bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Costs down, talent up
Authors: Hills Paul
Published: June 2009

Purpose

The ever‐changing landscape of the music industry and the rapid take up of the digital delivery of music was something that EMI had not capitalized on quick enough. This meant a fall in profit margins and a private equity firm buy‐out resulting in the need for a global headcount reduction to save costs, but with the simultaneous need to retain core talent to aid the businesses recovery. The process was highly publicized and the business was under immense pressure to deliver a successful change program to stop the business from freefalling. This paper aims to look at the issues involved.

Design/methodology/approach

Penna was approached to work with EMI to implement the downsizing program and its experienced team took a “Cost Down, Talent Up” approach, which is the result of years of Penna experience in the restructuring field. It incorporates an assessment model that is designed to not only retain existing talent but to introduce new talent to lead the business forward while driving down costs.

Findings

Penna identified a series of critical success factors for EMI and other companies undertaking such change programs, broadly grouped under the following umbrella terms: set the right goals for your change process; restructure at pace; and integrate talent management.

Originality/value

The paper hightlights how businesses are facing new challenges and must think carefully about their survival strategies, as cost cutting alone is not enough to survive. Employers and HR teams must work to retain the core values embedded in the employer brand, not just when recruiting but also when streamlining or making redundancies.
The role of variety seeking in short and long run revisit intentions in holiday destinations
Authors: Enrique Bigné J. , Sánchez Isabel , Andreu Luisa
Published: June 2009

Purpose

The main purpose of the present paper is to identify the differences in the antecedents of holiday destinations revisit intentions in the short and long run. Specifically, this work analyzes the influence of specific variety seeking, perceived value, destination image, satisfaction, switching costs and past switching behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a quantitative study and the authors collected data personal interviews at households using the random route sampling technique. The sample comprises 400 tourists who have been on holiday at least once in the last two years, excluding lodging in relatives' and friends' houses or their own secondary residence. The data is analyzed through structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results show that there are relevant differences in the antecedents of holiday destination revisit intentions in the short and long term. The main determinants of the intention to return to the destination for the next holiday are past switching behavior, switching costs and specific variety seeking, whereas the assessment of the destination (image and satisfaction) does not have a significant effect. However, in the long term, satisfaction becomes the most relevant antecedent of intentions to return, specific variety seeking maintains its influence, and past switching behavior and switching costs become irrelevant.

Practical implications

The findings have relevant implications for destination managers in helping them to understand the temporal pattern of tourist revisit intentions and the main antecedents.

Originality/value

The main contribution of this paper is twofold. Firstly, researchers have rarely considered the temporal dimension when analyzing the antecedents of revisit intention, despite the usefulness of this approach to improve the understanding of tourists' return intentions. Secondly, the research is focused on specific variety seeking – that is, the propensity to seek variety in a concrete product category; rather than general variety seeking that is the usual approach.
China's search for energy and its strategy towards Central Asia
Authors: Janardhanan Nandakumar
Published: June 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a view on China's energy search towards Central Asia and the strategy the country adopts in order to enhance its political and economic reach in the region.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper examines the strategy of China in outmanoeuvring other major energy competitors in the Central Asian region. The analysis also looks at China's strategic leverage in the region over other extra regional powers which are increasingly finding it difficult to overcome the Chinese influence over the energy rich Central Asian countries.

Findings

China's presence in the Central Asian region would continue to be a major concern for other extra regional powers that seek to enter into the region's energy sector. Though countries such as the USA, India, and Russia have undeniable importance to a great extent in the region, the years to come would evince China playing a leading role vis‐à‐vis its interaction with Central Asia.

Research limitations/implications

Though the bandwidth of the political interactions and involvement of Russia and USA are significantly larger than that of China, the region's energy sector would be strategic determinant in shaping the Central Asian states' relations and interactions with the outside world. As the analysis used in this paper is primarily meant to examine China's energy search in Central Asia, issues related to other purely political and economic arena are not extensively discussed.

Originality/value

The paper is the original work of the author. The analysis provided in the paper is based on the facts and information on China's energy search in the Central Asian region. The paper provides analysis of the Chinese energy strategy in Central Asia.
Demand‐oriented innovation strategy in the European energy production sector
Authors: Cleff Thomas , Grimpe Christoph , Rammer Christian
Published: June 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to use a lead market approach for each of 25 European Union member states (EU‐25) to assess the likelihood that locally preferred innovation designs in the Energy Production Sector will become successful in other countries. Based on the lead market analysis, it aims to outline implications for innovation management.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper identifies and operationalises indicators to measure and compare the lead market properties of the energy production sector at international level. The indicators used are taken from the Community Innovation Surveys, the Eurostat/OECD PPP and Expenditure Database, the UNCTAD FDI‐Database, the EU Business Demography Statistics, and the Eurostat Foreign Trade Database (Comext).

Findings

French energy production companies proved the most effective at orienting their product innovations towards the needs of customers in international markets. The companies in other countries within the EU trade on home markets that exhibit barriers to innovation in at least two of the lead market factors. Therefore, the lead market, France, should be the focal point for the development of global innovation designs. By focusing on innovation designs which respond to the preferences within the French lead market, the innovation management of a company can leverage the success experienced in the lead market for the product's global market launch.

Research limitations/implications

Indicator values were not always available for lead market properties of the energy production sector in every member state. This was particularly true when it came to measuring market structure advantage and transfer advantage.

Practical implications

Market research on the lead market takes centre stage when product innovations are in the development phase. Companies in countries that do not have sufficient above‐average lead market attributes must target product innovations to fit the preferences of users in the lead market – in this case, the French clients of the energy production sector. The observation of the lead market can take on varying degrees of intensity. These range from simply making use of listening posts in the lead market to testing and/or launching new products there.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to apply the lead market approach to systematically investigate demand‐specific innovation drivers in the energy production sector. Its consideration of the demand side of innovation is of the utmost interest for the more recent strains of innovation research as well as for innovation management in the energy production sector itself.
Energy budgeting and control: a new approach for an industrial plant
Authors: Cesarotti Vittorio , Di Silvio Bruna , Introna Vito
Published: June 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a method for planning and controlling energy budgets for an industrial plant. The developed method aims to obtain a very high confidence of predicted electrical energy cost to include into the estimation of budget and a continuous control of energy consumption and cost.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors propose a methodology that refines effectiveness and efficiency of budget estimation. The method relies on a three‐stage analysis: energy consumption characterization and forecasting, energy budget formulation and energy budget control. In particular, this paper deals deeply with the second and the third stages, i.e. energy budgeting and control. The methodology has been developed on the basis of a continuous improvement philosophy and project management techniques. A discussed case study shows the potential of the methodology in order to discover energy consumption inefficiencies.

Findings

Energy budgeting and control has been implemented within a set of first and second level metrics. The first level indicators allow identifying the effect of an increase of specific consumption beyond the predicted. The second level indicators allow identifying the effect of variations of price, volume, mix or loading bands from the predicted.

Research limitations/implications

In the paper climatic variations are not considered, limiting the energy drivers to those related to production volumes.

Practical implications

The method can be considered as a practical guide for energy budget planning and control of any industrial consumer.

Originality/value

A new approach to energy budgeting and control is proposed, allowing the impact of different specific consumption or production plans (volume, mix, and load bands) to be calculated.
The impact of sanctions on buyer‐supplier relationship within the Libyan oil industry
Authors: Tantoush J.O. , Lettice F. , Chan H.K.
Published: June 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore buyer‐supplier relationships in the Libyan oil industry during and following the sanction era. This paper, utilising four largely validated critical relationship parameters, seeks to flag important buyer‐supplier relationship insights.

Design/methodology/approach

Desk research is undertaken to explore the selected themes of trust, co‐operation, commitment and communication, which are critical to effective dyadic buyer‐supplier relationships. Subsequently, in‐depth interviews were conducted with five key personnel of five Libyan oil companies to examine the impact of sanctions on the selected themes in relation to their buyer‐supplier relationships.

Findings

The results highlight interesting differentials between the two explored areas in relation to the four selected themes: trust, co‐operation, commitment and communication. The results indicate that there is a significant gap in understanding the impact of sanctions on the buyer‐supplier relationship.

Practical implications

This paper is of practical use to academics and practitioners who wish to understand the impact on and implications of sanctions on dyadic buyer‐supplier relationships in a developing country. It is also useful to government officials and the oil industry in gaining insights into the effects of sanctions on an economy with significant reliance on the oil industry.

Originality/value

There are extensive studies on the key themes of dyadic buyer‐supplier relationships. However, there is a gap in understanding the impact of sanctions on buyer‐supplier relationship behaviours. The findings in this paper therefore contribute to bridging this gap.
Renewable energy RD&D expenditure and CO2emissions in 15 European countries
Authors: Mourshed Monjur , Quddus Mohammed A.
Published: June 2009

Purpose

Renewable energy (RE) is an important component to the complex portfolio of technologies that have the potential to reduce CO2emissions and to enhance the security of energy supplies. Despite RE's potential to reduce CO2emissions, the expenditure on renewable energy research, development, and demonstration (RERD&D) as a percentage of total government energy research, development, and demonstration (ERD&D) investment remains low in developed countries. The declining ERD&D expenditure prompted this research to explore the relationship between CO2emissions per capita and RERD&D as opposed to ERD&D.

Design/methodology/approach

An econometric analysis of annual CO2emissions per capita during the period 1990‐2004 for the 15 pre‐2004 European Union (EU15) countries was carried out. It was hypothesized that the impact of RERD&D expenditure on the reduction of CO2emissions would be higher than that of ERD&D expenditure, primarily due to several RE technologies being close to carbon neutral. Country‐level gross domestic product per capita and an index of the ratio between industry consumption and industrial production were introduced in the analysis as proxies to control for activities that generate CO2emissions. A number of panel data econometric models that are able to take into account both country‐ and time‐specific unobserved effects were explored.

Findings

It was found that random effect models were more appropriate to examine the study hypothesis. The results suggest that expenditure on RERD&D is statistically significant and negatively associated with CO2emissions per capita in all models, whereas expenditure on ERD&D is statistically insignificant (ceteris paribus).

Originality/value

The findings of this paper provide useful insight into the effectiveness of RERD&D investment in reducing CO2emissions and are of value in the development of policies for targeted research, development, and demonstration investment to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Measurement of EU27 oil vulnerability
Authors: Roupas Christos V. , Flamos Alexandros , Psarras John
Published: June 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to compare the security of oil supply of the 27 European Union (EU27) member countries throughout the measurement of the vulnerability that their economies have exhibited to oil during the period from 1995 to 2007. Additionally, the EU27 future oil vulnerability is to be estimated for two indicative scenarios: a low oil price projection and a high price one. The two projections are going up to 2030.

Design/methodology/approach

Six indicators that quantify the core concepts that affect the security of supply of a country have been integrated in a synthetic index that measures the vulnerability of the case study countries for the time period under consideration. For the development of the synthetic index the principal component analysis (PCA) has been applied.

Findings

The results of this paper are illustrative of the existing vulnerabilities in the oil supply that may signal for a common EU policy addressing the energy availability risk issue.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitation of the analysis is the usage of six indicators in order to capture the core essence of vulnerability and security of supply. The integration of additional indicators in the synthetic index may strive towards a more precise analysis.

Originality/value

The contribution of the paper lies in the usage of a statistical technique, PCA, for the development of a synthetic index that specifies the vulnerability in oil for EU27.
Determinants of export performance in French wine SMEs
Authors: Maurel Carole
Published: June 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to determine which factors are the most important for French wine small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) to focus on to improve their export performance. French wine companies, mostly SMEs are acting in a market where being internationally competitive is essential. This is becoming increasingly challenging because of the strong growth of New World wines in international markets. Moreover, they have to face the saturation of their domestic market compounded by a decline in per capita consumption domestically. Having a high export performance could help them be more competitive.

Design/methodology/approach

The first step to reach this goal is reviewing the existing literature on export performance determinants in SMEs and more particularly in the wine industry. A theoretical model is built and used to structure an empirical analysis of the determinants of the export performance of French wine SMEs.

Findings

Export performance determinants can be theoretically divided into internal, external and strategy‐related determinants. Empirical analysis indicates that in the French wine industry, business partnerships, innovation, a greater size and an effective export commitment are linked to higher levels of export performance.

Research limitations/implications

This research reveals that financial determinants of export performance are missing in the literature. Besides, duplicating the study with another export performance determinant is necessary to confirm the validity of the results.

Originality/value

This article brings an overall theoretical approach to export performance determinants in SMEs. Moreover, it provides a basis for understanding and then improving the viability of French wine companies through export development.
Chinese choices: a survey of wine consumers in Beijing
Authors: Yu Ying , Sun Huihui , Goodman Steve , Chen Shangwu , Ma Huiqin
Published: June 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the purchasing behaviours of two Beijing wine consumer groups and evaluate the influence of different factors on their decision making process to provide information to better understand the Chinese wine market and assist with market entry and penetration.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire with 27 single choice or scoring questions and a set of 13 best–worst (BW) scaling questions is designed. Typical consumers in supermarkets and university students are invited to answer the questionnaire which uses a mix of nominal and rating scale responses as well as a BW choice experiment.

Findings

The results show that the consumers intend to pay low prices for daily use wines, but high prices for wines for gift purposes. Domestic brands constituted the highest proportion of the purchases, followed by French wines. The consumers are sensitive on price and country of wine origin; awards, medals, and vintage were of low influences in wine purchasing decisions. Typical consumers like supermarkets and boutique wine shops, while university students prefer the internet for on‐line sales. In the BW experiment, tasting the wine previously, the origin of the wine and brand name listed are the most influential factors in purchasing decisions.

Originality/value

The overall picture of wine preference of Beijing consumers is reported for the first time. It provides an understanding of the factors in wine purchasing decision making and their relative importance. The result could better facilitate wine promotion and penetration in this promising and unique market.
Explaining low farm‐gate prices in the Catalan wine sector
Authors: Costa‐Font Montserrat , Serra Teresa , Gil Maria , Gras Anna
Published: June 2009

Purpose

The viticulture sector represents a conspicuous part of the Catalan agricultural and agro food sector. While wine production in Catalonia has been increasing markedly over the first half of the 2000s, prices that grape producers receive have steadily declined threatening their standard of living. This has raised social and political concerns and calls for a better understanding of its causes. This paper aims to comprehend the sources of such price crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

A Delphi survey is conducted during 2005 among a panel of 27 wine sector experts.

Findings

The results find that experts agree in considering wine surplus and imperfect price transmission as the main causes determining low farm‐gate prices in the Catalan wine sector.

Originality/value

The analysis aims at characterizing the food marketing chain for wine products in Catalonia by quantifying the trade flows occuring within this chain. This paper is the first attempt in Catalonia and Spain to quantify and characterize such flows.
Chandler as a biographer: content thematic analysis of Chandler's biography of Henry Varnum Poor
Authors: Bynum Leigh Ann , Clayton Russell W. , Hayek Mario , Moeller Miriam , Williams Wallace A.
Published: June 2009

Purpose

This paper analyzes Chandler's biography of Henry Varnum Poor to assess Chandler's contribution to management history as a biographer.

Design/methodology/approach

Using Winter's content thematic analysis, measure Poor's motivational needs for achievement, affiliation‐intimacy, and power, as they are depicted by Chandler throughout the stages of Poor's career as a business editor, analyst, and reformer.

Findings

Our analysis shows that Chandler views Poor's motivation as stable throughout Poor's three professional roles. This paper found that Chandler views Poor as primarily driven by his need for power, followed by a significant need for achievement, and a minor need for affiliation throughout his working life.

Originality/value

This research is unique because it provides the first social‐scientific assessment of Chandler's contribution to management history as a biographer.
Commemorating Chandler through the lens of his revisionists
Authors: Novicevic Milorad M. , Buckley M. Ronald , Clayton Russell W. , Moeller Miriam , Williams Wallace A.
Published: June 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to commemorate Alfred Chandler, a truly outstanding business historian, through the unique lens of his revisionists.

Design/methodology/approach

By developing a classifying framework, Chandler's revisionists is analyzed based on the extent to which they critique Chandler's interpretation of the role of managers in large organizations.

Findings

The revisionist critiques of Chandler's works is traced and examine how they can contribute to the intent of commemorating Chandler and his works.

Practical implications

The most relevant revisionists of Chandler's works are highlighted in a manner that might be valuable for the understanding of how Chandler's revisionists can be interpreted within both functional and critical paradigms.

Originality/value

The unique contributions of this study is its focus on providing a specific form of commemoration through the lens of Chandler's revisionists and thus putting “Chandler in a larger frame” of management history.
Changes in IT sourcing arrangements
Authors: Jayatilaka Bandula , Hirschheim Rudy
Published: June 2009

Purpose

Companies are increasingly changing their IT sourcing arrangements. Such changes often involve significant costs. The purpose of this paper is to explore and explain IT sourcing as a dynamic organizational phenomenon and to gain a deeper understanding of the drivers and outcomes of IT sourcing changes at organizational level.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative approach with interpretive analysis of historical data. Data are collected from companies through interviews and review of public documents where available.

Findings

The underlying tendencies of change are either primarily associated with institutional processes, or with what we term “IT‐driven” considerations. The perceived success of IT outsourcing in companies is dependent on these underlying tendencies.

Research limitations/implications

This is an exploratory study and the findings on the underlying tendencies in change will be helpful in further theory development and research on IT outsourcing changes.

Practical implications

Knowledge coming from such research could help companies make more effective decisions about IT sourcing changes and set realistic expectations.

Originality/value

The dynamic perspective taken in this paper is different from the perspectives taken in earlier research where the researchers took cross‐sectional views of IT outsourcing arrangements. This paper shows the importance of re‐examining the reasons for change using the more encompassing concept of orientation.
Beyond job losses
Authors: Ørberg Jensen Peter D. , Funk Kirkegaard Jacob , Søndergaard Laugesen Nicolai
Published: June 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of offshoring and inshoring on the demand for different types of labor.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses a survey with 1,500 firms located in the Eastern part of Denmark to identify overall offshoring and inshoring trends. Estimates of the employment impact are founded on data from a sub‐sample of firms with offshoring and/or inshoring.

Findings

The paper shows that in the period 2002‐2005 more jobs were created as a result of inshoring of activities into Eastern Denmark from firms outside Denmark than were eliminated due to offshoring from firms in the Danish region. Overall, highly skilled workers reap the benefits of offshoring and inshoring, whereas the positions of low‐skilled workers are challenged.

Originality/value

In contrast to most academic research on offshoring, which predominantly focus on outward offshoring flows, the study analyzes both outward and inward offshoring (inshoring) and gives a more holistic and balanced view on the magnitude and employment impact.
Outsourcing in China: opportunities, challenges and lessons learned
Authors: Jones Wendell O.
Published: June 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the opportunities, challenges and lessons of information technology outsourcing (ITO) in China.

Design/methodology/approach

The challenges, opportunities and trends in offshore ITO in China are examined based on two trips to software centers in China, interviews and conversations with Chinese executives and government officials, research programs of outsourcing researchers and information from advisors and practitioners.

Findings

The paper extracts lessons learned about practices, processes and cultural factors that contribute to outsourcing success in China; why China attract ITO customers; how cultural dimensions and differences in accepted business practices complicate outsourcing in China; what strengths and weaknesses to expect from Chinese IT workers and outsourcing companies; and how to evaluate, select and manage Chinese suppliers.

Originality/value

The paper presents principles and extracts lesson learned to address the issues and opportunities for outsourcing in China.
United Kingdom gilt securities and market liquidity: surveying the impact of structural reforms
Authors: Choudhry Moorad
Published: June 2009

Purpose

Between 1996 and 1998, the Bank of England (BoE) undertook structural reforms of the UK gilt market designed to improve market liquidity and accessibility. The purpose of this paper is to ascertain, through the use of a market survey, whether the broad aims of the reforms were achieved.

Design/methodology/approach

The research technique used in the paper is direct qualitative survey evidence of the market. It is considered that part of the impact of any structural reform is how the market responds to it. Hence, the actual views of the market are relevant, and this highlights the value of conducting a market survey.

Findings

Survey evidence suggests that the reforms were welcomed by market practitioners, and that perceived levels of liquidity had increased in the period following the reforms. From the survey results, it cannot be concluded unequivocally that the reforms led to higher liquidity. Nevertheless, the responses to the critical questions of liquidity and price spread provided evidence that an improvement in market conditions was perceived to have occurred.

Practical implications

The survey results suggest that dealing and settlement efficiency in a government bond market is of value to investors. Therefore, BoE‐style reforms may be considered for implementation in other sovereign bond markets.

Originality/value

The paper is the first direct survey of the UK gilt market, and the first study into the impact of the BoE reforms on market liquidity. As such, it may be of value to sterling market investors as well as the central monetary authorities.
Testing the pecking order theory: the importance of methodology
Authors: Vasiliou Dimitrios , Eriotis Nikolaos , Daskalakis Nikolaos
Published: June 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to show that different methodologies may lead to different implications about the validity of the pecking order theory.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data from Greek firms as a starting‐point, the paper first investigates whether they follow the financing pattern implied by the pecking order theory and then illustrates that conclusions concerning the pecking order should be carefully shaped by researchers, as the methodology used can be misleading. Two different information sources are used; the first is data derived from the financial statements of the Greek firms listed in the Athens Exchange, while the second comprises the answers to a detailed questionnaire.

Findings

It is shown that a negative relationship between leverage and profitability does not necessarily mean that the pecking order financing hierarchy holds. Analysis should not rely solely on the mean‐oriented regression quantitative analysis to test the pecking order theory, as it refers to a distinct hierarchy.

Research limitations/implications

Further research should focus on investigating the reasons that underlie actual firm financing.

Practical implications

The fact that the pecking order is actually a hierarchy makes research in this field more complex. Analysts should consider this special feature of the pecking order approach when analyzing the existence of the pecking order financing pattern. The methodology followed is of crucial importance in the analysis of the existence of the pecking order financing pattern.

Originality/value

To the authors' knowledge, this is the first paper to test the pecking order pattern of financing using simultaneously quantitative and qualitative data, and to compare results and conclusions drawn from these two different types of methodology.
The investment decision‐making process from a risk manager's perspective: a survey
Authors: Masood Omar , Aktan Bora , Chaudhary Sahil
Published: June 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify associations between various inputs in the investment decision process of Saudi Arabian risk managers (RMs).

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reports the views of 81 RMs in Saudi Arabia regarding their approach to investment risk and uses these as inputs into conditional independence graphs.

Findings

Saudi RMs favour their experience and personal judgment over mathematical projections and statistical models when considering investment risk. A need remains for an efficient risk‐modeling framework for the banking system that has more practical value than those which have emerged to date.

Originality/value

The paper provides novel insights on issues such as the extent to which risk management is dealt with in practice via personal experience rather than statistical‐based projections. The findings also shed light on the level of satisfaction amongst RMs and regulators with the incentives provided in the Saudi Arabian environment, and the importance placed on guidance from the nation's leading regulatory institution.
Gender in family business ownership and management: a six‐country analysis
Authors: Sonfield Matthew C. , Lussier Robert N.
Published: June 2009

Purpose

While family firms constitute a highly important component of most countries' economies, and in many countries a sizable portion of these family businesses are owned and managed by women, there has been minimal study of gender issues in family business ownership and management. The purpose of this paper is to fill this gap.

Design/methodology/approach

The research design was self‐reported survey research, which is the most commonly used methodology in family business research and for small business and entrepreneurship quantitative research.

Findings

In contrast to early (pre‐1980) gender comparisons in management and entrepreneurship, and in support of the majority of more recent studies, this investigation found no significant relationships between the gender of family business owner‐managers and ten management characteristic variables in a sample of 593 family businesses in six countries.

Originality/value

These findings add to the limited and currently inconclusive body of knowledge regarding gender issues specifically in family business, and more generally in entrepreneurship and management.
The Diva storyline: an alternative social construction of female entrepreneurship
Authors: Smith Robert
Published: June 2009

Purpose

Many “Divas” despite possessing destructive character traits ironically become successful entrepreneurs thus illustrating an alternative “storied” social construction of entrepreneurship. This influences how female entrepreneurs are perceived in the popular press and can be manipulated as an alternative entrepreneurial reality. The purpose of this paper is to build upon research into entrepreneurial identity introducing the “Diva” concept.

Design/methodology/approach

The qualitative methodological approach involves an analysis of biographies of famous Diva's to identify common themes; and an internet trawl to identify supplementary micro‐biographies and newspaper articles on “Divas”. This tripartite approach allows rich data to be collected permitting a comparative analysis.

Findings

This empirical paper presents the socially constructed nature of entrepreneurial narrative and the “Diva storyline” demonstrating the influence of journalistic licence upon how successful women are portrayed. The paper adds incremental credence to power of male‐dominated journalistic practices to vilify enterprising behaviour to sell newspapers.

Research limitations/implications

An obvious limitation to the work is that the sample of articles and biographies selected were chosen via search parameters which mention the word “Diva”. Nevertheless, there is scope for further “more detailed” research into the phenomenon to flesh out the model built in this preliminary paper.

Practical implications

An important implication for scholars and journalists is the need to reconsider how we tell and decode entrepreneur stories. As researchers, we need to recognise that there are other avenues for women to become entrepreneurs than to become businesswomen and that it is alright for women to reject the “entrepreneur” label.

Originality/value

This paper informs our understanding of the socially constructed nature of how we tell, understand and appreciate entrepreneur stories. It thus makes a unique contribution by illustrating that the storylines which constitute the “Diva cycle” are constructed from the same storylines that we associate with entrepreneur stories but narrated in a different order. It provides another heuristic device for understanding the social construction of gendered entrepreneurial identities making it of interest to feminist scholars of entrepreneurship and to social constructionists alike.
Behavioral intervention to promote smoking cessation and prevent weight gain: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Spring Bonnie , Howe Dorothea , Berendsen Mark , McFadden H. Gene , Hitchcock Kristin , Rademaker Alfred W. , Hitsman Brian
Published: June 2009

Aims  The prospect of weight gain discourages many cigarette smokers from quitting. Practice guidelines offer varied advice about managing weight gain after quitting smoking, but no systematic review and meta‐analysis have been available. We reviewed evidence to determine whether behavioral weight control intervention compromises smoking cessation attempts, and if it offers an effective way to reduce post‐cessation weight gain.

Methods  We identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared combined smoking treatment and behavioral weight control to smoking treatment alone for adult smokers. English‐language studies were identified through searches of PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Of 779 articles identified and 35 potentially relevant RCTs screened, 10 met the criteria and were included in the meta‐analysis.

Results  Patients who received both smoking treatment and weight treatment showed increased abstinence [odds ratio (OR) = 1.29, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.01, 1.64] and reduced weight gain (g = −0.30, 95% CI = −0.57, −0.02) in the short term (<3 months) compared with patients who received smoking treatment alone. Differences in abstinence (OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 0.85, 1.79) and weight control (g = −0.17, 95% CI = −0.42, 0.07) were no longer significant in the long term (>6 months).

Conclusions  Findings provide no evidence that combining smoking treatment and behavioral weight control produces any harm and significant evidence of short‐term benefit for both abstinence and weight control. However, the absence of long‐term enhancement of either smoking cessation or weight control by the time‐limited interventions studied to date provides insufficient basis to recommend societal expenditures on weight gain prevention treatment for patients who are quitting smoking.
The utility of online panel surveys versus computer‐assisted interviews in obtaining substance‐use prevalence estimates in the Netherlands
Authors: Spijkerman Renske , Knibbe Ronald , Knoops Kim , Van De Mheen Dike , Van Den Eijnden Regina
Published: June 2009

Aims  Rather than using the traditional, costly method of personal interviews in a general population sample, substance‐use prevalence rates can be derived more conveniently from data collected among members of an online access panel. To examine the utility of this method, we compared the outcomes of an online survey with those obtained with the computer‐assisted personal interviews (CAPI) method.

Design  Data were gathered from a large sample of online panellists and in a two‐stage stratified sample of the Dutch population using the CAPI method.

Setting  The Netherlands.

Participants  The online sample comprised 57 125 Dutch online panellists (15–64 years) of Survey Sampling International LLC (SSI), and the CAPI cohort 7204 respondents (15–64 years).

Measurements  All participants answered identical questions about their use of alcohol, cannabis, ecstasy, cocaine and performance‐enhancing drugs. The CAPI respondents were asked additionally about internet access and online panel membership. Both data sets were weighted statistically according to the distribution of demographic characteristics of the general Dutch population.

Findings  Response rates were 35.5% (n = 20 282) for the online panel cohort and 62.7% (n = 4516) for the CAPI cohort. The data showed almost consistently lower substance‐use prevalence rates for the CAPI respondents. Although the observed differences could be due to bias in both data sets, coverage and non‐response bias were higher in the online panel survey.

Conclusions  Despite its economic advantage, the online panel survey showed stronger non‐response and coverage bias than the CAPI survey, leading to less reliable estimates of substance use in the general population.
Shoreline trajectories on a glacially influenced stable margin – insight from the Barents Sea Shelf, NW Russia
Authors: Jensen Maria A. , Larsen Eiliv
Published: June 2009

This study describes shoreline migration paths for late Quaternary sediments on the inner Barents Sea shelf between Kola and the Pechora Sea. The depositional geometries provide an example of stratigraphical architecture in a glacially influenced basin prone to isostatic movements as well as rapid and high‐amplitude changes in eustatic sea level. The depositional geometries reflect asymmetrical relative sea level changes characterised by marine inundation upon deglaciation and prolonged forced regressions. Thus, all deposition occurs during the falling stage and lowstand systems tracts. The transgressive and highstand systems tracts are lacking and the maximum landward position of the shoreline is coinciding with the basal surface of forced regression. Shoreline migration is dominated by downward and seaward trajectories, but aggradation occurs on the falling limb of the relative sea level curve due to superimposed eustatic cycles of lower hierarchical order. Fluvial aggradation behind the shoreline takes place during the lowstand systems tract, but is also linked to high sediment supply and may also respond to superimposed lower order sea level fluctuations. Lateral variations in isostatic load due to asynchronous ice advances lead to regional variations in shoreline trajectories. Significant differences in sea level history exist across former ice margins leading to time‐transgressive and laterally discontinuous stratigraphical surfaces. Sequence boundaries are not only diachronous along the depositional profile, but also laterally, and basal surfaces of forced regression are strongly diachronous across former ice margins. Absolute age control allows for estimates of the time differences along significant stratigraphical surfaces.
Rhabdomyolysis a result of azithromycin and statins: an unrecognized interaction
Authors: Strandell Johanna , Bate Andrew , Hägg Staffan , Edwards I Ralph
Published: June 2009

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT

• Rhabdomyolysis is a serious but rare adverse effect of statins.

• The mechanism of rhabdomyolysis with statins is poorly defined, but the occurrence is known to increase with dose/ concentration.

• Some macrolides are known to interact with statins; however, azithromycin has not been described to interact with statins with the exception of two literature case reports.

WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS

• A case series in the World Health Organization Adverse Drug Reaction (WHO‐ADR) database was suggestive of a possible drug interaction between statins and azithromycin with rhabdomyolysis.

• A disproportionality measure, Omega, was shown to identify previously not recognized suspected drug interactions within the WHO‐ADR dataset.

AIMS

In a systematic screening of the World Health Organization Adverse Drug Reaction database, VigiBase, in July 2008, a measure of association used to detect interactions (Omega) highlighted azithromycin with the individual statins atorvastatin, lovastatin and simvastatin and rhabdomyolysis. The aim was to examine all reports including rhabdomyolysis‐azithromycin and statins in VigiBase to assess if the data were suggestive of an interaction.

METHODS

The individual case reports in VigiBase and the original files were reviewed. In order to investigate the reporting over time for rhabdomyolysis with azithromycin and statins to VigiBase, Omega values were generated retrospectively.

RESULTS

The reporting over time showed that rhabdomyolysis under concomitant use of azithromycin and statins was reported more often than expected from 2000 and onwards in Vigibase. After exclusion of possible duplicates and follow‐up reports, 53 cases from five countries remained. Rhabdomyolysis occurred shortly after initiation of azithromycin in 23% of cases. In 11 patients an interaction had been suggested by the reporter. With the exception of one patient, the statin doses reported were within the recommended daily doses.

CONCLUSIONS

Case reports in VigiBase are suggestive that interactions between azithromycin and statins resulting in rhabdomyolysis may occur. This analysis showed the potential of the newly developed disproportionality measure, Omega, which can help to identify drug interactions in VigiBase in the future. The results also showed that reviewing spontaneous reports can add information to drug interactions not established previously.
Microarray analysis of placental tissue in intrauterine growth restriction
Authors: Struwe E. , Berzl G. , Schild R. , Blessing H. , Drexel L. , Hauck B. , Tzschoppe A. , Weidinger M. , Sachs M. , Scheler C. , Schleussner E. , Dötsch J.
Published: June 2009

Objective  Besides foetal or maternal disorders, placental dysfunction is a major cause of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Although numerous macro‐ and histopathological changes have been described, little is known about the precise aetiology and the contribution of foetal/placental genes in this disorder.

Design  Placental tissues of 20 IUGR and control neonates were analysed by microarray technique. Four of the regulated genes with possible relevance in the pathogenesis of IUGR and its consequences were further studied in placentas of 27 IUGR and 35 control newborns.

Results  Elevated gene expression of leptin, corticotrophin‐releasing hormone (CRH), and IGF‐binding protein‐1 (IGFBP‐1) in IUGR placentas could be confirmed in the larger group by real‐time PCR, whereas prolactin showed no significant difference. Accordingly, protein expression of leptin and IGFBP‐1 depicted by Western blot was elevated in IUGR, prolactin was not different. Birthweight standard deviation score (SDS) correlated negatively to leptin, IGFBP‐1, and CRH, whereas placental weight correlated only to IGFBP‐1. Leptin correlated negatively to gestational age of IUGR patients and positively to placental score, a marker of severity of impaired foeto‐placental circulation.

Conclusions  As confirmed in a large group of IUGR and control samples, the up‐regulated factors leptin, IGFBP‐1, and CRH may serve as candidate genes for the prediction of subsequent metabolic consequences in IUGR newborns. These three factors may not only influence growth of the foetus, but might also interact with programming of its metabolic functions, which has to be determined in an ongoing study.
Harem size and oviposition behaviour in a polygynous bark beetle
Authors: LATTY TANYA M. , MAGRATH MICHAEL J. L. , SYMONDS MATTHEW R. E.
Published: June 2009

Abstract. 1. Harem polygyny can have fitness benefits and costs on females. In bark beetles of the genus Ips the latter may include within‐harem competition between larvae. However, earlier competition between females for male care and mating opportunities may also influence oviposition behaviour. There has been relatively little investigation into the relationship between harem size and initial egg output. The present study investigated this relationship in the bark beetle Ips grandicollis.

2. The measure of egg output used was the number of eggs in the gallery with the most eggs in each harem. Mean (±SE) harem size of 242 observed harems was 3.25 ± 0.10. A curvilinear relationship was found between egg output and harem size, with females in smaller harems (one to four females) laying more eggs with increased harem size. However, females in larger harems (five to seven females) laid fewer eggs as harem size increased. The optimal harem size (in terms of number of eggs laid) was close to four females.

3. We found no evidence from a behavioural assay that females could preferentially choose unmated males over mated males with harems of two females. Additionally, the distribution of harem sizes suggests that females distribute themselves among males randomly.

4. The results suggest that harem size has effects on female reproduction that extend beyond larval competition and influence patterns of oviposition. The mechanism that determines why egg laying is greatest at intermediate levels is unknown. There is no evidence that smaller harems belong to lower quality males, but females may adjust egg‐laying behaviour in large harems as a result of reduced male attendance or anticipated larval competition.