Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Simultaneous measurement of quality in different online services

The purpose of our study is to propose a measurement model, based on two separate scales, to simultaneously test the quality of three services: online travel reservations, accommodation reservations and online ticketing. A scale to measure electronic service quality consists of four dimensions: design, functionality, privacy and information/reliability. The second scale used to measure recovery electronic service quality consists of two dimensions: access/contact and responsiveness. The findings indicate that our scales are reliable, valid and consistent among different contexts. To complete the validity assessment of the proposed scales, we test the nomological validity comparing different competing models.
Life-cycle stages in wine tourism development: A comparison of wine regions in Croatia

Wine tourism has emerged as a strategic development option for many destinations, including two regions in Croatia. It requires the emergence of a tourism and hospitality orientation, significant private and public capital investment, and a willingness on the part of winery owners to adapt to visitor needs and demands. The aim of this article is to critically examine the emergence of wine tourism in two Croatian wine regions and assess related life-cycle implications. Winery owners' perceptions of and attitudes toward wine tourism are specifically examined, employing interviews and a questionnaire. Recommendations are made for developing the potential of the Croatian wine regions, and for advancement of the wine tourism destination life-cycle concept.
Do Nasty and Pleasant Surprises Regarding Tax Revenue Explain Spending Drifts? The Case of the Swiss Cantons

This article aims to explain the difference between the expenditure reported in governmental end-of-the-year budgets and the amounts previously forecasted in the approved beginning-of-the-year budgets. We measure how political, financial, and institutional variables affect this spending drift. We focus on two much-debated factors, namely, tax revenue budgeting errors and the stringency of fiscal rules. Our econometric approach uses a panel based on the 26 Swiss cantons covering the period of 1980 to 2011. Results suggest that stringent fiscal rules discourage budget overruns, whereas underestimating tax revenue—i.e., a budgetary “pleasant surprise”—offers the opportunity for some overspending.
Poverty, Public Assistance and Single Mothers : A Comparative Look at Norway, Russia and the U.S

This article presents some of the perceptions and experiences of mothers on public assistance and their social workers in three countries—Norway, Russia and the US. Based on in-depth interviews in each country with social workers and the women, five themes emerged that will be presented here. The mothers spoke of the inadequacy of economic support to meet their needs, a life of poverty that sometimes involved discrimination of them as mothers, and a loss of hope that their lives could be different. Two themes that stood out in the interviews with social workers was the lack of resources needed to help their clients and the dilemma faced as an agent of social welfare institutions balanced with being an advocate for the mothers’ needs.
Comparable worth and gender discrimination: An international perspective

This valuable guide for policy-makers, an output of the ILO Interdepartmental Project on Equality for Women in Employment, highlights the advantages and importance of comparable worth for evaluating jobs and setting fair pay differentials. It also indicates the need for equal opportunity policies, and legislation against discrimination in recruitment and promotion, in order to reduce the gender pay gap.
Commentary: “Family Firms and Social Responsibility: Preliminary Evidence from the S&P 500”

This commentary focuses on four themes: (1) empirical relevance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in family firms; (2) complementary theoretical explanations to CSR behavior in family firms; (3) the need for stringent definitions in family business research; and (4) the potential for dual causality between family ownership and more generous CSR policies. Specifically, I argue that agency theory can lead to additional valuable insights about CSR in family firms.
Rules and the Doctrine of Performance Management

The doctrine of performance management has been promoted as an alternative to rule-based governance. Analyzing performance management as a system of rules, this article examines how performance management is adopted through rules. The question is examined based on a systematic counting and content coding of national rules within the domain of primary education in Denmark from 1989 to 2010. Contrary to the prescriptions of the performance management doctrine, the analysis shows a clear increase in the number of rules. This reflects the creation of many new rules about performance measurement without a proportionate repeal of production rules constraining the autonomy of public service providers and their managers. The result is congruent with the expectations derived from the literature on rule dynamics, which emphasizes rules as the carriers of learning and interests. The article thereby demonstrates the utility of analyzing performance management as a system of rules.
Is non-family social capital also (or especially) important for family firm performance?

This article reports on a study investigating the effects of both family and non-family social capital on firm performance. Specifically, we contend that non-family social capital has a stronger effect on firm performance than family social capital and it also serves as a mediator between family social capital and firm performance. Using a sample of 172 Spanish family firms that includes two respondents per firm, we test a structural model that confirms our hypotheses. Our results extend the understanding of social capital beyond family firms by exploring both family- and non-family-based social relationships in a context in which social factors are predominant.
Industrial Management & Data Systems Interactive Effects of External Knowledge Sources and Internal Resources on the Innovation Capability of Chinese Manufacturers

Purpose Chinese firms were operating within a closed economic environment before the “opening up” in the late 1970s, but it has only been in the late 1990s that China has recognized the importance of innovation. The Chinese government has attempted to rectify this liability by providing funding to assist Chinese firms in developing innovation capability through increasing R&D collaborations and employing external experts. The paper aims to study the innovation of Chinese firms by examining how internal and external resources interactively impact the innovation capability. Design/methodology/approach Panel data collected from Chinese manufacturers are used to test the hypothesized relationships. Findings The results have shown that the interplay between internal and external resources exhibits differential patterns of impact on innovation capability. We discover different moderating patterns of the two types of external resources: visiting experts are helpful in enhancing the effects of internal human resources, while R&D collaborations are useful in exploiting internal financial and physical resources, even when the main effect of financial resources on innovation capability is not significant. Originality/value The study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidences on the roles of absorbed external resources and knowledge to catalyze internal resources in building up innovation capability in an emerging economy.
A system dynamics approach to explore sustainable policies for Xidi, the world heritage village

The relationships between heritage, tourism and community are complex and inter-related. Although the heritage system was initially proposed and set up for conservation, the enthusiasm for heritage conservation derives from its potential as a resource providing economic benefits, such as through the tourism industry. Although tourism development brings incentives to the heritage owners and other stakeholders to preserve the heritage, it also changes the nature and universal value of the heritage. In addition, neither the conservation of heritage nor heritage tourism necessarily brings benefits to the community. Yet, the policies are often formulated from one particular approach and lack a systematic and dynamic view and often lead to counter-intuitive results in the long run. This study attempts to develop a holistic system dynamics model of the Xidi world heritage village and analyse the interaction of the social, economic and heritage sectors to examine policies to achieve the goals of development and conservation. The study shows that conservation alone is not enough, policies which attempt to target the needs of the local community, including providing economic opportunities, can be a better choice if the development is carefully planned and effectively controlled to avoid the over-consumption of resources.
The diffusion of innovation among steel firms: the basic oxygen furnace

The major innovation in the steel industry in the post-World War II period has been the replacement of the open hearth furnace by the basic oxygen furnace. This article examines the diffusion of this important innovation at a more micro level than previous studies by focusing on plant behavior. Wide differences in the characteristics of the plants owned by a particular firm make this focus more appropriate. Using data from several large firms in the industry, estimates are first provided of the productivity of the basic oxygen furnace. Then, differences among plants and firms in the rate of adoption of the basic oxygen furnace are given and the causes of these differences are explored. The major finding of this article is that differences among firms in the rate of adoption of the basic oxygen furnaces are attributable both to the characteristics of the adopting plants that determine the profitability of this innovation and to the size of the firm.
Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration and lymphoma risk: results of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition.

BACKGROUND The relation between vitamin D status and lymphoma risk is inconclusive. OBJECTIVE We examined the association between prediagnostic plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and lymphoid cancer risk. DESIGN We conducted a study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort of 1127 lymphoma cases and 1127 matched controls with a mean follow-up time of 7.1 y. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate multivariable-adjusted incidence rate ratios of lymphoma risk in relation to plasma 25(OH)D. Season-standardized and season-specific 25(OH)D quartiles were used. We also analyzed 25(OH)D as a continuous variable and used predefined cutoffs. RESULTS No statistically significant association between plasma 25(OH)D and overall lymphoid cancer risk was observed. A positive association for B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma was noted only in those with a diagnosis made during the first 2 y of follow-up (P-heterogeneity = 0.03), which suggests the possibility of reverse causality. Further analysis restricted to participants with ≥2 y of follow-up time showed a significant association between 25(OH)D and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) (n = 161): adjusted incidence rate ratios were 0.40 (95% CI: 0.18, 0.90; P-trend = 0.05) and 0.31 (95% CI: 0.13, 0.76; P-trend = 0.03) for the top compared with the bottom season-standardized and season-specific quartiles, respectively. Data on dietary vitamin D intake provided further support for the observed association (incidence rate ratio: 0.33; 95% CI = 0.12, 0.89; P-trend = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS Our findings do not support a protective role of high 25(OH)D concentration in lymphoid cancers overall. However, they suggest that higher concentrations of 25(OH)D are associated with a reduced risk of CLL.
An Analysis of Manufacturer-Retailer Supply Chain Coordination in Cooperative Advertising

In the literature of cooperative (co-op) advertising, the focus of the research is on a relationship in which a manufacturer is the leader and retailers are followers. This relationship implies the dominance of the manufacturer over retailers. Recent market trends have shown a shift in power from manufacturers to retailers. Retailers, as a result, may now possess equal or even greater power than a manufacturer in some instances when it comes to retailing. Based on this new market phenomenon, we intend to explore the role of co-op advertising in a manufacturer-retailer supply chain through brand name investments, local advertising expenditures, and sharing rules of advertising expenses. Two co-op advertising models are developed and compared. The first co-op advertising model is based on the traditional leader-follower relationship of a manufacturer and a retailer. The second model incorporates partnership into co-op advertising coordination. Business examples and managerial implications of the models have been discussed. A cooperative bargaining technique is utilized to implement the partnership co-op advertising model.
Development and Validation of a Multidimensional Business Capabilities Measurement Instrument

According to the theory of resource-based view, a firm's special capabilities are the main sources of its superior performance and competitive advantage. The effects of business capabilities on performance and competitive advantage have been tested by myriad research studies, but the various studies have lacked a commonly accepted measurement instrument that comprises all components of business capabilities. This study aims to fill this gap through conceptualizing and developing a multidimensional business capabilities measurement instrument. We established a scale incorporating seven dimensions of business capabilities that are compatible with operational functions. Data were then collected from 445 owners/executives of the manufacturing firms and analyzed through confirmatory factor analysis to assess validity and reliability. As a result, we have attempted to contribute to business executives and academics by providing a multidimensional business capabilities scale.
Domestic political and external security determinants of the demand for greek military expenditure

By European Union and NATO standards, Greece consistently allocates substantial human and material resources to defence. The Greek defence burden (i.e. military expenditure as a share of GDP) has invariably been appreciably higher than the EU and NATO averages. The paper applies an autoregressive distributed lag model (ARDL) to present cointegrated estimates of the demand function for Greek military expenditure, in which domestic political factors and external security determinants are incorporated. Our empirical findings suggest that Greek defence spending over the period 1960-1998 has been influenced by both external security concerns, namely Turkey, as well as changes in the domestic political scene.
Diarrhea caused by viruses in transplant recipients

Diarrhea is a common complication after solid organ transplantation, and viruses are emerging as important but underestimated causative agents. Viral infections in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients can result in severe and prolonged diarrhea with significant patient morbidity and graft complications. Cytomegalovirus remains the most common of the viruses to cause diarrhea, but other viruses are being increasingly recognized, including norovirus, rotavirus, and adenovirus. This article reviews the epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, management, and outcomes of these viral causes of diarrhea in SOT patients.
Combined-modality treatment and selective organ preservation in invasive bladder cancer: long-term results.

PURPOSE To evaluate our long-term experience with combined modality treatment and selective bladder preservation and to identify factors that may predict treatment response, risk of relapse, and survival. PATIENTS AND METHODS Between 1982 and 2000, 415 patients with bladder cancer (high-risk T1, n = 89; T2 to T4, n = 326) were treated with radiotherapy (RT; n = 126) or radiochemotherapy (RCT; n = 289) after transurethral resection (TUR) of the tumor. Six weeks after RT/RCT, response was evaluated by restaging-TUR. In case of complete response (CR), patients were observed at regular intervals. In case of persistent or recurrent invasive tumor, salvage-cystectomy was recommended. Median follow-up was 60 months (range, 6 to 199 months). RESULTS CR was achieved in 72% of patients. Local control after CR without muscle-invasive relapse was maintained in 64% of patients at 10 years. Distant metastases were diagnosed in 98 patients with an actuarial rate of 35% at 10 years. Ten-year disease-specific survival was 42%, and more than 80% of survivors preserved their bladder. Early tumor stage and a complete TUR were the most important factors predicting CR and survival. RCT was more effective than RT alone in terms of CR and survival. Salvage cystectomy for local failure was associated with a 45% disease-specific survival rate at 10 years. Cystectomy because of a contracted bladder was restricted to 2% of patients. CONCLUSION TUR with RCT is a reasonable option for patients seeking an alternative to radical cystectomy. Ideal candidates are those with early-stage and unifocal tumors, in whom a complete TUR is accomplished.
Cross‐cultural generalization of the effect of option choice framing on product option choices

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the cross‐cultural generalization of the effect of option choice framing on product option choices and other managerial and psychological variables.Design/methodology/approach – The experiment employs 124 Singaporean and 96 Thai working adults, who add options to a base model or delete options from a full model in a condominium purchase scenario. Hypotheses are derived from the different weights for monetary losses and utility gains from adding options vs utility losses and monetary gains from deleting options.Findings – For both Singaporeans and Thais, compared to additive framing, subtractive framing results in a higher number of options chosen, higher total option prices, higher expected product prices and higher perceived product prestige. For Thais, compared to additive framing, subtractive framing also results in lower perceived decision difficulty and shorter decision time. For Singaporeans, compared to additive framing, subtractive framing results .
Appointment Scheduling with No‐Shows and Overbooking

We study an overbooking model for scheduling arrivals at a medical facility under no‐show behavior, with patients having different no‐show probabilities and different weights. The scheduler has to assign the patients to time slots in such a way that she minimizes the expected weighted sum of the patients' waiting times and the doctor's idle time and overtime. We first consider the static problem, where the set of patients to be scheduled and their characteristics are known in advance. We partially characterize the optimal schedule and introduce a new sequencing rule that schedules patients according to a single index that is a function of their characteristics. Then we apply our theoretical results and conclusions from numerical experiments to sequential scheduling procedures. We propose a heuristic solution to the sequential scheduling problem, where requests for appointments come in gradually over time and the scheduler has to assign each patient to one of the remaining slots that are available in the schedule for a given day. We find that the no‐show rate and patients' heterogeneity have a significant impact on the optimal schedule and should be taken under consideration.
Services supporting female entrepreneurs

There are many public initiatives that fund services which support women entrepreneurship. In order to help them improve, this paper takes a closer look at the characteristics of female entrepreneurs, their motivations, and the difficulties they face in their ventures. Through a literature review and the results of a Delphi study with 25 technicians from an EU-funded support programme, this research concludes that policies for the support of women entrepreneurs should aim at strengthening pull motivators and concentrate in designing programmes specifically tailored to the type of business, focusing on long-term policies rather than short-term initiatives.
Collaboration in local sport services in England: issues emerging from case studies of two local authority areas

Encouraging collaboration has been a central component of the Labour government's drive to modernise the delivery of public services and has been a key facet of recent sport policy in England. The proliferation of different forms of collaboration represents a reaction to the changes instigated by previous Conservative governments, which created a fragmented and congested state in which management approaches were based on competition and the value for money delivered by individual governmental agencies. However, the research literature on collaboration is somewhat limited by a lack of definitional clarity and is also characterised by the diversity of theoretical approaches that have been utilised. Research on collaboration in sport also remains in its infancy. To begin to address this limitation, case studies of collaboration between agencies involved in sport and physical activity for young people in two urban local authority areas are presented. The case studies provide evidence of the importance of such collaborations where there are a variety of sporting agencies that operate in changing local contexts.
Understanding the Impact of High Food Prices in Latin America

Since the late 1980s, almost all Latin American countries have adopted a series of far-reaching economic reforms, especially trade, financial, and capital account liberalization. Increased economic openness has gone hand in hand with large financial inflows—particularly in the first half of the 1990s—and has brought new sources of economic growth. As a result, economies grew, inflation declined, and there was a big surge in foreign cap- ital inflows. Although overall growth slowed after 1995, the region has expe- rienced strong growth in the past five years, the best sustained performance since the 1970s. With the exception of a handful of countries, this economic growth has been accompanied by relatively modest inflation. Despite these positive results, virtually all Latin American countries share similar problems: uneven economic growth, unacceptably high poverty and malnutrition rates, and lagging agricultural growth. More than 60 percent of the region’s poor live in rural areas, where slow economic growth, unequal distribution of assets, inadequate public investment and public services, and vulnerability to natural and economic shocks are major policy issues. The 2007–08 food price crisis exacerbated these problems. Prior to the cri- sis, the region was considered relatively stable and capable of absorbing exter- nal shocks, thanks to its higher foreign exchange liquidity; decreased public sector and external borrowing needs; exchange rate flexibility; lower exposure to currency, interest rate, and rollover risks in public sector debt portfolios; and improved access to local-currency loans. Nevertheless, the food price cri- sis severely affected most of the Latin American countries in terms of inflation, especially food inflation.