bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Services business markets: a further view of a new reality or a blurred landscape?
Authors: Tyler Katherine , Patton Mark , Mongiello Marco , Meyer Derek
Published: August 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to review the emerging literature of services business markets (SBMs) from 1974 to 2007 and analyse main themes that indicate the development of the literature. It also aims to provide an introduction to the special issue on services business‐to‐business markets by examining the context.

Design/methodology/approach

The literature of SBMs from 1974 through 2007 was searched in relevant databases. The articles were analysed using Glaser's grounded theory. The constant comparison method was used with in vivo coding to reveal themes in the literature. These themes were then analysed contextually.

Findings

The literature revealed seven themes which followed a trajectory from implicit to explicit consideration of SBMs, as well as to multi‐ and cross‐disciplinary focus with integration of variables from consumer services marketing. The landscape for SBMs has become blurred due to deregulation, globalisation and information technology, particularly the internet and e‐commerce. The complexity and diversity of the literature reflects this new, blurred reality.

Research limitations/implications

This research is limited to indicative literature about SBMs as an introduction to the special issue on services business‐to‐business markets. The literature would benefit from a full critical review and research agenda.

Practical implications

The integration of theories coupled with the focus on specific service sectors and contexts, provide useful, applicable and transferable concepts which may be helpful to managers who are working in new contexts.

Originality/value

This article surveys the emergence of the literature on SBMs and defines its trajectory, themes and characteristics. It provides a useful background for academics and practitioners who would find a guide to the fissiparous literature on SBMs useful.
Key drivers of university‐industry relationships: the role of organisational compatibility and personal experience
Authors: Plewa Carolin , Quester Pascale
Published: August 2007

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to analyse empirically research‐oriented university‐industry relationships based on the incorporation of relationship marketing (RM) and technology transfer theory.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on an extensive literature review and initial qualitative research, a conceptual model is presented and tested using structural equation modelling methods. Analysis was conducted, and is reported, in three steps, including path analysis and hypothesis testing, model re‐specification and a multi‐group analysis comparing university and industry respondents.

Findings

Trust, commitment and integration were found to positively influence satisfaction and were confirmed as key drivers of successful university‐industry relationships. While trust was the strongest driver of satisfaction, commitment emerged as the strongest predictor of intention to renew. The results also confirmed the proposed interrelationships between the relationship characteristics. Organisational compatibility emerged as positively influencing all relationship characteristics, indicating its relevance for university‐industry relationships and suggesting its potential importance for other relationships crossing essentially different organisational environments. Surprisingly, only a weak influence of staff personal experience on commitment was found.

Research limitations/implications

The results are limited to Australian relationships and by their cross‐disciplinary nature. Furthermore, a potential bias towards positive relationships might exist in the data.

Originality/value

The primary contribution of this paper lies in the development of a foundation for research in a new services business context by combining the established theory of RM with the emerging area of technology transfer. Building a thorough empirical basis for future research, the researchers anticipate the development of a comprehensive university‐industry relationship research stream.
What gets measured gets … on indicating, mobilizing and acting
Authors: Catasús Bino , Ersson Sofi , Gröjer Jan‐Erik , Yang Wallentin Fan
Published: August 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the relationship underlying the often used adage “what gets measured gets managed”.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper starts by reviewing the critique of the adage and then testing it by surveying 109 managers from 41 organizations. The paper includes the idea of mobilizing in the adage in order to highlight that there are other factors than indicating, which affect acting. In the positive test the paper uses the linear structural relations (LISREL) method to analyze the data.

Findings

The paper finds that that the relationship between indicating and acting is not significant and that the introduction of mobilizing gives a better model fit. As a result the reformulation of the adage is: “What gets mobilized gets managed, especially if it gets measured”.

Research limitations/implications

The paper shows that measuring is not per se a means to activate the organization. Rather, measurements support those issues that are already important in the organization. In practical terms, a reformulation could be: what gets talked about gets done, especially if there are numbers.

Practical implications

The contribution of this paper is twofold. First, it finds no significant relationship between indicating and acting; and second, it introduces mobilizing to explain the relationship between indicating and acting.

Originality/value

The paper scrutinizes the conventional wisdom encapsulated in the adage and by introducing mobilizing as an additional variable. The findings suggest that the adage needs to be reformulated.
How to “cook your books” — a recipe for disaster
Authors: Stewart Cummings Lorne
Published: August 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to stimulate thought on creative accounting through a unique prose.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is a fictional poem.

Findings

The paper finds that, like baking a recipe, creative accounting involves essential ingredients and a method. Identifies how the language and process of creative accounting, however precise it may be, can mirror that of the creative art of cooking.

Research limitations/implications

The paper encourages a broader artistic and narrative expression in the field of accounting by drawing on alternate textual formats.

Originality/value

The paper shows that, as far as the author is aware, no other work in accounting has been expressed this way as a recipe. Consequently, it is a unique contribution to the discipline.
Causes and consequences of consumer online privacy concern
Authors: Wirtz Jochen , Lwin May O. , Williams Jerome D.
Published: August 2007

Purpose

Past research on internet privacy has examined various aspects of privacy regulation and consumer privacy concerns. The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual model that links anteceding environmental factors with the resulting consumer responses using the power‐responsibility equilibrium perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey of 182 net shoppers was conducted whereby respondents were asked to recall a recent web site registration that required them to provide personal information online.

Findings

The results indicate that robust perceived business policies and governmental regulation reduce consumer privacy concern. More interestingly, the data show that a perceived lack of business policy or governmental regulation will result in consumers attempting to regain power balance through a variety of responses. As predicted, increased concern resulted in higher power‐enhancing responses such as the fabrication of personal information, use of privacy‐enhancing technologies and refusal to purchase.

Practical implications

To reduce consumer privacy concern and subsequent negative responses, organizations need to pay close attention to their privacy policies through greater self‐regulation, third‐party accreditation and to ensure the presence of compliance mechanisms that support and check the marketing and collection activities of their organization and related parties. Regulators can reduce consumer concern by further defining and improving the legal framework for protecting consumer privacy on the internet. In addition, governments should consider overseeing third‐party privacy accreditation as well as firm and industry self‐regulation. Finally, to improve consumer perceptions of privacy protection, enhanced regulatory privacy protection should be communicated to the public along with a response outlet for privacy concerns so that consumers know that they should report privacy‐related complaints to a regulatory agency.

Originality/value

The paper examines how business policies and regulation influence consumer online privacy concern, and the resulting consequences on internet user behavior.
Retailers' different value perceptions of mobile advertising service
Authors: Komulainen Hanna , Mainela Tuija , Tähtinen Jaana , Ulkuniemi Pauliina
Published: August 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine why retailers' perceptions of the value of a novel technology‐intensive mobile advertising service differ.

Design/methodology/approach

The research design follows an abductive approach. The empirical data were gathered through a field experiment by interviewing retailers who used a mobile advertising service for the first time.

Findings

This study suggests a categorisation of customer‐perceived value sub‐elements in a novel technology‐intensive business‐to‐business (b‐to‐b) service consisting of two outcome‐level benefits, three process‐level benefits, and two types of sacrifices, i.e. monetary and non‐monetary. Furthermore, the study suggests that the value elements are not of equal importance. Different retailers value different threshold benefits that influence their willingness to use the service. Moreover, the retailers' participation in value co‐creation with a service provider influences the value perceived from the service.

Research limitations/implications

This experimental empirical setting involves two limitations. The trial period was relatively short and, due to the development stage of the service, the use of the service was offered free of charge. Therefore, future research should be conducted with commercialised novel technology services.

Practical implications

Retailers differ according to their willingness and ability to use novel technology‐intensive services, which also reflects how they perceive value and what kind of value they perceive. Thus, mobile service providers need to consider offering different service packages to different types of customers. Service providers also need to ensure that retailers are aware of all the commercial and non‐commercial benefits of the novel service. Retailers should realise that the commercial potential of mobile advertising is different from the traditional means of advertising.

Originality/value

For a research audience, the study extends the existing research on value creation by focusing on retailers' different value perceptions of a novel technology‐intensive b‐to‐b service. For developers of an innovative technology‐intensive service, the study shows the different customer types and how they influence buying decisions.
Electronic healthcare: a study of people's readiness and attitude toward performing self‐diagnosis
Authors: Lanseng Even J. , Andreassen Tor W.
Published: August 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the introduction of self‐service technology (SST) in health diagnosis as a means to reduce costs and improve quality in the health care sector – at the same time.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey with an internet‐based medical self‐diagnosis application as the focal technology is conducted. The research hypotheses are tested by using a scenario and questionnaire approach, in which respondents prior to responding read a scenario.

Findings

To test the hypotheses, structural equation modeling using LISREL was performed. It was found that the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) for users, described according to the Technology Readiness Index (TRI) as pioneers, has a very good ability to predict future behavioral intent. TAM has an excellent capability to predict future behavioral intent of this new application in this new context, i.e. health care services.

Research limitations/implications

The paper only tests TAM for a given population described as pioneers. Future research should test for other categories of users, as this may impact different drivers of behavioral intent/adoption in the TAM.

Practical implications

For policy makers (e.g. politicians), this study has great implications as it documents a methodology of testing a population's receptiveness to new technology – technology that can greatly improve quality, costs and satisfaction issues with government services and reduce risk when implementing the new service.

Originality/value

In the context of increased healthcare spending and possibly unsustainable healthcare‐funding models, the current research investigated people's readiness and attitude toward performing self‐diagnosis which may offer a patient‐centered access to health services. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this has never been done before.
A method to evaluate service delivery process quality
Authors: Di Mascio Rita
Published: August 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a method to evaluate the quality of service delivery process designs, based on how closely they meet process requirements of key stakeholders while taking variability into account.

Design/methodology/approach

A Monte Carlo computer simulation of the flowchart of the service delivery process is used to capture the effects of multiple types of variabilities and parametric uncertainties on process variables of interest, and the Taguchi quality loss framework is applied to estimate overall process quality. As an example, a proposed modification to a patient‐treatment process in a hospital emergency department is evaluated.

Findings

This paper demonstrated a method that service managers can use to evaluate the quality of service delivery process designs.

Practical implications

This method can evaluate modifications to various aspects of a service delivery process, and can assist managers to fail‐safe the entire process. Furthermore, it characterises process quality using a range of probable values instead of a single value, such as the process mean, and thus provides a more realistic representation of quality.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to service engineering in two ways: by adapting the Taguchi quality loss approach, commonly used to assess manufacturing process quality, to a service delivery process; and by incorporating uncertainty, due to imprecise knowledge of process parameters, into the quality assessment.
Do hoteliers need to manage image to retain loyal customers?
Authors: Kandampully Jay , Hu Hsin‐Hui
Published: August 2007

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to understand the relationships between service quality and customer satisfaction and how they impact corporate image and customer loyalty.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from several cities in Mauritius. The study sample included participants who stayed in various hotels in Mauritius; the participants were randomly approached and invited to participate in a survey on their respective hotel's services.

Findings

Corporate image is influenced both by service quality and customer satisfaction, which in turn influences customer loyalty. Thus, the key to customer loyalty appears to be the fostering of a favorable image of the hotel firm created by improving service quality and satisfying customers.

Research limitations/implications

Given the difference in values and cultures among different countries, the findings need to be confirmed by further evidence from other countries. Future research should further investigate the impacts of service quality, customer satisfaction, corporate image, and behavior intentions on organizational performance measures such as profitability, extend the integrative framework and incorporate other variables.

Practical implications

This study clearly illustrates the importance of a long term focus on superior service delivery on a firm's image. Service quality and customer satisfaction should therefore aim to enhance a long term image of the firm in the customer's mind.

Originality/value

This research clearly adds new knowledge to the present body of hospitality literature and will assist managers by providing a practical approach to enhance customer loyalty.
Serving food safety: consumer perceptions of food safety at restaurants
Authors: Knight Andrew J. , Worosz Michelle R. , Todd E.C.D.
Published: August 2007

Purpose

The goals of this study were to study consumer perceptions of food safety at restaurants and to compare these results to those of other food system actors.

Design/methodology/approach

The data for this study were gathered from telephone interviews conducted with 1,014 randomly selected US adults.

Findings

The main findings were that a substantial number of consumers think about food safety in general and particularly when eating at restaurant establishments; and while a majority of consumers stated that restaurants were doing a good job, were capable, and were committed to food safety, in comparison to other actors, restaurants ranked significantly lower than farmers, food processors and manufacturers, and grocery stores and supermarkets.

Research limitations/implications

A limitation of this study was that distinctions were not made between fast food and sit‐down restaurants or other types of restaurants, e.g. chains, independent, and ethnic. These results highlight the need for more comprehensive studies on how food safety issues affect consumer perceptions of restaurants and how these perceptions affect consumer behavior.

Practical implications

The findings reinforce the importance of food safety behaviors at restaurants, particularly in the areas of personal hygiene and workplace sanitation, food handling, and food preparation.

Originality/value

This paper helps restaurant managers to better understand consumer perceptions of food safety and highlights the importance of instituting and monitoring food safety practices.
From blueprint to implementation
Authors: Herstein Ram , Mitki Yoram , Jaffe Eugene D.
Published: August 2007

Purpose

In recent years, the field of corporate identity management has grown substantially in importance in the hospitality industry. Managers of hotels have become increasingly interested in learning methods that have been successful in communicating a new corporate identity. The purpose of this case study is to document the design and implementation of new corporate identity communication process.

Design/methodology/approach

This article describes a holistic process of designing a new corporate identity for a leading hotel management group, with a focus on implementation of its corporate communication process.

Findings

The case study described here suggests that corporate identity communication occurs at four levels – internal and external, formal and informal – and provides a strategic framework for any hotel chain management in implementing a new corporate identity.

Originality/value

This case study adds a new element to the process of communicating image/identity to internal and external stakeholders in the hospitality industry.
Where to find the lowest hotel room rates on the internet? The case of Hong Kong
Authors: Law Rob , Chan Ivy , Goh Carey
Published: August 2007

Purpose

This study aims to examine online room rates in Hong Kong hotels. It focuses on comparing and contrasting the lowest hotel room rates that are available to customers.

Design/methodology/approach

Eight distribution channels and 45 hotels in Hong Kong were examined for online room rates in a 13‐month period from 2005 to 2006. The eight distribution channels represented different nature of operations including both indirect and direct distribution channels.

Findings

Empirical findings showed the web sites of local travel agents and local reservation agents offered the lowest online room rates, and that indirect distribution channels offered lower room rates than direct distribution channels.

Research limitations/implications

A major limitation of this study is the geographic limitation of hotel selection.

Originality/value

Findings of the study are expected to provide insights for hoteliers to refine their online room rate strategy.
An analysis of the dynamics of the tourism industry in Brazil: challenges and recommendations
Authors: Sobral Filipe , Peci Alketa , Souza Gustavo
Published: August 2007

Purpose

The main purpose of this study is to present an analysis of the dynamics of the tourism market in South America and, more specifically, in Brazil, by measuring and analyzing the growth in tourists' arrivals to the region between 1998 and 2002.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses the shift‐share technique that decomposes the growth of the number of tourists into various components, enabling in‐depth diagnosis of the dynamics of the sector in the period.

Findings

Despite the fact that Brazil is the leading tourist destination in South America, the study shows that Brazil has been losing ground in relation to some of its neighbors in South America. The study also revealed the impact of 9/11 and Argentina's crises and the growing participation of the European tourist in Brazil.

Originality/value

Despite some limitations, this technique has the advantage of focusing on a region scarcely studied in mainstream tourism researches and offering Brazilian policy‐makers a new methodology such that they may take advantage of emerging opportunities and create competitive advantages for the country.
Exploring the benefits of vendor managed inventory
Authors: Sari Kazim
Published: August 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the performance increase achieved by vendor managed inventory (VMI) under different levels of outside supply capacity, demand uncertainty, and lead time.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses discrete event simulation to explore the performance increase achieved by VMI under different supply chain scenarios.

Findings

The analysis suggests that when implementing a VMI program, the capacity restrictions of suppliers have to be taken into consideration even though they have not participated in the program. Furthermore, the results also show that unless the retailer provides additional information to the distributor to resolve the uncertainty, higher levels of uncertainty in market demand create significant reductions in the savings realized by VMI. Finally, this study proves that, regardless of lead time horizons, VMI provides nearly the same level of performance increase as long as the ratio of the retailer's lead time to that of the supplier's remains constant.

Practical implications

This analysis provides a means for practitioners to understand the impact of various environmental and operational factors on the performance increase achieved by VMI so they can better analyze their specific business conditions to prepare their organizations for more successful VMI programs.

Originality/value

Although there is a range of research focusing on VMI, only a few of those have tried to identify the factors that play an important role in the failure of VMI programs. While extending the current literature, this is the first study to explore the impact of outside supply capacity on the performance improvements achieved by VMI.
The returns management process in supply chain strategy
Authors: Mollenkopf Diane , Russo Ivan , Frankel Robert
Published: August 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to consider theory development related to returns management within supply chain strategy. The marketing/logistics relationship relative to the returns management process is investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

Grounded theory qualitative methodology. Managers in five Italian firms, across marketing and logistics roles, at strategic and operational levels were interviewed.

Findings

Four key findings emerged: strong evidence exists that strategic goals and policies are being implemented; cross‐functional integration within the firms is broader than was expected; the more integrated firms deal better with external factors influencing the returns management process; and supply chain orientation – including forward and reverse supply chain flows – is linked to effective returns management.

Research limitations/implications

Firms were pre‐selected for participation, due to researcher's time constraints. Additionally, given the pan‐European approach to many supply chains, this Italian research needs to be replicated in other (western and eastern) European settings to determine the robustness of the factors posited to be important to the returns management process. Finally, other functional areas beyond marketing and logistics are involved in returns management, and will be more formally incorporated into future research.

Practical implications

Returns management – increasingly being recognized as affecting competitive positioning – provides an important link between marketing and logistics. The broad nature of its cross‐functional impact suggests that firms would benefit by improving internal integration efforts. In particular, a firm's ability to react to and plan for the influence of external factors on the returns management process is improved by such internal integration.

Originality/value

Returns management has been under‐represented in much of the logistics and supply chain literature. This paper represents the first stage of an on‐going research project aimed at providing a theoretical framework for understanding the returns management process within a firm's supply chain strategy.
Lattice Boltzmann method simulation gas slip flow in long microtubes
Authors: Huang Haibo , Lee T.S. , Shu C.
Published: August 2007

Purpose

This paper aims to examine how using lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) aids the study of the isothermal‐gas flow with slight rarefaction in long microtubes.

Design/methodology/approach

A revised axisymmetric lattice Boltzmann model is proposed to simulate the flow in microtubes. The wall boundary condition combining the bounce‐back and specular‐reflection schemes is used to capture the slip velocity on the wall. Appropriate relation between the Knudsen number and relax‐time constant is defined.

Findings

The computed‐slip velocity, average velocity and non‐linear pressure distribution along the microtube are in excellent agreement with analytical solution of the weakly compressible Navier‐Stokes equations. The calculated‐friction factors are also consistent with available experimental data. For simulations of slip flow in microtube, LBM is more accurate and efficient than DSMC method.

Research limitations/implications

The laminar flow in circular microtube is assumed to be axisymmetric. The present LBM is only applied to the simulation of slip flows (0.01 < Kn0<0.1) in microtube.

Practical implications

Lattice‐BGK method is a very useful tool to investigate the micro slip flows.

Originality/value

A revised axisymmetric D2Q9 lattice Boltzmann model is proposed to simulate the slip flow in axisymmetric microtubes.
Latent and sensible heat transfer in air‐cooling applications
Authors: Comini G. , Savino S.
Published: August 2007

Purpose

Joint descriptions of both heat and mass transfer and thermodynamic aspects of air‐cooling applications cannot be easily found in the literature. Numerical analyses are a notable exception since suitable physical models and realistic boundary conditions are a prerequisite of accurate simulations. Thus, it is believed that the experience gained with numerical simulations might be of some help also to designers of air‐conditioning and drying systems. This paper seeks to address this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

In the text, the physical implications of governing equations and boundary conditions utilized in numerical simulations are extensively discussed. Particular attention is paid to the thermodynamically consistent definition of latent and sensible heat loads, and to the correct formulation of the heat and mass transfer analogy.

Findings

Comparisons of analytical and numerical results concerning forced flows of humid air over a cooled plate validate the assumptions made in numerical simulations, both for air‐conditioning applications (almost always characterized by low rates of mass convection) and drying applications (almost always characterized by high rates of mass convection).

Originality/value

Finally, with reference to the cold plate problem investigated here, the effects of the suction flow induced by condensation on the Nusselt number are quantified.
Optimization design of microchannel cooling heat sink
Authors: Shao Baodong , Sun Zhaowei , Wang Lifeng
Published: August 2007

Purpose

This paper sets out to optimize the shape and size of microchannels cooling heat sink, which has been widely used to cool electronic chip for its high heat transfer coefficient and compact structure.

Design/methodology/approach

Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP) method is used to optimize the cross‐section sizes of microchannels. Finite volume method is used to numerically simulate the cooling performance of optimal microchannel cooling heat sink.

Findings

The optimized cross‐section shape of microchannel is rectangular, and the width and depth of microchannel is 50 and 1,000 μm, respectively, the number of microchannels is 60, and the corresponding least thermal resistance is 0.115996°C/W. The results show that the heat transfer performance of microchannel cooling heat sink is affected intensively by its cross‐section shape and dimension. The convection heat resistance Rconv between inner surface in microchannels and working fluid has more influence in the total heat resistance. The heat flux of chip is 278 W/cm2 and, through the optimization microchannel cooling heat sink, the highest temperature in the chip can be kept below 42°C, which is about half of that without optimizing heat sink and can ensure the stability and reliability of chip.

Research limitations/implications

The convection heat transfer coefficient is calculated approximatively here for convenience, and that may induce some errors.

Originality/value

The optimized microchannels cooling heat sink may satisfy the request for removal of high heat flux in new‐generation chips.
One reputation or many?
Authors: Helm Sabrina
Published: August 2007

Purpose

The firm's reputation is one of its most valued intangible assets. Scientific and managerial interest in corporate reputation grows steadily. Reputation management – one of the cornerstones of corporate communications – seeks to align communication with stakeholder groups as to prevent a fragmented reputation. As yet, little is known about the perception of corporate reputation amongst the different stakeholders of a firm. Comparative empirical evidence has remained scarce. The aim of this paper is therefore to raise fundamental questions about reputation: how it may or may not differ between stakeholder groups and how firms can take these differences into account when measuring and managing corporate reputation.

Design/methodology/approach

A single‐case, but very substantial, quantitative empirical study among German consumers, employees, and private investors of a consumer goods producer. Methods of data analysis include cluster analysis, ANOVA, and structural equation modelling using partial least squares.

Findings

The data analysis shows that the criteria applied by individuals belonging to different stakeholder groups in assessing corporate reputation are rather similar. Differentiation emerges in relation to actual perceptions of various reputational facets.

Practical implications

The findings have implications for building and interpreting the results of stakeholder‐related measures of corporate reputation and for reputation management.

Originality/value

The paper integrates different stakeholders' perceptions of corporate reputation within one empirical design and delivers insights into the relevance of adapting reputation measures to specific stakeholder groups.
Integrating ethics with strategy: analyzing disease‐branding
Authors: Parsons Patricia J.
Published: August 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the ethics of a specific communication strategy to support the contention that ethics needs to be an integrated operational consideration in the corporate communication planning process rather than an afterthought.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the marketing communication strategy referred to as disease branding as a case‐in‐point, the “Five Pillars of Ethics for Public Communication” provide a framework for analysis of the need for making ethics an operational consideration in planning.

Findings

Communication strategies attempted by organizations today are subject to public criticism. Disease branding, a prime example, is paradoxically a “non‐branded” approach to marketing pharmaceuticals directly to consumers. Pejoratively referred to as disease‐mongering, this promotion of diseases rather than drugs neatly side‐steps the increasing criticism and even legal obstacles that face or threaten to face direct‐to‐consumer advertising of branded, prescription drugs. It is an innovative, non‐traditional tactic that has been enormously successful in widening markets for specific drug preparations. Application of the “Five Pillars” for ethical analysis finds that this strategy fails to meet the acceptable ethical standard in four out of five.

Research limitations/implications

This study is limited to the application of one approach to ethical evaluation, although it is one that encompasses a number of widely accepted standards for practice.

Practical implications

An ethical analysis using the “Five Pillars” can be implemented by any corporate communication professional as a litmus test for determining the ethics of strategies under development during the operational planning process.

Originality/value

This paper fills a gap in the information available to corporate communication professionals about how to operationalize ethics.
A global strategic plan for corporate philanthropy
Authors: Valor Carmen
Published: August 2007

Purpose

Criticisms of corporate philanthropy (CP) are different across cultures. In essence, opponents of CP fear the lack of economic returns or the lack of social efficacy of corporate donations. The purpose of this paper is to propose a theoretical model that may overcome both set of criticisms, so that CP plans can be globally designed and implemented.

Design/methodology/approach

Two theories have been used to ground the model: corporate social responsibility theory and moral capital theory. The first one sets the constraints that will ensure the plan increases social welfare. Constraints stemming from moral capital theory set the conditions for CP to increase economic performance.

Findings

On the basis of these constraints, the model stresses the need for ongoing dialogue with internal and external stakeholders, and the continuous monitoring and reporting of the economic and social impact of implemented projects, as the means of overcoming opponents' criticisms of CP.

Originality/value

After analysing the main criticisms posed to CP in different cultural settings, a globally acceptable model is offered, which draws on and completes existing managerial and theoretical guidelines for strategic CP.
Communication capital
Authors: Malmelin Nando
Published: August 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a new model of communication capital which addresses the current challenges of corporate communications within the framework of intellectual capital research.

Design/methodology/approach

Modelling corporate communications from the perspective of intellectual capital research.

Findings

Communication capital consists of four component factors: juridical capital, organizational capital, human capital and relational capital. The proposed model supports the closer integration of organizational communications with business operations and strategies.

Originality/value

The paper provides a new approach to managing and analysing corporate communications. The ideas of communication capital are applicable to the management, development and planning of communications not only in business companies, but also other organizations and associations.
From workplace learning to inter‐organizational learning and back: the contribution of activity theory
Authors: Engeström Yrjö , Kerosuo Hannele
Published: August 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to show how activity theory transcends the boundary between workplace learning and organizational learning.

Design/methodology/approach

Activity‐theoretical analyses examine collectives and organizations as learners. On the other hand, activity theory is committed to pedagogical and interventionist actions to change and learning characteristic of workplace learning.

Findings

Activity‐theoretical studies put an emphasis on the object, i.e. onwhatis done and learned together in inter‐organizational networks, instead of studying only connections and collaboration of networks. The theory of expansive learning enables a longitudinal and rich analysis of inter‐organizational learning and makes a specific contribution in outlining the historical transformation of work and organizations by using observational as well as interventionist designs in studies of work and organization.

Originality/value

The paper shows that activity theory and the theory of expansive learning provide useful analytical tools for the enrichment of studies in workplace learning, as reported in the articles included in this special issue.
Workplace learning in the New Zealand apple industry network
Authors: Hill Roberta , Capper Phillip , Wilson Ken , Whatman Richard , Wong Karen
Published: August 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe how, from 2004‐2006, a New Zealand research team experimented with the “change laboratory” learning process to create a new method of government policy development and implementation, referred to as “practice‐making”. The apple industry in Hawke's Bay was chosen because of the level of tension among government agencies and small/medium‐sized firms in the industry, particularly around the scarcity of seasonal labour, amid growing concerns about the possible collapse of the industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The team stimulated a cycle of expansive learning among the network of activity systems in the industry. Laboratory participants were growers, labour contractors, pack house operators, quality controllers, horticultural consultants and government officials. The expansive learning cycle is a core concept in developmental work research (DWR) and cultural‐historical activity theory (CHAT).

Findings

Participants created a shared “object” for apple production and its government policy and regulation built around quality, making a substantive shift from adaptive learning to transformational learning, and creating a major redesign of the industry. Many of the new practices are now being implemented in the industry and government.

Practical implications

The CHAT/DWR approach seems particularly well suited for complex problem solving in any network where there are intractable systems contradictions and a strong desire among participants to make real change.

Originality/value

It is understood that this is the first time a change laboratory process has been used for government “practice‐making” with industry, in contrast with traditional policy development and implementation that frequently does not address systemic problems.
E‐learning in a large organization
Authors: Netteland Grete , Wasson Barbara , Mørch Anders I.
Published: August 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide new insights into the implementation of large‐scale learning projects; thereby better understanding the difficulties, frustrations, and obstacles encountered when implementing enterprise‐wide e‐learning as a tool for training and organization transformation in a complex organization.

Design/methodology/approach

Information‐sharing disturbances, one of five categories of disturbances that emerged from a grounded theory open coding procedure applied to empirical data collected through a longitudinal field research, are in focus. Third generation activity theory, specifically the notions network of activity systems, disturbances, tensions and contradictions, is used as an analytical lens through which to understand the role of information sharing in a large‐scale implementation.

Findings

The study has identified how information sharing disturbances became a critical factor in the implementation of e‐learning in a large company. A number of tensions that point to potential contradictions have been identified. Ways in which to deal with such tensions in future implementations of e‐learning have been suggested.

Research limitations/implications

Activity‐theoretical discussion of e‐learning in a large organization, identifying underlying tensions, is of relevance to large organizations introducing new technologies for working and learning.

Practical implications

The study has identified the causes of an important type of problem that can slow down or hinder e‐learning adoption in an organization, and thereby pointing out shortcomings of standardised e‐learning applications.

Originality/value

Empirical studies of enterprise‐wide implementations of e‐learning have rarely been reported on in the research literature.
An evidence‐based taxonomy of intellectual capital
Authors: Choo Huang Ching , Luther Robert , Tayles Michael
Published: August 2007

Purpose

Though intellectual capital (IC) has received much attention for more than a decade, there is a lack of consensus on its components and definition. IC is a multi‐disciplinary concept and the understanding of it varies across different business‐related disciplines. This paper seeks to propose a grouping of IC items based on empirical evidence in the form of managers' responses to questions about the availability of information about IC inside their companies.

Design/methodology/approach

A postal questionnaire was implemented across 520 companies listed on the main board of Bursa Malaysia. The empirical grouping of IC derived by factor analysis is compared with a priori groupings constructed from the IC literature.

Findings

It is found that the conventional three a priori categories – namely human capital, customer capital and structural capital – expand into eight facets. Nevertheless, there is remarkable consistency between literature‐based expectations and empirical groupings.

Research limitations/implications

The paper takes a broad scope perspective and in this rapidly evolving field, is based on information in place in 2005. In addition, the usual limitations of postal questionnaire surveys apply. Extension of this research approach to other cultures may reveal a different set of groupings and such research is encouraged.

Practical implications

Managers and designers of information systems may use the findings as a benchmark against which to evaluate their own systems or proposals. More significantly, the eight‐factor model facilitates conceptualisation, measurement and management of IC and the preparation of IC reports.

Originality/value

This evidence‐based confirmation of the broad three‐category model, together with the empirical identification of more detailed facets, makes a contribution to the as yet largely normative literature on the classification of the components of intellectual capital.
Patents and corporate value creation: theoretical approach
Authors: Striukova Ludmila
Published: August 2007

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to provide a taxonomy of values created by corporate patents.

Design/methodology/approach

Following an extensive literature review, value created by corporate patents is analysed according to four categories: embedded in individuals; embedded in systems and structures; market; and non‐market. This paper demonstrates that the value created by a company can reside in any of these four dimensions.

Findings

One of the main findings is that value created by corporate patents can be both market and non‐market and can be embedded both in individuals and in systems and structures. Organisations can apply this framework to assess their needs and abilities with regard to value creation from patents.

Research limitations/implications

This research sets the background for an empirical study which can be conducted to confirm the theory.

Practical implications

The paper is a useful resource for patent managers and policy‐makers, as it provides them with a tool to analyse value embedded in patents and guidelines how to develop this value further.

Originality/value

The analysis presented here differs from the traditional evaluation of patents through patent statistics and it offers a theoretical framework which can be used by companies for the analysis of their patent portfolio. This paper provides insight into the possibilities and problems that underpin value creation from patents and shows what type of value can be created and how this value can be extracted.
Evaluating the scope of IC in firms' value
Authors: Enrique Valladares Soler Luis , Jesús Cuello de Oro Celestino Diego
Published: August 2007

Purpose

The paper seeks to discuss empirically and contrast the hypothesis of the Theory of Intellectual Capital, which maintains that the difference between the market value of a firm and its book value can be explained exclusively in terms of internal, intangible assets that are peculiar to the firm.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper takes the form of a conceptual discussion, graphical analysis, basic descriptive statistics and basic correlational statistics.

Findings

Not all overvaluation of corporate assets can be explained by intangible assets of an internal nature. A significant portion can be explained by external factors, unrelated to the management of the firm, such as the general economic cycle or the sector of economic activity in which the firm is active. Hence, any economic importance that intellectual capital might hold for business management is bounded.

Research limitations/implications

The research is limited to the upper echelons of the largest US firms according to their ranking and the database of theFortune500 magazine. Subsequent phases in the research will attempt to observe other populations of firms.

Practical implications

The purpose of the new accountancy of the firm in the information and knowledge society must not be to balance financial positions with the market valuation of the firm. There are external factors that are beyond management's control. Prudent accounting practices preserve their value. Corporate leadership must focus its action on the internal assets that are open to management, on those that are a source of value creation.

Originality/value

This article reviews, discusses and empirically contrasts a fundamental hypothesis of the Theory of Intellectual Capital and points to a more reasonable path through which to establish the relation between intangible assets and the difference between the market value and the book value of a firm.