bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of the lattice Boltzmann method for large‐scale hydraulic problems
Authors: Biscarini Chiara , Di Francesco Silvia , Mencattini Matteo
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to prove the validity of the front‐tracking variant of the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) to simulate free surface hydraulic flows (i.e. dam break flows).

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, an algorithm for free surface simulations with the LBM method is presented. The method is chosen for its computational efficiency and ability to deal with complex geometries. The LBM is combined to a surface‐tracking technique applied to a fixed Eulerian mesh in order to simulate free surface flows.

Findings

The numerical method is then validated against two typical cases of environmental‐hydraulic interest (i.e. dam break) by comparing LBM results with experimental data available in literature. The results show that the model is able to reproduce the observed water levels and the wave fronts with reasonable accuracy in the whole period of the transient simulations, thus highlighting that the present method may be a promising tool for practical dam break analyses.

Originality/value

Even if the main philosophy of the proposed method is equal to the volume of fluid technique usually coupled to Navier‐Stokes models, no additional differential equation is needed to determine the relative volume fraction of the two phases, or phase fraction, in each computational cell, as the free‐surface tracking is automatically performed. This results in a method very simple to be coded with high computational efficiency. The results presented in this paper are the first, to the best of the authors' knowledge, in the field of hydraulic engineering.
Flow in a rapidly rotating cone‐shaped PCR‐tube
Authors: Skote Martin , Mårtensson Gustaf E. , Johansson Arne V.
Published: July 2011

Purpose

A precise and rapid temperature cycling of a small volume of fluid is vital for an effective DNA replication process using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The purpose of this paper is to study the velocity and temperature fields inside a rotating PCR‐tube during cooling of the enclosed liquid.

Design/methodology/approach

The velocity and temperature fields inside a rotating PCR‐tube during cooling of the enclosed liquid are studied. By using computational fluid dynamics, the time development of the flow can be investigated in detail. Owing to the rotation, the flow exhibits features which could never arise in a non‐rotating system.

Findings

An intricate azimuthal boundary layer flow is presented and explained. The inherent problem of stratification of the temperature is discussed, and different methods towards a remedy are presented. By analyzing the governing equations, some properties of the flow observed in the simulations are explained. It is shown that increasing the rate of rotation does not improve temperature homogenization.

Research limitations/implications

The simulations were performed for a limited number of temperature boundary conditions, as well as a specific simulation geometry.

Practical implications

The analytical and simulation results offer fundamental insight into the physics behind increased DNA duplication. Further simulations offer possible design improvements.

Originality/value

While many studies have probed the effects of buoyancy in rotating cylinders and the development of boundary layers in stratified flows in conical containers rotating around their axis of symmetry, little work has been specifically focused on the case where the axis of rotation is normal to the direction of the stratification, which is the case in the present study.
How to attract people who are in sync with your culture
Authors: Weyland Anita
Published: July 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to underline the importance of organizations attracting people who are synchronized with the organizational culture.

Design/methodology/approach

Deals with defining the company's culture, recruitment advertising, and the interviewing and selection of candidates.

Findings

Explains how appointing someone whose values, beliefs and behaviors are compatible with those of the organization can contribute to increased productivity and, ultimately, corporate success.

Practical implications

Contends that an employee who is in sync with the company culture is more likely to be committed, perform better, stay longer and promote the company than someone who joined just for the job.

Social implications

Argues that ethics, working practices, social dynamics and community involvement are all important selection criteria for the candidate.

Originality/value

Urges that an emotional connection with the brand/product/service is crucial if the organization wants an employee who truly flies the flag for the company.
Board of directors' independence and executive compensation disclosure transparency
Authors: Ben‐Amar Walid , Zeghal Daniel
Published: July 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the relationship between board of directors' independence and executive compensation disclosures transparency.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper examines compensation disclosure practices of a sample of 181 firms listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Board independence from management is assessed through an aggregate score which takes into account the proportion of independent directors, board leadership structure (i.e. CEO is the board chairperson), and the existence and independence of board committees. A cross‐sectional regression analysis is used to examine the relationship between board independence and the extent of compensation disclosure.

Findings

The paper finds that board independence from management is positively related to the transparency of executive compensation‐related information. In addition, this study documents a positive (negative) relation between firm size, US cross‐listing, growth opportunities (leverage) and the extent of executive compensation disclosure.

Research limitations/implications

The study's results provide support to the managerial opportunism hypothesis in executive compensation. These findings highlight the importance of the board of directors as an effective governance mechanism which limits managerial rent‐seeking in the design as well as the disclosure of executive compensation practices.

Originality/value

This paper extends prior disclosure studies by examining the impact of board characteristics on the transparency of executive compensation disclosures in a principles‐based governance regime. Furthermore, executive compensation disclosure provides an interesting setting in which to examine the ability of the directors to act independently from managers in a conflict of interests situation.
The landscape of cybercrime in Greece
Authors: Vlachos Vasileios , Minou Marilena , Assimakopouos Vasillis , Toska Androniki
Published: July 2011

Purpose

Cybercrime is a serious threat for most modern societies as it hinders the necessary adoption of information and communication technologies (ICT). This paper seeks to analyze a large number of real cases related to the cybercrime in Greece.

Design/methodology/approach

All cases were voluntarily submitted from Greek users, who asked for assistance to a special task force, composed of public sector employees and servants. By analyzing more than 1,000 similar cases, the paper derives a taxonomy of security‐related incidents that the Greek users encountered during the past years. Greece only recently embraced broadband technologies and, therefore, this paper is able to observe the corresponding increase of cybercriminal activities.

Findings

An analysis of the reports received by the task force indicate a clear shift in the type of reported content. A large number of recent reports from Greek users concern financial fraud schemes and phenomena of cyberbullying and cyber‐extortions, activities related primarily to the newly emerged social networking sites.

Originality/value

The paper offers insights into cybercrime in Greece via real case studies.
Countering code injection attacks: a unified approach
Authors: Mitropoulos Dimitris , Karakoidas Vassilios , Louridas Panagiotis , Spinellis Diomidis
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a generic approach that prevents a specific class of code injection attacks (CIAs) in a novel way.

Design/methodology/approach

To defend against CIAs this approach involves detecting attacks by using location‐specific signatures to validate code statements. The signatures are unique identifiers that represent specific characteristics of a statement's execution. The key property that differentiates the scheme presented in this paper is that these characteristics do not depend entirely on the code statement, but also take into account elements from its execution context.

Findings

The approach was applied successfully to defend against attacks targeting structured query language (SQL), XML Path Language and JavaScript with positive results.

Originality/value

Despite many countermeasures that have been proposed the number of CIAs has been increasing. Malicious users seem to find new ways to introduce compromised embedded executable code to applications by using a variety of languages and techniques. Hence, a generic approach that defends against such attacks would be a useful countermeasure. This approach can defend attacks that involve both domain‐specific languages (e.g. SQL) and general purpose languages (e.g. JavaScript) and can be used both against client‐side and server‐side attacks.
Workplace learning and its organizational benefits for small enterprises
Authors: Panagiotakopoulos Antonios
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore small firm owners' perceptions of the impact of employee training on small firm competitiveness in the context of Greece.

Design/methodology/approach

The research adopts a qualitative orientation. Empirical data were collected from 43 owners of small and micro‐firms operating in various sectors of the Greek manufacturing industry through personal semi‐structured interviews.

Findings

The empirical evidence reveals that informal staff training can help Greek small firms face the challenges of the future. More specifically, the interview findings indicated that workplace training can: reduce employee errors in the production process; help small firms to meet skill shortage needs; facilitate the introduction of new technology; and enhance worker employability.

Practical implications

The paper argues that a key challenge for policy makers and employers in this area is to facilitate informal learning within small firms in order to improve firm performance. In the same manner, work‐integrated learning (WIL) seems to have a vital role to play in the performance of Greek small enterprises since WIL programs have the potential to address skills mismatch issues.

Originality/value

The study brings new insights around the benefits of informal staff training and work‐integrated learning for small and micro‐firm performance in the context of a small European country like Greece, where there has been scant research and very limited understanding.
Method and tools for building maintenance plan arbitration
Authors: Taillandier Franck , Sauce Gérard , Bonetto Régis
Published: July 2011

Purpose

Buildings maintenance is a complex activity: importance of issues, scales crossing, diversity of civil engineering domains … The key point of this activity is the elaboration of the maintenance. This paper seeks to present a method and the associated tools to elaborate a building maintenance plan considering the complexity of the facility management.

Design/methodology/approach

The risk notion can be a solution to handle the complexity. Specialists may specify each decision in terms of risk form in order to purchase (reflecting the probability and the associated consequences) a rich view about the global situation. The principle is to use a simulation logic, to compare the situation in terms of risk, with or without the realization of an action (work, equipment replacement, formation, etc.). This simulation logic must be based on efficient software tools, which enable one to manage the risk database ergonomically.

Findings

The method took the form of an experiment in a leading French company. The experiment's results and plan were highly beneficial. Although the method was based on personal choices rather than on a mathematical function, the final maintenance plan was considered sound and seemed to correspond to the expectations of all the participants.

Originality/value

Most facilities management methods and tools find answering the complexity problem difficult. They ignore the complexity by focusing only on the technical aspect. The work takes place at the highest facility management level, therefore shedding new light on this domain. The risk notion enables one to consider the complexity of the maintenance and to formalize it into an understandable form for the decision‐maker.
Do stealth restatements convey material information?
Authors: Irani Afshad J. , Xu Le (Emily)
Published: July 2011

Purpose

Effective August 23, 2004, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires all firms to disclose restatements via an item 4.02 Form 8‐K filing. However, a significant number of firms continue to disclose restatements using means other than an 8‐K. Commonly referred to as stealth restatements, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the materiality of restatements disclosed in either the 10‐K or the 10‐Q by comparing them to those disclosed via 8‐K.

Design/methodology/approach

Univariate and multivariate analyses compare the characteristics of and the market reaction to 10‐K/10‐Q restatements to those of 8‐K restatements.

Findings

The authors find stealth restatements are more likely to be those not affecting net income, with longer filing delays, not subject to SEC investigation and made by firms audited by non‐big four accounting firms. The authors document a negative market reaction to 8‐K restatements around the restatement disclosure date. However, for stealth restatements they find no market reaction around the 10‐K/10‐Q filing date and for up to 22 trading days after the 10‐K/10‐Q filings. Research limitations/implications – The study shows a significant difference in materiality between stealth and 8‐K restatements.

Practical implications

The study is important to investors, regulators and academics because it supports the notion that stealth restatements include less significant information relative to that disclosed in 8‐K restatements. This result is in line with the SEC disclosure requirement.

Originality/value

The significant number of stealth restatements since 2004 begs the question as to what kind of information is being disclosed in these restatements. The paper responds to this question.
The “Great Satan” talks with the “Evil”
Authors: Yeganeh Hamid
Published: July 2011

Purpose

This article aims to analyze the Iranian and American national cultures and to discuss the implications of cultural differences for communication/negotiation styles.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the concept of culture is framed and an integrative model of cultural analysis is constructed. Then, building on the extant literature and secondary data, the various traits of American and Iranian national cultures are analyzed and the implications for communication/negotiation are discussed.

Findings

It is found that Iran and America portray dissimilar and somewhat opposed cultural orientations that might create substantial obstacles to their bilateral communications/negotiations. Recommendations for more effective communications/negotiations are provided and avenues for future research are pointed out.

Research limitations/implications

Both Iran and the USA are diverse societies and obviously cannot be considered as monolithic cultures. Moreover, any generalization about the national culture is inherently approximate and does not take into account the intra‐country variations. Another major limitation of this study is that it considers culture as static and unchangeable, however, every culture is in constant transformation.

Practical implications

By bringing insights into the American and Iranian cultures, this study provides a better understanding of cross cultural differences and thus it may lead to effective bilateral communications/negotiations.

Originality/value

While this paper provides valuable insights into the Iranian‐American communication patterns, its main originality resides in offering a cross cultural approach to understanding international affairs. Moreover, the results can be extrapolated to other similar situations when Eastern/Islamic and Western cultures are involved.
Conflict in strategic decision making: do the setting and environment matter?
Authors: Elbanna Said , Ali Abbas J. , Dayan Mumin
Published: July 2011

Purpose

There are two goals of this study. First, it seeks to offer a cultural perspective with regard to the aspects of conflict in strategic decision making in Egypt. Second, it aims to examine the impact of conflict on decision effectiveness, taking into account the moderating effect of environmental uncertainty and environmental munificence.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is a multi method one in which both semi‐structured interviews and survey questionnaires were utilized. In total, 36 semi‐structured interviews were conducted and 135 usable questionnaires were collected from manufacturing firms. Various statistical techniques were used to validate the instrument and analyze the data.

Findings

This article offers new insights into the perception of conflict in Egypt. It also corroborates prior research in that conflict was found to significantly influence decision outcomes and strategic decision‐making process matters.

Practical implications

Both task and affective conflicts are treated in the context of their cultural and economic underpinnings and thus enable managers and researchers to have realistic views on the nature and impact of conflict in strategic decision making.

Originality/value

This article is designed to address a management concept which may be perceived differently across cultures – conflict. It also contributes to fill a gap in the strategic management literature by examining the perception of conflict and its impact on decision effectiveness considering the effects of setting and environment.
Brand creation vs acquisition in portfolio expansion strategy
Authors: Damoiseau Yana , Black William C. , Raggio Randle D.
Published: July 2011

Purpose

This paper seeks to address the following question: What causes firms to choose brand creation vs brand acquisition for brand portfolio expansion?

Design/methodology/approach

A multilevel interdisciplinary conceptual model is developed with nine factors at three levels of influence: the market, firm, and brand portfolio. Using 125 brand acquisitions and creations for 22 firms between 2001 and 2007, the model is tested using logistic regression to determine which factors significantly influence brand portfolio expansion strategy and whether they encourage acquisition or creation.

Findings

Significant factors were found at the market and firm levels, with competitive intensity of the market having the strongest effect, followed by the firm's financial leverage, market concentration, and market growth.

Practical implications

Contrary to prior expectations, external factors at the market and firm levels have an impact on choice of acquisition vs creation. However, internal firm factors may serve as moderators of strategy effectiveness.

Originality/value

This is the first study to empirically examine factors affecting the brand portfolio expansion strategy via brand creation versus brand acquisition across a variety of industries. From a methodological standpoint, one of the more serious and persistent problems facing prior brand research is the lack of brand‐level data, but this paper's approach overcomes this limitation by using media expenditures in the AdSpender database to represent brands within a category/market.
Effects of promotional‐based advertising on brand associations
Authors: Clayton Michael , Heo Jun
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how value‐based messaging affects brand associations within a durable goods category.

Design/methodology/approach

Brand associations are conceptualized in this paper as brand image, brand attitudes, and consumer quality perceptions. A 2×2 factorial design was employed with cognitive involvement (high/low) and advertising message (brand/value) as the experimental factors.

Findings

Results suggest that promotional‐based messaging is detrimental to all three brand associations, with quality ratings witnessing the most significant declines. In addition, the current study observed no significant effects of involvement, as measured by attention to the message, on brand association measures for value‐based messaging when compared with brand messaging.

Originality/value

The current study suggests that promotional‐messaging can be detrimental to brand association measures, compared with non‐value‐based brand messaging within a durable goods category. More research is needed to understand the long‐term effects of different levels of usage of promotional‐based messaging as part of the marketing mix.
Bridging school‐subjects and distances in upper secondary schools
Authors: Ola Lindberg J. , Sahlin Susanne
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to report how Swedish upper secondary schools involved in a European Union‐financed collaborative project intertwined aspects of subject integration and international collaboration with the use of ICT.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology used is a case study in which aspects of subject integration and international collaborative ambitions are intertwined with the use of ICT. Data consist of interviews with participants, texts concerning the project, the participating school, and the Swedish upper secondary schools system.

Findings

Teachers and students have worked towards the objectives in the project and in the national curricula, and the case shows how difficult and how many barriers there are to overcome. Even though the curricula seem difficult to coordinate, students appear to have learnt more about the European perspective, as well as about themselves, through the approach. The teacher describes student motivation as high – authenticity and real people to collaborate with support the students' experience of a holistic education, which applies to real life. The teacher tried to change the role towards providing students with structure and advice, monitoring their progress, and assessing their accomplishments, but reported to be struggling with the teacher role.

Originality/value

The paper demonstrates originality and value by providing important insight into the use of ICT in upper secondary schools for the purpose of collaboration and at the same time working towards joint curricular themes.
The impact of online teaching videos on Canadian pre‐service teachers
Authors: Karsenti Thierry , Collin Simon
Published: July 2011

Purpose

One of the major challenges in teacher training programs is the gap between the theory that is presented to pre‐service teachers and actual classroom practice. Many researchers, educators, and pre‐service teachers have emphasized the difficulty of linking theory and practice in teacher education programs. The purpose of this study is to better understand the impact of online teaching videos on the development of self‐efficacy beliefs in pre‐service teachers.

Design/methodology/approach

Over 400 student teachers participated in this study. Statistical analyses of questionnaires were conducted to assess the impact of online teaching videos. The results reveal that online videos did affect the self‐efficacy beliefs of pre‐service teachers.

Findings

Online videos of teaching practices appear to contribute positively to feelings of self‐efficacy in pre‐service teachers.

Practical implications

Given the importance of self‐efficacy for teachers' professional development, online videos could prove highly useful to this end. Apart from the impact of the videos themselves, self‐directed learning has the benefit of flexibility in terms of time and space, which is typical of open and distance learning in general. Furthermore, online videos can be readily adapted to individual professional development plans, according to the teacher's needs, in contrast to more formal training programs (either initial or continuing) with their relatively rigid, predetermined contents.

Originality/value

This study presents an original self‐training online video device that could easily be integrated in teacher training to support effectively their professional development.
Construction and validation of an e‐lifestyle instrument
Authors: Yu Chian‐Son
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to construct and validate an e‐lifestyle scale.

Design/methodology/approach

Through a two‐step approach of exploratory factor analysis (EFA), the generated two EFA solutions reveal the adequacy of the generated seven components underlying the 1,135 responses. By using the other 793 respondents sampling from the same population, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) examines and supports the fitness of the overall structure.

Findings

The empirical results show that the 39 items of the e‐lifestyle scale were grouped into seven distinct components. These components represented seven principal factors that significantly influence and shape individual e‐lifestyles.

Research limitations/implications

This investigation merely represents a starting point in e‐lifestyle research. To enhance the validity and generalization of the scale proposed in this study, further cross‐cultural validation is necessary.

Practical implications

Beyond constructing and validating an e‐lifestyle instrument, this study could provide marketers with insights about how to integrate e‐lifestyles into marketing strategies.

Originality/value

This research contributes to advance current knowledge on what factors influence e‐lifestyle and relative influences of main factors shaping e‐lifestyle, and pave a way for marketers to execute more elaborate marketing research with the proposed e‐lifestyle scale.
Internet/e‐business technologies acceptance in Canada's SMEs: an exploratory investigation
Authors: Ifinedo Princely
Published: July 2011

Purpose

This study aims at contributing to the discussion related to what causes Canadian small and medium‐size enterprises (SMEs) to be reticent about accepting internet and e‐business technologies (IEBT) in their operations. The research also seeks to gain an understanding of the relative importance of each of the selected factors in the research setting.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted in the Atlantic region of Canada. Questionnaires were mailed to key SMEs' informants. Data analysis was performed using the partial least squares (PLS) approach. A research framework based on the technology‐organization‐environment (TOE) frameworks was used to guide the research effort. Such contingent factors as perceived benefits, management commitment/support, organizational IT competence, external pressure, information systems (IS) vendor support, and availability of financial support, were used to develop relevant hypotheses.

Findings

The study's findings indicated that perceived benefits, management commitment/support, and external pressure are significant predictors of IEBT acceptance in the sampled SMEs; the results did not show that organizational IT competence, IS vendor support, and availability of financial support positively influence IEBT acceptance in the sampled SMEs.

Practical implications

Policy makers, industry leaders, and small business operators wishing to understand some of the reasons why certain SMEs in the country lag in the adoption of IEBT and related technologies can benefit from the information provided in this study. The study also alerted the attention of local IS vendors and financial institutions to what can be done to strengthen IS adoption in Canadian small businesses.

Originality/value

A handful of previous research in Canada has researched IEBT adoption; however, some of these studies are dated. A such, this current investigation of IEBT acceptance in a less endowed part of the country is timely and welcoming; it also serves to complement other prior studies in the country and elsewhere. A scan of the extant literature indicates that no previous study in the country has modeled some of the factors (e.g. the availability of financial support) as were used herein. The inclusion of such a factor enriches insight in this area of study.
Developing a B2B web site effectiveness model for SMEs
Authors: Lin Chad , Huang Yu‐An , Stockdale Rosemary
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The study examines SMEs' investment in B2B web sites and the relationship between organizational drivers such as adoption readiness and constraints and evaluation of investments. We investigate how these drivers influence the perception of B2B web site benefits and the effect a great understanding of issues has on stakeholder satisfaction in the investment.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative approach is used to test the hypotheses, which are developed from the literature. Following a pilot study, a survey of 1,000 Australian SMEs with B2B web sites is used to collect the data, which is analyzed using structural equation modeling techniques.

Findings

Findings reveal the mediating relationships between organizational drivers and their influence on SMEs' perceptions of benefits and stakeholder satisfaction and support the B2B web site evaluation effectiveness model. Further insights show that SMEs do not understand the complementary nature of the organizational drivers that support strategic alignment and therefore fail to realize benefits from their web sites.

Research limitations

Limitations of the research are noted and discussed with regard to constructs and the views of survey respondents.

Practical implications

Results suggest that SMEs consider reallocation and/or prioritization of resources and business objectives in order to improve their IT investment evaluation practices. This would have a direct impact on the level of IT benefits realized, and ultimately affect the degree of stakeholder satisfaction with B2B web site adoption.

Originality/value

A key contribution is the development of a B2B web site evaluation effectiveness model that supports greater understanding of how SMEs can gain more value from their B2B web sites.
Linking generativity and disruptive innovation to conceptualize ICTs
Authors: Menon Siddhartha
Published: July 2011

Purpose

This paper focuses on two prominent theoretically grounded approaches to this subject matter, namely disruptive innovations and generativity of the internet. This paper seeks to explicitly link these conceptual approaches in order to contribute to the epistemology on the development of ICTs.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is structured in three primary and functional sections. The first section provides a theoretically grounded literature review on the research on the generativity of the internet and on disruptive innovation as well as the research base and links and forwards these two lines of discourse. The second section describes how the conceptual foundations and assumptions of Zittrain's generativity of the internet and Christensen's disruptive innovation share common precepts and conceptual assumptions. The third section suggests that the discourse for each of the two approaches could be furthered by more deliberately and concretely drawing on the value of complementarities.

Findings

This paper offers argumentation suggesting that the theoretical concepts of hierarchies and markets are also useful in drawing conceptual linkages between the disruptive innovations and generativity of the internet approaches.

Research limitations

Since this paper is intended to focus on conceptual issues a possible limitation is that an empirical discussion of this subject matter lies outside the scope of this paper's thesis.

Practical implications

This conceptual paper has practical implications for academics, executives in the private sector and policy officials who are interested in conceptually grounded implications of ICTs and attended issues of innovation and technological change.

Social implications

The implications mainly pertain to how the process of innovation and technological change impacts the interactions among these firms both in terms of competition and collaboration.

Originality/value

This paper seeks to explicitly link conceptual approaches in order to contribute to the epistemology on the development of ICTs. The conceptual contribution of this paper goes one step further by suggesting how the discourse for each of the two approaches could be furthered by more deliberately and concretely drawing on the value of complementarities.
Does infrequent trading make a difference on stock market efficiency?
Authors: AlKhazali Osamah
Published: July 2011

Purpose

After adjusting for thin trading, this study seeks to examine the market efficiency for six emerging stock markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses the LOMAC single variance ratio (VR) test and the Wright's rank and sign VR tests to examine informational efficiency after correcting the data for thin trading that typically characterizes these indexes.

Findings

As the observed indexes in thinly traded markets may not represent the true underlying index value, there is a systematic bias toward rejecting the efficient market hypothesis. The results of this study show that after removing the effect of infrequent trading the random walk hypothesis was not rejected in all GCC equity markets.

Originality/value

To the best of the author's knowledge this is the first study that applies the Wright's rank and sign VR tests after adjusting for thin trading in GCC equity market.
Contra Eichengreen and Mitchener on ABCT
Authors: Block Walter , Barnett William
Published: July 2011

Purpose

Austrian Business Cycle Theory (ABCT) is a rare and precious flower. As adherents of this perspective, the present authors wish to share it with as many scholars as possible. They thus welcome criticisms of it, particularly emanating from neoclassical economists, who have for far too long ignored ABCT. However, at least in the case of the mainstream critics Eichengreen and Mitchener, a more accurate assessment of that which they were criticizing would have gone a long way in the direction of achieving real disagreement. To wit, they have misunderstood ABCT, and thus their criticisms fail to come to grips with this mode of analysis. The purpose of this paper is to correct the misunderstandings of Eichengreen and Mitchener regarding ABCT.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper's objectives are achieved by quoting heavily from Eichengreen, and Mitchener, and contrasting their erroneous understanding of ABCT with its actual tenets. In this way the authors hope to improve their criticism. If they could be direct their attention to the actual ABCT, instead of a straw man version of it, real understanding, and progress in economic theory, might well be the result.

Findings

The findings are, unfortunately, that there still remains a lot of work to be done if real disagreement between Austrian and neoclassical economists is to be achieved, let alone where a state of affairs is achieved where real learning can occur. A minimal necessary condition for such an eventuality is accurate understanding of the position of the other must be attained. Eichengreen, and Mitchener show little evidence of this accomplishment.

Originality/value

This paper provides a useful explanation of the ABCT.
The essential metric of customer capitalism is customer outcomes
Authors: Denning Stephen
Published: July 2011

Purpose

Too often top management focuses primarily on inputs and outputs of the firm, but has little daily information about whether customers are being frustrated, satisfied or delighted. However, one of the most critical pieces of information about the future health of an organization concerns the results of what the firm does for its customers, are they delighted or frustrated? This paper aims to address this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper discusses six tools that can measure how well the firm is delivering customer value and satisfaction.

Findings

The measurement of outcomes and customer delight thus requires more than the adoption of a new set of terminologies and tools. It is a different way of thinking, speaking and acting in the workplace.

Practical implications

Ultimately the tools and the methodologies are less important than the internal conversations surrounding them. This dialog enables the managers and the people doing the work to get inside the mind of customers and focus on what might delight them, and to track whether that is being accomplished.

Originality/value

For those organizations that are learning to thrive in the new era of customer capitalism and have committed themselves to delighting their customers, tools like Net Promoter Score, user stories, value stream and cycle time measurement and social media offer the possibility of seeing what is happening to customer outcomes in real time.
Roger Martin explores three big ideas: customer capitalism, integrative thinking and design thinking
Authors: Leavy Brian
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an interview with professor and noted author Roger Martin discussing three major topics— the future of capitalism, better executive decision making and innovations that boost customer value – all at the heart of current executive concerns.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents Martin's view, – that modern capitalism has come through two major eras over the last century, managerial capitalism (1930s to 1970s) and shareholder capitalism (1980s to 2000s). He argues that the time has come to embark on a new era, the era of “customer capitalism” and explains why.

Findings

In answer to another set of questions, Martin provides his own insight into one of the management field's most elusive and intriguing questions: what is the essence of outstanding leadership, particularly at the CEO level? His research has led him to the finding that exceptional leaders are distinguished most by the way they think, by their capacity for what he calls “integrative thinking.”

Practical implications

To a third set of questions, Martin offers his own solution to one of the major challenges facing senior executives today, how to become more innovative, not only in products and process, but also in the area of business management itself. His answer – executives should look to the concept of “design thinking” and learn how to apply it more widely to processes like strategy development and business model innovation.

Originality/value

Roger Martin believes that the shareholder value system has been rigged to the detriment of stockholders, that great managers are distinguished by how they think before they decide what to do and that design thinking is a key competitive competency. Martin offers groundbreaking ways to think about leading and management.
Disruptive innovation: the Southwest Airlines case revisited
Authors: Raynor Michael E.
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The standard explanation of Southwest's success is that it applied a low‐cost competitive strategy. This paper aims to address this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper argues that Southwest was actually employing a disruptive strategy. Financial data show that Southwest's results were highly variable during the time it was growing into a national carrier.

Findings

The paper finds that Southwest's disruptive strategy of innovative operational cost reduction did not produce striking financial returns until it adopted more efficient aircraft, which made its fuel costs competitive.

Practical implications

Cost efficiencies alone do not make a firm a disruptor. What is required is the combination of a low‐cost business model and enabling technologies.

Originality/value

This paper points out that managers should learn to see operational innovations and cost savings in the context of disruption, not just price advantage.
Mobile phones as an extension of the participant observer's self
Authors: Hein Wendy , O'Donohoe Stephanie , Ryan Annmarie
Published: July 2011

Purpose

This paper examines the value of mobile phones in ethnographic research, and seeks to demonstrate how this particular technology can support and enhance participant observation.

Design/methodology/approach

Reflecting in detail on one researcher's experience of incorporating this technological device into an ethnographic study, the paper considers how new observational tools can contribute to research beyond data generation.

Findings

The study suggests that the mobile phone can be an extension of the ethnographer and act as a powerful prosthetic, allowing the researcher to translate ethnographic principles into practice.

Research limitations/implications

This paper reflects on the uses of a mobile phone in an ethnographic study of young men's consumer experiences. Thus, the discussion focuses on a research site where the mobile phone holds a ubiquitous position. However, there are now more than four billion mobile phones in circulation worldwide, so whilst acknowledging important differences in research sites, this research can be seen to have wide implications beyond the study of young consumers.

Practical implications

The paper argues that mobile phones allow researchers to record their observations, co‐create data and share experiences with their participants in ways that enhance the quality of ethnographic interpretations and understanding.

Originality/value

Little research attention has been paid to how emerging technologies support the more traditional participant observer, or how researchers actually embed them within their fieldwork. This paper addresses this gap and considers the wide‐ranging role that technology can have throughout this research process.
Proposal and evaluation of a KBE‐RM selection system
Authors: Munguia Javier , Bernard Alain , Erdal Merve
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose and evaluate a novel tool for the assessment and selection of rapid prototyping (RP)/manufacturing (RM) systems as alternative processes for low‐volume production in the machinery and equipment design sector. By analysing previous RP/RM selectors, this research addresses the necessary factors that a knowledge‐based engineering (KBE) system must include for the analysis, comparison and ranking of candidate technologies.

Design/methodology/approach

This research starts with the analysis of previous KBE solutions for RP/RM process selection, then a new KBE tool is proposed through the integration of artificial intelligence tools such as fuzzy logic, artificial neural networks (ANNs) and relational databases. Three case studies, provided by a Spanish machinery design centre, are used in order to measure the suitability of the proposed system for the assessment of real designs of special purpose mechanical parts.

Findings

The paper reports several improvements based on case studies which include a more suitable logic for process selection according to the designer's criteria and improvements in the overall parts cost estimation when compared to conventional parametric methods.

Practical implications

The newly proposed KBE system has proven useful especially in cases where non‐experts or students need to select a RP/RM process according to an initial product design specification. The cost estimation module based on ANNs provides a practical tool which may be used by academics but also practitioners who wish to automate product costing calculations.

Originality/value

Unlike previous solutions, the proposed system provides a straightforward means for RP/RM selection by an overall ranking of candidate processes, part cost estimation and materials selection. The main contribution is the modular design and logical planning, that overcomes the dilemma: material‐or‐process first.
A CAD/CAM system for fabrication of facial prostheses
Authors: Sun Jin , Xi Juntong , Chen Xiaobo , Xiong Yaoyang
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe a computer‐aided design/manufacturing (CAD/CAM) system for fabricating facial prostheses.

Design/methodology/approach

The CAD/CAM system can be used for fabricating custom‐made facial prostheses with symmetrical or asymmetrical features. This system integrates non‐contact structured light scanning, reverse engineering and rapid prototyping manufacturing technology. Fringe projection based on the combination of the phase‐shift and grey‐code methods is used for data collection. A robust approach is proposed to calculate the mid‐plane of the human face without any knowledge of the centroid position or the principal axis in data processing.

Findings

Results show that the proposed method increases the fabrication accuracy and reduces the operating time. Patients were satisfied with the rehabilitation results as the custom‐made facial prostheses fitted them well.

Practical implications

This study improves the fabrication accuracy of facial prostheses. Three‐dimensional data of the facial surface of a patient needing a facial prosthesis were obtained with almost no harm to his body; after a series of robust processes, a precise and suitable aesthetic facial prosthesis was fabricated.

Originality/value

This system has bright prospects for clinical application because of its advantages over other methods in terms of speed, accuracy, safety, cost, etc.
Service worker behaviours and service setting facets – consumers' perspective
Authors: Paninchukunnath Ajith , Goyal Anita
Published: July 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to uncover service worker behaviours and service setting facets contributing to satisfaction/dissatisfaction during critical service encounters in the context of interpersonal services in elaborate servicescape from consumers' perspectives.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used the method of critical incident technique (CIT). In total, 371 critical service encounters were investigated. Actual service experience, with any one of the eight prominent interpersonal services, was collected from adult service consumers living in the national capital region of India.

Findings

Dominant worker behaviours and setting facets contributing to satisfaction/dissatisfaction in critical service encounters are identified. Analysis of behaviours confirms behavioural categories suggested by previous research, i.e. recovery, adaptability, spontaneity, courteous, information sharing, connecting and identified one additional category, namely professional behaviour. Service setting facets are ambient condition, interior, exterior and other tangibles.

Research limitations/implications

Data were collected only from adult service consumers living in the national capital region of India (urban area) with a minimum education qualification of graduation. Initial encounters are not treated separately.

Practical implications

The identification of dominant behaviours and service setting facets in this research will help the managers to better manage and monitor service encounters leading to more satisfied customers.

Originality/value

This is a pioneer empirical work which investigated the various employee behaviours and service setting facets that have resulted in consumers' satisfying/dissatisfying service experiences in the context of interpersonal services with elaborate servicescapes. This study has also identified one additional category of service worker behaviour and developed a reliable classification scheme, to analyze critical service encounters, which may be of use to future researchers.