well as repeated intake (800 mg per day for ten days) of PS has been reported to reduce ACTH and cortisol secretion in response to physical stress (Monteleone et al., 1990, 1992). Benton et al. (2001) demonstrated a positive effect of three-month treatment with 300 mg/day PS on perceived stress during a stressful mental arithmetic task. In line with these results, we recently showed that daily intake of 400 mg phosphatidic acid and phosphatidylserine complex (PAS) over a three-week period significantly dampens the endocrine stress response (Hellhammer et al., 2004): compared to placebo, subjects exposed to 400 mg PAS had significantly lower levels of ACTH, serum cortisol and salivary cortisol (the biological active, free steroid fraction) in response to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST; Kirschbaum et al., 1993), a well-validated laboratory protocol (Dickerson and Kemeny, 2004).Furthermore, results from a clinical trial in elderly patients suggest that bovine cortex PS (BC-PS) acts as an antidementia agent that may improve behaviour and cognitive performance without any side effects (Cenachhi et al., 1993). Animal findings showed that soy PS has similar effects on cognitive performance as bovine PS (Sakai et al., 1996; Blokland et al., 1999; Suzuki et al., 2001) and this has been confirmed in human studies (Crook, 1998; Benton et al., 2001). Suggested mechanisms of how PS enhances memory performance implicate its involvement in the maintenance of the neuron membrane and its promoting dendritic branching and neurotransmitter release (McDaniel et al., 2003).In sum, there is preliminary evidence for a possible role of phospholipids in buffering the mental and bodily response to psychological stress and enhancing cognitive functioning.The main objective of this single-centre, placebo-controlled, double-blind study was to investigate and evaluate effects of milk phospholipid concentrate (PL) on cognition as well as on chronic stress, and psychobiological responses to acute laboratory stress (Trier Social Stress Test; TSST). Thus, we hypothesized that, when compared to placebo, the administration of PL over three weeks dampens the endocrine and psychological stress response and exerts memory-enhancing effects.\n2. Methods and materials: The study was approved by the Ethical Committee of the State's Medical Association of Rhineland-Palatinate (Landesarztekammer Rheinland-Pfalz), Germany and was performed in accordance with ethical standards of the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 1983.2.1 Subjects\n3. Results: 3.1 Substance\n4. Discussion: The findings suggest that daily intake of 13.5 g PL over a three week period has a positive, but moderate impact on working memory performance and dampens the psychological stress response. The endocrine stress response, though, was not found to be generally-affected by PL intake.Interestingly, an almost significant group difference among the endocrine measures was only observed for a lower percentual increase of salivary cortisol in the TSST. Due to its low molecular weight (362 Dalton) and high lipophilicity, cortisol passively diffuses through the lipid-rich membranes of virtually all cells in the body (Kirschbaum and Hellhammer, 1994). Thus, lower stimulated cortisol levels in saliva may particularly refer to PL effects on the membrane of acini cells. If so, it may be worth to include the investigation of protective effects on target cells in future studies.Memory benefits in association with PS intake have been reported in other human studies (Crook, 1998). Those studies focused on age-related memory impairment, and the beneficial effects of PS were attributed to its involvement in the maintenance of the neuron membrane as well as its promoting impact on dendrite branching (McDaniel et al., 2003). With the current study, we extend these findings and show that after a three-week intake of PL, middle-aged subjects without memory complaints had a tendency to have faster reaction times in an item-recognition task than the placebo-exposed group. This is interesting considering that working memory is responsible for the temporary storage and manipulation of information in memory and thus is the basis for performing higher cognitive functions such as language comprehension and reasoning. Considering that this conclusion is based on a marginally significant effect, replication is needed. Still, the marginally significant group effect suggests that PL intake might generally increase cognitive functioning in non-impaired individuals. An even greater benefit might be gained in individuals with cognitive impairment, which remains to be investigated. However, further studies are necessary to clarify if PS or SM account for this effect.The TSST induced an increase of state anxiety, negative mood, higher alertness, and agitation in subjects of both groups. Taking a closer look at these effects, however, reveals that subjects of the PL group were relatively protected against such effects, suggesting that perceived stress was less pronounced in the PL group. An increase in perceived stress over the course of the stress task was observed in the placebo group, but not in PL pre-treated subjects. In addition, the situation was experienced as less controllable for the placebo group. Furthermore, the PL group experienced the stress task as more predictable than subjects of the placebo group. These data provide further support to the findings of Benton et al. (2001) and Hellhammer et al.(2004) on dampening effects of phospholipids on perceived stress.We also explored the possibility that stressed individuals would benefit from PL intake to a greater-extent than non-stressed individuals. Thus, for exploratory purposes, subjects were assigned to a high vs. low stress group, and distinct analyses for treatment effects were performed for these two groups. The group median was used to assign the subjects to either the low or high stress group according to their TICS scores. Distinct analyses of ACTH levels in the high and low stressed subjects revealed no interaction between time of testing (pre vs post TSST) and treatment group in the low stressed group (F(1,16)=0.39, p=0.54). Among the high stressed individuals, however, the percent ACTH increase in response to the TSST significantly differed between the treatment groups with higher values in the placebo group (t(22)=2.46, p=0.02), while no such treatment effect could be observed in the low stress group (t(16)=-0.63, p=0.54). Distinct repeated ANOVA for serum cortisol in the two stress groups did not indicate treatment effects in the low stress group as indicated by non-significant treatment group effects (F(1,15)=0.09, p=0.76) and non-significant interactions between time of testing and treatment group (F(6,90)=0.47, p=0.71, e=0.53). In high stressed individuals though, a trend for a treatment effect was observed (F(6,132)=2.45, p=0.09, e=0.39), which was accompanied by a tendency towards higher mean cortisol increases in placebo treated subjects of the high stress group when compared to the high stressed PL treated subjects (t(23)=1.9, p=0.07), while no such treatment effects were observed in the low stressed group t(15)=0.18, p=0.86). In terms of salivary cortisol levels, distinct repeated ANOVA for the two stress groups did not show treatment effects in the low stress group. In high stressed individuals however, a treatment effect was evident by a significant interaction between time of testing and treatment group (F(6,138)=3.12, p=0.05, e=0.39) with lower salivary cortisol concentrations in the PL group.In sum, we could confirm our hypothesis that PL has a slight memory enhancing effect, while a dampening of the endocrine and psychological stress response could only be observed in highly stressed individuals. There is preliminary evidence for PL treatment being more effective in dampening the endocrine stress response in subjects with a higher stress load. Thus, future studies should address PL effects on stress reactivity in a population of highly stressed individuals. Given possible PL effects on cell membranes of target tissues, such studies may include effects on several mental and physical diseases, such as depression, subtypes of abdominal obesity and the metabolic syndrome, which are all associated with a stress induced activation of the HPA axis (e.g. Chrousos, 2000).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - Phosphatidylserine (PS) extracted from both bovine cortex and soya beans has been previously reported to positively affect cognitive functioning, mood, and the capacity to cope with stress. The present paper aims to investigate whether the daily intake of phospholipid concentrate (PL) rich in phosphatidylserine (PS) and sphingomyelin (SM) has similar beneficial effects on working memory, allostastic load and the acute stress response.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - A total of 46 healthy men (average 41.5 years) received either placebo or 13.5 g per day PL over a three-week period. On the 21st day of PL intake, subjects' working memory performance and their psychological and endocrine responses to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) were tested.\nFindings: - Compared to placebo-exposed individuals, there was a tendency for shorter reaction times in the working memory task, suggesting better performance in PL-treated subjects. The two treatment groups did not significantly differ in their endocrine stress response. However, PL-treated subjects with a higher stress load showed a blunted psychological stress response.\nPractical implications: - Results of the present study show beneficial effects of PL intake on cognitive performance. Under acute stress, benefits of PL may only be visible in chronically stressed subjects.\nOriginality/value: - This paper provides new information for practitioners, academics and food supplement industries interested in possible beneficial effects of a milk phospholipid product on memory and mental stress.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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Institutions, small local firms' strategies, and global alliances in sub-Saharan Africa emerging markets
|
[
"Alliances",
"Emerging markets",
"Sub-Saharan Africa",
"Institutional interaction",
"Small local firms"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Institutional scholars in both international marketing (IM) (e.g. Akaka et al., 2013; Bell and Cooper, 2018; Cavusgil et al., 2005; Schulz, 2005; Torkkeli et al., 2019) and in international business (IB) (Cantwell et al., 2010; Dikova et al., 2010) call for researchers to develop more studies to better explain institutional interaction (II) and sources of complexities in emerging markets (EMs). For instance, in IM literature, Akaka et al.'s (2013) study highlights the urgency of developing such studies due to the shifting focus in the standardization vs adaptation debate from focusing on assessing cross-country differences to examining II and sources of complexities in global markets. Schulz (2005) contends that a paucity of research exists in terms of understanding complexities that arise from interactions among market institutions in EMs and urges researchers to conduct studies that tackle the complexities of market institutions in subsistence economies.\nRationale for selecting Nigeria and solar energy SLFs: Rationale for selecting Nigeria\nLiterature and theoretical foundation: We now review theories scholars have used to identify and articulate sources of complexity and threats to SLFs to investigate how these may impact on and guide the strategies SLFs use. Following our findings, we discuss how and whether these theories find support in explaining SLF responses to complexities in the EMs of SSA.\nMethod: In light of the exploratory and inductive nature of this study, the methodology employed is qualitative (Denzin and Lincoln, 1994). Qualitative research is useful for operationalizing new ideas, examining unique relationships, and assessing dimensions of abstract concepts (Weick, 1996). Qualitative methods allow greater consideration for collection of contextually rich data and interdependency analysis (Yin, 2011). Stake (2005) suggested qualitative methods enable extensive consideration for local context and complexities linked to the object of study. Hoskisson et al. (2000) further argued that qualitative methods are particularly relevant to research and evaluation of firms' strategies in EMs. We specifically assess the experiences of SLFs and the strategies they employ under complex market conditions in Nigeria. The outcome of this analysis will help develop theory on how SLFs successfully execute strategies under complex market conditions in EMs.\nThe cases: TIA in Nigeria\nDiscussion: The cases reveal that SLFs experiences in Nigeria involve frequent interactions with competing informal institutions (Helmke and Levitsky, 2004) including non-business network actors such as social-political actors (Loane and Bell, 2006), TNs, cabals, and the big man (Falola, 1999; Linsay, 2007). SLFs encounter frequent market disruption due to the lack of regular enforcement of formal state rules in SSA (O'Donnell, 1994), rising inflation, currency devaluation, limited credit facility for customer prospects, and shortage of skilled personnel.\nConclusion and study framework: The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of and complexities encountered by SLFs and the strategies they employ under complex market conditions in Nigeria, an example of an EM in SSA. Using the significant insights from our analysis, a theoretical framework of SLFs' strategies under institutional complexities is presented in Figure 1. Our findings indicate that SLFs in Nigeria encounter unstable business environment, influences of cabals, TNs, dysfunctional governments, and inconsistent rules shaped by foreign interests. The prevalence of rules shaped by foreign interests is a signal of lack of governmental resolve and capacity to build society. Following Wollin and Perry's (2004) conceptualization of market as a complex system, we can reasonably infer that the fundamental structure of markets shaped by competing foreign interest rules will experience more system disruptions and frequent changes in the fundamental rules than the markets shaped by national interest rules.\nMarketing implications for international marketers: This section discusses the potential marketing implications of our results for international marketers that are interested in creating profitable exchange relationships with SLFs in Nigeria. The SLFs investigated in this study are primary importers of OPS from a variety of suppliers in China and Western Europe, therefore the study outcomes are relevant to managerial decisions in IM relationships.\nStudy limitations, future research and replication: The results reported in this study are based on investigation of one industry context rather than multiple industry contexts. Future research should investigate multiple industry contexts. The proposed framework derived from the literature and the study analysis should be tested in the context of non-technology industries such as consumables, and the food and beverage industry. Regarding study replication, the following insight will help researchers seeking to collect data from TR markets in SSA. We discovered that gathering relevant contact information for SLFs is relatively easy by following the firms' social media pages, especially Facebook, and researching the main contacts on LinkedIn. Social media and e-mail messages are effective for initiating contact. If there are no responses to the e-mail messages, then the researcher should reach out to the contacts via phone calls. By using e-mail communication, it is easy to contact the SLFs' decision makers in a timely manner; however, the researcher must ensure follow up with a cell phone call soon after the e-mail communication.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to respond to the call of international marketing professionals for more studies on strategies that firms use in response to the complexities of interacting with other institutions in the emerging markets (EMs) of sub-Saharan Africa. The key research question investigated by employing the exploratory qualitative data gathered is: What strategies and global alliances do small local firms (SLFs) in Nigeria adopt to succeed under complex market conditions?\nDesign/methodology/approach: The methodology employed is exploratory qualitative research. The authors conducted extended interviews to generate rich case study data from the top management of the selected SLFs in Nigeria. The interview data were assessed using open, axial and selective coding to uncover macro-narratives that guide SLFs' strategies and global alliances.\nFindings: The macro-narratives derived from the qualitative case analysis reveal a theoretical framework centered on three major elements of competitive strategies in Nigeria: build global capacity and strategic alliances from the get-go; develop local strategic alliances; master matching alliance partners' needs to create innovative payment plans and, when necessary, shift the transaction cost burden to alliance partners. Matching theory rather than traditional network theories is better at explicating SLFs' alliances in Nigeria. Implementation of these strategies requires flexible strategic initiatives.\nOriginality/value: The study adapts institutional interaction theory, network theory, matching alliance perspective, trade credit theories and the literature on small firms' strategies in EMs to explicate successful small local firm strategies and global alliances under complex market conditions in Nigeria. The recognition that SLFs regularly migrate and shift the burden of transactions' cost to multiple stakeholders in the supply network by matching customers and supplier needs is important. The discovery of matching theory in explicating SLFs' global alliances in Nigeria is unique to this study.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
High performance work system, HRD climate and organisational performance: an empirical study
|
[
"Organisational performance",
"India",
"High-performance work system",
"HRD climate",
"OCTAPAC",
"Power sector"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: The significant role that human resource management (HRM) can play in allowing a firm to remain competitive has been increasingly recognised by scholars and practitioners alike in recent years (Ubeda-Garcia et al., 2013). The preoccupation with high performance, often referred to as the \"high-performance paradigm\", has developed into a dominant theme within the HRM discipline (Ramdani et al., 2014; Gilman and Raby, 2013). With the advent of strategic HRM (SHRM) paradigm, a substantial body of HRM research has examined the potential for bundles or systems of human resource policies and practices, otherwise called as high-performance work systems (HPWS) to influence firm performance (Mihail et al., 2013; Becker and Gerhart, 1996; Pfeffer, 1995).\nConceptualisation: Organizations' achieve a wide variety of outcomes from high-performance work practices (Ramdani et al., 2014; Posthuma et al., 2013; Jang and Khan, 2013; Camps and Luna-Arocas, 2009; Wienclaw, 2008; Godard and Delaney, 2000). The success of managerial practices is dependent on an appropriate fit between the assumptions, values and beliefs inherent in any given managerial practice and the culturally based assumptions, values and beliefs held by those who are being managed (Hofstede, 1993; Gerhart and Fang, 2005; Chan et al., 2004). Studies linking climate and performance claim that when employees perceive greater involvement in decision-making, information sharing and management support as favourable, it results in greater corporate effectiveness (Denison, 1996; Burke and Litwin, 1992). HRD Climate is an integral part of the organizational climate. It contributes to the overall health and self-renewing capabilities of the individuals, dyads and team of the entire organization (Khana and Tarab, 2012). With this background in mind, attempt is made here under to describe the concept of HPWS, HRD climate and OP.\nHypothesis: HPWS and OP\nMethodology: Research methodology\nStatistical analysis and discussion: For the purpose of analysis of data, descriptive analysis, correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were used on a standardized data set using the SPSS version 18.0.\nImplications for HRD: HPWS along with suitable HRD climate foster OP. In other word, HRD climate based on OCTAPAC culture facilitates implementation of managerial practices which can contribute to achievement of business objectives. Research agrees that HRD professional largely engaged in training activity (Nordhaug, 1989), and the training process is one of the most pervasive methods for enhancing the productivity of individuals through enhancing individual competency by increasing employees' skills (Gritz, 1993). Thus, the result of the study can have several implications for HRD from training perspective.\nLimitation and points for future research: Limitations are part and parcel of any kind of research work. So, the present study is assumed to be not free from limitations. Although adequate precautionary measures have been taken, the study suffers from some limitations. First, obtaining data from a single industry in a single geographic area limits the generalizability of the findings to other industries and geographic areas. The study has been confined to power sector based company and the sample organization has been chosen from a state of India, that is, Gujarat only. As such, the findings may not generalise to all Indian organizations. To enhance external validity, future research should obtain data from different industries and geographic regions. However, the limitation of single-industry research is mitigated by the influence of industry context on relationships of interest.\nConclusion: While the study aims at examining the relationship between HPWS and OP in the context of Indian power sector, the focus of the study has been on the role of HRD, more specifically HRD climate. In the current study, HRD climate has been proposed as mediating the relationship between HPWS and OP and, therefore, acts either as a facilitator or a barrier for the effective implementation of HPWS. The study proves that effective implementation of HPWS requires a suitable HRD culture. HPWS stand alone may not able to significantly contribute to enhancement of OP. Therefore, organizations in Indian context need to devote substantial resource for the development of HRD culture before adopting HPWS. As proved in the study, HRD culture variables such as helping attitude among the employees, self-development initiatives of the people, lack of biasness, initiative for taking more responsibility, team spirit, trust, etc. should be kept in mind while selecting people. This is more valid in the pretext of the fact that designing and implementing HPWS has a huge cost implication and probably one of the reason for which most of the Indian organizations are shying away to implement HPWS. Unless organizations are careful about the facilitators and barriers, the whole investment may prove as waste. Thus, creation of a suitable HRD culture is sine qua non for the successful implementation of HPWS in India.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This paper aims to study the relationship between high-performance work system (HPWS) and organizational performance and to examine the role of human resource development (HRD) Climate in mediating the relationship between HPWS and the organizational performance in the context of the power sector of India.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The empirical research paper has been conceptualized on the basis of extensive literature survey and examined through a case-based approach. Data and information collected to examine strength of the proposed hypothesis in the context of a power-based company in India.\nFindings: Agreeing with most of the research, HPWS is found to be positively related with organizational performance. The result does not agree with the HPWS research conducted in Asian countries. Taking clues from \"Black Box\" approach, the role of HRD Climate as a mediating factor has been studied. The result proved that HPWS influences organizational performance through a supportive development environment (HRD climate) based on openness, confrontation, trust, authenticity, proaction, autonomy, collaboration and experimentation (OCTAPAC).\nResearch limitations/implications: Designing and implementing HPWS requires the organization to nurture and develop a suitable HRD climate through development of organizational culture based on OCTAPAC.\nPractical implications: Implications for HRD-HPWS practices such as group-based pay, decentralized participative decisions, self-managed work teams, social and family events, and appraisal based on team goals along with OCTAPAC culture can significantly contribute to the transfer climate by influencing both peer and supervisor. It can significantly contribute to training motivation by influencing both career and job attitudes, and organizational commitment of trainees.\nOriginality/value: The research is unique in its attempt to understand the role HRD climate as intermediating variables to enhance the effectiveness of HPWS. This may add a lot of value in encouraging organizations to establish HRD Climate.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Supply chain uncertainties linked to information systems: a case study approach
|
[
"Supply chain management",
"Uncertainty",
"Typology",
"Information systems",
"Case studies"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The research into risk management is not new (Bernstein, 1996) and is still on the agenda for many research fields, such as information system (IS) management and supply chain management (SCM). Risks and uncertainties exist during investment, the launch of a new product, the implementation of a new IS and in the management of a global supply chain (SC). Our study positions itself at the intersection of research into SCM and the management of IS. These two research fields share the need to manage information flows in an intra- and inter-organizational manner.\n2. Literature review: 2.1 Risks and uncertainties in SCM\n3. Motivation and objectives: This investigation seeks to study the following research question:\n4. Methodology: multiple case studies: The interest of our research is that it considers SC ISs, not only as facilitators of SCM, but as potential factors for uncertainty. The choice of a qualitative methodology is relevant since the interest lies in building links and relations. We chose Yin's (2009) case study method as our strategy for empirical research, as it is used to study a phenomenon in a real context in which the researcher mobilizes multiple empirical sources. The case study is suited to research which considers the \"how\" of contemporary events (Yin, 2009), which is the case with our research question. Ellram (1996) demonstrates that this methodology in SCM enables us to understand the processes of decision making, which are important when we are interested in uncertainty management. In IS research, Cumbie et al. (2005) show that a qualitative approach is often chosen and that in 40 percent of the time, case study research is conducted. Our case studies were carried out in various SC departments in companies in several industries. We chose the companies after e-mailing a short survey of 8 \"Yes or No\" questions to approximately 60 industrial companies. 14 companies answered the survey, of which we selected five whose profiles suited our research question (these companies are all industrial, deal with SC uncertainties and use ISs to manage their SC). With regard to our research objectives, our case studies are explanatory (looking for causes of the phenomenon). Strictly following Yin's (2009) recommendations, the case studies were conducted following replication logic, allowing the external validity of the research to be increased. After having defined the research objectives, we built a case study protocol in order to ensure data reliability. Data collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews, factory visits and the study of internal documents, allowing us to ensure the construct validity of the research. The interviewees were from five companies, working in an SC role, or as managers or users of enterprise resource planning (ERP) (see Table III). The topics of our protocol were: SC and IS architecture description and uncertainties linked to ISs and their usage in a SC context description. It is also important to note that all these companies used at least one ERP system provided by international software publishers (such as SAP and NSCAPE).\n5. Case study description and analysis: 5.1 Case study descriptions: SC and ISs architectures\n6. Findings, discussions and conclusions: 6.1 Most recurring uncertainties linked to ISs and their usage in a SC context\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to study the following research question: how can information systems (ISs) be the real sources of uncertainty for supply chain management (SCM), despite their positive roles in the effectiveness of modern supply chain (SC) organization?\nDesign/methodology/approach: A typology of the uncertainties linked to ISs and their usage is developed. Then, five explanatory case studies conducted in diverse industries allow to characterize this typology.\nFindings: The case studies allow to identify the most frequently recurring uncertainties, namely, \"limited IS capacity\" and \"data unreliability.\" In addition, \"company size\" does not seem to be a relevant dimension for assessing the vulnerability of a SC to uncertainties linked to ISs. On the other hand, the \"business sector,\" with its implied power influences, was found to be a relevant dimension.\nResearch limitations/implications: This research does not allow to rank uncertainties according to their level of criticality.\nPractical implications: This paper enables SC and information systems managers, as well as ISs/SC project managers to be aware of the need to consider ISs not only as the vectors for performance, but also as the factors for uncertainty in SCs.\nOriginality/value: ISs are generally considered to be a vector of performance. Nevertheless, their use remains problematic in many companies. This paper falls within both the ISs and SCM research areas. In the latter field, typologies of the uncertainties are common, but often ignore the uncertainties linked to ISs and their usage. The authors suggest envisaging ISs as the potential factors for uncertainty in the context of SCM.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Automatic enrolment to pension plans in small organisations: a research agenda
|
[
"Small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)",
"Pensions",
"Automatic enrolment",
"Defined contribution"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Research indicates serious shortfalls in both pension coverage (i.e. the proportion of the workforce investing in occupational pension plans) and in the adequacy of retirement savings to meet future income needs during retirement in the USA (Munnell and Bleckman, 2014), the UK (Sass, 2014) and Ireland (OECD, 2013). A commonly cited reason for insufficient pension coverage is inertia, the behaviour of doing nothing and allowing the current situation to prevail. In the context of pensions, inertia describes organisations that either: offer pensions as a benefit but employees never sign up or delay enrolment for long periods; or do not provide access to a pension and their employees fail to join a private pension plan.\nImpact of AE on pension coverage: the empirical evidence: A small number of empirical studies in large companies are widely cited as pivotal in concentrating the attention of policy makers on AE as a policy to promote pension participation at firm level which, in turn, impacts pension coverage at a national level. A summary of these seminal studies is shown in Table I.\nAlignment of pension stakeholders' interests: Willis (2013) argued that the success of AE in large US organisations was due to aligned interests stating \"With respect to the defaults examined here [including AE], the key is whether the interests of the parties are aligned. In the retirement savings context, the employer, pension-plan provider, and most employees generally benefit from greater participation rates\" (Willis, 2013, p. 1155). With aligned interests, Willis (2013) argued that defaults such as AE are likely to be \"sticky\", meaning that employees will maintain their pension contributions following AE rather than opting out. Though not mentioned by Willis (2013), this paper argues that government is a critical stakeholder legislating for AE with the objective of increasing labour force pension coverage.\nConclusion: Policy makers and researchers argue that pension plan complexity leads to inertia, creating a pension problem in terms of inadequate participation and contribution rates. With inertia identified as the problem, AE is considered to be the solution. Employees of small organisations (1-49 employees), who rely primarily on state-sponsored pensions at retirement and who are unpensioned are seen by policy makers as key targets of legislated AE. However, this assumes that an AE policy will work the same way for small organisations as it did in the small number of large firms studied by Madrian and Shea (2001), Choi et al. (2002) and Choi, Laibson, Madrian and Metrick (2004) from which AE policy has been largely derived. This assumption remains untested at either a conceptual or empirical level in the literature.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyse how firm size impacts pension workforce coverage with a particular focus on automatic enrolment (AE) to pension plans in small organisations.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The paper examines the alignment of government AE interests with those of small employers, their employees and pension providers to better understand how firm size impacts pension workforce coverage.\nFindings: The alignment of interests between stakeholders (government, pension providers, employers and employees) differs between large and small organisations, and empirical findings from large organisations cannot be assumed to apply in small organisations.\nResearch limitations/implications: The paper calls attention to the need for future empirical research and identifies a number of research questions for further analysis to examine how AE impacts pension participation in small organisations and advance the field.\nOriginality/value: The policy of automatically enroling employees into occupational pension plans, recently legislated for all eligible workers in the UK and under consideration in the USA and Ireland, was developed from research conducted in a small number of large organisations. Pension coverage is particularly inadequate for the large number of employees working in small organisations (1-49 employees). However, little research attention has been focussed on pensions in small organisations with pension policy makers assuming that legislated AE will work as effectively in small organisations as it did in large organisations. This paper addresses this gap in the field.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Learning processes and processing learning: from organizational needs to learning designs
|
[
"Learning",
"Learning processes",
"Competences",
"Modelling"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Learning events are actions that some intelligent agent performs and that involve a sequence of mental events. Such mental events eventually produce knowledge, which can be considered a kind of improvement from the agent's perspective (Wilson, 2002). In our complex societies, learning, in many cases, materializes in planned, non-accidental and purposeful activities. Learning plans result in learning processes, and these are ontologically something that occurs, so that their properties and outcomes can be subject to examination and rational inquiry. An important step in such inquiries is a proper formulation of the ontology of learning that is considered as a supporting theory (Sicilia, 2006).A part of the learning processes that occur in organizations are not completely self-planned, but directed by organizational needs or other kind of forces external to the individual. Further, the outcomes of the processes influence the capabilities and behavior of the organization. Learning processes have thus an interest as value-creating activities inside organizations (Lytras and Sicilia, 2005), and this is why there is also an interest - from an information systems perspective - to \"process learning processes\" in the following sense: systems could plan learning processes based on some inputs (including the capabilities of the individuals), and produce some outputs (including improvement of those capabilities). Current learning technology is near to be able to automatically start (or at least suggest) that some learning process could be interesting for the objectives of a social group or organization, and it is also able to support the delivery and realization of these activities through networks as the internet. This kind of processing requires concrete ontologies of the inputs, outputs and main activities inside the concrete organizational situation. This is not to say that we adhere to some \"computer metaphor\" for learning, since any existing theory of learning (behaviorist, constructivist, socio-cultural, etc.) can be formalized in ontological terms (Sicilia and Lytras, 2005) to some extent and be subject to the kind of \"processing\" or \"planning\" we are talking about.This paper provides a model that links learning activities with a view on the organizational forces that drive knowledge creation. This is complementary to related efforts that connect learning objects with knowledge management (KM) concepts (Sicilia et al., 2006), and KM processes to learning designs (Sanchez-Alonso and Frosch-Wilke, 2005). Then, the main elements of the model are mapped to IMS Learning Design (LD), a language for the description of pedagogical arrangements of multi-role activities. Such mapping enables new technology reusing LD units of learning in a broader context, driven by organizational behavior.The rest of this paper is structured as follows. Section 2 describes the essentials of the process model that integrates a process view of KM with learning activities. That model attempts to explain how individual knowledge acquired through learning activities propagates to become organizational learning, with an emphasis on competencies as observable, inter-subjective behavior as one of the important measures in workplace learning. Then, Section 3 provides the details on how such a model can be used as an extension of the model of Learning Design (IMS, 2003) that is able to enable processing of learning plans in the sense of planning and arranging them towards organizational objectives.\n2. Linking pedagogy and epistemology: Naeve (2005) defines (mental) knowledge as consisting of efficient fantasies and describes (mental) learning as based on inspiring fantasies. Each fantasy has a context, a purpose and a target group, and it is only when we have described how we are going to measure the efficiency of our fantasies - within the given context, with the given purpose, and against the given target group - that we can speak of knowledge in a way that can be validated (see Figure 1). In consequence, epistemology is connected to measurement and observability.In a service-oriented environment aiming for reusability of service components, the \"process-object\" - or \"process-module\" - is of vital importance[1]. In the Astrakan(tm) process modeling technique[2], which underlies Figure 2, a process module has certain process goals, produces output resources for different stakeholders, refines input resources and makes use of supporting resources. Moreover, the difference between an input and a supporting resource is that the former is refined in the process, while the latter facilitates this refinement.Figure 3 depicts a kind of (=subclass of) process module, called a learning process module, with its corresponding learning (process) goals, and its input, output, and supporting learning resources.Observe that Figure 3 describes the crucial connections between learning resources (LRs), which include so-called learning objects (LOs)[3], learning process modules (LPMs) and learning goals (LGs). Hence it becomes possible to describe why we are using a certain LO in a certain LPM, i.e. what pedagogical aspects that we are trying to support and what LGs that we are trying to achieve. Apart from the never-ending debate about their definition, a major criticism against learning objects is that they are too often considered in isolation from the learning context within which they are supposed to be used (see, for example, Feldstein, 2006). Hence it becomes difficult to connect LOs with the social and pedagogical dimensions of the learning process, and answer the crucial pedagogical/didactical questions of why LOs are being used and what one is trying to achieve by using them.Using the modeling techniques introduced here, such questions can be answered, which is illustrated in Figure 4. Here an abstract learning process is broken into four different parts, each of which is supported by a number of pedagogical aspects and tools. By instantiating this abstract framework and concretizing the entities in a top-down manner, we can describe how different learning process modules are supported by different pedagogical aspects and resources (e.g. tools). Moreover, from such \"concrete descriptions\", commonalities can be identified and different learning process ontologies can be constructed in such a way as to facilitate reuse of learning objects \"in context\", i.e. within a specific learning process module that is connected to a set of learning objectives (goals).2.1 The GOAP approach to process modeling\n3. Contextualizing learning designs: Learning designs are purposeful arrangement of activities intended to fulfill some specific objectives[5]. Thus, it is the consideration of objectives external to the individual, which come from the needs of the organization. In addition, since organizational learning is intended to result in accountable knowledge, a second requisite is that the outcomes are measurable.Competencies are candidates to fulfill both requirements when considered as (Rothwell and Kazanas, 1992):* the work situation is the origin of the requirement for action that puts the competency into play;* the individual's required attributes (knowledge, skills, attitudes) in order to be able to act in the work situation;* the response which is the action itself; and* the consequences or outcomes, which are the results of the action, and which determine if the standard performance has been met.Overall competence can then be assessed as deficits of competencies required. Figure 8 depicts this idea, which is in fact a formulation of the well-known KM concept of the \"knowledge gap\". Even though competencies do not subsume any possible desirable requirement, they cover the most common workplace situations. Since objectives need to be contrasted with the outcomes of the activities in LD, formulating both in terms of competencies provides a form of measurement.Once the objectives of the learning units are expressed in external terms as competencies, the following step is the modeling of prerequisites. The inputs and outputs of the GOAP approach can be represented as objectives, but there are contributing inputs (supporting inputs) that can be modeled as prerequisites in LD. The description of the employee competency records could be modeled by the property mechanism attached to persons. Further the mechanisms of conditions can be used for the chaining of learning activities. Conditions in LD are defined as \"If-Then-Else rules that further refine the visibility of activities and environment entities for persons and roles\", so that they could be used for that purpose.An additional interesting mapping is that of learning-objects with \"knowledge assets\", as items that go through continuous revision as represented in the KMCI model.From the above discussion, it may be concluded that there is a one-to-one mapping from GOAP concepts to LD constructs, if we consider that processes are similar to the various granularities of activities in LD (method, play, act, activity, sub-activity). However, the following are essential elements that still require an extension for LD, or better, an \"application profile\" for the specifics of organizational learning:Aspect #1. The objectives and prerequisites of LD in the context of organizational learning need to be expressed in some language of measurable goals and outcomes.The LD specification states that competency models as IMS RCDEO can be used for objectives. The problem is that models as RCDEO are not computable in the sense that they lack computational semantics. For example, there is not a concrete interpretation of \"competency components\" and how they should be handled (Sicilia, 2005). So, only a limited number of models could be used, with the requirement of having strict semantics. Such semantics are a requirement for the computation of \"competence gaps\".Aspect #2. Learning activities are part of business processes of a different nature, which may include not only learning but also other KM activities as dissemination, knowledge validation or knowledge use.This second aspect requires a higher level model that somehow embeds learning designs as a concrete kind of (sub)activity. Then, units of learning inside business processes should be combined with other activities. A strictly additive way of extending LD in this direction may create a higher level schema from existing models of KM (Sicilia et al., 2006; Sanchez-Alonso and Frosch-Wilke, 2005). The common context expressed in terms of languages as those prescribed by Aspect #1 would provide a way to integrate the workflow capabilities of LD with orchestration languages for business processes, such as, for example, BPEL.Aspect #3. From the viewpoint of the run-time environment, there is a need for traceability across several learning designs.The third aspect concerns implementation frameworks. Since learning units are connected to others in a broader process context (see Figure 6), there is a need to trace the flow from one to another, possibly including non-learning activities.Aspect #4. Learning objects require some additional metadata that is able to describe its degree of \"validation\" as understood in KM validation processes.The fourth aspect implies that learning objects will be assessed during their usage, and also eventually as independent knowledge assets. This has an epistemological dimension, since such validation cycles make the object somewhat more \"credible\" with respect to its intended properties. From a KM perspective this is an important issue, even though it is not directly related to the LD model.Aspect #5. Integration with project management and work calendars is required as an added feature for workplace learning.LD units of learning are de-contextualized as generic arrangements of activities, but the environment of organizations requires constraining the run-time semantics of the flow of activities with common time and project management systems. This influences the decisions on selecting the persons fulfilling the roles for a given learning activity (that of course comes from some organizational goal), as pointed out by Lytras and Sicilia (2005).\n4. Conclusions and outlook: Learning objects and learning activities can be connected to learning processes inside organizations by considering measurability and links to organizational goals. Competencies provide a possible language for the expression of goals, prerequisites and outcomes that link the network of learning activities.A tentative mapping of the GOAP model to LD constructs has been sketched, and some tentative aspects that suggest the need for an extended specification embedding LD have been discussed.Further work should address the specificities of such integration by reusing existing ontological models of KM (Holsapple and Joshi, 2004).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to provide a model for a process-oriented view on learning in organizations, and to link this model with IMS Learning Design (LD), a language for the description of pedagogical arrangement of multi-role activities.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - This article exploits conceptual modeling techniques and a literature review.\nFindings: - A tentative mapping of the GOAP model to LD constructs is sketched, and some tentative aspects that suggest the need for an extended specification embedding LD are discussed.\nResearch limitations/implications: - This paper describes a model for a process-oriented view on learning in organizations, and sketches how that framework could be integrated with IMS Learning Design, a language for the description of pedagogical arrangement of multi-role activities.\nPractical implications: - The paper promotes the role of conceptual modeling as a key process for learning design.\nOriginality/value: - The paper presents an exploitation of learning processes modeling towards effective learning designs.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Productivity, quality and business performance: an empirical study
|
[
"Performance",
"Quality",
"Productivity",
"Business",
"Brassware",
"Three-stage least-squares"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: India occupies an important position in brassware industry internationally. The home-based brassware units of the industry provide significant employment and generate valuable foreign exchange by exporting home-based brassware products to leading European countries and the USA. The home-based brassware industry constitutes a large number of production units that undertake different production processes up to a certain stage, and then pass on the unfinished products to other units in the supply chain to undertake further processing and value addition depending upon the buyers' requirements. These production units are predominantly represented by unorganized household units.\nOverview of related literature: Productivity\nResearch methodology: Conceptual framework\nResults: This section presents the results of descriptive statistics followed by statistical analysis of data using 3SLS.\nDiscussions: The linkage of QU-PR-BP has been found appropriate in home-based brassware units in India owing to acceptable RMSE value, R2 value, and p -value. Notably, PR1 and PR7 have been found to be significantly influencing BP, whereas QU2 and QU3 have been found to be significantly influencing PR. PR1 stands for production sub-system, which comprises workforce utilization, assets utilization, materials utilization, schedule completion, and follow-up. PR7 stands for goals and values sub-system, which comprises level of the satisfied employees, level of the satisfied customers, level of the satisfied suppliers, provision for protecting environment, and provision for social responsibility. QU2 stands for motivational provisions, which comprises financial support concerns, professional market development concerns, professional market access concerns, government support for clusters' concerns, and brass scrap recycling concerns. QU3 stands for dependability, which comprises worker availability concerns, karkhanedars' availability concerns in case of need, timely services concerns, and mistake proofing concerns. That is, significant critical productivity practices in home-based brassware manufacturing has been obtained to be relating to goals and values sub-system where workers' skills are needed to be upgraded for quality to be ensured through motivational provisions and dependability. Such linking of productivity, quality, and business performance can help overcome explicit challenges in home-based brassware units.\nManagerial implication: This study implies that workplace environment and motivational provisions have been obtained as a key ingredient for improving quality. Similarly, sub-systems of production and goals and value have been obtained as a key ingredient for improving productivity. Group actions to support business performance in home-based brassware units have to consider cost, capacity utilization, inventory turnover, flexibility, delivery speed, and customer satisfaction as priorities.\nConclusion: Studying linkages among productivity, quality, and business performance has become imperative in the current business environment of home-based brassware units. Although productivity, quality, and business performance can exist separately on their disconnected spaces in a globally competitive world of work, their integration leads to new value creation toward survival and growth where measurement is vital for managing. This paper has applied the systems perspective and considered productivity, quality, and business performance in totality for home-based brassware units so that a concerted effort can be planned. This paper has considered production, marketing, financial, technology, human resources development, materials, and goals and values sub-systems that have a bearing on productivity, which distinguishes it from other efforts.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate linkage among productivity, quality, and business performance in home-based brassware units in India.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This study involved action research of home-based brassware units applying procedures for three-stage least-squares (3SLS) regression analysis, with data obtained through questionnaire survey based on convenience sampling.\nFindings: This study has supported the established belief that quality leads to productivity, and subsequently productivity leads to better business performance for home-based brassware units in India. The consistent and logical result of this study using 3SLS regression analysis has provided empirical understanding of the appropriate linkage among productivity, quality, and business performance.\nResearch limitations/implications: This study has limitations of findings, as it studied the home-based brassware units in the Indian context only.\nPractical implications: This study implies that marketable home-based brassware products are to be produced by taking into account boundaries of production within the framework of goals and value created by motivation and dependability for monitoring the business performance. Identifying an appropriate linkage among productivity, quality, and business performance may project a holistic evaluation of the policy development related to home-based brassware units.\nOriginality/value: This is an original study to test empirical linkages among productivity, quality, and business performance using 3SLS regression analysis particularly for home-based brassware units in India.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Gain the most from your marketing spend on loyalty
|
[
"Customer loyalty",
"Marketing",
"Marketing strategy"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Each year over $2 billion is spent in the pursuit of customer loyalty and firms spend ten times the required amount to get the same result (Colloquy, 2011). Money is wasted because satisfaction can be latent and loyalty can be spurious. While this makes it harder for an organization to evaluate the organizational returns of the investment in loyalty, the bigger issue is what should I invest in? The growing importance of this topic over the last 60 years is reflected Google Labs Books Ngram Viewer (Figure 1) which looks at frequency of a phrase occurring. Here we see the concept of market research is also strongly tied to satisfaction. The concept of loyalty overlaps with customer value. To create a stronger loyalty strategy, it is important to understand the four concepts that form the foundation. These four factors are: customer perceived value, satisfaction, behavioral loyalty and attitudinal loyalty. They all must work together and cannot be used alone. Understanding the concepts are not enough as an organization must create a step-by-step plan that is described below.\nStep 1. To increase returns on loyalty investment: define your output criteria and input factors: Research consistently finds that profitable customers tend to make up only around 20 percent of a company's customers. Break-even customers represent around 60 percent of the total company customers, and unprofitable customers around 20 percent. Studies show that loyal customers are not always profitable (Keiningham et al., 2009; Dowling and Uncles, 1997; Epstein and Westbrook, 2001). Hence for your marketing product and industry, first understand the metrics that work for you. Is it retention, repeat behavior or is it attitudinal loyalty that are important? Take for example the company Browning-Ferris Industries (Epstein and Westbrook, 2001). Between 1990 and 1993, they had a defection rate of 11 to 13 percent per year. Between 1995-1997, they decided to focus on improving customer satisfaction to reduce the defection rate but it did not work. The defection rate increased from 13 to 15 percent. One reason identified was that the acquisition of new customers had become too expensive. Then they decided to focus on customer retention and found a 1 percent decline in customer defection yielded a pretax profit increase of $41 million. A study by Stern and Hammond (2004) finds that initially, loyalty falls steeply but then stabilizes around 15 purchases, and from 60 to 200 purchases there is very little change in observed measures of customer loyalty. How much do you want to invest to cross a threshold? Have you crossed it already?\nStep 2. Build a foundation on customer perceived value: it's a lot more than the marketing mix!: Customer perceived value is defined at the simplest level as the value a customer receives from purchase of the product when the benefit of purchase is greater than the cost of purchase (Wang et al., 2004). This value can be accrued or deducted from many sources and delivered through the marketing mix (see Figure 2). Functional value is considered a benefit when the product delivers what is promised but if it is difficult to use, becomes obsolete quickly or may not be compatible with earlier generations (take the Sony HandyCams for example), it maybe be perceived more as a cost, which is negative. Similarly price is not merely a function of the monetary terms, but also resale value (for cars), after sales service or even price options like installments, credit card payment etc. Synovate research in China (Synovate Research, 2010) found mobile banking an important criteria for \"joining a bank\" and hence \"switching\". Each element of the marketing mix can become a benefit in the eyes of the customer or can be perceived as a cost. Banasiewicz (2005) contends that a strong value proposition alone is not always sufficient to turn a loyalty program profitable. The factors are often due to the inability to set objectives, to get correct information from data rich sources, plan and to manage operational strategies.\nStep 3. Create satisfaction: the objective is to exceed expectations. Be careful on how you build these expectations: Satisfaction is a state of mind that occurs when the perceived benefits equal or exceed the costs of the investing in the product. Satisfaction affects attitudinal and behavioral loyalty (Helgesen, 2006; Cooil et al., 2007; Szymanski and Henard, 2001) not only for the organization but for the industry (ACSI, 2009; ECSI, 2005). When a customer is delighted - it means the customer expectations are exceeded. Since the customer is evaluating the value delivered by the firm through the marketing mix against a \"mental\" checklist of expectations, the dissatisfaction that arises creates a greater cost in the value equation because of the perception differences (Zeithaml et al., 2009; Berry and Parasuraman, 1991). Practitioners have to look at products and services not as a complete package but as a modular product that has the ability to deliver satisfaction at many levels. Unfortunately most research instruments (especially service based ones) look at satisfaction as an overall experience (see Cooil et al., 2007; Taylor et al., 2004; Oliver, 1997) or measure a combination of the overall feeling of satisfaction, level of expectation fulfillment and meeting desired level (Wang et al., 2004) which may give a firm a false sense of security.The original battery cars were sold on the premise of being environmentally friendly, however on deeper research, the nickel cadmium batteries were more environmentally damaging than petrol guzzling cars. Today Toyota uses Nickel metal hydride batteries that can be fully recycled and Toyota goes one step further by putting a phone number on each battery, paying a $200 \"bounty\" for each battery to help ensure that it will be properly recycled (hybridcars.com). This recycling strategy (place value) was integral to the \"environmental friendly functional\" aspect of the car and also had a financial reward (price value). Jones and Sasser (1995) find that completely satisfied customers were six times more likely to repurchase over the next year and a half than somewhat satisfied customers. A three year longitudinal study of 20,000 customer found that totally-satisfied customer contributed 2.6 times the annual revenue that a somewhat-satisfied customer generated; and 14 times the revenue of a somewhat dissatisfied customer; on the other hand, a totally dissatisfied customer decreases revenue at a rate equal to twice what a totally satisfied customer contributes (Reichheld, 2003). Though many firms focus on price, studies show that price led to switching only 17.1 percent of the time while most of the time (67.8 percent) it was other issues (Keaveney, 1995). The difference between those customers who experience a positive moment of truth, versus those who experience a negative moment of truth, translates to a 20 percent share of wallet (Beaujean et al., 2006). Hence satisfaction is a function of customer perceived value and is transactional in nature based on individual encounters, experience or consumption (Harris and Goode, 2004; Auh and Johnson, 2005). Reichheld et al. (2000) found that 60-80 percent of the survey population said they were satisfied before defection to competitors. Satisfaction alone cannot be used to measure loyalty. However these repeated deposits of satisfaction in the loyalty account build loyalty.\nStep 4. Behavioral loyalty - encourage the practice: Loyalty is an accumulation of experience (Mascarenhas et al., 2006), accrued over multiple \"moment of truths\". Delighted customers are more loyal (Johnston, 2004; Curasi and Kennedy, 2002). Loyalty affects profitability (Helgesen, 2006). There are two key dimensions of loyalty practitioners can focus on. The first is behavioral loyalty that is defined with customer actions (not intensions) (Keiningham et al., 2007). Behavioral loyalty affects purchase frequency (Divett et al., 2003), purchase value (Mascarenhas et al., 2006), purchase quantity and variety (Jang and Mattila, 2005) and solicited WOM. It is more short-term and leads to customer retention (Baumann et al., 2007; Mascarenhas et al., 2006; Skogland and Siguaw, 2004; Uncles et al., 2003). Repurchase intension, resistance to switching and willingness to recommend account for 62 percent of loyalty (Lee et al., 2000). A recent survey in the US by the National Restaurant Association and Loyalty 360 - The Loyalty Marketer's Association and rDialogue found that loyalty programs in the restaurant industry increased repeat behavior (Rice, 2010). Very often these behaviors need to be encouraged to become a habit. Studies like that by Aarts et al. (1998) and Betsch et al. (2001) find that behavioral loyalty can be based on habit and can be misconstrued as attitudinal. That means not only are marketers using educational tools but encouraging their customers to recommend, and to buy. If your industry is prone to switching - you should target behavioral loyalty. If the experiences are positive, then attitudinal loyalty will accrue.\nStep 5. Attitudinal loyalty - it's a question of patience: Attitudinal loyalty is more long-term and is a state of mind. When the value the firm offers leads to a long term positive association in the mind of the customer the customer will give unsolicited WOM; trust the company/product (which allows halo branding), pay more than expected (more than 7 percent) and have long term commitment (they will defend and overlook shortcomings) (Taylor et al., 2004; Harris and Goode, 2004; see Johnson et al., 2001; Ladhari et al., 2008). Attitudinal loyalty is important especially when the functional benefits of products are difficult to evaluate. Behavioral economists tell us that economic decision-making is 70 percent emotional and 30 percent rational (Johnson, 2010). Attitudes are defined from within the company and projected outwards and though many firms focus on image, people who sell the \"product value\" are important. The findings of a 2009 Gallup survey on the impact of customer and employee engagement found that those in the upper half on customer engagement and the lower half on employee engagement, or vice versa, get a 70 percent boost in bottom-line results; those in the upper half on both customer and employee engagement get a 240 percent boost (Johnson, 2010). Auh and Johnson (2005) find loyalty as a decision utility. Attitudinal loyalty is a relationship based on a long-term commitment, trust and a feeling of reciprocity (like brand equity) (Taylor et al., 2004; Harris and Goode, 2004; see Johnson et al., 2001).\nStep 6. Keep a pulse on your customer and industry. Don't generalize results - statistics are not a substitute for indepth insights: The market research industry is often statistics driven and takes comfort in numbers - as seen by the IPSOS paper on NPS and Bain research on NPS (Reichheld, 2003; Keiningham et al., 2008). Besides the marketing spend and the research spend, there is also the additional investment in ICT. Numbers are important but not absolute. As an organization you need to get consumer insights - not averages. A recent IPSOS MediaCT (2010) survey on Arab media habits (see Figure 3) covering six countries (Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and UAE) found Arab people spent four hours watching TV daily, 90 minutes using the mobile, 1 hour on the internet and the remaining 90 minutes were divided between prints, radio, and video games. What media would you recommend to create loyalty for a luxury car seller? In-depth interviews with potential buyers and current car owners found word of mouth was a key criteria for purchase decision. According to Gitomer (1998) word of mouth advertising is 50 times more powerful than advertising.Forrester Research found with recession travelers are less loyal - (30 percent of travelers were loyal to one company in 2002 and now the number is just 30 percent), they are looking for instant gratification and more flexibility (Dilworth, 2010) which means the industry needs to focus on behavioral loyalty. Dreze and Nunes (2004, 2006) find that retention can increase by offering customers who accrue points an opportunity to redeem them by using an optimal combination of points and currency. Secondly they find that by giving a customer a step-by-step goal and completing the initial steps also increase retention. For the customer the dilemma moves from a judgment of \"is the effort worth it\" to \"should I waste the initial endowment?\". For most loyalty programs the steps and the paperwork is more effort than the rewards are worth. Very often these \"tasks\" have an expiry date which means the loyalty account goes back to zero. Marriot has been finding success with their Marriot Elite Rollover Nights program and its instant redemption that can be used say for paying drinks at a bar (something the fast food restaurant industry has been using). You have to keep benchmarking yourself with, relevant competitors, and customer needs based on your objective. Loyalty depends on updating the customer perceived value - keep up with the trends. Understand your customer - these insights separate the aspirational brands from the followers. And when in doubt - see what others are doing - even if it is not your competitor - if they are competing for the same customer - you need to understand what works!\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The paper aims to highlight common mistakes organizations make when designing loyalty programs and provides the reader some questions to ponder before spending money in the pursuit of loyalty. It is based on a review of 300 journal articles.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The paper is based on a detailed review of literature, and the author's observation in researching loyalty over the last three years.\nFindings: - Loyalty is of many types and the biggest mistake organizations make is thinking they all need attitudinal loyalty. This is not so and organizations should look at the industry, customers and more importantly their own goals before deciding how much money to spend.\nOriginality/value: - The study prioritizes perceived value, satisfaction, behavioral loyalty and attitudinal loyalty in the context of the organizational goals and industry. It provides a simple process to relook ROI in loyalty programs.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Investigating dynamic capabilities, agility and knowledge management within EMNEs-longitudinal evidence from Europe
|
[
"UK"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: In the latest global rankings for attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), the UK, Germany and France were ranked 3rd, 4th and 5th respectively (UNCTAD, 2017). The other developed countries in the EU and North America have traditionally made up the largest share of inward investors into the UK, Germany and France in terms of FDI stocks (Bundesbank, 2012). However, a more recent trend is that the share of FDI from emerging market multinational enterprises (EMNEs) into Europe and particularly into the UK, Germany and France has risen constantly over the past decade, although from a lower base. This important aspect has not been researched as much in the literature on foreign investment.\n2. Literature review and hypothesis development: In the face of relentless competition and uncertainties, firms are advised to constantly adapt, renew, re-configure and re-create their resources and capabilities to survive and prosper (Barney, 2001). In this context, the concept of DC has become a central research area in the strategy literature, including knowledge and innovation (Teece, 2006). Indeed, Teece et al.'s (1997) seminal work paved the way to numerous scholars from different research backgrounds to use different theoretical perspectives to explore the nature of DC. However, despite the popularity of the concept, the literature remains fragmented (Ambrosini and Bowman, 2009). Notwithstanding this fragmentation, scholars concur that DC are \"higher order capabilities\" that allow for collation, creation and dissemination of knowledge; continuous updating of operational processes; dynamic interaction with the environment and reflexivity in decision-making (Easterby-Smith et al., 2009).\n3. Research design: The data for our analysis is drawn from ORBIS, which is a commercially available database of annual accounts. A unique feature of the data set is the identification of foreign-owned firms, where the nationality of a firm is determined by the ultimate owner's country of ownership (see Temouri et al., 2008 or Geishecker et al, 2009 for a more detailed discussion of ORBIS)[2]. We include firms for which we have information on our key variables, such as the factor inputs to estimate firm performance as total factor productivity (TFP). We have a panel of firms over the period 2005-2016 across the manufacturing sector and services sector. All variable definitions and summary statistics are presented in the Appendix, where we also offer a matrix of correlations for all our variables used in the analysis[3].\n4. Findings and discussion: Table II reports the results of equation (3) for Germany, followed by results for France and the UK in Tables III and IV, respectively. All specifications are estimated separately for the before-, during- and post-crisis period, to uncover potential differences in the impact of DC on technological performance across firm types. In terms of estimation, we show whether a specific group of EMNEs is different in their impact of DC on technological performance compared with the other country groups of EMNEs. This allows us to have the other groups as the reference category.\n5. Conclusions: This paper contributes to the EMNE literature by exploring for the first time the relationship between DC, agility and technological firm performance and observing variation in technological performance of EMNEs over three distinct time phases. We conceptualise technological performance in our paper as an output of a firm's capacity in integrating knowledge and processes. As our study is exploratory in nature, we provide a number of valuable insights through our empirical study for EMNEs that operate in advanced countries.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This paper aims to analyse the impact of dynamic capability (DC) of emerging market multinationals (EMNEs) on their firm technological performance by teasing out the concepts of agility and knowledge management (KM) through DC.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Evidence from this study is contextualised on EMNEs that operate in the UK, Germany and France. This study examines the investment in intangible assets which EMNEs use to develop their DC over the period 2005-2016 and how this leads to increased firm technological performance.\nFindings: Results show that higher investments in DC allow EMNEs to be more agile and gain competencies through KM and thereby sustain competitiveness in the three leading European countries. This research also identifies which EMNE groupings show greater technological performance and how such EMNE groupings are able to translate dynamic capabilities into greater technological performance compared to others over time. In summary, the role of DC during of the global financial crisis was also examined, where they are required to be more agile.\nOriginality/value: This paper sheds light on a novel way and motivation of successful EMNEs in using developed host countries as a location for generating DC through agility and KM.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
High growth trajectories in small and medium sized enterprises: a comparative study
|
[
"Entrepreneurs",
"Growth",
"France",
"SME",
"Strategic management"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The political powers in Europe are touting small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs)[1] as being motors for employment, export trade and territorial stability (Autio, 2007). Some SMEs result from high levels of steady growth over the course of several years. These high growth firms are called \"gazelles\" or \"high growth SMEs.\" Barringer et al. (2005) consider that analysis of these unique enterprises can increase our understanding of the attributes and behaviors associated with growth. At present, trajectories for high growth are poorly understood. This study attempts to answer questions regarding construction of these trajectories and to identify tools and strategies activated to maintain high growth trajectories.\n2. From growth to high growth: Penrose's initial definition of growth as being \"an evolutionist process based on cumulative growth of collective knowledge\" (Penrose, 1959) leaves a great deal of room for discussion. Delmar et al. (2003) refuse a single concept of growth. They insist on a multidimensional definition because growing enterprises advance differently. Starting with this multifaceted vision, they identify seven growth profiles. Janssen (2009) is also interested in growth measurement techniques. He finds the two most often used growth measurement criteria are employees and sales, the first being of social interest and the second of managerial interest (Janssen, 2009).\n3. Methods and data: Studies concerning companies experiencing high growth use a variety of methods appropriate to the specific questions being asked. This study attempts to identify trajectories and tools implicated in the construction and maintenance of a high growth trajectory. To do so, we have chosen to closely examine a few in-depth case studies.\n4. Results: The wealth of available information and the precision of the interviews allowed for a multiplicity of results that are extremely interesting. A number of commonalities emerged among the different trajectories forming a sort of foundation shared by all the companies experiencing high growth. Despite certain persistent differences, we continue to focus on those common elements that permit the creation of a general description of high growth attributes. We propose three principal empirical results. First, high growth is the result of the psychological state of the company leader or leaders. Second, high growth is a manifestation of a secure enterprise geographically based where the company originated. This, however, implies discomfort once high growth occurs when physical expansion obliges moving to unfamiliar locations. Finally, in companies with high growth trajectories, support functions develop relatively late.\n5. Discussion: The results of our analysis permit us to corroborate certain conclusions previously presented by other authors and to bring forth new findings, particularly concerning the place of the leader, the existence of thresholds and the relative homogeneity of trajectories.\n6. Conclusion: Three main propositions result from this research. There are multiple trajectories for high growth but they share common points: first, the combination of a leader/leaders with a marked EO and a progressive, if late, construction of management structures; second, ongoing evaluation of strategic choices; third, continuous observation of and rapid adaptation to numerous environmental factors.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Rapid growth constitutes both a theoretical and an economic issue. Thanks to a comparative study of five high growth small and medium sized enterprises located in Rhone-Alp and Provence (France), the authors propose a processual analysis of high growth trajectories. The purpose of this paper is to identify trajectories and tools implicated in the construction and maintenance of a high growth trajectory.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The contribution is a comparative, qualitative study of five medium size companies in France that have experienced growth of more than 20 percent annually for at least four years. This study is based on 25 semi-directive interviews with company managers.\nFindings: First, high growth is a result of the psychological state of the company leader. Second, high growth is a manifestation of a secure enterprise geographically based where the company originated. This, however, implies discomfort once high growth occurs when physical expansion obliges moving to unfamiliar locations. Finally, in companies with high growth trajectories, support functions develop relatively late.\nOriginality/value: The results corroborate certain previously presented findings and bring forth new conclusions particularly concerning the place of the leader, the existence of thresholds and the relative homogeneity of trajectories.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Exchange rate volatility and exports: a panel data analysis
|
[
"Panel data",
"Exchange rate volatility",
"Exports",
"International financial crisis"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The main goal of this study is to empirically investigate the relationship between real effective exchange rate (REER) volatility and exports, and also to investigate the effect of the international financial crisis of 2008 on exports. The sample includes 106 countries with data from 2000 to 2011 and the estimation technique is System Generalized Method of Moments (GMM). One of our main empirical contributions lies in the construction of a trade weighted foreign income variable to capture the income effect on exports based on the export shares of the main 20 export partners for each of our 106 countries. We also allow for these shares to change for each of the 12 years (2000 to 2011) in our sample. The extent empirical literature considers less accurate measures of foreign income, such as world imports or US imports. As an additional contribution to the empirical literature we capture the effect of the international financial crisis (2008) on export volume, which has not been previously addressed in panel data studies.\n2. Exchange rate volatility and trade flows: Examining the literature on the relationship between exchange rate volatility and international trade flows reveals that this issue is the focus of many studies during the past four decades. Early studies include Ethier (1973) and Hooper and Kohlhagen (1978) and they show that higher exchange rate volatility is associated with higher costs for traders that are risk averse and ultimately to lower foreign trade. The idea is that if changes in exchange rates become unpredictable it creates uncertainty on the profits made by international traders, reducing the benefits of international trade. The empirical studies have not reached a consensus on a negative impact of exchange rate volatility on trade flows[1].\n3. Exchange rate volatility measures: Regarding the use of nominal or RERs, earlier studies (Hooper and Kohlhagen, 1978; Thursby and Thursby, 1987) used nominal exchange rates to measure volatility, while other studies (Qian and Varangis, 1994; McKenzie and Brooks, 1997) argue that using nominal or real measures does not make any difference, and others (Gotur, 1985; Tenreyro, 2007) advocate that the RER is the appropriate measure. We use the REER in order to best capture price competitiveness of exports and to be in line with our proxy of foreign income based on the export share of each trade partner that changes for each country over time (2000-2011).\n4. Data analysis, model estimation and results: This section presents the data and summarizes the main descriptive statistics for the variables used in our empirical analysis, with special attention to a comparison of \"before and after\" the international financial crisis of 2008, for the export volume and the two measures of exchange rate volatility. It also discusses the main advantages of using a dynamic panel data estimation procedure (System GMM), the export model specification and the econometric results for the entire sample and for two restricted samples (one excluding the oil export countries and a second one for emerging and developing countries).\n5. Final remarks: The literature on exchange rate volatility and trade flows is quite extensive but there is no consensus on how to measure exchange rate volatility and the appropriate econometric method to use. Despite the vast number of empirical papers developed, there are only a few that use panel data analysis and an even smaller number use GMM estimation to deal with possible issues of endogeneity. One of the main empirical contributions of this paper is in the use of a System GMM estimator for an export model incorporating two proxies of REER volatility. Another important empirical contribution is the calculation of a more accurate measure of foreign income using the weights from the main 20 export partners for each of the countries in our sample. The weights change both in terms of the different export partners for each country and also over time.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the role of real effective exchange rate (REER) volatility on export volume and also to address the impact of the international financial crisis of 2008.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The empirical methodology is based on System GMM estimation for a set of 106 countries for the period of 2000-2011.\nFindings: For the complete sample of countries and for a set of developing/emerging economies, there is evidence that an increase (decrease) in REER volatility reduces (increases) export volume. The results are not robust once the oil export countries are removed from the sample. The estimated coefficients for the financial crisis dummy are positive and statistically significant, indicating that export volume were 0.14 percent higher after the financial crisis of 2008 compared to the previous period (2000-2007). There is also evidence that the export volume is price (REER) and income (trade weighted) inelastic.\nResearch limitations/implications: The empirical results are valid for the complete set of countries and for developing and emerging economies when including the oil export countries, suggesting that countries should reduce exchange rate volatility in order to foster their export volume and that oil export countries have an important role on these results.\nPractical implications: The paper suggests that policymakers should adopt different policies to minimize exchange rate volatility if they seek to increase export volume. The international financial crisis had a significant impact on export volume in all estimated models regardless of the set of countries used.\nOriginality/value: One of the main novelties of this work is that it deals with possible endogeneity using GMM estimators and addresses the issue of instrument proliferation, which is not a common feature of previous empirical studies on exchange rate volatility and trade flows. Another original aspect of the research is the construction of trade weighted variables for foreign income and REER based on the major 20 export partners for each country used in the panel data estimation. The work also incorporates the years following the international financial crisis of 2008, which is an additional empirical novelty, in order to address the impact of the international financial crisis on the export volume.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Modes of customer co-production for international service offerings
|
[
"WTO",
"GATS",
"Service co-production",
"Service exports",
"Unified service theory"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: A central concept of the study of service business management is co-production (Lovelock and Gummesson, 2004). Co-production is considered to be a distinguishing characteristic of service processes (Bendapudi and Leone, 2003). Under co-production the customer is engaged in service delivery as an active contributor to production (Namasivayam, 2003). There has been considerable research literature about co-production in recent years, as we will highlight below. Our purpose is to demonstrate how co-production applies and is manifested in international services, where the service provider in one country endeavors to serve customers in a different country. Our research contributes to three themes of this journal special issue, namely, internationalization strategies for service, international markets and mode of entry for service, and the role of the internet in the internationalization of service (Ndubisi and Natarajan, 2015).\n2. Literature review: There is significant published research involving co-production in services as well as research involving international services. However, the two research streams have rarely overlapped. In other words, there is little research that applies service co-production models in international contexts. In one sense, we are attempting to map out a valuable intersection between the two literature streams. This will allow us to understand how principles pertaining to co-production lend insight to international services.\n3. UST models of international co-production: The framework we will use for applying the UST to international contexts is the work of theWTO, which is \"the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations[1].\"The WTO was founded in 1995 by the Marrakech Agreement, which evolved from the 1947 General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).\n4. Managerial issues of international co-production: Table II reviewed some of the mangerial implications of services coming from the UST. In this section we will revisit those issues and suggest how they might apply to international services according to the four modes of international co-production.\n5. Empirical patterns of international co-production: In this section we analyze expansion of international service exporting in general and according to specific modes. Our purpose is not only to identify economic factors contributing to international services, but identify how the influence of those factors might differ according to the mode of service delivery.\n6. Summary: In this paper we reviewed important concepts of co-production, which are considered by some researchers to be the very essence of service provision. Co-production has received significant attention in the research literature, but little coverage in the international service management context. We have contributed to the literature by demonstrating how co-production is manifested in international services according to \"four modes of service supply\" developed by the WTO. These four modes are: cross-border trade; consumption abroad; commercial presence; and movement of natural persons. We depict the four modes in co-production models based on the UST. This allows us to draw on the UST for managerial insights of co-production that have particular application in international contexts. We reviewed a few of those insights, describing how the managerial issues would be addressed under each of the four modes.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Much has been written about the manifestations and managerial implications of customer co-production in service offerings. However, there have been relatively few references to issues of co-production in international service environments. Co-production is very relevant in international environments because of the requirements for interaction between producers and consumers, which interaction spans international borders and national cultures. The purpose of this paper is to apply an established theory of co-production, the Unified Service Theory (UST), to the international service context. This provides the authors with structured models for conceptualizing the co-productive nature of international service offerings and assessing-related managerial implications.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The UST provides a model of co-productive service delivery. Extending that model, the authors develop a taxonomy of international service based on the \"four modes of service supply\" provided in the General Agreement on Trade and Services instituted by the World Trade Organization (WTO). Then, using data from the WTO and World Bank, the authors propose and test six hypotheses for predicting service exporting focus corresponding to the co-production taxonomy.\nFindings: Based on the analysis of empirical data, the authors find more service exporting focus in small, growing, high-wage economies that have a significant service base and focus in merchandise exporting. The strength of these effects differs for different modes of service supply.\nResearch limitations/implications: The authors also discuss cultural issues of international service, but the empirical analysis of culture effects is thus far inconclusive. Also, the analysis is limited to modeling and studying dyadic relationships, i.e., service providers in one country involved in an interchange with customers in another country. A natural extension would be to consider triads and more complex networks of co-productive service offerings.\nPractical implications: This research shows how managerial implication of the UST can be extended to international service contexts. The authors review managerial implications pertaining to meeting variable demand, describing service characteristics, and pricing.\nOriginality/value: Co-production research is well-established in service management literature. This paper extends that research to international contexts by describing the WTO taxonomy in terms of the UST. This allows the authors to apply various insights of co-production to international service offerings.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Mutual fund trading around mergers and fund performance
|
[
"Trading",
"Mergers and acquisitions",
"Portfolio management",
"Mutual fund performance",
"G10",
"G11",
"G14",
"G23",
"G34"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Studies on active equity mutual fund (MF) performance typically find that, on average, funds do not outperform passive strategies and underperform after fees, which may point to the average lack of the active fund manager's skill (Jensen, 1968; Malkiel, 1995; Carhart, 1997). However, much research focuses on explaining these general results by rational behavior of both MF managers and the investors alike (e.g. Nanda et al., 2000; Berk and Green, 2004; Glode, 2011), thus arguing that skill exists[1]. Instead of using return-based approach to gauge skill, another strand of literature adopts a portfolio holdings based approach to examine managers' performance and generally documents the average manager's ability to pick stocks (Grinblatt and Titman, 1993; Chen et al., 2000; Baker et al., 2010). This study contributes to this strand of literature by examining whether MF managers engage in trading of firms that undergo mergers and documents that, on aggregate, MF managers adjust the holdings and do so in the direction of the value created by the mergers during the merger announcement.\n2. Literature review and hypotheses development: 2.1 Merger predictability\n3. Data and methodology: 3.1 Data\n4. Results and discussion: 4.1 Aggregate MF holdings adjustment\n5. Conclusion: Our study examines whether active trading around merger announcements is associated with greater risk-adjusted performance and is predictive of MF managers' skill. We find that, on aggregate, MFs adjust the holdings of the event stocks in the direction of the announcement wealth effect of the merger during the announcement quarter. MF managers also possess predictive ability regarding the merger's announcement in the pre-announcement quarter, but it's driven by firm characteristics. Further, we find that fund managers that invest more into the event stocks perform better in announcement and post-announcement quarters. We conclude that some MF managers exhibit skill in interpreting and generating event-specific, as well as fundamental company information, when these funds are more vested in the transacting companies.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether mutual funds (MFs) take positions in companies that subsequently engage in M&As and whether fund managers adjust portfolio holdings in the same direction as wealth creation from mergers. Further, the study is the first to examine the relation between active trading surrounding M&As and risk-adjusted performance in MFs.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The sample includes mergers conducted by publicly traded acquirers of public and private targets over 2003-2016. Several measures of MF managerial activeness in M&As are introduced: merger trading intensity (proportional change in fund's holdings of M&A stocks), active merger weight (deviation of the fund's actual weights in M&A stocks and value weights) and active merger trading (deviation of the fund's actual weights in M&A stocks from the average weights in M&A stocks across the funds within the same Center for Research in Security Prices objective).\nFindings: Fund managers who are more vested in the firms engaged in M&As and who are more active in their trades of M&A firms generate higher contemporaneous and subsequent risk-adjusted performance, indicative of managerial skill. Active M&A trading effect on performance is economically meaningful.\nOriginality/value: This is the first study to examine whether previously documented predictive power of active institutions regarding M&As' profitability leads to higher risk-adjusted returns for MF investors. The study introduces several measures to gauge how actively fund managers trade companies engaged in M&As and contributes to the literature on MF managers' ability to pick stocks.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Antecedents of parent-based school reputation and loyalty: an international application
|
[
"Satisfaction",
"Customer satisfaction",
"Loyalty",
"Schools",
"Satisfaction",
"Educational administration",
"Scale development",
"Abu Dhabi",
"Parent-based school reputation"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) began a rigorous program of school reform in 2008. In a survey conducted in 2009, many parents gave low ratings of parental satisfaction. The ADEC strategic plan calls for an upgrade of school reputation in Abu Dhabi, along with improvement in the image of teachers in the community (Badri et al., 2013). Effective strategic planning calls for a better understanding of school reputation and its antecedents.\nStudy background and review: Walsh and Beatty (2007) noted that a firm's reputation is based on a favourable general estimation of the organisation by the public. As a result, a firm's reputation could impact positively on the public's attitudes and behaviours towards the organisation. Usually, customers are viewed as the most important stakeholders of a firm. Many researchers refer to corporate reputations as intangible assets and resources that can contribute to a firm's competitive advantage (Barney, 2002; Dowling, 1994; van Riel, 1997). Corporate reputation has been conceptualised and measured both as a one-dimensional concept (Anderson and Robertson, 1995; Doney and Cannon, 1997; Safon, 2009) and as a multidimensional construct (Dowling, 2001; Fombrun et al., 2000; Rose and Thomsen, 2004; Walsh et al., 2009a; Walsh and Wiedmann, 2004). Skallerud (2011) viewed parent-based school reputation as a multidimensional construct composed of information content dimensions. He examined a structural equation model that hypothesises and tests the relationships linking school reputation to parent satisfaction and loyalty.\nMethods and design: The conceptual model of school reputation and loyalty used in this study is based on the model developed by Skallerud (2011). The model hypothesises that in order to manage their reputations, schools need to be able to assess or measure them and analyse the connection between perceptions of reputation and certain important input and outcome variables. This study attempts to assess the existence, direction and strength of these relationships using a measure of school reputation as perceived by parents. The objective is to create and apply a modified measure of parent-based school reputation. In addition, to propose and test this modified conceptual model that links school reputation to an important antecedent variable, parental satisfaction, and an important consequent variable, parents' loyalty. For its instrument, the study uses a modified questionnaire of parents of children in public and private schools in Abu Dhabi.\nResults: First, individual factor analyses were run with respect to each of the six constructs. Each construct yielded only one factor. Table II shows the reliability of each of the constructs or scales. Reliability coefficients ranged from 0.805 to 0.882, indicating good internal consistencies of each of the constructs. Table II also provides information on the variance explained by each factor. The composite reliabilities were 0.805 or higher, which indicates internal consistency among the measures far above the recommended level of 0.60 (Bagozzi and Yi, 1988). In addition, the average variance extracted ranged from 70.61 to 75.57, which is well above Bagozzi and Yi's (1988) suggested target level of 0.50.\nDiscussion: Not all specified paths of parent-based school reputation were consistent with expectations as suggested by Skallerud (2011). In particular, only three of the four predictors - parental orientation, safe environment and good teachers - were found to explain unique variance in the prediction of school loyalty. However, learning outcomes did not significantly influence school loyalty. Although learning outcomes produced significant bivariate relations with school loyalty, the variable did not yield a significant path to school loyalty in the structural equation model.\nConclusions: The paths representing direct and indirect effects of the predictors of school loyalty provide statistical evidence of the validity of the satisfaction construct and the four-component model of parent-based school reputation as predictors. The validity of the Skallerud (2011) model provides further justification that school loyalty should be investigated from a broad, integrative and system-wide perspective of parental satisfaction and parent-based school reputation. This result suggests that school decision makers should examine school loyalty within an integrative model.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to validate the direction and strength of the relationships between school reputation, parental satisfaction and parental loyalty.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The paper reports the findings of a survey of 806 parents from Schools in Abu Dhabi - the United Arab Emirates. The paper builds mainly on previous work of Skallerud (2011) on measurement of school reputations. Structural equation modelling was used to validate the reputation measure and to test the proposed relationships. The model hypothesised and tested relationships linking school reputation to parental satisfaction and loyalty.\nFindings: The results show strong support for a satisfaction-reputation-loyalty model and confirmed the four-dimensional scale (parental orientation, learning quality, safe environment and good teachers) for assessment of parent-based school reputation. Evidence was found that parents' satisfaction significantly affects the four reputation dimensions. However, only three constructs of parent orientation affected parental perception of school loyalty. Additional personal or demographic variables should be included to improve the model.\nResearch limitations/implications: The study was limited to parents of children attending public and private schools in Abu Dhabi. The model should be validated with other schools and in other Emirates and countries.\nPractical implications: Identifying the antecedents of parent-based school reputation might aid school decision makers to better address parental satisfaction and loyalty. A careful examination of the causal relations between the various constructs could aid in crafting and implementing effective programs for increasing parental satisfaction and attracting future students.\nOriginality/value: The study adds to the limited body of research addressing the appropriate conceptualisation and measurement of school reputation. It also sheds light on a better understanding of the potential relationships among the constructs in the model.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Chinese female preference of cosmetic products information channels
|
[
"China",
"Information seeking",
"Information behaviour",
"Information channel",
"Female",
"Cosmetic product"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Women have always been the major group of purchasing and using cosmetics. A model presented by Kotler and Keller (2011) shows that the buying decision process of a consumer includes problem, identification, information search, evaluation of alternatives, buying decision and after sales behavior. So, when facing the variety of cosmetics in the market, the information about the cosmetics which women consciously seek for before the purchase will help them make choices. However, if the enterprises want to attract more women customers, they ought to understand not only what products they need but also how they get information about the products, so that they can deliver more targeted advertising and put forward better marketing strategy. So, this paper focuses on the preference of information channels and means women choose when they get cosmetics information and the differences of preference between different subgroups.\nMethod: The research was based on a questionnaire survey. Several small interviews had been done to help design the questionnaire. The electronic questionnaires were posted online and paper questionnaires were released in work place, and the questionnaires were only sent to women in China. A total of 499 women participated in the survey. Questionnaires of respondents who never buy cosmetic were excluded; so finally, 419 effective questionnaires were obtained. The research focused on women and analyzed their choices of information channel when in need of cosmetics information and the relative means to access information. Besides, the research analyzed whether there were significant differences in choosing information channel among different women subgroups, classifying by demographic characteristics.\nResults: Sample characteristics\nDiscussion: According to the result, the selection of information channels sees little difference between acquiring objective information and subjective information. No matter the respondents were in need of product parameter information or personal experience information, social platforms and physical stores were both the first important choices. The result may be caused by the merits and drawbacks of getting information from different channels. Social platforms provide a more perfect function for convenient multiple users' interaction, especially internet forums, than other channels. And the intention of interaction with other users is stimulated on social platforms. During the interaction, the real need can be expressed clearer, and the information obtained can be more detailed and comprehensive, so the need is likely to be satisfied more easily. Although e-commerce platforms also support user interaction function, but as an additional function, it is much simpler, and the users have little willingness to use it. So, the majority of respondents just scan the buyer reviews but seldom use the community function. In addition, people can only watch the photos of the product but not touch or try the cosmetic; hence, the reliability of the information offer by online customer service is decreased. And the news about some online merchants hiring people to post fake comments to cheat customers have greatly affected the public trust toward buyer reviews. Moreover, the answers from online customer services have more or less delay, so the doubts and problems about the cosmetics from users cannot be solved timely. Therefore, the means of consulting customer service or shopping guide have higher frequency in physical stores than on e-commerce platforms. The unique merit of physical stores is that respondents are able to get the most direct and truthful product information from the physical cosmetics but not the descriptions from others. The face-to-face communication received few votes. It is because the popularity of social software, most of communications about cosmetic can conveniently take place on social platforms. The searching engine is lack of convenience and interactivity than any other channels, so the using frequency was also low.\nConclusion: The research, which was based on Savolainen's ELIS model, explored the differences of the preferences of information channels and the corresponding means of getting information among different women groups using questionnaire survey. The result showed that the preferences of the women consumers were social platforms and physical store. The chief reason of the selection was they believed that the information channel was trustworthy. According to chi-square analysis, the impact of age, educational level and occupation were significant on preferences of information channels. In another word, social capital and cultural capital indeed had effect on the selection of information channel, but the material capital had little effect in the context of cosmetic product information seeking.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Understanding the customers' habits of getting cosmetic products information is of great importance to enhance the effectiveness of advertising and marketing strategy of cosmetics. In China, as females are the major target customers of cosmetics, this paper aims to analyze the information behaviors of obtaining cosmetics information of different women groups, including the preferences of information channels and the corresponding means of getting information.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This research is based on a questionnaire survey. A total of 419 effective questionnaires were collected from females who had bought cosmetics in China. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis were used to analyze the data.\nFindings: According to the result of the questionnaire survey, women preferred to get information through social platforms and physical stores. And the primary reason of the choice was that they believed the information from the channel they chose was reliable. The survey also revealed that age, educational level and occupation would significantly affect their preferences of information channels.\nOriginality/value: There was no previous research which analyzed Chinese women consumers' information-seeking behaviors about cosmetic products information as well as the influence factors of the behaviors.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Perceived investment in employee development and taking charge
|
[
"Felt obligation to reciprocate",
"Perceived investment in employee development",
"Perceived job autonomy",
"Taking charge"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: In order to maintain their competitive edge, organizations are increasingly dependent on their employees to be change-oriented and innovative with respect to how they perform their work (Vadera et al., 2013). Fortunately, employees have been found to accommodate to this need by way of \"constructive deviance behavior,\" resulting in beneficial outcomes for both the organization and the employee (see Vadera et al., 2013 for a more elaborate rewiew). Constructive deviance behavior is formally defined as behaviors that deviate from the norms of the reference group such that they benefit the reference group and conform to hypernorms (Vadera et al., 2013, p. 1223). It is an umbrella term that encompasses several different behaviors, including taking charge, creative performance, expressing voice, whistle-blowing, extra-role behaviors, prosocial behaviors, prosocial rule breaking, counter-role behaviors, and issue selling (Vadera et al., 2013). In the present study we focus on one of these, namely, taking charge. Taking charge is formally defined as voluntary and constructive efforts by individual employees to affect organizationally functional change with respect to how work is executed within the contexts of their jobs, work units, or organizations (Morrison and Phelps, 1999).\nTheory and hypotheses: Morrison and Phelps (1999) suggest that in situations where employee-initiated change and innovation is sought, organizations should try to develop a felt responsibility among employees to display taking charge. One way of developing a felt responsibility or obligation among employees is to invest in employee development. SET posits that when organizations invest in their employees, employees reciprocate in positive ways (Settoon et al., 1996). Based on the norm of reciprocity (Gouldner, 1960), employees who perceive that they are being invested in (PIED) should feel an obligation to respond positively to this investment (Kraimer et al., 2011), and consequently, expend greater efforts to benefit the organization (Shore et al., 2006). In support of this, studies have found a positive relationship between PIED and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) (Kuvaas and Dysvik, 2010). While shown to be conceptually and empirically distinct (McAllister et al., 2007), OCB and taking charge are both discretionary efforts of employees (Morrison and Phelps, 1999) that develop from similar mechanisms (felt obligation or responsibility). Since PIED has been found to relate positively to OCB, similar patterns should be expected for the relationship between PIED and taking charge. In addition, perceived investment should also signal to employees that they have a long term, trust-based relationship with their organization (Shore et al., 2006), which should facilitate constructive deviance (Vadera et al., 2013) and more risky, change-oriented taking charge behaviors, in particular. Therefore, we hypothesize the following:\nMethod: Procedure and subjects\nResults: Prior to analyzing the data, we conducted a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using the complete responses from 737 employees. The results of the CFA specifying separate factors for self-reported taking charge, PIED, perceived job autonomy, and perceived supervisor support provided acceptable fit to the data (kh2 (399)=1,778.63, p\nDiscussion: In the present study, we offer a more complete explanation of factors motivating taking charge behaviors and develop our knowledge of how contextual factors may moderate the relationship between antecedents to taking charge and taking charge itself. The most noteworthy and consistent result from our study, and in line with our second hypothesis, is that PIED and taking charge are only positively related under the condition of high levels of perceived job autonomy. We see this as the most important finding of our study, particularly because it contributes to SET by unfolding \"when\" or \"for whom\" reciprocation is likely to be manifested. Accordingly, it seems that job characteristics serve as enablers of or barriers to taking charge at work. Our study also extends McAllister et al.'s (2007) work. They found that employees' perceived role breadth was essential for taking charge in exchange for fair treatment. We extend this line of reasoning by showing that employees not only need to perceive that taking charge is part of what is expected of them (i.e. felt obligation), they must also perceive they have the leeway to actually engage in taking charge (Gellatly and Irving, 2001).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the relationship between perceived investment in employee development (PIED) and taking charge is moderated by perceived job autonomy.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Self-report data were obtained from 737 employees. In addition, manager ratings of taking charge were obtained for 154 employees from their respective managers. Hierarchical moderated regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses.\nFindings: The results revealed a positive relationship between PIED and both self-reported and manager-rated taking charge only for employees who perceived high levels of job autonomy.\nResearch limitations/implications: Given the cross-sectional nature of the data, no causal inferences can be drawn.\nPractical implications: Managers and organizations may benefit from providing work conditions that facilitate a felt obligation to reciprocate, but at the same time provide sufficient levels of perceived job autonomy to actually do so with respect to increasing the levels of employees' voluntary and constructive efforts to improve work situations.\nSocial implications: Greater levels of employee taking charge behaviors may offset the decline of businesses and thus aid in reducing long-term unemployment in the society at large.\nOriginality/value: This study contributes to a more complete understanding of how job characteristics may facilitate or inhibit the influence of antecedents for taking charge.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Role of perceived work-life balance between work overload and career commitment
|
[
"Work–family issues",
"Human resource management",
"Work engagement",
"Work–life balance"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Work-life balance (WLB) is defined as an \"individual's perception of how well his or her life roles are balanced\" (Haar et al., 2014). WLB is a major concern for employees, organizations, and societies across the world (Valcour, 2007). Even though responsibilities toward personal, family, and social life roles are certainly crucial, each employee often has to devote a greater part of the day at their organizational setting to satisfy the multifaceted work demands (Poulose and Sudarsan, 2017). In the modern organizational setting, more employees are reporting complex work demands and work overload (Aryee et al., 2005; Vogel, 2012) as well as long working hours, given a 24/7 working system in most organizations (Barnett and Hyde, 2001). Past studies advocate that organizations stand to gain substantially from employees who accomplish improved WLB (Ferguson et al., 2012). However, attaining this balance is a difficult challenge for many employees, which can affect their level of career commitment (Huang et al., 2007). Past studies have identified that the primary cause of reduced career commitment among employees is due to elevated levels of work and family balance issues in the occupational setting (Okurame, 2012). Accordingly, organizations can strategize to strengthen their employees' career commitment by providing better work-family supportive strategies (Cicek et al., 2016). Thus, it can be inferred that WLB accompanied by a better work-family supportive strategy can lead to higher career commitment.Moreover, in comparison with other occupations, law enforcement is one of the most challenging and stressful occupations as the employees are exposed to violent and life-threatening situations (Lambert et al., 2017). Their work is unpredictable in nature and can be highly demanding. Preceding studies have reported that most Indian law enforcement officers are overburdened and are engaged in long periods of work away from family, which leads to serious work-life issues (Lambert et al., 2017). According to Youngcourt and Huffman (2005), law enforcement officers and their families encounter high levels of strain unlike other individuals. Thus, it is necessary that their WLB policies be reexamined. Therefore, the present study investigates the mediating effect of perceived WLB between work overload and career commitment among law enforcement officers in the south-western states of India. The study also examines whether satisfaction with organizational WLB strategies moderates the relationship between work overload and perceived WLB.This study expands the scant literature by exploring the mediating effect of perceived WLB between work overload and career commitment. The prior studies have established the direct relationship of employee satisfaction with organizational WLB strategies and perceived WLB (Ronda et al., 2016). The present study furthers the literature by determining the moderating roles of satisfaction with organizational WLB strategies in the relationship between work overload and WLB. Overall, the study contributes to the work-family research by underpinning the significant role of perceived WLB and the degree of employee satisfaction with existing organizational WLB strategies for improving career commitment levels. Figure 1 represents a comprehensive conceptual framework of the present study.\n2. Theory and hypothesis development: The concept of WLB and corresponding theoretical models have undergone enormous refinements over the past decades (Brough et al., 2014; Carlson et al., 2009). Initial investigations in WLB focused on measuring conflict about time, strain, and behavior in work and family domains (Greenhaus and Beutell, 1985). Later, the concepts of conflict and facilitation from work and family domains or a blend of these two concepts was used for describing WLB. As an extension of the work-family literature in conflict/facilitation perspective, researchers began to consider the concept of balance in work and nonwork domains (Grawitch et al., 2013). The seminal work of Brough et al. (2014) defined perceived WLB as \"an individual's subjective appraisal of the accord between his/her work and non-work activities and life more generally.\" Past research studies have extensively studied components of WLB such as conflict and enrichment, while only a few studies have mainly addressed the balance between work and nonwork roles as a unique construct (Brough et al., 2014; Grawitch et al., 2013; Valcour, 2007). The present study has utilized the new perspective of WLB. This study explores the role of perceived WLB along with satisfaction with organizational WLB strategies and its impact on career commitment. 2.1 Work overload and career commitment\n3. Method: 3.1 Procedure\n4. Analysis and results: Before the analysis, the present study established the reliability, validity, and measurement model fit of the scales using Cronbach's alpha, composite reliability, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). 4.1 Model fit and validity of the measurement model\n5. Discussions: The primary objective of the present investigation was to assess the role of perceived WLB on the relationship between work overload and career commitment among law enforcement officers. Additionally, the study also examined the moderating role of WLB strategies on the relationship between work overload and perceived WLB. This study has six significant findings. Firstly, the results of this study demonstrated a negative relationship between work overload and career commitment implying high work overload affects low career commitment levels, supporting the findings of Pradana and Salehudin (2015). Employees in present-day organizations will prefer to devote less time to their careers as they face rising work demands in the workplace (Okurame, 2012). Secondly, the employees with increased workload are more likely to have lower perceived WLB and the results are consistent with the studies reported by Virick et al. (2007) and Kumarasamy et al. (2015). In India, negligible consideration had been given to deal with the work demands and other work-related conditions of law enforcement officers (Singh and Nayak, 2015). The reasons for increased work overload may be explained through the long working hours (Barnett and Hyde, 2001) and heavy work duties. An overwhelming number (77.5 percent) of respondents reported working hours of above 11 h a day showcasing the precarious work overload in the organization under study. This reaffirms the result of work overload as a significant predictor for WLB and career commitment. Thirdly, the results indicated that the employees experiencing low WLB will have less commitment toward their career and the results concur with existing literature of Cicek et al. (2016). Although the attrition level is low being a secured government job, lack of commitment may adversely affect the organizational performance and may lead to disengagement.The fourth and most important contribution of the present investigation is the identification of the mediating role of perceived WLB on the relationship between work overload and career commitment. The results from the study reinforce that, with the inclusion of perceived WLB as a mediator, career commitment levels of employees for a given extent of work overload can be better estimated. The result implies that individuals with high workload will face difficulties in balancing work and life roles, which in turn affect the career commitment levels. This finding advances the existing literature on WLB studies by analyzing its mediating role between work overload and career commitment as the existing studies have merely demonstrated WLB as the predictor for career commitment. The next important finding is that employees with high satisfaction with WLB strategies are more likely to have greater perceived WLB. The organization under investigation offers health and wellness programs, general organizational support to meet family demands, taking permitted leaves to meet personal requirements, educational facilities for dependents, and so on, as a strategic measure to meet WLB. However, the employees' satisfaction level was found to be low against these strategies, which may also lead to poor perceived WLB (x-=3.00). Finally, the study also furthers the existing literature by establishing the moderating roles of satisfaction with organizational WLB strategies between work overload and perceived WLB. In a nutshell, the relationship between work overload and perceived WLB seems to be diminished among employees having high levels of satisfaction with organizational WLB strategies as compared to employees with low levels. Organizations can support their employees with complex work demands by providing better organizational WLB strategies to improve their work and family balance (Zheng et al., 2015). The past studies have also pointed out the importance of the Police Department to organize different WLB programs and practices for keeping a healthy work culture to maintain their satisfaction and interest with the job (Singh and Nayak, 2015). 5.1 Practical implications\n6. Conclusion, limitations, and future research directions: The present study furthers the literature by demonstrating perceived WLB as the mediator, and results indicate high work overload experienced by law enforcement officers along with reduced WLB leading to decreased career commitment. The study also emphasizes the importance of satisfaction with organizational WLB strategies in the modern organizational setting. The findings revealed that being into law enforcement job, it demands more commitment toward their profession, yet their career commitment seems to be influenced by the factors such as perceived lack of WLB and low satisfaction with organizational WLB strategies. It's an alarm for the management to have a serious look into the working hours, leave policy, and related WLB measures. The management of the law enforcement officers is also required to take preventive measures to remodel the practices as well as make the employees aware about the WLB strategies based on the summary report submitted to the study organization by the researcher.However, this study has several limitations. All measures were collected from self-reported questionnaires within a single sector, and the results obtained in this investigation can be further validated through similar studies in other sectors and regions. The study measured employee WLB and other variables of interest at a given point of time, which may be testified through a longitudinal study. The sample has more male participants (87.9 percent) than female as law enforcement work (population) is a male-dominated profession worldwide and caution should be taken while referring to the result for other professions with gender diversity. Studies on mediating roles of perceived WLB carried out particularly among law enforcement officers across the world have been scarce, and the present research was chosen to be an impetus for future research in the work-life literature. The current investigation can be a forerunner for future research toward understanding the mediating relationship of perceived WLB and the moderating role of satisfaction with organizational WLB strategies between various other organizational factors and consequences as the focus here is only between work overload and career commitment. The result presents significant implications on policies and practices for the law enforcement department and similar organizations requiring rigorous examination of organizational WLB strategies extended toward improving WLB and career commitment.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of the study is to examine the mediating effect of perceived work-life balance (WLB) between work overload and career commitment among law enforcement officers in India. The study also explores whether satisfaction with organizational WLB strategies moderates the relationship between work overload and perceived WLB.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This research is based on a sample of 819 law enforcement officers through a structured questionnaire based data collection. The reliability coefficient of the scales varied between 0.86 and 0.94. The study adopted a hierarchical multiple regression analysis to test the hypotheses.\nFindings: The result supported the mediating role of perceived WLB in the relationship between work overload and career commitment. It also demonstrated that the impact of work overload on perceived WLB would be diminished among employees having high levels of satisfaction on organizational WLB strategies.\nPractical implications: The research findings have significant policy implications for the organization under study and a reference for many others with deteriorating WLB to amend the existing policy or formulate new measures.\nOriginality/value: The present study expands the scant literature on the mediating role of perceived WLB between work overload and career commitment. The study also furthers the literature by exploring the moderating roles of WLB strategies between work overload and perceived WLB.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Corporate social responsibility in tourism as a tool for sustainable development: An evaluation from a community perspective
|
[
"Turkey",
"Corporate social responsibility",
"Impact assessment"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: This study aims to identify factors that explain how corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs that are developed for the tourism industry create shared value for society. Previous theoretical underpinnings have noted a business-oriented approach to CSR in hospitality and tourism (Farrington et al., 2017). Communities expect tourism businesses to take a proactive role in filling the governance gaps of public agencies (Cole, 2014). In the development-first framework of CSR in tourism, the emphasis has shifted from economic outcomes toward development-oriented goals (Jamali et al., 2015; Hughes and Scheyvens, 2016). Until recently, scholarly work has reported occasionally on tangible impacts (Jamali et al., 2015). Academics question whether CSR indeed leads to the creation of shared value and the advancement of sustainable development.\nBackground: Shared value creation and corporate social responsibility\nMethodology: We used qualitative methods to evaluate the company's CSR program. The exploratory and descriptive nature of our research and our aim to have an in-depth analysis fit with our decision to examine a single company. Adopting a developmental perspective, we carried out a five-year longitudinal study.\nFindings: We analyzed the impact of partnerships at individual, network, community and organization levels. The findings were first evaluated by examining the management of the CSR program (materiality, value chain improvements, partners and networks and program implementation processes). Next, the impact on community and broader society at individual and community levels was identified. Benefits for the partners were then reviewed (network and organization levels).\nDiscussion: This study proposed a framework for developing, implementing, and evaluating CSR programs that achieve shared value creation for all immediate stakeholders of a company and for society at large through sustainable development. Tourism has significant potential to support sustainable development in communities by improving societal capitals. The proposed framework can also be applied to various CSR activities, although it is mainly applicable to CSR programs with a focus on tourism development.\nConclusion: The value of CSR in tourism is a contested issue despite its potential for contributing to sustainable development. This longitudinal research went beyond presenting the immediate outputs of a CSR program in sustainable tourism and discussed intermediate outcomes in the form of capital, community well-being and shared value for society at large. CSR programs in tourism have great potential to contribute to inclusive economic development by developing entrepreneurial capacity for small tourism businesses in a wide geographical area. This results in the strengthening of rural communities, the empowerment of women and other disadvantaged groups, and the revitalization of rural and cultural areas.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This study aims to analyze corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs in tourism as a tool for sustainable development in the CSR program of a multinational enterprise in Turkey.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This study includes qualitative research on a single company, content analysis of company-originated documents, participant observations, questionnaires for tourism project coordinators and follow-up interviews with company directors and project managers.\nFindings: The paper identifies immediate context variables, program management, the complementary nature of interests and the diverse capabilities of the partners and an ongoing evaluation process as the determining factors for creating shared value for CSR programs in tourism.\nResearch limitations/implications: Despite the challenges of impact assessment and measurement of long-term effects, the study proposes a systematic framework for evaluating shared value creation generated by CSR activity.\nPractical implications: The evaluation methodology introduced in this research will be of use to CSR program developers in interpreting and reporting on the anticipated outcomes and impacts of their interventions in sustainable tourism development.\nSocial implications: A lack of outcome evaluation and impact assessment may affect accountability and, hence, the legitimacy of CSR programs. This study attempts to mitigate that limitation by introducing a novel methodology.\nOriginality/value: The value of CSR in tourism is a highly contested issue, despite its high potential for contributing to sustainable development. This longitudinal research goes beyond presenting immediate outputs of a CSR program in sustainable tourism; it discusses intermediate outcomes in the form of capitals, community well-being and shared value for society at large.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Goals, management practices, and performance of family SMEs
|
[
"Family firms",
"Business policy",
"Management strategy",
"Profit",
"Small to medium‐sized enterprises",
"Australia"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Researchers note the lack of consensus on what constitutes a family firm (Birley, 2001; Chua et al., 1999). Some suggest the use of multiple conditions to identify family from non-family firms (Litz, 1995). Frequently used conditions include family ownership and control (Litz, 1995; Upton et al., 2001), family influence in decision making (Sharma et al., 1997) family members as employees (DEWRSB, 1998), and the intent to transfer the family firm to the next generation (Stewart, 2003). In this paper, respondents self-identified their firms as family or non-family based on a number of conditions (ownership and control, decision making, employment of family members, and business acquired from parents). In addition, family ownership and family management of the self-selected firms were verified empirically. The conditions used to identify family from non-family firms in this study are consistent with those employed in the literature.In Australia, two-thirds of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are family firms, and are common in industries such as printing, publishing, and construction and to a lesser extent in cultural and recreational services, and the textile, clothing, and footwear industry (DEWRSB, 1998). As with family firms in the USA and Europe (Daily and Dollinger, 1993; Reynolds, 1995; Donckels and Frohlich, 1991; Cromie et al., 1995), Australian family firms are smaller than their non-family counterparts. For the financial year ending June 1996, Australian family firms comprised 62.5 percent of firms employing one to four workers and 61 percent of firms with five to nine employees. However, these percentages declined to 32.5 percent for firms with 50-99 employees and 26 percent of firms employing 100-199 workers (DEWRSB, 1998). An understanding of the differences between family and non-family firms and changes in these differences over time can help owner-managers and their advisers to improve management and performance of family firms.Daily and Dollinger (1993) noted that family and non-family firms differ in their goals, management practices, and performance. Gersick et al. (1997) and Leon-Guerrero et al. (1998) suggested that the nature of the family firm changes over time in response to the developmental dimensions of the family, the firm, and ownership, with varying impact on the firm at different stages. However, it is not known whether differences between family and non-family firms are maintained as firms grow, that is, whether the two types of firms change in the same direction and by similar values. This paper adds to the current literature on family and non-family firms by examining differences in business goals, management practices, and performance between small family and non-family firms and changes in these differences as the firms grow. Reid and Adams (2001) and Westhead and Cowling (1997) note that the majority of studies on family firms relate to large quoted companies or public corporations and may not be relevant to small and medium firms.The paper is organised into five sections. The first covers a review of the literature and development of hypotheses. The research methods and results are presented in the second and third sections respectively and the results are discussed in the fourth. In the final section the study is summarised and conclusions are drawn.\nLiterature review and hypotheses development: Kotey and Meredith (1997) and Kotey (1999) demonstrated a close link between the personal goals of managers, their management practices, and performance of their firms. By dictating the goals of the firm and influencing the strategies adopted to realise these goals, managers influence the performance of their firms (Keats and Bracker, 1988). The influence of managers' personal goals on strategy and performance is particularly strong in small firms (Chaganti et al., 1995) - defined in this study as firms employing less than 20 workers. In small firms business goals are inseparable from the personal goals of the owners and reflect the personal needs, values, structure of beliefs, and philosophies of the owners. Since the personal goals of owner-managers are not necessarily optimal or economically rational, performance of their firms may not always be commensurate to those demanded by the economic system (O'Farrell and Hitchins, 1988).Chell et al. (1991), Covin and Slevin (1989), and Kotey and Meredith (1997) identified various personality-types and personal goals of owner-managers and demonstrated that certain personality-types are associated with specific strategies and performance outcomes. Poor performers have been identified with conservative management practices and reactive-type strategies whilst high performers have been shown to be entrepreneurial in their management practices and to pursue proactive strategies (Covin, 1991; Kotey and Meredith, 1997). The literature indicates that few small firms are in the latter category as the majority of owners prefer to keep their firms small and within their control (Storey 1994). Despite this general contention differences in goals, management practices, and performance between family and non-family firms are suggested (Chua et al., 2003; Upton et al., 2001; Daily and Dollinger, 1991), althjough it is not clear at what firm size these differences become prominent. The business goals, management practices, and peformance outcomes of family and non-family SMEs are discussed in the ensuing sections.Business goals\nMethodology: Data\nResults of the analyses: At the small level, differences between family and non-family firms were mainly associated with growth goals. This narrowed at the medium level whilst differences in management practices and actual growth widened. A small difference in profit margins between the two firms at the small level disappeared at the medium level.Business goals\nDiscussions: The findings demonstrate that although SME owner-managers prefer to restrict growth of their firms, when family and non-family firms are compared family proprietors tend to be more protective of (that is, limit growth and maintain) their firms at the small or initial stages. Nevertheless, family proprietors are encouraged to desire growth after successful transition through the initial growth stages. Management practices are basic and informal at the small level for both family and non-family firms but a greater percentage of firms (family and non-family) adopt more formal practices at the medium level. In spite of this, formal management practices are more common among medium non-family firms than similar family firms. Small family firms have higher net profit margins than their non-family counterparts, but the gap in profitability narrows at the medium level. Finally, non-family firms grow at a faster rate and are more likely to engage in export activities than family firms.Business goals\nSummary and conclusions: The paper confirms a general preference among SME owner-managers to limit growth of their firms in order to maintain ownership and control in the long term. This preference is stronger for small family firm proprietors although they are encouraged to grow their firms after transiting through the initial growth stages. Limited growth and majority ownership and control by owner-managers enable small firms (both family and non-family) to persist with informal and basic management practices. This situation changes at the medium level where the percentages of family and non-family firm proprietors desiring growth in one form or another increases. Growth may be necessary to attract outside resources (particularly for non-family firms) and to accommodate other family units (for family firms). Effective management of growth calls for formal management practices, and in non-family firms the separation of ownership from management necessitates stringent internal control and reporting systems. This widens the gap in formal management practices between family and non-family firms, with the former preferring to maintain certain informal practices and a family atmosphere. Gaps in profitability between small family and non-family firms are eroded with growth, caused perhaps by unique inefficiencies associated with each ownership structure. Finally, the different ownership structures result in different growth rates for family and non-family firms. Family firm proprietors adopt a cautious approach to growth so they can pursue growth concurrently with the goal of maintaining family ownership and control in the long term. Non-family firms expand more rapidly to attract outside resources, increase the compensation of managers with little or no ownership interest in the firm and cover their inefficiencies.It could be stated in conclusion that whilst family and non-family small firms share certain common characteristics they also exhibit distinct differences from the onset. These differences widen with growth, as ownership structures of the two firms change and as each firm adopt a different strategy to realising growth goals.Management and policy implications\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - To examine differences between family and non-family SMEs in business goals, management practices and performance as they grow.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The study was based on 233 small non-family and 362 small family firms. Medium firms comprised 305 family and 341 non-family firms. Chi-square tests and t-tests were used to investigate the hypotheses formulated.\nFindings: - Small family firms were less likely to pursue growth compared with similar non-family firms. Although medium family proprietors desired growth, their actual growth was lower than similar non-family firms. Management practices were less formal in family firms and the gap between family and non-family firms in this area widened with growth. Small family firms achieved greater profits than their non-family counterparts, although this disparity disappeared at the medium level. Exports were low for both firms at the small level. However, medium family firms were less likely than similar non-family firms to export.\nResearch limitations/implications: - Firms in the various size groups examined were independent of one another. A longitudinal investigation of family and non-family firms as they progress through various growth stages should complement the findings.\nPractical implications: - The findings should assist policies makers, advisers, owners and management in designing policies and programs, providing advice and managing the two ownership types. Informal management procedures and the associated flexibility may enhance performance of small family firms but may impede their performance at larger sizes.\nOriginality/value: - The paper demonstrates that the relationship between goals, strategies and performance varies between family and non-family firms and the variations change with firm size.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
An integrative approach to eWOM and marketing communications
|
[
"Social media",
"Credibility",
"Marketing communications",
"Persuasiveness",
"EWOM",
"Social network site sponsorship"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) is a rapidly growing, quickly evolving and increasingly important extension of traditional face-to-face word-of-mouth (WOM) in the marketing and consumer environment (Hennig-Thurau et al., 2004) and most recently a very important outcome of activity on social media (Mangold and Faulds, 2009). From a corporate brand standpoint, social media is used for building relationships and enabling marketplace conversations (Booth and Matic, 2011). Indeed, social media have greatly changed the way in which firms and their constituents are able to communicate electronically, extending the possibilities of eWOM from the traditional one-to-many and one-to-one marketing communications (MC), to the new many-to-many and many-to-one communications (Mangold and Faulds, 2009). eWOM has been defined as any positive or negative statement made by potential, actual or former customers about a product or company, which is made available to a multitude of people and institutions via the internet (Hennig-Thurau et al., 2004).\nThe role of eWOM in SNSs: all eWOM are not created equal: SNSs in their essence are built on eWOM in various forms and guises. We suggest that we can locate these forms in a 2 (communication: collective, individual) x 2 (C2C interactivity: low, high) framework (see Figure 1). In our framework, we focus on eWOM, extending Xia et al. (2009) information systems approach to the marketing-consumer environment, allowing us to make direct links to WOM persuasion research in a more relevant and useful way.\nB2C vs C2C SNS sponsorship and persuasiveness: Web sites as virtual communication channels are perceived differently by consumers depending on whether they are firm or third-party sponsored web sites. Because of the intent to persuade for commercial purposes, firm-sponsored web sites are perceived as being lower in credibility than independent third-party sponsored web sites (Kiecker and Cowles, 2001). As a result, the source credibility of a web site also affects the content within the web site (Bickart and Schindler, 2001; Senecal and Nantel, 2004).\nSNS sponsorship, eWOM type and persuasiveness: In combining SNS sponsorship and eWOM type, persuasiveness may vary depending on how consumers process the information of eWOM content and community sponsorship as a source cue. The elaboration likelihood model posits that depending on their ability, and how motivated they are, individuals have two alternative routes in which they process information (Petty and Cacioppo, 1986). Those that do not use extensive cognitive processing to understand the message are more likely to process information by using peripheral routes, or focussing on non-content or irrelevant cues. Conversely, those who are willing and able to process a message are more likely to process persuasive attempts by using the central route and to generate their own thoughts in relation to arguments. Since many-to-one eWOM requires simple processing whereas one-to-one and many-to-many eWOMs require more elaborate information processing (Xia et al., 2009), when consumers process the many-to-one eWOM type, they will probably include the heuristic cue of SNS sponsorship. Conversely, when they process the one-to-many and many-to-many eWOM, they spend too much cognitive effort in processing the eWOM texts and therefore will not include SNS sponsorship as a heuristic cue. In fact, Senecal and Nantel's (2004) study did not find significant web site sponsorship effect and concluded that their subjects were paying more attention to the content of the messages than to the web sites' sponsorship. This leads to our argument that consumers include the source credibility of SNS sponsorship when they are evaluating many-to-one eWOM and that they will find it in a C2C-sponsored SNS more persuasive than the same many-to-one eWOM in a B2C-sponsored SNS. However, consumers do not include SNS sponsor credibility when they engage in elaborative processing in the evaluation of one-to-many or many-to-many eWOM, and therefore the persuasiveness of these two types of eWOM do not differ from C2C- to B2C-sponsored SNS.\nStudy: To test the foregoing hypotheses, a 2 (SPONSOR: B2C, C2C) x 4 (CONTENT: MC, MC plus many-to-one eWOM, MC plus one-to-many eWOM, MC plus many-to-many eWOM) between-subjects experiment was conducted to measure consumers' response to the increased persuasiveness of when various eWOM were added to MC in a B2C- vs a C2C-sponsored SNS.\nPretest of manipulation: To ensure that subjects perceived the B2C-sponsored SNS as less credible than the C2C-sponsored SNS, a pretest was conducted that gave subjects information to read on either a C2C or B2C SNS, and then asked subjects how qualified, knowledgeable and expert the SNS was (1=disagree and 7=agree). Totally, 234 subjects were assigned to the manipulation of the two SNSs (B2C, C2C). Three manipulation check items of source credibility (Ohanian, 1991) were averaged to form a source credibility index (three items, a=0.93). A one-way ANOVA on the index yielded a significant main effect for source credibility. Compared to the B2C sponsored site, subjects perceived the C2C-sponsored SNS to be significantly more credible (M\nSubjects and stimulus materials: Totally, 160 undergraduate students completed a self-paced questionnaire. They were recruited from a student pool at a large US Northeastern public university and received course credit for participation. The stimulus materials described a fictitious film named The Other Story. Subjects were told that this film is soon to be released in DVD and we are forecasting the potential sales of the movie DVD. Demographic profiles of the subjects are presented in Table II.\nIndependent variables: For the SNS sponsor (SPONSOR), two fictitious web sites, innovative studio and Kazoo.com, were created to represent a B2C- and a C2C-sponsored SNS, respectively. For the eWOM type (CONTENT), the first one, a baseline, is a firm-initiated press release (MC) only message which includes a description of the movie, the box office sales of US$325 million and a five out of 5-star critic rating. The description was clipped from an existing Hollywood Studio web site. For the many-to-one eWOM, an average \"A-\" grade voted by 14,277 users and 2,005 users provided reviews were included. This is similar to the evaluation format of existing movie web sites (e.g. Yahoo.com). For the one-to-many eWOM, two positive text-based user reviews were included. For the many-to-many eWOM, two positive text-based users' discussions were included. All eWOM types contain the same quantity of information at approximately 160 words.\nDependent variables: To test the effects of SPONSOR and CONTENT on eWOM persuasiveness, we used measurements of persuasiveness from previous studies (e.g. Ziegler and Diehl, 2011). We operationalized the dependent variable of eWOM persuasiveness added to MC as consumer's perceived product interest and their likelihood to watch a new movie DVD, as these are among the most common measures used to assess subject responses to eWOM (e.g. Adjei et al., 2010; Bickart and Schindler, 2001; Gruen et al., 2006; Senecal and Nantel, 2004). Based on evidence indicating similar predictive validity of single-item and multiple-item scales for many marketing constructs (Bergkvist and Rossiter, 2007) \"product interest\" was measured by \"I am interested in watching the movie on DVD\" (1=uninterested, 7=very interested) and \"likelihood to watch\" was measured using the question of \"I am likely to watch it on DVD\" (1=not likely to watch, 7=most likely to watch).\nResults: We began our analysis by a 2 (SPONSOR: B2C, C2C) x 4 (CONTENT: MC and MC+3 eWOM type) ANOVA, an approach used by similar studies that investigate persuasion (e.g. Ziegler and Diehl, 2011). Although many experimental designs that apply ANOVA analysis use sample size of 30 or above per group (e.g. Senecal and Nantel, 2004), it is also not uncommon to find group sample size of <20 per group (e.g. Roskos-Ewoldsen et al., 2002; Ziegler et al., 2004; Ziegler and Diehl, 2011). In this regard, the literature on Type I and Type II errors with respect to sample sizes and power (e.g. Balkin and Sheperis, 2011) suggests that smaller sample sizes reduce the power to detect a significant effect (a Type II error) but also decrease the chance of finding significance when there is none (Type I error). Moreover, since the response data that we collected did not violate the assumptions of ANOVA in terms of normality of distribution and error variance homogeneity, we use parametric tests (ANOVA, t-tests) for hypothesis testing with our sample cell sizes of around 20.\nDiscussion: This paper examined the added influence of three common types of eWOM to MC in a B2C-sponsored SNS and a C2C-sponsored SNS to elicit source credibility and the persuasiveness of combined marketing and consumer messages on consumers' movie choices. Our empirical results support the hypotheses regarding the effects of both SNS source credibility and eWOM type on consumers' interests in and likelihood to watch a movie DVD. They showed that community sponsorship as a source credibility cue is more influential from a C2C- than from a B2C-sponsored SNS. Our findings, based on the manipulation of the same messages in both C2C- and B2C-sponsored SNSs, clarify the separate roles of source credibility of SNSs and the messages within them, thus extending the work of Bickart and Schindler (2001) which had confounded source and messages when they compared consumer response to the content of corporate web sites vs the content within internet forums. Our findings also support the hypothesis that one-to-many and many-to-many (many-to-one) eWOM do not differ (differs) in persuasiveness between C2C- and B2C-sponsored SNS. The results validate Xia et al.'s (2009) suggestion that many-to-one communications requires less effort to process than one-to-many and many-to-many text-based communications; therefore in processing many-to-one eWOM consumers include the heuristic cue of SNS sponsorship. Indeed, our results confirm the suspicion of Senecal and Nantel (2004) that consumers are paying more attention to process the one-to-many product reviews than the heuristic cue of web site sponsorship, which further supports the notion that source credibility as a heuristic cue is only activated when people are engaging in peripheral but not centralized information processing (Petty and Cacioppo, 1986).\nContributions: This paper's approach of measuring corporate and C2C communications simultaneously adds to the much-needed integrative approach of studying the simultaneous delivery of MC and WOM (Smith and Vogt, 1995; Feng and Papatla, 2011) and provides a more nuanced view of persuasion knowledge in the social media environment. This integrative approach is especially appropriate when the internet has merged both mass media-based MC and interpersonal WOM communications channels into one, single mass-interpersonal medium. Our investigation of social media source credibility also adds to the body of research, not specific to the online environment, in source credibility and persuasiveness (e.g. source bias by Artz and Tybout, 1999).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to improve the understanding of how different forms of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) and simultaneous marketing communications (MC), two crucial components of relationship marketing, affect consumer persuasion when presented in a business-to-customer (B2C)-sponsored vs a customer-to-customer (C2C)-sponsored social network site (SNS). A concise typology of eWOM is also proposed.\nDesign/methodology/approach: An experiment involving different social network movie sites was conducted testing the effects of different eWOM along with a comparison to MC on consumers' interest in, and likelihood to watch movie DVDs.\nFindings: The empirical results showed that not all eWOM types have the same persuasiveness and community sponsorship as a source credibility cue is more influential from a C2C-sponsored SNS than from a B2C one, particularly for many-to-one eWOM communications.\nResearch limitations/implications: Future research should include both positive and negative types of eWOM using different product categories to increase the generalizability of the results.\nPractical implications: Not all eWOM types are created equal, and thus, SNS sponsorship can lead to source bias and affect the persuasiveness of eWOM embedded in SNSs. The results also imply that not all positive word-of-mouth has a more positive effect than MC.\nOriginality/value: The approach of measuring two forms of communications simultaneously adds to the much-needed integrative approach of studying the simultaneous delivery of MC and WOM and provides a more nuanced view of persuasion knowledge.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Predicting interference between work and home: A comparison of dispositional and situational antecedents
|
[
"Work psychology",
"Personality",
"Self‐esteem",
"Public sector organizations",
"Employee attitudes",
"United Kingdom"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Personality is widely acknowledged as having an impact on a number of job-related outcomes. Researchers have argued in favour of dispositional explanations for job satisfaction (Arvey et al., 1991), managerial effectiveness (House et al., 1991), organizational citizenship behaviour (Borman et al., 2001), and work stress (Chiu and Kosinski, 1999). Research on personality-based antecedents of work-home interference, however, is still in its infancy.\nDispositional antecedents: Perfectionism\nSituational antecedents: A substantial number of situational factors have been found to predict work-home interference among employees (for a review, see Eby et al., 2005). Most of these involve situational elements of the workplace, rather than the home. However, the single most investigated situational antecedent of WHI is arguably the presence of dependant children in the household - a home-related characteristic found to predict both increased WIH and HIW by virtue of increased home-related demands (Carlson, 1999; Kinnunen and Mauno, 1998; Saltzstein et al., 2001).Among the work-related situational contributors, a key antecedent to WHI established in the literature is the number of hours worked per week. By increasing the amount of time spent in the work domain and reducing the time available for fulfilling responsibilities at home, greater work hours often result in higher levels of WIH and, upon occasion, HIW (Fox and Dwyer, 1999; Major et al., 2002).Work-home culture is another situational element of the workplace that has been shown to affect employee levels of work-home interference. It is defined as the shared assumptions, beliefs and values regarding the extent to which an organization supports and values the integration of employees' work and personal lives (Thompson et al., 1999). Three components of work-home culture can be identified in the literature: organizational time demands, or expectations that employees prioritize work over family or personal responsibilities; potential negative career consequences associated with devoting time to family or personal responsibilities; and managerial support of employees' family or personal responsibilities.Research indicates that these aspects of an organization's culture can contribute to the experience of interference between work and home. An organizational climate favouring the prioritization of work over family and the sacrificing of family to work has been shown to increase levels of both WIH and HIW among employees (Kossek et al., 2001). Increased levels of WIH have also been reported by employees who perceive a link between spending time on home responsibilities and suffering negative career repercussions (Anderson et al., 2002; Thompson et al., 1999).In contrast, the presence of supervisors who express support for employees attempting to balance work and home has consistently demonstrated a negative effect on employee levels of work-home interference (Erdwins et al., 2001; Thomas and Ganster, 1995). Employees who perceive their organization's culture to be supportive of them have reported lower levels of generalized work-home interference (Allen, 2001), WIH (Kirchmeyer and Cohen, 1999; Thompson et al., 1999), and HIW (Friedman and Greenhaus, 2000).H5. Presence of dependant children and hours worked will be positively related to WIH and HIW.\nMethod: Sample\nResults: The means, standard deviations, reliabilities and intercorrelations among the study variables are reported in Table I, while the results from the hierarchical multiple regression analyses are presented in Tables II and III.H1 was partially supported; adaptive perfectionism had a significant negative relationship with HIW (b=-0.27, p<0.001). H2 was strongly supported. Maladaptive perfectionism was positively and significantly related to WIH (b=0.14, p<0.05), and HIW (b=0.22, p<0.01). No support was found for H3, which predicted that self-efficacy would be negatively related to work-home interference.H4 received partial support; self-esteem had a significant negative relationship with WIH (b=-0.13, p=0.05). H5 also received partial support; the presence of dependant children in the household was positively and significantly related to both WIH (b=0.11, p<0.05), and HIW (b=0.18, p<0.01), and hours worked had a positive and significant relationship with WIH (b=0.21, p<0.001). H6 was partially supported, with organizational time demands displaying a significant positive relationship with WIH (b=0.51, p<0.001), and a significant, negative relationship found between managerial support and WIH (b=-0.14, p<0.05).The results of the usefulness analysis are displayed in Table IV. The dispositional variables under investigation in this study accounted for significantly more variance beyond the situational variables in HIW (DR2=0.15, p<0.001). Conversely, the situational variables under examination accounted for significantly more variance beyond the dispositional variables in WIH (DR2=0.38, p<0.001).\nDiscussion: One of the aims of this study was to explore the effects of personality variables on employee perceptions of work-home interference. The results of this investigation lend support to the theoretical work of Fride and Ryan (2005) and the empirical results of Bonebright et al. (2000), Carlson (1999), and Erdwins et al. (2001) in establishing that personality characteristics play a role in determining to what degree an individual experiences interference between work and home. Consistent with Rothbard's (2001) premise that self-evaluations may influence whether an individual perceives engagement in multiple roles as depleting or enriching, both adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism as well as self-esteem were found to have significant effects on work-home interference in the present study.As outlined earlier in this paper, Fride and Ryan (2005) proposed three ways in which personality might affect the experience of work-home interference. Firstly, individuals may self-select into more challenging or supportive environments depending on their dispositional characteristics. Secondly, individuals may differ in their perceptions of work and home role requirements as being either conflictual or enriching, depending on their personality. Finally, individuals may choose different strategies to cope with work and home demands, based on their personality, which in turn may influence the degree of emotional strain experienced.Maladaptive perfectionism, being associated with negative self-evaluations of performance and increased sensitivity to stressors, corresponds most closely to pathway number 2 in its relationship to work-home interference. In the current study, maladaptive perfectionism predicted increased interference from work to home, and from home to work. The general tendency of maladaptive perfectionists to critically evaluate their performance (Frost et al., 1990) renders them prone to making negative evaluations of their efforts to achieve low levels of work-home interference. Also responsible may be the tendency of maladaptive perfectionists to be more negatively affected by life stressors than individuals low in maladaptive perfectionism (Mitchelson and Burns, 1998). While not measured in this study, the propensity for procrastination often displayed by maladaptive perfectionists (Johnson and Slaney, 1996) could also play a role in explaining their elevated levels of interference, by contributing to time pressures and consequent strain.Adaptive perfectionism, in contrast, is associated with increased effort and persistence (LoCicero and Ashby, 2000), behaviours that may represent an effective way of coping with conflicting work and home demands. The negative relationship between adaptive perfectionism and HIW found in the present study therefore corresponds most closely to pathway number 3 in Fride and Ryan's (2005) model of personality's influence on work and home role engagement, which proposes that personality may influence the strategies selected to approach the work-home interface.The failure of adaptive perfectionism to predict WIH may be attributable to the greater permeability of the home domain; dispositional characteristics are believed to have the greatest effect on behaviour when the situation is relevant to the personality trait's expression, and is weak enough to allow an individual to choose how to behave in that situation (Stewart and Barrick, 2004). When seeking to manage demands from both work and home, accommodations can more often be made at home (Eagle et al., 1997). When adaptive perfectionists initiate efforts to achieve their high standards for reduced interference between work and home, these efforts may be more successful in an environment where there is more scope to adjust one's behaviour. Adaptive perfectionism may be less effective in the less malleable environment of the workplace, leading to a non-significant impact on WIH.Like adaptive perfectionism, self-esteem is also associated with greater effort and persistence (McFarlin et al., 1984), corresponding to pathway number 3 of Friede and Ryan's (2005) model in its relationship to work-home interference. Individuals with higher levels of self-esteem are also more likely to make positive evaluations of work and home situations, however (Kinnier et al., 1991). This corresponds to pathway number 2, in which personality influences individuals' perceptions of work and home role requirements (Fride and Ryan, 2005).Given the greater permeability of the home domain discussed above, it is curious that self-esteem was a predictor only of reduced WIH in the present study. There would appear to be no straightforward rationale for why self-esteem would influence an individual's coping strategies for WIH but not HIW, or affect an employee's perceptions of work role requirements but not home role demands. According to Morf (1989), individual dispositions would lead an individual to respond similarly to work and to home; the expectation is that the behaviour resulting from these dispositions would be similar in both domains. The standardized beta coefficient for self-esteem in the HIW analysis was in fact slightly higher than that in the WIH regression equation, but it came under the threshold for statistical significance. Either there is an as-yet undiscovered reason for why self-esteem might act as a buffer against WIH only, or this finding is a statistical anomaly peculiar to this one study. In either case, further research is warranted.Consistent with previous research (Allen, 2001; Kossek et al., 2001), elements of work-home culture were found to have significant direct effects upon WIH. High levels of WIH were reported by employees experiencing strong organizational time demands and little managerial support. Feeling pressure to work long hours and assign priority to one's job rather than one's home life contributed significantly to the spillover of work demands into the home domain, by increasing time pressures for those complying with organizational time demands, and potentially generating stress among those failing to fulfill such demands. The increased WIH experienced by employees receiving little support from immediate or upper management may be attributable to the failure of those managers to provide either instrumental support in the form of flexibility within employees' work schedules, and/or emotional support with regard to work-home concerns. Work-home culture had no significant effects upon HIW, providing support for the prevailing conceptualization of HIW as being caused by demographic characteristics and stressors originating in the home domain.The second aim of this study was to explore whether the dispositional or the situational characteristics under investigation were responsible for explaining the greatest amount of variance in work-home interference. The results of the usefulness analysis suggest that while the situational variables under study explained more variance in WIH than did the dispositional characteristics, the opposite was true for HIW. These findings provide additional support for the notion of separate antecedents to WIH and HIW. Situational characteristics primarily associated with the work domain accounted for the majority of variance in WIH, while personality traits were responsible for explaining virtually all of the variance in HIW. This may be due to the interpersonal nature of many of the stressors contributing to HIW, the perception of which may be more influenced by an individual's personality characteristics. These results raise the possibility that HIW may be more strongly tied to the individual occupying home-related roles than to the roles themselves. The opposite may be true of WIH; interference from work to the home domain may arise predominantly due to factors associated with the work role, rather than the worker. This would help to explain the dissimilar influence of dispositional variables on the two directions of work-home interference. Of course, it must be remembered that only small subsets of all possible situational and dispositional variables were considered in this study. Overall, however, the findings indicate that models of work-home interference containing only situation or person-based predictors risk underspecification; including both situation and person-based explanations results in a more complete prediction model of work-home interference.Implications for managers\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - To examine the relative power of four dispositional, self-evaluation traits (adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism, generalized self-efficacy, and general self-esteem) versus three situational factors (organizational time demands, potential negative career consequences, and managerial support) in predicting work interference with home (WIH) and home interference with work (HIW).\nDesign/methodology/approach: - A survey was conducted among 223 UK public sector employees. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis tested main effects of personality and situational characteristics on WIH and HIW. A usefulness analysis determined whether dispositional or situational variables had greater predictive power for the two dependent variables.\nFindings: - Significant, negative main effects of adaptive perfectionism on HIW, and of self-esteem on WIH. Positive relationships were found between maladaptive perfectionism and both WIH and HIW. Situational factors were also significant predictors of WHI: organizational time demands were positively associated with WIH, while managerial support had a negative relationship with WIH. Dispositional variables accounted for 15 per cent of variance in HIW, but only 4 per cent of variance in WIH.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The cross-sectional design of the study does not permit firm conclusions regarding causality, and the results may be influenced by common method bias.\nPractical implications: - Raising awareness of the role of personality in work-home interference may assist managers in providing more effective support to employees. The danger exists that policy-makers will dismiss HIW as an individual responsibility due to the influence of dispositional factors.\nOriginality/value: - This study indicates that self-evaluation personality characteristics play a key role in predicting HIW, and are more important than traditionally investigated factors associated with the home and workplace environments.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Care in the community? Impacts on care and quality for the aged
|
[
"Retention",
"Aged care",
"Community care",
"Job quality",
"Quality framework"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nReview: Most people are well aware that, particularly in developed countries, there are ageing populations that spell potentially nightmare scenarios for public health provision. But when we think about this, thoughts always turn to hospitals, general practitioners or the aged themselves and never the real front-line communities that will face this problem. That is the families, friends and professional people who will see increasing amounts of their time and resources required to look after the elderly.\nJob for life: Nevertheless, in a number of countries, there are grave concerns that an ageing population will have untold consequences on certain parts of the care system, not least on those who choose to work looking after the elderly. Or more importantly, on those who choose to walk away. In her article \"To what extent a 'bad job'? Employee perceptions of job quality in community aged care\", Clarke (2015) looks at these issues from an Australian perspective and, in particular, from the viewpoint of the aged care workers themselves.\nQuality aspects: But while there is instability, there is still a very large number of people engaged as aged care workers, and the core challenge Clarke sets for herself is to understand why people work and how they judge what a quality job might be. To do this, she uses a framework that contains eight \"quality components\" and assesses what part they play in aged care workers' evaluation of their work, applying it to an organization involved in the industry in Australia.\nIt's not about the money, money: Pay was a key element in all the discussions with aged care workers, who felt that the levels of pay were too low and did not reflect the value their job had for the clients and the community. However, it was not so much about the level of pay, but the perception that their role was of low value because pay was low and that their casual contracts meant that it was variable and could not be depended on from one week to the next. Aged care workers did not think they had a \"good\" or \"bad\" job, but there was a wide variety of aspects in between, and, in addition, to pay the issues surrounding working schedules and career development were just as important.\nComment: The article \"To what extent a 'bad job'? Employee perceptions of job quality in community aged care\" by Clarke (2015) lifts the lid on the important aged care sector, and allowed readers to assess the state of this sector moving into an era with an ageing population. Crucially, it identifies the core issue, which is the high value placed on aged care services, but there is a lack of investment in the provision of those services, which will have to be addressed in the coming decades.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.\nFindings: Most people are well aware that, particularly in developed countries, there are ageing populations that spell potentially nightmare scenarios for public health provision. But when we think about this, thoughts always turn to hospitals, general practitioners or the aged themselves and never the real front-line communities that will face this problem. That is the families, friends and professional people who will see increasing amounts of their time and resources required to look after the elderly.\nOriginality/value: The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The life and times of a senior scholar: an interview with Denise Rousseau
|
[
"Gender",
"Schools",
"Business schools",
"Business history"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Denise M. Rousseau is the H.J. Heinz II University Professor of Organizational Behavior and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University's H. John Heinz III College and the Tepper School of Business. She is the faculty director of the Institute for Social Enterprise and Innovation and chair of Health Care Policy and Management program. She was the 2004-2005 President of the Academy of Management and the 1998-2007 Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Organizational Behavior. Rousseau received her AB, MA and PhD from the University of California at Berkeley with degrees in psychology and anthropology. She has served on panels for the Institute of Medicine, National Science Foundation and the National Institute for Education. Currently, she serves on the editorial boards of five scholarly journals. She was previously on the faculty of Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, the University of Michigan's Department of Psychology and Institute for Social Research and the Naval Postgraduate School at Monterey[1].\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This paper aims to present an interview of a senior scholar to get their perspectives on the field, its history and future.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A semi-structured in-depth interview was conducted.\nFindings: It is one person's person views, albeit, a person with very considerable success in the field of business studies.\nOriginality/value: The interview reflects the changes in business schools over the interviewee's decades of experience.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Conversion of non-calendar to calendar-time based preventive maintenance schedules for semiconductor manufacturing systems
|
[
"Preventive maintenance",
"Semiconductors",
"Programming",
"Real time scheduling"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Preventive maintenance (PM) is an important operation in semiconductor manufacturing systems. PM is performed by intentionally taking off-line tools to perform a prescribed maintenance task. A good PM schedule improves tools availability and production performance, while reducing the costs derived from PM operations, Work-In-Process (WIP) inventory, and tool breakdowns (Yao et al., 2001; 2002;, 2004). When PM tasks are properly performed, these will produce a trade-off between planned down-time due to PM operations and costly unplanned tool failures.The scheduling of PM tasks in a semiconductor fab is a non-trivial operation. On the one hand, the importance of PM in semiconductor manufacturing is clearly justified by the large capital invested in the equipment utilized in the fabrication process and the profits derived from this enterprise. For instance, the revenues of the current semiconductor industry reached more than $213 billion during 2004 (SIA, 2006) and a new fab using technology of 300 mm wafers can cost between $2.5 and $3.5 billion (Blau, 2003), with about 80 percent of this cost going to equipment costs. On the other hand, due to the complexity of scheduling PM tasks, heuristic methods (e.g. using cumulative experience from the fab operation) are regularly used to address this problem. Utilizing optimization or mathematical-based methods to optimally schedule PM tasks in semiconductor fabs have received significant attention recently, see, e.g. Yao et al. (2001, 2002, 2004), where models and algorithms are presented to optimally schedule PM tasks in semiconductor manufacturing systems, by making use of operational information (e.g. estimated WIP, tool parameters, number of technicians required per PM operation).This paper continues the line of research presented in (Ramirez-Hernandez and Fernandez-Gaucherand, 2003), where an algorithm for converting non-calendar to calendar-time based PM schedules for semiconductor manufacturing systems was proposed. A primary motivation for the conversion algorithm was to utilize the resulting calendar-time PM schedules as a base-line within the PM scheduling optimization algorithms given in Yao et al. (2001, 2002, 2004). While in (Ramirez-Hernandez and Fernandez-Gaucherand, 2003) the objectives were to present the mathematical model and details of the conversion algorithm, along with a simple numerical example for one-chamber tools and wafer-based PM schedules, in this paper we significantly expand the objectives as follows. First, we discuss in detail the reasons that justify the conversion of non-calendar based PM schedules. Second, this paper presents an improved version of the conversion algorithm proposed in Ramirez-Hernandez and Fernandez-Gaucherand (2003) by allowing the estimation of calendar-time targets that may occur at the beginning of the sampling periods. The previous version of the algorithm assumes that estimated calendar-time targets are reached before the current sampling period. This, however, yielded additional computations. Thus, in the current version of the algorithm such computations are avoided by checking if calendar-time targets were obtained at the beginning of the current sampling period. In addition, the mathematical model of the algorithm has been refined by including a dependence on the type of PM task for the cumulative amount of units completed (e.g. wafers) by each tool/chamber since the last PM task. Third, here we present a more general numerical example with fictitious data that considers multi-chamber tools within a mixed scenario of PM tasks including wafer, processing-time, and energy-based PM schedules. Fourth, this paper includes a case study on the accuracy of the conversion algorithm in which actual historical data from a real semiconductor fab were used as a comparison for estimated calendar-time targets for a wafer-based PM schedule. The results of this case study demonstrate that a good estimation of these targets is generated by the algorithm; therefore, the corresponding calendar-time based schedules can be efficiently incorporated into a PM scheduling optimization process. Finally, we also discuss how estimated calendar-time PM schedules obtained through our conversion algorithm can be incorporated into a PM optimization algorithm, e.g. Yao et al. (2001, 2002, 2004).The remainder of the paper is organized as follows: section II provides some background on both maintenance models and the PM scheduling optimization approach proposed in Yao et al. (2001, 2002, 2004) for semiconductor manufacturing systems. The same section also presents the rationale for the conversion algorithm. In section III, a refined version of the conversion algorithm given in Ramirez-Hernandez and Fernandez-Gaucherand (2003) is presented. A numerical example for the conversion of wafer, processing-time, and energy-based PM windows into calendar-time based PM windows with multi-chamber tools is presented in section IV, along with a case study of the accuracy of the algorithm considering industrial data from a real semiconductor fab. A brief discussion about how the estimated calendar-time PM schedules generated by the conversion algorithm are incorporated into the optimization algorithm of Yao et al. (2001, 2002, 2004) is presented in section V, and conclusions are given in section VI.\nBackground and rationale for the conversion algorithm: Background on maintenance models and PM scheduling optimization for semiconductor manufacturing systems\nReview of the conversion algorithm: In this section, the general conditions, variables, parameters, and the mathematical model of a refined version of the conversion algorithm in Ramirez-Hernandez and Fernandez-Gaucherand (2003) are presented. The version of the algorithm presented here has been improved by allowing the estimation of calendar-time targets that may occur at the beginning of sampling periods, thus avoiding additional computations for the calendar-time targets. This improvement is included in the third step of the algorithm. In addition, the mathematical model has been refined by including dependence on the PM task for the so-called cumulative amount of units completed for a given tool/chamber.General conditions\nNumerical example and case study: The application and accuracy of the conversion algorithm is illustrated in this section by presenting both a numerical example with fictitious data and a case study with industrial data from a real semiconductor fab, respectively.Numerical example: mixed PM types and multi-chamber tools\nIncorporating estimated calendar-time pm schedules into the PM optimization algorithm: Estimated calendar-time PM schedules generated by the conversion algorithm can be utilized as initial or baseline schedules in the PM scheduling optimization algorithm given in Yao et al. (2001, 2002, 2004), which has been implemented in the Preventive Maintenance Optimization Software Tool (PMOST) (Crabtree et al., 2006; Crabtree, 2003). Both the optimization algorithm and PMOST are able to handle PM tasks scheduled in either a day or shift basis; that is, PM tasks are assumed to start at the beginning of the corresponding period (e.g. shift). Shift-based PM scheduling, on the other hand, is generally preferred in semiconductor fabs because it provides technicians and tool managers with a clear idea of when PM tasks need to be performed (Crabtree, 2003). Furthermore, this approach allows for the collection of more accurate data for the PM optimization process. The calendar-time PM schedules obtained by the conversion algorithm provide information in terms of time (in hours, minutes, and seconds) elapsed since the beginning of the planning horizon, e.g. day and time. Currently, PMOST version G2.0 (Crabtree, 2003) takes this information and reassigns the schedule of events to the beginning of the time period in which such events fall, as per the output of the conversion algorithm.As an example, Figure 5 shows how the current version of PMOST allocates the estimates of the due dates for two non-calendar based PM tasks, PM1 and PM2. In this example PMOST interprets that PM1 is due on day 1, first shift (7:00 am), and PM2 on day 2, second shift (7:00 pm).Initially, it seems that the resolution of the estimates generated by the conversion algorithm, given in day, hours, and minutes, is more than what it is required by PMOST. That is, it is only necessary to determine to which day and shift an estimated target (e.g. due date) is allocated. However, in situations similar to those presented in Figure 5, where the due date for PM2 is estimated to occur at the end of day 2 but scheduled on the beginning of the second shift, the resolution provided by the conversion algorithm allows the possibility to decide, when convenient, to allocate the due date of PM2 at the beginning of day 3 (7.00 a.m.). These decisions could be easily implemented by considering that a target estimate will be allocated in the next period (e.g. shift) if it is beyond a threshold point in the current shift.\nConclusions: This paper presents the rationale, a numerical example, and a case study on the application of an algorithm for converting non-calendar based PM schedules into calendar format for semiconductor manufacturing systems. The numerical example illustrates how the proposed algorithm is utilized in the conversion of three different types of non-calendar time PM schedules where multi-chamber tools were considered. In addition, it is discussed how estimated calendar-time based PM schedules can be incorporated into the PM optimization process and tools developed in Yao et al. (2001, 2002, 2004), and (Crabtree, 2003; Crabtree et al., 2006). Finally, a case study on the accuracy of the conversion algorithm is presented, where estimated PM targets are compared against operational data from a real semiconductor fab. The results show that, in general, the algorithm performs quite satisfactory. However, important consideration must be provided to the uncertainty of WIP level estimates in order to preserve accuracy in the estimations of the PM targets for the resulting calendar-time PM schedules.The work presented here and in Yao et al. (2001, 2002, 2004) is open for further research. Two interesting alternatives to continue this line of research are provided by approaches such as opportunistic maintenance (Dekker et al., 1997; Wildeman, 1996; Wildeman et al., 1997) and condition-based maintenance (Wang and Christer, 2000). At difference of the proposed models and algorithms given here and in Yao et al. (2001, 2002, 2004), oppor-tunistic maintenance models may be considered to take advantage of failure events to also schedule PM tasks and improve the overall PM scheduling optimization. Similarly, condition-based maintenance models can improve the PM optimization approach by allowing non-deterministic times for inspection, repair, or maintenance of equipment.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The aim of this paper is to present the rationale, a numerical example and a case study of the application of an algorithm to convert non-calendar based preventive maintenance (PM) schedules into calendar-time format for semiconductor manufacturing systems (SMS). The resulting calendar-time PM schedules can be utilized as a baseline within a PM scheduling optimization process.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The algorithm utilizes estimations of work-in-process (WIP) and system parameters to estimate an equivalent calendar-time schedule for PM schedules based on different units. A numerical example based on fictitious data illustrates the utilization of the conversion algorithm within a mixed PM scheduling scenario, including wafer, processing-time and energy-based PM tasks for multi-chamber tools. In addition, a case study illustrates the accuracy of the algorithm by comparing estimated PM targets (i.e. due, warning and late dates) with historical data from a real semiconductor fabrication facility.\nFindings: - Results from the case study validated the conversion algorithm by showing accurate estimations of PM targets (i.e. due, warning and late dates). The accuracy of the algorithm depends, however, on good estimates for WIP levels within the planning horizon.\nOriginality/value: - The conversion algorithm may be utilized not only in SMS but also in other industries that require the conversion of non-calendar based PM schedules into calendar-time format for PM optimization and operational purposes.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Establishing the financial returns arising from an evaluation of a retail training programme
|
[
"Training evaluation",
"Retail chain",
"Evaluation of training in retail",
"Levels of training evaluation",
"Return on investment in training",
"ROI calculation"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Company training evaluation has been gaining importance within human resource management and has been the subject of many scientific studies by experts in this field (Aragon-Sanchez et al., 2003; Burkett, 2005a, b; Byrne et al., 2016; Curado and Teixeira, 2014; Drimmer, 2002; Elliott et al., 2009; Enkuzena and Kliedere, 2011; Honeycutt et al., 2001; Kirkpatrick, 1998; Leach and Liu, 2003; Lin et al., 2011; Phillips, 1996, 2003; Singh et al., 2015; Tan and Newman, 2012). Kirkpatrick's four-level model evaluating training programmes (Kirkpatrick, 1994), originally introduced in 1959, have been considered to be the most popular and the most useful framework in the evaluation of training by the scientific community, thanks to its relative simplicity and pragmatism. The model was later revised (Kirkpatrick, 1996, 1998), but the use of four levels (reaction of participants, learning, behaviour and results) to evaluate the results of training programmes has been retained.\nLevels of training evaluation and their use in practice: This section presents particular problems related to the application of training evaluation levels in practice. The levels of evaluation suggested by Kirkpatrick (1994) complemented with the fifth level by Phillips (1996) are as follows:\nData and methodology: The aim of this paper is to propose a generally applicable evaluation of training for employees in a shop assistant position, and present an example of its use in a particular chain of retail stores. The theoretical framework for the proposal is the training evaluation model originally developed by Kirkpatrick (1959) and modified by Phillips (1996) to provide feedback on the effect of training. The proposed system is universal for shop assistants. The specific items can be adjusted by a particular company, according to specific training objectives and needs.\nTraining evaluation for shop assistants in a retail chain: The description of the training in a retail chain\nConclusion: Evaluation of training allows for improving training in companies, its quality and financial efficiency. The problem that remains in business practice is the training evaluation being limited to only participants' reactions to trainings and sporadically evaluating learning and changes in behaviour (Giangreco et al., 2010). This was also the situation in the retail chain analysed in the paper.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to propose an evaluation of training for shop assistants, specifically in retail chains.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The proposed evaluation is based on Kirkpatrick's model and Phillips' modification. The representative case study includes the application of the training evaluation at the fourth and fifth levels of evaluation in a particular chain of retail stores. The data were collected from the retail chain's financial reports, internal documents related to training of employees and interviews with managers in the retail chain.\nFindings: The results contribute to the training evaluation literature by presenting a training evaluation for shop assistant using evidence from a retail chain. The training focussed on selling skills and product knowledge; the details of evaluating the training are presented, encompassing mainly the benefits and costs of the training and return on investment calculation.\nResearch limitations/implications: The training evaluation was tested only in selected types of training courses for shop assistants. To generalise the results, its adoption in different types of training and retail companies is required in future research.\nPractical implications: The application of this training evaluation should help to achieve training objectives and enhance the quality of training in the retail chain. The results of the paper can be used as practical inspiration for managers of retail stores.\nOriginality/value: This paper proposes and applies a specific evaluation of training courses in retail.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Central bank transparency, inflation targeting and monetary policy: a panel data approach
|
[
"Central bank",
"Transparency",
"Monetary policy",
"Interest rate",
"Inflation targeting",
"E42",
"E43",
"E52",
"E58"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Since the early 1990s, several central banks have adopted the inflation targeting (IT) regime as a monetary policy strategy. The main feature of the regime is the official announcement of an inflation target and/or tolerance ranges for inflation, and the explicit recognition that the main goal of monetary policy is to ensure a low and stable inflation rate (Bernanke et al., 1999). Since the regime serves as a guide for the process of inflation expectations formation, its institutional design requires central bank transparency and accountability.\n2. Data and methodology: The analysis uses a set of 48 countries grouped into two samples: the first comprising 48 countries (full sample), and the second with 31 developing countries[1]. The period runs from 1998 to 2014 (with annual frequency), and the choice of the period and countries is restricted to data availability[2].\n3. Results: The evidences are presented from the estimates of equations (1) and (2). Each equation is estimated using the full sample and also the sample of developing countries. The idea of analyzing developing countries separately is to check whether the results remain, and whether the effects of TRANSP and IT are stronger for this set of countries.\n4. Conclusion: Several studies have sought to analyze whether adopting IT and increasing central bank transparency are effective to control inflation. However, there are few studies analyzing the influence of both the adoption of the IT regime and central bank transparency on monetary policy. Regarding the effect of central bank transparency on monetary policy, the existing studies are concentrated in individual-country analysis, and the evidences provided so far are controversial.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The evidence concerning the effects of the inflation targeting (IT) regime as well as greater central bank transparency on monetary policy interest rates is not conclusive, and the following questions remain open. What is the effect of adopting IT on both the level and volatility of monetary policy interest rate? Does central bank transparency affect the level of the monetary policy interest rate and its volatility? Are these effects greater in developing countries? The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the literature by answering these questions. Hence, the paper analyzes the effects of IT and central bank transparency on monetary policy.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The analysis uses a sample of 48 countries (31 developing) comprising the period between 1998 and 2014. Based on panel data methodology, estimates are made for the full sample, and then for the sample of developing countries.\nFindings: Countries that adopt the IT regime tend to have lower levels of monetary policy interest rates, as well as lower interest rate volatility. The effect of adopting IT on both the level and volatility of the basic interest rate is smaller in developing countries. Besides, countries with more transparent central banks have lower levels of monetary policy interest rates, as well as lower interest rate volatility. In turn, the effect of central bank transparency on both the level and volatility of the basic interest rate is greater in developing countries.\nPractical implications: The study brings important practical implications regarding the influence of both the IT regime and central bank transparency on monetary policy.\nOriginality/value: Studies have sought to analyze whether IT and central bank transparency are effective to control inflation. However, few studies analyze the influence of IT and central bank transparency on interest rates. This study differs from the few existing studies since: the analysis is done not only for the effect of transparency on the level of the monetary policy interest rate, but also on its volatility; the central bank transparency index that is used has never been utilized in this sort of analysis; and the study uses panel data methodology, and compares the results between different samples.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Explaining the decline of tipping norms in the gig economy
|
[
"Pay",
"Social norms",
"Organizational behaviour",
"Temporary workers"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Advances in information technology have decreased the costs of coordination, leading to an overall shift toward proportionately more use of markets - rather than hierarchies - to coordinate economic activity (Malone et al., 1987). In recent years, this shift has been most visible in what is often dubbed the \"gig economy.\" In the gig economy, consumers can be seamlessly connected to on-demand independent contractor workers, rather than employees of a hierarchical organization. And unlike in traditional salaried jobs in hierarchical organizations, gig economy workers are typically paid not by the year or even by the hour, but by the task (Chen and Horton, 2016; Friedman, 2014).\nStudy 1: To test our theory that worker autonomy influence consumers' tipping motivations, we conducted a survey vignette experiment using workers on Amazon Mechanical Turk. We first collected pilot data with 174 participants that supported our hypothesis. We then collected a larger sample as described here to replicate our main result. In order to better understand participants' thinking, we also included an additional open-ended question that was not in the pilot study.\nMethod: Participants\nResults: As shown in Figure 1, participants in the gig condition said that they would tip $2.53 (SD = 1.91) on average, significantly less than participants in the employee condition who said they would tip $3.06 on average (SD=2.01), t(390)=2.64, p<0.01. Since the grocery delivery cost $10 in both conditions, this is an average tip of 25.3 percent in the gig condition vs 30.6 percent in the employee condition. This difference was driven in part by the fact that more people in the gig condition say they would not tip at all. Whereas only 80 percent of participants said they would tip in the gig condition, 86.5 percent of participants said they would tip in the employee condition, a notable but not statistically significant difference, kh2 (1)=2.367, p=0.124. However, participants who said they would tip in the employee condition still said they would tip more ($3.50 on average) than participants who said they would tip in the gig condition ($3.08 on average), t(325)=2.18, p=0.030.\nDiscussion: Our results support our hypothesis highlighting the role of worker autonomy in explaining the decline of tipping norms in the gig economy. While the survey only considered a hypothetical company, Shop4You, Study 1 shows that consumers' perceptions of worker autonomy can have a significant impact on consumers' tipping motivations.\nStudy 2: In an analysis of NYC taxi data published in Bloomberg, Chemi and Giorgi (2014) found that tip percentages fall sharply for fares ending in 5 or 0. To explain this \"mysterious\" effect, the authors surveyed a range of leading behavioral experts, including Richard Thaler from the University of Chicago, Dan Ariely from Duke, Andrew Lo from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Cass Sunstein from Harvard, but none of the leading experts could offer a satisfying explanation. Despite not being able to explain the finding, Chemi and Giorgi suggested that a \"trick for taxi drivers is to not let the fare hit that round number. The average tip at $60 is $8.82, but the average tip at $59 is $10.33. So in fact, going from $59 to $60 resulted in a loss of $1.50 in tip - more than the difference in fare.\"\nResults: Average tip size was $2.37 (SD=1.95) on metered fare rides (n=7,525,174), compared to $6.46 (SD=6.65) on negotiated fare rides (n = 28,735). However, since metered fare rides tend to be shorter and less expensive than negotiated fare rides out of the city, we regressed tip amount on fare type and controlled for fare amount in order to examine the effect of fare type on tipping behavior. Results, as seen in Figure 2, show that there is indeed a substantial difference in tipping behavior on metered rides vs negotiated rides, and no round number effect. As expected, we found a positive effect of fare amount, b=0.176, SE=0.000064, t(7553906)=2757.7, p<0.001, and a negative effect of negotiated fare type, b=-2.32, SE=0.0086, t(7553906)=268.5, p<0.001, indicating that tips to drivers for negotiated fare rides are significantly lower than those for metered fare rides.\nDiscussion: While taxi drivers are not typically considered gig-workers, they effectively become so temporarily when they are hired for negotiated fares because they have autonomy over whether or not they complete these trips. This is an advantage of this study because a direct comparison of tips to taxi drivers vs Uber drivers could be confounded by systematic differences in the types of people who choose to become one or the other (e.g. if passengers perceive that Uber drivers are wealthier than taxi drivers and in less need of tips) (Brewster, 2013, 2015). Here, the fact that people tip less, on average, when taking negotiated fare rides is consistent with our theory about the decline of tipping in the gig economy.\nStudy 3: Together, Studies 1 and 2 demonstrate that some consumers are less motivated to tip when workers have increased autonomy of whether and when to complete a task. How might such decreases in tipping norms, in turn, impact workers' expectations and behavior? To address this question, we ran two experiments in the domain of ordering food delivery. Whereas in the past consumers needed to call a restaurant directly to place an order, consumers can now place their orders on a host of online platforms. While some of these platforms simply take care of the ordering process, there are also many third-party delivery services where gig-workers pick up and deliver food so that the restaurants do not need to staff their own employees. In Studies 3 and 4, we explore the differences of these two models from the worker's perspective.\nMethod: Participants\nResults: Orders were delivered in 38.77 min (SD = 13.21 min) when the tip was withheld until the time of delivery, which was significantly faster than the 45.67 (SD = 20.28 min) minutes on average when drivers were tipped up front, t(79.8) = 2.22, p =0.036. We also found that when tips were provided upfront, drivers tended to deliver food faster when the tips were larger (see Figure 4), despite seemingly not having any additional incentive to do so besides feelings of goodwill or reciprocity. Indeed, considering only those deliveries where tips were provided up front, regressing delivery time on tip percent yields a significant coefficient for tip percent, b = -0.69, SE = 0.30, t(77) = 2.30, p = 0.024, when also controlling for the genre of food delivered (Mexican, Pasta, Pizza, Sushi, Thai or Wings).\nDiscussion: Study 3 shows that even when tasks are organized through on online platform, drivers still expect tips and alter their performance as a result when they are restaurant employees. Thus, Study 3 helps to isolate worker autonomy, rather than the use of third-party services for structuring work, as a driver of declining tipping norms. In other words, it suggests that tipping norms decline in the gig economy not because services are ordered online or over a smartphone app, but because the workers have control over whether they work at that time.\nStudy 4: While Study 3 shows that restaurant employee delivery drivers are motivated by tips, it does not show anything about how gig-workers in the same role may behave differently. To consider that question, we conducted a similar experiment in another city where Grubhub - another food ordering platform - was dominant. On Grubhub, drivers are usually independent contractors who do not work for the restaurant. As a result, the Grubhub drivers likely complete fewer deliveries ordered over the phone, and they likely complete fewer deliveries where a tip has not been provided upfront compared to the drivers in Study 3. Therefore, we hypothesized that Grubhub drivers have learned to expect fewer tips upon arrival at a customer's location and, as a result, are relatively less motivated by tips.\nMethod: Participants\nResults: The average delivery time across all conditions was 39.93 min (SD = 17.04 min). To determine if our experimental manipulation affected food delivery times, we first considered the average delivery time within each condition. In the $0 at-the-door condition, the average delivery time was 40.30 min; in the $2 at-the-door condition, it was 38.54 min; and in the $6 at-the-door condition, it was 40.98 min. Next, in order to control for factors such as the subtotal of the order, the genre of food and the distance to the restaurant, we regressed the total time of delivery on a dummy variable for the condition (i.e. $0 at-the-door, $2 at-the-door or $6 at-the-door), the order subtotal, the distance (in miles) from the restaurant to the delivery address, and the genre of food. Of these, the only significant effect was the delivery distance (b=6.12, t=1.99, p=0.0025), indicating that each additional mile added, on average, 6 min to the delivery time. As shown in Figure 5, a simple regression of average time on tip percentage up front also found no effect, suggesting not only that the timing of tips did not matter, but also their size.\nDiscussion: The findings of Study 4 support our hypothesis that the size of the upfront tip will not impact delivery times when deliveries are made my gig-workers. While it is intriguing that larger upfront payments did not correlate with faster delivery times indirectly through increasing the total fee for those deliveries, it is perhaps not surprising given the Grubhub drivers are motivated to complete all rides as quickly as possible - regardless of the total fare - so that they can complete more total deliveries. In contrast, restaurant delivery drivers may find it advantageous to prioritize some deliveries over others in order to garner more and larger tips. Furthermore, the Grubhub drivers were reportedly surprised to receive any tips at the door, and often times almost left before the experimenters even had an opportunity to offer the cash tip. Thus, unlike the restaurant deliver drivers, the Grubhub drivers have learned not to expect many tips at the door, and therefore they would have little incentive to prioritize some deliveries over others even if they were completing several orders at once.\nGeneral discussion: Study 1 demonstrates that people tip workers more if they perceive them to be employees, rather than gig-workers who agree to complete a task at a set price. Study 2 extends this finding to a real world setting. Studies 3 and 4 provide evidence suggesting that tips have a significant impact on service when restaurant-employed drivers deliver food, but not when gig-workers do. Together, these studies suggest that worker autonomy over when and whether to work erodes customer motivations to tip and that gig-workers are, in turn, relatively less motivated by tips than traditional service employees.\n",
"role": "user"
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"content": "Purpose: Advances in information technology have enabled new ways of organizing work and led to a proliferation of what is known as the \"gig economy.\" While much attention has been paid to how these new organizational designs have upended traditional employee-employer relationships, there has been little consideration of how these changes have impacted the social norms and expectations that govern the relationship between workers and consumers. The purpose of this paper is to consider the social norm of tipping and propose that gig work is associated with a breakdown of tipping norms in part because of workers' increased autonomy in terms of deciding when and whether to work.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The authors present four studies to support their hypothesis: a survey vignette experiment with workers on Amazon Mechanical Turk (Study 1), an analysis of New York City taxi data (Study 2), a field experiment with restaurant employee food delivery drivers (Study 3) and a field experiment with gig-worker food delivery drivers (Study 4).\nFindings: In Studies 1 and 2, they find that consumers are less likely to tip when workers have autonomy in deciding whether to complete a task. In Study 3, they find that restaurant delivery employees notice upfront tips (or lack thereof) and alter their service as a result. In contrast, in Study 4, they find that gig-workers who agree to complete a delivery for a fixed amount that includes an upfront tip (or lack thereof) are not responsive to tips. Together, these findings suggest that the gig economy has not only transformed employee-employer relationships, but has also altered the norms and expectations of consumers and workers.\nOriginality/value: The authors present four different studies that consider the social norm of tipping in the context of gig work. Together, they highlight that perceptions of worker autonomy have driven the decline in tipping norms associated with gig work.\n",
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A research note on multinationality and firm performance: Nonparametric frontier analysis
|
[
"Performance measurement",
"Operational performance",
"Globalization",
"Productivity",
"Management of technology"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The concept of productivity is the expected indicator of efficiency in any production-based system, yet the various levels of analysis used - individual, company, sector, discipline, region, national and international - are often subjected to different and differing interpretations. As a consequence, it is difficult to measure total production factors. Whilst a number of parametric and nonparametric approaches have been used to accommodate the complexity associated with measuring productivity, each has limitations and benefits. Regardless of the method adopted, the correct identification of input and output indicators is critical for the reliability of results. Approaches to capture and measure productivity are constrained by and are generally steeped in the thinking of the manufacturing era.\n2. Data and methodology: 2.1 Variable description\n3. Empirical results: Prior to presenting our analysis regarding firm efficiency and multinationality, we provide an overview of firms' mean and standard deviation (Std) values of the unconditional technical efficiency estimates for both the full (Figure 1(a)) and the partial frontiers (Figure 1(b)).\n4. Conclusions and managerial implications: This study confirms the existence of the three-stage sigmoid (S-shaped) hypothesis between multinationality and a firm's performance when measured through technical efficiency levels. Despite the fact that we used a different way of measuring firm performance, we successfully validated the three-stage hypothesis of multinationality as introduced by Contractor et al. (2003). We further extended our analysis by providing, for the first time, evidence that the three-stage hypothesis is verified for the case of KIBS whereas a \"U\"-shaped relationship is revealed for CIBS. Moreover, we argue that the multinationality and firm performance relationship is nonlinear (Contractor et al., 2003).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a fresh insight into the examination of the comparison between multinationality and firm performance, measured through technical efficiency levels by overcoming methodological constraints and misunderstandings presented in earlier research.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The authors estimate firms' efficiency levels in a production function-type framework through technical efficiency levels using nonparametric data envelopment analysis. The authors include firms from both developed and developing economies, from different national origins and with different sectoral characteristics, with a particular focus on knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) and capital-intensive business services (CIBS).\nFindings: The study confirms for the case of KIBS the existence of the three-stage sigmoid (S-shaped) hypothesis between multinationality and firm performance measured through technical efficiency levels. Finally, the empirical findings reveal that CIBS exhibit only the first two stages, thus forming a \"U\"-shape relationship.\nOriginality/value: The authors propose the application of different firms' performance measurements, providing us with the ability to unpack a firms' managerial decision processes with regards to determining the optimised investment(s) in technology and research and development and with a particular focus on KIBS and CIBS.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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The mediation between participative leadership and employee exploratory innovation: Examining intermediate knowledge mechanisms
|
[
"Participative leadership",
"Emerging economy",
"Coworker knowledge sharing",
"Employee absorptive capacity",
"Organizational learning theory",
"Employee exploratory innovation"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Most leadership research to date has focused on exploring the relationship between transformational leadership and associated outcomes (Chen et al., 2012; Jansen, Vera and Crossan, 2009; Jansen, Tempelaar, van den Bosch and Volberda, 2009; Kang et al., 2015; Li, Lin and Tien, 2015; Lin et al., 2016), or empowering leadership and associated outcomes (Amundsen and Martinsen, 2015; Hao et al., 2018; Kim and Beehr, 2017; Lam et al., 2012; Li, He, Yam and Long, 2015; Lorinkova et al., 2013; Lorinkova and Perry, 2017). Also, previous research in participative management and organization innovation had indicated that participative management procedure is one of important way to get employee involved in improving organizational innovation (Monge et al., 1992). Participative management can use both formal and informal approaches to help improve organizational innovation performance such as creation of formal system for collecting promising innovations proposed by organizational employees (Monge and Cozzens, 1986). Organizations can also adopt project teams or R&D Departments to facilitate innovation (Morton, 1971; Zaltman et al., 1973). In addition, organizations may efficiently search their environments for innovative means or products so that assure success (Kanter, 1988; Mohr, 1969; Tushman, 1977). Studies on employee-driven innovation revealed that democratic dialogue as a conversation to share knowledge creation to let others participate your knowledge, to dare your own basic assumptions and those of others on willingness basis, and to care each other with respect despite various attitudes and interests (Kristiansen and Bloch-Poulsen, 2005). Consequently, dialogue can be realized as a special form of conversation with a unique quality (Stewart, 1999) that differentiates it from discussion or negotiation (Kristiansen and Bloch-Poulsen, 2010). Dialogue about work practices or other issues in a space as one of numerous drivers of employee-driven innovation where it is key you discourse paradoxes and variances (Stewart et al., 2004; Baxter and Stripes, 2006). Practice-based innovation refers to the interface and the interplay between explicit and implicit dimensions of work practices, which can be sources for learning and innovation processes (Feldman, 2000; Feldman and Pentland, 2003). The underlying idea is that paradoxes and differences between work processes can be officially agreed (the explicit dimension) and perceived in practice (the implicit dimension) and thus creates potentials for learning and practice-based innovations in an organization (Ellstrom, 2010). Regarding explicit dimension of practice-based innovation, it focuses on how the explicit work process is reproduced and realized in actual practice. Accordingly, it covers activities that aim to implement and sustain the officially agreed work processes/tasks in practical action (Ellstrom, 2010). The driving forces for practice-based innovation are facing new possible crisis situation or turning point that organizational members start to challenge and become ready to change established patterns of thought and action (Barley and Tolbert, 1997). Rapid technical development increased quality requirements or changed demands from customers, colleagues or management (Lundvall and Nielsen, 1999).\nTheory and hypotheses development: We begin by presenting the logic for a direct relationship between participative leadership and employee exploratory innovation. Next, drawing on the OLT, the hypotheses for the mediation effect of each intermediate mechanism in turn - coworker knowledge and absorptive capacity - are developed. Then, their joint mediation effect on the participative leadership-employee exploratory innovation relationship is presented.\nMethod: Sample and procedures\nResults: Table I shows the descriptive statistics and correlations. No correlation coefficients exceed 0.65, which is indicative of a lack of multicollinearity among these variables (Cao et al., 2009; Tabachnick and Fidell, 1996). We also conducted a series of indicators of multicollinearity tests among these variables, including tolerance (criteria: 0~1), variance inflation factor (VIF) (criteria 10) and condition index (criteria < 30) (Tabachnick and Fidell, 1996). All indicators met with criteria (tolerance = 0.28~ 0.47, VIF = 2.11~3.61 and condition index = 28.78).\nDiscussion: Drawing on the OLT, this study sought to investigate the nature of the relationship between participative leadership and employee exploratory innovation in R&D units of Taiwanese technology firms. Specifically, the concern of this study was the role of intermediate knowledge mechanisms in explaining the participative leadership-employee exploratory innovation path.\nTheoretical implications: The results extend previous research on participative leadership and innovation by demonstrating that participative leadership is related to employee exploratory innovation (Lee and Meyer-Doyle, 2017; Mom et al., 2009). The finding of a positive relationship here extends the empirical results of de Jong and den Hartog (2010), de Poel et al. (2012), Jansen et al. (2006), Mom et al. (2009) and Newman et al. (2016) from the manager level to the employee level. However, the inclusion of intermediate knowledge mechanisms in our analysis reveals that while participative leadership can directly affect employee innovative behavior as expected, there are clear additional indirect mediation effects from coworker knowledge sharing and employee absorptive capacity. Specifically, the results confirm that participative leadership is related to employee exploratory innovation through coworker knowledge sharing. Wang and Noe (2010) theorize that leadership characteristics may affect the level of knowledge sharing through creating knowledge sharing norms. The finding of a positive mediation effect sheds much needed light on this interaction by specifically linking participative leadership and its characteristics to individual knowledge sharing activity and employee exploratory innovation in turn. This finding directly addresses the call by Huang et al. (2010) for greater understanding of the impact of participative leadership, by demonstrating its multi-level interaction with coworker knowledge sharing for employees' radical innovation. The finding of a positive mediation effect also generates meaning of participative management and organization, employee-driven innovation and practice-based innovation. Specifically, previously on participative management innovation and organization, employee-driven innovation and practice-based innovation mainly focused on drivers and consequences of such participative management and organization as well as employee-driven innovation. This study contributes to the field of participative management and innovation in general by revealing the intermediation linkages as the call for previous studies (e.g. Ellstrom, 2010; Monge et al., 1992; Feldman and Pentland, 2003). In other words, this study indicated that organizations can use participative leadership through different paths such as coworker knowledge sharing and absorptive capacity to promote employee exploratory innovation. In line with previous studies (e.g. Cohen and Levinthal, 1990; Chang et al., 2012; Jansen et al., 2005; Minbaeva et al., 2003), knowledge transfer/sharing and absorptive capacity can serve vital mechanisms to facilitative employee exploratory innovation and organizational performance.\nPractical implications: This study carries a number of practical implications for technology firms in Taiwan and other similar emerging economies. First, we encourage leaders to adopt a participative leadership approach since this drives employee involvement in organizational decision making and fosters opportunities for coworker knowledge sharing. In doing so, managers and leaders will nurture employee exploratory innovation from their participative leadership approach. Second, we also recommend that participative leaders increase discussion in meetings and seek to stimulate employees' brainstorming and their contributions to decision making to enhance employees' absorptive capacity. Here, employees need access to information and to be given roles in not only acquiring information and knowledge, but also be granted the opportunities to assimilate and use new knowledge for exploratory innovation ends independently, i.e. employees need autonomy and authority to draw on their absorptive capacity. Third, organizations should use more participative management methods such joint decision making, coworker support to share the knowledge and create a space to dialogue the potential innovation and barriers. More participative management methods such as learning in project groups (McGrath, 2001), providing more autonomy to individuals or groups in performing a task to develop exploratory innovation. Also, more participative management methods such as collectively redefining problems and collectively handling problems are vital to promote exploratory innovation in organizations (e.g. Campbell, 1960; Zollo and Winter, 2002). Finally, while developing these distinct intermediate knowledge mechanisms separately will enhance the participative leadership-employee exploratory innovation relationship, there are additional benefits to be gained from developing coworker knowledge sharing and employee absorptive capacity simultaneously. These mechanisms are not mutually exclusive, but rather there is a sequential relationship between these mechanisms, such that coworker knowledge sharing generates new-to-the-individual knowledge which then requires employee absorptive capacity to transform this knowledge for employee innovation ends. In developing both, firms and their managers ought to experience tangible benefits and improvements to employee exploratory innovation from a participative leadership approach.\nLimitations and future research directions: We acknowledge a number of limitations to this study. First, since we focus specifically on technology firms in Taiwan, we cannot conclude if these findings will generalize beyond the emerging economy context. Second, the study examines individual-level mediation effects and, thus, the inclusion of boundary conditions of related variables such as organizational culture and team-level variables was beyond the scope of this investigation, but should be explored. For instance, future research should explore possible cross-level effects, as per calls from authors such as Berson et al. (2006), Martinkenaite and Breunig (2016) and Wang and Noe (2010). Third, the study draws on the OLT as a theoretical lens to develop an integrative model of the intermediate knowledge mechanisms that influence the participative leadership-employee exploratory innovation relationship. There are of course other theoretical lenses that could contribute further to our understanding of the causal mechanisms between leadership and employee innovation. For instance, theories of motivation, citizenship or entrepreneurship may well offer significant insights here. As such, future research may draw on different theories or views to shed further light on the intermediate links, three-way boundary conditions, or mediated moderation relationships between leadership and innovation. Finally, the study adopted a time-lagged data collection method but, ultimately, the data are cross-sectional despite their dyadic nature. Future research should extend this research effort through a longitudinal investigation of dyad relationships.\nConclusion: Knowledge on the relationship between participative leadership and employee innovation outcomes remains in its infancy. The majority of extant leadership studies focus on other forms of leadership and their impact on macro-level outcomes rather than micro-level outcomes, such as the role of transformational leadership for unit innovation, corporate entrepreneurship (Chang et al., 2017) or performance (Chang et al., 2018). Those studies that have sought to address this weakness have established that participative leadership is related to manager exploratory innovation (e.g. Jansen et al., 2006; Mom et al., 2009, 2015; Li, Lin and Tien, 2015; Rogan and Mors, 2014), but its relationship with employee exploratory innovation is not clear. This knowledge void is addressed here in the context of Taiwanese technology firms.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of intermediate knowledge mechanisms on the participative leadership-employee exploratory innovation relationship using a distal mediation model.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Deploying a time-lagged questionnaire method implemented over four business quarters, data are generated from 1,600 responses in R&D units of Taiwanese technology firms.\nFindings: The structural equation modeling results reveal that participative leadership is positively related to employee exploratory innovation; coworker knowledge and absorptive capacity partially mediate the relationship between participative leadership and employee exploratory innovation independently; and coworker knowledge sharing in combination with absorptive capacity partially mediates this relationship.\nOriginality/value: The findings contribute new knowledge on the relationship between participative leadership and employee exploratory innovation by uncovering intermediate knowledge mechanisms that augment this relationship.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Operationalizing business ethics in organizations: The views of executives in Australia, Canada and Sweden
|
[
"Codes of ethics",
"Cross-cultural study",
"Codes effectiveness"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Various studies have pointed to an increase in the prevalence of corporate codes of ethics globally (Preuss et al., 2016; Kaptein, 2004; KPMG, 2008; Svensson et al., 2009; Erwin, 2011). In a global investigation of the prevalence of corporate codes of ethics, Kaptein (2004) reported figures from studies in ten different countries and found that among the largest firms in those countries, the prevalence of codes ranged from 37 per cent in Japan to 78 per cent in England and the USA. Subsequently, KPMG (2008) examined the increase in the prevalence of business codes in Fortune Global 200 companies and found that, in comparison to earlier studies, 86 per cent of them had codes while 14 per cent did in 1990. It was found that North American Fortune Global 200 firms all had a code, whereas 80 per cent and 52 per cent of similar European and Asian firms, respectively, had one; however, in 2015, KPMG (2015) found that the proportion of Fortune Global 200 firms with codes had dropped to 76 per cent, a development attributable to a higher number of firms in this group being from Asia, of which only 42 per cent had a code. Svensson et al. (2009) in surveys of the largest corporations in Australia, Canada and Sweden found an upward trend in the prevalence of codes. They found that compared to 2002, in 2006 the prevalence of codes had grown from 73 to 90 per cent in Australia, from 86 to 96 per cent in Canada and from 56 to 61 per cent in Sweden.\nCodes of ethics studies: what do they reveal?: Kaptein (2011) tested the relationship between codes and unethical behavior using a sample from employees of the US corporations with at least 200 employees and found that code content, supplemented by other initiatives, was effective in reducing the incidence of unethical behavior. The supplementary initiatives included the quality of the communication of the codes and, most importantly, the embedding by management of the codes in their organizations.\nThe focus of this study: The research cited previously in this paper raised an important question for the researchers:\nMethodology: Data were collected by questionnaires sent to the top 500 companies ranked by revenue operating in the private sectors in Australia, Canada and Sweden. Companies in each country were asked to answer the same 30 questions (88 possible items as questions included multiple response items), including 18 related to code supporting measures, which are measures that support the inculcation of the ethos of a code of ethics in the organization. The Australian survey yielded 106 responses with 101 companies indicating that they had a code. This process in Canada elicited 91 responses from the top 500 (90 indicating that they had a code). Responses were received from 123 companies in the Swedish survey, 102 of which possessed a code.\nFindings: Descriptive statistics for the dependent and 18 independent variables are shown in Table I. Statistics are reported only for those questionnaires that had no missing values for these 19 variables. These numbers indicate that the respondent companies have an overall positive impression of the effectiveness of their codes x=4.02 and the means for the predictor variables range from 3.66 for a training committee to 4.95 for the communication of the code to all managers.\nManagerial implications: The empirical findings indicate that executives' impressions of the effectiveness of their codes of ethics are dependent upon internal measures, i.e. ICMs, ODMs, ESMs and SDMs. This study did not find a significant link between ECMs and companies' impressions of code effectiveness. Consequently, it appears that the internally directed measures are relevant when it comes to determining companies' impressions of code effectiveness (as shown in Figure 1). The external determinants on the other hand appear to have less relevance. Figure 1 provides a summary of the empirical findings.\nConclusion, limitations and suggestions for further research: This study set out to investigate what, in the opinion of executives of the largest corporations in Australia, Canada and Sweden, makes codes of ethics effective, by examining those areas of inculcating the ethos of the code into the operations of an organization that are deemed in literature to be important in this pursuit of business ethics excellence in an organization.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Codes of ethics have become the mainstay of the ethics programs of corporations. Many studies have explored their contents, but few have examined what makes them effective. This international study aims to identify the measures viewed as being important by top executives in determining the worth to their organizations of corporate codes of ethics.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Data were collected by questionnaires sent to the top 500 companies ranked by revenue operating in the private sectors in Australia, Canada and Sweden. By analyzing the survey results from the top corporate executives in these countries, the research team was able to test for a number of determinants of effectiveness for codes of ethics.\nFindings: In a statistically significant model, it was found that four factors related to the internal management of the corporation are positively correlated to executives' perceptions of the value of their corporate codes of ethics.\nResearch limitations/implications: Future research may seek to address features of this study that limit its generalizability, as it was conducted on the largest of companies in each country and thus this sample may not reflect the way that business ethics are managed in smaller organizations in those countries.\nOriginality/value: If executives see particular items as important to their business ethics success, one could postulate that this has arisen from a perception that implementing these measures has been effective for their organizations. This provides guidance to other organizations on what items could enhance the effectiveness of their codes of ethics.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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Exploring the link between management training and organizational performance in the small business context
|
[
"Organizational performance",
"Small firms",
"Management training"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Upgrading the skills of all types of workers, including managers, is central to firm performance in knowledge-based economies. The quality of management is particularly important for small enterprises with less than 50 employees, which must be able to adapt quickly to evolving markets and changing circumstances (Hendry et al., 1995). As Welsh and White (1981, p. 18) argued long ago, the very size of small businesses creates a special condition, which can be referred to as \"resource poverty\" that distinguishes them from large corporations and requires some very different management approaches.\nManagement training and small firm performance: Definitions of what constitutes management training differ across academic studies. In the present study, management training is defined as training in managerial skills for owners/managers of small enterprises. More specifically, it is defined as formal learning, provided by external educational institutions to prospective and existing firm owners/managers with the purpose of helping them to develop a range of key management skills such as communication skills, conflict management skills, coaching skills, organization and planning skills, ability to motivate others, etc Stone (2002). The type of management training discussed here is provided by external bodies, it is planned in advance and has a structured format and defined curriculum.\nMethodology: The study adopted a qualitative orientation to develop an in-depth understanding of owners/managers' views and employees' perspectives on the relationship of management training and organizational performance. The organizational performance was evaluated against certain criteria such as: firm's profitability during 2017 and 2018; employee productivity; employee absenteeism and turnover; employee satisfaction; and employee motivation. The owners were interviewed to provide information around the firm's profitability, staff productivity and staff turnover rate before and after formal management training provision, whereas employees were interviewed to provide information on job satisfaction and motivation. In all, 50 Greek small enterprises of the manufacturing and services sectors participated in the study and 100 semi-structured interviews were conducted from November 2017 to March 2019 with the firm owners/managers and employees in each firm (Table I).\nResults: Starting with some key background characteristics of the participant's firms, the findings showed that 25 firms were selected from the manufacturing industry and 25 from the services sector. All participant firms use from 10 to 49 workers, they are managed by their owners and they did not introduce any new technology during 2017 and 2018. Those managers that received formal training explained that this concerned classroom-based learning such as formal training seminars and higher education business courses offered by various Educational Institutions in the country. Most of them (17 out of 25) appear to possess a post-secondary certificate in business and management, whereas the rest possess a higher education degree in management.\nDiscussion: As discussed in the literature review, it is frequently argued by several commentators that there is not a clear relationship between the degree of management training and the bottom-line performance of a small firm (Storey, 2004). However, the present study shows that there is a link between management training and organizational performance. As the findings indicated from both employers and employees, all managers who completed a formal learning intervention reported positive organizational outcomes. More specifically, those small firms managed by a well-trained manager/owner seem to have better organizational performance including increased staff motivation and satisfaction, as well as staff loyalty compared with those enterprises managed by poorly-trained owners. The latter seems to suffer from high staff turnover and low levels of staff motivation.\nConclusion: The study has explored the relationship between management training and organizational performance in the context of small enterprises. At an empirical level, the study examined the impact of management training on the organizational performance of 50 small enterprises operating in the Greek manufacturing and service sectors using as indicators, namely, the firm's profitability; staff productivity; staff turnover rate; job satisfaction; and staff motivation. It further explored how management training affected organizational performance. A series of 100 semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 managers/owners who had completed formal management training interventions, 25 managers/owners who had received no formal management training and 50 employees working in the abovementioned enterprises. The analysis examined various quantitative and qualitative indicators before and after management training interventions to explore whether there is any link between management training and performance or not in the small business context. The analysis further investigated the reasons that led to performance improvement.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This study aims to explore the impact of management training on organizational performance in the small business context to evaluate whether formal management learning interventions bring organizational benefits to small enterprises.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A qualitative approach was adopted consisting of 100 interviews with small firm owners/managers and employees working in 50 Greek small enterprises operating in the manufacturing and services sectors. Participant firms consisted of 25 small enterprises (9 manufacturing firms and 16 firms in the services sector) whose owners/managers have completed various formal training interventions (i.e. accredited seminars and workshops, business and management courses, etc.,) and 25 small enterprises (16 manufacturing firms and 9 firms in the services sector) whose owners/managers have not completed any sort of formal business training and have never attended formal management courses.\nFindings: The findings revealed that management training in small businesses had a positive impact on organizational performance. In particular, those respondents that completed formal training interventions argued that their firms achieved increased profitability during 2017 and 2018; improved staff productivity; very low staff turnover rate; and enhanced staff satisfaction and motivation compared with the less-trained owners of small firms in the same sector. The participants pointed out that their formal education in business and management has enabled them to realize the importance of employee learning and job design for staff motivation, whereas it has helped them to manage change more effectively.\nPractical implications: The present findings have major implications for practitioners (i.e. small firm owners/managers), as they point to a positive link between management training and organizational performance, thus encouraging them to invest in their self-development.\nOriginality/value: The existing evidence around the impact of management training on firm performance has been based mostly on quantitative research in large organizations. However, the available empirical studies fail to explore in-depth how formal management training can help smaller enterprises achieve improved organizational performance. Against this background, the present study sheds new light on this area.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Translating consumer's olive-oil quality-attribute requirements into optimal olive-growing practices: A quality function deployment (QFD) approach
|
[
"Spain",
"Consumer satisfaction",
"Olive-growing practices",
"Olive-oil quality attributes",
"Quality function deployment (QFD)"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Over recent decades, food-quality perception has changed considerably, as it has become a more multidimensional and dynamic concept (Naspetti et al., 2015). Public concern and interest in safety, healthiness, environmental sustainability, and social issues on production practices have increased regarding all levels of the food chain (Vermeir and Verbeke, 2006; Giampietri et al., 2016). These reflections constitute a source of new trends in consumption in which consumers include in their purchasing decision such criteria as local and typical attributes and environmental as well as ethical issues (Fandos and Flavian, 2006; Platania and Privitera, 2006; Hinojosa-Rodriguez et al., 2014; Belletti et al., 2015; Sanz Canada et al., 2015; Cacchiarelli et al., 2016). The emerging scenario, in continuous adaptation, presents noteworthy implications for strategic management (Parra-Lopez et al., 2016). In this framework, the agro-food sector must continually seek ways to differentiate products through perceived quality and innovative design or by considering environmental or safety issues (Chen, 2009; Naspetti and Zanoli, 2009). This strategic orientation is not aimed at increasing production, but rather towards diversifying the food supply by exalting the attributes or benefits which may be valued by the consumers, and thereby differentiating the product from competitors. An understanding of consumer food preferences can help to create new opportunities for food producers and to attain a competitive advantage by adding value to the product (Grunert, 2011). In fact, the international literature on olive-oil market and value chain and its influence in the supply of olive-oil product and quality differentiation by the productive sector, to increase its competitiveness and allows farmers to access new markets (Silva-Perez, 2005), can be classified into the following different categories: protected designation of origin (PDO), as a quality differentiation strategy for olive producers (Baptista and Biswas, 2010; Sanz Canada et al., 2015; Cacchiarelli et al., 2016), its consumer demand/acceptance (Bonnet and Simioni, 2001; Fotopoulos and Krystallis, 2001; Erraach et al., 2014); organic agriculture, its process of diffusion/adoption in the olive productive sector (Parra-Lopez and Calatrava-Requena, 2005; Parra-Lopez et al., 2007a, b) and its multifunctional impacts (Parra-Lopez et al., 2008; Gomez et al., 2008; Gomez-Limon and Arriaza-Balmon, 2011); ISO 9001, its adoption by production sector as a market strategy (Marban-Flores, 2005; Parra-Lopez et al., 2016) and its influence on olive-oil quality in the supply value chain (Vilar-Hernandez et al., 2011); quality, in general, as a market strategy for olive producers (Marban-Flores, 2003, 2004) and as an output associated with the adoption of certain good practices by the productive sector (Moyano-Fuentes et al., 2002); and consumer demand for quality olive oil (Krystallis and Ness, 2005; Galluzzo, 2007; Menapace et al., 2008). In this context, competitiveness through quality differentiation and certification in the marketplace is clearly a fundamental survival strategy for olive-oil productive sector. This trend presents a great opportunity for those products, which besides improving sensory and nutritional quality also have health benefits for consumers, such as olive oil (Romo Munoz et al., 2015). Traditionally, olive-oil consumption has been associated with gastronomic customs, being an essential ingredient in the Mediterranean diet (Lazaridis, 2004; Sanz Canada and Macias Vazquez, 2005; Dios-Palomares and Martinez-Paz, 2011). Consequently, the demand, that is traditionally restricted to the Mediterranean area (77 per cent of the area of world olive-oil production) is currently increasing worldwide (especially in the USA, Canada, Australia, and Japan) (Diaz-Mendez and Gomez-Benito, 2010; Santosa et al., 2010; Jimenez-Guerrero et al., 2012; Cicia et al., 2013; Giampietri et al., 2016). The increasing preference for olive oil worldwide denotes a change in consumer behaviour, either by strengthening the role of it in their diet or by incorporating it in a novel way. The set of tangible and intangible attributes that consumers believe to particularly meet their needs is a concept of product marketing (Jimenez-Guerrero et al., 2012).\n2. Methodology framework: 2.1 The QFD method\n3. Results and discussion: 3.1 Consumer's requirements towards olive-oil quality \"consumer voice: WHATs\" and their importance\n4. Conclusion: This paper presents a methodological approach to integrate consumer needs concerning olive-oil quality attributes into the specific olive-growing practices most appropriate to meet these needs.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to translate consumer requirements regarding olive-oil quality attributes into specific olive-growing practices that most contribute to satisfy these attributes.\nDesign/methodology/approach: After identifying consumer requirements or needs regarding different attributes of olive-oil quality, through a survey of 439 olive-oil consumers, the authors determine the olive-growing practices that optimally satisfy consumer needs through expert opinions. Finally, the use of expert knowledge to construct the House of Quality or the first matrix of quality function deployment allow the authors to define the relative contribution of the various olive-farming practices to the satisfaction of consumer requirements.\nFindings: The findings have shown that the olive-oil quality attributes most requested by consumers incorporate organoleptic (e.g. acidity, flavour, colour), sociocultural (e.g. creating employment in rural areas, maintenance of the rural population) and environmental ones (environmental externalities). The \"separation of olives collected from ground and trees\" (separation), \"timing of harvesting\" (according to a fruit-ripeness index), the \"method of the ground harvest\" (no picking from the ground), and the \"method of tree harvest\" (handpicking) were some of the most commonly identified olive-farming practices that contribute the most to meeting consumers' needs with regard to olive-oil quality.\nResearch limitations/implications: The study suggests detailed analyses of the relationships between customer requirements and other agents practices involved in the olive sector (processing industries: mills, distribution, and marketing management, etc.) to more fully investigate the impact of all these practices on consumers' perceived olive-oil quality attributes. This is the most reliable way to guarantee that the most sought-after quality characteristics are taken into account, not only in the farming stage but also in the various different stages of the olive agri-food chain.\nPractical implications: Findings represent an opportunity in the market value chain to develop a quality olive oil which is more oriented towards the consumer and able to face future segmentations in the market. This is one of the main innovative features of this study, as it offers \"good practice\" guidelines to agents of the olive-oil sector from the consumer perspective.\nSocial implications: This study provides positive implications to consumers, providing them important tools to make an informed choice, and producers and marketers helping the design of production strategies to optimally satisfy the consumer preference with regard to olive-oil quality, and attain a competitive advantage by adding value to the product.\nOriginality/value: This paper is regarded as the pioneer in the literature translating the \"consumer voice\" regarding olive-oil quality into specific olive-growing practices \"good-practices guidelines\". Thus, the relevant required quality olive-oil attributes should be clearly described on the label, to enable consumers to identify the quality features and make an informed choice. Furthermore, to meet consumers' needs, the olive-oil sector should focus on the olive-growing practices that optimally satisfy consumer requirements concerning olive-oil quality attributes. This would help to improve legitimacy and boost public support for the Common Agricultural Policy subsidies for the agricultural sector in general, and the olive sector in particular. The findings are particularly valuable in helping policy makers to design marketing strategies to improve the sustainability and competitiveness of Spanish olive oil.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Corporate internal investigations: balancing firm social reputation with board fiduciary responsibility
|
[
"Social responsibility",
"Corporate image",
"Internal auditing",
"Boards of Directors",
"Stakeholder analysis",
"United States of America"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Adelphi Communications Corporation, Enron, Freddie Mac, Hollinger International, Inc., Mirant, Merck & Company, the New York Stock Exchange, Quest, Riggs Bank, Tyco International, Limited and World Com Incorporated share more than just being part of the fraternity of twenty-first century scandal-plagued companies. Moreover, all of these companies' boards of directors have initiated internal investigations of their alleged financial improprieties. The modern history of internal corporate investigations of unethical and illegal business practices of American business corporations dates back some thirty years to the early 1970s, when it was discovered that many major American corporations had made substantial contributions to government officials in Belgium, Holland, Honduras, Italy, and Japan (Jacoby et al., 1977). These so-called \"questionable payments\" were usually contributions to political campaigns or favors and payments made to acquire government defense contracts. Both past and present corporate scandals have, however, been a catalyst for the corporate social responsibility movement. According to Michael Rake, International Chairman, KPMG, a major management consulting firm:There is a clear moral case in corporate social responsibility and the business case is very strong. What is important now, given recent corporate scandals, is that companies must be seen to be doing it and not just talking about it (emphasis added) (World Economic Forum, 2005).Due to the international notoriety of the earlier scandals, many US companies' boards of directors initiated internal investigations to uncover who was responsible for these alleged financial transgressions. Various US government agencies, including the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the US Department of Justice, and the US Treasury Department, soon found that having these companies conduct their own internal investigations of political payoffs, and disclose the results to the relevant agency, was a great assistance to the government's own impending or ongoing investigations. No doubt, part of the US government's encouragement of corporate internal investigations was due to the fact that these companies had both human and financial resources which were not always available to the federal agencies, and that the companies were able to impose swift punishments on the individual wrongdoers (i.e. termination of employment) that government agencies could not.The US government's appetite for these corporate-generated internal investigations, which also occurred with some frequency in the 1980s as a result of the saving and loan industry scandal, continues to this day. Cooperation with federal investigators is the new byword - with concerns for attorney-client privilege and work-product protection (which will be discussed in more detail later) fading away. Federal regulators and prosecutors generally applaud internal investigations - as long as they are truly independent, thorough and objective (Day and White, 2004):The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is sending a pointed message to corporate America: Cooperate during federal investigations ... or else. Starting with a warning in the fall of 2001 and bolstered more recently by a series of civil cases and millions of dollars in penalties, the SEC has signaled a tougher policy. The agency is not only enforcing the nation's securities laws, but also vigorously reacting to how well companies and individuals help or hinder federal probes, according to lawyers who follow its enforcement actions (Day, 2004).When a corporation is confronted by allegations of business impropriety, one of the most important intangible assets the company has to lose is its well received reputation in the marketplace (Weigelt and Camerer, 1988). This \"reputation\" is defined by Fombrun (1996) as \"a perceptual representation of a company's past actions and future prospects that describe the firm's overall appeal to all its key constituents (i.e. stakeholders) when compared to other leading rivals.\" Fombrun (1996) further defines corporate reputation as a combination of both reality (i.e. economic and social performance) and perception (i.e. such performance has been noted by key stakeholders). The results of a January 2004 \"Voices of the Leaders Survey\" of 132 delegates attending the World Economic Forum (an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world) in Switzerland revealed that more than 77 percent of respondents believe that corporate reputation has become more important to corporations over the last two years (World Economic Forum, 2004). Furthermore, 59 percent of survey respondents estimated that corporate brand or reputation represents more than 40 percent of a company's market capitalization. And, as Michael Rake, International Chairman, KPMG points out above, corporate social responsibility (and the resulting corporate social reputation reflecting social performance) is now at a juncture in which boards and executive management need \"to be doing it [being socially responsible] and not just talking about it.\"The taint to corporate reputation associated with allegations of improper business practices has widespread, and possibly long-term, financial and legal implications for various key stakeholders of the corporation, including shareholders (in a publicly-traded company), executive management (including the board of directors), employees, creditors, and suppliers, to name the most prominent. Managing the nonmarket environment of the firm, according to Baron (1995a), involves the social, political, and legal aspects of the business environment. To compete successfully, firms must embrace an integrated business strategy consisting of a market or competitive component and a nonmarket or public component (Baron, 1995b). Furthermore, Baron (1995a) proposes that, to address nonmarket forces effectively, managers must formulate specific strategies to deal with them. Thus, the legal environment of the nonmarket strategy, as it pertains to alleged improper business practices and corporate internal investigations, requires an in-depth analysis of benefits and costs before executive management proceeds with a legal strategy.The topic of corporate internal investigations engenders many pertinent questions for the final arbiters of a company's strategy, the boards of directors. For example, what federal government incentives are provided corporate boards to initiate an investigation of an alleged impropriety when the results of such an investigation could prove to have adverse economic consequences for the corporation? Does such an internal, voluntary investigation, especially if the results are made available to the public, have the potential to violate the board's fiduciary responsibility to its primary stakeholders? If initiating an internal investigation, what kind of policy guidelines should a board follow to protect its shareholders, managers, and directors from civil lawsuits? In this paper, I will attempt to answer these questions - or at the very least, stimulate further managerial debate on this issue. First, however, I will examine the reasons why boards of directors would consider initiating an internal investigation of allegations of improper business behavior.\nWhy initiate a corporate internal investigation?: In the US business environment, there are three primary legal motivators that drive the implementation of a corporate legal strategy initiating a corporate internal investigation of alleged improper business practices.The US Sentencing Commission's Organizational Sentencing Guidelines\nBoard strategy for corporate internal investigations: A typology of stakeholder engagement, first developed by Preston and Post (1975), provides a foundation for how to analyze and develop a firm nonmarket strategy for addressing corporate internal investigations. Under a stakeholder engagement process of building ongoing relationships between the firm and its stakeholders, there are four levels of engagement identified (in increasing degree of engagement):1. Inactive engagement simply ignores all stakeholder concerns, with company executives making unilateral decisions.2. Reactive engagement has management acting only when forced to do so - usually in a defensive mode.3. Proactive engagement has company executives attempting to anticipate (through active environmental scanning) stakeholder concerns.4. Interactive engagement means that companies have ongoing relationships of mutual respect, openness, and trust with stakeholders.Under present federal administration of the Organizational Sentencing Guidelines, just over half the companies under investigation were given credit for cooperating with investigators at final sentencing, e.g. providing the results of an internal corporate investigation to federal authorities. This supports a board strategy of reactive engagement, since virtually none of the companies received a reduction in its culpability score for having in place an effective monitoring program to prevent and detect violations of the law. This nonmarket strategy is reinforced by the Thompson Memorandum (the US Department of Justice) and the SEC, with both agencies emphasizing leniency in sentencing depending on the corporation's timely and voluntary disclosure of wrongdoing and its willingness to cooperate in the investigation of its agents, including, if necessary, the waiver of corporate attorney-client and work-product protection. But reactive engagement begs a larger question: Does the empirical fact that cooperation with federal agencies after executive management has engaged in improper business practices results in a lower culpability score preclude the institution by management and directors of prevention and monitoring systems in corporations? I think not. The present sentencing policy does not result in an either/or\" situation for the development of a nonmarket (legal) strategy.Interactive engagement emphasizes that positive stakeholder relationships are a source of value and competitive advantage for a company. This company value, viewed through the prism of corporate reputation, is maintained through an interactive approach to stakeholder relations. Interactive engagement seriously contrasts with reactive engagement, which attempts to rebuild a corporate reputation with stakeholders that was never strong to begin with. An internal system of prevention and monitoring of financial and other business practices is a socially responsible nonmarket strategy - one that embraces the fiduciary responsibility of boards and management to shareholders, employees, and creditors, those stakeholders most often economically affected by improper business practices. The interactive approach reduces the possibility of managerial failure, and encourages cooperation with stakeholders when it does occur (in spite of management's best efforts to prevent illegal and/or unethical business practices).Thus, companies should create a socially responsible, nonmarket/legal strategy which operates at two engagement levels designed to maintain or rebuild a positive corporate reputation:1. Interactive engagement builds relationships with stakeholders, including personnel in regulatory agencies, which allows for faster resolution of legal issues. Internal prevention and monitoring systems are established to heighten the sense of security and stability of the corporation's stakeholders. A history of positive regulatory cooperation builds legal capital with government investigators when there is evidence of aberrant business behavior. Because a company has a solid corporate social reputation, an occurrence of improper business behavior is viewed as truly unusual. Management cooperation with federal agencies is prompt, and internal efforts to investigate are undertaken by the board of directors. Organizational change is often undertaken before final disposition of the criminal and/or civil charges and court-ordered remedies.2. Reactive engagement is undertaken when evidence of improper business practices are investigated by federal authorities. It is a default position when interactive engagement fails in the firm, i.e. when reasonable organizational efforts (e.g. the establishment of internal monitoring systems) to prevent improper business practices fail. Cooperation with federal agencies, as in initiating a corporate internal investigation, sharing the results of this investigation with federal authorities, and, as a result of the investigation, making changes in the management of the company, is important to rebuild corporate reputation that has been tarnished. The issue of waiving corporate attorney-client privilege and work-product protection needs to be carefully negotiated by management with federal investigators. The range of this waiver needs to be sufficiently \"bounded\" as to preclude a \"fishing expedition\" by government agencies. A reduction in the culpability score will benefit the company (concerning sentencing recommendations), and the result of this cooperation will move the issue forward so as it can be expeditiously resolved.In summary, this two-stage approach to nonmarket/legal strategy (interactive/reactive engagement) creates benefits for the corporation and its stakeholders (i.e. enhanced corporate social reputation, leniency in sentencing) while factoring in carefully measured costs (the negotiated waiver of attorney-client privilege and work-product protection) that must be absorbed.\nSummary and conclusion: The importance of maintaining a positive corporate reputation, representing both corporate and social performance, has become an increasingly important goal of company executives and boards of directors over the last decade. Corporate social reputation, reflecting the corporate social responsibility exhibited by a good corporate citizen, requires that an effective nonmarket strategy be formulated and implemented for proper maintenance of this image/brand with stakeholders, especially consumers, government and special interest groups. The long-term fiduciary responsibility of the corporation is no longer centered exclusively with shareholders; other stakeholders, including employees, suppliers and creditors have major economic stakes in the success of the firm, including tangible investments of human and financial resources. Recognizing this new socio-economic reality requires that executives and directors balance the strategic importance of maintaining the firm's social reputation for the long term with the short-term economic consequences of criminal and civil litigation over improper business practices that directly affects shareholders, employees, and creditors.The nonmarket/legal strategy presented in this article recognizes that internal corporate investigations have long-term salutary effects on resolving moral transgressions by management and directors. The incentives provided by the US government to encourage cooperation with federal investigators need to be expanded to recognize legitimate efforts that corporations employ to prevent and monitor improper business practices. Based on the empirical data presented, this practice is not followed by federal investigative agencies. The issue of waiving corporate attorney client privilege and work-product protection needs to be further clarified so as not to leave the company vulnerable to unrelated areas of competitively sensitive trade secrets which may be leaked out to the public by the investigation. Further clarification of such boundaries is in order - especially if the US government wants to continue to encourage such cooperation with firms under investigation.Are there potential risks for corporations cooperating with federal investigations into allegations of business malfeasance? Certainly, and Day and White (2004) identify two areas that need to be carefully assessed (benefits-and-costs) before deciding upon the level of cooperation with investigators: Should directors confess to regulators if they find questionable, but not clearly illegal, practices? Does the investigation simply provide powerful ammunition, free of charge, to aggressive plaintiffs' lawyers? Important questions indeed, but ultimately, for many corporations which now find themselves in scandalous positions, not resolving the allegations, criminal and civil charges, and dealing with penalties in a timely fashion may result in one inevitable business outcome - the demise of the corporation as a successful operating entity.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The subject of corporate internal investigations engenders a special challenge for the final arbiters of a company's strategy, the boards of directors. The taint to corporate reputation associated with allegations of improper business practices has widespread, and possibly long-term, financial and legal implications for various key stakeholders of the corporation. The purpose of this paper is to develop a methodological approach to balancing firm social reputation with the fiduciary responsibilities inherent to directors in publicly-traded companies.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - For boards to effectively address the issues raised by threats to corporate reputation and cooperation with US government agencies in their criminal and civil investigations, a two-stage approach of interactive/reactive engagement (based on a typology developed in 1975) provides the theoretical foundation to formulate a firm nonmarket strategy for addressing corporate internal investigations.\nFindings: - Recognizing the new socio-economic reality faced by the modern firm (i.e. corporate citizenship and stakeholder engagement) requires that executives and directors balance the strategic importance of maintaining the firm's social reputation for the long term with the short-term economic consequences of criminal and civil litigation over improper business practices.\nOriginality/value: - The value of this interactive/reactive engagement approach is that it requires explicit managerial/board recognition of the benefits \"accruing to the corporation and its stakeholders (i.e. leniency in sentencing and fines, enhanced corporate social reputation,), while factoring in carefully measured costs\" (e.g. the negotiated waiver of attorney-client privilege and work-product protection) that must be absorbed by the firm and its shareholders.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Who are the farm shop buyers? A case study in Naumburg, Germany
|
[
"Structural equation models",
"Consumer behaviour",
"Theory of planned behaviour",
"Farm shop"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: In Germany, an increase in the demand for regional products has been observable for some time now. From 2013 to 2014, demand rose by 8 per cent. In 2014, more than 80 per cent of interviewed persons[1] bought regional products once a month (2013: 72 per cent). Demand on a weekly basis in particular was considerably higher (2013: 48 per cent, 2014: 60 per cent) (ATKearney, 2014, p. 2). Due to this development, direct marketing has become more important. Farm shops are one of the innovative distribution channels which farmers use to sell regional products directly to consumers. Farm shops are more established in the western than in the eastern part of Germany. This is due to different farm structures and conditions for the development of agriculture that can be traced back to the division of Germany in 1949. Although no official statistics are available regarding the current number of German farmers involved in direct marketing, it is estimated that approximately 30,000-40,000 farms, corresponding to approximately 6-8 per cent of German farms, sold their products directly to consumers in 2013 (BMELV, 2013). In East Germany in particular, an increasing number of farm shops is noted.\n2. Theoretical background: The TPB aims to explain human behaviour, i.e. the carrying out of an action. It is based on the theory of reasoned action (Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975, 2010; Ajzen and Fishbein, 1980). The main idea is that human behaviour is determined by the intention to perform a specific action (Ajzen, 1985). \"According to the theory, the consumer's behaviour is a function of intention to perform the behaviour in question; the intention is based on attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control with respect to the behaviour; and these factors are determined, respectively, by behavioural, normative, and control beliefs\" (Ajzen, 2015b, p. 121). Attitude is an aggregate of behavioural beliefs that is readily accessible in memory. Behavioural beliefs refer to the perceived positive or negative consequences of performing the behaviour and the subjective evaluations of these consequences. Subjective norm is a set of injunctive and descriptive normative beliefs. We form \"injunctive norms\" by being told or by inferring what significant others want us to do. \"Descriptive normative beliefs\" are based on the observed or inferred actions of social referents (Cialdini et al., 1990; Fishbein and Ajzen, 2010). Perceived behavioural control (PBC) considers the perceived power of factors that can influence a person's ability to perform the behaviour (Ajzen, 2015b).\n3. Data and methodology: 3.1 Data\n4. Results and discussion: PLS calculation estimates two types of models - what are called \"measurement models\" (describing how each latent construct is represented by its measurable indicators) and the structural model (depicting the relationships between the latent constructs). Figure 2 shows both of these in an aggregated graphical output.\n5. Conclusions: The relative importance of attitude, social norms and PBC in predicting behaviour may vary across behaviour and situations (Ajzen, 1991). In this paper, we investigated the TPB factors that influence consumer shopping behaviour from farm shops, using a case study from Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that influence consumers' shopping behaviour from farm shops.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The study is based on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). Data were gathered in 2015 and 2016 via a quantitative written survey of 135 pedestrians in a structured questionnaire in Naumburg, East Germany. The authors use the variance-based, partial least squares subfamily of structural equation models for the analysis, allowing the authors to investigate the causes of the formation of attitudes, social norms and perceived behavioural control (PBC) related to buying from farm shops.\nFindings: Seen through the TPB prism, the most powerful explanatory construct in the model is PBC. This is followed by favourable attitudes towards buying at the farm gate. Interestingly, the injunctive norms construct is not significant, while the descriptive norms construct is. This means that the observed behaviour of relevant peers is more strongly linked to buying at the farm gate than what significant others want respondents to do.\nOriginality/value: Farm shops are one of the innovative distribution channels used by farmers to sell regional products directly to consumers. Studies that analyse the factors that have an effect on consumer behaviour when buying food from farm shops are very scarce. This paper fills this gap and the findings have implications for communications to consumers and labelling.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Fostering creativity and productivity through emotional literacy: the organizational context
|
[
"Employee attitudes",
"Creative thinking",
"Productivity rate",
"Organizational culture"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Over the past decade, many have been persuaded that \"emotional intelligence\" is an important element in shaping people's individual success and the quality of their contribution to the organizations where they work. This \"intelligence\" is largely understood to be the product of an individual's temperament, personal history and training.\nThe more powerful lever: While these two ideas are not incompatible, there is increasing evidence that this latter area - the \"emotional literacy\" of an organization - is a more powerful lever for managers to pull on. This suggests that an organization might be better off channeling resources into an exploration of how it can change so that the people within it are able to communicate with each other in an emotionally intelligent way, rather than into emotional intelligence training for individuals and groups of individuals.Among the reasons for this are the following:* People may already have the skills they need. Most people have much higher levels of emotional intelligence than they are able to manifest in the conditions created by the settings where they work.* The problem may not be the problem. The danger in identifying one group of people as being in need of having their emotional intelligence attended to is that it leaves untouched others whose attitudes and behaviors may be having an even more significant negative impact on their working environment.* A small change across a whole organization is more powerful than a big change in one part of it. If everybody in an organization becomes engaged in thinking about how to improve the quality of its communication and relationships, they can start to experiment collectively with new ways of being together. This creates the potential for a positive process that us cumulative, and capable of being sustained indefinitely within the organization.* Organizations don't need clones. Given that organizations thrive when people with different skills and aptitudes are able to work collaboratively together, it makes little sense to get people to become more the same in their ways of communicating and relating. What is needed to a way of ensuring that these different people can genuinely communicate with each other. It's also worth recognizing that what some would write off as a lack of emotional intelligence may be a virtue in accomplishing some tasks some of the time.\nSignificant benefits: The value of addressing an organization's communication and relationship processes in this sort of holistic way is that it opens up the channels through which valuable information can flow much more easily up, down and around an organization.The more emotionally literate the organization, the more likely it is that employees who interact directly with customers will be able to articulate their hunches about shifts in the marketplace, and that this information will percolate up to the places where strategic decisions are made. Similarly, those who are involved in production or distribution will become better at picking up problems and being creative in coming up with solutions.Given that companies are continuously under pressure to refine the quality and the speed of their responsiveness to the needs and concerns of customers, these are significant benefits.\nDimensions of an emotionally literate organization: An organization that is seeking to become more emotionally literate needs first to have systematic and accurate information about people's current emotional experience.Research by Antidote has identified five dimensions that shape people's capacity to communicate with each other in an emotionally literate way. These cover the extent to which they feel:1. Capable - that other people are genuinely interested in enabling them to do a good job (rather than tripping them up).2. Listened to - that they are not only free to say what they think or feel, but doing so may bring about change (rather than be ignored or defensively repudiated).3. Accepted - that they are allowed to explore different possible ways of being \"themselves\" (rather than simply complying with the expectations that peers or superiors have of them).4. Safe - that the organization acknowledges they experience emotions which have an impact on what they think, say and do (rather than mocking them for being \"soft\", \"irrational\" or \"unpredictable\").5. Included - that they are encouraged to find a distinctive role for themselves within the community (rather than being treated as just another disposable cog in the wheel).Through a collaboration with management consultancy ATKearney, Antidote has developed an online School Emotional Environment for Learning Survey (SEELS) which provides school staff and students with an overall picture of how they and their colleagues are experiencing the organization, based around these five dimensions.\nThe process: The survey is important both because the very fact of carrying it out communicates to people that these important aspects of how they feel are being thought about (and thought about seriously given they are in numerical or chart form). Surfacing things which have been known before but not actively talked about frees people up to start exploring more deeply what is going on, and how things can be improved. Empowering people to come up with their own strategies helps enormously with buy-in and implementation.Antidote has demonstrated that the more emotionally literate a school environment the more likely it is that students will be creative, strategic and able to work with others as well as on their own. The development of similar tools for making commercial and public service organizations more emotionally literate would undoubtedly bring about many of the same benefits.For more information on Antidote's work and the School Emotional Environment for Learning Survey (SEELS), see www.antidote.org.uk\n",
"role": "user"
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"content": "Purpose: - The research looked at how organizations could enhance productivity and creativity by paying more attention to the quality of communication and relationship between its people.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The project involved ethnographic exploration and action research, leading to the development of an online survey. This tool is designed to discover how far people experience an organization as enabling them to feel capable, listened to, accepted, safe and included - the five dimensions of an emotionally literate organized identified by the research.\nFindings: - The research found that there was a correlation between the extent to which staff and students in a school experienced the five dimensions described above, and the extent to which they were able to be curious, resilient, creative, strategic and interdependent as well as manifesting other qualities associated with \"learning power.\"\nPractical implications: - The implications of the research are that organizations are more likely to enhance productivity and creativity by focusing on the quality of their emotional environment than they are by setting targets towards achieving those outcomes.\nOriginality/value: - The article provides a new set of concepts for exploring the link between an organisation's emotional environment and its performance.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Malaysian entrepreneurs propensity to use IT innovation
|
[
"IT innovation",
"Entrepreneurial event model",
"IT adoption",
"Propensity to act"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Recently, the interest on the issue of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship, both among academics and industry, has seen a steady but noticeable increase. Information technology (IT) creates opportunities for entrepreneurs to be innovative, be more efficient and effective, and more readily access emerging domestic and international markets in the current business environment (Ridzuan and Ghani, 2000). Entrepreneurial activities, particularly those in the small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), are the most active economic growing forces in nearly every nation, playing significant roles in economic growth, making it the backbone of industrial development of any nation (Wang and Yang, 2005; Guriting and Ndubisi, 2006; Ramayah et al., 2003; Alam, 2009), therefore, investigating the determinants that encourages entrepreneurs to adopt and use IT innovation in their daily business activities is a critical issue.\n2. The EEM: The majority of intention models in the entrepreneurial context are largely homologous and entirely focused on the pre-entrepreneurial event. Both individual and situational variables are important, as they determine the entrepreneurial intentions to take action (Bird, 1988; Shapero and Sokol, 1982; Zampetakis, 2008; Tukamushaba et al., 2011; Diaz-Casero et al., 2012). According to Krueger (2000), intention is the best predictor of any planned behaviour, which includes entrepreneurship. An action is highly unlikely to be taken when intention is absent. Some of the theories that are extensively used in the area of entrepreneurship to investigate entrepreneurs intention to take action are EEM (Shapero, 1982), TPB (Ajzen, 1991), entrepreneurial attitude orientation (Robinson et al., 1991), intentional basic model (Krueger and Carsrud, 1993), entrepreneurial potential model (EPM) (Krueger and Brazeal, 1994) and Davidsson model (Davidsson, 1995).\n3. IT adoption in Malaysian SME's: Given the increased level of global competition, the rapid change in technology and market conditions, as well as continuous demand by consumers for quality products and services, IT has begun to garner considerable attention as a source that contributes to the growth of the economy and creates competitive advantage opportunities (Kulviwat et al., 2009; Yu and Tao, 2009; Tushman and O'Reilly, 2002). Adopting an appropriate IT system enables business organizations to develop and maintain competency, improve its performance, and ensure that their competitive advantage is retained. Therefore, Malaysia has embarked on a major push to convince entrepreneurs; especially owners of SMEs' to adopt IT as a new, more efficient way of conducting businesses. There are more than 200,000 business establishments in Malaysia, and 91 per cent of these establishments are classified as SMEs (Small and Medium Industries Development Corporation of Malaysia, 2011). Government agencies offer funding for these enterprises to upgrade their computer system and develop online businesses. Additionally, the Malaysian government established important strategic technology priorities, whereby the government uses cloud computing to deliver selected government services in Malaysia, with the hope that it would lead to an advanced and developed economy. Furthermore, the Malaysia Finance Ministry has made it compulsory for government suppliers to engage and implement an electronic procurement system.\n4. Model developments: There are many adoption behaviour models/theories being developed in the IS research disciplines which consider technological, environmental and organizational factors as important predictor of individual technology adoption. Understanding the impact of the volitional aspect of the behaviour (propensity to act) and individual desirability and feasibility to adopt and use new technology is another important issue that only a handful of studies have examined in the context of technology acceptance. Prior research on EEM revealed that this model is capable of measuring individual dimensions towards taking action (Krueger, 1993), and is also able to measure the volitional aspect of human behaviour. Therefore, we revise the EEM (Shapero and Sokol, 1982; Krueger, 1993), and validate it in the context of technology acceptance, in order to investigate entrepreneurs' intention to use IT innovation. This model is able to measure individual intention towards technology adoption and use. The constructs for the research model that are integrated from the EEM are perceived desirability, perceived feasibility, propensity to act and intention to use. The research model tested in this study is shown in Figure 1. We considered perceived desirability, perceived feasibility and the propensity to act as determinants of the intention to use IT innovation. The proposed theoretical model was developed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the determinants that affect the adoption and use of innovative IT among entrepreneurs. Hence, the model provides an initial prediction of the determinants that activate entrepreneurs' intention to adopt and use IT innovation. The following section discusses a number of empirically testable hypotheses from the proposed model. These hypotheses describe the relationships between each of the individual factors on the intention to use.\n5. Method: 5.1 Participants and procedures\n6. Results: In this study, the exploratory factor analysis in SPSS using the principle component method with varimax rotation was performed in order to verify whether the questionnaire items properly mapped the corresponding construct. The results are shown in Appendix. The Cronbach's a coefficient for all dimensions exceeded 0.929, which confirms the validity of the construct, and indicates a high-content consistency between the questions relating to each of the constructs. A one way between group analysis of variance (ANOVA) conducted to examine the effect of different type of industry on entrepreneur's intention level. Result shows that there was a statistically significant difference at the p<0.05 in entrepreneur's intention scores for the six types of industry. However, despite reaching statistical significance, the actual difference in mean scores between the groups is quite small.\n7. Discussion: This study investigates the entrepreneurs' usage intention of IT innovation. Drawing upon prior research from the entrepreneurship context, and the EEM, we proposed and empirically examined a set of individual factors that might influence the entrepreneurs to use IT innovation. In general, the results provide support for the capability of the EEM to measure the individual perception towards technology acceptance. Furthermore, we discovered evidence of the influence of the propensity to use, perceived desirability and perceived feasibility on the entrepreneur's intention to use IT innovation. Similar to the entrepreneurship context, where the propensity to act, perceived desirability and perceived feasibility are expected to have a positive effect on individual intentions to take action, these three key beliefs directly effects the entrepreneurs' intention to use IT innovation in the technology acceptance context.\n8. Conclusions: This work contributes to the research body on technology acceptance, examines and validates the EEM model, and increases our understanding of IT innovation adoption. The present study set out to revise and validate the EEM in the technology acceptance context. We build on EEM (Krueger, 1993), and use its three core individual beliefs to predict the entrepreneurs' intention to use IT innovation. The results provided strong empirical support, and showed that the model is a robust model that is capable of measuring individual intention towards technology adoption and usage intention. Based on the results of the current research, the propensity to use, perceived desirability and perceived feasibility all positively influenced usage intention. EEM was able to account for 82 per cent of the variance in usage intention. Furthermore, EEM was successful in measuring the individual dimension of technology acceptance, and the volitional aspect of one's behaviour, which most IS literature has ignored. Therefore, EEM is a definitive model, which provides a useful theoretical basis to identify individual factors applicable to the technology acceptance context, and researchers can use this model to measure individual perception towards technology adoption. This model is a useful tool for managers, and helps them understand the drivers of technology acceptance and the likelihood of success for new technology introduction. Further and future work can apply this model in order to study user adoption of other technologies in voluntary settings.\n9. Limitations and future research: The nature of this study may restrict its generalizability to other research settings. Future research will be necessary to validate the findings of this study by applying the EEM model in the technology acceptance context. Since this model measures individual perception towards technology adoption, other research can apply this model to investigate acceptance of different technology in different context. Based on Venkatesh and Zhang (2010), future researches should examine the role of uncertainty avoidance, because the implementation of innovation is likely to be accompanied by uncertainty, and this is a very interesting topic in the entrepreneurship context as well. This study considers SMEs involved in providing professional services in the areas of manufacturing, telecommunication, education, banking and finance, service, and agriculture and did not focus on specific sector or particular innovation therefore future research should concentrate on particular industry or specific innovation. Future research should consider the effect of moderating variables such as age and gender on the determinants of intention. Examining the effect of culture as moderator on the determinants of intention is another interesting topic to investigate, as suggested by Venkatesh and Zhang (2010). Cultural and social value could also diffuse perceptions of desirability, thus lowering intentions.\n",
"role": "user"
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"content": "Purpose: Theoretical perspectives from other fields are used to shed additional light on an individual's technology acceptance, due to the fact that it is frequently replicated with minor tweaks and extensions. The entrepreneurial event model (EEM) is an intentional model, which measures the volitional aspect of behaviours. The purpose of this paper is to seek to revise and validate this model in the context of technology acceptance, while also investigating information technology (IT) innovation adoption.\nDesign/methodology/approach: In order to test the proposed research model, data are collected using a questionnaire survey from 420 entrepreneurs involved in providing professional services in manufacturing, telecommunication, education, banking and finance, service, and agriculture in Malaysia. The structural equation modelling technique was used to evaluate the research model.\nFindings: The results of the study confirmed that the model is robust enough to measure the individual dimensions of technology adoption. It also indicated that the propensity to use, perceived desirability and perceived feasibility are significantly and positively related to the intention to use IT innovation. EEM accounted for 82 per cent of the variance in usage intention, and it provided a useful tool for managers to gauge the likelihood of success for new technologies.\nOriginality/value: This paper highlights and expands upon positive implications for academic, managers and policy makers. Applying the EEM model on technology acceptance will serve to illuminate this area and reveal new knowledge perspectives. Policy makers could encourage early-adopter entrepreneurs to adopt and use IT innovation in their businesses, which will in turn encourage others to look up to these early adopter and emulate them, thus increasing the rate of adoption and the use of IT innovation.\n",
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Bake a cake and get a job at Bromford: Housing association wins gold award for unorthodox recruitment campaign
|
[
"Recruitment",
"Awards",
"Internet",
"Social media",
"Housing associations"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Forbidden from using a conventional form, job applicants sent blogs, videos, websites, animations, cakes and even a song to sum up their personalities and skills for one of central England's largest affordable-housing and specialist-support providers.\nLukewarm response to traditional campaign: Alex Abbotts, Bromford's head of communications, explained how the campaign came about.\"So here's the dilemma,\" she said. \"We have five communications roles ready to recruit and we advertise in all the traditional spots like The Guardian, PR Week and Monster. The response was ... well, lukewarm. The result was no suitable candidates. Sound familiar?\"It was at this point that we thought that there had got to be a better way. How could we approach things differently? Where could we find the rich stream of people and skills we needed? And so #gottalovecake was born.\"We love social media at Bromford. They are fast becoming a key form of communication both internally and to the outside world. It wasn't, therefore, a huge leap of faith for us to put our trust in a social network. Twitter was our weapon of choice. Saying that, these are free platforms, so the question arises of what anyone has got to lose?\"We now had the 'how' but what about the 'what'?\" Alex Abbotts continued. \"This is where we turned to our employees to ask them to sum up working at Bromford. At this point a whole host of traits was listed, including a love for space-hoppers and fancy dress, as well as some more work-based ones like telling people's stories and changing lives. But one thing was clear; colleagues at Bromford loved their cake!\"Of course, to back this up, we had to let people know what they were letting themselves in for. And we had to have something we could direct people to from Twitter. We developed a flyer, with QR code directly to the #gottalovecake web page.\"The web page contained more information on the roles, details of how to express an interest and a short film (including out-takes) to really capture the essence of Bromcomms.\nNo application forms: \"We asked potential candidates two things,\" explained Alex Abbotts. \"First, to get involved in a tweet-off to discuss #gottalovecake. Secondly, we said we didn't want to see an application form. Instead we wanted to see something that really summed up the applicant's personality and skills.\"Next it was a case of getting the word out there. Colleagues from around the business furiously tweeted and shared LinkedIn links to the gottalovecake page, but the big boost came by targeting those with big follower numbers in the sector and the right geography in helping us spread the word.\"So what happened?\" asked Alex Abbotts. \"Well, it essentially exploded! Over the recruitment period the #gottalovecake campaign reached 13,398 Twitter accounts and was seen 58,656 times. The tweet-off also trended in the UK ... pretty impressive for a small recruitment campaign in Wolverhampton!\"The #gottalovecake web page received 1,959 individual visitors and 2,536 overall visits. Of these, 1,089 went directly to the page, suggesting that this is what they were specifically looking for. Finally, on average, about 140 visits a day came directly from Twitter ... Result!\"The candidates put in lots of effort. There wasn't an application form in sight! We received animations, including an animated chef who explained all the good points about the candidate; infographics, which had more than one reference to the hit novel Fifty Shades of Grey; web pages; a song; cakes; and videos. All were carefully crafted to demonstrate the candidates' skills and also make us laugh a lot. The song actually became a big hit with the recruitment team ... It was way too catchy!\"Although there were 19 percent fewer applications, the candidate match was far better than using conventional means of recruitment.\nFabulous people recruited: \"Yes, we did recruit four fabulous people,\" Alex Abbotts concluded.And what of the candidates themselves? One commented: \"This is the best recruitment campaign I have come across. I love the creative way that you have explained what makes the Bromford Group.\"Another said: \"As a jobseeker, stumbling upon you guys has made my day.\"A third summed up: \"You have devised the freshest, most appealing and downright awesome recruitment campaign I have ever seen.\"\nNote: David Pollitt, Human Resource Management International Digest editor, wrote this article.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - This paper aims to describe an award-winning recruitment campaign at Bromford, a UK-based social business providing housing and support services, which incorporated social media, video and digital communications to search for people who not only had the right skills but who could also fit into the organization's untypical culture, with its focus not on policies and procedures but on innovation, fun and encouraging employees to make a difference every day.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - It explains the origins of the campaign, the form it took and the results it has achieved.\nFindings: - The paper details how a relatively small organization was able to scour the UK for talent to fill five public-relations and web-related posts, using social media, video and digital communications. It reveals that, forbidden from using a conventional form, job applicants sent blogs, videos, websites, animations, cakes and even a song to sum up their personalities and skills.\nPractical implications: - The paper reveals that, over the recruitment period, the campaign reached 13,398 Twitter accounts and was seen 58,656 times. The web page received 1,959 individual visitors and 2,536 overall visits. Of these, 1,089 went directly to the page, suggesting that this is what they were specifically looking for. Finally, on average, about 140 visits a day came directly from Twitter.\nSocial implications: - This paper reveals that an earlier, more traditional campaign, using press advertising, produced only mediocre results.\nOriginality/value: - The paper demonstrates that the days of the traditional job-application form may be numbered.\n",
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Prediction markets: a powerful tool for supply network management?
|
[
"Supply chain management",
"Information management",
"Decision support systems",
"Knowledge transfer"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Most students of supply chain management (SCM) are familiar with the \"Beer distribution game\", a business simulation game developed at MIT and popularized by Sterman (1989). As all good games, the Beer Game teaches some important lessons. The key lessons from the Beer Game is that sharing of information among the members of a supply chain is crucial for supply chain performance.Much supply chain research has focused on improving performance by employing digital information technology in order to provide the agents in a chain with the decision algorithms and the data that they need to better coordinate their actions. What has largely been neglected in this research is the human component in information sourcing and processing. The Austrian theory of entrepreneurship, in contrast, emphasizes personal intuition and intelligent beliefs about future development as important sources for adaptation to an uncertain, ever-changing market environment (von Mises, 1963; Kirzner, 1973).All decisions are, by necessity, based on formal or informal forecasts about the future state of the environment in which a decision is enacted, and about the consequences the decision will have in this environment. Prediction markets (PM) are forecasting tools, which employ digital network technology in order to aggregate diverse personal beliefs about the future into forecasts that tend to be better than forecasts by individual experts or by statistical forecasting methods.In this paper we explore the potential of PM as a means for extracting and aggregating foreknowledge held by entrepreneurs of a supply chain. In section 2 we introduce our readers to PM and we summarize some experiences with PM reported in the literature. In section 3 we review some of the literature of the impact of information sharing on supply chain performance. Finally, we use an informal SWOT-analysis as a quick and light approach for evaluating PM as a forecasting tool for supply chain management.\n2. Prediction markets: a new tool in the forecasting tool-box: There is no shortage of forecasting methods (e.g. Armstrong, 2001) but the performance of most methods and techniques is wanting and an end of the quest for better forecasting methods is not in sight. PM are a fairly recent addition to the forecaster's tool-box, where they are sometimes labelled \"virtual stock markets\", \"decision markets\" or \"information markets\" (Spann and Skiera, 2003; Wolfers and Zitzewitz, 2006a; Tziralis and Tatsiopoulos, 2007). In a recent survey PM have been characterized \"as markets that are designed and run for the primary purpose of mining and aggregating information scattered among traders and subsequently using this information in the form of market values in order to make predictions about specific future events\" (Tziralis and Tatsiopoulos, 2007, p. 75). Similarly, Wolfers and Zitzewitz (2006a, p. 1) describe PM as \"... markets where participants trade contracts whose payoffs are tied to a future event, thereby yielding prices that can be interpreted as market aggregated forecasts\".The history of electronic PM is short. According to Tziralis and Tatsiopoulos (2007) it began in 1988 when the Iowa Electronic Market was created to predict the outcome of the US presidential election in 1988. Shortly after this event Hanson (1990, 1992a, b) published the first research papers on PM. Since then, the PM scene has evolved vigorously. A number of markets have been installed by independent providers (for a list see Sunstein, 2006, Appendix 1), a couple of good survey papers have been written (Wolfers and Zitzewitz, 2006a; Tziralis and Tatsiopoulos, 2007), a volume of prediction-market-papers has been published (Hahn and Tetlock, 2006), various companies - Hewlett-Packard, Siemens, and Google among others - have used PM for forecasting, an academic journal dedicated to PM has been launched, and a controversial political debate in the US over the use of PM to forecast events in the Middle East has boosted public awareness of PM (Surowiecki, 2004).An operational PM consists of five essential elements:1. A precisely defined item that is to be predicted.2. Participants with diverse beliefs about the item that is to be predicted.3. A set of rules that link the predicted item and the observation of the item to payoffs for participants.4. A networked communication platform accessible to pm participants.5. A PM provider who defines and enforces the rules, admits participants, and maintains the online market platform.PM are highly flexible with regard to the item that is to be predicted. The item may be a future event, a development, anything whose occurrence can be unambiguously observed in some future period. Prediction items of interest for supply chains could be trends and levels in the quantities of intermediate goods passing through the chain and final goods supplied by the chain to its customers, market prices for key inputs and outputs of the chain, trends and levels of quantities of goods and services delivered by suppliers, the outcome of critical government policy decisions, and more.In principle, PM may be open to anybody. When used as a means to improve supply chain performance, market access may be limited to members of the supply chain and, perhaps, from well-defined groups and individuals from outside the supply chain, such as suppliers, customers, trade journalists, or industry experts from academia. PM, like all markets, require a minimum number of participants to keep competition alive and to assure that sellers find buyers and vice versa. At present, we do not know the minimum number of participants that is required for a PM to function well. Experience with business applications of PM suggests that the number is not very large. Chen and Plott (2002), for example, report of a PM where good forecasts were obtained with about 20 participants.In addition to being sufficiently numerous, the traders in PM also should hold diverse beliefs about the prediction item and at least some traders should be knowledgeable about the item. Participants drawn from the membership of a supply chain can safely be assumed to be knowledgeable about prediction items that are relevant for the supply chain. If the chain is sufficiently large, as is the case for many chains for food products, participants are also likely to hold sufficiently diverse beliefs about relevant prediction items.The rules that link forecasts by participants to events are the core of any PM. The rules commonly specify a contract that is traded on the PM and the way how the contract can be traded. The goal is to make future situations expressible and tradable through contracts. A transformation of the realized outcome into a payout of the contract is needed. For example, a PM designed to predict which of several candidates will win an election may use different contracts, each labelled on one possible candidate. A contract pays its owner EUR1 if the certain candidate wins the election and otherwise EUR0. The market manager issues a bundle, consisting of one of each contract for a price of EUR1 to participants who may then freely trade that contract on the PM according to the trading rules. The current price for this contract can then be interpreted as the probability of the candidate winning the election (Wolfers and Zitzewitz, 2006b). In the case of a continuous variable, e.g. a price for a product or the level of demand for it, the contract may pay a certain amount if the continuous variable falls within a certain interval at a specific date or period. Again, the price paid for such a contract would indicate the collective judgment of all market participants about the likelihood that the continuous variable will attain the level specified in the contract.PM, like all markets, employ price mechanisms to collect and aggregate diverse information among the participants. In that they resemble futures or options markets that also predict future events. There are, however, important differences between PM and futures markets. In particular, PM participants do not have to invest significant capital and are thus not exposed to serious financial risks. Furthermore, transaction costs of PM are small compared with futures and options markets. Finally, PM are not - or not yet - subject to detailed rules and laws that regulate their implementation and operation.In order to encourage participation and the sharing of personal information PM may provide material incentives to active participants. To this end, most PM link monetary or non-monetary rewards, to an individual participants' trading performance. In a supply chain the companies might offer participants small payments depending on their trade performance in the PM.The web is a suitable environment for market places, as the example of eBay and many other online market places have convincingly demonstrated. Most PM are therefore located on the web where they may make use of a varied and growing number of functions for capturing, storing, processing, and displaying information. In addition to providing an information-rich environment, the web also helps to keep transaction costs at PM low and it imposes no serious technical barriers to market participation. Moreover, the web allows the market provider to control access to the PM site; this feature allows PM to be organized as open-access markets as well as markets with a closed membership. Finally, web development tools allow the quick installation at a PM website of special trading pits for new, current prediction items.The excitement over PM would be unwarranted if their performance was wanting. Actually, it is not. Sunstein (2006, p. 14) acknowledges that PM \"... have proved remarkably successful at forecasting future events. They do far better, in some domains, than deliberating groups\". Wolfers and Zitzewitz (2006a) also rate the performance of PM highly. They praise their sensitivity to new information, their robustness against manipulation, and, most importantly, their accurate forecasts. These accurate forecasts have been achieved in different areas such as politics (Berg et al., 2008), sports (Servan-Schreiber et al., 2004), and business (Chen and Plott, 2002). The reason for the outstanding performance is seen in the simple notion that two brains may know more than one - a notion that is familiar to all who have been involved in collaborative problem solving at home, in business, or in politics.\n3. Impact of information sharing on supply chain performance: Before we explore the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of PM, we need to consider whether better forecasts from PM can be expected to have a positive impact on supply chain performance. The research literature is not clear about the impact of demand forecasts on supply chain performances. Huang et al. (2003, p. 1499) report: \"The effect of forecasting techniques on supply chain performance has been studied by many authors\", but they provide no summary about the sign and size of the effect. They refer, however, to one study which showed that, \"under a vendor-managed inventory environment, sharing inventory and demand information may not be beneficial when information transmission is not reliable and the demand signal is imprecise\" (Huang et al., 2003, p. 1499).Some research papers have addressed the closely related question of impacts of information sharing on supply chain performance. Huang et al. (2003) have provided an excellent review of this literature which is highly relevant for the ex ante assessment of PM. From this review we briefly summarize the main insights that seem relevant for judging the impact on supply chain performance of improved forecasts from PM.* With regard to the bullwhip effect in supply chains Huang et al. (2003, p. 1481) observe, \"Information sharing and coordination between the buyer and vendor in the supply chain have been considered as useful strategies to remedy the so-called bullwhip effect and to improve supply chain performance\".* Sellers to consumers always have an information advantage over their suppliers because they know market demand from their customers' orders. Unsurprisingly, \"Sharing order quantity information, especially the demand order of the end customer, with upstream facilities in the supply chain is a common strategy to reduce the bullwhip effect... and total supply chain cost\" (Huang et al., 2003, p. 1498).* Information is of little use when there is no time left to act upon it. This aspect has, however, received little attention in the research literature: \"We observe that research on the timeliness aspect of sharing information is at its infancy\" (Huang et al., 2003, p. 1500).The relevance of this literature for assessing ex ante the impact of PM on supply chains may be limited by the simplicity of the supply chain models employed in this research. More than half (54 per cent) of the models employed dyadic or serial supply chain models with a small number of agents and only 8 per cent employed more complex network models. When the number of agents in a supply chain is small, it is not clear how such a small crowd can become smart with the help of PM.\n4. SWOT analysis: We assume PM are introduced into supply chains in order to provide forecasts of product demand, input supply, or some measures of supply network performance, such as lead times, inventories, or stock outs. If the supply chains are complex networks composed of several interlinked stages with many agents who are linked to each other as well as to economic agents from outside the supply chain, what would be the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to such a venture?Strengths\n5. Conclusion and outlook: Information sharing is indispensible for successful supply chain management. Because much of the relevant information resides in the minds of entrepreneurs information sharing must systematically involve these entrepreneurs and encourage them to share their personal beliefs about future developments and events of relevance for supply chain performance. PM employ diverse market mechanisms for collecting personal information from their participants, and for aggregating that information into forecasts that tend to be more useful than forecasts produced by conventional means. This capacity suggests that PM is also conducive for enhancing supply chain performance.PM may be particularly useful in supply chains when uncertainty about future developments is increasing because of structural changes in markets. Food markets are a case in point. Since the McSharry Reform in 1992 there is an increasing price risk in many agricultural and food markets. The impact of the change in the regulatory environment of food markets was acerbated by large, unprecedented price fluctuations for major food commodities, which began in 2007 and lasted through most of 2008. Changes in markets of this kind are impossible to predict with statistical methods that are based on time series data. In such circumstances PM may perform much better.The performance of markets crucially depends on the behaviour of market participants, given the rules of the market and the intensity of market competition. As it is difficult to model reliably the behaviour of a large number of PM participants, we intend to study PM by building and operating PM for a small selection of prediction items relevant for agricultural and food supply chains. Our first PM will be for predicting the price for milk quotas in Germany and for predicting wheat price. The PM will be installed on a public website which provides participants with relevant market information, in addition to the PM facilities. We will start with open-access markets to attract a critical mass of participants. Information regarding this experiment can be found at: www.uni-kiel.de/ae/prognose\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the possible advantages of applying prediction markets to supply network management. Are the same encouraging results possible as in the election application of prediction markets?\nDesign/methodology/approach: - This is a paper focused on the requirements and the possible results of the application based on the literature for supply network management and prediction markets. It discusses the potential of prediction markets to improve information management in supply networks.\nFindings: - The paper finds that prediction markets are a new instrument to collect the diverse information among the supply chain members, and to publish this information to the other members.\nPractical implications: - Prediction markets are able to improve the information basis for decision making in supply chains.\nOriginality/value: - This paper shows the application of prediction markets in a supply network management case and the possibilities and limitations of prediction markets to collect, and publish information within the supply chain.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
The question of research relevance: a university management perspective
|
[
"Engagement",
"Academic research",
"Impact",
"Research-practice gap",
"Rigor-relevance",
"M00"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Over the past few decades, the extent to which academic research is, or should be \"relevant\" has attracted the attention of numerous commentators from a range of academic disciplines (see e.g. Gautam, 2008; Murray, 2009; Giluk and Rynes, 2012). Indeed, it has been argued that the very legitimacy of academic research depends largely upon its ability to demonstrate its policy and practice relevance (Shapiro et al., 2007). Clearly, reflections on the relevance of academic research raise fundamental questions about its role in private, public and nonprofit sectors and the contribution it makes to society at large.\n2. Relevant prior literature: Prior literature discussing the relevance of academic research to issues of policy and practice are not new (Tushman et al., 2007). They have been prominent for over five decades (Bartunek and Rynes, 2014), and span a diverse range of disciplines including education (Kennedy, 1997), medicine (Denis and Langley, 2002), nursing (Hutchinson and Johnston, 2004), psychology (Hodgkinson et al., 2001), public health (Brownson et al., 2006), social work (Herie and Martin, 2002), speech pathology (Fey and Johnson, 1998), management (Markides, 2011), accounting (Merchant, 2012), finance (Trahan and Gitman, 1995), economics (Ormerod, 1994), marketing (Piercy, 2002), as well as the natural sciences (Rosenberg, 1994).\n3. Research context: 3.1 Relevant research: the international imperative\n4. Research methods: 4.1 Research design\n5. Findings: We were particularly interested in identifying and unpacking how the \"official position\" of the universities as reflected in these documentary sources were interpreted by our interviewees. Thus, our review of documentary sources was aimed to provide a point of departure and frame of reference for further exploration in the interviews. Our interview evidence uncovered no significant discrepancies between what was articulated in the \"official position\" of the universities investigated in this study, and the ways in which this position was and pursued by the interviewees and their organisations. Although university leaders would be expected to voice views consistent with their university's official position, the findings of our study suggest nuances in interviewee interpretations of the notion of relevance, and particularly how and why these official positions have been arrived at and put into effect, from the perspective of the university leaders.\n6. Discussion: In interpreting the evidence presented in the preceding section, we draw attention to two points relating to the implications it holds for this particular inquiry. First, in this section, we have capitalised upon the tradition of qualitative research by \"offering the ability to capture actors' perceptions, constructed realities and behaviours from the inside\" (Parker, 2014, p. 14) in which \"the liberal use of quotes is essential in order to allow the reader to hear the interviewees' voices\" (O'Dwyer, 2004, p. 403). Thus, although some quotes may appear to be opinion-like claims and speculations, they nevertheless constitute the \"voices\" of our interviewees, and it is the very articulation of these views and understandings that we seek to capture in this study.\n7. Conclusion: In this paper, we contribute to prior commentaries and research that have been directed to considering the relevance of academic research to clarify three questions:\n",
"role": "user"
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"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the issue of research relevance from the frame of reference of university leaders. Its specific aim is to gain insights into how \"relevance\" is conceptualised, and the underlying assumptions upon which such conceptualizations are based.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Adopting an inductive approach, the study collects and analyses data from semi-structured interviews with 31 senior research-related university leaders, and archival sources in five Australian universities.\nFindings: Research relevance is primarily viewed as a means of responding to government and political imperatives, as a pathway to ensuring university legitimacy, and as a means of generating further resources. The authors apply this understanding to develop a framework that adopts a nuanced view of relevance, reflecting what is driving research, and to whom research is principally targeted.\nResearch limitations/implications: The evidence-base upon which the study is based represents a relatively small number of university leaders of Australian universities. Moreover, restricting the investigation to a few senior hierarchical levels nonetheless offers insights into high level organisational drivers hitherto neglected in the accounting research literature on university strategy, governance and accountability. While not addressing perceptions across the university population, this study focusses on and unpacks the social construction of relevance of this select group as research policy makers.\nOriginality/value: As one of the few empirically informed investigations exploring the issue of research relevance from the perspective of university leaders, this study provides insights rather than \"answers\". Its findings therefore serve as a foundational basis for further empirical and theoretical enquiry.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Performance implications of industry appropriability for manufacturing SMEs : The role of technology orientation
|
[
"Performance",
"Innovation",
"Manufacturing industry",
"Small- and medium-sized enterprises",
"Technology orientation",
"Industry appropriability"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Extant research has established strong linkages of industry and external environment with organizational innovativeness and performance (Beard and Dess, 1981; Caerteling et al., 2013; Coombs and Bierly, 2006; Datta and Jessup, 2013; Dess and Beard, 1984; Hawawini et al., 2003; Hurmelinna-Laukkanen et al., 2008; Lieberson and O'Connor, 1972; Porter, 1985; Rowley et al., 2000; Short et al., 2007; Teirlinck and Spithoven, 2013). Analysis of 40 seminal strategy papers from 1980 to 1988 revealed that the inclusion of industrial context in strategy research helped researchers in achieving more accurate and reliable results (Dess et al., 1990). McGahan and Porter (1997, p. 30) argued that \"[...] it would be misguided to disconnect the influence of organization from the industry and competitive contexts in which the firms operate.\" While it has been generally agreed that competitive advantage is essentially a function of both industry and firm effects (Cubbin and Geroski, 1987; Mahoney and Pandian, 1992; Neuhausler, 2012; Veer and Jell, 2012) and that the industry and business-specific effects are related in complex ways (McGahan and Porter, 1997; Milesi et al., 2013; Sainio et al., 2012; Teirlinck and Spithoven, 2013), empirical attempts at studying the joint implications of industry and firm-level variables on firm performance are limited, and have yielded contradictory results (Ceccagnoli, 2008). Consequently, this study makes an attempt to explore the joint implications of a firm-level characteristic (technology orientation) and an industry-level characteristic (appropriability) on firm innovativeness and performance in the context of small and medium manufacturing enterprises (manufacturing SMEs).\nMethod: Sample\nFindings: Correlation analysis\nDiscussion: Emerging economies are generally characterized by \"weak appropriability and absent legal systems to punish imitators\" (Keupp et al., 2010, p. 109). In such conditions, knowledge exists largely in tacit form (Harvey et al., 1999). Consequently, firms in emerging economies need to undertake strategic mechanisms to safeguard their innovations. While extant literature has explored numerous strategic mechanisms to address appropriability concerns in the western context, little is known about how firms in emerging economies address such concerns (Keupp et al., 2010). In this study, we tried to address this gap in literature by articulating a clear logic and testing our predicted relationships in India, a country that has gained prominence as a rapidly emerging major economy (Harvey et al., 1999).\n",
"role": "user"
},
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"content": "Purpose: Industry appropriability - the degree to which firms in an industry can appropriate benefits from their innovations - is a crucial dimension of industry environment. Small and medium manufacturing enterprises (manufacturing SMEs), because of their limited resource base, tend to be especially sensitive to the appropriability conditions in their industry. The purpose of this paper is to understand the influence of industry appropriability on firm outcomes (innovativeness and performance), and posits technology orientation as a dynamic capability that helps firms overcome appropriability barriers in their industry.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 162 manufacturing SMEs in India. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to test the proposed hypotheses.\nFindings: This study reveals that the perceived level of appropriability of manufacturing SMEs impacts their innovativeness. Further, findings also support technology orientation as a crucial firm-specific characteristic which enables firms to overcome unfavorable appropriability conditions. Technology orientation plays a significant role in mitigating the negative impact of lower appropriability conditions. Even when the patent regime is unfavorable, technology-oriented firms are able to innovate and perform better.\nPractical implications: The findings suggest technology orientation as a strategic mechanism for manufacturing SMEs to respond to conditions of unfavorable appropriability regime.\nOriginality/value: This study elaborates the benefits of integrating industry-level and firm-level characteristics. Specifically, an attempt was made to extend the existing research on industry appropriability by bringing in the contingent effect of technology orientation. The context of manufacturing SMEs yielded several interesting insights.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Young physicians and the Finnish welfare state
|
[
"Finland",
"Doctors",
"Welfare",
"Health services",
"Social responsibility"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Finland belongs to the group of countries known as Nordic welfare states. One essential part of Finnish social policy has been the implementation of broad social and healthcare services and income transfers maintained by means of strong progressive taxation.Health care service organization has been divided into 20 hospital districts, which are responsible for specialised health care. It should be noted that the districts are administrative federations of the municipalities. Over 200 municipal health centres are responsible for primary health care. Health care centres are owned by municipalities or joint municipal boards. The average size of the population cluster for which public health services are thus organized and financed is small internationally, even compared to other Nordic countries (Hakkinen, 2005; Hakkinen and Lehto, 2005). One special feature of Finnish health care is the use of services acquired from the private sector with the help of the compulsory national health insurance system. The national health insurance scheme is run by the Social Insurance Institution. Fees for private physicians are reimbursed by the NHI up to 60 per cent of the established basic tariff (Jarvelin, 2002).Generally, the Finnish health care system has developed rather late compared with other Nordic countries. It was only in the 1980s that Finland reached the level of other Nordic countries on total expenditure on health. However, with economic depression of the early 1990s Finland was again set back. In the 2000s, the difference between Finland and other Nordic countries has decreased yet again. However, the expenditures of Finland are still small on average. In this sense, Finland is the cheap version of the Nordic model (OECD, 2006).Since the 1980s, health care systems in the developed world have faced economic concerns due to various factors, such as the ageing populations (Saltman and Figueras, 1997). The demand for privatisation of the public service sector has been justified in many countries (van de Ven, 1996). In the five Nordic countries, public health service privatisation and reform have been implemented in different stages. Sweden, for example, was a leading reformer when health care system privatisation began in the 1980s (Andersen et al., 2001). Finland, however, lagged some years behind and health care system privatisation began more visibly only in the 1990s.The most essential reform in Finland was the State Subsidy System act of 1993. In the same year, Finland was faced with the reality of an exceptionally deep economic recession. The reform was significant because it included the decentralization of the central administration control system. In the new system, state subsidies are not even earmarked. The key issue of the reform was that on top of increasing local freedom in service production, it also increased deregulation and improved efficiency (Jarvelin, 2002).The State Subsidy Act was theoretically \"a big bang\" in the quite socialized health care system. However, the strategic purchaser-provider models are still relatively rarely used in Finland. Instead of implementing new systems, the Finnish markets seem often to merely patch up problems arising in the public production. In general, the private sector has been employed when other alternatives have been exhausted. In other words, old structures are still dominating. Privatisation has been strongest at the level of ideas even though the role of the private sector has become more central during the ten last years within public health service (see statistics Finnish Medical Association, 2006; Stakes, 2007).The present welfare state system's legitimacy has been examined with the help of opinion studies. These studies have usually focused on the citizens' level. Forma (2006) observed that the present system has been strongly supported by citizens. There are many studies about attitudes towards the welfare state, but the opinions of specific occupational groups such as physicians have been seldom studied. Saarinen (2007a) was one of the few articles we found. We can argue that opinions are considered part of the physician's professional identity, which can considered a result of learning (Freidson, 1970). Along with educational institutions and colleagues, the Finnish Medical Association plays an important agent in the process of becoming a doctor. For example, the Association has many ideas about restructuring the Finnish public sector. Although physicians seem to be a relatively homogeneous group in many ways, we can also assume that there is some internal differentiation in welfare state opinions because individuals have different interests and ideologies.The most important players behind welfare-state opinions are interests and ideology. Opinions towards social security reflect individuals' self-interests and ideologies (Gevers et al., 2000; Jaeger, 2006). Political orientation has been used as an indicator of ideology. Measurements of self-interests have usually been grouped by age, gender or employment sector (Forma, 1999; Jaeger, 2006). Earlier study tells that compared to other citizen-level groups, physicians believe that the level of social security is too high (Saarinen, 2007a). Physicians are also quite critical towards the functionality of the public health care system (Saarinen, 2007b). Compared to the citizen-level physicians are quite critical about giving the private sector a bigger role (Saarinen, 2007c). This article, therefore, focuses on how young physicians in general and different subpopulations of them in particular see the role of the welfare state.In earlier population-level opinion studies, we notice that those employed in the public sector have more positive attitudes towards social security (Jaeger, 2006; Hoel and Knutsen, 1989). According to an earlier study, people with high socio-economic status are most critical of the public sector (Forma, 2006; Svallfors, 2004). Self-interests had an effect on attitudes and high-income people strongly identified with system financiers (Sihvo, 1997). Earlier opinion studies about the welfare state can be used to create a theoretical framework for examining young physicians' opinions. However, when we study physicians' opinions, some specific indicators are also needed.Age has been an important variable in population-based opinion studies (e.g. Jaeger, 2006). Different generations have grown up in different welfare systems. Those physicians born after the Second World War have seen the post-war \"hard times\" but also the rise of the welfare system. Those born after 1970 are the children of the welfare state but they, too, have seen a time when the welfare system was under pressure and exposed to market-style reforms. Different generations of physicians have worked in different systems and we can assume that this affects how they see the present welfare state.Physicians have much professional power and know-how about social security through their work experience. It is important to study young physicians' opinions because future system will be structured on them. Our main question is, therefore, do young physicians feel that the present system does not work well and that it is time for a change?\nMaterials and methods: The empirical analysis in our study is based on a larger postal survey. The whole questionnaire included questions dealing with social security, health policy and health care system. Data were collected in cooperation with the Finnish Medical Association at the beginning of 2007. A random sample was picked from the Finnish Medical Association register. A total of 2,000 practising physicians residing in Finland were chosen. Completed forms were returned by 1,092 respondents, a response rate of 55 per cent. This can be considered reasonable compared with other postal surveys (Cummings et al., 2001; Midttun, 2007; Whynes and Baines, 2002). The sample and the data were presented elsewhere in a more detailed version (Saarinen, 2007d). Here we compare young physicians' opinions with those of older physicians, a similar age group in the general population, and all physicians. The comparison data for the population overall is from the HYPA (Hyvinvointi- ja palvelut in Finnish) survey and were collected in 2006 by the National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health (see Forma and Saarinen, 2008).The age variable is originally asked as in an open question and it is recoded for this article. Table I presents the statistical structure of young and old physicians. The mean age for Finnish male physicians is 48, and the mean age for female physicians is 44. The proportion of female doctors is rising; for example, in 1996 46 per cent of all practicing physicians were women, while in 2006 it was 54 per cent. The majority of new students are female. (Finnish Medical Association, 2006.) From Table I we can see that 17.9 per cent (n=196) of physicians in this sample are 35 years old or younger, and most of them are female. Young physicians work more often in the public sector than older physicians or all physicians. They also seldom place themselves in the political centre. Young physicians are quite satisfied with their work but less satisfied with their salary than older physicians or all physicians on average. Young physicians are not as interested in the Medical Association's health policy as older physicians.Statistical analysis\nResults: Table II presents descriptive statistics that compare young physicians with older physicians, the mean of all physicians and the young population. Compared to all other groups, young physicians are more likely to think that the level of social security is too high. There is a large gap between young physicians and young population in general.Table III presents descriptive statistics about the present health care system functionality. Young physicians are more likely to think that the present health care system works well. On the other hand, young physicians also think that the system needs minor changes.Next, we clarify how young physicians see the role of the private sector compared to other groups (Table IV). The differences are quite small when we look at the role of the private sector. The young population is more likely to think that private health care should play a larger role. Actually, on average, compared with other groups, physicians overall generally feel that the private sector does not need to play a larger role. Also, older physicians are quite critical about giving the private sector a bigger role.Next we clarify the differences between the background variables. Young physicians' opinions have been compared to older physicians using the regression model. In Table V, the first result is that young male physicians are most likely to think that social security is too high. An interesting result is that those young physicians working in the private sector are less likely to think that social security is excessive compared to physicians working in the public sector. Conversely, those in the public sector seldom think that the health care system should be restructured or that the role of the private sector should be larger than it is now. Generally, differences between young physicians' opinions are quite small. The best explanation for this is political orientation; young physicians with left wing and centre political orientations seldom think that the level of social security is too high. The same is true if we look at the physician population overall (Saarinen, 2007a). The left wing or centre physicians are less likely to want to give the private sector a bigger role in healthcare services. Left-wing physicians, however, are more likely to want to restructure the health care system. If young physicians are compared to a model that includes older physicians, the first and the most important observation is that young male physicians more often think that social security is excessive than older physicians do. Older female physicians are more likely than older male physicians to think that the level of social security is excessive, that the healthcare system needs changes and that the role of the private sector should be larger. Young male physicians also think more often than older male physicians that the healthcare system needs major changes and that the role of the private sector in healthcare must be expanded. Also, young physicians who are politically left-oriented are more often in favour of restructuring the healthcare system than older left-oriented physicians.\nConclusions: Our results indicate that young physicians - when compared with an overall population of the same age, with physicians overall, or with older physicians - are quite critical of the degree of social security currently offered. Young physicians also want to give more responsibility to the private sector than do older physicians. In particular, young male physicians' opinions are quite different comparing to older male physicians' opinions. This indicates that a shift in physicians' opinions has taken place. Also, it seems that older female physicians are more critical of the present welfare state than older male physicians are. On the other hand, young physicians are not very critical of the healthcare system's functionality. Generally, young physicians' opinions about the welfare state are not particularly radical. Even though they think that social security is excessive, at the same time they are quite satisfied with the present healthcare system and are not as much in favour of expanding the private sector as the overall population of the same age. Results indicate that physicians' opinions about the welfare state will not change dramatically in the near future.The differences between background variables are small. An interesting result is that young physicians working in the private sector seldom think that social security is excessive, but at the same time they want to give more responsibility to the private sector and to restructure the healthcare system. In summary, we can argue that private sector physicians want more healthcare marketisation in the Finnish welfare state compared with physicians who work in the public sector. Views on social security, healthcare system functionality and the private sector's role, correlate best with political orientation. An earlier study among a representative physician sample came to the same conclusion (Saarinen, 2007a,b,c). This result is also an established fact in the population-based studies. Young physicians on the political right think that the present level of social security is excessive and they also think that the role of the private health care sector should be larger. Conversely, they are less likely than left-wing physicians to favour large changes in the public health care system.\n",
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"content": "Purpose: - This article aims to focus on how young physicians in general and different subpopulations, in particular, see the role of the welfare state. The author seeks to compare young physicians' opinions with those of older physicians, a similar age group in the general population and all physicians.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - A random sample was picked from the Finnish Medical Association register (n=1,092). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression analysis.\nFindings: - Results show that young physicians - when compared with an overall population of the same age, with physicians overall, or with older physicians - are more critical of the degree of social security currently offered. Young physicians also want to give more responsibility to the private sector than do older physicians. On the other hand, young physicians are not very critical of healthcare system functionality. All in all, young physicians' opinions about the welfare state are not particularly radical. Results indicate that physicians' opinions about the welfare state will not change dramatically in the near future. Views on social security, healthcare system functionality and the role of the private sector correlate best with political orientation.\nOriginality/value: - There are some studies about physicians' attitudes towards the welfare state, but the opinions of young physicians have not been studied in countries with large social security systems. The paper addresses this gap because it is important to study young physicians' opinions because future services will be structured on them.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Evaluation of training in organisations: a proposal for an integrated model
|
[
"Human resource development",
"Training",
"Training evaluation"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nWhy evaluate training?: In a today's changing global context, both individual and collective skills are the most important assets for organisations, and determine their productivity, competitiveness and ability to adapt and be proactive when faced with an uncertain environment. Training is a key strategy for generating skills in people, since it enables them to both learn and unlearn skills - in other words, to acquire new skills and change inappropriate skills. This is why investment in training is high; in Europe, according to the latest Cranfield Study Executive Report, in 2005 the average investment in training was 2.99 per cent of payroll, and in Spain it was 1.95 per cent of payroll (ESADE, 2005).In order for training to be considered an investment, it must be held accountable like other investments made by the organisation, and must demonstrate that the decisions and actions taken are relevant and profitable. In other words, the actual contribution made by training to the organisation's results must be ascertained. Evaluation is the key tool for this purpose. Thus, the evaluation of training is directly linked with the organisation's quality systems, as the information it provides enables training results to be identified, possible deficiencies to be analysed and improvements to be introduced to optimise the training function as a whole (Holton, 1996; Kirkpatrick, 1998).Training professionals recognise that it is important and necessary to evaluate training, but such recognition does not translate into the implementation of rigorous evaluation systems that indicate the results of training. The CVTS-2 survey (Eurostat, 2009) indicates that the status of training evaluation in Spain is very similar to what occurs in Europe. Table I describes the percentage of companies that evaluate the effect of continuing training - that is, the results obtained - according to the evaluation method used and the frequency of the evaluations. It is noted that seven out of ten companies evaluate some aspect of training: however, the percentages decrease when it comes to evaluating training results and application to the workplace, which occurs in only two out of every ten businesses.Evaluation of training outcomes is often found in large companies. In Spain, 90 per cent of companies have fewer than 50 employees (FTFE-D'ALEPH, 2006; Pineda, 2007), so only a few companies evaluate the results of training in a systematic and rigorous way.This paper aims to offer a training evaluation model, thereby helping the training professional to design and implement rigorous and coherent training evaluation processes that enable the entire training function to be optimised.\nWhat does training evaluation mean?: The concept of evaluation\nHow to prepare a plan for evaluating training: There are several models of training evaluation that organise the process, provide guidelines for the content and outline the phases of its implementation. Some of them are based on contributions from the classic master of evaluation, Donald Kirkpatrick, and his famous four levels:1. reaction;2. learning;3. behaviour; and4. results.The Kirkpatrick model has several weaknesses (Holton, 1996), which successive models have tried to overcome - those of Phillips (1994), Wade (1994), Barzucchetti andClaude (1995), Swanson (1996), Holton (2000), among others.These models overlook a key dimension of evaluation, precisely that which allows us to improve training and make it more effective: the pedagogical dimension. Moreover, research carried out (Pineda, 2003, 2007) and my experience as a consultant in various organisations, point to the major constraints presented by evaluation practices that are being implemented, as well as the enormous difficulties faced by the training professional in order to conduct a minimally effective evaluation. This reality has prompted us to develop an evaluation model that overcomes the limitations presented by organisational evaluation practices, and which offers a comprehensive and systematic evaluation proposal: the holistic training evaluation model, which has been successfully implemented in various organisations.Our model rests on five basic questions that affect evaluation. It responds to these in an integrated manner and draws up evaluation strategies that cover the entire training process. Figure 2 shows the five questions and their sequencing, which leads to the evaluation process.Each question brings together a group of elements that need to be taken into account when designing a training evaluation process. The following answers are provided as a response to each question.Evaluation addressee\nLevels of training evaluation: Level 1: Participant satisfaction\nA case study in the health sector: The evaluation model has been applied successfully within different organizations in the Spanish context. Here a case study of the Catalan Government Health Department is presented. My research team was in charge of evaluating the effectiveness of the Training Plan for the Rational Use of Medicines. This plan was aimed at all the doctors in the region and aimed to improve their practice with pharmaceutical prescriptions, so increasing the efficacy of the public resources allocated to health. A total of 153 training programs were carried out between April and December 2007. The evaluation focused on the satisfaction and the learning acquired by the doctors who participated in the training, the level of transfer of the skills acquired to the workplace and the impact of the training on health centres.The evaluation of the training plan on the use of medicines was structured in two strategic actions with a different working methodology (see Figure 3):1. Generic evaluation - This evaluated the satisfaction and transfer of a representative sample of actions by means of two generic questionnaires.2. Specific evaluation - This evaluated the satisfaction, learning, pedagogical adequacy, transfer and impact of five training programs using questionnaires, interviews, evaluation reports and analysis of impact indicators.In the generic evaluation, the questionnaire was administered through the use of an online application. Using an opportunity sampling strategy, a total of 351 questionnaires was obtained. In the specific evaluation, ten reports were collected from trainers and those responsible for training, which included data on learning and educational value; 15 interviews were conducted with the managers of trainees, to evaluate the transfer and impact of training, and impact indicators in the organization were analysed.The results obtained showed that the trainees made a positive evaluation of the training carried out. They considered that the training was useful and also that it met their expectations, to an extent of 3.82 on a scale ranging from 0 to 5. The average level of learning acquired was 3.36, and the level of application of the training had a score of 3.1 (scale 0-5). Most of the trainees introduced improvements in their professional behaviour, especially in the tasks concerning the selection and use of medicines. This was one of the main objectives of the training, and therefore the evaluation showed that the training was effective in modifying the professional performance of doctors in the use of medicines. The training had an impact on the organisation, but less impact than desired, as a result of the intervention of other cultural and organisational variables unrelated to training - the positive aspect being that the evaluation allowed from the identification of these variables.These results agree with those obtained through the qualitative methods applied in the specific evaluation of five training activities, which demonstrates the validity of the model, its internal coherence and its usefulness for evaluating training.\nConclusions: strategies to improve the evaluation of training in organisations: Our research and consulting experience shows us that the manner in which organisations evaluate their training is far from what would be desirable in order for evaluation to really serve as a tool for optimising training quality. This precarious situation is due to the many difficulties involved in evaluating training and a failure to comply with certain basic requirements of existing evaluation systems. The main difficulties involved in evaluating training are:* the isolation of the training results among the overall processes and variables that occur in organisations;* the problem of measuring numerous results and, especially, their translation into economic terms;* the absence of appropriate tools and difficulty involved in accessing certain information in the organisation;* the resources required to design and implement this type of evaluation, which raise the cost:* lack of preparation of training professionals, who feel ill-equipped to deal with the complexity that training evaluation entails; and* the lack of support from management bodies who do not consider it necessary to allocate resources to assess training results, and who prioritise training quantity over quality.Any evaluation plan must consider a series of requirements that ensure that the evaluation is carried out in the most effective manner. Compliance with these requirements is the first step towards overcoming the difficulties outlined earlier. Meignant (1997) and Barzucchetti and Claude (1995) propose some basic rules for evaluation, to which we have added several strategies, resulting in the following requirements:* Evaluation means comparing results with a previously defined reference. This reference is the situation that is expected to be achieved due to the training and is often expressed in the form of objectives. Therefore, the objectives must be well defined, observable and measurable.* The evaluation plan should be based on a detailed analysis of the existing material and functional possibilities for its implementation. Thus, the available information should be considered, as well as the tools and resources at hand, the time required and the approximate costs involved. Ultimately, the evaluation plan must be feasible and realistic.* The evaluation plan must be accepted by everyone involved in the evaluation, from participants to managers. If the agents do not accept the proposed plan it will be a failure - participation in evaluation is a guarantee for success (Russ-Eft and Preskill, 2008). Therefore, it is better to design a simple evaluation plan agreed upon by all rather than a complex plan that does not receive support from the organisation.* Ensure that training is the main cause of the results obtained, and isolate the possible effects of other factors in the organisation. It is advisable not to be too over-confident if good results are obtained and analyse the real contribution of training to the success. In the case study presented, the evaluation helped isolate these variables and explain the reasons for the impact that training had on the organisation.* Do not attempt to evaluate everything but aim systematically to evaluate training that is strategic for the organisation or that plays an important role. Other training can be more simply assessed, provided that the results are collected, and it is shown that these do not exceed the costs involved. In the above case study every aspect of the five training activities that are strategic are evaluated, while the rest of the training is evaluated with an online questionnaire for easy application.* Distribute the evaluation results to the training clients and establish mechanisms for their use, in order to optimise the training and enhance its contribution towards obtaining the organisation's goals. The distribution and use of the results is what really gives meaning and value to the evaluation of training, enhancing the active involvement of all concerned.Meeting these requirements ensures the implementation of a comprehensive evaluation plan. It would be desirable for professionals who are qualified in pedagogical matters to be responsible for designing and applying the plan, in order to make training evaluation a priority within the organisation. This would be an overall strategy, which involves a radical change in the way that many organisations view training and evaluation.The evaluation model presented here has been applied successfully in several organisations, as it has helped identify the actual results of training in terms of transfer, impact and profitability, as well as the pedagogical elements which can be improved to increase training quality. This is demonstrated by the good results obtained in the case study presented above. Application of the model requires an investment of resources for adequate evaluation; in the case study presented, the organization devoted numerous economic and human resources to evaluate training, but the result was worth it. Therefore, after seeing the outcome of the evaluation, several organisations have considered whether it would be better to train less and evaluate more - or, in other words, to train better thanks to the optimisation provided by a rigorous evaluation process.But beyond the gross value of the results provided by an evaluation, one cannot forget the positive effects that it has on individuals and the organisation as a whole. Evaluation always presents an opportunity for progress, and this represents added value to be exploited. Therefore:* training participants should see evaluation as providing guidance and an incentive to improve their learning;* to those in middle management evaluation offers the opportunity to guide and improve the follow-up of their collaborators;* training managers and trainers can exercise self-criticism to improve their services and optimise their relationships and their role within the organisation; and* management receives the opportunity to reflect on their management initiatives and strategies.Thus, there are many benefits to training evaluation. All that is needed is to set to work to achieve them.\n",
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},
{
"content": "Purpose: - Training is a key strategy for human resources development and in achieving organisational objectives. Organisations and public authorities invest large amounts of resources in training, but rarely have the data to show the results of that investment. Only a few organisations evaluate training in depth due to the difficulty involved and the lack of valid instruments and viable models. The purpose of this paper is to present an evaluation model that has been successfully applied in the Spanish context that integrates all training dimensions and effects, to act as a global tool for organisations. The model analyses satisfaction, learning, pedagogical aspects, transfer, impact and profitability of training, and is therefore a global model.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The paper's approach is theoretical, and the methodology used involves a review of previous evaluation models and their improvement by comparing their application in practice.\nFindings: - An analysis of pedagogical aspects enables training professionals to improve training quality, as they are able to identify any weaknesses in elements, such as training design, needs analysis and training implementation, and improve on them. In fact, the quality of these elements depends entirely on the training professional. The improvement of pedagogical aspects, as a result of their evaluation, increases training quality and the results of training in organisations that can be identified by evaluating the other levels of the model, particularly the aspects of learning, transfer and impact.\nPractical implications: - The author has applied the model successfully in several public and private organisations, in industry and in the services sector, which demonstrates its usefulness and viability in evaluating the results of training. Therefore, this evaluation model has interesting and practical implications, as a useful tool for training managers for evaluating training results, as well as providing a global simplified approach to the complex evaluation function.\nOriginality/value: - The originality of this evaluation model lies in its focus on a key and novel aspect - i.e. the pedagogical dimension, providing an integrated tool that can be easily adapted to any organisation.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
A comparison of quality management systems in the construction industries of Hong Kong and the USA
|
[
"Quality management",
"ISO 9000 series",
"Construction industry",
"United States of America",
"Hong Kong"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Quality management is a critical component to the successful management of construction projects (Abdul-Rahman, 1997). Quality and quality systems are topics which have received increasing attention worldwide (Chan, 1996; Docker, 1991; Kam and Tang, 1997; Low and Seymour, 1990; Tang and Kam, 1999; Walters, 1992; Yates and Aniftos, 1997). Diverse management factors including support of senior management, appropriate leadership style, cultivation of employee's enthusiasm and participation, open communication and feedback must be managed properly to achieve quality management systems (QMS) in the construction industry. Planning, engineering design, and construction, often involve \"one of a kind\" projects where a QMS that emphasizes effective management practices is more appropriate.The current move towards performance specification contracting in the engineering and construction industry has been extended into the quality assurance programs to formalize the expanded definitions of quality within the project development process. As a result, agencies are instituting strong construction and procurement oversight programs in order to assure that quality design and workmanship is provided in a timely manner.Quality on construction projects, as well as project success, can be regarded as the fulfillment of expectations (i.e. the satisfaction) of those participants involved (Sanvido et al., 1992; Barrett, 2000). There is one factor that makes the difference between the costly way and the beneficial way of achieving quality. This factor is quality costs (Soetanto et al., 2001). Quality costs are also very useful to management as they help point out the strengths and weaknesses of a QMS (Low and Yeo, 1998).Many books, articles and even seminars have dwelt on the benefits of ISO 9000 in reducing the costs of doing business. Evans-Correia (1993) claimed that by standardizing quality system specifications through a programme like ISO 9000, both the supplier and manufacturer could reduce the costs of doing business. Success with any QMS goes beyond paperwork and administration of quality records. A procedural QMS (the bureaucratization of quality processes) must be supported by the collection of values, expectations, behaviors and relationships that exist within any organization - the \"manifestations of culture.\"Over the past two or three decades, with the challenges brought by the globalization of the world economy, international competitiveness has received increasing attention (Abdul-Aziz, 1994; Sillars and Kangari, 1997). However, international variations in economic, legal, cultural, technological, managerial and environmental factors, along with the uniqueness of construction products and the uncertainties in construction process, make international construction comparisons onerous and not impossible, so long as due account is taken of them when designing such research (Xiao and Proverbs, 2002).In fact, several international comparisons on construction quality had been conducted such as among Japan, the USA and the UK (Xiao and Proverbs, 2002) and between Hong Kong and Singapore (Kam and Tang, 1997). These attempts provided robust benchmarks for professionals in different countries and improved their competitiveness accordingly. Regretfully, however, no comparative study has ever been carried out between the USA and Hong Kong, although many papers have already pointed out that QMS is quite different in these two places. Since construction industry contributes about 5 per cent of Hong Kong's gross domestic product based on economic activity (Hong Kong Government Publisher, 1996), this comparison will heighten awareness in Hong Kong regarding international competitiveness and cooperation as the USA is considered as one of the leaders in developing advanced management concepts and thinking in the construction industry. Similarly, the US construction industry can also benefit from a comparison with Hong Kong's very active and dynamic construction industry especially in the area of ISO 9000 standards.This paper is an attempt to provide a comparative study of the QMS being implemented in the Hong Kong and the US construction industries. One way of measuring the effectiveness of QMS implemented is to quantify quality improvement. This paper also attempts to collect the industries' views on measuring quality improvement. Thus, the objectives of this paper are as follows:* to obtain a general opinion concerning the implementation of QMS of construction related firms in the USA and Hong Kong; and* to determine whether construction related firms have ever made an effort to measure quality improvement.Two questionnaire surveys, one in the USA and one in Hong Kong, were conducted by sending out questionnaires to approximately 550 members in the directory of the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) and to 163 construction-related firms in Hong Kong. In the USA, a total of 43 firms responded to the questionnaire survey, yielding a response rate of about 8 per cent. In Hong Kong, a total of 34 firms responded to the questionnaire survey, yielding a response rate of 21 per cent. The survey was then followed by in-depth interviews with construction related firms in both the USA and Hong Kong. The results were then analyzed and are presented below.\nSummary of findings concerning the perception of quality management system: Background of respondents\nSummary of findings in interviews: Background of interviewees\nConclusion and recommendations: A general opinion concerning the implementation of QMS in the USA and Hong Kong construction industries have been obtained through a questionnaire survey and several in-depth interviews. Mainly due to the lack of initiative and promotion from both clients and governments, construction companies in the USA have failed to see the need to obtain the ISO 9000 certification. In Hong Kong, however, the government's initiatives have resulted in a high percentage of companies having certified to the ISO 9000 standards. A majority of respondents in the USA have implemented their own \"versions\" of QA/QC systems. When comparing these systems with the internationally recognized ISO 9000 management system, it is quite difficult to draw a conclusion as to which system is more effective. However, it is believed that those companies that were ISO 9000 certified would have advantages over the others in the highly competitive international markets. In general, construction companies in the USA are quite comfortable and content with the present way of doing business. It can be reflected in the high percentage of the US respondents' unawareness of the ISO 9000 standard. On the other hand, though the percentage of ISO 9000 registered companies in Hong Kong is high, it is questionable to conclude whether their motivations to obtain the certification is genuine or not. Among the three key emphases of the year 2000 edition of ISO 9000, respondents in both the USA and Hong Kong considered \"customer satisfaction\" of the utmost importance. Moreover, all respondents ranked \"management commitment\" as the most important element of TQM. Thus it can be concluded that the success of any quality management system depends greatly on the strong commitment of top managements and on how customers are valued.In order to determine the effectiveness of quality management systems, quantifying quality improvement is essential. Different tools are available for measuring quality improvement of construction processes. Among them, most respondents chose \"benchmarking\", \"statistical process control\" and \"defect cost analysis\". Based on the feedback obtained from interviews, the authors strongly felt that these quality measurements were mainly for monitoring and for recording purposes. One must note that such measurements constitute only the first step towards the never-ending cycles of continual process improvement. The objective is to use the results obtained from such measurements to achieve continual improvement and therefore satisfy the customers' ever changing needs and requirements. The PCM (process cost model) proposed and tested by the first three authors of this paper (Aoieong et al., 2002; Tang et al., 2003) should be able to achieve this purpose.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - To obtain a general opinion concerning the implementation of quality management systems (QMS) of construction-related firms in the USA and Hong Kong, and to determine whether construction-related firms have ever made an effort to measure quality improvement.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - Two questionnaire surveys, one in the USA and one in Hong Kong, were conducted by sending out questionnaires to construction-related companies. The surveys were then followed by 15 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with top management and quality managers of construction-related firms in both the USA and Hong Kong.\nFindings: - The results of the study indicate that different perceptions towards the implementation of formal quality management systems existed between the two places. Mainly due to the lack of initiative and promotion from both clients and governments, construction companies in the USA have failed to see the need to obtain the ISO 9000 certification. In Hong Kong, however, the government's initiatives have resulted in a high percentage of companies having certified to the ISO 9000 standards. The results of the study also indicate that, though most companies used different tools for quality measurements, such measurements were mainly for monitoring and for recording purposes.\nOriginality/value: - This is the first time that such a rigorous comparative study of quality management systems in the construction companies of two different countries has been conducted. It provides useful and practical insights into the differences and similarities between US and Hong Kong construction industries. This paper should be extremely valuable to practitioners in both countries, particularly the USA.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Positive moods and word-of-mouth in the banking industry: A moderated mediation model of perceived value and relational benefits
|
[
"Segmentation",
"Perceived value",
"Cluster analysis",
"Positive moods",
"Word-of-mouth"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Word-of-mouth (WOM) communication reflects the interpersonal influence between a sender and a receiver and has been recognized as an important predictor of consumer decision making (Su et al., 2015; Wang, 2011). WOM is a form of social influence that may positively or negatively change the receiver's attitude and behavior (Su et al., 2015). Previous research (Choudhury, 2014; Wang 2011; Zeithaml et al., 1985) has shown that, owing to the intangibility and inseparability of service, services are usually conceptualized as experiential. Thus, it is difficult to evaluate a service until consumers have adopted or experienced the service offerings. Compared with other firm-initiated communications such as advertising or sales promotion, WOM is considered more credible and persuasive (Su et al., 2015; Wang, 2011). In fact, WOM referrals are especially important ways in which professional and financial services can reach out to people (Choudhury, 2014). The study of Su et al. (2015) showed that positive WOM from satisfied customers toward financial products (e.g. credit card, mutual fund) positively influence other banking customers' intentions to adopt these financial products in Taiwan. Applied in another context, Li (2013) examined higher education services, and found that positive WOM is an important promotional tool for private universities in Taiwan in terms of influencing potential college students' decisions on selecting their target universities.\nTheoretical background and hypotheses development: Positive moods, perceived value and WOM\nMethodology: Survey instrument and measures\nResults: Descriptive statistics\nStructural path analysis: AMOS 20 was used to test the structural model and the model fit indices indicate a good model fit (kh2/df=2.835; RMSEA=0.058; RMR=0.035; CFI=0.957; AGFI=0.868; IFI=0.957; TLI=0.947). Positive moods are found to have a significant and positive effect on WOM communications (b=0.440, p<0.001). Thus, H1 is supported. In addition, positive moods significantly influence both functional value (b=0.676, p<0.001) and symbolic value (b=0.683, p<0.001), which support H1b and H1c. Functional value is found to positively influence WOM communications (b=0.247, p<0.001) as does the symbolic value (b=0.212, p<0.001). Thus, H3a and H3b are accepted (Figure 2).\nDiscussion and conclusions: This study confirms the existence of partial mediation through functional value and symbolic value for the overall samples and the moderating effect of relational benefits on the relationship between functional value and WOM communications. These findings contribute to expanding the existing knowledge of the value perceived by bank customers into different value perceptions. Positive moods are found to be the key driver influencing functional value, symbolic value and WOM which are consistent with the literature (Chebat et al., 1995; Djamasbi, 2007).\nManagerial implications: The empirical findings from this study provide insight into the relationships among positive moods, functional value, symbolic value and WOM. These relationships have long-term and tactical marketing implications for local and foreign banks who would like to improve customers' moods, perceived value and WOM. Positive moods are found to be an important antecedent of functional value, symbolic value and WOM. To gain a competitive advantage over other banks, a bank manager needs to make customers happy in the market they serve. Although moods cannot be controlled by the service provider, they can be influenced by service environment, service provider behavior and media communications (Gardner, 1985; Forgas and East, 2008). Bitner (1992) proposed the service environment including ambient conditions, space/function, and signs, symbols, and artifacts. Comfortable air conditioning (Taiwan has a long and hot summer), reducing noise, playing soft music, proper layout of space, giving the customers coupons or small gifts when they enter the bank, and clear signage are ways of making customers happy. In addition, an employee's smile and friendly attitudes can cheer customers. Long waiting time sometimes leads to dissatisfied customers with negative moods. One possible solution is recommending customers using online banking or kiosk or making an appointment through App. Providing tea, coffee and magazines to customers are also ways improving customers' moods while waiting. Besides, to improve communications with customers, utilizing social media such as Twitter, Facebook, Line, or WeChat and sending instant messages regarding new financial products/services could provide customers timely information which will please customers.\nLimitations and future research: A limitation of this study is that we surveyed customers from the banking industry in Taiwan. It is unclear whether the proposed measures and outcomes can be empirically replicable to other countries. It is left for future research to test the generalizability of the findings. Second, the questionnaire did not ask questions related to respondents' employment status, income level, their perceived service quality and level of satisfaction. It would be worthwhile for future research to examine the extent to which household characteristics may moderate the perceived value-WOM relationship and to investigate the role of service quality and satisfaction in positive moods and WOM. Third, rural and urban customers may have different attitudes toward bank services and different financial service expectations. For example, in the rural area, parking in usually convenient but the banking service offerings are relatively limited. Future research could investigate whether geographic factor moderates the influence of perceived value on WOM communications. Fourth, female customers are slightly over-represented in this study. Males and females may have different affective states and value perceptions. Future research could assess the likely moderating effect of gender among the relationships of positive moods, perceived value and WOM.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating effect of functional value and symbolic value between positive moods and word-of-mouth (WOM) referrals in the context of Taiwan's banking industry. In addition, this study investigates the moderating effect of relational benefits on the relationship between perceived value and WOM.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The research model was tested using data collected from customers (n=362) of the top 10 domestic banks in Taiwan. Structure equation modeling was employed to test and validate the conceptual model.\nFindings: Positive moods are found to be an important predictor of functional value, symbolic value and WOM in this banking service study. Four types of relational benefits are identified including social, special treatment, confidence and face. Note that two distinct segments of bank customers are identified in terms of relational benefits: those who appreciate face benefits (n1=169), and those who appreciate general relational benefits (n2=193). The findings reveal the existence of partial mediation between a banking customer's mood and WOM through functional value and symbolic value in the overall sample (n=362). However, it was found that functional value partially mediates the influence of positive moods on WOM among respondents in the \"general relational benefits\" segment only. That is, relational benefits are found to moderate the relationship between functional value and WOM.\nOriginality/value: This study expands the existing body of knowledge on customers' perceptions of value by differentiating types of value perceptions.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Effects of IT-based supply chains on new product development activities and the performance of computer and communication electronics manufacturers
|
[
"Information technology",
"Supply chain",
"New product development",
"New product performance"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Information technology (IT) includes computer hardware, software and communication systems, although some authors additionally include employees and other resources that support these capabilities (King et al., 1989; Stump and Sriram, 1997). Many researchers have already highlighted that IT is critical for firms' survival and growth, and that IT is necessary to obtain a competitive advantage (King and Teo, 1996; Mata et al., 1995; Palvia, 1997). IT systems can be divided into two types: internal IT, which supports specific tasks and functions internally, without the involvement of external organizations, and shared IT, which is used externally between suppliers and customers to improve their interactions and communication in the business-to-business relationship (Ekman et al., 2015). Therefore, IT is not only applicable internally but also for efficient interactions and communications with external firms in business-to-business settings.\n2. Literature review: To develop its research model, this study largely drew on the resource-based view as used in product development (Verona, 1999) and IT as used in supply chains (Wu et al., 2006). In the resource-based view, products can be developed effectively based on an organization's capabilities and resources (Verona, 1999). IT is one part of a firm's resource portfolio, but IT alone cannot confer a competitive edge, because it has a low barrier to access that competitors can achieve (Clemons and Row, 1991). However, the value of IT resources can be improved if IT resources complement other capabilities (Melville et al., 2004). IT resources have a positive influence on a firm's channel power development, with information management capability being a critical mediator between IT resources and channel power (Zhang et al., 2017). Previous research examining IT-enabled supply chains indicates the capability of IT resources to enhance performance (Wu et al., 2006). Kim et al. (2006) and Jean et al. (2010) consider IT as an efficient means for supply chain members to share information to improve forecast planning, cost and quality calibration, and conduct transactions, replenishment and NPD. Therefore, it is critical for manufacturers to leverage IT resources to manage their supply chains to create and sustain a competitive advantage in NPD.\n3. Methodology: To collect data in this study, we used a questionnaire that was distributed to project, product and supply chain managers. They were chosen for their direct involvement with key material or component suppliers with superior knowledge of the products of computer and communication electronics manufacturers. All the questionnaire items were adapted from extant English-language literature. The authors translated all items into Chinese, and then a bilingual expert back-translated those items into English. This bi-directional translation was used to eliminate discrepancies between English and Chinese measurements for all questionnaire items through discussion between the authors and the bilingual expert (Douglas and Craig, 1983). This study then used a two-step process to collect data. The first step involved interviewing 16 electronic manufacturers' project managers. Through these interviews, we developed an understanding of the influence of IT-based supply chains on the NPD activities of these electronics manufacturers, which enabled us to adjust the questionnaire for respondents. This also helped us to conduct a pretest to verify for those key constructs. The second step was to conduct the large-scale survey with appropriate managers. After we collected our data, we implemented the structural equation model to test the conceptual model and used AMOS 18 to estimate the structural coefficients and test hypotheses.\n4. Model and hypothesis testing: This study's variables are latent; therefore, we used AMOS to test the full structural equation model (SEM), including the measurement model and the structural model in this study. We also used SEM to examine the relationship between all the variables and hypotheses in this model. AMOS 18 was used to estimate the parameters for the proposed conceptual model. Figure 2 shows the estimation results (GFI = 0.935, AGFI = 0.912, RMSEA = 0.017, p-value = 0.258, chi-square = 182.575 (df = 171)). Most of the hypothesized main effects are significant at a = 0.05 level.\n5. Discussion: This study used a resource-based view to explore the effectiveness of IT-based supply chain architecture in NPD activities. Most of the hypotheses related to new product activities (H1a, H1c, H2a-H2c, H3, H4 and H5) are supported by the structural equation model analysis, but H1b is not supported. In the resource-based view, these results indicate that NPD activities could be affected by IT resources on the supply chain, and in turn NPD activities are a mediator in improving new product performance.\n6. Conclusion: This study offers several contributions to the research on IT-based supply chains and NPD activities. Whereas Wu et al. (2006) proposed a theoretical link between IT-based supply chain and performance from a resource-based view, this study offers an empirical demonstration of how IT-based supply chains align with NPD activities to produce superior new product performance. Furthermore, this study extended IT resources into the supply chain to measure how a manufacturer can leverage an IT-based supply chain to cooperate with and integrate suppliers to provide more value for NPD activities. In summary, these results are consistent with resource-based theory. Manufacturers can improve NPD activities with IT resources not only through internal IT advancement but also through an external, shared, IT-based supply chain. These internal and external IT resources are complementary and establish synergy for NPD. Second, most other research on NPD activities has focused on product innovation and product development (Calantone and Di Benedetto, 1988, 2007; Atuahene-Gima, 2005; Szymanski et al., 2007). A previous meta-analysis indicated that only 4 per cent of NPD studies are related to product launch (Montoya-Weiss and Calantone, 1994). In addition to product innovativeness and product development capability, this study included product lean launch in its discussion of NPD in the electronics manufacturing. Finally, this study demonstrates that NPD activities play a critical role as a mediator between IT-based supply chains and new product performance. We suggest that electronics manufacturers whose IT-based supply chain architecture affords them sufficient product development capability, innovativeness and success at executing lean launches achieve a higher level of new product performance.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Some studies have suggested that a supply chain augmented with information technology (IT) has a positive effect on performance in the marketplace. However, these studies have not explained how the IT-based supply chain achieves this superior performance. This study aims to reveal some of the mediating influences at play: the new product development (NPD) activities of product launch, product innovativeness and product development capability.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Taking the electronics manufacturer's perspective, this study took a resource-based view to propose that NPD activities are affected by IT advancement and that IT-based supply chain architecture is a critical resource that ultimately affects new product performance. Thus study focuses on product launch, because this is the most expensive and risky stage of NPD; product innovativeness, because it plays a substantial role in achieving a competitive advantage; and product development capability, because it leads to superior product performance. A questionnaire was used to collect data from managers of projects, products and supply chains of computer and communication electronics manufacturers; 235 valid questionnaires were returned. These data were subsequently analyzed using a variety of statistical methods.\nFindings: The results support that manufacturers' IT resources enable them to enhance NPD activities effectively with their suppliers, and that NPD activities play a key role in moderating the relationship between IT-based supply chains and new product performance.\nOriginality/value: This paper provides an empirically tested model of how IT-based supply chain architecture can lead to superior new product performance through product lean launch, product innovativeness and product development capability.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
The future of globalization: a comment
|
[
"Global consumer culture",
"Globalization"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Jan Steenkamp's prescient paper raises a number of important points about the future of globalization. His main arguments are: globalization since the Second World War (or really since the mid-1970s) has brought growth and prosperity to the rich and poor alike; there have been retreats from globalism before; given the move to the right in many world cultures as well as growing protectionism, there could be another move away from globalism in the near future; hopefully this can be avoided, but it is not in the hands of marketers; and marketers should worry about their brands' globalness, but may also have to think glocally. I endorse each of these arguments and have no criticisms of this fine and thought-provoking paper. China's massive Belt and Road Initiative is not directly mentioned, but it alone is a massive force for globalism that is both meeting and provoking anti-globalist sentiments (Belk, 2017). In this brief comment, I offer a few small micro addenda to Steenkamp's masterful macro musings.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present an afterword to Steenkamp's reflections on the future of globalization published in this issue of International Marketing Review.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The paper is a commentary.\nFindings: Through examples and arguments, the comment emphasizes the need to think locally even when pursuing global strategies, and raises the question of whether global consumer culture is desirable.\nOriginality/value: The comment builds on Steenkamp's essay, and asks unique questions that global consumer culture scholars need to reflect upon.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Problematising intellectual capital research: ostensive versus performative IC
|
[
"Intellectual capital",
"Research",
"Measurement"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: This paper contrasts two approaches to intellectual capital (IC) research - the ostensive (IC1) and the performative approach (IC2) - and discusses the development of an IC research agenda. The claim is that IC2 can help to develop a more nuanced research agenda that takes into consideration the detailed and multiple ways in which IC is involved in organisational and societal practices. IC2 proposes a platform for developing process-based insights into the working of IC and therefore it provides a justification of a new type of research which is currently only in its infancy.\nOstensive and performative definitions of reality: how to frame IC?: Table I reproduces Latour's definitions of the ostensive and the performance approach to social life - or to IC.Table I shows Latour's (1986) theory that the ostensive definition of reality (or IC) is one where IC has a set of fundamental properties that exist \"deep down\" in the complexities of organisational life. IC elements are fundamental drivers that exist prior to any interaction that actors initiate but which can be found out by careful study and testing. The drivers are fundamental and more important than actors' concrete activities. Therefore research has the purpose to separate the essential from the contingency; to weed out the particular and maintain the general. This version of IC research emphasises the existence of IC elements over their mobilisation, and it emphasises that it is possible for the researcher to get closer to the fundamental dimensions of IC than is possible for ordinary actors. This theory says that IC elements are connected to value creation and organisational results in one fundamental way. The task for research is to uncover this formula. Let us call this theory IC1.There is an alternative, as Table I says, and we can call this theory IC2. In this situation we cannot a priori identify the form and function of IC. IC gains its identity by its relations to other entities and if, in some firms, it is attached to concerns about white-collar productivity it may work differently than in other firms in which it may be attached to concerns about in-sourcing knowledge or developing a patent portfolio. IC may, in some situations, be an input that changes human resource programmes in firms, but in other instances it may be a means of communication intended to misrepresent the firm to audiences it wishes to control. This theory of IC says that there is no fundamental formula to understand the role of IC in organisations and society. IC is related to its effects fluidly in specific instances of interaction. This has some consequences for the theorisation of IC and thus for how it is possible to develop testable hypotheses:H1. While IC1 will be looking for the whole picture that makes IC larger than any one firm, manager or situation, IC2 will insist that IC is what it has come to be in the situation at hand.\nThe IC proposition: Generally, IC is an optimistic agenda. IC is related to the generation of value as a resource in knowledge based firms and societies. This is clear from the outset since the initial concern with market-to-book ratios proposes that value in knowledge-based firms is developed less from physical assets and more from intangible or intellectual assets related to cleverness, imagination, knowledge, insight and wisdom. IC develops a story of progress through human, organisational and customer/relationship capital.This story can be understood in two ways as suggested by Table II. IC elements are variables in a proposition leading systematically to value creation (IC1), or IC is co-produced in the course of its application (IC2). IC1 is a causal model where IC elements predict value creation. IC2 makes certain aspects of IC elements visible and relevant to the situation. The difference is between IC as a predictive model and IC as an inscription.IC1: IC as a predictive model\nIntellectual capital concepts: There is an understandable concern in IC research to measure IC elements, as Marr et al. (2003) and Pike and Roos (2004) so clearly point out. This is necessary in order to understand value, but again there may be two version of this argument - IC1 and IC2.IC1: measurements are strong\nValue and intellectual capital: There is ample concern with value in IC research. From its outset, it has been in part motivated by the market-to-book ratio, which has been explained as the extra value that intangible resources bring to the firm. This strict concern with value as a noun is one that we find in IC1 literature, in which value is the end point of a valuation exercise, while in IC2 there is a substitution of value for valuing, the process of creating values.IC1: value\nProblematising IC research: IC1 treats IC information as the bottom line - as the effect we are interested in. A lot - probably the majority - of IC research has adopted this approach in some version or another. Recently, Litschka et al.'s (2006) and Saenz's (2005) models of the value of intellectual capital, Wang and Chang' s (2005) multiple structural models of the value of IC elements and Bontis's (1998) seminal study of relations between IC indicators add weight to the three special issues in Journal of Intellectual Capital (2004: \"Modelling the transparent enterprise\", 2002: \"Measuring intellectual capitalism\", and 2002: \"Advances in the measurement of intangibles\") where measurement is largely understood to capture the value of intellectual capital and resources. It is an important ambition in the field of intellectual capital to develop such measurement systems and models that attempt to capture the value of IC; they attempt to stabilise IC in measurement systems and believe that this move will make managers and policy makers confident adopters of IC. This approach is useful for analytical reasons but the irony is that the more general a point of view, the more cases it covers, and the less is known about the individual case, and then the less useful it is for management concerns. There is a limit to the value of generalisation.In the literature, this thesis is being discussed and a movement somewhat supporting the logic of IC2 is beginning to develop. For example, Catasus and Groyer (2006) show that IC information influences how managers can think about future possibilities in various ways. Cuganesan (2005) shows how IC indicators are related fluidly to corporate concerns and found relations between IC elements to be transient. Vaivio (2004) says that non-financial information can develop organisational problematisation. Noteworthy is also Roslender and Fincham's (2001) idea of the self-account which makes the reading of the firm's intellectual capital a relational one, and Huges et al.'s (2002) study which details how various indicators have to be mobilised and made to speak to be strong. In all these instances, information is input rather than output and the concern is therefore to study how IC information comes to play a role. A point is that all of these authors were surprised; the actions made possible by even the very smallest and possibly insignificant items of IC information can travel far and produce effects nobody could think about in advance. Here, IC information is the starting point of the analysis rather than its end.This is a useful agenda because it makes managers and decision makers active participants in shaping the roles of IC. This makes IC research a complex problem rather than a solution. Will such a research agenda make statistical testing impossible? No. It just requires statistical approaches to be more imaginative and develop other theorisations of IC elements. For example, it is not difficult to imagine that firms only invest in human capital when financial numbers are in the black because when they are in the red they fire employees. On such a basis it is possible to develop a series of hypotheses about how human capital depends on financial capital rather than the other way around. Therefore, IC2 is not dependent on a particular methodological preference. IC2 just calls for more interesting research that questions established conclusions. It requires us to think about problems in the literature rather than (only) reproducing an ancient agenda. IC2 is primarily interested in asking questions about all things that we have come to take for granted.But there is still some way to go in developing a research agenda that is interested in looking at IC as an input to some kind of activity. The distinction between IC1 and IC2 provides some opportunities to create new types of research questions in the IC area. IC1 is wrong but an alternative agenda like the one proposed by IC2 should be considered. It offers fresh questions about the role of IC elements. IC2 proposes that we look at IC elements not only as finite and stable wholes but rather also as inputs, beginnings and fragile entities. The principles behind IC2 acknowledge that there are new ways in which IC can be understood.IC1's linear relation to value is acknowledged in influential books that see IC as \"stuff that you cannot see but makes you rich\" (Stewart, 1997), \"weightless wealth\" (Andriessen and Tissen, 2000) or \"unseen wealth\" (Blair and Wallman, 2000) and generally contributes to strategic debates in the board room and policy debates in government (Teece, 2000). There are still so many ways in which relations between wealth, strategy and IC can be carved out. Consider the problem facing managers that experience negative financial results or effects. Will they invest heavily in human capital to resurrect the firm? Probably not - they will fire people. Or will a manager who learns that there is a negative correlation between employee satisfaction and financial results start to frustrate employees or hire mad staff? No, of course not, this manager will find other ways to understand what the correlations mean. There are many strange and surprising observations in the IC area that need to be grappled with. Surprises should be cherished rather than frowned at because they make us think outside the square.Theorising and testing go hand in hand. The frustration of not being able to give straight answers to questions about the strength of IC should be seen as a source of strength rather than weakness. This forces us to become more knowledgeable and learn more about the concept of IC. It forces us to become better researchers (and practitioners) because then we ask more questions and look in new ways for solutions. Perhaps in the \"end\" we will become experts who do not need generalised knowledge to function at our best. Experts do not need generalisation; they thrive on particulars, circumstance and contingency, as Flyvbjerg (2001) says about the expert - the researcher practising phronesis:To the researcher practising phronesis, however, a particular \"thick\", hard-to-summarize narrative is not necessary a problem. Rather it may be a sign that the study has uncovered a particular rich problematic.Complexity is rich and sorting this out is the arduous task of the expert researcher. This requires theoretical preparation and therefore theorisation aids empirical investigation; it does not contradict it. Theory informs the choice of empirical materials, and theory makes it possible to draw conclusions. Through theorisation, explanations are offered that contribute to those of other researchers, thus enabling a systematic research agenda in a field of inquiry. To be a knowledgeable researcher is to be able to relate one's own findings to those of others. This is not to go into the direction of inductive empiricism. Rather it is to ask analytical questions that help researchers to become knowledgeable about things they did not know beforehand (Kreiner and Mouritsen, 2005). In IC terms, this means not simply applying concepts of IC; rather it is about inquiring into the very concept of IC.\nConclusion: The distinction between IC1 and IC2 is used to appreciate some of the theoretical choices that face researchers in the area of IC. This distinction does not tell researchers what to do, but it does aim to promote debate. The main axis of distinction is between a generalised model of IC that leaves aside particulars, contingencies and circumstance to get to the essence of IC, and a situated model of IC that includes all manner of localities, circumstances and contingencies that cannot be generalised beyond the point that differences in the constellation of IC elements and IC inscriptions are the important concerns in IC.IC1 says that IC elements can be summarised in a singular model while IC2 says that IC is an interplay between IC statements and narratives of achievement. Therefore, while for IC1, IC is the firm's business model, for IC2, IC is different from, and yet an input to, the transformation of the firm's business model.This distinction is used to analyse an emerging research agenda which says that to study IC is not only to analyse how it is possible to apply the concepts of IC such as human, organisational and relational capital, but it is also possible to see these as a boundary object. As a boundary object IC is not inherently strong and it does not have inherent connected qualities. When IC is a boundary object, the subsequent analysis deals with how it can be bent to situations, and the assumption is that it will work in unpredictable ways. A research agenda that has this approach will ask new questions that may take the following format:1. What does IC do? (Rather than what is IC?)2. Where is IC located? (Rather than who owns it?)3. How is IC related to value? (Rather than is IC valuable?)These three rather simple questions open debate about the fragile existence of IC. They ask how theory connects with practice and establish IC research where the primary purpose of research is to ask questions about the dilemmas and ambiguities in a pool of existing research. It attempts to get beyond what is taken for granted. When research asks questions that provide surprising answers, then the research will progress. Such surprises can emanate from research questions that attempt to open the black box of IC research. Some questions could be formulated along the following lines:* IC elements can be understood as inputs to financial value, but assuming that companies will not invest in human capital when financial results are bad (they will fire employees), how are financial results a precondition for the development of IC?* Why do firms adopting IC often justify this by saying that they fear that employees may leave the company when it may be just as plausible that a firm in a dynamic environment should encourage some rotation of employment to make use of experiences developed elsewhere?* Since most people say that the interactions between IC elements are important would it not be a good idea if IC research deconstructed IC elements and reassembled them according to criteria that make them strong in site-use?* Since the IC elements (human, organisational and relational capital) are often characterised by the functionality that supports their opposing strategies (e.g. human capital supporting innovation and organisational capital supporting best practices) why can they all be placed in a particular setting that presumably has one strategy rather than many conflicting ones?* One important ambition in IC research and practice is to develop measurement of IC elements, but since all measurement is a two dimensional inscription of a three dimensional world why would we expect the measurement to make reality visible? Why will this measurement arbitrate anything and create useful visibility?These illustrations show that there are dilemmas that presumably can be approached in more detailed ways via IC2 than via IC1 and that in order to arrive at possibly surprising research findings, it is necessary to dispense with certain assumptions about IC. Obviously, it may be that during research one finds out that these dilemmas are not dilemmas at all, in which case it is possible to erase a potential objection. IC2 may present opportunities for interesting questions because it takes very little for granted, and because it seeks evidence that the connections we claim, are actually in place.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - This paper develops a problematisation of research about intellectual capital (IC) with a view to extending the types of questions that can be posed and explanations that can be given about the roles and effects of IC. The aim is to contribute to the debate on how it is possible and fruitful to study IC.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The paper compares an ostensive and a performative approach to IC research and develops an analysis and critique of ideas in IC research on this basis.\nFindings: - The paper concludes that it is possible and advisable to develop research that has an ambition to understand IC as a concept and not only as an application of a pre-set idea. It suggests that a performative approach to IC will enhance possibilities of developing new and interesting propositions about how IC works and is involved in organisational and social transformation.\nOriginality/value: - The main implication of this paper is that research in IC can take up new forms of inquiry that will complement and extend the currently used approaches.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Principal and teacher instructional leadership: a cultural shift
|
[
"Instructional leadership",
"Social justice",
"Teacher leadership",
"School culture",
"Professional learning communities"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: To develop instructional capacity in schools with the aim of educating a growing population of diverse students, some principals engage in a cultural paradigm shift and involve teachers as partners in instructional leadership (Hallinger, 2010; Howard, 2016; Marks and Printy, 2003). This caliber of organizational leadership transforms a school's culture in ways that focus the school community on student learning, particularly for students who are underserved (Harris et al., 2017; Shields, 2010). This bold, yet ethical approach to instructional leadership, compartmentalizes the pressures of high-stakes testing and places an emphasis on school culture, challenging the principal and teachers to bridge their collective genius through frequent and high levels of engagement that reinforce shared beliefs, attitudes and actions (Ezzani, 2015). A strong culture of shared decision-making in instructional leadership between principal and teachers is developed through ongoing professional learning aimed toward student success. When the principal and teachers share instructional leadership, they are able to demonstrate a \"commitment to the student\" and to \"the profession\" in their obligation \"to help each student realize his or her potential as a worthy and effective member of society\" (see NEA Handbook, 2017, p. 437).\n1. Methodology: The case study discussed in this paper was qualitative in nature (Merriam, 1998). The study focused on one school in California where the principal and assistant principal sought to develop a cultural paradigm shift by involving teachers as partners in instructional leadership to enhance learning outcomes for underserved students. Merriam's (1998) qualitative case study method helped to provide an in-depth analysis of the school leaders' beliefs and actions, and the structures put into place. The data are part of a larger study of one district's efforts to offer systemic data-informed leadership practices. From nine principals interviewed in the larger study, this leadership team leveraged district trainings to plan, implement and sustain data-driven decision-making among the leaders and teachers on their campus.\n2. A case study on instructional leadership: At Dandelion Elementary, a K-6 school of 721 students in California, the principal and assistant principal were professionally and ethically challenged with an all too familiar problem - 30 percent of their students scored below proficient in reading comprehension. To address this opportunity gap, consideration was given to data-informed decision-making (Datnow and Park, 2014; Knapp et al., 2006; Wayman and Jimerson, 2014), professional learning communities (DuFour et al., 2016; Huffman, 2011; Voelkel and Chrispeels, 2017) and distributed leadership for social justice (Brooks et al., 2007). Findings suggested that problems of practice are solved when educators engage in a continuous cultural of learning through authentic dialogue focused on student data with an eye on equity (Ezzani, 2015; Deal and Peterson, 2016).\n3. Toward continuous improvement: Midway through spring semester, a school culture of collaboration and a \"ready to learn\" attitude was taking shape. The principal described a culture of trust \"[...] it's [trust] spreading [...] where everybody [teachers and students alike] log data, chart progress, and talk about it freely.\" The principal and teacher leaders compartmentalized accountability pressure and made the guiding principle professional learning where advocacy for students took precedence. Observations of the PLC room demonstrated data charts on the wall were accompanied with pictures of students' faces. Data-informed decision-making was co-constructed, by principals, teachers and students.\n4. Implications for future research and educator preparation programs: Instructional leadership is not straightforward, but rather convoluted and multi-faceted, requiring consideration of the whole system and the actors within it (Blankstein et al., 2016; Fullan, 2007; Gray et al., 2016; Howard, 2016; Khalifa, 2018; Togneri and Anderson, 2003). To effectively shift culture, in the best of practices, leaders should value and recognize distributed leadership as a conduit to building capacity, relationships and reinforcing trust between school leaders, teachers and parents (Brooks et al., 2007; Datnow and Park, 2015; Taylor, 2017; Voelkel and Chrispeels, 2017) to provide equitable opportunities for historically marginalized students (Blankstein et al., 2016; Cochran-Smith, 2015; Gay, 2002; Ladson-Billings, 2014; Shields, 2010). Accountability pressure aside, there is power in communicating a vision of a learning organization where principals and teachers are at the forefront of instructional leadership (Huffman, 2011; Senge, 1991; Supovitz, 2006; Taylor, 2017). The collaborative work of instructional leadership happens when teachers identify beyond their classroom, and with the larger organization by engaging in a professional learning community that is ethically driven toward caring for students (Buffum et al., 2009; Cochran-Smith, 2015; DuFour et al., 2016; Gray et al., 2016; Harris et al., 2017; Muhammad, 2015). Furthermore, data-informed decision-making is integral to the work of professional learning communities and is co-constructed by principals and teachers, and ultimately by students (Ezzani, 2015; Chenoweth, 2009; Datnow and Park, 2014; Gray et al., 2016; Leithwood et al., 2004; Marsh et al., 2016; Reeves, 2003; Wayman and Jimerson, 2014). A multi-faceted approach to whole school reform in instructional leadership requires supportive conditions such as time allocation for collaboration from the district office; however, if the culture is not conducive to collaborative instructional leadership, then time is more likely to be frivolously and ineffectively consumed (Datnow et al., 2007; Supovitz, 2006; Togneri and Anderson, 2003).\n5. Recommendations for principal and teacher instructional leadership: utilize data-informed decision-making (quantitative and qualitative) as the impetus for organizational learning vis-a-vis professional learning communities;\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper (case study) is to capture a novel school culture that values instructional leadership (school leaders and teachers) and serves students in ways that create a culturally responsive and socially just schooling environment.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A qualitative methodology was best suited for the collection and analysis of data with the hope that the study will assist practitioners in seeing the connective threads that bind school leaders, teachers, students and parents in an organizational cultural shift that is student focused. Interviews and observations of professional learning communities, meetings and classrooms were the types of data collected and analyzed.\nFindings: The principal and assistant principal were professionally and ethically challenged with an all too familiar problem - 30 percent of their Latinx and economically disadvantaged students scored below proficient in reading comprehension. To address this opportunity gap, consideration was given to data-informed decision-making; professional learning communities; and distributed leadership for social justice. Findings suggested that problems of practice are solved when educators engage in a continuous culture of learning through authentic dialogue focused on student data with an eye on equity.\nOriginality/value: Although research demonstrates that school improvement works best when principals distribute leadership to teachers, principals tend to maintain the share of the responsibility. Examples of instructional leadership beyond the school principal are rare. This case study provides an example of how principals can build leadership capacity in teachers and develop them to be instructional leaders.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Leadership in unprecedented times
|
[
"Leadership",
"Economic sustainability",
"Environmental management",
"Society",
"Competitive advantage"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: We are in challenging times. What kind of leadership is called for to navigate organizations through uncharted waters? I would like to share some thoughts with you that look at the challenges and opportunities facing leaders of organizations of all sizes. Why we all need to be more aware of global issues, the importance of engagement and innovation and how there may be some not so obvious sources of competitive advantage that are both ground breaking and exciting.\nWhat are the implications for leadership development?: Leaders in organizations have always had to be self aware, conscious of their effect on others and of their ability to influence their own organization. We believe that successful organizational leadership in the future must have a sound understanding of global issues. In so doing leaders will need even higher levels of emotional intelligence, be consultative and inclusive and take a more holistic view to their organisation's position in the greater scheme of things.And the qualities of leadership we think will be in most demand to create competitive advantage in this new landscape?*The curiosity to look for new opportunities.*The ability to engage people at an emotional level.*The creativity and discipline to innovate.*The foresight to create exciting, cross disciplined partnerships.*The courage to lead ground breaking change.The smart organizations will be the ones who grasp these changes as an opportunity and innovate products and services to their advantage. This will call for \"innovative leadership\"The even smarter organizations will integrate all aspects of social and environmental issues into their core business. In so doing they will open up the opportunity to engage the hearts and minds of their customers, employees and shareholders. This engagement will increase brand equity through trust and loyalty that in turn creates the possibility of greater business success. This will call for \"courageous leadership\".There is not time to hang around; as Martin Luther King said:Procrastination is the thief of time ... the time for action is now.If you have any thoughts please contact Andy Dickson on andy.dickson@impactinternational.com\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - This paper aims to raise awareness that successful businesses of the future will need to pay attention to more than just the traditional economic model. Social and environmental issues need to be considered when setting strategy.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The paper uses examples from successful organizations and the benefits they have experienced.\nFindings: - There are sources of competitive advantage in social and environmental issues.\nResearch limitations/implications: - Success for a business is not guaranteed. It depends on the market and the innovation and the courage, capability and capacity to implement.\nPractical implications: - Any business can do this if it is motivated to do so.\nOriginality/value: - By looking at wider social and environmental issues businesses can move beyond compliance to exciting opportunities that can differentiate them in the marketplace. This is not about responsibility but opportunity.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
The open source guild: creating more sustainable enterprise?
|
[
"Open source",
"Business models",
"Guilds",
"Micro-business",
"Sustainability"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: In this paper, we link the principles of open source with the historical concept of the guild to create a new micro-business model, the open source guild. We demonstrate that the open source guild can be a business model as defined by Zott et al. (2011), having the characteristics of building a focal micro-business through effectuation (Sarasvathy, 2001), promoting learning and development through apprenticeship, creating shared value through a commons of experience and knowledge and capturing value (Chesbrough and Appleyard, 2007) by protecting key intellectual property (IP).\n2. Sustainability as the quadruple bottom line: A purely economic view of business is challenged by writers such as Gray (2006), who pointed out that in the context of limited natural resources, assuming these resources are an externality to the firm is untenable, and that responsible accounting will need to include environmental as well as economic factors. This widening of sustainability to include other than economic factors was articulated by John Elkington (2004) as the triple bottom line, with its social and environmental dimensions in addition to economic. Yunus et al. (2010) draw on the experience of Grameen to identify a social business model as one that includes social and environmental value creation as well as economic profit.\n3. Open source and the virtual guild model: 3.1 Open source and open innovation\n4. Method and findings: This section outlines the research methods used in this study. As an iterative process, the findings are reported here concurrently, as each stage of the analysis and findings informed the subsequent design of the study.\n5. Discussion: the open source guild as a business model: Zott et al. (2011, p. 1038), from their comprehensive literature review, see the business model as being about how to do business, including \"boundary-spanning activities (performed by a focal firm or others), and focussing on value creation as well as on value capture\", rather than what firms do. Considering this perspective on what a business model is, the open source guild can be seen as having the characteristics of:\n6. Conclusions and future work: The research that is documented in this paper started with the virtual guild model, an application of open source principles to the original medieval guilds, then developed this model to create the concept of the open source guild. The open source guild is a business model that aligns with current trends in society towards greater use of digital networking technology and people working independently rather than in large organisations. The open source guild can enable emergent micro-businesses to maintain their autonomy, protect their core IP and create a community based on a commons of shared experiences and values.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to report on an action research project with two emergent micro-businesses that explored how their business model connected with the principles of open source.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The authors first gained initial qualitative data to establish the core values of each micro-business, which the authors then explored in the context of open source and business models in two design workshops with each organisation.\nFindings: The authors developed the open source guild business model, which has the elements of: building a focal micro-business with resources secured through the guild, promoting learning and development through apprenticeship, promoting shared values through a commons of experience and capturing value by protecting key intellectual property.\nResearch limitations/implications: This research was undertaken with two emergent micro-businesses in the North West of England. Further research will be needed to establish the wider applicability of the open source guild model.\nPractical implications: The open source guild model can be a mechanism for an emergent micro-business to create a community around their values and grow their business without conventional external investment of resources.\nOriginality/value: This research contributes to the literature on business models based on open source and how these models can be sustainable in terms of the quadruple bottom line, which extends the triple bottom line to include personal values and meaning.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Fast fashion environments: consumer's heaven or retailer's nightmare?
|
[
"Fast fashion",
"Product returns",
"Impulse buying",
"Perishability",
"Post-purchase emotional response",
"Scarcity"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Fast fashion refers to a business strategy that reflects quick response to emerging trends by enhancing design and product assortments quickly and effectively to increase product value and demand for short-cycle fashion products (Choi et al., 2010; Sull and Turconi, 2008). Fast fashion retailers' ability to provide the latest fashion trends in small quantities at reasonable prices induces consumers to pay full price instead of waiting for sales (Jin et al., 2012; Choi et al., 2010). These competencies not only result in consumer satisfaction, especially for the target market of young, female, fashion conscious consumers (Barnes and Lea-Greenwood, 2006), but they also reward retailers with higher profit margins. By meeting demand in seasonal situations, fast fashion apparel retailers average profit margins of 16 per cent while non-fast fashion retailers average profit margins of 7 per cent (Sull and Turconi, 2008). Zara, a fashion company based in Spain, gained 47 per cent sales growth in the past five years (Joung, 2014).\nHypothesis development: Perceived perishability and scarcity\nResearch method: Sample and procedure\nResults: Participant characteristics\nDiscussion: The current research explored both pre-purchase and post-purchase factors of consumer behaviour in the fast fashion environment. Because the focus of the study included a more extensive range of consumer behaviour, the present study expanded knowledge of consumer behaviour with respect to fast fashion retail environments. The study extended the work of Byun and Sternquist (2011) to include not only pre-purchase variables but also post-purchase variables that impact consumer behaviour in fast fashion retail environments. Moreover, by drawing on additional research concerning impulse buying and product return behaviour, the current research extended previous studies by examining the potential drawbacks of the fast fashion retail environment on consumer behaviour.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The current research explored both pre-purchase and post-purchase factors of consumer behaviour. Specifically, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships that may exist among consumers' perceptions of perishability, scarcity, low price, attitudes, impulse buying, post-purchase emotions, and product returns within the context of the fast fashion environments.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A total of 246 usable questionnaires completed by female undergraduate students, who made purchases and product returns at fast fashion retailers, were analysed in SPSS and AMOS 23.0. Structural equation modelling was employed to test the hypotheses.\nFindings: Consumers who are attracted to scarcity due to limited supply and scarcity due to time, referred to as perceived perishability, have a positive attitude towards the fast fashion retailers in which products are presented in scarce environments. Likewise, consumers have a positive attitude towards fast fashion retailers due to low priced merchandises they offer. Consequently, consumers who have a positive attitude towards the fast fashion retailers are likely to purchase products from them impulsively. Moreover, impulse buying behaviour positively influenced some negative post-purchase emotional responses, which in turn positively influenced product returns in the fast fashion environments.\nResearch limitations/implications: The results of the current study contribute to a greater understanding of apparel-related consumer behaviour in general. A theory formation of fast fashion consumer behaviour from acquisition to disposal can be drawn from the results of this study. Because some fast fashion retailers do sell clothing for both men and women, researchers could compare the responses of males and females to examine differences in consumer behaviour related to demographic characteristics. In the future, an examination of actual emotional responses and return behaviour would be beneficial for a more complete understanding of post-purchase consumer behaviour.\nPractical implications: Fast fashion retailers could use this information to carefully design shopping environments that induce impulse buying behaviour because it may result in product returns. Fast fashion retailers need to understand the causes of the return behaviour, whether consumer related or product related, to better meet the needs of their target market. Return policies must be considered.\nOriginality/value: This research is the first to examine the impact of negative emotions following consumers' impulse buying on product returns in the fast fashion retail environments.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Internal corporate branding impact on employees' brand supporting behaviour
|
[
"Banking",
"Internal branding",
"Brand performance",
"Corporate brands",
"Brand supporting behaviour"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The intense competition nowadays has made customers approach many mature products as commodities (Ferrell and Hartline, 2008). More companies are now faced with difficulties in differentiating their offers, especially service companies where managers find themselves challenged by the intangibility, inseparability and variability of services (Wallace and de Charnatony, 2009). However, service variability can be considered as both \"a cure and a curse\" for the service company (Zeithaml and Bitner, 2003): a cure, because it can be used in differentiating organisational associations, building strong corporate brands and winning competition; a curse, due to the difficulties of branding intangible offers (Aaker, 2004; Papasolomou and Vrontis, 2006).\n2. Literature: 2.1 Corporate brands: the basis for internal branding\n3. Research methodology: 3.1 The population and sample of the research\n4. Discussion: This research provides empirical evidence that adds to the internal branding literature, which still suffers from scarcity of quantitative work. By measuring employees' role clarity and their affective and continuance commitment, it was possible to examine how these constructs may explain the effect of internal branding on brand supporting behaviour (both in-role and extra-role). The research further provides more insights on the nature of continuance commitment in a sector which is characterised by having high continuance commitment levels and in a country whose culture is different from the Western and Asian cultures (within which most employees' commitment studies are conducted).\n5. Managerial implications and recommendations: In light of the research findings and the insights gained from the exploratory phase of the study, senior management of banks may consider the following:\n6. Limitations of the study and suggested future research: The following three limitations may affect the generalisation of results. However, these limitations may also provide fruitful areas for future research.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This paper aims to study the effect of internal branding on brand supporting behaviour (in-role and extra-role) of bank employees in Egypt. It proposes a model which examines the relationship between internal branding and employees' brand supporting behavior, mediated by employees' role clarity, affective commitment and continuance commitment, to provide insights into the way in which employees can become brand champions.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A single cross-sectional descriptive research was employed. A questionnaire was used to collect data from 400 frontline bank employees. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the validity of the scales, and structural equation modelling was used to test the research hypotheses.\nFindings: The results showed that internal branding did not have a direct significant impact on employees' in-role and extra-role behaviour. However, that impact only took place through employees' role clarity and their affective commitment.\nPractical implications: The findings suggest that banks can differentiate their offers and build powerful corporate brands through their employees' brand supporting behaviour. Therefore, bank managers need to consider internal branding within the context of a corporate marketing orientation. Moreover, enhancing employees' role clarity and affective commitment will ensure sustainable brand supporting behaviour.\nOriginality/value: This research is the first quantitative study to examine the impact of role clarity and continuance commitment as possible mediators to the proposed relationship. It further adds up to the internal branding literature, which is mostly qualitative or conceptual and thus suffers from limited conclusive evidence in terms of internal branding benefits and practical implications.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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Managing racism in the workplace: the Lancashire County Council approach: Executive coaching and mentoring develop people management skills
|
[
"Racial discrimination",
"Racial harassment",
"Organizational culture",
"Coaching",
"Mentoring"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: How would your workplace deal with the type of behavior recently witnessed on the UK reality-TV program Big Brother? Would the organization recognize this as racist behavior or would the response be: \"It's not racist to be rude about someone. It's not racist to call someone names, to talk about them behind their back, make clear you don't like them, exclude them, or be openly critical of them. It's not pleasant, it's immature, and it's not acceptable but it's not racist.\"\nPrejudice and discrimination: This will not impress or appease the aggrieved member of staff.Black staff who are subject to this type of behavior understandably view it as stemming from the same type of prejudice and discrimination they have experienced outside work. It is just further evidence of racism.The insistence that this is racism escalates the situation. This is now an allegation of gross misconduct. A formal independent investigation is required and a decision about suspending the accused.The investigation is inevitably inconclusive: some evidence of bullying and inappropriate behavior; clear evidence that working relations are strained and have been exacerbated by the allegations of racism; the manager is criticized for not being aware of the situation and not doing something about it before. Training needs are identified, particularly around equal opportunities and race awareness. The individual is asked whether he or she wishes to move to another team or office. He or she leaves and submits an appeal for constructive dismissal, claiming to have been forced out of the job by the organization's failure to deal with racism within it.The manager feels vulnerable and unsupported, wondering if he or she is to be made the scapegoat. The organization receives legal advice that it has a strong case but there are no guarantees when you get to a tribunal and, with unlimited compensation, the stakes are high. The organization reaches an out-of-court financial settlement.Black staff draw the inevitable conclusion that the organization does not recognize racism; some white staff are confirmed in their view that black staff are too quick to shout racism; managers feel vulnerable and unsupported; and senior managers wonder why, despite their strong personal commitment to equality, these things happen.\nGetting people to take responsibility: To change the organization's culture or people's behavior requires everyone - not just managers and human resource staff - to recognize a responsibility for equality and diversity. Frontline staff need to acknowledge their responsibility for equality in their everyday dealings with colleagues. The aim is to establish a culture where everyone takes responsibility for challenging racial and sexual stereotypes, ageist comments and insensitivity towards people with a disability.If we want people to take responsibility, we will need:* leadership from the top of the organization;* managers to create a safe environment where people feel able to challenge;* champions to keep equality and diversity high on the organization's agenda; and* awareness training so that people are sensitive to the issues.If all staff feel valued, respected and treated fairly, the organization they work for is unlikely to be characterized by bullying, harassment and discrimination. This requires managers to become more sensitive to people's needs and to improve their leadership skills by gaining insight into how their behavior affects the people they manage.At Lancashire County Council we have a strategy for developing managers' people management skills based around one-to-one executive coaching and mentoring.The executive coaching program is aimed at senior managers - that is, members of the senior-management team, plus heads of service. The idea is for a specialist coach to observe the individual in action and give detailed feedback. We are using two external management consultants to provide coaching sessions. In this way, the individual will be helped to develop greater insight into how his or her behavior in a range of management settings affects others and how, by making adjustments and trying different approaches, he or she can be a more effective leader.To achieve this, the coach is spending the equivalent of two days observing the individual in a range of activities, including leading a team meeting, giving a supervision session, making a presentation or influencing a meeting.A total of 30 senior managers have now completed, or are about to complete, the executive-coaching program. Feedback has been very positive. We are now extending this program to the wider management group, using the same management consultants but replacing one-to-one work with learning sets. In addition, we have been working with the I&DeA to develop a mentoring program for all managers.The unpleasantness witnessed on Big Brother may have been the result of a cocktail of diverse individuals and the emotional intensity that living in such close proximity, isolated from the rest of the world, creates. But is it so different from the real world? Bullying, harassment, prejudice and discrimination are, unfortunately, sometimes present in the workplace. But unlike the producers of Big Brother, managers are required to take action, set standards of behavior and make clear their expectations.\nNote: Blair McPherson is the author of an equality and diversity training manual, Elephant in the Room, published by Russell House, 2007. Copies may be ordered online at help@russellhouse.co.uk\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The paper aims to discuss the management of racism in the workplace in the context of the row over racism in the UK reality-TV program, Big Brother.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The paper shows how bullying or personality clashes can escalate into claims of racism and gross misconduct. It highlights the importance of establishing a culture where everyone takes responsibility for challenging racial and sexual stereotypes, ageist comments and insensitivity towards people with a disability. The paper describes Lancashire County Council's strategy for developing managers' people-management skills based around one-to-one executive coaching and mentoring.\nFindings: - The paper advances the view that, if all staff feel valued, respected and treated fairly, the organization they work for is unlikely to be characterized by bullying, harassment and discrimination. This requires managers to become more sensitive to people's needs and to improve their leadership skills by gaining insight into how their behaviour affects the people they manage.\nPractical implications: - The paper makes clear that, if bullying, harassment, prejudice and discrimination are present in the workplace, managers must take action, set standards of behaviour and spell out their expectations.\nOriginality/value: - The paper highlights the key role of people management and a healthy organizational culture in combating discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, age or disability.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Library development for Texas A&M at Qatar: maximum access/minimum holdings
|
[
"Academic libraries",
"Qatar",
"Collections management",
"Electronic media",
"Information services",
"Educational policy"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nStatement of problem: When Texas A&M University (TAMU) signed a contract with the Qatar Foundation in spring 2003 to deliver undergraduate engineering education in Doha, Qatar, starting in August 2003, the TAMU Libraries faced the daunting task of developing information support services on a very short timeline. Information resources had to be selected and access secured, channels of supply for books, journals, and electronic databases had to be established, physical space had to be organized, and services had to be readied over the course of a summer.Adding to the challenge of bringing up a new library was the uncertainty of trying to establish full library services on a branch library model, that is, the new library in Doha would function as much as possible as if it were a branch library on the campus at College Station. Published literature offered little guidance in how such a model would work. While there has been substantial literature published describing libraries and library services in the Middle East over the last two decades (Meho and Nsouli, 1999), virtually all of it predates the current web-intensive environment. Among the more recent literature, emphasis in most cases has been on libraries in indigenous institutions of higher education (Boumarafi, 1996; Zehery, 1997) or autonomous institutions managed by foreign universities such as the various institutions managed by American University (Gyeszly and Ismail, 2003). The beginning of the TAMU program at Qatar's Education City presented the opportunity to explore a branch library model that leverages existing licenses and resources to provide library services consonant with the university's goal to create a curriculum and academic environment for students in Qatar as close as possible to that experienced by students in Texas.\nThe Education City environment: The Emirate of Qatar has undertaken the development of Education City, an institution the Qatari government has been using to provide in-country access to American university degrees for its citizens and others in the Gulf Region. The Education City initiative allows the Qatari government to provide access to American style education to a broader spectrum of male students, who have traditionally been sent abroad for higher education, and to expand opportunities for higher education to female students as well. The Qatari initiative is based on forging partnerships with selected American universities for signature programs delivered on the Education City campus in Doha, Qatar. Texas A&M entered into the partnership in 2003 to provide undergraduate engineering degrees in four fields: petroleum engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and chemical engineering. Other partner universities currently with active programs in Education City are Weill-Cornell Medical College, which provides medical education; Carnegie Mellon University, which teaches computing science and business administration; Georgetown University, which teaches international affairs and foreign service; and Virginia Commonwealth University, which provides art and design degrees in an all-female student environment.Each partner university in Education City has contracted separately with the Qatar Foundation to provide their respective degree programs. Each institution functions autonomously, handling its own staffing and operations and managing all the aspects of its instructional programs. Library services are also provided within the context of each institution's contract with the Qatar Foundation. Each institution is responsible for providing information resources and services to its own students and faculty.The master plan for Education City calls for each partner university to have its own building. In 2003, when TAMU started its programs in Qatar (TAMUQ), only the Virginia Commonwealth building and the Weill-Cornell building were constructed, and a third \"Liberal Arts\" building was nearing completion. For the first semester of operation TAMUQ operated in part of the space in the Weill-Cornell facility, and later that academic year the TAMUQ programs relocated into the new Liberal Arts facility, sharing space with an Academic Bridge Program (ABP). In the Liberal Arts building the TAMUQ library shares space with the Bridge Program. The collections for the two programs are developed and maintained separately, but both programs share reader space and a common public service point. Users in each program are allowed to check out materials from either collection and use online resources provided in the building.\nBasic collection building for TAMUQ: The principle underlying the Qatari government's Education City initiative is to bring to the country and the Gulf region fully realized American higher educational opportunities; thus, each partner institution agrees to exercise the same rigor in its admissions, insofar as possible to use faculty from the home institution to deliver instruction, and to provide a level of instructional support equal to that available to students and faculty on the home campus. Adhering to this principle, the TAMU Libraries undertook to develop services and collections to support the four undergraduate engineering degrees that would be offered in Doha.Texas A&M University Libraries has long been aggressive in adopting electronic resources in support of teaching and research, having been among the early adopters of time-shared information retrieval services back in the 1970s and one of the first institutions to move into online end-user searching and locally mounted CD-ROM services in the 1980s. Since the late 1990s TAMU has licensed the key web-delivered electronic research tools and has been an early participant in \"big deal\" purchases of electronic journal packages. By the fall of 2003 TAMU had access to some 400 databases and over 25,000 full text journals from publishers such Elsevier, Springer, Academic, and Wiley. Since these resources were heavily weighted toward the needs of users in the sciences and engineering, they formed the cornerstone of the services and collections to support the new TAMUQ programs. The information technology infrastructure for the Qatar campus is a state of the art implementation, based on the Internet2 Abilene network. In this environment students and faculty at TAMUQ have connectivity as powerful and responsive as if they were on the College Station campus. TAMU Libraries staff contacted the university's current licensors and obtained their permission to extend access to the faculty and students of the TAMUQ program. By extending licenses so that TAMUQ IP addresses were added to authorization lists with database vendors the library avoided the necessity of using slower and more problematic access via proxy servers.The library staff reviewed existing database and journal licenses and deemed them to be generally adequate to support the instruction of the first freshman class entering the program in Fall 2003. (The TAMUQ program is being implemented on a class-by-class basis over four years, with a new freshman class being added each year.) Because the physical collection of materials was planned to be small, however, the decision was made to supplement existing database resources with selected additional electronic resources thought to be of particular value to students at the Qatar campus. The additional licenses that were initially negotiated to supplement TAMU electronic holdings are listed in Table I. While the bulk of the databases selected to support the TAMUQ Library operation are clearly scientific and technical in nature, some general or social science oriented resources were also selected in order to provide better online coverage for some of the required core lower division courses in the liberal arts.The electronic resources, regardless how rich and diverse, are inadequate to serve all the needs of the TAMUQ students and faculty, so during the early stages of planning the TAMU Libraries identified a vendor to supply what would be a small and highly targeted print collection. The vendor provided assistance in the early days of the project to create an opening day collection, tailored to the narrowly focused disciplines being taught by TAMUQ. Once the initial collection was acquired, the emphasis in collection building has been on strengthening the reference collection. Table II provides details regarding the LC class distribution of vendor supplied volumes over the past two academic years both for reference materials and the circulating collection. As the table indicates, collecting emphasis during the initial year of operation focused on building a basic circulating collection, with circulating titles outnumbering reference titles by nearly ten to one. In the second year the overall pace of collection growth has moderated, and the emphasis has been on strengthening the reference collection, with reference titles surpassing circulating titles by some four to three. There has been also a significant interest among the TAMUQ faculty to make copies of course textbooks available on reserve, so a significant number of volumes have been added to the collection through purchases from the College Station campus bookstore.Given the minimal library staffing in the early stages of the program, it was important that physical management of a print collection - especially cataloging and circulation functions - be held to an absolute minimum on site in Doha. Consequently, the decision was made to use the TAMU Libraries' Voyager system to manage both catalog access and circulation/reserves functions centrally from the main campus. Circulation functions were very straightforward. TAMU Libraries staff created a new circulating site within the Voyager system, defining the necessary policy tables for the user categories at TAMUQ and creating the required holding locations for the new branch library. Separate opening and closing calendars had to be created in order to accommodate the TAMUQ academic calendar which observes a mixture of both TAMU and Qatari holidays. In addition, TAMUQL circulation routines had to be established to account for the time differences between the main campus and Doha. Depending on the time of year, Doha is eight or nine hours ahead of College Station, so the normal computer system updates for the integrated library system that are scheduled for late night in College Station occurs in the middle of the work day in Qatar. For the most part a midday shift to offline circulation has been all that has really been required by TAMUQL staff, since even during system backup, online catalog access is maintained.In the year prior to the TAMUQ proposal, the TAMU Libraries had had satisfactory experience with vendor-supplied cataloging and shelf-ready delivery of selected categories of volumes emanating from its approval plan. Based on this positive experience, the Libraries required such a service as essential for the vendor serving TAMUQ. Thus, as many volumes as possible are delivered to TAMUQ Library with property stamps and spine labels. Processed volumes are shipped directly to the library in Doha, and cataloging records are delivered electronically to College Station, where they are loaded into the Voyager system and flagged as part of the TAMUQ collection.There are still, however, a significant number of volumes being added to the TAMUQ collection that need cataloging. In most cases such volumes are rush items ordered at the request of TAMUQ faculty, items of local interest in the Gulf region that have been ordered to supplement the TAMUQ academic collections, or simply titles for which the vendor has been unable to supply cataloging copy at the time of shipment. Such items are labeled temporarily and made available to users in Doha. TAMUQ staff then make photocopies of title page, verso of title page, last numbered page, and other information potentially relevant to creating a bibliographic description. That information is then sent to College Station where catalogers create full bibliographic and item records and generate permanent spine labels, which are returned to Doha to complete the processing cycle. In the two years that the program has been in operation, this arrangement has worked very smoothly, and the collection has grown to approximately 4,100 volumes. The vendor has been able to supply over 80 percent of print volumes shelf ready, with the College Station cataloging department having to process the remaining additions to the collection.\nLibrary services: After a frantic summer of activity getting faculty and staff hired and relocated to Doha, setting up classrooms and offices, building a computing infrastructure, and establishing a library, TAMUQ welcomed its first freshman class of 30 students on 25 August 2003. Access to library electronic resources was a key component of student orientation, and from the beginning of the program students have been steady users of these resources. Since 2003 the electronic resources base for the university has grown to approximately 500 databases and some 39,000 electronic full text journals. While comprehensive data on usage of licensed databases by students and faculty at TAMUQ is not available, one indication of use has been the usage of ScienceDirect, the full-text journal service from Elsevier Science, Inc. In the first six months of 2005 there were 920 requests for full text journal articles from ScienceDirect resources by the students and faculty at TAMUQ. Since instruction at TAMUQ for its first two years has been at the freshman and sophomore level, and the total user population in Doha is under 125, these numbers are predictably on the low side since usage of electronic resources has been in databases focused more on liberal arts fields or at introductory level materials in scientific and technical fields. Even so, the 920 articles downloaded from ScienceDirect represents some 8.76 uses per user for the TAMUQ population, compared to the 6.63 users per user for the total Texas A&M user population for the same period. As TAMUQ user population grows with the addition of the third cohort of students along with more faculty to teach them, and as students move into upper division coursework in their majors, we anticipate that use of resources such as ScienceDirect will increase significantly in the future.In anticipation that even the deep collections of electronic resources and the physical collection on site in Doha would still be insufficient to satisfy all the needs of students and faculty, the TAMU Libraries extended its deliverEdocs document delivery service to TAMUQ users. The deliverEdocs service, based on the ILLIAD interlibrary management software, allows Texas A&M University students and faculty to place requests for print materials held in the library's own collections or at another library. For TAMU, library-owned materials staff retrieve and scan the requested articles or book chapters if less than 50 pages long, post the scanned documents on a controlled web site, and notify the requester that the item is available online for retrieval and downloading. For locally owned items that cannot be scanned the library staff retrieve the material and route it to the circulation desk in the library system that is most convenient to the requester. And for items not owned by Texas A&M the deliverEdocs request is converted to an interlibrary loan request and handled following normal ILL procedures. This is a service that has been offered without charge to all Texas A&M students and faculty since its inception in 2002. It has proven to be an effective means of expediting delivery of information to all users, but especially for library users located at a distance from the main campus. It has proven to be especially popular with users at TAMUQ. Table III illustrates the rapid growth in both interlibrary loan and in-house document delivery requests that have been filled for TAMUQ students and faculty in the first two years of operation.\nConclusion: Through the combination of a rich offering of electronic resources available at each user's workstation, highly responsive document delivery services for those items not available electronically, and a small but well-selected print collection onsite the TAMUQ library has succeeded in providing information services rivaling those available to users on the Texas A&M main campus in College Station. This is a service model that, with some variations, is used by most of the institutional partners in Education City. Planning is currently underway for a central library facility for Education City to be completed sometime in 2008. This Education City Central Library's mission is continuing to evolve during the planning process, but it will likely focus its activities on services supporting the liberal arts and sciences core coursework that is common among the degree programs within Education City plus broader services to the educational system in the country. Once the Central Library is operational, library services for each of the partner institutions is anticipated to refocus along the lines of branch libraries supporting the narrower course work at upper division and potentially graduate level.\n",
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},
{
"content": "Purpose: - To discuss the challenges of developing a branch library of Texas A&M University Libraries to serve the faculty and students in a new degree-granting program as part of Education City in Qatar. The goal of the program is to provide students in Qatar an authentic \"Aggie\" education and experience.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - Discusses the development of this new branch library to support undergraduate degrees in electrical, mechanical, chemical and petroleum engineering.\nFindings: - Library service in support of these degrees was developed so that duplication of resources and size of collections that had to be managed in Qatar were minimized. The TAMUQ library has successfully provided a full range of information services in support of this innovative collaboration between the university and the government of Qatar.\nOriginality/value: - This paper provides a model for the development of a branch library using the resources of the main campus as much as possible.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Building a pre-Code video collection
|
[
"Modern history",
"Regulation",
"Film",
"Special libraries",
"Cinema"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: the rise of pre-Code Hollywood: The Great Depression of the 1930s gave birth to a little-known era of Hollywood filmmaking that defied the censorship restrictions of the day. Though the Hays Code (named after censorship maven William H. Hays) had existed since the early 1920s as a prohibitory list of \"don'ts\" and \"be carefuls\", it was routinely ignored by Hollywood during the late 1920s to early 1930s. Film historians define the \"pre-Code\" era as beginning in March 1930 and ending in July 1934, when strict enforcement of the Code began. These years encompass the end of the \"silent\" era and the early \"talkies\", when movies were transformed by sound.Film historians agree that \"pre-Code\" films are valuable historical documents that capture the flavor and morality of American life between the end of the Roaring Twenties and the worst years of Depression. In the 1990s, thanks to film critics such as Leonard Maltin, the popularity of cable channels such as Turner Classic Movies, and the success of repertory film festivals highlighting forgotten 1930s films, pre-Code films have been rediscovered and lauded for their mature treatment of controversial themes. Debunking the myth that Hollywood films before the 1960s were sanitized, highly idealized versions of American life, pre-Code films are notable for their casual and offhanded treatment of extramarital sex, adultery, prostitution, interracial liaisons, and same-sex relationships. For example, the first lesbian relationship and gay bar depicted on film was during the pre-Code era. Some films even tackle issues that few films would dare even look at today.Defining characteristics of pre-Code cinema\nBuilding a pre-Code video collection: Building or expanding an existing world cinema collection can span both scholarly and entertainment purposes. Scholarship can involve the study of pre-Code films within the broader context of the Hollywood film industry in terms of its history as well as within a general historical cinema context. The collection can also be viewed as representative of cultural and social history. In an atmosphere relatively free of censorship, pre-Code films provide a candid look at how the US population viewed women, minorities, and gays during the early twentieth century.In addition, these films can be studied for their production values and as products of the now-antiquated Hollywood studio system, which lasted until the entry of television into American households. Analysis of these films in terms of screenwriting, filming, production, and distribution methods can also achieve the goal of scholarship. A focus on pre-Code cinema and its resources will broaden the existing collection of any academic or large public library. My discussion will provide guidelines on building a pre-Code cinema collection from available resources.Methodology\nGenres within pre-Code film: In order to develop a pre-Code film collection, it is helpful to define genres within the pre-Code era. Genres such as the gangster, comedy, musical, romance, and horror film may be helpful. There are many films, however, that cross genres.The kept woman/good girl turned prostitute\nConclusion: This research has focused on the inclusion of pre-Code films and resources in an academic or large public library special collection. Discussion of the history and characteristics of pre-Code film have been highlighted. Key films, actors, and directors as well as major studios have been discussed in relation to the genres that exist within pre-Code cinema. Suggested titles in the core collections include Academy Award winners and nominees, as well as key films that exhibit elements particular to each genre.The suggested reference resources have been sorted into two categories, general and specific to the topic. Web sites listed encompass both general and review sources as well as commercial web sites that sell pre-Code films. These titles can be used to support academic programs in American history (between the wars), women's studies, black history, and gay and lesbian studies. As artifacts of popular culture, these films can be used to generate classroom discussions and foster critical thinking about how these groups were portrayed during a time of great economic and social upheaval. For example, black studies courses can examine how African-Americans were depicted before and after the code, using the pre-Code Hallelujah! (1929) versus a post-Code film like Cabin in the Sky (1943). Long before feminism and the sexual revolution, the comedic film, Female (1933) entertained the possibility of having a woman CEO lead an all-male car company while exercising her sexual freedoms.I believe any academic or special collection in an academic or public library would benefit from the inclusion of pre-Code film in the aforementioned disciplines. A list of pre-Code films currently available on video can be found in Appendix 1.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - This paper aims to focus on a group of films that were made during a little-known period of Hollywood filmmaking known as the \"pre-Code\" era. It seeks to provide an overview, historical background, and a general discussion about censorship and the cinema.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - This research examines key actors, directors, and films that exemplify the characteristics of \"pre-Code\". The criteria for inclusion set by this study take into account not only their subject matter, but their availability on home video.\nFindings: - This comprehensive bibliography includes information on some of the actors who appeared in these films as well as summaries of select films. Commercial web sites that distribute and sell pre-Code films are also presented. Key actors, directors, films, and companies that were involved in the production of pre-Code films are identified and discussed. General reference works about film are highlighted as well as web sites, blogs, and other online resources that provide reviews and detailed discussions of pre-Code Hollywood films.\nOriginality/value: - The article offers guidelines for building a pre-Code video collection and discusses why its subject matter is of interest to academia, especially in regard to women's and ethnic studies courses.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Effect of swine-waste bio-char on the water absorption characteristics of cement pastes
|
[
"Sustainability",
"Concrete",
"Cement",
"Bio-char",
"Swine-waste",
"Water absorption"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Portland cement is a globally accepted binder that is incorporated in concrete and mortars used in the construction of new concrete buildings and infrastructure, as well as in the repair, remediation, adaptation, and maintenance of defective or damaged concrete structures (MacDonald, 2008). The performance of concrete buildings and infrastructure in service are subjected to the conditions in their surrounding environment. Most of the deteriorating influences from the environment begin from the surface of the concrete buildings and eventually negatively affect the inner concrete structure. In order to extend the service life of concrete structures, it is important to improve the resistance of concrete surfaces to unfavorable environmental conditions (Hou et al., 2015). As a critical component of the concrete material, improvements in the properties of cement, admixtures, and partial cement replacement materials contribute to the development of more resistant concrete surfaces, and consequently more durable concrete structures (Matos and Sousa-Coutinho, 2012).\nReview of literature: While aging minimizes water absorption in concrete, low water/cement ratios and polymer modified cements have been used to develop dense and impermeable concrete to reduce water absorption in concrete (Verma and Ahmed, 2016; Ramli et al., 2013; Hossain et al., 2015; Matos and Sousa-Coutinho, 2012). In these cements, synthetic polymer phases are dispersed through the cement paste and used to seal the pores and microcracks developed during the hardening of the cement matrix (Ramli et al., 2013). Furthermore, other commercially available concrete coatings and sealers comprising of silicon, silane, silicate, siliconate, acrylic, epoxy, and urethane have been used to protect concrete (Verma and Ahmed, 2016). Although polymer modified mortars using synthetic rubber latexes and thermoplastic emulsions have been known to improve concrete durability, there are some concerns about their negative environmental impacts (Roy et al., 2001). Consequently, the use of more environmental-friendly (renewable) concrete admixtures and PCRMs in developing more sustainable concrete composites with improved performance and durability has been a recent research focus. The use of pozzolans is encouraged as it improves concrete durability in aggressive environments (Hossain et al., 2015; Matos and Sousa-Coutinho, 2012). The utilization of industrial wastes as PCRMs could significantly enhance the water resistance of concrete, thereby mitigating, unwanted freezing, thawing, and the growth of microbes and weeds, which will ultimately improve the durability of the concrete (Nath and Sarker, 2011; Matos and Sousa-Coutinho, 2012). It is in this context that swine-waste bio-char (SB), a waste product from the processing of bio-binder from swine-manure is of interest in this study.\nExperimental materials and methods: Experimental materials were Portland cement, SB, and water. Type 1/1A Portland cement met the standard composition requirements specified by the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM). It was purchased from a Home Depot store at North Carolina. Cement has a specific gravity of 3.15, and the bulk density of bagged cement is approximately 1000-1300 kg/m3. Mixing water was obtained from the Soils Laboratory at NC A&T State University. SB340 is the black carbon filtrate that was obtained from the sustainable infrastructural materials laboratory, which had implemented a thermochemical process (340oC under limited oxygen conditions for 80 minutes) to extract bio-oils from swine-manure (Fini et al., 2011). SB340 was obtained after the filtration process used to separate SB from oil. Beyond the heat treatment of 340oC, SB340s received additional treatments at 400oC, 600oC, and 800oC for 2 hours in a laboratory furnace in the presence of nitrogen gas, yielding specimens SB400, SB600, and SB800, respectively.\nResults and discussions: Physical characteristics of SBs\nConclusion: This research investigated the effect of SB on the water absorption characteristics of cement pastes. Research findings showed that treatment temperatures during SB production greatly affected SB surface functional groups and textural properties, which ultimately had a significant effect on the water absorption characteristics of SB modified cement pastes. WAPs of cement pastes with SBs produced at the Low Treatment Temperatures, were significantly lower (p<0.01) than pastes with SBs produced at the HTTs. Under the experimental conditions, the LTT-SBs, particularly SB340 with a 15 percent cement replacement percentage, demonstrated the best potential to reduce water absorption in cement pastes. This was attributed to the dominant presence of hydrophobic alkyl surface functional groups, as well as to their lower surface areas and pore volumes. On the other hand, the cement pastes with HTT-SBs, particularly SB600, demonstrated the least potential to reduce water absorption. These pastes were similar to the control pastes. This was attributed to the fact that at HTTs, there was significant decarbonation/devolatilization of the amorphous hydrophobic alkyl chains leaving behind mostly the crystalline and aromatic Sp2 hybridized carbon moieties which are relatively more hydrophilic in nature. Additionally, the relative increase in the water absorption of HTT-SB cement pastes was due to the relative increase in the presence of SB mineral oxides/salts which are polar and further enhance the absorption of water. Also, low water/binder ratios and aging reduced water absorption in SB pastes.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of an admixture, Swine-waste Bio-char (SB), on the water absorption characteristics of cement pastes.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The effect of SB percentages, heat treatment temperatures, water/binder ratios, and age on the water absorption percentages (WAPs) of SB modified cement pastes were investigated using scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectra, FTIR, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller, and laboratory experiments.\nFindings: The WAPs of cement pastes with SBs produced at the low treatment temperature (LTT) of 340degC and 400degC were significantly lower (p<0.01) than pastes with SBs produced at the high treatment temperature (HTT) of 600degC and 800degC. This was attributed primarily to the more dominant presence of hydrophobic alkyl surface groups from non-volatilized matter in LTT-SBs. This had also resulted in lower surface areas and pore volumes in LTT-SBs. As a result of the volatilization of these labile hydrophobic groups at HTT, HTT-SBs were more hydrophilic and had higher surface areas and pore volumes. Consequently, HTT-SB pastes had higher WAPs and no significant differences (p<0.05) existed between HTT-SB pastes and control pastes. Also, low water/binder ratios and aging reduced water absorption of SB modified cement pastes.\nPractical implications: LTT-SBs reduce water absorption and could reduce concrete deterioration; and as such, associated building repair, maintenance, and adaptation costs. Notably, reductions in concrete water absorption will extend the service life of concrete buildings and infrastructures, particularly in unfavorable environmental conditions. The observed benefits are tempered by the current lack of information on the effects of SB on compression strength, workability, and other durability properties.\nSocial implications: SB utilization in concrete buildings will enhance swine-waste disposal and reduce negative environmental impacts on swine farming communities; consequently, improving their quality of life.\nOriginality/value: Current bio-char research is focused on plant-derived bio-char toward soil remediation and contaminant removal, with very limited applications in concrete. This research advances knowledge for developing livestock-derived bio-char, as a PCRM, toward more sustainable and durable concrete structures.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Conundrum of resource sharing in Zimbabwe: a case of academic libraries
|
[
"Zimbabwe",
"Networking",
"Resource sharing",
"Library consortia",
"Library cooperation",
"Open access"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The proliferation of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has strengthened the capacity of academic libraries to share resources irrespective of time. Igwe (2010) has highlighted the voluminous growth of published documents, increasing the cost of information resources, global economic downturn and technological advancements that offer newer methods of information processing, retrieval and dissemination as some of the factors necessitating resource sharing among academic libraries. In the same vein, Muthu (2013) cites the voluminous growth of published documents, increasing the cost of information sources, evolving technologies and the advancements that offer novel methods of information processing, retrieval and dissemination as key factors necessitating resource sharing.\nResearch questions: The study will be guided by the following research questions:\nResearch methodology: The researchers opted for a qualitative research design. Vaismoradi et al. (2013) noted that qualitative approaches share a common denominator in that they seek to arrive at an understanding of a particular phenomenon from the perspective of those experiencing it. The researchers chose qualitative research because of its potential to provide an in-depth understanding of the underlying reasons and motivations for resource sharing. Rosenthal (2016) argues that qualitative research provides insights into the question of \"why\" people engage in particular actions or behaviours. Data was collected through interviews and document analysis. A purposive sample of 32 participants drawn from 10 academic librarians located in Zimbabwe was employed for the study. The participants were chosen because of their involvement in resource-sharing activities. The participants were drawn from the two library consortia, namely, the College and Research Libraries Consortium (CARLC) and the Zimbabwe University Libraries Consortium (ZULC; 2019). Data for the study was collected using structured interviews. The interview questions were meant to seek answers to current issues surrounding resource sharing. The questions covered the following themes: status of resource sharing, factors affecting resource sharing, role of library consortia in resource sharing and strategy to enhance resource sharing among academic libraries in Zimbabwe. The researcher used thematic analysis to analyse the data. Thematic analysis is an independent qualitative descriptive approach that enables the researcher to identify, analyse and report patterns within data (Vaismoradi et al., 2013).\nLiterature review: According to Khiste (2017), ICTs are an integral part of all aspects of the library and their adaptation in libraries has enhanced resource sharing. According to the author, the changing dimensions of library resources have also radicalised the modes of resource sharing for better results. For Khiste (2017), e-resources remain key to online resource sharing, with the e-journal assuming a central role in the process.\nHistory and role of consortia in Zimbabwe: The development of library consortia in Africa has been made possible through local and international cooperative and collaborative initiatives. The International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) and the Electronic Information for Libraries Network (EIFLNET) have played a significant role in the development of African library consortia among university libraries. These initiatives have helped to facilitate resource sharing and capacitate academic librarians with knowledge and skills in the management of library consortia and resource sharing for wider access to scholarly publications (Okojie, 2010). The development of library consortia in Zimbabwe has given impetus to inter-institutional cooperation among academic libraries. Samea (2015) traced the history of Zimbabwe University Library Consortium (ZULC) to the beginning of the twenty-first century. ZULC aims to provide resource sharing among member libraries to face financial problems and to preserve information resources (Samea, 2015).\nStatus of resource sharing in Zimbabwe: Resource-sharing activities among ZULC members take different forms that include ILLs, e-resource sharing, conferences, workshops, workplace learning and metadata. ILLs still play a central role in libraries in spite of the advent of ICTs and they continue to provide for the unmet needs of users. Williams and Woolwine (2011) distinguish between two types of ILL transactions, namely, where the library as an institution borrows material from another institution and where the library as an institution lends material to another institution. Their study conducted in the USA confirmed that even though libraries subscribed to licensed databases with full-text content, ILL remained a constant for service. The response of the participants of the study confirmed that ILL remains an important resource-sharing activity as either academic libraries borrow material from other institutions or they lend to other institutions. This corroborates the findings of other recent studies done by Khiste (2017) and Williams and Woolwine (2011). ILLs are thus still popular among academic libraries. The form of ILL is characterised by informal arrangements between libraries according to the participants of this study. Even though the advent of ICTs heralded the demise of ILL, academic libraries nevertheless continue to be engaged in key functions that have characterised the library service for ages (Figure 1).\nHow can resource sharing among academic libraries be enhanced?: The study found out that there were variations in the library systems used by academic libraries in Zimbabwe with some using Free Open Source Software, whereas others using proprietary software depending on institutional budgets and preferences. This scenario makes it difficult to develop a consortial catalogue because of a lack of interoperability among integrated library management systems. The study found out that academic libraries relied more on institutional rather than consortial catalogues. The study noted that academic libraries needed to adapt an integrated library management system that has interoperability tools and technologies to enhance resource sharing. Ponelis and Adoma (2018) viewed open-source integrated library management systems, for example, KOHA as an alternative to proprietary software because of the embedded interoperable tools and technologies as well as the flexibility of the systems. The study found out that academic libraries and consortia were facing challenges in setting up their holdings in WorldCat. This was attributed to the fact that members of the consortia were in different stages of development compounded by financial constraints because of prevailing economic challenges in Zimbabwe. The ideal is for the academic libraries to use WorldCat rather than having separate local, consortial than WorldCat.\nProposed model for resource sharing among academic libraries in Zimbabwe: The proposed model places member libraries on the same level in spite of their status in terms of funding and other resources. The model is a strategy based on the principle of egalitarian access to scholarship. It builds on the strengths of all members to build capacity for self-sustenance and bargaining power in negotiating a licence to scholarship. It serves as a bulwark against the paywall by building the capacity to share resources among libraries in a developing country. The advancement towards the sharing economy and collaborative consumption provides academic libraries with an opportunity to rethink new strategies to overcome institutional insularity and paralysis. It is through collaboration that separate development about access to scholarships can be demolished and a new feature free from the caprices of market forces will emerge, courtesy of resource-sharing initiatives.\nConclusion: The study explored the resource sharing conundrum among academic libraries in Zimbabwe. The researchers proposed a model that can be useful in enhancing resource sharing among academic libraries in Zimbabwe. The study recommends that there should be a policy that obliges all members of the consortia to use interoperable systems to develop a consortial catalogue. The study also found out that it was important for member institutions source resources so that they work with the world's largest network of content and services, namely, the WorldCat among other discovery services. The model will be useful in supporting the teaching, learning and research activities of academic libraries in Zimbabwe. It will broaden and widen the academic library networks for the benefit of key stakeholders including students and staff.\n",
"role": "user"
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"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the challenges and opportunities for Zimbabwe's academic libraries in their endeavour to provide quality services. It will examine how library consortia, namely, the Zimbabwe University Library Consortium (ZULC) and the College and Research Libraries Consortium (CARLC), have been able to provide for the information needs of their users at a time when budgets are inadequate and subscription costs to journals remain unaffordable. It will examine how academic libraries, through resource sharing platforms, have been able to exploit ubiquitous technologies and build on from the traditional interlibrary loan (ILL). The paper will recommend a strategy based on a model to strengthen access to scholarship through resource sharing.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The researcher opted for a qualitative research design. A purposive sample of 32 participants drawn from ten academic librarians located in Zimbabwe was used to collect the information. The participants were chosen because of their involvement in resource-sharing activities. The participants were drawn from the two library consortia, namely, CARLC and ZULC. Data for the study was collected using structured interviews.\nFindings: The findings revealed that resource sharing was critical for the survival of academic libraries in Zimbabwe. The study found out that resource sharing was the only option to overcome the challenges of the paywall. It highlighted the need for a concerted effort of all academic institutions in adapting a model that provides for the diverse needs of members with regard to widening access to scholarship. However, in spite of the success of library consortia in enhancing resource sharing in Zimbabwe, there are challenges that require the concerted effort of all academic institutions in coming up with a model that best provides for the diverse needs of members with regard to resource sharing.\nPractical implications: The results of the study will be useful in providing a long-term strategy for enhancing resource sharing among academic libraries in Zimbabwe in their endeavor to support teaching, learning and research.\nOriginality/value: There is a scarcity of scholarly studies on resource sharing initiatives among academic libraries in Zimbabwe. This study is unique because it tackles the experiences of the academic libraries in overcoming the challenges of the paywall.\n",
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Why is so little marketing research on Latin America published in high quality journals and what can we do about it? : Lessons from a Delphi study of authors who have succeeded
|
[
"Marketing research",
"Journals",
"Delphi method",
"Latin America"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The need for more research on emerging markets has reached almost vox populi status in marketing. Calls for such research (Samiee and Athanassiou, 1998; e.g. Steenkamp, 2005; Okazaki and Mueller, 2007; Fastoso and Whitelock, 2010) are possibly a consequence of the fact that \"86 per cent of all marketing research is conducted in Europe, Japan and the US\" (Craig and Douglas, 2005, p. 451). Empirical research on emerging markets is important because established theories and empirical generalizations derived from data gathered in the developed world are not necessarily applicable to emerging markets (Steenkamp, 2005). Furthermore, research on emerging markets is a business necessity given that 80 per cent of world consumers now live in those markets (Burgess and Steenkamp, 2006). One of the neglected emerging market areas is Latin America.Although some attention has recently been paid to research in Latin America in the general management area (see e.g. special issues of the Journal of Business Research, Vol. 62, No. 9; Vol. 63, No. 7), several authors have pointed out that the region has largely been neglected both in the international business and marketing areas (Samiee and Athanassiou, 1998; Birnik and Bowman, 2007; Fastoso and Whitelock, 2007). This neglect is surprising given the substantive economic importance of a region with a population of over 550 million and a GDP (2009) of approximately US$ 4 trillion (International Monetary Fund, 2010). Possibly, the lack of research attention devoted to Latin America is a consequence of the substantial difficulties involved in conducting research in emerging markets in general, such as lack of marketing infrastructure as well as research tradition (Burgess and Steenkamp, 2006; Douglas and Craig, 2006). At the same time, two questions remain unanswered. The first one relates to precisely how scarce research in the marketing area based on Latin American data actually is. The second question relates to what the specific causes are for that scarcity. The answers to these questions are important as they would aid academics wishing to follow calls for such research in the emerging markets of Latin America to develop suitable strategies for making both the data gathering and its subsequent publishing in high quality journals more successful.Thus, in this paper, we explore the challenges involved in conducting and subsequently publishing marketing research based on data gathered in Latin America in high quality international journals. First, we conduct a systematic review of the literature aimed at identifying precisely how much research of such a nature has been published over the past decade. Subsequently, we present the findings of a Delphi study of the authors of that research discussing the specific challenges involved in both conducting such research and in subsequently publishing it. Finally, we discuss the academic implications of our study as well as its limitations.\n2. About conducting and publishing research in emerging markets: Conducting research in developing markets is generally seen as challenging on a number of grounds. Specifically for marketing researchers those challenges derive from the lack of availability of secondary data and market research infrastructure (e.g. marketing research suppliers), from the lower acceptance and understanding of marketing research (e.g. familiarity with the conventions used to collect data), and from a lack of availability of sampling frames (Malhotra et al., 1996; Cavusgil and Das, 1997; Craig and Douglas, 2005; Burgess and Steenkamp, 2006). It is probably because of those challenges that such research is scarce and that researchers in international business (Samiee and Athanassiou, 1998), marketing and advertising (Okazaki and Mueller, 2007; Fastoso and Whitelock, 2010) have called for more research to be conducted in Latin America, Africa and the Middle East in particular.While the literature has been clear in outlining the difficulties in conducting marketing research in emerging markets, it has not been as clear in providing solutions to the problems not only of conducting but also of publishing such research. For instance, in his \"call to arms\" for conducting international marketing research outside of the \"US Silo\", Steenkamp (2005, p. 6) suggests that \"to advance marketing as an academic discipline, we must examine the validity of our theories and models, as well as their generalizability and their boundary conditions, in international contexts\". This is a proposition with which most researchers will sympathize in principle. In practice, however, its implications are complex because Steenkamp seems to be calling for replications in marketing research. Similar earlier calls (e.g. Hunter, 2001; Wells, 2001) have remained largely unheeded, partly perhaps because of an \"overemphasis\" that journal reviewers and editors may put on creativity rather than external validation when evaluating research (Hunter, 2001, p. 149). More recently, a past editor of the Journal of Marketing and Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science underlines the problem with replications as he states that they \"are unlikely to be published in the 'better' marketing journals\" (Stewart, 2008, p. 421). As a consequence, while it is clear that research on emerging markets is seen as a research priority, the idea of testing the validity of concepts and ideas from developed countries in emerging markets does not seem to be a sensible route to publishing success, at least in high quality journals.Even if replications are avoided, reticence in embarking on studies of emerging markets may arise as a consequence of the fact that a substantial majority of papers published in high quality journals in the marketing field are based on data gathered in the developed world (Czinkota, 2000; Walters, 2001; Steenkamp, 2005; Rosenstreich and Wooliscroft, 2006). While top journals in the marketing area usually declare their openness to papers of any origin (see e.g. Rust, 2006), research has shown that over 70 per cent of papers published in top marketing journals are based on the USA (Rosenstreich and Wooliscroft, 2006)[1]. While this observation only confirms a correlation rather than a bias in the publishing process, it still raises questions about the likelihood of papers based on data from emerging markets, such as in Latin America, to be published in high quality journals under ceteris paribus conditions.The above discussion allows us to conclude that there is little guidance in the literature for authors interested in both conducting and subsequently publishing research based on data from Latin America in high quality journals. It shows that while the difficulties in conducting such research are discussed in general terms in the international marketing research literature, the specific challenges faced by the researcher interested in the Latin American context are not. Neither are the specific challenges in publishing such research in high quality journals discussed. This paper addresses these issues through two research questions (RQ):RQ1. How much marketing research has been published in high quality academic journals based on data gathered in Latin America?RQ2. What can researchers interested in conducting research in Latin America do in order to enhance their chances of gathering data and subsequently publishing results of their research in high quality journals?\n3. Method: In order to address RQ1, we adopted the systematic review approach, an approach widely employed in the international marketing field (e.g. Nakata and Huang, 2005; Whitelock and Fastoso, 2007; Hult et al., 2008). The aim of systematic reviews is to eliminate the biases inherent in traditional narrative reviews by adopting a \"replicable, scientific and transparent process\" (Tranfield et al., 2003, p. 209). We took a three-step approach consisting of the following:(1) the identification of suitable journals;(2) the determination of appropriate keywords to search online databases to identify relevant articles in those journals; and(3) the scrutiny of those articles in order to make sure that they were appropriate for the purposes of the study.We started by selecting the most influential journals in the fields where marketing papers could be expected to be published, i.e. international business, marketing and advertising. We selected journals in each area based on their quality and impact as assessed by previous journal reviews in the field. We chose the most important journals in the marketing field as identified by Hult et al. (1997), international business journals based on Dubois and Reeb (2000)[2] and advertising journals based on Henthorne et al. (1998) and Royne Stafford (2005). This procedure gave 17 journals as the basis for analysis (Table I).Subsequently, we defined appropriate search terms to identify the relevant papers in the selected journals using the online databases Proquest and EBSCO. Relevant papers were those focussing on marketing issues with a link to Latin America. Search terms focussed on the marketing nature of the papers were marketing, advertising, brand, branding, price, pricing and distribution. Search terms focussed on the Latin American link were Latin, South America and the names of all countries categorized as Latin American[3]. We searched the online databases for all articles published which combined at least one search term from each category in either their citation or abstract. That search gave over 150 articles. In order to ensure the currency of the experiences of authors to be contacted in the subsequent Delphi study, we limited the search to the last decade (2000-2010), obtaining a sample of 49 papers.We then scrutinized those articles so as to select only studies based on either empirical data gathered in Latin America or secondary data from a Latin American source. We thus left out articles based on secondary data obtained from international organizations like the International Monetary Fund as such articles would remain unaffected by the difficulties involved in conducting research in the Latin American region. We further omitted articles based on the content analysis of advertisements, as access to advertisements is relatively unproblematic. As a consequence of this scrutiny, we were left with a final sample of 22 articles.We used those articles as the basis for our Delphi study and contacted their authors. We chose this methodology as it provides for an interactive communication between us, the researchers, and the identified authors as experts in the process of conducting and publishing research based on data gathered in Latin America (cf. Czinkota and Ronkainen, 2005; Griffith et al., 2008). Following directions in the literature (Czinkota and Ronkainen, 2010, p. 264), we contacted the identified authors twice. The first time we asked them to contribute their broad views on the challenges involved in conducting and publishing research based on data gathered in Latin America. The second time we emailed them again and presented them with the aggregated information we had obtained in the first contact and asked them to comment on it.We first contacted the first author of each paper with a personalized email in August 2010. As some authors had published more than one article in our sample, 19 authors were contacted. The emails we sent included a mention of the article (or articles) that had triggered our contact and a request to contribute to our Delphi study by responding to three open-ended questions:(1) What do you think are the major challenges involved in conducting research in Latin America?(2) What do you think are the major challenges involved in publishing such research in high quality international journals?(3) What would be your recommendations to future researchers who want to gather data in Latin America and subsequently publish those results in a high quality international journal?We sent out two reminders after two and four weeks, respectively, and obtained contributions from 14 academics involved in 17 of the 22 studies in our sample. The resulting response rate of 77.3 percent exceeds that obtained by studies in the past (e.g. Griffith et al., 2008). The number of authors who offered their views in our study seemed appropriate and meaningful for the Delphi technique employed, which recommends contacting not more than 30 experts (Czinkota and Ronkainen, 2005). Once the first data collection round was completed, we emailed a summary of our findings to each participating author in October 2010 and asked them to contribute any additional views they might have. Over a third of the authors who had contributed to the first round of questions responded in the second round and commented that they had no major points to add.\n4. Findings and discussion: Results from the systematic review of the literature\n5. Conclusions: Out study contributes to the literature on marketing research in emerging markets in general and Latin America specifically. First, it assesses precisely how much research conducted in Latin America has been published in high quality journals over the past decade. Second, it presents the results of a Delphi study of the authors of that research focussed on deriving best practice recommendations on how to conduct marketing research in Latin America and subsequently publish it in high quality journals. In doing so, it supports calls for more marketing research in emerging markets by presenting authors with clear guidelines on what to do and what to avoid, derived from the views of those who managed to succeed in that process.There are, of course, limitations to this study. We made a decision regarding the choice of \"high quality\" journals to focus on. As a result, we cannot guarantee that every paper published based on data from Latin America has been included in our study. We also accept that there is no single definition of \"high quality\" in relation to journals and that our selection can be questioned. In this context, one expert made the following recommendation:Do not center your efforts to publish your research in the so called \"high quality international journals\". Look to position your paper in the right outlet. You want to create an impact. Search for alternative ways to do it.We value this comment greatly because it will remind readers that there are indeed good journals which, despite not being considered of the highest standing by the international academic community, may still be worthy outlets for research from Latin America - or any other region.However, the purpose of this paper was to shed light on how research on Latin America can make it into the top marketing and business journals and all advice included here must be read and understood from that perspective. It seems acceptable to us to opt out of targeting the top journals if appropriate and, indeed, sometimes understandable if that happens as a consequence of an unfairness, acknowledged or otherwise, intrinsic in the system (Svensson, 2005; Rosenstreich and Wooliscroft, 2006; Svensson et al., 2009). At the same time, we are confident that our focus on journals which are generally believed to be of higher quality is important and topical given that the quest for publications and citations in the most highly regarded journals is spreading internationally and defining academic careers not only in the USA but also abroad (cf. Stremersch et al., 2007; Seggie and Griffith, 2009). From that perspective, our study's aim was to provide authors with \"best practice\" advice to do so.\n",
"role": "user"
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"content": "Purpose: - First, this paper aims to uncover how much marketing research based on data gathered in Latin America has been published in high quality business and marketing academic journals over the past decade. Second, it seeks to present recommendations on best practice in conducting and publishing such research derived from a Delphi study of authors who succeeded in doing so.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The paper undertakes a systematic review of the literature to identify the relevant published papers coupled with a Delphi study of the authors of those papers.\nFindings: - Over the last decade only 22 papers were published in high quality journals in the marketing area based on data gathered in Latin America. The reasons for this scarcity explored in the Delphi study derive both from the way in which high quality journals operate as well as from how authors conducting research in that area of the world design their studies and subsequently present them in manuscripts submitted to journals. Key recommendations include: focusing on novelty rather than replications, ensuring that studies have implications beyond Latin America, and positioning the research appropriately.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The main implication is that research conducted in Latin America is publishable in high quality journals if approached in the appropriate manner.\nOriginality/value: - This is, to the authors' knowledge, the first study to analyse the challenges involved in conducting and publishing marketing research based on data gathered in Latin America in high quality journals as well as the first to present solutions to those challenges.\n",
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] |
The impact of R&D tax incentive programs on the performance of innovative companies
|
[
"R&D",
"Emerging countries",
"Developed countries",
"Corporate taxation",
"Innovative companies",
"R&D tax incentive programs"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Starting from the pioneering works of Modigliani and Miller (1963), the importance of corporate taxation for companies have been analyzed by numerous studies. The traditional views are that taxation has a significant impact on key characteristics of the firm (research and development (R&D) quality, capital structure and performance). However, a growing body in the corporate finance literature finds that innovative companies have their own features and determinants. In addition, government policies in the field of tax incentives significantly change the behavior of the companies. Motivated by this literature, this study investigates how corporate taxation under different R&D tax incentive programs affect the performance of innovative companies.\nLiterature review: Innovation has been one of the most popular areas of study in the commercial field during the past ten years. R&D investments are important components of a company's activity in the modern world. New products allow companies to increase their competitiveness, which is why worldwide corporate R&D investment levels are rising. The top largest 2,500 innovative companies from an European Union (EU) study (European Commission & Joint Research Centre, 2016) invested about EUR696.0bn in R&D in 2015/2016; this number has increased in comparison with the previous year with growth at 6.6 per cent. Figure 1 below shows the worldwide growth rate of R&D and net sales.\nHypotheses: Based on the literature review, it is expected that the corporate tax rate may have an impact on the performance of companies. This impact can be directed differently depending on the type of R&D tax incentive program.\nData: To test the hypotheses, data from a series of innovative companies from different countries were used. Before the data statistics are analyzed, the criteria for identifying innovative companies should be clarified.\nMethodology: Before we discuss the descriptive statistics of the data, the methodology should be presented. Based on the leading research, the following model was constructed:\nDescriptive statistics: Table IV provides the descriptive statistics, which were used in the model for the main variables. As can be seen, the minimal ROA of the innovative companies is more than zero, which could be connected with the fact that only the top R&D companies are included in the sample. However, as the mean variable is 0.09, there is an equal distribution of companies by an increase of performance. Figure 6 shows the mean return of assets and R&D expenses of innovative companies according to their tax incentive program. The companies, who use the super deduction program have much larger expenses relative to other companies, but the ROA figure is less than in other companies. This confirms our suggestion about the inefficiency of investments in R&D in the case of large tax incentives. In the cases, where tax credit programs and patent box regime were availed of, the level of weighted R&D expenses is similar, but the ROA of companies using the patent box program is higher. This situation may be explained by the fact that companies, who use the patent box program already have had some experience developing patents, so their prior R&D investments have proven to be successful and may, therefore, be allocated more effectively.\nResults: In this section, the results of the tested hypotheses will be presented. First of all, the hypotheses for the different impacts of various tax incentive programs were tested. As the scheme of the patent box is rather different, the first model was built based on the data of those companies, which use the tax credit and tax super deduction programs.\nConclusion: Investment in R&D is one of the main ways for many countries to become more competitive. The fact that knowledge is not completely excludable discourages companies from investing in R&D, so governments need to motivate firms. This article was devoted to the analysis of different R&D tax incentive programs. The literature review helped to clarify that the most widespread program is the R&D tax credit program (21 countries). The Tax Allowance program is similar and covers 16 countries. The patent box program is not as widespread but gives the opportunity to reduce the corporate tax rate.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This study aims to explore the influence of corporate taxation on the performance of innovative companies under various research and development (R&D) tax incentive programs.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The empirical model is based on the data of 520 companies for period 2007-2016. This model includes return on assets as the main proxy for performance and effective tax rate as a main explanatory variable. Controlling for other known determinants, the authors divide the sample into the subsamples to control for the various R&D tax incentive programs. The fact that the model includes the lagged explanatory variable of performance the Blundell -Bond model was applied.\nFindings: The authors found evidence that corporate taxation has a significant impact on performance, but the direction could be ambiguous. Impact of the corporate tax rate on performance in general sample is significantly negative, which is consistent with results obtained by authors for the non-innovative companies. However, for further examination, the authors use subsamples of companies with different R&D tax incentive programs. The effect of corporate tax becomes positive under the patent box program only. Moreover, under various R&D tax incentive program, the impact of main control variables has changed. Therefore, the authors conclude that not only corporate taxation but also R&D tax incentive programs significantly influence the performance of innovative companies.\nResearch limitations/implications: The data are limited due to fragmented information disclosure about the R&D tax incentive program used. Thus, a different data set might reveal new information and correlation between variable on the same topic. Moreover, the authors do not cover all R&D tax incentive programs, which are specified for companies and countries. However, the study fills the gap between corporate taxation, performance and innovative companies. As the significant result was found the further research is important. The study contributes not only in the field of research but also a practical one. The choice of R&D tax incentive program influences main indicators of companies' performance so it may change the behavior of the investors and decision-making managers of the companies.\nOriginality/value: Given the increasing interest in the topic of innovative companies, this study fills the gap between corporate taxation in innovative companies and performance. In addition, the importance of R&D tax incentive programs as a feature of innovative companies was found.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
E-skills gap a concern for EU: Competitiveness at risk in ICT economy
|
[
"Competitiveness",
"Communication technologies",
"E‐Skills",
"Europe",
"Europe 2020",
"Information technology",
"Job creation",
"Skills",
"Competitive strategy"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nCompelling and opportune time to focus on essential training: The European Commission is looking towards an innovative, inclusive and dynamic Europe based on a knowledge-based economy and society. European businesses need to be placed at the forefront of innovation to enhance business competitiveness; the employability and professional prospects of students, workers and the unemployed; and to support the social integration of those at the margins of civil society.There has never been a more compelling or opportune time in Europe's economic, industrial and societal development to focus on the essential training and development necessary for Europe to lead the world in innovation and in developing the industries of tomorrow. Fine words and aspirations, but are they being matched by action and results? The intent is clear but political strategies and agendas don't always succeed in getting the appropriately-skilled people available for the jobs.The Lisbon Strategy was launched in 2000, its intent to make the EU \"the most dynamic and competitive knowledge-based economy in the world.\" Its follow-up agenda, Europe 2020, highlights information and communication technologies (ICTs) as a crucial factor of socio-economic growth and job creation. The Digital Agenda of Europe 2020 focuses on ICTs' ability to reduce energy consumption, lessen carbon emissions, support ageing citizens' lives, revolutionize health services and deliver better public services. Further, it is expected that ICTs will increasingly drive productivity, sustainable growth, innovation and employment throughout the European economy in a myriad of ways.The question is whether Europe will be able to realize this potential. Is the EU's growth strategy for the coming decade on track? Neglecting the development of e-skills could have a serious impact on the medium to long-term performance of, not just organizations, but entire regions.\nMismatch in supply and demand for twenty first century competencies: In a study of how Europe is developing e-skills for competitiveness, growth and employment in the twenty first century, Sumanjeet Singh of the University of Delhi, India, says e-skills are central to European policies to boost competitiveness, growth and employability in order to maintain a leadership position through to 2020 and beyond. He concludes, however, that in the EU e-skills are still not seen as a long-term policy issue.In the long term, the demands for e-skills and ICT practitioners will continue to rise, as the use of ICTs spreads across all branches of the economy. On the supply side, however, the number of students graduating from and enrolled into ICT-related subjects, such as computer sciences, seems to be declining in European countries, resulting in a huge e-skills gap. There is also an increasing skill-quality gap.The e-skills gap drives the need for companies to pay unrealistic salaries, and encourages job-hopping among skilled practitioners. In addition, employers will have to rely on people who have less experience than required. To turn the situation around, says Dr Singh, it is crucial for the EU to rapidly adopt a long-term e-skills agenda to promote competitiveness, employability and workforce development, reduce the e-skills gap and be in a better position to address global competitive challenges.Strong - and permanent - efforts need to be made to extend the cooperation between public and private sectors, governments and institutions to improve human capital, and foster the acquisition and maintenance of e-skills. There must be collaboration between governments, academics, industry partners, and non-governmental organizations to find innovative ways to use the power of technology for improved social and economic development in the Europe of the twenty first century. It is also important to integrate education and ICT policy - involving curriculum changes - to generate more IT-savvy people equipped with e-skills.\nBasic IT skills increasingly required for a wide range of jobs: The e-skills gap is not only a problem for the ICT sector but for all sectors, both in manufacturing and services. It calls for new forms of governance, using all existing policy tools - from education and training to enterprise policy - in a flexible but nevertheless consistent manner. E-skills ought to be subject to a long-term policy agenda, which should include regular dialogue between member states and stakeholders, longer-term cooperation between public authorities and the private sector, academia, unions and other associations through the promotion of multi-stakeholder partnership and joint initiatives. The supply and demand of e-skills should be monitored and changes anticipated.Secondly, the establishment of an ICT Skill Certification Centre should be given serious consideration. Maintenance of high standards of ICT skills and the quality of how those skills are being taught are important challenges for every European country.For the individual, e-skills are becoming an important entry ticket to the job market or to move into better jobs. Nearly all industries, including medical, financial, industrial, and social support enterprises, increasingly require employees to have basic IT skills for a wide range of jobs. This is relevant across both blue-and white-collar positions.E-skills are increasingly needed to access job listings on the internet. Without these basic skills, job searchers will find their ability to find appropriate positions severely limited. Some employers advertise jobs solely online, and recruitment processes are increasingly electronic. In addition, a recent UK study focusing on the differences between users and non-users of the internet suggested a strong relationship between an individual's ability to use technology and their confidence in finding employment.E-skills benefit the individual in many ways. They save time, provide access to better information, allow easier communication with family and friends in word, pictures, and sound, save money - for instance through price-comparison websites - and give access to opportunities that are solely available through the internet, such as special low-cost airline tickets and employment service CV databases. Important as these individual benefits are, what can't be overestimated is the need for e-skills competency for business and the economy.\nComment: This review is based on \"Developing e-skills for competitiveness, growth and employment in the 21st century: the European perspective\" by Sumanjeet Singh. The paper points out e-skills shortages, gaps and mismatches in Europe, and identifies some of the reasons behind them. Several policy options are proposed which could address these shortcomings.\n",
"role": "user"
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"content": "Purpose: - This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.\nFindings: - The European Commission is looking towards an innovative, inclusive and dynamic Europe based on a knowledge-based economy and society. European businesses need to be placed at the forefront of innovation to enhance business competitiveness; the employability and professional prospects of students, workers and the unemployed; and to support the social integration of those at the margins of civil society.\nPractical implications: - The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations.\nOriginality/value: - The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to digest format.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
State-led cluster development initiatives: a brief anecdote of multimedia super corridor
|
[
"Malaysia",
"MSC",
"Policy-led cluster",
"Cluster policy"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Since the last decade, clusters have been practiced as one of the techniques to outdo the size limitations of SMEs and as an essential instrument for improving firm's productivity and innovativeness capacity and overall competitiveness. In order to achieve these benefits, firms as well as the regional governments in developed and developing countries are designing cluster policies. Through Marshall's (1890/1920) observations on textile industries in Lancashire, UK and Piore and Sabel's (1984) research on the \"Third Italy\", to Porter's (1990) work in Silicon Valley, the concept of the cluster is influencing the regional policy making. The concept of cluster is empirically and conceptually important within economic geography (Asheim et al., 2006), regional development and planning, management studies, communication studies and institutional economics (Ryan, 2004). In its simplest form, the cluster refers to a group of related or linked firms in a well-defined geographical area. Since the nature and dimensions of cluster concept are still evolving across multi-discipline literature, therefore it is still fuzzy and contested. In literature, various terms like agglomerations, geographic concentrations, spatial concentrations, localized industries/firms, growth poles, innovative milieu and industrial districts explain cluster (Maskell and Kebir, 2005). The most recent version or more precisely \"rebranding\", of the cluster was put forward by Economist Michael Porter (1990), which partly corresponds to the Marshallian model. Porter's theory is more (neo)-Schumpeterian than neoclassical, aiming at firms as an individual entity for economic growth (Asheim et al., 2006). Solvell (2009) stated that governments in order to kindle the dynamism and improvements in firms, develop cluster policies which have two categories; first, micro economic policies that influence the clusters on the general terms, for example; regional, trade or science and innovation policies at each government level. Second, more specific cluster polices targeting specific cluster issues like cluster policies to overcome networking failures and to resolve the information asymmetries. Porter (2000) and Ketels (2003) interpret clusters as a new paradigm of economic development in contrast to the narrow traditional sectorial policies. Resultantly, government interventions in cluster development can be observed in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Korea, China, Taiwan and other parts of Asia and Middle East. Recently, there is surge in planning and execution of cluster programs and initiatives in Europe as well. For example, Furre (2008) noticed that there is at least one operative cluster program in all EU nations. Therefore, both literature and practices in developed and developing countries have responded to cluster development through cluster-based policies (Enright, 2000; European Commission, 2002; Ketels, 2003; Solvell et al., 2003; Van der Linde and Porter, 2002).\nPolicy-led clusters: In a struggle to determine the appropriate role of the government in cluster development, scholars are distinguishing the cluster as spontaneous and policy-led clusters. For example, Chiaroni and Chiesa (2005) proposed two arrangements of clusters in Biotech industries: spontaneous clusters, that are the outcomes of the concurrent presence of enabling factors and policy-driven clusters, that are prompted by the strong obligation of government to set up the necessary conditions for cluster creation. In the same vein, Su and Hung (2009) conducted a longitudinal case study on two clusters; Bay Area in USA and Zhang jiang Hi-Tech (ZJHT) Park in China; the former is spontaneous and later is the policy-driven cluster. They concluded that although the recipe of success of these two clusters is the human and financial capital but the difference lies in the process of generating and distributing these resources. For instance, there is a mark difference in entrepreneurship, social capital and network designs. Su and Hung (2009) observed that spontaneous clusters are located in the western countries and policy-driven clusters are largely concentrated in the Asian countries. Their study accomplishes that spontaneous clusters have the capacity to evolve through venture capitalists and social capital structured by the entrepreneurs. This continuous evolution leads to the tight networking in the spontaneous clusters. In the Bay Area, robust entrepreneurship and social capital encourage tight networking. In contrast, ZJHT Park, which is planned by the government, has embryonic entrepreneurship and is deficient in social capital thus, has loose networking.\nCluster policy in Malaysia: According to Rasiah (2005) Malaysia enjoyed early stream of FDI inflows in the period 1971-1974, but subsequently, the export processing zones lost their performance due to various reasons including the failure of government coordination with the EPZ's firms and inappropriate policy measures for promoting differentiation and division of labor. Due to government's ad hoc administration no vital institution and networking could be developed, this in turn hampered learning and innovation. Swayed by the Japanese and Korean models and following the \"Look East Policy\" of 1980, the government strengthened domestic firms as well as deepened linkages internationally. Consequently, in 1986 first Industrial Master Plan (IMP) was launched that emphasized the role of export processing zones. First IMP 1986-1995 had three broad objectives (MITI, 1996, p. 7), first, to safeguard the continual growth of the economy by means of enhanced growth of the industrial sector. Second, to encourage the best and efficient utilization of the nation's natural resources using value-added manufacturing, and finally to lay the base for the development of local technological competencies.\nMalaysia's Silicon Valley: an assessment of multimedia super corridor (MSC): One of the success stories about Malaysia in terms of the high-tech, knowledge-based industrialization is establishment of MSC which was started with the vision of laying the foundation of K-Economy and aspired to become the \"Asian Silicon Valley\" as Ernst (2004) coined it \"Malaysian answer to Silicon Valley\". World class multimedia companies as well as local companies are encouraged to locate here to develop value added products (Mohan et al., 2002) in a large tract of land between the PETRONAS twin towers in the north to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in the South. This corridor holds two purpose built cities, namely Putrajaya (new administrative capital) and Cyberjaya (the core infrastructure of MCS is located here). It is proclaimed to be supported by the strengthened cyber laws, regulatory policies and range of attractive financial and non-financial incentives (Multimedia Development Corporation, 2004). This multibillion idea of the high-tech cluster was conceived in 1996 as a key enabler to push the country to achieve the objectives of \"vision 2020\", Malaysia's transformation as \"knowledge economy\" and \"developed nation status\" (Jarman and Chopra, 2008; Lepawsky, 2009).\nConclusion and implications: This review is the resume of cluster initiatives taken by the Malaysian Government for enhancing SMEs growth and competitiveness. As a newly industrialized country, Malaysia is advancing to the knowledge economy, therefore, the role of its SMEs as the carrier to the new economic era is realized. However, only scant work is available on the cluster analysis with respect to the evaluation of various established clusters in Malaysia. From the available literature, it is evident that the efforts and intentions of the government are beyond any doubts, but these clusters have yet to show the success as envisioned, with the exception to, E&E cluster of Penang.\n",
"role": "user"
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"content": "Purpose: The Malaysian Government through the interventionist stance created an enabling environment for SMEs. Deliberate efforts for economic development started in the form of Industrial Estates and Export Processing Zones since early 1990s. This paper is a brief account of government efforts and its result for cluster development, in the light of recent literature. It is found that despite consistent efforts, the Malaysian answer to Silicon Valley - Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) - could not become an industrial cluster in a strict manner of the term used in the industrial cluster literature. This review highlights an array of bottlenecks that impede the competitiveness of MSC. The critical observation is that the SME firms in this \"constructed cluster\" are not enjoying the benefits of co-location externalities rather consider government's financial support as an important factor affecting their co-location decision. In the absence of the significant qualitative research in the Malaysian cluster milieu, the purpose of this paper is the unique attempt to compile the previous results of significant work on the MSC and proposes future directions of research on policy-led clusters.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This paper synthesized and arranged most recent literature on economic development efforts made by Malaysian Government. Furthermore, it highlights the issues faced by policy-led cluster of MSC.\nFindings: There is scant research on policy-led clusters like MSC where government plays an instrumental role from conception of this ICT cluster to development of programs and initiatives for the sustainability of it. However, the review of recent studies indicates that MSC faces some limitations to perform as cluster. There is a strong evidence that firms are not enjoying the benefits of clustering rather are attracted toward the financial incentives offered by the government in return of the firms co-location decision.\nResearch limitations/implications: The theoretical contribution of the review is that it signals the scarcity of both breadth and depth of literature on policy-driven cluster. Although, few notable attempts indicated how cluster initiatives influence the clusters, yet various dimensions need to be explored in order to reach the conclusive findings. The current review provides a strong foundation for further empirical research. For example, the other possible avenues could be, cluster evaluation practices in policy-led clusters; enablers and barriers to innovation in policy-led clusters; development of comprehensive indicators for principled engagement, shared motivation and joint actions in collaborative initiative development and the relational dimension of networks like technological distance between the focal firms and local SMEs.\nPractical implications: The review highlights that government agencies and the firms in the policy-led clusters perceive the cluster initiatives differently. For government an initiative may be a success but for firms it may be just eyewash. This perceptual difference can disrupt the government efforts for this cluster. Firms are dependent on Multimedia Development Corporation. They consider themselves as a guest in the cluster and expect that government will provide everything. Mere presence/attendance of firms in the programs may not indicate the effectiveness of the initiative.\nOriginality/value: The prime objective of the review was to highlight an array of bottlenecks that impede the competitiveness of MSC to become an ICT cluster. Since there is a dearth of significant qualitative research in the Malaysian cluster milieu particularly with respect to cluster initiatives taken in MSC, this review therefore is a unique attempt that compiles the previous results of significant work on a policy-driven MSC (ICT cluster) and proposes future direction of research on policy-led clusters.\n",
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Laparoscopic management of tubal ectopic pregnancy: Audit of a district general hospital experience
|
[
"Microsurgery",
"Pregnancy",
"Auditing",
"United Kingdom"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The accurate diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy can now be made at an early stage using sensitive pregnancy tests and high-resolution transvaginal ultrasound. This in turn has resulted in major changes in the options available in the treatment of tubal pregnancy (Hajenius et al., 2000).Laparoscopic excision of a tubal pregnancy has been used with increasing frequency since its first introduction in the last quarter of twentieth century (Shapiro and Alder, 1973). Different laparoscopic techniques for the treatment of ectopic pregnancy have been described (Silva, 1988). These techniques have been associated with lower cost and morbidity. Pregnancy rates in patients wishing to preserve fertility have been similar to those found after laparotomy (Pouly et al., 1986).This study was designed to assess the surgical management of tubal ectopic pregnancy and to determine adherence to the evidence-based guidelines policy of the obstetrics and gynaecology department at City Hospital, Birmingham.\nSubjects and methods: This audit was carried out at City Hospital, Birmingham, UK. It comprised all patients with ectopic pregnancy diagnosed in the period from October 2001 to December 2002. Cases were identified from the theatre register, and case notes retrieved from medical records.Case notes were reviewed and patients' data were collected using a purpose-designed proforma. These included patients' demographic data, presentation, investigations, clinical diagnosis, modality of treatment, complications (if any), operative findings, surgical data and length of hospital stay.The diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy was made by a combination of history taking, clinical examination, serum B-hCG monitoring and transvaginal (T/V) ultrasonography.Laparoscopic management was carried out using the three portals of entry technique. Salpingectomy was performed using two endoloops inserted around the tubal ectopic pregnancy. Laparotomy was performed through a low transverse incision.At the beginning of surgery, all patients were given prophylactic antibiotics, and anti-thromboembolic measures were taken, if needed, according to the hospital protocol.\nResults: The Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department at City Hospital has approximately 3,200 deliveries per year. A total of 51 cases of confirmed ectopic pregnancy were identified; with an incidence of 12.8/1,000 live births (one case of cervical ectopic pregnancy had an abdominal hysterectomy, and was excluded from the study). Table I shows the patients' demographic data.Table II shows risk factors for tubal ectopic pregnancy.Six cases (12 per cent) with an ectopic pregnancy have been using a form of contraception at time of presentation in which case tubal pregnancy represented a failure of contraception (Table III).In this series, all cases were managed surgically either laparoscopically or via a laparotomy. A total of 26 patients (52 per cent) were successfully managed laparoscopically, and 24 patients (48 per cent) had a laparotomy for different reasons (Table IV).Table V shows the state of the tubal pregnancy at time of operation.Table VI shows the grade of operator and surgical approach.Estimated blood loss, the need for blood transfusion, operative time and length of hospital stay are summarised in Table VII.\nDiscussion: The incidence of ectopic pregnancy is increasing from 9.6/1,000 pregnancies in 1990 to 11.8/1,000 in 1997 (Department of Health, 1994, 2001). The incidence in this study was 12.8/1,000.The risk of tubal ectopic pregnancy increases by several factors including inflammatory and surgical tubal damage, a history of infertility (Marchbanks et al., 1988), and previous tubal ectopic pregnancy (Pisarska et al., 1998). Some of these factors are encountered in 42 per cent of cases. However, 58 per cent have no risk factors.It has been shown that the most common associated risk factor of tubal ectopic pregnancy is previous salpingitis (Tay et al., 2000). In this study, however, only six patients (12 per cent) had a history of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).The current use of an intra-uterine contraceptive device (IUCD) and previous female sterilisation are well-known risk factors for tubal ectopic pregnancy (Xiong et al., 1995). In this study six cases (12 per cent) with an ectopic pregnancy have been using a form of contraception at time of presentation in which case tubal pregnancy represented a failure of contraception.The technical development in the field of minimal access surgery (MAS) has greatly enhanced both diagnosing and treating ectopic pregnancy effectively (Ghosh et al., 1999). However, laparotomy remains the most common surgical approach at many hospitals. Among the reasons given for the slow uptake of laparoscopic surgery are capital cost of equipment, need for further training and unpredictability of operating time (Garry, 1996).Aharoni et al. (1993) reported the common indications for laparotomy in surgical management of tubal ectopic pregnancy. Some of these indications were encountered in this study as shown in Table IV. The main reason for laparotomy was, however, lack of operative laparoscopic experience. The majority of these cases were managed by registrars at different grades of training.Unpredictability of operative time taken at laparoscopic surgery especially for ectopic pregnancy was reported also by Shushan et al. (1999). In this audit, the mean operative time for the laparoscopic approach was slightly longer than in the laparotomy group. However, the difference was not statistically significant.All laparoscopic surgery, as well as laparotomy, has its own complications and surgical management of tubal ectopic pregnancy is not an exception (Jansen et al., 1997). All, but two, cases in our study went uneventful with no major complications. In one of these two cases the patient had to return to theatre following laparotomy the same day with internal haemorrhage. She was re-opened and the bleeding source was secured. The other case was re-admitted to hospital three days after discharge. She was found to have a severe wound infection following laparotomy. She was started on IV antibiotics, and the wound was laid open in theatre. Eventually her wound healed completely.Mohamed et al. (2002), from a hospital with a specialised minimal access surgery unit, reported 84.3 per cent success rate in laparoscopic management of tubal ectopic pregnancy. However, Olagundoye et al. (2000) and Tozer and Shaxted (1996) from two different district general hospitals reported an incidence of 62 per cent and 73.8 per cent respectively. The rate of laparoscopic management of tubal ectopic pregnancy in this study was 52 per cent. This relatively low rate is due to the fact that the majority of cases of ectopic pregnancy were managed out of hours by registrars with limited or no operative laparoscopic experience.The guidelines policy of the obstetrics and gynaecology department at City Hospital, Birmingham was drawn up in accordance with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG, 1999) guidelines and the \"Audit standards in ectopic pregnancy\" document by Bajekal et al. (2000). These standards state that 90 per cent of patients should have a laparoscopic approach for surgery.In view of the inadequacies (52 per cent result against 90 per cent standard) highlighted by this audit, the following recommendations have been proposed to improve the performance:* Cases of tubal ectopic pregnancy, especially the haemodynamically stable ones, should be scheduled to the daytime theatre lists where consultants and other trained personnel are available to do laparoscopic surgery.* Junior registrars should attend \"hands on\" courses and workshops, which teach laparoscopic surgery for ectopic pregnancy.* Under the direct supervision of consultants and other trained personnel, junior registrars should have the opportunity to practise laparoscopic management of ectopic pregnancy.In conclusion, a higher percentage of tubal ectopic pregnancies could have been managed successfully laparoscopically, had they been operated on by surgeons who had adequate operative laparoscopic experience. This audit demonstrated that, in the hands of trained personnel, the laparoscopic approach in management of tubal ectopic pregnancy is most beneficial with maximum safety and efficacy.\n",
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},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The aim of this audit was to determine if patients with a diagnosis of a suspected ectopic pregnancy had been managed in accordance with the evidence-based guidelines policy of the obstetrics and gynaecology department at City Hospital, Birmingham. In particular, the authors wished to review the surgical management of tubal ectopic pregnancy.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The authors retrospectively analysed 50 cases of tubal ectopic pregnancy managed over 15 months between October 2001 and December 2002.\nFindings: - A total of 26 patients (52 per cent) were managed successfully by the laparoscopic approach with no major intraoperative or postoperative complications; 24 patients (48 per cent) had a laparotomy. Salpingectomy was the preferred procedure performed either laparoscopically or by traditional open surgery. A total of 30 patients (60 per cent) had their surgery where the registrar at various grades of training was the main surgeon. The estimated blood loss, the need for blood transfusion and the length of hospital stay in the laparoscopy group were significantly less than those in the laparotomy group.\nOriginality/value: - This audit demonstrates that, in the hands of trained personnel, laparoscopic management of tubal ectopic pregnancy is more beneficial with maximum safety and efficacy.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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Building channel power: the role of IT resources and information management capability
|
[
"Knowledge management",
"Channel governance",
"Channel power",
"IT resources"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Channel power, which is defined as the ability of a firm to influence the behaviors of another firm (Gaski, 1984; Sheu and Hu, 2009), is a central element in business-to-business relationships (Reimann and Ketchen, 2017). Channel power forms the basis of marketing channel governance and influences firm performance outcomes (Frazier and Rody, 1991; Gaski, 1984). With greater power, organizations can expect higher relationship commitment (Chae et al., 2017) and favorable financial performance (Jain et al., 2014). For example, Walmart is perceived as a more powerful party in its channel, so it generally can secure a better position when it negotiates prices with its channel members, which further contributes to its competitive advantage of being a cost leader (Thomas et al., 2011).\nTheoretical background and hypotheses: Prior research frequently uses the resource dependence theory (Pfeffer and Salancik, 1978) as a lens to explain power in marketing channels. The fundamental promise of the resource dependence theory is that organizations are not sufficient on their own in developing all the resources they need; instead, they obtain many necessary resources from external partners. The resources obtained from external sources will then result in dependence between firms. As Pfeffer and Salancik (1978) suggest, the dependence is relative, which results in power asymmetry, a situation in which one firm needs another firm's resources more than the other way around (Casciaro and Piskorski, 2005). Thus, to build superior channel power, organizations are suggested to develop resources that can help them establish higher dependence of other firms (Elking et al., 2017). Firm resources, as Hunt (2010) suggests, can be both tangible (e.g. IT devices) and intangible (e.g. human resources) in nature. To effectively improve competitive advantage (e.g. superior channel power), strategic resources often need to be incorporated into strategic actions (Hult et al., 2005), such as information management (Tippins and Sohi, 2003). For example, in the information system literature, founded on the resource-based view, many studies find that neither tangible ITIR (e.g. IT equipment) nor intangible ITHR (e.g. IT employees' expertise and knowledge) can directly contribute to a firm's competitive advantage because they are often not unique or inimitable (Clemons and Row, 1991; Segars et al., 1994). To be beneficial for a firm's performance, IT resources should be embedded in other processes or actions to build organizational capabilities (Tippins and Sohi, 2003; Pavlou and El Sawy, 2006).\nMethod: Sample and data collection\nResults: We used Smart PLS 2.0 to test the hypotheses. The means, standard deviations and correlations between key variables are presented in Table III. The data analysis results are shown in Table IV, and the hypotheses testing results are summarized in Table V. The results from Table IV show that the hypothesized model explains a large percentage of variance in the endogenous constructs (R2): 44 per cent variance in IAC, 15 per cent variance in IDC and 29 per cent variance in channel power, indicating that the hypothesized model is appropriate.\nDiscussion and conclusions: In this study, we investigate the impact of IT resources on a firm's channel power and the mediating effect of information acquisition and dissemination capability. Overall, we find that IT resources, including both ITIR and ITHR, can enhance a firm's channel power and that information management capability is a key mediator of the relationship between IT resources and channel power.\nLimitations and directions for future research: Though our study provides insights into how IT resources influence a firm's channel power development, several limitations demonstrate opportunities for future research. First, in our survey, the respondents were mainly from marketing departments or channel management units, and most of them claim to have limited knowledge of IT. Therefore, to ensure that all respondents understand our research questions and instructions, we chose simplified questions when it came to measuring ITIR and ITHR. As a result, the measurement of IT resources might potentially be influenced by subjective divergence. That is, the items used in this measurement lack objectivity. In addition, the survey results may potentially be influenced by social desirability. Thus, future studies can use more objective information to measure this construct. Second, information management is a dynamic and complex process. In this study, we examine only two sub-processes of information management: information acquisition and information dissemination. Future research can further study how firms can improve their channel governance by enhancing other aspects of information management, such as information assimilation and utilization.\n",
"role": "user"
},
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"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop a better understanding of how information technology (IT) resources influence a firm's channel power development. Specifically, this study hypothesizes that two types of IT resources (i.e. IT infrastructure resources and IT human resources) are key antecedents to channel power and that information management capability is a key mediator between IT resources and channel power.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The hypotheses are tested using survey data gathered from a sample of Chinese companies. The analyses are performed using partial least squares technique.\nFindings: The results suggest that both of the two IT resources play key roles in enhancing a firm's channel power, but they do so in different ways. Specifically, while IT human resources can enhance a firm's channel power by strengthening both information acquisition and dissemination capabilities, IT infrastructure resources can influence channel power only by enhancing a firm's information acquisition capability.\nResearch limitations/implications: The measurement of IT resources might potentially be influenced by subjective divergence. In addition, information management contains many sub-processes, and this study only examines two of them: information acquisition and information dissemination.\nPractical implications: The findings suggest that managers should develop/improve both IT infrastructure and human resources to enhance channel power by building stronger information management capability. More importantly, the findings reveal that IT human resource can provide more benefits as it strengthens both information acquisition and dissemination capabilities.\nOriginality/value: This study extends the existing literature by investigating how a firm's IT resources affect its channel power. The results of this study provide insightful guidance for managers and researchers in how to better manage IT resources to improve channel governance performance.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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Valuation of employment decision criteria
|
[
"Employees behaviour",
"DCE",
"Labour supply",
"Job attributes",
"Reservation wages"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Despite significant progress in both theoretical and empirical analysis, the subject of wage formation remains one of the key problems in labour market economics. Modelling employees' preferences (utility derived from employment) is a useful contribution, filling a gap in our understanding of the nature of labour market performance. According to the modern approach to labour supply modelling, by undertaking a job an employee decides to exchange not simply their time for a wage (as was recognised by the traditional neoclassical theory of labour supply), but rather their effort, skills, commitment, creativity, loyalty, etc., for pecuniary and non-pecuniary benefits that bring them utility gains. These benefits include a salary (allowing for consumption of goods and services), fringe benefits, a sense of income security, social contacts, career perspectives, social prestige, etc. Therefore, to get accurate results in labour supply analysis we must take into account both the wage and non-wage benefits gained by an employee.\nSelection of attributes and their levels: The first stage in designing the survey in DCE was to identify the employment attributes. An in-depth analysis of the literature (Gajderowicz, 2016) allowed to list key characteristics of jobs, seen from the employees' perspective. The list was the result of both conceptual frameworks (Hackman and Oldham, 1976; Herzberg, 1987, 1993) and empirical implementations (Atrostic, 1982; Morgeson and Humphrey, 2006). During the focus groups and individual interviews with representatives of the target group, the list was shortened, revised and tuned to target population preferences. Below attributes generally cover the majority of factors considered by the target group representatives in the assessment of job offers and when making job choices. The list of following 11 attributes does not cover all potentially significant characteristics, however, DCE format allows for omitting significant variables as the space of choice is precisely defined. The list of attributes identified as relevant include the following:\nEmpirical strategy: The key element of the DCE process is to create an appropriate design, i.e., to select appropriate sets of job offers that are characterised by defined attribute levels. The selection of particular levels of attributes in successive choices should be designed in a way that reveals the respondents' preferences through the decision process. This allows for the estimation of utility function parameters. The selection of effective attribute sets requires preliminary assumptions regarding these utility function parameters. Therefore, a pilot survey was carried out to estimate parameter values and to check if respondents understood the attributes. The pilot survey was based on orthogonal design (Street and Burgess, 2007), under which efficient experiment design is achieved when all the parameters equal zero. The pilot survey was conducted using printed copies of the choice sets on a sample of 67 representatives of the target group. Each representative received 16 choice sets consisting of four job offers. The outcomes of this pilot survey supported the claim that the estimated parameters of utility function were as expected. Those parameters were then used as an assumption to construct a Bayesian efficient design. The generated Bayesian design was applied to the main survey, which was then carried out on the sample of 801 representatives from the target population of students and graduates of social sciences in Warsaw. Internet access was the only prerequisite to participate in the survey. Due to broad availability of the internet for the target group population representatives (even via Universities), the selection bias resulted by this pre-requirement was assessed as negligible. Each participant was asked to take part in 90 survey sessions and each session involved 16 choice situations. Each choice set covered four job offers, which a participant was asked to rank from most to least attractive.\nStatistical and econometrical processing of the data: In the course of analyses, it was decided to limit the analysed samples to three sessions for each respondent (three sets of 16 choices). This limit was chosen as it is the minimum number of sessions for a respondent to make a choice as part of all three attribute sets. The decision to limit the analysed samples resulted from the lack of literature regarding the respondents' preference variability, with such a considerable number of choices. Streamlining the decision-making process in subsequent sessions was reflected by the time needed by the participant to make a choice. The duration of the first choices in the study was more than twice as long as the duration of the last choices in the ninth session. Each choice in the first two choice sets in the first session took the respondents 15.49 seconds to make on average, while making choices in the last two sets of the last session required 6.09 seconds on average. This reduction in duration of choice-making surely reflects the choice-making experience gained by the respondents, and may reflect the application of simplifications in the choice process.\nUtility function and its parameters: The result of the postestimation (MNL and RPL) likelihood ratio test (with 20 degrees of freedom) clearly indicates the joint significance of the explanatory variables. Almost all the variables (with the exception of the middle level for the attribute concerning the remuneration system) appeared to be significant. For all variables, the direction of influence on utility gained from employment corresponded to our expectations. Table I presents the results of the estimation of utility function parameters conducted with the use of MNL and RPL models.\nWTP for job attributes: The marginal WTP is represented by MRS at which respondents are willing to exchange particular levels of attributes for other characteristics of work. Since the study included a net wage attribute, it is possible to compute the subjective monetary value of particular attribute levels. WTP value is a quotient of the parameter for a given attribute and the parameter for a net wage. WTPs are estimated using the delta method. All the computed values correspond to a monthly net wage (Table III).\nCalculation of reservation wages: A reservation wage is defined as the lowest value of net wage for which an employee is willing to accept a job offer. In traditional understandings, only the wage itself is considered. In light of the above results, however, it is clear that employment utility is also affected by other characteristics and that workers are ready to exchange some levels of employment attributes for others. This means that the reservation wages should be instead evaluated with reference to the utility of a job with given characteristics.\nConclusions: This paper presents the results of an empirical study of employees' preferences for different characteristics of employment. The use of discrete choice modelling enabled the precise measurement of the perceived value of the identified employment attribute levels. The study offers an original attempt to apply microeconomic methods of measuring preferences to the area of labour supply. The example calculations of reservation wages demonstrate the imperfection of previous studies related to employment contract homogeneity. The promising nature of these results dictates a need for further research.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to expand our understanding of the decisions on labour supply, with particular attention given to the role of conditions of a contract between an employer and an employee. In the paper the value, from the employee's perspective, of different characteristics of an employment contract are assessed.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Discrete choice experiment methodology is applied to evaluate employment attributes. Using data from a dedicated survey of students and graduates of social sciences in Poland, parameters of the employment-related utility function are estimated with a multinomial logit model and random parameter logistic regression. Due to the opt-out alternative in the design, reservation wages for different types of contracts are calculated.\nFindings: The paper suggests that development conditions and psychological aspects of work are extremely important for employees' decisions and their reservation wages.\nResearch limitations/implications: Due to limitations related to data generation process, generalisation of the results to the whole population is not possible.\nPractical implications: The results of the study may help to develop tools of contract optimisation and remuneration systems. Such tools might lead to improvements in the efficiency of contracts in the labour market by simultaneously reducing employment costs and increasing workers' utility.\nOriginality/value: The analysis of preferences and reservation wages contributes to our understanding of the observed wage differentials. It also helps to understand some apparent paradoxes of the labour supply behaviour, which are impossible to explain within the traditional approach to wage modelling.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Information flow and communication practice challenges: A global study on effective responsive strategies
|
[
"Information management",
"Globalization",
"Public relations",
"Social media",
"Responsive strategies"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The rise of social media and analytics, as well as the emphasis on data-driven strategic responses, has become increasingly important in both academic and industry-focused communication practice over the past decade. As the importance of strategic public relations practice has become universally recognized (e.g. Deetz et al., 2000; Grunig et al., 2002), so too has the need for a deep understanding of how factors like the rise of social media and the subsequent increase in information flow affect the productivity of public relations professionals and the overall efficiency and value of the practice. Specifically, these communication advancements present challenges to public relations professionals to come up with appropriate solutions and responsive strategies for dealing with stakeholders who are increasingly expecting real-time and on-demand information.\nDigital revolution, information flow, and social media: The digital revolution has been referred to as one of the most critical areas influencing today's public relations practice, with advances in social media and mobile communications noted as arguably the most important developments for the field (Macnamara et al., 2015). Therefore, understanding how to cope with the digital revolution and the advent and development of the social web has been perceived as one of the most important concerns for communication management (Macnamara et al., 2015). The sheer volume of information and data that public relations professionals encounter on a daily basis through reports, user-generated web content, product reviews, and the like present challenges as well as unique opportunities. Public relations professionals, not surprisingly, are constantly looking for solutions and effective ways of linking communication to business strategy (Zerfass et al., 2015).\nResearch questions: Therefore, this paper aims to contribute to our knowledge by examining public relations professionals' perceptions of two of the critical professional concerns facing the industry today: managing the digital revolution and the rise of social media, and dealing with the speed and volume of information flow that characterize this revolution. We are especially interested in showing how such concerns have affected the daily practice of public relations professionals, as well as the responsive strategies that are being employed in these areas. Specifically, we examine the following research questions:\nMethod: The global online survey: an overview\nResults: RQ1. How, if at all, do the public relations professionals in our country clusters differ in terms of the perceived importance they ascribe to (a) dealing with the speed and volume of information flow and (b) managing the digital revolution and rise of social media?\nDiscussion and implications: As is the case in a number of industries, public relations and communication professionals are facing a new set of challenges centered around the management of sizeable quantities of data generated by a large and diverse group of stakeholders. Although much has been done to demonstrate the importance of information management for improved organizational performance and business results (Chen et al., 2012), there is relatively little empirical work examining the importance of such areas in public relations practice.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: How to effectively manage information flow continues presenting challenges for effective responsive strategies in communication, reflecting the magnitude and impact of a data-driven and strategy-oriented market environment globally. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to discover how concerns related to the rise of social media have affected communication leaders' operational and managerial practice from an international perspective. The overarching aim is to better understand these concerns in order to contribute to effective responsive strategies in communication practice in the future.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The authors relied on data from an international online survey of public relations and communication professionals in multiple countries who were asked their perceptions and behaviors concerning the impact of information flow and the digital revolution on their practice. ANOVA analyses and hierarchical regression models were used to identify the heterogeneity across five clustered groups of countries.\nFindings: Results confirmed a strong desire among communication professionals in multiple countries to learn more about information management in practice. Results identified the overall patterns of responsive strategies that have been widely adopted by public relations professionals in specific country clusters across the globe. In order to better manage social media and the digital revolution, all five of the surveyed country clusters indicated that it is effective to integrate more social media strategies and to train employees in social media.\nOriginality/value: The research has explored the importance surrounding information management in an era of widespread digital content, including how concerns in this area have affected strategic decision-making in communication practice. Equally important, the authors provide a more global perspective on this critical topic by analyzing communication professionals' perceptions in grouped country clusters. Results of the research have identified the similarities and differences in responsive strategies to cope with information flow concerns across grouped country clusters.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The role of talent management in strategic renewal
|
[
"Employee behaviour",
"Europe",
"Multinational companies",
"Employees",
"Organizational change",
"Qualitative methods"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The research field of talent management (TM) has received a remarkable degree of academic and practitioner interest (Collings et al., 2019; Collings and Isichei, 2018; De Boeck et al., 2018; Krishnan and Scullion, 2017; McDonnell et al., 2017; Meyers et al., 2019; Vaiman et al., 2017; Van den Broek et al., 2018). TM has become a vital component of the world's most influential academic and practitioner-oriented conferences (i.e. Academy of Management Conference; Global Talent Management Conference). Furthermore, several influential academic journals have devoted special issues to this research domain (i.e. Employee Relations in 2016).\nTheoretical background: To uncover the role of TM in strategic renewal and depict the process of TM implementation during strategic renewal, we first set the stage by defining the core concepts of our study, namely TM and strategic renewal. Then, we discuss the intersection of TM and strategic management literatures to provide motivation for our study.\nMethods: We chose a case study as our research strategy. In particular, we conducted a qualitative single case study of a TM program in a Finnish-Swedish MNC. According to Siggelkow (2007, p. 21), case studies are persuasive when there is \"something missing in the theory, motivating further research and justifying more refined conceptualization.\" Case studies are also persuasive when they are used \"as inspiration for new ideas\" (Siggelkow, 2007, p. 21). Finally, case studies may \"sharpen existing theory by pointing to gaps and beginning to fill them\" (Siggelkow, 2007, p. 21). Since our aim was to expand the academic understanding of the role of TM in strategic renewal, and extend the existing knowledge on the process of TM implementation, and the context of strategic renewal played an integral real-world role in which the phenomenon (i.e. TM) occurred (Eisenhardt and Graebner, 2007), we determined a case study as a suitable research strategy for our inquiry.\nFindings: Our findings suggest that the role of TM in strategic renewal is to provide the conditions for the self-initiation, identification and development of talented employees to perform in their roles of change agents. For this reason, during strategic renewal, talented employees act as self-initiated change agents. In their role of change agents, talented employees contribute to the strategic renewal first, by conceiving and designing new business development and internal improvement initiatives; second, by identifying and creating key positions that are of importance for the strategic renewal; and third, by cultivating a culture and proactive mentality for renewal across the organization. Furthermore, our findings indicate that during strategic renewal, TM process consists of identification of key projects to address critical business opportunities and challenges, the identification of talented employees to execute them, and the identification and creation of key positions. We will elaborate on our findings in more detail in the following sections.\nDiscussion: Strategic renewal involves critical changes to organizational activities and outputs as organizations respond to meet the needs of their environment (Albert et al., 2015). In this study, we forecasted the potential role of TM in strategic renewal and explored empirically our conceptualization by examining a TM program in a Finnish-Swedish MNC that was undergoing major strategic renewal. By outlining the role of TM in strategic renewal and investigating how the process of TM is implemented during strategic renewal, our study extends the existing knowledge on TM and offers a twofold contribution.\nConclusion: While scholars and organizations adopt different approaches toward the meaning of talent, TM goals and TM outcomes, the internal context is the one most neglected in TM research (Gallardo-Gallardo and Thunnissen, 2016; Vaiman et al., 2017). In particular, the context of strategic renewal has to date been underrepresented in debates on TM. In this study, we echoed this criticism by acknowledging the decisive role of TM in achieving strategic renewal and elucidating how careful deployment of TM in the implementation of the organization's strategy can bring high economic value and contribute to the organization's strategic renewal.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to emphasize the role of talent management (TM) in strategic renewal. Furthermore, the authors extend the existing knowledge on the process of TM implementation by underlining particular activities, which are involved in this process during strategic renewal.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The authors report a qualitative study of a TM program in a Finnish-Swedish Multinational corporation undergoing major strategic renewal. The data consist of 46 semi-structured interviews and secondary data.\nFindings: The role of TM in the context of strategic renewal is to provide the conditions for the self-initiation and identification of potential change agents and for the development of the talented employees to perform in their roles of change agent. In the context of strategic renewal, TM process consists of identification of key projects to address critical business opportunities and challenges, the identification of talented employees to execute them, and the identification and creation of key positions.\nResearch limitations/implications: The authors encourage scholars to explore the empirical settings characterized by change and unpredictability in more detail, and thus examine the role of talented employees and TM in other specific contexts. Future studies are also encouraged to study other cultural settings and examine to what degree the process of TM implementation may positively influence attitudes and behaviors of talented employees and, consequently, the overall organizational performance.\nPractical implications: This study offers practical advice for top management and HR managers. First, the process of TM implementation during strategic renewal should start with the identification of \"must-win-battles\" that can have a more profound impact on change. Furthermore, top management should allow and enable motivated potential talented employees to volunteer for the job of aiding company-wide changes. Next, top management should provide the talented employees with the space to come up with novel ideas and conceive new business opportunities. Finally, the importance of transparent and spot-on evaluation criteria should be emphasized.\nOriginality/value: The study contributes to advancing our understanding of TM and strategic management in practice.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
An Integrated Computerised Maintenance Management System (I-CMMS) for IBS building maintenance
|
[
"Decision making",
"Maintenance management",
"Database",
"Automatic bidirectional communications",
"BIM technology",
"IBS buildings"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Building maintenance is facing poor management in Industrialised Building System (IBS) construction projects. According to Kamar et al. (2009) and Mohamad et al. (2016), IBS component aesthetic and structural defects that occurred repeatedly such as building maintenance on conventional building, no integration between maintenance systems, lack of coordination between design and construction, less defect diagnosis in decision-making process and lack of the intelligent capabilities of linking defect diagnosis operations in maintenance affecting various building elements with IBS component defects knowledge have led to significant problems in the IBS building maintenance management. The absence of standard diagnosis tools and guidelines for the prefabricated components contributes to an additional cost to redesign the project when measuring the maintenance delivery in IBS construction; thus, it leads to the increase in maintenance and operation cost, including construction time, production and labour cost (Chang and Tsai, 2013; Chen et al., 2016; Salama, 2017; Jabar et al., 2018). The limited systematic decision-making process due to a lack of integration between team members when dealing with risk management in the IBS construction projects is also problematic in maintenance management. There is no best method for problem solving and decision making under these circumstances (such as difficulties of maintenance planning and insufficient knowledge about building materials and component maintenance requirements) (Hamid et al., 2011; Zakaria et al., 2012; Wood, 2012; Chiu and Lin, 2014; Hadi et al., 2017).\n2. Characteristics of IBS building maintenance management: The selection of assessment or diagnosis tools on IBS construction sites has a significant effect on the lifetime performance of building structures, owing to the lack of real-time referential materials. In this situation, the absence of available diagnosis tools and guidelines of cooperation among construction parties create an additional cost to redesign the project when measuring the maintenance delivery in IBS construction (Chen et al., 2016). The repairing maintenance method (conventional system practices) restricts contractors and manufacturers from being involved in the design stage of a performance project, which often results in design changes and increase in the corresponding maintenance and operation cost, including construction time, production and labour cost (Chang and Tsai, 2013; Salama, 2017). The conventional system is basically less co-ordinated between the design and construction phase as it is conducted in a sequential manner (Mohamad et al., 2016). The conventional system approach in maintenance management has been criticised for various disadvantages such as repeating defects function and aesthetic due to inadequate technical knowledge, skilled manpower and low-quality control (Ogunde et al., 2018). Additionally, these repetition defects lead to high maintenance costs and thus lead to unacceptable quality in a project (Hadi et al., 2017). Most building maintenance personnel use conventional systems such as CMMS and CAFM to record information related to defects, diagnosis and maintenance planning. This information will then be converted into paper-based reports to be distributed to other staff involved in maintenance management. In addition, some maintenance organisations are using MS Word and MS Excel fully assisting maintenance works on specific functions (Espindola et al., 2013; Zare et al., 2018). Nevertheless, there is no integration between the systems to enhance communication and collaboration between all parties in maintenance management, particularly that involve the transfer of knowledge in the process of diagnosis of defects in buildings (Miettinen and Paavola, 2014; Nawi, Lee, Azman and Kamar, 2014; Carbonari et al., 2016).\n3. Advantage of IBS building maintenance management on BIM technology: According to Farr et al. (2014) and Chen and Luo (2014), the actual benefits of BIM along with its visual realisation capabilities are now comprehended and utilised for the best benefits of all stakeholders of a construction project, for example, BIM can be integrated into the project management and working process, which can also be used by most AEC sector for construction quality control and efficient information utilisation. Currently, in the IBS construction project worldwide, work has been carried out regarding the use of BIM in manufacturing, components tracking, waste reduction, and supply-chain management (Cus-Babic et al., 2014). Building information models contain the information needed for particular phases of a building's life cycle (scheduling, analyses, cost evaluation, etc.) and should offer construction new opportunities to improve the communication and collaboration between participants through higher interoperability of data.\n4. Methodology: The case studies on the eight PC buildings were undertaken in order to identify the maintenance management problems, the current approaches to addressing the problems, the ICT implementation, use of emerging technologies and the maintenance management system (MMS) to obtain information relating to the maintenance identification, assessment, planning and execution processes. Eight maintenance clients/contractors are selected based on the major problems of using a conventional method (paper-based reports/unsystematic database) in order to investigate the maintenance management practices in each PC building. There are around 51 active contractors of IBS building maintenance from a classification of PC system in Malaysia according to CIDB and almost are using a conventional method and inadequately use of modern ICT tools (Nawi, Salleh and Anuar, 2014). The number is considered very big indicating that the use of modern ICT is still very limited for the PC system classification in IBS building maintenance management in Malaysia. The recommended sample size for interviews to obtain satisfactory results in phenomenology should be between 6 (Morse, 1994) and 25 (Polkinghorne, 1989; cited in Cresswell, 2007) individuals \"who have all experienced the phenomenon\" (Cresswell, 2007, p. 61); hence, 8 key professionals working in IBS building maintenance units were interviewed in this study.\n5. IBS building MMS with BIM technology: In the IBS building maintenance, the conventional methods to the project delivery and its failure to form effective communication channel between complementary knowledge on IBS construction and related members that is conducted in the sequential manner has resulted in ineffectiveness for managing building maintenance, where a paradigm shift within the IBS traditional approach is necessary (Girmscheid and Rinas, 2012; Wood, 2012). Therefore, the need for sophisticated tools and efficient techniques using an appropriate ICT (e.g. BIM and CMMS) for implementing an integrated approach in the design and construction could facilitate new maintenance management processes for IBS building projects in the future (Nawi, Lee, Azman and Kamar, 2014; Hosseini et al., 2018). In the meanwhile, most of the maintenance industries have been generally revolved around a conventional method (e.g. MS Word and MS Excel) with limited uses of 3D models for visualisation and maintenance development (Singh et al., 2011). Recently on IBS construction sites, a lot of efforts have been put in to improve the efficiency of maintenance management activities through the use of more ICT-based systems (i.e. BIM). With the development of emerging technology such as BIM, maintenance management improvements in IBS building construction have become possible (Nawari, 2012). Several other industry projects worldwide, for example, real estate, waste management, transportation, supply chain and facility management, have been successfully completed by implementing BIM technology (Cheng and Ma, 2013; Mahdjoubi et al., 2013; Irizarry et al., 2013; Marzouk and Abdelaty, 2014; Love et al., 2014). BIM can assist clients to determine the appropriate technology strategy and scope of each deliverable, with the intention of reducing redundancy and rework while improving performance and productivity of an operation and maintenance processes effectively in the future (Love et al., 2013; Miettinen and Paavola, 2014; Carbonari et al., 2016). Whereas BIM-related studies mainly focus on utilising a sophisticated tool and efficient technique, associating decision-making support with diagnosis principles can help in achieving new levels of efficiency in IBS building maintenance performance. The defect diagnosis in maintenance management becomes a challenge for storing and processing quality maintenance data of precast concrete elements to provide the reliable inspection due to ineffective implementation strategies, and best practices need to be undertaken with the implementation of BIM-based diagnostics system in the organisation (Kim et al., 2015). The effective management of maintenance diagnosis relies on the sophisticated technology, ensuring the success of dependable building facility and the achievement of the expected return on investment in maintenance (Jantunen et al., 2011). Another challenge for BIM technology is to provide the adequate strategic decision making to analyse diagnosis information and knowledge to improve the maintenance project outcomes (cost, time, quality, safety, functionality, maintainability, etc.) (Talebi, 2014).\n6. Development of the MMS: The system architecture focuses on the collection of the structure and facility defect information for defect assessment, defect diagnosis and defect control as well as analysing the data for the execution reference in IBS building maintenance. The mobile devices such as laptop enable staff to compare and adapt the data at any facility location with the staff's report recorded in the prototype system user interface (MS Visual Basic.NET). The staff will be able to capture the evidence of the structure and facility defect, update about the detailing defect and record the relevant aspect of the defect attribution in an electronic form in the prototype system. This information is stored in a computer database central (MS Access) at the office for further process. The information about the defect is assessed using the maintenance condition index for considering the current condition of the structure and its components, analysed for the maintenance defect diagnosis using the decision-making process and assessed using the design condition index for reducing the risk of design defects at the site location. The workflow is illustrated in Figure 4. I-CMMS can be divided into three main components, which are the BIM model, CMMS and Expert System. Each component plays a different role in the prototype system. The BIM model enables the analysis of design defect concrete component by comparing the defect and cause of the concrete against the 3D model including the record model in the BIM database, whereas the CMMS provides the information of the defect report and assessment. The Expert System provides the concrete defect diagnosis function and selection of a durable replacement design and material, or the proper rehabilitation method for the system.\n7. Prototype testing: The model was subsequently tested by eight engineers at complex and high-rise IBS buildings, and Table III shows the results from Sections 1 to 3 of the evaluation questionnaire. The table presents the numbers of respondents associated with each rating on the assessment scale (rating from 1 - strongly agree to 5 - strongly disagree) for each of the key aspects of the prototype. Based on the findings, most of the participants agreed with the effectiveness of all of them provided an answer for every question by \"Strongly Agree\" and \"Agree\". In terms of the practicality of the prototype, it can be concluded that the developed prototype can be practiced in the IBS building maintenance management practices. Generally, the overall participants agreed for the prototype usability where the maintenance professionals who have work experience with the ICT environment are confident to use the prototype. The evaluation results show that the participants agreed that the prototype offered a useful and systematic approach to solving maintenance management on IBS building maintenance projects. It shows that the prototype could facilitate the tackling of IBS building maintenance problems.\n8. Conclusions: The development of the prototype system in this research shows the improvement to the maintenance management practices by integrating maintenance management processes and information database. The following conclusions can be drawn from the research findings:\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to focus on the development of an integrated computerised maintenance management system to improve the information storage of design and construction, diagnostic and defect risk assessments on IBS building through the integration of building information modelling (BIM).\nDesign/methodology/approach: The methodology used interviews with the IBS building client/maintenance contractor in Malaysia to gather information about maintenance management problems, approaches to address problems, information and communication technology implementation and use of emerging technologies, in addition to prototyping a system development life cycle for system development.\nFindings: Relevant process flowchart documents of system development were obtained from the case study and reviewed to assist in providing an automation technique for decision-making and structural defect diagnostic operation through the integration of Visual Basic.Net, MS Access and Autodesk Revit software.\nOriginality/value: This research focuses on automatic bidirectional communications between an Expert System and BIM on a database level. Adoption of the approaches suggested in the research will enable the system to promote the development of zero IBS building maintenance.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Building a business model for a new form of hospitality: the albergo diffuso
|
[
"Italy",
"Business model",
"Hospitality",
"Albergo diffuso"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The tourism sector consists of emerging and growing businesses around the world and can be considered as one of the strongest means of sustainable development, particularly in developing countries (Menicucci, 2018). Tourism involves visiting destinations and participating in a diverse range of activities; ultimately, it is a living experience (Paulauskaite et al., 2017). In recent years, tourists have become more interested in discovering the authenticity of a territory (Zhou et al., 2015) and in having a closer relationship with the inhabitants and the local traditions (Buonincontri et al., 2017; Lee and Chhabra, 2015). Authenticity is acknowledged as a global issue and is a fundamental incentive for motivating tourists to travel to different destinations and experience different time periods (Park et al., 2019). Hence, a new hospitality business model is necessary to meet tourists' new requirements and to change the living experience, creating a paradigm that involves new services and new experiences (Souto, 2015). The Albergo diffuso (AD) represents a concrete possibility for a new business model in the tourist experience, paving the way for radical innovation in hospitality services.\n2. Literature review: 2.1 Business model in the hospitality industry\n3. Research method: 3.1 Study site\n4. Case study presentation: Below, we describe the five ADs involved in this research.\n5. Cross-case study results: 5.1 Business idea\n6. Discussion and conclusions: 6.1 Conclusions\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: In recent years, tourists have become more interested in discovery the authenticity of a destination. The albergo diffuso (AD) is a response to this new requirement of tourist experience. The AD indeed is based on an accommodation solution with rooms distributed in various buildings across a village. The purpose of this study is to analyze the AD business model supporting the development of this emerging business opportunity in the accommodation industry.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The research is conducted with a multiple case study approach, collecting data from different sources such as semi-structured interviews and archival research. The cases are all located in Italy where the AD was applied for the first time.\nFindings: The AD business model is based on business idea, value creation and innovation. The business idea is based on the aim to contribute to the renaissance of a village with an emotional link between the entrepreneur and the village. Regarding the value creation, the AD is a form of accommodation that offers more than a hotel experience. The tourist can live like a resident and experiencing local traditions and culture. The innovation is indeed related to the services that are totally different from a traditional hotel.\nOriginality/value: Considering the previous studies, this research tries to fill the gap concerning the necessity to define the characteristics of the AD business model and to understand the key elements at the base of this hospitality approach.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Preliminary framework to manage tenant satisfaction in facilities management service encounters
|
[
"Facilities management",
"SERVQUAL model",
"Facilities",
"Service encounter",
"Commercial sector",
"Tenant satisfaction"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Paradigm of \"satisfaction\" has been revolutionized at almost every organizational set up from being an attitude, ascertaining the ultimate service delivery, to a multidimensional paragon governing expectations across the entire business environment (Oliver, 2010). Hence, identifying determinants of such satisfaction has become a central concern for service management academics, and practitioners in their studies in recent years (Shaikh and Khan, 2011). Saravanan and Rao (2007) stated that satisfaction of commercial tenants is based on the level of service quality delivered by service providers. This is determined by a tenant's cumulative experience at all points of contact with the company (Eshghi et al., 2008). According to Negi (2009), for service providers, it is crucial to know which service attributes add value and increase satisfaction, and which would merely fulfill minimum requirements and minimize dissatisfaction.\n2. Literature review: 2.1 Need of tenant satisfaction management in facility management service encounters\n3. Research sample and data collection: Particularly in Sri Lanka, a scattered and large pool of commercial tenants imposes a hurdle in finding a representative sample of entire tenant community. According to Madawela(2014), the demand for office space at Colombo has been at the frontline for many years. In 2008, Colombo Metropolitan Region accounted for over 48 per cent of the country's GDP (Mayank and Robin, 2012). Hence, our research sample was narrowed down to tenants occupying commercial properties in Colombo.\n4. Data analysis and the development of a framework: The preliminary study focused on the identification of common FM encounters in commercial properties, impacts of tenant dissatisfaction and the most appropriate attributes to manage tenant satisfaction in FM encounters. Followed by this, a detailed study analysis was conducted to quantify the satisfaction of different service attributes and their applicability over different encounters from the tenants' perspectives. Finally, based on the above, a preliminary framework to manage tenant satisfaction in FM encounters will be developed and presented.\n5. Discussion: SERVQUAL laid the foundation for determining appropriate service attributes to develop FM encounter satisfaction framework, with 22 principles under main categories of tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy.\n6. Conclusions: The developed framework guides users to identify the best combinations of service attributes depending on FM encounters where tenant satisfaction need to be achieved. The findings revealed that each FM service encounter has links connecting the best combinations toward tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy aspects of satisfaction. Therefore, the developed framework can be used as a FM services management tool. Further, it provides a guide to FM practitioners to map proactive measures for different service encounters over related satisfaction attributes to maximize tenant satisfaction. Although service encounter framework was developed based on commercial facilities, insights of developed framework can be expanded to different structures in different industries. It would be intriguing to compare the impact of other factors such as number of lease renewals by tenants, service charge and rentable space with tenant satisfaction except for service quality.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Homogeneity in the main business of renting office spaces among commercial facilities has led to fierce competition. To retain tenant attractiveness, many are now concerned about the quality of facilities management (FM) services in addition to the rent, office space and location. The quality of FM service can be attained with successful service encounters. Thus, this paper aims to establish an initial platform on which tenant satisfaction in FM service encounters can be achieved.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The preliminary survey focused on gaining insights into FM encounters in commercial sector and applicability of service attributes under SERVQUAL model. The detailed survey concentrated on determining tenant perceptions on satisfactory levels of service attributes developed in the preliminary study and relationships between FM encounters and different service attributes. The collection of descriptive and inferential statistics was used to analyze the results.\nFindings: This study's findings reveal assurance and empathy to be highly correlated to tenant satisfaction, while other attributes are less correlated. However, perceptions of satisfaction levels of tenants on tangibility and reliability provides contradictory results to its correlation values. Satisfaction level in remote service encounters is lower compared to phone and face-to-face encounters. Complexity and management concerns toward physical facilities are imperative to uplift satisfaction in remote encounters.\nResearch limitations/implications: The scope of study was limited to FM encounters in Sri Lankan Grade \"A\" commercial office properties with high quality standard finishes, state-of-the-art systems, exceptional accessibility and a definite market presence in Colombo.\nOriginality/value: The study developed a preliminary framework that guides users to identify the best combinations of service attributes with respective FM encounters, where tenant satisfaction needs to be achieved.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
User involvement in Finland: the hybrid of control and emancipation
|
[
"Consumerism",
"Ethnography",
"Finland",
"Public sector organizations",
"Health services"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The \"agenda of choice\" in the public service sector has brought service users' needs and agency to the fore. Clarke et al. (2007) draw attention to a strange figure, \"the demanding and sceptical citizen-consumer\" who has come to play a central role in the remaking of public services throughout Europe. The provision of public services is nowadays characterised by the discourse of consumerism and user involvement that claims to offer a new, empowered role for service users underlining choice, flexibility and the users' needs and agency (Vabo, 2006). Consumerism strives at making public services conform more closely to the market model (Clarke, 2004, 2006; Hvinden and Johansson, 2007) while user involvement puts more emphasis on the principles of deliberative democracy and greater citizen participation (Barnes et al., 2007; Cowden and Singh, 2007). Both ideology or discourse, however, claim to reduce hierarchies between service users and professionals and thereby democratise previously unequal service provision (Rummery, 2006).This article explores the effects of consumerism and user involvement on the level of day-to-day service delivery, asking how these ideals are translated into institutional encounters between professionals and service users. The question of \"how\" the relationship between professionals and service users is constructed under the new conditions needs clarification. According to Vabo (2006) consumer principles do not contain universal norms on their actual implementation but are rather a metaphor, creating a certain image of how the services should work. This also more generally applies also to the rhetoric of citizens' participation (Barnes et al., 2007). Previous studies have shown that consumerism and user involvement are highly contextual concepts (Clarke, 2006). Different institutional histories and trajectories create different associations with choice and involvement (Newman and Kuhlmann, 2007).In this paper consumerism and user involvement are considered as new governmental rationalities; they are styles of thinking that provide a new formula for the relations between welfare professionals and service users. What is new to this rationality is the focus on the rights and agency of the service users. Miller and Rose argue that this kind of governmental rationality, which emphasises the \"customer's\" individual \"freedom\", characterises the era of advanced liberalism. At the same time, however, new and more indirect technologies of power are emerging that refer to \"assemblages of persons, techniques, institutions, instruments for the conducting of conduct\" (Miller and Rose, 2008, p. 16).The context of our study is Finnish drug treatment, which underwent a major transformation in the 1990s. A central feature in this transformation was the partial liberalisation of Finnish drug policy and consequently the move towards new kinds of user-friendly services where \"customers\" could have more choice than they had previously. At the same time, Finnish welfare policy more generally started promoting the ideals of choice and involvement of the service user (Alasuutari and Lampinen, 2006). This article explores what is going on behind the new rhetoric and which factors shape the realisation of its ideals. According to Fairclough (2000), p. 19) current political discourse is embedded in \"weasel words\" that use rhetoric to dress up or mask reality. We ask whether consumerism and user involvement are mere rhetoric in the context of Finnish drug treatment and welfare policy in general or whether the relationships between professionals and service users are actually changing.Our analysis reveals how welfare professionals rethink and negotiate their role in the new situation and also addresses the situation from the perspective of the service user. The following questions will be discussed in detail: does user involvement actually empower service users? Is professional power being eroded, or rather, are new forms of power and expertise emerging? How are \"freedom\" and \"choice\" of users interpreted in the day-to-day encounters between professionals and service users? We begin by presenting the research design and continue with the empirical findings. Comparison of our two case studies displays variety in the transformations of the new role of the service user and the significance of the institutional context. We discuss our findings with respect to new \"rationalities of governance\" and the embeddedness of old and new tensions in the user-provider relationship. Finally, we draw some conclusions on the changing modes of professionalism.\nResearch design: The concepts of consumerism and user involvement are characterised by universalism. This study aims at gaining a detailed picture of their actual realisation through two ethnographic case studies, namely a health counselling service (HCS) for injecting drug users; and a specialised maternity clinic (SMC) for pregnant women with drug and alcohol problems. The analysis focuses on the technological aspects of governmental rationalities and attempts to explore how they render themselves instrumental by enabling the professionals in these two institutions to act upon the conduct of the service users (Miller and Rose, 2008).Our data form an interesting case for comparison, as the institutions are sufficiently similar whilst also being interestingly different. First of all, both the services are linked to the major transformation of Finnish drug policy and treatment services in the late 1990s due to increasing drug problems and the threat of an HIV epidemic caused by intravenous drug use (Hakkarainen and Tigerstedt, 2004; Tammi, 2007). Both institutions have a serious public health issue as their official agenda and both deal with people who are seen as particularly difficult clients. Furthermore, both claim to represent a softer, less restrictive and more pragmatic approach to drug use than the previous drug policy that heavily relied on restrictive measures (Hurme, 2004; Tammi, 2007).The background and context of the two institutions is, however, quite different. The HCS is a small unit run by a large non-governmental organisation (NGO) that has for over 50 years provided services for substance abusers with an emphasis on a psychosocial approach and social work. This NGO is known for its progressive human rights ethos. The SMC, on the other hand, is part of a large and bureaucratic public maternity hospital; the main institutional concern is biomedical treatment. The two institutions also differ with respect to their clientele. The HCS services are targeted equally at both sexes, while the SMC provides services for women only, although men can accompany their pregnant partners to the clinic. These differences enable us to analyse how institutional context and gender may affect the realisation of user involvement. Table I summarises the two institutional contexts by which we refer to the institutions' background, goals and practices.Ethnographic methodology is a key element of our study. Our observational data depict everyday interaction between service users and staff; this allows us to grasp the institutional reality behind different ideals and rhetoric (Bourdieu and Wacquant, 1992; Fairclough, 2000). Participant observation lasted for seven to 12 months at each institution during which time professionals and service users were also interviewed. The field notes were subsequently transcribed and systematically analysed. The analysis is based on the observations, while interviews are used as secondary data.Each researcher observed the daily life at one institution, taking very detailed notes of the encounters between service providers and users and on the working of the institutions more generally. The purpose during the observation was, firstly, to simply find out \"what is going on here\" (Agar, 1996); and secondly, to focus more specifically on how the new consumerist principles are realised. The field notes were written in what Atkinson (1996) has termed a \"realistic\" style.We started comparing the two institutions when we became familiar with one another's data and were intrigued by how differently user involvement was realised in the two institutions. For the purposes of the analysis the question of user involvement was operationalised into three types of encounters between professionals and service users:1. Access and first visit to the institution.2. Making space for choice and autonomy.3. Limiting the autonomy of the user.The analysis was carried out by coding the data from each institution using these three types of encounters as codes and subsequently comparing the two institutions along the three dimensions. All the empirical examples presented in the article represent a typical and recurring type of encounter in our data. All names have been changed to ensure anonymity for the service users and the professionals.\nThe case studies: Access to services\nConsequences of user involvement: tensions between old and new forms of governance: This article attempted to explore the effects of consumerism and user involvement on the level of day-to-day service delivery. Our analysis reveals that the promotion of these new governmental rationalities does not automatically lead to empowerment of service users and the erosion of professional power. Instead, the realisation of these ideals depends on context. Our findings highlight three significant issues concerning the realisation of these new rationalities and their consequences, namely the institutional context, gender, and changing modes of professionalism.Institutional context\nTowards a new professionalism?: Our study applied an approach that is sensitive to the service users' agency in healthcare. From this perspective we were able to demonstrate the significance of context and some of the institutional conditions that may further more equal relationships. We now turn our attention to the provider side and conclude by discussing changing modes of professionalism. It is important to consider here the specific configuration of the state-profession relationship. In the liberal democratic state of Finland professions were intimately involved in the processes of \"normalisation\" crucial to the reproduction of the legitimate power of the state (Evetts, 2006; Johnson, 1993). Especially in the Nordic countries the relationship between the state and professionals has been very close. Professionals have actively participated in the creation of the welfare state and the state has provided professionals with a secure environment to advance their professional projects (Henriksson and Wrede, 2004).Currently the authority of professions is questioned both by policy makers and the public; the promotion of new governmental rationalities has brought about increasing demands that it is time to replace the traditional, authoritarian professional with new kind of more receptive professionals. On the basis of our analysis, we argue that professionals face increasing pressures to adopt a new role and new kinds of working methods that involve mediating and advocating the interests of service users as well as seeking a more equal relationship with them (see also Kuhlmann, 2006). If professional capacity to govern people has up until recently relied on coercion and normalisation, as for instance Evetts (2006) stresses, nowadays this capacity increasingly builds upon the ability of professionals to listen to and interact with the service users in ways which make space for the users' agency. The development is, however, ambiguous and depending on the context, new professionalism can be virtually free of paternalism or a more ambivalent mix of the old and new.The realisation of new rationalities of government is in a complex way linked to the question of power. Rose (1999) characterises liberal governance as \"governing through freedom\" or governing through self-governance, not coercion. However, our findings highlight that at the grassroots level of service delivery, such governance can also entail pressure and coercive measures. According to Dean (2007) liberal governing does not necessarily respect individual liberty; it can also override specific freedoms in order to achieve a greater public good. Looking at the grassroots level of service delivery reveals that seemingly straightforward concepts and trends such as user involvement and consumerism hide a complex and ambiguous network of power relations with diverse implications in different contexts and on different groups of actors.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The new \"agenda of choice\" in public services emphasises service users' needs and agency. The ideals of consumerism and user involvement have set new challenges for professionals. This paper aims to explore the effects of consumerism and user involvement at the level of day-to-day service delivery, looking at the encounters between professionals and service users.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The paper applies an ethnographic approach. Observation data were collected at two Finnish drug treatment institutions: a needle exchange and health counselling service, and a specialised maternity clinic for pregnant women. Data from each institution consist of seven to 12 months of participant observation notes, which were subsequently systematically coded and analysed comparing the two institutions.\nFindings: - The promotion of new ideals does not automatically result in the empowerment of service users or the erosion of professional power. The two institutions differ greatly: institutional context and gender shape the everyday realisation of the new ideals. In both institutions, however, professionals have adopted new practices and rethought their role. The cultivation of service users' choice and agency can become valuable professional capital, a new kind of \"know how\" that can also be used by the professionals to justify the importance of their work.\nOriginality/value: - The paper provides a nuanced and contextualised insight into \"how\" the ideals of consumerism and user involvement are translated into everyday encounters between service providers and users.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Strategizing for CRM to leverage its benefits
|
[
"Strategy",
"Marketing",
"Customer focus",
"Segmentation",
"Personalization",
"Customer relationship management"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: CRM (customer relationship management) has held a lot of promise but the failure rate of CRM implementations has become a matter of concern. Authors have researched on CRM and pointed out that 60-80 percent of CRM projects end in failure (Kale, 2004).\nWhat is CRM?: There are various definitions of CRM offered by researchers. The three definitions that help to elucidate the relevant aspects of CRM are:\nStrategizing for CRM: The practice of CRM begins with the identification of the key customers. The key customers of a company are those whose needs can be best fulfilled by the competence of the company. It is possible that the share of wallet of key customers may not be high at the beginning of the CRM initiative but the tracking of the share of wallet of key customers will provide a useful indicator to ascertain the usefulness of the CRM initiative. This paper presents a framework that can be used to strategize for CRM. The four stages that help in successful implementation of CRM (Engage, Segment, Personalize, Track) are discussed below.\nCase study: Tesco: Tesco began its journey in 1919 when Jack Cohen set up a small grocery business in London's East End. Tesco adopted the self-service concept from US retailers after realizing its potential to help save costs and in 1948 the first self-service Tesco store was opened in St Albans. In the 1960s, Tesco expanded its merchandize from groceries to offer clothing, household goods and fresh food. Tesco also began making several acquisitions to enable it to expand its stores across Britain. In the 1990s, Tesco began its entry into other countries and in 1995 it launched the loyalty card called Clubcard.\nConclusion: The use of the four steps (Engage-Segment-Personalize-Track) can be done by business managers to enable success of the CRM initiative. This paper shows that technology is not the differentiator for CRM success but devising of the proper strategy is important before the launch of a CRM initiative.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The high rate of CRM failures is a matter of concern for business managers. Although the benefits of CRM have been well acknowledged, the manner in which CRM's benefits can be leveraged is still not well understood. This paper seeks to offer an approach that can be used to strategize for CRM in order to leverage the benefits.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The paper is based on the findings of various authors and by studying the CRM strategy adopted by Tesco to develop a conceptual framework that can be used for strategizing for CRM.\nFindings: The contribution of the author of this paper is a conceptual framework that can be used to strategize for CRM. The four stages of the framework are: Engage- Segment-Personalize-Track.\nResearch limitations/implications: Only one case study has been referred to.\nPractical implications: The framework can be used by managers who desire to use CRM and leverage its benefits.\nOriginality/value: Since the failure rates of CRM are high, it seems that the existing frameworks and approaches are not capable of ensuring success with CRM. It is hoped that this new conceptual approach that basically focuses on four steps - Engage-Segment-Personalize-Track - will deliver on the promise of CRM.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Business research in India
|
[
"Governance",
"Business analysis"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: We are in the knowledge economy sounds more like a cliche but is a reality today. Knowledge has emerged as the most critical resource available to an organization (Toffler, 1990; Nonaka, 1991; Drucker, 1993; Pillania, 2008). Research has a key role in increasing the knowledge base and has gained increased significance. India is one of the fastest growing economies and the role and significance of India in the global economy is continuously increasing. One after another studies have projected India as one of leading future economy (Goldman Sachs, 2003, 2007). In the knowledge economy, business research has an important role to play in the Indian growth story.\nResearch methodology: Bibliometric analysis is based on the assumption that researchers publish their most important findings in scholarly articles which base their research predominantly on materials previously published in high quality outlets (Van Raan, 2003; Pillania and Fetscherin, 2009; Pillania, 2011). Data for this research were collected in April 2010, for articles published over the last 50 years (1960-2010), from the ISI Web of Science databases consisting of the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-expanded), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), and Arts & Humanities Citation Index (A&HCI). In order to collect comprehensive data, the publication needed to be classified as an article on the topic including a combination of the following terms business research or management research or industrial research or strategy research or market research or financial research or operations research or human resource research and India or Indian or India business(es) or India economy(ies) or Indian business(es) or Indian economy(ies) or Indian firm(s) or Indian company(ies) or Indian corporation(s). The author searched \"in topic\" for articles as this allows us to search the title, the abstract, the keywords (Pillania, 2011). The search option \"in title\" would have restricted us to the article title only. By employing these keywords, the researchers have captured the most relevant articles on research and development and emerging markets. Further, to ensure better fit of retrieved research works with the topic under study, the author read the shortlisted journal papers.\nFindings: Emergence of the research topic\nConclusion: There is increasing interest in business research in India and increasing number of research literature on the subject, particularly in the last decade.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to study the progress of research on business research in India and identify the key disciplines, journals, articles, authors, and institutions.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Bibliometric analysis using data for articles published from the ISI Web of Knowledge databases consisting of the ISI Web of Science (1899-present) consisting of Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-expanded), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), and Arts & Humanities Citation Index (A&HCI); BIOSIS Previews (1969-present); CABI: CAAAB Abstracts (1910-present); MEDLINE (1950-present); Zoological Record (1864-present); and Journal Citation Reports (1999-2008).\nFindings: There is growing number of research literature on the theme and more so post 2002. Among the journals, the most prolific, measured by number of articles published are Management Decision, International Journal of Human Resource Management, Harvard Business Review, and Journal of International Marketing and the top ten percent of the journals are responsible for 36 percent of all publications. Similarly the top seven authors are responsible for about 15 percent of all publications and the top ten institutions account for 30 percent of all publications. This highlights that few journals, authors, and institutions are dominating the research arena of business research in India.\nResearch limitations/implications: Despite its high degree of objectivity, bibliometric analysis has a subjective dimension (Van Raan, 2003) since the researcher had to make choices on the search terms, the time period used, etc., and while the data set is comprehensive, is it not exhaustive as many new journals are not part of SSCI (Pillania and Fetscherin, 2009; Pillania, 2011).\nPractical implications: The study undertakes a multi-disciplinary review of literature on business research in India. It identifies the key disciplines, journals, articles, authors, and institutions on business research in India. It is a ready reference for practitioners and future researchers on the subject.\nOriginality/value: This study has made an attempt to study and document the literature on business research in India.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Launching store brands in emerging markets: resistance crumbles
|
[
"Generics",
"Emerging markets",
"Markets",
"Marketing strategy",
"Competitive strategy"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Store brands are no longer a hallmark primarily of businesses in the developed world, as was the case for decades. The marketing efforts of retailers across the globe, and their competition with local manufacturers, have introduced store brands in almost every product category, and have made them available in both developed and emerging markets. It appears today that Europe and North America have maintained their position as the most developed store-brand markets, with an aggregated store-brand share of sales reaching 23 and 16 percent respectively, but with a moderate growth rate (5 percent). In comparison, store brands in emerging markets have achieved growth of up to 11 percent, and currently account for 6 percent of sales. This impressive growth is directly related to the expansion of global retailers beyond their traditional geographic borders.\nWhy should a retailer promote store brands?: Store brands are generally owned, controlled, and sold exclusively by specific retailers. The products sold under these brand names are usually developed and packed by retailers rather than manufacturers and are marketed exclusively through their own stores. The entry of a store brand can aid retailers in several ways:* First, store-brand entry can strengthen the bargaining position of retailers vis-a-vis national brand manufacturers. The retailer's channel power is believed to increase as a result of store-brand entry, which changes the nature of the manufacturer-retailer interaction. Store brands may allow the retailer to negotiate lower wholesale prices on national brands. In addition, retailers can strategically position store brands in the product space to strengthen their bargaining position when negotiating supply terms with manufacturers of national brands.* Store-brand entry may increase the value of the entire category and expand category sales. In fact, store-brand entry may shake up a \"dormant\" category.* The store brand itself may generate profits because of its high unit margin and potentially high volume.* Store brands make shopping easier for consumers, and they enhance the store's image and store loyalty by improving store differentiation vis-a-vis other retailers.\nWhen should a retailer decide to market a store brand?: The retailer's marketing strategy for store brands should consider manufacturers' interest in developing store brands and consumer interest in store brands. Despite the potential power of a store-branding marketing strategy, and notwithstanding its great popularity in a variety of sectors, applying a store-brand strategy does not necessarily promise instant success. Rather than viewing development of a store brand as a surefire recipe for success, retailers need to study the brand's positioning and economic characteristics in depth to decide how and whether to apply a store-brand strategy. Several aspects should be considered:* The intensity of competitiveness in the sector. Retailers that operate in less competitive markets necessarily hold large market shares. Because these retailers enjoy heavy regular traffic by consumers, they can offer variety in leading and non-leading national brands as well as store brands. As a result, it is more likely that consumers will consider the private brand to be a good buy. These brands thus help strengthen ties between consumers and the retail chain and enhance loyalty to the chain.* Economies of scale. Since large retailers can exploit their strength to cut distribution costs, they can easily ask manufacturers to produce a store brand for them at lower cost. The savings achieved allow large retail chains to offer quality brands at reasonable prices.* The depth of the retailer's product mix. Consumers at retail chains with low positioning expect to find a more limited selection of brands, ranging from store brands to leading national brands. Since most consumers in these chains tend to buy non-leading national brands, it is more likely that the store brands will sell and become a regular feature in the shopping baskets of the chain's customers in time.* The retailer's expertise in different product categories. Consumers in specialty stores develop only a weak dependence on national brands because they seek unique brands rather than the standard brands available in most stores. Against this backdrop, the prospects grow for the specialty shop to develop a line of store brands.* Price gaps. Research shows that when there is a large gap between product prices (national and store) in certain categories, the store brand has better prospects for success. As the gap grows smaller, the prospects of store brands likewise shrink.* Promotion. Promotion activities by national brand manufacturers, such as discounts on their own brands, lead to a loss of status and power for store brands, particularly among price-sensitive consumers. When distributors try to fight national brands through similar promotion activities, they may end up weakening the store brand and enhancing sales of national brands, as promotions can make consumers perceive the store brand as lower in quality than the national brand.\nPosition of store brands in emerging markets: Emerging markets are by definition small but potentially dynamic and rapidly growing economies. There is no universal agreement on what constitutes an emerging market. Many economists accept the World Bank definition of an emerging market as one whose GDP per-capita income is below $8,000 per annum. By this definition, emerging markets account for 80 percent of the world's population and over 20 percent of global exports, with most healthy emerging markets found in South America and Southeast Asia. Businesses experts tend to divide emerging markets into two main groups: best-performing emerging markets (China, Russia, Thailand, South Africa, Taiwan) and less-performing emerging markets (Turkey, Malaysia, Croatia, Poland, Slovakia, Pakistan).Although they started from a smaller base, store brands in emerging markets saw the fastest growth during 2005, up 11 percent. Marketing experts contend that this growth was primarily driven by the increasing strength of modern trade (where store brand goods are more prevalent), as well as the entry of store-brand products into new categories. These two factors convinced leading retailers such as Wal-Mart (USA), Carrefour, Casino (France), Sainsbury, Kingfisher, Tesco (UK), and TOPS/Ahold (The Netherlands) to invest heavily in emerging markets in preference to other markets. These large retailers, as well as many others, often find it difficult to introduce store brands into emerging markets, raising the issue of how these markets differ from developed markets in their acceptance of store brands.Table I shows that there is still a significant gap between developed and emerging markets in store brand share of market and store brand growth.Five factors seem to be important in differentiating the management approach to introducing store brands in emerging markets from the approach that has been successful in developed markets (Table II):1. Store brands in developed markets can be found in hundreds of product categories. In developed markets, a store's image is derived in part from the number of store brands, and, as a result, many retailers make efforts to build up their store brands in every category. In emerging markets, store brands are marketed in fewer product categories because of the fear that customers who are not familiar with these brands will not buy them readily.2. Many store brands in today's developed markets offer high a level of quality aimed at meeting customers' demanding standards. In countries such as Switzerland, Belgium, the UK, Canada and the Nordic countries, many store brands are premium brands that are strong competitors of the leading national brands. In emerging markets, by contrast, store brands tend to be of average quality, which limits their attractiveness to customers who are not defined as price-sensitive.3. Store brands in developed markets are marketed on two levels: a higher level, where the brands compete directly with the leading national brands; and a lower level, where they compete with weaker national brands (third and fourth in the category). In emerging markets, store brands compete only against the weaker national brands, as customers in these markets do not perceive store brands as offering quality equal to that of the leading brands (in both tangible and non-tangible values).4. Store brands in developed markets are produced by the manufacturers of top international brands or by leading national manufacturers through global wholesalers that specialize in marketing store brands. A total of 75 to 80 percent of store brands in emerging markets are manufactured mainly by local factories, with only a quarter or fewer of these products - those for which the country of origin is a critical component in marketing - made by international firms.5. Store brands in developed markets include both high-and low-involvement products, with even very high-involvement goods (e.g. hygiene products, vitamins, fashion products and electrical appliances) marketed through store brands. Products sold through store brands in emerging markets are characterized as low-involvement, in both the food and non-food categories.\nManaging sustainable store brands in emerging markets: Enhancing brand quality\nThe outlook for store brands in emerging markets: The future of store brands in emerging markets depends more than anything else on the way retailers and managers handle and manage their store brands. It appears that the low income of customers in most emerging markets, and the increasing willingness of these markets to develop their economies, are making it more likely that store brands will one day present a real challenge to national brands. This happened less than 30 years ago in the developed world despite efforts by national manufacturers to avoid it (and despite their stated belief that store brands would not pose a serious threat). If the retailers and managers of store brands in emerging markets act swiftly and professionally, there is no reason why store brands should not be powerful forces that seriously threaten the existence of national brands in emerging as well as developed nations. With millions of new customers waiting to be won over, the entry of global retailers with store brands into these markets is simply accelerating this trend.Box 1\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - Store brands, which were once only found on the shelves of developed countries, are now being introduced in emerging markets in increasing amounts. The purpose of this paper is to describe the store brand process as it is found in emerging markets. In doing so, the authors explain what are the forces that have led to the development of store brands in emerging markets and the sort of strategies that should be implemented.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The paper provides comparative statistics showing the penetration of store brands in both developed and emerging markets. Then, the conditions that determine whether store brands should be adopted by retailers are identified and discussed.\nFindings: - Five key factors have been identified that explain successful management approaches to introducing store brands in developed as compared to emerging markets. These include the number of store brand categories available, the quality of store brands, type of products, the manufacturers of the products and the number of product lines sold by retailers. Finally, the paper discusses the future of store brands in emerging markets and predicts that their penetration will closely follow the trend in developed countries.\nOriginality/value: - This paper provides insights into what sort of strategies should be used by store managers in emerging markets to adopt store brands in order to satisfy the income levels of many of their customers. The use of store brands will not only provide more consumer satisfaction, but increased profits for the store.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Print to electronic: the University of Hong Kong case
|
[
"University libraries",
"Print media",
"Digital storage",
"Hong Kong"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Later this year the University of Hong Kong Libraries (HKU) will celebrate the acquisition of its one-millionth e-book. Actually we already have more than that number of e-books, but we have not held the party yet. Most of these e-books are owned, that is, we have bought them, and either loaded them on a local server or we have bought perpetual access to them on the vendor's server. We also lease access to other titles. About half are in Chinese and half English language (see Figure 1).\nBackground: The University of Hong Kong was founded in 1911 by the British at the same time that China shed its emperor and founded a republic headed by Sun Yat-sen. The initial purpose of the university was to educate local youth who would take part in operating the colony/working for business enterprises and to inculcate them in Western culture and the ways in which things were done. It began with schools of medicine, engineering, and the arts.In 2005 the University had:* 12,011 government funded students (8,959 undergraduate students, 3,052 undergraduate students, and more than 100,000 extension student enrollments);* 2,005 faculty (not including extension faculty members); and* schools of law, medicine including dentistry and nursing in addition to all aspects of advanced medicine, engineering, business, and 58 departments, etc., in six other schools/faculties.To support all of these programs our library is composed of a main library and law, medicine, dentistry, education, music and Asian studies branch libraries. As of the end of the 2004-2005 fiscal year, we owned 2.38 million volumes, mostly in open stack collections, but with more than 650,000 volumes in storage because we are out of space. Last year we added nearly 100,000 volumes - down from past years when our budgets were stronger and before we began our emphasis on electronic materials.Organisationally, we have a librarian, a single deputy librarian, four team leaders, and the sorts of departments that can be found in most academic libraries worldwide. We only have 32 professional librarians but a total of 191 non-professional support staff.Budget-wise, this year we will spend about US$11million+ on collections, $9milllion on staffing and $0.9million on \"other\" library-related expenses. Of our collections funds we will spend just over $8million on serials and $3million on monographs. We rely mainly on government support for funds but do have some limited endowment and income support for the purchase of library materials.In general, it can be said that while Hong Kong may be geographically distant from either North America or Western Europe, in concept, content, and organisation the University of Hong Kong's library, as well as other libraries like it in the rest of China, is similar to those fairly advanced research libraries that might be found throughout the world.\nContent building: In terms of collection development or content building, back in the print-only world our library was more or less in a reactive mode when it came to serials. Librarians occasionally selected serial titles, especially to match selected abstracting services, and sent out sample issues of serials to faculty members, but in general we were on the receiving end of the serials collection development process: individual faculty members because of limited budgets very selectively recommended and their committees approved those titles which matched the needs of specific faculty members and librarians placed the orders for these selections.Today, in the electronic plus print world, how we build serials collections has changed considerably. Since we are frequently purchasing publisher and vendor e-journal packages, librarians are the ones making the decisions on what is purchased and the number of titles we select is much larger. Five years ago we subscribed to only 14,556 titles, now our users can access 31,326 titles. \"Big deals\" give more for the same or not a great deal more money. But the number of titles acquired is not the only difference. Librarians are clearly much less selective than the faculty. Whereas in the past one could easily identify which professor had requested a title, this is no longer the case. Librarians largely select the packages and tell the faculty later. In the electronic world, we no longer buy or cancel one title at a time. We buy or cancel them in terms of publisher and vendor packages. This is a very different way of building collections.\nMoney: In the print world we allocated book and serials funds to each of our ten faculties according to a formula that took into account the average cost of serials and selected statistics for the number of students and faculty. Once they were given their library materials budget allocation, the faculties were free to adjust the mix between how much they spent on serials and books - as long as they did not spend more than 80 per cent of their allocations on serials (and even that was negotiable). In that world when we obtained larger increases, the faculties received more money, and they would spend it on new titles. In recent years, as Hong Kong has suffered the effects of the 1997 stock market crash and the world wide economic decline set off by the events of 9/11, the faculties had to decide what titles to trim since budget increases were not able to keep up with price increases. We helped them do this by collecting new issue use statistics as well as information about where each title was indexed and where appropriate, the ISI impact factor.Today, the faculties still get serials budgets, but they are largely for the purchase of print subscriptions or print plus electronic where such titles are not included in a vendor or publisher package. We pulled all the electronic serials subscription money out of the faculty's budgets since in most cases vendor and publisher packages were multidisciplinary and made paying for each title with a specific faculty's budget impossible - especially since for many titles we could not find a faculty member to sponsor its selection. To govern the use of this new digital serials budget where almost everything electronic is serial in nature, we created a new committee, the Shared Electronic Resources Fund Advisory (SERF (an unfortunate acronym)) Committee, which is chaired by the head of the library's collection development team. Since the real growth in serials titles is electronic, the old system of the faculty approving new serials titles is fading fast. (For 2004-2005, the faculties were required to use and shift their serials funds to the SERF for buying e-only serials recommended by them as there was not enough money in SERF to cover their individual requests.)\nAccess: In the context of this topic, we need to talk about access to the serials literature in general, that is, the business of buying serials, as well as providing our readers with access to articles and the contents of individual journals.In the print world we bought journals from vendors and publishers. We outsourced to vendors some of the processing work we would have had to do if we went direct to the publisher. We went direct if we did not trust the vendor to handle particular titles properly or if the price offered by a publisher was simply too good to refuse. In the print world our library split its subscriptions up by country, region, or subject and selected vendors on the basis of surcharges and services provided. More recently, we were able to focus much of our business with one global vendor because it can provide many automated services, worldwide coverage, and their surcharges are usually the lowest in the market.In the electronic world, we are much more able to go directly to the publisher or to their Hong Kong representative. In the global information communications technology (ICT)-dominated world, \"place\" is much less important. In the print world being on the other side of the earth meant it was useful to hire the vendor to collect all of our materials, check them in, and then reship them to us.User access to printed journals now and in the past is and was fairly straightforward and technologically simple. We still receive 12,813 printed journals and display their issues for readers to \"graze\" during the library's open hours, and then we bind them in uniformly coloured bindings for \"permanent\" access. Our knowledge about what users do with them is limited. For serials cutting exercises we collect title specific issue data for most journal titles. Yet, we only know that the issue was handled and put in a box for reshelving. We did not and do not know if one article, two articles, or all articles were read. When I was at Columbia University Libraries, we did bound journal volume use studies, but again we did not know how many articles were read from each volume. In the print world we were free to share what we bought with users at other libraries with which we had resource sharing agreements.User access in our electronic age is very different. Our library provides 299 terminals for patron use, more than 500 campus backbone Acenet connections, and, of course, wireless connectivity so that users can read e -serial and other digital resources. The need for connectivity at our campus is increased because of an annual subsidised laptop purchase program wherein new students can buy their own laptop for about 60 per cent of the retail price. Typically more than 80 per cent of the new students purchase a laptop. To insure that users can read our journals 24x7, we employ proxy servers to allow our users \"in\" and to keep the unwashed masses \"out\". All users can also set up journal title specific profiles so that when a new issue of a journal in which they declare interest is received, its electronic table of contents is pushed at them via e-mail - frequently with clickable full text access to each article. We provide one-stop multiple database searching software to speed up readers' ability to find relevant materials and provide additional software to enable our readers to then click to the full text should the A&I service not provide the link. Additionally, we have given our users the ability to virtually do everything using a PDA that they can with a laptop or desktop computer. All of this does not mean our users do not have complaints concerning all of this electronic information. In an online survey we conducted in November of 2005, three of the five areas for which there were the most significant gaps between performance and importance related to electronic information: \"ease of locating electronic resources, electronic resources are accessible from my home/office, and easy of use (electronic resources)\".We track our proxy server activity to monitor what journals are used and we examine publisher and vendor journal title and article specific browse and downloading information. We know what is and is not used.Our ability to share what we buy in the electronic world is much more complicated. Some publishers allow us to download electronic articles and send them to the requesting library while others require us to print and then scan or mail the article (of course, this ignores modern printer-scanner-fax machine actual capabilities). Yet we also take advantage of ITC to get copies of materials via CRL and RAPID that we would have not been able to access because of distance and cost implications.The electronic world has even begun to affect the physical form of the printed serial our patrons read. We recently decided to simplify the type of bindings given to serials for which we have electronic equivalents in order to save funds for other purposes. We have thought about, but not stopped binding the paper copies altogether or not displaying them since they are not what most readers use.The new digital serials world for the University of Hong Kong's libraries is very different in another way: to a limited degree we have joined the vendor publisher world. In China where network bandwidth had been a serious problem in the past, publisher/vendors like China National Knowledge Information has established mirror sites through which libraries gain access to the 5,000+ journals included in its China Journal Net database. Our library is one such mirror site, and we have 15 library customers in Hong Kong and two in Australia. We receive a percentage of the subscription costs to repay us for our efforts.\nOrganisation: The organisational placement of serials in our library has changed enormously in recent years. It is not really because of the advent of e-serials, but because of library automation in general we have gone from separate serials units in cataloguing and acquisitions prior to July 1, 2003 - in addition to specialised staff doing serials work in a separate Asian studies collection - to a totally revamped technical services workflow beginning last year with serials work being done in a decentralised mode. All of technical services work now takes place in the context of a team headed by the Systems Department's head.A big difference in the way we do serials work today is the number of new jobs that have to be done. In collection development we have one professional librarian who spends nearly 100 per cent of her time negotiating licenses with electronic vendors, taking part in consortial licensing efforts, renewing agreements, advising other parts of the library wanting to share content on what can and cannot be shared, etc. In the print world you bought serials and let everyone read them. In the e-journal world we have to deal with licensing issues for our different types of users, e.g. regular students, extension education students, our friends of the libraries and alumni users, and the users of other libraries with whom we have shared collections agreements.Since we catalogue all e-journals irrespective of whether we get them directly, in vendor/publisher packages, or in full text databases, you can imagine how busy acquisitions and cataloguing staff are keeping up with what is newly added and what is getting dropped or added by these providers. Another new duty is fixing broken URL links and simply investigating why a link that used to work no longer operates correctly - a variety of Technical Support team members and reference support librarians all get involved. When we moved a number of print plus electronic titles from one vendor to a different vendor we temporarily lost access to the electronic - another new problem that had to be addressed. With every new database or linking software, with new functionalities, our readers need to be taught how to use them to their full effect. Since the electronic side of our collection has grown so fast re-teaching students and faculty how to use what we have is also an ongoing challenge. Finally, worrying about and doing what is possible to insure that we have ongoing access to all of this invisible to the naked eye information is another new duty. The old days of buy it, park it, and use it whenever you want are over.\nConclusion: We live in a superior new world. For me, all of the changes and uncertainties are worth it. Admittedly, the title-specific link between what our faculty want and what is in our collection is no longer there; our ability to cancel individual journals without affecting the rest of the collection is greatly restricted; the business of managing print and electronic versions of the same title is complex and time-consuming; our need to provide a rich and complex technical infrastructure involving hardware and software is costly and time-consuming; our ability to share resources with others is technically more challenging and limited by copyright considerations; we have to do completely new jobs like licensing, fixing broken URLs, teaching readers how to use new tools and resources, and limiting what classes of users can use which titles; and our ability to switch titles from one vendor to the next is infinitely more complex. And yet, in the face of these difficulties, the breadth and depth of what we can give our patrons to read is much richer. We are giving them double the content, without paying twice as much money, we have a much higher level of understanding of what they are reading and not reading, and we are able to seamlessly obtain electronic copies of articles from journals we don't own and send them to our patrons' desktops. Our faculty and students are generally ecstatic about their electronic resources. In the patron survey referred to above, 59 per cent of our patrons said they preferred reading electronic serials while only 30 per cent said they favoured the printed versions. For the academic staff, only 14 per cent still favoured printed journals. Very few if any would go back to the old printed world - a world which increasingly few students ever knew. The new electronic serials world is a lot of work, but it is worth it.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The paper aims to examine the change of University of Hong Kong Libraries from a mostly print collection to a mostly electronic collection.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The paper provides a description of the University of Hong Kong Libraries collection.\nFindings: - The paper finds that the change to a mostly electronic collection has been successful. It has brought new problems involved with keeping up with the technological issues. Both students and faculty are pleased with the new collection.\nPractical implications: - This change can make a large number of resources available to users at a reasonable price. There are, however, new jobs to do and new skills to learn.\nOriginality/value: - This paper presents an excellent example of how a library can move to an electronic collection while continuing to provide quality services to its users.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Effect of householder characteristics, production, sales and safety awareness on farmers' choice of vegetable marketing channels in Beijing, China
|
[
"Vegetables",
"Marketing channels",
"Factors",
"Beijing",
"Choice behaviours",
"Multinomial logit model"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Vegetables are an essential component of people's daily diet and provide essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients (Cheng et al., 2016; Lewis Ivey et al., 2012). Therefore, it is necessary to guarantee the stable and safe supply of vegetables in Beijing, an international sprawling metropole of more than 21.51 million people (BMBS, 2015). Vegetables have short storage period, require careful transportation, and are easily damaged so that the local government was stimulated to develop the urban agriculture including the cultivation of vegetables to meet the consumer demands.\n2. Materials and methods: 2.1 Data collection\n3. Results: 3.1 Marketing channels and sales of vegetables\n4. Conclusions and discussion: The objectives of this study were to understand vegetable growers' sale behaviors when facing changing markets and identifying the major factors that affect farmers' evaluation of marketing channel choice with changes of production and market. The data used for statistical analysis in this study were obtained by survey that was administered in seven districts in Beijing. The results of the study reveal that farmers selling vegetables primarily selected farmers' market, cooperative, and wholesaler as the main channels to sell their vegetables, accounting for 18.32, 47.12, and 28.80 percent, respectively. The proportion of sales of leafy vegetables, fruit vegetables, and root vegetables were roughly consistent with the overall sales of vegetables through each channel. Vegetable sales through farmers' markets, cooperative, and wholesaler channels accounted for 96.57 percent of the total sales. These findings indicate that farmers' markets, cooperatives, and wholesalers play an absolutely essential role in vegetables circulation. Research results seem to suggest the focus should be on these three sales venues for design of policies for the adjustment and optimization of vegetable circulation. Cooperatives should strengthen the education and training on the farmer who selected cooperative marketing channel, enhances the farmer to apply new technology and good manufacturing practices. For wholesalers, they should conclude vegetables purchasing contracts with farmers to promote the standardization, safety, and efficient production. Besides, the government should actively guide and support farmers who sell vegetables through farmers' market channel selecting cooperative or wholesaler. On the other hand, the government must enhance the supervision on farmers' markets to keep unsafe and bad vegetables away, and make the price stable. These measures tend to improve production efficiency and farmer financial stability, as well as ensure the safety of vegetables and improve quality of vegetables.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Farmers' selection of vegetable marketing channels directly affects their income and is important to stable vegetable supply and food control. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the farmers' selection behavior of vegetable marketing channels, and to determine the key factors which affected farmer' decision making.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A total of 191 valid questionnaires were collected from 50 villages in seven main vegetable production districts in Beijing urban areas from September to December 2015, yielding a response rate of 86.8 percent. The multinomial logit model was used for analysis in this study.\nFindings: The results revealed that the farmers mainly selected farmers' market, cooperative, and wholesaler to sell their vegetables, which comprised 96.57 percent of total vegetable sales. Estimation results showed that cooperative, vegetable acreage, price satisfaction, and slow sales were most important factors which influence positively the probability of opting to sell vegetables at a cooperative rather than at the farmer's market. For wholesalers, gender of the household head and cooperative had most significantly negative effect, and age had a positive impact on farmer's choice of market channels.\nOriginality/value: The results and implications obtained in the present study could help policymakers to establish a scientific-based and reasonable policy to encourage vegetable producers to participate in the circulation of vegetables in Beijing and guarantee their income in vegetable supply chain. The suggestions of this study could also be used for the improvement of the vegetable sector in other cities facing similar issues.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
System design effects on online impulse buying
|
[
"Impulse buying",
"Website design",
"Presence",
"M‐R model",
"Consumer behaviour",
"Buying behaviour"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Impulse buying is usually described as a sudden, compelling, hedonically complex purchasing behavior that lacks deliberate consideration of all available information and choice alternatives (e.g. Parboteeah et al., 2009; Rook, 1987). All products may be purchased impulsively and all consumers engage in impulse buying on occasion (Piyush et al., 2010). Online stores capitalize on this behavior by integrating multiple media and enabling consumers to buy around the clock, thereby exposing them to rich stimuli and subsequently providing ever-increasing opportunities for impulsive spending (LaRose, 2001). Impulse purchases represent almost 40 percent of all money spent on e-commerce sites, based on the observation of customers' shopping experiences by User Interface Engineering[1]. Other evidence of impulse buying can be found in the practitioners' efforts to promote online impulse buying, such as by cross-promotions at AOL Time Warner and recommendations at Amazon.comAlthough impulse buying has relevance to current buying practices, research into the effects of system design on impulse buying remains limited. Most previous studies on online shopping approach the topic using traditional attitude-behavior models, such as the theory of planned behavior (Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975) and/or technology acceptance model (TAM) (Davis et al., 1989). Such models view online shopping as a rational process and actual purchasing behavior driven by a well-formed intention. Although these studies shed some light on the impact of system design on rational buying, they fail to provide insight into the spontaneity and immediacy of the impulse buying that transpires, by definition, without prior intention (Rook and Fisher, 1995).A few recent studies endeavored to investigate online impulse buying by identifying web site features that could supplement the traditional factors typically identified in marketing research (e.g. product, promotion, etc.). Possible external stimuli that promote online impulse buying (Madhavaram and Laverie, 2004) included media formats (Adelaar et al., 2003) and task/mood-related cues (Parboteeah et al., 2009). Various theories were proposed to explain online impulse buying, including the TAM (Koufaris, 2002) and the \"stimulus-organism-response\" (SOR) framework (Parboteeah et al., 2009). While these studies provide important insight and suggest possible theoretical perspectives, there is a dearth of research aimed at understanding online impulse buying in general and the role of system design in particular. Confusion also remains regarding how to position cognitive processes in modeling online impulse buying; this calls for further discussion.Based on the two-system (reflective vs impulsive) model (Strack and Deutsch, 2004) and the \"SOR\" framework (Mehrabian and Russell, 1974), in the present paper, we construct and empirically test a model that examines online impulse buying as a phenomenon triggered by system design factors. By incorporating the two-system model, this study offers a theoretical underpinning of the role of cognitive processing in impulse buying. Another significant extension of the \"SOR\" framework is to introduce presence as the system stimulus that captures the overall virtual experience and to specify the associated design features; i.e. interactivity and vividness.This paper is structured as follows. We first define impulse buying and its related construct, and follow this with a discussion of the theoretical foundation for this research. Drawing upon the previous literature, we propose the research model and justify the hypotheses. This is followed by a description of the experiment and a discussion of the results. In conclusion, we summarize the study, discuss the theoretical and practical implications, and make suggestions for future research.\n2. Theoretical background: 2.1 Impulse buying and buying impulse\n3. Research model and hypothesis development: Figure 1 presents the proposed model for online impulse buying. There are three major differences from past applications of the M-R model and prior research on online impulse buying. First, we examine both buying impulse and impulse buying. Second, drawing upon the two-system model and prior research on impulse buying, we provide a theoretical underpinning for the moderating role of cognitive processing (i.e. value perception) in the relationship between buying impulse and impulse buying. Third, going beyond the specific web site features, we conceptualize the overall virtual experience (i.e. telepresence and social presence) as the system stimuli and identify their associated system design features, which we believe has substantial practical implications. In the following, specific hypotheses from our model are developed and presented.3.1 Buying impulse, value perception, and impulse buying\n5. Empirical results and discussion: In total, 83 subjects (55 percent) purchased VCD movies from the web site. This implied that the experimental setting, including marketing stimuli, product choice, and transaction design, was effective in stimulating buying impulse and actual purchasing behavior while avoiding a ceiling effect.5.1 Manipulation check\n6. General discussion and implications: Drawing upon the M-R model and two-system model, our research investigated online impulse buying as triggered by system design factors. The research model was validated by an experiment with a 2x2 full factorial design involving 151 undergraduate students. The results provide strong support for the research model. Our research makes an important contribution to both IS and marketing literature by demonstrating the important role played by system design factors in explaining experiential online shopping.6.1 Theoretical implications\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - Integrating the two-system (reflective vs. impulsive) model and the \"stimulus-organism-response\" framework, the purpose of this paper is to construct and empirically test a model that examines online impulse buying as a phenomenon triggered by system design factors.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - A laboratory experimental design with a 2x2 full factorial design involving 151 undergraduate students was used to validate the effects of system design stimuli on online impulse buying. Interactivity and vividness, two design factors, were manipulated and a fictitious VCD movie store was created, with four storefronts representing each combination of treatments.\nFindings: - A compelling and sociable virtual experience as conceptualized with telepresence and social presence has a significant effect on buying impulses over and above traditional marketing/product stimuli. Such virtual experience can be created through the usage of interactive and vivid website features. Furthermore, cognition positively moderates the relationship between buying impulse and the actual purchasing behavior.\nPractical implications: - The findings provide valuable guidance in website design that can stimulate online impulse buying. The results also indicate the importance of providing cognitive intervention at the purchasing stage.\nOriginality/value: - A significant extension of the \"stimulus-organism-response\" framework is to introduce presence as the system stimulus that captures the overall virtual experience and to specify the associated design features; i.e. interactivity and vividness. By incorporating the two-system model, this study offers a theoretical underpinning of the role of cognitive processing in impulse buying.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Sustainability disclosure in higher education: A comparative analysis of reports and websites of public and private universities in Turkey
|
[
"Sustainability reporting",
"Turkey",
"Higher education",
"Content analysis",
"Global Reporting Initiative"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: With the growing attention to sustainable development, the role of higher education in this process became the focus of debate. Following the main aim of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), Higher Education for Sustainable Development (HESD) has developed as a new academic field of research (Karatzoglou, 2013). Many charters and declarations were launched, calling on higher education to contribute to sustainability transition processes. Different dimensions of HESD are identified in these declarations, focusing on the key roles of higher education institutions (HEIs), such as education, research, outreach and campus operations. Assessment of and reporting about the sustainability integration process is one of these dimensions of HESD (Lozano et al., 2013).\n2. Literature review and research question one: 2.1 Global literature on sustainability reporting in higher education\n3. Sustainability disclosure at universities in Turkey and research question two: This section gives a brief overview of the Turkish higher education system, universities and their sustainability efforts and explores the second research question.\n4. Discussion: What follows from the literature review is that only a handful of Turkish studies focus on sustainability integration in education, in which the focus on sustainability reporting in higher education is non-existent. The studies identified in the Turkish context are limited mainly to environmental sustainability next to teaching and curriculum design, confirming the argument that the most important dimension of sustainability comes from environmental reporting (Fonseca et al., 2011). The social dimension is fairly taken into account, whereas the economic dimension is entirely disregarded. These results differ from other studies in other countries, which concluded that the social dimension is rarely addressed (Sassen and Azizi, 2018b) or are of second importance (Schaffhauser-Linzatti and Ossmann, 2018).\n5. Conclusion: This study has analyzed the extent and content of sustainability reporting through a systematic literature review that aimed at understanding the presence and main elements of the topic in relation to universities in Turkey, a content analysis of stand-alone sustainability reports of universities and a similar analysis of their websites by using a tick-box framework to investigate 56 sustainability indicators and 10 dimensions as proposed by Fonseca et al. (2011).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explain the extent and content of the sustainability disclosure of public and foundation (private but not-for-profit) universities in Turkey.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Subsequent to a systematic literature review of six academic databases and the National Thesis Center, a content analysis using a combination of Global Reporting Initiative and campus assessment tools from previous studies is conducted on stand-alone sustainability reports and websites of a purposive sample of eight universities in Turkey.\nFindings: Infrequent and unsystematic sustainability practice done through websites seems to be more prevalent than formal reporting through international initiatives. Research and practice diverge by focusing on different sustainability indicators. Sustainability needs to be integrated into teaching and curriculum through university policies and regulations. Foundation universities show greater effort in sustainability reporting than public universities.\nResearch limitations/implications: The research is limited by the availability of mostly self-reported, dispersed and unaudited data by foundation universities in addition to framework-imposed specificities. Furthermore, there is only one public university with a formal sustainability report in the sample.\nPractical implications: The findings offer suggestions for developing extra sustainability indicators and may assist local policy-makers and researchers in their efforts to improve sustainability reporting by local universities.\nOriginality/value: This comprehensive research effort is one of the few studies from a non-Western country perspective and the only study on Turkey in relation to universities and sustainability reporting.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Investigating antecedents and outcome of telepresence on a hotel's website
|
[
"Hotel industry",
"Telepresence",
"Website attributes",
"Brand attitude",
"Behavioural intentions"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The development of advanced technology has changed ways to deliver effective marketing communications (Rodriguez-Ardura and Martinez-Lopez, 2014). Through effective marketing communications, hotels enable customers to maximize their experiences in the virtual environment, such as the website. Customers' experiences can be direct or indirect, depending on the degree of interactions between customers and the environment (Li et al., 2001). Customers' direct experiences are from a direct interaction between the customer and environment, whereas their indirect experiences occur from mediated experiences, as customers' experiences are developed from the media, such as website (Li et al., 2001). With an advanced media platform (Rodriguez-Ardura and Martinez-Lopez, 2014), customers can indirectly, yet vividly, experience hotel services and develop a perception toward their future consumption experiences by looking at a computer screen or a mobile device.\nLiterature review: Parasocial interaction theory\nMethodology: Study procedures\nResults: Respondents' profile\nDiscussion: With technological advances and customers' reliance on the website, telepresence played an important role to determine customers' website experiences and their behaviors. Results from this study confirmed sensory attributes positively influenced telepresence when customers searched for hotel information on the website (H1). This study provided additional evidence on the role of sensory marketing (Krishna, 2012), which supported the importance of sensory appeals on customer behaviors. The role of sensory attributes was important, engaging customers' pleasant experiences (Krishna, 2012; Mahfouz et al., 2008). Kim and Perdue (2013) identified the importance of sensory and emotional aspects on customers' hotel choice behaviors. Consistent with previous studies, this study identified when customers were exposed to the hotel's website that engaged with their senses, they tended to have an enhanced telepresence. This finding implied sensory attributes could be used as a marketing stimulus for customers to immerse to other worlds (e.g. future hotel experience), while browsing the hotel websites.\nConclusions: Before booking a hotel, customers tended to imagine their future experiences. Therefore, hotel websites should include attributes that fostered telepresence. This study investigated different types of website attributes that promoted telepresence and outcomes of telepresence on the hotel's website. For instance, when customers were exposed to a hotel's website that included sensory descriptions and enabled customers to feel happy, they were more likely to enhance their telepresence because the website enabled customers to enhance their indirect experiences. Results from this study contributed to the telepresence literature and provided suggestions to hotel managers and hotel website designers.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This study aims to investigate the relationships among sensory, emotional and cognitive attributes on a hotel's website, customers' telepresence, their attitudes toward the hotel's website, brand attitudes and their behavioral intentions, based on telepresence and parasocial interaction theories as theoretical backgrounds.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A cross-sectional, online, self-administered survey was conducted to examine the proposed framework from previous hotel guests in the USA, who booked the hotel via its website within the previous 12 months.\nFindings: Results identified sensory and emotional attributes influenced customers' telepresence; however, cognitive attributes did not affect telepresence on the hotel's website. Telepresence then influenced customers' attitudes toward the hotel's website and their behavioral intentions. Both attitudes toward the hotel's website and brand attitudes influenced customers' behavioral intentions.\nOriginality/value: This study was the first study to propose the telepresence model in the hotel website context, investigating antecedents and outcomes of the telepresence.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The training numbers add up for Custom Enterprises: Single-man accountancy practice transformed into a fast-expanding firm
|
[
"Accounting firms",
"Training",
"Business development"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Award-winning training helped to transform a single-man UK accountancy practice into a fast-expanding six-person firm, providing all aspects of financial management from book-keeping to statutory accounts.\nNew employees' skills: The assistant accountant had an accounting degree, but no practical experience of Sage accounting or Iris tax software. It was expected that, after training, she would be able to handle book-keeping, payroll, and full accounts and tax packs, and be able to manage the office in director's absence.The accounts assistant had no practical experience of Sage accounting. It was expected that training would enable her to perform book-keeping and payroll tasks. Training would also improve her information-technology skills.The administrator was recruited as an apprentice, straight from college. She had no professional experience but showed herself keen to learn.The business developer had a good telephone manner but limited IT skills.\"An accountancy firm works to strict legal requirements, so the employees needed to be well trained, motivated and knowledgeable to complete work to a high standard while meeting deadlines and keeping mistakes to a minimum,\" Glen Patterson explained.Convinced that the practice needed to function efficiently whether he was there or not, he calculated that investment in time and money to bring trainees up to standard would be more than offset by additional revenue. Quick autonomy was the aim, to minimize disruption and enable the business to grow.\nThe training provided: Glen Patterson, as a chartered management accountant and certified book-keeper, was able to train the assistant accountant in book-keeping, payroll and Iris software. The assistant accountant was also trained as a first-aider and fire marshal and has just begun level 2 National Vocational Training in team-leading.The accounts assistant attended the Association of Accounting Technicians course levels 2 and 3 at North Warwickshire and Hinckley College. Through e-learning she took Sage beginners' and intermediary levels, a customer-service National Vocational Qualification at level 2, an NVQ level 2 in ITQ and training as a first-aider.The administrator had on-site one-to-one training on professional terms and documentation. She also took a level 2 NVQ in business administration at North Warwickshire and Hinckley College.The business developer took a level 2 NVQ in ITQ and enhanced her already-good telephone skills through a level 2 NVQ in telemarketing.The company carries out six-monthly personal-development reviews to measure progress, and bi-annual employee-motivation assessments to monitor overall staff morale and drivers.\"In the beginning there would be numerous questions every day, such that I would rarely be able to leave the office,\" said Glen Patterson. \"Now the office runs itself, with very little recourse to me.\"All employees have gained a substantial amount of knowledge and many skills from their training. Some of this benefits them as individuals while other areas will aid progression in the company.\nConsequences of the training: \"The training has helped to increase turnover by 50 percent a year. The number of appointments with potential clients has risen and tens of thousands of pounds worth of business is being won. The substantial growth of the business each year, and this continued growth, would not have been possible without the training and commitment of all individuals.\"The accounts assistant and assistant accountant now fully understand the principles of accounting and a number of taxation issues. They complete their work autonomously and on time.The assistant accountant runs the office in the director's absence and completes full accounts packs with tax returns.The administrator has the confidence to draft quotations and client contracts. She is about to take a level 3 apprenticeship, which includes an NVQ level 3 in business administration.The business developer is much more confident in the use of information technology.\"The employee-motivation guides show a highly motivated workforce, with members feeing included in all business-development issues as well as their own development. This filters through to clients and has led to a 96 percent client-satisfaction rating and high client-retention figures, which have actually paid for the training,\" said Glen Patterson.\"As a consequence of our continued efforts in training and also providing support to the wider community through placements, apprenticeships and charity work, we have become an integral part of our local community.\"Custom Enterprises Limited has achieved Investors in People status, committed itself to the Skills Pledge and has earned accredited employer-training status with the Association of Accounting Technicians. The firm was a highly-commended finalist for Employer of the Year and a finalist for the Community Support prize at the Hinckley Business Awards. The practice was shortlisted for the East Midlands Apprentice Micro-Employer award, and won an East Midlands regional prize in the National Training Awards.\"Installing such an in-depth commitment to training has produced a highly motivated workforce, involved in writing the vision and mission statements,\" Glen Patterson explained. \"Without the quality training provided and active encouragement of every employee, the business would not have flourished.\"On the basis of the team's skill level, involvement and commitment, Glen Patterson reviewed the acquisition of an accountancy firm. One was identified and purchased in 2010. The high skill set everyone had acquired allowed the client base and premises to be integrated with minimal disruption. The knock-on effect was that both sites were kept synchronized.Running the two sites then enabled the team to prepare for the purchase of a building, achieve a full refurbishment and then move into this. The practice acquisition, building acquisition, refurbishment and final move into the new building in the summer of 2011 all occurred within ten months.\"This could only have been achieved because of the investment in skills. We have encouraged and enabled each team member to make complex decisions. As a result, they are contributing both to the success of the business and the overall success of everyone within it,\" Glen Patterson concluded.\nNote: David Pollitt, Human Resource Management International Digest editor, wrote this article.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to describe how training helped to transform a single-man UK accountancy practice into a fast-expanding six-person firm providing all aspects of financial management, from book-keeping to statutory accounts.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - Explains the reasons for the training, the form it took and the results it has achieved.\nFindings: - Details the business and personal skills acquired by the newly recruited accounts assistant, assistant accountant, business developer and administrator, and explains how these helped the company to increase turnover by 50 percent a year.\nPractical implications: - Reveals that the company now functions effectively, whether the director is there or not.\nSocial implications: - Explains that, as a consequence of its continued efforts in training and also providing support to the wider community through placements, apprenticeships and charity work, the business has become an integral part of its local community.\nOriginality/value: - The paper details how training helped to change the ethos of a business from a one-man band to a thriving, six-person practice.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Explaining retail offer adaptation through psychic distance
|
[
"International business",
"Retailing",
"Marketing models"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: A substantial body of literature exists in the area of strategy standardisation and adaptation. While research is predominantly in the export and international marketing areas, focusing on the marketing strategies of manufacturing firms (Alashban et al., 2002; Boddewyn et al., 1986; Cavusgil and Zou, 1994; Chhabra, 1996; Jain, 1989; Ozsomer et al., 1991; Shoham, 1996; Whitelock and Pimblett, 1997), the debate surrounding strategy standardisation and adaptation is even more relevant and important in the area of international retailing. This is because retailers are closer to consumers than manufacturing and exporting firms, which provides them with easy access to information, but also makes them more vulnerable to differences in consumer tastes across markets. In recognition of the importance of strategy standardisation and adaptation, some attempt has been made to investigate the issue in an international retailing context (Dupuis and Prime, 1996; Martenson, 1987; McGoldrick, 1998; McGoldrick and Blair, 1995; McGoldrick and Ho, 1992; O'Grady and Lane, 1996; Salmon and Tordjman, 1989).The general question posed by researchers is whether it is more appropriate to pursue a predominantly standardised or adapted marketing strategy (Cavusgil and Zou, 1994; Clarke and Rimmer, 1997; Dupuis and Prime, 1996; Shoham, 1996; White, 1995). These empirical studies have provided limited and often conflicting findings regarding the performance implications of standardised and adapted strategies. Advocates of a standardisation approach argue that the homogenisation of world markets, combined with the advantages obtained through economies of scale and greater operating efficiencies increase the likelihood that firms will perform better with a standardised strategy. In contrast, supporters of an adaptation approach assert that firms will perform better when they adopt marketing and retailing strategies that accommodate the differences in markets. Hence, the standardisation/adaptation debate has tended to centre on the perception of market similarities or differences as the primary explanation for the relationship between strategy standardisation or adaptation and performance.Despite the focus on market similarities and differences in the standardisation/adaptation literature, only a limited number of studies have sought to establish an empirical association. Research has identified similarities and differences in government regulations, consumer tastes, nationalistic sentiments, competition, technical requirements, language and product usage as antecedents to strategy standardisation or adaptation (Boddewyn and Grosse, 1995; Chhabra, 1996; Ozsomer et al., 1991). These antecedents can be categorised as either cultural or business factors and, as such, highlight the important role played by psychic distance in determining the degree of standardisation or adaptation.Thus, the purpose of this paper is to examine empirically the relationship between psychic distance and standardisation or adaptation of the retail offer. We begin with a brief discussion of the psychic distance construct and then examine the relationship between psychic distance and retail offer adaptation. We present the empirical findings from the survey in the form of two regression models and finally, we discuss the implications and limitations of the study.\nTheory and hypotheses: Psychic distance is defined as the distance between the home market and a foreign market resulting from the perception and understanding of cultural and business differences. This definition is based on the work of Vahlne and Wiedersheim-Paul (1977), Nordstrom and Vahlne (1994), O'Grady and Lane (1996) and Lee (1998). These studies all highlight the importance of two factors: psychic and distance. First, psychic is derived from the term \"psyche\", which refers to the mind or soul. This suggests that it is not the simple presence of external environmental factors that determines the degree of distance between the home market and a foreign market. Rather, it is the individual's perception and understanding of these factors, which forms the basis of psychic distance. Second, distance relates to similarity or difference in terms of the amount of separation between two points. Thus, the term \"psychic distance\" refers to the perceived degree of similarity or difference between the home and foreign market.Research conducted by O'Grady and Lane (1996) and Lee (1998) also highlights the need to specify the factors that combine to determine psychic distance. O'Grady and Lane (1996) argue that psychic distance should incorporate both business differences and cultural differences. This supports the findings of Nordstrom and Vahlne (1994) who found that the two concepts capture \"different but overlapping phenomena\". Moreover, Evans and Mavondo (2002) assert that the true explanatory power of psychic distance can only be revealed when the individual elements are fully measured. Therefore, for the purposes of this study psychic distance is operationalised in terms of both cultural and business distance. Cultural distance is derived from Hofstede's (1991) dimensions of national culture, while business distance incorporates economic, legal and political, business practices, market structure and language differences.Psychic distance and retail offer adaptation\nMethodology: The sample for this study consisted of randomly selected, non-food retailers that operated stores in at least three foreign countries. The mail survey method was used to collect data from respondents through a formal structured questionnaire. The study adopted the three key principles advocated by Dillman's (1991) Total Design Method: minimise the cost for the respondent, maximise the reward for responding and establish trust. Questionnaires were distributed internationally to senior executives based in the USA, UK, Western Europe and the Asia Pacific region. A useable sample of 102 responses was obtained, yielding a response rate of approximately 20 per cent. This amounts to a sample of 204 international retailing operations, as respondents were asked to answer all questions twice, once for a retail operation in a psychically close market and once for a retail operation in a psychically distant market. The majority of firms in the sample were based in the UK (24 per cent), USA (27 per cent) and Germany (27 per cent). This is consistent with both the composition of the sampling frame and the activities of retailers based in these three countries.Operationalisation of constructs\nResults: The results are presented as two models (see Table I). This approach is a response to the ongoing debate about the use of multidimensional scales and the explanatory power of psychic distance as a summary construct (Evans and Mavondo, 2002; Stottinger and Schlegelmilch, 1998). Model 1 is consistent with advocates of multidimensional constructs in that it relates a broad predictor (psychic distance) to broad outcomes (retail offer adaptation). Model 2 allows for the identification of those elements of psychic distance that significantly influence, either positively or negatively, adaptation of the retail offer.The composite index of psychic distance was first entered into a simple regression analysis as a means of evaluating its predictive ability in terms of retail offer adaptation. The results depicted in Table I indicate that psychic distance explains a significant proportion (65 per cent) of retail offer adaptation. Second, the individual dimensions of psychic distance were simultaneously entered into a multiple regression analysis. The significant F-ratio demonstrates that the dimensions of psychic distance explain a significant proportion of retail offer adaptation. It is evident, that this fully disaggregated model has the most explanatory power as the R2 (0.729) is nearly 10 per cent greater than model 1. The relative importance and significance of each of the dimensions is assessed in terms of the beta values and t-values. With regard to the disaggregated model, market structure (b = 0.184), business practices (b = 0.308) and language differences (b = 0.245) were found to have a significant positive effect on retail offer adaptation.\nDiscussion: The results of the simple regression analysis provide support for H1. The results indicate that psychic distance does increase the degree to which retailers adapt their offer in foreign markets. This positive relationship may be attributed to a number of factors. First, where retailers perceive a foreign market to be substantially different to their domestic markets, they may simply assume that the retail offer, in its current form, will not be suitable for the foreign market. Consequently, the decision to adapt the retail offer may be based on a subjective assessment. Second, retailers may perceive greater risk and uncertainty in psychically distant markets. In response to this perceived risk they will undertake more extensive research into the foreign market environment. The information provided by such research may suggest that certain aspects of the retail offer must be adapted to accommodate the various cultural and business differences.In terms of model 2, the results of the multiple regression analysis provide support for H2d, H2e and H2f. The results indicate that the perception of market structure, business practices and language differences have a significant and positive relationship with adaptation of the retail offer. Market structure in particular has been consistently identified in previous research as an important determinant of strategy adaptation (Alashban et al., 2002; Boddewyn et al., 1986; Jain, 1989; Ozsomer et al., 1991). Market structure differences, such as intensity and type of competition, may necessitate adaptation of the retail offer as a means of maintaining a competitive position in the foreign market.It can be inferred that differences in business practices would necessitate changes in elements of the retail offer such as customer service and after-sales service. For instance, perceived differences in the concept of fair dealing may prompt retailers to adapt their after-sales service in terms of return policies and merchandise warranties. Moreover, credit and financial arrangement differences may compel retailers to adapt the credit terms offered to customers. Finally, while in some countries, staff may expect to be rewarded for providing superior personalised service, others may assume that they will be rewarded for quick and efficient service. Thus, the type and quality of customer service offered may be adapted in response to differences in the basis for rewards and recognition of staff.It can be argued that because language differences influence interpersonal communication, which is intrinsically linked to the shopping experience, adaptation of the retail offer would be necessary. Aspects of customer service may need to be adapted because words and phrases do not necessarily have the same meaning when translated into another language. This could also have consequences for the overall image presented to consumers because of its effect on store atmosphere. Furthermore, elements of the retail offer such as signage, promotional materials and care labels on merchandise would all need to be adapted to suit the language of the foreign market.It is interesting to note that cultural distance did not have a significant effect on adaptation of the retail offer. It was expected that this would have been a very important predictor of retail offer adaptation as it goes to the core of consumer tastes and values. Thus, it can be inferred that retailers undertake more obligatory, rather than discretionary adaptation. This can be attributed to the fact that differences in the market structure, business practices and language necessitate adaptation of the retail offer, whereas adaptation to suit consumer tastes is at the discretion of management. However, the argument of obligatory adaptation is not supported in the case of legal and political differences. There are many examples of international retailers adapting elements of their operating procedures and strategies (i.e. trading hours and store locations) because they are legally required to do so. It is possible that legal and political differences do not necessarily influence the core elements of the retail offer, such as merchandise, customer service and store layout.\nConclusion: This study sought to establish empirically a relationship between psychic distance and retail offer adaptation. We also sought to broaden the area of study, which has been limited in terms of geographic scope and a focus on manufacturing and export firms, to include international retailing firms across a diverse range of countries. The results show that psychic distance, as a summary construct, explains a significant proportion of retail offer adaptation. The study also demonstrates that disaggregation of the dimensions of psychic distance significantly increases the explanatory power of the model. The findings indicate that, while national culture, legal and political and economic differences do not affect the degree to which retailers standardise or adapt their offer, market structure, business practices and language differences are strong predictors.It is recognised, however, that a number of issues must be considered when interpreting the findings of this study. First, while the response rate was relatively low, the sample characteristics suggest that the sample is reasonably representative. Second, the sample size was too small for us to perform more sophisticated analyses; however, we took care to ensure that the analyses performed were robust. Third, the research findings may be limited in terms of their generalisability across retail sectors. The study focused on non-food retailers only and, thus, it must be acknowledged that the identified relationships may differ for food retailers.These results may have implications for researchers and managers in suggesting that we need to go beyond consumer behaviour differences to explain fully the degree to which international firms standardise or adapt their strategies in foreign markets. While academicians continue to call attention to cultural and consumer factors in the standardisation/adaptation debate, the findings suggest that retailers are focusing on business factors. A suggestion for future research is to incorporate psychic distance with other internal factors, particularly international experience and entry strategy, as a means of explaining an even larger proportion of the variance in retail offer adaptation. A further suggestion for future research, which was beyond the scope of this paper, is to investigate the performance implications of retail offer adaptation.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this study is to examine empirically the relationship between psychic distance and adaptation of the retail offer across a range of countries.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - Data were collected using a mail survey of randomly selected non-food retailers that operated stores in at least three foreign countries.\nFindings: - Findings of this study suggest that a substantial proportion of retail offer adaptation is explained by psychic distance. In particular, differences in market structure, business practices and language between the home and foreign market significantly increase the extent to which retailers adapt their offer.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The research findings may be limited in terms of their generalisability across retail sectors, as the study focused on non-food retailers only.\nPractical implications: - These results have implications for researchers and managers in suggesting that we need to go beyond consumer behaviour differences to explain fully the degree to which international firms standardise or adapt their strategies in foreign markets.\nOriginality/value: - Much of the existing research into standardisation and adaptation is limited in terms of geographic scope and a focus on the marketing strategies of manufacturing and export firms. Thus, this paper addresses a substantial gap in existing research by empirically examining the relationship between psychic distance and adaptation in a retail context and across a range of countries.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
A long life after exploitation and exploration
|
[
"Exploitation",
"Exploration",
"Organizational longevity"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: An enduring belief among management scholars is that exploitation is for \"current viability\" and exploration is for \"future viability\" (Levinthal and March, 1993; Levitt and March, 1988; March, 1991); yet this proposition received surprisingly little empirical scrutiny. Much of the work to date has mainly revolved around time-invariant- (Cegarra-Navarro and Dewhurst, 2007; Rothaermel and Deeds, 2004; Hoang and Rothaermel, 2010), retrospective- (e.g. Atuahene-Gima, 2005; Auh and Menguc, 2005; Bierly and Daly, 2007; Cao et al., 2009; Gibson and Birkinshaw, 2004; Groysberg and Lee, 2009; He and Wong, 2004), concurrent- (Ebben and Johnson, 2005; Lin et al., 2007; Rosenkopf and Nerkar, 2001), subsequent- (Jansen et al., 2006; Lubatkin et al., 2006; Rothaermel and Alexandre, 2009; Lavie et al., 2011), and projected- (Wang and Li, 2008; Uotila et al., 2009; Vagnani, 2012) financial-or-innovation performance consequences of exploitation and exploration - none of these studies have looked into the longevity implications of exploitation and exploration. One exception was the study conducted by Piao (2010) who examined the longevity implication of the temporal alignment (temporal overlap/non-overlap) of exploitation and exploration. Yet, even this study failed to investigate the main effects and the interaction effect of exploitation and exploration on organizational longevity.\nTheory and hypotheses: According to March, the central mechanism in explaining the longevity implications of exploitation and exploration is the adaptation process. March summarized the adaptation process as a process of sequential sampling in the sense that \"at each point in a sequential sampling process, one alternative is sampled from a set of alternatives\" (March, 2008, p. 118). Inherent in the sequential sampling process is the recognition that organizational longevity depends on, first, whether firms choose a new alternative at each step of sequential sampling; and second, how successfully they can implement that new alternative. Since success at one alternative or one market \"niche\" is usually transient, the successful transition into the next success (a new alternative) maintained the \"lifeblood of the process of organizational adaptation\" (March, 2008, p. 98; Simon, 1993; Winter, 1975), and \"improved the survival potential of the organization\" (Chakravarthy, 1982, p. 41).\nMethod: Sample and data\nResults: Table I shows the means, standard deviations, and correlations for the key variables. An examination of the correlation matrix reveals that both exploitation intensity and exploration intensity are correlated with longevity. Some control variables are also correlated with each other. A variance inflation factor (VIF) diagnostic test reveals that the VIFs for these variables are all below 2.5, indicating no major multicollinearity problem.\nDiscussion and conclusions: This study aims to investigate the main- and the interaction-effects of exploration and exploitation on organizational longevity. For the main effect of exploration, this study confirms the curvilinear relationship between exploration intensity and organizational longevity: Too little exploration \"make[s] adaptive processes potentially self-destructive\" (March, 1991, p. 73) and too much exploration \"trap an organization in an endless cycle of failure and unrewarding change\" (Levinthal and March, 1993, p. 106) - firms need to maintain \"a reasonable level of exploration\" (March, 1991, p. 73) in order to extend organizational longevity.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the longevity implications of exploitation and exploration. It examines the main effect of exploitation, the main effect of exploration, and the interaction effect of exploitation and exploration on organizational longevity.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This study employs Cox Proportional Hazard Model in analyzing 20-year data from the hard disk drive industry.\nFindings: Exploitation, independent of exploration, has a positive impact on organizational longevity. Exploration, independent of exploitation, has a curvilinear impact on organizational longevity. Jointly, exploitation weakens the curvilinear relationship between exploration and organizational longevity.\nResearch limitations/implications: This study challenges the dualistic view that exploitation is for \"current viability\" and exploration is for \"future viability.\" It suggests that firms need to actively engage in (instead of compromise) both exploitation and exploration in order to prolong their lifespan despite the counter force triggered by the negative dynamics between exploitation and exploration.\nPractical implications: In order to prolong organizational longevity, firms need to fully engage in (but not compromise) their existing product-market domains, actively explore (but not over-explore) their new product-market domain, and to embrace (but not avoid) the tension between exploitation and exploration.\nOriginality/value: This study is one of the few that systematically and empirically examined the longevity implications of exploitation and exploration. It adds specificity and precision to the understanding of how exploitation and exploration, independently and jointly, affect organizational longevity.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Efficiency of banks in Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand
|
[
"Performance",
"Southeast Asia",
"Data environment analysis",
"Meta-frontiers",
"G21",
"G28",
"L11"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Since the financial crisis in 1997, the countries of Southeast Asia (SEA) have been experiencing mass changes and have deregulated their banking system. The crisis in 1997 has showed the importance and needs of a strong relation between the financial system and economic growth (Demirguc-Kunt et al., 2004). This paper is looking into the performance of financial sectors in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand which are the four dominant countries in SEA. These countries have experienced enormous economic downturn during the 1997 financial crisis. Differences in forms of size, per capita GDP and financial development urged these countries to set up different set of transformation program and policy during economic downturn and financial difficulties. In 2008, the region faced global crisis. Even though the global crisis did not originate in Asia, SEA economies and financial markets have already begun to feel the impacts of the crisis, and these are likely to deepen substantially over the coming years. In preparation, SEA countries have introduced several measures in providing support to their economic and financial development including providing protection and stability to the banking system. Several past empirical studies such as Casu and Molyneux (2003), Isik and Hassan (2003), Lin and Zhang (2009), Gardener et al. (2011) have approved that banks have made significant changes after implementing recovery actions through restructuring and deregulation in their financial sector. Many of these studies also approved that SEA has made remarkable recoveries and has again showed tremendous success in maintaining their resilience toward the 1997 financial crisis and even the global crisis.\n2. Literature review: Past literatures have applied either a parametric or non-parametric approach to examine the banks' efficiencies. Researchers such as Berger and Humphrey (1997), Berger and Mester (1997), Berger et al. (1993) and Pastor et al. (1997) have studied banking performance, provided international comparison of banking efficiency and derived technical and scale efficiency measures using the data envelopment approach (DEA). Among most recent literature found with particularly interest on SEA banks efficiency are Sufian and Habibullah (2010), Hadad et al. (2011) and Gardener et al. (2011). These papers have utilized the DEA to compare efficiency of banks in the selected SEA countries, respectively. The assumption underlying these traditional DEA is that cross-country efficiency differences are determined by structural characteristics (Berger and Humphrey, 1997).\n3. Methodology: In this research, the main method that used is DEA meta-frontier. DEA is a mathematical linear programming technique developed by Charnes et al. (1978) which identifies the efficient frontier from the linear combination of those units/observations that (in a production space) use comparatively fewer inputs to produce comparatively more outputs. Technically, DEA allows firms to make choices from a set of input-output combinations and allows cross-country banks efficiency comparison with assumptions that every country has equal access to the same banking technology that may inherent bias efficiency results.\n4. Empirical analysis: 4.1 Data\n5. Empirical results: The estimations of the country frontiers (deac) and meta-frontiers (deam) were obtained using the variable return to scale, input-oriented DEA. Table I summarized the input output used to measure the efficiency scores for Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand.\n6. Conclusion: This paper applies meta-frontiers DEA for the purpose of studying differences in efficiency across four selected SEA countries covering the period 1998-2012. We evaluate bank efficiency in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand by means of DEA, and we employ a meta-frontiers approach to calculate efficiency scores in a cross-country setting. The meta-frontiers approach used to provide comparable estimation efficiency scores. The closeness of group frontiers to the meta-frontiers is measured as MTR for the different groups.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to use the concept of meta-frontiers data envelopment analysis (DEA) to compare the technical efficiencies of banks in selected Southeast Asia countries in the periods of 1998-2012.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The authors evaluate bank efficiency in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines by means of DEA, and the authors employ a meta-frontiers approach to calculate efficiency scores in a cross-country setting.\nFindings: The analysis shows that even there are some similarities in the process of financial reforms undertaken in the selected countries, the observed efficiency levels of banks vary substantially across the market.\nOriginality/value: It is crucial to take into consideration of different technologies in explaining the efficiency differences.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Managerial perceptions of cost-system obsolescence and factors that might affect it: A case study in the Turkish hotel industry
|
[
"Market orientation",
"Hotel industry",
"Environmental uncertainty",
"Cost system obsolescence",
"Hotel structure",
"Turkish hotels",
"Hospitality",
"Hotel Strategy"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Today's intense competition has increased the need for a well-established design of information systems in the hospitability industry. Appropriate cost information is crucial for a \"competitive edge\" (Downie, 1997) that provides profitability, competitiveness and stability (Khandwalla, 1972). The quality and quantity of accounting information that determines the accurateness of product costing become an essential component for better pricing decisions (Callahan and Gabriei, 1998; Krishnan et al., 2002).\n2. Literature review: A review of hospitality accounting studies reveals a moderate amount of previous work (Paiva et al., 2016). However, previous literature on the hospitality industry reveals a wide range of work on management accounting practices in the hotel industry (Harris and Brown, 1998). Collier and Gregory (1995) found that strategic management accounting acted as an integral part of the services provided by the finance function for decision-makers in the UK hotel sector. Donaghy et al. (1998) explained yield management regarding the hotel industry. Moreover, Edgar (1998) and Jarvis et al. (1998) investigated contingent factors that might affect the use of yield management in the UK hotel sector. Mia and Patiar (2001) found that management accounting systems assisted general managers and department managers in their short- and long-term decisions in Australia's hotel industry. Pavlatos and Kostakis (2015) found that Greek hotels tended to use more modern strategic management accounting techniques after the economic crisis, although budgeting techniques were still widely used.\n3. Hypotheses development: This paper aims to investigate the incidence of CSO in the hotel industry and contingent factors that may affect CSO. Drawing on previous literature (Cooper, 1989; Pavlatos and Kostakis, 2015; McManus, 2013), we investigated the effects of CI, environmental uncertainty, MO and hotels' structure and strategy and size (control variable) on CSO in the Turkish hotel industry. Figure 1 provides a schematic overview of the framework of this study.\n4. Methods: 4.1 Questionnaire development and sampling procedures\n5. Findings: 5.1 Descriptive findings\n6. Conclusion: This study aims to report the frequency of CSO in the Turkish hotel industry and factors that affect CSO. The results demonstrated that frequency of symptoms for CSO in Turkish hotels was relatively low (m = 2.247; s = 0.774) based on hotel accounting managers' perceptions. Our research findings indicate that CSO is lower in hotels where managers perceive greater CI (b = -0.538; p < 0.001). The hospitability industry has been perceived as rather uncertain (m = 3.510; s = 0.957) and the results showed no support for the hypothesis that posited CSO was lower in hotels where managers PEU (b = -0.020; n.s.).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This study aims to report the descriptive statistics of cost-system obsolescence (CSO) in the Turkish hotel industry and contingent factors that affect the CSO.\nDesign/methodology/approach: To validate the reflective measurement model, first, an exploratory factor analysis in statistical package for social sciences was conducted. Then, a confirmatory factor analysis using maximum likelihood in analysis of moment structures was performed to establish the reliability and validity of the construct measurements.\nFindings: The results demonstrate that CSO symptoms did not occur frequently in sample Turkish hotels. Turkish hotels were found to operate in intense competition and a significant relationship between competition intensity (CI) and CSO takes place. The hospitability industry has been perceived as rather uncertain. However, perceived environmental uncertainty (PEU) had no significant effect on CSO, and there was no mediation effect on the relationship between CI and CSO. Turkish hotels were found to perform market-orientated activities at a mediocre level. However, no significant relationship was found between market orientation (MO) and CSO. Additionally, Turkish hotels with decentralized decision-making structures and \"prospector-type\" strategies were found to have less CSO. On average, Turkish hotels have centralized decision-making structures and pursue \"analyzer-type\" strategies.\nPractical implications: This study contributes to previous literature related to accounting information in the hotel industry. It also aims to give additional insight into Turkish hotels' competitive environment, MO activities, decision-making structures and strategies and their association with CSO.\nOriginality/value: The study examined CSO in the Turkish hotel industry and factors that affect CSO. The study results provide additional insight into Turkish hotels' competitive environment, MO activities, hotel structure and strategy. A new model to test CSO was created and validated using structural equation modeling (SEM).\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
#MeToo and LGBTQ+ Salvadorans: social and leadership challenges
|
[
"El Salvador",
"#MeToo",
"Discrimination against LGBTQ+",
"Salvadoran LGBTQ+",
"Social imaginary",
"Violence against LGBTQ+"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: The #MeToo movement, officially launched as a hashtag in late 2017, when several Hollywood actresses publicly accused movie producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment or assault, has led to the worldwide media exposure of sexual abuse, harassment and assault and publicly named a number of perpetrators. The movement, attributed to activist Tarana Burke who spoke out against sexual abuse in 2006:\nSocial imaginary of El Salvador: Inheritance of violence and inequality\nStudy methodology: Approach\n#MeToo, discrimination and violence against Salvadoran LGBTQ+: #MeToo\nAccess to justice for LGBTQ+: LGBTQ+ participants reported that they do not feel safe reporting crimes to the police.\nLeadership in the Salvadoran LGBTQ+ movement: Since 1992, LGBTQ+ Salvadoran leaders have mobilized for their rights, pushing for social change and ultimately for a social imaginary that is more egalitarian, less homophobic and less violent. The LGBTQ+ movement began after the civil war and gained significant concessions only after the FMLN party came to power in 2010. Hence, the movement is relatively young and began long after the movement in the USA, which began in the 1920s (Morris, 2020).\nThe #MeToo movement and Salvadoran LGBTQ+: Overall, #MeToo has brought to the forefront the global issues of sexual mistreatment and violence and given victims a forum through which to relate their pain and outrage, seek justice and commiserate with others despite a backlash against it (Giesler, 2019; Hillstrom, 2018; Perkins, 2017). Legal changes have been made as a result and a hidden issue has been laid bare and challenged the judicial system to take action. Some critics say that #MeToo has focused on celebrities to the expense of others and emphasized women to the detriment of LGBTQ+ who also have experienced sexual mistreatment and violence (Lee, 2018). However, for marginalized communities such as LGBTQ+ who are less visible, \"it is still a situation in which the cost of speaking out marks them as targets and robs them of their dignified privacy\" (Giesler, 2019, pp. 4-5).\nSocial forces mitigating against the realization of #MeToo in El Salvador: A number of social forces prevent LGBTQ+ Salvadorans from openly identifying their perpetrators and from gaining support by publicizing high-level cases via Twitter. These include lack of celebrity culture, lack of access to use Twitter, cultural characteristics, a young LGBTQ+ movement and lack of LGBTQ+ movement success factors existing in other Latin America countries.\nRecommendations for LGBTQ+ leaders: The research suggests that leaders need to continue to push for the enactment of reforms and to continue to educate the public and politicians to change their social consciousness. The combination of the pressure of the Directorate of Sexual Diversity, along with allies in government agencies, non-government organizations and international organizations, along with more information campaigns and trainings need to be continued until LGBTQ+ Salvadorans can achieve their human rights. In particular:\nConclusion: As this paper has shown, the social imaginary of El Salvador currently militates against the open embrace of the #MeToo movement. Cultural values, combined with a hierarchical social structure, poverty and a legal system that does not function according to the rule of law, have prevented the open exposure of perpetrators. However, the LGBTQ+ social movement leaders, who practice grassroots, queer and social change leadership, share the values of #MeToo and are communally working to expose violence and injustice and build a large enough support base in the community and the government to exert increasing pressure to obtain their rights and to punish their perpetrators. Although the movement is still young, by following the values and objective of #MeToo and recognizing that LGBTQ+ Salvadorans are part of a global revolution, it will continue to gain momentum and courage to withstand and overcome society's resistance.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to argue that the myriad social forces in El Salvador make it difficult for LGBTQ+ to publicly declare their sexual orientation or name their perpetrators and hence to use the #MeToo hashtag as a leadership strategy of their movement.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A qualitative research design was used that included interviews and focus group discussions with LGBTQ+ leaders of organizations and government officials. A descriptive/interpretive approach was used to understand their experiences of being LGBTQ+, leadership approach to gain their rights and knowledge of #MeToo.\nFindings: Although the movement has contributed to the public dialog about sexual misconduct, it has not had an impact on the \"coming out\" of LGBTQ+ on Twitter, public exposure of offenders, improved treatment of LGBTQ+ or significant changes in employment law for LGBTQ+ Salvadorans. Rather than the celebrity-led #MeToo movement, a continuation of the more grassroots approach that Salvadoran LGBTIQ+ leaders use may more successfully achieve their protection and rights.\nResearch limitations/implications: Further research should be completed regarding the impact of leadership on changing the social imaginary and the leadership approach most appropriate for this impact.\nSocial implications: The study provides a case to further explore the leadership's role in changing the social imaginary.\nOriginality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this paper is the first to illustrate that #MeToo cannot be successful in all cultural contexts or with all LGBTQ+ communities and that grassroots approaches may be more appropriate in countries such as El Salvador.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Structural relationships between cultural values and coping behaviors of professionals in the stressful construction industry
|
[
"Cultural values",
"Construction professionals",
"Coping behaviours",
"Emotion-focused",
"Problem-focused"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The term \"coping behaviors\" refers to the cognitive and behavioral efforts by individuals to manage specific demands appraised as being too demanding (Folkman and Lazarus, 1988). Task complexity, tight timeframes, complicated work relationships, an often-poor working environment, and other conditions mean that construction professionals in the construction industry face a work environment full of stressors (Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), 2006; Haynes and Love, 2004; Leung et al., 2005, 2009). To survive in such a demanding and dynamic industry with its numerous sources of stress, construction professionals must be able to adopt suitable coping behaviors (Leung et al., 2003). Given this context, researchers have examined the effectiveness of various coping behaviors used by construction professionals (Leung et al., 2006; Yip and Rowlinson, 2006). But not all coping behaviors have a positive effect on the individual. Research indicates that in general, problem-focussed behaviors affect job performance positively, whereas emotion-focussed behaviors have a negative effect (Dyson and Renk, 2006). Accordingly, if we wish to improve the performance of construction professionals by facilitating their use of coping strategies, we must investigate those factors affecting their adoption of various approaches.\nCoping behaviors of construction professionals: Before investigating cultural values and its hypothetical impact on coping behaviors of construction professionals, the concept of coping behaviors is discussed in this section first. Construction projects tend to be dynamic, time-consuming, and multidisciplinary, which in turn leads to stress. Stress has long been recognized as an issue for construction professionals, and one that significantly affects performance (CIOB, 2006; Leung et al., 2005, 2008; Haynes and Love, 2004). Hence, construction professionals must be able to cope with its effects (Leung et al., 2003; Lingard and Francis, 2006). Coping behaviors refer to \"the person's constantly changing cognitive and behavioural efforts to manage specific external and/or internal demands that are appraised as taxing or exceeding the person's resources\" (Lazarus and Folkman, 1984, p. 141). Previous studies have identified two general types of coping behaviors: problem focussed and emotion focussed (Lazarus and Folkman, 1984; Leung et al., 2006).\nCultural values and construction professionals: Culture involves different levels, from the shallowest level of symbols (such as words, gestures, pictures, and objects) to heroes (i.e. persons dead or alive, imaginary or real) to rituals (collective activities such as greeting or praying), and finally to the deepest level of values (Hofstede, 2001). Values are the enduring beliefs about the end-state of existence, or else a specific mode of behavior or conduct that is personally or socially preferable to the opposite or converse mode (Rokeach, 1973). They are the core elements of culture and are considered to be the guiding principle of an individual's behaviors (Bond and Forgas, 1984; Chinese Culture Connection, 1987; Chiu and Kosinski, 1995; Hofstede, 1991). Hence, it is reasonable to speculate that the coping behaviors of construction professionals will be driven by their cultural values.\nResearch methodology: Sampling\nResults: Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of CVS factors\nDiscussion: As per the optimized Model III (see Tables IV and V), Figure 1 illustrates the integrated SEM of cultural values and coping behaviors for construction professionals in HK. It shows that interpersonal integration (CVS1) predicted planful problem solving (C1), while a disciplined work ethos (CVS4) predicted positive reappraisal (C2) and emotional discharge (C7). Additionally, interpersonal integration (CVS1) was the independent variable predicting a disciplined work ethos (CVS4).\nRecommendations: Although the current study investigated how an individual's emphases on cultural values predict his or her adoption of coping behaviors using the sample of construction professionals in HK, it should be noted that the cultural value dimensions in this study is not regionally bounded. In fact, these dimensions are comparable to value factors of various cultural values systems developed in western countries, like harmony and embeddedness in the Schwartz value system (similar to the interpersonal integration and the social conventions in the CVS) and restrictive conformity and positive affiliation in the Rokeach values system (similar to the conservative personality and the social conventions in the CVS) (Schwartz and Sagie, 2000). People with different cultural backgrounds may score differently across these dimensions. In addition, due to the special history of HK, a post-colonial city with much international background, construction professionals in HK are working in a global market with various international professionals who carry different cultural backgrounds. Thus, it is believed that the results of this study can be a reference of other construction professionals worldwide. In accordance with the study results, the following recommendations at the personal, interpersonal, task and organizational levels can be made to construction professionals internationally.\nFurther research: This study adopted self-report surveys to collect data. Although this introduces the risk of common method variance, it should be noted that the CVS and coping behaviors scales are based on an extensive literature and have been widely adopted in previous studies in the fields of construction and stress management, as discussed above. Moreover, all survey respondents were qualified construction professionals working in HK and had practical experience in the construction industry. Hence this study does form a platform as a genuine evidence for the impact of cultural values on coping behaviors among construction professionals internationally.\nConclusion: Although there are studies which examined the effectiveness of various coping behaviors on individuals, research investigating the antecedents of coping behaviors is still rare. This paper's primary contribution to the overall body of knowledge is it adopted a series of systematic data analysis approaches to provide statistical evidence that construction professionals' emphasis on various cultural values influences their adoption of coping behaviors. By using confirmatory and EFA, four cultural values (interpersonal integration, conservative personality, social conventions, and a disciplined work ethos) and six coping behaviors (planful problem solving, positive reappraisal, instrumental support seeking, acceptance of responsibility, escapism, and emotional discharge) were first identified. Then, regression analyses were conducted to investigate the predictive ability of the four identified cultural value factors on each coping behavior. Based on the results of the regression analyses, an integrated SEM model was developed to take into account the interrelationship amongst various independent and dependent variables, simulating the complicated associations in the real world. The model showed that construction professionals who place importance on interpersonal integration adopt planful problem solving more frequently, while those who place importance on disciplined work ethos adopt more positive reappraisal, but less emotional discharge.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Coping behaviors are a popular area of research in relation to construction professionals, who are often compelled to face a great deal of stress while striving for good performance in a dynamic and demanding industry. The effectiveness of various coping behaviors on stress and performance of construction professionals have long been identified. However, factors associating with individual adoption of various coping behaviors are still uncertain. People from different cultural environments have different values and hence different preferences for coping strategies, which have different effects on construction professionals. Hence, the papers' primary contribution to the overall body of knowledge is the establishment of statistical evidence that desired cultural values of construction professionals can influence their adoption of coping behaviors. The paper aims to discuss these issues.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A questionnaire survey was designed and conducted to investigate the relationships between cultural values and coping behaviors of construction professionals in Hong Kong (HK). Surveys were distributed to 500 HK construction professionals by fax, e-mail, or personal contact. Of these, 139 were returned, giving a response rate of 28.0 percent. Based on the data collected, a series of systematic statistical analyses, including factor analyses, regression analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM), were conducted using SPSS 15.0 and Lisrel 8.5.\nFindings: Based on the results of factor analyses and regression analysis, a SEM was developed which reveals the following: first, interpersonal integration triggers planful problem solving; second, a disciplined work ethos triggers positive reappraisal and alleviates emotional discharge; and third, interpersonal integration triggers a disciplined work ethos. A series of personal-, interpersonal-, task-, and organizational-level recommendations are given on how to encourage construction stakeholders to adopt adaptive coping behaviors through cultivating their cultural values.\nOriginality/value: The current study adopted a series of systematic analysis approaches to provide empirical support of how Chinese values of construction professionals predict their adoption of various coping behaviors in the dynamic and stressful industry. Since different coping behaviors have different impact on performance of construction professionals, the findings provide indications for future studies on enhancing performance through the cultivation of various cultural values and the coping behaviors they thereby adopt.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Sustainable development and environmental accounting: the challenge to the economics and accounting profession
|
[
"Environmental management",
"Social policy",
"Natural resources"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1 Introduction: The emergence of the concept of sustainable development (SD) which places considerable importance on the maintenance of natural resources, requiring mandatory inclusion of natural resource values has posed many challenges to those involved in accounting for the natural environment (Gray, 1992). Natural resources were assigned a very low profile in the early years of economic development despite their unique contribution to development. The European Commission's Fifth Action Programme on the Environment entitled \"Towards Sustainability\" calls for enterprises to:* disclose in their annual reports details of their environmental policy and activities, and the effects thereof;* detail in their accounts the expenses on environmental programmes and a clear definition of such expenses; and* make provision in their accounts for environmental risks and future environmental expenses (European Commission, 1992).The same programs suggest that product pricing be based on a full-cost approach, including the use and consumption of environmental resources.The system of national accounts (SNA) published by the United Nations Statistical office reflects opening and closing stocks and sources of increase and decrease. The limitations are that only assets that are exchanged in the market place such as forestry, agricultural land and subsoil minerals are included. The value used is the market asset value and when such values are not available, economic asset valuing principles such as the present values will be used. The Australian Bureau of Statistics is exploring ways of modifying national accounts to deal with natural resource issues initially developing \"satellite accounts\" dealing with specific resources. However, there is dissatisfaction over satellite accounts and many believe that the accounting profession should explore novel ways of estimating a single figure of environmental damage on economic growth. They suggest the construction of a green GDP, a formidable task due to a myriad of problems associated in their measurement. The accounting profession agrees that satellite accounts are not the answer to the ever worsening environmental problem.In South Africa, some companies have considered eco-efficiency accounting, which in reality is accounting for the environment. Accounting for sustainability incorporates the equity aspects of the paradigm of eco-justice. This approach firmly introduces the triple minimum requirements of profit-people-environment into the accounting function. In order to contribute to environmentally sustainable development, a company will have to satisfy all three conditions. The incorporation of profit-people-environment into accounting introduces environmental externalities into an incentive based economic model (Nilsson et al., 1998).However, the development of national accounts from forming the basis of any approach to ecologically sustainable development in most countries in the short to medium term is not bright (Commonwealth Government Discussion Paper, 1990). There is still considerable progress that needs to be made before the environment becomes an integral reporting entity in national accounts as well as the progress reports of the multitude of business entities.The objectives of this paper are:* to examine briefly the nature of sustainable development;* to examine the role of natural resources accounting in economic growth and development;* to explore the present status of environmental accounting;* to assess some important issues constraining the development of environmental accounting; and* to identify the new challenges for the economics and accounting professions.\n2 Sustainable development: Economists differentiate the concepts of growth (growth in material size) and development (improvement in organization without size change). Extant macroeconomic models, ignored the critical role of natural resources and the costs of environmental damage. The economic system was treated as independent of the environment. Economic growth as presently understood is neither sustainable nor generalizable to all presently living people. Growth in the economy is always associated with changes in natural stocks such as degrading soil resources, destruction of other ecological functions and loss of species upon which humans' survival depends. The \"growthist\" ethic does not integrate exploitation of natural resources, nature of investment, and patterns of technological development and institutional changes.The concept of SD came into prominence in the 1980s and was embraced by most countries as an appropriate form of development. SD recognises that present patterns of consumption of natural resources are not sustainable and that more benign forms of development are needed. SD rose into prominence with the publication of the Brundtland Report where SD was defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs (WCED, 1987). Hicks (1946) drew a distinction between income and capital, defining income essentially as a sustained flow that leaves capital stock intact. According to Hicks \"we ought to define man's income as the maximum value he can consume during a week, and still expect to be as well off as he was at the beginning. And if a person's receipts are derived from the exploitation of a wasting asset, liable to give out at a future data, we shall say that his receipts are in excess of income\".In agenda 21, SD was defined as \"development that does not destroy or undermine the ecological, economic or social basis on which continued development depends\". Pearce et al. (1989) wrote that SD has come to mean whatever suits the advocacy of the individual concerned. The use of numerous definitions of SD bears witness to the fact that the conceptual content of SD still remains contentious.Two important variants of SD are weak and strong sustainability. Weak sustainability implies that, if the total stock of capital including ecological capital (natural capital) resources, which generates the flows of income is being depleted over time, then that income is not sustainable. Here, substitutability between natural capital and man-made capital is high, loss of ecosystems is not a major concern as long as society's total savings rate is high enough to compensate for reduction of natural capital and thereby produce sustainable welfare paths. Hence an economy can be considered sustainable if it saves more than the combined depreciation of natural and man-made capital. We can pass less environmental resources so long as we offset this loss by increasing the stock of man-made capital such as roads and machinery. We can compensate for fewer roads and factories by having more wetlands and forestry.If substitution possibilities are limited, satisfying inter-generational equity requires safe-guarding natural capital and irreversibility is a major concern here and the costs will be enormous. This is \"strong sustainability\" which asserts that future generations should be endowed with the same amount of natural capital as the present generation. Two factors that support strong sustainability are uncertainty and irreversibility. The existence of uncertainty means that we are unsure of how a natural system functions; hence, substitution of man-made capital for natural capital is not realistic. Further, environmental resources are characterised by irreversibility; hence if mistakes are made it is not possible to correct them. These two features should make human beings more circumspect about giving up natural capital (Pearce and Turner, 1990).Sustainability, however, is not without its critics. The most virulent criticism of SD can be seen in Willers (1994) who says \"SD is one of the most insidious and manipulable ideas to appear in decades, and because the multifaceted, global offensive to sell it is essentially unopposed, it is perceived as something of an axiom by the people, which has grossly exceeded the bonds of reasonableness and which is ancestral to hosts of environmental and social ills, long ago became the enemy of the natural world\".\n3 Accounting for environmental resources: The importance of environmental resources such as water, air, soil, and forests, etc. mean that they need be explicitly treated both at the macro- and micro-planning levels.At the macroeconomic level, consideration of the natural environment is important for effective planning purposes. The inclusion of the natural environment in national accounts provides information on the use of natural resources in economic activities.Natural resource accounting corrects the national income accounts by giving the balance sheet of natural resources, which records the quantity and value. This information is relevant for policy makers and resource managers in determining the rate of depletion of natural resources in an economy. This in turn provides policy prescriptions to minimise resource degradation. If monetary values of these resources are included in national income, it will provide a reliable guide to the performance of the economy. Formulation of sound macroeconomic policies will be facilitated when such explicit information is available.From a microeconomic perspective, it is noted that business entities currently provide limited information, often devoid of environmental asset use, to restricted stakeholder groups. However, modern versions of legitimacy require that information be provided to the wider society. To achieve these wider objectives, business firms should go further to incorporate activities and the impact on the company on and its endeavours to protect its amenities and the environment. In other words, business-related externalities should be internalised by the firm. Comprehensive reporting of all aspects of the business, will improve resource allocation.3.1 Macro perspective in natural resource accounting\n4 Major issues in environmental accounting: As the foregoing discussion indicates many difficulties still constrain the footsteps of progress in accounting for environmental resources in economic development in a comprehensive manner. The sections below present an analysis of some of the major difficulties that need to be addressed before any significant reporting procedures are developed.4.1 Method of regulation of environmental effects\n5 The challenges ahead: The economics, accounting and other relevant professions accept the urgent need to broaden and extend their theories and philosophies in order that some of the environmental effects and resource depletion are accounted for. The foregoing discussion, although not exhaustive by any means, provides some insight into the challenges in developing a more appropriate system of national accounting systems with due recognition of the importance of the natural resource sectors. In a nutshell the following issues should occupy the energies of economists, accountants, management experts, environmentalists and other professions in developing accounting reports providing financial information to a broad stakeholder group.1. The development of environmental accounting is complex and collaboration among several disciplines such as economics, accounting, philosophy, psychology and management is required. Future endeavours in developing environmental accounting should have an interdisciplinary focus.2. Current practices evidently are partial and development of a complete system of reporting which includes losses and gains to the environment is needed. This implies the development of a conceptual framework that explicitly includes the environment. Mathews (1999) presents a mega-theory of accounting as a possible future scenario.3. Develop credible valuation procedures for the environment. This implies taking account of all values, use and non-use. New techniques of measuring environmental values are being developed and their potential need to be examined (e.g. choice modelling). It is the role of the economist, accountant and other disciplines to further refine the measurement techniques so that credible values are generated.4. Voluntary reporting procedures may be systematized so that such reporting become mandatory for all business concerns. However, the disincentives of these approaches need to be carefully examined before reporting systems are made mandatory.5. Ethical issues need to be incorporated in accounting procedures. Various stakeholders express different environmental interests ranging from active conservationists to those totally unconcerned of the \"deep greens\". The incorporation of the beliefs of widely differing groups is difficult but is an important challenge.It is now well accepted that past developmental patterns have not been sustainable due to the excessive use of natural resources. These resources were assigned a very low profile in the early years despite their unique contribution to development. However, now an important place has been assigned to natural resources with the emergence of the concept of SD. Traditional accounting procedures did not include the depletion of natural resources since they were considered to be available in plentiful supply and hence their values were low.Although environmental reporting improved both at the macro and micro levels, many problems still constrain progress in environmental accounting, the main problem being the difficulty in measuring the values of natural resources which are often not marketed. The debate about the types of values that should or should not be included is still not resolved. There are ethical issues regarding the way certain objects are measured to be incorporated in environmental accounting. There are other fears that may be entertained by firms specially the impact on profits of environmental accounting procedures specially if they show excessive depletion of resources. There is much headway to be made yet specially in obtaining multi-disciplinary support from related professions such as accounting, economics and management to make environmental accounting a common practice in all business enterprises.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of natural resources accounting in sustainable development. Natural resource accounting is important because the welfare of a nation measured in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) has several weaknesses.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - This paper achieves this objective by identifying the present status, the constraints and the challenges for the economics and accounting professions.\nFindings: - The main weakness of GDP as a measure of development is that it does not take into account damages to environmental resources. However, the improvement of the concept to include environmental resource use is made difficult because of the difficulties of measuring environmental damage. The challenge to the economics and accounting profession is to ensure interdisciplinary collaboration, development of a framework to explicitly include the environment, development of credible valuation procedures for the environment, and inclusion of the various ethical positions advanced by various groups on the value of the environment.\nPractical implications: - Some headway has been made on these issues during the last decade but a major challenge still lies ahead in further improving these approaches so that sustainable development becomes an achievable goal.\nOriginality/value: - This paper brings together diverse views and fusing them together providing a future path for research in environmental accounting to achieve sustainable development.\n",
"role": "assistant"
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] |
Bullying and harassment: a case of success?
|
[
"Workplace",
"Bullying",
"Personal health",
"Organizational behaviour",
"Human resource management"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Sadly, workplace bullying is a reality in today's place of work as it has been estimated that one-fifth of all employees have experienced bullying and harassment (Godwin, 2008). Further headline figures portray an alarming picture of the workplace, with a survey of 860 IT professionals, for example, having revealed that 65 per cent had experienced bullying (Thomson, 2008). Moreover, the Workplace Bullying Institute believes that 54 million employees have been bullied and refer to the phenomenon as a \"silent epidemic\" (LaVan and Martin, 2008).The impact of bullying has been well documented in the literature and has been found to have a negative affect on self esteem, physical health, psychological wellbeing and emotional health (Einarsen and Mikkelsen, 2003; Keashly and Harvey, 2005; Crawford, 2001). From an organisational perspective, such a climate has been found to contribute to increased absence and turnover (Djurkovic et al., 2008), not to mention the legal implications of reported grievances. Bullying and harassment has therefore been a subject of considerable discussion in the practitioner literature in recent years (HR Focus, 2008).This paper examines an attempt by an organisation to address this crucial issue, as defined by the workforce, bullying and harassment. Significant efforts by the case study organisation were made to reduce workplace bullying through a comprehensive policy and this paper examines the extent to which the policy has been successful. The paper first examines existing literature on bullying and harassment before considering human resource management's response to the bullying predicament. The next section provides information on the case study by:* measuring the extent of the problem;* summarising the CEO's response to the problem; and* measuring the success of the organisation's policy and actions.Finally, broader issues surrounding assessing and measuring bullying and harassment will be examined in the discussion.\nThe existing literature: There has been increased interest in bullying and harassment in recent years and this has been reflected in the growing literature on the topic. This section will examine the bullying and harassment literature with particular emphasis on defining and delimiting the issue and assessing the different forms of bullying. The second part of the section turns to the human resource management literature in order to consider an organisation's response to bullying. Here, the nature of bullying and harassment policies and measures of success are of special interest and relevance.Defining workplace bullying\nMethodology: Background of the case study organisation\nFindings: the situation inherited: This section presents the findings of the study and begins by assessing the nature and scale of bullying in the case study organisation from 2001-2004 (i.e. pre-bullying policy). Next, the figures from the 2007 survey will be examined to gauge the extent to which the organisation's bullying initiative has been successful in the eyes of the workforce before finally considering whether management's actions has had a positive effect on the degree of trust in senior management.What is the extent of and nature of the bullying problem?\nDiscussion: The literature and the associated statistics provide a persuasive case for the realities of bullying in today's workplace. The consequences of bullying for individuals can be far reaching and range from physical to psychological problems (Einarsen and Mikkelsen, 2003; Keashly and Harvey, 2005; Crawford, 2001). Negative outcomes, however, are not confined to the victim, organisations too suffer from detrimental and negative relationships, for example bullying has cost UK firms PS2 million a year and this is not to mention the loss of opportunity costs such as the erosion of creative energies or the withdrawal of organisational citizenship behaviours (CIPD, 2006).Many solutions are offered by the HR literature and vary from dealing with the victims (Lacey, 2000) to policies or initiatives that aim to prevent the problem by reinforcing the boundaries of acceptable behaviour within the organisations culture (CIPD, 2006). The employee attitude surveys within the case study organisation revealed that widespread bullying was evident, which was of significant concern to the new CEO. As a result the CEO sought to address bullying through a number of approaches, and in so doing tackle the most pressing issue as defined by the workforce. These initiatives included dismissals of the \"worst offenders\", some of whom held senior positions in the organisation. These actions represented a tangible change and the CEO's willingness to deal with delicate and challenging issues head on. In short it could be argued that the dismissals or \"heads rolling\" were symbolic of a new ethos that in time would permeate through the organisation. Indeed the extensive training course on \"Dignity at work\" arguably provided a mechanism for the institutionalisation of a new value set, where there was zero tolerance for bullying.Arguably, the senior managers have \"done everything by the book\" as they listened to their workforce and arguably, more importantly, acted on the problem. Indeed, evidence suggests that the senior managers have been successful in dealing with the problem of bullying, with an impressive and dramatic fall in perceptions of bullying in a three-year period. The vast majority of senior managers would be delighted with such results and it would not be unrealistic for them to expect a more positive employment relationship to result from their actions, such as an increased faith or trust in them.Somewhat surprisingly, the success of the bullying initiatives appeared to have no affect on employees' perceptions of senior management. In short, even although senior managers had dealt with the long term problem of bullying, employees did not have a greater faith in their senior managers or trust them to a greater degree. Such news is undoubtedly disheartening for senior managers and they may wonder what they have to do to gain the trust of their workforce.Potential explanations of why trust appeared to be unaffected include methodology reasons i.e. the problem rests with some aspect of the research process. It could be argued that there was an insufficient time lag for the effects of senior managers' actions to be translated and pervade employee attitudes. Therefore perhaps, the results would have been somewhat different if there had been a five-year gap between surveys. This is of course possible, however, it could equally be argued that to leave such a significant gap between surveys might mean that the effects of the bullying initiatives are lost as so many other factors and issues emerge in the meantime. As a result, it could be argued that the effects should be relatively stronger in the shorter term and then diminish as the culture changes and the \"new ethos\" becomes the new paradigm and the \"old culture\" is more or less forgotten.Another methodological explanation may stem from using attitude surveys to measure bullying and harassment. As highlighted earlier, this technique allows for measuring primary and secondary bullying and also benefits from confidentiality and anonymity for respondents, however, it only provides a snap shot of the organisation at any one point in time. There is a notable absence of literature surrounding measures of success of bully and harassment policies; the balance of studies being in favour of defining the nature of bullying and outlining corresponding HR policies to cope with the problem. Therefore, research that identifies and assesses measures of success in relation to bullying and harassment policies is a fruitful, and important, area for future research.The constancy of the level of trust in senior management in the face of successful management actions may be explained by returning to research surrounding the antecedents of trust. Albercht and Travagline (2003) suggest that there are three broad precursors of trust: organisational, personal characteristics of the trustee and cultural factors. The organisational factors by in large were evident in the case study organisation. The senior managers by listening and acting of the key issue for employees demonstrated open communication, procedural justice and organisational support. Equally, by tackling bullying they demonstrated concern for the workforce, integrity in dismissing senior members of staff that were \"offenders\" and competence for dealing with a delicate issue. Therefore, it can be argued that the case study managers exhibited and met many precursors of trust. The area of collective attitudes and organisational culture is one area that might explain the stability of trust. Arguably, the success of bullying policies may be seen as a \"one hit wonder\" and employees have yet to convinced that the reduction in bullying will be maintained in the medium to long-term and that there is competence in other business areas. In essence, group norms and attitudes have not changed and the sceptical workforce have yet to be convinced and it is a tall order to change such entrenched attitudes. This is topic is worthy of further research to unravel the complex relationship of trust with senior management.Such messages may prove disheartening and discouraging for senior managers and they may feel that they have to consistently achieve the impossible in order for employees to have greater faith in them, all in a backdrop of a fiercely competitive and demanding environment that requires them to make unpopular decisions at times. A key question is then does it matter if the workforce do not trust their senior managers? The literature suggests that trust is of significant benefit to organisational performance (Gibson and Birkshaw, 2004; Gould-Williams, 2003) and that it is something that is worth cultivating, even if it is against the odds.This paper contains mixed sentiments for senior managers. Employees may congratulate the senior managers on their successes but do not expect automatic trust as a result. Undoubtedly, further work is required in this area to unpick the notion of trust further, and is a fruitful area for research which has serious implications for practice.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - This paper aims to examine an attempt by an organisation to address the significant problem of bullying and harassment. In doing so the paper particularly centres on the question of how the relative success of bullying and harassment policies might be measured.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The paper is based on a quantitative longitudinal study of a single organisation.\nFindings: - The findings revealed that there was a significant reduction in perceptions of bullying in the organisation. The level of trust in senior management, however, was not enhanced as a result of the success.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The study emphasises the need for further research on measuring the outcomes of bullying and harassment policies and also work is required to further the understanding of trust between senior management and their workforce.\nPractical implications: - The paper highlights the importance, and difficulties, in assessing the success of policies such as bullying and harassment. In many respects this paper contains a mixed message for senior managers. Employees may acknowledge the impact of management actions on reducing the level of bullying and harassment but was not associated with a noticeable improvement of trust in senior management.\nOriginality/value: - There is a plethora of literature on understanding the complexities and effects of workplace bullying. The literature, however, is relatively silent on the issue of measuring success of a policy and this paper seeks to contribute discussion on the subject.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Shifting boundaries in telecare - the nurse-doctor relationship
|
[
"Information technology",
"Innovation",
"Organizational processes",
"Standards",
"New technology",
"Health-care service"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: This article explores how telecare affects nurses' tasks and the relations between nurses and doctors. Welfare technology is often proposed as a viable solution to rising costs, efficiency barriers and demographic challenges (Danske Regioner et al., 2012; World Health Organization, 2010). Healthcare increasingly depends on smart technology that affects how professionals relate to patients and each other (Aanestad and Olausson, 2010; Hansen et al., 2014). Welfare technology is defined as artefacts that are introduced to improve or reorganize a specific task (Nordic Centre for Welfare and Social Issues, 2010). Research in telecare focuses on implications for the patients and how telecare supports efficiency of care (Sorknaes et al., 2013). Some studies argue that telecare transforms care and points towards discrepancies between policy objectives and health-care practices (Oudshoorn, 2008, 2009, 2011; Akrich, 2000; Suchman, 2007). Mol et al. (2015) propose that presenting telecare as the displacement of \"warm hands\" by \"cold technology\" is an oversimplification. Rather than replacing the care provider, telecare leads to new configurations of care. These are the focus of this article.\n2. Analytical inspiration: The impetus for the following analysis is the notion of \"infrastructure\" (Star, 1999). This draws on a relational, material and inclusive ontology deriving from practice-oriented analysis (Bowker and Star, 1999; Latour, 2005; Nicolini, 2012). How to study the entanglement in practice of screens, measurements and different groups of people? What do standardized interfaces imply? How can we understand the ecology of a profession as affected by new routines? According to Star (1999), infrastructure is ecological, relational and material and means different things to different people. Infrastructure is mundane, involving things such as figures, forms, tools and the built environment. It is embedded into technologies, work practices and social arrangements. It plugs into existing tools in a standardized fashion and thus reaches beyond the single occurrence and does not have to be invented anew every time. One learns interaction with infrastructure through membership, which is a sine qua non for membership. Thus, infrastructure shapes and is shaped by the conventions of a community. The often invisible quality of infrastructure becomes visible when it breaks down (Star, 1999). Understanding the implications of infrastructure for professionals' knowledge and learning requires studying infrastructural design and both transparent and opaque paradoxes that emerge, as well as the invisible work needed to make it perform as planned. Infrastructure features a number of interfering sites (places and/or professions) that relate to one another by way of classifications. Star and Griesemer (1989) discuss collaboration among sites as a matter of standards simultaneously uniting professions and allowing a number of different performances between sites. We draw on this tenet to explore the socio-material arrangement and negotiation in telecare and in the clinic (Barrett et al., 2012).\n3. The empirical study: A EUR4.5m grant allowed the NetKol pilot project to investigate the labour-saving potential of telecare. The empirical material relates to a qualitative study of the implications of on-screen care of patients at home. A total of 120 patients were enrolled. The target group was patients with serious chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) in a stable phase that had been hospitalized because of exacerbation during the preceding 36 months. Thus, they were in danger of rehospitalization. Patients were excluded if they could not manage the telecare equipment.\n4. Analysis: The notion of infrastructure, as introduced above, opens for novel interpretations of data by focusing on the socio-material arrangement, negotiation and restructuring of boundaries in telecare (Barrett et al., 2012). We used the concept of infrastructure as an underlying understanding of the teleservice in relation to which we thematically organized data into four emerging categories. These categories were based on literature studies, the ethnographic field notes and the coded interviews. The four headings that came out of this constitute, we propose, recurrent and strong categories. The following analysis is divided into these categories/headings:\n5. The relationship between \"paradoxical accountabilty\" and the affordances provided by infrastructure: Understanding the implications of infrastructure for professionals' knowledge, learning and boundaries embraces the opaque paradoxes, as well as the invisible work appearing because of the socio-material arrangement. What is most apparent from our study is that the telecare infrastructure in relation to the clinic affords a new level of accountability for nurses. In telecare, the standards and set-up provides regularity, continuity and confidence between nurse and patient; the nurse thoroughly monitors the patient based on the patients' self-measurement and takes decisions about when to involve a doctor. Moreover, the telecare infrastructure affords opportunities for improved care when the patient is discharged from the hospital. Thus, the telecare infrastructure expands the service and affords limited doctor involvement (retrenchment). As such, telecare benefits the patient in terms of more contact to health professionals and the nurse in terms of empowerment. This empowerment comprises not only potentials but also, as mentioned, paradoxes. This becomes visible during breakdowns where nurses remain dependent on doctors' decisions although doctors are partly removed.\n6. Conclusion: Based on Star's notion of infrastructure as a human and non-human cartography of relations embedded into work practices of different groups, the article analyses reconfigurations in telecare. We discuss two questions:\n7. Implication: Absence of technological failures and doctors time dedicated to telemedicine would potentially produce different findings. However, we propose that invisible work, technological failure and limited access to doctors' are not just coincidental. Rather, they are intrinsic to telecare and will continually exist in one form or another; thus, this dilemma constitutes a new and important shift in nurses' work. Dedication of doctors' tasks elsewhere is also to some degree unavoidable in telecare. At managerial-political level, retrenchment gives way for implementation of telecare. Doctor's time undoubtedly constitute a scarce resource and thus needs prioritization. Furthermore, this analysis is not a study of a potential and ideal situation but of the observable realities appearing in relation to a particular case of technologically driven care innovation. Our point is that technological failure and retrenchment are unavoidable parts of telecare. The service could of course be organized differently, but these issues, we propose, are at the core of what telecare is. The telecare infrastructure places nurses as responsible and knowledgeable professionals who are, unfortunately, no less dependent on the ever more distant lung doctors. The organization of telecare implies challenges as telecare projects shift from funded pilot projects to everyday operation. To avoid the described problematic dichotomy between telecare and clinic and the delegation of professional controls, this analysis highlights the pressing practical task of tailoring telecare to flexibly interweave with the clinic while simultaneously supporting the patients' wishes.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Telecare is a growing practice defined as diagnosis, treatment and monitoring among doctors, nurses and patients, which is mediated through ICT and without face-to-face interaction. The purpose of this study is to provide empirically based knowledge about the organization of the use of ICT and dilemmas of this increasingly common practice in healthcare.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The study draws on observations, interviews and desk research in relation to a large EUR4.5m pilot project at four hospitals in Copenhagen regarding care of 120 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD). The empirical study was carried out over four months. Online video consultations were observed alongside workshops focusing on nurses' photo elucidation of the telecare practice. The analytical ambition was to start the study in the middle of things and explore the emergent design of telecare.\nFindings: Telecare not only embraces new standards and possibilities for professional responsibility and accountability for nurses but also alters the relationship between doctors and nurses. This leads to a dilemma we characterize as \"paradoxical accountability\".\nOriginality/value: The study draws on Star's notion of \"infrastructure\". In this perspective, infrastructure comprises human and non-human conduct embedded in organizational conventions, relations and sites. The analysis demonstrates that nurses are not only exposed to a new responsibility as all-round case managers but they also have less access to clinical decision makers. The notion of \"paradoxical accountability\" is developed to account for this dilemma.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Usage of parental leave by fathers in Norway
|
[
"Gender",
"Family",
"Public policy",
"Norway",
"Paternity leave"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Female labour force participation is higher in Norway than in many other OECD countries, and the labour force participation rates of women and men are quite similar (74.0 vs 76.8). Norwegian time use studies show that men has increased their share of household work than in the past but women with children still spend almost twice as much time on household work and childcare as men with children. Fathers' participation in childcare is not only important in promoting gender equality but can be also important for the child's better upbringing [1]. To promote fathers' involvement and participation in childcare, in the 1990s Norway and other Scandinavian countries have evolved their parental leave schemes such that employed fathers may have equal access to paid parental leave as mothers.These schemes have two components: paternity quota and gender-neutral leave. The reserved period of leave for fathers, known as paternity quota, is non-transferable to mothers and is lost if it is not utilized by the father. A further period of leave is gender-neutral leave, which can be shared by parents as they wish. Norway was the first country to introduce the paternity quota, in 1993[2]. The introduction of paternity quota increased the number of fathers taking leave (see Table AII in the Appendix). The majority of fathers use their paternity quota, but their take-up of gender-neutral parental leave remains very low. It is still mainly women who interrupt their careers in order to take care of children.The use of parental leave may affect a father's skill in taking care of the child or may alter his sense of gender roles (O'Brien, 2003). Empirical studies in Scandinavia indicate that paternal leave promotes fathers' involvement with their children (see, for instance, Brandth and Kvande, 2003; Lamb et al., 1988; Haas, 1992). Haas and Hwang (2008) found that just taking leave (no/yes) had no significant impact on fathers' participation in childcare and relations with children but number of leave days taken had a significant and positive effect on several aspects of fathers' participation in childcare and relations with children. Bratberg and Naz (2009) found positive effect of gender-neutral leave on women's health leading to reduced sick leave and better performance of women in labour market. Their findings suggest that it is not paternity quota but use of gender-neutral leave that may promote gender equality in household and childcare. Encouraging fathers to share gender-neutral parental leave with mothers is also considered a crucial policy issue (Ministry of Children and Equality, 2009). The factors that determine whether Norwegian fathers take gender-neutral parental leave is therefore an important subject that we address in this paper.Several studies in Scandinavia have investigated the determinants of use of paternal leave but our study differs from the existing literature in the following respects. First, our study differentiates the determinants of taking paternity quota and gender-neutral leave. Another contribution of our study is that we focus sharply on the difference between husbands' and wives' characteristics. In addition, we use a large dataset that includes information from several public registers, merged by Statistics Norway. In contrast, the previous studies in Norway were based on relatively small samples and self-reported data. Lappegard (2008) is the only exception who used register data which was conducted before 1998. Until 2000 fathers' right to take paid paternity leave was based on mothers' labour force participation prior to childbirth. This rule was amended in 2000 to allow the father to receive parental benefit based on his own rights regardless of whether or not the mother was employed prior to childbirth. We use register data from 2001 and 2002. Therefore, we have advantage over Lappegard (2008) since determinants of the fathers' leave may be different after the reform of 2000.\nRelated literature: Theoretical framework\nMethod: Sample and data\nFindings: Descriptive statistics\nConclusion: The parental leave programme in Norway encourages fathers to spend more time taking care of children. Fathers' parental leave has two components: paternity quota and gender-neutral leave. Parents can share the gender-neutral leave as they wish, whereas the paternity quota is non-transferable to mothers and is lost if it is not utilized by the father. Most fathers use the paternity quota, but take-up of gender-neutral leave is very low. The main aim of our research was to discover which factors influence whether Norwegian fathers use parental leave. We differentiated between fathers' use of paternity quota and gender-neutral leave. We find that fathers opt to take leave if mothers work full time and have higher education or more income as compared with fathers. Fathers also take leave if mothers' income and education is equal to fathers' income and education. However, the time demands created by the relative number of pre-school children have negative effects on fathers' use of leave. The effects of mothers' relative income, education, working time and number of pre-school children are more important for the use of gender-neutral leave by fathers as compared with leave up to the paternity quota.We also find that married fathers used more parental leave than did cohabitants. We do not have sufficient data to analyse this result, but our finding may have implications for children's upbringing. Most of the research investigating the effects of cohabitation on family choices is based on the data from the USA. However, our finding demonstrates that family researchers and policy makers in Scandinavia should also pay more attention to the effects of cohabitation on family choices.An important finding of our research is that fathers' workplace type has no effect on their use of paternity quota, but they opt to take gender-neutral leave if they are working in female-dominated professions. We guess that the non-transferability of paternity quota to mothers has established norms that fathers must take it, and therefore, in all kinds of professions, it is acceptable that fathers take paternity quota. Thus, an increase in the duration of paternity quota will increase fathers' share of leave irrespective of their workplaces. We believe that, in addition to extending the paternity quota, the development of policies that contribute to reducing sex segregation in the labour market may also improve fathers' use of parental leave. The presence of more women in male-dominated professions may change the prevailing norms in favour of using more parental leave as most employees will use it. However, more detailed analysis of associations between fathers' use of leave and their workplaces requires a richer dataset than the one we used. For instance, one needs to identify whether fathers' workplaces are in the public or private sector, as costs of taking leave can be different in the two sectors. Future career advancement can be adversely affected in the private sector. Supervisors' role and influence can also be different in the two sectors. A study of Danish data indicates that employers in the public sector are more positive towards leave than are employers in the private sector (see Fine-Davis et al., 2004). We hope that future research explore more accurately the effects of fathers' workplaces.\nNotes: 1. Research literature suggests that children of highly involved fathers show increased cognitive competence, increased empathy, enhanced school performance, greater motivation to succeed, enhanced social development and self-esteem (see, for instance, Amato and Rivera, 1999; Barnes, 1984; Bernadett-Shapiro et al., 1996; Forehand et al., 1986; Forehand and Nousiainen, 1993; Lamb, 2004; McBride et al., 2001).2. Parental leave in Norway is funded by the State. Hence, paternity quota was also introduced by the State. Changes in the paternity quota are shown in Appendix Table AI.3. The data include all years since 1992 up to 2002. However, data for children born in 2002 or afterwards are not of a good quality at the moment. They have various missing values.4. Children start school at the age of six in Norway.Opens in a new window.Table I.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - Fathers' participation in childcare is not only important in promoting gender equality but can be also important for the child's better upbringing. To promote fathers' involvement and participation in childcare, in the 1990s Norway and other Scandinavian countries have evolved their parental leave schemes such that employed fathers may have equal access to paid parental leave as mothers. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors that determine use of parental leave in Norway.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - This paper's dependent variable is ordinal. An individual has three options: do not take leave, use leave up to the paternity quota or use leave in excess of the paternity quota. For modelling the choice between these three categories, an ordered logit model is used.\nFindings: - Fathers' workplace type has no effect on their use of paternity quota, but they opt to take gender-neutral leave if they are working in female-dominated professions. In addition the effects of mothers' relative income, education, working time and number of pre-school children are more important for the use of gender-neutral leave by fathers as compared with leave up to the paternity quota.\nOriginality/value: - Several studies in Scandinavia have investigated the determinants of use of paternal leave but this paper differs from the existing literature in the following respects. First, it differentiates the determinants of taking paternity quota and gender-neutral leave and it focuses sharply on the difference between husbands' and wives' characteristics. In addition, it uses a large dataset that includes information from several public registers, merged by Statistics Norway. In contrast, the previous studies in Norway were based on relatively small samples and self-reported data.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Potential of virtual-social-physical convergence for project manufacturing
|
[
"Internet",
"Engineer-to-order",
"Advanced manufacturing technology",
"Mass imagineering",
"Project manufacturing",
"Virtual-social-physical convergence",
"Bespoke",
"Do-it-yourself (DIY)",
"Do-it-with-others (DIWO)"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The outputs of project manufacturing are unique original goods. Those are goods which are made only once and arise from the imagination of the customers for whom, or by whom, they are produced. A traditional type of project manufacturing for smaller goods is the bespoke hand-crafting of clothes, jewellery, etc. A traditional type of project manufacturing for larger goods is the engineering-to-order (ETO) of, for example, ocean-going ships (Hayes and Wheelwright, 1979; Vonderembse and White, 2007). More recent project manufacturing involves companies enabling do-it-yourself (DIY) manufacturing of smaller goods, and do-it-with-others (DIWO) manufacturing of larger goods (Anderson, 2012; Fox, 2013).\nBarriers to expansion of project manufacturing: The underlying barrier to expansion of project manufacturing is uncertainty. This arises from project produced goods being first seen in the mind's eye of the individual customers who imagine their form and function. As a result, project manufacturing businesses have to wait to find out what each individual customer has in mind before starting design and production. This inherent uncertainty has prevented adoption of many technologies for reducing the time and cost of manufacturing, which have been developed within mass production/mass customization.\nPotential for VSP convergence to address barriers: Within VSP convergence, different technologies are brought together to create new opportunities for simplifying the project manufacturing of unique original goods. For example, new DIY/DIWO companies are already bringing together 3D solid modelling software (virtual), Web 2.0 functionality of the internet in form of blogs plus links to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (social), and digitally driven manufacturing (physical) (Dahl, 2012). This VSP convergence extends to the simplification of project manufacturing of original goods with unique micro-electronic functionality. For example, micro-electronics board (physical), Web 2.0 functionality of the internet in form of blog, forum, wiki plus links to Twitter (social), and micro-electronics programming (virtual) (Sterling, 2011).\nPotential for expansion of different types of project manufacturing: Bespoke and ETO\nChallenges for VSP convergence implementation: Technical issues\nConclusions: For practice\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of how virtual-social-physical (VSP) convergence can affect different types of project manufacturing. In particular, VSP convergence that involves combining the read-write functionality of Web 2.0 and related social media together with digital tools for virtual design and for physical manufacturing.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Literature review and interviews with experts in technologies covering VSP convergence: digital data capture, photogrammetry, generative computation, Web 2.0 and social media, digitally driven manufacturing.\nFindings: VSP convergence can enable the replacement of slow and expensive traditional project manufacturing practices with much faster and less expensive digitally driven technologies.\nPractical implications: There are new opportunities for expansion of some types of project manufacturing. Notably, there are opportunities in non-industrial developing countries because VSP convergence reduces reliance on industrial infrastructure for the manufacturing of goods. By contrast, opportunities may be limited for expansion of established project manufacturing companies with exclusive brands.\nOriginality/value: The originality is that VSP convergence is related to different types of project manufacturing. Based on VSP convergence, traditional types and new types of project manufacturing are categorized together for the first time. The value of this paper is that it is explained how VSP convergence can address barriers to expansion of different types of project manufacturing.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Examining the relationship between school principals' instructional leadership behaviors, teacher self-efficacy, and collective teacher efficacy
|
[
"School principal",
"Instructional leadership",
"Teacher self-efficacy"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: \"Collective teacher efficacy is a promising construct for promoting understanding of ways schools can foster student achievement\" (Tschannen-Moran and Barr, 2004, p. 189). Collective teacher efficacy refers to teachers' perceptions that their efforts at school can have a positive influence on student achievement (Goddard et al., 2000). It is a significant organizational variable in student learning and achievement (Goddard, 2001; Goddard et al., 2004; Hoy et al., 2002; Tschannen-Moran and Barr, 2004). Goddard (2001) reported that, when certain student demographic variables and prior achievements were controlled for, collective efficacy was a significant variable in enhancing student achievement. Moreover, collective teacher efficacy is also regarded as significant in the differences in student achievement across schools (Goddard et al., 2004; Hoy et al., 2002; Tschannen-Moran and Barr, 2004). It can thus be argued that teachers' perceptions of their collective efficacy are an important variable in ensuring student achievement and improving teacher and school effectiveness, and that understanding collective efficacy is significant in terms of enabling the development of the school as a whole. On the other hand, Goddard (2001) stated that studies on the formation of collective efficacy mostly concentrated on the theoretical framework, and there is thus a need for new studies to better understand this concept. Klassen (2010) also indicated that studies on the premises of collective teacher efficacy should be carried out. In this respect, it seems necessary to investigate collective efficacy in association with different personal and organizational variables, in order to better understand the concept and its implications for practice.\n2. Method: 2.1 Model\n3. Findings and results: In this section, mean and standard deviation values for school leadership, teacher self-efficacy, and collective teacher efficacy, as well as the results of the correlation and regression analyses are presented.\n4. Conclusions and discussion: The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between school leadership behaviors, teacher self-efficacy, and collective teacher efficacy. The results showed positive and significant relationships between school leadership, teacher self-efficacy, and collective teacher efficacy. Furthermore, school leadership behaviors and teacher self-efficacy were found to be significant predictors of collective teacher efficacy.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between school principals' instructional leadership behaviors, teacher self-efficacy, and collective teacher efficacy.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The participants were a total of 427 teachers working in elementary, middle, and high schools located in the Cekmekoy district of Istanbul. The data were gathered through the \"Effective School Leadership Scale,\" the \"Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale,\" and the \"Collective Efficacy Scale.\" Arithmetic mean, Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression analysis were used in the data analysis.\nFindings: The results revealed positive and significant relationships between school leadership, teacher self-efficacy, and collective teacher efficacy. In addition, effective school leadership behaviors and teacher self-efficacy perceptions were found to be positive and significant predictors of collective teacher efficacy perceptions.\nOriginality/value: School principals can implement practices to enhance teachers' competence, to make them feel more effective and competent as a group. In this sense, teachers who do not feel competent can be guided by those who have more experience in the profession. Additionally, opportunities through which they can experience success can be created for these teachers.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Measuring carbon emission from energy consumption in a Hong Kong family
|
[
"Hong Kong",
"Energy consumption",
"Carbon emission",
"Residential building"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Nowadays, the world is concerned with reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to combat against the threats of global warming. GHGs, as defined in the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). Hong Kong is the largest GHG producer in terms of carbon emissions per square meter (Langston et al., 2008). Hence, Hong Kong \"is working toward achieving a reduction in energy intensity of at least 25 per cent by 2030\" (with 2005 as the base year). The local government made this pledge in the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Declaration on Climate Change, Energy Security and Clean Development in September 2007.\n2. Literature review: It is estimated that buildings account for more than half of the total energy consumption in Hong Kong (Chen et al., 2000; Chan and Yeung, 2005). Yang et al. (2008) compared the energy performance of office buildings in five Chinese climate zones (represented by Beijing, Shanghai, Harbin, Kuming and Hong Kong), and found that Hong Kong has hot summer and warm winter climate with minimum heating load while next to maximum chiller load. Saidur (2009) maintained that air-conditioner is the major energy user in Malaysian office buildings, followed by lighting, lifts and pumps. Lam et al. (2008) found that about two-thirds of energy consumption in Hong Kong is for electricity generation, among which the residential and commercial building sectors are the two largest electricity end users. Changes in air-conditioning consumption between summer and winter are mainly responsible for the distinct seasonal variations in electricity consumption within these two sectors. In Hong Kong, winter is short and mild, while summer is long, hot and humid. The main cooling season for residential building is from April to October, whereas for commercial building with high internal heat loads, air-conditioning operates all year round (Lam et al., 2010).\n3. Case study: Measuring carbon emissions from Hong Kong's building sector is still at its infant stage. Coefficients of carbon emission to electricity consumption are not yet available from any local organizations. Although home structures and living habits differ significantly between Hong Kong and the USA in residential buildings, Hong Kong has a carbon footprint of 29.0 tons per household per year, while the figure in the USA is 28.6 tons, with little difference of GHG emissions in the category of shelter (Hertwich and Peters, 2009). Besides, Hong Kong's mandatory Energy Efficiency Labeling Scheme for major items in our case, i.e. air-conditioner and refrigerator, adopts the same standards as that of the USA (EMSD, 2011). Furthermore, the gross domestic product per capita in terms of purchasing power parity in the case of Hong Kong is 92.8 compared to the baseline of 100 in the USA in 2007 (The Economist, 2010). According to these measures, there is no significant difference in the standard of living between Hong Kong and the USA. The USA data are good proxies for use in our case study. Therefore, to estimate the carbon emission coefficients of electricity consumption, the building energy database published by the U.S. Department of Energy will be referred to. The database includes information on home appliances' end-use energy expenditure splits in billion dollars, as shown in Table III. Besides, the database includes energy end-use carbon splits in million tons, as shown in Table IV.\n4. Conclusion: In recent years, growing attention has been paid not only to energy-efficient buildings but also to low carbon buildings. In Hong Kong, buildings account for 89 per cent of all use of electricity (EMSD, 2010) and > 60 per cent of carbon emissions (EPD, 2010). There are many studies with a focus on energy-saving technologies (for example studies by Tommerup and Svendsen, 2006 on new houses and those by Gorgolewski et al., 1996 on energy-efficient renovation of high-rise housing). Other studies have dealt with issues for estimating and reducing carbon emissions over the entire life cycle of various types of residential buildings, including Seo and Hwang (2001) and Hendrickson et al. (2000). Yet, little is known about the interaction between reducing energy costs and lowering carbon emissions in the residential building sector. The present study unveils the effects of various categories of electrical appliances on carbon emissions, including space cooling, water heating, lighting, refrigeration, wet cleaning and cooking to fill in this gap. Based on the electricity consumption and consequent estimates of the relevant carbon emissions, we formulate measures and strategies for implementing a cost reduction scheme of residential buildings in Hong Kong, which is in line with the government guidelines on energy saving.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This study aims to develop a prototype for measuring the carbon emissions arising from the utilization of electrical appliances in a typical Hong Kong family in Kowloon District.\nDesign/methodology/approach: To estimate carbon emission coefficients of energy consumption, the US building energy database books are referred to, which include home appliances' energy end-use expenditure splits and energy end-use carbon splits. Due to differences in climate, geography and culture, the estimation equations are refined with assumptions and constraints based on the context of Hong Kong.\nFindings: By calculating the amount of carbon emissions from different electrical appliances, including space cooling, water heating, lighting, refrigeration, wet cleaning and cooking, it is estimated that the carbon emissions from major home electrical appliances in Hong Kong's residential building sector is 1,805,397 metric tons. According to the findings of this study, by adopting the energy-saving guidelines for space coolers, refrigerators, water heaters and washing machines, carbon emissions in Hong Kong's residential building sector can be reduced by 155,443 metric tons, or by 8.6 per cent of the current emission.\nResearch limitations/implications: Due to limited resources, the case study does not cover residential units in other districts of Hong Kong, including the Hong Kong Island and the New Territories. In addition, relevant institutional and financing costs of implementing the proposed practices such as increasing the air-conditioning temperature and upgrading the lighting system should be further considered. Future research will be extended to the wider territory of Hong Kong and to obtain more cases for analysis.\nOriginality/value: This paper provides a microscopic perspective on investigating the carbon emissions associated with energy consumption from major home electrical appliances in Hong Kong's residential buildings. By unveiling the interaction between energy consumption and carbon emission, we formulate measures and strategies for implementing a cost reduction and carbon saving scheme of Hong Kong's residential buildings, which is in line with government's guidelines on green buildings.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
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