bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hybrid segmentation of internet banking users
Authors: Zuccaro Cataldo , Savard Martin
Published: September 2010

Purpose

The objective of this paper is to present and discuss the development of a transaction‐based model for segmenting users of internet banking. It aims to employ a random sample of clients of a large Canadian bank in generating the hybrid segments.

Design/methodology/approach

The basic transactional profile of the bank's clients was merged with Mosaic's financial segments contained in the Generation5 database. A random sample of 3 percent of a large Canadian chartered bank's clients was drawn from its transaction database. The transaction database employed contains clients from Quebec and the Maritime provinces. The sampling frame consisted of close to one million clients. Two‐step cluster analysis was employed to generate the transaction segment and later merged with the Mosaic financial segment to produce hybrid segments.

Findings

Two‐step cluster analysis identified four generic transaction segments which, when cross‐tabulated with the Mosaic financial segments, produced highly stable and interpretable segments. These hybrid segments are clearly superior to conventional life style or psychographic segments produced by classical segmentation methodologies.

Practical implications

The results of this study clearly demonstrate the functional and analytical superiority of hybrid customer segments. Hybrid segmentation, by cross‐tabulating transaction and Mosaic's financial segments, provides banks and financial institutions with superior strategic insights in customer understanding, customer segmentation, customer communication, customer prospecting and targeting.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to present, explain and to demonstrate the nature and the operational procedure to develop hybrid customer/client segments. More importantly, it is the first that goes beyond conventional approaches to segmenting banks' clients who engage in internet banking by integrating clients' transaction profiles and Mosaic financial segments. The resulting hybrid segments are radically different than the conventional, one‐dimensional segments produced by conventional cluster‐based segmentation.
The effects of task complexity and skill on over/under‐estimation of internal control
Authors: Mascha Maureen Francis , Miller Cathleen L.
Published: September 2010

Purpose

Using Bonner's model, this paper aims to examine the effects of skill level and the two task complexity dimensions – clarity and quantity of information – on subjects' internal control risk assessments.

Design/methodology/approach

The research expands the literature by isolating the individual components of task complexity and examining how skill interacts with either component in affecting decision making. It uses a 2×4 mixed factors laboratory experiment. This design allows the effects of task complexity and skill between and within subjects to be examined. The mixed factors design includes two levels (high and low) for each dimension of task complexity (clarity and quantity) on a between‐subjects basis, with four separate cases on a within‐subjects basis. Skill level is measured as the subject's task‐related knowledge. The subjects are senior‐level students in auditing courses at three Midwest universities.

Findings

It is found that subjects assess control risk too high, consistent with the conservatism principle. Skill level mediates this finding: high‐skill subjects make more accurate risk assessments; low‐skill subjects consistently assess control risk too high. Over repetitions of complex tasks, high‐skill subjects make more accurate assessments, while low‐skill subjects initially overstate, then improve. For repetitive simple tasks, both skill levels get worse, increasingly overstating their assessments. These findings support current practice, indicating that experienced auditors make complex risk assessments, where repetitive performance of complex tasks improves risk assessments. However, repetitive simple tasks may result in assessing control risk too high, resulting in excessive testing.

Originality/value

Consistent with prior research, the results suggest task complexity and subject skill are important considerations in experimental research designs.
Value relevance of accounting information in China pre‐ and post‐2001 accounting reforms
Authors: Chalmers Keryn , Navissi Farshid , Qu Wen
Published: September 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate whether the accounting reform in China has improved the relevance of China's accounting information. It seeks to investigate the association between earnings and book value of equity to share returns before and after the introduction of the Accounting System for Business Enterprises (ASBE) in 2001 for A‐ and A&B‐share firms.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper employs the return regression model. The pre‐ASBE period is designated as 1997 through to 2000, and the post‐ASBE period is designated as 2002 through to 2004. All firms listed on the Chinese stock market during the investigation period constitute the sample.

Findings

It is found that accounting information better explains share returns for both A‐share firms and A&B‐share firms in the post‐ASBE period. The paper also finds that the book value of equity for A&B‐share firms is incrementally value relevant to that of A‐share firms in the post‐ASBE period.

Research limitations/implications

Further studies will contribute to understanding how governance mechanisms and liquidity influence the association between accounting information and share returns in the Chinese A‐share market.

Practical implications

The findings provide empirical evidence regarding the relevance of accounting information in emerging markets.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the extant value relevance literature by investigating time periods surrounding the issue of ASBE in 2001 in the Chinese stock market.
A risk‐based approach to strategy execution
Authors: Sheehan Norman T.
Published: September 2010

Purpose

This article integrates strategy mapping, risk management and management control into a risk‐based approach to strategy execution. It uses strategy mapping as a tool to visually depict the firm's strategy and then assess its risks. Based on this risk assessment, the firm's management control system is designed to manage those risks which are seen to have the greatest probability to negatively impact firm profitability. The proposed framework can be used on a stand‐alone basis or be used to complement Kaplan and Norton's work on strategy mapping.

Design/methodology/approach

This article draws from the confluence of the risk management, management control, and strategy mapping literatures to illustrate how firms can improve their handling of risk.

Findings

Strategy mapping is an effective tool to identify risks, while Simons' Levers of Control provides an effective alternative to manage the risks identified.

Practical implications

A firm's future profitability depends on its ability to identify and manage risk. Given that firms only profit when they successfully manage risk, the design and application of its management control system must flow from an assessment of the risks assumed in its strategy. The primary advantage of an integrated risk‐based management control system is that it allows managers, in real time, to steer the firm towards the good things that were outlined in its strategy and away from any bad things.

Originality/value

The article extends Kaplan and Norton's work by proposing strategy mapping as a tool to identify and then to help manage risks.
The effect of productivity and quality on profitability in US airline industry
Authors: Mellat Parast Mahour , Fini Elham (Ellie) H.
Published: September 2010

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the effect of productivity and quality on profitability in the US airline industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Airlines operations and performance data were used to determine the effect of productivity and quality on profitability. Correlation and multivariate regression analysis have been used for data analysis.

Findings

The results show that labor productivity is the most significant predictor of profitability. On‐time performance has no relationship with profitability. The findings suggest that labor productivity, gas price, average annual maintenance cost and employee salary are significant predictors of profitability. The relationship between labor productivity and employee salary with profitability is positive, while gas price and average annual maintenance cost have a negative relationship with profitability.

Research limitations/implications

The research could be more detailed by taking into account measures of airline safety. Additional measures for service quality could be considered.

Practical implications

Operational performance (labor productivity) is the main source of profitability in the US airline industry followed by customer satisfaction and service quality.

Originality/value

The study captures the performance of the airline industry based on longitudinal data from 1989 to 2008. Previous studies have used either quarterly or monthly observations. Second, the study examines the significance of productivity and quality on profitability. Previous studies have provided little insight regarding the effect of productivity and quality on profitability.
Dynamic modeling of construction and demolition waste management processes
Authors: Hao Jane L.J. , Tam Vivian W.Y. , Yuan H.P. , Wang J.Y. , Li J.R.
Published: September 2010

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to develop a model based on system dynamics (SD) approach, which integrates three subsystems for simulating construction and demolition (C&D) waste management in Shenzhen, Mainland China.

Design/methodology/approach

SD approach was first used to construct the model for C&D waste management in Shenzhen. The model was then converted for running on computer through the software package “iThink”, which was specifically designed for SD modeling. The data required for model simulation was derived through various ways, including literature review, examination of official reports and yearbooks, and questionnaires. After all the parameters in the model were determined, simulation was carried out.

Findings

The model proposed in this research can provide an experimental simulation platform to investigate the complexity and interdependencies of factors in managing C&D waste in Shenzhen, Mainland China. The simulation results show that the pressing situation of C&D waste management in Shenzhen would aggravate if no effective measures were taken to address it during the simulation period. Participants' active participation and cost consideration are the two major factors affecting C&D waste reduction. Furthermore, new landfills should be planned to properly handle the C&D waste accumulated in Shenzhen over the past few years.

Originality/value

Although some studies have been conducted under the topic of C&D waste management during the past few years in Shenzhen – how to effectively and efficiently handle the waste is still unsolved. Factors affecting the effectiveness of C&D waste management have separately been examined in the previous studies, without considering their interrelations. The SD‐based model is developed in this research to investigate the complex and interdependent relationships among these factors. The model can deepen participants' understandings about C&D waste management and help explore the major factors affecting the effectiveness of management activities. The measures, which are proposed based on the simulation results, can serve as a valuable reference for planning C&D waste management in Shenzhen.
Highway work zone safety audits for safety improvements
Authors: Li Zongzhi
Published: September 2010

Purpose

The paper aims to review current practices of road safety audits worldwide, investigate the perceptions of experts on highway work zone safety in the USA and issues of adopting work zone safety audits in the country, and propose a framework for developing guidelines for implementing work zone safety audits for safety improvements.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper was conducted by reviewing the existing literature of road safety audits and administering four‐week questionnaire surveys of experts on highway work zone safety in the USA.

Findings

Road safety audits have been successfully adopted worldwide to maximize safety of the roadway environment for highway users. The questionnaire surveys have clarified leading causes of work zone safety problems and effective countermeasures, types of projects suitable for auditing and audit frequencies, audit team composition and funding sources, audit tasks and tools, and project staff safety training audits. A similar procedure for road safety audits could be adopted for work zone safety audits with emphasis on mitigating work zone safety impacts.

Research limitations/implications

Additional survey participants from the highway user group may add valuable insights into the use of highway work zone safety audits for safety improvements.

Practical implications

The paper findings would assist in preparing strategies and methodologies for developing the national highway work zone safety audit guidelines in the USA.

Originality/value

The work zone safety audit guidelines to be developed could help transportation practitioners effectively conduct work zone safety audits for safety improvements in the country.
Measuring the effect of gender on computer attitudes among pre‐service teachers
Authors: Teo Timothy
Published: September 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of gender on pre‐service teachers' computer attitudes.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 157 pre‐service teachers completed a survey questionnaire measuring their responses to four constructs which explain computer attitude. These were administered during the teaching term where participants were attending a technology course. Structural equation modeling, in particular, confirmatory factor analysis and multiple indicators, multiple causes (MIMIC) modeling were used for data analysis.

Findings

No statistical significance is found for gender in the four constructs of computer attitude. However, the mean scores for males are higher for three of the constructs. Overall, the data in this study provides evidence to support the notion that computer attitude is a multidimensional construct.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the continuing interests among researchers to study the effect of gender towards the computer. The results of this study did not support others which found significant differences in computer attitudes by gender. This may be due to heavy reliance of computers in many educational institutions for teaching and learning which consequently granted equal access to male and female users. Methodologically, this study had employed MIMIC model as the technique to assess the effect of gender on computer attitude. MIMIC modeling is superior to conventional techniques (e.g. t‐test, ANOVA) because it is capable of analyzing latent and observed indicators.
Evolution of twenty‐first century knowledge workers
Authors: Calabrese Francesco A.
Published: September 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to convey background and historical settings on the evolution of knowledge management research and practices since the late 1990s in programs of The George Washington University (GWU), Washington, DC. The settings aim to support the papers of a special issue of the journal for exploring the future of knowledge workers in the twenty‐first century.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses historical data drawn from dissertations, books, discussions and active participation through a ten‐year community of interest (COI) comprising scholars and practitioners. This COI functions within the Institute for Knowledge and Innovation (GWU‐IKI) and the inputs are augmented with references to literature on KM and knowledge workers.

Findings

The overall viewpoint leverages off the theme that the youngest of the workforce generations, the Millennials, born since 1981, are 76 million strong and rapidly coming of age. Furthermore, through a natural process of evolution, they are already coping with the virtual real time, simultaneous, social networking of the cloud computing, cyberspace demands that are generally seen as being overwhelming and beyond the “normal” human capacities for many in the older generations.

Research limitations/implications

Viewpoints expressed on the multigenerational group of current and future knowledge workers, i.e. Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, GenXers and Millennials are extremely narrow and summary in nature. Reference to these segments of the workforce is limited to the context of this background setting, but extensive literature and active media coverage openly exists for each generation.

Practical implications

The paper gives readers insights into the contents of the 11 papers comprising the special issue. Future traits, skills, aptitudes of workers, challenges of projected multi‐dimensional environments, real life practices for culture transformations, and emphasis on lifelong learning to cope with the escalating changes of the connected global society are highlighted.

Originality/value

Children quickly adapt to change and often become the language and culture guides to adults in foreign environments. The Millennials, youngest generation of knowledge workers, will guide the global workforce through the chaos, complexity and intellectual capacity overburden of the early twenty‐first century cyber‐socialization.
Widening the scope on complaints of police misconduct
Authors: Hassell Kimberly D. , Archbold Carol A.
Published: September 2010

Purpose

This study aims to examine the relationship between officer characteristics, productivity levels, situational context, the complaint process and allegations of police misconduct in a Midwestern municipal police agency.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected for all formal and informal complaints filed against patrol officers from 2002‐2005. Demographic information, arrest, citation and report data, as well as data regarding the number of officers on scene during the police citizen contact that resulted in the complaint were utilized in these analyses.

Findings

The analyses in this study demonstrate that more aggressive officers – those who issue a greater number of citations – will generate a greater number of complaints of misconduct. Two variables explain the processing of formal complaints: number of officers present and the nature of the complaint. Further, the analyses indicate that informal complaints are a viable source of data and that the collection and archival of informal complaints can be a useful indicator for internal control of police misconduct.

Practical implications

The findings indicate that police departments must employ internal mechanisms, such as early warning systems to deal with police misconduct. Internal monitoring of police conduct may be the best way to detect misconduct as relying solely on citizen complaints as measures of police misconduct does not appear to be warranted.

Originality/value

This paper adds to the literature on complaints of police misconduct by including several variables not previously examined. Further, this study analyzes both formal and informal complaints; there are no other studies that examine informal complaints of misconduct. This study also investigates the complaint process, including frequency, nature, disposition and discipline administered following disposition of formal complaints.
Making domestic violence arrests: a test of expectancy theory
Authors: Johnson Richard R.
Published: September 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to use expectancy motivation theory to test the influence of organizational work environment on aggregate patrol officer arrest activity with regard to domestic violence incidents.

Design/methodology/approach

According to expectancy motivational theory, the aggregate frequency of an individual officer's arrests at domestic violence incidents should be explained by the expectation to make domestic violence arrests, the capability to do so, the opportunity to do so, and the likelihood that these arrests will be rewarded. The present study used survey data from a sample of 401 municipal police officers representing 23 suburban police agencies in one metropolitan area in the midwestern USA. Multivariate analysis was used to investigate correlations between the officers' perceived work environment characteristics and their aggregate domestic violence arrest activity.

Findings

As predicted, officers who, in the aggregate, resolved the largest proportion of domestic violence incidents with an arrest, were more likely to perceive that domestic violence arrests were rewarded by their agency; operated under a departmental mandatory arrest policy; had received specialized training in domestic violence investigations; were patrol officers, and worked a night shift.

Research limitations/implications

The limitations of this study include the fact that the sample is limited to suburban police officers in one metropolitan area, and the reliance on primarily self‐reported data on officer arrest outputs.

Practical implications

The present study lends further support to the use of expectancy motivation theory as a viable framework for managing officer work outputs in a law enforcement organization.

Originality/value

The paper holds value for police administrators who seek to better manage officer behavior in the field. It holds value for scholars of policing who seek to better understand how the organizational work environment influences general tendencies in officer arrest behavior. Finally, it holds value for domestic violence reformers who are interested in policy reforms that would increase police enforcement efforts against domestic violence.
The code of silence and disciplinary fairness
Authors: Kutnjak Ivković Sanja , O'Connor Shelley Tara
Published: September 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to explore how police officer rank affects the relation between the extent of the code of silence and views of discipline fairness.

Design/methodology/approach

In 2005, 150 police supervisors and 450 line officers from East Bohemia, the Czech Republic were surveyed, regarding crucial components of police integrity.

Findings

Supervisor and line officer codes of silence are similar; whenever the codes differ, the supervisor code seems to be narrower. The majority of line officers and supervisors provided similar assessments of the expected discipline; they disagreed only regarding a small number of scenarios. The results clearly show a direct relation between how strongly police officers adhere to the code of silence and the way they view disciplinary fairness, regardless of their supervisory status.

Research limitations/implications

The survey included only police officers from East Bohemia in the Czech Republic.

Practical implications

The methodology can be utilized by police administrators to explore the contours of the code of silence in their agencies, police officers' views about appropriate and expected discipline, as well as the relation between the police officers' willingness to tolerate misconduct in silence, and their perceptions of the fairness of the expected discipline.

Originality/value

Studies exploring the relation between the code of silence and discipline fairness are rare. This study contributes to this scarce literature along two dimensions: first, it provides an in‐depth analysis of the relation between the extent of the code of silence and views of discipline fairness in an emerging democracy; and second, it explores the effect of police officer rank on this relation.
Employees' and managers' accounts of interactive workplace learning
Authors: Armson Genevieve , Whiteley Alma
Published: September 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate employees' and managers' accounts of interactive learning and what might encourage or inhibit emergent learning.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach taken was a constructivist/social constructivist ontology, interpretive epistemology and qualitative methodology, using grounded theory method. Data collection included semi‐structured interview, “complete this sentence” and “scenarios” from 51 respondents: 22 managers and 29 employees in four private sector organisations. As respondents' theories emerged, these informed the next round of data collection, this process named “theoretical sampling”. Managers and employees were asked about perceptions of their own role and the other's roles in learning.

Findings

Reciprocity and participative learning involving managers and employees emerged. There was dynamism to the data and evidence of both Billett's notion of affordances and Stacey's patterns of local interactions. Employees encouraged learning through peer discussions, and motivation/personal initiative. Managers encouraged learning through have a go coaching, formal training opportunities and working with company structure and resources. The data support the idea of complex and integrated learning.

Practical implications

The data informed both managers and employees in such a way as to highlight the dynamic and complex interactions around learning processes. One practical implication is employee and manager training in emergence and complexity as learning environments. Ideas of complex responses and patterns of local interaction resonated with the data more than particular typologies of learning.

Originality/value

This paper captures insights, especially from employees, into the dialogue and dynamism of their learning opportunities, whilst supporting existing theories. The need for managers to “learn” employees' local interaction patterns emerged as a future research agenda, alongside the need to penetrate the social space of employee learning more deeply.
Lean production, market share and value creation in the agricultural machinery sector in Brazil
Authors: Forrester Paul L. , Kazumi Shimizu Ullisses , Soriano‐Meier Horacio , Arturo Garza‐Reyes Jose , Fernando Cruz Basso Leonardo
Published: September 2010

Purpose

The “resource‐based view” (RBV) of firms considers that major operational and organisational advantages are created in the internal environment of a firm. The implementation of lean manufacturing represents the potential for strategic advantage over competitors, especially in craft‐based industries in developing regions of the world. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between the adoption of lean manufacturing and market share and value creation of companies in the agricultural machinery and implements sector in Brazil.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on data collected in a survey conducted across 37 firms in the agricultural machinery and implements industry in Brazil. The data were used within a model for assessing the degree of leanness to test three hypotheses using correlation, regression, analysis of variance and cluster statistical methods.

Findings

Brazilian firms and managers in this sector that have supported a transition towards the adoption (and adaptation) of lean manufacturing practices have shown a significant improvement in their business performance.

Originality/value

The paper presents an empirical study where lean manufacturing is investigated and tested from a “RBV” perspective. It demonstrates the application of an emergent model for measuring the degree of leanness and the extent of business improvement. The study and the model are applied to smaller, craft‐based industries and so is applicable in developing countries and regions, in comparison with most literature on lean production in advanced economies. It provides a useful perspective for firms to corroborate and understand the potential benefits that lean manufacturing can bring if adopted.
Personal web usage and work inefficiency
Authors: Ramayah T.
Published: September 2010

Purpose

This study looks at the usage of the internet for personal use during office hours. The study hopes to establish whether this unauthorized usages leads to work inefficiency.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 126 employees from the Penang Free Trade Zone area was conveniently selected to respond to a structured questionnaire. As this is only a preliminary study, a proper sampling frame was deemed not necessary. The purpose of the study was to get a feel of the current situation before proceeding on a larger scale.

Findings

The results indicate that the problem of personal web use during office hours is prevalent and this leads to work inefficiency. The personal web use was divided into four categories (personal downloading, personal information research, personal communication and personal e‐commerce). The regression results indicate that three of the usage are positively related to work inefficiency. Personal downloading (β=0.315, p< 0.01), personal information research (β=0.259, p<0.01), personal e‐commerce (β=0.280, p<0.05) whereas personal communication (β=0.038, p>0.05) was not significantly related to work inefficiency. This finding empirically confirms the previous notion that personal web usage leads to work inefficiency.

Research limitations/implications

The research shows gross ignorance on the part of the employees about what is acceptable and what is not in terms of acceptable internet usage in the work place. The main limitation is that the sample was limited to a certain state in Malaysia and future research may want to cover a bigger geographical area.

Practical implications

The employers have to embark on a campaign to educate the employees on the policy of acceptable use in their respective companies to arrest this phenomenon.

Originality/value

Not many papers have been written looking at this issue and especially in the context of a developing country like Malaysia.
The globalization of film business and its effect on the Malaysian film industry
Authors: Rosnan Herwina , Nazari Ismail Mohd , Mohd Daud Norzaidi
Published: September 2010

Purpose

The study aims to examine the impact of globalization of film business on the Malaysian film industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Interviews were conducted as the primary source of information from film industry players in Malaysia.

Findings

Globalization of film business gives an impact on the Malaysian film industry.

Research limitations/implications

This paper focuses on the Malaysian film industry and concentrates only on globalization of film business impact.

Practical implications

The results provide insights to the Malaysian film sector and other organizations of similar structure of how they could manage business strategies for improved business performance.

Originality/value

This paper is perhaps one of the first to investigate the impact of globalization on the Malaysian film industry.
Issues of China's rural development and policies
Authors: Chen Xiwen
Published: September 2010

Purpose

China's economic and social structure are changing quickly since the start of the new century and how to balance the urban‐rural development has become a key point of the further development of the whole economy. Based on a brief review of rural policies since the new century, the paper aims to investigate whether these policies are successful and discusses what the government should do next as well as how to improve the reform and development of rural economy.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews the framework of China's rural policy since 2000 in the first section. Then, the impact of the financial crisis on rural development is analyzed. In the third section, this paper discusses the new issues of current rural reform and development.

Findings

The current rural polices are successful and have improved rural economic and social development greatly in the past six years. However, new problems have appeared such as insufficient funds for rural public services, inefficiency of agricultural subsidies, and unfair treatment of rural migrant workers and so on. The impact of the financial crisis on rural development is not as bad as anticipated.

Originality/value

The paper reviews the main policies of China's agriculture and rural development and points out the new issues during the rural reform. The impact of the financial crisis on rural development is discussed also. The paper's findings are very important for future policy making.
Grassland degradation and livelihoods in China's western pastoral region
Authors: Waldron Scott , Brown Colin , Longworth John
Published: September 2010

Purpose

China has embarked on a major concerted strategy to arrest grassland degradation and livelihood problems in the western pastoral region. The paper aims to provide a framework through which this strategy can be understood and refined into the future.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on a typology of grassland policies – technical, administrative, and management – and a discussion of the emphasis that China has and should place on each policy category. Data are drawn from policy documents and interview material collected through extensive fieldwork in large tracts of China's western pastoral region.

Findings

China has appropriately pursued “top‐down” technical and administrative policies to address major and immediate degradation‐livelihoods problems. However, longer term solutions to the problems require the strengthening of management structures from the “bottom‐up”, especially amongst herders themselves and other economic factors.

Practical implications

The paper proposes a series of concrete recommendations that may be considered as China refines its grasslands strategy into the future. The emphasis in the paper on the relationships between multi‐dimensional policies is of particular value in addressing multi‐dimensional grasslands‐livelihood problems.

Originality/value

Despite the magnitude and implications of China's recent grasslands strategy, there is a dearth of English language studies on the subject, which this paper aims to fill. The paper includes numerous micro‐level insights gained from extensive fieldwork in the western pastoral region that are not evident in more macro‐level studies.
China's dairy markets: trends, disparities, and implications for trade
Authors: Wang Qingbin , Parsons Robert , Zhang Guangxuan
Published: September 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review the growth and regional disparities of China's dairy market since 1980, examine urban consumer demand for three major dairy products (fluid milk, yogurt, and milk powder), analyze China's import patterns of major dairy products since 1995, and discuss China's potential roles in the world dairy market and implications for trade.

Design/methodology/approach

While the most recently available time‐series and cross‐sectional data from China are used to analyze the trends and disparities of China's milk production and dairy product consumption through graphical and regression analyses, China's custom data from 1995 to 2008 are used to examine the trends and patterns of China's dairy product imports.

Findings

China's dairy market has expanded rapidly in the past two decades but there are significant disparities across regions and income groups. The estimated income elasticities suggest that, as per capita income continues to increase, the demand for dairy products, especially yogurt and fluid milk, is expected to grow at a significant rate. The import trend and pattern analysis indicates that China's dairy imports will likely continue to grow and provide opportunities for major dairy product exporters like the USA, New Zealand, and Australia.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the literature by examining the trends and disparities of China's dairy market using the most recently available data, presenting an estimation of demand elasticities for fluid milk, yogurt, and milk powder in urban China, and discussing the future prospects of China's dairy imports and implications for trade.
What is the Good of Health Care?
Authors: Harris John
Published: September 2010

This paper sets out to discuss what precisely is meant by ‘‘benefit" when we talk of the requirement that the health care system concern itself with health gain or with maximizing beneficial health care. In particular I argue that in discharging the duty to do what is most beneficial we need to choose between rival conceptions of what is meant by beneficial. One is the patient's conception of benefit and the second is the provider's or funder's conception of benefit. I argue that it is the patient's conception of benefit which is paramount and that if this is followed it commits us to a conception of patient care which must be blind to prognosis in so far as prognosis is thought to bear upon issues of prioritisation or resource allocation.
Experimenting with Embryos: Can Philosophy Help?
Authors: Heyd David
Published: September 2010

Beyond the well‐known ethical issues involved in medical experimentation on human subjects, experimenting with embryos raises unique and particularly hard problems. Beside the psychological obstacles connected with the fear of ‘‘playing God" and the awe with which we hold the process of the creation of human beings, there are three philosophical problems which are the main subject of the article:

1. The logical problem of circularity: the morality of experimenting on embryos is dependent on the status of the embryo, which in turn is partly decided by experimentation.

2. The metaphysical problem: experiments are justified by the benefits they bring to human subjects; but it is doubtful whether an early embryo is a ‘‘subject" and whether coming into being is a ‘‘benefit".

3. The moral problem: the standard constraint on medical experiments is that they benefit either the individual subject or at least members of a relevantly defined group of patients suffering from the same syndrome. But embryo experimentation is often associated with potential cure to people of a completely different category (like geriatric patients).

Finally, the article discusses the limits of the force of philosophical arguments in the formation of actual policies for regulating such practices as experimenting with embryos. The widely‐shared fourteen‐day limit is shown to be a sound practical compromise despite the difficulties in justifying it philosophically.
Finally Everyone Can Work With Highly Complex 3D Models
Authors: Rossignac Jarek
Published: September 2010

In the past, access to 3D databases was restricted to few specialists having the appropriate CAD skills, software, and graphics hardware.

The availability of inexpensive graphics support on personal computers, the Internet’s impact on private and commercial communication, and the emergence of multimedia standards provide the basis for linking CAD databases with other personal productivity and communication tools and for making them accessible to everyone at home, in schools, in hospitals, or in the industry. For example, employees that have no design expertise, customers, and suppliers would benefit from having an easy access to the 3D databases of a company for: collaborative design review, 3D‐based multi‐media problem reports, collaborative problem solving and tracking, online training and documentation, internet‐based part purchasing and subcontracting, demonstration to customers, or advertising. This presentation will address three of the key issues that have so far limited the non‐specialist’s access to 3D databases.

First‐time or occasional non‐expert users need to become instant experts in 3D navigation through Virtual Environments or in the interactive manipulation of digital 3D models, so that they may immediately focus on their tasks, and not waste precious time learning and fighting an unnatural user interface. Immersive VR is not the panacea – other more effective techniques show promise.

The data complexity found in commercial CAD databases, especially in the automotive, aerospace, and construction industries, significantly exceeds the capabilities of any interactive graphics system. This situation is not likely to change, since the growth of the complexity and availability of 3D models outpaces the performance improvement of personal computers. Research on the automatic simplification of 3D models and on the use of levels of detail to accelerate the rendering of distant portions of the scene is growing rapidly.

The still limited bandwidth of internet communication channels prohibits a pervasive access to large amounts of 3D data. Recent 3D compression techniques reduce the storage requirements for polyhedral 3D models by two orders of magnitudes.
A Procedural Description of Geometric Textures by Spectral and Spatial Analysis of Profiles
Authors: Dischler J.‐M. , Ghazanfarpour D.
Published: September 2010

In this paper we describe a method for automatically generating procedural “geometric” textures, using a hybrid (spectral and spatial) analysis of profiles (ID curves). The profile describes a certain height variation for a certain abscissa. We call “geometric” textures a class of textures including “Bump” textures and “hypertextures”. In dealing with this challenge (automatic synthesis), we introduce two new key ideas.

The first is to compute efficiently a compact and procedural description of the texture, by using a spectral (Fourier transform based) and spatial (histogram based) analytical approach of profiles. The resulting texture is defined as a sum of elementary random functions. This sum is generated according to the profile. The procedural description allows the direct computation of the texture values at any co‐ordinates in the Euclidean space and the stochastic aspect of the elementary functions also allows for the processing of highly random textures, with no considerable increase of computation time.

The second key idea consists of using analysis in the particular and more complex case of geometric textures. For most analytical methods, underlying geometry is never considered. Using profiles as models, the resulting geometric texture is obtained by extending this profile to 2D or 3D space. The resulting texture directly matches the supplied 1D model. Hence, our method promises to be a very useful tool for easily and efficiently “modelling” any kind of geometric textures including rocks, bumps, peaks, fur, cotton and so on.
Growing and Animating Polygonal Models of Animals
Authors: Walter Marcelo , Fournier Alain
Published: September 2010

While there exist many computer models of animal bodies, as polygonal meshes and parametric surfaces, these are difficult to modify to take growth into account, or to animate. Growth data available from the literature usually is expressed as very sparse measurements over the body at various ages of the animal. We present here basic techniques to transfer growth data to computer models (especially polygonal meshes), which allows animation of the growth as well as animation of the body in the traditional sense.

The main technique consists of defining local coordinate systems around the growing parts of the body, each one being transformed according to the relevant growth data while maintaining their relationship with the adjoining parts and the continuity of the surface. The local coordinates also permit ordinary animation mainly as relative rotation such as in articulated objects.

We present examples with polygonal models of horses and cows, growth data from same, and motion from Muybridge’s classic photographic data.
Fast Analytic Shading and Shadowing for Area Light Sources
Authors: Tanaka Toshimitsu , Takahashi Tokiichiro
Published: September 2010

This paper describes a fast analytic algorithm that generates exact highlights and soft shadows from area light sources. In order to realize fast shadowing, we propose the ray‐oriented buffer which segments 3D space by following light rays from polygonal sources. Each cell of the buffer stores objects that intersect a related subspace. Candidate objects which may cast shadows onto a point are selected by referring to the buffer. The candidates are then tested with their shadow bounding volumes to suppress objects that never occlude light sources.

In addition, we propose the cross scanline clipping algorithm. It quickly determines the exact regions of uncovered area light sources with simple silhouette generation. Both diffuse and specular reflections are computed by integrating light rays from the uncovered sources. Experimental results confirm the high performance of the proposed method.
Generating Reflected Directions from BRDF Data
Authors: Lalonde Paul , Fournier Alain
Published: September 2010

Monte‐Carlo path tracing algorithms for computer graphics require that given an incident light ray at a surface an outgoing direction can be computed with a distribution given by the magnitude of the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF). For analytic reflectance functions this can be done using various techniques including inverting the function, or tabulating some representation of the inverse. However, measured BRDF data sets are too large for this to be practical.

We present a method to generate reflection rays distributed according to the magnitude of the BRDF. The method relies on a wavelet‐based representation of the BRDF. This representation is efficient and compact, allowing large, anisotropic measured BRDF data sets to be represented with a few thousand coefficients. In particular, we exploit the wavelet representation to quickly compute integrals over ranges of the BRDF.
Optimal Source Selection in Shooting Random Walk Monte Carlo Radiosity
Authors: Sbert Mateu
Published: September 2010

In this paper we study how to optimally select between different sources in shooting random walk Monte Carlo Radiosity. Until now the probability of selecting a source has been made proportional to the importance of that source for the region of interest. We will show here that, whenever the transition probabilities are the Form Factors, this is not optimal, and will consequently give the optimal case. This will correspond to probabilities proportional to the square root of importances, rather than to importances themselves.
Animation by Deformation of Space‐Time Objects
Authors: Aubert Fabrice , Bechmann Dominique
Published: September 2010

This article presents the properties of animation with space‐time objects. A space‐time object means here a geometrical object embedded in R4 with a volumic topology. Resulting animations are obtained by deforming space‐time objects with a free‐form deformation model. In this way topological modifications, such as disconnecting or hole making, as well as classical geometrical modifications, can be created in an animated object.
CLADISTIC INFERENCE AND EVOLUTIONARY SCENARIOS: LOCOMOTORY STRUCTURE, FUNCTION, AND PERFORMANCE IN WATER STRIDERS
Authors: Andersen Nils Møller
Published: September 2010

Abstract — A research methodology that aims to reveal how historical changes in environmental conditions (or selective regimes) have shaped the adaptive evolution of clades is applied to the adaptive evolution of water striders and their allies (Hemiptera‐Heteroptera, Gerromorpha), a group of semiaquatic insects which includes species that are conspicuously adapted to life on the surface film of water. Based upon reconstructed phylogenies for the higher gerromorphan taxa, the hypothesis that the hygropetric zone is the ancestral one is confirmed for the Mesoveliidae, Hebridae and the clade comprising the Paraphrynoveliidae, Macroveliidae and Hydrometridae, but not for the Hermatobatidae and Veliidae. There is no support for the hypothesis that the intersection zone was a sort of transitional zone during the ecological evolution of pleustonic bugs. It is shown that the unique morphological and behavioural traits of the most derived members of this group evolved after inferred historical changes in environmental conditions and therefore qualify as adaptations in the sense ofGould and Vrba (1982),Coddington (1988) andBaum and Larson (1991). Other predictions about the adaptive evolution of gerromorphan bugs do not pass the cladistic test. The study illustrates that cladistic inference is a valuable tool in clarifying and sharpening retrospective explanations of complex evolutionary scenarios.