bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From the Fair Deal to the Great Society
Authors: Klein Jennifer
Published: April 2014

Focusing on social insurance (Social Security), health insurance, welfare, and housing, this chapter demonstrates that the 1940s and 1950s represented a period of consolidation of New Deal programs, further bifurcation between public and private, and incremental extensions of social benefits that often still left African Americans out. The American welfare state expanded significantly through the 1950s and 1960s, but it never crowded out private insurers and providers of benefits. The provision of the most substantive and reliable public and private benefits remained tightly tethered to regular employment. The 1960s reopened the possibilities for broad-based reform and indeed included a sweep of new programs. By the 1970s, some of the most explicit racial barriers had been eliminated, and African Americans and women had gained greater access to core programs of the American welfare state. At the same time, the ideological and programmatic split between social insurance and public assistance—the assumptions about the deserving and undeserving—had only deepened.
Marriage in American Muslim Communities
Authors: Hammer Juliane
Published: April 2014

American Muslim communities continuously negotiate the ideals as well as realities of marriage and family life through references to the Qur’an, the prophetic tradition and Islamic law on the one hand, and, on the other, public discourses on gender roles, family structures, and sweeping changes in sexual and gender practices in American society. This chapter positions American Muslims as a religious minority community as well as part of transnational Muslim communities whose marriage practices are framed by Muslim discourses on Islamic tradition, religious authority, and interpretation as well as changing attitudes to sexuality, gender, and family in American society. This chapter represents marriage and family as part of the religious discourses and practices of Muslims as well as in terms of the impact of public perceptions of Islam and Muslim attitudes to gender roles.
Mosques in the United States
Authors: Bagby Ihsan
Published: April 2014

In the Muslim world, mosques function as places of worship rather than “congregations” or community centers. Muslims pray in any mosque that is convenient, since they are not considered members of a particular mosque but of the ummah (global community of Muslims). In America, however, Muslims attached to specific mosques have always followed congregational patterns. They transform mosques into community centers aimed at serving the needs of Muslims and use them as the primary vehicle for the collective expression of Islam in the American Muslim community. This chapter provides a historical overview of mosques in America. It also looks at the conversion of African Americans into mainstream Islam starting in the 1960s, the transformation of the Nation of Islam into a mainstream Muslim group, and the growth of mosques in America. In addition, it describes mosque participants, mosque activities, mosque structures, and mosque finances as well as the American mosque’s embrace of civic engagement and the role of women in the American mosque. Finally, the chapter examines the mosque leaders’ approach to Islam.
Islam in American Prisons
Authors: Van Baalen Susan
Published: April 2014

This chapter explores the gradual legitimization of the beliefs and practices of Islam in US prisons, analyzing the factors that led to the pronounced shift from “Black Muslim” to Sunni Islam over a fifty-five-year period (mid-1950s‒2010). An understanding of the history of prison Islam offers insights into the motivation of black Americans to embrace Islam and the reasons why correctional staff and the general public are suspicious of incarcerated Muslims. Program accommodations to protect prisoners’ religious rights are described to enhance the understanding of the complexities involved in providing a rich experience of Islam during incarceration and preparing prisoners for entry into the wider community of global Islam upon their release. A brief analysis of interactions between various factions—immigrant, black American, Sunni, Shia, Sufi, Salafi, and Wahhabi clarifies issues related to prison conversion to Islam and to the perceived extremist threat created by the mass incarceration of under-educated and marginalized. Muslim prisoners.
Islamic Dress and Fashion in the United States
Authors: Kamal Rabia
Published: April 2014

In the last several decades, a growing interest in Islamic dress and fashion has developed as a result of diasporic trends, mass mediated exposure, and shifts in global politics and consumerism. In western countries, the notion of “Islamic fashion” has developed alongside rising social anxieties surrounding Islamic sartorial symbols and signs such as “the veil.” This chapter considers the multiple factors that have influenced how American Muslim men and women dress and how a growing Islamic fashion industry and new stylistic forms based on ideas of "modesty" have evolved in the United States.
The War on Terror and Its Effects on American Muslims
Authors: Kimball Charles
Published: April 2014

This chapter presents an overview of both the negative and positive effects on American Muslims since the declaration of the post 9/11 “war on terror.” Negative effects are examined in conjunction with the USA Patriot Act and increased US government surveillance programs aimed at Muslims as well as the distinct manifestations of the growing dread or fear of Islam and Muslims known as “Islamophobia.” Several organizations regularly monitor and provide current information documenting hate speech and hate crimes directed at Muslims, including those involving the Ground Zero Mosque and other controversies. The chapter concludes with numerous constructive responses to the negative images and stereotypes fueled by extremists claiming inspiration from Islam. In addition to structured forms of interfaith dialogue and cooperation, such as “A Common Word,” American Muslims have pursued multiple forms of educational initiatives ranging from presentations in churches and public statements denouncing violence to the publication of books and articles.
The Intellectual Contributions of American Muslim Scholars
Authors: Chehab Sara J. , Whitaker Marvin R.
Published: April 2014

This chapter discusses the work of five American Muslim scholars: Fazlur Rahman, Amina Wadud, Taha Jabir al-Alwani, Abdullahi Ahmed an-Naʿim, and M. A. Muqtedar Khan. Their contributions influence and inform the debates on a variety of issues, such as ijtihad, shari’a, gender equality, human rights, democracy and reform, and interfaith dialogue. These scholars agree that a crisis of thought exists in the Muslim world and that it was created because of the absence of ijtihad. They recognize that many problems plague the Muslim world and Muslim communities—problems partly engendered by taqlid and a reliance on old interpretations of the Qur’an. To solve them and achieve reform, justice, and gender equality, Muslim scholars should drive these debates forward through a commitment to continuous and progressive exegetical exercises. Thus this chapter outlines how each one of these five scholars explains and interprets these debates and assesses their attempts at reopening the doors of ijtihad.
Muslim Minority Groups in American Islam
Authors: Haddad Yvonne Yazbeck , Smith Jane I.
Published: April 2014

Throughout Islamic history the issue of leadership of the community has been of primary importance. The Sunni majority has identified Muslims who did not give allegiance to the Caliph as shiʿa, or sectarians. Two of the groups discussed in this chapter are part of the historical controversies over community leadership, and for all of them leadership remains a very important concern. Both the Nizari Ismaʿilis, led by Imam Aga Khan, and the Druze are offshoots of the Fatimid countercaliphate, which flourished for two centuries. The other two groups are more modern. The Ahmadiyya developed in the context of European occupation of Islamic lands and the reaction to Christian missionary activity and modernization. The Qur'anists, sometimes referred to as the Ahl al-Qur'an, share the beliefs of the United Submitters International regarding the Qur'an as the sole foundation of Islam. With long-term roots in attempts to understand the “right” way to live Islamically, they are more recent as an identified school of thought. All of these groups maintain a presence in the current configuration of Islam in America.
Imams and Chaplains as American Religious Professionals
Authors: Yuskaev Timur , Stark Harvey
Published: April 2014

The following analysis examines the trends and challenges that have come to define American Muslim religious leadership over the past forty years. By concentrating on personal narratives and institutional expectations of imams and chaplains, the objective is to present a picture of the new and evolving understanding of these leaders in the United States. Conceptually, this entails reimagining religious leadership and adapting the distinct but deeply interrelated notions of ‘ulama and clergy to an American Muslim context. Furthermore, although there is a direct, fluid, and organic connection between the titles of imam and chaplain, the importance of differentiating one profession from the other, in terms of the contexts in which they work and the responsibilities they carry out, cannot be overstated. Given the increasing importance of chaplains and imams, this process involves negotiating crucial issues related to the cohesion of the American Muslim community, such as ethics, law, and cultural practice. In addition it means the professionalization of leadership, creating standards that meet the multifaceted needs of the Muslim and non-Muslim communities. Last, the relationship between imams and chaplains speaks to the new and adaptive roles that Muslim women are playing as religious leaders in America and the strategies being employed as a result.
Health and Medicine among American Muslims
Authors: Laird Lance D.
Published: April 2014

American Muslims—from clinicians to imams and grandmothers—carry a long tradition of “Islamic medicine.” They combine complementary and alternative health and medical practices and rely on rituals, scripture, prophetic tradition, and shari’ah principles. This article examines the healing practices, beliefs, and concerns of American Muslims. It first looks at contemporary Muslim contributions to international biomedicine before turning to the hadith and the Qur’an as the basis of Muslim health and medicine. It then discusses the American Muslims’ emphasis on prevention and purity as the foundation of health maintenance and healing practices, as well as interactions with health-care personnel and facilities. It also considers fasting, eating, and medicinals among American Muslims and the link between Islamic behavioral norms and individual health. Furthermore, the article explores how Islam views mental health and mental illness, analyzes the attitude of Muslim patients toward American biomedicine, and focuses on Muslim biomedical providers/professionals in the United States. Finally, it probes the local and supralocal significance of Muslim complementary and alternative medicine use.
The Natural World in Greek Literature and Philosophy
Authors: Payne Mark
Published: April 2014

This chapter examines the role of the natural world in ancient Greek literature and philosophy by way of Schiller’s claim, in “On Naïve and Sentimental Poetry,” that there was a transformation of the Greek relationship to Nature in the Hellenistic period. While arguing that Schiller’s observations remain seminal, this chapter suggests that a reconsideration of early Greek poetry is necessary in order to properly appreciate the importance of Nature in Hellenistic poetry. The chapter opens up a new approach to this issue by turning to Plato and the Platonic tradition, where access to contemplation is available through a prephilosophical relationship to the natural world. Finally, it is suggested that recent debates between partisans of the autonomy and givenness of the world in continental philosophy reiterate arguments about the cosmos as a home for human beings as expressed in Greek thought itself.
Suzaku view of the neutron star in the dipping source 4U 1822−37
Authors: Sasano Makoto , Makishima Kazuo , Sakurai Soki , Zhang Zhongli , Enoto Teruaki
Published: April 2014

The dipping X-ray source 4U 1822−37 was observed by Suzaku on 2006 October 20 for a net exposure of 37 ks. The source was detected with the XIS at a 1–10 keV flux of 5.5 × 10−10 erg cm−2 s−1, and with the HXD (HXD-PIN) at a 10–50 keV flux of 8.9 × 10−10 erg cm−2 s−1. With HXD-PIN, the pulsation was detected at a barycentric period of 0.592437 s, and its change rate was reconfirmed as −2.43 × 10−12 s s−1. The 1–50 keV spectra of 4U 1822−37 were found to be very similar to those of Her X-1 in the slopes, cutoff, and iron lines. Three iron lines (Fe Kα, Fe xxv, and Fe xxvi) were detected, on top of a 1–50 keV continuum that is described by an NPEX model plus a soft blackbody. In addition, a cyclotron resonance scattering feature was detected significantly (> 99% confidence), at an energy of 33 ± 2 keV with a depth of 0.4$^{ + 0.6}_{-0.3}$. Therefore, the neutron star in this source is concluded to have a strong magnetic field of 2.8 × 1012 G. Further assuming that the source has a relatively high intrinsic luminosity of several times 1037 erg s−1, its spectral and timing properties are consistently explained.
Effect of Alkaline‐Soluble Proteins on Pasting Properties of Nonwaxy Rice Flour
Authors: Yi Cuiping , Gao Wenming , Zhong Chunmei , He Yinghe
Published: April 2014

The pasting properties of rice flours and reconstituted rice flours from mixing a common starch with proteins extracted from different rice cultivars at different total protein content levels were studied. Results showed that not only the total protein content but also the protein composition had an effect on the pasting properties of the rice flours. Among the different strands of rice proteins, globulin had the strongest influence on the pasting properties, followed by glutelin, whereas prolamin had the least influence. At the subunit level of the proteins, proteins with a molecular weight of 17,000, most likely from globulin, had the strongest effect on the peak viscosity of the rice flour, followed by those of 33,000. In comparison with that of the rice starch, the influence of proteins in rice was limited. The effect of interactions between the rice proteins and the starch, such as the role of starch‐granule‐associated proteins, was not isolated in this study, and further investigation is required to quantify this effect.
Identification of a novel ATP-binding cassette transporter involved in long-chain fatty acid import and its role in triacylglycerol accumulation in Rhodococcus jostii RHA1
Authors: Villalba María S. , Alvarez Héctor M.
Published: April 2014

Members of the genusRhodococcusare specialists in the biosynthesis and accumulation of triacylglycerols (TAGs). As no transport protein related to TAG metabolism has yet been characterized in these bacteria, we used the available genomic information ofRhodococcus jostiiRHA1 to perform a broad survey of genes coding for putative lipid transporter proteins in this oleaginous micro-organism. Among the seven genes encoding putative lipid transporters,ro05645(now calledltp1: lipid transporter protein) coding for an ATP-binding cassette protein was found clustered with others genes encoding enzymes catalysing the three putative acylation reactions of the Kennedy pathway for TAG synthesis. Overexpression ofltp1in the RHA1 strain led to an increase of approximately sixfold and threefold in biomass and TAG production, respectively, when cells were cultivated on palmitic acid and oleic acid. Moreover, overexpression ofltp1also promoted a significant increase in the uptake of a fluorescently labelled long-chain fatty acid (LCFA), as compared with the WT strain RHA1, and its further incorporation into the TAG fraction. Gluconate-grown cells showed increasing amounts of intracellular free fatty acids, but not of TAG, after overexpressingltp1. Thus, for the first time to our knowledge, a transporter functionally related to TAG metabolism was identified in oleaginous rhodococci. Our results suggested that Ltp1 is an importer of LCFAs that plays a functional role in lipid homeostasis ofR. jostiiRHA1.
The eIF2α kinase PERK limits the expression of hippocampal metabotropic glutamate receptor-dependent long-term depression
Authors: Trinh Mimi A. , Ma Tao , Kaphzan Hanoch , Bhattacharya Aditi , Antion Marcia D. , Cavener Douglas R. , Hoeffer Charles A. , Klann Eric
Published: April 2014

The proper regulation of translation is required for the expression of long-lasting synaptic plasticity. A major site of translational control involves the phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 α (eIF2α) by PKR-like endoplasmic reticulum (ER) kinase (PERK). To determine the role of PERK in hippocampal synaptic plasticity, we used the Cre-lox expression system to selectively disrupt PERK expression in the adult mouse forebrain. Here, we demonstrate that in hippocampal area CA1, metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR)-dependent long-term depression (LTD) is associated with increased eIF2α phosphorylation, whereas stimulation of early- and late-phase long-term potentiation (E-LTP and L-LTP, respectively) is associated with decreased eIF2α phosphorylation. Interesting, although PERK-deficient mice exhibit exaggerated mGluR-LTD, both E-LTP and L-LTP remained intact. We also found that mGluR-LTD is associated with a PERK-dependent increase in eIF2α phosphorylation. Our findings are consistent with the notion that eIF2α phosphorylation is a key site for the bidirectional control of persistent forms of synaptic LTP and LTD and suggest a distinct role for PERK in mGluR-LTD.
Production of a Brassica napus Low-Molecular Mass Acyl-Coenzyme A-Binding Protein in Arabidopsis Alters the Acyl-Coenzyme A Pool and Acyl Composition of Oil in Seeds
Authors: Yurchenko Olga , Singer Stacy D. , Nykiforuk Cory L. , Gidda Satinder , Mullen Robert T. , Moloney Maurice M. , Weselake Randall J.
Published: April 2014

Low-molecular mass (10 kD) cytosolic acyl-coenzyme A-binding protein (ACBP) has a substantial influence over fatty acid (FA) composition in oilseeds, possibly via an effect on the partitioning of acyl groups between elongation and desaturation pathways. Previously, we demonstrated that the expression of a Brassica napus ACBP (BnACBP) complementary DNA in the developing seeds of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) resulted in increased levels of polyunsaturated FAs at the expense of eicosenoic acid (20:1cisƊ11) and saturated FAs in seed oil. In this study, we investigated whether alterations in the FA composition of seed oil at maturity were correlated with changes in the acyl-coenzyme A (CoA) pool in developing seeds of transgenic Arabidopsis expressing BnACBP. Our results indicated that both the acyl-CoA pool and seed oil of transgenic Arabidopsis lines expressing cytosolic BnACBP exhibited relative increases in linoleic acid (18:2cisƊ9,12; 17.9%–44.4% and 7%–13.2%, respectively) and decreases in 20:1cisƊ11 (38.7%–60.7% and 13.8%–16.3%, respectively). However, alterations in the FA composition of the acyl-CoA pool did not always correlate with those seen in the seed oil. In addition, we found that targeting of BnACBP to the endoplasmic reticulum resulted in FA compositional changes that were similar to those seen in lines expressing cytosolic BnACBP, with the most prominent exception being a relative reduction in α-linolenic acid (18:3cisƊ9,12,15) in both the acyl-CoA pool and seed oil of the former (48.4%–48.9% and 5.3%–10.4%, respectively). Overall, these data support the role of ACBP in acyl trafficking in developing seeds and validate its use as a biotechnological tool for modifying the FA composition of seed oil.
4-(4-Bromophenyl)-7,7-dimethyl-2-methylamino-3-nitro-7,8-dihydro-4H-chromen-5(6H)-one including an unknown solvate
Authors: Inglebert S. Antony , Kamalraja Jayabal , Sethusankar K. , Vasuki Gnanasambandam
Published: April 2014

In the title compound, C18H19BrN2O4, the chromene unit is not quite planar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.199 Å), with the methyl C atoms lying 0.027 (4) and 1.929 (4) Å from the mean plane of the chromene unit. The six-membered carbocyclic ring of the chromene moiety adopts an envelope conformation, with the dimethyl-substituted C atom as the flap. The methylamine and nitro groups are slightly twisted from the chromene moiety, with C—N—C—O and O—N—C—C torsion angles of 2.7 (4) and −0.4 (4)°, respectively. The dihedral angle between the mean plane of the chromene unit and the benzene ring is 85.61 (13)°. An intramolecular N—H...O hydrogen bond generates anS(6) ring motif, which stabilizes the molecular conformation. In the crystal, molecules are linkedviaN—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming hexagonal rings lying parallel to theabplane. A region of disordered electron density, most probably disordered ethanol solvent molecules, occupying voids ofca432 Å3for an electron count of 158, was treated using the SQUEEZE routine inPLATON[Spek (2009).Acta Cryst. D65, 148–155]. Their formula mass and unit-cell characteristics were not taken into account during refinement.
A new polymorph of aquabis(1,10-phenanthroline-κ2N,N′)copper(II) dinitrate
Authors: Boutebdja Mehdi , Lehleh Asma , Beghidja Adel , Setifi Zouaoui , Merazig Hocine
Published: April 2014

The title molecule, [Cu(C12H8N2)2(H2O)](NO3)2, is a new polymorph of a compound which up to now has been reported to crystallize space groups inC2/candCc. The crystal studied was twinned by non-merohedry (final BASF factor of 0.40043) with the structure being solved and refined inP-1. The CuIIatom is coordinated by four N atoms from two 1,10-phenanthroline ligands and an O atom from a water molecule in an approximate trigonal–bipyramidal geometry. Discrete entities of one cation and two nitrate anions are formed by water–nitrate O—H...O hydrogen bonds. The components are further assembled into a three-dimensional network by C—H...O hydrogen bonds.
(Z)-1-Diphenylmethyl-4-(3-phenylprop-2-enyl)piperazine
Authors: Shivaprakash S. , Chandrasekara Reddy G. , Jasinski Jerry P.
Published: April 2014

In the title compound, C26H28N2, the piperazine group adopts a chair conformation with the exocyclic N—C bonds in equatorial orientations. The dihedral angle between the geminal benzene rings is 80.46 (12)° and the C=C—C—N torsion angle is 145.9 (2)°. In the crystal, weak C—H...π interactions link the molecules into [100] chains.
4-[(5-Chloro-2-hydroxybenzylidene)amino]-3-ethyl-1H-1,2,4-triazole-5(4H)-thione
Authors: Yuan Cai-Xia , Yao Xu-Mei , Zhu Miao-Li , Zhu Hong-Mei
Published: April 2014

The title compound, C11H11ClN4OS, crystallizes with two molecules,AandB, in the asymmetric unit in which the dihedral angles between the triazole and benzene rings are 54.6 (3) and 56.0 (3)°. Both molecules feature an intramolecular O—H...N hydrogen bond, which generates anS(6) ring. In the crystal,A–Bdimers are linked by pairs of weak C—H...S hydrogen bonds along with π–π stacking interactions between the triazole rings [centroid–centroid separations = 3.631 (3) and 3.981 (4)Å]. N—H...S hydrogen bonds link the dimers into [100] chains, which featureR22(8) loops.
N,N′-(Ethane-1,2-diyl)dibenzenecarbothioamide
Authors: Nagasawa Masayuki , Sasanuma Yuji , Masu Hyuma
Published: April 2014

The title compound, C16H16N2S2, adopts agauche+–gauche+–gauche+(g+g+g+) conformation in the NH—CH2—CH2—NH bond sequence. In the crystal, molecules are connected by pairs of N—H...S=C hydrogen bonds and C—H...π interactions, forming a tape structure along thec-axis direction.
catena-Poly[[aquazinc(II)]-μ-N,N′-bis(2-cyano-3-ethoxy-3-oxoprop-1-enyl)benzene-1,2-diaminido]
Authors: Fuchs Monica , Zevaco Thomas , Dinjus Eckhard , Walter Olaf
Published: April 2014

The slightly yellow-coloured title complex, [Zn(C18H16N4O4)(H2O)]n, crystallizes with one molecule in the asymmetric unit. The structure clearly shows themer-η4O,O,N,N-binding mode of theN,N′-bis-(2-cyano-ethylpropenoyl)-1,2-diamidobenzene ligand stabilizing the Zn centre of a distorted octahedral environment. The fifth coordination site in one apical position is held by a coordinating solvent water molecule whereas the complete octahedral coordination sphere is completed by coordination of one N atom from a CN group of a neighbouring molecule, leading to the final polymeric structure consisting of zigzag staggered chains in parallel orientation along thec-axis direction. Between the coordinated water solvent molecule and the N atoms of uncoordinated cyano-groups of neighboured units, two H-bridge bonds are formed. One of these H-bridge bonds is of inter- whereas the other of intra-strand nature, leading to a two-dimensional network parallel to (110) stabilizing the supramolecular structure. Six Zn—O or Zn—N bonds are found with lengths ranging from 2.061 (1) to 2.185 (1) Å and bond angles about the Zn atom are clustered in the ranges 79.83 (4)–104.21 (4) and 167.05 (4)–170.28 (4)°.
Ethyl 2-amino-4-(3-nitrophenyl)-4H-1-benzothieno[3,2-b]pyran-3-carboxylate
Authors: Bakhouch Mohamed , Al Houari Ghali , El Yazidi Mohamed , Saadi Mohamed , El Ammari Lahcen
Published: April 2014

The molecule of the title compound, C20H16N2O5S, is built up by one fused five-membered and two fused six-membered rings linked to ethoxycarbonyl and 3-nitrophenyl groups. The benzothienopyran ring system is nearly planar (r.m.s deviation = 0.0392 Å) and forms a dihedral angle of 86.90 (6)° with the aromatic ring of the nitrobenzene group. In the crystal, molecules are linked by N—H...O hydrogen bonds and by π–π interactions between the phenyl ring and the six-membered heterocyle [intercentroid distance = 3.5819 (8) Å], forming a three-dimensional network.
Stretching risk management standards: multi-organizational perspectives
Authors: Lehtiranta Liisa , Junnonen Juha-Matti
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– Standard frameworks for project risk management (RM) are currently mostly focussed on single-firm organizations, whereas in practice, construction project RM involves multiple organizations. The purpose of this paper is to identify and systematically maps practical processes that bridge the gap between single-organizational RM standards and multi-organizational RM (MORM) needs.

Design/methodology/approach

– This case study covers three large construction management (CM) projects in Finland. The 35 interviews with project owners, project management consultants, design groups, and contractors identify the participants’ positions on RM roles, integration within organizations, and further development requests.

Findings

– Most (16 of 21) of the identified RM practices are multi-organizational; i.e. they involve two or more organizations. Compared to single-organizational standards, MORM practices involve less emphasis on detailed risk analysis processes but highlight both participant selection and managing collaborative performance.

Research limitations/implications

– The research results are attached to Finnish CM projects but may be applicable to other types of collaboration-based construction projects, such as alliances and public-private partnerships. The efficiency of the MORM model requires further evaluation in future research.

Practical implications

– A model for MORM is a systematic presentation of the research results. The model provides guidance for efficiently setting up MORM processes and for refining multi-organizational research.

Originality value

– The multi-organizational interfaces of RM processes are mainly overlooked in the current literature, standards, and frameworks. This research provides a rare explication of parallel MORM processes.
Evaluation of intervention strategies for a road link in the Netherlands
Authors: Tyrone Adey Bryan , Lethanh Nam , Hartmann Andreas , Viti Francesco
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the use of the impact hierarchy and the optimization model to determine the optimal intervention strategy for a road link composed of multiple objects. The paper focusses on the results of a case study of intervention project on A20 road link in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study was a case study research. It describes briefly the impact hierarchy and its link to the optimization model, and then focussed on analyzing the results obtained from running the model. In order to understand the influence of various factors affecting the results of optimization, sensitivity analysis was performed.

Findings

– The proposed hierarchy is suitable to be used to support the determination of optimal intervention strategies (OISs) for public road. From the case study, it was also realized that optimal intervention strategy can be changed due to not only intervention costs incurred by the owner, but also due to the setup of traffic configuration during the execution of interventions since the impacts incurred to users, directly affected public, and indirectly affected public are significantly different from one traffic configuration to the others. The optimal intervention strategy also depends greatly on the factors of deterioration during the operation of the infrastructure objects.

Research limitations/implications

– In the impact hierarchy, some impact factors are difficult to be quantified, e.g., the long-term economic impacts on the region where having intervention projects. The use of only exponential function for impacts could be oversimplified the actual behavior of the impacts. Other functional form should be investigated to be used within the framework of the optimization model.

Practical implications

– The proposed hierarchy and the optimization model could be used in practical situation for determination of OISs for multiple objects within a road link.

Originality/value

– This paper contributes to the body of knowledge of stakeholder analysis in the field of infrastructure asset management. It also gives a guideline and tool for infrastructure administrators to select the OISs for their infrastructure network.
Does collectivism necessarily negate the spirit of entrepreneurship?
Authors: Zeffane Rachid
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationships between individualism/collectivism (as personal traits) and individuals’ potential to become an entrepreneur.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study draws on a sample of 503 students enrolled in business courses at a university in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It focusses on the concept of Entrepreneurial Potential (EP) as a measure of “desirability and inclination” to start a business. The paper tests the hypothesis that the concepts of individualism and collectivism are not necessarily polar ends of the same continuum and examine their impacts on EP, controlling for age and gender as main demographic characteristics. Four main hypotheses are explored.

Findings

– Statistical analysis confirms the two main hypotheses. They reveal that: first, concomitant with the dominant collectivist values at national level, potential future entrepreneurs evolving in the Middle East/Gulf region endorse personal traits of a predominantly collectivist nature; second, contrary to popular assumptions individualism does not have a strong impact on youth EP. In the context of this study, the impact of collectivism on EP is most significant. The paper also found that gender had no significant impact on EP

Research limitations/implications

– The use of personality traits alone, as a basis for understanding predictors of EP may not be sufficient. A number of contextual variables (such the socio-cultural and economic context) may also have a strong influence. Unfortunately, it is not possible to test for these effects with the data available in this study. Future research may consider these.

Practical implications

– Despite its limited scope (limited sample-size and target population), the findings of this study are useful to both practitioners and policy makers. Management practitioners interested in entrepreneurial behaviors need to take stock of the fact that future entrepreneurs can (and perhaps should be able to) blend their competitive entrepreneurial drive with the spirit of collectivism. This is particularly relevant in selection processes using personality tests for the purpose of extracting the most likely candidates for entrepreneurial ventures involving youth.

Originality/value

– The findings of this study do not support the general assumption that individualism and entrepreneurship ties necessarily go hand in hand. They clearly indicate that collectivism has more explanatory power in this regard, though this may be contextual. These findings may be explained by the context of the study (UAE/Middle East). The overwhelming majority of the respondents are from the Middle East and gulf region, where collectivist aspirations are predominant. Yet, the economies of countries in those regions are fuelled by an increasing number of advanced and quite daring entrepreneurial projects, as exemplified by the modernist business ventures in Dubai, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi.
Cognitive consequences of business shut down. The case of Ugandan repeat entrepreneurs
Authors: Sserwanga Arthur , Rooks Gerrit
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to focus on the cognitive and motivational consequences of a business failure, and their relation with subsequent start up success. The paper hypothesizes that if previous business failure was attributed to an internal and stable cause, subsequent business would be less successful compared to where an entrepreneur attributed business failure to an internal and unstable cause.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors reviewed the literature on attribution theory in an achievement context and derived a hypothesis about the relation between causal thinking and subsequent business success. A survey amongst entrepreneurs in Uganda was carried out to yield insights on how attributions to past performance influence subsequent business performance.

Findings

– Entrepreneurs who attributed previous business failure to an internal, stable cause were found to be less successful in subsequent business start up. When repeat entrepreneurs attribute previous shut down to a lack of ability, they are less successful in a subsequent business start up. However, attributing the failure to a lack of effort, does not affect subsequent business success.

Originality/value

– The study reaffirms the importance of attributional thinking in entrepreneurship and provides empirical evidence on the relationship between the way entrepreneurs think about their previous performance and subsequent performance. Attributional thinking influences subsequent business actions and outcomes, which offers important practical applications. For instance training to change attributions of entrepreneurs may be used to influence their eventual performance.
The survey thinking style and its relation with creativity in physical education teachers
Authors: Sadeghi Boroujerdi Saeed , Hasani Kaveh
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to survey the relationship between thinking styles with creativity in physical education teachers.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research method is descriptive – applied and based on related purpose it was applicative. The study's statistical community includes all physical education teachers in the middle period in Iran and their numbers at the time of the study were 600 individuals. The statistical sample using a Morgan table was selected to be 235 individuals. To measure research variables two questionnaires (Sternberg thinking style and creativity, Torrance, 1972) were used. To calculate the validity of the questionnaire questions, Cronbach's α test was used, and the obtained α for the thinking style questionnaire and creativity were equal to 0.86 and 0.89, respectively. Descriptive and inferential statistics were also used in this study, which in statistical inference section (Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Pearson correlation coefficient, Spearman correlation coefficient, Friedman ranking test and t-test) were used.

Findings

– The results showed that there is no significant relationship between individual characteristics (gender, education and work experience) and styles of thinking, but there is significant relationship between creativity and thinking style. Besides, there is a meaningful difference between creativity with thinking style. In the ranking between thinking style factors, significant differences were observed and at the end some proposals were stated.

Originality/value

– The theoretical framework provides a new direction for conceptualizing research, development and practice, designed to promote thinking, creativity in education and other sectors in a new era of globalization and great transformation.
An empirical analysis of the effect of MBA programs on organizational success
Authors: Gupta Atul , E. Bennett Sara
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the value of Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degree. The authors aim to bridge the gap between the theory and individual understanding of the value of an MBA program.

Design/methodology/approach

– This empirical paper used a non-experimental design to test a proposed model based on a review of relevant literature. MBA alumni completed surveys capturing the constructs researched.

Findings

– The findings of this research suggest that an MBA adds value to both MBA alumni as well as the organizations who hire them. The main source of this value is the knowledge and skills acquired while taking academic courses in the MBA program.

Research limitations/implications

– The implication of this research is that an MBA does add value to students that is not necessarily obtained through work experience alone.

Practical implications

– The MBA degree qualifies an individual to manage an organization. An MBA does provide high potential for return on investment to both individuals well as the organization who hires them.

Social implications

– Economic growth requires entrepreneurs, professionals, business specialists, and managers. The research findings provide evidence that MBA program graduates do make a significant contribution toward improving the organization employing them. These profitable organizations in turn invest back in the community they operate in and help to improve the overall socio-economic fabric of the local economy. The results of this study also suggest that investment in MBA programs by local governments could bring back significant returns to the community in terms of job growth and availability of quality workforce.

Originality/value

– Although a considerable amount has been written about the value of an MBA education, there is still a lack of research in the area linking human capital with organizational performance for MBA graduates. This contribution is also of special importance amid the recent criticism of the MBA by prominent management scholars.
Factors affecting quality of management education in India
Authors: Mahajan Ritika , Agrawal Rajat , Sharma Vinay , Nangia Vinay
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The purpose and value of management education was always under the critics’ scanner but the proliferation of institutes impelled a serious debate on its quality. The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors affecting quality of management education in India and explains their nature, significance and mutual influences using interpretive structural modelling (ISM).

Design/methodology/approach

– The factors were listed through literature review. They were then validated by empirical research conducted through questionnaires administered electronically and personally to 220 master of business administration students and alumni. On 13 such factors finalised, a qualitative and interpretive tool, ISM was applied.

Findings

– Leadership emerged as the most important factor followed by organisational structure and practices. Interrelations otherwise not easily observable established their prominence. An important fact that evolved is that almost all the factors have strong interdependence and have to be seen in coherence when analysing their impact on students.

Originality/value

– The literature until now has been highlighting the factors and their association with management education largely in isolation. This paper contributes to the existing literature by proposing a framework of the interrelationships of the factors which have a role in improving the quality of management education.
Smooth second-order nonsingular terminal sliding mode control for reusable launch vehicles
Authors: Ni Shaobo , Shan Jiayuan
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present a sliding mode attitude controller for reusable launch vehicle (RLV) which is nonlinear, coupling, and includes uncertain parameters and external disturbances.

Design/methodology/approach

– A smooth second-order nonsingular terminal sliding mode (NTSM) controller is proposed for RLV in reentry phase. First, a NTSM manifold is proposed for finite-time convergence. Then a smooth second sliding mode controller is designed to establish the sliding mode. An observer is utilized to estimate the lumped disturbance and the estimation result is used for feedforward compensation in the controller.

Findings

– It is mathematically proved that the proposed sliding mode technique makes the attitude tracking errors converge to zero in finite time and the convergence time is estimated. Simulations are made for RLV through the assumption that aerodynamic parameters and atmospheric density are perturbed. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed control strategy is effective, leading to promising performance and robustness.

Originality/value

– By the proposed controller, the second-order sliding mode is established. The attitude tracking error converges to zero in a finite time. Meanwhile, the chattering is alleviated and a smooth control input is obtained.
Building in sustainability, social responsibility and value co-creation
Authors: Biggemann Sergio , Williams Martin , Kro Gunn
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to address the question of how value can be created through social responsibility programs or other means, so that sustainability is achieved through increasing stakeholders' participation in the process of design and selection of such programs, so that transparency is maximised and trust can be built with the lasting benefits of co-creation of value.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper studies the relationship between sustainability, corporate social responsibility, and value co-creation based on qualitative research data gathered from two embedded case studies. The first case study in a large mining company operating in New Zealand and the second case study is based on the New Zealand Merino Company.

Findings

– Findings of this research suggest that sustainability is built with the participation of many interconnected entities, that is, suppliers, manufacturers, retailers, or more generally stakeholders whose actions are fostered by social responsibility that fuels the pride, trust, and consistency of the members of the value chain. Value in all forms – functional value, hedonic value, symbolic value and cost value – is a recurrent theme in this research data; however it is value co-creation, working together, living up to the values that their products and services promise that ultimately supports sustainability.

Originality/value

– This paper shows how the scope of sustainability has broadened from environmental matters to include other topics such as good corporate citizenship, business relationships and the value that is created and shared, not only with shareholders, but also within a wider community of stakeholders.
Service process modularization and modular strategies
Authors: Carlborg Per , Kindström Daniel
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to investigate the role of service modularity in developing and deploying efficient services, while at the same time meeting diverse customer needs. The analysis distinguishes between different service types and sets forth key issues for service modularization, identifying supporting resources (both internal and customer) and associated modular strategies for the different types.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study design used an exploratory case study approach, focusing on three Swedish manufacturing firms that are moving toward an increased service focus (service infusion). Data were collected through interviews and focus groups, and the collected data were analyzed independently, before being merged and synthesized in a cross-case analysis. Themes and patterns were extracted and linked to the theoretical framework following a systematic combining process.

Findings

– This study contributes insights to the emerging field of service modularity by investigating process modularization and modular strategies. A framework is put forward outlining modular strategies for four different service types covering both a passive and an active role for a customer. From a theoretical point of view, the role of the customer is added to the discussion to advocate for the necessity of a co-creative perspective in service modularity.

Originality/value

– This article contributes to the emerging research field of service modularity by providing empirical insights into how modularization and modular strategies can enable more efficient services. Depending on service type, different modular strategies are set forth. This study also highlights the need to recognize customer-specific activities, resources and competencies as pivotal parts of the modular service processes. Such insights are particularly relevant given the established view of service modules as functions of intra-firm activities.
“A ROSE, by any other name”…: relationship typology and performance measurement in supply chains
Authors: Chelariu Christian , Kwame Asare Anthony , Brashear-Alejandro Thomas
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The aim of this paper is to develop a comprehensive framework of supply chain performance that includes relationship, operational, strategic and economic performance measures.

Design/methodology/approach

– The literature regarding inter-organizational performance including: supply chain management, logistics and marketing performance measures is reviewed. A synthesis of the review provides the foundation for developing a comprehensive model of supply chain management performance.

Findings

– The review and synthesis finds that supply chain performance focuses primarily on operational and economic performance measures while paying less attention to relational and strategic performance measures. The comprehensive framework identifies four major categories of supply chain performance measures: relational; operational; strategic; and economic – hence the name ROSE.

Originality/value

– This comprehensive framework identifies four types of supply chain measures that can be used as a guiding framework by both academics and practitioners. The paper also offers directions for future work in the form of propositions.