bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interpreting in prison settings
Authors: Martínez-Gómez Aída
Published: September 2014

This paper presents an overview of the strategies adopted by prison systems around the world to enable communication between foreign language-speaking inmates and corrections staff. Following a survey-based research design, the study targeted prison systems where the incarcerated population is at least 10% foreign-born. Information was gathered about the following issues: the legal framework ensuring communication rights of prisoners, interpretation and translation service provision, and non-mediated initiatives to overcome the language barrier. The findings show that interpreting in prison settings is still an area in the making, in terms of both professional practice and scholarly research. However, despite the paucity of legislative support and the widespread dependence on ad hoc measures and natural interpreters (mainly prisoners, and sometimes staff), a slow shift towards professionalization can be observed in some countries. These modest advances in prison interpreting seem to be taking place in countries which also pioneered — or are pioneering — the professionalization of community interpreting as a whole. This trend seems to bear very little relation to the degree of development of national prison systems, or to the proportion of foreign-born inmates in the overall prison population.
A functional analysis of the 2010 Australian Prime Minister debate
Authors: Benoit William , Benoit-Bryan Jennifer M.
Published: September 2014

This study applied the Functional Theory of Political Campaign Discourse to the July 25, 2010 Australian Prime Minister debate. Attacks were more common than acclaims, both of which occurred more frequently than defenses. Incumbent Prime Minister Gillard acclaimed more, and attacked less, than challenger Abbott. This contrast was particularly acute when the candidates discussed past deeds (record in office). The two candidates discussed policy more than character. When discussing general goals and ideals, they acclaimed more than they attacked. These results are compared with studies of political leaders debates in other countries and elections.
“Now everyone knows I’m a serial killer”
Authors: Ritchie L. David , Negrea-Busuioc Elena
Published: September 2014

Drawing on data from a series of informal conversations about public safety and police-community relations, we distinguish between a speaker’s generalized communicative intentions with respect to metaphor use and story-telling, based on what Chafe (1994, p. 145) calls “unifying ideas that persist in semiactive consciousness” and the spontaneous intentions that arise within the short-term focus or spotlight of consciousness and guide the production of actual utterances. Although speakers occasionally enter a conversation with a fixed intention to express an idea with a particular metaphor, tell a particular story in a particular style, or accomplish some other speech act, such as persuading or informing, more commonly in ordinary conversations speakers begin with only a generalized intention to engage in the social interaction, sometimes but not always accompanied by generalized intentions regarding a particular topic or a particular form of expression. We argue that these “unifying ideas” interact with the contents of the short-term focus or spotlight of consciousness to generate spontaneous communicative intentions that in turn guide the production of metaphors, stories, and other language segments. Often these spontaneous communicative intentions arise interactively in response to other participants’ utterances; sometimes they arise in response to unforeseen opportunities in the speaker’sownutterances. Consequently, in ordinary casual conversations the spontaneous communicative intentions behind metaphor, story-telling and humor are often formed ‘on the fly,’ in response to the dynamic social interaction, and sometimes as a result of collaboration with other participants.
Migration as a metaphor for time
Authors: Lambkin Brian
Published: September 2014

A previous article about the use of migration as a metaphor was concerned particularly with migration as a metaphor for metaphor (Lambkin, 2012). Here the concern is with migration as a metaphor for time, particularly as a metaphor for accessing the past and the future from the present. Two related dominant or guiding metaphors are identified: the past/future is a foreign country and the past/future is a lost /undiscovered world. The procedure adopted is to look first at how the novelist L.P Hartley and the historian Peter Laslett respectively developed these metaphors in “The Go-between” (1953) and “The World we have Lost” (1965). Then consideration is given to the analysis of the discourse in which these metaphors are used by the cultural geographer David Lowenthal, particularly in his “The Past is a Foreign Country” (1985). Finally, the metaphors of travelling between present and past and travelling between present and future are discussed in relation to the discipline of migration studies and a proposal is made for re-framing time past, present and future, in terms of migration.
The relationship between reading literary novels and predictive inference generation
Authors: Inohara Keisuke , Honma Ryoko , Goto Takayuki , Kusumi Takashi , Utsumi Akira
Published: September 2014

This study examined the relationship between reading literary novels and generating predictive inferences by analyzing a corpus of Japanese novels. Latent semantic analysis (LSA) was used to capture the statistical structure of the corpus. Then, the authors asked 74 Japanese college students to generate predictive inferences (e.g., “The newspaper burned”) in response to Japanese event sentences (e.g., “A newspaper fell into a bonfire”) and obtained more than 5,000 predicted events. The analysis showed a significant relationship between LSA similarity between the event sentences and the predicted events and frequency of the predicted events. This result suggests that exposure to literary works may help develop readers’ inference generation skills. In addition, two vector operation methods for sentence vector constructions from word vectors were compared: the “Average” method and the “Predication Algorithm” method (Kintsch, 2001). The results support the superiority of the Predication Algorithm method over the Average method.
Getting away with murder
Authors: Linder Daniel
Published: September 2014

InThe Maltese Falcon(1929/1930), U.S. hard-boiled author Dashiell Hammett used common colloquial terms (queerandfairy) and specialized slang terms (gunsel,the gooseberry lay) to include homosexual characters at a time when pulp magazines and mainstream publishers frowned on diverse sexualities. Hammett subversively introduced these terms in a resolvably ambiguous fashion, relying on readers to trigger underlying homosexual interpretations. Instances ofqueerandfairywere attenuated in early versions (1933, 1946) but in more recent versions (1968, 1974, 1992, and 2011) were generally preserved (marica) or even intensified (maricón). In many cases, the Spanish translators misinterpretedthe gooseberry lay, which has no sexual connotations at all, thinking it meant something homosexual. In all cases, the termgunsel, which does have a homosexual meaning, was stripped of all male same-sex significance and was cast into slang terms for gunman, thug or killer.
Translator associations—from gatekeepers to communities
Authors: Pym Anthony
Published: September 2014

Analysis of 217 associations for translators and/or interpreters shows that, after the heroic age of the generalist national and international groupings in the 1950s and 1960s, there has been a progressive specialization of associations. In rough chronological order, separate institutions have been created for literary translators, sworn/authorized translators and interpreters, conference interpreters, public-service interpreters and audiovisual translators. This process might be seen as a division of labor, a normal result of increasing memberships. Analysis of the communication strategies employed by the associations nevertheless suggests that there has been a profound shift in their very nature: from a model where the association ideally vouches for the professional trustworthiness of several thousands of members, thus implicitly speaking to clients and other professions, we find a tendency toward communication patterns where the association becomes a place for social, pedagogical and political action between its members. The greater density and plexity of the interactions means that the newer associations involve smaller groups of people, selected on the basis of either professional specialization or geographical proximity. Similar interactive models are found in online marketplaces for translations and in communities of volunteer translators, which prove to be innovative not only in promoting interactive communication but also in inventing new ways of signaling translators’ trustworthiness. A way forward for the traditional associations might be to adapt some of the communication strategies operative in the electronic marketplaces and among volunteers.
The architecture of punctuation systems
Authors: Kirchhoff Frank , Primus Beatrice
Published: September 2014

Punctuation systems are explained by three architectural designs in the pertinent literature. The first one is rooted in rhetoric and ties punctuation solely to intonation; the second is pluralistic and considers not only intonation but also style, semantics, and grammar, i.e. syntax. The third model links punctuation solely to grammar, i.e. syntax. These distinctions are meant to explain both typological and historical variation in punctuation systems. The different punctuation types are mainly distinguished by the comma or virgule, which, therefore, will be the main topic of this paper. Linguistic research has shifted its focus from rhetoric to grammar and consequently, modern comma systems, including those that were previously analyzed as intonation-driven, are explained in grammatical terms by an increasing number of researchers. However, there are only few studies dealing with historical punctuation from a grammatical perspective and no study which is based on a more extensive corpus analysis. This article will fill this gap by analyzing the use of the virgule in Matthew’s Gospel in Luther’s bible (1545). In order to capture the major and systematic uses of the comma or virgule as well as its minor and less systematic uses, we propose a layered multi-dimensional model. Keywords: architecture of punctuation; historical punctuation system; comma; virgule; typology
Morphology, ontogenetic features and SSU rRNA gene-based phylogeny of a soil ciliate, Bistichella cystiformans spec. nov. (Protista, Ciliophora, Stichotrichia)
Authors: Fan Yangbo , Hu Xiaozhong , Gao Feng , Al-Farraj Saleh A. , Al-Rasheid Khaled A. S.
Published: September 2014

The morphology, ontogeny and SSU rRNA gene-based phylogeny of Bistichella cystiformans spec. nov., isolated from the slightly saline soil of a mangrove wetland in Zhanjiang, southern China, were investigated. The novel species was characterized by having five to eight buccal cirri arranged in a row, three to five transverse cirri, four macronuclear nodules aligned, and 17–32 and 20–34 cirri in frontoventral rows V and VI, respectively, both extending to the transverse cirri. The main ontogenetic features of the novel species were as follows: (1) the parental adoral zone of the membranelles is completely inherited by the proter; (2) the frontoventral and transverse cirri are formed in a six-anlagen mode; (3) basically, the frontal-ventral-transverse cirral anlagen II–V generate one transverse cirrus each at their posterior ends, while anlage VI provides no transverse cirrus; (4) both marginal rows and dorsal kineties develop intrakinetally, no dorsal kinety fragment is formed; and (5) the macronuclear nodules fuse into a single mass at the middle stage. Phylogenetic analyses based on the SSU rRNA gene showed that the novel species groups with the clade containing Bistichella variabilis, Parabistichella variabilis, Uroleptoides magnigranulosus and two species of the genus Orthoamphisiella. Given present knowledge, it was considered to be still too early to come to a final conclusion regarding the familial classification of the genus Bistichella; further investigations of key taxa with additional molecular markers are required.
Impact of firm-specific characteristics on managers’ identity disclosure
Authors: Ndidi Asien Etumudon
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to examine the impact of firm-specific characteristics on managers’ identity disclosure in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.

Design/methodology/approach

– Research data were collected from 2010 annual reports and financial statements of 403 listed firms in the GCC countries. The data were analyzed by multiple regression models.

Findings

– Evidence suggesting that managers’ identity is significantly disclosed by firms that separate the office of chairman from that of chief executive officer was documented. It was also found that mature firms significantly disclose their managers’ identity. Our finding suggests that firms’ declaration that they comply with a set of corporate governance code leads them to disclose managers’ identity. However, we find that firms that are related to the state significantly disclose their managers’ identity, contrary to expectation.

Research limitations/implications

– One limitation is the lack of a uniform classification of industries by the stock exchanges in the GCC region. The implication of this is that researchers are lacking a uniform standard to apply in their research. Another limitation is the use of only 2010 annual reports and accounts; thus, there is a problem of inter-temporal generalizability. As markets in the GCC countries are evolving, it will be interesting to capture the state of managers’ identity disclosure after 2010.

Practical implications

– The paper has the potential to influence firms in the GCC region to begin disclosing managers’ personal details and other contact information. In addition, there is the prospect that market regulators in the GCC region and other emerging markets who may read this research may now require firms to disclose their managers’ identity.

Originality/value

– This is an Original research paper.
Food safety practices in European TV cooking shows
Authors: Borda Daniela , R. Thomas Miles , Langsrud Solveig , Rychli Kathrin , Jordan Kieran , van der Roest Joop , Ioana Nicolau Anca
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to determine how well cooking shows promote safe food handling via TV and to suggest their use for providing good hygiene and good cooking practices examples for consumers.

Design/methodology/approach

– Principal component analysis was applied for the multivariate statistical analysis of the cooking shows, the components being: personal hygiene, cross-contamination, cooking and storing practices and risk communication. Data were collected via a questionnaire special designed for the purpose of the study. The positive attributes were converted into numbers using a nine-point Likert scale. This conversion enabled ranking of the cooking shows as a function of the total results obtained and considering the best show as the one with the maximum score attained.

Findings

– Evaluation of cooking practices by food safety professionals highlighted the most frequent safety errors and poor practices that are disseminated by the TV shows.

Practical implications

– While the repetition of good food handling and cooking practices risks antagonizing viewers, an increase in occasional emphasis of good hygiene would be of benefit to domestic viewers and potentially improve food safety practices among the public.

Originality/value

– This is the first study that gives an European perspective on presentation of safety practices during food handling and preparation in a range of TV cooking shows as it examines 19 such shows broadcasted in six European countries over three months. Adherence to food safety standards and introduction of a star rating system for safety practices in TV cooking shows is proposed.
How can school education impact earthquake risk reduction in Lebanon?
Authors: Baytiyeh Hoda
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– The purposes of this article are to outline the existing seismic risk in Lebanon and to identify the crucial role of Lebanese school education in advancing both a culture of safety and the resilience of Lebanese communities to destructive earthquakes.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper sets out to illustrate the exposure of Lebanon to seismic hazards and to investigate the current status of Lebanese public schools in terms of their preparedness for earthquake events. Interviews were conducted with principals from 17 different schools. From these interviews emerged the following four themes: curriculum deficiency, the structural vulnerability of school buildings, a lack of preparedness for natural hazards and the need for community engagement in this regard.

Findings

– School principals in Lebanon confirmed the need for schools to engage in earthquake disaster preparedness and mitigation, as well as to show an enthusiastic attitude for earthquake hazard reduction in terms of hazard education, greater preparedness and community engagement.

Originality/value

– As this article highlights the important role of school education in promoting earthquake disaster risk reduction, it has beneficial implications for educators, policymakers, administrators and government officials.
Assessing the quality of adhesive bonded joints using an innovative neural network approach
Authors: Vasilios Katsiropoulos Christos , D. Drainas Evangelos , G. Pantelakis Spiros
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to assess the quality of adhesively bonded joints using an alternative artificial neural networks (ANN) approach.

Design/methodology/approach

– Following the necessary surface pre-treatment and bonding process, the coupons were investigated for possible defects using C-scan ultrasonic inspection. Afterwards, the damage severity factor (DSF) theory was applied in order to quantify the existing damage state. A series of G

IC
mechanical tests was then conducted so as to assess the fracture toughness behavior of the bonded samples. Finally, the data derived both from the NDT tests (DSF) and the mechanical tests (fracture toughness energy) were combined and used to train the ANN which was developed within the present work.

Findings

– Using the developed neural network (NN) the bonding quality, in terms not only of defects but also of fracture toughness behavior, can be accessed through NDT testing, minimizing the need for mechanical tests only in the initial material characterization phase.

Originality/value

– The innovation of the paper stands on the feasibility of an alternative approach for assessing the quality of adhesively bonded joints using and ANNs, thus minimizing the necessary testing effort.
Chebyshev descriptors for SHM with acoustic emission and acousto ultrasonics
Authors: Crivelli Davide , Eaton Mark , Pearson Matthew , Holford Karen , Pullin Rhys
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to study the feasibility on the use of alternative parameters for representing acoustic emission (AE) and acousto-ultrasonic (AU) signals, using a wavelet-based approach and the computation of Chebyshev moments.

Design/methodology/approach

– Two tests were performed, one on AE artificial signals generated on a CFRP plate and one on an AU setup used for actively detecting impact damage. The waveforms were represented using a data reduction technique based on the Daubechies wavelet and an image processing technique using Chebyshev moments approximation, to get 32 descriptors for each waveform.

Findings

– The use of such descriptors allowed in the AE case to verify that the moments are similar when the waveforms are similar; in the AU setup the correlation coefficient of the descriptors with respect to a reference data set was found to be linked to the delimitation size.

Practical implications

– Such a data reduction while retaining all the useful information will be positive for wireless sensor networks, where power consumption during data transmission is key. With having to send only a reliable set of descriptors and not an entire waveform, the power consumption is believed to be reduced.

Originality/value

– This paper is a preliminary study that fulfils a need for a more reliable data reduction for ultrasonic transient signals, such as those used in AE and AU.
Dynamic modeling of a flexible oscillating pectoral fin for robotic fish
Authors: Bi Shusheng , Ma Hongwei , Cai Yueri , Niu Chuanmeng , Wang Yuliang
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– The paper aims to present a dynamic model of flexible oscillating pectoral fin for further study on its propulsion mechanism.

Design/methodology/approach

– The chordwise and spanwise motions of cow-nosed ray’s pectoral fin are first analyzed based on the mechanism of active/passive flexible deformation. The kinematic model of oscillating pectoral fin is established by introducing the flexible deformation. Then, the dynamic model of the oscillating pectoral fin is developed based on the quasi-steady blade element theory. A series of hydrodynamic experiments on the oscillating pectoral fin are carried out to investigate the influences of motion parameters on the propulsion performance of the oscillating pectoral fin.

Findings

– The experimental results are consistent with that obtained through analytical calculation within a certain range, which indicates that the developed dynamic model in this paper is applicable to describe the dynamic characteristics of the oscillating pectoral fin approximately. The experimental results show that the average thrust of an oscillating pectoral fin increases with the increasing oscillating amplitude and frequency. However, the relationship between the average thrust and the oscillating frequency is nonlinear. Moreover, the experimental results show that there is an optimal phase difference at which the oscillating pectoral fin achieves the maximum average thrust.

Originality/value

– The developed dynamic model provides the theoretical basis for further research on propulsion mechanism of oscillating pectoral fins. It can also be used in the design of the bionic pectoral fins.
Robots have come to architecture to model, construct, fabricate and offer new approaches to create innovative designs, elements and structures
Authors: Bloss Richard
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to review the dramatic entry of robotics into the field of architecture and construction.

Design/methodology/approach

– Discussions with worldwide researchers in the field of applying robotics to architecture applications and attendance at the 2014 Rob-Arch Conference at Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Findings

– Robots are enabling many new and innovative methodologies for architecture design and implementation, as well as construction.

Practical implications

– Readers may be very surprised at the many tasks that robots are already tackling in enabling innovation to reach out to architectural design and implementation.

Originality/value

– A review of a wide range of the applications of robots worldwide to architectural innovation.
How capabilities evolve in a born global firm?
Authors: Kumar Nishant , Yakhlef Ali
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– The aim of this paper to examine the mechanism through which the capabilities related to internationalisation emerge and are acquired as firms internationalise.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study draws on existing literature on born global firms and dynamic capabilities to develop a tentative framework and then use that to examine a longitudinal case study of an Indian firm operating within knowledge-intensive services industry. The role played by these capabilities in the survival and sustained international growth of born global firms has been probed.

Findings

– The study establishes a link between firm’s ability to develop such capabilities for global service delivery and its growth and survival. It is suggested that dynamic capabilities emerge as the result of a mix of experiential and deliberate learning processes, being in a constant change in rhythm with changes in domestic and in international business environments.

Research limitations/implications

– This study is based on a single case study from knowledge-intensive service industry in India with its own particular characteristics. Thus, the findings of this study may not be generalised across other emerging markets or industry.

Practical implications

– Entrepreneurs and managers of new ventures can benefit from this study, as this study helps them develop a deeper understanding of the different capability requirements for successful internationalisation.

Originality/value

– This study contributed to the existing literature on capability evolution in born global firms.
Unpacking the relationships between conflicts and team innovation
Authors: He Yuanqiong , Ding Xiu-Hao , Yang Kunpeng
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– Teamwork is important for innovation, but it often incurs conflicts. Previous literature has reported inconsistent relationships between conflicts and team performance. The purpose of this paper is to clarify this relationship and explore how to improve team innovation using conflict management styles.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study collects data in China and the survey covering 436 participants from 126 project teams. Then, structure equation model by AMOS and moderated regression analyses are used for hypotheses testing.

Findings

– This study finds that cognitive conflict and affective conflict have positive and negative effects on team innovation separately, and cognitive conflict positively affects affective conflict, with the total effect of cognitive conflict on team innovation being negative. Moreover, this study suggests that cooperative conflict management styles and dominating style (one of competitive conflict management styles) moderate the relationship between cognitive conflict and affective conflict negatively and positively.

Research limitations/implications

– First, this study did not consider features of organizations as control variables. Future research can advance in this direction. Second, the data were collected from a single marketing innovation program. Further research might use more diversified teams to test the hypotheses.

Practical implications

– Firms should realize that cognitive conflict promotes team innovation directly, but it also harms team innovation through affective conflict. Then, cooperative conflict management styles are effective in weakening the relationship between cognitive conflict and affective conflict.

Originality/value

– This study fulfills an identified need to clarify the relationship between conflict and team performance, as well as how conflict management styles moderating the relationship between cognitive conflict and affective conflict.
Do cross-border acquisitions involving emerging market firms create value
Authors: Narayan P.C. , Thenmozhi M.
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to contribute to M&A literature by explicitly investigating whether cross-border acquisitions involving emerging markets, either as acquirers or as targets, create value and how is the performance outcome in such acquisitions impacted by deal-specific characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study uses industry-adjusted operating performance to measure acquisition gains, the Wilcoxon signed rank test to examine value creation potential and OLS regression to evaluate the impact of deal characteristics on acquisition gains.

Findings

– The authors find very pronounced value destruction when emerging market firms acquire targets in developed markets, the adverse outcome being further aggravated when the mode of acquisition is “tender offer” rather than a “negotiated deal”. On the other hand, when developed market firms acquire targets from emerging markets, there is an even chance of value creation, the outcome being favourably influenced by the pre-acquisition performance of the two firms, relative size of the target and cash (not stock-swap) as the mode of payment.

Originality/value

– The findings from this paper offer an important, statistically significant explanation on the value creation potential and the impact of deal characteristics on post-acquisition operating performance in cross-border acquisitions involving emerging market firms. This finding assumes immense significance, given the rapidly changing landscape of global M&A, witnessed through a continuous rise in the volume and value of cross-border acquisitions involving emerging market firms.
Assessing longitudinal relationships between financial performance and downsizing
Authors: N. Chhinzer Nita , Currie Elliott
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to suggest that divergent financial performance triggers different rationales for the decision to downsize (excuses, justifications, apologies or denials) and that organizational financial performance post-downsizing varies based on the initial downsizing rationale.

Design/methodology/approach

– A mixed methods approach paired content analysis of 178 downsizing announcements from 2005 to 2011 with organizational financial data pre and post-downsizing event. Paired samplet-tests determined mean differences in organizational financial performance pre- and post-downsizing based on six commonly used organizational performance measures (accounting and human resources metrics). Longitudinal performance trends were evaluated using event history analysis.

Findings

– Organizational experiencing both financial growth and decline engage in downsizing, but organizational financial performance varies based on downsizing rationale. For example, organizations engaging in excuse-based downsizing experienced significant levels of volatility and decline pre-downsizing, but growth post-downsizing. However, organizations engaging in justification-based downsizing experienced financial decline pre-downsizing, but no significant additional decline post-downsizing.

Research limitations/implications

– Collection of information over multiple business or economic cycles, or categorizing organizations based on industry, organizations size or number of employees may provide additional information on the relationship between downsizing and organizational financial performance.

Practical implications

– Organizational performance pre- and post-downsizing varies based on downsizing rationale. Additionally, metrics used to evaluate downsizing success or failure should be considered carefully.

Originality/value

– The authors help explain divergent results in existing research on the relationship between downsizing and organizational financial performance by identifying downsizing as a multi-dimensional event. The study indicates that organizational experience both financial growth and decline engage in downsizing, but rationalize the downsizing differently (according to social accounts).
The role of trust in cruise passenger behavioral intentions
Authors: Forgas-Coll Santiago , Palau-Saumell Ramon , Sánchez-García Javier , María Caplliure-Giner Eva
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop and test a framework to investigate the relationship between perceived value, satisfaction, trust and behavioral intentions and the moderator effect of the cruise line on cruise passengers’ perceptions.

Design/methodology/approach

– A structural model was developed. In order to verify the hypotheses, a total of 729 cruise passengers were sampled. The study of the data used structural equation models by means of a multi-group analysis.

Findings

– The results of this study suggest significant paths to increase behavioral intentions: perceived service quality? satisfaction? trust?. In addition, it has been proved that the cruise line moderates the relationships between constructs in most of the relationships in the two cruise lines analyzed.

Practical implications

– The differences in the relationships of perceived service quality with overall satisfaction, trust and behavioral intentions suggest that one of the cruise lines analyzed ought to make decisions to improve the installations and the services on board the ships. These decisions involve substantial investments which affect, as well as the marketing management regarding the design of the product, the financial management and also the CEO.

Originality/value

– Unlike earlier studies of cruise tourism carried out in Caribbean and Asian destinations, this study empirically tested a model of the formation of behavioral intentions which incorporates trust as a mediator variable between satisfaction and behavioral intentions and between perceived service quality and behavioral intentions in the Mediterranean. Also tests the moderator effect exercised by the cruise line on the consumers’ perception on the way to behavioral intentions.
Trust and the cultivation of relation-specific skills. Evidence from a multinational automotive supplier in Japan and Germany
Authors: Saeki Yasuo , Horak Sven
Published: September 2014

Purpose –

The purpose of this paper is to draw on Asanuma's concept of relation-specific skills in order to analyse collaboration between automaker and supplier. The cultivation of relation-specific skills has been widely regarded a key factor of competitiveness in the Japanese automotive industry. Yet, the concept has been described mostly in economic terms only. This research attempts to extend this view by analysing the role of informal institutions (trust) in developing relation-specific skills.

Design/methodology/approach

– By drawing on expert interview data, evaluated by using content analysis, within the frame of a case study research approach, the authors gathered data from the leading multinational automotive supplier Bosch in its facilities in Japan and Germany.

Findings

– The results show that the influence of trust plays a role in determining relation-specific skills. In conclusion, the authors assume that cultural homophily positively influences the cultivation of relation-specific skills and recommend future research to take this assumption into account.

Practical implications

– Findings imply that over the course of business transactions organisational structures hardly converge leading to higher transaction cost. Moreover,Keiretsustructures are still strong in the field of automotive electronics.

Originality/value

– So far the concept of relation-specific skills has been regarded a “culture-free” concept. The results provide a first indication that cultural differences affect the cultivation of relation-specific skill, and thus need to be considered integral to the concept.
The relationship between growth and volatility in small firms
Authors: Maria Moreno Ana , A. Zarrias Jose , L. Barbero Jose
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of predictors of growth (entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and environmental hostility) and growth itself on small-firm volatility. The objective is to find out: first, whether growth and volatility possess a similar nature; second, what are the predictors of small-firm volatility.

Design/methodology/approach

– Questionnaire data were collected from CEOs of 433 Spanish small firms (<500 employees) who provided qualitative as well as quantitative information.

Findings

– The authors find that some of the predictors on growth can also be used to predict firm volatility. Specifically, the authors find that firm volatility is influenced by EO and environmental hostility. Growth also influences firm volatility. The authors also find a strong interaction effect of growth and firm size on firm volatility. The authors conclude that although growth and firm volatility are related concepts, they are different.

Originality/value

– Growth has concentrated small-firm research during the last 20 years. However, during the last few years, the environment has become very dynamic and small firms need research helping them to deal with such dynamism. There are few studies on firm-level volatility. The research helps understand more the determinants of small-firm volatility.
Basal metabolism in tropical birds: latitude, altitude, and the ‘pace of life’
Authors: Londoño Gustavo A. , Chappell Mark A. , Castañeda María del Rosario , Jankowski Jill E. , Robinson Scott K.
Published: September 2014

Life history varies across latitudes, with the ‘pace of life’ being ‘slower’ in tropical regions. Because life history is coupled to energy metabolism via allocation tradeoffs and links between performance capacity and energy use, low metabolic intensity is expected in tropical animals. Low metabolism has been reported for lowland tropical birds, but it is unclear if this is due to ‘slow’ life history or to a warm, stable environment.

We measured basal metabolic rates (BMR) of 253 bird species across a 2·6 km altitude gradient in Peru. We predicted higher BMR at high altitude due to lower temperatures leading to elevated thermoregulatory costs. We also tested for BMR differences between widely separated tropical regions (Peru and Panama), and between tropical‐ and temperate‐breeding birds.

We found no effect of altitude on BMR in Peruvian species and no difference in BMR between Peruvian and Panamanian birds, suggesting that BMR in Neotropical birds is consistent and independent of environmental temperature. In a data set encompassing more than 500 species, tropical birds had significantly lower BMR than temperate‐breeding birds.

In contrast to several recent analyses, we found higher BMR in passerine birds than in non‐passerines, independent of breeding latitude.

Breeding latitude affects BMR, but diversity in avian life history within and between temperate and tropical regions may explain some of the residual variation in BMR after accounting for body mass and breeding latitude. Future studies of links between life history, metabolism and environmental factors might benefit from examining these variables within individual species as well as across broad geographic contrasts.
Elements of regional beetle faunas: faunal variation and compositional breakpoints along climate, land cover and geographical gradients
Authors: Heino Jani , Alahuhta Janne
Published: September 2014

Regional faunas are structured by historical, spatial and environmental factors. We studied large‐scale variation in four ecologically different beetle groups (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae, Carabidae, Hydrophiloidea, Cerambycidae) along climate, land cover and geographical gradients, examined faunal breakpoints in relation to environmental variables, and investigated the best fit pattern of assemblage variation (i.e. randomness, checkerboards, nestedness, evenly spaced, Gleasonian, Clementsian). We applied statistical methods typically used in the analysis of local ecological communities to provide novel insights into faunal compositional patterns at large spatial grain and geographical extent.

We found that spatially structured variation in climate and land cover accounted for most variation in each beetle group in partial redundancy analyses, whereas the individual effect of each explanatory variable group was generally much less important in accounting for variation in provincial species composition.

We also found that climate variables were most strongly associated with faunal breakpoints, with temperature‐related variables alone accounting for about 20% of variation at the first node of multivariate regression tree for each beetle group. The existence of faunal breakpoints was also shown by the ‘elements of faunal structure’ analyses, which suggested Clementsian gradients across the provinces, that is, that there were two or more clear groups of species responding similarly to the underlying ecological gradients.

The four beetle groups showed highly similar biogeographical patterns across our study area. The fact that temperature was related to faunal breakpoints in the species composition of each beetle group suggests that climate sets a strong filter to the distributions of species at this combination of spatial grain and spatial extent. This finding held true despite the ecological differences among the four beetle groups, ranging from fully aquatic to fully terrestrial and from herbivorous to predaceous species.

The existence of Clementsian gradients may be a common phenomenon at large scales, and it is likely to be caused by crossing multiple species pools determined by climatic and historical factors on the distributions of species.
Phantom alternatives influence food preferences in the eastern honeybee Apis cerana
Authors: Tan Ken , Dong Shihao , Liu Xiwen , Chen Weiweng , Wang Yuchong , Oldroyd Benjamin P. , Latty Tanya
Published: September 2014

Most models of animal choice behaviour assume that desirable but unavailable options, such as a high quality, but inhabited nest sites, do not influence an individual's preferences for the remaining options. However, experiments suggest that in mammals, the mere presence of such ‘phantom’ alternatives can alter, and even reverse, an individual's preferences for other items in a choice set.

Phantom alternatives may be widespread in nature, as they occur whenever a resource is visible, but unavailable at the time of choice. They are particularly relevant for nectar‐foraging animals, where previously rewarding flowers may sometimes be empty. Here, we investigate the effect of phantom alternatives on feeder preferences in the eastern honeybee, Apis cerana.

First, we tested the effects of unattractive and attractive phantom alternatives by presenting individual bees with either a binary choice set containing two feeders that differed strongly in two qualities, but were equally preferred overall (‘option 1’ and ‘option 2’), or a ternary choice set containing option 1, option 2 and one of two phantom types (unattractive and attractive). Secondly, we determined whether phantoms increase (similarity effect) or decrease (dissimilarity effect) preference for phantom‐similar choices.

In binary trials, bees had no significant preference for option 1 or option 2. However, after encountering an attractive phantom alternative, individual bees preferred option 2. The unattractive phantom did not influence bee preferences. Phantoms consistently changed individual bee preferences in favour of the phantom‐similar choice. This means that the presence of an attractive food source, even if it is unavailable, can influence preference relationships between remaining items in the choice set.

Our findings highlight the importance of considering the potential for phantom effects when studying the foraging behaviour of animals. Our results are particularly relevant for nectarivores, where empty but previously rewarding flowers are a common occurrence. Since an increase in pollinator visits can result in higher seed set, our results open up the possibility that by shifting pollinator preferences, empty flowers could have otherwise‐unpredicted influences on community composition, plant–pollinator interactions and pollinator behaviour.
Biogeography of Paenibacillus larvae, the causative agent of American foulbrood, using a new multilocus sequence typing scheme
Authors: Morrissey Barbara J. , Helgason Thorunn , Poppinga Lena , Fünfhaus Anne , Genersch Elke , Budge Giles E.
Published: September 2014

American foulbrood is the most destructive brood disease of honeybees (Apis mellifera) globally. The absence of a repeatable, universal typing scheme for the causative bacterium Paenibacillus larvae has restricted our understanding of disease epidemiology. We have created the first multilocus sequence typing scheme (MLST) for P. larvae, which largely confirms the previous enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC)–polymerase chain reaction (PCR)‐based typing scheme's divisions while providing added resolution and improved repeatability. We have used the new scheme to determine the distribution and biogeography of 294 samples of P. larvae from across six continents. We found that of the two most epidemiologically important ERIC types, ERIC I was more diverse than ERIC II. Analysis of the fixation index (FST) by distance suggested a significant relationship between genetic and geographic distance, suggesting that population structure exists in populations of P. larvae. Interestingly, this effect was only observed within the native range of the host and was absent in areas where international trade has moved honeybees and their disease. Correspondence analysis demonstrated similar sequence type (ST) distributions between native and non‐native countries and that ERIC I and II STs mainly have differing distributions. The new typing scheme facilitates epidemiological study of this costly disease of a key pollinator.
Zur (FurB) is a key factor in the control of the oxidative stress response in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120
Authors: Sein‐Echaluce Violeta C. , González Andrés , Napolitano Mauro , Luque Ignacio , Barja Francisco , Peleato M. Luisa , Fillat María F.
Published: September 2014

Iron and zinc are necessary nutrients whose homeostasis is tightly controlled by members of the ferric uptake regulator (FUR) superfamily in the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC7120. Although the link between iron metabolism and oxidative stress management is well documented, little is known about the connection between zinc homeostasis and the oxidative stress response in cyanobacteria. Zinc homeostasis in Anabaena is controlled by Zur, also named FurB. When overexpressed in Escherichia coli, Zur (FurB) improved cell survival during oxidative stress. In order to investigate the possible correlation between Zur and the oxidative stress response in Anabaena, zur deletion and zur‐overexpressing strains have been constructed, and the consequences of Zur imbalance evaluated. The lack of Zur increased sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), whereas an excess of Zur enhanced oxidative stress resistance. Both mutants displayed pleiotropic phenotypes, including alterations on the filament surfaces observable by scanning electron microscopy, reduced content of endogenous H2O2 and altered expression of sodA, catalases and several peroxiredoxins. Transcriptional and biochemical analyses unveiled that the appropriate level of Zur is required for proper control of the oxidative stress response and allowed us to identify major antioxidant enzymes as novel members of the Zur regulon.