title
stringlengths 6
301
| keywords
listlengths 0
23
| messages
listlengths 2
2
|
|---|---|---|
It's good to talk: auditing clinicians' interactions with patients in a primary care setting
|
[
"Clinical governance",
"Clinical audit",
"Quality"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: This study has evaluated changing practice and attempted to define quality care in a general practice out-of-hours service following implementation of a clinical governance strategy in 2007.The clinical governance agenda is of particular significance for out-of-hours providers. Recent reports from the Care Quality Commission (2009) have highlighted shortcomings in some out of hours services with the need for more thorough and close monitoring of the health care practitioners who work for them. Hence the Department of Health Quality Requirements were set so that all health care practitioners had to have a minimum of 1 per cent of their consultations audited annually.Since out of hours services now provide patient care for over 70 per cent of the patient week (Price et al., 2006) the challenge of clinical governance is to ensure that the quality of service remains as high as in-hours care which the Care Quality Commission (2009) would actively support. The Department of Health highlighted (GB:DH, 2006) that particular attention is required to ensure that staff delivering these services are adequately trained with the specialist skills and competencies to deliver effective out of hours services.The health care practitioners within this out of hours provider not only consist of General Practitioners but also other health care practitioners with expanded and extended roles including nurse practitioners and pharmacist practitioners. Hence the focus of this case study is on individual health care practitioner's practice.The quality of the consultation is central to the patient experience. This experience was therefore the focus of the case study following the Care Quality Commission (2009) report highlighting that more scrutiny is required of individual practitioners. Consideration of Donabedian's approach (Donabedian, 2000) to quality as well as the skill mix utilised within this organisation were considered as part of the literature review preceding this study. These models will be further utilised to analyse the findings of the study.In order to evaluate individual health care practitioners the clinical governance strategy implemented the Royal College of General Practitioner's (RCGP) (2007) audit tool which allowed for this scrutiny to occur. This is a validated tool developed by the RCGP specifically for use in primary care out of hours organisations and provided the vehicle through which this assessment of individual health care practitioner's practice occurred. Therefore, the aim of this study became clear: to evaluate the impact of clinical governance strategy on the quality of health care practitioners' consultations.\nResearch design: Method\nResults: Clinical audit data were compared for each quarter of the first year of operation using the RCGP tool which was July 2008 to June 2009 and then again for one quarter from October 2011 to December 2011. Results are shown in Tables I-III.General practitioners\nAnalysis and discussion: Feedback\nConclusions: It is clear that the instigation of a clinical audit strategy has provided improvements and an insight into quality outcomes within this out of hours organisation on a number of levels:1. Practice development, both on an individual and organisational level.2. Enhanced a definition of quality within this working environment.3. Assurance of the quality of care with the skill mix utilised within this organisation.All health care practitioner groups showed a clear improvement in audit scores over the time periods evaluated. Quality requirements and standard of work expected of individual health care practitioners within this organisation have been made clear through use of the audit tool. History taking and documentation of the clinical decision making process was more evident in the most recent cases analysed which contributed to the higher scoring. This demonstrated a clear process evaluation as described by Donabedian (2005) as it became more evident that the clinical decision making process was more transparent through improved documentation of the history, examination and management plan.The benefit of the audit tool in improving the process of the consultation has been in this feedback to health care practitioners. These cyclical processes of formative feedback have assisted in aligning work with the expectations of the organisation and so improve their own standards as endorsed by the Royal College of General Practitioners (2007).Findings suggested that the interpersonal aspects of the consultation also needed to be incorporated into the audit tool and were particularly highlighted in McCabe's (2000) model and may represent a more appropriate model of quality for this out of hours environment. Consideration is therefore needed for future audits and how this may be assessed in the future.McSherry and Pearce's (2011) model may provide an enhanced model since it also considers the perception of the patient which is lacking in both the Donabedian (2005) and McCabe (2000) approaches. Consideration of the users of the service is fundamental in attaining a more holistic view of the services offered and needs to be more fully explored.Therefore the aim of this study can be seen to have been fulfilled. The introduction of the clinical governance strategy and clinical audit within this out of hours organisation has had a wide reaching impact both for the HCPs who provide the service and the organisation as a whole. However, it is envisaged that this study may go some way in reassuring the public and commissioners of this service in assuring the quality of this out of hours service provider with its' continued commitment to the clinical governance agenda to ensure safe, quality care.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this study is to analyse the effect on clinical practice of auditing doctors, advanced nurse practitioners and pharmacist consultations within an out of hours primary care organisation and the resultant effects this may have on clinical practice and the quality of care provision.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The study utilises a multi method time series case study approach using the results from the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) audit tool analysis, alongside focus group analysis and participant observation.\nFindings: - The results demonstrate that there is a clear link between implementation of a clinical audit strategy within a wider clinical governance framework and improved standards of all clinician's work. This study also demonstrates how the analysis can inform a definition of quality.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The definition of quality is limited and is one of the limitations of the study since it is related to out of hours primary care only.\nPractical implications: - Results may be extrapolated to other care providers both out of hours and in traditional GP practices.\nOriginality/value: - This case study demonstrates how the time series analysis of audit results can assist in assuring commissioners of health services of the quality of the services they appoint.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The role of the media in socially responsible investing
|
[
"Socially responsible investment",
"Sentiment",
"Corporate social responsibility",
"News media",
"Topic modeling"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Although media is not part of stakeholders in a company, it plays a significant role in disseminating information as well as affecting investors' attitude and judgment, which contributes to the decision-making process for investors (Barberis et al., 1998; Donaldson and Preston, 1995; Yang et al., 2017). News media has been evidenced as an effective indicator for a variety of stock market activities in the financial and accounting contexts (e.g. Boudoukh et al., 2013; Strycharz et al., 2018; Tetlock, 2007; Tetlock et al., 2008). For instance, Tetlock (2007) suggested the positive associations between pessimistic media tone in stock forecasting and downward market prices. Similarly, Tetlock et al. (2008) indicated that the negativity in firm news affected the returns of the following trading day. However, these representative studies claiming the relationship between news media and stock performance heavily relied on media tones rather than media content. To address that issue, Boudoukh et al. (2013) added the identification of relevant events of different categories for companies in news media, combined with traditional sentiment analysis, to analyze the relationship between news media and stock performance. Boudoukh et al. (2013) suggested the usefulness of news relevance in predicting the Dow Jones index. Built on that, this study would like to further the relevance of both news and index. Specifically, this study aims to understand the role that media content and media sentiment in CSR-related news play in the socially responsible investment market.According to the Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment (USSIF, 2018), socially responsible investment (SRI) refers to \"Sustainable, responsible and impact investing is an investment discipline that considers environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) criteria to generate long-term competitive financial returns and positive societal impact\" (SRI Basics para. 1). This study considers and examines its financial benefits only. Assets under management using socially responsible investing strategies in the United States were estimated to be $8.72 trillion, accounting for about 20 percent of total assets under professional management, at the end of 2015 (USSIF, 2016). These ESG assets have grown tremendously, seeing a 14-fold increase since 1995 and a 33 percent increase since 2014 (USSIF, 2016). Furthermore, SRI performance does not disappoint investors, who come to SRI seeking investments in line with their personal values (Schueth, 2003). Pursuing SRI does not sacrifice investors' financial benefit, as evidenced by median returns and volatility at least equal to traditional funds for 64 percent of the periods examined (Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing, 2015).Information is one of the key sources of momentum for SRI's growth (Schueth, 2003). The media plays an important role in disseminating information regarding corporate social responsibility (CSR) to investors. Over the past 25 years, the media has been reporting various CSR topics (Lee and Carroll, 2011) and suggesting its significant roles in communicating and framing CSR issues to the public and investors (Buhr and Grafstrom, 2007; Frig et al., 2018; Hannah and Zatzick, 2008; Lee and Carroll, 2011; Lee and Riffe, 2017). Previous research on the role of media in CSR focused on themes of news articles concerning CSR (Grafstrom and Windell, 2011), different types of media on CSR framing (Frig et al., 2018), and the media coverage of CSR before and after the economic crisis (Furey et al., 2019). In addition, previous findings of the media sentiment of CSR overwhelmingly demonstrated a positive attitude in coverage of CSR (e.g. Buhr and Grafstrom, 2007; Frig et al., 2018; Zhang and Swanson, 2006).Although those previous studies provided descriptive results of what and how CSR has been framed in news media, the media effects on relevant investment outcomes lacked in these works of literature. Thus, there has been limited attention to examining the effect of media coverage of CSR on the financial market. Since SRI is one of the most useful financial indices for SRIs, it is meaningful to explore the relationship between media coverage of CSR and SRI.To fill the research gap, this study specifically examines how media coverage of CSR-related issues is associated with SRI performance. The United Kingdom and the United States are both relatively mature in CSR development and play leading roles in promoting CSR activities (Maignan and Ralston, 2002). Considering the tremendous growth of SRI assets, it is important for us to understand how the news media connects with this new growing market. What and how media frames CSR are pertinent issues to understanding media influence on investors' decision-making. Drawing on the framing theory in behavioral finance, this study investigates topics in CSR-related news, based on a computer-assisted approach (LDA) and multidimensional media sentiment based on Loughran and McDonald's (2011) financial dictionary to complement the traditional emphasis on positivity and negativity alone.Theoretically, this study complements literature in examining news media effects on stock performance in the SRI domain. Practically, this study could improve the awareness of news media impact on the SRI investment decision-making for financial consumers and investors. Although previous studies provided descriptive results of what and how CSR has been framed in the news media, as well as identified some factors that demonstrate the effects of media content and media sentiment on financial markets, our study is one of the first, to our knowledge, to expand this by further looking at SRI in particular.\nLiterature review and hypotheses: Framing theory in behavioral finance\nMethod: Data sets\nResults: Descriptive statistics\nDiscussion and implication: Results from this study show that from 2010 to 2016, news articles about CSR in the press in the United States and the United Kingdom centered on enforcement of tax obligation to fulfill corporate citizenship, on CSR's economic dimension to protect shareholders' interest, on corporations' educational philanthropy, on companies' investment in environmental protection, and on companies' current status of implementing SRI strategies. In general, our sample shows a relatively high negative sentiment of reporting CSR in the newspapers, which was different from the dominant positive sentiment in previous literature (e.g. Buhr and Grafstrom, 2007; Zhang and Swanson, 2006). One possible explanation would be the sample difference. Additionally, different from previous studies employing sentiment analysis (e.g. Tetlock, 2007), we adopt the dictionary in the finance and accounting realm from Loughran and McDonald (2011), which can better capture the sentiment in the financial communication.This study adds to the existing literature by showing the roles that both media content and media sentiment play in SRI. Our findings show that the market was affected not only by what topics the media discussed related to SRI performance but also by the way that the media presented the content of the news. Therefore, this study confirms the investors' framing bias in the SRI. Our study also relates to \"trend chasing\" in the SRI market, as evidenced by the consecutive downward pressure on the SRI index monthly return for at least three months when the press discussed a company's tax avoidance strategy, education philanthropy, or environmental protection investments.The interactions between CSR topics and SRI vary. Our findings confirm our hypothesis regarding a negative relationship between the increased cost associated with the CSR activities and SRI performance (H1a). For instance, advocating for environmental protection in the news has a negative effect on SRI performance. One possible explanation for this is that investors may expect that the firms' increased cost of addressing environmental problems would adversely affect the firms' overall development. By the same logic, an increase in educational philanthropy would restrict companies' cash flow for a short period of time.Agency problems also arise due to managers' motivation for giving shareholders' money in exchange for a better corporate image, thus sacrificing profitable investment opportunities (Iatridis, 2015). It is reasonable to expect that the company's stock price is negatively related to corporate giving in the short run due to investors' myopic investment strategy, shown in our study. However, rational investors should focus on the long-term impact of CSR on the firms' value when reading the relevant articles in the press. A plethora of studies confirmed the positive effect of CSR on firms' value in the long run (investment horizon longer than five years) (Jo and Harjoto, 2011).Our findings also confirm our hypothesis that media content about companies' citizen images reflected in CSR activities is associated with SRI performance. For example, the discussion about corporate tax avoidance has a long-run effect. A 1 percent increase in weight of this topic in the press was associated with a 51 basis point decrease in the next month's SRI index returns and a 103 basis point decrease four months later. Our study also suggests that CSR focusing on securing corporate profit to prioritize the benefits of shareholders raises concern for investors. Reflecting on the SRI market, a negative association is shown between the weight of such topics in the press and SRI index monthly return as shown in our study (H1c). On the contrary, our study finds an immediate positive reaction in the SRI market to news articles praising companies that excelled in CSR (statistically significant at 10 percent) in the following month (H1b). However, this positive reaction is temporary and tends to reverse, which reflects investors' response to partial information and overreaction to the news (Boudoukh et al., 2013). Though it is difficult to overcome emotional bias during the investment, understanding the existence of these biases can assist investors to plan wisely and accommodate them in their investment decision-making process.Despite the implications for the investors' SRI, journalists should be aware of the diversity of CSR topics and its varying impact on public perception. Therefore, journalists should be more cautious and independent in their CSR reporting due to the possible effect on the relevant investment.Our findings echo previous literature highlighting a connection between media sentiment and investors' behaviors, affecting the financial market's performance as a result (Hillert et al., 2014; Huynh and Smith, 2017). Presenting the news with a litigious sentiment negatively affects the SRI performance, while presenting the news with an uncertain or constraining sentiment shows a positive relationship with the SRI performance. One possible explanation would be that the uncertain and constraining words in the dictionary reflect the professionalism and completeness of financial analysis (e.g. uncertain words discussing financial risks and variability), indicating a positive attitude. On the other hand, litigious words focus on legal concerns and environments and would raise investors' concerns about the company's ability to perform well in the future, thus indicating a negative attitude.Our study also found a lagged media effect on investment. This insight adds support to the current research claiming that financial markets, including the SRI market, react slowly to media reports (Fang and Peress, 2009; Hou, 2007; Tetlock, 2007). For example, discussing the corporate economic responsibility was found to be an important factor related to SRI performance for two months after the articles were published.Companies should be aware of their activities being observed by the news media. As information collectors and disseminators, news media can frame the issue to call into question the company's activities and values. Common investors rely heavily on the news media to understand some new and obscure areas, such as CSR (Waller and Conaway, 2011). Investment relationship practitioners suggested media coverage as \"helpful in attracting and retaining buy-side investors and analysts\" (Bushee and Miller, 2012, p. 874). Thus, media portrayals of CSR-related issues can be regarded as a significant source to inform critical stakeholders in SRI investment, such as investors and financial consumers.\nLimitation and future research: This study does not examine framing building, such as how news frames are formed. Since framing has been argued as an overall concept including the context and culture, future research could investigate the impact of different forces on CSR news frame building and the relationship between framing building and framing effect on the SRI. Additionally, this study used data collected from the developed markets. It is hoped that future studies can use different data sets from emerging markets. Variations in financial markets and investors may provide interesting comparisons and help us identify discrepancies or other influential media factors on investment decisions.\nConclusion: Using framing theory in behavioral economics, this study furthers our understanding of how news framing of CSRs affects the SRI. This study does not only suggest that differently framed CSR topics have varying impacts on SRI, but also indicates that the effect of media content and media sentiment on SRI is not immediate. Our research echoed recent studies involving both topics and sentiment in the news media and their impacts on the movement of stock prices (e.g. Hisano, et al., 2013; Strycharz et al., 2018). Following this path, this study uses the computer-assisted content analysis and existing financial dictionary-based lexicon to parse into the linguistic and textual components of CSR-related news articles. Theoretically, this study 1) adds to the scant literature in exploring the relationship between news framing of CSR and its following financial outcomes, especially in the SRI; and 2) extends the current discussion of the state-of-art techniques of computer-assisted content analysis in understanding the relationship between news media and stock prices. This study also offers practical insights. Considering the increasing number of companies with socially responsible activities and the investors with SRI, it is important for financial professionals and policymakers to have a better understanding of the media influence on the market in this age of information.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This study aims to understand how media content and media sentiment in corporate social responsibility (CSR) news coverage affect investment performance, as reflected in the S&P 500 Environmental and Socially Responsible Index from 2010 to 2016.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Computer-assisted content analysis and sentiment analysis are employed to analyze 818 CSR-related newspaper articles from mainstream newspapers. Autoregressive model is used to comprehend socially responsible investment (SRI) performance.\nFindings: This study reveals the impact of media content and media sentiment of CSR-related news articles on SRI. The authors' findings indicate that such topics as recognition of a company's CSR contributions in CSR-related news articles are positively associated with SRI performance, whereas topics such as tax avoidance and environmental protection show a negative relationship with SRI performance. In addition, this study contributes to the authors' understanding of framing bias in investment by confirming a significant positive association between an uncertain or constraining media sentiment and SRI performance, as well as a negative relationship between a litigious sentiment and SRI performance.\nOriginality/value: There has been limited attention to examining the effect of media coverage of CSR on the financial market. Since SRI is one of the most useful financial indices for SRIs, it is meaningful to explore the relationship between media coverage of CSR and SRI. To fill the research gap, this study specifically examines how media coverage of CSR-related issues is associated with SRI performance.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Core self-evaluation can help in making better recruitment and selection choices: It is economical and easy to use and gives a useful new dimension
|
[
"Management development",
"Human resources"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Human-resource (HR) specialists in organizations of various types and sizes need all the help they can get when it comes to identifying desirable new hires. Available for use are many tests, surveys and other tools to help in recruitment and selection. One measure, core self-evaluation (CSE), has received little attention in the human resource management (HRM) literature, yet this economical measure could be most helpful in identifying recruits with desirable, personal dispositions.\nWhat CSE is: Timothy Judge, one of the creators of CSE, reports that CSEs are fundamental, bottom-line evaluations people make about themselves. While similar to a measure of self-esteem, the concept, says Timothy Judge, is broader than self-esteem because it reflects the individual's belief in his or her:\nValuable employee characteristics are linked to CSE: CSE as a\nCSE, motivation and performance: Of much importance to HR specialists is the following information. Zhang and colleagues found that employees with high CSE were more likely to set higher goals and make greater efforts at work. Such behavior may result in success, greater rewards and more job satisfaction. Other research indicates that CSE is positively related to intrinsic motivation and this is believed to link to individual feelings of competence and autonomy.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Describes and explains features of the measure named core self-evaluation (CSE). Reviews current information and research concerning CSE and its value in identifying potential employees who have personal dispositions that are typically desired in an employment setting. Offers suggestions for business people.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Examines research and opinion for the past several years. Summarizes information to help business people regarding the content and linkages of the CSE measure.\nFindings: Explains that, in the past 15 years, a body of more than 150 research studies has reliably established that the personality measure CSE has many positive linkages with valued employee attitudes and/or behavior such as job performance; voluntary, helpful employee behavior; job satisfaction; and life satisfaction.\nPractical implications: Reveals that the measure - a short, 12-item survey - has strong statistical properties per validity and reliability and is economical, is easy to administer and score and provides an added dimension to what we may learn about job applicants.\nSocial implications: Advances the view that the use of the measure seems underrepresented in the human resource management field.\nOriginality/value: Gives an overview and summary of recent research and opinion with regard to the CSE measure that is not readily available in other sources. While the measure of CSF is not an iron-clad predictor of employee attitudes and performance, the measure connects with many very positive personal characteristics that are usually valued in organizations.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Information and cyber security maturity models: a systematic literature review
|
[
"Information systems",
"Systematic literature review",
"Information security",
"Maturity model",
"SLR",
"Cyber security"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: According to Mettler (2011), maturity implies \"an evolutionary progress in the demonstration of a specific ability or in the accomplishment of a target from an initial to a desired or normally occurring end stage.\" In this context, maturity models serve as evaluation tools assessing the possibilities of improvement for a specific organization. By providing a detailed assessment of the current state of security, the main functions of maturity model are: means for assessing and benchmarking performance; roadmap for model-based improvement; and means to identify gaps and develop improvement plans (Le and Hoang, 2016). The International Telecommunication Union defines cybersecurity as \"the collection of tools, policies, security concepts, security safeguards, guidelines, risk management approaches, actions, training, best practices, assurance and technologies that can be used to protect the cyber environment and organization and user's assets\" (Itu.int, 2019). This definition encompasses all assets linked to the cyber environment. Our research also includes information security defined as the preservation of confidentiality, integrity and availability of information (International Organization for Standardization, 2018). Therefore, our study encompasses all types of security maturity models (SMMs). Moreover, the popularity of capability maturity model (CMM) (Humphrey, 1988) in software engineering since 1989 lit the way for adopting many subsequent maturity evaluation tools in several fields such as health care (Carneiro, 2020). An inadequate assessment of maturity can lead to miscalculations in determining priorities or wasted investments. \"Before setting out toward operational excellence, companies must see where they stand. A good maturity assessment provides more than a set of coordinates: it also maps out the first steps\" (McKinsey and Company, 2019). Governments have also adopted their own SMMs to protect their vital organisms. For example, France created its own approach based on ISO 21827 also known as Systems Security Engineering - Capability Maturity Model (SSE-CMM) (ANSSI, 2018a) and the USA adopted the CCSMM through the presidential policy directive PPD-8: National Preparedness (Department of Homeland Security, 2019).\n2. Background: Nowadays, security is a great concern and it is one of the pillars shaping decision-making in all organizations. It was not until attacks befell world powers (Shively, 2018) that attention shifted toward cyber security. The latter became more significant due to the complexity of information systems and criticality of the information they hold and the services they provide. This led to the creation of many governmental security maturity approaches and the adoption of prominent standards' requirements. Despite of their successful implementation, some approaches do not fulfil the objectives of a maturity model, namely, a thorough evaluation of the organization's security level and guidance toward an overall higher maturity level. It is the case of some ISO standards such as:\n3. Research Method: In this section, we rationalize the use of SLR method, elicit and motivate our research questions, then we describe our research process and give insight upon our assessment criteria.\n4. Results: This section will be dedicated to showcasing the aforementioned results of the full text analysis. We first present the collection of selected articles. Then, according to SLR method, we assess their relevance to our specific topics. Finally, we extract the relevant information and present the material linked to each research question. Table A1 (Appendix) presents the title, authors, as well as year of publication of our 30 final selected studies.\n5. Discussion: From our assessment results, we can see that most studies focus on defining new approaches and try to provide a solid base for their maturity model by comparing known shared points such as concepts and procedures. We also note that the abundance of specific models may be due to the difficulty of creating and implementing a generic model. This task can be arduous as the generic model has to cover and be adequate for all aspects and also provide controls and guidance for each one to a certain level of detail that might be hard to reach for most studies. That is the reason why CSGMM stands out as a specific model as it treats various aspects of governance and provides a separate model for each one, basing them on many existing references for precision.\n6. Conclusion: In this article, we presented the results of our SLR. Starting from 2007 to 2018, we came across multiple SMMs as most studies define their own approach using existent references as basis. We found out that almost all of these models are specific models focusing on a specific aspect such as e-Gov. or SOA (RQ1). We elaborated a diagram showcasing each model made with its references, basis and aspects (RQ2). We highlighted the prevalent influence of the ISO/IEC 27001/27002 standards but raised the necessity for an in-depth investigation of ISO 21827. This standard is an approved maturity model by ISO and is used even in governmental security policies such as France (ANSSI, 2018b), but this goes practically unmentioned in our selected articles.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This paper aims to clarify the uncertainty reflected in the current state of information security maturity evaluation where it has not enough matured and converged so that a generic approach or many specfics approaches become the go-to choice. In fact, in the past decade, many secruity maturity models are still being produced and remain unproven regardless of the existence of ISO 21827.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The authors have used the systematic literature review to summarize existing research, help identify gaps in the existing literature and provide background for positioning new research studies.\nFindings: The authors highlighted the prevalent influence of the ISO/IEC 27001/27002 standard but raised the necessity for an in-depth investigation of ISO 21827. The authors also made the implementation facet a central topic of our review. The authors found out that, compared to the number of proposed models, implementation experiments are lacking. This could be due to the arduous task of validation and it could also be the reason why specific models are dominant.\nOriginality/value: While the research literature contains many experience reports and a few case studies on information security maturity evaluation, a systematic review and synthesis of this growing field of research is unavailable as far as the authors know. In fact, the authors only picked-up one bodywork [Maturity models in cyber security A systematic review (2017)] carrying out a literature review on security maturity models between 2012 and 2017, written in Spanish.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Multi-criterion and multi-period performance benchmarking of products and services: Discovering hidden performance gaps
|
[
"Performance benchmarking",
"Product",
"Service",
"Shewhart average and standard deviation charts"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Typically, a product or service has multiple measurable characteristics, and its performance may vary across measures and may change over time. For example, Table I shows Consumer Reports' (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015) four-year six-measure performance data of seven minivans; for measures (3), (4), and (5), we have converted the original non-numeric ratings (i.e. poor, fair, good, very good, excellent) into scores on a 1-5 scale with excellent =5. Table I shows that minivan no. 4 had the lowest price; no. 3 had the highest road-test scores; no. 5 had the second highest road-test scores, which dropped to 79 in 2015; nos 1 and 2 had low road-test scores; no. 7 had the best predicted reliability; nos 3 and 7 had the highest owner satisfaction; no. 7 had the best performance in owner cost; no. 3 improved its MPG from 19 to 21, which was the highest in 2014 and 2015.\n2. Theoretical foundation: statistical process control: The theoretical foundation for the performance benchmarking method proposed in Section 3 is Shewhart statistical control charts, which have been widely used to control quality and detect exceptional variation for improvement (ASTM, 1951; Duncan, 1986; Grant and Leavenworth, 1996; Shewhart, 1931; Stoumbos et al., 2000; Tagaras and Lee, 1988; Western Electric Company, 1958; Woodall and Montgomery, 2014). Conventionally, a Shewhart chart has a centerline, an upper control limit, and a lower control limit. The centerline represents a target or average performance value. Control limits are typically three standard deviations away from the centerline and called three-sigma limits. Control limits are used to signal whether a process is in control (i.e. all points inside the limits) or out of control (i.e. one or more points outside the limits).\n3. A performance benchmarking method: In this section, we propose a benchmarking method by means of defining three types of sets used in performance benchmarking (Section 3.1), formulating two benchmarking functions (Section 3.2), and presenting a procedure for discovering hidden performance gaps (Section 3.3).\n4. Three applications: In this section, we use the method proposed in Section 3 to benchmark the performance of two services (airports and hotels) and one product (minivans). For each of these three applications, we explain the data used in performance benchmarking, present the benchmarking procedure and results, and discuss findings and managerial insights.\n5. Conclusion: Usually, a product or service has multiple measurable characteristics. Its performance may vary across different measures and may change over time. Multi-criterion and multi-period performance benchmarking presents a challenge to product and service managers to determine performance gaps, if any, in order to prioritize improvement efforts. In this paper, we have made three contributions in addressing this challenge.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: A product or service usually has multiple measurable characteristics, and its performance on different measures may vary and may change over time. Multi-criterion and multi-period performance benchmarking presents a challenge for management to determine performance gaps among comparable products or services. The purpose of this paper is to propose a new performance benchmarking method to address this challenge.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The author develop this method by formulating two benchmarking functions: a differentiation function based on Shewhart average and standard deviation charts to distinguish the performance of products or services on a single measure, and a categorization function to classify each product's or service's overall performance across all measures. By systematically removing the lowest-performing products or services from comparison, the author use these functions iteratively to detect performance gaps.\nFindings: Using this method, the author find performance gaps in each of three benchmarking applications of airports, hotels, and minivans, although a number of performance gaps are not obvious from the raw data.\nResearch limitations/implications: This benchmarking study focuses on the quantifiable outcome performance of products and services.\nPractical implications: This benchmarking method is generic and applicable to most products and services. It is robust not only for discovering performance gaps, but also for providing useful insights for managers to prioritize improvement efforts on individual performance measures.\nOriginality/value: The novelty of this benchmarking method lies in that it can not only find the \"best overall\" products or services for all performance measures, but can also pinpoint the \"best-in-class\" products or services as well as performance gaps for each performance measure. In addition, this paper presents several original ideas for performance benchmarking, including: using the control limits of Shewhart control charts to categorize performance gaps, systematically removing the lowest-performing products or services from comparison for the purpose of detecting hidden performance gaps, and using symbolic expressions to integrate benchmarking results from all measures and to show all performance gaps intuitively.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Outcome of quality management practices: Differences among public and private, manufacturing and service, SME and large organisations
|
[
"Manufacturing",
"Service",
"Public",
"Quality management",
"Business excellence",
"Private"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Four evolution stages are commonly identified in organisational work with regard to quality: inspection, quality control, quality assurance and total quality management (TQM) (Dale et al., 2007). At the start of the 1990s research into quality, and TQM in particular, boomed and many national quality awards and institutes were established. Quality was \"the word\" among companies, and researchers focused on what quality management (QM) was, how it should be implemented and the kind of results it brought back to the company. As many companies started to fail in their initiatives, a debate into its effectiveness was set in motion. TQM programmes were banned among companies and new names and methodologies were instead used, for example, Six Sigma and Lean, became popular among practitioners, even though much of the content was similar to TQM. To understand QM it is often described as consisting of different principles and practices. Sila and Ebrahimpour (2002), after analysing 347 survey articles published between 1989 and 2000, summarise the most frequently covered QM factors in the literature: customer focus and satisfaction, quality information and performance measurement, process management, continuous improvement and innovation, employee training, teamwork, employee involvement, leadership and top management commitment. Both Dean and Bowen (1994), and Boaden (1996) observe that QM has incorporated many insights from other management theories. Even though, Sousa and Voss (2002) argue that QM can be distinguished from other strategies for organisational improvement and there is an agreement to which practices can be described as QM. Sousa and Voss (2002) use the criteria of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (NIST, 2011) to manifest the practices of QM.\nBusiness excellence: Participating in a quality award process is for many organisations a way to support the QM. The criteria of quality awards conform to the major constituents of QM (Ghobadian and Woo, 1994; Hendricks and Singhal, 1999; Tan et al., 2003). In particular, Hendricks and Singhal (1999) claim, after a review of various criteria of quality awards, that the criteria and core values emphasised in the quality awards are those that are widely considered to be the building blocks of QM. Receiving a quality award is also a common proxy for a successful implementation of QM (Ghobadian and Gallear, 2001; Hendricks and Singhal, 1996). One of the arguments for this is that organisations granting quality awards typically decide on recipients after conducting an independent evaluation and assessment of an organisation's quality maturity and after measuring the organisation's quality performance against some pre-established criteria (Hendricks and Singhal, 1996).\nMethodology: This study was performed in Sweden. The Swedish Quality Award is organised by the Swedish Institute for Quality (SIQ). The SIQ has developed a model called the SIQ Model for Performance Excellence, which is based on 13 core values and seven criteria, which are further divided into 27 sub-criteria. The seven criteria of the SIQ Model, and hence also the practices studied, are: leadership, information and analysis, business planning, co-workers' commitment and development, process management, business results, and customer satisfaction. The SIQ Model for performance excellence, which was originally inspired by the version of the criteria for performance excellence that was used up to 1996 in the Malcom Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA), still has many similarities to the latter. The numbers that were collected for this study were the numbers that the examiner group, after setting individual numbers and reaching consensuses, set for each sub-criterion. The number is a percentage of what it is possible to get for each sub-criterion. The percentage of the main criteria was calculated from the sub-criteria. The total results that reflects the overall quality maturity of the organisation was calculated from the main criteria. Details of the number of employees at the organisations at the time of application and the companies were also categorised into SMEs or large organisations. Information about whether the organisation was privately or publicly owned and was a manufacturing or a service organisation was also collected.\nFindings: Figure 1 shows an overview of total score in the percentage for organisations applying between 1992 and 2010 (n=149) with the use of box-plots. As can be seen from Figure 1, the number of applicants has decreased, while their mean score has, increased overall. This may be due to the fact that when more organisations applied at the start, there was also a greater variance in the total score; i.e. both quality mature organisations and inexperienced organisations applied for the award, while only organisations familiar to the model and confident of a high score have applied in recent years. On average, the organisations score approximately 350 points out of a total of 1,000 points.\nConclusion: This paper highlights differences in outcome of QM practices among public and private, manufacturing and service, and SME and large organisations. The results indicate that it is time to question old truths. For example that service organisations are slow learners when it comes to QM (Huq and Stolen, 1996). The present study suggests instead that the service industry outperforms the manufacturing industry. Even though the ideas of quality and QM originally evolved from the manufacturing setting, the manufacturing firms are now left behind. This study proposes that we need to change our minds and the rhetoric regarding service organisations in relation to manufacturing organisations. Manufacturing organisations in particular, need to turn to successful service organisations to see how they work with leadership aspects, information and analysis, business planning, how to get committed and developed co-workers and how they work with their customers. Furthermore, and maybe not surprisingly, large organisations are ahead of SMEs in the race for development. This is especially true when it comes to leadership skills, how they undertake business planning, how they work and develop its processes, and how they achieve results and improve their customer satisfaction. Comparing private with public organisations, private organisations do better in general, according to Dean and Helm (1996), and especially with regard to process management, it appears to be easier for private firms. Surprisingly, there are significant differences for all criteria with the exception of process management when comparing the scores of organisations that applied during the 1990s and 2000s. These results indicate that organisations in general are coming to grips with QM and its practices but not when it comes to process management. Even though the basic idea of process management could be easily understood it seems like organisations have difficulty adopting this particular practice. Could it be that the models and the discourse surrounding processes do not fit complex organisations in which value creation and how it can be improved cannot easily be mapped, measured, organised and evaluated? This study suggests that process management as it is described and evaluated needs to be revised in order to better fit the organisations. Hence, new process management models and frameworks for understanding and improving the value creation need to be developed. More specific actions to be taken might also include changing the process sections in the award models. This is of paramount importance for the future of QM as process management is one core practice of QM.\nDiscussion: On a more general level, the number of applicants has decreased, while their mean score has, on an overall level, increased. Organisations in general score worse on business results compared to all other criteria. This is interesting because in the result sections of the award criteria are the parts where the pay-off of the QM initiative should be visible. This study recommends that quality managers need to focus even more on how to get results and how to improve the results in order to justify QM. Otherwise there is a risk that QM could come to a dead end. On the other hand, organisations score better on business planning than on other criteria. An interesting perspective on the findings is, what do organisations do when it comes to business planning and what can they learn from that area with regard to other practices of QM?\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe differences among public and private, manufacturing and service and SMEs and large organisations regarding the outcome of quality management (QM) practices.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This study looks at the scores for different criteria (or practices) from quality award applicants in Sweden between 1992 and 2010.\nFindings: The service industry outperforms the manufacturing industry. Furthermore, and perhaps unsurprisingly, large organisations are ahead of small and medium enterprises in the race for quality progress. In general, when comparing public with private organisations, private organisations do better, and the practice of process management seems to be easier for private firms.\nResearch limitations/implications: This study suggests that process management, as it is currently described and evaluated, needs to be revised and improved to better fit organisations.\nPractical implications: Organisations, in general, score worse on business results than in all other criteria. This study proposes that quality managers must focus even more on how to achieve results and improve results in order to justify QM.\nOriginality/value: This study proposes that researchers and managers need to change their mind-set regarding service organisations in relation to manufacturing organisations, and that manufacturing organisations in particular need to see how successful service organisations work with leadership aspects, information and analysis, and business planning; how they obtain committed co-workers, and how they work with their customers.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Upskilling: change behaviour to change results
|
[
"Skills",
"Training",
"Business environment"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Many training programmes designed to provide a higher level of skills continue to fail to deliver the results companies are looking for. Why is this?\nStaged approach: In this context therefore, the training itself should not be seen as a single, or series of, one-off events but rather as part of an integrated phased process, which incorporates prior preparation - including research and planning - together with follow-up coaching and reinforcement.So, whether the training is being designed and delivered by an in-house HR team or provided by an external resource such as Huthwaite, in each case the design of the training input should take into account the level of existing skills and learning and development requirements of individual attendees as well as the group overall.In the case of Huthwaite's own programmes, for example, in seeking to achieve the level of behaviour change required, classroom training forms just one component within the overall change process. It comprises four stages - content diagnosis, process diagnosis, intervention and integration - each with the ability to deliver measurable results.As with many of the most powerful methodologies, the key elements of Huthwaite's approach are simple - even obvious perhaps. Yet in working closely with the client in each case and orchestrating the development and delivery of each element, the goal is to achieve the sustained behaviour change essential to deliver the associated change in results clients are looking for.Different techniques and tried and tested tools support each of these elements. For Huthwaite, this incorporates the company's research and development methodology, Behaviour Analysis.At the same time, the training approach draws on the company's two primary areas of expertise. From a content perspective, it looks at what effective performance looks like in a commercial environment. Similarly, from a process standpoint, it assesses how best to achieve the behaviour change necessary for that performance.The following farming metaphor will help describe how The Huthwaite Approach delivers results:Content diagnosis - \"choosing the right seed\"\nIntegration - watering and weeding: There is no such thing as a \"plant and forget\" crop. And behaviour change projects too need a planned programme of nurturing. In fact, learners lose most of the skills acquired in just a few weeks unless they are reinforced.In response therefore, Huthwaite has developed a number of approaches to protect the client's project investment:* Intermediate reinforcement: in those first few critical weeks, this may include field or web-based coaching, follow-up learning tools and diagnostics. This makes the behaviour change stick and controls the \"weeds\" - those old habits that can creep back in, smothering the change.* Long-term support: this maximises the return on investment in the project long after its completion. Huthwaite can help you to assimilate its tools and methodology into your procedures and, for example, your CRM system and provide input in the creation and co-ordination of related collateral such as marketing materials.Critically, however, this final stage also includes evaluating project results on different levels - the equivalent of measuring the harvest.\nMeasurement - sampling, monitoring and comparing progress: Experienced farmers do not wait until the harvest to find out its yield. They regularly check the progress of the crop in order to fine-tune the cultivation regime.Similarly, wherever possible throughout each project, it is essential to place clear measurement processes in place so that you can see progress.Further, in the field, Huthwaite's Structured Measurement and Reinforcement Tool (SMART) system adds another key component, by allowing instant analysis and reporting on behavioural data at an individual, group and company level.SMART's strength is that it is based on hard behavioural evidence, comparing actual behaviours with those that are known to lead to successful outcomes. It is a tailored web-based system which records and interprets the interactions and behaviours as seen by trained observers - typically line managers, colleagues, \"buddies\" or functional specialists such as HR.SMART then produces a series of outputs which include \"expert\" comments and a suggested action plan, which are then used as the basis for coaching. In addition, it provides a series of reports which details how individual behaviours are changing, how progress compares with others in the team and how the level of coaching relates to performance improvement.\nTraining is not enough: If you design effective skills training courses and get the correct people to attend, they will have an immediate effect. However, if you want to sustain that effect, you need a support and reinforcement process to ensure that the behaviour change becomes permanent. Only in this way can you \"change behaviour, change results\".The elements that go together to make up this support and reinforcement process can be many and varied. However, at the core of any successful approach must be a cyclical process of practice, accurate observation, meaningful analysis and powerful feedback - and the combination of Huthwaite's research and SMART system enables clients to do this.Just like the farmer, the client can watch and monitor as their \"crop\" grows to maturity. This demands something more than working \"at arms length\" a training provider. The additional expertise provided by an external resource may be invaluable, yet success must be based on a true partnership, as there is much within the approach, which clients can, and must, do for themselves.In short, from Huthwaite's perspective, it is not something which we do to clients, but rather what we do with clients.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to identify why many training programmes, which are designed to provide a higher level of skills continue to fail to deliver the results companies are looking for.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The paper studies the approach of Huthwaite International, an external training company brought in to administer training.\nFindings: - It is found that Huthwaite achieved success by establishing a support and reinforcement process to ensure that the behaviour change becomes permanent. If effective skills training courses are designed and the correct people to attend, this will have an immediate effect, but will not last. However, if the effect is to be sustained, it needs to be backed up with support.\nResearch limitations/implications: - Only one company's approach to training and sustainable change is studied.\nPractical implications: - The paper demonstrates how bringing in an external training consultancy can be more effective than working in house.\nOriginality/value: - Insights are offered into how to deliver practical, relevant and sustainable training.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The impact of choice on co-produced customer value creation and satisfaction
|
[
"Customer value",
"Satisfaction",
"Choice",
"Co-production",
"Co-creation"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: An executive summary for managers and executive readers can be found at the end of this issue.\nIntroduction: The importance of developing service delivery systems that enable and enhance the process of co-creating value has progressively increased over the past few decades to the point of being considered critical for marketing success (Dong et al., 2008; Wu, 2011) and relevant for organizational success (Ramaswamy, 2009). This change is due, in part, to customers who increasingly expect firms to provide service experiences that are perceived as offering high-quality interactions and a higher level of involvement in the process of value creation (Ernst et al., 2010; Hoyer et al., 2010; Ramaswamy, 2010). Modern technology has a crucial role in supporting the transformation of the manner in which organizations and consumers interact (Meuter et al., 2005; Payne et al., 2008). One major arena associated with modern technology through which customer participation in co-production occurs is the internet and the services that are available online. The exponential growth of the internet and information technology has transformed business processes (Meuter et al., 2005) and supported the development of collaborative customer relationships (Maklan and Klaus, 2011).\nConceptual foundation and hypotheses: Co-creation and customer participation\nMethod: Research design and context\nResults: Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using AMOS 20 was conducted to assess the adequacy of the measurement model. Because choice is a manipulated nominal variable, it was not included in the CFA. Rather, the CFA was conducted using the four dependent variables and the control variable, degree of participation. CFA showed an acceptable fit (kh2 (179) = 431.31, p = 0.000), root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) of 0.074, confirmatory fit index (CFI) of 0.941 and normed fit index (NFI) of 0.904. Additionally, the model exhibited satisfactory convergent validity with factor loadings above 0.5, variance extracted above 0.5 and reliability above 0.7. Finally, the model exhibited discriminant validity with all factor variance extracted values being greater than the corresponding squared interconstruct correlation estimates. Table I illustrates item loadings and reliability results.\nDiscussion and implications: Although not all effects of customer participation are positive (Bendapudi and Leone, 2003; Chan et al., 2010; Cova et al., 2011), this study illustrates some positive implications of enabling customer participation for strategic purposes. The link between strategy and customer participation is critical considering that many firms continue to seek to collaborate with consumers to co-create value (Wind and Rangaswamy, 2001) as a central component of strategy development (Prahalad and Ramaswamy, 2000; Ramaswamy, 2009; Vargo and Lusch, 2004). However, the value of customer participation is realized only if it results in the production of value for consumers while simultaneously producing a positive impact on organizationally relevant performance outcomes. If customer participation does this, then its usefulness is established because it substantiates the ostensible value of developing service systems that enable the co-creation of value (Chan et al., 2010) which is an imperative strategic aspect for many firms and an opportunity to further involve customers in the customer value-chain (Mascarenhas et al., 2004).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This study's aim is to investigate whether offering a co-production opportunity as a choice or as the only means of service rendering influences customer value creation and satisfaction. This research incorporates two empirically supported sources of co-created value, relational and economic, and it investigates a new dimension of co-created value, individual value. The study focus supports the need for more empirically based guidance for the management and design of co-creation processes.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A 2 x 2 between-subjects experimental design was utilized to test the choice/no-choice condition. Data were collected through a survey of 214 respondents who were selected on the basis of their familiarity with the context of the experimental scenarios.\nFindings: The results show that co-production as an option for service rendering has a stronger positive impact on value creation than does the context when co-production is necessary. Choice was found to positively influence relational and economic value. Value creation was found to mediate the choice and satisfaction relationship. Individual value had the strongest relative impact on satisfaction but was not significantly related to choice.\nPractical implications: Designers and managers of co-production-enabling processes can enhance customer and organizational outcomes simply by offering customers a choice when considering whether or not to engage in co-production.\nOriginality/value: This originality of this study lies in the supporting evidence found for the influence of choice on value creation and the empirical corroboration for individual value creation as a source of co-created value. The on-line context of this study in this context is also novel.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Managing stakeholders in team-based innovation: The dynamics of knowledge and trust networks
|
[
"Innovation",
"Teams",
"Knowledge sharing",
"Social networks",
"New product development",
"Trust"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Innovation is the process of generating new ideas and putting those ideas into practice (Caldwell and O'Reilly, 2003). The ability to innovate successfully is critical to the growth and competitiveness of organizations (Amabile, 1988; Brown and Eisenhardt, 1998; Hargadon, 1998; Nonaka and Takeuchi, 1995). Teams serve as an important vehicle for organizing the creative and pragmatic aspects of innovation, particularly as organizations become flatter and more dynamic in response to highly complex operating environments (Ancona et al., 2002; Hargadon, 1998; McAdam and McClelland, 2002). Prior studies uncover a number of challenges facing modern work teams as they strive to deliver innovate solutions and products but focus primarily on the set of factors related to internal team structures and processes (Edmondson and Nembhard, 2009; Mathieu et al., 2008). In contrast, less attention has been paid to the linkages that successful teams establish with their external stakeholders in the organization, with whom they build partnerships, secure resources, and exchange knowledge (Choi, 2002; DeChurch and Mathieu, 2009; Glynn et al., 2010; Marrone, 2010).\nTeam boundary spanning: Early studies on team-based innovation demonstrated the importance of communication outside the team, particularly the exchange of task- and market-related information (Gladstein, 1984; Tushman, 1977). Subsequent studies by Ancona and Caldwell (1988, 1990, 1992) helped to differentiate among several major types of boundary spanning behaviors, including actions to protect the team's interests and persuade others in the organization (ambassadorial), coordinate design and technical tasks with other functional areas (task coordinator), scouting for information about the market and competition (scouting), and guarding the flow of external information and communication (guarding). Research by Ancona and Caldwell with NPD teams from high-tech firms found that the most effective teams engaged more frequently in the ambassadorial and task coordinator types of boundary spanning and engaged less frequently in isolation tactics and prolonged scouting (e.g. beyond the early stages of the innovation process). Importantly, these studies were the first to demonstrate that the type of external team behavior matters, not just the frequency of the team's external communication (Ancona et al., 2002).Since the publication of Ancona and Caldwell's research, a number of studies have investigated external team processes, but few have focussed specifically on NPD teams and the factors that influence innovation effectiveness. Marrone's (2010) recent review of the team boundary spanning literature points to the special importance of general information searching outside the team that can bring new knowledge and technical expertise inside to support innovation (Hargadon, 1998). At the same time, no new empirical studies were cited as evidence of this relationship (i.e. since Ancona and Caldwell's research). Thus, Marrone's conclusions underscore that, despite progress in several areas (e.g. understanding the antecedents of team boundary spanning), there is a clear need for additional studies to elucidate \"at a finer-grained level how a team can most effectively carry out critical boundary spanning processes\" (p. 929).One area in particular need of additional exploration within the team innovation domain involves the transfer of knowledge and trust across team boundaries (Nonaka and Takeuchi, 1995; Sheremata, 2000). To effectively engage others in the organization - whether through ambassadorial, task coordinator, or general information searching tactics - teams need effective strategies for determining who to engage as stakeholders for various kinds of exchanges and how best to develop and manage those relationships. Two perspectives that are particularly relevant for addressing these issues are social networking and team cognition.\nThe social networking perspective: The structural characteristics of networks are typically described in terms of the pattern of \"ties,\" where a tie refers to an interconnection between two individuals or \"nodes\" within the network (Scott, 2000; Wasserman and Faust, 1994). Dense networks are characterized by a pattern of intense interconnectivity, with ties established between many or most of the nodes in the network. On the other end of a continuum, a highly \"centralized\" network is one in which fewer ties are active, and those ties that are active tend to be concentrated on a small subset of nodes in the network (Brass et al., 2004; Burt, 2000).As implied by the boundary spanning literature, but perhaps less well developed in the teams literature, a team's network includes nodes inside and outside the team (e.g. external stakeholders), as well as the ties that connect nodes across team boundaries. Applying this broader perspective, teams with dense team-stakeholder networks have ties to many external stakeholders, whereas teams with centralized team-stakeholder networks have concentrated linkages with fewer external stakeholders. Figure 1 depicts this shift in perspective, contrasting the traditional (internal) view of team networks with the alternative view that was taken in this study, focussing on team-stakeholder linkages. Both the dense and centralized networks shown illustrate a high degree of redundancy in the ties with external stakeholders; however, the crucial difference is in the number of external stakeholders that are engaged by the team as well as the pattern of linkages with those stakeholders.A longstanding area of research has investigated the unique benefits and tradeoffs of different network structures or patterns. One key finding emerging from this literature is that the content of the linkages matters when considering the consequences of various structural arrangements (Brass et al., 2004; Harrington, 2002). For example, although dense communication patterns have been associated with a number of benefits, Sparrowe et al. (2001) found that, when exchanges involved high levels of interpersonal conflict, higher network density was associated with a decrease in team performance. Building on this rationale below, we consider the types of network configurations that are likely to be most beneficial for team-based innovation when it comes to the exchange of knowledge v. trust across team boundaries. Knowledge linkages are characterized by the exchange of explicit and tacit project-related information, whereas trust reflects the parties' perceptions of benevolence and competence in the exchange and willingness to share sensitive or confidential information (Costa et al., 2001; Levin and Cross, 2004; Tsai and Ghoshal, 1998).Knowledge linkages with external stakeholders\nShared team-stakeholder cognitions: Inkpen and Tsang (2005) suggest that a number of the risks associated with external partnerships can be alleviated when the parties share a common language that includes \"accepted but tacit codes of conduct\" (p. 158). These agreed upon codes of conduct follow closely from a shared understanding (or shared cognitions) of the work and cultural context, particularly the behaviors and values that are normative for the group (Choi, 2002). In this way, shared cognition facilitates performance in groups by allowing the members to anticipate and respond to one another's actions in an efficient and coordinated manner (DeChurch and Mesmer-Magnus, 2010; Mohammed et al., 2010).Because of the intense interdependence of NPD teams with external stakeholders, it is further likely that these same risks and benefits operate across team boundaries as well (Marrone, 2010). As NPD teams shepherd their products through the multiple stages of creativity and implementation, coordinated actions with external stakeholders may be partly dependent on the team's ability to make their internal mindset known to others outside the team. According to Edmondson and Nembhard (2009), failure to transcend mindsets in this manner can result in \"misunderstandings and misattributions of behaviors and motives,\" which can ultimately delay or derail the team's progress.Still, an important question remains regarding what needs to be jointly understood by NPD teams and their external stakeholders. The logic advanced within the team mental models literature holds that those factors which are most centrally and directly related to effective NPD performance are also likely the ones for which closely held mental models are most beneficial (Cannon-Bowers and Salas, 2001; Kozlowski and Ilgen, 2006). In the present study we investigated shared team-stakeholder cognitions around three team-level factors that have been found to support team-based innovation. The three themes are customer focus, entrepreneurial culture, and goal orientation. Beyond the innovation success attributable to higher overall or mean levels on each of these factors, we were particularly interested in the contribution of agreement among team members and organizational stakeholders.Customer focus\nMethod: Study design\nResults: The effect of team-stakeholder knowledge and trust networks\nDiscussion: Dougherty and Hardy (1996) argued that sustainable innovation cannot occur until NPD teams are able to resolve \"innovation-to-organization problems.\" A central aspect of navigating these issues involves managing interdependencies with members of the organization who fall outside the team's internal boundaries. Our study extends the earlier work by Ancona et al. (2002) by examining the exchange of knowledge and trust across this team-stakeholder membrane. Guided by social networking and shared cognition theories, our study contributes a unique and finer-grained perspective than prior studies, which focussed primarily on the frequency of outside communication or the types of various boundary spanning activities.Our results suggest that the optimal strategies for managing the team's external networking with organizational stakeholders differ according to whether the linkages are focussed on exchanging knowledge v. trust. Indeed, external knowledge and trust ties were observed to have an opposite effect on innovation outcomes. The NPD teams that were most effective had more non-redundant knowledge ties to external stakeholders and fewer non-redundant trust ties. In other words, NPD teams benefitted the most from widely dispersed knowledge networks and tightly centralized trust networks.These findings have practical implications for the types of strategies that NPD teams could benefit from when constructing teams (based on individuals' pre-existing social networks) and developing strategies for communicating across team boundaries. Overall, our study points to the need for teams to think and plan their actions differently when it comes to building external knowledge and trust relationships (Gulati and Westphal, 1999; Harrington, 2002; Podolny and Baron, 1997). For many team and organizational contexts, this will involve a shift away from simply focussing on more network connections toward the appropriate network connections for different purposes. Our findings regarding shared team-stakeholder cognitions and external team champions provide further insights into why it might be the case that teams are optimally configured when they exchange knowledge with many and trust with few.Knowledge linkages and shared cognitions\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - Team-based innovation requires a balance of creative and pragmatic processes both within teams and between teams and their organizational stakeholders. However, prior research has focused primarily on the internal team dynamics that facilitate innovation, paying comparatively little attention to team-stakeholder dynamics. The purpose of this study is to address this limitation by studying the impact of team-stakeholder networks and shared cognition on the effectiveness of innovation teams.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - This study investigates the knowledge and trust linkages between 51 new product development (NPD) teams and their organizational stakeholders using a mixed methods design that combines network analysis, surveys, and qualitative interviews. Multiple indicators of team effectiveness were collected at various stages of the innovation process.\nFindings: - The results show that effective NPD teams establish knowledge ties with many non-redundant organizational stakeholders and foster a high level of agreement among stakeholders about team innovation factors. Conversely, effective NPD teams also establish highly centralized trust networks that are focused on only a few key stakeholders in the organization.\nResearch limitations/implications: - This study focuses on NPD teams in chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing. Future studies should seek to replicate the findings using larger samples of teams involving diverse innovation tasks.\nPractical implications: - These results have implications for the most effective way to build and manage innovation teams, considering both pre-existing stakeholder linkages and networking strategies for the future.\nOriginality/value: - The results suggest that the optimal characteristics of team-stakeholder knowledge and trust networks differ and highlight the unique importance of shared understanding about risk-taking and creativity beyond higher overall levels.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Trends in telemedicine assessment indicate neglect of key criteria for predicting success
|
[
"Telemedicine",
"Telecare",
"Evaluation",
"Decision making",
"Implementation",
"Health services sector",
"Performance monitoring",
"Cost effectiveness"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Telemedicine refers to the provision of healthcare where telecommunications technology is used to remotely monitor or evaluate patient health (Roine et al., 2001). Over the past 20 years the application of technology to healthcare has increased in diversity from simple telephonic diagnostic aids to digital image capture and forwarding for specialist appraisal, remote video consultation and automated in-home monitoring of the chronically ill. The promise of improved quality, greater access to care, timeliness of service and costs savings in healthcare provision has led to swift development of telemedicine services worldwide (Singh and Wachter, 2008). The urge to innovate has been further stimulated by recent announcements. The identification of an urgent need to develop telemedicine applications for chronic disease management resulted in the Portoroz declaration of May 2008, in which the EU announced its commitment to \"a paradigm shift towards clear support for eHealth\" (Fitzgerald, 2008). A similar commitment to increased utilisation of technology in healthcare was announced in the US, where the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 allocated $34 billion as an incentive to encourage healthcare professionals to make greater use of electronic health technology (Catwell and Sheikh, 2009). Given these significant financial commitments to the future of telemedicine it is surprising that new applications are not rigorously evaluated.Steele (1996) suggested that a general methodology was required for evaluating telemedicine, but he could not have envisioned the diversity of applications that have emerged since, in the three areas of telemedicine; store-and-forward, real-time consultation and telecare. General reviews of the effectiveness of telemedicine acknowledge that the success or failure of telemedicine in delivering improvements to healthcare provision is dependent on the application context, healthcare system and the population being addressed (Gagnon et al., 2005; Whetton, 2005). Large-scale screening programmes utilising store-and-forward technology can deliver efficiencies or cost savings where they serve a large population, while real-time teleconference consultations can vastly enhance access to care in rural areas. However, the majority of programmes developed in the past 20 years have proved costly failures or deliver significantly inferior services (Urtubey and Petrich, 2002; Whitten and Adams, 2003), but there are signs that more recent programmes have overcome the early tendency to failure and some major successes are emerging.The lack of standardised evaluation strategies means that early stage assessments of new programmes can demonstrate significant benefits or clinical equivalence in some areas, whereas major parameters such as cost are typically ignored. Recent reviews agree that good quality studies of telemedicine are scarce and that there is no consistent application of appropriate metrics in programme assessments (e.g. Hailey et al., 2004). The major criticism of telemedicine evaluations is the tendency to focus only on isolated aspects of healthcare as indicators of success (Whetton, 2005). There have been repeated calls for generalised, more systematic approaches to telemedicine assessment (Scott et al., 1999; Hebert, 2001), but it is increasingly apparent that the context-sensitivity and diversity of specific applications might make it impractical to generalise.Decision-makers require useful indicators to determine success or failure of novel telemedicine applications. Systematic reviews of telemedicine focus on identifying well-designed studies reporting criteria commonly considered as useful in a full assessment of the new technology in a clinical context. This means that in practice only the best-designed studies are considered in reviews, meaning that small numbers of studies are reviewed after a systematic filtration process. For example, a recent general review of telemedicine only found 44 studies which met the specified criteria of performance metrics (Hailey et al., 2004), while another of home telecare only found 22 projects that reported the desired measures (Bensink et al., 2006). A Cochrane review of telecare (Martin et al., 2008) concluded that none of the studies conducted in this area met the requisite criteria. Thus, the small final sample sizes resulting from the systematic review process are unrepresentative of the hundreds of studies conducted in this subject area. Roine et al. (2001) concluded that individual case studies provide useful indicators of the success of telemedicine, but that broad reviews encompassing the many diverse services in operation found it difficult to draw general conclusions.In summary, systematic reviews of telemedicine have focussed on identifying deficiencies in the majority of studies and only measuring the quality of the best, as a means of determining the success of telemedicine. Few studies meet such stringent criteria, because in practice researchers are encumbered with financial constraints. Telemedicine evaluation has typically been directed at meeting user-defined key assessment requirements, rather than assembling a broad raft of metrics of general utility. However, telemedicine is a mature component of healthcare in many disciplines so specialty-specific reviews might be invaluable in identifying contexts where specific technologies perform well, deficiencies in clinical outcomes, or general costs and benefits. Surprisingly, a comprehensive review of teledermatology (Eminovic et al., 2007) failed to draw any general conclusions and recommended that further clinical outcome measures were needed to evaluate general effectiveness.Thus, telemedicine researchers routinely fail to design studies which meet the criteria demanded by reviewers, so it seems pertinent and timely to determine which criteria are commonly assessed when evaluating both novel telemedicine applications and those in routine use. Here we quantify the reporting of standard assessment criteria (see Ohinmaa et al., 2001) in the telemedicine literature and identify common preferences in metric use among telemedicine application areas, and trends in evaluation associated with implementation of telemedicine programmes. Identifying the evaluation criteria considered most important by telemedicine developers in specific contexts will enable better early stage assessment of novel applications and help identify the most useful key performance metrics for decision-makers.\n2. Methods: 2.1 Literature search strategy\n3. Results: 3.1 Articles retrieved\n4. Discussion: Key quality measures used in telemedicine evaluation are broadly similar to those recommended for assessing other health technology innovations, an observation made by previous reviewers (Roine et al., 2001; Hailey et al., 2004; Aoki et al., 2004). However, our survey shows that the actual implementation and reporting of evaluation metrics usually mirrors the requirements of specific telemedicine applications, such that studies from specific domains and contexts prefer key metrics appropriate to the problem being addressed, almost to the exclusion of any other metrics. This situation has led to a general neglect of cost-related measures, which are key assessment criteria for determining future effectiveness of healthcare interventions.In the pilot stages of new applications there was a focus on assessing and comparing clinical outcomes, especially diagnostic accuracy for both RTC (45.1 per cent) and SAF (83.3 per cent) compared to TC (14.4 per cent), where this measure was usually considered inappropriate. In routine use, the recording of diagnostic accuracy declined significantly for RTC (26.3 per cent) and TC (4.3 per cent), but by a lesser degree for SAF (58.8 per cent). In contrast, for TC (72.2 per cent) the preferred clinical outcome measure in the pilot stages was clinical effectiveness, which was reported significantly less frequently for both SAF (31.5 per cent) and RTC (44.0 per cent) relative to TC. Only when RTC (55.9 per cent) and SAF (53.6 per cent) programmes entered routine use was clinical effectiveness measured with a frequency similar to that found for TC (59.4 per cent). Clearly the focus in SAF and RTC applications is on the diagnosis of disease, particularly in the areas of cardiology, dermatology and ophthalmology. Thus, evaluation of SAF and RTC is more concerned with demonstrating that new remote access technology provides a service that is at least equivalent to in-person consultation.Our analysis showed that TC prioritises evaluation of patient satisfaction in the pilot stages (56.7 per cent), but that this metric was significantly less likely to be captured by both RTC (37.3 per cent) and SAF (9.3 per cent) applications at this stage. There was a non-significant decline in reporting of patient satisfaction once TC (40.6 per cent) entered routine use, such that it was no longer evaluated significantly more than for RTC (30.5 per cent). TC still reported this metric significantly more frequently than SAF (18.6 per cent) in routine use. SAF routine use studies reported satisfaction more than pilot studies. The focus on diagnostic accuracy as a major metric for both RTC and SAF was to be expected in these application areas and perhaps we should expect that TC, with its primary role of care, similarly prioritises patient satisfaction as a principal measure. Reports of healthcare professional satisfaction were not common, but most frequent for RTC in both pilots (25.3 per cent) and routine use (21.2 per cent). In contrast, professional satisfaction was reported significantly less for TC in both pilots (10.3 per cent) and routine use (8.7 per cent), compared to RTC. Again this measure was reported less frequently for SAF in pilot stages (14.8 per cent), relative to RTC, and significantly less when in routine use (10.3 per cent). The reporting of satisfaction was lower for healthcare professionals than for patients in almost all application areas at both stages, with the single exception of SAF pilots. Reports of patient satisfaction surveys were still absent from most studies, as they were when this area was reviewed by Mair and Whitten (2000). This is an important deficiency which clearly needs addressing, especially in light of the Darzi report's (2008) recommendation assessment of the key quality measures for clinical effectiveness, safety and good experience by the patient. Similar assessments of healthcare professional satisfaction with telemedicine programmes would be invaluable for decision-makers.Patient-centred performance metrics were infrequently assessed by all areas. RTC reported measures of access to care (14.3 per cent), patient costs (15.3 per cent) and patient waiting time (22.0 per cent) most frequently in the pilot stages. TC was significantly more likely to include measures for patient assessments of health impact (26.8 per cent). Slight, but non-significant, rises in some patient-side metrics were reported when applications entered routine use. A more frequently reported patient measure was hospital attendance frequency, although this was not considered to be patient-focussed. This metric was reported as a useful surrogate measure for performance of the new application, by indicating a reduced need for patient hospital visits and serving as a means for evaluating cost savings.Evaluations and analyses of cost were conspicuous by their absence in the majority of studies, especially at the pilot stage where it would be prudent to make an assessment of costs to better inform decision-makers. A significantly higher number of RTC studies (23.1 per cent) contained simple cost minimisation analyses in pilots, relative to both SAF (7.4 per cent) and TC (9.3 per cent). Cost analysis was significantly better reported for TC once programmes entered routine use with over 25 per cent of studies reporting a cost measure, principally cost minimisation analysis and costs of hospitalisation. For SAF cost measures were reported in less than 10% of studies, with no significant differences between the two stages.In summary our analysis found that clinical outcomes, either diagnostic accuracy or clinical effectiveness, and patient satisfaction (for TC) were frequently reported in studies, but other evaluation metrics were rarely included. Aoki et al. (2004) found that in the 104 telemedicine studies they reviewed, the majority of evaluation criteria reported were diagnostic accuracy (49/104) and satisfaction (26/104). They recommended improvements in evaluation of clinical effectiveness (3/104) and cost (9/104), areas which our study shows have improved greatly since (especially the former). No studies in our review succeeded in evaluating the complete range of performance metrics we quantified, but it is evident that reporting of criteria outside the main areas of clinical outcomes, cost and patient satisfaction has increased. For example, Dunagan et al. (2005) reported clinical effectiveness (functional status), patient satisfaction with care, time to encounter, hospital admissions/readmissions, hospital costs, and mortality in a randomised control trial of heart failure patients managed by telemedicine at the pilot stage. The only data absent from this study are further patient-side measures and a cost analysis, which could be addressed by a decision-maker using the data supplied. However, it is evident that for most studies the key missing evaluations are cost analyses, and both patient and healthcare professional satisfaction measures. Cost assessments and satisfaction ratings are crucial criteria for determining the potential effectiveness of a new interventions and its future success. The neglect of these assessment criteria could be problematic when deciding the fate of a new telemedicine programme. Furthermore, additional qualitative data derived from the experiences of users in observational studies may have important roles to play in decision-making, including, barriers to adoption, facilitators, and improved methods for removing blockages during implementation.Our study demonstrates some progress in the improved assessment of a wider range of evaluation measures in telemedicine. We do not suggest that the entire range of evaluation measures documented here are essential for informing decisions on the effectiveness and benefits of a novel telemedicine programme. However, we have demonstrated that all measures have been collected in previous studies in all classes, showing that it is possible to assess all these criteria. The evaluation of a programme might vary under different healthcare regimes and this is a major factor in the design of studies, but the role of evaluation is to assess future success which is impossible without a consideration of the cost effectiveness of an intervention. Assessment of patient and user satisfaction provides an essential predictor of the likely retention of a service on usability grounds. Thus, the major considerations for any new healthcare application must be evaluation of clinical outcomes, especially clinical effectiveness (and safety), patient satisfaction (Darzi, 2008) and cost effectiveness (Hailey, 2005). The specific requirements of a new telemedicine application might demand that particular assessment criteria are the focus, but researchers should not neglect other metrics such as patient-side measures which can readily be collected routinely using standard questionnaire methods. The value of these measures in predicting the future success of a new intervention should not be under-estimated.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - This innovative analysis aims to quantify the use of evaluation criteria in telemedicine and to identify current trends in metric adoption. The focus is to determine the frequency of actual performance metric reporting in telemedicine evaluation, in contrast to systematic reviews where assessment of study quality is the goal.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - Automated literature search identified telemedicine studies reporting quantitative performance metrics. Studies were classified by telemedicine class; store-and-forward (SAF), real-time consultation (RTC) and telecare (TC), and study stage. Studies were scanned for evaluation metric reporting, i.e. clinical outcomes, satisfaction, patient quality and cost measures.\nFindings: - Evaluation metric use was compared among telemedicine classes, and between pilot and routine use stages. Diagnostic accuracy was reported significantly more frequently in pilots for RTC and TC. Cost measures were more frequently reported in routine use for TC. Clinical effectiveness and hospital attendance were better reported in routine use for SAF. Comparison also revealed different evaluation strategies. In pilots, SAF favoured diagnostic accuracy, compared to RTC and TC. TC preferred clinical effectiveness evaluations and TC more frequently assessed patient satisfaction. Cost was only reported in less than 20 per cent of studies, but most frequently in RTC. Routine use led to increased reporting of all metrics, except diagnostic accuracy. Clinical effectiveness reporting increased significantly with routine use for RTC and SAF, but declined for TC.\nOriginality/value: - Clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction were reported frequently in telemedicine studies, but reporting of other performance metrics was rare. Understanding current trends in metric reporting will facilitate better design of future telemedicine evaluations.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Threshold concepts and pedagogic representation
|
[
"Critical features",
"Integrated threshold concept knowledge",
"Threshold concept analysis"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The notion of limit in Mathematics illustrates both a threshold concept and a threshold episteme, affirming how difficulties with concept and episteme become intertangled. The definition of limit formalises the intuitive idea of getting closer and closer to a target value. A sequence of numbers approaches a particular limit L providing that for any e (epsilon), however small, there exists a positive integer N such that all members of the sequence further along than N lie within e of L. Poor Betty Fable! [A hypothetical student.] Those es and Ns and Ls are likely to make her suffer. Betty gets befuddled partly because the definition [of the limit of a sequence] is conceptually complex, but partly because it represents the foreign episteme of formal Mathematics. Betty expects definitions to make new ideas sensible and accessible, and by this standard the definition of limit appears convoluted and arcane. But the game is different here. Viewed not as an elucidation but a proof kit, the definition is precise, elegant, and powerful (Perkins, 2006, p. 44).\nOn \"concept\" and \"variation\": It is reassuring that some evidence of students' transformative learning episodes can readily be externalised in response to a simple question. As an illustration, in a qualitative study reported by Mostrom et al. (2009) students of computer science were asked to identify and describe a computing concept that transformed the way they saw and experienced computing. Students were furthermore asked to discuss such a transformative experience in terms of an example that had left a lasting impression. Analyses of resultant data confirmed changes - in students' \"perceptions of computer science\" (p. 181), \"in their thinking\" (p. 185), \"their sense of identity as computer scientists, their behaviour and their confidence\" (p. 181) - attributed to \"learning or using particular concepts, and often associated with writing computer programs, learning new programming languages, or interacting with peers\" (p. 181)\nAnalyses for and of threshold concepts: Locating discipline-specific threshold concepts, is not as straightforward as may at first sight appear. We begin with an observation by Shanahan et al. (2010, p. 207) that:\nPedagogic practices: University teachers, and particularly those with minimal exposure to, and little interest in, educational theory and an aversion to its perceived accompanying \"jargon\", nonetheless feel comfortable in interrogating, on their own terms and with what amounts to minimal prompting, their subject rather than their own pedagogic practices (Cousin, 2007.) Less comfortable for some is the subsequent nagging realisation that the pursuit to anoint a concept with threshold status is, in itself, unproductive, unless the process provides new insights, actionable insights, into how that concept might better be pedagogically engaged in carefully guided learning and teaching episodes:\nIntegrated threshold concept knowledge (ITCK): Meyer and Timmermans (2016) have taken a broader view of the pedagogic challenges presented by threshold concepts in proposing, as a basis for consolidating theoretical and empirical perspectives into actionable practice, the generative construct of ITCK:\nPedagogical representation: In the \"threshold\" status of a concept lies an expectation that the underlying analytical enquiry for, and of, that status will provide a fresh perspective for reviewing current learning and teaching arrangements of that concept. In particular there is an expected re-examination of current practice in terms of the representation of that concept for pedagogical purposes that translate into specific learning activities based, and constructed from, the \"types of knowledge\" referred to. And so, in progressing the foundation work of Meyer et al. (2014), the narrative in the Meyer et al. (2016) case study concludes with a discussion of a metacognitive assessment activity (hereinafter referred to as MaA) focused on, and pedagogically representing, \"critical flow\" for learning and formative assessment purposes.\nConcluding discussion: In conclusion a new unfinished narrative begins in that the MaA has been further developed in subsequent work and is now sustainability embedded in the third-year course context in which it was developed. The MaA has additionally been successfully adapted to other contexts in the host institution: a second-year course in fluid mechanics (focused on Newton II, applied to show a change in momentum flux) and a large first-year course in the biological sciences (focused on \"membrane transfer\"). In another institution the MaA has also been adapted to a large first year course in microeconomics (focused on \"opportunity cost\").\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present a brief exposure to the development of the threshold concepts framework (TCF), the intention being to illuminate for interested readers a broader landscape of research activity than that perhaps conveyed by the individual contributions to this special edition.\nDesign/methodology/approach: There is first an account of how the notion of a \"threshold concept\" was presented by Meyer and Land in their seminal 2003 paper, and a clarification of some terminology used by them at that time to describe the (confusing for some) \"characteristics\" of such a concept. A discursive account, with examples, follows on how analyses for, and of, threshold concepts might proceed, and how findings might provoke a reappraisal of associated learning and teaching practices. Towards this end a contemporary pedagogical perspective is introduced based on the construct of integrated threshold concept knowledge (ITCK) as proposed by Meyer and Timmermans (2016). Reference to a detailed case study illustrates the practical dynamics of generating ITCK; specifically in the context of a third-year engineering course embedding the threshold of \"critical flow\". Activities and processes, transferable to other discipline contexts, are described that yield particular elements of ITCK (different constituent \"types of knowledge\") in relation, in this case, to \"critical flow\". A final consideration is the \"representation\" of \"critical flow\" for pedagogical purposes in the form of a metacognitive activity for learning and formative assessment purposes that is, again, adaptable to other discipline contexts.\nFindings: There are no specific findings in this paper as its purpose is to provide a condensed review of the development of the TCF.\nOriginality/value: This value of this paper is that it provides a contemporary expert exposure to the development of the TCF by the originator of the notion of a threshold concept.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The performance of primary health care organizations depends on interdependences with the local environment
|
[
"Performance",
"Primary care",
"Health care",
"Complexity theory"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Improving the performance of primary health care organizations is now perceived as essential in order to better address the needs of the populations and respect their ability to pay for the services (Ben and Bjornberg, 2010; OMS, 2000). But there is no consensus on how to appraise and improve the performance of these organizations. There is no consensus on what is performance. It is increasingly considered as the optimal execution of four functions that every organization must achieve in order to survive and develop: reach goals; adapt to its environment; produce goods or services and maintain values and a satisfying organizational climate (Sicotte et al., 1998, 1999).\nKauffman's model: The idea of organizations adapting to a continually changing environment intrigues several authors. Kauffman's model raises a lot of interest in this regard. About a quarter of the 56 articles submitted to \"organization science\" for its special edition on the complexity of organizations were based on this model. This interest is way superior compared to any other model or approach related to complex systems (Anderson, 1999).\nStudies on performance of primary health care organizations: To our knowledge, there are no studies that explicitly use Kauffman's model to analyze performance of health care organizations. The first author of this paper participated to several studies related to primary health care. They focus more specifically on existing relations between characteristics of organizations and the environment in which they operate on the one hand, and achievement of expected objectives of primary health care and assessment of services received by users on the other hand. To say the least, obtained results are far from converging. Some are even going in opposite directions and others are completely unexpected. Besides, two articles published on this topic qualify the obtained results as \"paradoxical\" (Lamarche et al., 2010) or \"unexpected\" (Lamarche et al., 2011).\nAnalysis of primary health care organizations performance according to Kauffman's theory: The result of those three studies are analyzed according to the four main ideas from Kauffman's model: the influence of internal complexity (NK) of organizations on their performance; the relation between internal complexity of organizations (NK), complexity of the environments (SC) and the relative importance of different organizational models present on local territories; the interdependence of internal complexity of organizations and complexity of their environments (NKCS) on the performance of those organizations and the presence of catastrophe or quintessence of complexity of primary health care organizations depending on local environments.\nDiscussion: Kauffman's model helps give meaning to the results of researches on performance of primary health care organizations that were qualified as paradoxical or unexpected. These results confirm that internal complexity of organizations influence their level of performance. However, the direction of this performance is unclear. In one study, the internal complexity positively and almost linearly influences the performance of these organizations. The two other studies do not reveal any clear relation. The models of organization that have a weak internal complexity fill two extremes regarding their performance: the stronger and the weaker performances. The models of organization with a strong internal complexity have an intermediate performance level. The performance of primary health care organizations then cannot be understood by only taking into account the characteristics of these organizations. The complexity of the environments in which they operate must simultaneously be taken into account.\nConclusion: These results have several practical and theoretical implications. In practice, they indicate that wanting to improve performance of health care organizations by increasing their size and their internal complexity above a certain limit can cause opposite effects to those intended. The increase of internal complexity of health care organizations that resulted from the wave of mergers in health systems of industrialized countries can explain at least in part the rather mixed results that they obtained. They also indicate that not one model of organization can have a strong performance in every environment. Several models are necessary to adapt to different environments. The last practical implication is that to increase performance of health care organizations, the interdependence of health care organizations in given environments must increase in the first place. First and foremost, actions must then be taken in the environments and not in the organizations. It is possibly because the reforms of health systems try above all to increase internal complexity of organizations and not that of their environment that they generally did not generate expected results.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Improving the performance of health care organizations is now perceived as essential in order to better address the needs of the populations and respect their ability to pay for the services. There is no consensus on what is performance. It is increasingly considered as the optimal execution of four functions that every organization must achieve in order to survive and develop: reach goals; adapt to its environment; produce goods or services and maintain values; and a satisfying organizational climate. There is also no consensus on strategies to improve this performance. The paper aims to discuss these issues.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This paper intends to analyze the performance of primary health care organizations from the perspective of Kauffman's model. It mainly aims to understand the often contradictory, paradoxical and unexpected results that emerge from studies on this topic.\nFindings: To do so, the first section briefly presents Kauffman's model and lays forward its principal components. The second section presents three studies on the performance of primary organizations and brings out the contradictory, paradoxical and unexpected results they obtained. The third section explains these results in the light of Kauffman's model.\nOriginality/value: Kauffman's model helps give meaning to the results of researches on performance of primary health care organizations that were qualified as paradoxical or unexpected. The performance of primary health care organizations then cannot be understood by only taking into account the characteristics of these organizations. The complexity of the environments in which they operate must simultaneously be taken into account. This paper brings original development of an integrated view of the performance of organizations, their own characteristics and those of the local environment in which they operated.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Dual paths to continuous online knowledge sharing: a repetitive behavior perspective
|
[
"Knowledge sharing",
"Intention",
"Continuous behaviour",
"Past behaviour",
"Repetitive behaviour",
"Social Q&A sites"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: In the era of Web 2.0, many types of content are generated or rated by users (Gazan, 2011; Paroutis and Al Saleh, 2009). Social question-and-answer (Q&A) sites, such as Yahoo! Answers (http://answers.yahoo.com.pitt.idm.oclc.org/) and Quora (www.quora.com), which allow users to freely ask and answer questions, are typical examples of this phenomenon (Fang and Zhang, 2019; Guan et al., 2018; Jin et al., 2013, 2015; Kang, 2018; Khansa et al., 2015; Zhou, 2018).\n2. Theoretical background: 2.1 Social Q&A sites\n3. Research model and hypotheses: For active users of social Q&A sites, knowledge sharing is a repetitive, habitual behavior because such users typically share knowledge several times a day (Kang et al., 2011). Thus, both past behavior and continuance intentions can influence active users' future continuous knowledge sharing behavior. Taking a dual path perspective for repetitive behaviors, this study suggests a research model to explain active users' continuous knowledge sharing behavior on social Q&A sites (Figure 1).\n4. Methods: The research model was empirically validated using both subjective online survey data and objective web-crawled data. The survey method was adopted because research variables and their expected relationships are clearly defined in the research model, and the phenomena of interest (i.e. continuous online knowledge sharing) must be studied in their natural setting (Pinsonneault and Kraemer, 1993). The research website used is Naver KiN (http://kin.naver.com) in South Korea. With 44m users, which exceeds 90 percent of the South Korean population, Naver KiN has a saturated user base. Thus, maintaining the continuous knowledge sharing of currently active users is critical for its long-term sustainability. These conditions make Naver KiN an appropriate website for validating the research hypotheses.\n5. Results: 5.1 Reliability and validity\n6. Conclusion: Integrating elaborate decision processes and automated cognitive processes (Aarts et al., 1998), this study examined a detailed mechanism of active users' continuous online knwledge sharing behavior. The elaborate decision process was confirmed by significant sequential relationship linking satisfaction, continuance intention and continuous behavior (i.e. H1 and H2 are accepted). The automated cognitive process was verified by past behavior's significant influence on continuous knowledge sharing behavior (i.e. H3a is accepted). When the interaction between elaborate decision processes and automated cognitive processes was examined, they showed a substituting relationship with each other (i.e. H3c is accepted). Finally, the automated cognitive process was persistent, while the elaborate decision process got weakened over time.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Continuous knowledge sharing by active users, who are highly active in answering questions, is crucial to the sustenance of social question-and-answer (Q&A) sites. The purpose of this paper is to examine such knowledge sharing considering reason-based elaborate decision and habit-based automated cognitive processes.\nDesign/methodology/approach: To verify the research hypotheses, survey data on subjective intentions and web-crawled data on objective behavior are utilized. The sample size is 337 with the response rate of 27.2 percent. Negative binomial and hierarchical linear regressions are used given the skewed distribution of the dependent variable (i.e. the number of answers).\nFindings: Both elaborate decision (linking satisfaction, intentions and continuance behavior) and automated cognitive processes (linking past and continuance behavior) are significant and substitutable.\nResearch limitations/implications: By measuring both subjective intentions and objective behavior, it verifies a detailed mechanism linking continuance intentions, past behavior and continuous knowledge sharing. The significant influence of automated cognitive processes implies that online knowledge sharing is habitual for active users.\nPractical implications: Understanding that online knowledge sharing is habitual is imperative to maintaining continuous knowledge sharing by active users. Knowledge sharing trends should be monitored to check if the frequency of sharing decreases. Social Q&A sites should intervene to restore knowledge sharing behavior through personalized incentives.\nOriginality/value: This is the first study utilizing both subjective intentions and objective behavior data in the context of online knowledge sharing. It also introduces habit-based automated cognitive processes to this context. This approach extends the current understanding of continuous online knowledge sharing behavior.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Effects of socialization interactions on customer engagement in online travel communities
|
[
"Customer engagement",
"Information exchange",
"Social exchange",
"Online travel community",
"Socialization interactions"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: In the last decade, customer engagement has become a powerful research stream, due to its relation to numerous favorable performance indicators including sales growth (Cheung et al., 2015), customer involvement in product or service development (Sawhney et al., 2005) and customer loyalty (Van Asperen et al., 2018). While research on customer engagement has increased dramatically in recent years, empirical investigation is still in infancy. That means a need exists to examine the directionality and theoretical link between customer engagement and relevant constructs, and empirically validate the key ingredients facilitating customer engagement.\n2. Theory review and research hypotheses: 2.1 Customer engagement\n3. Research method: 3.1 Measurement instrument\n4. Data analysis and results: The research model was analyzed using by structural equation modeling (SEM), supported by the Analysis of Moment Structures software (AMOS 17.0). The SEM approach is a powerful two-stage multivariate technique used for analyzing causal models with an estimation of two components: measurement and structural models. The measurement model is estimated by using confirmatory factor analysis to test whether the constructs possess sufficient reliability and validity. The structural model is used to examine the significance and direction of the relationship between the constructs.\n5. Discussions and implications: 5.1 Discussions\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Travel companies are increasingly hosting online communities to extend their initiatives of customer relationship management and gain additional insight into their business. While the benefits to companies from hosting online communities are clear, another closely related issue has not been given comparative attention: Why do customers engage voluntarily in online travel communities? The purpose of this paper is to answer the question by developing and testing a conceptual model that exploring the influence of socialization interactions on customer engagement with the community.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Hypotheses were tested by applying structural equation modeling based on survey data collected from an online travel community (n=665).\nFindings: The results supported the research hypotheses and demonstrated that socialization interactions (i.e. information and social exchange) in the online travel community are important catalysts for customer engagement.\nOriginality/value: The contribution of this study is twofold. First, from a theoretical perspective, it offers new insights into the conceptualization of customer engagement and its antecedents in the context of the online travel community. Second, from a pragmatic perspective, the conceptual model derived from this research aids practitioners in stimulating customer engagement from the perspective of socialization interactions.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Discrimination against gays and lesbians in hiring decisions: a meta-analysis
|
[
"LGBT",
"Meta-analysis",
"LGBTQ",
"LGBTI",
"Hiring decisions",
"Correspondence test",
"Sexual orientation discrimination",
"J7",
"J71",
"J64",
"C93"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Discrimination in the labor market against different minorities, whether ethnic or sexual, leads to many economic and social inefficiencies. Although hiring could well be the most crucial part of any employment relationship, it is arguably one of the most poorly understood aspects of it (Petersen et al., 2000; Pager and Karafin, 2009). Job hunting costs more in time and resources for those applicants who are treated unequally at the time of hiring while bias in the hiring process means companies miss out on potentially talented candidates (Unit, 2009). Thus, from a socio-economic point of view, it is very important for individuals, whoever they are, to be treated equally in terms of their access to employment. Discrimination in the hiring process may arise from two sources commonly presented in the discrimination literature, i.e. taste-based discrimination and statistical discrimination. First, \"taste-based\" discrimination refers to discrimination which occurs due to preferences. This means that individuals who discriminate have hostile attitudes toward a foreign group (xenophobia, homophobia or also personal preferences of other kinds) or comply with the negative attitude of the group of individuals to which they are attached (Becker, 1957). In hiring decisions, this corresponds to the case where employers discriminate for example homosexual candidates because of their personal preferences or do not accept individuals from another sexual orientation so as not to displease their other employees or clients.\n2. Literature overview: In what is widely referred to as the \"correspondence testing\" approach, the experimenter creates a certain number of fictitious applicants, who differ only in their sexual orientation and then sends out written applications (usually by e-mail) in response to job advertisements. To avoid detection, applications must not be strictly identical (when more than one is sent to the same employer), but all essential characteristics, such as experience and qualification, must be closely matched so that they differ only by the variable of interest. By using this method, the experimenter has the advantage of being able to work on real data while maintaining control over the variables, much as in a laboratory experiment. Moreover, this method is also easier and cheaper to implement (it dispenses with hiring and coaching actors) than face-to-face or over-the-phone interviews.\n3. Method and data: All these correspondence tests were conducted along similar lines. Accordingly, meta-analysis was used to provide a quantitative summary of the existing literature in a systematic manner (Flage, 2018; Zschirnt and Ruedin, 2016). So as to improve comparability among the studies, face-to-face interviews (e.g. Hebl et al., 2002; Barron and Hebl, 2013) and laboratory experiments (e.g. Baert, 2018; Van Hoye and Lievens, 2003) were omitted and we concentrated instead on correspondence tests performed in OECD country labor markets[4].\n4. Meta-analysis results: We begin by setting out the overall results of a meta-analysis that takes into account the discrimination reported against homosexuals in all studies. To present the overall results, we use a random effect model, as it seems reasonable enough to assume that the real effect size is not exactly the same for every study (presence of between-studies heterogeneity[6]). Figure 1 is a forest plot and presents the overall results.\n5. Meta-regression analysis: In this section, we present a multivariate regression analysis in order to examine the determinants of the level of discrimination (in log odds ratio) against gay and lesbian applicants with the most recent and conservative econometric model: unrestricted weighted least squares (WLS). Meta-analysis focuses on the value of the variable of interest while meta-regression focuses on the variables that influence this variable.\n6. Conclusion: By means of this meta-analysis, we provide evidence of substantial hiring discrimination based on sexual orientation in the OECD labor market. At the initial stage of the hiring process, we find that openly homosexual applicants face similar discrimination as ethnic minority applicants (Zschirnt and Ruedin, 2016): homosexual applicants have almost 40 percent lower odds of receiving a positive response from an employer, for equal information provided in the resumes, than straight candidates. However, this result needs to be nuanced because discrimination varies according to the type of occupation and gender of the applicant: more concretely, discrimination is significantly lower in the selection process for high-skilled jobs than in the selection process for low-skilled jobs. Moreover, there is a significant difference in discrimination between gays and lesbians when they apply for low-skilled jobs: straight males are twice as likely to be chosen by employers as gay males are, while lesbians have \"only\" 31 percent lower odds than straight women of receiving a positive response from an employer. We were able to determine that this discrimination is not only a matter of preferences (e.g. xenophobia, homophobia) but is also due to a lack of information on the applicants. Indeed, providing more (positive) information in the content of the applications significantly reduces the gap between straight and homosexual applicants, which implies that employers need to be \"reassured\" about homosexual applicants. Understanding the nature of discrimination is a necessary step in setting the right policies to limit it. Reducing uncertainty regarding gay and lesbian characteristics and mitigate the impact of negative stereotypes through a better knowledge of sexual minorities could be part of it, as discrimination does not appear to stem entirely from the homophobic preferences of recruiters. Finally, discrimination found by studies conducted in Europe is significantly higher than discrimination reported by studies performed in North America and it seems that the way of signaling sexual orientation could influence the level of discrimination. We hope that our results provide important information for the future development of non-discrimination and equal hiring opportunities for homosexuals in the labor market in OECD countries.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the true level of discrimination against openly gay and lesbian applicants in hiring decisions in OECD countries as well as on its determinants.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The author presents an overview of all studies conducted in order to test for discrimination against homosexual applicants in the labor market by the correspondence testing method. Moreover, the author performs a meta-analysis of correspondence tests from 18 separate studies conducted in OECD countries to test sexual orientation discrimination, containing more than 70 estimates of effects and representing a total of more than 50,000 resumes sent to employers. In addition to presenting overall results, the author focus on subgroups of specific correspondence tests in order to highlight the differences across gender, type of jobs, procedure, continent and type of information provided in applications.\nFindings: The author provides evidence that sexual orientation discrimination occurs in the labor market in OECD countries, such that openly homosexual applicants face similar discrimination as ethnic minority applicants. Discrimination is significantly greater in the selection process for low-skilled than for high-skilled jobs. In the selection process for low-skilled jobs, lesbian candidates face significantly lower discrimination than gays (except in jobs that are considered \"women's\" jobs). Discrimination is significantly higher in Europe than in North America. Moreover, the way sexual orientation is signaled may influence the level of discrimination found. Finally, discrimination against homosexual applicants is not only a matter of preferences: providing more positive information in applications significantly reduces the level of discrimination.\nOriginality/value: This paper offers the first quantitative analysis of sexual orientation discrimination in OECD countries through meta-analyses.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Report of an international symposium on occupation, education, and inequality in Japan and Korea
|
[
"Education",
"National Cultures",
"Japan",
"South Korea"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Jongchun Cha of Sungkyunkwan University and I organized an international symposium in Sendia, Japan on occupation, education, and inequality in Japan and Korea on 6 February 2006. The symposium was a fruit of the academic exchange program between the survey research center (SRC) of Sungkyunkwan University in Korea and the center for the study of social stratification and inequality (CSSI) of Tohoku University in Japan, which I direct. The two research institutes established an academic exchange program in October 2004, and some joint activities have been conducted since then. Both institutes sponsored this symposium.Seven speakers presented thought-provoking papers at the symposium. Sang-Wook Kim and Hyunho Seok of Sungkyunkwan presented a paper entitled \"How do organizational and occupational commitment vary by the professional characteristics of an occupation: evidence from the 2005 Korean general social survey\". Kim and Seok are in charge of conducting the Korean general social survey and presented some results of their study on organizational and occupational commitments in the paper. They raised a research question of whether the increase in professionals in modern society causes a conflict between commitment to their profession and commitment to their employing organization (employer) and proposed a hypothesis that the more professional an occupation is the lower the correlation between the two types of commitment becomes. Their results show that compared to other groups of employees, not only are professional employees committed more to their occupations than their organizations, but they also show consistently weaker association between the two types of commitment.Hong-Joon Yoo of Sungkyunkwan presented a paper entitled \"The occupational structure and prestige rankings in china: a comparative study with Korea and Japan\". He tried to uncover the occupational prestige structure in China, which has been drastically changing. The theoretical background of his research is the convergence hypothesis that emphasizes the trend of social convergence among societies in accordance with economic development. Therefore, the occupational structures among the compared countries could be similar as far as their levels of economic development are similar. His study partially supports the hypothesis: while the convergence of the occupational structure is slow, the convergence of prestige rankings is quite fast; although there exists about a twenty-year gap in occupational structure, the occupational prestige rankings are similar.Jongchun Cha of Sungkyunkwan considered social mobility in Japan and Korea in his paper entitled \"Patterns and Trends of social mobility in Japan and Korea: compared in light of crossings parameters model and association models\". He compared the opportunity structures of social mobility in recent japan and korea with sophisticated log-linear models. He showed various results, which cannot be summarized in this brief report, and threw out a caveat that comparative studies of social mobility should be done with sensitivity to complexity and difficulty related to comparative analysis.Jonghoe Yang of Sungkyunkwan presented a paper entitled \"Objective and subjective class identification and perception of inequality: an analysis of 2005 Korean general social survey data\". He raised a research question why people perceive structural inequality differently. Then he derived hypotheses from two contrasting theories about the question: Marxist class theory and functionalist stratification theory. His results showed that the two theories are both partially empirically supported.Kihun Kim of Tohoku University presented a paper entitled \"Job mismatch among Korean and Japanese college graduates: implications for youth educational career\". Job mismatch is a serious social issue both in Japan and in Korea, and Kim explored its determinants. Based his empirical analysis of some data, he pointed out female disadvantage, differential effect of majors and schools on job mismatch, and difference in the effect between Japan and Korea. The last finding implies some institutional differences in the labor market between the two countries.Ji Kyung Kim of Tohoku, the final speaker, discussed intergenerational income transfer in a paper entitled \"Factors determining intergenerational income transfer: focused on private income transfer between parent households and married child households\". She showed that intergenerational income transfer occurs in around a half of the households in Korea and that the amount of income transferred from parents to children is 2.5 times larger than that from children to parents. The second finding was amazing to me; I thought the opposite would be the case because Korea is a country of Confucianism that emphasizes reverence for old age. It seems that economic conditions around parents and their married children have overcome the Confucian values.The papers were all intriguing as they presented various aspects of Korean society in terms of occupation, education, and inequality. In addition, some of the papers revealed subtle interactions between economic factors and traditional and cultural factors in Korea.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to report an International Symposium on Occupation, Education, and Inequality in Japan and Korea. Discusses earn of the papers of the seven speakers.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The SRC and the CSSI cosponsored the symposium.\nFindings: - The papers presented various aspects of Korean society in terms of occupation, education and inequality.\nOriginality/value: - Some of the papers revealed subtle interactions between economic factors and traditional and cultural factors in Korea.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Humanizing school communities: Culturally responsive leadership in the shaping of curriculum and instruction
|
[
"Leadership",
"Instructional coaches",
"Culturally responsive leadership"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Culturally responsive leaders exhibit a number of leadership behaviors that improve the lives and the education of children. The research on culturally responsive school leaders has tended to focus on four broad areas (Khalifa et al., 2016): critical self-reflection, community advocacy and engagement, school culture and climate, and instructional and transformational leadership. While this last domain is the focus of this paper, unfortunately, most of the literature dualistically describes the literature in this area; there is on the one hand, the cultural (often thought of as being related to social and emotional learning) and then, on the other hand, there is instructional leadership. There is virtually nothing written on culturally responsive instructional leaders' understandings and behaviors, despite the fact that they are of the most influential actors on teaching practice (Hallinger, 2003). This study moves beyond examining the role of school leaders, principals, by centering those who are formal instructional leaders.\nContext: This study occurred in the mid-sized suburban Eastern School District which serves just over 10,000 students. The diversity of the district is on the rise with 40 percent of students identifying as students of color, and over 50 languages spoken by the families within the district boundaries. The district has several of the top-rated schools in the state, and has access to one of the wealthiest tax-generated incomes in the state. However, Eastern School Districts' administrators have been aware of grave educational disparity within the district for the past decade and have an equity plan to counter said disparity.\nLiterature on culturally responsive instructional leaders: Literature on culturally responsive instructional leaders has been minimal, and thus we approach this by synthesizing two distinct areas of prior research: culturally responsive school leadership (CRSL) and instructional leadership as it is related to equity. Moreover, there are also significant gaps in the literature on how instructional leadership might operate at the district level.\nMethods: This study is based on a six-month case study in Eastern School District, a suburban district, to gain an enhanced understanding of the culture within the context (Creswell, 2014). Our research rests on the assumption that instructional coaches have the potential to serve as meaningful leaders in the quest towards meeting the instructional needs of marginalized populations. One of the authors of this paper provided professional development over a period of one and one-half years on CRSL to district Q-Comp coaches. This provided an opportunity to serve as a participant observer within the study allowing for an insider view of events taking place (Yin, 2013). This work is based on interviews with five individuals in equity related leadership positions including four instructional coaches (i.e. Q-comp coaches), the Director of the Office of Educational Equity and from field notes from work with district leaders who participated in professional development. We argue CRSL must be thought of as a component of leadership across different forms of leadership, as leadership is distributed across school settings (Spillane et al., 2001).\nFindings: Overall, we find that instructional leaders (Q-Comp coaches) can play significant and useful roles in promoting culturally responsive teaching and pedagogy in schools. We believe that the most promising finding was that districts can establish positions in which instructional leadership coaches can work to strengthen the culturally responsive pedagogy of every teacher in a district. In this section, we describe five key themes that emerged from this study. First, the instructional leaders (coaches) perceived their ability to be equitable and culturally responsive was easier (or even possible) when district policies supported those behaviors; their commitment to being culturally responsive was far more attenuated, in their view, if the high-level district administrators (e.g. superintendent, assistant superintendent, etc.) did not have policies that would support this work. Second, we found that trust has a strong relationship with the coaches' ability to promote cultural responsiveness. In other words, teachers would not be open to equity-oriented dialogues about their practice until after they established a level of trust with their coach. Third, it was necessary for the instructional coaches to unlearn certain behaviors and notions that were associated with traditional forms of schooling (i.e. that were not culturally responsive). Fourth, the Q-Comp coaches believed they improved and learned more about their roles as culturally responsive leaders when they learned in professional developments with cultural and community liaisons. This finding suggests that staff composition of PDs was important when promoting district-wide cultural responsiveness. The fifth finding suggests that all of the traditional tools that instructional leaders use must reflect the commitment to an ethos of culturally responsive education.\nConclusions and implications: The findings of this study offer several compelling contributions to both CRSL and instructional leaders literature. There are three overarching themes that will now be addressed. CRSL exists in multiple spaces and at various levels in a district. Next, CRSL must be taken up systemically, and finally, culturally responsive instructional leaders (in this case, not principals, but coaches) can have significant impact in promoting culturally responsive pedagogy.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of instructional leaders in promoting culturally responsive practice in ways that make schooling more inclusive and humanizing for minoritized students and communities.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The data pull from a six-month long case study of a mid-sized, Midwestern school district that was attempting to implement culturally responsive leadership practices. After axial coding, findings emerged from interview data and field notes.\nFindings: Instructional leaders can play significant and useful roles in promoting culturally responsive teaching and pedagogy in schools. Districts can establish positions in which instructional leaders can work to strengthen the culturally responsive pedagogy of every teacher in a district.\nResearch limitations/implications: This study has implications for both research and practice. Culturally responsive school leadership (CRSL) exists in multiple spaces and at various levels in a district. CRSL is not only a school-level function, but it can also be a district-level practice. Culturally responsive instructional leaders (in this case, not principals, but coaches) can have significant impact in promoting culturally relevant pedagogy.\nOriginality/value: This contribution moves beyond school leadership and examines how district leadership practices and decisions foster culturally relevant practices and the challenges in employing this equity work.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Performance of initial public offerings (IPOs): the case of Shariah-compliant companies
|
[
"IPO underpricing",
"Bursa Malaysia",
"Shariah-compliant companies",
"G02",
"G12",
"G17",
"I73",
"I75",
"L21"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Initial public offerings (IPO) underpricing is an important factor for investors to predict the profit from investment activities. The IPO underpricing phenomenon has existed for a long time in stock markets around the world, although its magnitude varies from country to country (Guo et al., 2011; Sherif et al., 2016; Komenkul et al., 2017) and across all time periods (Loughran et al., 1994; Boulton and Campbell, 2016). However, the factors such as country-specific regulations, contractual mechanisms, institutional settings and firm characteristics that influence IPO underpricing are varying between countries and still remain a largely unexplored (Loughran et al., 1994; Guo et al., 2011).\n2. Literature review: This study is motivated by the existing literature on IPO underpricing and is closely related to the signalling hypothesis. With regards to IPO underpricing, the literature documents that underpricing phenomena occurs in capital markets around the globe. For example, the average underpricing in the US market is 16.80 per cent (Ibbotson et al., 1988). For the UK market, Levis (1993) found a similar level of underpricing at 16.10 per cent. Elsewhere, Swedish IPOs are underpriced at 26.10 per cent (Rydqvist, 1997), while Poland at 21.20 per cent (Woloszyn and Zarzecki, 2013). Underpricing is higher in China and Saudi Arabia (Alanazi et al., 2011) at 264.50 per cent. In Malaysia, historically the underpricing was at 167 per cent during the years 1978-1983 (Dawson, 1987). Interestingly, the more recent data show that the underpricing level has tremendously decreased to 24.04 per cent for IPOs listed between 2001 and 2010 (Mohd Rashid and Abdul-Rahim, 2012).\n3. Data, models and methodology: This study has adopted the IPO sample listed in Bursa Malaysia, the Malaysian stock market between 2004 and 2013. The year 2004 is chosen as start year to reflect the introduction of the voluntary practice of Shariah-compliant screening for firms going public. The period of study ends in 2013 as the data from the Securities Commission of Malaysia are only available up to that point. We exclude IPOs from financial services sector due to the difference in financial reporting requirements. Other than that, we also exclude samples with insufficient data. After the filtration, the final sample is 320 IPO firms. In total, 54 firms disclose Shariah-compliant status in their IPO prospectus, while 266 firms do not have such disclosure.\n4. Empirical findings: We begin our analysis with the descriptive statistics of Malaysian IPOs listed between 2004 and 2013, as presented in Table I. The average initial return in Malaysian IPOs is 17.53 per cent. This finding is lower than the previous findings in the same market (Mohd Rashid et al., 2013). Panel B and C show sub-samples of Shariah-compliant and conventional IPOs, respectively. Shariah-compliant IPOs (19.97 per cent) are more underpriced than their conventional counterparts (17.03 per cent). Our findings are consistent with Abdul Rahim and Yong (2010); Abu Bakar and Uzaki (2013) and Abdul-Rahim and Che-Embi (2013) that study IPO underpricing in the same market. They contrast with Mayes and Alqahtani (2015) that report lower underpricing in Shariah IPOs in Saudi Arabia, as compared to conventional IPOs. This result provides an initial insight that Shariah-compliant status does not reduce underpricing in the Malaysian market, in contrast with the Saudi Arabian market. Rather, it may be a contributing factor to underpricing.\n5. Conclusions: This study examines the initial returns of Shariah-compliant and conventional IPOs listed in the Malaysian market between 2004 and 2013, with the main focus of whether voluntary disclosure of Shariah-compliance in IPO prospectus is significant in explaining underpricing. Overall, we find that Shariah-compliant IPOs are more underpriced than their conventional counterparts, implying that IPO investors in Malaysia earn better profit by investing in Shariah-compliant IPOs as compared to conventional IPOs. Importantly, these findings imply that IPO issuers may use Shariah-compliant as a signalling mechanism to attract investors to participate in their offerings. Given the cost and time involved the process of voluntary disclosure of Shariah-compliance, only firms with strong financial standing can afford to commit the expenses.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the informational value of Shariah-compliant disclosure in the Malaysian initial public offerings (IPOs) prospectus and whether Shariah-compliant status has an impact on the IPO initial return when adopted as a signalling mechanism.\nDesign/methodology/approach: It uses data from 320 IPOs for Shariah-compliant companies listed on the Bursa Malaysia between 2004 and 2013.\nFindings: It finds that the degree of IPO underpricing for Shariah-compliant companies is 19.97 per cent with investors earning significant returns on the first trading day. For the effect of different factors on the degree of IPO, we find that the size and type of IPO offers have a significant impact on the degree of IPO underpricing. Other economic confidence factor models fail to yield economically plausible parameter values.\nOriginality/value: The study contributes to the literature in a number of ways. It is the first to evaluate the effect of Shariah-compliance status regulation in Malaysian market, hence it provides an insight into the effectiveness of such regulation. Second, while the existing Shariah-compliant IPO studies in the same market focus on Shariah status at the date of the studies being conducted, this study uses the information around IPO time. The information that investors receive around IPO time may influence investors' decision and valuation of the IPOs in the aftermarket. Specifically, this study is different from the previous research, as it investigates whether Shariah-compliant companies would change the average degree of IPO underpricing for companies listed on Bursa Malaysia.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Impact of enterprise mobile system implementation on organizational ambidexterity mediated through BPM customizability
|
[
"Business process management",
"Organizational ambidexterity",
"Business process customizability",
"Consumerization of IT",
"Enterprise mobility systems"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Enterprise mobile systems have altered the way business is conducted in the modern world. The growth in mobile technology has evolved to the stage that strategic enterprise-wide implementations are required, to enable organizations to create new core competencies, gain and sustain competitive advantages and define new markets (Sorensen and Gibson, 2004; Benner and Tushman, 2003). It has also been argued in the extant literature that an organization's current performance depends upon its business processes' collective ability to achieve its fundamental objectives (Duncan et al., 2007). Given this, enterprises are now adopting enterprise mobile systems (EMS) that are designed for employees of a specific company to access their internal IT systems. This enables them to increase their efficiency and improve their competitiveness (Unhelkar and Murugesan, 2010).\nTheoretical background: Mobile IT has been defined by the distinction between portable and non-portable computer devices (Kristoffersen and Ljungberg, 1999), portability being the key criteria for differentiation. This provides a unique opportunity to the companies to access users directly, thus deepening their market penetration, for products and services (Sammer et al., 2013; Stieglitz and Brockmann, 2012). Enterprise mobility (EM) is defined \"as the organizational application of complex combinations of the six capabilities of mobile device/solution of intimacy, pervasiveness, connectivity, priority, portability and memory embedded in mobile- and ubiquitous information technology\" (Basole, 2008). Enterprise mobility system (EMS), as per Chung et al. (2015), is a term that can embrace not only the concept of the mobility of individual users, but also the ubiquity of a system. EMS controls the core functions of enterprise data protection and mitigation using controls like encryptions, access management, rights management, etc., against data loss, theft, employee termination or other incidents by adding controls for data encryption, wiping services (Sorensen, 2014).\nHypothesis development: EMS tends to enable the organizations that have the capability to successfully deploy a well-conceived and well-executed mobile strategy. EMS also provides competitive, productivity and profitability advantages to the enterprises. Extant literature has also reported that enterprises are now adopting mobile technologies for numerous applications to increase their operational efficiency, improve their responsiveness and competitiveness and cultivate their innovativeness (Del Giudice, 2016; Santoro et al., 2016; Unhelkar and Murugesan, 2010). This has also been extensively reported in the research field for a while that all this is posing serious security and data breach concerns for the organizations. To cope with this, organizations need to have a comprehensive EM solution to cater to multiple form factors, platforms and various technologies across large number of user bases (Unhelkar and Murugesan, 2010; Stieglitz and Brockmann, 2012). Tallon and Pinsonneault (2011) stated that organizational ambidexterity might be a useful lens for thinking about alignment and agility in IS research.\nResearch design: Survey administration\nResults and analysis: The results are shown in Table III. The actual values of other fit indices were better than the recommended values. This demonstrated a good fit between the model and the data (Gefen et al., 2000; Zhonglin et al., 2004).\nInferences and conclusions of this study: Several findings can be inferred from our study. From a theoretical perspective, this study provides useful insights into emergent relationships between constructs of EMS usage and organizational ambidexterity along with business process customizability (Carayannis et al., 2017; Kalpic and Bernus, 2006). Further, extant literature had reported that common reasons for EMS adoptions in the organizations were often related to competitiveness, performance and security (Unhelkar and Murugesan, 2010; Stieglitz and Brockman, 2012). Our paper provides a useful insight that EMS usage in the organization directly and positively affects organizational contextual ambidexterity, thereby suggesting another possible reason for EMS implementation and usage. In effect, our study contends that by using their individual discretion to alter and customize the required business processes, employees would be able to meet their operational requirements and improve their contextual ambidexterity. Extant literature has found that the organizational impact of mobile technology is difficult to document precisely. This is due to the fact that the technology is applied in a great variety of roles, spanning work with very little individual discretion to work (Sorensen, 2014). In this context, the outcome of our study appears to be significant.\nLimitations and further research opportunities: This research has its own limitations. First, we mainly explained EMS usage in the organization, without delving into details of the functionalities of the EMS. This may have varied impact on business processes and their customizability opportunities. It may be useful to investigate the next level functionalities of EMS and explore the impact based on the aforementioned constructs. Also, we only collected cross-sectional data from a small sample of users across 40 companies in NCR region of India where EMS adoption in business organizations is still in its early stages of development. A longitudinal study could show that variance in impact of EMS usage on organizational ambidexterity. Further, this being an exploratory study using PLS SEM analysis, our results may not be generalizable to other countries with relatively mature mobile solutions in their organizations.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine how organizational workers improve their perceived mobile user experience (UX) locus of control affected through organizational ambidexterity when using enterprise mobile systems (EMS). This study investigates the mediation role of business process customizability in the relationship between habitual use of EMS by individuals and organizational ambidexterity.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Over 150 possible respondent mobile phone users across 40 organizations in metropolitan National Capital Region (NCR) of Delhi with approximately were given the questionnaire. The data of a total of 121 NCR valid respondents aged between 22 and 49, after scrutinizing all collected questionnaires and removing those that had too many missing values or had the same answer to all questions, were used for analysis. The respondents were sampled from a research panel directory of a set of firms of the research firm hired for this survey.\nFindings: The study finds complete mediation between the habitual use of EMS and organizational ambidexterity. Importantly, the empirical findings provide the research community with a deeper understanding of how EMS usage impacts organizational ambidexterity and individual's UX locus of control.\nOriginality/value: It draws some newer areas of research with respect to interactions between enterprise mobile systems, business process customization due to enterprise mobile systems and organizational ambidexterity, which were hitherto unexplored.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
A healthy future for Europe's food and drink sector?
|
[
"Food manufacturing processes",
"Drinks",
"Europe",
"Personal health",
"Diet"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Over the past 50 years, Europe's food and drink manufacturing sector has been transformed, but now the sector faces a crossroads. On the one hand, food is plentiful and affordable. But there are growing concerns about the diet of the population, public health, food safety and the environment. Meanwhile, science and technology holds out the promise of improved production efficiency and new kinds of foods, possibly with health benefits. Will the sector continue the industrial approach of recent times, embrace biotechnology or take an entirely different path? This article explores these issues by considering alternative future scenarios for Europe's food and drink manufacturing sector.\nEurope's food market: According to the Confederation of the Food and Drink Industries in the EU (CIAA) (www.ciaa.be/navigation/frames_uk/frameset1.htm), food and drink manufacturing is Europe's leading industrial sector with over EUR600 billion of production and EUR145 billion of added value. The European food and drink industry transforms more than 70 per cent of the agricultural raw materials produced in the EU and is a leading exporting sector with a total of EUR45 billion and a positive trade balance.The food and drink manufacturing industry prepares food and drink products ready for sale and consumption and comprises numerous product sub-sectors, including cereal products, beverages, confectionery and snacks, fish and fish products, fruit and vegetable processing, meat processing and meat products, oils and fats, margarines and spreads, and poultry and poultry products. The industry also produces specialist products for a range of dietary requirements, lifestyle, religious, cultural and personal preferences - infant formula and weaning foods, organic products, meat free meals, soya-based products, and so on. Food and drink products are made available through a wide range of processes, e.g. frozen, chilled or at ambient temperature, packaged in glass jars and bottles, cans, plastic containers and packaging papers and board.Food and drink manufacturing is an integral part of the food chain, which comprises agriculture and fishing, food and drink manufacturing, distribution and warehousing, wholesaling, retailing, food service and catering. Thus, while the focus of this article is primarily the future of food and drink manufacturing, inevitably this must be seen within the context of the future of the food system as a whole.\nTrends and drivers of change: Since the food and drink manufacturing sector is an intrinsic part of the food chain, it is influenced by a huge range of factors acting on other parts of the food system. We discuss these trends in five broad areas.Economic trends\nPossible futures for the food and drink sector: There is a great deal of material relevant to the future of food and drink manufacturing, describing, for instance, trends and drivers of change, issues of food safety, the possible impacts of GM foods, the rise in power of the supermarkets, changing diets and the impact on health. Surprisingly, however, we could find no published scenarios exploring the future of Europe's food and drink manufacturing sector. Nevertheless, Lang and Heasman (2004a, b) provide a useful framework through their analysis of the food system as a whole.A productionist paradigm\nFood policy - old and new: In many ways, the performance of Europe's food system over the past 50 years has been a considerable success story - there is a plentiful supply of food, hunger and under-nutrition scarcely exists if at all, and there is a wide variety of choice for consumers at reasonable prices. After the Second World War the priority was to ensure an adequate supply of basic foodstuffs and key to this was the economic support of farmers. This policy, largely implemented through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), has been very successful in meeting its objectives. But now new concerns are emerging and food policies must adapt to the future. As we have already identified, these concerns include the rise in chronic dietary diseases such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes, and food safety issues.According to Maxwell and Slater (Maxwell and Slater, 2003; ODI, 2003, p. 1):Urbanisation, industrialisation and globalisation mean that the food system can no longer be viewed simply as a way of moving basic staples from farm to [local] plate. Food is increasingly produced by commercial growers, feeding long and sophisticated supply chains, and marketing often processed and branded products to mainly urban consumers.This reading of the food policy landscape is consistent with Lang and Heasman's characterisation of current and future paradigms for the food sector (Lang and Heasman, 2004a, b). The policies of the past were constructed within a \"productionist paradigm\", where the problems were seen as insufficiency and hunger and the solution was improved productivity in agriculture. Lang and Heasman (2004a, p. 64) contend that current policies are aimed at addressing a problem that no longer exists.If we accept the basic assertion that current policies do not address future policy concerns, what then should be the dimensions of the future policy debate? Our analysis suggests that future policies need to be reformulated to address a number of issues, primarily:* diet, nutrition and health;* food safety;* environmental and sustainability issues; and* markets and competition.The transition to healthier diets\nConclusion: Europe's food sector is undergoing dramatic change and future policies will be increasingly geared towards preventing non-communicable diseases resulting from poor diet while ensuring the safety of food and feed. This will require a radical shift away from the productionist paradigm of the past, with emphasis in the future being placed on the impact of food on health and the environment. The food manufacturing sector, already aware of the direction of change, will however have to be a willing partner in the transition.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper it to explore the future of Europe's food and drink manufacturing sector\nDesign/methodology/approach: - Using mainly secondary sources, the paper identifies trends and drivers of change, explores possible alternative futures through scenarios, and considers policy implications.\nFindings: - Europe's food sector is undergoing dramatic change and future policies will be increasingly geared towards preventing non-communicable diseases resulting from poor diet while ensuring the safety of food and feed. This will require a radical shift away from the productionist paradigm of the past, with emphasis in the future being placed on the impact of food on health and the environment.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The paper is based mainly on existing sources.\nOriginality/value: - Provides a broad overview of the wide range of issues facing the food and drink manufacturing sector.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Network connectivity and office occupiers' space decision: the case of Suntec City
|
[
"Agglomeration",
"Office buildings",
"Office layout",
"Singapore"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Historically, firms choose to cluster in a center that offers comparative location advantages, such as proximity to labors and suppliers, accessibility to major transportation systems and convenience of face-to-face contacts. However, when the center grows to a critical size, the agglomeration benefits of the center diminish as a result of growing costs of traffic congestion and increased office density. Firms are then more ready to trade-off agglomeration economies for new office location in fringe areas, which offer lower density office space with newer facilities at lower costs. Subcenters are formed, as a result, to accommodate the outward movement of firms from the existing center (Di Pasquale and Wheaton, 1996). The decentralization process is further accelerated with the advancement of the information and communications technology (ICT), which breaks down the geographical barrier and reduces the significance of face-to-face contacts in the Center Business District (CBD) (Ball et al., 1998).In the urban economic literature, the bid-rent function is defined on the assumption that there exists only a unitary city. This assumption has been challenged by evidence supporting the existence of subcenters (Dunse et al., 2001, 2002). On the demand side, the behavioral studies question the assumptions in the classical urban economic model that firms are homogenous and have perfect information in their location choice decision (Wyatt, 1999; Leishman and Watkins, 2004; Leishman et al., 2003). Increasingly, in an ICT driven business environment, \"location, location and location\" is no longer a binding mantra in occupiers' choice for preferred office space. For office buildings that are not endowed with good accessibility and location advantages, \"connectivity, connectivity and connectivity\" have been adopted as an important differentiating ingredient of office buildings in attracting targeted groups of occupiers. Connectivity, in this context, is not just referred to the broadband infra-structure in an office building. It, however, entails creating an intra-firms networking of businesses in complimentary areas, or even firms in the same business type, which collectively bring \"agglomeration economies\" into a building. Suntec City, an integrated commercial development located in the reclaimed Marina Center area to the north east of the prime Raffles Place financial center of Singapore, is a project that has effectively utilized ICT to position itself as a preferred office location:Internet value is a \"perceived value\" derived by creating a public perception that, by virtue of its positive branding or image, the market is prepared to value the development higher than market or real estate value (Wong (2000) The Chief Executive Officer of Suntec City Development).This paper aims to extend the research along the behavioral agenda by investigating the office space choice decision of firms in Suntec City, Singapore. The research design differs from the earlier studies in two aspects. First, by selecting Suntec City office as a case for analysis, heterogeneity of office space can be controlled in the exercise. Second, network effects among firms in complimentary and similar businesses within the subject building can be explicitly tested. The paper is organized into five sections. Section 1 provides the motivations and objectives of the studies. Section 2 reviews literature relating to the agglomeration economies and the behavioral aspect of office location decision. Section 3 gives an overview of office submarkets in CBD and Marina Center areas, and summarizes the case facts of Suntec City. Section 4 describes data collection, survey process, and empirical tests. The empirical design and results are discussed in Section 5. Section 6 concludes the findings.\n2. Literature review: In office location choice literature, agglomeration economies (Clapp, 1980; Bollinger et al., 1998) and accessibility, which includes distance to CBD, distance to airport and number of interstate freeways (Sivitanidou, 1995), are identified as two important factors determining firms' choice of central office location. Archer (1981) showed that being in the market centroid is also an important consideration for market-oriented firms in their location decision.The advancement of ICT reduces the agglomeration economies of CBD. The reliance on central location by firms for face-to-face interaction diminishes (Ball et al., 1998). Firms choose to trade-off accessibility for cheaper office space outside the central areas. As a result, there is an emergence of more efficient and lower costs sub-office market centers (Di Pasquale and Wheaton, 1996; Dunse et al., 2001, 2002). Downward pressure on demand for office space is also further aggravated when more ICT-enabled new working practices like corporate downsizing, delayering, outsourcing, hot-desking are adopted by firms (Gibson and Lizieri, 2001; Sing, 2002). Bollinger et al. (1998), however, have different views of the impact of ICT on office space demand in CBD. They argue that ICT use can reduce information costs, but they can not fully replace the firms' need for face-to-face interaction.Heterogeneity of firms is an important assumption in the behavioral studies of office space decision. Leishman and Watkins (2004) surveyed 119 office occupiers in the Edinburgh office market, and found that the firms' choice of office location varies by the firm characteristics such as size, business type and market coverage, either locally, regionally or nationally. In another survey by Leishman et al. (2003), they showed that firms in sub-centers with inherently different urban and spatial characteristics would have significantly different preference for their office space. Factors on linkage were ranked higher by occupiers in city center than other submarket occupiers. Wyatt (1999) found that agglomeration economies of being close to workforce and complementary businesses were only deemed significant by financial and professional firms in their office location decisions. This study is extended along the behavioral line by examining the importance of intra-firms linkages and other office space determinants for office occupiers in Suntec City.\n3. Office submarkets and Suntec City Development: 3.1. History and origin of CBD and Marina Center\n4. Survey design and data analysis: 4.1. Surveys and data collection\n5. Empirical models for firms' office space determinants: The empirical tests of office space determinants for occupiers in different business operations and with different expectations are designed using an approach that is commonly used in submarket literature (Bourassa et al., 1999; Dunse et al., 2001, 2002). It involves three empirical methodologies: principal component analysis, cluster analysis and discrete choice model.5.1. Principal component extraction of office space determinants\n6. Conclusion: Firms are heterogeneous and they place different priorities in their office space decision. Extended along the behavioral agenda, this study examined the office space preference of occupiers in Suntec City using a structured questionnaire survey. The mean score statistics show that image and prestige of office location and accessibility by public transport are the two most highly ranked factors by the sample firms. Proximity to competitors or firms in similar business line, which was a proxy for agglomeration economies, was ranked the second lowest among the list of 36 office space determinants.By classifying the 36 office determinants into eight latent principal factors using the principal component methodology. The location and building factors were as expected excluded from the list because the sample firms were selected from the same building. Factors like pro-business environment, branding and image office, broadband and automation system, lease features, workplace quality, accessibility, international connectivity and agglomeration economies were significant in differentiating the firms' choice of office space. We then use the cluster analysis to group the sample firms into four homogeneous clusters, and examine the office space preference of these firms in the respective clusters. Firms that place significant importance on the face-to-face convenience and image and branding of office location will likely be those that have a flatter organization structure. These firms are more willing to pay a rental premium to be close to competitors, suppliers and clients. The pro-business environment factor appeals to firms that have already established a strong business network in the building. These firms are likely to be those that have been in the same premises for more than six years, and they have a broader layer of organization structure.In summary, pro-business environment, branding and image and intra-building agglomeration economies are important \"soft\" factors of a \"connected networking\" that a developer can create within an office building. Firms with a well established network in the building will likely to value this connectivity factor favorably in their office space decisions. These firms will also be the magnate that draws new firms in the same or complimentary businesses to the building. This network connectivity effect will grow when more firms are connected into the existing network.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - This paper sets out to empirically test the office space choice decision of firms currently occupying offices in Suntec City, Singapore.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - Empirical data on office space determinants of occupiers in Suntec City office towers were collected via a mailed questionnaire from March to June 2004. Based on a consolidated sample list of 342 firms, 61 responses from the occupiers, which represent a response rate of 17.8 percent, were received.\nFindings: - Based on the survey results on office space preference of occupiers in Suntec City, the mean score statistics show that image and prestige of an office location and accessibility by public transport are the two most highly ranked factors by the firms.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The selection of Suntec City as a sample case study may help to control the heterogeneity of building factor, but it will also limit the generalization of the findings. However, the results provide support to the deliberate strategies by the management to create a pro-business environment and also to connect the space through deliberate network effects. The second limitation is the uneven distribution of sample firms by size in the survey.\nOriginality/value: - In many office space choice studies, building and accessibility factors were invariably found to be significant determinants of office location. In this study, non-location and network connectivity factors were included in the empirical tests, and they were found to be significant in influencing office space decision of selected clusters of firms in a building.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Transformational change in organisations: a self-regulation approach
|
[
"Self‐regulation theory",
"Sensemaking",
"Interpretation",
"Readiness",
"Transformational change",
"Organizational change",
"Behaviour"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The successful implementation of change in organisations constitutes one of the most challenging managerial activities, as it entails the redefinition - at times radical - of organisational goals and values, accurate anticipation of the changing needs of internal and external customers, and adaptive responses to changes in the business environment (By, 2005; Causon, 2004). While this process should result in improvements to organisational functioning and ensure its survival in a competitive environment (Lines, 2005), the degree to which the implemented changes are successful and sustainable is highly contingent upon workforce acceptance of change, opportunity for participation, and development of relevant competencies to sustain implementation. Most of the extant change literature has focused on developing and proposing prescriptive change frameworks to guide managerial interventions, including training for organisational transitions (Ackerman, 1986; Quinones and Ehrenstein, 1997), and leadership strategies to plan and facilitate change (Ackerman, 1986; Axelrod, 2000; Furnham, 2002; Kerber and Buono, 2005; Paglis and Green, 2002; Whitmore, 2004; Woodward and Hendry, 2004). The proposed frameworks are systemic in nature, highlighting the importance of aligning environmental and organisational factors in response to change demands. Despite the wealth of comprehensive guidelines and strategies to manage organisational change, the reported failure rate of recently implemented change programs ranges between 70 per cent and 80 per cent (By, 2005; Karp and Helgo, 2009). In an attempt to identify the causes of unsuccessful change strategy implementation, and to provide more reliable courses of action to manage transformations, researchers have turned to the examination of individual attitudes toward change (e.g. change readiness), along with its antecedents: change sensemaking and interpretation.An overview of the extant research uncovers a number of frameworks attempting to provide sound theoretical categories to systematise organisational sensemaking accounts. The domains from which different sensemaking categories are drawn include conflict and power (Landau and Drori, 2008), ambivalence and ambiguity (Randall and Procter, 2008), intra- and extra-organisational factors that legitimise change (McKinley et al., 2000; Rousseau and Tijoriwala, 1999), and perceived discrepancies between personal beliefs, change scenarios, and expected change outcomes (Bartunek et al., 2006; Jimmieson et al., 2008; Skar et al., 2008). The latter perspective connects sensemaking and interpretation of organisational change, borrowing from the theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour (Jimmieson et al., 2008; Rousseau and Tijoriwala, 1999; Skar et al., 2008). According to this perspective, the interplay of affective-cognitive congruence (i.e. degree of congruence between feelings regarding change and rational appraisals of change processes), past experiences of change implementation, and change climate perceptions at the group and organisational levels, will determine change interpretations and subsequent behavioural intentions. However, the assumption that behavioural action is the inevitable upshot of experience-fuelled behavioural intent may be precipitate. On the one hand, recent evidence suggests that, while accounting for behavioural intent, the juxtaposition of the theory of planned behaviour with the notion of cognitive representation of change falls short of explaining subsequent behavioural outcomes (Skar et al., 2008). In practice, the relationships between sensemaking, past experience, and behavioural intent appear to hold, whereas the relationship between behavioural intent and behavioural action finds little support. On the other hand, the role of sensemaking and past change experiences as determinants of behavioural intent has only merited interest in recent times, and has yet to be established. This ambiguity may partly stem from the existence of different types of sensemaking that vary in nature and in magnitude of effect on behavioural intent. For instance, self-regulating mechanisms energising sensemaking toward future goals tend to differ from, and even supersede, sensemaking aimed at uncovering reasons that account for past experiences of change failure (Cannon, 1999). Hence, causal reasoning and attributions constitute sound theoretical approaches to account for the manner in which individuals make sense of change success or failure, whereas self-regulation theory may be better suited for the explanation of how individuals derive future goals from sensemaking. Considering time as a moderator of these processes, it is plausible that individuals first make sense of past change success or failure. This sensemaking step informs forward-looking sensemaking (i.e. belief regarding how successful the current change process will be) and shapes future goals. The distinction between past-looking and forward-thinking sensemaking further suggests that adequate examination of the relationships between sensemaking, interpretations of change, behavioural intent, and change-related behaviours requires a stepwise approach.The purpose of this paper is threefold. First, it provides a review of the literature and conceptually distinguishes between change-related sensemaking, interpretations, and readiness (understood as behavioural intent). Second, it outlines two motivation theories of information processing - control and self-regulation - and highlights the contributions of each theory to change management research. Finally, this paper proposes a model to test causal relationships between change-related sensemaking, interpretations, readiness, and subsequent behaviours. The model incorporates well-established components of self-regulation frameworks (e.g. goal-setting) to illustrate the cognitive processes triggered by novel knowledge structures that lead to behavioural change.\nOrganisational change: sensemaking, interpretation, and readiness: Sensemaking and interpretation\nControl and self-regulation theories: an overview: Control theory\nA self-regulation approach to sensemaking, interpretations and readiness for organisational change - model specification and propositions: Discrepancy and sensemaking\nConclusion: The purpose of the present paper was to advance a testable model, rooted on well-established self-regulation theory principles, to explain the causal links between change-related sensemaking, interpretation, readiness and behavioural action. The model and research propositions put forth introduce three main benefits for organisational change research:1. the opportunity to examine factors that account for sensemaking, interpretation, readiness, and behavioural action using a single framework;2. the potential for stronger empirically discerned relationships between model components through the consideration of moderator variables for each causal link (e.g. self-efficacy, culture-specific references); and3. the possibility of using a single model to test change phenomena at different levels of analysis.Regarding the latter benefit, the model allows for the examination of relationships between individual- and group-level sensemaking and interpretations, both separately and simultaneously. This is particularly relevant in furthering our understanding of the mutual influence process between individual- and group-level schemas for sensemaking during organisational change, and of the relationship between aligned group-level interpretations of change and subsequent change behaviours (Balogun and Johnson, 2005).With respect to potential moderators, the model highlights the unique impact of individual characteristics, organisational culture and communication systems on sensemaking, interpretation, and change readiness. Importantly, these sources of influence shape expectations that determine individual attitudes and behaviours toward change (Frahm and Brown, 2007). Along with the immediate workgroup, these sources of influence constitute critical sensegivers (Bartunek et al., 1999; Maitlis, 2005) as they provide information regarding change meanings and objectives. Future research is needed to investigate whether organisations that effectively consider the integration of workforce characteristics with organisational objectives in their change management strategy are more likely to facilitate important self-regulating mechanisms, and whether these mechanisms are related to positive interpretations of change, change readiness, and effective change behaviours.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of the present paper is to advance a testable model, rooted on well-established control and self-regulation theory principles, explaining the causal links between change-related sensemaking, interpretation, readiness and subsequent behavioural action.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - Following a review of the two motivation theories and clarification of change-related sensemaking, interpretation, and readiness concepts, the paper proposes a series of research propositions (illustrated by a conceptual model) clarifying how these concepts interact with self-regulating mechanisms. In addition, the feedback model exemplifies how cognitive processes triggered by new knowledge structures relate to behavioural action.\nFindings: - The model expands upon other existing frameworks by allowing the examination of multi-level factors that account for, and moderate causal links between, change-related sensemaking, interpretation, readiness, and behavioural action. Suggestions for future research and guidelines for practice are outlined.\nPractical implications: - The variables and processes depicted in the model provide guidelines for change management in organisations, both for individuals and for groups. By eliciting important self-regulating functions, change agents will likely facilitate sensemaking processes, positive interpretations of change, change readiness, and effective change behaviours.\nOriginality/value: - This paper makes two contributions to the literature. First, it offers a comprehensive and dynamic account of the relationships between change-related sensemaking, interpretation, readiness, and behavioural action decision-making. Second, it elucidates the impact of human agency properties, namely the interplay of efficacy perceptions, social learning, and self-regulating mechanisms on these change-related cognitive processes and subsequent behavioural outcomes.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The imperatives of e-business: case study of a failed project
|
[
"Electronic commerce",
"Management strategy",
"Supply chain management"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: To stay competitive and improve responsiveness to changing customer demands, organizations have to think about more creative ways of using and integrating technology into their business processes (Czuchry and Yasin, 2003; Birkhofer et al., 2000). However, due to the complex nature of many e-business initiatives and a failure to take a holistic view of the impact of technology on organizational life, many of these initiatives fail (Doherty and McAulay, 2002). This paper will take a critical view of a recent e-business initiative (referred to in this paper as \"eCRM\") undertaken by a global technology solutions organization. The initiative was designed to link the sales, marketing, fulfilment, manufacturing, and distribution systems together in order to reduce supply chain stock levels, increase responsiveness to customer demands, and increase profit margins by providing a direct link to customers (circumventing business partners for some product lines). Unfortunately, after significant financial investment (approx $300M USD), and three years of development, the project was deemed a failure. The eCRM project was downgraded and re-focused on simply delivering a web-interface for on-line sales and product enquiry. The program failed to deliver against its original objectives but we can learn certain lessons that have resulted in the development of an e-business strategy framework. It is the contention of the author that this framework should be considered by organizations for their future complex e-business initiatives.This paper will look at how the project measured up to a set of e-business success imperatives identified by the author through comparison of success and failure factors relating to complex change around e-business initiatives as outlined by Gartner Research Group (2000), Kanter (2001) and Kotter (1995).\neCRM: a case study: The overall aims of the eCRM system were certainly ambitious, and very much in line with driving a flexible customer-focused e-strategy (Leader and Sethi, 1988). The eCRM project would look to reduce the amount of stock in the supply chain pipelines out to business partners and customers, and improve profitability by providing a direct route to end customers for some of the high-value products. However, the manner in which the eCRM model would drive improvement would be to focus on six key areas of performance. Not only would profit levels increase and stock cost levels decrease, but eCRM would drive significant transformation across all aspects of the business. The six key transformation areas are outlined in Figure 1.Success in these key areas, or processes, is critical if the business is to progress up the e-business evolutionary curve from an information/transactional-based organization to a transformational e-business (Gerbert et al., 2001). However, it is important to remember that this project needs to be managed and deployed in the correct sequence. It is no use developing the manufacturing capability if its basis for competition has not changed to allow the marketing and selling of customised products and offerings (Johnson and Scholes, 1999). Each of the areas in Figure 1 must be planned, developed and deployed to suit the overall business strategy and demands from the marketplace. Because of this, the project was managed centrally. The main project development came out of the North American headquarters, with input sought from the other geographies (EMEA, Asia Pacific, and Latin America). The geographies had responsibility to report back to the central team on local aspects of the eCRM project that would need to be considered. In effect, the central team had responsibility for the overall scope of the project and the back-office, or the eCRM \"engine\", whilst the geographies had responsibility to ensure the system, once deployed, took into consideration local and cultural aspects of the way the organization interacted with customers and business partners.After three years and significant investment, the organization stopped the eCRM project. At this time there were still no elements of the system online or even near completion. In effect, the project was still on the drawing board with no clear date for testing or deployment. The reason for stopping the project was based on the failure to deliver any working components after three years development, to provide realistic delivery dates, and to prevent significant project drift due to constantly changing requirements. These are all aspects of change that need to be managed in order to stand any chance of embedding a successful complex change (Royal Academy of Engineering, 2004; Boddy et al., 2002).Why did the eCRM project fail to be implemented? Certainly, the aims of the project were ambitious, but this was a global technology solutions company whose business was selling complex technology based business solutions.A starting point in trying to understand the reasons for potential failure of the eCRM project would be to consider the more complex aspects of change associated with this project (Davenport, 1994; McCalman and Paton, 2000). Although the eCRM delivery mechanism was heavily dependant on technology there were cultural, strategic, and stakeholder (employee and customer) capability issues that would also need to be considered (Strebel, 1996; Davenport and Pearlson, 1998).\nResearch context and methodology: The research methodology follows a critical theory approach in identifying best practice for the development and implementation of organization-wide, complex e-business solutions. The research is exploratory in nature and a case study methodology is used to support this line of inductive theory building. The findings presented in this paper are based on data collated within and across the organization's customer fulfilment, sales, marketing, and supply chain groups. For the purpose of the research the authors surveyed over 346 individuals working across those business groups directly affected by the eCRM program. In order to gauge the necessary response it was decided that a direct questionnaire would be used to target as many employees as possible throughout the European, Middle East and African (EMEA) organisation. As the eCRM system is an organization-wide initiative its success would be dependant on its acceptance, not just by one group of users, but by the organization as a whole (Strebel, 1996; Boddy et al., 2002).The target population for the survey covered the following groups:1. Sales and marketing. Throughout EMEA.2. Fulfilment organisation. Throughout EMEA.3. Service and support organisation. Throughout EMEA.4. Manufacturing organisation. Main site based in the UK.Out of the 1,141 individuals contacted 346 responses were received within 10 days of the initial mail shot. This gives just over a 1 in 3 response rate. The breakdown in responses across the organization is shown in Table I.The author used a semi-structured questionnaire to map out the organizational landscape across which eCRM was to be deployed. This would be used to help gauge why the project failed certain aspects of employee engagement and buy-in. These included as a bare minimum the following:* level of employee awareness of the eCRM system;* employee buy-in;* employee confidence in eCRM system; and* employee awareness of barriers to successful implementation.The analysis of the data has been used to understand why the project failed to deploy and meet the organization's initial success indicators. The analysis also identified where existing understanding of e-business project success factors for consideration can be refined to produce a set of new implementation imperatives. From these imperatives the author proposes a framework for developing and deploying future e-business projects.\nConsidering the cultural aspects of eCRM: On reviewing the documentation surrounding this project it was clear that the organization took a \"systems\" approach to managing this significant change event. In order to start understanding reasons for the failure of eCRM, and then to develop a framework for future e-business projects one needs to consider the broader aspects of change; in particular, the nature of cultural change (Kotter, 1995; McCalman and Paton, 2000). Kotter (1995) identifies eight common errors that every organisation should strive to overcome if they are to survive within a change environment. These errors are listed in Table II.The findings as outlined in Table II can be summarised as follows:1. A sense of urgency has been established by the general manager.2. A clear vision has been communicated, but only at a high level.3. Coalition to drive implementation is strong. However, is it made up of the right players? In the case of eCRM the main players are IT specialists who are not part of the Strategic Business Units (SBUs); Sales, Fulfilment, Marketing etc.4. Main obstacles are not being removed. This is because the SBUs who are responsible for their own process changes are too removed from the eCRM system development to react and remove the main obstacles. This is compounded by poor communication throughout.Certainly this initial view of the eCRM project from a cultural change perspective raises key points for consideration. However, this research aims to do more than identify the failure points from a cultural change perspective; what this research intends to do is develop a framework that considers these failure points as part of a broader view of change. To that end it is important to consider other aspects of project failure.\nCriteria for successful e-business implementations: The main purpose of critically reviewing the eCRM project is to determine if there are any lessons other organizations can learn. In particular, is there a set of imperatives that organizations can follow in order to improve the probability of success for their e-business initiatives? Gartner Research Group (2000) developed a set of ten imperatives that they believed organizations' need to consider if they are to have any chance of driving a successful e-business project. These are listed as follows:1. Understand the context of e-business.2. Assign accountability.3. Identify suitable opportunities and threats.4. Evaluate your position amongst your peers.5. Identify competitive advantages and core competencies.6. Strategies and prioritise.7. Consider alternative business models.8. Identify impact on all parties.9. Recognise need for infrastructure investment.10. Aggressively lead and execute.Gartner Research Group' (2000) list of imperatives is certainly relevant, but does it fully encompass the key aspects of e-business project development? Kanter (2001) has also identified certain barriers the successful e-business implementation that should also be considered. What the author needs to find out is if these imperatives are relevant, and complete. Before comparing the Gartner Group's list against the eCRM project the list was compared against a list of e-business development and deployment barriers as outlined by Kanter (2001). The comparison is made in Table III.All of these are very real issues that organisations need to address to varying degrees in their efforts to provide an e-business solution that is in step with the needs of the business.By comparing them to perspectives on what makes an e-business implementation a success, and also considering Kotter's perspective on driving successful cultural change (Kotter, 1995) we get three additional imperatives coming through. These are the identification of a suitable change agent, the need to consider the importance/benefits of strategic alliances, and the development of suitable skills to match the task. These \"new\" imperatives can be combined with the original Gartner Group list to provide an updated list of e-business imperatives (Table IV).It is against the modified list of Imperatives that the eCRM project was assessed. The questionnaire was developed to specifically target employee responses around the modified imperative list.\nA workforce perspective on eCRM: Based on the initial questions as outlined in the methodology section the survey results provided the follow insight into how the workforce perceived the eCRM project.Employee awareness of barriers to successful implementation\nConclusion: How does any Organisation know that the IS implementation, once delivered, still supports the business requirements? The development of an e-business strategy or solution must be reviewed in the same light as the development of any business strategy. There must be room to manoeuvre and change, because change will happen (Kanter, 2001; Bensaou and Earl, 1998; Kotter, 1995). The frequency and nature of that change is very much dependant on the dynamics of the business environment, and the capability of the organisation to identify and respond to the change (Hofstede, 1991; Davis and Meyer, 1998). Therefore, simply building an e-business System does not guarantee its success.It can be seen that although IT is being used to drive significant and rapid organizational change, the main components for ensuring success are in this case based around the stakeholder's capabilities, the fit between technology solutions and strategy, and cultural fit. Within each of these components there will be resistors. Therefore, the effective and timely management of the resistors to change is vitally important.The research supports the belief that complex solutions need buy-in at all levels, and must support the understood business objectives of the organization - otherwise, as seen with eCRM, confusion over objectives, deliverables, involvement, and resources will negatively impact the projects chances of success. Considering the complex nature of the change that was eCRM is it practical for organizations to consider such large initiatives, and how can they better determine their chances for success? From the research the author has identified the need to consider 10 imperatives that will help organizations consider the wider aspects of such complex change projects.If an organisation uses the e-business framework in conjunction with the ten imperatives to measure their existing e-business strategy against, it will help highlight key areas which need to be addressed, which left unmanaged will cause problems with...* The Solutions acceptance within the organisation.* The Solutions fit with the overall organisations strategy.* The fit between the technology being used and the actual requirements of the task.It is not enough to consider the imperatives as separate success factors as they are linked to each other as part of an overall e-business framework model connecting technology readiness, stakeholder competency, cultural fit, and strategic fit. It is the author's belief that for an e-business solution to stand any chance of successful implementation all components of the e-business framework model must be considered.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to take a critical look at a recent e-business initiative (eCRM) undertaken by a global technology solutions organization. After significant time and money invested in the initiative the project was cancelled. This paper will identify factors that the organization should have considered as part of the development and deployment of the initiative.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - This paper is explorative in nature, and based on the case study methodology. The data was collected via an on-line questionnaire of over 300 employees across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) involved with the delivery of eCRM.\nFindings: - The research has highlighted what the author believes are ten imperatives organizations must consider when embarking on major e-business projects. The imperatives support an e-business strategy framework that was developed through the research findings.\nResearch limitations/implications: - This research was conducted across one organization only. Although the organization was large (in excess of 300,000 employees) the research findings have not been corroborated through comparative research across other, similar organizations.\nPractical implications: - However, the findings have allowed the organization to refine the way they define and develop future e-business projects.\nOriginality/value: - The findings as presented in this paper are a result of looking at theory relating to change, technology, strategy, and knowledge enablement. This holistic view has allowed the author to identify a broader set of impact factors for consideration when driving significant technology integration. It is the belief of the author that these impact factors (imperatives) can be applied to other organizations.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Requirements for private communications over public spheres
|
[
"Personal information",
"Social networking services",
"Communication models",
"Privacy requirements",
"Requirements elicitation"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The Web 2.0 paradigm has radically changed digital communication patterns as users share large amounts of personal information with their social peers in public online platforms, such as social networking services (SNS), to communicate. This information is also accessible to other entities, including SNS platform providers and collaborating third-parties; users, however, remain under an illusion of privacy expecting that their published personal information is private (Grimmelmann, 2009; Pavlou, 2011; Litt and Hargittai, 2016; Moll et al., 2017).\n2. Identifying privacy requirements: Identification of privacy requirements during information systems design has been a research topic for the past decades (Wang et al., 1998; Anton and Earp, 2001; Deng et al., 2011), mainly because privacy protecting add-ons after the implementation of the system are generally more difficult to implement and less effective. Furthermore, Cavoukian (2010) has emphasized the necessity of considering privacy through all phases of system's implementation through the concept of Privacy-by-Design, and early identification of privacy requirements (data protection by design and by default) became a mandate in the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (also known as EU GDPR).\n3. Research approach: This paper proposes a comprehensive list of privacy requirements for SNS also applicable to Web 2.0 services involving users' communication and private-public spheres contradiction. To identify privacy requirements, a threat analysis employing use case scenarios was applied to SNS functionality, aiming at identifying requirements through misuse scenarios. The following process was followed (also depicted in Figure 1):\n4. Analyzing communication models in social networking services: In this section different communication models emerging in SNS (use cases), along with identified types of shared data are analyzed (Tables I-III). Table IV, based on the work by Richthammer et al. (2014), presenting data shared in SNS communications, was used to facilitate analysis. Behavioral data, such as lists of pages visited by users and time spent on each item, are included in connection data, as browser information may be used to derive them. In addition, Figure 2 provides a high-level architecture of centralized SNS platforms and the main stakeholders participating in communications taking place over SNS (further analyzed in the next section).\n5. Privacy threats to social networking services communications: In each communication model, SNS users' personal data can be exploited, regardless if they are being explicitly or implicitly shared by users. Stakeholders participating in the communication medium, as well as the recipient of the information can act as possible adversaries and include:\n6. Protecting privacy in social networking services communications: The analysis of different communication models and their threats provided insights to specific requirements (e.g. location-related requirements, private message-related requirements), to prevent threats from realizing. Any measures or actions to mitigate or avoid the identified threats from the analysis were considered as requirements. For instance, to prevent stalking of users participating in an event, the participation intention of any user should be concealed from non-participating users, as well as third parties collaborating with the platform. In addition, a list of the event-participants that viewed the users' participation status, along with the event organizers should be presented to the users, so that they can rearrange attendance. In this example, SNS platform functionality to obscure the participation intention, users' decision not to attend the event if and other users' decision not to share information about other attendants are all considered requirements of the communication.\n7. Discussion and conclusions: This paper provides a list of privacy requirements elicited taking into account the special features of SNS, which combine private and public spheres and reveal personal information within the communication taking place. Modeling SNS activity in terms of communication models provides a means to explore all its aspects and an effective framework to address users' needs for private communications over public spheres. Analyzing different communication models enabled identification of personal information types expanding beyond the communication message, expected to be protected (assets), and the entities from which these need to be protected from. Also, enabling, OECD's Fair Information Principles (FIPS) in the threat analysis, provided insight to different aspects of threats. As a result, elicited requirements in this paper covered all aspects SNS privacy protection should focus on: asset types, protection practices (notice, processing purpose, enforcement etc.) and view of the entities responsible for their implementation (SNS platform, third parties and the users themselves).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: In the Web 2.0 era, users massively communicate through social networking services (SNS), often under false expectations that their communications and personal data are private. This paper aims to analyze privacy requirements of personal communications over a public medium.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This paper systematically analyzes SNS services as communication models and considers privacy as an attribute of users' communication. A privacy threat analysis for each communication model is performed, based on misuse scenarios, to elicit privacy requirements per communication type.\nFindings: This paper identifies all communication attributes and privacy threats and provides a comprehensive list of privacy requirements concerning all stakeholders: platform providers, users and third parties.\nOriginality/value: Elicitation of privacy requirements focuses on the protection of both the communication's message and metadata and takes into account the public-private character of the medium (SNS platform). The paper proposes a model of SNS functionality as communication patterns, along with a method to analyze privacy threats. Moreover, a comprehensive set of privacy requirements for SNS designers, third parties and users involved in SNS is identified, including voluntary sharing of personal data, the role of the SNS platforms and the various types of communications instantiating in SNS.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Inter-organisational information security: a systematic literature review
|
[
"Information security",
"Literature review",
"Inter-organisational",
"State-of-the-art review"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The current business environment is becoming more and more competitive. Both national and international organisations are therefore moving away from operating as individual businesses to become strategic alliances (Tomkins, 2001; Gomes et al., 2016). Collaboration through more integrated business processes is often enabled through the use of information technology. Pricewaterhousecoopers (2010) has shown that information flows between organisations have increased in recent years. Kunz et al. (2011) also concluded that, \"[w]ith this intensified exchange, information security becomes a major issue\".\n2. Related research: 2.1 Inter-organisational information security\n3. Research method: The research method used in this study consists of five steps that are quite straightforward on a general level. However, their implementation was far from mechanical. During the selection and classification of papers, several issues arose, which are detailed below. The general outline of the research method used is as follows:\n4. Results: In this section, we present a summary of our literature review, structured according to our three research questions. The detailed analysis is found in Appendix A3.\n5. Discussion: Inter-organisational collaboration is common in practice. Nonetheless, few systematic literature reviews on existing inter-organisational information security research have focused on the kind of knowledge that has been developed and how it has been brought about. The earlier study by McLaughlin and Gogan (2014) did not focus on inter-organisational information security research per se, although inter-organisational aspects were included in their survey of information security research in the Basket of Eight. On the other hand, our systematic literature review contributes with an explicit focus on inter-organisational information security research and a review of publications from a broader set of outlets. Figures 2 to 5 show the patterns we found and, based on these findings, some notable lessons that can be learned with regard to:\n6. Conclusion: The aim of this paper was to survey existing inter-organisational information security research to scrutinise the kind of knowledge that is currently available, and the way in which this knowledge has been brought about. To this end, we used the framework on information security system put forward by Kiely and Benzel (2006), the framework on types of research purpose by Gronlund (2001), together with an extended version of the framework on research methods laid out by Mingers (2003). We conclude that, with regard to scope, existing research has focused on a limited set of research topics; the main part of existing research has focused on management issues and technical solutions. This is an unwarranted omission on behalf of the research community, and we call for more research into:\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to survey existing inter-organisational information security research to scrutinise the kind of knowledge that is currently available and the way in which this knowledge has been brought about.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The results are based on a literature review of inter-organisational information security research published between 1990 and 2014.\nFindings: The authors conclude that existing research has focused on a limited set of research topics. A majority of the research has focused management issues, while employees'/non-staffs' actual information security work in inter-organisational settings is an understudied area. In addition, the majority of the studies have used a subjective/argumentative method, and few studies combine theoretical work and empirical data.\nResearch limitations/implications: The findings suggest that future research should address a broader set of research topics, focusing especially on employees/non-staff and their use of processes and technology in inter-organisational settings, as well as on cultural aspects, which are lacking currently; focus more on theory generation or theory testing to increase the maturity of this sub-field; and use a broader set of research methods.\nPractical implications: The authors conclude that existing research is to a large extent descriptive, philosophical or theoretical. Thus, it is difficult for practitioners to adopt existing research results, such as governance frameworks, which have not been empirically validated.\nOriginality/value: Few systematic reviews have assessed the maturity of existing inter-organisational information security research. Findings of authors on research topics, maturity and research methods extend beyond the existing knowledge base, which allow for a critical discussion about existing research in this sub-field of information security.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Refiguring a Caribbean school within and across local and global communities
|
[
"Social capital",
"Curriculum",
"Community",
"Caribbean",
"Transnational",
"Knowledge mobilization"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: This paper analyzes the case of a school on the Caribbean island of Sint Maarten, Triumph Multiage School (TMS) (all names are pseudonyms), which was created to serve students who had experienced educational and other injustices in the broader society. Two research questions guide this investigation:\nConceptualizing community in creating new schools: Research on the development of new schools has typically conceptualized community as a bounded geographic region situated within a particular social and national context. Additionally, such studies typically occur within high status world nations such as the USA, Canada, and the UK (Fink, 1999; Fergus et al., 2014; Noguera, 2014). Noguera and his colleagues' work are exemplars of how integrating the cultural, linguistic, socioeconomic, and other resources and needs of students, families, and their local communities into schools' organizational and curricular practices enhances teaching, learning, and students' academic outcomes. Furthermore, such an approach has shown results in advancing social and political justice for marginalized communities. The review of the literature reveals limitations, however, in how the construct of community has been understood and applied in research on new schools - primarily as the local geographic community. This analysis will argue for re-conceptualizing the construct of community to include local as well as global dimensions in research and practice on designing new schools, a reconstruction that reflects the increasingly globalized nature of all educational contexts today (Moutsios, 2009; George and Lewis, 2011).\nTheoretical frameworks: Collins' (2010) conceptualization of community, Holland et al.'s (1998) figured worlds, Wenger's (1998) communities of practice, and Bourdieu's (1993) ideas of field assist this analysis.\nMethods: The present paper draws upon a range of qualitative data (Miles et al., 2013) collected at TMS across a three-year period (2014-2016):\nFindings: Findings are organized around the two research questions framing this inquiry.\nImplications: This study holds implications for researchers interested in understanding the nature of productive schools that are inclusive of vulnerable populations. Such researchers stand to discover richer insights by expanding their theoretical understandings of community, research questions, and designs to include local as well as global dimensions. This reconstruction of community into a transnational configuration would entail re-envisioning local contexts to reveal their hidden transnational features as well as an explicit search for communities beyond the local ones to which students and communities are physically attached. The benefits to be reaped from a trans-global perspective on educational community are substantial.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyze the case of a school on the Caribbean island of Sint Maarten that was created to serve students who had experienced educational and other injustices in the broader society.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Using qualitative methods, the paper explores two research questions: how did Triumph Multiage School (TMS) conceptualize community and the goals of education, and how did these perspectives reflect or diverge from those of the local, national, and global educational communities to which TMS was connected? What was the nature of curriculum knowledge at TMS, and what points of alignment and difference existed among TMS' curriculum knowledge and those of its local, national, and global educational communities?\nFindings: Analysis found points of symmetry and disjunctures among TMS' conceptualization of community, purposes of education, and curriculum and those of the local, national, and global educational communities to which it was connected. However the strength of ideological and sociopolitical boundaries separating TMS and its local and national communities constrained opportunities for building professional community and curriculum knowledge across them.\nOriginality/value: The paper contributes to research on the creation of new schools and teacher professional communities by demonstrating the need to expand the construct of community to include local and trans-global dimensions. Such a reconceptualization of community is essential for building professional capital and community that will equip schools and teachers to meet the social and educational needs of student populations in a globalized world.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
A strategic approach to building online customer loyalty: integrating customer profitability tiers
|
[
"Customer loyalty",
"Customer relations",
"Internet shopping",
"Profit maximization",
"Electronic commerce"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: During the 1980s customer loyalty was on most marketers' minds. Numerous companies spent millions on customer relationship management programs with the goal of building customer loyalty. It is ironic that the concept of customer loyalty is not something that consumers recognize. For most companies the customer or brand loyalty issue is, in behavioral terms, nothing more than repeat purchasing. In fact, many company efforts aim solely at increasing the percentage of repeat purchases among current customers. Supporting this effort, marketing strategists have developed predictive models that show the important profitability effects of increasing the repeat purchase rate among existing customers.The problem may lay in the current nature of customer relationship management initiatives. The 1-to-1 Marketing concept (Pepper and Rogers, 1993) generated a groundswell of interest in getting closer to the customer. The concept is grounded on information technology as a way to capture relevant consumer preferences so that repeat customers might enjoy easier future transactions (Pitta, 1998). The authors note that in a typical service encounter, such as checking into a hotel, numerous questions need to be answered. Thus, guests are conducted through the series of choices that supposedly reveal their true preferences. The genius of the concept is that capturing each of these decisions using appropriate hardware and software identifies the customer and a specific set of preferences. It is assumed that the preferences are somewhat persistent and once they are revealed they tend to remain largely unchanged. In principle, the customer is relieved of the burden of repeating the list of answers each time he or she stays at a hotel in the same chain. Since larger firms with numerous locations realized that each of their units could access the information in their central customer databases, the firms invested heavily in the technology. Thus, technology was a complement, and sometimes a substitute for a personal interaction. The situation is analogous to police forces removing \"cops on the beat,\" police officers who walk through their assigned area and get to know the neighborhood, the law abiding people, and threats to their safety. When police departments put officers in automobiles, they lost the intimacy with their neighborhoods and the people they swore to protect and became less effective at recognizing symptoms of crime before crimes occurred. For marketers, losing touch with their customers signals the loss of proactive marketing.Despite the good intentions of trying to regain lost familiarity, there are a few defects in the system. First, the technology did not always perform flawlessly. Some systems failed to reach the \"once and for all\" standard. The result required customers to answer that initial list of questions, each time they arrived at a destination, even if they stayed at the chain or the specific hotel before. Even the most unaware consumer would be bored and probably irritated by the repetition. Some have complained about the number of a company's customer service personnel who have asked the same questions over and over.With many companies embarking on programs to get to know their customers, a second flaw emerged. While companies continued to collect customer data, there was an expectation that the exercise was more of a discrete act than a process. Just because someone ordered a smoking room and a Coke did not guarantee that those selections would not change over time. Humans develop during their lifetimes and change their behavior based on numerous factors. To be really effective, such programs require continuous refreshing of customer preferences. They also should be based on a clear understanding of the elements that comprise customer loyalty.Perhaps the most important focus should be the \"right\" customer. Organizations must not only boost repeat purchases and customer satisfaction, they need to discriminate among their customer base. There is a recent awareness that customers are not only different in terms of their needs but deliver different amounts of profitability over their lifetimes. When firms fail to focus on customers who will increase profit and reduce costs, they run the risk of working hard with little to show for the effort. Any attempts at building customer loyalty must be based on a foundation of customer profitability.\nThe core of customer loyalty: Consumer loyalty seems to be based on a collection of factors. The first is trust. Consumers must trust the vendor or product they encounter. Second, the transaction or relationship must have a positive perceived value greater than that supplied by competitors. Third, if marketers build on the first two factors, they may be able to create a level of positive customer emotional attachment. That emotional response may be commitment to their brands that is resistant to change. Each of the factors requires some discussion.Trust\nThe role of the transaction: Another relevant factor in customer loyalty is the interactivity inherent in the buyer-seller relationship (Schlosser, 2000). However, the most valuable views have been multidimensional.Marketers have long recognized the importance of transactional elements in marketing relationships. Notions of convenience and transactional success have been studied over time. Examples such as the marketing use of transaction cost accounting were attempts to increase customer satisfaction and ultimately loyalty while maximizing profitability. There are numerous variations in terms of transactions. Some, like a visit to a doctor's office may be highly involving and require deep thought and response from patients. Others, such as using a vending machine, are relatively low involvement interactions. The main classification of interest here is the face-to-face versus online transaction.Face to face transactions in a retail setting\nBuilding customer loyalty online: Marketing managers must establish consumers' trust in a variety of contexts. The specific case of computer-mediated environments such as the internet is particularly difficult (Naquin and Paulson, 2003). One approach involves explicit statements about the security of customers' personal data. However, evidence on the effectiveness of such statements is mixed. Some research has shown that such statements help instill consumer confidence in e-commerce sites (Palmer et al., 2000). In contrast, others suggest that they are not necessarily the most important predictor of online trust (Montoya-Weiss et al., 2003). Findings from a recent large-scale study suggest that consumers use \"surface\" elements, such as web site design (Fogg et al., 2002) in judging security and trust. Schlosser et al. (2006) found that investments in web site design can boost trusting beliefs and online purchase intentions. Other web site design elements can aid in relationship building.One innovative relationship-building example comes from the UK. Online travel services have exploited the internet's strengths such as ease of search and matched them to the specifics of travel. Travel services require information rich communications ranging from schedules to destination details and terms of service. The information load can be overwhelming to a novice traveler. Online, several major travel services vie for dominance in the marketplace using standard website design features to lure customers. In contrast, a group of UK travel agents has designed its website to deliver immediate primary contact with a real person. The UK travel agents provide a toll free number at the beginning of an online transaction to convey the visitor directly to a helpful human. This helps agencies with a limited internet presence and establishes a human bond immediately.Another example from the travel industry comes from the USA. In the US airline industry, retirees can be the human being at the other end of the line. Technology allows individuals to work from home and be available for extended hours. Southwest Airlines has a number of customer service agents who work from homes all over the USA. They are scattered across the four continental time zones and Hawaii and comprise a six-hour time zone window. The agents can offer extensive around the clock coverage. The retiree agents are well trained and selected for personality and helpfulness. For many travelers, a friendly grandparent on the other end of the line is comforting and relationship building.The travel industry offers yet another example that online marketers should consider. Since trust is necessary for any relationship, third party comments can be valuable. Companies like Orbitz solicit customer evaluations and travel recommendations to boost their credibility. These efforts may involve sponsored online forums that invite seasoned travelers to share their personal experiences for the benefit of others. Such online community forums have been shown to alert consumers to opportunities and help them avoid problems. One recent example focused on Easter Island, part of Chile. Travelers warned others to avoid the largest hotel on the island and instead seek one or two smaller venues. The alternatives did not advertise but were excellent. The main hotel advertised heavily but was deemed a place to avoid. The community forum, reachable from the sponsor's web site, adds credibility and value to the sponsor and thus helps build a consumer relationship.One other technique is to allow customers to join a vendor-sponsored \"club.\" Online customer \"members\" can reap the benefits of \"club members only\" deals. They can get early warning of impending offers and often get preferential pricing. Since they are readily available to retailers through an online database, these customers provide lower transaction costs. Since they are experienced customers, in the sense that they have purchased from the retailers before, they have a higher probability of purchasing again. Therefore, they are more valuable than customers with no purchase history.In summary, online marketers face a different challenge than their face to face competitors. They need to generate trust immediately, offer clearly perceived value and establish a long term relationship with selected customers (Smith, 2002). If online marketers are successful in generating brand loyalty, they should treat it as a valuable commodity not to be wasted.\nThe customer value pyramid: Marketing textbooks have recognized differences among consumers in their value to firms. Some of the literature deals with heavy versus light users of products and services and notes that heavy users are valuable not only for their contribution to volume and revenue but also for their positive effects on profit. Most firms are aware at some level that their customers differ in profitability, and recognize the \"80/20 rule\" - 20 percent of customers produce 80 percent of sales or profit for the company. Empirical studies have supported that rule of thumb. In particular, long-term studies of bank patrons' account behavior and perceptions of service quality, the 80/20 rule was shown clearly (Zeithaml et al., 2001). Specifically, the authors noted that the top 20 percent produced 82 percent of the bank's retail profits, an almost perfect confirmation of the 80/20 rule in this profit setting.Moreover, the more profitable 20 percent held more sophisticated views of service quality. The highest tier described service quality in terms of three factors: attitude, reliability, and speed. The lowest tier viewed only attitude and speed. In addition, when analyzing the drivers of repeat purchases, the highest tier focused on speed; the lowest on attitude. That evidence offers an opportunity to focus on the more profitable customers with customer loyalty building strategies to which they will respond.The customer pyramid framework\nImplications for marketers: While online marketers can make astute decisions that boost consumer trust, increase perceived value and build loyal customer relationships, it should be clear that companies must be selective. In an environment typified by turmoil and scarce resources, marketers must consider whom they wish to serve carefully. In fact, the typical strategies for building online volume may be counterproductive in building attractive customer relationships. In contrast, setting requirements to be a customer may raise a firm's perceived exclusivity, making existing customers proud.For example, some of the specific techniques for building online loyalty involve electronic coupons and e-mail newsletters that contain special offers. The idea is that customers will respond to special offers that reduce price and thereby increase perceived value. Using a classification system like the customer pyramid offers guidance in the search for profitability. In fact, price reduction offers are a bad idea for lead tier customers. The discounts may be popular with lead customers but they may reduce profitability. There are examples of customers delaying routine purchases in anticipation of a price break, reducing profits further. Moreover, discount offers may be irrelevant to platinum or gold tier customers and should be avoided.The economics of e-commerce make personal contact too expensive to extend to all online customers. Thus, marketers tend to reject the concept out of hand. However, contact with a human can be valuable and boost company profits. Marketers may wish to use personal contact relationship building strategies only with their most profitable customers. By restricting it to the Platinum or Gold customer tiers, human contact can become affordable and the firm can enjoy its profit enhancing benefits.Finally, some of the techniques that foster online volume building should be applied very carefully to the customer pyramid. The examples used above like members only clubs pose a danger to profits if applied to lead tier customers. Price discounts may be wasted on them. In contrast, Platinum tier members can be alerted to new purchase opportunities before the general public. If price is not part of the offer, Platinum tier customers may appreciate the advanced notice, which will increase their bond with the marketer.Another example, sponsored online community forums can offer value if restricted to satisfied customers. Presumably, the Platinum and Gold tier customers are satisfied and will appreciate third party recommendations. The danger, again, is focused on Lead tier customers. They will probably enjoy the lowest level of services and if they find a way to join such a forum, may complain about the sponsor and tarnish the experience for others. The final caveat is that discriminating against Lead tier customers makes economic sense. However, it must be done carefully to avoid angering them and causing further damage.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to present a strategic framework to managing online loyalty.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The paper integrates concepts including a range of recently published (1993-2006) theoretical works in consumer loyalty and ongoing case developments in internet practice.\nFindings: - Provides information and action approaches to consumer marketers that may increase the success providing want satisfying market offerings. Outlines the costs and benefits of some online customer loyalty building practices. By integrating the literature supporting lifetime customer value with the literature concerned with generating online customer relationships, it provides a pathway to profitable relationships. It also exposes the unintended problems that some online customer loyalty initiatives may create.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The theoretical concepts that form the foundation of the paper appear to have a significant application to consumer marketing but have not been tested empirically.\nPractical implications: - Uncovers a previously unreported strategy for generating profitable online customer loyalty.\nOriginality/value: - This paper describes the nature and application of customer value tiers to an important marketing process. It offers the potential of increasing marketing success by allowing firms to maximize the value of their scarce service resources by serving profitable customers.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Universal structure modeling approach to customer satisfaction index
|
[
"Customer satisfaction index",
"Telecommunication",
"SEM",
"Universal structure modeling",
"Bayesian neural networks",
"Customer satisfaction"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1 Introduction: Recently, the concept of customer satisfaction has attracted much attention. It has become a central concern for companies and organizations in order to improve product and service quality, and to maintain customer loyalty (CL) within a highly competitive marketplace. A key motivation for the growing emphasis on customer satisfaction is that high customer satisfaction leads to a stronger competitive position resulting in higher market share and profit (Fornell, 1992). Customer satisfaction is also generally assumed to be a significant determinant of repeat sales, positive word-of-mouth, and CL. Satisfied customers return and buy more, and they tell other people about their experiences (Fornell et al., 1996; Turkyilmaz and Ozkan, 2007). It is also a widely accepted concept that customer satisfaction improvement attempts via total quality management (TQM) has been amongst the most critical factors that derive an operations strategy of an organization in order to improve its operations performance (Kannan and Tan, 2005). According to Chien et al. (2002), the success of customer satisfaction is not only closely related to a firm's TQM performance but it also has permanent effects on the firm's future.Until recently, in most countries, telecommunications service providers were state-owned, state-operated, and often monopolistic. The monopoly-based system of service provision, which dominated the world's telecommunications markets for over three-quarters of the last century, gave way to more competitive supply in many markets (Li and Xu, 2002).The Turkish electronic communications market has developed rapidly since its liberalization on January 1, 2004. The number of players in the market tended to increase continuously after the liberalization. By the beginning of 2013 there exist 369 operators in the electronic communications market (ICTA, 2012). Turk Telekom group (the leader of the telecommunication sector in Turkey) provides integrated telecommunication services from PSTN (fixed line telephone service), GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) to broadband internet. Turk Telekom group companies have 15.8 millions of PSTN customers, 6.7 millions of broadband internet customers and 11.8 million GSM customers as of March 31, 2011 (Turk Telekom, 2012).Fixed (incumbent and long distance telephone service providers) and mobile operators' total sales revenues constitute the most important part in total electronic communications sector revenues. From the beginning of the liberalization process in 2004-2007, total revenues continuously increased. However, in 2008 sales revenues decreased by 5 percent to 19.3 billion Turkish Liras (TL) which was 20.3 billion TL in 2007. After a continuous increase, in 2008, the share of mobile operators in total revenues became 70 percent and fixed operators' share decreased to 30 percent (ICTA, 2012).The purpose of this study is to provide information about the customer satisfaction indices (CSIs) and show the results of a CSI study carried out in Turkish telecommunications sector. The main focus of this research is to reveal non-trivial, implicit, previously unknown, and potentially useful nonlinear relationships (if any) via the deployment of a novel method, i.e. the universal structure modeling (USM). This integrated method along with the conceptual European customer satisfaction index (ECSI) model would hypothetically provide a better in-depth understanding of the potential complex relationships of the determinants of CL and customer satisfaction. The rest of this paper is structured as follows: Section 2 briefly presents an overview of the CSIs and their developments in different countries. Section 3 presents an ECSI model implemented in Turkish telecommunication sector. The methodology and data analysis are discussed in Section 4, followed by the analysis of the main results. Discussions and concluding remarks are provided in Sections 5 and 6.\n2 Background: The original interest in customer satisfaction research has focused on customer's experience with a product episode or service encounter (Anderson et al., 1994). More recent studies have focused on cumulative satisfaction. Cumulative satisfaction defines satisfaction as customers' overall experience to date with a product or service provider. This approach to satisfaction provides a more direct and comprehensive measure of a customer's consumption utility, subsequent behaviors and economic performance (Fornell et al., 1996). CSIs have been built upon a cumulative view of satisfaction.The CSI model is a structural model-based on the assumptions that customer satisfaction is caused by some factors such as perceived quality (PQ), perceived value (PV), expectations of customers, and image of a firm. These factors are the antecedents of overall customer satisfaction. The model also estimates the results when a customer is satisfied or not. These results of customer satisfaction are consequence factors such as complaints or loyalty of customer (Johnson et al., 2001). Each factor in the CSI model is a latent construct which is operationalized by multiple indicators (Fornell, 1992; Bayraktar et al., 2012).Since the importance of customer satisfaction is widely recognized, each country has provided its own national customer satisfaction index (national CSI) to analyze the level of customers' satisfaction through the companies' efforts (Chien et al., 2003). Swedish customer satisfaction barometer (SCSB), reported in 1989, was the first national CSI (Fornell, 1992). The American customer satisfaction index (ACSI) was developed in 1993 by Claes Fornell, the founder of SCSB. The ACSI survey is conducted for seven main economic sectors, 35 industries, and more than 200 companies with revenues totaling nearly 40 percent of the US GNP (Fornell et al., 1996). The ECSI, developed by European organization for quality and European foundation for quality management, was first introduced in 1999 across 11 European countries (Eklof and Westlund, 2002). Other efforts for establishing national CSIs can be seen in Denmark, Austria, France, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Taiwan, New Zealand, South Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Russia (Grigoroudis and Siskos, 2003).The original SCSB model contains two primary antecedents of satisfaction: perceived performance and customer expectations (Fornell, 1992; Anderson et al., 1994). The consequences of satisfaction in the SCSB model are derived from Hirschman's (1970) exit-voice theory which describes the results of dissatisfaction.The ACSI model builds upon the original SCSB model specifications adapted in the distinct characteristics of the US economy. The main differences between the original SCSB model and the ACSI model are the addition of a PQ component, as distinct from PV, and the addition of measures for customer expectations (Anderson et al., 1994; Fornell et al., 1996).The ECSI, a modified adaptation of the ACSI model, considers the European economy as a whole, and thus CSI scores of the countries can be compared with each other and with the European average (Eklof and Westlund, 2002). In the ECSI model, customer expectations, PQ, PV, customer satisfaction, and CL constructs are modeled as in the ACSI. There are two fundamental differences between the ACSI and ECSI models. First, the ECSI model does not include the complaint behavior construct as a consequence of satisfaction. Second, the ECSI model incorporates company image as a latent variable in the model (Grigoroudis and Siskos, 2003).The pioneer studies on the CSI model in Turkey are the research studies conducted by Turkyilmaz and Ozkan (2007) and Aydin and Ozer (2005). The first national model, Turkish customer satisfaction index (TCSI), and adaptation of ACSI model to Turkish market, was reported as a pilot study in the fourth quarter of 2005 by Turkish Quality Association (Kal-Der) and KA Research Limited (TMME, 2006).\n3 The ECSI model: The model studied in this paper has been derived specifically for the ECSI which is an economic indicator that measures customer satisfaction based on well-established theories and approaches in customer behavior and is applicable for a number of different industries (Turkyilmaz and Ozkan, 2007; Grigoroudis and Siskos, 2003). As shown in Figure 1, the CSI model variables are structured in the following categories: causes of satisfaction (e.g. image, expectations, PQ, PV), satisfaction and results of satisfaction (e.g. loyalty). Given these relations between the latent variables, the CSI model presents a system of cause and effect relationships. Then, a set of manifest variables is associated with each latent variable. The use of multi-item (instead of single-item) scales in the CSI model provides more reliable measurement of overall satisfaction (Johnson and Fornell, 1991).Customer satisfaction\n4 Research methodology: 4.1 Survey setting\n5 Data analysis and results: The analysis used in this study was undertaken in two stages. In the first stage, the overall reliability and validity of ECSI Model in Turk Telekom Company was measured. In the second stage, the relationships among constructs were assessed using the USM. These steps are discussed in detail in the following subsections.5.1 Unidimensionality and convergent validity\n6 Conclusion and managerial implications: A number of national CSIs have been developed in the past. Among other national CSIs, ECSI has been implemented by many of the EU member countries (Eklof and Westlund, 2002; Eklof and Westlund, 1998). There is a large body of research in the literature, which considers the CSI model using either covariance-based or variance-based SEM technique. The novelty in this research lies in its inclusion of a nonlinear SEM approach via USM while investigating the relationship among constructs in the ECSI model.Based on theoretical considerations, a model was proposed to link the six constructs of CSI model. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were employed to produce empirically-verified and -validated underlying dimensions of expectation, quality, PV, image, satisfaction, and loyalty. USM was then applied to test the model in the telecommunications industry with Turk Telekom company as a case study.The main difference between the USM and PLS model is not attributed to the model fit results. Instead, the interpretation of the relationships between model constructs is where the fundamental rationale lies as to why USM should be preferred over the regular PLS modelling. The findings of this study can be put in practice in various ways. First of all, the nonlinear relationships revealed via the USM model (Section 5.4) signal out that the managers should not have a plain logic such as \"increasing the satisfaction of customers would definitively increase the loyalty of them towards our product/service\". For the case study in this research, it should be noted that increasing lower values of satisfaction would have a higher impact on the improvement of loyalty. In other words, in order to increase the loyalty with a better return-on-investment (ROI) value, managers should rather focus on unsatisfied customers. If the results in Section 5.4 are taken into consideration, the same holds true for the impact of image on CL and the impact of PQ on satisfaction. In contrast, the relationship between value and satisfaction result reveals that the opposite action should be taken into account in order to enhance the satisfaction of customers via the PV. It is noteworthy that this study presents uniqueness in terms of what kind of a strategy should be developed so as to improve determinants of customer satisfaction and/or CL. In other words, to be able to make use of limited resources of time and energy; managers would prefer to adopt a strategic move to focus on a specific portion of the targeted customers in the lights of such this method's findings. This information is valuable which is extracted via the help of the USM technique and would not be possible to be learnt through the regular linear SEM approaches.The findings of this study reveal that quality has the most important impact on customer satisfaction. The next important construct was found to be image. The relationship between customer expectation and customer satisfaction was not found to be significant. This study reveals the fact that while using the ECSI model more attention must be paid to the consideration of potential nonlinear relationships that might be available among model constructs. It ways the path for this consideration via the employment of USM-based ECSI model as exemplified in Turkish communications sector. Such integration would hypothetically be applicable to other research domains where customer satisfaction and loyalty are to be modeled.The results from this USM-based ECSI model provide essential information for managers in developing marketing strategies as well as a tool for measuring performance and benchmarking. In addition, USM-based ECSI model delivers important information for consumers' decision-making process with regard to purchasing, which leads to better quality of products and services that they consume. Without doubt, the competition for greater market share is intensifying within the telecommunication industry in Turkey. A more focused approach to building up a company's strengths and unique competitive edge is vital for survival in the market. This can obviously be achieved by a sound marketing and customer retention strategy. It is more costly to attract customers than to retain them. So, the key focus in managing customer satisfaction is to identify the core satisfaction determinants from the user's perspective and then to assess the company's performance in addressing each of these determinants. One of the challenging tasks that Turk Telekom faces is how to improve its image and satisfaction level of their customers. They must strive to improve features and enhance service quality so that they can improve customers' experiences with communication tools and in particular to increase overall reliability. Brand managers should also focus on enhancing their company's image and develop advertising and promotional messages that could encourage customers to think about their experiences with the actual services. This needs to be accomplished simultaneously as reducing costs, if the existing telecommunication company desires to maximize customer satisfaction and gain high market penetration through brand image.The study, however, is subject to some limitations. While the findings of this study confirm the direct and positive relationships among the constructs of the CSI model, they cannot be generalized to all telecommunication companies in Turkey due to the nature of the \"case study\" approach. The sensitive nature of the subject and the availability of personal connections, however, have made the selection of case study methodology mandatory over other large-scale quantitative surveys. Second, due to relatively small sample size, a caution should be exercised when interpreting the results. Yet our findings provide a base on which future research with larger sample sizes can build. Third, we relied on the subjective evaluations of Turk Telekom's clients. Given the limitations associated with subjective measures, findings should be interpreted with some degree of caution. It would therefore be useful to replicate the results with objective measures of service quality indicators. As the data used in this study were mainly collected from Istanbul, future research based on a sample of various cities in Turkey, and a comparison between Turk Telekom and other telecommunication companies may provide important insights to practitioners and researchers. Finally, other estimation methods, such as machine learning tools can also provide further insights into the interrelationships among ECSI model constructs.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - Previous researches have proven that customer satisfaction and loyalty are affected by complicated relationships and are challenging to European customer satisfaction index (ECSI) model. Existing approaches mostly limit their hypotheses to linear relationships, which hinder much information that would lead to better modeling and understanding the relationship between customer satisfaction and loyalty. The purpose of this paper is to reveal potential nonlinear and interaction effects that might be embedded in antecedents of ECSI by exemplifying it in Turkish telecommunications sector.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - This papar has justified the validity and reliability of the ECSI model implementation in Turk Telekom Company. The path models are tested via conventional structural equation modeling (SEM) and using a novel method, i.e. universal structure modeling with Bayesian neural networks.\nFindings: - The findings of this study reveal that quality has the most important impact on customer satisfaction. The next important construct was found to be the company image. The relationship between customer expectation and customer satisfaction was revealed to be insignificant. This study reveals the fact that while using the ECSI model more attention must be paid to the consideration of potential nonlinear relationships that might be available among model constructs.\nOriginality/value: - This research presents uniqueness in that it reveals significant nonlinear relationships between the model constructs of the ECSI model. Previous studies have identified purely linear relationships, which may not hold true in reality. However, in this study it is revealed that improving one determinant of customer satisfaction may not be as worthy as it is assumed to be in theory, which refers to a nonlinear relationship.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The determinants of export performance: a review of the literature 2006-2014
|
[
"Export",
"Export performance",
"Literature review",
"External factors",
"Internal factors",
"Export markets"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: With the rapid growth of international business, exporting plays a key role in many firms' survival and growth. Exporting activities enhance organizational capabilities, which, in turn, generate additional resources that boost the firms' performance (Filatotchev et al., 2009). Hence, a robust understanding of exporting is much called for by researchers, managers, and policy-makers (Leonidou et al., 2007; Sousa et al., 2010). Over the past 50 years, fruitful progress of export performance research has indicated the consistently increasing magnitude of this area. In this study, export performance is defined as the outcome of a firm's activities in the export market (Shoham, 1996; Katsikeas et al., 2000).\nScope and analytical approach of the literature review: This review focuses on empirical literature concerning export performance as a dependent variable that was published between 2006 and 2014. It does not include papers that only explore the measures of export performance. Papers published before 2006 are excluded, as they are considered to have been included in previous review articles (e.g. Bilkey, 1978; Aaby and Slater, 1989; Zou and Stan, 1998; Sousa et al., 2008).\nDescription of studies reviewed: General descriptive summaries of the 124 reviewed studies are listed in Appendix 2, Tables AII-AIII, which provides information of each study in respect of theoretical background, country, industrial sector, firm size, data sources, sample size, response rate, respondents, unit of analysis, measures of export performance, and method of statitstical analysis. Below we present our assessment of the studies along five dimensions: measures of export performance, theoretical basis, fieldwork characteristics (i.e. country of study, industrial sector, firm size), sampling (i.e. sample size and unit of analysis), and statistical methods.\nConceptual framework: Based on our review, we propose the following conceptual framework (see Figure 1).\nDiscussion and implications: Compared with studies examined in earlier reviews (Bilkey, 1978; Aaby and Slater, 1989; Zou and Stan, 1998; Sousa et al., 2008), those featuring in the more recent export performance literature show that important progress has been made in the last nine years. The research on export performance has achieved some progress in recent decades. However, empirical studies still reveal divergence, their findings being fragmented and conflicting. This may arise from the absence of a synthetic theoretical basis, and from inconsistency in research methodologies. More efforts are needed if the export performance literature is to reach maturity in the future. Possible future directions are discussed below (summarized in Appendix 4, Table AV).\nConclusion: This paper has assembled 124 reports of studies related to export performance published between 2006 and 2014, and offered a synthesis of the literature involved. It is clear that much effort has been made during this period in identifying the determinants of export performance, and that increasing consideration has been given to searching for an appropriate theoretical basis to interpret the findings. Indeed, multiple theoretical bases are found to have been applied. In addition, new antecedents of export performance are identified. Particularly, an increasing number of studies were seen to take the interaction and indirect relationships into consideration, since these are known to foster more contingent and pragmatic structural relationships. Furthermore, researchers have paid more attention to the quality of the data in their studies (e.g. CMV).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to synthesize and evaluate recent studies on determinants of export performance.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Using a vote-counting technique this paper reviews 124 papers published between 2006 and 2014 to assess the determinants of export performance.\nFindings: The results indicate that significant progress has been made during these nine years and that: numerous new determinants are identified, data quality and statistical biases have received considerable attention, and interaction and indirect relationships are considered. However, at the same time, the research of export performance is still limited by a lack of synthetic theoretical basis, inconsistent empirical test results, and insufficiency in the research framework and statistical methodologies.\nOriginality/value: Export performance has received increasing attention over recent decades, but the area is still characterized by fragmentation and diversity hindering theoretical and practical development. This paper integrates the findings of recent studies on export performance and provides further discussion from both theoretical and methodological aspects, and points out the directions for future research.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Easter Island - recent findings and a paradox explained
|
[
"Ecology",
"Natural resources",
"Global warming",
"Shareholder value analysis",
"Oceania"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: The main features of what happened on Easter Island are well known to many with an interest in sustainability (Ponting, 1991). It is a sorry tale of the over-exploitation of natural resources leading to poverty and misery for its population. The Easter Islanders all but destroyed their eco-system because they cut down all their trees. The trees were cut down in large numbers in order to move massive stone sculptures (moai) - which, it is assumed, were of great religious significance.\nAuthor's note: In spite of the recent findings recorded above, most of the culture of Easter Island is presumed to have been lost. But it is confidently thought that the teachings, and even the name, of Offsetta has come down to us and lives on in aspects of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (2004, p. 59):Offsets are discrete GHG reductions used to compensate for (i.e. offset) GHG emissions elsewhere, for example to meet a voluntary or mandatory GHG target or cap. Offsets are calculated relative to a baseline that represents a hypothetical scenario for what emissions would have been in the absence of the project.Bloggers have even suggested that there are parallels between the ideas of Offsetta and the notions of the clean development mechanism and certified emission reduction of the Kyoto protocol, but this is mere speculation. It is thought even more fanciful to link the term MSV with our current shibboleth of maximising shareholder value.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The paper presents a parody intended to emphasise the dangers and questionable rationale of a procedure which could allow organisations to claim spurious and misleading reputational benefits.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - This is a fictional analogy using a historical episode.\nFindings: - Reflection on an aspect of policy.\nResearch limitations/implications: - Stimulates consideration of the policy in question and of the potential for analogy to influence understanding and awareness.\nOriginality/value: - An individual perspective on an issue that needs transparency and accountability.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Blockchain technology in commercial real estate transactions
|
[
"Innovation",
"Commercial real estate",
"Blockchain technology",
"Transaction process",
"Information system",
"Design science research"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Technology advances are transforming sectors across the globe, including the commercial real estate (CRE) sector. Parties acting in the CRE sector are evaluating their processes and institutions like banks, acting as trusted third party, are evaluating how to position in the future (Deloitte, 2017, 2018). The potential of technologies, such as artificial intelligence, big data and blockchain, is not only to streamline existing markets, but also to redistribute markets and create new ones (The Goldman Sachs Group, 2016).\nResearch approach: Literature states that blockchain technology can be applied to real estate and could be a game-changer in transacting real estate. The focus on a solution for a field problem - the cumbersome transaction process - is in line with design science research. Design science research is based on pragmatic research and aims to create an innovative \"artifact\" that will help solve real-world problems (Hevner and Chatterjee, 2010, p. 9). For this reason, it is highly relevant to information system research. Hence, this method is applied in developing a design proposition for a field problem. The paper starts with a systematic review of previous work on real estate transactions and blockchain technology. However, no design concepts are found - as existing work is not established or developed enough - to provide greater conceptual clarity about a specific topic or field of evidence. Therefore, the synthesis focuses on scoping the research by the identification of major pain points within the current transaction process. Pain points have been identified through semi-structured interviews with five experts involved in the process and then analyzed based on the Grounded Theory methodology. The findings of these interviews are used to develop a centralized infrastructure (without the use of blockchain) which overcomes the aforementioned pain points. Subsequently, blockchain technology can be introduced and compared to both the current method of data management (decentralized) and a centralized way of working. After designing the infrastructure of the blockchain model and user interface, the interviewees are asked again to pragmatically validate the proposed model. Using this method, it can be demonstrated that the developed blockchain model is promising and satisfies the expectations of future users.\nBackground: Commercial real estate transaction process\nImplications for transacting real estate: Earlier it is identified that real estate transactions are known for their lack of transparency, inefficiency and complexity. To support this, empirical findings identify and map pain points to specific phases and tasks in the transaction process. Grounded on the current transaction process, interviewees were asked: \"What major pain points do you encounter during this process?\" The interviewees spoke about how pain points mainly occur during the due diligence and completion phases leading to delays which result in a raise of (transaction) costs. However, pain points occur specifically during the preparation phase in the transaction process and the management of the real estate once the property has been acquired. Most problems are related to data structure and data quality. This makes sense as problems tend to arise when data are analyzed (manipulated and changed). If we are to improve the transaction process, the proposed solution should resolve identified pain points and, as a result, streamline the transaction process of an office building.\nBlockchain model: In summary, organizations work in a decentralized fashion which causes various pain points and challenges. Although working in a centralized way is helpful to overcome the pain points, challenges such as reliability, transparency and security of data arise. In contrast, blockchain is simply a new method of decentralized structuring and handling data - which is often suitable but not often necessary. However, data management and hence streamlining transactions and data by implementing blockchain technology could be helpful to overcome the pain points and challenges. The proposed model is structured according to the data requirements of a transaction, which are split into two core elements:\nValidation: For the blockchain model to be deemed acceptable, this research makes use of pragmatic validation to ensure that the model resolves the identified pain points. Dresch et al. (2015) stated that \"the premise of design science is that the research conducted under its paradigm, in addition to being rigorous and scientifically valid, should also seek pragmatic validity, i.e., utility. In this context, pragmatic validity seeks to ensure that the solution proposed to solve a particular research problem will, in fact, work, which will ensure the achievement of the expected results\" (p. 57). Therefore, the interviewees are asked again to validate the proposed model. Successful implementation of the proposed tool depends not only on the benefits that may be achieved for a bank, but for other involved parties in the network as well. Earlier we spoke about how the proposed blockchain model is a helpful tool to improve the current transaction process through greater security, transparency, reliability and efficiency. A property manager, for example, sees the added value of the tool to be in storing and sharing validated data without the need to interact with other parties. Other interviewees indicated that they would benefit from the increased transparency and therefore reliability in the process.\nResults and discussion: This research proposes a blockchain-based infrastructure to enhance the current transaction process of an office building. During validation of the application, all parties indicated that the application is an interesting first step toward a digital and more transparent ecosystem. The structure and quality of data - these are the main elements in a real estate transaction and so are essential if the process is to be streamlined - available will be enhanced by implementing the proposed blockchain infrastructure.\nLimitations: Although this research proposes an infrastructure for a blockchain application which can enhance the current process, this study has limited department, whereby various limitations and subjects for further research can be identified. The limitations of this research are inherent to the scope of this research, the Dutch real estate market.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The transaction process of an office building is known to be time consuming and inefficient, in part due to the lack of market transparency. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the development of a blockchain application that can improve the transaction process of office buildings in the Netherlands.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Conducting design science research, the current transaction process of an office building and status quo of blockchain technology in real estate is investigated. Subsequently, multiple parties are interviewed to define major pain points within the process. The interview findings are used to design a blockchain solution which overcomes the aforementioned pain points. After designing, the interviewees are asked again to pragmatically validate the proposed model.\nFindings: One of the major pain points identified concerning the transaction process of an office building is that it is difficult to define the characteristics of a property, due to lack of data structure and quality. The proposed application improves the way specific assets are understood by structuring physical and contractual information in one place and guarantees the quality of the data by using the blockchain mechanisms.\nPractical implications: A blockchain application is proposed, which can improve the transaction process of an office building.\nOriginality/value: Recent studies indicate that blockchain technology could lead to improvements in efficiency, transparency and therefore trust within the transaction process. Therefore, the proposed application is of value for the future of real estate data management and the transaction process.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Value creation logics and internationalization of service firms
|
[
"Internationalization",
"Strategy",
"Services",
"International business",
"International management",
"Value chain"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Since its introduction in 1985 the value chain of Michael Porter (1985) has been a key concept and the standard template in the study of value creation processes of firms. However, as Stabell and Fjeldstad (1998) point out, the value chain designates first and foremost the value creation logics of manufacturing firms and less so the logics of service firms. The value chain signifies operations in which raw materials are transformed to semi-manufactured or further on to finished, physical goods. The primary value chain activities define themselves in a certain sequential order of upstream and downstream activities. Service firms like banks, insurance companies, and telecommunication firms do not fit this value chain logic very well. Value creation logics other than the value chain have therefore been warranted for a better understanding of service firm behavior, including that of internationalization. The thrust of this paper is that value creation logics (Jensen and Petersen, 2012; Moller, 2006; Stabell and Fjeldstad, 1998) can assist us in better understanding why and how service firms internationalize. Our current understanding of service firms' internationalization is mainly a result of industry studies (e.g. Coviello and Martin, 1999; Engwall and Wallenstal, 1988; Gripsrud and Benito, 2005; Hertz, 1993; Sarkar et al., 1999; Villar et al., 2012) and studies based on the core attributes that distinguish services from goods: namely heterogeneity, intangibility, perishability, and inseparability between production and consumption (Boddewyn et al., 1986; Cohen, 2012; Lovelock, 1983, 1991; Sasser et al., 1978; Zeithaml et al., 1985). These two approaches to the study of service firms' internationalization[1] have indisputably served us well; however, they also have some flaws and deficiencies (that will be accounted for in the next section). We use value creation logics to remedy, at least partially, these deficiencies of the two approaches to service firm analysis.\n2. What are value creation logics and why do we need them?: Industry studies benefit hugely from the availability of data, but the classification of industries is based on a mix of various ad hoc criteria (characteristics of the physical output, technology, government regulation, targeted customer segments, etc.) that tend to ignore strategically important differences within the individual industry or, equally important, similarities across industries. Hence, by using conventional industry classification we may miss out on important strategic differences within the individual service firms registered in an industry as well as overlook similarities across industries. Take the banking industry as an example of intra-industry differences. Banks are founded on two very different value creation logics, insofar as they usually provide two distinctively different services: connecting and advising clients. \"Connecting\" is a network service, whereas \"advising\" is a consultancy service. Conversely, the use of conventional industry classification may neglect inter-industry similarities: seemingly quite different, banks and social network firms are nonetheless sharing the same value creation logic: they create value by connecting people. As such, social network firms are potential entrants in the bank industry - and vice versa.\n3. Why do service firms internationalize?: Basically, firms-manufacturing as well as service firms - internationalize for three reasons: one reason is that firms already possess a homegrown competitive advantage that they want to exploit outside their home market (Buckley and Casson, 1976; Dunning, 1980, 1988; Johanson and Vahlne, 1977). This is the mainstream explanation of manufacturing firms' internationalization. Another reason is that firms have a homegrown competitive advantage but have to internationalize in order to retain that advantage. This is the follow-the-client internationalization trajectory of many professional service firms, such as consulting firms, lawyer firms, and accounting firms (Gaedeke, 1973; Daniels et al., 1989). As a third reason firms may internationalize because they can obtain a competitive advantage by going abroad, e.g., by preempting scale economies in an industry (Contractor, 2007; Hennart, 2007) or by getting access to strategic assets. We will focus on the second and third reason because they seem especially relevant for service firms. The six value creation logics (production of goods included) are, prima facie, likely to have the same prospects of developing homegrown competitive advantages. Hence, our focus is on internationalization as a keeper or lever of competitive advantage. For these two internationalization motives we assume that the six value creation logics (including production of goods), ceteris paribus, differ significantly in terms of how advantageously internationalization appears to be.\n4. How do service firms internationalize?: Firms' internationalization is a multidimensional construct encompassing several aspects-including management diversity (Nielsen, 2010), international strategy (Bartlett and Ghoshal, 1989), geographical diversification (Hitt et al., 1997), pace (Petersen and Pedersen, 1999; Rialp et al., 2005), and foreign operation mode (Anderson and Gatignon, 1986). We focus on the two last-mentioned dimensions. It is clear that the drivers of internationalization accounted for above qualify as predictors of the pace by which service firms tend to expand internationally. It is perhaps less obvious that we also can predict something about the default operation modes of service firms. However, with the combined use of insights from the entry mode literature (Anderson and Gatignon, 1986), including internalization theory (Buckley and Casson, 1976), industrial organizational (Chandler, 1990; Lieberman and Montgomery, 1988) and organizational learning (Argyris and Schon, 1978; Nonaka and Takeuchi, 1995) we can translate internationalization drivers into foreign operation modes of service firms.\n5. Conclusions and further research avenues: In this paper we have argued that the use of value creation logics can be a useful complement to the conventional approaches to the study of service firms' internationalization. Clearly, the concept of value creation logics has both its strength and weaknesses as an analytical tool for predicting and prescribing service firms' behavior in general and their internationalization in particular.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: While mainstream theories in international business and management are foundedeither explicitly or implicitly on studies of manufacturing firms, prior attempts to develop theoryon the internationalization of service firms are sparse and have yet to establish solid andcomprehensive frameworks. The thrust of this study is that value creation logics, a constructoriginally developed by Stabell and Fjeldstad (1998) can assist us in better understanding why and how service firms internationalize. The authors extend this construct and propose that the internationalization of service firms must be based on a thorough understanding of the fundamental nature of these firms.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Theoretical study.\nFindings: The authors put forward propositions concerning the pace of internationalization and the default foreign operation modes in service firms.\nResearch limitations/implications: The use of value creation logics can be a useful complement to the conventional approaches to the study of service firms' internationalization. However, the fact that most firms encompass more than one value creation logic complicates the use of firm databases and industry statistics.\nPractical implications: The authors suggest that managers in service firms should consider primarily the nature of the value creation logic(s) in their firms when deciding and designing an internationalization strategy.\nOriginality/value: The study presents a novel theoretical approach and a set of propositions on service firm internationalization founded on the specific characteristics of the service activities.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
A model-driven decision approach to collaborative planning and obsolescence for manufacturing operations
|
[
"Decision support system",
"Supply chain",
"Industry 4.0",
"Manufacturing system"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Nomenclature\n1. Introduction: Industry 4.0 in big data environment has become a buzzword in manufacturing and service industries (Xu et al., 2018; Vaidya et al., 2018; Lee et al., 2018; Xu and Duan, 2018). It also refers to extracting real-time data and developing new and innovative information systems (IS) through the use of computer and/or sensing devices as well as information communication tools (Kokuryo et al., 2017; Kaihara et al., 2017). Its ultimate goal is to adopt ground-breaking and advanced technologies that may rapidly improve the effectiveness and efficiency of a firm's productivity and gain significantly financial benefits (Vaidya et al., 2018; Xu and Duan, 2018). The implementation design of Industry 4.0 is based on four principles of system interoperability and data analysis, information transparency with real-time data, technical assistance for human decision making and decentralised decision with direction from humans and response to new information (Xu and Duan, 2018; Lin et al., 2018; Yang et al., 2018; Kokuryo et al., 2017; Kaihara et al., 2017). However, the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the model-driven decision support systems (DSS) can promote computerised support in collaborative manufacturing and decide upon optimal technologies and production plan to adopt. The ability for a firm to make changes in production planning and adapt to technology can give them the significant advantage over the competition (Yu et al., 2018; Leng and Jiang, 2018). To remain competitive, numerous firms have been considered to possibly adopt reliable and latest technologies and approaches to everyday business tasks for collaborative activities, such as procurement, manufacturing, quality assurance, warranty services, marketing, returns and recovery and logistics (Seuring, 2004; Kain and Verma, 2018; Kuik et al., 2016, 2017). An emerging technology is often utilising big data analytics to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of manufacturing industry and minimise used resources of producing different manufactured products (Kain and Verma, 2018; Seuring, 2004; Kokuryo et al., 2017; Kuik et al., 2017). In dealing with planned obsolescence and production, there is a need to develop a DSS and promote computerised support for collaborative manufacturing. However, it has become more challenging in terms of managing different time-varying component availability and obsolescence in unpredictable market trends and change in consumer behaviours.\n2. Background: Emerging information communication technologies, such as the IoT and cloud-based manufacturing systems tend to be costly to implement. These are a great technological risk to firms deciding to adopt (Xu et al., 2018; Kokuryo et al., 2017). Firms must find a robust and cost effective IoT system (Xu et al., 2018, Xu and Duan, 2018; Ghobakhloo, 2018). It is up to management executives to decide and develop a system that fits for their purposes. A firm should ideally use a customised DSS system rather than a one size fit entire system. A study conducted by operations researchers identified that IS must be incorporating with real-time control schemes for achieving best outcomes (Ghobakhloo, 2018; Kaihara et al., 2017; Shafiq et al., 2016). The real-time control scheme allows operations managers to extract and use the gathered information as well as to make production and obsolescence decisions (Kuik et al., 2017; Kuik et al., 2016). There are some practical IoT technologies used in manufacturing industries, such as being able to track different parts of the same product, different parts of production in its supply chain. The usefulness and flexibility of IoT in DSS has been well-discussed by practitioners and researchers in different types of production systems (Xu et al., 2018; Ghobakhloo, 2018; Yu et al., 2018; Mladineo et al., 2018). In the following sections, we present an overview of decision making and planned obsolescence in DSS and discuss production planning scenarios with different varying time-period components used.\n3. System architecture: The system architecture of a model-driven DSS consists of the hardware infrastructure and software application packages. It has three layered architecture modules. The top tier of the architecture module is represented as the user interface client application. The middle tier of the architecture module is associated with the decision analysis features web services and software-to-web-services interface. The bottom tier of the architecture module is basically formed by database and knowledge base. Microsoft .Net Framework is being used for this architectural design of DSS as shown in Figure 2.\n4. Collaborative decision-making process model: This research study has tried to propose a process model, known as CDPM as illustrated in Figure 5 to improve the efficiency of collaborative-related activities. It provides a systematic approach for supporting all business partners when handling different time-varying obsolescence and availability planning. Under this competitive environment, the decision making in collaborative manufacturing has now becoming more sophisticated and dynamics due to the increased numbers of manufacturing variables in production and inventory management control. A more concise decision-making process model is needed for all business partners to handle obsolescence and production planning appropriately and to avoid high operating costs in supply chain.\n5. Production planning for a model-driven DSS and discussion: This section presents the development of mathematical expressions for a model-driven DSS in CMN. The decision analysis management services are one of the middle tier module of the decision model features WS. We have developed one of the decision model features WS to be incorporated with a model-driven DSS for planned obsolescence in manufacturing industry. The first model is considered as WS for excluding time-varying component obsolescence and availability. This means all built components are new and virgin to be produced for manufactured products. The second model for WS is developed to account for production inventory planning with time-varying component obsolescence and availability. The different types of components used may have different time-varying availability periods in production. For example, some components may have about 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 10 months, etc. under production planning horizon in CMN when producing manufactured products. All these separate components need to be made and assembled in the planning horizon, otherwise these components may be then disposed and scrapped due to the obsolescence issues. A model-driven DSS can directly assist decision makers to promote computerised support in CMN especially in terms of visible data sharing and utilising core competencies to produce high quality manufactured products.\n6. Conclusion: This paper has demonstrated the flexibility and usefulness of a model-driven DSS in CMN by identifying and managing manufacturing activities and planned obsolescence. The highlights of our research study that distinguish from past research include a model-driven DSS for SMMEs has been developed to evaluate different scenarios of the planned obsolescence in collaborative manufacturing. More specifically, the main contribution of this paper has twofold. First, we developed the architecture of a model-driven DSS design for CMN to evaluate planned obsolescence in production. The system architecture design is developed and proposed based on the Microsoft .Net framework Web Service. There are three layers of architecture design in DSS that is used in this research study for demonstration and validation. Second, we also proposed both MIP optimisation models and CPDM to be incorporated with DSS for production planning problems. It also allows us to evaluate time-varying component obsolescence and manufacturing in CMNs.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present the model-driven decision support system (DSS) for small and medium manufacturing enterprises (SMMEs) that actively participates in collaborative activities and manages the planned obsolescence in production. In dealing with the complexity of such demand and supply scenario, the optimisation models are also developed to evaluate the performance of operations practices.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The model-driven DSS for SMMEs, which uses the optimisation models for managing and coordinating planned obsolescence, is developed to determine the optimal manufacturing plan and minimise operating costs. A case application with the planned obsolescence and production scenario is also provided to demonstrate the approach and practical insights of DSS.\nFindings: Assessing planned obsolescence in production is a challenge for manufacturing managers. A DSS for SMMEs can enable the computerised support in decision making and understand the planned obsolescence scenarios. The causal relationship of different time-varying component obsolescence and availability in production are also examined, which may have an impact on the overall operating costs for producing manufactured products.\nResearch limitations/implications: DSS can resolve and handle the complexity of production and planned obsolescence scenarios in manufacturing industry. The optimisation models used in the DSS excludes the variability in component wear-out life and technology cycle. In the future study, the optimisation models in DSS will be extended by taking into the uncertainty of different component wear-out life and technology cycle considerations.\nOriginality/value: This paper demonstrates the flexibility of DSS that facilitates the optimisation models for collaborative manufacturing in planned obsolescence and achieves cost effectiveness.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
A framework for research on e-learning assimilation in SMEs: a strategic perspective
|
[
"E‐learning",
"Information technology",
"Information technology adoption",
"Information technology assimilation",
"Small to medium‐sized enterprises",
"Learning methods",
"Internet"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Many industrialized countries are undergoing industrial reorganizations leading them towards knowledge-based economies in which training activities play a crucial role. Leveraging the massive development of information technologies (IT), organizations adopt an e-learning approach in order to align themselves with the requirements of a knowledge-based economy. Accepted by most training professionals as a credible training strategy, e-learning has been growing in popularity since the end of the 1990s (Bell et al., 2004; Nisar, 2002). The e-leaning market represents a sizeable portion of the training industry: worldwide, $90 billion are spent in training, with $20 billion spent on e-learning (Garavan et al., 2010). However, the adoption, diffusion and exploitation of e-learning by both educational institutions and organizations has proven to be slower than one would have anticipated, given the revolution in vocational training that was expected from e-learning (Bell et al., 2004).In spite of the low level of adoption in organizations, e-learning is still depicted as an attractive complement or even an alternative to traditional training methods (Long and Smith, 2004), especially for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), considering the time and resources constraints faced by these organizations (Moon et al., 2005) and their need for \"support of immediate problem solving at work\" (Admiraal and Lockhorst, 2009, p. 744). Yet, the literature on the usage pattern of e-learning by SMEs paints a rather bleak picture (Beer et al., 2006; Hamburg and Hall, 2008; Sambrook, 2003). What factors then explain this apparent contradiction? What factors are likely to help or hinder e-learning adoption, diffusion and exploitation in SMEs? In previous research, several reasons were put forward, some related to the paucity of IT infrastructure (Admiraal and Lockhorst, 2009; Sambrook, 2003), others to an inadequate e-learning offer (Caskey, 2007; Hardaker et al., 2007) or to the specificity of SMEs' culture (Hardaker et al., 2007) and their managers' attitudes towards e-learning solutions or to their being unconvinced of e-learning's benefits (Admiraal and Lockhorst, 2009; Bielli et al., 2003). Nevertheless, we still lack an integrative view of the determinants of e-learning adoption and assimilation in SMEs. This integrative view would pinpoint the interaction of different factors that are deemed antecedents of successful e-learning adoption and assimilation for SMEs, allowing them to seize the learning opportunities offered by new information technologies. Here, assimilation differs from adoption in that it refers to the breadth and depth with which a technology is used in an organization, that is, its \"infusion\" and \"routinization\" (Gallivan, 2001). E-learning assimilation is deemed very important as it is generally accepted that \"the potential business value of IT applications cannot be fully realized until they are extensively assimilated in an organization\" (Liang et al., 2007, p. 60).Beginning with the previous abundant empirical literature on the adoption and assimilation of IT, including the literature that targets SMEs in particular (Botta-Genoulaz and Millet, 2006; McCole and Ramsey, 2005; Scupola, 2008; Tsikriktsis et al., 2004), and taking into account the peculiar features of e-learning in the context of SMEs, this study proposes an integrative framework of e-learning adoption and assimilation adapted to this context. This framework aims to be useful not only to e-learning researchers but eventually to SME managers, vocational training institutions, the e-learning industry, and regional or national economic development agencies dealing with the emerging challenges facing SMEs. It shows the key role played by the SME owner-manager's strategic orientation, first in the sense-making of technological and environmental factors related to the e-learning context, and second in the shaping of organizational competencies leading to e-learning adoption and assimilation.This paper begins with a section on the state of e-learning usage in SMEs. The following section reviews the literature on IT adoption and assimilation factors that can be specifically applied to e-learning adoption and assimilation. We then integrate these factors within a research framework, and formulate a set of 20 propositions for future research.\n2. State of e-learning usage in SMEs: Perusal of the e-learning literature in SMEs leads one to conclude that the promises of a brilliant future have yet to materialize in reality. An analysis based on data gathered by the European Network for SME Research (ENSR) in 2002 (Hamburg and Hall, 2008) showed that no less than 59 percent of the SMEs surveyed had no formal training activity whatsoever; but what is perhaps the most revealing detail is that the \"e-learning\" category was not even mentioned in the survey. The ENSR survey measured usage of trade fairs, courses, study visits, job rotation, mentoring, professional literature, cooperation with consultants, internal meetings and \"other activities\", but not a word on e-learning. Hamburg and Hall (2008) added that only 7 percent of the SMEs had used the internet in the context of human resources management, a broad category likely to be dominated by recruiting rather than by training.The ARIEL project, concluded in December of 2005, is perhaps even more sobering. The final report (Beer et al., 2006) documents a multi-national research project funded by the European eLearning initiative. The report states that \"[research partners] were practically unable to identify SMEs that would meet the EU criteria for an SME having practical experience with e-learning. Various conferences, network meetings, and trade fairs on e-learning always seemed to exhibit the same SMEs as 'models of good practice' on the podium\" (translated from German, cf. Hamburg et al., 2008, for a summary in English). Sambrook (2003) had a similar experience in North Wales. Despite using promising leads, such as the \"Fast Growth Fifty\", of the 146 SMEs contacted only nine had some experience with e-learning, five of which were e-learning providers.Several reasons are offered to explain this state of affairs. Sambrook (2003) mentions lack of hardware, expertise, time and resources, difficulty in assessing the cost of e-learning and differences in language. Scheuermann and Reich (2002) found only a handful of Austrian SMEs to have had experience in e-learning. They report that the reasons for not relying on e-learning include lack of time, the fear of losing trained employees to other firms and the lack of infrastructure. In similar fashion, Bielli et al. (2003) found little enthusiasm for e-learning in a sample of Italian SMEs that had first-hand experience with this technology. Managers found e-learning products difficult to evaluate and not particularly likely to provide value for the money. Attwell (2003) in the final report of the European Center for the Development of Vocational Training (CeDeFoP) writes that SMEs are deficient in training culture and computer infrastructures, that the market offers few quality learning objects and that it is not clear that the return on investment (ROI) for e-learning is positive. This author also notes the rise of blended learning.A recent publication by Admiraal and Lockhorst (2009), looking at SME owners-managers' attitudes provides an important insight. Measuring attitudes towards the following seven concepts on five-point scales, namely technology for communication, technology for work, informal e-learning, formal e-learning, informal learning, formal learning and business networking, these authors report the lowest attitude scores for formal e-learning (2.3) and the highest towards informal e-learning (3.5).\n3. E-learning adoption and assimilation factors: E-learning systems are closely related to IT. We refer to e-learning when the \"learning procedure is involved with information and communication technologies\" (Wang, 2011, p. 192). More broadly, e-learning is defined as \"a tool that uses the computer network technology, primarily via electronic media, such as internet, intranets, extranets or many others, to deliver learning materials to users, and utilizes web-based communication, collaboration, knowledge transfer and training to support users' active learning without the time and space barriers\" (Cheng, 2011, p. 271). This tight relationship between e-learning and IT justifies the reliance on IT adoption and assimilation literature in order to understand e-learning adoption and assimilation antecedents.Multiple previous studies have shown that IT adoption and assimilation in organizations are determined by numerous factors which can be put in one of the three categories of Tornatzky and Fleischer's (1990) technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework. Hence, the process by which a firm adopts and implements technological innovations is influenced by the technological, organizational, and environmental contexts. Actually, many such contextual factors of IT adoption and assimilation have been studied in various contexts (SME vs large enterprise, services vs. manufacturing sector, for a specific type of IT such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. In the present study, we seek to identify those factors that are applicable to the adoption and assimilation of e-learning as a particular IT innovation, in the context of SMEs, and to highlight the specificity of these factors for such an IT and that particular context.3.1 Technology-related factors\n4. Research framework and propositions: Given the preceding considerations, we propose a research framework integrating technological context factors, organizational context factors, and environmental factors as antecedents of e-learning adoption and assimilation in SMEs, as schematized in Figure 1.4.1 The key role of the SME owner-manager's strategic orientation\n5. Conclusion: It has been underlined that neither the economic-rational nor the technical-rational perspectives can, by themselves, explain the adoption of e-learning solutions, let alone explain e-learning's effectiveness in the workplace (Comacchio and Scapolan, 2004; Wang, 2011). The economic and technical aspects of e-learning systems may be quite important and deserve to be studied, but other organizational or environmental factors should not be ignored. The research framework for e-learning adoption and assimilation in SMEs proposed here is predicated upon the interaction of technology-related, organization-related and environment-related determinants. This framework highlights the predominance of organizational factors over technological and environmental factors.We have proposed that technological and environmental factors do not affect directly the adoption and assimilation of e-learning systems as most often hypothesized in previous IT studies; they have an indirect influence, that is, through the effect they may have upon the organizational factors. These organizational factors play a critical role in the adoption and assimilation of e-learning. We emphasize the critical role of the SME's owner-manager in capturing, interpreting and reacting to signals emanating from the technological and environmental contexts. The 20 propositions resulting from these considerations are based on the literature and could thus serve as initial hypotheses in empirical research.While this paper is theoretical, it suggests a frame of reference to managers contemplating an e-learning program by highlighting key adoption and assimilation factors in the specific context of SMEs. Referring to the framework, managers would be, for instance, more aware of their own biases in technological and environmental sense-making, and of the influence of these biases upon the development of their competencies as well as their employees' competencies with regard to e-learning adoption and assimilation. If these managers were considering adopting e-learning solutions, they would be aware of the main competencies required for them and their employees to assimilate such an innovation.The proposed research framework could also be used as conceptual foundation and methodological core to develop a measure instrument for the organizational readiness and strategic alignment of SMEs considering e-learning adoption and wanting to evaluate their use of this technology. Such an instrument should provide reliable and actionable insights to SMEs managers and e-learning practitioners interested in the SME market. For instance, the framework suggests to trainers, to the e-learning industry, and to SME support and development agencies that they must adapt their approach and e-learning offer to the conditions prevailing in targeted SMEs. Otherwise stated, the \"one-size-fits-all\" approach/offer would not be effective. The SME support and development agencies, for instance, will have to take into account the strategic profile of owner-managers in order to customize their development of e-learning tools targeted to SMEs and their leaders.With regard to future research, given that e-learning is naturally related to training activities, relevant pedagogical factors could be included in the framework. For instance, it seems that the e-learning systems offered to employees of small and micro-firms are not compatible with their learning styles (Hardaker et al., 2007). Technology-related determinants of e-learning assimilation, such as the quality of the learning interface, should then come more into play.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - This study aims to propose an integrative conceptual framework of e-learning adoption and assimilation that is adapted to the specific context of small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The literature on the state of e-learning usage in SMEs and on the IT adoption and assimilation factors that can be specifically applied to e-learning adoption and assimilation in this context are reviewed. These factors are then integrated within a research framework, and a set of 20 propositions formulated.\nFindings: - The paper identifies the technological, organizational and environmental factors that are likely to favor or hinder e-learning adoption and assimilation in SMEs, as well as the interaction among these factors.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The integrative framework and the 20 propositions that emanate from it constitute the conceptual foundation for a research program and hypotheses on the adoption and assimilation of e-learning in SMEs.\nPractical implications: - This study offers managers a frame of reference to analyze their firm's situation before initiating an e-learning program by highlighting key adoption and assimilation factors in the specific context of SMEs.\nOriginality/value: - This study proposes an integrative conceptual framework of e-learning adoption and assimilation that is adapted to the specific context of SMEs.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Comparing consumer complaint responses to online and offline environment
|
[
"Consumer behaviour",
"Complaints",
"Service failures",
"Internet",
"Taiwan"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Service failures that cause customer dissatisfaction are inevitable even in the best-run stores. Some dissatisfied customers will not give service providers a chance to remedy the problem, either because they feel that the seller will not be willing to remedy the problem or because they are generally reluctant to complain (Blodgett et al., 1995). Thus, service providers should encourage their customers to complain if they experience service failures. Complaints may encourage suppliers to improve goods and services and, thus, produce some lasting benefit (East, 2000). Furthermore, compared to traditional shopping, finding things online is pretty easy. Consumers just open up a search engine like Google and type in what they are looking for. This is probably the biggest advantage of online shopping vs traditional shopping. Because online consumers can easily compare alternatives, especially for functional products and services (Shankar et al., 2003), this gives them easy options to go to other retailers if they are dissatisfied. Just as online consumers have more ready access to alternatives than do offline consumers, their responses to service failures in online settings could be different from those of offline customers (Harris et al., 2006).The current research focuses on how online and offline consumers differ in their perceptions of service failures and the intent to complain. With a quarter of a billion Internet users worldwide, an increasing number of customers are using information technology to handle their complaints (Mattila and Mount, 2003). Compared to the offline environment, the online environment offers more opportunities for personalized marketing (Wind and Rangaswamy, 2001), which could enhance customers' sense of control and influence them to express dissatisfaction differently in the online environment vis-a-vis the offline environment.This study draws on the consumer's intention of complaint literature and applies the theory of reasoned action (TRA) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to develop and experimentally test a conceptual framework that links the service medium (online versus offline purchasing) with intention to complain.\nLiterature review and hypotheses development: The TRA\nMethod: Research design and procedure\nResults: The causal model was assessed using latent variable structural equation modeling in AMOS 17.0. However, past researchers (e.g., Hair et al., 1998) recommended that the kh2 measure should be complemented with other goodness-of-fit measures. The fitness of Model 1 from this analysis was chi-square =112.73/115.65 (online/offline medium), df=62, p<0.001). In Model 2, the overall fit of the model was also significant in online and offline media. Further, additional goodness-of-fit indices, including the standardized root mean square residual (RMR), the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), the comparative fit index (CFI), the normed fit index (NFI), the parsimonious normed fit index (PNFI), the goodness-of-fit index (GFI), the parsimony goodness of fit index (PGFI), and minimum discrepancy divided by the degrees of freedom the minimum discrepancy (CMIN/DF), were all at acceptable levels, indicating that the model fit the data well (Bagozzi and Yi, 1988). Point estimates of RMR smaller than 0.05 were preferable (Byrne, 2001). The estimations of RMSEA were less than 0.08, which indicated a reasonable fit of all the estimated models in relation to the degrees of freedom (Browne and Cudeck, 1993). The values of CFI were above 0.95 for all the estimated models. The Bentler and Bonett normed fit index (NFI) showed values above 0.90. The values of ANFI above 0.50 indicate a very good fit (Diamantopoulos and Siguaw, 2000). In addition, the values of the goodness-of-fit index (GFI) were above 0.90 for all the estimated models, indicating a good absolute model fit. The values of PGFI were <= 0.50 are reasonable (Diamantopoulos and Siguaw, 2000). In general, a CMIN/DF (minimum discrepancy divided by the degrees of freedom) statistic of less than 5 is considered adequate, with lower values being superior (Byrne, 1989). Fit indices varied greatly in their reliability of estimation and sensitivity to sample size. In all, then, acceptable support was provided for the models as proposed (see Table II).As shown in Figures 3 and 4, and Table III, the kh2 value difference (p<0.001) between the null model and the restricted model is used to test the equality of the path coefficient. The results of the equality constraint model also showed that g coefficients depicting the relationship between perceived behavioral control and intention to complain were significantly different between the two groups (p<0.05) (Table III). Also, Model 1 tested the validity of the TRA in predicting the intention to complain; it explained 68 percent of the variation in the intention to complain (i.e., R2) in offline media, which was better than its explanatory power in online media. Thus, Model 1 fit the intention to complain toward offline retailers well, so H1a was supported.Model 2 fit the data adequately and explained 75 percent of the variation in the intention to complain in online media, which was an even better level of explanation than that provided by Model 1. Therefore, H1b was supported. Among the two alternative models, the combination of attitude toward complaining, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control were positively significant for the intention to complain. However, in offline media, relative to perceived behavioral control, positive attitudes toward complaining and social norms have significant effects in explaining intention to complain, while in online media, perceived behavioral control will play the most important role in predicting intention to complain. As a result, H2-H4 were supported.\nDiscussion and conclusion: Although many studies in the marketing literature have examined the intention to complain in offline settings (East, 2000; Voorhees and Brady, 2006) and in online contexts (Kim et al., 2003; Rust and Lemon, 2001), less work has been done to compare the intention in the two environments. This study fills that void. The results of this study offer encouraging evidence that the TRA and TPB can help explain the differences between consumers who complain to online retailers and those who complain to offline retailers. The TRA explains approximately 68 percent of the variance in consumer intention to complain to offline retailers, whereas the TPB explains approximately 75 percent of the variance in consumer intention to complain to online retailers.In addition to demonstrating that the TRA and TPB provide an acceptable fit to the data, another purpose of this study was to compare the predictive power of the two theories. The study demonstrates that perceived behavior control will be a robust predictor of intention to complain, and we expect the perception of level of control in complaining to online retailers to be higher than that of complaining to offline retailers. The effects of the predicting factors (attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control) on the intention to complain may also differ. Findings show that the causal factors in the two environments appear to differ significantly in their ability to predict the intention to complain.Consequently, in online media, perceived behavioral control adds significant explanatory power in predicting the intention to complain. This result is consistent with that of Fortin (2000), who explained that perceived behavioral control was a key determinant for behavioral intention in the online environment. Therefore, with respect to the online customers' evaluations of electronic encounters, the focus in our study is on the perceived behavioral control in intent to complain to online retailers. The positive effect of attitude and subjective norm on intention to complain in an offline environment is more significant than that in an online medium. That is, complaining to offline retailers requires a face-to-face talk, so consumers' attitudes and subjective norms will significantly determine their intention to complain.Managerial implications\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this study is to apply the theory of reasoned action (TRA) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to predict which factors can determine consumers' intentions to complain when they meet an online or offline service failure.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The method of obtaining quantitative data was that of the instrument of a survey questionnaire. Data were collected from 300 potential consumers to assess the influence of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control on the intention to complain. Participants were assigned averagely and randomly to one of two conditions: online medium and offline medium. Two-stage structural equation modeling was employed to test hypotheses.\nFindings: - It was found that both the TRA and the TPB predict the intention to complain well, although the predictive power of the TPB is more robust than the TRA in online media and is weaker than the TRA in offline media. In particular, perceived behavioral control is a better predictor of intention to complain than is attitude or subjective norm in the online environment.\nResearch limitations/implications: - This study assessed self-reported behavioral intention as part of its survey and, as a result, could have introduced unintentional inaccuracies.\nPractical implications: - The findings of the study will help marketers to address the key factor which influences consumers' intention to complain and to improve firm performances to meet consumer needs.\nOriginality/value: - The TRA and TPB are novel and usable in explaining the intention of online and offline consumers to complain, and these findings may be generally applicable to marketers and consumers.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Leadership as agency in the context of structure
|
[
"Leadership",
"Agency",
"Schools",
"Structure",
"Organizational structure",
"Academic quality"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Leaders in schools work within and through bureaucratic organisational structures (Wu et al., 2013). A bureaucratic organisational structure is characterised as being a hierarchy of authority, rules and procedures. However, it is not clear whether leaders who work under such structure in schools have the potential to exercise their agency to improve academic quality. The purpose of this paper is to examine how principals, deputy principals, heads of departments (HoDs) and teachers as leaders in Zimbabwe exercise their agency (activity) within the organisational structure of their schools to improve academic quality. These leaders seem to work in restrictive bureaucratic structures. They work under a structure of rules and policies that are not expected to be challenged but adhered to and complied with. If these leaders are managers, they work as per policy and have weak agency. Similarly, if they are leaders to the core, their agency will be stronger as they want to challenge, change, improve and set new visions and motivate. In this paper, it is argued that leadership is associated with agency, which may challenge work through noticeable strict structural policies and rules. Next, the relationship between agency and structure, as is depicted by various theories, will be discussed.\nTheories of agency and structure: Agency/structure approaches have featured prominently in deep-seated theoretical and educational debates on structure or what has been referred to as the \"man/world relationship\" (Lacroix, 2012). Those who have followed these debates have more often focussed on how agency and structure are related without paying much attention to how they are connected (Fuchs, 2001).\nThe Zimbabwean context: Schools in Harare Province of Zimbabwe comprise teachers and principals who hold high professional qualifications. These schools have good infrastructure and fairly adequate resources, particularly when compared to schools in other provinces. Against this background, the percentage of learners failing in national examinations at Grade 7 and Ordinary Levels (Table I) in the sampled schools in Harare is significantly high and worrisome. Poor academic quality in schools in Harare Province is a problem. This may perhaps be an indication that there is something wrong, which has to be addressed.\nMethodology: A qualitative research design was employed in this study. Grossoehme (2014) defines qualitative research design as a \"systematic collection, organisation and interpretation of textual material derived from talk or conversation\". In order to analyse and study the theme in detail, the interpretive paradigm was used. This paradigm suitable for this research as human experience in a natural setting was investigated. School leadership was described in terms of the setting and context. Thus, direct experiences were described, and the existing reality was socially constructed. The case study research method was used in this research.\nResults and discussion: The results of this study are presented concurrently with the discussion. Four participants from each school participated: the school principal, the deputy school principal, the HoD and a senior teacher. Out of possible 24 participants, 23 participated in the study because the HoD of School E also participated as the senior teacher.\nConclusion: This paper examined how principals, deputy principals, HoDs and teachers as leaders exercised their agency within and through the organisational structure of their schools to improve academic quality. A case study was used, which was situated within the wider context of school-based leadership. Participants were selected by means of purposive sampling from a sample of six primary and secondary schools in Harare Province of Zimbabwe.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine how principals, deputy principals, heads of departments (HoDs) and teachers as leaders exercise their agency within and through the organisational structure of their schools to improve academic quality.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A case study was conducted in the wider context of school-based leadership. Principals, deputy principals, HoDs and teachers selected by means of purposive sampling from six primary and secondary schools in Harare Province of Zimbabwe participated in the study.\nFindings: Leaders in schools in Harare Province were found to have the capacity to use their agency within and through the organisational structure to improve pass rates. They were able to use their agency to work within the supposed rigid bureaucratic organisational structures to enable bureaucratic organisational structures, or, in participants' views, democratic structures.\nResearch limitations/implications: Some limitations of the research ought to be considered. The research scope and site had its limitations. The research site was limited to a few primary and secondary schools in Harare Province (one out of ten provinces) of Zimbabwe. Although the sampling procedures were implemented to ensure good representation of participants' views, the sampling was limited to a few schools. Owing to time and financial constraints, a larger sample could not be selected to conduct the interviews. These limitations are acknowledged, but they do not undervalue the significance of the study, as they can provide potential avenues for further research. For example, the study may be replicated in rural provinces of Zimbabwe. Such further research could help improve school leadership in Zimbabwe.\nPractical implications: Principals, deputy principals, HoDs and teachers as leaders can exercise their agency in the structure of their schools to improve academic quality, expressed as and measured by pass rates. School leaders who have a positive attitude and requisite experience are able to change the rigid bureaucratic structures of their schools to enable bureaucratic structures, which are similar to democratic structures.\nOriginality/value: This paper provides a critical perspective on how leaders exercise their agency in the context of the organisational structure of their schools to improve academic quality.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Learning from the Mars Rover Mission: scientific discovery, learning and memory
|
[
"Knowledge management",
"Space technology"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nRecognizing and preserving learning: This paper describes an aspect of knowledge management that is rarely discussed: the creation of new scientific, technical and organizational knowledge as part of an exploration mission, and the distribution of that knowledge within and across institutional boundaries. Knowledge management for space projects and institutions shares many of the same challenges as knowledge management for any other complex endeavor. Personnel must be trained, policies must be implemented and documented, and records and documents must be created and stored.However, a scientific mission into space has several properties that add additional complexity to knowledge management requirements. First, the entire motivation for the mission is to develop new scientific knowledge. This knowledge results from learning by individuals, groups, and institutions. Much of the literature on institutional learning has focused on learning in the service of fundamental corporate goals, rather than on situations where the development of new knowledge is itself the goal. (See, for example, Davenport and Prusak (1988, Ch. 3.)An additional complexity is that space missions are commonly a collaboration between multiple institutions. In the case of the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission described here, the team included members from at least five NASA centers, with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory as the lead, as well as over 37 universities, institutes and private corporations. This means that recognizing, preserving, organizing and disseminating new knowledge cannot be confined within the boundaries of a single organization.The most familiar form of knowledge captured in space knowledge management efforts is represented in the form of documents generated as part of the ongoing process of a mission: design documents, records of mission reviews, records generated during the mission, etc. However, there is also a great deal of retrospective activity: attempts to recognize and preserve learning at the end of the project, or even more challenging, years later, from retiring experts. These post-project capture efforts most often consist of requirements for personnel to fill out computer-based forms in lessons learned systems and to deposit mandated records when departing. Somewhat less frequently, there is an attempt to capture learning by an interview process that results in written summaries or video records of stories told by departing experts.In order for such efforts to result in useful knowledge consistently and effectively, it is important to ask what learning is in the context of space exploration, and how to recognize it. While so-called lessons learned databases are common, their underlying definition of a lesson is frequently not clearly specified. Most often, a lesson is taken to be the product of a mistake or a mishap: something which must be documented to assure that it will not happen again. Many such \"lessons\" are to be found in mishap reports by investigation boards, and many reporting databases have as their primary purpose the collection of data to be provided to such a board in case of a mishap. This is a negative view of learning as an unpleasant activity, as expressed in the colloquial phrase: \"Have you learned your lesson yet?\" This means that much more attention is paid to failed projects than to successful ones (MacCormack, 2004).Yet in spite of mishaps at worst and reinventions of the wheel at best, much new and positive learning does occur. As NASA prepares for a return to the moon after 30 years, more is known now, both technically and institutionally. Thus, rather than merely focusing on lessons learned in the narrow sense of documenting mistakes, there is a more inspiring question: how do people, projects, and institutions learn new things; how is this learning preserved and continued; and how is it possible to plan for such learning and preservation across multigenerational missions?There are many types of learning in projects as large, complex, and lengthy as space exploration missions. At the highest level, there is mission-scale learning. This includes such issues as how to maintain support for a mission over many years, multiple elections, and changes of government commitments to the mission, and how to manage across changes in the requirements for how a government agency is legally mandated to work with contractors, and in the mandated system for management processes. (For example, Johnson (2002) describes changes in systems engineering models in American and European space programs.) At perhaps the most detailed level, there is learning about individual components and their behavior. The behavior of the Space Shuttle's O-ring at low temperatures is perhaps the most notorious example, but any spacecraft design incorporates hundreds of thousands of such lessons learned about components and their interactions. At an intermediate level, there is the learning generated in the design process: inheritance of previous mission design concepts; development of new designs, materials, and processes; discovery by iterative design, etc.In order to describe what learning looks like as it happens, this paper focuses on an intermediate level of learning that falls between the level of government policy and the level of widgets, looking at ongoing learning during mission operations, and the ways in which this learning is formally or informally incorporated into the memory of the institution performing the mission. It is difficult to capture or even recognize this kind of learning without special efforts. It may become part of the mandated or informal work procedures, incorporated into software code, or may simply become what \"everybody knows\". By the end of a mission, it is easy to forget that learning has taken place, since it has become obvious \"common sense\". Some learning may be captured but stored in disparate places so that it would be very difficult to reconstitute. Finally, without the intention and ability to recognize learning on the fly as learning, there is no reason to try to capture it systematically.This paper first describes what such learning looks like, describes how such learning is currently captured (or not), and finally, discusses methods for discovering, capturing, and representing these more subtle forms of learning. In effect, the paper shows empirical examples of a few of the many types of learning processes which produce the data and information which knowledge management systems attempt to manage.\nResearch site and methods: This paper is based on a study of the MER mission. At the time of writing (August 2005), the mission still continues, with both rovers in operation approximately 18 months after the mission's nominal duration.NASA's MER Project consists of two rovers performing robotic geological fieldwork on two locations on the surface of Mars, searching for evidence of a history of past water activity. The first rover, Spirit, landed on Mars on January 4, 2004, followed by the landing of the second rover, Opportunity, on January 25, 2004. The rovers were designed to recognize and maneuver around small obstacles on their way to observe features selected by scientists from images sent by the rovers. They carry an instrument package which includes a panoramic camera (Pancam), a stereo camera with 11 color filters and two filters for imaging the Sun; a miniature thermal emission spectrometer (Mini-TES); a robotic arm with a microscopic imager to produce extreme close-up images of rocks, soils and particles; an alpha-particle spectrometer to detect elemental abundances of rocks and soils; a Mossbauer spectrometer to distinguish iron-bearing minerals; and a rock abrasion tool (RAT) for brushing and grinding. Additionally, the rovers contain two monochromatic navigation cameras, four hazard avoidance cameras, and high and low gain antennae for data transfer to Earth (see Figure 1).In addition to returning unprecedented data about Mars, the MER mission also has provided us with an opportunity to track how the science and engineering team learned, how this learning was recorded, or assimilated without specifically being marked as learning, and whether the representations of this learning are likely to be usefully available for subsequent missions. This paper is based on an observational study of the work of the MER science and engineering teams during the first six months of the mission, the most intensive period for these teams. Conducted by members of NASA Ames Research Center Work System Design and Evaluation team, the study included ethnographic observation, video and audio recording of the work of the science team, analysis of documents and technology use, and interviews with team members.Grossly simplified, the work of the science operations team during the initial period consisted of receiving downlinked data from one of the rovers, assembling it into usable data products, analyzing it to determine what data to request next, planning the rover's activities on the next sol (Martian day), and creating command sequences to uplink to the rover (see Figure 2). (See also Wales et al. (2005) for a fuller discussion of the work of this team.)The science team was divided into five theme groups by scientific discipline: Atmospheric Sciences; Geology; Soils and Physical Properties; Geochemistry/Mineralogy; and Long Term Planning. Long Term Planning is a special group charged with developing a general plan for each sol, and ensuring continuity between sols, and tracking the progress of science and mission objectives. Discussion, learning, negotiation, and planning occurred in a series of formal meetings, punctuated by individual or ad hoc small group work.\nTypes of learning: There were many forms of learning and learning capture observed during the work of the science and operations team. Indeed, this paper describes a work in progress, since at the time of writing the mission still continues, over a year longer than the nominal 90-day duration of each rover's mission. Further, although several issues of Science have already appeared with initial findings from the Rovers, much of the work of scientific analysis, and assessment of design and operations decisions can be performed only after the conclusion of the mission. However, even before the end of the mission, it is possible to sketch some of the major areas of learning and knowledge preservation.Learning the instruments\nPreserving (or losing) learning: Thus far, this paper has attempted to sketch some of the many types of learning which happen as an unremarked part of the daily work of a mission. Obviously, the work of the MER science and engineering teams is anything but routine: team members are creatively performing new and startlingly complex and successful activities in an unexplored terrain on another planet. Certain examples of the team's learning were obvious to the entire world: early loss of data from the rover due to a software problem with flash memory and its successful repair was the stuff of news headlines and ongoing drama (http://llis.nasa.gov/llis/plls/index.html). But most of the learning discussed here is not dramatic. Rather it is daily, ongoing, incremental. The question for knowledge management is how to recognize this as learning, and ensure that it is preserved.If knowledge management begins to view knowledge as the product of learning, it is necessary to ask: \"Who learns?\" Certainly, individuals learn, and as they move from project to project or mission to mission, there is a good chance that their learning will be available on the next project. Individuals also train and mentor their colleagues and juniors, providing another way that individual learning is transmitted.But what would it mean for an institution to learn? Whether it is legitimate to use the terms \"learning\" and \"remembering for institutions has been the subject of a fair amount of debate\" (Walsh and Ungson, 1991). Certainly they make efforts to preserve aspects of what has happened in the past, to find and retrieve some of these representations of the past, and to use them in the present to influence the future. This is done in a variety of ways, ranging from strategies relying on individual human memory and transmission from human to human, through archival and computer storage of documents and data, to organizational policies and procedures and even physical infrastructure. This list is similar to the \"bins\" of memory proposed in Walsh and Ungson (1991, p. 66):* individuals;* culture;* transformations, which includes training of recruits, standard operating procedures, budgeting, marketing, administrative systems, etc.;* structures, which include both individual roles within an organization and \"institutionalized myths that are sustained and legitimized by members of an organization\"; and* ecology: physical structure and design.Institutions learn by retaining people who have learned, and by engaging them to train others. In a weak sense, it could be argued that an institution has learned by collecting relevant data and making it available as knowledge in archives, databases, etc. However, this constitutes actual learning only if the knowledge is both usable and used. In the strongest sense, an institution has learned when its behavior has changed. Learning has occurred when it has been incorporated into the procedures mandated by the institution, into the design decisions the institution makes, and into the ways in which the institution functions internally and with external partners.Let us now consider strategies for ensuring that learning is preserved as knowledge, at the individual, team, institutional and scientific levels.Preserving individual learning\nHow best to preserve knowledge: Let us conclude by considering how to implement strategies and tools for the preservation of knowledge at all these levels. First, this paper has argued that knowledge management should begin with an understanding that knowledge is the product of learning, individual and collective. Such a view provides a very different perspective for knowledge management than the common assumption that the beginning point for knowledge management is data, which are turned into interpreted information, and finally into usable knowledge. Taking this view suggests an emphasis on identifying where learning is happening, and determining the best ways to support and extend it within an institution, as well as preserving it for future uses.Lessons learned activities\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - Knowledge management for space exploration is part of a multi-generational effort. Each mission builds on knowledge from prior missions, and learning is the first step in knowledge production. This paper aims to use the Mars Exploration Rover mission as a site to explore this process.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - This paper presents an observational study and analysis of the work of the MER science and engineering team during rover operations, to investigate how learning occurs, how it is recorded, and how these representations might be made available for subsequent missions.\nFindings: - The paper finds that learning occurred in many areas: planning science strategy, using instruments within the constraints of the Martian environment, the Deep Space Network, and the mission requirements; using software tools effectively; and running two teams on Mars time for three months. This learning is preserved in many ways. Primarily it resides in individuals' memories. It is also encoded in stories, procedures, programming sequences, published reports, and lessons learned databases.\nResearch limitations/implications: - This paper shows the earliest stages of knowledge creation in a scientific mission, and demonstrates that knowledge management must begin with an understanding of knowledge creation.\nPractical implications: - The paper shows that studying learning and knowledge creation suggests proactive ways to capture and use knowledge across multiple missions and generations.\nOriginality/value: - This paper provides a unique analysis of the learning process of a scientific space mission, relevant for knowledge management researchers and designers, as well as demonstrating in detail how new learning occurs in a learning organization.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Lay people's views of the school food supply
|
[
"Public opinion",
"Schools",
"Food service",
"Australia"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nThe public's views of schoolchildren's eating: Most children spend many of their waking hours at school. During this time they need to eat and drink. Recently, the quality of foods supplied to schoolchildren has come under scrutiny in some countries, for example several commentators have criticised the intense marketing of high energy products to children (Stanton, 1998; Story and French, 2004; Nestle, 2002; EU, 2005; House of Commons Select Committee, 2004). In several jurisdictions the sales of energy dense (\"junk\") products at school has been banned (NSW Health, 2004; National School Board of America, 2002). In the UK the Parent's Jury has opposed the sale of \"unhealthy\" foods and drinks to school children (www.parentsjury.org). Much of this renewal of interest stems from alarm generated by recent studies of the prevalence and environmental causes of childhood obesity (Bell and Swinburn, 2004; Egger and Swinburn, 1997; James et al., 2004). Several recent studies have shown that school food services often do not conform to national dietary guidelines (Nestle, 2002; Cleland et al., 2005; Maddock et al., 2005).In Australia, schools are regulated by State governments which until recently have followed laissez-faire schemes as regards the provision of foods and beverages at school. Such regimes have relied on parental volunteers to prepare and distribute foods in schools and allowed the marketing of energy-rich foods and beverages, via vending machines, sales of high-energy snack and drinks and \"fund raising\" drives (Maddock et al., 2005; Cleland et al., 2005).Despite their importance as voters, citizens and as caregivers, very few studies have examined the ways in which adults (parents and non-parents) view the feeding of children at school, which may include a range of marketing practices. In a previous study, lay people were shown to hold sophisticated views of the causes and prevention of childhood obesity, which were quite distinct from those expressed in the broad public health literature (Hardus et al., 2003). Therefore, it was decided to build on this earlier work to examine adults' views of the current state of school food services as well as their likely antecedents.\nLikely predictors of lay-persons' beliefs about children's eating: Previous studies have shown that demographic characteristics such as sex, parenthood, education background, and age are often associated with the views people hold about food and health issues and the ways they use health information (Benjamin-Garner et al., 2002; Crotty et al., 1992; Wardle et al., 2004; Bus and Worsley, 2003; Wham and Worsley, 2003). Parental status was expected to be an important associate since the experience of caring for young children appears to make adults more aware of children's health (Worsley, 1990). Similarly, it was hypothesised that women would be relatively more interested in school food issues than men in line with previous findings which suggest that women in general are more interested in children's health than men (Wardle et al., 2004; Fagerli and Wandel, 1999; Milligan et al., 1998).Educational background has been associated generally with investment in the future and control over life outcomes. Ippolito (2002), for example, has shown that tertiary educated people tend to have stronger future orientation and interest in controlling outcomes in their lives than non-tertiary educated people and Rogers (1995) and others have shown that higher education is associated with earlier uptake of social innovations. Food consumption is strongly associated with educational background; tertiary educated individuals tending to consume \"healthier\" foods than non-tertiary educated people (Wardle et al., 2004; Johansson et al., 1999; Hupkens et al., 2000; Turrell et al., 2002; Worsley et al., 2003). Therefore, it was expected that tertiary educated adults would be more concerned about possible deficiencies in the school food supply than non-tertiary educated adults. It was also hypothesised that older adults would hold \"stricter\" opinions about children's foods since older Australians were reared in times in which \"whole foods\" and \"proper eating\" prevailed (Wahlqvist and Truswell, 1986).Two additional sets of phenomena which are likely to be associated with people's opinions about food are \"trust and confidence in the food system\" and their personal values. During the past two decades many studies have shown that confidence in food-related authorities is related to concerns about food safety (Wandel, 1994; Frewer, 2000), and other health issues (Worsley and Scott, 2000). Generally, the less confidence consumers have in governments and other food authorities, the more concerned they are about foods and food services. Therefore, it was hypothesised that adults who expressed greater confidence in the various authorities which control school food (such as state and federal governments and teachers) would be less concerned about the current state of school food services.Personal values are the guiding principles in people's lives (Schwartz, 1992), which enable individuals to evaluate propositions and to form attitudes to objects and courses of action (Feather, 1982). Several studies have shown that values are associated with a number of food preferences such as vegetarianism (Sims, 1978; Worsley and Skrzypiec, 1998), preferences for particular foods such as yoghurt (Lowe and Worsley, 2003), organic foods (Grunert and Juhl, 1995) and meat (Allen et al., 2000), food lifestyles (Grunert et al., 1997), trust in nutrition information (Worsley and Lea, 2003), and decision-making about food (Feather et al., 1998). It was hypothesised that people who hold strong harmony-equity values (values which emphasise the importance of community harmony) or traditional values (respecting authority, conformity and the \"old\" ways) may be more likely to be more critical of current school food services, since they are an important, traditional community resource.\nMethodology: Survey participants\nResults: Demographic characteristics\nDiscussion: The findings show that this sample of Australian adults was quite critical of the current food supply in schools. Substantial proportions were against the status quo, supported health, nutrition and home economics education but had fairly ambivalent attitudes towards the activities of food marketers in schools, with many supporting the sponsorship of school sports teams and chocolate fundraisers but opposing vending product sales. Such citizen views have not been reported previously. They suggest that opportunities for policy and practice innovations may exist. The respondents' views of the acceptability of potential policy changes are reported elsewhere (Worsley, 2006).The respondents' perceptions were not unanimous on any of the issues raised, though there was almost complete agreement with the need for skills based health education. Opinions varied about each of the themes revealed by the principal components analysis (see Table I: total percentage agreement and disagreement columns). The ambivalence of the respondents towards snacks and marketing at school illustrate the division of opinion about school food provision and suggest that in Australia, at least, policy initiatives which deal with these issues are likely to be controversial. The antecedents of these opinions are likely to reside among diverging views of the dependence of children and the appropriateness of private industry interventions in the education sector. Further investigation is required.As hypothesised, women and parents were more supportive of healthy eating and against marketing (than non-parents and men), poorer people were more concerned about the cost of school food, younger people (18-35 years) appeared to be more tolerant of marketing than older people, and people scoring higher on equity harmony tended to oppose snacks and marketing in schools more than others (Table II). Generally, however, respondents' income, sex, parent status and personal values had relatively little to do with the ways they viewed the school food and nutrition services.The relationships between educational background and opinions about snacks and marketing and the value of health education ran counter to the study hypotheses. Instead of the tertiary educated favouring these activities more than non-tertiary educated people, the reverse was the case. Tertiary educated respondents were more in favour of snacks and marketing at school, trusted the food authorities more, and doubted the utility of nutrition education in influencing life-long habits. On the face of it, this suggests that the tertiary educated were less critical of the status quo in schools and more anti-intellectual than non-tertiary educated respondents. This runs counter to the published literature on the positive associations of education with health knowledge and health habits (as noted in the Introduction). Similar findings were recently observed in a study of consumers' views of the Australian government supplement regulation agency (the Therapeutic Goods Administration); tertiary graduated placed less trust in the agency than less educated respondents (Blasche et al., 2006). In that paper we suggested that the critical opinions of non-university educated people may be related to their greater powerlessness and anomie (Marmot and Wilkinson, 1999; Srole, 1991). This finding requires further confirmation and examination.Confidence in the food authorities was significantly related to nine of the opinion items. Those with low levels of confidence were more critical of school food and nutrition services and snacks and marketing than those with greater levels of confidence. The point here is that many respondents did not trust the authorities and they were highly critical of the status quo in schools (even though most of the respondents were strongly supportive of school staff education activities). This may be because they feel powerless to influence the general or particular processes that influence school food services. The challenge for government and school authorities is to find ways to gain the confidence of these people.The study has several limitations. For example the response rate was moderately low though similar to other recent surveys conducted in Victoria (Cleland et al., 2005). Many potential respondents contacted us to say that they either did not have children or that they had been parents so long ago that they felt they could not usefully contribute to the study. This was despite written assurance that the opinions of every adult in the sample would be valuable. In future research in this area, it may be advisable to limit the age range of the sample to those under 50 or 60 years to restrict the sample to those adults who perceive the topic to be of high relevance to them. Finally, the indices of personal values and confidence were minimal; in further research, more extensive indices might be included along with more detailed expositions of some of the themes explored in this study such as trust, alienation and anomie.\nConclusions: Substantial proportions of the sample were not satisfied with the current state of school food and nutrition education services.Confidence in the food authorities, equity harmony values and sex, age and education variables were weakly associated with the respondents' opinions; though tertiary educated respondents were clearly more tolerant of the status quo in schools than less educated people. Policy responses from food authorities are indicated.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - This article aims to examine lay-persons' views of school food services in Victoria, Australia.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - A cross-sectional postal questionnaire survey of a random sample of electors on the Electoral Roll in Victoria, Australia. Out of 1,000 potential respondents, 377 completed the questionnaire. Main outcome measures included responses to closed questions about foods supplied to children at school using five-point scales. Data analyses included frequency and cross-tabulation analyses, and multivariate analyses of principal component scores by demographic and personal values variables.\nFindings: - Many respondents were critical of children's school food services but they were generally supportive of food and health education, whilst holding ambivalent attitudes towards snacks and marketing practices.\nResearch limitations/implications: - This was a cross-sectional survey with a relatively low response rate.\nPractical implications: - Understanding of laypersons' views of children's food services is likely to facilitate nutrition communication and promotion of healthy children's foods.\nOriginality/value: - Lay views of children's food provision have rarely been reported, despite their importance for the support of public nutrition policies. The study identifies likely antecedents of lay people's views.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The effect of upward-only rent reviews on UK prime retail property capital values
|
[
"Rent reviews",
"Financial management",
"Property management",
"Rental value",
"United Kingdom",
"Urban areas"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Background\nMethod: The capital values of retail property are determined by macro-economic, property market and property specific factors, however the key determinants of capital value can be reduced to two variables: rent and yield. These variables are derived by valuers through complex and often subjective processes, but provided a means of operationalising this research.In order to test the hypothesis of this research paper it was necessary to obtain objective data from valuers relating to the effect on capital value of a ban of UORRs. Ninety valuers, all fellows or members of the RICS operating in 25 surveying firms, who were known to have been active in prime retail property in Leeds and its satellite commercial centres, were invited in March 2006 to complete an on-line survey.Rather than ask valuers their direct opinion on the effect on capital values from a ban of UORRs, valuers were asked their opinion on the key variables that ultimately determine the effect on capital values pre and post any ban of UORRs.These variables are:* Yield prior to a hypothetical ban of UORRs ( per cent).* Yield after a hypothetical ban of UORRs ( per cent).* The amount (if any) of uplift to initial rents after a ban of UORRs ( per cent).In providing their opinion of these variables, respondents were asked to consider for a March 2006 valuation date a hypothetical lease for a typical prime retail property located on Briggate in Leeds, subject to a 15-year FRI lease commencing March 2006, rack rented to a tenant of good covenant. This hypothetical lease was one for which the prevailing yield should have been known to targeted valuers, it representing an actively traded property class within the prime retailing pitch of the city of Leeds and one for which the stated lease terms were the norm.These variables were then used to derive the implied change in capital value for each respondent for a hypothetical new lease commencing on the given March 2006 valuation date. The percentage change in capital value, Dcv(S), derived from the survey responses is defined as follows: Equation 1 The calculation of this dependent variable provided an objective means of assessing the opinion of valuers as to the effect of a ban of UORRs on the capital values of prime retail property for new leases commencing in March 2006. However, this data alone would not be sufficient in order to adequately test the hypothesis as this approach did not account for existing leases which exhibit varying terms to expiry, and varying degrees of under-renting and over-renting.To broaden the testing of the hypothesis, a case study was developed centred on the prime retail rent review and lease renewal client portfolio of the Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) Leeds office between April 2005 and September 2005. This is a portfolio of 72 retail properties for 13 clients to which access was granted to rental valuation data (see Tables I and II). These properties are located in Leeds and its satellite commercial centres, and each was the subject of a rent review or lease renewal rental valuation between April 2005 and September 2005.Properties were selected for inclusion in the research case study portfolio by LSH valuers as those that had been valued within the aforementioned period and which were, in their opinion, good quality retail premises in prime locations within the districts in which they were situated.Using a spreadsheet model, conventional equivalent yield term and reversion valuations were performed on these properties both pre and post a hypothetical ban of UORRs for a 1 March 2006 valuation date. The comparative portfolio valuations pre and post UORR ban provided an alternative approach for determining the dependent variable measuring the change in capital value following a ban of UORRs. The percentage change in capital value derived from applying the survey responses to the valuation model is defined as Dcv(M).When modelling the case where UORRs are banned, the rental uplift post-ban was not applied to the rent in the term element of property valuations following rent review. The proposed legislation will not affect existing leases in that existing UORRs will be allowed to remain until lease expiry, but will ban UORRs from new leases and lease renewals. Open market letting and lease renewal rental evidence post an UORR ban would relate to upward and downward rent reviews and such evidence would be likely to include a rental premium. It was assumed that valuers would adjust such evidence, ensuring that existing leases with UORRs reflect a lower rent for the tenant risk of paying in excess of a market rent.\nResults: Survey responses\nConclusions and qualifications: Conclusions\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to consider the likely effect on capital values of prime retail property in major UK urban centres from any legislative ban of upward-only rent reviews (UORRs) from commercial leases.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The opinion of Leeds-based valuers regarding changes to yield and rent following a hypothetical ban of UORRs was surveyed and the implied effect on capital values calculated. Rental valuation data were obtained for a portfolio of prime retail properties located in Leeds and its satellite commercial centres, forming a case study. The data were combined with survey responses to develop a valuation model to further consider, in an applied context, the effect on capital values as a result of prohibiting UORRs. The hypothesis tested is that, immediately following enactment, prohibition of UORRs will cause a reduction in capital values of prime retail property in major UK urban centres.\nFindings: - The conclusion drawn from the research is that, based on contemporary professional opinion, the hypothesis is likely to be true though the extent of the reduction will vary as a function of specific lease and property characteristics.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The behaviour of valuers and the issue of subjectivity in valuation is a limitation of this positivist research. An alternative phenomenological approach, perhaps with structured interviews at its core, might produce alternative findings.\nOriginality/value: - This research attempts to quantify the effect on capital values on prime retail property following any ban of upwards only rent reviews, a subject that holds a high level of contemporary interest with all property stakeholders.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
An integrated approach for multivariate statistical process control using Mahalanobis-Taguchi System and Andrews function
|
[
"Control chart",
"Mahalanobis distance",
"Quality control",
"Mahalanobis-Taguchi System",
"Multivariate statistical process control"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Intense global competition incites modern industries to manufacture products which are high on quality and sold at competitive price. To achieve such goals, industry needs to simultaneously monitor and control several critical-to-quality (CTQ) output characteristics of process which influence final product performance. Output characteristics closer to their target (specified) values with minimum variability around targets always achieve high quality and performance. In this context, innovative and easy-to-implement online monitoring and statistical control techniques for multiple quality characteristics are highly recommended (Hachicha et al., 2012).\n2. An integrated approach for MSPC: A 5-phase integrated approach, based on the Mahalanobis-Taguchi System (MTS), the Andrews function plot, and a nonlinear optimization strategy, is proposed for online control of a multivariate process. An integrated approach seems very much essential as most of the research works on MSPC either discuss monitoring of the process or diagnosing the out-of-control signal. Integrating monitoring, diagnosis, and adjustments are critical and important for successful implementation. The five distinct phases of the proposed approach are given below:\n3. Case studies: To verify the proposed five-phase approach, two real life case studies are selected. The first case is based on time-ordered data from a finish honing process (Mukherjee, 2007), and the second case is based on data collected from a packaged mineral water manufacturing process. Details and analyses of both the cases based on the proposed five-phase approach are provided below.\n4. Conclusion: Today, MSPC charts are the most commonly used charts in industry. However, the classical MSPC approach has either restrictive distribution assumptions or it is limited up to the identification of the influential variable for the out-of-control state. Owing to this, the need for further research on developing an integrated nonparametric approach, which also addresses the adjustment of the influential variable, is considered to be of great importance.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop a new easy-to-implement distribution-free integrated multivariate statistical process control (MSPC) approach with an ability to recognize out-of-control points, identify the key influential variable for the out-of-control state, and determine necessary changes to achieve the state of statistical control.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The proposed approach integrates the control chart technique, the Mahalanobis-Taguchi System concept, the Andrews function plot, and nonlinear optimization for multivariate process control. Mahalanobis distance, Taguchi's orthogonal array, and the main effect plot concept are used to identify the key influential variable responsible for the out-of-control situation. The Andrews function plot and nonlinear optimization help to identify direction and necessary correction to regain the state of statistical control. Finally, two different real life case studies illustrate the suitability of the approach.\nFindings: The case studies illustrate the potential of the proposed integrated multivariate process control approach for easy implementation in varied manufacturing and process industries. In addition, the case studies also reveal that the multivariate out-of-control state is primarily contributed by a single influential variable.\nResearch limitations/implications: The approach is limited to the situation in which a single influential variable contributes to out-of-control situation. The number and type of cases used are also limited and thus generalization may not be debated. Further research is necessary with varied case situations to refine the approach and prove its extensive applicability.\nPractical implications: The proposed approach does not require multivariate normality assumption and thus provides greater flexibility for the industry practitioners. The approach is also easy to implement and requires minimal programming effort. A simple application Microsoft Excel is suitable for online implementation of this approach.\nOriginality/value: The key steps of the MSPC approach are identifying the out-of-control point, diagnosing the out-of-control point, identifying the \"influential\" variable responsible for the out-of-control state, and determining the necessary direction and the amount of adjustment required to achieve the state of control. Most of the approaches reported in open literature are focused only until identifying influencing variable, with many restrictive assumptions. This paper addresses all key steps in a single integrated distribution-free approach, which is easy to implement in real time.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Evaluating the role of social capital, tacit knowledge sharing, knowledge quality and reciprocity in determining innovation capability of an organization
|
[
"Social capital",
"Tacit knowledge",
"Tacit knowledge sharing",
"Knowledge quality",
"Innovation capability",
"Knowledge reciprocity"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Innovation capability is one of the primary organizational tools to survive external unpredictability (Johnson et al., 1997; Hussein et al., 2016; Calantone et al, 2002). It is an idea, practice or commodity deemed new by the unit of adoption (Rogers, 2003; Zaltman et al., 1973). Adding to the discussion on the importance of innovation, researchers have studied innovation capability as a central factor to improved business performance, survival, growth and competitive advantage (Calantone et al, 2002; Coad and Rao, 2008; Cefis and Marsili, 2005). Innovation capability of an organization can be stated as the knowledge and competencies required for creating new products and/or technologies, as well as improving the existing ones (Lall, 1992; Romijn and Albaladejo, 2002). Innovation capability provides a firm with a sustainable competitive advantage and in the implementation of the entire strategy (Rajapathirana and Hui, 2018) and is tacit and non-modifiable, as well as being closely related to experimental acquirement and interior experiences (Guan and Ma, 2003). This has led to widespread acceptance among scholars and practitioners that \"innovation is power\" for firms and other organizations (Drach-Zahavy et al., 2004; Kamasak and Bulutlar, 2010; du Plessis (2007), in her study on the role of knowledge management on innovation, stressed the fact that through an innovation process, firms continue to make improvements, which not only led to using the current resources but also in bringing new, intangible assets to the firm. Additionally, it has also been observed that there exists a direct relationship between innovation capability and superior business performance, which in turn leads to a competitive advantage in the market.\n2. Literature review and hypothesis development: This section of the paper is devoted to casting light on the theoretical background of the major constructs used in the current study: social capital, tacit knowledge, knowledge reciprocity, and innovation capability.\n3. Research methodology: 3.1 Sample and data collection\n4. Data analysis and findings: 4.1 Data analysis strategy\n5. Discussing the results: One of the primary contributions of this study is that it offers a detailed picture of the links between tacit knowledge, knowledge quality and innovation capability as well as the role of different facets of social capital and knowledge reciprocity on tacit knowledge transfer in an organizational setting. Prior researches in knowledge management had indicated that organizations with a strong knowledge management capability are more adept in pursuing successful innovation (Soto-Acosta et al., 2018), and the findings of the current study adhere to the same. As shown in Figure 2, H1 is supported which means that tacit knowledge sharing enhances innovation capability. This finding reiterates the importance of tacit knowledge on innovation capability lending support to the finding of Leonard and Sensiper (1998) and Cavusgil et al. (2003). It is also consistent to Saenz et al. (2012) who find that exchange of tacit knowledge is key to foster innovation in Spanish and Columbian high tech firms. Other studies (Kucharska and Dabrowski, 2016; Kruse and Geibler, 2012; Popa et al., 2017) also find a positive association between the sharing of tacit knowledge and innovation in a varying setting. Additionally, the results throw light on how tacit knowledge sharing interacts with different facets of social capital and knowledge reciprocity. This furthers the argument of that mere availability of knowledge is insufficient to create knowledge (Basadur and Gelade, 2006; Soto-Acosta and Cegarra-Navarro, 2016) and initiates a serious debate of realizing knowledge sharing within the realm of social and cultural context.\n6. Limitations of the current research: Like most other research studies, the current study was not devoid of limitations. The first and foremost limitation of this study is the limited number of respondents that were surveyed to arrive at the conclusion. The number of professionals surveyed as a part of this study was limited in number and therefore needs to be validated with a larger number of samples to increase its generalizability. Two other limitations that can be attributed to this study involve the geographical location and the nature of industries. The present study was conducted across a set of organizations in India and is therefore restricted to a particular geographical location. Since the respondents in this study were from a particular geographical location, their responses might have been influenced by the cultural, organizational and professional environment of that location as compared to other parts of the globe, which might prove to be a limitation of the current study. Furthermore, not considering the stickiness of tacit knowledge can also be considered as a limitation of the current study. Although stickiness of tacit knowledge (Szulanski, 1996; vonHippel, 1994) is observed as an important factor that might affect its effective transfer, the authors' did not consider it for their current study, but rather kept it under consideration for future research activities. This was done to avoid sacrificing adequate depth of the study for too much (or over-reaching) width.\n7. Conclusions and directions for future research: The current day business scenario marked by intense competition and uncertainty has compelled organizations to continuously strive for fostering an innovative environment. One of the key avenues that an organization can follow to achieve innovativeness is effective knowledge management and sharing. According to Riege (2005), commercial success and competitive advantages of organizations seem to have its roots in the application of knowledge sharing practices that optimize its business objectives. The current study focused on the role of tacit knowledge sharing, knowledge reciprocity, social capital and knowledge quality on innovation capability of an organization. The importance of tacit knowledge in the knowledge resources of an organization can be considered significant and has been pointed out in relation to decision-making, time-management, quality and competitiveness (Haldin-Herrgard, 2000), all of which can be considered as important ingredients in the recipe for successful innovation. Furthermore, the paper also discussed the role that social capital might play in tacit knowledge sharing and determined that structural and cognitive social capital had a significant role to play in the successful sharing of tacit knowledge. This study also revealed that knowledge reciprocity and quality also plays an important role in fostering the innovation capability of an organization. Finally, the findings of the current investigation can be used to create strategies to develop and sustain knowledge sharing among employees within and across an organization, which will lead to an increase in efficiency, creativity and innovations through more streamlined decision-making (TitiAmayah, 2013).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Knowledge sharing has become an integral part of organizations' business strategies, along with aiding organizations to grow and innovate in the market, and gain competitive advantage. This paper aims to concentrate on the role of tacit knowledge sharing in fostering innovation capability of an organization. Specifically, the study considers social capital (relational, cognitive and structural) as an important precursors to tacit knowledge sharing, which in turn, influences innovation capability of an organization. The study further discusses the role that knowledge reciprocation plays in successful tacit knowledge sharing. The relation between knowledge quality and innovation capability is also discussed in the paper.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The investigation started with a review of extant literature in the field of knowledge sharing and innovation to derive a set of constructs. A set of hypotheses was developed based on the identified constructs, which was subsequently validated through a primary survey based on a structured questionnaire on a sample size of 190 respondents from the Indian industrial domain. The survey responses were subsequently analysed using the statistical technique of structural equation modeling and conclusions were drawn from the findings. Additionally, careful attention was paid in eliminating the common method bias, which is often associated with a primary survey.\nFindings: A set of six hypotheses were derived based on the identified constructs and were subsequently validated. While validating the hypotheses, it was observed that while knowledge reciprocity, relational social capital and cognitive social capital was positive associated with tacit knowledge sharing, structural social capital did not have a significant effect on the same. Additionally, it was also observed that both tacit knowledge sharing and the quality of knowledge were positively associated with innovation capability.\nPractical implications: The present day business marked by intense competition requires firms to be more aware of their innovative capabilities. Effective sharing of knowledge or information can be deemed as a vital component in achieving this objective. Organizations that practice and nurture innovation activities can use the findings of the current study as a part of their knowledge management strategy. In addition to using the explicit knowledge, which are structured in nature, organizations can also start using tacit knowledge to harness their innovation potential - and the findings from the current study can act as a motivational tool for them to do so.\nOriginality/value: Although there is a growing body of literature concerning the role of knowledge management in innovation, there still a dearth in discussing the role of tacit knowledge sharing in exploiting the innovation capability of an organization. The main discussion of this paper brings together a set of important constructs that exhibits the significant role that tacit knowledge sharing plays in determining the innovation capability of an organization. Furthermore, it tries to marry the concepts of social capital and tacit knowledge sharing with innovation capability, therefore adding significantly to the body of literature in knowledge management as well as innovation.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The social context of training: coworker, supervisor, or organizational support?
|
[
"Training",
"Knowledge transfer",
"Employees"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Support from the organization, supervisor, and coworkers are considered essential for training transfer and skill maintenance (Aguinis and Kraiger, 2009; Burke and Hutchins, 2007). Typically, these predictors of training effectiveness appear in researchers' models either one at a time, or paired (e.g. supervisor support and coworker support; Chiaburu and Marinova, 2005). The current study represents a step forward in understanding the social context of training transfer by testing a model whereby all three sources of support (organization, supervisor, and coworkers) are included in the same model.\nResearch design: To respond to these questions, I collected data from one work organization in the USA. Full-time employees attending professional development training programs were asked questions at two points in time - immediately after the program, and 12 weeks after the training. The results are based on 440 questionnaires (49.16 percent response, based on 895 respondents targeted).The social context-related predictors were organizational support (a=0.84, four items; Eisenberger et al., 1986), supervisor support (a=0.95, seven items; Yarnall, 1998), and coworker support (a=0.67, two items; Noe and Schmitt, 1986). I measured training effectiveness with scales focusing on training transfer (a=0.87, five items; Facteau et al., 1995) and training maintenance (a=0.83, four items; Gist et al., 1991).\nResults: The patterns of bivariate correlations were consistent with the proposed hypothesis: training transfer and maintenance correlations with organizational support (r=0.22, r=0.18) and supervisor support (r=0.33, r=0.24) were weaker than the ones with coworker support (r=0.43, r=0.49; all p<0.01). The pattern of results held when the prediction of transfer and maintenance by the three independent variables was examined using stepwise regression. Coworker support predicted both training transfer (b=0.44, p<0.001, adjusted R2=0.20) and maintenance (b=0.47, p<0.001, adjusted R2=0.22). Supervisor support added only marginally to the explained variance of training transfer (DR2=0.03, b=0.21, p<0.001) and training maintenance (DR2=0.01, b=0.11, p<0.05). Organizational support did not explain additional variance in training effectiveness.Given the overall pattern of results, the answer to both research questions was in the affirmative: coworker support is more important than the other two forms of support for both training maintenance and transfer. In an effort to refine the explanation, I tested whether motivation to transfer (a=0.87, five items; Noe and Schmitt, 1986) acted as a mediator between support and training outcomes; however, my contention was not supported by the data.\nDiscussion: In conclusion, the study demonstrates that coworkers are more important for training transfer and maintenance than both support from the organization and the supervisor. This assertion should be qualified by future studies examining why this relationship appears. It is possible that coworkers are proximal and therefore more influential for a variety of work outcomes, including training transfer and maintenance. Their support can be translated into training effectiveness through a variety of mechanisms, including facilitating the flow of information toward their peer or upholding training transfer-related norms.Future studies may examine whether this influence is present for all types of skills, and whether it is maintained for time periods longer than twelve weeks. Data collected from sources other than self-reports and from multiple organizations may also be beneficial to increase the external validity of the current findings. It will be also beneficial to create a more detailed classification of coworker supportive behaviors and determine which support dimensions have a stronger relationship with training effectiveness. It is yet to be determined whether providing help or information to a coworker works better for training transfer than offering a word of encouragement or boosting one's colleagues' self-confidence.\nPractical implications: Because of the importance of coworkers for both a broad range of outcomes (e.g. Chiaburu and Harrison, 2008) and for training transfer (for recent reviews, see Aguinis and Kraiger, 2009; Burke and Hutchins, 2007), training professionals may start considering strategies targeted at improving coworker support. Indeed, according to recent research, coworkers represent important, yet neglected, stakeholders who can influence performance (Broad, 2006). Moreover, support originating from peers is positioned as one of the most important emergent practices (e.g. \"trainees learn best from peers through a variety of means\") in training transfer (Burke and Hutchins, 2008, p. 115). The additional empirical evidence presented in this study should stimulate the development of interventions situated laterally (at coworker level).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to expand existing tests of what drives training transfer, by including support originating from three sources, i.e. one's coworkers, supervisor, and organization.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The results are based on a sample of trainees attending professional development programs in one organization in the USA.\nFindings: - Coworkers emerge as important, yet neglected, resources employees can draw on as support for both maintaining skills and transferring them to a workplace setting.\nPractical implications: - If the results are supported in other studies, more attention should be given to coworker support interventions.\nOriginality/value: - The study provides a first test of the extent to which support originating from three different sources (i.e. coworkers, supervisor, and organization) is related to maintaining and transferring skills acquired during training.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Speaking right: HRDs role in mediating good boardroom conversations
|
[
"Ethnography",
"HRD",
"Habermas",
"Discourse",
"Dysfunctional",
"Boardroom"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: In recent years, there has been substantial growth in the literature focussed on corporate governance stimulated by an extensive range of corporate fraud, major corporate failure, abuse of management power, risk-taking, conflict of interest and excessive executive remuneration (Plimmer, 2018), highlighted in cases such as Mirror Group Pension Fund (Clark, 1996), WorldCom (Peasnell et al., 2005), Enron, Arthur Andersen, (Kulik, 2005), Lehman Brothers (Johnson and Mamun, 2012), RBS, HBOS, Northern Rock, Bradford and Bingley (Porter et al., 2008), Icelandic and Irish bank failure (Howden, 2014) and very recently, Carillion (Plimmer, 2018). Such malpractice was not only pervasive throughout the corporate sector but also manifested itself by the failure of government to hold to account corporations for noncompliance (MacKenzie et al., 2014) cross-ownership, lack of transparency (Sigurjonsson, 2009), extreme risk-taking and government ideological obsession with privatisation (Wearden, 2018), creating a systemic complacency that lead to the failure of the global banking system. In the UK alone the Government injected PS137bn in loans and capital and PS1tn in financial guarantees at the peak of the crisis to prop up the banking system (Mor, 2018).\nAim and contribution: The aim of this paper is to provide an insight into the workings of boards and consider how HRD can support the development of directors so that they can discharge their governance role effectively. Firstly, we consider the key issue of crisis and boards and the role of HRD. Secondly, we consider the broader consequences and systemic power and impact of discourse on the culture and actions within a day-to-day and face-to-face boardroom environment and explore the consequences to the organisation. Thirdly, we consider how HRD can positively take on a talk-based mediation role to enable meaningful compliance to good governance behaviours. The work adopts an ethnographic method to critique the employment of talk within a boardroom context with the purpose of gaining greater insight into boardroom working practices. Fourthly, we focus upon the observable and reportable aspects of boardroom interaction and offer a behavioural study and relational study of corporate governance in practice. Finally, we consider the practice role of HRD in championing good governance practice and the challenges that it may face and provide a tool for more critical reflection on the nature of HRD's role in the professional world.\nTheory of communicative action: We used Habermas (1979, 1984) theory of communicative action (TCA) as an overarching conceptual framework to critique boardroom strategic talk to support participants' validity claims (VCs) (Turner, 1988). TCA holds that speakers will use four types of pragmatic VCs with their interlocutors; namely, what is the truth (and facts) (VC1) the accepted nature of the world. Secondly, correctness (VC2) establishment of common ground, social norms setting and legitimacy of positions, status [power of the chair or the Managing Director (MD)] and behaviours in events, this has consequences, for example a meeting protocol can curb the questioning of \"facts\" (VC1).\nThe board, crisis and human resource development: The serious shortcomings of directors' participation during board meetings is a key factor in understanding board effectiveness (Bezemer et al., 2014). Consequently, there have been numerous calls for new and direct investigation into how boards work (Kirkbride et al., 2008).\nDiscursive institutionalism and dysfunctional behaviour: Taking on an agency mediation role recognises that organisations work in a wider environment (Misangyi et al., 2008) of a dynamic socialising process, enacting multi-level dialogues. This exposes normative, mimetic and coercive forces that engender institutional isomorphism (Caemmerer and Marck, 2009) that influence actors and vice versa, shaped through different historical paths, rationalist incentives and cultural frames (Schmidt, 2008) creating a social evolution that legitimises and homogenises values and actions (Beckert, 2010). New organisational members do bring alternative socialised interpretations into a specific institutional logic, which either support or challenge the current internal thinking (Pache and Santos, 2010). How these inputs are addressed will then influence the evolution of the organisation.\nMethodology: Surveys, questionnaires and interviews do have some value but do not provide the depth necessary to reveal the relational dynamics of boardroom life (Pettigrew and McNulty, 1995). At best they provide only a second-hand perspective. To gain deep insights as to what directors actually do on the board they must be observed first hand in situ (Samra-Fredericks, 2005) and gain an appreciation of that lived experience. The work applied in situ ethnographic observations supported by conversational analysis to generate rich insights into how on-going talk-based power effects are a process of the irremediably situated and relational practice of order (Jayyusi, 1991).\nSample: Unlike conventional management groups, accessing business elites (board) is problematic and conventional sampling is not feasible (Hill, 1995) and the sample was based on opportunism.\nEthnographic method: To achieve such rich insights an ethnographic approach was adopted to observe what they say, what they do and how they justify it as part of their everyday routines to gain a corporeal knowledge (Bourdieu, 1999) of such behaviours. Participants were observed in their natural setting (Fielding, 1993), from the viewpoint of the subjects of the study.\nConversation analysis: Conversation analysis (Sacks, 1972) was applied to gain rich contextualise insights of these face-to-face talk-based interactions that embraces both verbal and non-verbal on-going construction or reproduction of discursive social life. Such an approach requires painstaking positive listening to key phases or inflections in the voice to expose actors' repertoire of taken-for-granted methods of everyday talk acts (Berger and Luckmann, 1967). A crucial \"resource\" for indexing including noting trivial forms of language-use such as turn-taking, adjacency pairs, metaphors and personal pronouns and their employment in shaping congruency of social order (Samra-Fredericks, 2000).\nAnalysis and triangulation: All the meetings were observed, and audio recordings with associated transcripts allow for repeated re-examination of the boardroom discussions (Bloor and Wood, 2006); and therefore, were not limited by the selective attention or recollection of the observer.\nFindings: The following transcription conventions are used to indicate events within the extract (Table I).\nExtract: MD:\nDiscussion: What was significant but cannot be easily recorded was that talk was influenced through linguistic inflection reinforcing meaning and maintaining the professional climate and focus of the board, reinforced by backchanneling by interlocutors that shaped validity claims. The MD appeared to manage board dialogue using a diverse range of linguistic tools to invoke dominant symbolic resources (Berger and Luckmann, 1967) including applying emotions and inequality (Pierides, 2007) thereby shaping the board relationships and decisions.\nConclusion: Discourse is embedded in powerful background narratives of neoliberalist capitalism and masculinity which drive a dominant performative and financial narrative that is endemic across organisations. Such subtleties of language use have substantial organisational consequences, an area that could in part be addressed through greater learning and development, bringing HRD centre stage.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This paper aims to explore the impact discourse has on decision making practices within the boardroom and considers how personal proficiency in micro-language use can enhance an individual's personal efficacy in influencing boardroom decisions. The work uses Habermas' theory of communicative action to critique board talk, highlighting the need for greater understanding of the power of everyday taken for granted talk in strategy shaping. It illuminates the contribution that human resource development (HRD) professionals can make to the management of such behaviour and minimising dysfunctional behaviour and enabling effective boardroom practices.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Traditional governance theory from a business and organisational perspectives are provided before considering the boardroom environment and HRD's role. The authors undertake ethnographic research supported by conversation analysis to explore how directors use talk-based interpersonal routines to influence boardroom processes and enact collective decision making. The authors provide one extract of directors' talk to illustrate the process and demonstrate what the data \"looks like\" and the insights it holds.\nFindings: The analysis suggests that the established underlying assumptions and rationale ideologies of corporate governance are misplaced and to understand the workings of corporate governance HRD academics and professionals need to gain deeper insight into the employment of talk within boards. Armed with such insights HRD professionals can become more effective in developing strategies to address dysfunctional leadership and promote good governance practice throughout their organisation.\nSocial implications: The work raises a call for HRD to embrace a societal mediation role to help boards to become a catalyst for setting good practice which is strategically aligned throughout the organisation. Such roles require a more dialogical, strategic and critical approach to HRD, and professionals and academics take a more holistic approach to leadership development.\nOriginality/value: The paper considers the role of the development of HRD interventions that both help individuals to work more effectively within a boardroom environment and support development to shape a boardroom culture that promotes effective governance practice by influencing boardroom practice thereby promoting strong governance and broad social compliance throughout the organisation.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Managing organizational change in transition economies
|
[
"Romania",
"Organizational change"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Change is a phenomenon of time, involving both identity and process. A perennial polarity in our culture is between a traditional position suggesting a serene acceptance of what is (as in the traditional poem Miorita) and a modern abhorrence of submission to the same (see also Iacob and Gavrilovici, this issue). The ambition of modern times is, indeed, to understand and control change. Organizational change involves identity and process too, shaped by time. In their effort to capture the principles of organizational change, scientists and practitioners alike build explanatory models, and to the already numerous factors influencing organizational change, and by extension the complexity of the models, history added another one: the transition from one economic, political and social regime to another.\nRomania after communism: templates for economic transition: Romania emerged at the end of 1989 after more than four decades of communism. Although the sudden revolution of December changed the political situation, the economy could not be transformed overnight. Romania was dependent on energy-intensive industries, and lacked the appropriate institutions for a market economy, a goal considered desirable by the political elites.In search of a macro-level transition model\nModeling the institution - organization interface: Organizations exist in institutional environments. These are constraints that are humanely devised and limit human and organizational interactions. The constraints are either formal (laws, rules) or informal (norms, conventions, codes), and have specific characteristic for enforcement. From this perspective, the institutional system defines the incentive structure of societies. Theorists posit that, on one hand, transition economies can experience wholesale change in the formal rules; however, informal constraints survive because they attend to the participants' exchange needs (North, 1990, p. 91). These differences are important in transition economies, where discourses might be used to legitimate actions that are not aligned with explicit institutional or organizational objectives (Chiaburu and Chiaburu, 2003) and where informal constraints might be more powerful than formal ones (Kelemen and Kostera, 2002).Owing to the multiple possibilities of conceptualizing the institution - organization interface, I present several suggestions for modeling these dimensions. From one perspective, activity in some of the Romanian institutional domains seems to support the evolutionary position of Campbell and Pedersen (1996). One can find evidence that Romanian organizations were slow to change and the Romanian government protected selected state-owned enterprises, especially early in the transition. Similarly, structures created to encourage change and to privatize state enterprises, such as the State Ownership Funds, seemed a continuation of the old forms of state ownership. Their bureaucratic structures mimic the very bureaucracy they had to change.Conversely, other sectors exhibit patterns of change that are more difficult to understand, suggesting a revolutionary pattern of change, characterized by unpredictability and upheaval. For example, the non-banking financial sector's \"rules of the game\" emerged through a bottom-up approach. Regardless of the top-down designed governance mechanisms and technical assistance in creating markets (such as the RASDAQ over-the-counter market, based on its US counterpart, the NASDAQ), market participants were already embedded in closely-knit networks and largely ignored the rules designed for such markets. Thus, in turbulent environments and in the presence of weak institutions, networks of organizations or even isolated but well-connected institutional entrepreneurs emerge to compete, negotiate, set, and many times ignore the rules of the game. The examples above suggest that the institution - organization interface requires not only further investigation, but also a more precise conceptualization.To capture the field situation in Romania and in other transition economies, I offer several suggestions. First, from the institution to the organization level, researchers might conceptualize the institutional environment as regulatory, normative and cultural-cognitive, in order to separate the dimensions (Scott, 2003) and explicate their relationships with the organization. However, such institutional environments need to be differentiated in terms of their formal and informal rules, or in terms of the espoused rules and rules in use. As presented above, although regulations for financial markets were in place since the early 1990s, specific brokerage companies circumvented them. Simplifying, the mimetic processes shaping the organization forms and routines were stronger than the normative ones, a finding that can be captured only by differentiating the types of rules and their acceptance by the players.Second, the weak institutional environments coupled with the existence of preexisting networks lead to the apparition of institutional entrepreneurs and industrial coalitions resulting from the redistribution of assets through mass privatization. This has important research implications, as researchers tend to study generic organizations, without precise identities and histories. However, for many of the organizations in transition economies, the history of the organization is crucial in understanding its subsequent behavior. For example, very dynamic and competitive firms followed vertical integration and product diversification strategies, in an attempt to shape previously inexistent markets, such as financial (banking and brokerage) and consumer goods. Such firms reinvented themselves through mergers, spin-offs and bankruptcies that would be unthinkable of in a stable market. As for some of the individuals involved in these networks, research indicates that:... a small pool of people who are, simultaneously, businessmen, bureaucrats, members of parliament, and representatives of the press are active in policy, government, the economy, and the international arena. [T]hese powerful groups have every opportunity to pursue their private agenda [a]nd undercut legitimate state institutions and governance, especially where the rule of law is weakly developed (Wedel, 1994).Thus, while in stable economies the institution shapes organization forms and routines, in transition economies the direction of the influence can be sometimes reversed.Finally, institutional influences should be differentiated in terms of corporate governance and discourse action. Research indicates, for example, that organizational change depends on adopting new practices, which depends on both practice implementation and internalization (Kostova and Roth, 2002). Under specific conditions, however, organizations engage in \"ceremonial adoption\". Specifically, organizations might implement practices that are not internalized. As a result, these practices are not sustainable and do not lead to the initially planned outcomes. This is a real possibility in the Romanian transition environment, where defensive strategies, such as decoupling or loosely coupling the internal operations from the institutional environment (Orton and Weick, 1990) can be more frequent. Indeed, research on Romanian educational organizations proposed that they might engage in decoupling as a function of their capacity for change and of their dependence on outdated strategies (Chiaburu and Chiaburu, 2003).Are we too critical or not critical enough? The potential contribution of critical theory\nQuo vadis? New directions for theory and practice: Transition economies offer a rich field for deriving insights that can enhance the current level of knowledge related to organizational change and institutional transformation. Now that institutional theory is established, researchers must \"tackle the harder and more interesting issues of how institutions matter, under what circumstances, to what extent, and in what ways\" (Powell, 1996). Similarly, theorists interested in organizational change can build models that would capture more precisely the dynamics and possible antecedents and consequences of change. The quality of the findings might increase as a function of their appropriateness for the field situation. Therefore, to take full advantage of the dynamics of transition economies, future research might explore alternative positions and concepts, rely on alternative methods and break out of the straitjacket of a formalized research design cycle.Alternative positions and concepts\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to offer a personal reflection on the Romanian post-communist transition, using an organization theory-based analytic framework combined with the author's personal experience.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The paper is based on the authors' experience in Romania during the transition (policy implementation, evaluation projects, and research). The experience is captured using concepts from institutional, organizational change, and critical theories.\nFindings: - Transition economies offer unique settings for building theory that describes the dynamic events situated at the boundary between institutions and organizations. Although this potential has yet to be realized, knowledge can be captured by using less conventional research designs, a critical perspective, and creative concepts and approaches.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The paper has potential implications for researchers conducting studies in transition economies, or in otherwise dynamic environments. The author provides several examples that are not well explained by existing frameworks and models, and offers suggestions for possible designs that might be more appropriate in transition settings.\nPractical implications: - Both autochthonous and foreign practitioners might find the examples and the analytic framework informative and applicable to the problems they are faced with in transition economies.\nOriginality/value: - The paper combines conventional and critical theory-based approaches to the study of the Romanian transition. Authors interested in research at the institution - organization boundary can consider some of the suggested for formalizing their research.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Instruments for organizational communication assessment for Japanese care facilities
|
[
"Organizational communication",
"Communication audits",
"Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses",
"Japanese care facilities",
"Panel research"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Competent, efficient organizational communication is essential to produce high-quality work and services. Numerous studies have recognized that the quality of work and workplace productivity are heavily influenced by organizational communication (Clampitt and Downs, 1993), with many business problems being the product of poor communication policies (Tourish and Hargie, 2000). Therefore, useful instruments required for assessing organizational communication have been developed in the USA and have been utilized there and in Europe. However, to date, no academic development of an instrument to assess organizational communication has occurred in Japan. An instrument compatible with Japanese organizations needs to be developed. Furthermore, the characteristics and management practices of organizations and the necessary information to perform tasks for workers vary across industries. The target industry in the present study is care facilities, and in such a health organization, exchange of information regarding visitors and residents among their families and workers at facilities as well as among different kinds of workers (e.g. among care workers, nurses, and social workers) is indispensable. Therefore, the present study aims to develop the measures required to assess organizational communication for Japanese organizations, specifically focusing on Japanese care facilities.\nLiterature survey: A Study on how to diagnose and elucidate organizational communication effectiveness and how to identify organizational communication problems are known as a communication audit study. Comprehensive research for the development of a communication audit questionnaire was conducted by Downs and Hazen (1977), who developed the widely used Communication Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ), and by the members of the International Communication Association (ICA) under the leadership of Gerald M. Goldhaber from 1971 to 1979 (Downs and Adrian, 2004), who developed the popular ICA questionnaire.\nMethods: Steps of development of question items\nResults and discussion: Generation of initial question items in Step 1\nPractical implications: It would be useful for the management of Japanese care facilities to utilize the question items developed in the present study. By using the questionnaire, they will be able to collect and analyze data to improve communication, workers' attitudes and behavior, and their performance. First, they would be able to visualize and grasp invisible and latent problems of communication at care facilities. Second, they would be able to understand how and to what extent organizational communication among workers in care facilities improves or worsens workers' attitude and behavior (e.g. motivation, commitment, employee satisfaction, and mental health) and performance (e.g. quality of care). Third, understanding the above two, they would be able to prepare programs for training in communication skills, design organizations for effective information flow, exchange and sharing, and establish human resource management systems for helping workers to improve their attitudes, behavior, and performance for the benefits of both workers and their care facilities.\nResearch limitations and suggestions for a future study: Regarding samples, female workers dominated the sample in the present study. However, this reflects the nature of the work at care facilities in Japan. Indeed, according to a survey by the Kaigo Rodo Antei Center (2016), conducted among the care labor force in Japan in 2015, male and female care workers represented 38.2 and 61.8 percent, respectively, of the total labor force, respectively; male and female social workers represented 24.9 and 75.1 percent, respectively; and male and female nurses represented 4.5 and 95.5 percent, respectively. Thus, the gender division in the samples of the present study reflects the real situation among Japanese care labor force. Indeed, Japanese cultural traits could be related to this problem. Regarding work-related values, Japanese are very highly inclined toward masculinity, and Japan is ranked the first among 50 countries on this trait (Hofstede, 1980, 1991). In such a society, sex roles are very clearly differentiated: there is a perception that female workers are better at caring for others than male workers and so care work is considered a profession for women. In future, if a sample reflecting uniform distribution of gender could be collected, gender differences in communication among workers could be gauged better.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop the measures required to assess organizational communication for Japanese organizations, specifically focusing on Japanese care facilities.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The data collected from the two-wave panel research, using the question items generated from a literature survey and several interview and focus group interview research were statistically analyzed. For the first wave of the research, questionnaires were distributed to 850 workers in June 2014. In all, 356 completed questionnaires were returned directly to the researcher, a response rate of 41.9 percent. For the second wave of the research, the questionnaires were distributed to 719 workers in February 2015, and 386 completed questionnaires were returned, a response rate of 53.69 percent.\nFindings: Some items were excluded as a result of the exploratory factor analysis using the first-wave data and the constructs of the questions of each dimension of communication were confirmed as a result of the confirmatory factor analysis using the second-wave data.\nOriginality/value: While significant research into communication audits has been conducted across a wide variety of organizations in the USA and Europe, very few studies have focused on the development of an appropriate communication audit instrument for Japan. The development of a Japanese communication audit questionnaire is critical. In addition, instruments specific to industries are also required. This is the first study that focused on developing a Japanese organizational communication audit.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Attitudes of Sports Development and Sports Management undergraduate students towards entrepreneurship: A university perspective towards best practice
|
[
"Attitudes",
"Entrepreneurship education",
"Sport management",
"Sports development",
"Student"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: This study explores the attitudes and experience of Sports Development and Sports Management students towards entrepreneurship education highlighting best practice from a pedagogical perspective. A career as a professional sportsperson offers the opportunity of an exciting and financially rewarding lifestyle. Unfortunately, such an option is only available to a minority of elite athletes (David, 1999). Indeed, there is also the issue of what options are available to former professional sportspersons on completion of their sporting careers (Donnelly and Petherick, 2004). For some, the opportunity of a sports-related career either in employment or self-employment offers an attractive secondary alternative. Therefore, there is a need to ensure sports-related graduates are equipped with the requisite skills to succeed in the business world. Kothari and Handscombe (2007) suggest that the university sector should provide their graduates with the business skills that will equip them for their future career. Indeed, the recent global economic recession has resulted in high graduate unemployment and has forced graduants to consider alternative career choices such as a business start-up (Roffe, 2010; Henry, 2011). Consequently, there has been an increase in the provision of entrepreneurship education globally owing to its potential social, economic and educational benefits (Charney and Libecap, 2000; Matlay and Carey, 2007). Indeed, entrepreneurship education has been mooted as an opportunity to combat the on-going unemployment and poverty problems (Acs, 2006). Rae et al. (2011) identify the need for all undergraduate students to develop an enterprising mindset, experience, creative thinking, confidence, social and communication skills as part of their degree programme. Given the current high unemployment rates being experienced by graduates in the UK, the need for small business start-up has increased significantly, with greater priority being placed upon the development of entrepreneurial skills across the educational sector (Jones et al., 2011a).\nLiterature: The SME community in the UK remains an essential contributor to economic prosperity (Jones et al., 2008). Similarly, Baldassarri and Saavala (2006) have noted that Europe requires more entrepreneurs willing to undertake a business start-up in the current economic climate (Jones et al., 2008). Ratten and Ratten (2011) identify that sport companies need to be entrepreneurial to stay ahead of their competition. Whilst Moore (2008) suggests that women encounter barriers in their pursuit of careers in the management of sport and notes the importance of management education in overcoming this barrier. Matlay and Carey (2007) support this assertion, suggesting that enterprise education is regarded as the panacea for stagnating economic activity. Dearing (1997), Department for Business Innovation and Skills (2009), Carey and Matlay (2010) note that the university sectors have been encouraged indeed pressured to enhance both self-employability and employability options within their degree programme construction.\nDesign/methodology/approach: In total, 122 first year Sports Development and Sports Management students on an undergraduate degree were interviewed over a two year period using a semi-structured research instrument. The focus and content of the questionnaire was developed from prior studies undertaken in the field measuring the impact and value of entrepreneurship education upon attitudes, knowledge and career choice (Packham et al., 2010; Jones et al., 2011a).\nFindings: The section presents the key findings of the study. Some basic cohort demographics are provided to give background regarding the student demographics. An equal gender split was achieved, with 60 male (49.2 per cent) and 62 female (50.8 per cent) students interviewed, all between the ages of 18 and 32. In total, 118 or 96 per cent of the students surveyed were from the UK, the others were classified as international students from a range of countries. All the students surveyed were full time. Respondents were asked to identify any part time employment roles they undertook to support their degree studies. Overall, 58 (48 per cent) of the students were employed in a part time job. Just over half of these were working in generic employment roles such as bar work or supermarkets. The remaining 23 (19 per cent) students were undertaking employment in sports-related occupations including sports coaching in a variety of sports, fitness gym coach, dance instructor, life guard and personal trainer. Several students stressed the importance of such employment. Representative comments included:\nPrior entrepreneurial experience: Table I confirms the levels of prior entrepreneurial experience undertaken by Sports Development and Sports Management students. Table I display results first by frequency of response and thereafter as a percentage of the total survey. Representative qualitative comments are thereafter provided to illustrate the key themes apparent within the data.\nDiscussion: This study has provided a novel study evaluating the experience of Sports students towards entrepreneurship education. The literature review revealed a limited literature exploring the experience towards entrepreneurship education in non-Business disciplines. The key research impact explored within this study was to investigate whether entrepreneurship education provided a beneficial impact towards Sports Development and Sports Management students and to assess the attitudes, perceptions and motivations. The evidence was drawn from a semi-structured interview method with 122 first year undergraduate students using a largely qualitative methodology to explore student's experiences towards entrepreneurship education.\nConclusions: In conclusion, the results reinforce the importance of entrepreneurship education to non-Business disciplines. Indeed, in certain disciplines such as art and design, sport maintenance (e.g. sports physiotherapists) and certain medical disciplines (e.g. Chiropractic) a business start-up entrepreneurial career is highly complementary to the student's core subject skills, in that such disciplines often require a high proportion of self-employment (Penaluna and Penaluna, 2009). The findings support the positive impact of generic entrepreneurship education provided with the secondary school curriculum even if this is a more enterprise and awareness raising exercise (Gibb, 1993; Peterman and Kennedy, 2003; Henry et al., 2005). Such provision must continue and become embedded within secondary school curriculums. Thereafter, it must be the role of the university to provide context-specific entrepreneurship education with the curriculum and student experience focused towards that discipline. In the case of Sports Development and Sports Management that would include relevant work experience, guest lecturers from sports entrepreneurs and use of sporting businesses as case histories. Furthermore, graduate start-up could be encouraged by the provision of in-house incubators with expert mentors and support facilities. Reservations towards a Sports Development and Sports Management career were noted with regard to the impact of student debt plus the perceived threat of further personal expenditure from a business start-up. If the impact of costs of a business start-up could be supported or reduced by a university seed corn fund then this might alleviate individual fears and encourage a start-up. Indeed, in the Sports Development and Sports Management discipline, there is a clear opportunity for students to undertake paid activity on a basis of their expertise (e.g. sports coaching, running fitness classes). If this could be enabled through a specialist incubator it could represent a real driver for future entrepreneurial start-up within a university context. This study contributes to the limited extant knowledge on entrepreneurship education to Sports Development and Sports Management students. Best practice is identified in terms of curriculum and student support. The authors recognise that the results of this study are restricted to one university case study and further comparative research is required to validate and extend these findings. There is a need for further research exploring the experience of both Sports Development and Sports Management students across both the further and higher educational sector.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Given the high unemployment rates being experienced by graduates, the importance of small business start-up has increased significantly, with greater priority being placed upon the development of entrepreneurial skills across the educational sector. However, there is a limited literature considering the student experience and issues involved with supporting non-Business discipline students attaining entrepreneurial competencies. The purpose of this paper is to explore the attitudes and experience of Sports Development and Sports Management students towards entrepreneurship education, highlighting best practice from a pedagogical perspective.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Over 120 Sports Development and Sports Management students on an undergraduate degree were interviewed over a two year period using a semi-structured research instrument. The focus and content of the questionnaire was developed from prior studies undertaken in the field, measuring the impact and value of entrepreneurship education upon attitudes, knowledge and career choice.\nFindings: The results found that Sports Development and Sports Management students were typically enterprising by nature due to their prior experience in coaching and training within their respective sports disciplines. The majority of students indicated that they were attracted to a future entrepreneurial career in a sports-related discipline. This was driven by the potential of an entrepreneurial career option and the limited alternative choices. Sports Development and Sports Management students were characterised by their mature attitudes towards their career development and future inclination regarding an entrepreneurial career choice.\nPractical implications: The results will inform the teaching of entrepreneurship education to non-Business discipline specialist students in terms of the effective construction of entrepreneurship curriculum. Best practice in terms of customised subject informed teaching material, guest talks and interactive pedagogical practice are highlighted.\nOriginality/value: This study will be of interest to entrepreneurship education providers delivering content to non-Business disciplines at all levels and aid them in the construction of their curriculum to provide fit for purpose provision.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Cointegration-causality analysis between terrorism and key macroeconomic indicators: Evidence from Pakistan
|
[
"Development",
"Developing countries",
"Economics of war and conflict"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The existence of terrorism is an indication of serious disturbances in the social and moral values of the society. Many definitions of terrorism have been put forward by various authors and used by various government agencies and academic communities but due to political and ideological conflicts, \"One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter\" (Europol, 2008\n2. Literature review: The relationship between terrorism and key macroeconomic indicators can be analyzed by taking into account the reciprocal effects of terrorism and key macroeconomic indicators on each other.\n3. Methodology: In this study, the empirical work is based on secondary data for time period 1972-2011, accessed various sources. The relationship between terrorism and macroeconomic indicators is determined by applying Granger Causality test based on Toda-Yamamoto methodology.\n4. Data analysis and results: This section consists of the determination of the direction of causality between terrorism and key macroeconomic indicators.\n5. Conclusion: The objective of the study is to empirically investigate the nature and strength of the relationship between terrorism and key macroeconomic indicators in the context of Pakistan via annual data between 1972 and 2011. The study explores the influencing directions between terrorism and different macroeconomic indicators, respectively. The objective has been achieved by means of the sophisticated econometrics techniques including cointegration theory and Granger causality test. The results reveal that the long-term relationship between terrorism and key macroeconomic indicators subsist. Moreover, the results of Granger causality tests show that the unidirectional causality exists between terrorism, unemployment, GDP and GDP per capita. In case of GDP per capita and unemployment, the causality runs from GDP per capita and unemployment to terrorism not the other way. It implies that these variables are imperative in predicting terrorism. While in case of GDP, the causality runs from terrorism to GDP. Finally, bi-directional causality between terrorism and inflation prevails. The result signifies the critical role of both the variables in predicting each other.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is two folds: first, to analyze the long-run relationship between terrorism and key macroeconomic indicators (GDP growth, GDP per capita, inflation and unemployment) and second, to determine the direction of causality between these variables in Pakistan.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The relationship between terrorism and various macroeconomic indicators is analyzed by applying Johansen cointegration analysis. Furthermore, the causality between terrorism and macroeconomic indicators is tested by applying Toda Yamamoto Granger causality test.\nFindings: The results show that there exists a long-run relationship between terrorism and key macroeconomic indicators. Furthermore, the results suggest that there exists a bi-directional causality between terrorism and inflation. The causality between GDP per capita, unemployment, GDP growth and terrorism is unidirectional.\nOriginality/value: There is a lack of research work conducted to analyze the long-run relationship and direction of causation between terrorism and various macroeconomic indicators specifically for Pakistan. The current paper fills the gap in the literature by using sophisticated econometric techniques and recent data set to provide the evidence of the relationship between terrorism and various macroeconomic indicators.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Seismic risk management of a large public facilities portfolio: a New Zealand case study
|
[
"Public sector",
"Risk management",
"Earthquakes",
"Building evaluation",
"Costing",
"Property portfolio management"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Facilities asset managers in New Zealand and elsewhere are responding to regulatory and market forces in the wake of recent earthquakes to assess and retrofit buildings determined to be particularly vulnerable to earthquakes. The Auckland Council Property Department (ACPD) is engaging in a proactive effort to assess its portfolio of approximately 3,500 buildings, prioritise its building assets for seismic retrofit and forecast construction costs for long-term planning. Within the programme structure, the following varied and often competing factors must be accommodated:\nBuilding regulations pertaining to seismic risk mitigation: Cities in areas of high seismicity that have enacted ordinances regarding seismic retrofitting include Los Angeles (City of Los Angeles, 1949, 1985), San Francisco (Newman, 1976; City of San Francisco, 1993) and Tokyo (Tokyo Metropolitan Government, 2011). Such ordinances have generally been aimed at specific types of vulnerable buildings (e.g. unreinforced load-bearing masonry), specific building components (e.g. chimneys or parapets) or buildings in critical locations (alongside roads intended for emergency transportation access and egress after a major disaster). Other cities, including Portland (City of Portland, 2004), Seattle (City of Seattle, 2009) and Vancouver (City of Vancouver, 2012), have enacted ordinances mandating seismic retrofits to buildings or building components, but only if those buildings are being altered or rehabilitated (\"triggering\" a required seismic retrofit). Further details pertaining to such historic ordinances and their effects are summarised in other studies (FEMA, 2009; Paxton et al., 2015).\nRapid seismic building evaluation techniques: ACPD's experience with access to building plans for its historic buildings is likely consistent with that of other large portfolio owners in that as-built structural plans are rarely maintained because of a lack of periodic use (in contrast to architectural, fit-out, cladding, HVAC and utility plans, which are more regularly referenced for ongoing maintenance efforts). Furthermore, even in cases where as-built structural building plans are available, non-recorded building additions and alterations, non-structural elements and deteriorations in the condition of structural elements are not necessarily indicated in such plans. Hence, an on-site building structural evaluation programme is necessary, and a preferred evaluation method is able to be used rapidly and cost-effectively to cull a large portfolio of buildings down to the buildings most likely to be seismically vulnerable. Most of the historically prominent guidelines regarding rapid seismic assessments of buildings pertain to buildings that have already been damaged by earthquakes (ATC, 1985, 1989, 2000). However, in recent years, the importance of rapid visual screening for potential future seismic hazards has been acknowledged by the publication of standards in, for example, the USA (FEMA, 2002), Canada (CSA, 2014) and New Zealand (NZSEE, 2014). These rapid evaluation techniques have also been leveraged with modern tools, such as spatial mapping (e.g. ArcGIS) and virtual environments (e.g. Google Street View), as used in the ACPD programme to a limited extent and used elsewhere to a greater extent (Anagnos et al., 2012; Ploeger et al., 2015).\nComparable seismic risk management policies in New Zealand: To ensure correlation with state-of-the-art engineering and property management practices elsewhere, a survey of owner policies for peer facilities in New Zealand was warranted. For example, Wellington City Council (WCC) is a peer local authority that as of April 2013 owned 683 buildings (Brown, 2013). Any building deemed potentially earthquake-prone by an ISA has been tagged with publicly viewable notices, and some buildings (e.g. those containing large numbers of children) have been closed until further assessments or retrofits are commissioned. A DSA will be commissioned for every building owned by WCC with an ISA score of below 33%NBS. Regardless of the ISA score, however, WCC's health and safety policy is to commission a DSA for every building within their portfolio that could subject them to action under the Health and Safety in Employment Act (New Zealand Parliament, 1992), primarily those buildings that house Council staff or are accessible to the public. As of April 2013, WCC considered 128 of its 683 buildings to be subject to this health and safety policy. WCC has commissioned soil borings at several of its building sites to better understand amplification and liquefaction potential. As of March 2014, WCC had demolished one minor building and applied for consent to demolish another, largely because of earthquake-related concerns (Brown, 2014). Note that on an international scale, Wellington has a high seismic hazard compared to Auckland's moderate seismic hazard (NZS, 2002; ASCE, 2014).\nRisk management priorities in the Auckland Council Property Department facilities portfolio: ACPD's acceptable risk thresholds and strategies for prioritising building evaluations can be considered in comparison to the peer owner policies summarised previously. In comparison to WCC, the buildings in the ACPD portfolio are far more numerous (over 3,500 compared to WCC's 683) and are located in a region with a relatively lower seismic hazard, so defaulting to commissioning DSAs for all occupied buildings and all buildings with ISA scores lower than 33%NBS would likely result in an inefficient use of resources. In comparison to Corrections and the MoE, ACPD's buildings are used in a wider range of service and commercial functions (Table II) and have a greater variety of structure types, so a more qualitative strategic review is preferable. However, the importance of protecting building occupants, considering building utilisation rates, and attempting to leverage the evaluation of representative buildings within the portfolio to steer work on similar buildings are all considerations from peer owners that ACPD has incorporated into its seismic risk mitigation programme. ACPD has also implemented the recommendations from the New Zealand Property Management Centre of Expertise (2013) which include the following:\nRisk profiles and estimated cost liabilities: As of March 2015, ACPD had commissioned 7 building retrofits, 10 DSAs, 319 IEPs and 434 preliminary evaluations on the buildings in its portfolio. For predictions of the entire portfolio's risk profile, the results of the completed evaluations have been marginally weighted in accordance with the structure type and age distributions, shown in Figure 2, to account for the bias of the current assessments towards buildings most likely to be at risk. ACPD estimates that approximately 6 per cent of its portfolio by number of buildings is potentially at high risk (earthquake-prone), approximately 17 per cent is potentially at moderate risk, approximately 25 per cent is at low risk and the remainder (approximately 52 per cent) is very low risk and theoretically compliant with the current loadings standard (NZS, 2004). One of the reasons for predicting a relatively low percentage of high-risk buildings is that approximately 90 per cent of the buildings in the ACPD portfolio where the number of storeys above grade is known are single-storey buildings, which suggests a relatively low-risk exposure across the complete ACPD portfolio.\nStrategies for ongoing seismic risk evaluation and mitigation efforts: For purposes of budgeting for long-term expenses, ACPD has requested from Auckland Council executives and elected representatives the funding needed to commission DSAs and SRC for all buildings determined through the ISA process to be potentially high risk, resulting in the total value presented in Table III of approximately 50m NZD. A portion of this total amount has been resourced and will be spent over the next 20 years with formal review every 3 years. Note that the total costs in Table III were tabulated assuming work was contracted for individual buildings, whereas savings are expected from packaging groups of similar buildings together. These savings can then be used to commission DSAs for important buildings determined through the ISA process to be potentially moderate risk.\nSummary and conclusions: The New Zealand Government has enacted sweeping seismic risk mitigation mandates similar to but more comprehensive than those previously enacted or currently being considered by other governments around the world. ACPD has initiated its response to the mandate by identifying buildings most at risk to an earthquake in its large and varied portfolio through the use of a rapid building evaluation programme strategically targeted to vulnerable building types with consequential attributes, including service type, number of occupants, floor area and geographic location. Specifically, buildings primarily constructed of URM and pre-1995 RC with assigned occupants and that provide regular functional services to the community were prioritised for evaluation and future potential retrofit work.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this article is to assist facilities asset managers who are dealing with regulatory environments pertaining to earthquakes and buildings. These professionals can learn a great deal from the successes and short-comings of a case study programme from the Auckland Council Property Department (ACPD), which manages the public facilities portfolio for the largest local administrative region in New Zealand in both population and landmass.\nDesign/methodology/approach: ACPD has initiated its response to New Zealand's earthquake mitigation mandates by identifying buildings most at risk to an earthquake in its large and varied portfolio through the use of a rapid building evaluation programme strategically targeted to vulnerable building types with consequential attributes, including service type, number of occupants, floor area and geographic location.\nFindings: ACPD was able to rapidly cull down its portfolio of approximately 3,500 buildings to just over 100 \"high-exposure\" buildings in urgent need of evaluation, set priorities for future evaluations, estimate needed operational and capital expenditures for long-term planning and provide useful information to more general facilities management decision-making processes.\nOriginality/value: A number of major cities around the world in areas of high seismicity have enacted ordinances mandating seismic retrofitting. However, much of the existing guiding literature regarding earthquake-related portfolio evaluations and costs pertains to specific scenarios involving real or hypothetical earthquakes. This case study, in contrast, details the approach taken by a public portfolio owner responding to legal mandates and attempting to quantify and reduce its life-safety risk exposure across a large portfolio as efficiently as possible using readily available information, a rapid building evaluation programme and best-practice predictive models for consulting and construction work.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Managing online service recovery: procedures, justice and customer satisfaction
|
[
"PLS-SEM",
"Perceived justice",
"Experiment",
"Online service failure and recovery",
"Subscription and non-subscription markets"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Advancements in information technology have notably changed the way in which customer-firm interactions take place and services are delivered. Through the use of modern technology, services can be provided over long distances and without the physical presence of customers and employees (Schumann et al., 2012). Consumers are increasingly becoming accustomed to online services and technology-mediated interactions. Through the internet, consumers buy flight tickets, transfer money, undertake training courses and online consultations. Online shopping is facilitated by technological innovations, such as broadband connection, which have made the internet accessible to all consumers. In the UK alone, recent estimates show that 87 per cent of consumers have internet broadband connection at home, and when asked, 90 per cent of them report shopping online in the past three months (Mintel, 2015). In the online retail sector, in particular, sales of clothing and accessories are estimated to have reached the value of PS10.7 billion in 2014, equivalent to more than 17 per cent of the total spending on clothing and accessories (Mintel, 2014). The internet therefore provides unparalleled opportunities for retail businesses. After USA, UK is the second-largest online retail market in the world with an estimated value of PS48.51 billion (Key Note, 2013).\nTheoretical background and hypotheses development: The study is underpinned by the well-known justice theory (Homans, 1961), a widely used framework in service recovery research (e.g. Tax et al., 1998; Smith et al., 1999; Chebat and Slusarczyk, 2005; del Rio-Lanza et al., 2009). In a recovery context, customers are found to evaluate the justice rendered by the firm in offering compensation (distributive justice), in the process of rectifying the service failure (procedural justice) and in customer-employee interactions (interactional justice). Extant research has extensively examined customer perceptions of justice following offline service failure and recovery encounters. In a departure from past research, the present study investigates perceived justice towards service recovery delivered online. Since prior research suggests that service recovery is effective when fair (or just), testing customer perceptions of justice towards online service recovery, and their impact on customer post-recovery behaviour, is important and a key objective of the present study.\nMethod: Design\nAnalysis and results: In order to test the conceptual framework, PLS-SEM analysis was conducted (Haenlein and Kaplan, 2004; Tenenhaus et al., 2005; Hair et al., 2012) using SmartPLS 3.0 software (Ringle et al., 2014). Given the exploratory nature of the present study and its focus on advancing research in the domain of online service recovery, PLS-SEM was deemed apposite (Chin, 2010). In addition, PLS-SEM allows for testing of the measurement and structural models simultaneously, thereby accounting for measurement error (Streukens et al., 2010). The proficiency of this technique in generating robust results is well-established, especially when using small sample sizes (Hair et al., 2014).\nDiscussion and conclusions: Service firms operating online often encounter online service failures. Understanding how to recover from online service failures is crucial for service managers in order to design effective service recovery strategies. Although research on consumer online service experiences is growing, little is known about how firms can deliver online service recovery and how online service recovery shapes customer perceptions and post-recovery behaviour. The present study attempted to address the above research gap and examined how two online tools, namely, online information and technology-mediated interactions function as online service recovery strategies. Specifically, the study assessed customer perceptions of justice towards the above two online service recovery strategies, and the consequent impact on customer post-recovery satisfaction, and behavioural intentions. Additionally, the study examined how customer responses to online service recovery vary between subscription and non-subscription services.\nTheoretical and practical implications: The study's findings offer important theoretical and managerial implications. First, prior research has extensively examined how firms can deliver offline service recovery, and consequent customer perceptions of justice. By contrast, situations when online services fail and online recovery is attempted have been overlooked. There is an emerging body of research focussing on online service failures and recovery (e.g. Holloway et al., 2005; Harris et al., 2006; Lin et al., 2011). However, research investigating how firms can rectify online service failures through the implementation of online recovery tools is still scarce. Little attention has been directed towards customer responses to service failure and recovery encounters taking place online. The present study advances research in the area of service failure and recovery management by providing empirical evidence that customers perceive online information such as FAQ pages, help pages, and discussion forums, as fair procedures of handling online service failures if these tools lead to fast problem resolution. Further, evidence is provided that technology-mediated interactions represent an effective online recovery strategy, when addressing customer needs for self-esteem.\nLimitations and further research: The conclusions from this study's findings are drawn within the caveats of experimental research and non-probability sampling. The study's limitations, however, present important avenues for future research. First, the sample included frequent users of airtime and/or retail services, who had experienced at least one service failure in the past. An interesting avenue for future research is to test whether the findings can be extended to the general population of online service users, and to other service contexts. For instance, online banking, auctions and education are increasingly being used and deserve greater attention. Second, the study adopted an experimental research design, thus ensuring high internal validity of findings. Whilst attempts were made to ensure external validity of findings by conducting extensive pre-testing, the findings may still differ if the study is replicated in a real-life context. Future research may test the generalizability of this study's findings by conducting a field experiment. In addition, situations, customer individual characteristics, such as their level of self-efficacy, may also influence responses to online service recovery. Future research can, therefore, investigate the role of customer characteristics in explaining customer adoption of online tools in recovery encounters, and consequent satisfaction.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The internet has changed the way services are delivered and has created new forms of customer-firm interactions. Whilst online service failures remain inevitable, the internet offers opportunities for delivering efficient service recovery through the online channel. Notwithstanding, research evidence on how firms can deliver online service recovery remains scarce. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of two online service recovery strategies - online information and technology-mediated communication - on customer satisfaction, switching and word of mouth intentions.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A scenario-based experiment is employed. Data are analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling.\nFindings: Online information and technology-mediated interactions can be used as online service recovery strategies. When fair, online service recovery can restore customer satisfaction, lower switching and enhance positive word of mouth. Interactional justice delivered through technology-mediated communication is a strong predictor of satisfaction with online service recovery. Yet, customers in subscription services show greater expectations of online service recovery than those in non-subscription services.\nResearch limitations/implications: Further research could examine the impact of online service recovery on relational constructs, such as trust. Since customers participate in the online recovery process, future research could investigate the role of customers as co-creators of online service recovery.\nPractical implications: Service managers should design online recovery strategies that meet customer need for interactional justice, for example, bespoke e-mails, and virtual chat communications with genuine customer care.\nOriginality/value: Online information and technology-mediated communication function as online service recovery strategies. Customer perceptions of justice towards online service recovery restore satisfaction, and encourage loyal behaviour.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
An inland-depots-for-empty-containers-model for the hinterland
|
[
"Optimization problem",
"Container management",
"Empty container problem",
"Hinterland",
"Modified IDEC"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The implementation of reusable containers in 1965 has revolutionized the international exchange of goods (Kendall and Buckley, 2001; Vojdani and Lootz, 2011). Between 2000 and 2010, the global container traffic in form of port throughput has more than doubled, starting with 236.7 million twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) in 2000 and rising to 548.5 million TEU in 2010 (Drewry Shipping Consultants, 2011). According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Review of Maritime Transport (2014), the world container port throughput surpassed 651 million 20-ft containers in 2013. The rate of empty containers in the total container amount has only minor fluctuations and remains in the past five years at an average of 21.3 per cent (Drewry Shipping Consultants, 2011). This induces the question of how to manage empty containers as the use of containers in trade requires these empties to be available at the right time at the right place in the right condition for being used again (Vojdani et al., 2010). Thus, the overall objective of empty container management is to make containers available for reload while minimizing transport costs and maximizing benefits.\nRepositioning of empty containers: The management and organization of repositioning\nState of the art of solving the empty container management problem: Table I shows an overview to operations research (OR)-related research in the area of empty container management. The literature has also been viewed from the point of view of whether the hinterland aspect has been (explicitly or implicitly) addressed.\nSuggesting an IDEC model for the hinterland: The starting point of the considerations is the IDEC model presented by Mittal (2008), who developed a model which minimizes the total transport costs and adds additional space for storing containers in the hinterland by opening new depots next to customer destinations.\nDiscussion, limitations, conclusion and outlook: The contribution of this paper was to show how the implementation of a modified inland depot model can help to reduce the total system costs in empty container management on a regional level.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to figure out in which way a hinterland-based inland depot model can help a shipping company in solving the empty container problem at a regional level. The repositioning of empty containers is a very expensive operation that does not generate profits. Consequently, it is very important to provide an efficient empty container management.\nDesign/methodology/approach: In this paper, the empty container problem is discussed at a regional repositioning level. For solving this problem, a mixed-integer linear optimization model is developed and validated by using the German hinterland as a case.\nFindings: The findings show that the hinterland-based solution is able to reduce the total system costs by 40 per cent. In addition, total of truck kilometres could be reduced by more than 30 per cent too.\nResearch limitations/implications: This research is based on German data only.\nOriginality/value: This paper closes the gap in empty container repositioning research by looking at the hinterland dimension from a single shipping company point of view.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Framing hybrid exchanges in subsistence contexts
|
[
"International marketing",
"Embeddedness",
"Entanglement",
"Hybrid exchange",
"Subsistence contexts"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: This paper aims to deepen the understanding of subsistence exchange practices and their contribution to international marketing theory and practice. The term \"subsistence\" is used in reference to the impoverished or low-income segment of society (Viswanathan and Rosa, 2007; Viswanathan et al., 2009), and to draw attention to the micro-level, bottom-up approach adopted in exploring poverty settings (Viswanathan and Venugopal, 2015).\n2. Literature review: 2.1 The concept of exchange\n3. Research context and methodology: This section reports two ethnographic studies conducted in low-income communities in Western Uganda and Nairobi (Kenya). The ethnographic approach taken allows an in-depth understanding of phenomena through the lens and lived experiences of the actors themselves (Lofland and Lofland, 1984; Hammersley, 1992; Denzin and Lincoln, 2005). Both studies involved participant observation, interviews, field note-taking and visual methods.\n4. Findings: This section focuses on the exchanges occurring in both the Ugandan and the Kenyan contexts. The Ugandan case is presented first, highlighting two hybrid exchange scenarios in which both social and economic relations are internalized within the farming community, and in the SCI market frame. In the second part, the Chama networks are examined, presenting two exchange scenarios - one between Chama participants as exchange partners, and the other between financial institutions and Chamas. The four exchange scenarios are then summarized in Table I.\n5. Discussion: The findings reveal that all four exchange scenarios investigated displayed elements of both social and economic exchanges, in spite of the differences in context, relationships and exchange resources. It therefore becomes problematic to view social relations in these contexts as needing \"bracketing out\" as posited in the market-framing model (Callon, 1999).\n6. Marketing implications and conclusions: As a novelty, this paper brings together diverse exchange literatures to highlight the contribution of subsistence exchange practices to international marketing theory and practice. It raises the question of the relevance of international marketing as broadly understood, and accounts for the marketing practices performed in variegated subsistence settings such as those examined in this study. This section discusses the study's implications at two fronts: the importance of embeddedness to international marketing, and the importance of forging partnerships in addressing the needs of subsistence actors. Both the contributions to theory and practice are considered.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to deepen the understanding of subsistence exchange practices and their contribution to international marketing theory and practice. It draws on the notion of embeddedness to examine the hybrid exchange practices unfolding within subsistence communities, and between subsistence communities and (international) firms.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The paper reports two ethnographic studies conducted in low-income farming and slum communities in Uganda and Kenya, respectively. Both studies involved participant observation, interviews, field note-taking and visual methods.\nFindings: The findings demonstrate that hybrid exchange systems prevail in subsistence contexts, supporting both market and non-market logics simultaneously. Actors remain deeply embedded in their social worlds during exchange, making it problematic to disentangle social relations from market exchanges.\nResearch limitations/implications: The study suggests implications for international firms interested in forging business partnerships with subsistence actors. It calls for international marketers to surpass the traditional marketing roles and develop competences that enable firms to meaningfully embed in subsistence contexts. Further research could explore how international marketers could develop such competences.\nOriginality/value: The paper draws from diverse exchange literature to demonstrate how subsistence actors become actively involved in shaping hybrid exchanges that (potentially) incorporate international firms. The study calls for a broader understanding of international marketing, which accounts for the embedded marketing practices entailed in serving subsistence markets. It concludes that categorizing exchanges as either economic or social is problematic as both forms co-evolve to constitute multiple levels of intra-community, local marketplace and extensive hybrid exchanges.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
A co-evolutionary perspective on business processes: Evidence from the performance appraisal of a service firm
|
[
"Performance appraisal",
"Case study",
"Organizational change",
"Routines",
"Business processes",
"Co-evolution"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: What new empirical implications can emerge in the organizational adaptation domain by adopting a multi-level, co-evolutionary theoretical perspective? How does the performance appraisal process affect the evolution of the organization?\n2. Theoretical background: In recent years, co-evolutionary approaches have registered a growing academic interest, particularly in the areas of organizational adaptation (O'Reilly and Tushman, 2008), organizational learning (Crossan et al., 2013), and organizational processes (Pentland et al., 2010, 2012). Scholars maintain that because business environments are systematically becoming more competitive, complex, and interconnected (McCarthy et al., 2010; Lewin and Volberda, 2011; Murmann, 2013), co-evolutionary narratives may appropriately address the academic challenge of these fast-evolving entities. Among the various evolutionary approaches, while population ecologists (Hannan and Freeman, 1977; Brittain and Freeman, 1983) focused on the competitive dynamics and change at the industry level, other scholars underlined the importance of studying evolutionary processes within firms (Aldrich, 1999; Burgelman, 1991; Murmann et al., 2003; Nelson and Winter, 1982). Despite the recent calls around this promising research venue, however, few empirical studies have drawn from the aforementioned co-evolutionary theory to shed light on the formation and evolution of organizational processes in real business practices. In order to investigate the evolutionary dynamics within an organization, two elements need to be characterized, namely, the unit of analysis, which evolves over time, and the underlying evolutionary mechanism. The following sub-sections are, thus, devoted to the theoretical underpinnings behind these two elements and discuss the appropriate research design and methodologies to be used in a co-evolutionary study.\n3. Introduction of the case study: Firm A, the Italian branch of a multinational group, operates well-being and beauty services shops in all major European and North American airports. The Group was originally founded in Paris in 2004, with the aim of providing high-quality beauty and relaxation services to airport passengers. Because of the simplicity and scalability of the business model, a rapid internationalization process began and, only three years after its inception, the Group opened its first foreign branch in Italy in 2007. Today the Group has more than 300 employees in seven countries, with a total annual turnover of EUR10 million, and a year-on-year growth rate of about 15 percent.\n4. Analysis: The analysis is based on the performance appraisal mechanism of Firm A. Indeed, the author and the Branch Manager, after reviewing the numerous processes within the firm, noticed that the feedback originating from the performance appraisal routine had the greatest influence on individual and group behavior. Since it is a corporate-level routine, designed and enforced by the Group headquarters, I investigate its impact on the anticipatory mechanism of futures described in the theoretical section. In the following sub-sections, thus, the performance appraisal routine is assessed and the V-S-R framework is then applied both at the individual and group levels of analysis to investigate the evolutionary dynamics within the practice.\n5. Discussion: The analysis presented in the narrative above resonates with recent works within the organizational evolution domain.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: What new empirical implications can emerge in the organizational adaptation domain by adopting a multi-level co-evolutionary theoretical perspective? How does the performance appraisal process affect the evolution of the organization? The purpose of this paper, positioned within the organizational evolution research field, is to untangle the complexity behind emergence, development, and extinction of business processes over time, highlighting the inner mechanisms behind the adaptation process.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The work is presented as a longitudinal, single case study of a service firm. Scholars concur in considering this approach particularly reliable when investigating the evolution of a practice (Feldman, 2000; Howard-Grenville, 2005; Lazaric and Denis, 2005). Data have been collected during 2014 through three main methods: unstructured interviews, meeting observations, and direct observation of participants.\nFindings: From the analysis, it emerges that the impact of the performance appraisal routine on individual and group dynamics is the main determinant behind organizational inertia and resistance to change. In particular, the degree of managerial control exerted, the feedback scheme applied, and the group interaction mechanisms are predictors of the degree of business process exploitation or exploration within a practice.\nResearch limitations/implications: In order to address the exploratory nature of the work, further developments may deepen the analysis investigating and comparing the findings obtained in different business contexts, highlighting important similarities or differences in various sectors. Different empirical settings might also be beneficial in further investigating the complexity of additional dimensions of routines' evolution, especially at the group and organization level of analysis.\nPractical implications: The insights from the case may serve as useful inputs to improve the efficiency of the service firm examined, and to identify possible mechanisms to foster knowledge production and replication within the practice.\nOriginality/value: The paper, by adopting a co-evolutionary perspective, has been conceived as a deliberate search for new empirical implications in the organizational evolution research domain at multiple levels of analysis.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Cost-effectiveness of a quality improvement collaborative for obstetric and newborn care in Niger
|
[
"Maternity",
"Neonatal quality improvement",
"Cost‐effectiveness",
"Niger",
"Improvement collaborative",
"Customer services quality",
"Quality improvement"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: A Niger woman faces a one in seven chance of dying from pregnancy complications - among the highest maternal mortality risks in the world (UNICEF, 2010). post partum hemorrhage (PPH) is the leading cause of maternal mortality in Niger followed by sepsis and eclampsia (Ronsman et al., 2003). In 2006, USAID's Quality Assurance Project (QAP), subsequently supported by the USAID Health Care Improvement Project (HCI), launched an essential obstetric and newborn care (EONC) improvement collaborative with the Niger Health Ministry (MoH) to improve maternal and newborn outcomes by increasing compliance with high impact, evidence-based care standards. The MoH and QAP team applied a quality improvement (QI) strategy known as the improvement collaborative, which coordinated and supported multiple facility-based teams to introduce and overcome barriers to implementing targeted interventions. Participating teams worked with common technical interventions, monitored the same indicators and came together regularly to share successful changes for achieving rapid results. Thus, the collaborative staff introduced new clinical standards for high impact maternal newborn care with regular shared learning of methods to overcome service delivery barriers for implementing new clinical standards. The EONC collaborative's main clinical interventions were active managing third-stage labor (AMTSL) and immediate essential newborn care (ENC). The collaborative began in June 2006 within 25 maternity hospitals in seven of Niger's eight regions and expanded after one year to include eight other maternity hospitals for 33 participating facilities by 2008.Actively managing third-stage labor was found to be cost-effective compared to expectant labor-management (minimal intervention) in Vietnam (Tsugawa et al., 2009), Guatemala and Zambia (Fullerton et al., 2006), and oxytocin administration combined with controlled cord traction and uterine massage (three AMTSL elements) is reported to be an efficient and effective way to reduce PPH (Pierre et al., 1992; Fahdhy and Chongsuvivatwong, 2005). However, there are implicit assumptions in these studies that the clinical intervention being studied has been administered in compliance with evidence-based standards. It is reported that many health interventions provided in low-income countries do not meet quality standards, which may have a significant negative impact on patient outcomes (Massoud et al., 2001). In Sub-Saharan Africa, AMTSL compliance was low (Oladapo et al., 2009) and specifically in some Niger regions it has been reported to be 0 percent (HCI/USAID, 2008), contributing to high maternal mortality. A recent seven-country study demonstrated that AMTSL was used correctly in only 0.5 percent to 32 percent of observed deliveries and training in active management alone did not appear to contribute to its practice (Stanton et al., 2009). The QI interventions that facilitate and accelerate high-impact interventions, part of routine care, are essential to achieve compliance with evidence-based standards and improve birth outcomes. However, such QI initiatives inevitably need resources to implement them, at least in the short term.\nResearch question and method: We focus on how much an improvement collaborative costs and whether it leads to cost-savings over the program's life and beyond by improving birth outcomes. Our economic analysis was designed to address three questions:1. How much did developing and implementing the improvement collaborative cost the funder?2. What is the estimated cost to the Niger MoH if it were to scale-up the improvement collaborative to additional health facilities not included in the initial intention?3. What are the improvement intervention's cost-effectiveness, quality indicators, PPH cases averted and disability-adjusted life year (DALY)?Study design\nResults: At the improvement collaborative start date, vaginal deliveries in 33 participating facilities was approximately 2,100 per month at an average cost of $35 per delivery. By the end, births had increased by approximately 10 percent and the average cost had decreased to $28 per delivery.QI program funder cost\nDiscussion: These results show that the improvement collaborative cost a modest amount per delivery and had a significant positive impact on birth outcomes. If the MoH implemented the same improvement collaborative in similar facilities not part of the initial intervention then we predict significant cost savings and improved birth outcomes. The QI intervention was largely funded by USAID and we show that this investment had a modest cost compared to the significant positive outcomes in maternal outcomes. The estimated ICER, $286/DALY, is close to the $223/DALY reported by Adam et al. (2005) for implementing a comprehensive maternal and neonatal health package in sub-Saharan African countries. Considering the program described in our study saw 10 percent more women giving birth in facilities for an incremental cost of $217,000, it is approximately 30 times more cost-effective per additional delivery occurring in a facility than the skilled birth attendant intervention in Burkina Faso analyzed by Newlands et al. (2008).The positive result's main driver was the decreased average clinical cost for normal deliveries. We ascribe two reasons for this change: the obstetric service's improved efficiency; and decreased PPH. Our result is consistent with decreased cost associated with AMTSL found in Zambia and Guatemala (Fullerton et al., 2006). Several changes in maternity facilities instituted by the improvement collaborative required additional resources. These include administering oxytocin immediately following every delivery and ensuring that infection prevention materials were supplied. This increase in resource demand could have increased the per-delivery cost. However, during the collaborative, participating clinic deliveries increased by about 10 percent, meaning that a facility's fixed costs were spread over more deliveries. post partum hemorrhage treatment incurred greater cost to the health system than normal deliveries. Therefore, the 89 percent PPH decrease also contributed to lower average costs per delivery. The collaborative was associated with about a 10 percent increase in the deliveries occurring in participating facilities during the intervention. It was beyond our scope to determine how much of this increase was due solely to service quality improvement and how much was attributable to other factors such as demographic changes or several women choosing to give birth at participating facilities.Limitations\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to describe a quality improvement collaborative conducted in 33 Nigerian facilities to improve maternal and newborn care outcomes by increasing compliance with high-impact, evidence-based care standards. Intervention costs and cost-effectiveness were examined and costs to the Niger Health Ministry (MoH) were estimated if they were to scale-up the intervention to additional sites.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - Facility-based maternal care outcomes and costs from pre-quality improvement collaborative baseline monitoring data in participating facilities from January to May 2006 were compared with outcomes and costs from the same facilities from June 2008 to September 2008. Cost data were collected from project accounting records. The MoH costs were determined from interviews with clinic managers and quality improvement teams. Effectiveness data were obtained from facilities' records.\nFindings: - The average delivery-cost decreased from $35 before to $28 after the collaborative. The USAID/HCI project's incremental cost was $2.43/delivery. The collaborative incremental cost-effectiveness was $147/disability-adjusted life year averted. If the MoH spread the intervention to other facilities, substantive cost-savings and improved health outcomes can be predicted.\nPractical implications: - The intervention achieved significant positive health benefits for a low cost. The Niger MoH can expect approximately 50 per cent return on its investment if it implements the collaborative in new facilities. The improvement collaborative approach can improve health and save health care resources.\nOriginality/value: - This is one of the first studies known to examine collaborative quality improvement and economic efficiency in a developing country.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Human resource management, commitment and performance links in Iran and Turkey
|
[
"Organizational commitment",
"Organizational performance",
"Human resource management practices",
"Individual job performance",
"Travel agency"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Human resource management (HRM) practices assist managers in achieving organizational goals through effective management of work and people in organizations (Boxall and Purcell, 2003; Guest, 2011). HRM practices and their implementation can be considered as a system for management of organizational members (Guest, 2011). HRM practices also make possible human development and bind people to the organization. Employees can perform better and have growth within the organization through greater loyalty and increased efforts to aid the organization's welfare state (Rhoades et al., 2001). Guest (2011) found that HRM controlled organizational performance (OP) through the way it affected employee attitudes and behavior. If HRM processes were available and well-organized and organizational members experienced them, employees would respond to HRM practices positively. This resulted in getting \"work-related well-being\" including \"health,\" \"happiness\" and \"relationships\" for employees. Health related to physical well-being and safety. Happiness referred to job satisfaction, contentment and engagement. Finally, relationships included fairness, trust, openness, friendship and freedom from bullying and harassment (Grant et al., 2007). Furthermore, Bakker and Demerouti (2007) noted that work-related well-being required balancing demands of work - workload, emotional demands and work and non-work conflict - and resources of work-job autonomy, social support, development opportunities and feedback. If right HRM practices were provided leading to necessary resources, the feelings of physical discomfort would be alleviated irrespective of the level of job demands. These, in turn, enhanced employee well-being and consequently affected work attitudes, such as organizational commitment, individual job performance (IJP), OP and intention to quit the organization. Obviously, all organizations need HRM practices. However, they are not likely to take this issue seriously unless they observe HRM's certain helpful impacts, such as employee job satisfaction, employee professional development and organizational competitiveness (Guest, 2002).\n2. Theoretical framework and hypotheses: 2.1 Human resource management (HRM) practices\n3. Research method: In the survey (see Table AI), questions for HRM practices were concerned with nine items. They were RS, TR, RE, SW, TW, JD, DL, JS and CM scales that included 14 questions. RS questions were adopted from the work of Dessler (2002); TR questions were modified from the work of Dessler (2002); RE questions were modified form the works of Devanna et al. (1984) and Herzberg (1968); SW questions were adopted from the works of Dutra (2001) and Bohlander and Snell (2009); TW, DL and JS questions were modified from the work of Pfeffer (1998); JD question was adopted from the work of Hackman and Oldham (1980); and CM question was adopted from the work of Hall (1990). Questions for OC were concerned with three subvariables - AC, CC and NC. OC scale that was related to 3 items included 18 questions and was based on the work of Allen and Meyer (1990, 1996). Questions that were related to IJP and OP included 16 questions and were based on the work of Ozkan (2011). Above scales used in their respective and other prior studies were reliable and valid. In answering questionnaires five-level Likert-type scale was used. Answers to questions ranged from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).\n4. Data analysis and research findings: The data were analyzed by using SPSS for Windows 21.0 program. While evaluating the data, definitive statistical methods were used. The bivariate relationship between the dependent and independent variables was tested by Pearson correlation analysis. Finally, multiple regression analysis was used to test proposed hypotheses.\n5. Conclusion: Given correlation analysis, the travel agencies in Iran and Turkey should recognize that fair screening and hiring, promotion and development processes and well-designed and administered training programs were related to employees' emotional attachment to the organization, awareness of costs of leaving the organization, and IJP and OP. Likewise, intrinsic and extrinsic rewards, performance-based fair pay system, fully participative teamwork, clear job description, and assigned duties and authority were related to employees' attachment to the organization, awareness of costs of leaving the organization, feelings of obligation to continue with the organization, and IJP and OP. Furthermore, employment security was related to employees' attachment to the organization, awareness of costs of leaving the organization, and IJP and OP. Finally, employees' attachment to the organization, awareness of costs of leaving the organization and feelings of obligation to continue with the organization were related to IJP and OP.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influences of human resource management (HRM) practices on organizational commitment (OC), individual job performance (IJP) and organizational performance (OP) and the effects of OC on IJP and OP at travel agencies in Iran and Turkey. Given research site observation, improving HRM practices fostering OC, IJP and OP was essential to high service quality in hospitality industry.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Data were collected through a survey based on interview and e-mail from 440 employees working at travel agencies in both countries. Analysis methodology included demographic statistics, descriptive statistics, factor analysis, reliability analysis, correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis.\nFindings: Only reward (RE), teamwork (TW), job description (JD), delegation (DL) and career management (CM) influenced affective commitment (AC); JD and CM affected continuance commitment (CC); and recruitment and selection (RS), RE, salary and wage (SW), TW, DL, job security (JS) and CM influenced normative commitment (NC) significantly and positively. Likewise, only RS, TR, SW, TW, DL and CM affected IJP; and TR, JS and CM affected OP significantly and positively. Finally, AC, CC and NC influenced IJP and only AC and CC impacted OP significantly and positively.\nResearch limitations/implications: Sample and number of respondents were limited. Generalization of findings was not possible. E-mail respondents raised the problem of who filled the form. Scales did not include personality traits, socio-cultural features and economic conditions which should be explored. However, the research provided recommendations to travel agencies in both countries.\nOriginality/value: This study filled the gap in hospitality industry in Iran and Turkey where research works into wide-ranging HRM practices-OC-IJP-OP links were few and far between.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The empirical and moral foundations of the ISLLC Standards
|
[
"Leadership",
"School reform"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: In this paper, we explore the foundations of the ISLLC Standards. We begin by uncovering the purpose dimensions of the Standards, what they are designed to influence. We undertake this initial assignment through a brief historical discussion, by highlighting core design principles, and with an analysis of the importance of the Standards. In the balance of the paper, we examine the two intellectual pillars on which the Standards rest, academic press and productive community.\nHistorical development: The vision for national standards for school leaders took shape inside the National Policy Board for Education Administration (NPBEA), and bears the fingerprints of its executive director in the mid-1990s, Scott Thomson. The NPBEA was formed in response to recommendations contained in the 1987 report of the UCEA-sponsored National Commission on Excellence in Educational Administration (NCEEA) (Griffiths et al., 1988; Thomson, 1999), a hallmark document in the history of school leadership that provided bridging from the 40-year post-Second World War era to new conceptions about what educational administration might become (Forsyth, 1999). It was the NPBEA that secured the funding to develop national standards for school leaders, although in 1994 in an effort to prevent duplication, the grant application to the Pew Trusts for creation of \"common and higher standards [...] was amended to designate CCSSO as assuming primary responsibility for this work\" (Thomson, 1999, p. 107). Over 18 months, the newly formed Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium encompassing 24 states and members from the associations in the NPBEA crafted the first set of national standards for school administrators (Forsyth, 1999), what came to be known as the ISLLC Standards for School Leaders (Interstate School Leadership Licensure Consortium, 1996).\nDesign principles: There are a number of essential understandings about the Standards that merit attention, often because they have been misunderstood. Much of this confusion can be traced to insufficient explanations by the developers of the Standards. Some can be explained by insufficient attention on the part of reviewers (Murphy, 2005).\nImportance: An essential question is why should the profession writ large and professors in particular attend to national standards for school leaders (Young, 2014)? At one level, the answer is that the ISLLC Standards represent consensual agreement across all the professional associations about the grounding for school administration. At a more concrete level, investment is important because the Standards exert considerable influence on the shape and texture of the profession of school administration. For example, we know that the ISLLC Standards are welded into the framework of school leadership at the state level. Indeed, 45 states have laws and regulations that infuse the Standards into core understandings and actions in the domain of school administration (McCarthy et al., 2014). More concretely, via the Educational Leadership Coordinating Council, the ISLLC Standards have become the foundation to preparation programs across the nation.\nIntellectual foundations: The Standards are scaffolded on the two pillars of academic press and productive community. In this section, we unpack these core constructs. In the process, we reveal a good deal about three cross-cutting themes that bind the Standards together: culture, school improvement, and justice.\nConclusion: The ongoing work to update the ISLLC Standards has been subject to a number of powerful forces and dynamics. One of the most important was the history of the creation (1996) and the initial revision (2008) of the Standards. Organizational and political sediment demanding attention had built up over 20 years. Second, the reality that the Standards had become a high impact platform was inescapable. They had and most likely would continue to cascade over professional organizations, states, and districts in highly influential ways. They had signaled that important changes in the work of academics, practitioners, policy makers, and program developers were unavoidable. Most significantly, the knowledge base upon which the Standards were scaffolded, academic press, and productive community, demanded an enlarged treatment of what leaders should be doing to create schools where inside an environment of care all youngsters reach ambitious targets of academic learning.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to unpack the foundations for the national standards for school leaders in the USA. The author examines some of the background of the Standards from 1996 to 2015. The author explores the two foundations on which the ISLLC Standards rest, academic press and supportive community.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This paper takes the approach of a review of research.\nFindings: The paper lays out the foundations for ISLLC.\nOriginality/value: The ISLLC Standards have the potential to significantly alter the landscape of leadership.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Consumer attitude and intention to adopt mobile wallet in India - An empirical study
|
[
"India",
"Adoption",
"Attitude",
"Banking"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: 1.1 What is a mobile wallet?\n2. Review of literature: 2.1 Theories on technology acceptance\n3. Hypotheses formulation and research model: This section details the formulation of the hypotheses for the study based on constructs and relationships from the theories of technology adoption like TAM and UTAUT. It is expected that the general causalities established in these two models would be applicable in the context of mobile wallets.\n4. Research methodology: 4.1 Qualitative data collection\n5. Sample profile: The respondents profile comprises of 493 (66.3 percent) males and 251 (33.7 percent) females. The majority of the respondents were in the age group of 18-24 (45 percent) and 25-34 (43.5 percent) year olds. In our sample, 88.5 percent of the respondents were in the age group of 18-35 years, which is above the Indian average of 67 percent (Statista, 2018) but is representative of a younger population, which is actively using mobile phone and wallets. In the sample, there were 410 (55.1 percent) students and 234 (31.5) working professionals, whereas 68 (9.1 percent) were self-employed or had their own business.\n6. Estimation of measurement and structural model: The items in the various constructs were subjected to measurement model using SmartPLS 3.0. The measurement model showing the items, mean values (M), standard deviation (SD) and factor loadings is given in Table AI. The internal consistency was examined using Cronbach's a. It was found (see Table V) that the values of all the constructs exceed the minimum required value of 0.7 (Lin and Huang, 2008). The measurement model was assessed by computing the values of convergent and discriminant validity. For convergent validity, the values of composite reliability (CR) should be at least 0.7 and the average variance extracted (AVE) should be at least 0.5 (Zhang et al., 2014).\n7. Summary of findings and managerial implications: In this study, 66.3 percent of respondents were males respondents and 88.5 percent were in the age group 18-35 years. The majority of the respondents (55.1 percent) were students. Of total, 44.4 percent had an income less than 3 lakhs per annum, whereas 22.2 percent had income more than 12 lakhs per annum. The major modes of payment while making purchases were cash on delivery and debit cards. Almost 50 percent of the respondents had a prepaid internet package. One-third of the respondents (30.6 percent) out of 744 had heard but not used mobile wallet.\n8. Limitations and scope for future research: As with all research works, this study also has a few limitations. These provide opportunities for future research. Given that the population of mobile phone internet users in India is more than 350m, the sample size of 744 may be disproportionate. Furthermore, the sample primarily comprises of students and working professionals from the metros and larger cities in India. Hence, opinions from the other cities and towns, which are away from metro cities, could not be captured. Thus, the findings may not reflect the actual picture of user experiences with mobile wallets across different user classes in India. As the Government of India is promoting digital inclusion in rural and far flung cities, their perception is of vital importance. Thus, a larger sample encompassing a balanced representation of rural and urban users may be used to enrich the findings. Prior studies have looked at demographic differences in the adoption of mobile banking services (Geo et al., 2017); online shopping (Zhang et al., 2014); bank technology (Wan et al., 2005); internet banking (Akinci et al., 2004); mobile banking (Amin et al., 2006). Thus, a comparison based on age groups, gender, students versus professionals and user segments would add novelty to the study.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the factors that influence a consumer's attitude and intention to use mobile wallets using a sample representative of Indian users.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A multidisciplinary model is proposed, building on the technology acceptance model (TAM) and unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) and other relevant research on factors, which influence technology adoption. A synthesis of review of literature on factors influencing technology adoption besides two focus group discussions (FGD) was used as a design a pilot instrument. A nationwide primary survey was conducted using the questionnaire. Convenience sampling was used to select the respondents. In total, 744 respondents participated in the survey, and 17 hypotheses were formulated and PLS-SEM was used to estimate and test the hypothesized model.\nFindings: The results show that factors like perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived usefulness (PU), trust, security, facilitating conditions and lifestyle compatibility have a significant impact on the consumer attitude and intention to use mobile wallets. Of the proposed 17 hypotheses, 15 were accepted. Ease of use significantly influenced usefulness and trust, whereas PU significantly influenced trust, attitude and intention. Security and trust were found to be play an important role in determining trust.\nResearch limitations/implications: This study examines the perception of students and working professional from large Indian cities. A larger representative sample encompassing balanced representation from urban and rural India could enhance the scope and widen the application of the results across larger target groups. This study analyzes data at a specific point in time. Considering the rapidly changing rate of adoption of mobile wallets, a longitudinal study could, therefore, be conducted. Furthermore, the possibility of including other antecedents like relative advantage, perceived benefits, personal innovativeness among other factors, which have not been addressed here can be explored. Also, additional research can help examine the role of demographics in adoption of mobile wallets including its moderating effect.\nPractical implications: As security and trust emerged as important constructs for acceptance of mobile wallets, there is a need for developing an integrated robust, reliable and secure infrastructure. A joint think tank involving key stakeholders (financial institutions, mobile wallet providers, government, security experts, etc.) should propose guidelines to ensure safe and secure transactions. The findings have managerial implications, which can guide companies offering mobile wallets to enhance usage and adoption of such services.\nOriginality/value: Mobile wallets have provided newer digital payment avenues to consumers while offering companies and marketers greater opportunities to market their products and services, online. However, not much is reported about the adoption of mobile wallets in India. The study is perhaps the first in India to examine the adoption of mobile wallets using a larger sample in comparison to earlier studies. The study proposes and validates additional constructs, which were not present in the original model.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Art in the community for potentially vulnerable mental health groups
|
[
"Mental health services",
"Arts",
"Community work (social welfare)",
"Group work"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world (Albert Einstein, 1929).Art - the use of the imagination - that magical quality which marks us out as different from all other living beings, can help achieve increases in communication, self-understanding and well-being (Calman, 2000; D'Lima, 2004; Haldane and Loppert, 1999; Graham Pole, 2000; Staricoff, 2004; White, 2004; NHS Estates, 2002); alleviate stress and anxiety (Bolton, 1999; Staricoff, 2004) and can have significant therapeutic effects (Help the Hospices, 2005). This power of the imagination and art has been known about and harnessed for thousands of years, and due to trends towards more holistic modes of practice (Department of Health, 1999), art is used increasingly in healthcare and community settings (Haldane and Loppert, 1999; Philipp, 2002; Everitt and Hamilton, 2003; White, 2004; NHS Estates, 2002).The arts can be used as a direct agent for helping patients and practitioners to reflect effectively upon experiences, express damaging memories, thoughts and emotions, and facilitate helpful feelings and states of mind, to bring about a greater state of well-being (Kirklin and Richardson, 2003; Everitt and Hamilton, 2003). Well-being rather than health as the latter is often considered to be a purely physical state - like a smoothly-running car. Well-being is a state of acceptance with what is - in mind, body and spirit. One can be ill, yet in a state of well-being. Staricoff (2004) has outlined evidence on the value of the arts and humanities in:* inducing positive psychological and psychological changes in clinical outcomes;* reducing drug consumption;* shortening length of stay in hospital;* increasing job satisfaction;* promoting better doctor-patient relationships; and* developing health practitioners' empathy across gender and cultural diversity.The arts offered in a social community setting (Lewis, 2001) can increase community relationships, which in turn further increases well-being and potentially improves health. Visual arts skills can help mental health users towards increased personal expressiveness and agency over their lives (Malley et al., 2002). Communal activities and \"social capital\" are decreasing in our society, leading to mental ill health, and increased pressure on primary care services (Walker and Walker, 1997). This is exacerbated by community care policy, which places emphasis on individuals rather than contexts (Phillips, 2001). There is a growing recognition that community art projects can help reverse this worrying trend (White, 2004). So much so that the editor of the British Medical Journal recently recommended that 0.5 per cent of the NHS budget should be diverted to spending on the arts (Smith, 2002).Arts in health has been described as \"creative activities that aim to improve individual/community health and healthcare delivery using arts based approaches, and that seek to enhance the healthcare environment through provision of artworks or performances\" (White, 2002, p. 11). It is therefore a broad umbrella covering active participation in creative activities (such as dancing), and more passive audience or viewer activities (such as paintings hung on hospital walls). It is helpful to consider process based and product based forms of arts provision in more detail:\nProcess-based - doing it: The practice of an art, such as painting (Petrone, 1999; McNiff, 1994), writing (Bolton, 1999; Killick and Allan, 2000), music (Pavlicevic, 2005; Robertson, 1996; Aldridge, 2000), dance (Cook et al., 2003), drama (Snow et al., 2003), performing arts (Sands, 2002), can be therapeutically powerful. It can enable the expression of the otherwise inexpressible, and the experience of cognitive, emotional, and spiritual areas to which people otherwise have no access (Bolton, 1999). The arts can also be soothing and calming, and offer gentle physical activity distracting from pain and anxiety (Graham Pole, 2000). The very act of creativity also tends to increase self-confidence, feelings of self-worth, motivation for life (D'Lima, 2004; Calman, 2000). Art can also be an unparalleled form of communication (Charon, 2000a). Art is not seen as just a route to enabling communication between practitioner and patient, but as therapeutic in itself. A reliance on word-based therapy can marginalise the therapeutic value of performing the artwork itself (Maclagan, 1989; Matarasso, 1997). Matarasso (1997) reported nearly half of participants in his survey feeling better or healthier having been involved in an arts activity. White (2004) reports a structured creative arts activity, which resulted in fewer re-admissions to psychiatric hospitals than a control group.Commonly perceived benefits of arts activities are that they are non-medicalised, non-judgemental, and person-centred (White, 2004). In medicine and healthcare \"people become patients\" (Smith, 2002); in arts in health projects people become artists. Participants make their own choices, and remain in control of their activity and level of psychological and social involvement. Practice in the arts can encourage self-motivation, and self-care. They encourage community collaborative work - the work is more like a \"conversation\" (Everett and Hamilton, 2003), and people only participate because they want to. Perhaps most importantly they are enjoyable and fun. Playfulness not only creates social and psychological bonds between people, it can enable healing exploration and expression of deeper levels of experience, knowledge, memories and ideas.\nProduct-based - experiencing it: Concerts, literature, artworks can be experienced for healthful benefit. Artistic products have helped people understand and perceive better, probably as long as people have been able to think and feel in the way we think of as human.Art products can take an audience away from painful, depressing, grieving or humdrum concerns, actions and feelings, and can enable reflexive thinking about the self and personal and social situations (Kenyon, 2003; Staricoff and Loppert, 2003; Duncan, 2003). To be classed as art, a piece of music, sculpture, poetry has to be of a quality to transport the audience perhaps from a state of anxiety by encouraging deep, often critical, engagement. Music is rhythmical like the heartbeat, soothing, exhilarating, or a mode of communication (Schatzberger, 2001, Pavlicevic, 2005); fiction and drama have the power of narrative, plot and characterisation enabling readers to inhabit the fictional world, to empathise with the characters, and roam in unfamiliar landscapes (Bolton, 1999; Harris, 2003; Sampson, 2004). Poetry takes readers sharply to the heart of something vital, and can therefore have great emotional or insightful impact (Bolton, 1999; Mazza, 2003; Fox, 2003). A painting can tell things about the personal or everyday world which might never otherwise be perceived, or be restful and calming (Kenyon, 2003; Padfield, 2003; Higgs, 2003).Art is also intensely educational. Literature is full of detail about the way people live in unfamiliar cultures, about suffering, healing, medical practices: every aspect of life (Charon, 2000b; Salinsky, 2002; 2004; Evans, 2003). Art and popular culture can inform about how emotions work on people, how people think and communicate, how they relate to others. Much of this learning can also be therapeutic. The line between therapy and education can narrow to non-existence.\nAn Arts for Health in the Community project: The National Service Framework for Mental Health (Department of Health, 1999) identified a number of groups particularly vulnerable to developing mental health problems. Single parents, homeless people and those involved in substance misuse, for example, have been identified as having a greater propensity to develop mental ill health than other groups. As part of its preventative strategy, the UK government recommends that service intervention should target such groups. With this goal in mind a number of suitable groups in Rotherham, UK were approached and the project discussed with group members. From these negotiations, three groups were eventually selected as being able and willing to take part in the project. It was decided to work with existing groups for a number of reasons. For example, it improved the opportunity to provide a sustainable arts project for the participants as funding would be more easily sought through an organised group and project coordination and monitoring could be more readily facilitated. Following their selection each group was allocated an artist who visited each group for around ten weekly sessions.The three participating groups\nApproach to evaluation: It is important to evaluate the impact of such projects if the availability and sustenance of appropriate levels of investment is to be secured (Health Development Agency, 2000). In view of this, an independent evaluator was appointed and project participants were interviewed during the first and last art group sessions on their initial expectations and subsequent experiences of their involvement with the use of a semi-structured interview format. A reflexive approach was adopted in these interviews in which emergent themes were identified and pursued. From these interviews, full transcripts, fieldwork notes and case studies were produced and an ongoing analysis of qualitative material was carried out with the use of the \"constant comparative method\" (Bryman, 2001). In order to promote the validity of the data collected, a variety of methods and data sources were also used. One-to-one interviews with group members were complemented by focus groups. Interviews with participating artists and group leaders were also conducted at the beginning and the end of the project. Ethical issues of anonymity, confidentiality and informed consent were strictly adhered to throughout the fieldwork with group participants being given the choice as to whether or not to take part in the project evaluation. All agreed, although some members of the drop-in centre requested that their individual interviews were not tape-recorded. There follows an account of these findings, including the details of project participants, group decisions and goals, the art group sessions and project outcomes.Problems in evaluating the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions are widely recognised by practitioners due for example to the impact of extraneous variables upon such interventions (Huntington, 1999). As such, it was recognised that any possible benefits experienced by participants may have been due to other factors such as the provision of a creche worker throughout the duration of the project and the self-selection of project participants. This is especially the case for the drop-in centre members, only a minority of whom took part in the project. Moreover, few participants at the drop-in centre were willing to have their voices tape-recorded in project evaluation interviews hence the relative scarcity of comments from this group. Further distortion can arise as a result of \"reactivity\" or interviewer bias brought about by the presence of the researcher. For, according to phenomenologists, all information gained in interaction situations is highly subjective, influenced as it is by the respective values and expectations of the participants. For example, Fennell et al. (1988) observe that people in receipt of formal provision are unlikely to express dissatisfaction with this provision due to such things as their sense of loyalty to the staff, or the fear of negative repercussions on their service input if they were to voice any criticisms. This may help to explain the relative scarcity of critical comments from the participants in this project.Greater methodological rigour could have been achieved in the project evaluation through such as the establishment of statistical data indicating the social and psychological well being of participants both before and after the project or through the use of a \"control group\" of individuals who chose not to take part in the art activity. Such measures would have provided an objective baseline from which to measure the subsequent impact of the project. They would also have facilitated a greater degree of comparison between the reactions of different participating groups and group members. However, such quantitative methods were thought to be incompatible with the small scale of the project. Thus with the exception of a form eliciting the demographic details of participants, methods used in this evaluation were solely qualitative in their orientation. Moreover, time and resource constraints combined with ethical issues meant that only those participating in the project were included in its evaluation.\nFindings: Issues and anxieties in the lives of group members\nConclusion: The art project participants found art creation therapeutic and relaxing, while the acquisition of skills and sense of achievement served to promote feelings of confidence and self-esteem. Social relationships between members of the groups were strengthened; this was valuable as these groups existed before the project, and continued afterwards: a vital community enhancement. Such group relations can be important factors in promoting mental wellbeing. A further community value is that the artists became involved with community groups with whom they might otherwise have no contact.These multiple benefits to be gained from art activities suggest the need for more widespread and sustained funding for this accessible, versatile and cost-effective means of community health promotion (Staricoff, 2004). There is a pressing need for effective evaluation and research. The project reported in this paper was small and inexpensive (as most are), and only used one of the kinds of art involvement outlined at the start of this paper, and only a small range of arts practices. A practical involvement in the arts can offer a wide range of benefits to vulnerable or sick people. This is true of both arts therapies and arts in health, as defined above. Arts as facilitated by artists themselves, with no overt therapeutic input, can be powerfully healing. With very little money, people and communities can be supported towards not just a greater measure of sanity, but also increased health and well-being.\nWeb sites: National Network for the Arts in Health, www.nnah.org.ukCentre for Arts and Humanities in Healthcare and Medicine, www.dur.ac.uk/cahhmThe MAP Foundation, www.mapfoundation.orgRosettalife, www.rosettalife.orgLapidus, www.lapidus.org.uk\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - Drawing on literature and the evaluation of a UK community Arts in Health project, this article aims first to demonstrate that, in spite of the common association in mental health practice between art and the use of psychotherapeutic techniques, involvement in art creation can, in itself, have a sustained and positive impact on the mental and social wellbeing of participants and, second, to give an analysis of the different forms of arts involvement in health.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - A qualitative evaluation of a successful process-based arts in health-care provision to existing vulnerable mental health community groups is discussed.\nFindings: - While the implementation of traditional forms of art therapy tends to be the preserve of those with specialist training, process-orientated art for health projects have been found to be more versatile and are developments in which many practitioners potentially play an important part. Arts in Health provision in a community setting can offer positive health benefits, and aid health promotion.\nPractical implications: - More widespread, sustained funding and further evaluation and research for this accessible, cost-effective means of health promotion in a community setting are needed.\nOriginality/value: - Arts in Health, in institutions (such as prison and hospital) as well as community, is a rapidly expanding, successful and attractive, yet severely under-funded provision. Descriptive in-depth evaluations and critical analyses of the field, such as that presented here, need to be made available in order to develop the field practically and theoretically.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Preventing skin staining: an effective iron infusion protocol
|
[
"Clinical incident",
"Quality improvement",
"Obstetrics",
"Intravenous iron"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is common during pregnancy and the postpartum period, affecting up to 30 per cent of women in the developed world and 50 per cent of women in the developing world (Bencaiova et al., 2012). This is due to increased iron demands during pregnancy to support expanded maternal plasma volume, as well as the growing foetus and placenta (Gautam et al., 2008). Such detrimental effects for the pregnant woman include fatigue, depression and impaired cognitive performance, which can be further aggravated by intrapartum blood loss (Beard et al., 2005; Haider et al., 2013). Maternal anaemia can also affect the growing foetus, causing intrauterine growth restriction, preterm labour and neonatal anaemia, thereby negatively affecting child health outcomes (Congdon et al., 2012; Scholl, 2011). Oral iron is considered the first supplement of choice. However, a long course is required to replace iron stores, and this is not recommended for pregnant patients with severe anaemia (Daniilidis et al., 2018).An alternative treatment option is an intravenous (IV) iron infusion known as ferric carboxymaltose. This is a dextran-free iron supplement useful to correct IDA rapidly and is considered relatively safe for both mother and foetus in second and third trimesters of pregnancy (Daniilidis et al., 2018; Govindappagari and Burwick, 2018; Qassim et al., 2018). Given its efficacy and safety profile, ferric carboxymaltose will continue to be utilised to correct IDA. A rare but known side effect of ferric carboxymaltose is skin staining (Baird-Gunning and Bromley, 2016) due to extravasation of iron molecules into soft tissue (Raulin et al., 2001). Such staining may be potentially permanent, unacceptable for some patients and responds variably to laser treatment (Raulin et al., 2001).Over nine months, two such incidences occurred in our maternity unit. Although cases of skin staining have been reported in the literature (Lim et al., 2008; Perez-Pevida and Kamocka, 2018; Thompson et al., 2014), our search revealed no cases of skin staining among pregnant and postpartum women. Considering the aesthetic repercussions for patients and potential medicolegal implications, a quality improvement project was developed, in order to implement a safe and effective iron infusion protocol, to prevent future skin staining.Background of the problem\nMethodology: Aims and objectives\nResults: Over eight weeks, 35 ferric carboxymaltose infusions were administered on antenatal and postnatal wards. Data was collected for 30/35 (86 per cent) patients, as the relevant information could not be located for the remaining five patients. There were no skin staining incidences or adverse reactions including anaphylaxis observed during this period. For patients requiring ferric carboxymaltose, mean haemoglobin was 8.7 g/dL (range of 7.3 g/dL-9.9 g/dL). Follow-up haemoglobin measurements were repeated at 2-4 weeks after the iron infusion for 12 patients. All patients, except one, demonstrated improved haemoglobin readings with a mean of 11 g/dL (range 8.5 g/dL-13.4 g/dL).PDSA 1 results\nDiscussion: The purpose of this project was to implement an effective iron infusion protocol to prevent skin staining. This was achieved through multiple interventions: education, an IV iron infusion protocol, auditing and patient information leaflet. Audit findings showed that 46 per cent of staff informed patients of potential skin staining, while self-reported surveys indicated 76 per cent notified patients of this risk. Clinical staff may inform patients before commencing the infusion but fail to document the conversation. Furthermore, healthcare professionals may avoid raising the subject prior to administration, as it may pose a predicament for further treatment planning if a patient refuses ferric carboxymaltose for fear of skin staining occurring.However, informed consent is an essential perquisite before any treatment or intervention. Skin staining is potentially permanent (Raulin et al., 2001); therefore, it is important such a discussion takes place. In the absence of adequate information, a patient cannot make an informed treatment decision and may pursue legal action if they sustain skin staining. Such consequences may result in financial loss for the hospital, placing an additional strain on an already overburdened system. In the long term, discussion of potential skin staining before commencing iron infusions, incident reporting of adverse events and accurate documentation not only optimise patient care but may be the only defence in medicolegal cases (Doellman et al., 2009).Audit results indicated that 53 per cent of clinical staff were compliant with the recommended iron infusion protocol. Surveys found that 92 per cent of staff reported flushing the cannula with normal saline before the infusion and informing the patient to report any pain or irritation during the infusion, while 88 per cent of staff members flushed the cannula after the infusion. Midwives often administer these infusions and play a key role in recognition and management of soft tissue infiltration. Often the first sign of infiltration is pain or discomfort (Dougherty, 2008). Before starting iron infusions, midwives should inform patients to observe for and report these symptoms if they occur. Facilitating active patient involvement may potentially reduce and prevent iron extravasation. Furthermore, flushing the IV cannula with normal saline before the infusion is important to ensure patency and flushing after the infusion washes away remaining iron particles which may otherwise infiltrate surrounding tissue (Raulin et al., 2001). Despite inconsistencies in findings, the survey completed by healthcare staff raises awareness and serves as a useful reminder to continue to comply with the correct administration protocol.Importantly, there was no skin staining observed during this period, indicating a benefit of educational and systemic interventions introduced through this project. Given the design of quality improvement initiatives, there are often relapses in practices, if such projects are based solely on education. The two incidences, as well as the availability of the IV infusion protocol and patient information leaflets, should incentivise systemic change to promote best practice and hopefully prevent future occurrences.Our project has several limitations. No pre-existing ferric carboxymaltose record was available, hence we had no baseline measure. Distributed healthcare surveys did not ask staff about documentation habits, nor did staff receive any formal training to optimise documentation. This was an oversight on our part, and healthcare staff should receive further education and guidance to improve documentation practices. A discrepancy was found between audit results and self-reported surveys. Self-reported bias, time constraints leading to absent documentation and missing audit data may account for the difference between findings. Considering these limitations, the true extent of result discrepancies is not clear and future projects should aim to rectify this through auditing and measurement. Furthermore, the audit was conducted over a short time interval. While this provides us with a useful insight into current practices after the educational intervention, it does not demonstrate the longevity of interventions introduced through this project. Long-term auditing will be useful to determine any change in future practices and whether more educational interventions or incentives to promote compliance are required.In agreement with previous findings, our audit showed improved haemoglobin readings in 11 patients 2-4 weeks post-infusion. However, ferric carboxymaltose usually requires 4-6 weeks to optimise haemoglobin levels (Govindappagari and Burwick, 2018; Moore et al., 2011). In patients whose haemoglobin was repeated at two weeks, the effects of ferric carboxymaltose may be underestimated. No adverse events were noted, further demonstrating the safety of ferric carboxymaltose. Not only is IV iron safe and effective to treat IDA in the obstetric population, it also avoids the risks associated with blood transfusion. Red blood cells are expensive and require a longer duration to administer. Given the safety, utility and financial benefits of ferric carboxymaltose, it is certain that this medication will continue to be prescribed in our institute. This proves a strong motivator to introduce and maintain correct administration protocols, as well as informing patients of potential skin staining.\nConclusion: There were no skin staining incidences observed during the study period, indicating the efficacy of the proposed iron infusion protocol. A combination of education and systemic changes, including the implementation of an evidence-based IV iron infusion protocol and patient information leaflet, was used to promote and support best practice. Although audit findings demonstrated that few staff members informed patients of skin staining risk and adhered to the IV iron infusion protocol, healthcare professional self-reported surveys showed a high degree of compliance with these recommendations. It is hoped that findings from this project will increase clinical staff awareness and promote correct IV iron administration procedures. Future interventions should include the establishment of a patient ferric carboxymaltose database and a long-term audit to examine the sustainability of recommended practices, namely correct IV iron administration protocols and informing patients of potential skin staining.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: To implement a safe and effective intravenous iron infusion protocol to prevent skin staining.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Mixed methods approach was utilised including education, auditing, self-reported survey, patient information leaflet and patient feedback. In total 25 healthcare professionals completed the survey and 15 patients provided feedback.\nFindings: No skin staining or severe adverse reactions were observed over eight weeks. Audit results found 53 per cent of staff were compliant with the recommended IV iron infusion protocol and 46 per cent informed patients of skin staining risk. Self-report surveys indicated 92 per cent flushed the cannula with sodium chloride before starting the infusion, 88 per cent flushed the cannula after the infusion and 76 per cent informed patients of skin staining risk. Patient feedback was largely positive and constructive.\nResearch limitations: Limitations include self-reported bias, short audit time interval, missing data and discrepancy between audit and survey results.\nOriginality/value: This quality improvement project was developed following two skin staining incidences at our maternity hospital. Although rare, skin staining after intravenous iron infusion is potentially permanent and may be distressing for some patients. Intravenous iron is considered safe and effective to treat anaemia during pregnancy and is often prescribed for this patient cohort. To avoid medicolegal action and patient dissatisfaction, it is essential that patients are informed of potential skin staining and an evidence-based administration protocol is utilised.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
European private equity real estate compliance under the AIFMD
|
[
"Governance",
"Risk management",
"Fund management",
"Real estate funds",
"Alternative investment fund managers directive",
"Private equity real estate"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (2011/61/EU, later AIFMD or \"Directive\") is a European Union (EU) directive that establishes a harmonized framework for regulating alternative investment fund managers (AIFMs) in order to increase investor protection and reduce systemic risk. It is one of the packages of measures drawn up by the European Commission to regulate financial services in the aftermath of the global financial crisis. Prior to AIFMD, alternative investment industry had been largely unregulated in a number of EU countries.\n2. AIFMD: The AIFMD came into force on July 21, 2011, and EU Member States were required to transpose the framework into national law by July 22, 2013, followed by 12-month transitional period ending on July 22, 2014. The AIFMD is supplemented by Commission Delegated Regulation (so-called \"Level 2 Regulation\"), which represents an extensive set of implementing measures that provide details on the framework established by the AIFMD. Additionally, European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has published and updated guidelines and technical standards in order to ensure common, uniform and consistent implementation of the AIFMD requirements.\n3. Effects on PERE industry: 3.1 Reporting under the AIFMD\n4. Conclusion: In this paper, we have explored how European PERE managers have adapted to the regulatory change brought by the AIFMD. The interviews showed that with strong requirements but few guidelines for a concrete implementation, PERE managers have faced multiple issues at each step of the Directive compliance. The \"one size fits all\" approach fails to capture the specific characteristics of PERE funds, which require additional qualitative monitoring and assessment in addition to Directive's key risk indicators.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) on European private equity real estate (PERE) industry.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The paper draws upon a set of 12 semi-structured interviews with European PERE fund managers to explore their views on the reporting and risk management under the AIFMD, the costs and benefits associated with the AIFMD compliance and the effect of the AIFMD on European PERE industry.\nFindings: A \"one size fits all\" approach adopted by the AIFMD results in difficulties in understanding and implementing the AIFMD requirements by PERE managers. Due to the limited applicability of the AIFMD risk reporting requirements to PERE funds, PERE managers have developed their own risk metrics, which they report internally. The formalization of risk management process and the separation of risk management function constitute the two most significant changes experienced by PERE managers. The managers recognize a positive branding effect from the authorization and improved risk awareness in their organizations due to the AIFMD.\nResearch limitations/implications: The current paper focuses on PERE fund managers and does not address other real estate funds falling under the AIFMD.\nPractical implications: PERE fund managers require feedback and guidance from authorities and best practice recommendations from industry organizations to enable proper compliance. Industry-specific reporting requirements would benefit both the industry players and authorities.\nOriginality/value: Given the broad scope of the AIFMD, it is of interest to look at how PERE fund managers have adapted to the regulatory change.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Intellectual capital disclosure in integrated reporting: an impression management analysis
|
[
"Intangibles",
"Disclosure quality",
"Intellectual capital",
"Impression management",
"Integrated reporting"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Firms experience strong pressure to communicate how they manage both their financial and non-financial capital: information on intellectual capital (IC) is fundamental to understand how firms create value (Zambon and Marzo, 2007; Abhayawansa and Guthrie, 2010; EY, 2014), and it constitutes a key starting point for investors' analysis (Gamerschlag, 2013). However, previous studies consistently describe a low observed level of IC disclosure (ICD) (Beattie and Thomson, 2007), due to the lack of both an established IC reporting framework and companies' proactive efforts to report externally IC information (Guthrie and Petty, 2000).\n2. The relation between IC and IR: In general, IC refers to all intangible resources that create company value (Ashton, 2005), in contrast with financial and physical capital, which refer to the tangible resources of firms' value creation process (Beattie and Smith, 2013). It is widely accepted that IC is composed of three elements: structural/internal capital, human capital and relational/external capital (Stewart, 1997; Sveiby, 1997; Guthrie and Petty, 2000; Meritum, 2002). Structural capital comprises organizational routines, procedures, systems, cultures and database. Human capital includes the knowledge, skills and abilities of people. Relational capital consists of the resources linked to external relationships with customers, suppliers and research and development partners.\n3. Theoretical framework and hypotheses development: IM is the process by which people attempt to control the impressions others form of them (Leary and Kowalski, 1990). In the context of corporate reporting, IM is the tendency for the organization to use data selectively and present them in a favourable light to manipulate audience perceptions of corporate achievements (Clatworthy and Jones, 2006).\n4. Method: 4.1. Content analysis as a research method to inquiry ICD\n5. Results: 5.1. Content analysis\n6. Discussion and conclusions: IR should provide a holistic view of corporate value creation process and it is expected to disclose how IC contributes to this process (Abhayawansa, 2013; Beattie and Smith, 2013; IIRC, 2013). Current reporting on IC has been hampered by the lack of an established framework to guide companies on ICD (Guthrie and Petty, 2000; Cinquini et al., 2012). Dumay and Cai (2014) identify 43 articles calling for policy makers, standards setters and regulatory bodies to establish such a framework. Some authors propose that IR could improve ICD (Abhayawansa, 2013; Beattie and Smith, 2013); thus, the current research focuses on this innovative form of reporting and aims to understand the role of IR in disclosing IC information. The next sections present the discussion of the results and the answers to two related research questions on the characteristics of the ICD offered in the IR and on the adoption of IM in the ICD offered in the IR.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Intellectual capital (IC) is fundamental to understanding how firms create value; however, current IC disclosure (ICD) has been described as inadequate due to the lack of an established IC framework and companies' actual commitment to report IC information. The International Integrated Reporting Council aims to foster ICD by means of integrated reporting (IR); such a report should display how IC and other forms of capital (e.g. financial) contribute to value creation over time. Drawing on impression management (IM) studies, the purpose of this paper is to assess the quality of ICD offered in IR.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A manual content analysis of all the reports available in the International Integrated Reporting Council web site is run considering both the content of ICD and specific linguistic attributes (evidence, time orientation and tone). In addition, the study tests the relationship between the positive ICD tone and specific characteristics that may incentive managers to manipulate their disclosure to determine whether firms use ICD to manage public perceptions of corporate behaviour.\nFindings: The results of the content analysis show that majority of ICD is focused on relational capital, with limited quantitative and forward-looking information. Additionally, compared to non-ICD, ICD is significantly more optimistic. Furthermore, the positive tone of ICD is significantly associated with declining performance, bigger size and higher level of intangibles supporting the use of ICD as an IM strategy.\nOriginality/value: The research contributes to the literature offering evidence of the quality of the ICD offered in the IR and demonstrating that ICD offered in the IR is used by managers opportunistically to advance their image.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The performance triangle: a model for corporate agility
|
[
"Decision making",
"Leadership",
"Dynamic capabilities",
"Adaptability",
"Organizational culture",
"Performance",
"Change management",
"Agility",
"Organizational systems"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: In the popular 1986 movie Top Gun about US Naval aviators, characters Maverick and Goose (Tom Cruise and Anthony Edwards) declared that they \"have a need, a need for speed\" in an upcoming mission. In the life and death struggle of air combat, speed gives pilots a competitive advantage and more is better. In addition to blinding supersonic speed, modern fighter pilots must be able to make necessary adjustments then deliver an effective response to adversaries through a window of opportunity of seconds. While the modern business world may not typically be a literal life and death struggle, it may feel that way to many executives and managers. Threats appear and windows of business opportunity open and close very rapidly. The amount of information and data that is available worldwide is doubling every 13 months and projected to double in every 12 hours in the not-to-distant future (Schilling, 2013).\n2. Corporate agility defined: Haneberg (2011) defined agility as the efficiency with which organizations respond to continuous change by consistently adapting. The process of continuously adapting to changes in the environment results in changing the entire organization slowly without sensing that change is taking place. Darwin (1859) proposed that species adapt to changes in their environment over thousands or millions of years as a cumulative result of minute changes to the species genetic makeup. Adaptation may be imperceptible at any one moment in time but the cumulative effect of thousands of tiny adaptations results in changing the organism to be more competitive in its environment. Organizational agility is the ability to make countless small adaptations in response to non-stop change that result in changing the fundamental building blocks of the organization. Unlike evolution of species, companies do not have millions of years to allow natural selection to drive business evolution. In today's business environment, companies must be agile and adaptable to respond in small increments that ultimately change the leadership, systems, and culture allowing the firm to survive and prosper in a different environment (Michel, 2013).\n3. Existing models for corporate agility: Grantham et al. (2007) suggested that prosperity in the twenty-first century volatile economic environment depends on a firm's ability to continuously evaluate market conditions, reexamine and revise corporate strategies, and reallocate resources quickly. Continuous environmental change requires collaborative strategic management (CSM) that describes a dynamic decision-making process designed to engage key players at all levels of the organization. CSM describes a management model where human resources (HR), information technology, and corporate real estate issues work together in a unified process to identify adaptive changes needed to address today's major challenges; reducing fixed operating costs, talent shortages, and institutionalizing innovation. HR as a demonstration of the organizational culture become static due to the inertia created by the body of shared beliefs, values, and customs of the organization (de Jager, 2004; Schein, 2004). Similarly, the massive expenditure of fixed costs developing information systems and real estate assets create a monetary force against change.\n4. The performance triangle: The performance triangle incorporates and expands on prior models to promote corporate agility. As shown in Figure 1, the performance triangle is composed of three primary elements: systems, leadership, and culture. At the heart of the performance triangle are people who power the system by contributing unique skills, expertise, and experience. The performance triangle frames the requirements for higher agility and speed as the measures of success in the new era.\n5. Qualitative and quantitative emergence of the performance triangle: The concept for the performance triangle emerged over ten years from information gathered from case studies involving over 100 organizations in different industries throughout the world plus results from survey data gathered from 50 of the over 100 organizations between 2006 and 2011. Analysis of qualitative and quantitative information from these multiple sources exposed intersections between recurring themes and relationships between specific aspects of organizations that evolved into the elements of the performance triangle.\n6. Conclusion and discussion: The impact of technology, globalization, and complexity in the twenty-first century business environment defines the dynamics of success for most organizations. In stable industries, traditional bureaucratic command and control organizational structures and management philosophy can be successful but stable conditions are rare in today's world. Agility and speed in decision making become essential capabilities to cope with volatility and uncertainty. Since it is impossible to know what threats or opportunities will unfold it becomes imperative for firms to adopt designs and philosophies to access their greatest asset - people - and the knowledge in people's minds and experience. Tapping into the vast tacit knowledge reservoir of relevant participants to create new knowledge on which to base effective and timely decisions is a key to long-term success.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to synthesize ten years of case studies and data analysis from which emerged an organizational design that facilitates adaptability, agility, and resilience. The resulting triangular model of culture, leadership, and systems is proposed.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Analysis of over 100 case studies over ten years along with statistical analysis of survey data from 50 of those companies resulted in the emergence the triangular model and provides quantitative support for validity.\nFindings: People drive a complex and dynamic system with culture, leadership, and systems as key factors driving organizational success in a rapidly changing environment. The critical factor in adapting to change is designing organizations to maximize the vast tacit knowledge base within organizations. Diagnostic tools are necessary to identify underlying strengths and weaknesses to initiate targeted discussions and provide a baseline for measurement.\nResearch limitations/implications: All of the organizations were from Europe, Africa, or the Middle East.\nPractical implications: The emergent people-centric triangular model with culture, leadership, and systems at the points along with the development of a diagnostic tool offers a methodology for executives to gain valuable insight into critical elements of their organizations from which to initiate constructive dialogue leading to effective action.\nOriginality/value: Many authors have offered theories on developing agile organizations. The emergent people-centric performance triangle and evolving diagnostic instrument add to the body of existing literature and lays the groundwork for practical tools and methods to yield practical results.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
A topology of Twitter research: disciplines, methods, and ethics
|
[
"Social media",
"Privacy",
"Twitter",
"Research ethics",
"Internet research ethics",
"Twitter analytics"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Since its launch in 2006, Twitter has rapidly gained worldwide popularity, with over 500 million registered users as of 2012, generating over 340 million tweets daily and handling over 1.6 billion search queries per day (Lunden, 2012). While Twitter is often considered merely a platform for sharing simple status updates and to engage in phatic communication (Miller, 2008), its use value reaches far beyond the mundane. Activists have relied on Twitter for communication and coordination during global political and social protests, such as the 2007 Nigerian election protests (Ifukor, 2010), the 2008-2009 Iranian protests (Grossman, 2009), the 2011 Arab Spring protests (Huang, 2011), and the Occupy movement (Juris, 2012; Thorson et al., 2013). It has emerged as a powerful channel for expressing and measuring consumer behavior and attitudes, frequently leveraged by marketers and brand managers to understand nearly real-time sentiments about their products (Jansen et al., 2009). Twitter has been used for detecting and tracking complex real-time events such as natural disasters (Bakshi, 2011; Bruns et al., 2012; Earle et al., 2011; Sakaki et al., 2010) and disease propagation (Lampos and Cristianini, 2010; Signorini et al., 2011). Sentiment in Twitter messages has even been used by the financial industry to try to predict short-term performance of the stock market (Bollen et al., 2011; Zhang et al., 2011). In short, Twitter has emerged as a valuable resource for tapping into the zeitgeist of the internet, its users, and often beyond.\nRelated work: There is a small, but notable, set of related scholarly work that tracks and maps research on Twitter and which our own contributions complement. For several years, internet researcher Danah Boyd (2013) has maintained an ever-growing bibliography of academic work on Twitter that has been published with disciplines such as \"communications, information science, anthropology, sociology, economics, political science, cultural studies, computer science, etc.\" (para. 2). While this excellent resource contains over 240 scholarly works on Twitter, it remains an informal collection presented with no meta-analysis or commentary about the state of research on the platform. In an article titled, \"What people study when they study Twitter: Classifying Twitter related academic papers,\" Williams et al. (2013) take an initial step to map the terrain of research regarding Twitter. The authors classified over 500 papers on Twitter and related to microblogging research published between 2007 and 2011. Through a content analysis of the papers' abstracts, Williams et al. found that the analysis of tweets, more than Twitter users or the technology itself, were the most common focus of these papers. Further, based on their analysis of abstracts, the authors were able to map the domains in which Twitter research was taking place, were able to generalize about the (often multiple) methods used for data analysis, and provided frequency counts of the most commonly used words within the abstracts.\nMethod: Data collection\nFindings: Scope of Twitter-based research\nDiscussion and future research: This research project was motivated by a desire to understand how academic research on Twitter has advanced since the microblogging platform was launched in 2006. The resulting topology of over 380 scholarly publications utilizing Twitter data reveal noteworthy trends related to the growth of Twitter-based research overall, the methods of acquiring Twitter data for analysis, and emerging ethical considerations of such research.\nConclusion: The goal of this project is to seek initial insights into questions of the nature of internet-based research through a systematic analysis of academic research that relies on the collection and use of Twitter data. Building on Williams et al. (2013) analysis of the abstracts from papers published up to 2011, this article presents results of a full text analysis of over 380 scholarly publications from 2007 to 2012, resulting in a robust topology of Twitter research detailing the disciplines and methods of analysis, amount of tweets and users under analysis, the methods used to collect Twitter data, and accounts of ethical considerations related to these projects. The results reported above provide a benchmark analysis that must be updated with the continued emergence of innovative research in this domain. While this study is limited to 2007-2012, a search for relevant publications in June 2013 revealed well over 100 new articles in the first six months of 2013 alone. As Twitter continues to grow and expand in user-base, volume of tweets handled daily, and in the size of its historical archive, research on Twitter will grow and change as well. This should not prompt a passive acceptance, but rather reflexive evaluation of what research is occurring, how it is occurring, what is being done with Twitter data, and how researchers are facing (or not) the ethics of research in this changing space. Our hope is that this study will serve as one of many junctures for such self-evaluation.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to engage in a systematic analysis of academic research that relies on the collection and use of Twitter data, creating topology of Twitter research that details the disciplines and methods of analysis, amount of tweets and users under analysis, the methods used to collect Twitter data, and accounts of ethical considerations related to these projects.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Content analysis of 382 academic publications from 2006 to 2012 that used Twitter as their primary platform for data collection and analysis.\nFindings: The analysis of over 380 scholarly publications utilizing Twitter data reveals noteworthy trends related to the growth of Twitter-based research overall, the disciplines engaged in such research, the methods of acquiring Twitter data for analysis, and emerging ethical considerations of such research.\nResearch limitations/implications: The findings provide a benchmark analysis that must be updated with the continued growth of Twitter-based research.\nOriginality/value: The research is the first full-text systematic analysis of Twitter-based research projects, focussing on the growth in discipline and methods as well as its ethical implications. It is of value for the broader research community currently engaged in social media-based research, and will prompt reflexive evaluation of what research is occurring, how it is occurring, what is being done with Twitter data, and how researchers are addressing the ethics of Twitter-based research.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Portfolio allocation across variance risk premia
|
[
"Implied volatility",
"Realized volatility",
"Portfolio optimization",
"Markov-Switching",
"Risk parity",
"Variance risk premia",
"C58",
"G11",
"F30"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Volatility is known to play an essential role in asset pricing models, portfolio management, and trading strategies (McMillan and Speight, 2007). As a stylized fact, the market reacts negatively to unexpected market variance shocks (Carr and Madan, 1998; Britten-Jones and Neuberger, 2000). This negative relationship between market returns and variance innovations, therefore, implies that the market is subject to variance risk. Bondarenko (2014) documents that, for S&P 500 futures from January 1990 to December 2009, the average excess return for the variance contract is -26.30 per cent per month, indicating that the variance risk is priced and its risk premium is negative. Becker et al. (2017) confirm that exposure to realized variance (RV) is sharply priced, with an annualized Sharpe ratio of five times larger than the Sharpe ratio on equities.\n2. Background: This section contains a brief review on literature on portfolio optimization with Markov Switching, as well as on the economic significance of the VRP.\n3. Methodology: In this section, we introduce the risk measures as reflected in the asset pricing literature by the VRP, IV and realized volatility. Risk measures serve as inputs in our portfolio optimization scheme based on a two-regime Markov-Switching process.\n4. Empirical findings: In this section, we show the outcome of the VRP portfolio optimization strategy with/without regime switching, against the benchmark of the naive (buy-and-hold static) strategy both in the Markowitz and risk parity settings. We also consider the relative performance achieved by the RV and IV investment schemes.\n5. Conclusion: Volatility modeling is essential for option pricing, portfolio choice, and risk management. Prior research often ignores the fact that the VRP can be useful to the investor (see, e.g. the review on portfolio optimization by Kolm et al., 2014). The central intuition underlying the paper is that we can track the VRP of the market accurately using option prices and high-frequency intraday trading data, and use it for portfolio choice.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: In asset management, what if clients want to purchase protection from risk factors, under the form of variance risk premia. This paper aims to address this topic by developing a portfolio optimization framework based on the criterion of the minimum variance risk premium (VRP) for any investor selecting stocks with an expected target return while minimizing the risk aversion associated to the portfolio according to \"good\" and \"bad\" times.\nDesign/methodology/approach: To accomplish this portfolio selection problem, the authors compute variance risk-premium as the difference from high-frequencies' realized volatility and options' implied volatility stemming from 19 stock markets, estimate a 2-state Markov-switching model on the variance risk-premia and optimize variance risk-premia portfolios across non-overlapping regions. The period goes from March 16, 2011, to March 28, 2018.\nFindings: The authors find that optimized portfolios based on variance-covariance matrices stemming from VRP do not consistently outperform the benchmark based on daily returns. Several robustness checks are investigated by minimizing historical, realized or implicit variances, with/without regime switching. In a boundary case, accounting for the realized variance risk factor in portfolio decisions can be seen as a promising alternative from a portfolio performance perspective.\nPractical implications: As a new management \"style\", the realized volatility approach can, therefore, bring incremental value to construct the conditional covariance matrix estimates.\nOriginality/value: The authors assess the portfolio performance determined by the variance-covariance matrices that are derived by four models: \"naive\" (Markowitz returns benchmark), non-switching VRP, maximum likelihood regime-switching VRP and Bayesian regime switching VRP. The authors examine the best return-risk combination through the calculation of the Sharpe ratio. They also assess another different portfolio strategy: the risk parity approach.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
From killing cows to culturing meat
|
[
"Retailing",
"Europe",
"Meat",
"Animal products",
"Food history"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Developmentalist scholars like Elias, Goody and Mennell have theorised that, since the late Middle Ages, western Europe has undertaken a civilising process (Elias, 1978). For them, it is a process of continuous refinement that has involved diverse human habits. Goody (1982) and Mennell (1985/1996) in particular, have focused their works on how the civilising process has changed the relationships between humans and food. All three scholars, however, have dealt with the issue of meat, analysing how, in western Europe and in France and Britain in particular, humans tend to separate the thought of the living animal from meat (Elias, 1978, pp. 118-119; Goody, 1982, pp. 135-139; Mennell, 1985/1996, pp. 304-316). For them, the phenomenon of the disappearance of what in this paper is called \"the animal origins of meat\" is part of the civilising process, which continuously improves human behaviour. What this paper defines as \"animal origins of meat\" is every part of meat that reminds us that once the meat we eat was a living being. Thus, animal origins of meat are parts of the animal like heads, legs, tails, which may be considered evidence of the living past of the animal. The more human beings can see these parts throughout the food process, the more they are aware that a steak was once a living animal.\nGoody's scheme: After having analysed diverse food cultures around the world, in 1982 Goody published a scheme which summarises the entire food system. He argues that \"the study of the process of providing and transforming food covers four main areas\" (Goody, 1982, p. 37) (Table I).\nThe two images that are being detached from each other: existing literature: Vialles (1994) argues that \"we have not wish to eat corpses (we are carnivores, not carrion-eaters), so animals have to be slaughtered. But we demand an ellipsis between animal and meat\" (p. 5). Splitting the two images is a modern need that our ancestors did not know: \"From the thirteenth century to the sixteenth, calves\" eyes were considered the most exquisite delicacy of all\" (Toussaint-Samat, 2009, p. 94).\nThe first detachment: from consumption: Eating meat has always been considered different from eating other items of food. This particular approach started during the ancient age: \"There has always been a kind of vague ambiguity in human attitudes towards the consumption of meat and its 'essence', fat, as if man were appropriating God's creatures, as Father de Acosta suggests, and must apologize, conciliating the deity with sacrifice\" (Toussaint-Samat, 2009, p. 92). The appropriation of \"God's creatures\" also led to the higher status of the meat eater, the so-called \"noble carnivore\" described by Watts (2006, p. 30).\nThe second detachment: from distribution: The disappearance of the animal origins of meat from the stage of Distribution is more recent than that from Consumption. Throughout the complex process of retailing, this work argues that the detachment is more visible in the slaughterhouse and the butcher's.\nThe third detachment: from preparation: When meat arrives at the stage of Preparation, often its animal origins have been eliminated during the stage of Distribution. Before of the advent of the supermarket, however, preparation hid the parts of the animals which remind us of its natural origins. Civitello (2011) states that first animals were probably cooked with their heads, legs and tails, cooked meat being the result of accidental fires (p. 3). Later, following consumption and distribution, meat underwent a process of refinement. In France, for example, \"distinct cuts and joints did not appear before the eighteenth century (Gascar, 1973, p. 46)\" (Vialles, 1994, p. 70).\nThe fourth detachment: from production: The animal origins of meat are disappearing from the steps of Consumption, Preparation and Distribution because of cultural and social changes. However, it is more difficult to imagine a detachment from the stage of Production, where nature appears to be irreplaceable. How do you cancel the animal to produce meat? Since we have discovered that animals are edible, human beings have always eaten them, first through hunting and second through farming (Civitello, 2011, p. 6).\nConclusion: This paper has focused on how the animal origins of meat have been disappearing from three of Goody's stages, undergoing three slow ongoing processes (disappearance from Consumption, Distribution and Preparation).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate how in Britain, France and Italy the idea of the living animal is being detached from the action of eating meat. It is an ongoing historical process, which has recently been fuelled by the new issue of cultured meat.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Starting from Goody's developmentalist stages (Production, Distribution, Preparation and Consumption), first this work analyses historically how these stages have undergone the process of the disappearance of the animal origins of meat (animal origins of meat are parts like the head and legs that remind us that once meat was an animal). Second, this paper applies cultured meat to Goody's stage of Production, linking the new product to the historical, above described, process.\nFindings: The analysis shows that, in the past, Goody's stages of Consumption, Distribution and Preparation witnessed the disappearance of the animal origins of meat, while Production was not affected by the phenomenon. Today, with testing on cultured meat, even the stage of Production has gone through this process. Now, all of Goody's stages are involved in the process. Usually considered a shocking novelty, cultured meat is instead a stage of a historical process.\nOriginality/value: No one has previously analysed the disappearance of the animal origins of meat relating it to Goody's stages, and a current issue like cultured meat has never been considered a further step of this process.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Toward sustainable supply chain orientation (SSCO): mapping managerial perspectives
|
[
"Phenomenology",
"Sustainability",
"Grounded theory",
"Inductive",
"Sustainable supply chain orientation"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Extant sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) research justifies the benefits and costs of creating sustainable supply chains and how to manage them (e.g. Carter and Rogers, 2008; Carter and Easton, 2011; Golicic and Smith, 2013; Kovacs, 2008; Seuring and Muller, 2008). Yet there still remains a need for deeper understanding of individual executives' perspectives on sustainability as well as the connections between these perspectives and supply chain management (SCM) (Defee and Fugate, 2010). Despite the numerous definitions of SSCM, very little research describes what sustainability actually means at a detailed level to individual business executives and determines where SCM fits into those views. If working toward SSCM is a journey as some suggest (Garud and Gehman, 2012; Mohrman and Worley, 2010), where do executives see their organizations along their individual journeys and what perspectives lie behind their actions? These perspectives represent world views that ought to be explored because they most likely impact organizational-level orientations, as they do with market orientation (MO), supply chain orientation (SCO) and sustainability orientation (SO), all of which have significant performance implications (Mazutis, 2013). Thus, understanding executive orientations is critical for understanding organizational performance.\nLiterature: SSCM\nMethodology: Research design and data collection\nFindings: In this section we describe three important themes/categories that emerged. Then we explain each profile using representative interview passages and the pathways they seem to have taken.\nDiscussion: Our interpretations led to ten profiles mapped in three-dimensional space. It is interesting that the profiles that emerged formed generally a diagonal plane through the center of the cube. Movement from the lower, left, front corner to the upper, right, rear corner (see Figures 2 and 3) represents direct movement toward SSCO. Yet, the profiles indicate that executives' views can reside anywhere on the plane and more than a direct linear route exists.\nConclusion: Our interpretations suggest that understanding executives' mental orientations might be critical to comprehending the strategies and management practices they develop and adopt. We have answered the questions we set out to address by revealing perspectives executives possess with respect to sustainability and SCM, classifying them and identifying where SSCO fits. The variance we found has cautionary implications for managers and strategists. Specifically, providing a single standard set of normative principles on developing a SSCO may be difficult if not inappropriate and ill informed for some companies. For some product categories, environmental sustainability initiatives are indirect conflict with market expectations and demands, such as for wine and some other luxury and agricultural products. Additionally, for many small- to medium-size enterprises resources are extremely limited, restricting what can be accomplished Finally, executives who harbor significant skepticism are unlikely to quickly adopt a SSCO and consequently unlikely to follow standard SSCM practices.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose this paper is to profile individual-level perspectives on sustainability and supply chain partnering, introduces the concept of sustainable supply chain orientation (SSCO), and suggests pathways between executive profiles toward SSCO.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The research relies on inductive, theory-building grounded theory and phenomenological data collection and interpretations in the wine industry. In-depth interviews were conducted over five years with 112 senior managers from 88 organizations in the global wine industry representing nine wine regions in four countries.\nFindings: Ten profiles were developed depicting executives' perspectives on embracing sustainability, the extent to which motivations for various forms of sustainability and partnering compete, and being self-or supply chain partner focussed. A SSCO depicts a leader who embraces sustainability, sees alignment in motivations and is supply chain partner focussed.\nResearch limitations/implications: The paper contributes to the sustainable supply chain management and general business orientation discourses by introducing the concept of SSCO and profiling executives' perspectives that may help to define pathways toward SSCO. It may be limited by its inductive method and the industry context. Limitations suggest future research in discovering additional profiles and pathways as well as validating them.\nPractical implications: Findings reveal the importance of understanding what sustainability means to business executives of firms in hyper-competitive markets with global supply chains. Managers will recognize that there are many possible routes toward SSCO, each one revealing potentially unique differentiation opportunities while also providing clues to competitors' strategies.\nOriginality/value: This work introduces the concept of SSCO and contributes a classification scheme consisting of detailed business executive profile descriptions and specific pathways toward SSCO followed by those executives.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Exchange rate undervaluation and sectoral performance of the South African economy
|
[
"South Africa",
"Exchange rate undervaluation",
"Sectoral performance",
"C10",
"F21",
"F31"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: As most theoretical and empirical studies show, exchange rate misalignment can seriously impact the growth prospects of an economy. Some cross-country studies have emphasized the need to avoid overvalued currencies (see, for instance, Razin and Collins, 1997; Johnson et al., 2007; Rajan and Subramanian, 2007), the main argument being that an overvalued currency can destabilize an economy through shortages of foreign currency, unsustainable current account deficits, balance-of-payment crises, corruption, rent-seeking activities, among other things (see Fischer, 1993; Rodrik, 2008)[1].\n2. Methodology: 2.1 Baseline regression\n3. Results: 3.1 Results for stationarity tests\n4. Concluding remarks: Real exchange rate misalignment has been found to influence the performance of economies around the globe. Numerous empirical studies find real exchange rate undervaluation to stimulate economic performance, and overvaluation to hurt it. Other empirical studies simply advise against any misalignment of the real exchange rate, arguing that such misalignments are not favorable for economic performance. Most recent studies, however, side with the former conclusions, namely, that real exchange rate overvaluation has a negative effect and undervaluation a positive effect on economic performance. The question is: through what channels does real exchange rate undervaluation influence economic performance? This important question has received relatively little attention in the literature. This paper attempts to add to the limited empirical literature on the topic by shedding light on the operative channels, the main economic sectors, through which real exchange rate undervaluation stimulates (or mars, as the case may be) the performance of the South African economy. This forms the key contribution of our paper. In addition, we introduce two methods for constructing the index of real exchange rate undervaluation, which differ from the ones found in existing studies. The first follows the approach used in Rodrik (2008) but departs from the author's approach by using the quantile regression estimator. The second extends the first by estimating the undervaluation index incorporating key drivers of the real exchange rate into the model. We decomposed the South African economy into three sectors: agriculture, industry, and services. Applying the OLS and GMM estimation techniques to time series data covering 1962-2014 in a separate model for each sector, we established two important results: real exchange rate undervaluation exerts a positive impact on economic performance by enhancing the agricultural and industrial sectors; and a negative impact on economic performance by reducing the growth of the service sector. These results are found to be robust to the measure of real exchange rate undervaluation employed, serial correlation, omitted variables, heteroscedasticity, and potential endogeneity. These findings have important implications for exchange rate and growth policies in South Africa. According to the WDI (2015), the service sector, as consisting mainly of the financial and government sectors, has remained the largest contributor to South Africa's GDP followed by the industry and agriculture, in that order. In fact, in 2014, the percentage contribution of these sectors to GDP was as follows: 68.05, 29.47 and 2.48 percent for services, industry, and agriculture, respectively. From these figures, it may be concluded that, on balance, undervaluation may not be favorable to economic performance in South Africa, since it dampens the growth of the most important sector - the service sector. From another perspective, since the impact of undervaluation on the industry and agriculture is positive and strong, while its impact on the service sector is negative but weak, it is still possible to make out a case for undervaluation. This would work insofar as the rate of undervaluation is not high enough to reduce the performance of the service sector to the extent that the reduction is large enough to negate the improved performance of the agricultural and industrial sectors. Rather than worrying about the recent depreciation of the rand, policymakers should assess whether the depreciation is in the region whereby the performance of the service sector could be compromised.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to uncover the channels through which real exchange rate undervaluation influences the performance of the South African economy.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The author decomposes the South African economy into three sectors: agriculture, industry, and services. Specifying a model for each sector, the author employs the ordinary least squares (with Newey-West and robust standard errors) and generalized method of moments estimation techniques. The annual time series data cover the period 1962-2014.\nFindings: The author finds that real exchange rate undervaluation exerted a positive influence on agriculture and industry, and a negative impact on services.\nResearch limitations/implications: The results have practical policy implications, which are discussed in the paper.\nOriginality/value: Although the growth effect of real exchange rate undervaluation has been well established in the literature, the channels through which this occurs has received limited attention. Prior to this study, no study has considered the impact of real exchange rate undervaluation on the economy through the various sectors in the South African context.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
From partition to partnership: Managing collaboration within a curative framework for NHS care
|
[
"National Health Service",
"England",
"Health services",
"Partnership",
"Integration",
"Patient care"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The delivery of improved health is increasingly dependent on the ability of diverse professions, organisations and departments to work together across conceptual and organisational boundaries (Hunter, 1996; Department of Health, 1999; Gerrish, 1999; Glendinning, 1999; Baileff, 2000; Plews et al., 2000; McMurray and Cheater, 2003). Attempts in countries such as the UK to define a new compact between those who plan, deliver, use and pay for care in pursuit of improved population well-being have collaboration and partnership at their core (Ham and Alberti, 2002). Collaboration and teamwork have become watchwords for the organisation of care (Hunter, 1996). They are the preferred organisational solution to meta-issues and policy messes beyond the scope of any one agency or group (Gray, 1985; Williams, 2002).Underpinning the presumed necessity, desirability and deliverability of partnerships for improved health is the principle of reciprocity. It is espoused commitment to working on this basis - on the basis of willingness to gift resources to another as part of a balanced exchange over time - that is generally held to be at the centre health and social care partnership (Hudson, 1999; Statham, 2000; Rushmer and Pallis, 2002). Reciprocity bolstered by the sharing of clients, skills and responsibilities provides an unquestionable logic to the development of collaborative working across the areas of health and social care (Nocon, 1994). Yet, despite repeated attempts to better manage such interaction, the partition between health and social services has persisted and the full promise of integrated care is still to materialise (Ovretveit, 1993; Wistow, 1994; Update, 1997). The challenge then is to understand why the great divide between health and social care persists, and ascertain whether, and by what means, the forces acting in opposition to reciprocity based partnership might be resisted.Reflecting on two decades of health and social care delivery in the English National Health Service (NHS) this paper identifies those factors that abrogate attempts to secure reciprocity based partnerships for integrated care. Examining the development of partnerships between heath and social services from the 1990s to present day, the paper contends that despite action to remove many of the financial and structural impediments to integrated care, twenty years of policy prescription and service reorganisation have failed to deliver on the promise of inter-organisational collaboration because the presumption of reciprocal exchange across the boundaries of acute medicine are fundamentally naive. This argument is developed in three parts. The first explores the concept of reciprocity and its centrality to notions of integrated care. The second considers the manner in which medical notions of cure, particularly as applied in the acute sector, and encouraged through regulation and the functioning of quasi-markets, have and continue to stand in opposition to partnerships managed on the basis of reciprocal exchange. The final part considers the possibilities for improvement under a primary care led NHS.\nPartnership as reciprocity-based necessity: A concern with reciprocity is key to espoused theories of inter-organisational working across health and social care. Reciprocity in pursuit of integrated care indicates willingness to gift resources to another as part of a balanced exchange over time. It describes an exchange of rewards that serves as the basis for social interaction encompassing economic, social and moral imperatives (Khalil, 1997; Robertson, 1998; Ruffle, 1999). It approximates that which Sahlins refers to as \"balanced reciprocity\" wherein parties confront each other as distinct economic and social interests who have a willingness to give for that which is received. The aim and indeed expectation is direct and equivalent exchange within a finite period of time. Social relations are maintained and enhanced through bi-directional material flows as part of a \"classic vehicle\" of alliance contracts which symbolise the \"transformation from separate to harmonious interests\" (Sahlins, 1974, p. 220). Furthermore, the striking of equivalence or balance in exchange may demonstrate the foregoing of self-interest on each side in favour of mutuality. As such, reciprocity acknowledges the shared life that is fundamental to inter-dependence (Robertson, 1998) while not denying the potential to bolster economic self-interest through gift exchange as part of an expression of trust or reward for honesty (Khalil, 1997).In terms of health and social care such reciprocity-based interaction is presumed to stimulate joint action where mutual perceptions of the limits of adversarial approaches to co-ordination are premised on the need to tackle an indivisible problem - a problem which is larger than the capacity of any one organisation to solve alone (Browning et al., 1995; Finn, 1996; Gray, 1985; Huxham, 1996). This may be reinforced and facilitated by recognition of inter-dependencies; or, domain similarity, that is to say organisations have the same clients, services or personal skills (Van der Ven and Walker, 1984). Of primary importance though is the perception that collaborative rather than competitive modes of interaction are the only feasible approach to achieving aligned intra-organisational and shared inter-organisational goals. Thus in delivering improved population health and well-being it is the indivisibility of the shared challenge that is generally presumed to compel partners to take advantage of each other's resources; be it in terms of facilities, expertise, equipment or information (Nocon, 1994; Hudson, 1999; Statham, 2000; Rushmer and Pallis, 2002). It is recognition of this reciprocating necessity that speaks of mutual reliance and mutual benefit that ensures that partnership between those working in health and social care is \"... no longer an optional extra - it is an absolute necessity\" (Department of Health, 1995).Yet despite the apparent strength of reciprocity-based motives for partnerships across health and social care the evidence on joint working points to a history of broken promises and inadequate service provision. Even where reciprocity has been bolstered by must-do edicts and coercive financial arrangements the full potential of collaboration has rarely been achieved (Wistow, 1994; Nocon, 1994; Update, 1998; Statham, 2000; McMurray and Cheater, 2003). Indeed, it has been suggested that in the face of a history of collaborative disappointments, continued faith in the possibility of professional and organisational altruism in pursuit of reciprocity-based partnership may be naive (Wistow, 1994; Challis et al., 1988). Understanding the basis on which such faith might be construed as naive is central to any account of the failure of collaborative working within and beyond the English NHS.\nAbrogating reciprocity-based partnership: A presumption of professional and organisational altruism in pursuit of reciprocity-based partnership is rendered naive, with respect to the English NHS, by three factors: the dominance of the bio-medical model in acute medicine; the reinforcement of that model through government guidance, and; the functioning of quasi-markets for health care. Each of these factors, considered in turn below, has sustained the great divide between health and social care, encouraging - even requiring - medical practitioners and managers in acute settings to develop and pursue their medically informed self-interest.Indeed, this notion of self-interest is, as Le Grande (1997) reminds us, key with respect to the reformation of public services in countries, such as England, driven by the performativity concerns of the New Public Management. Specifically, Le Grande suggests that changes to the British welfare state during the 1990s represented a fundamental shift in \"policy makers' beliefs concerning human motivation and behaviour\" wherein public servants were no longer assumed to be public spirited altruists, as required under the reciprocal model of inter-organisational collaboration, but \"in one way or another self-interested\" (Le Grande, 1997, p. 149). What is more, reforms such as the introduction of quasi-markets for health care (discussed below) were intended to not only recognise such behaviour but to actively \"harness the knavery - or, to put it less pejoratively, the self-interest - of those working in the system to the public good\" (Le Grande, 1997, p. 159).Still, it is important to note that an assumption, or indeed observation, of knavery in the motivations or behaviours of all public workers does not in-of-itself negate the possibility of reciprocity based partnerships. Where trust in the functioning of exchange and contracts exists, and the requirement for equivalence in the gifting of bi-directional material flows is met over time, reciprocity may still, under such circumstance, serve as the basis for inter-organisational linkage (Sahlins, 1974; Oliver, 1990) albeit for the long-term betterment of self rather than other. This being the case, it can not be the promotion of knavery per se that it is at the root of collaborative failures across health and social care. For this it is necessary to look elsewhere; starting with the isolating and internalising tendencies of the bio-medical perspective in acute cure.The bio-medical divide between cure and care\nFuture reciprocity?: Bridging the divide through primary care\nConclusions: Partnerships have long been held to be central to integrated health and social care. Yet developing and sustaining effective inter-organisational working on this basis has proved difficult. Regulation, compulsion, persuasion and financial incentives have resulted in only partial success when measured against the promise of integrated care. It has been argued in this paper that the failure to deliver on such promise lies in part with the powerful, isolating and fragmentary tendencies of bio-medicine. While not seeking to dismiss the contribution of the medically framed view in optimising patient cure, it is to be argued that this institution, acting as it does in opposition to holistic conceptions and service integration, undermines attempts to bridge through partnership the divide between health and social care. What is more the asymmetric nature of the power imbalance between medical and social care professions has been reinforced through the legitimisation of a link between the pursuit of economic self-interest and acute service notions of separate health treatment and cure. Equalising this imbalance requires that the same principles pursuant to collaborative advantage be applied to both side of the great divide. Depending on whether it be incentives for altruistic reciprocity or self-interested efficiency may well indicate whether it is to be the bio-medical or social model of health that flourishes and survives.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - Seeks to review policy and practice in the English National Health Service (NHS) to show the extent to which medically framed notions of cure act in opposition to attempts to enforce a duty of partnership in the delivery of health and social care.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - A review of national policy and the relevant academic literature, spanning two decades, was used to examine the development of inter-organisational relations at the boundaries of health and social care in England.\nFindings: - The paper finds that, despite an espoused willingness on the part of national and local stakeholders to remove long-established disciplinary and organisational partitions between sectors, the failure to secure a shift from medically to socially constructed notions of health continues to impede more integrated care. Furthermore, policies emphasising patient through-put, speed of treatment, episodic intervention and the primacy of hospitals are shown to encourage and empower health professionals to withdraw from cross-boundary working in line with the isolating tendencies of bio-medically framed notions of cure.\nOriginality/value: - The paper draws together evidence from policy, research and theoretical literature to identify the underlying causes of collaborative failure, highlighting the manner in which associated processes of public service reform can serve to reinforce long-established institutional barriers to inter-organisational working, both now and in the future.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Unsupervised neural networks approach for understanding fraudulent financial reporting
|
[
"Financial reporting",
"Knowledge management",
"Neural nets",
"Financial statements",
"Fraudulent financial reporting",
"Growing hierarchical self‐organizing map",
"Knowledge extraction"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1 Introduction: This paper focuses on exploring fraudulent financial reporting (FFR) via growing hierarchical self-organizing map (GHSOM), an unsupervised neural network tool (Dittenbach et al., 2000, 2002; Rauber et al., 2002), to help capital providers, for instance the lenders, to evaluate the reliability of financial statements and to facilitate analysis further to reach prudent credit decisions. FFR, or financial statement fraud, involves the intentional misstatement or omission of material information from an organization's financial reports (Beasley et al., 1999). FFR can lead not only to significant risks for stockholders and creditors, but also to financial crises for the capital market. According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) (2008), FFR is the most costly form of occupational fraud, with median losses of $2 million per scheme[1]. What investors and creditors do observe all too often lately is instance where it appears the auditors and/or the audit committees were not effective. These are the cases of fraud, material errors or misstatements, material omissions, restatement of prior years' earnings due to accounting oversights or improprieties, or maybe just aggressive accounting called to the attention of the corporation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or shareholder advocates (Imhoff, 2003). Anderson et al. (2004) found that creditor reliance on accounting-based debt covenants suggests that debtors are potentially concerned with the integrity of financial accounting reports. Lin et al. (2008a, b) indicate that financial statements are dressed up to the point that they do not accurately reflect a company's profitability, and companies frequently hide material information or delay its disclosure. The 2008 Report to the Nation on Occupational Fraud & Abuse study conducted by the ACFE reveals that more than half of the 959 fraud experts polled performed more fraud-related investigations in 2008 than in 2007. About as many respondents also say known perpetrators reported feeling financial pressure before they committed the fraudulent acts. FFR has drawn much public as well as academic attention. Kalbers (2009) concludes that academic research in earnings management and FFR has become increasingly narrow in addressing important issues and problems in practice.Creditor dependence on accounting numbers as a persistent and traditional standard to assess firms' health and viability suggests that the faithfulness of financial statements is critical to credit decisions. The purpose of this study is to provide an approach that helps capital providers such as creditors to evaluate the integrity of financial statements and that facilitate further analysis to reach prudent credit decisions. The proposed approach uncovers the common FFR techniques from each subgroup of FFR samples clustered by GHSOM. By knowing that the financial statement examined is classified into a certain FFR subgroup and its possible common FFR techniques, help creditors form the basis for judgments and further analysis.The remainder of this paper is organized as follows. Section 2 reviews the literature. Section 3 presents the proposed approach. Section 4 reports the research results. Section 5 provides the managerial and research implications based on the results. The last section concludes with a summary of findings, implications and suggestions for future works.\n2 Literature review: 2.1 Fraudulent financial reporting\n3 Methodology: 3.1 Growing hierarchical SOM\n4 Experimental results: 4.1 Sample and data\n5 Managerial and research implication: 5.1 The managerial implications\n6 Conclusion: Since FFR has become more prevalent and costly in recent years, a strong need for approaches that enable the auditing practitioner to identify potential FFR has been urged. Using neural network tools is promising in fraud classification during analytical procedures of an audit engagement (Hogan et al., 2008) to identify irregularities - which may indicate fraud or just honest errors - for additional review by auditors. Auditors have a tremendous opportunity to learn about and employ neural networks to ensure that their firms or clients remain competitive.In contrast with prior FFR studies focusing on the prediction of FFR, this paper developed a two-stage approach that helps further understand corporate behavior by examining the outcome of GHSOM, an unsupervised neural networks. In the classification stage, candidate variables are first identified and then used for training the GHSOM to obtain subgroups. The pattern-disclosure stage involves the assistance of expert knowledge to discover common FFR techniques, and then connect the fraudulent corporate behavior to relevant financial indicators. Specifically, the proposed approach uncovers common FFR techniques from each subgroup without referring to the attributes of input variables resulting from the classification stage. The study has shown that the proposed approach is helpful in obtaining knowledge that can better interpret FFR behavior. Such FFR understanding helps creditors evaluate the integrity of financial statements to facilitate their investment or credit decision-making.The financial statements in Taiwan are prepared according to International Financial Reporting Standards similar to the generally accepted accounting principles adopted in the states. Furthermore, the FFR techniques are identified with the COSO framework from Beasley et al. (1999). Therefore, the proposed approach and findings of the study are generalizable.Future works are suggested as follows:* to identify better classification procedures and better FFR pattern-disclosure procedures;* to investigate the generality of our approach using data from other countries; and* to test the prediction ability of each result derived from our approach, including the fraud/non-fraud classification, common FFR techniques and the relevant financial indicators.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - Creditor reliance on accounting-based numbers as a persistent and traditional standard to assess a firm's financial soundness and viability suggests that the integrity of financial statements is essential to credit decisions. The purpose of this paper is to provide an approach to explore fraudulent financial reporting (FFR) via growing hierarchical self-organizing map (GHSOM), an unsupervised neural network tool, to help capital providers evaluate the integrity of financial statements, and to facilitate analysis further to reach prudent credit decisions.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - This paper develops a two-stage approach: a classification stage that well trains the GHSOM to cluster the sample into subgroups with hierarchical relationship, and a pattern-disclosure stage that uncovers patterns of the common FFR techniques and relevant risk indicators of each subgroup.\nFindings: - An application is conducted and its results show that the proposed two-stage approach can help capital providers evaluate the reliability of financial statements and accounting numbers-based decisions.\nPractical implications: - Following the SOM theories, it seems that common FFR techniques and relevant risk indicators extracted from the GHSOM clustering result are applicable to all samples clustered in the same leaf node (subgroup). This principle and any pre-warning signal derived from the identified indicators can be applied to assessing the reliability of financial statements and forming a basis for further analysis in order to reach prudent decisions. The limitation of this paper is the subjective parameter setting of GHSOM.\nOriginality/value: - This is the first application of GHSOM to financial data and demonstrates an alternative way to help capital providers such as lenders to evaluate the integrity of financial statements, a basis for further analysis to reach prudent decisions. The proposed approach could be applied to other scenarios that rely on accounting numbers as a basis for decisions.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Consumers' perspectives on service staff with disabilities in the hospitality industry
|
[
"Restaurant",
"Purchase intention",
"Hospitality industry",
"Dining occasion",
"People with disabilities",
"Service staff"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: In the hospitality industry, many companies offer similar products or services at similar prices. Companies that successfully differentiate themselves from direct competitors not only gain larger market shares but also avoid being engaged in the price war. Companies can seek differentiation through product features, locations, services, employees, and many other strategies. Researchers suggested that being socially responsible is one way to differentiate from competitors (Boehe and Cruz, 2010).\nLiterature review and research hypotheses: Corporate social responsibility and hiring employees with disabilities\nResearch design: In this study, we employed a single-factor (dining occasion) experimental design (between-subjects). Scenario-based experiments have been employed in numerous published research articles (Nusair et al., 2010; Wang, 2011; Herbst et al., 2012; Naylor et al., 2012) to examine consumers' purchase intention for products or services. For examples, through a scenario based-experiment, Nusair et al. (2010) found that for quick service restaurants, consumers were willing to purchase and participate in word-of-mouth only at higher price discount levels. Using hypothetical service scenarios, Wang (2011) found that when word-of-mouth information was inconsistent, consumers' purchase intention was affected more by the final word-of-mouth event.\nResults: Participant profile\nDiscussion and conclusions: Participants in our study demonstrated a moderately positive purchase intention for a restaurant that employs a significant amount of service staff with disabilities (above 50 percent of the total staff). In line with the theory of reasoned action (Ajzen and Fishbein, 1980), we found that participants' attitudes toward being served by people with disabilities were positively related to purchase intention. In addition, we found that as a customer, participants felt more comfortable being served by people with physical disabilities than people with mental disabilities. In terms of consumers' perceptions, participants considered this restaurant feature distinct, but not very important. We also examined the influences of consumer characteristics. Participants with disabilities did not feel more comfortable being served by people with disabilities and did not have higher purchase intention. This suggests that the positive effect of self-other similarity might not exist in this context. As for the influence of gender, although past research suggested that women demonstrated more positive attitudes toward people with disabilities in several social contexts such as marriage, dating, and workplace (Hergenrather and Rhodes, 2007), this phenomenon was not found in the service context. In our study, the purchase intention also did not vary by gender. Contrary to our prediction, participants' religiosity was not associated with the purchase intention. One significant finding of our research is that the purchase intention varies by dining occasions. Specifically, participants were more likely to choose this type of restaurant in a family/friends occasion than in business or romantic occasions.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This exploratory study aims to investigate consumers' perceptions, attitudes, and purchase intention for restaurants that employ a significant amount of service staff with disabilities. The influences of consumers' characteristics and dining occasions on purchase intention were also examined.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The authors employed a single-factor (dining occasion) experimental design. A convenient sample was used and a total of 192 consumers participated in this study.\nFindings: Consumers demonstrated a moderately positive purchase intention for a restaurant that employs a significant amount of service staff with disabilities; however, the purchase intention varied by dining occasions. The likelihood of choosing this type of restaurant was higher in a family/friends occasion than in business or romantic occasions.\nResearch limitations/implications: This study employed a convenient sample and the findings might be limited to the casual dining restaurant context. Future research should examine the relationship between purchase intention and perceived social responsibility, restaurant image, or specific disabilities.\nPractical implications: This study suggests that hiring a significant amount of service staff with disabilities might be a better strategy for restaurants that target family/friends gatherings. Meanwhile, managers need to be more strategic when they assign employees with disabilities to serve guests who are in a business or romantic dining situation.\nOriginality/value: This is the first study that empirically investigates consumers' perspectives on restaurant service staff with disabilities in the USA.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Minimizing completion time with maintenance schedule in a manufacturing system
|
[
"Production scheduling",
"Linear programming",
"Job sequence loading",
"Maintenance"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nI. Introduction: In a manufacturing system, a set of jobs is assigned to a machine and to be processed in a sequence, the machine has to be shut down after finishing one job to prepare it for the next job in the sequence. The operations between two consecutive jobs, such as cleaning working areas and loading work pieces, are referred to as \"setups\". It is known that minimizing the total setup time is equivalent to minimizing the completion time, which leads to rapid turnover of all jobs and reduces in-process inventory. Therefore, we want to develop a procedure to find a sequence that minimizes the total setup time.In this paper we consider production scheduling in a manufacturing system. The characteristics of the production system include: flow-shop type, sequence-dependent setup time (SDST), maintenance environment, and all jobs being completed on their assigned due-dates. There has been some relevant work done on scheduling with SDST. For the single-machine problem, Bianco et al. (1988) presented a branch-and-bound algorithm to minimize the makespan. Picard and Queyranne (1978) developed branch-and-bound algorithms to minimize the weighted tardiness and the tardiness costs. Rabadi et al. (2007) considered a single machine early/tardy problem with unrestricted common due date. They introduced two algorithms to find a near-optimal solution. Neale and Duenyas (2003) discussed the control of a single-batch processing machine with random arrivals, random processing times, and compatible job families. They provided a heuristic approach to minimize the long-run average time that jobs spent in the system. Franca et al. (2005) studied the problem of scheduling part families and jobs within each part family with SDST. They described two evolutionary algorithms to find optimal schedules. Emmons (1969) successfully applied a dynamic programming algorithm to solve the problem of minimizing total setup cost. Gagne et al. (2002) used several heuristics to solve a scheduling problem with SDST. Their objective was to minimize the total tardiness. They indicated that an ant colony optimization algorithm has a certain advantage for larger problems. Gajpal et al. (2006) employed a new ant colony algorithm to solve a similar problem except for the criteria of minimizing the makespan. For the two-machine problem, Gupta and Darrow (1986) provided a dynamic programming algorithm and four heuristic algorithms to deal with the two-stage flow shop problem. Their objective is to find a sequence that minimizes the makespan. Glassey (1968) presented a dynamic programming algorithm to minimize the number of changeovers for several products. Balasubramanian et al. (2004) developed two different versions of a genetic algorithm to minimize the total weighted tardiness on parallel batch machines with incompatible job families. For the m-machine problem, Gupta (1986) proposed a traveling-salesman problem formulation for the no-wait flow shop. He also presented an algorithm to solve the problem of minimizing makespan. Srikar and Ghosh (1986) formulated a mixed-integer linear program to minimize the makespan.As machine maintenance is required in many industries, it is usually arranged in a planned schedule. Therefore, scheduling maintenance becomes a common practice in many manufacturing systems. In this paper we study a SDST problem with periodic maintenance, where several maintenances are required (Chen, 2006). We focus our attention on how to schedule jobs without violating their due dates. Although the problem is rather complicated, a heuristic will be proposed to find the near-optimal solution. Our objective is to find a sequence that minimizes the total setup time (or equivalently, the completion time) subject to periodic maintenance and due dates.\nII. Notation definition and problem setting: The notations used in this paper are defined as follows:n =number of jobs for processing at time zero.Ji =job number j.pj =processing time of job j.dj =due date of job j.Cj =completion time of job j.Sj,k =setup time from job j to job k.Lj =lateness of job j, where Lj=Cj-dj.Tj =tardiness of job j, where Tj=max{0, (Cj--dj)}.t =amount of time to perform one maintenance.T =time interval between two maintenance periods.In addition, J[j] denotes the job in the jth position, and p[j], d[j], C[j], T[j], and S[j,k], are defined accordingly. In this paper we present a deterministic model of a single-machine problem where periodic maintenance and jobs are scheduled under the resumable case. In the production system, there is a time interval T between two consecutive maintenance periods, in which jobs can be scheduled for processing. Once a processing job is interrupted due to maintenance (i.e., a split job) the work done on the job is not lost so that the operation of the job can be continued when the machine becomes available. It is noted that the split job will be resumed without setup if it is already installed. We assume that the total processing time is not changed for the split job. In our study, we also assume that there exist one or more non-tardy job sequences. The problem under consideration is to find a sequence that minimizes the total setup time subject to periodic maintenance and due dates. It is clear that the problem is NP-hard since the problem in absence of maintenance is NP-hard (Monma and Potts, 1989).\nIII. An integer programming model: An integer linear programming (ILP) model is presented to provide the optimal sequence, which is used to evaluate the proposed heuristic. Assuming the initial setup time is zero when a job is available for processing at time zero, an ILP model for the stated problem is: Equation 1 subject to: Equation 2 Equation 3 Equation 4 Equation 5 Equation 6 Equation 7 Equation 8 Equation 9 In this model, parameter M is a very large positive real number. Parameters g[j,k] and d[j] are defined as follows: Equation 10 Equation 11 We use [X] to represent the largest integer smaller than or equal to X.Constraints (2) and (3) are the either-or type constraints, which determine the job sequence and ensure that the time precedence is not violated. Constraint (4) states that all jobs are processed continuously through the shop. Constraint (5) determines whether J[j] is split. Constraint (6) describes the completion time of J[j]. If J[j] is split, we add the maintaining time (i.e., t) to the completion time of J[j]. Constraint (7) specifies that all jobs must be completed within their due dates.\nIV. The proposed heuristic: We propose a heuristic to provide an optimal or near-optimal solution for the stated problem. The heuristic starts with the initialization procedure and further improves the obtained sequence with the iterative procedure.IV.1 The initialization procedure\nV. Computational results: To compare the heuristic with the ILP model, an experiment work was conducted. The proposed heuristic was coded in Visual Basic and run on a PC-686. The ILP model was solved using LINDO, a popular ILP software, and also run on a PC-686. The test problems were randomly generated based on the following scheme: processing times were selected from a discrete uniform distribution (DU) over 1 to 99. The setup times were drawn from another DU over 1 to 30. The due date of job j was generated from a DU between [?]i=1j(pi+Si-1, i) and [?]i=1j[4x(pi+Si-1, i+CxTP)], where TP is the total processing time of all jobs, and C=(0.2,0.6) is the tardy factor. The experiments consist of three levels of T (120, 240, 480) and two levels of t (6, 18). The same data were used in both the heuristic and the ILP model.The computational results are summarized in Tables VI and VII. In each complete trial, we randomly drew n (n=7, 14, 21,28) jobs. The number of testing problems in each n-job trial is 20. The tables provide the information on the average percentage error deviation and computation time for each combination of n, T and t. We use the percentage error deviation (PED) to validate the performance of the heuristic. The PED is computed as follows: [(heuristic solution-optimal solution)/optimal solution]x100 It can be seen from the tables that problems with larger C value provide smaller PED and spend less computation time. This is because more feasible sequences are generated for looser due dates. Therefore, a smaller total setup time can be obtained. We also find that problems with larger T value and smaller t value produce smaller PED. This is due to the fact that the larger T value and smaller t value can produce a smaller number of maintenance periods in a sequence. Hence, a relatively smaller total setup time can be produced. Moreover, the PED increases slightly as the number of testing jobs increases. The average PED is only 0.62 with a maximum of 1.68. By comparing the heuristic with the ILP model, it is clear that the heuristic spends much less computation time than the ILP model. Therefore, the heuristic is applicable for large sized problems, while the ILP model can only be used for small sized problems.\nVI. Conclusions: In our research, we study a SDST problem on a single machine. The problem differs from that of other SDST problems in that several maintenance periods are under consideration. In many companies, scheduling maintenance in a manufacturing system becomes a common practice. In this paper we consider a SDST problem with periodic maintenance, where several maintenances are required. Although the problem is rather complicated, a heuristic will be proposed to find the near-optimal solution. Our objective is to find a sequence that minimizes the total setup time or equivalently the completion time, subject to periodic maintenance and due dates. An efficient heuristic has been developed to solve the problem. The performance of the heuristic is evaluated by comparing its solution with the optimal solution derived by the ILP model. The computational results show that the heuristic spends much less computation time than the ILP model. Therefore, the heuristic can solve large sized problems, while the ILP model can only be used for small-sized problems. The contribution of scheduling is to present the proposed heuristic and the ILP model to deal with the maintenance scheduling problems with SDST. Since the Stinson heuristic is incorporated into our procedure to minimize the total setup time, the proposed heuristic has a new conceptual design and several advantages over existing techniques. Some of the advantages are simplicity, rapidity and efficiency. Computational results have shown that both the heuristic and ILP model perform satisfactory. Direct application of the results of this study to those companies where the SDST and maintenance are required is easy and worthwhile. Currently, the author is conducting future research by considering two-machine case.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - In practical environments, machines subject to maintenance are prevalent in many production systems. This paper aims to find a schedule that minimizes the completion time (or equivalently, the total setup time) subject to maintenance and due dates.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - An efficient heuristic is presented to provide the near-optimal solution for the problem. The performance of the heuristic is evaluated by comparing its solution with the optimal solution obtained from the integer linear programming model.\nFindings: - In many production systems, the sequence-dependent setup time of a job cannot be ignored when a switch between two different jobs occurs. The paper studies the sequence-dependent setup time problem with periodic maintenance, where several maintenances are required. Computational results show that problems with larger time interval and smaller maintaining time can produce a smaller completion time.\nPractical implications: - Here an efficient heuristic is developed to provide the near-optimal schedule for the problem. The proposed integer linear programming model is also presented to provide the optimal schedule. However, the proposed heuristic and the integer linear programming model developed in the paper are appropriate for those companies where maintenance is performed periodically and the sequence-dependent setup times of their jobs are required.\nOriginality/value: - The paper presents the heuristic and the integer linear programming model to deal with sequencing and maintenance problems.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Board composition, non-executive directors and governance cultures in Irish ICT firms: a CFO perspective
|
[
"Boards of Directors",
"Corporate governance",
"Information, Communication technologies",
"Ireland",
"Non‐executive directors"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Governance shortcomings have been identified as a significant explanatory factor in the financial scandals and corporate collapses that have been a feature of the Anglo-American business world in the past decade (Becht et al., 2002). The fact that these have coincided with one of the longest and severest bear markets of recent times has provided a context within which not only the operational, but also the structural, human and governance policies of companies are being more keenly examined. In addition, the critical value-creation role of companies ensures that issues of public policy, competitiveness, accountability and the claims of an increasing number of stakeholders are regularly summoned to inform the debate about governance (OECD, 1999; Monks and Minow, 2001; Higgs, 2003).The fact that corporate activity involves risk, not all of which either can or should be eliminated, is also being recognised. Indeed, one significant and healthy consequence of reports such as the Turnbull Report has been to situate the debate about the role of governance within the broader context of risk management and internal control (Turnbull, 1999). Thus, the evolving understanding of governance is increasingly being informed by not only considerations of accountability and transparency, but also by issues relating to risk and related strategy (Stiles, 2001; Carpenter and Westphal, 2001).Informed by these various perspectives, healthy corporate governance is rarely viewed as an end in itself; it is, rather, one means by which the competing interests of various stakeholders can be accommodated in companies that are optimising performance. Thus, governance, and corporate governance in particular, may provide a context within which these competing perspectives and interests can be considered. This is especially the case as corporate governance provides an \"architecture of accountability\" (Higgs, 2003, p. 11), that is, a set of concepts, structures and processes that allow the nexus of interests that define a company to be identified, tested and refined.Much of the research, analysis and subsequent recommendations in relation to corporate governance have focused upon modifying and strengthening existing paradigms and structures (Franks et al., 2001; Becht et al., 2002). Reflecting this, a succession of corporate governance reports in the UK and Ireland such as Cadbury (1992), (Ryan, 1992), Greenbury (1995), Hampel (1998), Turnbull (1999) and Higgs (2003) have sought to promote a modernisation of the existing model that incorporates the need for greater accountability, transparency and risk management (Stiles, 2001; Carpenter and Westphal, 2001). Further, eschewing calls for this to be subject to statutory control, these have favoured a comply or explain approach that couples voluntary compliance with the controls implicit in a market for information that accompanies an increasingly competitive international market (Monks and Minow, 2001).The emergence of the information and communications technology (ICT) sector over the last decade has, therefore, paralleled considerable debate amongst governments, regulators and professionals as to the best and most efficient ways of governing and controlling firms. There has been much talk of corporate responsibility, good governance practices and the need to recognise the rights of a broader range of \"stakeholders\". In particular, the realisation by many firms that employees are now their most critical creators of value has prompted a reconsideration of the \"balance of power\" between the providers of financial and intellectual capital. The human, financial and structural cultures of the \"new economy\" might be expected, therefore, to reflect this more transparent and democratic paradigm (Rajan and Zingales, 2000).This paper attempts an initial investigation of the extent to which these values are reflected in the governance regimes of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the indigenous Irish ICT sector, with particular emphasis on the extent to which they have impacted on corporate boardrooms. It is structured as follows: the next section traces the emergence of the ICT sector in Ireland and identifies the unique characteristics that make the Irish experience and context such a suitable research focus; this is followed by a summary of the methodology adopted; the empirical findings are then presented and discussed; the paper concludes with a brief summary and suggestions for further research.\nResearch context: Ireland and the ICT sector: Ireland has experienced phenomenal economic growth in recent years. In the period 1995 to 2002 real GDP grew by an average of almost 8 per cent per annum. Much of this dynamism is attributable to the emergence of a vital high-technology ICT sector. Firms in this sector are engaged in software design and development, web design, network security implementation, hardware assembly and other related functions. The total employed is estimated to be almost 100,000 (Enterprise Ireland, 2003; CSO, 2003).The ICT sector in Ireland can be divided into two sub-categories: multinational firms and indigenous firms. The multinational sector comprises over 130 international firms, including five of the top ten software development companies in the world. This sub-category employs over half of those working in the overall ICT sector. Much of the activity currently carried out in Ireland by foreign multinationals centres on the physical manufacture and distribution of products, with over 40 per cent of all PC packaged software and 60 per cent of business application software sold in Europe being produced in Ireland (Enterprise Ireland, 2003; CSO, 2003).The indigenous sector is smaller in terms of both revenues and networks. Nevertheless, a focus on overseas markets is one of its key characteristics, with more than 80 per cent of firms active internationally. Indigenous firms employ almost as many people as the large multinationals. However, the seven indigenous Irish ICT firms that are listed on the major international stock exchanges employ over 3,000 of these. These latter indigenous public firms are not represented in the research presented in this paper. Consequently, the results presented here relate only to the private indigenous ICT sector. The firms surveyed have employment levels ranging from ten to 251 people and include, therefore, mainly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).\nMethodology: Utilising a variety of publicly available information sources, over 600 firms were identified by the research team as operating within the Irish ICT sector. Such sources included the Irish Software Association, the National Software Directorate, Forfas, Enterprise Ireland, Industrial Development Authority and trade periodicals. Each of these firms was contacted by telephone to confirm the name of the chief financial officer (CFO), the current number of permanent employees and the postal address. This task was undertaken primarily to ensure that the appropriate senior financial executive within each firm was identified. Apart from the fact that they could provide a perspective not often sought, CFOs were targeted because they could comment on specific aspects of a firm's financial management and governance policies.Only those private indigenous companies having at least ten full-time, permanent employees were targeted, a criterion met by 382 firms. Subsequently the CFO of each firm was posted a copy of a 12-page questionnaire together with supporting documentation, which included a covering letter setting forth the aims of the research project, along with a prepaid business reply envelope for completed questionnaires. Data collection commenced in mid-June 2001 and the process involved a number of follow-up telephone calls and e-mails. Data collection concluded in May 2002.The 382 questionnaires posted in mid-June 2001 generated 140 responses. Analysis of these responses indicated that 52 firms either did not satisfy the parameters of the study or were unwilling to participate. This left a total of 88 usable responses from private, indigenous Irish firms and an effective response rate of 23 per cent. This paper is based upon the information supplied by these 88 private, indigenous firms.\nEmpirical results and discussion: Under the Anglo-American governance regime the unitary board is an essential feature (Maclean, 1999; Monks and Minow, 2001; Pearson, 2002). Not surprisingly, in the wake of the various scandals and incidences of underperformance, the role, function and suitability of a forum that derives its essential features from a dramatically different commercial period and context is being questioned. Thus, German and Japanese models of governance, for instance, have been explored as alternatives to the existing unitary board (Fohlin, 1999; Franks and Mayer, 2001; Hoshi and Kashyap, 2001). However, the relative failure of these two countries to negotiate the increasing governance and financing challenges posed by globalisation have meant that, if only by default, the robustness of the Anglo-American model has had to be acknowledged (John and Senbet, 1998; Monks and Minow, 2001).Much of the focus of recent corporate governance research and best practice codes has been concerned, therefore, with improving the efficiency, effectiveness and competency of boards. To some extent this has seen a questioning of the structural and operational aspects of corporate boards. By far the greater amount of energy has been expended, however, upon matters relating to the board members themselves and their relationships and behaviours (Hermalin and Weisbach, 1998; John and Senbet, 1998; Franks et al, 2001). On the one hand, driven by issues of public concern and policy, these have been informed by traditional concerns such as remuneration levels and multiple directorships (Greenbury, 1995; Short and Keasey, 1999). However, significant developments have also taken place in relation to matters such as the role and relative powers of executive and non-executive directors, roles that have become the focus of greater attention as both business complexity and executive remuneration levels have increased (Cotter et al., 1997; Hermalin and Weisbach, 1998; Franks et al., 2001).Composition of board of directors\nConclusion: This paper has investigated the board structure and governance culture of SMEs operating in the private indigenous ICT sector in Ireland. In general, it would appear that this sector has a governance culture quite similar to that prevalent in traditional firms and sectors. Thus, boards continue to be heavily populated by financial capital, either in the form of founders or venture capitalists. The critical role of non-executive directors is increasingly being recognised. CFOs, perhaps because of the extent to which they perceive that the information they provide is privileged in the decision-making process by directors, are positive in their perceptions of the contribution that boards make.Future research under this ongoing project will focus more specifically on the workings of boards of directors and their various sub-committees. In particular, the extent to which the interests of a broader range of stakeholders, such as knowledge employees, are being accommodated will be tracked. Now that much of the pioneering phase associated with companies operating in this ICT sector has been traversed, this will form part of an investigation intended to identify the manner in which the wealth, knowledge and governance dividends generated are being distributed.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The emergence of the information and communications technology (ICT) sector in Ireland over the course of the past decade has paralleled a period of exceptional national economic growth. This has raised questions regarding wealth distribution, power and governance. This paper seeks to identify some of the characteristics of the governance culture in this sector in Ireland. It deals specifically with issues such as board composition, non-executive directors and the perceived role and usefulness of accounting information in the decision-making process.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - Questionnaire feedback from chief financial officers (CFOs), focusing specifically on the board of directors of indigenous, private firms.\nFindings: - The research indicates that firms operating in this sector adopt structures and cultures similar to those in more traditional sectors. However, there is evidence that Irish ICT firms have responded positively to calls for the roles and responsibilities of non-executive directors to be recognised and accommodated. It also confirms the continuing centrality of accounting information to the decision-making process.\nOriginality/value: - The research represents an initial survey of firms operating in this sector. As such it is concerned with identifying overall patterns and contours. It is unusual in seeking feedback from CFOs and, as such, offers some unique insights. The findings will be of interest to those operating in the ICT sector and those seeking to identify the governance features that characterise this emerging and dynamic area.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Teaching companies how to be entrepreneurial: cultural change at all levels
|
[
"Culture",
"Decision making style",
"Entrepreneurial-education",
"Entrepreneurial-mindset",
"Health-audit",
"In-house education"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Research on entrepreneurship usually concentrates on start-ups and smaller firms, not on how an entrepreneurship mindset fosters innovation as corporate entrepreneurship (CE). Classical case examples, including HP, Microsoft, Intel, Amazon, Google and Facebook, have emphasised the \"garage\" aspect of the start-up with less focus on the importance of an entrepreneurial mindset driving the culture of corporate strategy to achieve effective innovation. The question remains as to which staff development processes within larger corporate entities and partnerships deliver bottom-line value through innovation.\nEntrepreneurial mindset: Entrepreneurial mindset is a way of thinking about opportunities that surfaces in the firm's external and internal environment and the commitments, decisions and actions necessary to pursue them, especially under conditions of uncertainty that commonly accompany rapid and significant environmental changes. According to Ireland et al. (2003), simultaneous opportunity-seeking and advantage-seeking behaviours result in superior firm performance and define strategic entrepreneurship. When adopting an entrepreneurial mindset, organisational actors increase their ability to sense opportunities and mobilise the resources and knowledge required to exploit them. Significantly, an entrepreneurial mindset, culture and leadership and the strategic management of resources and applying creativity to develop innovations are important dimensions of strategic entrepreneurship (Ireland et al., 2003, p. 971).\nStrategic implications: Entrepreneurial behaviour is increasingly important for all firms, regardless of size, age or industry sector. Of the various dimensions of firm-level entrepreneurial orientation, it is argued that culture, broadly defined, is the single common theme underlying all forms of CE. However, the presence of an innovation culture per se is insufficient to label a firm entrepreneurial. Innovation of itself is only delivered when the customer or recipient of the innovative product, process or service actually transfers value or dollars for the benefit. It is the entrepreneurial mindset of seeing and creating the opportunity and managing the means to deliver the product, process or service at the point where it is needed and valued that constitutes entrepreneurial action and strategic value to the firm. The case shows this mindset in action by using innovation and education as mechanisms to redefine or rejuvenate the firm, its positions within markets and industries and the competitive arenas where they compete.\nAssessing firm entrepreneurial health: \"Innovation does not surface in an organisational vacuum. Indeed, employees throughout a firm who are engaging in entrepreneurial behaviour are the foundation for organizational innovation\" (Ireland et al., 2006a). The quality of leadership displayed by top management plays a critical role in driving entrepreneurial behaviour and an entrepreneurial culture that supports the development of innovations (Kipp, 2001).\nAudit results: Of the 93 pitcher partners staff (15.5 per cent of 600 staff) surveyed, representing the various divisions and levels within the firm (Table I), 81 completed full responses for use in the analysis (87 per cent response rate).\nSelecting entrepreneurial education intervention: Following much research and discussion amongst the partners, and following presentations from academics and consultants, the partnership agreed that an in-house, university delivered and post-graduate entrepreneurship education degree option could be effective in developing the desired entrepreneurial mindset amongst staff and result in effective innovation and added value to clients. The fact that the firm's advising capabilities are primarily directed to the \"middle market\" rather than start-ups is a major factor in choosing the in-house option. To support the education-based development of an entrepreneurial culture, the firm established an institute for entrepreneurship and innovation.\nMeasuring change in staff behaviour: When adopting an entrepreneurial mindset, employees increase their ability to sense opportunities and mobilise the resources and knowledge required to exploit them. Can this be measured?\nStrategic outcome: Based on the demonstrated and effective change in staff culture and behaviour, leading to more effective client trust, opportunities for discussions and improved firm growth, the partnership has instituted the next phase of the strategic investment in in-house entrepreneurship education and related business opportunities. Disruption is occurring across all dimensions of business, both nationally and internationally. In 2017, the partnership established an international institute of entrepreneurship to create a platform for professional service firms, local and state government agencies and not-for-profits to become learning organisations capable of responding to disruption in the economy (national and international), society and the market place. The international institute offers a range of initiatives for business executives to government officials to develop innovative and entrepreneurial mindsets. It acts as a centre of excellence for middle market thought leadership, communicating the skills and techniques behind innovative and entrepreneurial thought and action, and imparting expertise that enables managers and entrepreneurs to make crucial decisions to compete successfully.\nConclusions: Measuring entrepreneurial health in Pitcher Partners has identified areas of effective and ineffective practice to achieve an entrepreneurial culture and effective innovation. Management has a passionate commitment to developing an entrepreneurial mindset within the firm. This new way of thinking about opportunities is now an established entrepreneurial strategy that involves the firm's external environment and the commitments, decisions and actions necessary to pursue them, especially under conditions of uncertainty that commonly accompany rapid and significant environmental changes.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This case study aims to show how a strategic intervention, using an in-house delivered university entrepreneurship education program, cultivates an entrepreneurial mindset and effective innovation culture amongst company staff. The intervention produces a measured change in staff decision making style from analytical to a more intuitive style. Also assessed is the resulting management-style change to the firm's internal environment, strategic motivation and performance.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Through a qualitative longitudinal study of Partners and staff in the firm, the authors measure the impact of the selection, integration and performance of in-house entrepreneurship education on firm culture.\nFindings: The authors identify organisation factors that inhibit staff entrepreneurial behaviour and by integrating an in-house education intervention, demonstrate unambiguously the resultant effective culture and entrepreneurial mindset.\nResearch limitations/implications: Generalising results from this single longitudinal case study requires caution. The positive outcome from the in-house education concept can be considered for further evaluation within other organisations.\nPractical implications: Using an entrepreneurial health-audit to assess in-firm cultural behaviour enables management to identify factors fostering/inhibiting entrepreneurial activity and devise interventions to cultivate a firm-wide entrepreneurial mindset.\nOriginality/value: In-house education is not a new concept, but a targeted focus on entrepreneurship applied strategically to a committed firm shows outstanding results. The added-value is in the demonstrated enhancement to effective innovation outcomes.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
School culture and leadership of professional learning communities
|
[
"Leadership",
"School culture",
"Professional learning communities"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: School reform efforts over the last 30 years have focussed on teacher networks, school culture and school improvement (Hofman and Dijsktra, 2010; Schechter, 2008). The investigation of teacher collaborative network success has been important to the structure of the school community, the culture and a shared focus on achievement (Hofman and Dijsktra, 2010). School cultures are complex webs of traditions and rituals that have been built up over time as teachers, students, parents and administrators work together on establishing a culture of collaboration focussed on student achievement (Schein, 1985; Deal and Peterson, 1990 in Deal and Peterson, 1999).\nMethods: (1) Sampling and data collection\nResults: Roosevelt High School (pseudonym) had a student enrollment of over 1,800, grades 9-12. The building was relatively new compared to other schools in the district. The school was located on the edge of the city and was built in an expanding part of the community. The Science Department had 12 science teachers appointed to teach the core science curriculum and electives.\nConclusions: Shared leadership is a central component of effective professional learning in collaborative groups such as professional learning communities. Shared leadership provides the venue for continuous improvement and therefore shared values and vision. Ensuring each member of a group of collaborators focusses on common outcomes of the continuous improvement cycle requires commonality in what and how the group functions. Through defined purpose and values the collaborative group may solve problems associated with instructional effectiveness and further help with the growth of their students and thus the improvement of the school at reaching goals.\nDiscussion: It was found that the manner in which teachers engaged in the collaborative culture was greatly shaped by shared and supportive leadership trust and respect for teachers as professionals. Hord (1997) said the authority and power position held by administrators (principals) as \"omni-competent\" leaders has been internalized and reinforced in education. When this structure is present, the school leader views themself as the all-guiding, all-knowing force in the school that cannot participate in professional activities at the same level of their teachers, thereby removing themselves from the continuous improvement cycle. Leaders that removed themselves from the cycle further created boundaries where it was difficult for teachers to propose divergent views or ideas about the improvement cycle. As a product of the administrator removal from the improvement cycle, teachers withdrew from effective collaboration. Perhaps the most profound finding of this study was that a positive school culture and an effective professional learning community required effective collaboration, yet none of the administrators or teachers had received training on effective collaboration and therefore the improvement cycle fell short in the each school setting of reaching a positive and effective learning culture.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore supportive and shared leadership structures at schools as a function of school culture policies and procedures.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A qualitative study was conducted at three secondary schools in the Midwestern USA. Administrators and teachers were interviewed, professional learning communities observed and artifacts collected to explore school culture policies, procedures and leadership in the implementation of professional learning community practice.\nFindings: This study concludes that school leaders must provide supportive and shared leadership structures for teachers in order to ensure a positive school culture and effective professional learning communities that impact school improvement. Leaders in schools must work directly with teachers to create policies and procedures that provide teachers the leadership structure to directly impact school improvement through professional learning community collaborative efforts.\nOriginality/value: This study builds on the school culture and professional learning communities literature by exploring existent policies and practices in schools as unique cases. Much of the literature calls for specific case studies to identify issues in the implementation of effective practice. This study is important to the community as specific cases that may inform educational leaders on mechanisms that may be leveraged to ensure successful implementation of policies and procedures outline in school culture and professional learning community literature.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Cost vs credibility: the student sample trap in business research
|
[
"Generalizability",
"Research validity",
"Student samples"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The debate has raged for generations over the value of using student samples for business research, and the answers are never as encouraging as scholars would like them to be. Cunningham et al. (1974) raised the issue of whether students are \"real people\". They make the powerful statement, \"What we know about consumer behavior may be too closely tied to the socio-psychological and behavioral profile of the college sophomore\" (p. 399). They suggest that this is a problematic situation. Sears (1986) echoed this same concern. Peterson (2001) found that student populations are problematic, as they are significantly more homogeneous in their responses when compared with more broad-based general adult samples. The problem for all academics doing business research is the issue of the easy access to students to serve as surrogates for the public at large when doing academic studies. They are a captive audience and readily available and can get course credit for participating. If the basic focus for the research is on theory testing, the argument is often made that any data are helpful. This is the argument used when the focus is on internal validity. The basis for the argument is that this is particularly appropriate when the researcher is examining basic characteristics of human nature that are not directly connected to either context or life experience (Bello et al., 2009). So, often, the rationale is that if we test this theory on students and find success, then we can shift our focus to more broad-based samples of adults. For me, the whole problem is the mindset and representativeness of students.\nExternal validity issues with student samples: External validity looks at the nature of generalizability. As Bello et al. (2009, p. 362) suggest:\nIssues in cross-cultural research sample frames: Of particular concern is when cross-cultural research is undertaken and we look to using students as surrogates for the general population at large. Of course, they are easily available, but now the disparity is even greater when examining the experiences and exposure of students, particularly in developing countries, as those who are in a university setting may be exposed to information that their parents and grandparents may never have seen or heard about. In fact, the students may be the first family members ever to attend a college or university, and their views of the world may be vastly different from the rest of their family members, let alone the population at large. The types of justifications for this type of university-student sample involve arguments about their ability to see the world as objective observers. Williams and Best (1990, p. 53), for example, stated:\nScale development using student samples: An even more problematic situation is often found in the process that surrounds scale development. Many authors have begun the process with student samples. If one follows the Churchill (1979) protocols, once the literature has been studied and possible items have been identified, then a qualitative phase is needed to further probe for relevant items using appropriate sample respondents. If students are used for this process, then their experiences and mindsets will flavor the development of relevant manifestations of the phenomenon in question. This is a phase in which as broad a list of manifestations as possible that are potentially relevant is needed, and if students are not truly representative of the sample population in question, then the whole basis for the scale may be flawed. Usually the use of focus groups or in-depth interviews allows for some level of convenience, but if the process is based solely on students (particularly students in business), their non-representative input may undermine the later validity and reliability of any resulting scale (Stevens, 2011). This is further compounded if students are used as the first quantitative sampling population, which unfortunately is more the norm than the exception in many scale development articles. If students are used in the first quantitative work, then their insights and input would be used to create the factor structure that would be established in exploratory factor analysis (EFA). This would then serve as the imposed factor structure that would be subsequently tested and refined with a second quantitative study. Now it becomes clearer why this is problematic, as this is often when authors decide to bring in a more generalizable adult sample. The crux of the problem is that this group of individuals may not see the world in the same way as the students (and the likelihood is that they will not), and their input that would be used in the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), when imposed upon the factor structure produced from the students in the EFA, will then be used to refine the scale. This may create serious issues as the EFA and CFA would be based upon substantially different populations, and any scale refinements would be potentially producing scales that will not do well in other generalizable adult sample tests. As can easily be seen, the foundation for the scale really needs to be based upon the population that will later be used to validate the scale. The issue of external validity becomes a serious one in this case.\nImplications: The debate will continue to rage in business research, as the ever-decreasing level of university funding will push researchers to use inexpensive yet problematic sources of data. Look at the growth of interest in using Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk); this is a highly problematic data source, which allows the respondent to choose the studies that they want to participate in as opposed to the panel choosing the respondent based on pre-assessed information. The issue is that MTurk is cheap, and the \"wonderful\" thing for researchers is that it is a broader-based population that is better than student samples. The problem is that students want to make money, and many will say that they fit the needs of the study in question whether they really do or not. Lies are constantly found when trap questions are used in which the respondent actually forgot their sex between the beginning of the questionnaire and the end. These samples are, at best, only marginally better than student samples. If the researcher pays say $.50-$1.00 per completed questionnaire, think of how many respondents they can get for a relatively small amount of money as opposed to spending more on the $5.00-$6.00 per completed questionnaire charged by more quality-controlling sources like Qualtrics. Of course, students are the cheapest of all mechanisms for data collection. The problem is that the buyer must always be wary. You get what you pay for!\nConclusion: Journals like the Journal of Advertising Research are focused on publishing immediately actionable research and will not use research based upon student samples, which argues for a healthy balancing of theory development, empirical validation and generalizability. It would be difficult for business journals to survive if they only publish theory for the sake of theory. Without application and external validation, we are not helping business to perform more effectively. In the end, if there is no improvement of business practice, then there may be no need of business education.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This paper focuses on the problems inherent in the use of student samples in business research.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The subject is examined through the opinions of prior researchers, and the pros and cons are presented. The issues of internal and external validity are discussed, and the dangers of theory development without proper application are highlighted.\nFindings: Business researchers are cautioned, especially in the case of scale development and cross-cultural research, to avoid the use of student samples.\nOriginality/value: While this subject has been the source of debate for many years, business researchers are still regularly using student samples for their research. The dangers are too great to simply be ignored because the price is right.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Factors that influence the success of a KM-program in a small-sized airport
|
[
"Knowledge management",
"Airport Engineering & Maintenance",
"Leadership practice",
"Organizational strategy"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Airports are an essential part of the air transport system. They not only encourage economic development (Jarach, 2005) but also can provide substantial employment opportunities (Graham, 2003). Today, more than ever, airports have to be prepared to deal with new challenges and demands of its customers and stakeholders (Jarach, 2005), thus obliging airport administrators to develop and implement flexible and adaptive strategies in order to identify what kind of information is needed, collect it and analyze it properly to transform in good and actual knowledge to support decisions and strategies (Ribeiro De Almeida, 2012).\n2. Conceptual framework: Over the past decade, interest on the concept of KM has grown in both the public and particularly, the private sectors (Jennex, 2005; Willem and Buelens, 2009). While at the macro-level, KM in the public sector is very similar to that in the private sector; at a micro-level, the details of the organizational system and goals differ. For example, knowledge sharing in the public sector is difficult because most people view knowledge as closely coupled with power, and related to their promotion prospects (Liebowitz and Chen, 2003). Organizational cultures and structures may also create different perceptions that keep public organizations from sharing knowledge (Jennex, 2005; Willem and Buelens, 2009) which, in turn, can lead to inflexible behaviours and routines (Seba et al., 2012).\n3. Method: A qualitative research was used to show the tools and methods used in AEMD to manage knowledge (Yin, 1994). This study explores the perceptions on the critical role of knowledge and its management in these airport units. The goal was to elicit the perception of the key agents involved in the day to day work of the engineering and maintenance departments within a small-sized Spanish Airport. As noted above, the investigation was carried out in spring 2014 in a one million pax per year Spanish Airport. The airport was constructed and is operated to the required international standards and is the result of intensive planning, tireless efforts and diligent and devoted work exerted by all responsible authorities and employees of the Airport Corporation (Aena, 2014). It includes all necessary airport services and related installations and infrastructure according to its size. The KME&MP at this Spanish Airport was established beginning 2014, with no similar airports in the area developing such programs. Initially, this department was founded to improve internal and external customer service flow, creating greater acute engineering and maintenance service capacity. The AEMD at this airport was chosen for two main reasons.\n4. Findings: KM at AEMD: 4.1 Technical infrastructure\n5. Discussion: The extreme variability in airport engineering and maintenance practices in which there is strong scientific evidence and a high degree of expert consensus about efficient practices indicates that current dissemination efforts fail to reach many users and passengers. It also indicates that there are insufficient tools and incentives to promote the rapid adoption of knowledge practices (Ribeiro De Almeida, 2012). Therefore, the first contribution of this research derives from the presented model. The framework shown in Figure 3 integrates the key factors discussed in the findings that can lead to more effective knowledge transfer in AEMD. The potential benefits of implementing this framework are multi-faceted and significant. First, while an engineering and maintenance process management technology system is a useful starting point, most AEMD may find it necessary to complement this system that supports and rewards knowledge sharing. Second, not only does this framework help the recipient dig beneath the explicit knowledge and gain more in depth insights, but it can also provide a two-way benefit in that dialogue between the conveyor of the efficient practice and the recipient can enrich the knowledge of other airport staff.\n6. Conclusions: This paper investigates the nature of what has been referred to as KME&MP, which is based on four distinct components. In an applied sense, the model provides AEMD members with identifiable factors, which enable the four components of the program and indicating appropriate structures to develop new knowledge at both the individual and the organizational levels. Our findings suggest that AEMD require every department member to cooperate and communicate with all airport users, not only internal but also external ones under the required procedures and circumstances. This includes external users (e.g. passengers) and internal users (e.g. managers, engineers, coordinators, technicians and any other airport staff) that provide airport services not only to external customers but also to internal ones. By being closer to all stakeholders, an airport can work towards improved levels of service and the adoption of better knowledge structures for attracting traffic. Put another way, through cooperation and communication, the most comprehensive airport service will become more achievable.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the nature of what is referred to as the Knowledge Management Engineering & Maintenance Program, which is based on practices that influence the dissemination of knowledge in a structured and sustained manner within a small-sized airport. The air transport system has undergone important changes, particularly in the development of new knowledge management (KM) approaches. In practice, however, results have been mixed. Some programs have been successful, but implementation failures are common and the intended users are frequently reluctant to use such management structures. A possible explanation for efficiency and effectiveness gaps of services provided by these knowledge structures may relate to the advantages and disadvantages of the knowledge processes that airports highlight as a result of their differential structural properties.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Using data collected from the Engineering & Maintenance Department at a Spanish Airport, this work has examined how the existence of some knowledge structures is linked to knowledge transfer and how this component is linked to customer service (external users, e.g. passengers; and internal users, including any airport staff).\nFindings: This paper reports a KM program, which is customized and based on four knowledge structures: technical infrastructure; people to facilitate and drive the process; a system that supports and rewards sharing; and the team leader.\nResearch limitations/implications: Conducting this type of single case study (an interview-based case study approach) is to be understood foremost as a prelude to further quantitative studies including common measures for passengers and users, staff, managers and board members.\nOriginality/value: In an applied sense, the model provides engineering and maintenance practitioners with identifiable factors, which enable the four frameworks and address the relevant issues by changing strategies at both the individual and the organizational levels. Without a KM program, practitioners may lose the ability to see the market signals stemming from the transport system members and they may decide to go solely by their own ways of doing and interpreting things.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Model of the international competitiveness of SMNEs for Latin American developing countries
|
[
"Developing countries",
"Global strategy",
"Collaboration of industrial sector",
"Firm competitiveness",
"Latin America developing countries",
"Local/international environment"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: In Latin America, 99 per cent of the firms are small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME), and only a 10 per cent of them are multinational firms (OECD, 2013). The Latin American SMEs are also the main source of creation of the employment of the region, and they generate around the 64 per cent of total employment [by countries: 70 per cent in Argentina; 60 per cent in Brazil; 63 per cent in Chile; 67 per cent in Colombia; 55 per cent in Ecuador; 75 per cent in Mexico; 77 per cent in Paraguay; 68 per cent in Peru; 69 per cent in Uruguay; and a 38 per cent in Venezuela. More details are shown in Arazi and Baralla, 2012]. However, its contribution to gross domestic product of this region (among 15 and 25 per cent) is still pretty lower, as it has been indicated by OECD (2013).\n2. Literature review and research model: Until the 1990s international competitiveness was analyzed by researchers and professionals through Porter's diamond (1990). However, this diamond shows some limitations in its practical application in international contexts (Rugman and D'Cruz, 1993). It is weaker because of not including the activities of MNEs within its model and due to being centered on the country of origin (Dunning and Lundan, 1998; Rugman and D'Cruz, 1993). However, these days, the vast majority of revenues of MNEs come from their overseas activities (Buckley et al., 1990; Chen and Lin, 2006; Dunning and Lundan, 1998, Hitt et al., 2006; Moon and Lee, 2004). Therefore, international competitiveness should be assessed not only from a purely local view (country of origin) but also by taking into account the capacity of local businesses for investment abroad either through their subsidiaries there or through direct exports (Moon and Lee, 2004; Pervez et al., 1998). Hence, when one studies the firms' international competitiveness, one must be analyze internal and external factors that help firms to achieve a better international performance in terms of market share, an increase in exports and better and greater profit margins when they do business overseas, etc. (Cerrato and Depperu, 2011; Buckley et al., 1990; Dunning and Lundan, 1998; Zeng et al., 2008).\n3. Measures for testing the firms' competitiveness model: To measure the firm's international competitiveness, we can find measures ones broadly known as: return on equity and return on assets (Arze and Svensson, 1997; Buckley et al., 1990; Ito and Pucik, 1998). However, other measures such as economic value added and market value added are used as well. Nevertheless, these have not been widely accepted by the academic community. Therefore, we suggest using the measures developed by Zou and Stan (1998), and revalidated by Wheeler et al. (2008):\n4. Conclusions and directions for future research: The main conclusion that can be drawn from the profound literature review performed is the fundamental role of having a global strategy. In other words, the research model show that this is one of the main determinant of international competitiveness or also, if one wishes, of the competitive advantage for SMNEs. We therefore must note what determines the adoption of this type of strategy. We can extract that the environment of the host countries of SMMEs (i.e. the factors of destination markets) where firm operate, is one of the most favorable factors. That is, the host market size; the growth rate of the foreign demand; the international trade agreements; political stability; and aspects of social and cultural factors such as race, income, consumption habits, religion, etc., are the issues that might permit SMMEs to exploit their global strategy. Based on the existence of a global strategy within SMNEs, their operations in international markets would not be possible without the collaboration of the industrial sectors (Nadvi, 1999; Arze and Svensson, 1997; Porter, 1998; Belso-Martinez, 2006). That is, the functioning of a global strategy in SMNEs is found to be associated with the collaboration of its suppliers: those of raw materials, finance and insurance, international transportation and qualified staff, etc. At the same time, it also depends on the organizational networks (D'Cruz and Rugman, 1993; Mesquita and Lazzarini, 2008), or the cooperative agreements that SMNEs maintain either with sales or for the acquisition and transfer of knowledge. These are factors that have also enabled them to reduce their costs and their internationalization. But we do not forget that, according to the models of Grant (1991), Fahy (2002) and Toppinen et al. (2007), the sector collaboration does not occur in isolation but is linked to an environment that has been described here as the environment of the firm's home country (Galan et al., 2007). In this sense, the collaboration between SMNEs is conditioned by the local customers, competitors, outsourcing possibilities and universities, as the latter contribute with the creation of new knowledge (Chen and Lin, 2006; Cho and Moon, 2000; Porter, 1998, p. 253). In addition, the collaboration of the industrial sector is also affected by the actions of governments, such as the promotion of certain sectors and the implementation of particular international policies that promote the macroeconomic development and internationalization of their SMEs (Arze and Svensson, 1997; Nadvi, 1999). On other dimensions, our research model tries to show how the use of a global strategy in foreign markets would not be possible if the companies (SMEs) had not counted on the major source of competitive advantage, such as the HRb of staff working within the SMEs. Hence, their functioning and design is not must in the hands of a single person but rather in those of a good staff (HR background).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical model for evaluating the international competitiveness of small and medium multinational enterprises (SMNEs) located in Latin American developing countries.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Industrial economics and international business theories were linked for establishing the firm international competitiveness model. Literature on each variable determining of firm competitiveness is reviewed and the linkages between them are discussed.\nFindings: The use of a global strategy is one of the most important factors to compete abroad. Domestic environment and national industry might help its use. Human resources background of staff working within the SMNEs affects the global strategy as well.\nPractical implications: SMNEs should be more taken into account as they are the main generators of the economic development of countries and, consequently, foster the progress of underdeveloped countries through creating jobs.\nOriginality/value: This study is one of the pioneers in developed a model for evaluating the international competitiveness of firms based on developing countries of Latin America. Researchers and professionals will count on a theoretical tool for evaluating the Latin American international competitiveness in global contexts. Additionally we include the full survey for testing the competitiveness model.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The acceptance of corporate wiki use for knowledge diffusion purposes
|
[
"Wiki",
"Technology acceptance",
"Knowledge diffusion",
"SmartPLS",
"Knowledge creation",
"Cross-sectional survey"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: According to Detienne and Jackson (2001), knowledge is considered a critical asset by many organisations because it is a key to success in the digital economy. Organisations that make effective use of this critical asset have a competitive advantage; this is why many have developed an interest in knowledge management (KM) practices and are willing to spend increasing amounts of money to implement KM systems and projects (Kakabadse et al., 2003).\nBackground: A variety of concepts are presented in this section. To begin with, the concept of a wiki is introduced and its advantages as a collaborative technology are discussed. The discussion moves on to illustrate KM and the supporting role played by IT. Finally, this section appraises previous studies of the advantages of using, and the challenges involved in, the implementation and use of wikis for KM.\nHypothesis development: Relevance of enterprise wikis\nResearch methods: This research employed a cross-sectional survey to examine the acceptance of wiki technology for knowledge creation among users. As noted by Yang and Land (2008), a predictive correlational design is the most appropriate method for examining relationships between variables. The aim of this study was to explain the influence of several factors on the use of wikis to create knowledge within organisations. As described above, the factors discussed are the relevance of, senior management support for, and technical support for enterprise wikis as well as the complexity of enterprise wiki and knowledge-sharing self-efficacy. A cross-sectional survey design was used to determine the prevalence of the outcomes of interest for the population at a particular point of time. The survey also enabled data collection on diverse groups of participants in terms of gender, age, job role and sector; this ensured that the research results could be generalisable.\nDiscussion: This study examined the factors impacting employees' use of enterprise wikis for knowledge creation and diffusion, namely, the relevance of enterprise wikis, top management support for enterprise wikis, complexity of enterprise wikis, technical support for enterprise wikis and knowledge-sharing self-efficacy.\nConclusion: This study examined the factors that influence enterprise wikis as a technology for knowledge creation and diffusion. Rather than considering the topic from the management's perspective, these factors were studied from the perspective of enterprise wiki users. The study's findings add significantly to the existing literature on the implementation of wikis as a KM technology.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Scholars and practitioners alike view knowledge as a crucial organisational asset. Over the past decade, several knowledge management (KM) technologies have emerged, such as wikis. A wiki is a web-based hypertext application that supports a collaborative and conversational approach to KM. While wikis are generally simple to use, their adoption for managing organisational knowledge sometimes meets resistance from employees. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors affecting the user acceptance of organisational wikis as a means of knowledge creation and diffusion.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Building on the existing research on KM and information technology adoption, this study identified the following factors: the relevance of top management support for and complexity of enterprise wikis as well as technical support and knowledge-sharing self-efficacy. A cross-sectional survey was employed to examine the influence of these factors on employees' acceptance of corporate wikis. Overall, 102 employees participated in the online survey, and the data collected were analysed using the partial least squares method.\nFindings: The research model developed demonstrates that top management support, technical support and knowledge-sharing self-efficacy have a positive significant effect on employees' willingness to use wikis for knowledge-creation purposes within organisations.\nOriginality/value: The findings of this study contribute to the existing literature on the implementation of wikis as a KM technology by developing a theoretical model explaining employees' acceptance of this technology. Organisations could use this model to guide and facilitate wiki initiatives.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Lean management and occupational health: team learning as a key factor
|
[
"Continuous improvement",
"Team learning",
"Organisational learning",
"Working conditions",
"Occupational health",
"Lean management"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Lean management (LM) also called lean manufacturing, is a set of principles and practices that were theorised from the Toyota production system (Liker, 2003; Womack and Jones, 1996). It is often implemented by production managers and supports a specific view of management by promoting not only standardisation but also participation and learning (Flumerfelt et al., 2012). Widely practiced in the automobile industry and then in most industrial sectors, LM is now reaching hospitals and services. LM's success is grounded in demonstrated gains on performance (Fullerton et al., 2014) but with growing concerns regarding occupational health, no simple conclusion and a strong controversy. For instance, Saurin and Ferreira (2009) state that among 52 articles reviewed, half suggest negative effects and half positive or neutral effects on workers' health.\n2. Lean, organisational learning and occupational health: 2.1 Lean management\n3. Methodology: Qualifying lean and its social impact still requires in-depth case studies as self-report, the most common method often leads to very different results than observable realities. However, isolated case studies do not always permit to draw general conclusions. We tried to overcome these difficulties by conducting 9 case studies including 21 production workshops (22 distinct teams) and interviews with 380 employees. The survey took place between 2012 and 2015 and considered the team level as the main focus. The 9 companies were chosen among 50 companies identified in the north-west quarter of France. An expert analysis group (see below for description) rejected all companies whose lean target was not complete (i.e. including all the pillars described above in the literature section and summarised below in the coding section) and having no occupational health policy. The table below (Table I) summarises the key features of the cases assigned with pseudonyms.\n4. Results and analysis: Table IV includes all teams and variables. We classified the data to make the hypothesis easier to check (complete LM then TL).\n5. Discussion: Results show that a proper (or complete) implementation of LM is not sufficient and that indicators of TL, completed by the perception of operators, may help to identify systemic LM, which tend to preserve occupational health. While this is a resource for the workshop (problem solving, preventive management, etc.), it is also an opportunity to handle all situations that are potentially harmful to operators. However, if people do not feel taken into account, they limit their participation and continuous improvement declines (Von Thiele Schwarz et al., 2017). In short, when continuous improvement is more folklore than a shared practice, both management and employees lose faith and commitment decreases.\n6. Conclusion: Our central hypothesis questioned was that complete LM when resulting in a TL dynamic (i.e. systemic lean), would enable both increases in industrial performance and to maintain or improve occupational health. The data tend to validate this hypothesis. This research may enrich three types of research literature that hardly know each other, namely, LM literature (production research), occupational health literature and OL literature.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Liker (2003) asserts that continuous improvement's goal is to favour organisational learning (OL), the latter being one of the key principles of lean management (LM). Yet, OL may result in better occupational health (Panari et al., 2010). The purpose of this paper is to consider Liker's assertion seriously and to study the relations between LM, team learning (TL) and occupational health.\nDesign/methodology/approach: For this purpose, the authors compared 22 teams in nine case studies. A mixed methodology approach called qualitative comparative analysis (Ragin, 1987) was used to test the hypothesis that TL plays a key role in preserving occupational health in LM implementations, leading to improved performance that is not at the expense of workers' health.\nFindings: The central hypothesis questioned was that complete LM when resulting in a TL dynamic (i.e. systemic lean), would enable both increases in industrial performance and maintain or improve occupational health. The data tend to validate this hypothesis.\nOriginality/value: This research may enrich three types of research literature that hardly know each other, namely, LM literature (production research), occupational health literature and OL literature. For professionals concerned with the social dimension of modern production, this research shows that there is a path for a mutual gain perspective in LM, but this is a demanding process with many conditions to satisfy.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Leadership behaviours and capabilities in Syria: an exploratory qualitative approach
|
[
"Leadership development",
"Capabilities",
"Syria",
"Behaviour"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The emphasis on leadership and its development is perceived as central to the development of a learning organisation, which is the only sustainable competitive advantage in response to an increasingly unpredictable business environment. Specifically, companies today need strong leadership capability at all management levels to ensure their success (Fulmer and Bleak, 2008). This also leads to increase the need for leadership development. In this regard, it may be argued that the importance of leadership development lies in the fact that it has grown in response to the changing nature of companies, advances in management theory, business environments, and social trends around the world (Gallos, 2008). In line with this, leadership development may be seen as oriented towards building capacity in anticipation of unforeseen challenges. In addition, adapting to uncertain environments requires specific leadership behaviours/capabilities (Martineau and Patterson, 2010; Weiss et al., 2007; Kotter, 2001), and building and developing leadership behaviours/capabilities might be a priority for strategic companies in today's business (Yearout et al., 2001; Daft and Lane, 2007; Surdulli et al., 2012) because leadership development is a strategic initiative in response to environment challenges. This is supported by Day (2001) who defines leadership development as \"orientated towards building capacity in anticipation of unforeseen challenges\" (p. 582). This suggests that companies should be able to develop their leaders by ensuring harmony between the requirements of corporate strategy and the context in which they work.\nLiterature review: Although leadership literature widely uses the terms behaviour, capability, competency, attribute, and skill, the aim of this study is not to argue what the right term is. Rather, the author attempts to avoid any kind of confusion by adopting the term behaviour and capability to refer to a competent leader:\nThe behaviours and capabilities required: Although the behaviours/capabilities identified for this study do not represent all behaviours/capabilities, this study adopts a set of behaviours/capabilities that are common across all companies for developing their leaders, regardless of their nationality, because they are widely used in many countries of the world (Boyatzis, 2008; Storey, 2011). A number of typologies of leadership behaviours and capabilities have been developed in literature (e.g. Campbell et al., 1970; Bray et al., 1974; Howard and Bray, 1988; Luthans et al., 1988; Spencer and Spencer, 1993; Goleman, 1998; Boyatzis et al., 2002; Goleman et al., 2002; Tube and Schulz, 2006; Boyatzis, 1982, 2009). This author adopts Storey's (2011) division as a framework, which classified behaviours and capabilities into three clusters: big picture sense making, delivering change, and inter-organisational representation to present leadership behaviours and capabilities to the reader in an organised manner (Table I). Identifying, in turn, the behaviours/capabilities required may differ from one company to another because of the privacy of the environment surrounding each company and how each company reacts to it (Mabey and Finch-Lee, 2007), but this does not necessarily mean there are no generic behaviours and capabilities.\nResearch method: Research context\nFindings: The findings of this pilot study revealed that the predominant best-working leadership behaviours and capabilities of the in Syria are nine behaviours and capabilities, including strategic thinking, business skills, communication, understanding the whole, ability to change, teamwork, self-awareness, decision making/problem solving, and adaptability (Table II).\nDiscussion: To understand the nature of leadership development in Syria, this research study responds to the following research questions: what are the types of leadership behaviours and capabilities adopted by companies operating in Syria? And why are they adopted? Figure 2 illustrates leadership development via developing and adopting leadership behaviours and capabilities in Syria from this pilot study.\nImplications and conclusion: As noted earlier, leadership development occurs in the short term because companies operating in the Syrian context build or develop their behaviours and capabilities to meet the requirements of the surrounding environment. In line with this, it was found that understanding the whole, decision making and problem solving, strategic thinking, business skills, ability to change, self-awareness, adaptability, communication, and teamwork are best fit for the Syrian environment. However, these behaviours and capabilities also appear to be used in other countries, but for the Syrian setting, they were used for specific purposes to overcome common challenges in a specific context (Syria).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to understand the nature of leadership development in Syria, by answering specific research questions: what are the types of leadership behaviours and capabilities adopted by companies operating in Syria? And why are they adopted?\nDesign/methodology/approach: Qualitative research method has been adopted to achieve the aim of this study.\nFindings: The findings revealed that the leadership behaviours and capabilities required for business environment in Syria include strategic thinking, business skills, communication, understanding the whole, ability to change, teamwork, self-awareness, decision making/problem solving, and adaptability.\nResearch limitations/implications: Research data has been collected in an unstable environment because of what was called the Arab Spring, so this affected not only the participants, but also how they respond to each question. Additionally, only the for-profit sector was involved in the study because of its flexibility, lack of bureaucracy, and application of leadership development.\nPractical implications: The paper explores the major leadership behaviours and capabilities utilised and their purposes, as well as more broadly for designers who are attempting to develop leadership in the Syrian context.\nOriginality/value: The study offers data and interpretation of a specific non-Western context on which foundation further studies in the Middle Eastern context can be developed.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
An empirical assessment of administration and planning activity and their impact on the realization of sustainability-related initiatives and programs in higher education
|
[
"Strategic planning",
"Sustainability plans",
"AASHE STARS",
"Archival study",
"Climate action plans"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: A cultural and value shift has arrived in higher education, and institutions are seeking ways to adopt sustainable change and lead the movement into a sustainable future (Corcoran and Koshy, 2010; Cusick, 2008). Situated within a higher education context, Dunn and Hart-Steffes (2012) explain that sustainability \"includes a holistic integration of social and economic equity along with an environmental focus\". This paper explores how social responsibility for a sustainable future might be quantified in the evaluation and efficacy of planning processes to predict sustainability outcomes within higher education contexts.\nMethod: We began by attempting to determine an appropriate sample for the study by investigating the 662 institutions that had registered to use the AASHE's STARS reporting tool. Ultimately, we collected data from 304 universities that had completed and submitted a Version 1 report and received a rating and score. In addition, because we were interested in assessing private liberal-arts institutions, in addition to institutions in general, we determined that there are 180 Tier 1 liberal arts colleges and 58 Tier 2 liberal arts colleges (US News and World Reports). Of these colleges, 213 are private institutions and 48 institutions in this group participated in STARS reporting.\nResults: An initial analysis was conducted to understand basic STARS reporting data across institutions. Table II shows that the overall STARS score for all institutions was 51.54 (S = 12.62) and within private liberal arts schools the average overall score was 50.56 (S = 10.61). The STARS credits are broken down into three main categories: Education, Operations, Planning, Administration and Engagement. Within Education, credits are evaluated by the subcategories co-curricular education, curriculum and research. Operations subcategories include buildings, climate, dining services, energy, grounds, purchasing, transportation, waste and water. Planning, Administration and Engagement (PAE) subcategories will be discussed in depth in the following pages. Innovation credits are designed to award points for significant initiatives not covered by any currently existing STARS credits. Universities may earn up to four innovation credits, which increase the overall score by the amount of points earned.\nDiscussion: The present study demonstrated that among all institutions studied, the highest scoring area in the AASHE STARS database was PAE. Coupled with the reality that many universities and colleges are moving to implement system-wide sustainability programs (Cleaves et al., 2009; Owen et al., 2013), this finding could mean that institutions are in the process of setting up the organizational infrastructure to tackle long-term implementation of campus sustainability. The high PAE scores that were reported show promising groundwork for future tangible outcomes in other substantive areas. The authors focused specifically on the coordination and planning subcategory because of this belief, supported by the extant literature in the various nascent planning systems implemented such as EMS (Bero et al., 2012), the implementation of the ACUPCC commitment and reporting (SecondNature.Org) and calls for the creation of new committees and employee positions (Atherton and Giurco, 2011). Within the coordination and planning category, the credit opportunities address five prominent planning resources and strategies present in higher education settings. Institutional planning documents serve to guide administrative actions in the short- and long-term future, and they are essential to the success of the myriad interconnected systems that compose a single institution.\nConclusion: The present study was designed to evaluate if specific forms of planning predict sustainability outcomes. This question was evaluated via an empirical archival study of the AASHE STARS database in relation to Planning, Administration and Governance credits and criteria to determine if specific forms of planning were predictive of sustainability implementation outcomes in the categories of Education and Research, Operations, Diversity and Affordability, Human Resources, Investment, Public Engagement and Innovation. The findings support the notion that climate action plans were most predictive of achieving sustainability outcomes, and strategic plans were best able to predict educational outcomes. The study adds empirical data to the academic literature and sheds light on how administrators in higher-education settings might help steer the organization in mission-centric ways toward sustainable outcomes.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Administrators in higher-education settings routinely create planning documents that help steer the organization in mission-centric ways. In the area of sustainability planning, strategic plans, sustainability plans and climate action plans are the most common methods used. The purpose of this study is to evaluate if specific forms of planning predict sustainability outcomes.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This question was evaluated via an empirical archival study of the AASHE STARS database in relation to planning, administration and governance credits and criteria to determine if specific forms of planning were predictive of sustainability implementation outcomes in the categories of Education and Research, Operations, Diversity and Affordability, Human Resources, Investment, Public Engagement and Innovation.\nFindings: Findings support the notion that climate action plans were most predictive of achieving sustainability outcomes, and strategic plans were best able to predict educational outcomes.\nPractical implications: These findings have important implications for the design and execution of sustainability planning processes in higher-education institutions.\nOriginality/value: The academic literature contains relatively few empirical studies that demonstrate the capacity of planning on the realization of sustainability outcomes.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
High-involvement innovation practices at Finnish workplaces
|
[
"Innovation",
"Research and development",
"Financing",
"Productivity rate",
"Finland"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: This paper has two aims. First, it examines the dissemination of high-involvement innovation practices at Finnish workplaces, i.e. managerial and organizational practices that support continuous improvement and broad employee participation (e.g. Bessant, 2003). Second, the paper considers how their adoption can be promoted by means of a publicly-funded R&D programme. The empirical material is based on a High-Involvement Innovation Practice survey by the Finnish Workplace Development Programme TYKES. TYKES (2004-2009) is a governmental R&D programme, coordinated by the Ministry of Labour and implemented in cooperation with the social partners, for promoting simultaneous improvements in productivity and the quality of working life by granting funding to development projects at Finnish workplaces (Alasoini et al., 2005). Support from the programme focuses on the work input of the experts (consultants, researchers and researcher-developers) used in the projects. So far, 630 projects have started, covering over 2,000 workplaces of all sizes, both in the private and public sector. Section 2 describes the approach underlying the survey, and section 3 describes the survey itself. Section 4 is a discussion of the results of the survey so far, and section 5 is a summary.\n2. Workplace-level objective of TYKES: The workplace-level objective of TYKES is to help workplaces adopt managerial and organizational practices that will enable them to develop in a way conducive to qualitatively sustainable productivity growth. Productivity growth can be considered qualitatively sustainable when it subsumes improvement of the quality of working life. This is manifested in greater opportunities for development and exerting influence at work for personnel, increased wellbeing at work, and strengthened internal cooperation and trust within the work community.Many studies and earlier development projects have highlighted good practices that have helped introduce qualitatively sustainable productivity growth in different kinds of workplaces. However, successful workplace-specific solutions are typically just that - workplace-specific and hence unique. The results of successful development projects cannot generally be transposed from one workplace to another without modification. New managerial and organizational practices can collectively be described as social innovations, and it may be assumed that their capacity for being transposed is governed by the same factors as the diffusion of innovations in general. Rogers (1995) mentions the following principal factors: the relative advantage of the innovation; its compatibility, with the potential adopter's current way of doing things and with social norms; the simplicity of the innovation; the ease with which the innovation can be tested by a potential adopter; and the ease with which the innovation can be evaluated after trial.In the case of new managerial and organizational practices, these contributing factors are usually not present to such an extent that the practices could be mechanically transposed from one context to another. More commonly, solutions implemented in one workplace function as generative ideas for the others. What this means is that earlier solutions and models prompt new ideas and serve as inspiration and encouragement for self-motivated development work. Translating generative ideas into functional practices requires local redesign by the adopter (Alasoini, 2006). Successful redesign requires from the adopting workplace a retrospective, collaborative and investigative analysis of its own mode of operation. Because of this, it was decided not to draw up a list of good practices in TYKES as a blueprint to be applied in development projects. Instead of helping workplaces adopt one-off solutions, the programme approach has been that it is more sensible to define characteristics that can help workplaces undertake continuous development.Generally, there are three such characteristics. First, the workplace must have development competence regarding products and services, production processes, work organization, management, and so on. Second, the workplace management and personnel must have the capacity and the willingness to commit to genuine cooperation in development. Broad employee participation in development aiming at qualitatively sustainable productivity growth is of the utmost importance. Through such participation, the development competence of the entire organization improves, there is more commitment to the solutions generated, and the scope of the development broadens. Solutions are also better because they take into account those dimensions of the quality of working life that are important for employees. Third, the workplace must be able to use external networks competently to support its development measures as necessary.All these three characteristics are important. One might think that the third of them could compensate for a lack of development competence at the workplace itself, but this is only partly true. Small workplaces in particular cannot, and need not, have competence in all areas of development important to them. What is more relevant is to know where and how such competence can be found when required. The need for improving the workplace's own development competence derives on the one hand from the workplace needing to be able to determine realistically at the strategic management level what kind of development measures it requires in order to attain the goals set; the measures must be governed by a strategy and the goals derived from it instead of blueprints offered by outside experts. On the other hand, such a need also derives from the fact that most workplace development measures are typically conducted alongside everyday work in a gradual and tacit improvement of products and work processes. Without the existence of such development competence and measures based on it, it may be difficult to implement more radical reforms at the workplace when needed.As operating environments become increasingly complex, fluid and unpredictable, workplace competitiveness is increasingly dependent on the capacity for continuous improvement. This means that the focus in workplace development policies must be not on searching for one-off solutions but on changing the whole workplace mode of operation.\n3. The high-involvement innovation practice survey: The High-Involvement Innovation Practice survey is aimed at a selected group of workplaces participating in TYKES development projects, both at the beginning of the project and at its conclusion. The survey is given separately to representatives of management and of the largest personnel group. The purpose of the survey is to investigate managerial and organizational practices employed at the workplace that are expected (cf. above) to support the capacity of the workplace for continuous development, and the changes achieved in these practices by means of the development projects. The monitoring data is derived from differences between the entry and exit surveys. The survey is principally conducted using an online form, although responses can also be submitted on a paper form. The entry and exit surveys are virtually identical in content. Workplaces are selected for the survey using the following five criteria: at least ten employees participate in the project; at least 25 percent of the workplace personnel participates in the project; the funding received by the workplace from the programme is at least EUR 10,000 (EUR 5,000 in the case of a local government workplace); the duration of the project is at least ten months; and no more than three workplaces are selected for the survey in each project. The purpose of these criteria is to pinpoint the workplaces that participate in development projects the most intensively, because it is at these workplaces that the greatest changes in the mode of operation can be assumed to take place as a result of a development project.Monitoring focuses principally on the difference in the overall distribution of responses between the entry and exit surveys. It is intended that the same management and personnel representatives at each workplace respond to both the entry and the exit survey as far as possible. Of course, it cannot be automatically assumed that the difference between the entry and exit surveys constitutes the impact of the TYKES project. Other changes can occur at workplaces for other reasons, and workplaces may be carrying out other development measures in parallel. Thus, respondents are asked in the exit survey what other development projects their workplace has been running at the same time as the TYKES project.The survey consists of some 20 main questions, many of which are divided into several sub-questions, to a total of more than 80 questions. The data from the survey can be combined with a variety of background data on the workplace through the programme project management system. However, the results of the survey will not be used in the evaluation of individual workplaces; instead, the data will only be used in the form of general statistical distributions and as material for analyses. Changes in the development of the workplaces' mode of operation are monitored in the programme using the following six dimensions, which in turn are divided into subsections. The first is the role of teams in development. Monitoring focuses, in particular, on the role of teams in the continuous development of products and services and of their own operations. The second dimension is how the workplace supports personnel competence development. This is demonstrated by how extensive and systematic personnel training is. The third dimension is the role of supervisors in supporting employees, and the fourth is the cooperation between management and personnel in development. The two final dimensions are about how actively and regularly the workplace uses external information to support development and seeks new ideas from outside to improve its operations.\n4. Survey results: The following is a discussion of the results of the surveys so far, covering the six dimensions named above and comparing the entry and exit surveys in projects. The comparison only includes workplaces that have so far responded to both the entry and the exit survey; the number of responses are 129 and 115, representing 71 projects and 77 workplaces. The entire entry survey material consists of 599 responses to date (response rate 81 percent), and the entire exit survey material consists of 156 responses (response rate 65 percent). Each figure below also shows the responses of the entire entry survey material to date in order to show whether the responses of the workplaces discussed here differ from the entry survey material as a whole. The share of responses by management and personnel representatives differ slightly from one another in the various materials, and the potential bias in the distributions has been eliminated by using appropriate weighting coefficients. In practice, this means considering the data as if the management and personnel representatives had returned an equal number of responses.The material under comparison was compiled from very different workplaces. Slightly over half (51 percent) were private-sector workplaces, (36 percent) was in Local Government, and the rest were from other sectors. The workplaces included in the material under comparison employ a total of 15,000 people, of whom 8,500 have participated in TYKES development projects. Slightly over half of the workplaces have more than 100 employees. Because the material under comparison is relatively limited, it is not feasible to discuss management and personnel responses separately at this point, nor to perform any other breakdowns.4.1 The role of teams in development\n5. Summary: Caution must be exercised in drawing conclusions from the results of the survey so far, because there is relatively little material for comparison from both entry and exit surveys. However, the entry survey data discussed here does not seem to differ substantially from the whole of the entry survey material gathered so far, which prompts the extrapolation that the comparisons between entry and exit surveys may in fact be universally applicable. The results so far indicate that development projects have achieved improvement in six dimensions gauging teamwork development, in the extent of and systematic approach to personnel training, and in the way that supervisors support employees in their work. Also, the exit survey shows a clear increase in the percentage of respondents who consider that personnel are well acquainted with the performance targets of their workplace as a whole (from 53 percent to 75 percent) and of their own unit (74 percent to 85 percent). All these changes can be considered as steps towards an improved high-involvement innovation capability on the part of the workplaces concerned (Bessant, 2003). A recent empirical analysis by Anttila and Ylostalo (2006), based on a comparison between the data of Statistics Finland's Quality-of-Work-Life Surveys of 1997 and 2003, shows that this cannot be considered as a general trend among Finnish workplaces. Their analysis, in contrast, indicates that both in the private and public sector the share of employees who work at establishments where teams exert a lot of influence in decision-making concerning their own work actually decreased from 1997 to 2003.There are also slight positive trends in cooperation between management and personnel in development. Changes in how actively and regularly workplaces use outside information to support development are slight and are noticeable only with regard to information obtained from subcontractors and suppliers. The seeking of new ideas outside the workplace seems to have improved somewhat, particularly with regard to personnel training and the internet. The general spread of the use of the internet will probably explain more of the last-mentioned change than participation in the TYKES project.All in all, the interim results of the survey provide a strong evidence-based argument in favour of the supportive role of the programme in disseminating high-involvement innovation practices at participating workplaces. This is most evident in the case of teamwork, personnel competence development and the role of the supervisors. In the use of external networks in support of workplace development, instead, the results so far are more modest.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - This paper seeks to examine the dissemination of high-involvement innovation practices at Finnish workplaces and to consider how their adoption can be promoted by means of a publicly-funded R&D programme.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The empirical material is based on a survey by the Finnish Workplace Development Programme TYKES. (TYKES is a governmental R&D programme for promoting simultaneous improvements in productivity and the quality of working life by granting funding to development projects at Finnish workplaces.)\nFindings: - The interim results of the survey provide a strong evidence-based argument in favour of the supportive role of the programme.\nPractical implications: - The paper suggests areas where governments might introduce support programmes to foster the spread of innovative activity.\nOriginality/value: - The paper provides insights into support policy issues in Finland and will be of interest to those involved in that field.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Advancing the equality and diversity agenda in armed forces: global perspectives
|
[
"Public sector",
"Diversity",
"Armed forces",
"Best practice",
"Equality"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Equality and diversity (E&D) issues in armed forces[1] have been very much under researched despite the fact that in many western democracies the military makes up a significant proportion of public sector expenditure and employment. Only Soeters and van der Meulen (2007) have conducted any significant research into E&D issues in global militaries. However, their research has tended to focus on the issues of race and gender. This research addresses that gap by presenting developments in other areas such as religious belief and sexual orientation, in addition to race and gender, and also incorporates examples from nations not covered by Soeters and van der Meulen.\nKey concepts: Given their centrality to this research, it would seem logical to define the terms \"equality\" and \"diversity\" as they would apply in a workplace and organisational context, particularly for the benefit of those readers not familiar with the concepts. E&D are terms which may sound at polar extremes but are now used interchangeably in most discourses in the field (see Cornelius, 2002; Daniels and Macdonald, 2008). The debate on these has evolved considerably since the 1990s (see Kumra and Manfredi, 2012). As a detailed exposition of the concepts is beyond the scope of this paper, we will confine ourselves to providing a brief overview of the terms[2]. Initially the term \"equality\" dominated the debate on equal opportunities with its emphasis on providing the same opportunities for all individuals and advancing the definition of equality advocated by the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights which states that: \"all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights\" (United Nations, 1948). Later, the term diversity, whilst not rendering the concept of equality redundant, became parallel with the latter and the two terms would be used interchangeably, despite sounding contradictory. The emergence of the term diversity was to reflect the acknowledgment that whilst every individual had the right to be treated the same, nevertheless not everyone was the same and certain characteristics such as colour, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, etc. had to be acknowledged during the process of providing equality of opportunity. The term diversity placed the emphasis on being \"different\". According to Kirton and Greene (2011), policies related to \"equality\" were founded on the \"sameness\" model, whilst the later diversity management approach stressed the \"difference\" model. Whilst acknowledging that the terms generate much debate and discussion, for the purpose of this research, the terms \"equality\" and \"diversity\" will be viewed as overlapping to the extent that they are pursuing the same ends: equal opportunities and fairness, albeit by different means: sameness or difference.\nTheoretical underpinning: Central to the concepts of E&D are the legal, business and social justice cases which are seen as the driving forces of the E&D agenda in organisations and institutions. Collectively they form a theoretical framework known as the three pillar approach and provide the theoretical underpinning for this research (Dickens, 1999). All three pillars form a central thread throughout this paper and are the basis of much of the discourse that considers the rationale behind E&D initiatives in organisations. Let us consider the emergence of each of the framework's pillars.\nMethodology: As this research is not based on the collection of primary data, the methodological approach adopted essentially involved the collection and analysis of existing sources of data in the field. This approach presented the research with the opportunity to bring to together in one forum, key findings pertaining to E&D issues in the armed forces of Anglophone nations and their western allies[3], which have appeared in various outlets, and give them context. The approach taken coincides with the technique suggested for this type of research by Saunders et al. (2009). Specifically this approach is known as secondary analysis and refers to \"the analysis of data by researchers who will probably not have been involved in the collection of those data\" (Bryman and Bell, 2011, p. 313).\nFindings: Information on E&D developments in armed forces across the globe remains limited and sketchy. However, having conducted a detailed systematic review of literature, the authors have identified coverage, albeit limited, of developments, largely in Anglophone nations and their western allies in this field. The literature highlights that E&D issues have been propelled onto the agenda of the aforementioned nations since 2000. In this section some of the key findings generated by the secondary analysis approach have been collated and brought together under the main strands commonly associated with E&D.\nDiscussion: Evidence from available literature illustrates that the E&D agenda has been advanced in Anglophone countries and their key allies to varying degrees since the 1990s. The findings suggest that the policy orientations presented by the legal, social and business cases for E&D have provided the key stimulation for this progress. However, the level of influence exerted by each case varies from country to country and from strand to strand. Legal directives and legislation such as country-specific legislation and institutional frameworks through EU and NATO forums placed duties and responsibilities on public sector organisations. Coupled with the legal aspect, on the political front there has been greater willpower displayed by governments and policy makers to advance the E&D agenda. Social change, including societal pressures and demographic changes, typified by the increasing diversity of populations and the greater participation and presence of minority groups and women in the labour market have provided further rationale of the need for key public institutions to be more representative of the society they serve, an aspect of the social justice thesis. The economic influence has emerged through the so called business case with leaders and managers in militaries recognising the benefits of recruiting and retaining individuals regardless of their race, religion, gender and sexual orientation.\nImplications and recommendations: The findings imply that if militaries are to make more effective and sustained progress in advancing E&D then they will have to address the mono culture characterised by conservatism and masculinity which has been a hallmark of military organisations (see Basham, 2009; Fox, 2012). This is the challenge that faces proponents of E&D in militaries who must overcome the natural resistance to change in their desire to move military institutions towards a pluralistic culture that values heterogeneity. Evidence from other organisations characterised by a similar culture and command and control structures such as the police and fire services highlight the difficulties faced by E&D practitioners in trying to accomplish mainstreaming of E&D in aspects of organisational policy and practice (see Ishaq and Hussain, 2001). A further complicating dynamic in the equation is the nature of military service that threatens to weaken the application of the three pillar approach which underpins this research. Whilst there has been a progression of E&D initiatives in militaries under the spur of the three pillars, the nature of duties involved in military service attracts the view from some in military circles that they (the military) are \"different\" and should therefore have some element of leeway or exemption from the legal and social justice rationales (see Dandeker, 2000).\nConclusions: Whilst the E&D agenda has been receiving greater treatment in militaries in the past decade or so, much remains to be done before diversity can said to have been successfully embedded in this institution and the militaries of Anglophone countries and their allies can claim to be truly representative of the diverse societies that they endeavour to protect. The E&D phenomenon is relatively new to the Forces and only emerged in the late 1990s so it is still an evolving process and understandably progress is likely to be gradual.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Focusing on some of the key strands of equality and diversity (E&D), the purpose of this paper is to highlight the progress made by armed forces in implementing the E&D agenda, with specific focus on Anglophone countries and their allies. The research also looks at the obstacles encountered by managers and policymakers in attempting to establish effective diversity management in a traditionally highly conservative public sector institution.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Using an approach known as secondary analysis, there is an in-depth review of a wide range of data sources.\nFindings: The analysis reveals that E&D issues in armed forces have been under researched and there is also unbalanced coverage and reporting of E&D across nations. There is also evidence of greater progress on diversity management in the armed forces of some countries but a distinct lack of progress in others. A combination of political, legal, economic and social influences are impinging on the culture of militaries. Whilst in the long-term these pressures are likely to result in armed forces becoming more reflective of developments in wider society, the road to achieving this is still fraught with uncertainty.\nOriginality/value: To increase the understanding of diversity management in public institutions characterised by an mono culture and traditionally associated with resistance to change, and establish the extent to which the legal, social justice and business cases for promoting E&D are wholly applicable to the armed forces.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Regional foods in Brazilian school meals
|
[
"Schools",
"Food culture",
"Eating habits",
"Local foods",
"Menus",
"Traditional foods"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The effects of globalization on the incorporation of new foods into people's diets, loss of cultural identity, standardization of foods consumed and devaluation of traditional agricultural knowledge have been discussed (Garcia, 2003; Paulain, 2004; Popkin, 2006). On the other hand, interest has increased in foods that value food culture, traditions and habits (Kuznesof et al., 1997; Libery and Kneafsey, 1998; Paulain, 2004; Pesteil, 2006; Wahlqvist and Lee, 2007; Vanhonacker et al., 2010) due to factors such as changes in the population's food and nutrition profile (Monteiro et al., 2010; Popkin et al., 2012; Popkin and Slining, 2013).\nMethod: This was an exploratory and descriptive case study conducted in two stages in a city in the South region of Brazil in 2013. In the first stage, the city's regional foods were identified. In the second stage, it was analyzed the presence of these foods in school meals. The following selection criteria to the study location choice were based on the authors' experience with researches related to the food acquisition in school nutrition (Soares et al., 2013; Cavalli et al., 2014): a small city of less than 30,000 inhabitants; use of more than 30 percent of available resources to purchase food from family farms; presence of a nutritionist responsible for the school meals; and spontaneous acceptance to participate in the study. The presence of a nutritionist is highlighted for its importance on the planning and execution process of PNAE. The purchase of family agricultural products, above the 30 percent required by law, was considered as a criterion, due to the small producers' potential of regional food offering. The city's population, on the other hand, was pondered to facilitate the data collection logistics.\nResults: The interviews conducted in the first stage resulted in the identification of 142 regional foods. It was noticed that the interviewees distinguished these foods by their symbolic importance. Thus, in order to facilitate understanding of the region's food culture, it was chosen to group them according to the terminology used by the interviewees to refer to the foods, forming four groups.\nDiscussion: This study identified and assessed how regional foods are included in school meals and the particularities relating to the inclusion or absence of these foods in school menus. However, the difficulty of this process is emphasized considering the dynamism of food culture and the formation of eating habits.\nConclusion: When identifying regional foods, the individuals who participated in this study made distinctions in the symbolic value attributed to the foods. These foods were distinguished in three ways: by greater reference to local identity, by more recent incorporation into eating habits and by foods that were characteristic but had reduced consumption. Other foods were also identified as regional but without specific mention by the interviewees. This differentiation can guide intervention actions to assist in including regional foods in school meals.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify regional foods and analyze its use on school menus of a Brazilian city, as well as the respect to symbolic and cultural aspects related to it.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The study was conducted in two stages. In the first stage, regional foods were identified through interviews with key school meal and city agents. In the second stage, the inclusion of these foods in school menus from 2009 to 2013 was assessed.\nFindings: In total, 142 regional foods were identified and classified into four groups. This classification resulted in a decision tree model to identify regional foods. Approximately 45 percent of regional preparations and 82.5 percent of regional foods were offered totaling 455 preparations and 977 foods analyzed. However, 31 percent of the regional foods identified in Stage 1 were not offered in the menus analyzed. Various regional preparations lost their authenticity, possibly not being recognized because of a lack of traditional ingredients or because they contained non-regional foods that changed their character.\nPractical implications: The results mainly point to symbolic aspects of the production and consumption of regional foods and preparations that are important to promoting healthy diets. In addition, they can support public policies that promote the use of these foods in the school environment.\nOriginality/value: This study analyzes the inclusion of regional foods in school meals--a topic rarely explored in the scientific literature - and proposes a decision tree model to identify regional foods with methodological rigor. This model can assist school food managers in including regional foods and developing studies related to this topic.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Intergenerational influences on children's food preferences, and eating styles: A review and call for research
|
[
"Consumer behaviour",
"Family",
"Health",
"Nutrition",
"Children",
"Socialization"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Marketing scholars have long been interested in understanding how family members, particularly parents, influence children's consumption behavior (Ward, 1974). With the dramatic rise in childhood obesity, there is a heightened sense of urgency and attention being given to this topic, particularly in relation to diet and physical activity. Childhood obesity has become a major public health challenge, affecting millions of families worldwide. The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children has risen by 47 per cent since 1980, with substantial increases evident in both developed and developing countries (Ng et al., 2014). Many factors help to shape children's dietary habits and physical activity levels. Some of these are specific to individuals (e.g. physiological predispositions and temperament) and others to families (e.g. household food availability, parenting style and practices), communities (e.g. schools and food retail outlets) and macro systems (e.g. culture, food production and distribution systems, food promotion and governmental regulation).\nFoundations in socialization theory: Socialization offers a useful theoretical basis from which to consider the role of IG influences in the domain of diet and health. Viewed broadly, socialization is the process through which individuals develop skills, beliefs and behaviors needed to function successfully in society (Maccoby, 2007). It guides us toward beliefs and behaviors that are socially sanctioned and away from those that are not. It is thus a primary mechanism through which a culture sustains itself. It also helps individuals to develop their personal identities and to take on new roles as they progress through the life cycle. As an area of inquiry, socialization has a long tradition in sociology, cultural anthropology and psychology. Family members, peers, the educational system, religious institutions and the media each contribute in important ways to the socialization process. However, it is the family that is the first and typically the most powerful agent, with parents and other family members serving as channels of information, as well as sources of social pressure and support for one another. No other socialization agent enjoys such a cumulative advantage in exposure, communication and receptivity. Although socialization occurs throughout the life cycle, childhood and adolescence are particularly critical times. Children have continuous opportunities to learn and eventually to internalize the beliefs, attitudes and values they have observed, accepting these as the norm. Even young children are aware of the \"proper way\" of doing things and they value family routines (Dunn and Munn, 1985).\nThe scope of intergenerational influences on diet and health: In the dietary domain, family influences reflect a powerful interaction of biology and social influence. Evidence shows that parents have a considerable impact on a child's probability of becoming obese. For example, controlling for daughters' weight at age 5, one longitudinal study found that girls with two overweight parents were eight times more likely to be overweight at age 13 than those with neither parent overweight (Francis et al., 2007). It is the case that fewer children live in traditional nuclear families today than in previous generations. Yet, at least in the USA, the vast majority (96 per cent) of children (under age 18) live with at least one biological parent present - in households with a single mother (27 per cent), a single father (4 per cent), both parents (62 per cent) or in blended (5 per cent) families (USA Census Bureau, 2014, 2016).\nFuture research needs and opportunities: Collectively, the research literature shows that IG transfer of food preferences, eating styles and beliefs about weight control are significant in childhood and adolescence, and that some of these impacts are still evident in the decisions made by young adults. The beliefs and attitudes that are carried forward can reinforce either healthy behaviors or actions that lead to weight problems. Although much has been learned about IG influences in this domain, there are interesting avenues for future discoveries.\nA closing comment: This special issue provides a welcome opportunity for the community of marketing scholars to explore a rich set of questions about families and food. Among these are questions about the family's role in socializing children into particular food consumption patterns - either toward or away from obesity. Evidence of IG similarities in food preferences, beliefs and dietary practices suggest that the influence of early learning is substantial and often enduring. However, much remains to be learned. It is my hope that the discussion here will inspire future contributions on this intriguing yet complex topic.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this article is to examine the roles family members play in shaping young children's food preferences and habits, as well as the extent to which these effects endure into adulthood.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Drawing on research in public health, marketing, nutrition and psychology, this paper examines how intergenerational influences (IGs) are manifested in the dietary domain.\nFindings: Evidence suggests that the influence of early socialization is substantial, and that such impacts constitute an interesting yet sometimes overlooked set of forces that can help to guide our consumption behaviors as adults.\nOriginality/value: A detailed agenda for future research is proposed.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Assessment of Lean Six Sigma Readiness (LESIRE) for manufacturing industries using fuzzy logic
|
[
"Fuzzy logic",
"Lean Six Sigma (LSS)",
"FLSS",
"FPII"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: In the last decade, the economic downturn has led to a critical sense of incitement in organizations to increase productivity and cut costs, without compromising on the quality of output (Flynn and Flynn, 2005). Further, increasingly stringent customer demands and dynamic changes in the market's environment have created more complexity and challenges for organizations in managing operations (Buyukozkan et al., 2015; Kenworthy and Balakrishnan, 2016). In this context, generating operational efficiencies alongside delivering effective output to the customers has become a vital need for survival. For that purpose, continuous improvement (CI) has been recognized as a successful management strategy in the manufacturing sector (Godinho Filho et al., 2016). Although various CI theories and practices have been used extensively, in the past few years, Lean Six Sigma (LSS) has been widely recognized and proved to be the most successful in improving a company's operational efficiency, raising its productivity and lowering its costs (Snee, 2010; Sunder, 2016). LSS is a hybrid approach for CI, which integrates the speed of lean and the robustness of Six Sigma (Sheridan, 2000; George and George, 2003).\n2. Literature review: The literature has been reviewed from the perspective of CI practices and their assessment using fuzzy logic.\n3. Methods: A three-phase methodology was followed in this study (Churchill). A literature study on LSS was performed by searching the journal databases such as Emerald, Springer, Wiley, Taylor & Francis and Science Direct. Therefore, to develop the proposed LESIRE evaluation model, we started from the main studies of LSS (Antony, 2014; Naslund, 2008; Pepper and Spedding, 2010; Snee, 2010). From these, four enablers were extracted as the most representative of LESIRE, followed by 16 criteria and 46 attributes, which are tabulated in Table I. In a similar study, Antony (2014) used these enablers to measure LESIRE in education institutions. However, these have not been used in the manufacturing sector. The four enablers identified are:\n4. Case studies: The LESIRE evaluation model was tested in three different manufacturing SMEs in India. Due to confidentiality agreements, the names of the companies are not disclosed in this paper and they will be referred to as Company A, Company B and Company C. The Section 4.1 offers a synopsis of each company. The case study is examined and results are discussed in section 5.\n5. Result and discussions: Vinodh and Chintha (2011) performed leanness evaluation in a manufacturing organization. Their model was developed based on lean enablers, like tools and techniques, but much less importance was given to the lean success factors. Therefore, the current LESIRE evaluation model was developed based on the success factors and enablers, criteria and attributes of LSS as shown in Table I. Lin et al. (2006) developed a fuzzy evaluation technique for agile evaluation but it was not conceptualized as a model for practitioners. Further, he used the Chen and Hwang fuzzy ranking method for ranking the barriers. This method was found to be complex and difficult to use because of the computation involved. To overcome this difficulty, we developed the LESIRE evaluation model for practitioners and used the centroid method (Mehdizadeh, 2010; Vinodh and Vimal, 2011) for ranking the fuzzy member set (a, b, c), which is easier to use than other ranking methods. In addition, most of the studies discussed in literature have only been tested in a single industry. The LESIRE evaluation model was tested in three different manufacturing SMEs, which served as case studies for testing the model. From the case studies, the following findings were found:\n6. Managerial implications: 6.1 Practical implications\n7. Conclusion and agenda for future research: The study centers on addressing the question of how to measure LESIRE in SMEs. Conventional models were found to be ineffective due to complexity and uncertainity. To overcome the limitations of conventional approaches, a LESIRE evaluation model was developed to determine an organization's LESIRE. The model was developed using the success factor of LSS through the fuzzy approach. The usage of fuzzy logic eliminates vagueness in the human judgment. This makes the LESIRE model easy to understand and use without much computation complexity. This simplicity makes the LESIRE evaluation model unique from other LSS models. To test LESIRE, it was tried on three different SMEs, and it aided them to identify and improve their weak areas, thereby readying them for LSS deployment.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Many organizations have reported significant benefits after the implementation of Lean Six Sigma (LSS). Embracing LSS requires asking some important questions: How Lean Six Sigma Readiness (LESIRE) can be measured? How can an organization identify the barriers for LESIRE? Answers to these questions are critical to both academicians and practitioners. The paper aims to discuss this issue.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This study illustrates the development process of a Lean Six Sigma Readiness (LESIRE) evaluation model to assess an organization's readiness for LSS deployment using the fuzzy approach. The model was developed from 4 enablers, 16 criteria and 46 attributes of LSS, identified through a literature review.\nFindings: To demonstrate the efficiency of the model, this study testing the LESIRE evaluation model in three Indian SMEs. Using experts' ratings and weight, the researchers calculated the Fuzzy Lean Six Sigma index (FLSS) which indicates the LESIRE level of an organization and the Fuzzy Performance Importance Index (FPII) that helps to identify the barriers for LESIRE.\nResearch limitations/implications: The main limitations of this study are that it did not consider the failure factors of LSS for model development and the LESIRE was only tested in manufacturing industries. Thus, future researchers could focus on developing a model with failure factors. The results obtained from the SMEs show that LESIRE is capable of assessing LESIRE in an industrial scenario and helps practitioners to measure LESIRE for the future decision making process.\nPractical implications: The LESIRE model is easy to understand and use without much computation complexity. This simplicity makes the LESIRE evaluation model unique from other LSS models. Further, LESIRE was tested in three different SMEs, and it aided them to identify and improve their weak areas, thereby readying them for LSS deployment.\nOriginality/value: The main contribution of this study it proposes a LESIRE model that evaluates the organization for FLSS and FPII for LESIRE, which is essential for the organization embarking on an LSS journey. Further, it improves the readiness of the organization that is already practicing LSS.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Dynamic marketing capabilities view on creating market change
|
[
"Value innovation",
"Dynamic capabilities",
"Customer value",
"Proactive market orientation",
"Dynamic marketing capabilities",
"Induced market turbulence"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: \"Nothing endures but change\" Heraclitus (540 BC - 480 BC)\nIntroduction: In today's business environment, change is rapid, prompting organizations to evolve to stay abreast of broader environmental changes. In fact, organizational performance could be negatively affected if organizations do not adequately keep up with environmental change (Audia et al., 2000). As such, organizational capabilities and processes need to be developed, extended and/or renewed. The dynamic capabilities (DCs) view offers a contemporary view of how competitive advantage is attained and sustained in dynamic markets (Teece et al., 1997). Early work in the DCs domain proposes a direct relationship between DCs and performance outcomes (Teece and Pisano, 1994). More recent literature argues that the relationship between DCs and organizational outcomes is more complicated than a simple, direct link (Pavlou and El Sawy, 2011). However, there is still debate in the literature about whether and how DCs affect organizational outcomes (Helfat et al., 2007, Eriksson, 2014; Ambrosini and Bowman, 2009).\nTheoretical background: Dynamic capabilities\nMethod: Sample and data collection\nResults: Measurement model assessment\nDiscussion: Theoretical contributions\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the indirect relationship between dynamic capabilities (DCs) and organizational outcomes through matching and creating market change. In addition, the research aims to gain a deeper understanding of the role of marketing in DCs and to extend beyond a simplistic discussion of DCs by studying proactive market orientation and value innovation as specific DCs.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A questionnaire was developed and data were collected from 270 senior executives. After ensuring reliability and validity, the hypotheses were examined by applying structural equation modeling and Monte Carlo simulation.\nFindings: The findings indicate that dynamic marketing capabilities (DMCs) are critical in the reconfiguration of operational marketing capabilities, which in turn lead to enhanced organizational performance. The results also suggest that organizations with enhanced DMCs are able to initiate market disruption and achieve superior performance by out-competing their rivals.\nPractical implications: The research provides guidelines for managers wanting to exploit their DMCs by showing that organizations can match the environment, create market turbulence or combine both strategies to fully exploit their DMCs. This study also provides managers with actionable tools that are specific, robust and easily applied.\nOriginality/value: This study is one of the few to incorporate induced market turbulence into the DC literature and conceptualize, develop and validate scales to measure it. The study provides empirical evidence for the claim that operational marketing capabilities are necessary to utilize the benefits of DMCs.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Benchmarking on supply chain partnering effectiveness in two semiconductor companies: A case study approach
|
[
"Supply chain management",
"Partnership",
"Benchmarking",
"Semiconductors",
"Malaysia"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: A considerable amount of research has been directed towards supply chain management (SCM) as a concept and it is now well established in the literature (Shapiro, 2001; Carbo, 2002; Friedman, 2002; Wang, 2002). Thus, there is a range of literature on this subject ranging from integration, coordination, collaboration, networking, and partnering (Lee, 2002). This shows that SCM has become a universal issue, and is generating a great deal of discussion in the academic and business communities all around the world.Christopher (1998), Shapiro (2001), Larson and Halldorsson (2002) and Coyle et al. (2003) have defined SCM in a broader concept, which includes the management of the entire supply chain. The SCM framework consists of three closely interrelated elements: the supply network structure, the supply chain business process, and supply chain channel management. Veen and Venugopal (2000), on their part, have defined SCM as:[...] management activities focused on the (voluntarily) co-ordination of several entities in the supply chain in order to optimize the entire supply chain as if it were one unit, rather than optimizing each entity separately.Basically, the concept of SCM emphasizes on the co-ordination and collaboration within the firm and between the firms to achieve a win-win situation for all the firms involved. There is widespread consensus, especially among companies, that there is a need for co-ordination and collaboration within the firm and between the firms.In addition, managing materials in the supply chain involves working with suppliers who provide parts, raw materials, components, and services. Foster and Whiteman (2006) however, claim that there has been a trend toward developing closer working relationships with fewer suppliers. They further stress that this new approach to suppliers will result in improving suppliers' performance. Several approaches to improve suppliers are actually adopted from quality improvement which focuses on low levels of defects and conforms to requirements. Inspired by the Japanese industry, supplier-partner relationships have emerged and resulted in what is called channel partners or supplier partnering. The goal of channel partners in the supply chain is to create mutual participation based upon planned collaboration and co-operation. A part of this relationship truly represents innovative ways of doing things and could be examples as well as benchmark practices for other firms. Hence, Andersson and von Hellens (1997) proposed the use of so-called frame agreements, which are defined as long-term contracts under which one or very few suppliers are defined as preferred suppliers for certain components. They observed a few suppliers' attributes in the chain, which could be a benchmark in many situations for the benefit of others. For example, the supply chain partnering (SCP) efforts can provide simpler purchasing procedures and eliminate supplier searches while guaranteeing a fixed, or even decreasing, price for defined parts (direct and indirect materials). With this relationship, efficiency programs can be developed to achieve cost reduction, quality improvement, process improvement, and improved product development. In the end, this will lead to the eroding of boundaries among the channel partners.Dimitris et al. (2001) discussed the importance of supplier partnering in relation to costs and the quality of delivery among the channel partners. He proposed that partners in the channel should integrate their diverse concerns regarding the quality of deliverables and costs, and then integrate them into a common denominator understandable by every business partner for them to develop dependable measurements, evaluate alternatives, and reach decisions. Furthermore, Charu and Sameer (2001) discovered that SCM is a major issue in many industries as firms realize the importance of creating a partnership with their suppliers and customers. They also mentioned that progressive firms are focusing on revenue growth instead of merely striving to drive efficiencies by boosting supply-chain visibility to meet annual cost reduction targets. Despite the potential revenue growth, cutting costs and improving the process do not come without management practices and technical challenges. However, integrating the supply chain is quite difficult because of its dynamics and the conflicting objectives employed by different facilities and partners. Nevertheless, the National Semiconductor, Wal-Mart, and Procter and Gamble success stories demonstrate not only that integrating the supply chain is possible, but also that it can have a huge impact on a company's performance and market share (Simchi-Levi et al., 2000).The key challenge in SCM would be partnering efforts and the various factors that drive these partnering efforts. Considering the partnering strategy in the supply chain as a method to improve business performance, there has been considerable analysis of a buyer-seller relationship development in the literature (Bejou and Palmer, 1998). Much of the discussion on partnering, however, focuses on the processes by which relationships are developed. Nonetheless, the subject of partnering practice, such as infrastructure partnering and its building blocks is less well researched and less documented in the literature. As little research has been done on the relationship between partnering efforts with the effectiveness of partnering, this study is timely. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the literature on SCP by comparing determinants influencing SCP in two different companies, Company A and Company B. The basic research questions are:RQ1. What are the factors of effective SCP in two different businesses, respectively?RQ2. Are there any similarities and differences between these two businesses?In particular, the case study is conducted at two manufacturing companies in Malaysia. The paper is structured as follows. Section 1 is the introduction. Section 2 presents a literature review of SCP, including the model used in this paper. Section 3 describes the research methodology, while the companies' background is presented in Section 4. Section 5 presents an analysis of the results; Section 6 presents a discussion of findings, while Section 7 discusses some conclusions and limitations.\n2. Literature review: 2.1 Supply chain management (SCM)\n3. Research methodology: To date, research on SCP has been mainly exploratory and quantitative. As such, there are certain limitations in the literature and this is exacerbated by the lack of empirical research pertaining to SCP in the developing countries. In most studies on supply chains, mail surveys were found to be the preferred method. There have been a number of surveys investigating SCM. For example, Fawcett and Magnan (2001) and Yu et al. (2001), conducted mail surveys to study supply chain alignment: benefits, barriers, and bridges. These studies were to establish databases on world-class supply chains and to collect necessary information about the factors contributing to effective supply chain. The studies had the benefit of including data from a wide range of industries and companies, but a possible shortcoming of such studies is the difficulty in assessing the reliability of the responses, since respondents may misinterpret questions with incorrect answers. Most of the studies done to-date on supply chains, therefore, have used case study surveys as a means of investigating effective SCP. For example, Leenders and Johnson(2000) conducted case studies on ten companies to understand the major changes in supply chain responsibilities among the partners. These case studies are usually historical accounts of the experiences of a company when adopting SCP and written by an employee of the company or a consultant.The determinants of SCP have important implications for its effectiveness. For example, previous studies, which used case studies often, concluded that several factors determine SCP effectiveness. Such a statement carries more weight if the investigation deploys case studies rather than mail-surveys. Similar arguments can be extended for this study methodology, in which, from the case study approach, what factors that most important, the reasons why they are important, how they were adopted and with what result, can then be identified (Chetty, 1996). Since this is relatively important for the study, therefore, the most feasible way to collect data is via case study surveys (Yin, 2003). It might be argued that a survey based on factors found in previous literature could have been a more suitable research method because the survey method has its own advantages like reaching a big number of potential respondents. However, the case study method has been chosen here because it is believed that it is a strong and useful research method that can give powerful and detailed insights about the adoption of SCP in two different companies. To gather the information, internal reports, and documents have been reviewed. Subsequently, on-site interviews have been conducted. A semi-structured questionnaire has been used as a guide to ensure that similar information is gathered during the interviews. These interviews have been used to provide data on all relevant SCP determinants. To ensure the quality and validity of the responses, the managers interviewed have been asked to verify the data in their respective interview reports.3.1 Selection of cases\n4. Profiles' of the companies: 4.1 Company A\n5. Case analysis: Both of the companies discussed above focus their activities on manufacturing electrical and electronics products in Malaysia. Since the two companies major operations are manufacturing, purchasing, warehousing, and distribution, the focus of the research is on these areas in order to understand the element that supports the determinants of SCP, especially the factor that nurtures scalable partnering. The objective of the case study is to discuss the usage of information flow, supply chain infrastructure, organizational linkage, and resource sharing as the determinants that enables SCP.5.1 Evaluation on the information flow\n6. Discussions: As the SCP implies, a firm is not alone in this endeavor. The question arises; is it enough for a firm to undertake partnering benchmarking on its own, or is there a need to work with partners in the chain in partnering benchmarking? The interviews presented herein describe many possible approaches to consider. In some respects, organizations should approach the benchmarking of partnering as they would any other process or activity that are designed to fit in with the SCP model. From this study, a number of conclusions can be drawn. It is apparent from these findings that although we espouse the benefits of SCP and propose closer ties throughout the channel, the findings of the case study suggest that the business has yet to be fully operationalized before the concept of SCP can be attained (specifically in Company B). On one level, it appears that Company B tends to be a reluctant player and is far more skeptical about the benefits afforded through such a relationship. We can also conclude that Company B is less interested in the benefits gained and is more likely to highlight the risks associated with heightened dependence on a smaller number of suppliers. We can say that Company B thinks about the gains afforded by partnering supply chains but is more easily swayed by traditional purchasing metrics related to cost or initial purchase prices.On another level, Company A seems to be fully participating in SCP efforts and sees the benefit from such a relationship. It fully responds to the challenges of managing its channel partners with the intent of gaining the full complement of effective SCP. Finally, when firms consider developing higher relationships, they will also need to consider the levels of skills and competencies of their staff. The skills required to manage these types of relationships, compared to the more traditional approaches, are going to be substantially different. The personnel have to work cross-functionally in teams as opposed to functional silos. They will also have to work on problem solving as opposed to negotiation. It is therefore vitally important that firms make sure that they have the requisite investment information flow, organizational linkage and supply chain infrastructure. The following are the lessons that have been learned from this study of Company A and Company B, and can be useful for other companies in the electrical and electronics industry:* Long-term relationships with, and the loyalty of, suppliers and customers - whereby good relationships with channel partners are very important. When channel partners develop confidence in a focal company, this can lead to business partnering. This requires investment in organizational linkage, information flow and the supply chain infrastructure to establish communication between them to facilitate partnering.* Strategic partnering with channel partners right from the inception of the company, to enable the company to take off with the required capital and other support resources including business for the facility. This highlights the role of a partnering between channel partners and the company in developing the organization. Partnering is not a question of resources alone, but of establishing scalable business and investing in a continued supply chain infrastructure and organizational linkage. Information flow will also facilitate knowledge and technology transfer between companies.* Partnering relationship management focusing on suppliers and customers to make sure that there is no communication gap so that products are made available as required and delivered on time. There are several ways by which commitment between the focal company and its channel partners can be established both upstream and downstream. These include information flow, supply chain infrastructure, resource sharing and organizational linkage.Finally, the study is interested in understanding how companies can achieve higher partnering through resource sharing and organizational linkage by leveraging on scalable partnering. It is evident that firms will have to work confidently on scalable partnering and expanding business within the enterprise and along the chain. From the case study, the findings appear to confirm a positive and significant relationship between the degree of resource sharing and organizational linkage between the firms if they see that scalable partnering effort as hypothesized is workable.\n7. Conclusions and limitations: Within the concept of SCP, channel relationships are a subset of business relationships. At least two parties are involved in a relationship and they attach a business orientation approach, in order to create value for each other. The development of obligation contracting, as a method of value exchange, has become an established method of conducting business within the Malaysian electrical and electronics manufacturing sector. Whilst, it is clear that there are benefits from managing relationships in this manner, there are also pressures when implementing and developing the various aspects of the relationship. The channel partners must have a clear understanding of the various dependencies that exist within the relationship. These need to be carefully managed to achieve their full potential. Different performance indicators or indexes must be specified for each channel partners' firm as well as the entire supply chain in order to assess the impacts of information flow, organizational linkage, and supply chain infrastructure investment. Cost inventory reduction (lean inventory) and improved procurement are the main performance indexes that have been considered in this study.Finally, this study is not free of limitations. First, the sample of companies selected is very small and the analysis does not investigate or provide any explanation for the similarities and differences in the results. For example, an extensive survey of companies could complement the research that has been conducted in this study. Second, the sample of companies interviewed belongs to the same business sectors making it difficult to control the variance in size. Finally, all of them are located in metropolitan, highly industrialized areas. This makes it difficult to generalize the results to regional areas. Nevertheless, this research gives some insights and shows some similarities and differences in the factors of SCP that can be of interest to researchers, industries, practicing managers, and policy makers.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - Supply chain partnering (SCP) in internationally operating companies is still not adequately addressed in the literature. The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors towards effective SCP across two organizations of different origins (Company A and Company B).\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The central issue is to investigate how information flow, organizational linkage, supply chain infrastructure, and resource sharing exhibit themselves in the SCP through a case study method.\nFindings: - The interviews reveal that Company B tends to be a reluctant player and is far more skeptical about the benefits afforded through such a relationship. It can also be concluded that Company B is less interested in the benefits gained and is more likely to highlight the risks associated with heightened dependence on a smaller number of suppliers. On the one hand, it can be stated that Company B thinks about the gains afforded by partnering supply chains but is more easily swayed by traditional purchasing metrics related to cost or initial purchase prices. On another level, Company A seems to fully participate in SCP efforts and sees the benefit from such a relationship.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The interviews are necessary for developing basis understanding on how companies implement SCP, especially to examine the factors that contribute to its successful. The study suggests that larger number of sample need be used.\nPractical implications: - From the case study, it is believed that firms appear to confirm a positive and significant relationship between the degree of resource sharing and organizational linkage, if they see that scalable partnering efforts as hypothesized are workable.\nOriginality/value: - The case study highlights is the important role of the partnering to support supply chain process and to deliver high-quality service. This is important because the profitability and survival of the chains depend on how well partnering concept been implemented.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Process improvement in a radiology department
|
[
"Quality function deployment",
"Value stream mapping",
"Process improvement",
"Lean management",
"Healthcare systems"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Today quality definition is totally turned out to satisfy customers on time. This goal can be reached by some calculations in a production line but it is more difficult for a service sector. Especially in healthcare systems, it is more important to give a high-quality service to the patients. When the human life is considered, it is vital to start the treatment quickly. Waiting is the biggest problem at a hospital, which increases the risk of exacerbation of the disease. Even at the beginning of the healthcare system, patients try to get an appointment from the hospital and they wait for long time periods, sometimes for months, to see the doctor.\nLiterature review: Lean management\nMethodology: Value stream mapping\nCurrent state of the radiology department: There are two mammography devices at the radiology department of the hospital but one of them is not in use. Also the mammography room closes its doors less than six hours as working time. For ultrasound process, there are four radiologists and one assistant but they are not only checking for breast cancer but also some other diseases. This hospital evaluates nearly 550 patients in average per month via mammography. There are wrong treatment results at the hospital such as recalls or making unnecessary tests. The whole process starts with the polyclinic examination. The doctor will refer to mammography and the patient will get an appointment. Mammography appointment may be a few days later and when the patient comes, she has to wait in a queue. After mammography screening the patient has to wait for the report to see her doctor again. If the doctor decides for another test then an ultrasound process will start (Camgoz-Akdag et al., 2017).\nHouse of quality: According to the aim non-value added processes, which extends lead time unnecessarily, have to be eliminated or minimized. HOQ will help to understand customer needs and prefer which area to improve primarily. The reference signs of HOQ are defined at Figure 4.\nFuture map of the radiology department: Improvement areas are shown in future map (Figure 6). As it is seen, total lead time of the patients' road, which starts from the beginning of the radiology department and ends after the doctors' reporting, decreased nearly 9 days which means a big improvement. As it is seen from the future map, preparation, test, dressing up, report and report result process cycle times are decreased by some technological and physical changes in the hospital. Cycle times of the radiology department process steps in the future map are given in Table II.\nConclusion and recommendation: To conclude, the problematic area can be found both from current value stream map and HOQ. The aim is to see the primary subjects that can be improved at the radiology department. While decreasing cost and waiting times, the patient satisfaction and healthcare system quality increases.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to improve the mammography and ultrasound screening processes to increase the healthcare system quality and patients' pleasantness while decreasing costs.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The data storage system is very insufficient so that data are collected from hospital staff and by personal observations. A lean management tool, value stream mapping is used to see the general view of the radiology department with its problems at a glance. Data and the map are used as a guide to conduct a quality house to make a prioritization between the problems, to decide which one to solve first, of patients at the hospital.\nFindings: Problems of the radiology department related to mammography and ultrasound and suggestions to these problems according to the quality house conducted.\nOriginality/value: The paper consequently focuses on the value creation process and on how to revisit managing for quality in the systems perspective.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Inter-organizational mentoring: a four phase conceptual model for success
|
[
"Alternative mentoring",
"Inter-organizational mentoring",
"Managerial development",
"Mentoring phases",
"Traditional mentoring"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Mentoring is a human resource development technique used mainly by large companies to develop the competences and skills of their employees based on a dyadic relationship between an experienced professional (mentor) and a junior professional (mentee) that takes place within the same organization.\n2. Method: The methodology used was a focus group organized by the authors. Nineteen experts in the design, implementation and coordination of IOM programs took part. Experts belonged to different associations (women, engineers, economists and entrepreneurs) and sectors (different companies belonging to technology parks, regional agents and clusters) in Spain. The group met once at the Basque College of Economists in Bilbao. The session was recorded and notes taken and distributed to all participants after the session.\n3. Findings: Kram stated in 1985 the conceptualization of traditional mentoring phases: \"initiation,\" an interval of half to one year in which mentor and mentee realize that mentoring functions can be provided; \"cultivation,\" a period between two to five years in which mentor and mentee make the most of mentoring; and \"separation,\" which takes from half a year to two years. At this final stage, the relationship can turn into friendship or definitive detachment.\n4. Final reflections and implications: These four phases identified in IOM seem to fit in with the three phases of the individual need for power described by McClelland (Hunt and Michael, 1983). Traditional mentoring seeks mentees' career development and organizational socialization to speed up and maximize the contribution of the mentee to the company (Mathews, 2006). IOM, on the contrary, focuses primarily on the mentees' developmental objectives rather than the organization's objectives.\nAcknowledgements: The research group would like to thank the members of the Expert Group in mentoring that are collaborating with the Research Project: Iluminada Aparicio and Jesus Mari Gonzalez Villambrosa (CVE); Nerea Aranguren (EHUalumni); Isabel Iturbe (AED); Oscar Garro, Araceli Cabezon and Ane Aguirre (Vesper Solutions); Sofia Barturen and Ana Arrieta (Bilbao Ekintza); Inma Ramos and Ana Artetxe (Gaztenpresa); Ainara Basurko, Lucia Grana and June Sola (Beaz); Maria Luisa de Miguel (Escuela de Mentoring); Carmen Mellina (PWN Network), Cristina Andres (Parque Tecnologico de Bizkaia), Jose Maria Menendez and Luciano Azpiazu (Colegio Oficial de Ingenieros Industriales de Bizkaia).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this study is to present a conceptual model that comprises the four phases of an inter-organizational mentoring (IOM) process.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This study used a focus group of 19 expert coordinators on IOM programs who met once at the Basque College of Economists. The session was recorded and notes were taken and distributed to all participants.\nFindings: Based on the focus group, the authors developed a four-phase model of IOM. The phases this conceptual model proposes for IOM are awakening, transcendence, organizational bond and maturity.\nPractical implications: These four phases should help mentors to guide mentees in the completion of an effective IOM process. This model is a re-conceptualization from the traditional mentoring phases, as the nature of the mentoring process is different. However, getting to understand the phases of IOM will enlighten the understanding of this phenomenon that is a growing option for managers in their career development as IOM helps managers to acquire skills and competencies.\nOriginality/value: This work contributes to the comprehension of this new form of alternative mentoring, clarifying for mentees and mentors, what process they are going to follow. Additionally, it provides clear criteria for inter-organizational program coordinators on how to organize these kinds of programs. In the opinion of the authors, this paper is original because it provides an in-depth understanding of IOM, which is an HRD technique that has barely been studied to date.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
A Big Data and FMEA-based construction quality risk evaluation model considering project schedule for Shanghai apartment projects
|
[
"Neural network",
"Construction projects",
"Failure mode and effect analysis",
"Earned value management",
"Quality risk assessment"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: As the world economy continues to rapidly develop, a substantial portion of labor and financial resources is spent on construction projects every year. Achieving desired quality and scheduling objectives are two significant indicators of a successful project. However, conspicuous differences between prediction and reality may arise in quality and scheduling over the course of the project (Larsen et al., 2016) for two reasons. On the one hand, as the quality risks and inherent uncertainties in a project are inevitable, and the complexity and dynamism of a construction project increases, the amount of related quality risk events also increases, giving rise to delays and lower project quality (Baudrit et al., 2019). On the other hand, the development of a project schedule can be constrained by various internal and external factors. Failure to identify the relationship between the project schedule and the project quality risk causes a mismatch that also results in delays and lower project quality (Tambe and Kulkarni, 2016).\n2. Literature review: Construction projects are often complex due to different circumstances in which managers need to determine optimal solutions. Such solutions present a compromise among goals that are often conflicting such as scheduling, quality, safety and cost (Monghasemi et al., 2015; Kumar and Thakkar, 2017). One traditional method is to take quality, cost and safety as resource constraints of schedule management to minimize project duration (Tao and Dong, 2018) or to achieve a minimum fluctuation of resources over the duration of a project (Tang et al., 2018). The essence of this method is to turn a multi-objective problem into a single-objective problem, while setting boundaries for others. In addition, some scholars have considered multi-objective optimization from the perspective of overall project performance and evaluated the comprehensive effect of resource allocation and completion time (Khalili-Damghani et al., 2015; Mungle et al., 2013). The essence of this method is to create a Pareto front that includes a set of non-dominated solutions and use Pareto filtering to obtain all created solutions. In this method, the solution to the multi-objective optimization problem is a group of feasible alternatives.\n3. Methodology: 3.1 Risk factors identification\n4. Case study: As a modern metropolis in China, Shanghai attracts a large number of immigrants each year. To fulfill the housing demands of this population, thousands of apartments have been constructed. For this research, we selected 311 apartment buildings as data sources and the first of these buildings was built in 2014.\n5. Discussion: Quality risk is a common characteristic of construction projects and the quality management of construction has attracted considerable scholarly attention. In this paper, we performed a literature review on construction risk and subsequently chose some specific quality risks. We then develop questionnaires regarding Shanghai apartments and 35 failure models of construction works in apartment projects were identified by a survey of 100 experts and managers. Based on the project engineering record, four engineers and one expert assessed the historical quality data of 311 Shanghai apartments using a linguistic values method. The actual project schedule and planned project work schedule were then converted to an SPI to improve the availability of time data. Experts' opinions were used in ANN for building a model using the project schedule data. Based on the results of the ANN system, an application was created.\n6. Conclusion: In this research, massive real project data were used to research the relationship between quality and schedule, which is different from previous studies that have used data from a single project or a few projects. As the number of historical project data increases, the relationship based on massive real projects becomes closer to a practical project situation. To intelligently and objectively analyze the massive project data, a uniformed evaluation criteria and quantifiable process data are significant for machine learning; our research uses the FMEA and EVM methods to quantify quality risk and schedule, as well as ANN to model the relationships. Our model also has the ability to learn and update itself. When the project type is changed, our model can turn specific conditions of projects into input variables.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to mine information on the construction process of previous projects to develop a construction plan that meets both quality requirements and schedule constraints.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This paper uses a failure mode and effect analysis to evaluate the construction quality of 311 apartments in Shanghai. The authors also evaluate construction-scheduling control using the earned value management technique and implement an artificial neural network to correlate the results. The authors then develop a quality risk and schedule correlation model based on Big Data. The model can predict the relationship between the planned schedule and the project quality risk using multiple variables such as the number of layers, the schedule performance index and budget costs.\nFindings: The methodology offers an innovative approach for assessment on the relationship between quality risk and project schedule. The authors have also built a multiple regression analysis model for comparative purposes with the model. The results show that the proposed model can better describe the relationship. The model can provide a quantitative quality risk value that changes with the planned schedule, as well as help project managers to understand the relationship between quality risk and project scheduling more accurately.\nResearch limitations/implications: The research approach only focuses on quality risk under the impact of scheduling. Future efforts might focus on developing a model that connects failure models with project schedules and costs in order to improve the effort of quality management.\nPractical implications: The model based on Big Data in this paper is developed using real projects and reflects the relationship between project quality risk and scheduling in real environments. The created application provides support for project managers to develop and adjust quality plans and schedules, thereby reducing deviations in quality and scheduling objectives.\nOriginality/value: The authors make full use of historical project data from the perspective of both quality and schedule management, and provide a novel method to intelligently and objectively analyze the relationship between quality risk and scheduling.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Community-based occupational health promotion programme: an initiative project for Indonesian agricultural farmers
|
[
"Occupational health",
"Agricultural farmers",
"Public health centre",
"Focus group",
"Action research"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nBackground: Indonesia's economic performance in 2011-2015 showed an increasing pattern, particularly the agricultural sector which exhibited a positive growth of 3.31% per year. In 2015, the contribution of agricultural sector to the total gross domestic products of Indonesia was 10.28% (Ministry of Agriculure Center for Agricultural Data and Information System, 2016). The majority of Indonesia's labour force work is found in informal sectors in rural areas, particularly in the agricultural sector (Susanto et al., 2017). In addition, agricultural farmers (AFs) face a high risk of health problems, which is caused by the interaction between the farmers and their work environment (Susanto et al., 2016). As the population of agricultural sectors plays a key role in Indonesia's economic performance, the AFs need treatment to maintain health and overcome lifestyle-related health problems (Smigielski et al., 2013). Public health nurses (PHNs) have the responsibility to conduct health promotion, disease prevention and control, wellness and workplace health risk programmes (Anderson and McFarlane, 2011). Therefore, PHNs could design community-based occupational health promotion (COHP) programmes at the worksite. They are excellent resource persons for establishing community partnership to promote the quality of life of AFs through their public health centres (PHCs).The Indonesian Ministry of Health implements a programme in PHCs to empower labour in informal sectors through preventive and promotive intervention (Ministry of Health Indonesia, 2008), which is known as post-occupational health services to protect the labourers' healthy life problems caused by factors in the workplace environment (Ministry of Health Indonesia, 2006). However, during the implementation, the programme features a limitation in conducting a partnership intervention in the community, particularly the partnership between the PHNs, the AFs groups, community health volunteers and the agriculture department, resulting in health problems among AFs.The prevalence of various health problems among AFs in Indonesia, which include underweight (28.5%), overweight (10.6%), anaemia (62.6%) and joint and bone pain (50.3%) conditions (Susanto et al., 2017), is related to the sociodemographic environment, biological and psychological conditions and workload. Meanwhile, an agricultural nursing model could be developed to reduce the factors affecting farmers in rural areas (Susanto et al., 2016). In this study, we designed a modified programme for AFs, known as the COHP programme, through action research approach.According to a systematic review, COHP could improve the quality of community life and engagement with communities in an ongoing process of social change (Merzel and Afflitti, 2003). Active participation in the community development and mental health promotion process enhances health and empowers the community (Trentham et al., 2007). Meanwhile, community-based programming promotes childhood health with collaboration between occupational therapy and community partners (Kugel et al., 2017). Therefore, the COPH programme in this study should be implemented for AFs.The COHP programme is designed based on health promotion in the workplace and typically falls within three basic programme types: awareness programmes which increase the employees' level of knowledge and interest, behavioural change activities that help participants develop healthier behaviours and supportive environments that create work opportunities to encourage healthy lifestyles (Anderson and McFarlane, 2011). Through action research, the COHP was implemented between the PHNs and AFs in the PHC areas (Vanderwal et al., 2011). The COHP was examined from seven regions of PHCs through eight steps: recognition, analyses, planning, communication, preparation, implementation, evaluation and continuity to promote the occupational health promotion programme (Ministry of Health Indonesia, 2012). The AFs recognise the need to improve their knowledge, attitudes and skills related to maintain health and overcome life-related health problems in the agricultural sectors. The healthy life of AFs was determined by the work environment, which impacts their quality of life (Kowalska et al., 2013). On the other hand, the AFs have limited access to health services and community-based prevention and promotion services as a strategy to achieve the equality of care in this population (Low et al., 2015).Furthermore, PHNs should work together with AFs to promote a healthy life and environment for the AF populations. To our knowledge, no study focused on the COHP among AFs by employing action research approach. Thus, this study aimed to explore how AFs can be engaged to create a promotion programme (COHP) to identify and reduce health problems and their impacts on agricultural sectors through eight steps: recognition, analyses, planning, communication, preparation, implementation, evaluation and continuity. In this study, we sought to help AFs articulate and critically reflect on their experiences, meaning and values around the issue of health problems in occupational workplace. Therefore, they could use their learning in each step of COHP to guide the development of prevention strategies in their own workplace.\nMethods: Design and sample\nResults: The results from focus discussion in seven regions were analysed and divided into categories and sub-categories. The analyses were performed based on the eight steps of COHP programme in this study. Each step generated categories and sub-categories related to the AFs' experiences in following the COHP programme (Table 3).At each stage in the programme implementation activities, which were facilitated by the research team as leaders in FGM, the AFs independently identified their health problems. Each phase in this programme occurs in a series, where farmers begin to identify health problems. Then, they formulated an action plan to solve the problem, take action together in their groups, and evaluate the activities that have been carried out. Therefore, each phase of this programme is an activity carried out from, by and for farmer groups as a form of partnership in a COHP programme. The success of each activity phase in this programme was assessed from the readiness of each programme activity through a joint meeting forum.This section presents the categories and quotations from the interviews to illustrate the findings in each step.Recognition\nDiscussions: In the present study, the occupational health promotion programme aided AFs in the rural areas. The findings indicate that the COPH programme was used to assess the health problems, formulate the occupational health diseases related to the workplace, plan interventions and implement activities and was evaluated by the farmers. This programme used the resources from farmer groups to conduct self-assessment and further develop the programme. The COPH is effective and efficient in solving the health problems related to the agricultural workplace and environment. This result is consistent with the findings of a previous study in the context of health promotion programme for farmers and fishermen with type-2 diabetes in Taiwan (Chen et al., 2011).In this study, the participants were encouraged to recognise the health problems related to agricultural workplace. The informants were aware that health problems were onset because of the lack of knowledge and limited resources. The farmers identified the problems through self-assessment and analysed them. These findings are consistent with those of previous studies indicating that farmers are self-confident and have self-efficacy to improve their health (Syson-Nibbs et al., 2009). These results indicated that the AFs need a supporting system to identify their health problems through self-reflection in their workplace environment. Self-help group could be designed as a primary strategy to identify health and life problems related to the agricultural workplace and environment.Participants perceived that the common health problems in agricultural sectors include malnutrition, high blood pressure and low back pain. This finding is consistent with that of previous studies in the context of agriculture in Indonesia (Susanto et al., 2017). These findings may explain the relation of the AFs' health problems to the knowledge on the management of stress and workload, maintenance of ergonomic position, the use of personal protective equipment and limited nutritional intake. These findings are consistent with those of a previous study suggesting that problems in the workplace are related to stress in workplace (Das, 2014), ergonomic position (Padmanathan et al., 2016) and safety in workplace (Vanderwal et al., 2011). This finding suggests that health education related to diseases in the agricultural sectors should be disseminated among the farmers.The activities of COPH programme in this study have improved the AFs' self-care to manage their health problems through promotive, preventive and protection activities. These findings are consistent with those of previous studies in the context of the community health promotion project for garlic farmers, which are effective and can be recommended as a nursing intervention for health promotion of garlic farmers (Kim and Ock, 2011). The AFs are involved in the empowerment and partnership programme to maintain the sustainability of the programme. Community-based education could promote the health status of country market farmers (Jones and Siegrist, 1999). This result suggests that health promotion programme should be implemented in the community of farmers to improve their quality of life.Furthermore, the implementation of COHP requires coordination and cooperation to ensure its continuity. This finding is consistent with that of a previous study indicating that assisting with farm tasks as a method of health promotion effectively sustains the programme (Aizaki et al., 2016). The AFs need to communicate their problems through inter-sector and inter-programme between the agriculture department and primary healthcare centres in their areas. These findings indicate that post-healthcare services should be established to serve healthcare in agricultural areas.Implication for practices\nConclusion: The findings indicate that the COHP through action research provides a change strategy for AFs to manage and promote of occupational health and safety within their practice. The AFs assessed their health problems and become aware of their occupational health issues, including malnutrition, high blood pressure, low back pain, non-ergonomic condition, stress and workload. Therefore, in the implementation of the COPH programme, the AFs are involved in community activities, including health education, groups processes, empowerment and partnership to access comprehensive healthcare services in PHCs. These findings could be used to develop a framework for PHCs in delivering occupational health and safety practices in the agricultural sectors. We suggest that further studies should focus on the continuing structural steps used to blend a framework model on health promotional programme with mixed method approach to solve the agricultural health problems.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Occupational health promotion programmes targeting the Indonesian agricultural farmers (AFs) are limited. This action research aimed to involve the AFs in the research and development of community-based occupational health promotion (COHP) programme, which is tailored to meet their perceived needs for preventing health problems related to occupational workplace.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This study employed the qualitative action research approach. The participants (n = 136) were farmers from seven regions in the rural areas of East Java, Indonesia. The COHP was examined from public health centres (PHCs) in seven regions through eight steps, including recognition, analyses, planning, communication, preparation, implementation, evaluation and continuity of programme, for eight weeks. Data were collected through focus group interviews and examined using qualitative content analysis.\nFindings: The findings revealed that the participants not only lacked health status but were also required to promote a comprehensive programme for occupational health and safety. The health problems of AFs were identified as the lack of nutrition and high blood pressure, which are related to un-ergonomic condition during work, limited use of personal protective equipment, high stress and workload. The lack of support for AF groups to prevent health problems and to access health services was a key theme for all the participants. Therefore, self-help group as social support was designed to solve the health problems among AFs.\nOriginality/value: The COHP, through action research, provided a change strategy for AFs to manage and promote occupational health and safety within their practice. The study findings could be used in the development of a framework for PHCs in delivering occupational health and safety practices in the agricultural sectors.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Optimization of multiple-quality characteristics in micro-WEDG process using Taguchi technique
|
[
"Optimization",
"MRR",
"Surface roughness",
"Taguchi technique",
"Micro-WEDG"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1 Introduction: Micro-machining is the process of manufacturing the micro components by using miniaturized technologies. Islam and Karim (2011) investigated the relationship of current manufacturing practices and their performance with the size of the manufacturing organizations. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA and regression model were used in order to fulfill the objectives of their study. From their work they concluded that the SMIs consider product quality and reliability as a basic competitive advantage, while LIs consider the company reputation as the import competitive dimension. Khan and Al-Darrab (2010) discussed about the Taguchi method-based conceptual signal-to noise (S/N) approach and Pareto analysis of variance (ANOVA) to determine optimum level of three important factors related to mobile phone conversation during driving. From their work they concluded that the breaking response is optimum when they performed the driving task at day time within the tested range. Aboelmaged (2010), clarified the emerging aspects and trends of Six Sigma literature over 17 years from 1992 to 2008. Das et al. (2011) concluded the necessity for top management to perform as leaders for implementing TQM from their research work. Companies with high leadership competencies execute each of the nine TQM principles more effectively and are able to produce higher quality products. Also they finds that the relationship of TQM implementation constructs and the outcome constructs (product quality) are not same in the different contexts of leadership competencies. Goethals and Cho (2011) proposed a design of experiment methodology to estimates of process parameters and nonlinear constrained optimization scheme is employed to identify optimal settings. Karam and Ozcelik (2013) experimentally investigated about effect of spindle speed, feed per tooth and depth of cut on tool wear, force and surface roughness for the micro milling of aluminum material with ball nose end mill. Miniature systems can provide portability, disposability, lower material and power consumption, lower sample requirements, higher heat transfer and the capability of better process integration and automation.\n2 Literature review: The effect that the material micro structure has on the achievable minimum feature sizes in EDM has been studied by Kawakami and Kunieda (2005). Masuzawa (2000) summarizes the basic concepts and applications of major methods of micromachining. Also the basic characteristics of each group of methods were discussed based on the different machining phenomena. This process is broadly used for forming very thin rods with high aspect ratio, which can be used as tool electrodes for micro-EDM drilling or milling. Pham et al. (2004) analyses the technological capabilities of different methods of setting up and dressing the drill (electrode) on the machine. Also they investigated the accumulation of errors in the mEDM drilling process and also factors affecting the accuracy of the machined holes. In addition, the sources of errors in setting up the dressing process on the machine are studied. In particular, a unidirectional approach for reaching the dressing position was proposed in order to improve the positional accuracy and repeatability of the machine. Also, it was suggested by optimizing the approaching speed to minimize the time delay in registering the contact between the electrode and the running wire. The relationship between surface roughness and fracture strength of electrodes has also been investigated by Huang et al. (2004). When machining strategies are studied in mEDM, the main focus of such investigations is the technological parameters and their optimization. For example, Kawakami and Kunieda studied the influence of open voltage, capacitance and polarity on the process performance. Lim et al. (2003) presented the characteristics of the dressing process. Rees et al. (2006) presents the capabilities of the WEDG process for manufacturing micro electrodes. Among the various micromachining technologies, tool based micro machining is gaining popularity due its affordability and machining efficiency. Ding et al. (2010) develops a stochastic optimization formulation and its solution to determine the number of repetitive tests for multiple products that minimize the sum of the expected scraping costs and variable testing costs, subject to a testing equipment capacity constraint. The results demonstrate the viability of the proposed approach and the criticality of accurate parameter estimation. Tanik (2010) studied the advantages of using systematic quality improvement tools like QFD and FEMA in every part of the supply chain in food production. Barabady et al. (2010) discussed about the concept of dependability is extended to include capacity performance and customer requirements or market demand, which provides a measure for delivery assurance or plant production performance in relation to customer requirements. Also develops a generic PAP to achieve a high level of delivery assurance. Mehrjerdi (2010) reviewed the fundamental concept of quality function deployment and also discussed the facts that the road to success for new product development is the identification of customer's requirements and their conversion into engineering design requirements. Ghosh and Majundar (2010) developed the model for the occurrences of successive failure types and times to failure of the two repairable machining systems. Iwaarden and Wiele (2012), explore how in many industries manufacturing complexity and unpredictability have increased in recent years because of increasing product variety and shortening product life cycles. The research studies the effects of increasing product variety and shortening product life cycles on one control system: quality management. Prasad and Tata (2009) discussed about the case study methodology to examine how quality management could be employed in keeping micro-enterprises competitive and compared the literature with actual field observation to provide practical insights that may be of value to micro-enterprise owners, and might indirectly help raise their standard of living. Besseris (2009) studied the Taguchi's orthogonal arrays for sufficient and economical sampling in a mixture problem. They examine product formulation screening at the industrial level in terms of multi-trait improvement by considering several pertinent controlling factors.\n3 Proposed optimization procedure: The Taguchi technique involves reducing the variation in a process through robust design of experiments. The overall objective of the method is to produce high quality product at low cost to the manufacturer. Taguchi's parameter design is an important tool for robust design. It offers a single and systematic technique to optimize the design performance, quality and cost (Fowlkes and Creveling, 1995). Two major tools used in robust design are (Park, 1996; Unal and Dean, 1991; Phadke, 1989):\n4 Experimental design: The experimental works were carried out in a multipurpose micro-machine tool (DT 110, Mikrotools). In this research work, the micro-WEDG setup as shown in Figure 1(a)-(c) was used. The tungsten electrode was hold by Rego - Fix micro-bore collet and Rego-fix clamping nut. Figure 1(c) shows the micro-WEDG process during machining. The experiment was designed based on three level full factorial statistical models, which was chosen to observe and analyze the individual influences as well as the interaction effects of the three process parameters on surface roughness (Ra) and MRR. Normally, L9 orthogonal arrays can be used with nine trials instead of 27 as presented in this research work. But for more accuracy, the orthogonal array is selected based on the DOF. Here, For three parameters each at three levels (degree of freedom=2+2+2) and three interaction (degree of freedom=4+4+4), so the total DOF=18, The number of DOF for orthogonal array should be greater than or equal to the number of DOF required. Hence, here L27 orthogonal array is selected. A total number of 27 experiments were conducted. The feed rate (A), capacitance (B) and voltage (C) are considered as input machining parameters. Surface roughness is a key factor in the machining process while considering machining performance and that is why in many cases, industries are looking for machining the good surface quality of the machined parts. Surface roughness is a measure of the technological quality of a product and a factor that greatly influences manufacturing cost and quality. It describes the geometry of the machined surface and combined with the surface texture, it can play an important role on the operational characteristics of the part. Material removal rate which indicates processing time of the work piece is another important factor that greatly influences production rate and cost. It is also necessary to study the material removal rate along with surface roughness in micro-WEDG process. Because of these, MRR and surface roughness are taken as output responses. The selected machining parameter levels are presented in Table I. MRR is the amount of work-piece material removed per unit time which can be measured by electric balance. The surface roughness R\n5 Results and discussion: Quality loss is the loss associated with a product owing to the deviation in the functional performance of the product from its target. There are three quality characteristics such as higher the better, smaller the better and nominal the better are considered in the industry environment. The equation of these quality characteristics are explained in many journals (Tong and Su, 1997; Antony, 2001). The following optimal settings give the better performance considering single objective in micro-WEDG process:\n6 Conclusions: Engineering judgment for multiple response problems usually bring uncertainty to the decision making process. In this work, Taguchi quality loss function analysis is proposed for the multi-response optimization problem. The significant factors and its interaction effects are identified using Taguchi quality loss function for the multiple response of micro-WEDG process. This experimental work mainly focuses the selection of input parameters for the optimization of the multiple output responses such as MRR and surface roughness in micro-WEDG process. The optimum machining parameters are determined using Taguchi MRSN technique for the multiple-response to achieve maximum MRR and minimum Ra. The optimum machining conditions for the feed rate (A), capacitance (B) and voltage (C) are determined as 4 mm/, 0.1 nF and 120 V, respectively, in micro-WEDG process. The optimum response values of MRR and R\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Micro-EDM is an important process in the field of micro-machining. Especially, the mEDM is one of the technologies widely used for manufacture of micro-parts, micro-tools and micro-components, etc. The accuracy and repeatability of the mEDM process is still highly dependent on the mWEDG process. The electrode generation and regeneration is considered a key enabling technology for improving the performance of the mEDM process. Many engineers considered the Taguchi technique as engineering judgment during multiple response optimizations. This paper aims to focus on the use of micro-WEDG process to generate a micro-tool (electrode) with minimum surface roughness and higher metal removal rate (MRR).\nDesign/methodology/approach: In this research work, the Taguchi quality loss function analysis is used to examine and explain the influences of three process parameters (feed rate, capacitance and voltage) on the output responses such as MRR and surface roughness. Further, the optimized machining parameters were determined considering the multiple response objective using Taguchi multi-response signal-to-noise ratio.\nFindings: Based on the experimental result, it was concluded that the Taguchi technique is suitable for the optimization of multi-response problem.\nOriginality/value: This paper presents an alternative approach using Taguchi's quality loss function. In most of the modern technological situations, more than one response variable is pertinent to the success of an industrial process. In this research work, the influence of feed rate, capacitance and voltage on the MRR and surface roughness (multiple responses) is investigated.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
A key differentiator: The corporate university at Alcatel-Lucent
|
[
"Learning",
"Workplace training",
"Communication"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Organizational learning has always been vitally important. If anything, it is even more crucial today. New technologies and innovations constantly emerge and help to make an already competitive business environment even tougher. Only the strong survive and that's invariably those companies able equip their employees and customers with the key skills and knowledge needed to meet current and future challenges.\nThe right kind of learning: Given this scenario, corporate universities have a significant role to play. Leaders at Alcatel-Lucent are clearly aware of this fact. This university is a product of the merger between Alcatel and Lucent Technologies and is considered vital in the company's quest to succeed. And so far, so good. It has taken the Alcatel-Lucent University just two years to create the added value necessary to provide a competitive advantage for the organization.This admirable achievement has not come about by chance. Instead, it can be attributed to the decision to deeply integrate the university into the organizational whole. Such a move marks a significant shift from the norm of considering such learning institutions as tangential or even discrete. So much so, the university at Alcatel-Lucent is now recognized as a genuine strategic partner.For any learning to have value, it must be relevant. This shrewd organization makes sure of this by identifying the learning needs of its customers and employees beforehand and consulting with concerned parties during the design process. But that's not all. Leaders recognize that adopting a more proactive role also requires closer alignment with key decision makers and strategies. The result? A corporate university aware of what makes the company tick and where it is heading. Armed with such knowledge, it becomes much easier to make learning appropriate and help both customers and the organization to attain objectives. Effective cooperation with company leaders likewise helps to secure adequate resources for the university.Communication seems to be woven into the company's fabric. Then again, it needs to be. Alcatel-Lucent delivers technological solutions to end users and boasts service providers and governments among its global partners. The organization operates in over 130 nations and its university is comprised of 21 learning centers, conveniently positioned near to major customers and employee strongholds. There is also an advisory board in place containing senior leaders from regional, business unit and corporate levels of the company.\nA local global approach: This is another astute move on Alcatel-Lucent's behalf. While many business leaders consider local and global interests as mutually exclusive, those at the helm of this forward-thinking organization regard it as more advantageous to simultaneously focus on both. It means that learning centers can:* build loyalty and increase satisfaction through a profound understanding of local markets, customs and cultures; and* exploit the company's global power manifested in the likes of its operations, marketing, communication and strategies.The ultimate package contains economies of scale, synergies, best practice and standardization along with goodwill and well-established local relationships. It all adds up to a winning formula for the organization.Naturally, appropriate structures are in place. A dedicated global team is responsible for learning, with regional managers overseeing various universities within their respective geographical area. That these district heads also provide a visible link to businesses throughout the area is equally important.The worldwide demand for the voice, data and video communications provided by Alcatel-Lucent means that a flexible approach is imperative. Learning needs can vary substantially and a growing number of users are expressing a preference for customized provision. As ever, the company is on the ball and is thus able to:* take into account individual requirements relating to such as business strategies, network formations and training delivery methods; and* offer an approach that includes both theoretical and practical training achieved by combining the use of different media with hands-on classroom experience.Time is invariably money in the business world and speed is very much the essence here. Swiftness in the design and delivery of learning solutions can help customers quickly raise proficiency levels and beat competitors to the market.The same emphasis on speed is evident for employee training, where the objective is to increase competence within critical business areas. To this end, the university has adopted a dual approach that focuses both on formal qualifications and general capabilities. Learners are able to gain accreditations for completing programs related to industry-specific roles and broader areas such as sales and leadership development. Has the approach succeeded? A quick glimpse at the company's project management program certainly suggests so since it is now able to boast around 1,000 certificated managers.Most companies will be aware that having a motivated workforce is a must. But Alcatel-Lucent also appreciates that commitment should be reciprocal and a dedication to developing talent at all levels shows a willingness to uphold its side of the bargain. Pledges like this signify a company that cares about career advancement for its employees.\nMaking the best even better: The organization is likewise constantly driving to improve global accessibility to training. As a result, more material is available online and the potential impact of location on learning is considerably reduced. Now that almost half of learning occurs away from the classroom, program completion is much likelier. Cost and convenience makes the online option even more attractive and demand for it is growing.Alcatel-Lucent has a healthy obsession with quality and this extends to learning too. Several measures are in place including:* its own quality management system that incorporates among other things a balanced scorecard approach to performance assessment;* the procurement of customer feedback at various points that include course completion and beyond;* input from other prominent stakeholders like those holding management or supervisory positions; and* an annual survey of partners who help to fund learning products and services.Needless to say, policies are devised or corrected on the basis of findings obtained.The Alcatel-Lucent University obviously must be doing something right. In 2008, it joined an elite band of corporate universities when it earned recognition from the European foundation for Management Development (EFMD). However, there is no danger of any complacency creeping in. The organization remains committed to improving its connections, structures and processes while increasing the focus on innovation, quality and employee investment.\nComment: The review is based upon: \"The corporate university: meeting the learning needs of a changing workforce\" by Audrey White (2009). The author presents a highly informative case study of the corporate university at Alcatel-Lucent, a leading provider of technological solutions. She comments on how the university is more integrated into the organization than is the norm and how the training provided is based on identification of employee and customer needs. How the university helps Alcatel-Lucent to secure competitive advantage by exploiting both its local and global presence is noted and the author also reveals how measures are in place to sustain or improve the quality of provision offered.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoints 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: - Organizational learning has always been vitally important. If anything, it is even more crucial today. New technologies and innovations constantly emerge and help to make an already competitive business environment even tougher. Only the strong survive and that's invariably those companies able to equip their employees and customers with the key skills and knowledge needed to meet current and future challenges. Given this scenario, corporate universities have a significant role to play. Leaders at Alcatel-Lucent are clearly aware of this fact. This university is a product of the merger between Alcatel and Lucent Technologies and is considered vital in the company's quest to succeed. And so far, so good. It has taken the Alcatel-Lucent University just two years to create the added value necessary to provide a competitive advantage for the organization.\nPractical implications: - 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"
}
] |
Competing paradigms of flood management in the Scottish/English borderlands
|
[
"Expertise",
"Flood management",
"Flood",
"Natural flood management",
"Technical management"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Technical flood management (TFM) is predicated on the physical control of rivers and their catchments. TFM is the dominant form of flood management in much of the world, though alternatives are emerging, with more sustainable options often the aim. Recently, Scotland has emerged as a focal point for innovative alternatives to TFM (Werritty, 2006; Holstead et al., 2015; Rouillard et al., 2015). Currently missing from this discourse are the opinions of expert decision makers, which we contribute through analysis of expert knowledge-practices. We use the idea of \"framing\" (Donaldson et al., 2013) as a way of analysing the co-production of knowledge-practices (Jasanoff, 2004), which reinforce a particular form of flood management to the exclusion of what sits outside that framing. Framing enables analysis of the underlying values, assumptions, arguments, and ideas relative to the practices of flood management, as perceived by decision makers. We use tension between sustainable flood management (SFM) and TFM as an entry point (Werritty, 2006), with the effectiveness of natural flood management (NFM) a debate that links these two framings. We situate our analysis amongst recent debate over the sometimes rapid evolution of flood management (Johnson and Penning-Rowsell, 2010; Johnson et al., 2005; Lane et al., 2013; Penning-Rowsell et al., 2014), demonstrating how a dominant framing co-opts an emerging alternative. We conclude that the fundamental change of a sustainable approach (SFM), which is implicit in the use of natural features for flood management (NFM), is made to conform through practices and expectations associated with pre-existing technical management (TFM).\nThe co-production of different forms of flood management: The co-production of knowledge-practice\nNFM in development and in practice: Methodology: Scottish expert decision makers grappling with change\nDiscussion: what knowledge \"counts\": Our analysis shows that SFM and NFM are being judged using criteria, knowledge, and expectations associated with TFM (i.e. the framing). This is most clear with reference to the effect of NFM interventions on the stream hydrograph, but is most significant with reference to the need for evidence and what is accepted as legitimate evidence. TFM, then, remains dominant by shaping the context in which SFM is considered. The respondents, from this admittedly small but influential sample, show that the fundamentally different framing underlying SFM, and brought to the fore through debate over NFM, is perceived as outside or \"overflowing\" the realm of professional practice (Donaldson et al., 2013). The flood management experts have responded to this situation by developing tests and demonstration sites, with the aim of calculating the impact of various NFM interventions, but the most trusted metric remains the ability to affect river behaviour, rather than attempt to alter or amend the human-environment relations that produce risk. What is evident is a paradigm (Kuhn, 1962) of flood management that is co-produced by science-based assumptions, by historical practices, by a concentration of power, and by pre-existing institutions, practices, and expectations.\nConclusion: the future of flood risk management: This case is an example of the type of debate that arises when a framing founded on sustainability is promoted as an alternative to an existing, technical framing (Johnson et al., 2007). With recent floods and calls to improve management, further debates loom. Our case shows that the individuals practicing flood management, as well as their framing, should be incorporated into the growing literature exploring flood management. Despite Werritty's (2006) suggestion that SFM is part of a reconfiguration of flood management, we observe that there has been little movement in the practices of these decision makers, though a receptiveness towards critiques of TFM is evident.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore how flood management practitioners rationalise the emergence of sustainable flood management. Key to this analysis are differences rooted in assumptions over what flood management is and should do.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The popularity of natural flood management offers a case with which to explore how a dominant framing persists and how individuals at the government-public interface negotiate different visions of future flood management. The authors draw on the perceptions of flood experts, elucidating a deep hold amongst a professional community \"grounded\" in science and economics, but also their desire to innovate and become more open to innovative practices.\nFindings: The authors show how the idea of \"sustainable\" and \"natural\" flood management are understood by those doing flood management, which is with reference to pre-existing technical practices.\nResearch limitations/implications: This paper explores the views of expert decision making, which suffers from challenges associated with small sample size. As such, the findings must be tempered, but with recognition for the influence of a small group of individuals who determine the nature of flood management in Scotland.\nPractical implications: The authors conclude that, in the context of this study, a technical framing persists by predetermining the criteria by which innovative techniques are judged.\nOriginality/value: Broadly, these findings contribute to debates over the evolution of flood management regimes. This recognises the importance of events while also emphasising the preparations that shape the context and norms of the flood management community between events.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Brief reflections
|
[
"International marketing",
"Publishing"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: In this issue, we are delighted to present the first full set of papers which have been accepted under our stewardship of the European Journal of Marketing. At this point, it seems pertinent to make a few short notes which record our thoughts on this time period - between our first received submissions in January 2008, through to this, the first full issue comprised of such papers.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this editorial is to explicitly recognise the first issue of EJM completely made up of submissions received under the new editorial team of Lee and Greenley, operating since January 2008. The authors also seek to make some broader points about academic review, and journal ranking.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The authors provide some conceptual thinking regarding journal review, and academic ranking of journals.\nFindings: - The authors propose that it is potentially dangerous to restrict the perception of top quality work to only that published in a limited selection of journals, and that research needs to be judged on its own merits.\nResearch limitations/implications: - These thoughts are preliminary and intended to spark thinking and debate, not to represent editorial policy. Owing to space constraints, the coverage of many issues is necessarily brief.\nPractical Implications: - Marketing researchers should find these thoughts at the very least stimulating, and may wish to investigate these issues further.\nOriginality/value: - The editorial should provide some interesting food for thought for marketing researchers.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Void conditions and potential for mould growth in insulated and uninsulated suspended timber ground floors
|
[
"Retrofit",
"Moisture",
"Crawl spaces",
"Mould growth",
"Suspended timber ground floors",
"Void conditions"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Suspended ground floor constructions are common in the USA, New Zealand, Australia (Hill, 2005; Coulter, 2007; Williamson and Olweny, 2000; Cox-Smith, 2008) and throughout Europe (Meijer et al., 2009). In the UK, there are an estimated 10m uninsulated suspended timber ground floors (Shorrock et al., 2005; Dowson et al., 2012) with an estimated 6.5 and 4.5m in France and Germany, respectively (Westoby, n.d.; DStatis, 2013).\n2. Uninsulated suspended ground floor void conditions: a review of evidence: In the UK, an increased risk of damp and mould problems in dwellings built pre-1919 has been reported (DCLG, 2010), with around 5.8 per cent of floors requiring repair of some kind (DCLG, 2010). In the USA, moisture problems have been reported since the 1940s (Rose and Ten Wolde, 1994), leading to a more significant body of research than in the UK.\n3. Insulated suspended ground floor void conditions: a review of evidence: Insulated ground floors are poorly characterised at present; however, some sources refer to the potential increased risk of moisture build-up in insulated suspended ground floors. For example, Shrubsole et al. (2014) and others (Energy Solutions, n.d.) noted that adding floor insulation can increase the risk of unintended consequences, such as condensation on service ducts and pipes, potentially leading to mould growth and timber decay (Coulter, 2007). Insulated floor void spaces in Finland experienced optimal conditions for fungal growth (Hukka and Viitanen, 1999; Pasanen et al., 2001), especially with high (>80 per cent) RH in summer, regardless of the ground cover and with temperatures in the floor voids between 10 and 17degC (Pasanen et al., 2001). In the USA there are reports that insulated floors have moisture issues, in some cases leading to mould growth and wood rot (Lstiburek, 2008; Hill, 2005; Flynn et al., 1994; Coulter, 2007; ASHRAE, 1994). However, Harris (1995) suggested that condensation risk in insulated floors might be minimal. Similarly, Tsongas (1994) reported almost non-existent long-term moisture-related issues for a varied sample of 121 floor voids (insulated, uninsulated, ventilated and unventilated) in five different locations in the northwest of the USA. Timber decay (including historic) was only observed in a few floors with plumbing leaks or on wood in contact with soil.\n4. Floor void monitoring campaign: A sample of 15 different UK floor voids was monitored for varying lengths of time between 2012 and 2015; a summary is provided in Table II. Data were collected from nine insulated floors and six uninsulated floors; two floors (Floors 6 and 8) were also measured pre-insulation, while Floor 9 consisted of an insulated and uninsulated section; both of which were monitored. The total of nine insulated and nine uninsulated floor void monitoring periods are presented here. The monitoring of Floors 6 and 8 pre- and post-insulation was undertaken for short periods of time and across different seasons. In addition, sensor locations in Floor 8 were not the same due to the intervention. Hence, no robust comparisons are possible between pre-post void conditions for either floor.\n5. Conclusion and recommendations: The installation of floor insulation brings a potential for energy and carbon reductions, as well as an improvement to occupant thermal comfort. However, upgrading floors also changes floor void conditions, which might lead to moisture build-up and therefore to mould and fungal growth. These organisms can affect building structure or occupant health if mould spores transfer into living spaces above. Therefore, it is important to consider the global performance of the construction taking into account for example the pressure differences across the floor as well as the airflow and the ventilation rates in the floor voids. At present these considerations are poorly characterised, individually or combined.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Millions of properties have suspended timber ground floors globally, with around ten million in the UK alone. However, it is unknown what the floor void conditions are, nor the effect of insulating such floors. Upgrading floors changes the void conditions, which might increase or decrease moisture build-up and mould and fungal growth. The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the current global evidence and present the results of in situ monitoring of 15 UK floor voids.\nDesign/methodology/approach: An extensive literature review on the moisture behaviour in both uninsulated and insulated suspended timber crawl spaces is supplemented with primary data of a monitoring campaign during different periods between 2012 and 2015. Air temperature and relative humidity sensors were placed in different floor void locations. Where possible, crawl spaces were visually inspected.\nFindings: Comparison of void conditions to mould growth thresholds highlights that a large number of monitored floor voids might exceed the critical ranges for mould growth, leading to potential occupant health impacts if mould spores transfer into living spaces above. A direct comparison could not be made between insulated and uninsulated floors in the sample due to non-random sampling and because the insulated floors included historically damp floors. The study also highlighted that long-term monitoring over all seasons and high-resolution monitoring and inspection are required; conditions in one location are not representative of conditions in other locations.\nOriginality/value: This study presents the largest UK sample of monitored floors, evaluated using a review of current evidence and comparison with literature thresholds.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Loose and tight coupling in educational organizations - an integrative literature review
|
[
"Leadership",
"Change process",
"Educational organizations",
"Loose coupling",
"Organizational couplings",
"Tight coupling"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Loose coupling, with its counterpart tight coupling, has been a topic of academic debate for four decades. Until 1960s and 1970s, the prevailing image was that elements in organizations are coupled through dense, tight linkages. In 1976, K.E. Weick proposed that organizational elements are often tied together loosely and frequently, and used educational organizations as a case in point. Before Weick, in 1965 Bidwell had suggested that school systems tend to exhibit a \"looseness of articulation among the sub-units,\" and \"loose coupling\" as a phrase had appeared in the literature in 1973 by Glassman, and in 1975 by March and Olsen (Weick, 1976, p. 3).\nBackground: The contradictory nature of coupling concepts is prominent. Some researchers have regarded loose coupling as a natural characteristic which should be taken advance of (e.g. Goldspink, 2007), while other researchers (e.g. de Lima, 2007; Morley and Rassool, 2000) have regarded loose coupling as a problem to be solved (see also Shen et al., 2016; Weick, 1976). Loose coupling, with several \"relaxed\" meanings, has been seen as a difficult concept, and one obstacle for operationalizing loose coupling \"is the lack of agreement among those who write about it\" (Firestone, 1985, p. 7; see also Willower, 1981). Moreover, already Weick (1976, p. 15) has stated that under certain conditions \"the same components might be at one moment tightly coupled and at the next moment loosely coupled.\"\nMethodology: Integrative literature review was used as the methodological approach of this paper. Integrative literature review allows the \"simultaneous inclusion of experimental and non-experimental research in order to more fully understand a phenomenon in concern\" (Whittemore and Knafl, 2005, p. 547). The current topic can be seen to benefit of review and potential reconceptualization of the expanding and diversified knowledge base, as it continues to develop after 40 years of existence and continuing debate (see Torraco, 2005).\nFindings: Based on the content analysis categories, a conceptual framework of continuum of organizational couplings in educational organizations was generated (shown in Figure 1). The framework has two major components: the core and the peripheral component. The core of the framework consists of the following elements: continuum of couplings, components of couplings and contributory types of organizational couplings. Correspondingly, the periphery of the framework consists of the following elements: leadership, change process and cultural context. Elements of the core and the peripheral component are summarized in Table I. Elements are presented through the concepts and features that emerged from the review data. Of the framework elements, continuum of couplings and leadership will be discussed in more detail later in this paper. Complementary elements are discussed in the following section.\nDiscussion: This paper seeks to synthesize the attributes of loose and tight coupling, and to determine whether this phenomenon offers value and strategies for the current educational administration and research. Through the inductive content analysis, specific categories emerged from the review data, and the conceptual framework of continuum of organizational couplings in educational organizations was generated (see Figure 1).\nConclusions: The findings confirm that loose and tight coupling phenomenon still resonates with the current educational practice and administration. The main inference of loose and tight coupling in educational organizations is that loose coupling is, mainly, beneficial feature from the teachers' perspective; and tight coupling is, mainly, beneficial feature from the perspective of leadership. Therefore, leadership strategies need to be developed and emphasized where educational organizations can take full advantage of their loose and tight configurations, and hence, endeavor simultaneous coupling, effectiveness, and collaboration, discretion and job satisfaction of their staff.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to review and synthesize the attributes of loose and tight coupling in educational organizations. In addition, it is aimed to determine whether this phenomenon has value and strategies to offer for the current educational administration and research.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Integrative literature review and content analysis, assisted by Atlas.ti software, were used as the methods of this paper. Review data included 32 articles from peer reviewed journals.\nFindings: Conceptual framework of continuum of organizational couplings in educational organizations was generated. Elements of the framework include the features of coupling concepts within the continuum, components of couplings, contributory types of organizational couplings and the elements of leadership and change process with emerging strategies, as well as the element of cultural context. In this paper, elements of continuum of couplings and leadership will be emphasized.\nPractical implications: Findings have practical implications for the management and leadership in educational organizations, and for the researchers in the field for future research purposes.\nSocial implications: Findings have social implications for both teaching staff and administration in educational organizations, by highlighting the attributes of loose and tight coupling, and their connections with leadership, change process and cultural context.\nOriginality/value: The paper presents a distinctive synopsis of the educational administration literature, in the context of loose and tight coupling, with the time span of four decades.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Examining the role of attribution and intercultural competence in intercultural service encounters
|
[
"Customer satisfaction",
"Cultural attribution",
"Intercultural competence",
"Intercultural service encounters"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: An executive summary for managers and executive readers can be found at the end of this issue.\nIntroduction: Intercultural service encounters (ICSEs) involve interactions between customers and employees from different cultures (Stauss and Mang, 1999). There has been a rapid increase in these encounters in recent years due to growing immigration, globalization and international tourism (United Nations, 2012; World Tourism Organization, 2012). There were almost 214 million international migrants in 2010 (United Nations, 2012), and about 980 million international tourist arrivals, and these tourists generated about US$919 billion earnings in 2010 (World Tourism Organization, 2012). In addition, the value of global trade in services was estimated at US$7,369 billion in 2011, accounting for about 11.65 percent of world GDP (World Bank, 2012). All these suggest that intercultural service encounters are of increasing importance and prevalence.\nTheoretical background: Perceived cultural distance\nQualitative study: To develop an understanding of customer experience and evaluations in intercultural service encounters, in-depth interviews were conducted with 30 customers with diverse cultural backgrounds and different countries of origin (Hong Kong, Canada, Korea, India, the UK, USA). Interview guides were developed in English first, then translated into Chinese and back-translated into English. Three well-trained researchers conducted the in-depth interviews. One of the researchers, a local Hong Kong Chinese, conducted the interviews in Chinese whereas the other two researchers conducted the interviews in English. In the interviews, respondents were briefed about intercultural and intracultural service encounters; then they were asked about their experience and satisfaction with such encounters, and what challenges or difficulties they face when dealing with service employees from other cultures. They were also asked whether they perceive any differences in their experience and perceptions when compared with intracultural service encounters. They were also asked to recall if they had encountered any unsatisfactory intercultural service encounters, and if so, to elaborate how and why these encounters had happened. The interviews lasted from 35 to 90 minutes and were recorded and transcribed.\nHypotheses: Perceived cultural distance and customer satisfaction\nMethod: Sample and procedure\nData analysis and results: Manipulation check\nDiscussion and implications: Our findings extend the existing research on the important topic of intercultural service encounters, with several conceptual contributions and managerial implications. First, as hypothesized we found that perceived cultural distance is positively related to customer satisfaction, and cultural attribution plays an important role in mediating the relationship between these two variables. Although one may expect that a lower perceived cultural distance between customers and employees may facilitate their communication with each other and improve the quality of their interaction and its outcomes, the findings of our in-depth interviews and empirical analysis suggest that customers seem to become more tolerant and lower their expectations when they interact with employees from different cultures due to high uncertainty of the outcome. Hence, given the same service failure, customers may feel less dissatisfied with the service provided by an employee of a different culture than with the service provided by an employee of the same culture. We have also shown that attribution to cultural differences (in terms of language, customs etc.) mediates the relationship of perceived cultural distance with customer satisfaction. Hence, this seems to be in accord with Hartman et al. (2009) that cultural differences may serve as a cushion which mitigates unpleasant experience in an intercultural service encounter failure.\nLimitations and future research: This research contributes to the marketing literature by advancing our theoretical knowledge and increasing empirical evidence regarding the role of cultural attribution and intercultural competence in intercultural service encounters. Yet, it has several limitations that need to be noted. First, although we control for various extraneous variables by using a field experiment approach with local customers in Hong Kong, China, these may restrict the generalizability of our findings. Chinese culture is characterized by collectivism in which people favor more \"in-group members\" (Hofstede, 1980), hence their experience, perceptions and expectations in intercultural service encounters may be different from people of other cultures who may be more open-minded and flexible about intercultural service encounters. Future research is needed to assess the model with customers from diverse cultures.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This study aims to develop a model based on attribution theory and intercultural literature to explain the underlying customer satisfaction process in intercultural service encounters.\nDesign/methodology/approach: In-depth interviews were used to develop an understanding of customer experience and evaluations in intercultural service encounters. A quasi-experiment with 236 customers was used to empirically examine the relationships between perceived culture distance, cultural attribution, intercultural competence and customer satisfaction.\nFindings: Perceived culture distance is positively related to customer satisfaction, with cultural attribution mediating the relationship between perceived cultural distance and customer satisfaction, and partially mediating the moderating effect of intercultural competence on the relationship between perceived culture distance and customer satisfaction.\nResearch limitations/implications: This study focuses on cultural attribution in intercultural service encounters. It is acknowledged that there are other attribution dimensions such as stability and controllability which may interact with perceived culture distance and influence subsequent customer satisfaction evaluation. Future research should consider these various dimensions and examine their mediating role in customer satisfaction.\nPractical implications: It is recommended that service firms educate their customers of diverse cultures about local norms and practices, and proactively manage their expectations throughout the service experience.\nOriginality/value: Despite the growing importance of intercultural service encounters, the findings of the relationship between perceived cultural distance and customer satisfaction are mixed. This study contributes to the literature by advancing our theoretical knowledge and empirical evidence of the role of cultural attribution and intercultural competence in intercultural service encounters.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Explaining participation in undeclared work in France: lessons for policy evaluation
|
[
"France",
"Tax evasion",
"Shadow economy",
"Informal sector",
"Tax morale"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: In recent years, it has been recognised that the undeclared economy is a widespread phenomenon and that it is growing rather than declining in many countries and global regions (Williams, 2014a, b; Williams and Schneider, 2016). For example, one recent analysis estimates that 59 per cent of all new businesses in OECD countries start-up unregistered and operate on an undeclared basis (Autio and Fu, 2015). This has significant negative consequences: economies lose their competitiveness due to productive registered formal enterprises suffering unfair competition from unproductive unregistered enterprises and registered enterprises operating partially off-the-books (Leal Ordonez, 2014); governments lose tax revenue (Bajada and Schneider, 2005) and regulatory control over work conditions (ILO, 2014) and customers lack legal recourse and certainty that health and safety regulations have been followed (Williams and Martinez-Perez, 2014). Undeclared workers, moreover, lack entitlement to labour rights such as the minimum wage and sick pay, cannot build up rights to the state pension and access occupational pension schemes, and lack access to health and safety standards as well as bargaining rights and voice (Andrews et al., 2011; European Commission, 2007). It is, therefore, important to consider the best way to prevent undeclared work, which entails a clear understanding of what predisposes people to engage in undeclared work. The aim of this paper, therefore, is to evaluate the different explanatory perspectives that inform policy measures to tackle undeclared work. The conventional approach adopted by governments based on the rational-economic-actor model to explain participation in the activity views the undertaking of undeclared work as arising when the benefits from participation outweigh the expected cost of being caught and punished (Allingham and Sandmo, 1972). Adopting this explanatory framework, governments, thus, develop policies which increase the actual or perceived risks of detection and sanctions to deter participation. Nevertheless, it has been established that many citizens do not engage in undeclared work even when the pay-off is greater than the expected costs (Alm et al., 2010; Kirchler, 2007; Murphy, 2008), a situation that the rational-economic-actor approach cannot explain. In order to arrive at such an explanation, the \"social-actor\" approach has emerged more recently that explains participation in undeclared work as a product of low tax morality, defined as the intrinsic motivation to pay taxes (Cummings et al., 2009). A current policy debate is, therefore, whether measures rooted solely in the conventional rational-economic-actor approach need to be either replaced or combined with those arising from a social-actor approach that fosters improvements in tax morality so as to foster greater voluntary commitment to compliant behaviour (Alm and Torgler, 2011; Torgler, 2012).\nPreventing undeclared work: a review of explanatory frameworks and related policy approaches: Reviewing the literature on how to tackle the undeclared economy, two contrasting approaches can be identified. The rational-economic-actor approach has its origins in the classic utilitarian theory of crime that depicts citizens as engaging in such acts when the expected costs (that is, the probability of being caught and ensuing sanctions) do not outweigh the benefits (Bentham, 1788/1983). This approach was popularised by Becker (1968) who argued that by increasing the sanctions and probability of detection confronting those considering or actually disobeying the law, acting legally would become the rational choice of citizens. This was subsequently applied to tax evasion by Allingham and Sandmo (1972) who viewed non-compliance as occurring when the benefits outweighed the expected costs of doing so. To change the cost/benefit ratio confronting citizens thinking about participating or actually engaging in tax evasion, the argument was that the actual and/or perceived risks of detection and sanctions must be increased. This approach was subsequently widely adopted when explaining and tackling the undeclared economy (Grabiner, 2000; Hasseldine and Li, 1999; Richardson and Sawyer, 2001).\nMethodology: Data\nFindings: As Table I displays, 5 per cent of the 854 French interviewees who were interviewed face-to-face reported engaging in undeclared work during the 12 months prior to interview, a figure slightly higher than that of the Western European or EU28 average. Table I also reveals the variations between those who engage in undeclared work and those who do not regarding their perceptions of the expected sanctions against and risks of detection of participation in such work and their tax morality. Those participating in undeclared work perceive the expected sanctions as lower than those not engaged in undeclared work: 23 per cent of those participating in undeclared work consider that only the normal tax or social security contributions will be due if caught compared with 18 per cent of those not participating in undeclared work. Overall, a greater percentage of respondents in France, whether undertaking undeclared work or not, consider that sanctions will be high (including a fine or prison) than in Western Europe or the EU28. Meanwhile, 66 per cent of French respondents doing undeclared work perceive the risk of being detected as very small or fairly small, compared with 62 per cent of those not participating in undeclared work. As compared with Western Europe and the EU28, a higher percentage of those engaging in undeclared work believe the risk of detection to be fairly high or high in France whilst this percentage is lower in France than in the rest of Europe amongst those not engaging in undeclared work. Those participating in undeclared work in France, moreover, have a lower level of tax morale (3.9) compared with those not engaging in undeclared work (2.0) and in comparison with those engaging in undeclared work in Western Europe (3.7) and in the EU28 (3.5). Similarly those not engaging in undeclared work in France still have a lower tax morale (2.0) than those in Western Europe (2.1) and in the EU28 (2.2). In sum, French participants in undeclared work view the severity of the punishment as lower and the risk of detection smaller and have a lower level of tax morale than those not participating in undeclared work.\nDiscussion and conclusions: To evaluate the rational-economic-actor approach towards explaining and tackling undeclared work, the emergent social-actor approach and how the two might combine, we have examined how the expected risks of detection and sanctions and the level of tax morality is associated with participation in undeclared work in France. The finding is that there is no association between respondents perceiving higher risks of detection and levels of sanctions and lower rates of participation in undeclared work. However, higher levels of tax morality are associated with lower levels of participation in undeclared work. Furthermore, although when the expected risks of detection and penalties are higher, the likelihood of participation in undeclared work is lower when tax morality is low, overall the interaction effects between the level of penalties and risks of detection, and level of tax morality are not significant. In sum, therefore, these findings reveal that the model of the rational-economic-actor perspective cannot adequately explain individuals' participation in undeclared work. Indeed, despite the highly developed nature of deterrent policies in France and the resultant level of fear of both detection and sanctions that is higher than the EU average in most categories, it has been shown that a greater percentage of French respondents than average in the EU undertake undeclared work. Conversely, the tax morale of the French is slightly lower than the EU28 average and indeed the average for Western Europe.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: France is a model of best practice in the European Union as regards policy to combat undeclared work. The purpose of this paper is to take the country as a case study to evaluate the competing explanations of why people engage in undeclared work which underpin such policy, namely, the dominant rational-economic-actor approach and the more recent social-actor approach.\nDesign/methodology/approach: To evaluate these approaches, the results of 1,027 interviews undertaken in 2013 with a representative sample of the French population are analysed.\nFindings: The finding is that higher perceived penalties and risks of detection have no significant impact on the likelihood of conducting undeclared work in France. In contrast, the level of tax morale has a significant impact on engagement in the activity: the higher the tax morale, the lower is the likelihood of participation in the undeclared economy. Higher penalties and risks of detection only decrease the likelihood of participation in undeclared work amongst the small minority of the French population with very low tax morale.\nPractical implications: Current policy in France to counter undeclared work is informed principally by the rational-economic-actor approach based on a highly developed infrastructure for detection and significant penalties alongside incentives to declare small-scale own-account work. The present analysis suggests that this approach needs to be supplemented with measures to improve citizens' commitment to compliance by enhancing tax morale.\nOriginality/value: This case study of a country with a well-developed policy framework to combat undeclared work provides evidence to support the social-actor approach for informing policy change.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
China's social capital and financial performance of private enterprises
|
[
"Social capital",
"Performance management",
"China"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Traditionally, three types of capital (natural, physical and human capital) together, constitute the basis for economic development and performance. It is now recognized that these three types of capital can only partially determine the process of economic growth. One important missing link is the social capital.In recent years, many studies have documented the important roles of social capital in the economic development. Bourdieu (1984, 1985) explored a systematic analysis of social capital and argued that economic participants can gain direct access to economic resources through social capital. The acquisition of social capital requires deliberate investment of both economic and cultural resources. Loury (1977) argued that the implementation of equal opportunity program would not reduce racial inequality because the shortage of social capital for young black workers reduced their opportunities. Coleman (1988) explored the effects of social capital on the creation of human capital.Putnam (1993) argued that social capital might influence the performance of government and explained the economic success of a northern Italian region relative to the southern Italian area. His research generated much interest in the understanding of the economic function of social capital in the accumulation of other kinds of resources. At the individual level, social capital can influence career success and the creation of human capital (Granovetter, 1973; Loury, 1977; Coleman, 1988; Burt, 1992; Gabbay and Zuckerman, 1998; Zhang, 1999). At the inter- and intra-firm level, social capital can facilitate inter-unit resource (including information) exchange and product innovation. Many studies (Gabbay and Zuckerman, 1998; Hansen, 1998; Chong and Gibbons, 1997; Baker, 1990; Dore, 1983; Gerlach, 1992; Uzzi, 1997, 1999; Murphy, 2002) found that social capital may reduce transaction costs, enhance cooperation, facilitate entrepreneurship and formation of start-up companies, and strengthen supplier relations, regional production networks, and inter-firm learning. At the national level, social capital is one of the important factors affecting economic development and growth (Putnam, 1992; Zhang, 1999; Knack and Keefer, 1997).While many studies have demonstrated the positive impacts of social capital on economic outcomes, Portes (1998), Portes and Landolt (1996), and Krishna (2001) found negative effects of social capitals. That is, enterprises with rich social capital do not always achieve good performance. Social capital has various forms, such as bonding social capital, bridging social capital, and linking social capital. Thus, the net effect of social capital to be positive or negative depends on the balance of various forms of social capital (Woolcock, 1998).We investigate the effects of social capital on the financial performance of private enterprises in China. Our study is of interest and importance to academicians, practitioners, and policymakers for various reasons. Economic reforms are still on-going and have been ever since China has started market-oriented reforms since the late 1970s. China's goods and financial markets, as in an emerging economy, are continuously changing and apparently not perfect. As a result, China provides us a good opportunity to study the important roles of social capital in an imperfect market. Second, China is a traditionally network-oriented economy, where social capital appears to be more important than the other western economies, where individual orientation is emphasized. Finally, Putnam (1992) argued that social capital building is a process lasting centuries, implying that the effects of annual flows of social capital must be small, while Krishna (2001) indicates that social capital can be built up within a relatively short time. We examine the flow of social capital on firm performance of China's private enterprise to shed light on the debate whether or not social capital can be created for a short term.The rest of the paper is organized as follows. First, we describe the methodology, data, and various measures of social capital in the following section. The next section discusses the empirical results and implications. The last section is the conclusion.\nMethodology and data: The model\nEmpirical results: Table I shows the distribution of sample enterprises by sector. Of all sectors, manufacturing is the most important sector (1,115 firms) in our survey data. It makes up about 40 percent of all samples. The second important sector is business and restaurants (i.e. 575 firms or 21 percent of the sample), followed by the construction (178 firms or 6.4 percent of the sample).Table II shows the location of sample enterprises. Most firms are located in big cities, where there are 1,304 firms in our survey, representing 42 percent of the total sample. In the second largest group, we have 1,242 firms in the small city and towns, which is about 40 percent of the total sample.Table III shows the scale or size, sector distribution, and location of the sampled enterprises. The average capital scale of investigated private enterprises was bigger than the average size of all enterprises, which was about 680,000 yuan (total capital) in 1999.Table IV shows the regression results using profitability as the dependent variable, one of the performance measures here. Profitability is the return to asset (i.e. profit/total asset). The results show that memberships in various organizations that are used to measure social capital appear to be insignificant in explaining the performance across Chinese private enterprises. Memberships in China are, to a large extent, a political symbol and do not have a real effect on business transactions.Table V shows the responses to the functions of entrepreneur associations and guilds. When entrepreneurs were posed this question, 33.6 percent of the participants suggested that protection of private property is more pertinent while 9.2 percent of the responses were related to the promotion of social position of private enterprises. The results imply that entrepreneurs do not regard association and guilds as a genuine network for developing businesses, but only serves as a mechanism that can reflect voices of enterprises to the government.Two investment measures (entertainment cost and donation) in social capital appear to play a significant role in enterprises performance. The traditional view suggests that social capital needs a long-term investment. Our empirical evidence showing that cost of entertainment and donation as investments are positive and significant in affecting profitability and thus demonstrates the current investments are important determinants of enterprise performance. Entertainment cost may help develop friendships among entrepreneurs and transform business relationships into real results. Donation may strengthen good connection with local communities and promote reputation of enterprises. As a result, these firms have better social influences.Table VI reports the regression results with sales as the dependent variable. Similarly to earlier (profitability) results, we find that the same variables (entertainment cost and donation) are the two important determinants of sales, suggesting that the investments of social capital can improve growth of the firm. Table VII reports the three major reasons for donation. The results show that development of networks is important to a business as shown by the large percentage in the second and third reasons for donation.Some scholars argue that social capital is not rational (Woolcock and Narayan, 2000). However, it is reasonable to treat social capital as a kind of resource from the interactions among rational agents for mutual benefits. Social capital should not be regarded as given, but the result of an investment strategy (Bao, 1997). Paldam and Svendsen (1999) suggest that physical capital is made possible by investment, while human capital is improved through education. Social capital may be treated as a production of capital in a well-orchestrated manner but the process of forming the capital is time consuming, lasting centuries (Putnam, 1992). However, some scholars argued that social capital will be created over a short-term (Krishna, 2001). Our results show that current investments through entertainment activity and donation play a positive role in the financial performance of firms, a result supporting Krishna's hypothesis.\nConcluding remarks: After Putnam's (1992, 1993) pioneer research on social capital's effects on economic outcome, a substantial number of studies have investigated the relationship between social capital and economic performance. Using a survey data on private enterprises, the paper tests the effects of social capital on the financial performance of firms in China. The survey was conducted in 2000 by the National Association of Private Enterprises and the Chinese Academy of Social Science.The results of our analysis indicate that short-term investments in social capital, which are measured by donation and entertainment activity, significantly improve the financial performance of Chinese enterprises through profitability and sales. Interestingly, memberships do not appear to play a significant role in improving the financial performance. This is likely due to the fact the memberships in organizations in China are largely symbolic in nature, and they are not part of the total networks.There exist various types of social capital, which may have different effects on the economic performance of firms. The study examines only the effects of the short-time investment in social capital. We have not examined the effects of long-term investments in social capital and their relationship between short-time investment and long-time investment in social capital. The whole network should include informal networks, which need to be examined in future research.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - This study aims to investigate the effects of social capital (defined as networks) on the performance of Chinese private enterprises.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The paper employ an econometric model to test relationships between social capital and firm performance, using a sample of private enterprises in a survey in China in 2000.\nFindings: - The analysis suggests two findings. First, memberships in various organizations do not appear to be significant in affecting the performance of Chinese private enterprises. Second, short-time investment in, and the flow of, social capital are significant determinants of enterprise performance.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The study examines only the effects of the short-time investment in social capital. Further research is suggested to examine the effects of long-term investments in social capital, the relationship between short-time investment and long-time investment in social capital, and the network as a whole, including informal networks.\nOriginality/value: - The paper uses the survey data in China to test Krishna's hypothesis which suggests that short-term investments can play a positive role in the financial performance of firms.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.