bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How do management students perceive the quality of education in public institutions?
Authors: Narang Ritu
Published: September 2012

Purpose

Keeping in mind the urgent need to deliver quality education in higher education institutes, the current paper seeks to measure the quality perception of management students in India.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on an exploratory study a modified version of SERVQUAL was employed as the research instrument. Data were collected from young students between the ages of 21‐25 years.

Findings

The research instrument, EduQUAL, comprising 28 items tested well for both reliability and validity. Five dimensions of the scale, namely learning outcomes, responsiveness, physical facilities, personality development and academics, were identified. The results obtained pointed at the negative quality gaps in all the five dimensions of EduQUAL. The highest negative gap was visible in the physical facilities dimension and lowest negative score in case of academics dimension. There were significant differences between perceptions and expectations of students with respect to all the five dimensions of the scale (p<0.001).

Research limitations/implications

The study was confined to three public educational institutes so the generalizations for the entire nation have to be used cautiously. Therefore, the researchers are encouraged to extend this research to private and foreign universities as well.

Practical implications

The current study provides valuable insights into the quality of higher education perceived by students in India.

Originality/value

The study points out the seriousness required of the policy makers in ensuring the quality of higher education rather than being concerned with only quantitative increase of higher education institutes. It seeks to draw the attention of the administration towards areas of performance where improvements are required or more resources need to be diverted.
First‐time‐users' impressions of continuing education using the internet
Authors: Conte Nelly
Published: September 2012

Purpose

The paper's aim is to describe the first experiences of, opinions and attitudes toward, continuing education using the internet of a group of Puerto Rican pharmacists after an online course.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a descriptive study using a focus group of practicing pharmacists who participated in continuing education using the internet for the first time.

Findings

The participants' descriptions and impressions with regard to online continuing education (CE) experiences were both emphatic and covered all aspects of the process, from accessing the CE site to selecting a topic to reading the content and answering the questions. Pharmacists recognized the importance and advantages of online CE, but demonstrated preference for live CE. Lack of technical skills is still a limitation, especially the lack of internet navigation skills.

Research limitations/implications

The recruiting methodology did not result in a sufficient number of participants for the two sessions that were planned which highlighted some of the cultural aspects of the process of inviting professionals to attend and participate in a focus group. Even though only one focus group was conducted, the systematic approach garnered detailed and valuable information.

Practical implications

Strong preferences for live CE, the need for socializing, and time‐management issues were identified as being barriers to participating in CE that educators, professional associations and CE providers can address. Continuing education designers and providers must carefully design their web pages and courses to increase its quality, to facilitate taking a CE, to increase satisfaction, and to increase recurrent use.

Originality/value

The paper presents the reactions of a group of adult professionals as they encounter a new learning experience by means of the internet.
Improving service quality in technical education: use of interpretive structural modeling
Authors: Mitra Debnath Roma , Shankar Ravi
Published: September 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the relevant enablers and barriers related to technical education. It seeks to critically analyze the relationship amongst them so that policy makers can focus on relevant parameters to improve the service quality of technical education.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study employs the interpretive structural modeling (ISM) approach to model the crucial parameters of technical education. The parameters discussed are categorized under “enablers” and “barriers”. The enablers would help policy makers to improve and develop the curriculum of the technical education and the identifying barriers would help the decision maker to improve upon those variables.

Findings

The major findings of this study are to prioritize the strategic parameters in reducing the risks associated with technical education. The model also proposes a hierarchical structure classifying the parameters as drivers and enablers.

Research limitations/implications

The study proposes a scientific way to model the enablers and barriers to become a progressive institution in the emerging era of globalization and modernization. This would help to prioritize the issues as the enablers and barriers are hierarchically structured and categorized.

Practical implications

The paper maps out a course of action and the adoption of the proposed framework would provide a competitive edge for India over others. Also, the various stakeholders would be satisfied, which would be beneficial for the system as a whole.

Originality/value

The application of ISM to the decision making process is the unique feature in the field of technical education in India. The integrated framework of policy related parameters would contribute towards overall growth and development.
Investigating relationships among quality dimensions in higher education
Authors: Ardi Romadhani , Hidayatno Akhmad , Yuri M. Zagloel Teuku
Published: September 2012

Purpose

This study aims to assess the relationships among quality dimensions in higher education (HE) and to determine the effect of each quality dimension on students' satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire was developed and distributed to 270 final year students of an engineering faculty in an Indonesian state university. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to test the validity of the conceptual model and structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted to measure the relationships that lie within the model.

Findings

The study reveals the relationships among quality dimensions in HE in the engineering faculty of this Indonesian state university. The results show that students' satisfaction was positively influenced by commitment of faculty management, the quality of course delivery, and the ease of giving feedback for quality improvement.

Research limitations/implications

This study has limited scope because it was only conducted based on students' perceptions of an engineering faculty in one institution in Indonesia. However, the methods, models and instruments applied could serve as a basis for developing a measurement for evaluating quality in higher education more generally.

Practical implications

The instrument in this study will be useful to help policy makers in engineering HE institutions to assess the level of quality dimensions in their institution and the effectiveness of their quality program based on students' satisfaction. Furthermore, the conceptual relationships model can give deeper understanding of the quality dimensions that should be prioritized by top management. Lastly, top management should pay attention to their commitment to quality, course activities, and customer feedback and improvement.

Originality/value

This research promotes a methodology using SEM to assess relationships among quality dimensions in HE that can be helpful for top management when making decisions. The conceptual relationships model can also be easily reproduced to assess other engineering institutions' characteristics.
Dimensions of sustainable value chains: implications for value chain analysis
Authors: Fearne Andrew , Garcia Martinez Marian , Dent Benjamin
Published: September 2012

Purpose

Value chain analysis (VCA) can expose strategic and operational misalignments within chains, and the consequential misallocation of resources, and hence opportunities for improvements which create value and economic sustainability. This paper's purpose is to argue why and how VCA needs to integrate the social and environmental aspects of sustainability in pursuit of sustainable competitive advantage.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a review of existing methods and case studies, the paper proposes three dimensions of VCA, which illustrate the flaws in narrow tools, and the need to broaden the boundaries of VCA, the interpretation of “value” and relationships along the chain in order to highlight opportunities for creating sustainable value chains.

Findings

To date VCA has largely focused on economic sustainability and paid inadequate attention to social and environment consequences of firm behaviour and the (re) allocation of resources within and between firms in the chain. This risks producing recommendations which either ignore the competitive advantage offered from improving environmental management and social welfare, or have such detrimental external consequences as to render any proposals unsustainable when exposed to government or broader (public) scrutiny.

Research limitations/implications

VCA variants need to be developed which incorporate all three pillars of sustainability. Some initial experiences are presented and ideas for future research and applications proposed.

Practical implications

The development of sustainable VCA tools should identify business opportunities consistent with Porter and Kramer's imperative for value chains to create shared value between business and society.

Originality/value

Adopting the broader dimensions identified will allow VCA to become more widely applicable, and more relevant in business scenarios where there is a growing imperative to include social and environmental impacts into “mainstream” business strategies.
The impact of supply chain integration on company performance: an organizational capability perspective
Authors: Huo Baofeng
Published: September 2012

Purpose

This paper aims to simultaneously examine the impact of three types of supply chain integration (SCI) on three types of company performance from the perspective of organizational capability.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data collected from 617 companies in China and the structural equation modelling method, the research investigates the relationships among internal integration, customer integration, supplier integration, supplier‐oriented performance, customer‐oriented performance, and financial performance from the perspective of organizational capability.

Findings

The results show that internal integration improves external integration and that internal and external integration directly and indirectly enhance company performance. In addition, full or partial mediating effects among SCI and company performance are identified, and therefore explain the inconsistent findings in previous studies regarding the impacts of SCI on performance.

Originality/value

This study contributes to SCI, organizational capability theory literature, and SCI practices.
Effects of geographic dispersion on intra‐firm supply chain performance
Authors: Lorentz Harri , Töyli Juuso , Solakivi Tomi , Hälinen Hanne‐Mari , Ojala Lauri
Published: September 2012

Purpose

This article aims to quantify and analyse empirically how the geographic dispersion of a firm's supply chain impacts on intra‐firm supply chain performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Generalised linear modelling is utilised to analyse a sample of 95 large manufacturing companies operating in Finland.

Findings

Results indicate that the increased geographic dispersion of the upstream supply chain results in higher costs of warehousing and logistics administration. On the downstream side, inventory costs, inventory days of supply, and cash‐to‐cash cycle time tend to increase due to geographically dispersed sales network. Increased geographic dispersion in the upstream and downstream supply chain results in the decline of perfect orders, and increases order fulfilment cycle time. However, the increased dispersion of the production network reduces order fulfilment cycle time. The results also indicate that the larger the firm, the better it can alleviate the negative implications of dispersion on perfect order fulfilment. Make‐to‐stock companies suffer less from the supply chain dispersion related delays in comparison to companies that utilise more pull‐type production and inventory strategies.

Research limitations/implications

Research limitations include the cross‐sectional nature of the data, the concentrated geographic origin of the respondents, and the small sample size.

Originality/value

Building on the multidisciplinary body of prior literature on geographic dispersion, the research provides quantified insights into the general principles of international supply chain design in the presence of a performance related trade‐off between the dispersion and centralisation of operations across the tiers of the supply chain. Contributions are made to the discussions on supply chain complexity, international sales portfolio diversification and international purchasing.
Motivations towards environmental innovation
Authors: Yarahmadi Mohammad , Higgins Peter G.
Published: September 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the green innovation literature using a conceptual framework developed to explain the driving forces behind environmental cooperative activities of firms. The framework links motivations to the different type of partners in the context of environmental innovations.

Design/methodology/approach

Literature on innovation, environmental innovation, sustainable development and strategic management is examined in order to build the conceptual framework.

Findings

This paper suggests that firms cooperate with governmental agencies, NGOs, suppliers, customers and industry associations to comply with environmental laws and regulation, obtain legitimacy as well as acquire competency (i.e. access to resources such as funds, knowledge and skills). However, only competency‐oriented motivation stimulates organisations to cooperate with competitors and knowledge leaders.

Research limitations/implications

The model developed is conceptual and qualitative in nature. More research that is empirical needs to be conducted to test for the validity of the six formulated propositions.

Originality/value

The significance of this paper is twofold. First, it integrates two different strategic management theories: resource‐based and institutional theories in explaining cooperative environmental motivations. Second, it develops a framework that provides a basis for more theoretical and empirical studies.
Impact of regulatory asymmetries in internet value chain
Authors: Soria Bruno , de la Cruz Inmaculada , Campos Isabel
Published: September 2012

Purpose

The main objective of this paper is to assess how the degree of regulation that a company has to comply with affects its profitability. There is great variation within the internet value chain in the profitability of different players. The paper aims to analyse a large sample of companies that are leaders in different internet‐based businesses (network operators, search engines and other ASP, software, electronic retailing, content delivery networks, device manufacturers …). The paper's hypothesis is that regulation plays an important role in the profitability of a company and therefore also in how the market values them.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology used to check the authors' hypothesis includes the following steps: identify leaders in the internet space; identify their core asset and group them according to it; calculate their profitability across a series of dimensions, with focus on return on fixed assets (ROFA); assess the degree of regulation of each group; and assess the statistical relationship between regulation and profitability and look for significant results.

Findings

The paper analyses the degree of regulation of the core asset of these companies and finds that is statistically related to their profitability. Companies with core assets free from regulation yield much higher profits on their investments than those with core assets curtailed by regulation.

Originality/value

This finding can cast light on some policy proposals under debate (net neutrality, access regulation, privacy …), especially how they can increase or decrease the current imbalance in the relative profitability of companies and the internet balance of payments and power between the European Union and the USA.
Clash of cultures – integrating copyright and consumer law
Authors: Helberger Natali , Guibault L.
Published: September 2012

Purpose

This article seeks to deal with the fundamental conceptual differences between consumer law and copyright law that render the application of consumer law to copyright‐law related conflicts difficult.

Design/methodology/approach

Following a normative approach to copyright and consumer law based on an analysis of the relevant literature and case law, the article examines in which situations consumers encounter obstacles when trying to rely on consumer law to invoke “privileges” granted to them under copyright law, such as the private copying exception.

Findings

Research shows that most difficulties lie in the fundamental conceptual differences between consumer law and copyright law regarding the objectives and beneficiaries of each regime, as well as diverging conceptions of “property”, “user rights” and “internal market”. Such discrepancies undeniably follow from the fact that each regime traditionally never had to deal with each other's concerns: consumers never played a role in copyright law, whereas copyright protected works were not seen as consumer goods.

Originality/value

By identifying the main conceptual differences between the two legal regimes, the article contributes in an inter‐disciplinary manner to the discussion on the place of the digital consumer under European law.
Prioritizing sustainability strategies for global extractive sector firms
Authors: Walsh Philip R.
Published: September 2012

Purpose

This paper seeks to examine the importance of corporate social and environmental initiatives to extractive sector firms and by measuring the level of social, environmental and economic sustainability in 128 countries around the world and applying these measures to a framework comprised of a sustainability indices matrix, and identifying certain strategic approaches to social and environmental practices.

Design/methodology/approach

The matrix contains eight categories of sustainability attainment and a k‐means cluster analysis is employed to identify what countries belong to each of these categories and to what extent these clusters identify countries with similar characteristics that may impact the focus of corporate social and environmental performance practices for extractive sector firms wishing to pursue projects in those countries.

Findings

The study finds that, in those jurisdictions where social and environmental sustainability is well established, extractive sector firms are required to deal with established rules and regulations that require a more reactive strategic approach. The various combinations of sustainability levels amongst the many countries around the globe require various combinations of strategies related to corporate social and environmental performance.

Practical implications

The realization that, today, extractive sector firms who choose to ignore the need for appropriate corporate social and environmental performance are risking increased costs arising from social and environmental damage created by their projects supports the need to create pro‐active strategies for addressing social and environmental responsibility.

Originality/value

This paper's contribution is the development of a framework for measuring the component levels of sustainable development and clustering a large number of countries into specific categories with recommended approaches to social and environmental sustainability strategies.
Perspectives on corporate responsibility and sustainable development
Authors: Swanson Lee A. , Zhang David D.
Published: September 2012

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to address the difficulty in describing sustainable development at an organizational level caused by the diverse meanings assigned to the term across different organization types.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was based on a meta‐narrative analysis of a select set of research literature on sustainability in organizations. Using interpretive synthesis to extract the key perspectives on what sustainable development means across organization types, the resulting categories of organizational sustainability were presented in a taxonomy and represented on Swanson and Zhang's Map of Organizational Forms to help describe their characteristics.

Findings

The findings reveal that sustainable development at an organization level has different meanings for different kinds of organizations. The relative weightings afforded the individual elements of sustainability – economic, environmental, social, and cultural – differ between organization types depending on a range of factors. Four new categories of organizational sustainability are presented and described.

Practical implications

The findings are expected to help researchers conduct further studies into organizational level sustainable development by providing them with distinct categories within which to focus their work.

Originality/value

This paper presents a taxonomy of organizational level sustainability perspectives and examines some of the factors that define the classifications. The viewpoints offered should deepen understanding as to why some organizations embrace and implement wide‐ranging and complex sustainability principles while others view sustainability in narrow terms – such as focusing almost exclusively on maintaining their own economic viability.
Corporate environmental responsibility – transitional and evolving
Authors: Sindhi Sumita , Kumar Niraj
Published: September 2012

Purpose

This paper aims to put forward typology of factors for corporate environmental responsibility for easy comprehension and to propose a conceptual framework taking into account factors, barriers and benefits of corporate environmental responsibility. It also aims to suggest how corporate environmentalism is evolving in a developing country context.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a conceptual paper, based on review of literature and the gaps in it. An attempt has been made to incorporate various aspects of corporate environmental responsibility and study the relationship between them.

Practical implications

The framework suggests parameters for policy makers to facilitate corporations in implementing corporate environmentalism. Managers will realize the barriers and benefits of corporate environmental responsibility and can adapt to implement environmental responsibility.

Originality/value

A rational approach is applied which takes into account three basic aspects of environmental responsibility and their inter‐relationship. The paper tries to propose an answer to the ambiguity behind progress of environmental responsibility.
Sustainable SME practice
Authors: Howarth Richard , Fredericks John
Published: September 2012

Purpose

This article aims to consider different interpretation(s) of small to medium‐sized enterprise (SME)‐environment behaviour and the potential implications for intervention and change in theory and practice.

Design/methodology/approach

The article is primarily a reflection on a supply‐chain environmental management project and the specific and wider SME literature(s).

Findings

The proposal is that if/when embracing the internal SME dimension and sense‐making processes it is possible to conceive/describe a landscape of SME‐environment intervention and change. Recognition of this landscape is of use to interventionists involved with the facilitation of change(s) and may support improvements in the quality of outcome(s).

Research limitations/implications

The implication of the work is that there is a need to more effectively and appropriately consider the internal SME dimension and sense‐making processes when investigating and describing SME‐environment behaviour and interventions based on such descriptions.

Practical implications

The work will be of interest to interventionists, those who sponsor their work or develop policy and intervention(s) in this area.

Originality/value

This article identifies some of the impacts and implications for change that lead from the consideration of the internal SME dimension and related sense‐making processes; a dimension surfaced in the case project work but not fully engaged in that work or the SME‐environment and related literature.
Theoretical modeling of orifice compensated symmetric hole‐entry hybrid journal bearings
Authors: Garg H.C.
Published: September 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present theoretical investigations of the static performance characteristics of orifice compensated symmetric hole‐entry hybrid journal bearing considering the combined influence of rise in temperature and non‐Newtonian behavior of the lubricant.

Design/methodology/approach

The thermohydrostatic (THS) rheological solution of a hole‐entry hybrid journal bearing system requires the simultaneous solution of Reynolds equation, energy equation and conduction equation along with appropriate boundary conditions. In the present study an iterative numerical solution scheme is used to establish pressure and temperature fields in the lubricant fluid‐film.

Findings

It is found that there is an increase in the oil requirement for a hybrid journal bearing with the specified operating and geometric parameters, when the viscosity of the lubricant decreases due to the rise in temperature and non‐Newtonian behavior of the lubricant.

Originality/value

The available literature concerning the orifice compensated symmetric hybrid/hydrodynamic journal bearings indicates that the thermal effects together with non‐Newtonian behavior of lubricant due to additives mixed in the lubricants have been ignored in the analysis so as to obviate the mathematical complexity.
Consumer adoption of online collaborative customer co‐design
Authors: Son Jihyeong , Sadachar Amrut , Manchiraju Srikant , Fiore Ann Marie , Niehm Linda S.
Published: September 2012

Purpose

“Collaborative customer co‐design websites” (CCCWs), reflect a combination of co‐design and social networking. While this technology is presently emerging, little research has explored consumer perception of the underlying benefits and impediments of CCCW features. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the perceived benefits and impediments offered by a CCCW and its influence on consumer acceptance of this technology.

Design/methodology/approach

The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) with additional variables (perceived playfulness, perceived social risk, and mass confusion) was employed to examine the effects of CCCW features on consumers' beliefs about the CCCW and their consequent intention to use a CCCW. An online, scenario‐based survey was used to collect responses from college students (n=223). Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Findings

Results of structural model testing indicated that perceived playfulness had the largest influence on intentions to use the CCCW. Additionally, perceived social risk associated with the CCCW negatively influenced consumers' intention to use the website. Contrary to expectations, mass confusion positively influenced consumers' intentions to use the CCCW.

Originality/value

Successful online co‐design retailers have begun to utilize social networking features for customer collaboration. Yet, there is scant research that explores the features leading to consumer acceptance of this technology during the collaborative customer co‐design process. Focusing on this problem, the present paper empirically tested perceived benefits and impediments regarding acceptance of a CCCW. The findings suggest that online retailers who adopt a CCCW as a business strategy may relay the value added benefits to consumers by: promoting how this technology relieves customers' perceived social risk; and underscoring the fun and enjoyment aspects of CCCWs to encourage website use and patronage.
Towards designing for equity: active citizen participation in eHealth
Authors: Jones Christopher R. , Cardoso Ricardo B. , Hüttner Edison , Oliveira Helena W. , dos Santos Marlise A. , Helena Itaqui Lopes Maria , Russomano Thais
Published: September 2012

Purpose

Reducing inequity in accessing healthcare among rural and remote populations remains a problem. Internationally, eHealth is now touted as a potential solution, with a range of diverse approaches and impacts. Yet, the equity gains of implementing eHealth are often not realized due to a lack of effective strategies for citizen participation. The purpose of this paper is to present the background to, and results of, a multidisciplinary eHealth assistance project in a remote region of the Brazilian Amazon, highlighting the importance of citizen participation within planning processes.

Design/methodology/approach

The project was conducted in three phases – pre‐mission, mission, and post‐mission. Discussions were held between health teams and local community leaders, and were coordinated by government health organizations in partnership with the Amazon State University. A multidisciplinary team visited five remote communities in the Brazilian Amazon, where participants underwent clinical assessment using eHealth technologies within pharmacy, cardiology, dermatology, and/or odontology. Analysis and second opinion were provided by relevant specialists and the results were delivered electronically to local healthcare teams.

Findings

A total of 111 patients were evaluated with an average age of 54 years. There were several important findings following specialist second opinion, which improved the quality of care they received. These comprise identifying drug interactions and patients requiring further investigation for cardiological and dermatological complaints, including suspected malignancy.

Research limitations/implications

Due to a breakdown in communication, data from the post‐mission phase are lacking, particularly regarding treatment outcomes. Furthermore, the authors did not perform an analysis of cost‐effectiveness. If eHealth technologies are to become part of routine clinical practice it is important that the financial implications are acceptable.

Originality/value

This project demonstrates how equity can be designed for with a multidisciplinary approach to eHealth activities in rural and remote environments within Brazil. Such activities typically focus on one particular area, yet primary healthcare facilities see patients with a variety of problems.
Digital local agenda: bridging the digital divide
Authors: Walterova Iva , Tveit Lars
Published: September 2012

Purpose

While information communication technologies (ICTs) are essential for social and economic development in today's emerging digital society, the problem of the digital divide persists. To close this gap, the European Union has proposed eInclusive policies. However, a general belief has emerged that this issue must be dealt with at the local level. The purpose of this paper is to report on such an effort, the Digital Local Agenda (DLA). It aims to show the DLA development in Europe and provide an example of its utilization in practice through a European initiative.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper explains the rationale for the DLA, and examines implementation of the DLA in pilot sites in five European countries to support civil servants in small municipalities, and empower them to develop and utilize their capacities to use ICTs and reach people most in danger of eExclusion.

Findings

Preliminary findings indicate that the DLA should be considered when looking for solutions to the persistent problem of digital exclusion in Europe. Implementing the DLA may improve public service provision and reduce the digital divide faced by disempowered groups.

Originality/value

Given the flexible and adaptable instruments provided for in the DLA, the paper argues that the DLA is an effective and strategic approach to translate policy frameworks into solutions that practitioners can deploy to overcome the barriers of accessing eGovernment, reduce the digital divide among marginalized groups in Europe and include all stakeholders in decision making processes.
Towards a new architecture for teacher professional development in South Sudan
Authors: Power Tom
Published: September 2012

Purpose

Mobile phone adoption and diffusion in low economic development countries (LEDCs) may provide for greater information access using open educational resources to support large‐scale teacher education programmes. The purpose of this paper is to explore this.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on evaluations of the current basic services provision in South Sudan and the identified needs for improving English language teaching, this conceptual paper presents an analysis of the nature and extent of teacher training needs in South Sudan, and the capacity of the current system to deliver against those needs.

Findings

The education system in South Sudan is ranked among the lowest in the world for primary and secondary enrollment. South Sudan is faced with the almost impossible task of tripling its teacher work force, but the quantity and quality of training required cannot be delivered through existing teacher training institutes.

Research limitations/implications

The immediate post‐conflict situation in the new nation state, transitioning from humanitarian relief to international development activities, means that hard national data are tentative and emergent.

Practical implications

The author puts forth an argument for a radically different approach to teacher professional development capable of operating at sufficient scale to enable the government of South Sudan to meet its ambitious target of adequately educating 3.5 million students.

Originality/value

There is very little in the literature that examines the use of mobile phones to support professional learning within the educational domain, particularly in the context of LEDCs; equally, there is little in the literature that addresses how LEDC governments might meet the challenges of scale and access through appropriate models of school based teacher development (SBTD).
Citizen participation and effectiveness of e‐petition: Sutharyakeralam – India
Authors: Alathur Sreejith , Vigneswara Ilavarasan P. , Gupta M.P.
Published: September 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of electronization in improving the effectiveness of citizens' democratic participation in the context of e‐petitioning. With this aim, the current study worked to ascertain what influences citizens' offline and online petitioning and the extent to which electronization empowers citizens for effective e‐petitioning.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses a case study from Sutharyakeralam meaning “Transparent Keralam” to determine the extent to which e‐petitioning worked for protecting a public irrigation canal in Kerala (India). Data were obtained through in‐depth interviews with relevant government officials, journalists and petitioners who reside near the canal. Secondary data used for the case analysis consist of petitioners' documents. Using a content analysis, this paper assesses citizens' ability to participate and influence decision making.

Findings

Findings illustrate adequate citizen participation before and after the electronization of the grievance redress mechanism. Results also show if there are adequate publicizing facilities, e‐petitions can empower citizens to engage effectively in efforts to fight for their human rights.

Research limitations/implications

The scope of the study is limited to exploring the determining parameters that may improve democratic participation in an issue of environmental pollution. Results imply that adequate policies to ensure the involvement of participants are essential to enable e‐government initiatives to deliver on the ideals of e‐democracy for equity and justice.

Originality/value

Earlier studies on e‐participation were less adequate in explaining the influence of electronization on citizens' capability for effective e‐petitioning. The current study attempts to explore the enablers of effective e‐petitioning. Drawing on the canal case study, arguments are presented that explain the possible success and failure of e‐petitioning initiatives in India.
A modern history of Japanese management thought
Authors: Vaszkun Balázs , Tsutsui William M.
Published: September 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to trace the origins of “Japanese management” and explain how it was institutionalized. This historical overview aims to help readers to better understand and evaluate recent events and reforms.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews the major literature of management history in Japan and conceptualizes these works into a framework of four main paradigms characterizing the production systems, behavioural elements, organizational structures and strategy of large Japanese companies.

Findings

Japanese management thought evolved in a developing nation and primarily in the manufacturing sector. The scientific management paradigm was dominant from the start of modern industry in Japan and its endurance is explained by its profound embeddedness in the Japanese business system. The need for change (e.g.in strategy) is identified, but as Japan has proved reluctant in the past to shift away from the efficiency concept, effecting reforms may remain difficult in the future as well.

Research limitations/implications

The paper challenges readers to consider the future of longstanding Japanese management practices in an economy that is undergoing rapid change and is increasingly moving toward service and knowledge‐intensive industries.

Practical implications

The paper highlights the need to follow closely the current reforms and management trends in Japan, as they may lead to a decisive redesign of the traditional system more‐or‐less preserved since the Second World War. Following its logic on strategy, firms may reinforce their reorientation from pure cost‐leadership goals.

Originality/value

This paper deals with management history in Japan as the emergence of four basic paradigms, where the fourth is newly identified here. The paper will be helpful to academics who study management history as well as current management practices in Japan. Practitioners will benefit by understanding the roots and applicability of methods being currently used.
Healthcare management education settings in the United States
Authors: Hilsenrath Peter E.
Published: September 2012

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a history of graduate healthcare management education in the USA with an emphasis on the comparison of business schools and health science settings. It seeks to explain why different organizational cultures exist and how this affects education.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach relies on literature review and descriptive analysis using secondary data. Institutional economics helps provide perspective on different academic cultures and orientations.

Findings

Healthcare management education originated in the early twentieth century. Business schools at the University of Chicago and Northwestern were early pioneers. By mid‐century, schools of public health and medicine entered and came to dominate with strong graduate programs at Berkeley, Michigan and other leading universities. More recently, business schools have differentiated away from the generic MBA and expanded into this market. Advocates of health science settings commonly see healthcare as different from other forms of management. The externally funded model of medical education relying on patient and grant revenues dominates the health sciences. This can lead to preference for faculty who generate funds and a neglect of core academic areas that historically have not relied on grants and contracts.

Practical implications

This history of health management education provides insight for students, researchers, educators and administrators. It underscores comparative advantage of different academic settings.

Originality/value

This paper serves to fill a gap in the management literature. It provides history and perspective about academic settings not readily available.
A brief business history of an on‐line distribution system for academic research called NEP, 1998‐2010
Authors: Bátiz‐Lazo Bernardo , Krichel Thomas
Published: September 2012

Purpose

Applications of information technology have been directly responsible for the increase in productivity of business, government and academic activities. Business and management historians have yet to contribute to better understanding such processes. This paper aims to address this shortcoming through the internal and organisational history of a system for speedy, online distribution of recent additions to the broad literatures on economics and related areas called NEP: New Economic Papers.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a first person account (partly autobiographical) which also includes interviews and the use of archived e‐mail correspondence.

Findings

The advent of the internet promised a revolutionary change by democratising the social institutions related to the creation and dissemination of academic knowledge. Instead, this story tells how participants slowly but steadily tended to replicate established institutions.

Social implications

This paper provides a story of the NEP project and shows how one person's drive could generate a broader community of volunteers (constituted by a large number of academics and practitioners who provide critical support for its functioning). The paper provides details of the social and technological challenges for the construction of the technological platform as well as the evolution of its governance.

Originality/value

There is no historiography in business and management history on how to deal with changes in archived material resulting from the application of information and telecommunication technologies. Given the rate of change for events in the third industrial revolution, this paper shows it is possible and indeed relevant to document events in the recent past.
The private life of Henri Fayol and his motivation to build a management science
Authors: Peaucelle Jean‐Louis , Guthrie Cameron
Published: September 2012

Purpose

The aim is to identify Henri Fayol's motivations as an accomplished business manager to publish his management theory at the age of 75.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors retrace Henri Fayol's private life using primary sources from various French public archives including civil registry records, military and diplomatic archives, schooling records, publications from learned associations and inheritance declarations. They then use a psychological theory, namely equity theory, to interpret this new information about Fayol's private life and construct an explanation of his efforts to theorise his management experience.

Findings

Henri Fayol's schooling and his father's military career respectively influenced his perception of mathematics teaching in management training and the functioning of the army. His motivation to found a science of management was not financial but instead most probably a response to the obstacles his father encountered during his career.

Research limitations/implications

It is rarely known what motivates a manager to collaborate with specialists in management science. This research into Henri Fayol's motivations can be replicated for other managers.

Practical implications

The paper dentifies one major practical implication for managers who wish to contribute to management theory as Fayol did. Before they begin such an undertaking, it is important for them to reflect upon their motivations. Their motivations as managers, based on financial and business success are insufficient. Deeper motivations are needed, that are anchored in their own personal history to drive the considerable intellectual investment that is necessary for them to be successful contributors.

Social implications

The results encourage managers to contribute to building and improving management science. They can theorize their experiences in dealing with the management of contemporary issues such as sustainable development and social responsibility. They must do so as Fayol did: using scientific method and strongly motivated by personal beliefs.

Originality/value

The research question is original: “What motivated Fayol to build his management doctrine?”. Scholars rarely ask why individuals decide to build and organize knowledge. This question is relevant for managers today as they too can bring original contributions to management thought. The paper reports previously unpublished details about Fayol's life to answer the research question, and in doing so completes and corrects the works of Sasaki Tsuneo and Henri Verney.
Credit scoring in mortgage lending: evidence from China
Authors: Gan Christopher , Li Zhaohua , Wang Weizhuo , Kao Betty
Published: September 2012

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the determinants of default mortgage in China and the factors affecting the mortgage amount granted by Chinese banks.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper employs the credit scoring model to investigate the determinants of default mortgage in China and the factors affecting the mortgage amount granted by Chinese banks.

Findings

Using a proprietary dataset from branches of the Construction Bank of China containing information on all mortgages offered to borrowers from 2004 to 2009 1st quarter, the paper documents that borrower rating, mortgage rate and mortgage duration are significantly related to default rate and mortgage amount. These findings suggest that Chinese banks' mortgage lending are based on commercial basis. This helps to reduce the likelihood of a real estate bubble in China.

Research limitations/implications

The findings in this paper argued that a good credit scoring model has the ability to detect bad loans; this could help the bank to reduce the loan losses from loan default. Consequently, it can improve the profitability and the financial stability of the bank.

Originality/value

This research would benefit both lender and borrowers. Lenders can apply an objective evaluation technique with a standard process and criteria to appraise their customer's credit risks and creditworthiness. A good credit risk management tool can effectively control risk selection, manage credit losses, evaluate new loan programs, improve loan approval processing time, and ensure that existing credit criteria are sound and consistently applied.