bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Organisational capabilities: antecedents and implications for customer value
Authors: Nasution Hanny N. , Mavondo Felix T.
Published: April 2008

Purpose

The paper aims to investigate the cultural and implementation organisational capabilities that contribute to provision of superior customer values through operationalising customer value from both the business and customer perspectives.

Design/methodology/approach

Two samples were developed: one for hotel managers (n=231) and the other for hotel guests (n=385). Data for the organisational capabilities were collected from managers; data for customer value were collected from both managers and customers. Two models were tested with respect to the relationship between cultural capabilities and implementation on customer value.

Findings

The results indicate that, among the cultural variables, integrated market orientation and intrapreneurship are significantly and positively related to customer value. The implementation capabilities, human resources practices and innovation are significantly related to customer value as seen by managers, but none of these was significant when regressed on customer value as experienced by customers.

Research limitations/implications

A test of measure equivalence would be desirable to establish whether customers and managers in responding to questions on customer value use the scales equivalently.

Practical implications

The study suggests that managers should adopt the customer's perspective as a useful guide to resource deployment and a potential source of sustainable competitive advantage. This enables organisations to invest in capabilities valued by customers.

Originality/value

The value of the paper lies in obtaining data for all the independent variables from managers, and data for the dependent variable, i.e. customer value, from both managers and customers, hence limiting common method bias.
European vocational education and training: a prerequisite for mobility?
Authors: Rauner Felix
Published: April 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that the internationalisation of nearly all spheres of society and the process of European integration will be leading to the development of a European vocational education and training (VET) architecture.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis of the “Copenhagen process” is based on the EU documents on the realisation of a European Qualifications Framework and a credit transfer system.

Findings

The result of the study shows that the strategy adopted by the European Union for the establishment of a European area of vocational education is confronted with a dilemma. The European Qualifications Framework is highly abstract since any reference to real educational programmes and qualifications and any concrete provision for the transition and for the transferability between educational levels and sectors (vocational and higher education, initial and continuing training) was avoided in order to adhere to the anti‐harmonisation clause. The result is an abstract, hierachically structured one‐dimensional qualifications framework that lacks any reference to existing VET systems and that contradicts all scientific insights from VET research and knowledge research.

Practical implications

The implications for VET policy are far‐reaching. A European area of vocational education can be established only on the basis of European open core occupations and an open VET architecture, which ensures that vocational education becomes an integral part of national educational systems. The qualification of employees for the intermediary sector can be realised only as a European project.

Originality/value

There are only a few contributions available that undertake a conceptual analysis and critique of the European Qualifications Framework.
Empirical study of relationship value in industrial services
Authors: Barry James , Terry Tamara S.
Published: April 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assist industrial service providers in building relationships that maximize value to their customers. The study aims to add to relationship value research by examining its dimensions, antecedents, outcomes, and cross‐culture relevance.

Design/methodology/approach

Using structural equation modeling, the study examines the influence that relationship value has on commitment and intentions, as well as the determinants of value encompassing the core offering, sourcing process and buyer operations. The sample covers 42 countries for cross‐cultural perspectives.

Findings

By understanding the factors creating relationship value, providers are more likely to build enduring relationships with their buyers. Findings confirm that commitment and intentions are influenced by relationship value, which, in turn, is impacted by benefits such as performance, efficiency, and reliability as well as comparative costs and switching costs.

Research limitations/implications

The study is oriented more towards industrial services. Further research is encouraged that extends the study domain to consumer and professional services.

Originality/value

The research demonstrates the mediating influence that relationship value has on behavioral outcomes. Especially important to global service providers, this knowledge is then extended beyond the traditionally studied single‐country settings to a world perspective, while extending the field of relationship value into the largely ignored industrial services sector.
The impact of supplier downsizing on performance, satisfaction over time, and repurchase intentions
Authors: Lewin Jeffrey E. , Johnston Wesley J.
Published: April 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this study is first to investigate how well downsized suppliers, as compared to non‐downsized suppliers, are able to satisfy their business customers over time; and second whether these same business customers having stronger or weaker repurchase intentions toward downsized suppliers, as compared to non‐downsized suppliers.

Design/methodology/approach

A random sample of 560 purchasing professionals from a wide range of industries and firms provide responses on the performance of, their satisfaction with, and their repurchase intentions toward downsized and non‐downsized industrial suppliers.

Findings

The results of the study indicate that downsized suppliers, as compared to non‐downsized suppliers, overall are doing a significantly poorer job of satisfying their business customers, leading to significantly lower ratings of loyalty and repurchase intentions. However, some surprising results emerge regarding the non‐linear pattern of low, medium and high levels of downsizing on performance and repurchase intentions.

Practical implications

Suppliers who downsize are at risk of losing important business customers as their abilities to deliver ancillary value‐added services are diminished through the elimination/loss of key customer support personnel. It is important for these suppliers to recognize these risks, and to implement strategies to avoid the potential negative outcomes associated with downsizing.

Originality/value

To date, with possibly one or two exceptions, all studies focusing on downsizing have had an intra‐firm focus. This study investigates downsizing from an inter‐firm perspective, and is the first to focus on the effect of downsizing on business customers’ satisfaction, loyalty, and repurchase intentions.
Franchisee perceived relationship value
Authors: Harmon Tracy R. , Griffiths Merlyn A.
Published: April 2008

Purpose

The paper seeks to develop a conceptualization of franchisee perceived relationship value (FPRV), defined as the trade‐off between perceived net worth of tangible and intangible benefits and costs to be derived over the lifetime of the franchisor‐franchisee relationship, as perceived by the franchisee, taking into consideration the available alternative franchise relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey of existing literature provided the relevant constructs and concepts for developing a conceptual framework of FPRV.

Findings

The behavioral aspects of the franchise relationship are explored from the franchisee's perspective, providing an alternative viewpoint of the franchise relationship.

Practical implications

The paper affords a useful foundation for making decisions in a franchise relationship, such as the choice of a new franchisee. This entails a comparison of an existing franchisee about which much is known versus a new franchisee about which less is known. FPRV offers a constructive lens to better evaluate this decision and help frame questions concerning the value of social elements within the relationship.

Originality/value

This work is among the first to examine franchisee relationship value and consequences from the franchisee's perspective. Research propositions surrounding the franchisee's behavioral expectations in the relationship are offered, and serve to guide further research in this area.
Why do leading brand manufacturers supply private labels?
Authors: Tomas Gomez‐Arias J. , Bello‐Acebron Laurentino
Published: April 2008

Purpose

Private labels are gaining increasing importance in many industries. While there are obvious benefits for retailers to embrace private labels, the standard explanations for manufacturers' involvement (idle capacity, buffer against follower brands, retailer's conditions) do not explain it completely. This paper seeks to provide an additional explanation.

Design/methodology/approach

An economic model of vertical differentiation is proposed.

Findings

The model shows that, once the retailer has decided to introduce the private label, and depending on the quality positioning chosen by the retailer, both manufacturers find situations where they are better off by not supplying the store brand and allowing the other manufacturer to produce the private label, but also situations where they prefer to produce the private label. Also, it is shown that retailers will choose the high‐quality manufacturer for its premium store brand, and the low‐quality manufacturer otherwise, and this decision is not based on the set of skills possessed by each manufacturing company.

Originality/value

The model contributes to explaining why private label supply is becoming so pervasive among all kinds of manufacturers under a variety of circumstances.
Stress, Minister: government policy advisors and work stress
Authors: Baehler Karen , Bryson Jane
Published: April 2008

Purpose

The public management and the occupational stress literatures are both silent on stressors associated with the work of government policy advisors. This paper aims to fill that gap with an exploratory study to identify the potential work stressors for this occupation.

Design/methodology/approach

In‐depth interviews with 13 policy advisors/managers in a single government department and a focus group with 11 policy managers from 11 government departments are reported.

Findings

The stressors experienced can be clustered under the well accepted labels of role overload, control, culture, and interpersonal relationships. However, results indicate that the practical reality of these stressors in public sector policy advice environments is different from the generic concepts associated with the labels.

Research limitations/implications

This paper underlines the importance of occupation‐specific understanding of stressors, and has implications at a workplace level for human resource management, and at an analytical level for the public management, policy and occupational stress literatures. Fruitful areas for future study include deeper exploration of qualitative role overload, examining how and why advisory roles proliferate, and how resulting stress levels affect performance.

Practical implications

The paper highlights tensions for public sector managers in meeting obligations to protect the health and safety of their employees, while also placing top priority on serving the minister and government of the day.

Originality/value

The paper provides new insight to the stressors in public sector policy environments, and alerts public sector managers to key factors in managing policy unit performance and well‐being.
Evaluating public sector management approaches towards undeclared work in the European Union
Authors: Williams Colin C.
Published: April 2008

Purpose

This paper seeks to analyse the various approaches being used by the public sector across the European Union to tackle undeclared work and to evaluate the direction of change.

Design/methodology/approach

To do this, the National Action Plans for Employment 2001 and 2003 (NAPs) and the National Reform Programmes 2005‐2008 (NRPs) are analysed, along with the data collected in international reviews conducted by the European Employment Observatory in Autumn 2004 and the European Industrial Relations Observatory (EIRO) in 2005 on undeclared work.

Findings

In parallel with public sector management in other realms, where it is accepted that positive reinforcement of “good” behaviour is more effective at eliciting change than negative reinforcement of “bad” behaviour, the finding is that the public sector in EU member states is moving away from solely a repressive approach that seeks to detect and penalise offenders and towards an approach that also seeks to stimulate good behaviour by rewarding compliance. Until now, however, these positive reinforcement measures appear to remain firmly entrenched in a bureaucratic management approach that uses externally imposed direct control systems to generate reactive behaviours, rather than an internalised post‐bureaucratic approach that seeks to generate constructive pro‐activity and commitment to tax morality on the part of populations.

Originality/value

This is one of the first attempts to evaluate how public sector management is tackling undeclared work in European member states.
What motivates the significant/strategic change champion(s)?
Authors: Chrusciel Donald
Published: April 2008

Purpose

This paper seeks, from the perspective of the significant change (SC) champion, to explore the motivation behind why an individual willingly adopts SC. This research attempts to identify the key motivational traits that inspire these early change adopters.

Design/methodology/approach

An in‐depth case study is used to research and identify key early adopters traits. This is followed by a survey based on APEX emotional intelligence profiling traits to do an in‐depth investigation.

Findings

The SC‐champion has an interest to re‐affirm one's importance in the organization as well as enhance his/her respect, which is not necessarily linked to longevity. There is an emphasis on intrinsic values favoring team involvement. Of the APEX identified four profiles, the red‐performers are the least preferred.

Research limitations/implications

Because qualitative methodologies are used and a limited survey respondent pool (n=25), caution is advised in freely generalizing these findings. The research on the subject matter is offered as a means to substantiate or refute the propositions. The intent is to offer the findings for possible transferability where logic and reality can assist.

Practical implications

The need to deal with SC is becoming crucial to the ongoing success of organizations. By identifying and investigating the motivational factors behind early acceptance, the organization can begin to deal with change urgency and optimize the benefits from change transformations.

Originality/value

Since change is recognized as an ongoing phenomenon, looking at the motivation behind the early adopters will aid organizations in identifying those key traits that aid in optimizing successful SC transformations.
Influence of transformational leadership on organizational innovation and performance depending on the level of organizational learning in the pharmaceutical sector
Authors: García‐Morales Víctor J. , Matías‐Reche Fernando , Hurtado‐Torres Nuria
Published: April 2008

Purpose

This empirical study aims to examine the influence of transformational leadership (TL) on organizational innovation (OI) and performance (OP) depending on the level of organizational learning in technological firms.

Design/methodology/approach

The research examined a sample of 164 pharmaceutical firms. A global model is formulated and the hypotheses are tested using structural equations.

Findings

First, the study shows a positive relation between TL and OI, between TL and OP and between OI and OP. Second, the study verifies that these relationships are more strongly reinforced in organizations with high‐organizational learning than in organizations with low levels of organizational learning. Third, the study supports the theoretical arguments made but not demonstrated empirically in the prior literature.

Practical implications

Organizational learning takes places in a technological community of interaction in which knowledge is created and expands in a constant dynamic between the tacit and the explicit with cognitive and behavioral change. Organizations with greater organizational learning generate a network of learning that will make it easier for them to learn what they need to know and to innovate, enabling the organization to maintain its competitive position as a technological center. This shows that organizational learning improves relations substantially between TL, OI and OP.

Originality/value

This study serves as a reference for fostering organizational learning in technological firms. Organizational learning improves relations among TL, OI and OP. Previous studies, although contributing to the understanding of the direct and indirect relations among leadership, innovation and performance, have not addressed the different effects depending on the level of organizational learning in these technological firms.
Competitiveness and performance development: an integrated management model
Authors: Podobnik Drago , Dolinšek Slavko
Published: April 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the usefulness of the combination of the European Foundation for Quality Management excellence model and the balanced scorecard integrated into the management model for competitiveness and performance development.

Design/methodology/approach

The presented model is the result of a business research where comparative analysis of the two models has been carried out. Both models have been thoroughly studied from different points of view. Such an approach enabled one to define the strengths, weaknesses and similarities of the two models.

Findings

On the basis of the robustness of both models a combination was formed integrated into the management model, which is likely to be better, more effective and simpler to use in practice, and which will support an increase in competitiveness and performance development.

Research limitations/implications

Within the research the aim has been focused on close research into interactions presented in the integrated management model. Throughout research, consideration was given to the problem of its external validity which is somehow limited. Here analytical generalisation is discussed. A number of cases can be found in which a combination of both models has been used in different ways. The way of combination in the integral management model, which is presented here, was carried out in 2005 in an important Slovenian international company.

Originality/value

The originality can be found in the particular approach towards comparative analysis and also in the result, which represents a combination of the two models integrated in an original manner into the integral model of management. Companies which have not yet introduced, as well as those which have already introduced, one of the researched management tools will be able to use the results of this research for further upgrading/consolidation in the sense of the model combination of both. The synergetic effects of the interactions of the combination between both management approaches will have a positive effect on increasing company competitiveness.
The moderating role of environmental dynamism between firm emotional capability and performance
Authors: Akgün Ali E. , Keskin Halit , Byrne John
Published: April 2008

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the impact of a firm's emotional capability on its performance by considering the environmental dynamism, and to enhance the literature on organizational change and competencies.

Design/methodology/approach

The study involves a questionnaire‐based survey of managers and employees from a variety of firms operating in Turkey. A total of 356 surveys from 112 firms were received and subjected to moderated multiple hierarchical regression analyses.

Findings

The results show that firm emotional capability, which involves the dynamics of encouragement, displaying freedom, playfulness, experiencing, reconciliation, and identification constructs, has a significant effect on the firm's financial performance and organizational effectiveness. Further, that the relationship between emotional capability and firm performance was influenced by the environmental dynamism including changes in industry, competition and consumer.

Research limitations/implications

This study only scratched the surface in the important research area on emotional capability in organizational change management scholarship; hence this requires further empirical research.

Practical implications

This study helps managers to understand the role an organization's skill plays in the management of its employees' emotions in order to increase the firm's performance in changing environments.

Originality/value

The paper explores the emotional perspective of organizational capabilities on a firm's financial performance and organizational effectiveness to increase one's comprehension of successful capabilities‐environment matching, and understanding of the capabilities of firms for continued and effective adaptation.
An investigation into the rheological properties of different lead‐free solder pastes for surface mount applications
Authors: Mallik S. , Ekere N.N. , Durairaj R. , Marks A.E.
Published: April 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the rheological behaviour of three different lead‐free solder pastes used for surface mount applications in the electronic industry.

Design/methodology/approach

This study concerns the rheological measurements of solder paste samples and is made up of three parts. The first part deals with the measurement of rhelogical properties with three different measuring geometries, the second part looks into the effect of frequencies on oscillatory stress sweep measurements and the final part reports on the characterisation and comparison of three different types of Pb‐free solder pastes.

Findings

Among the three geometries, the serrated parallel plate was found effective in minimising the wall‐slip effect. From the oscillatory stress‐sweep data with different frequencies; it was observed that the linear visco‐elastic region is independent of frequency for all the solder paste samples. To understand the shear thinning behaviour of solder paste, the well known Cross and Carreau models were fitted to the viscosity data. Moreover, creep‐recovery and dynamic frequency‐sweep tests were also carried out without destroying the sample's structure and have yielded useful information on the pastes behaviour.

Research limitations/implications

More extensive research is needed to fully characterise the wall‐slip behaviour during the rheological measurements of solder pastes.

Practical implications

The rheological test results presented in this paper will be of important value for research and development, quality control and facilitation of the manufacturing of solder pastes and flux mediums.

Originality/value

This paper shows how wall‐slip effects can be effectively avoided during rheological measurements of solder pastes. The paper also outlines how different rheological test methods can be used to characterise solder paste behaviours.
Cost modeling in logistics using time‐driven ABC
Authors: Everaert Patricia , Bruggeman Werner , Sarens Gerrit , Anderson Steven R. , Levant Yves
Published: April 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the experiences of a wholesaler with time‐driven activity‐based costing (TDABC). Three research questions are addressed: How are complex logistics operations modeled by TDABC? Does TDABC provide more accurate cost information than activity‐based costing (ABC)? How is TDABC cost information used?

Design/methodology/approach

Case study research was performed at a Belgian wholesaler. Interviews were conducted. The cost and activity database was analyzed.

Findings

This case study illustrates that there are logistics operations that cannot be modeled using a single cost driver, as is done with ABC. TDABC uses time equations to estimate the time spent on each activity. The results herein show how the time equations can capture the different complexities, by including different terms or interaction terms in the time equations. The database analysis clearly demonstrates that TDABC provided more accurate cost information than ABC at this case company. ABC oversimplified 64 percent of the activities, and misallocated 55 percent of all indirect costs.

Research limitations/implications

This study is one of the first, investigating the experiences with TDABC. The results are derived from analyzing all activities, at a single case company.

Practical implications

The study illustrates the technique of TDABC and provides a real company example of time equations in logistics. The users declared the TDABC model very useful for profitability reporting and profit management. The time drivers provided insight into the causes of excessive distribution and logistics costs.

Originality/value

This paper complements current discussion on cost drivers and subtasks and logistics costing.
Consumers' evaluations of co‐branded products: the licensing effect
Authors: Saqib Najam , Manchanda Rajesh V.
Published: April 2008

Purpose

This paper seeks to establish the importance of studying the effects of licensing brand alliances from a customer's standpoint, to investigate the effectiveness of licensing as a strategy by comparing it with a brand extension of a well‐known parent brand, and to provide a theoretical explanation for the licensing effects.

Design/methodology/approach

In Study 1, subjects' attitudes were measured towards a lesser known brand with and without licensing by Sony, and Sony alone in a three‐factor (licensing, no licensing, and Sony) between‐subjects design. Study 2 compared a licensed brand with a brand extension of a well‐known brand using the Chow test.

Findings

A brand “licensed by Sony” was evaluated higher than without licensing. Moreover, no difference was found between evaluation of a brand licensed by Sony and Sony alone. Study 2 revealed no significant difference between the data collected from a licensed brand and a well‐known brand extension, suggesting that being a licensed brand in some cases may be as effective as being an extension of a well‐known brand.

Research limitations/implications

The research examined the effects of strong brand names (e.g. Sony). It would be interesting to extend the findings by examining the brand names that are perhaps less strong (e.g. Samsung) to test the generalizability of the research.

Practical implications

For lesser‐known brands, licensing could be a viable strategy to increase their brand evaluation.

Originality/value

For new brands, this paper provides evidence that licensing is a viable strategy, and also provides a theoretical explanation for the licensing effects.
Brand building in software SMEs: an empirical study
Authors: Ojasalo Jukka , Nätti Satu , Olkkonen Rami
Published: April 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to increase the knowledge of brand building in software SMEs.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical method used is a multi‐case study. Data were collected from 20 companies in the software industry through in‐depth interviews. The data were analyzed using systematic coding and categorization of qualitative evidence.

Findings

The study identified five special characteristics of brand building in software SMEs, relating to goals and perceived benefits of brand building; resources in brand building; external and internal cooperation in brand building; means and communication in brand building; and the process of product brand building and its connection to software product development.

Research limitations/implications

The scientific contribution of this empirical study relates to two aspects of brand management: branding in software business and branding in SMEs. A vast amount of literature exists on “brands”, “software business” and “SMEs”, but there is very little on “branding in software business” or “branding in SMEs”. Unarguably, there are two significant knowledge gaps in the literature, and they relate to branding in software and SME industries. Both theoretical and managerial knowledge is needed. This study corresponds to this need by increasing the knowledge of brand building in software SMEs with an empirical study. The present study is characterized by the general limitations of a case study. The results lack statistical reliability, they apply primarily in the case companies examined, and no direct generalizations should be made without further quantitative study.

Practical implications

Directors of SMEs often think that branding is just for big companies, but small companies with limited resources can brand their products and services as well. However, the means of branding are often different. The present study encourages SMEs to systematically think of the potential advantages of branding for their business, and develop creative, targeted, and affordable approaches for brand building.

Originality/value

The present empirical study makes an original contribution to the literature by increasing the knowledge of branding in the context of both SMEs and software business.
Management of information‐credibility risk in an ICT society
Authors: Hirose Yayoi , Sonehara Noboru
Published: April 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a new direction for managing information‐credibility risk in the current information and communications technology (ICT) era, where ICT has had both positive and negative effects on contemporary society.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper takes a practical and inductive approach to study the Kyoto avian influenza panic and countermeasures taken in 2004.

Findings

The paper identifies factors which led to enormous damage through harmful rumors and proposes new perspectives for devising countermeasures, such as increasing consumer confidence in an agency as a source of information and effective management of knowledge transfer from experts to non‐experts.

Practical implications

The study gains a better understanding of both technological and social factors that enable or detract from effective nationwide management of information‐credibility risk. Many related ICT projects have been based on either human resource systems or advanced technology. It considers the integration of both factors from three perspectives.

Originality/value

This is a new perspective for examining the transfer of knowledge from experts to consumers in terms of practical solutions, in contrast to the many existing knowledge‐related articles that have mainly focused on knowledge management among experts.
Classifying information sender of web documents
Authors: Kato Yoshikiyo , Kurohashi Sadao , Inui Kentaro
Published: April 2008

Purpose

To develop a method for classifying information sender of web documents, which constitutes an important part of information credibility analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

Machine learning approach was employed. About 2,000 human‐annotated web documents were prepared for training and evaluation. The classification model was based on support vector machine, and the features used for the classification included the title and URL of documents, as well as information of the top page.

Findings

With relatively small set of features, the proposed method achieved over 50 per cent accuracy.

Research limitations/implications

Some of the information sender categories were found to be more difficult to classify. This is due to the subjective nature of the categories, and further refinement of the categories is needed.

Practical implications

When combined with opinion/sentiment analysis techniques, information sender classification allows more profound analysis based on interactions between opinions and senders. Such analysis forms a basis of information credibility analysis.

Originality/value

This study formulated the problem of information sender classification. It proposed a method which achieves moderate performance. It also identified some of the issues related to information sender classification.
Beyond semiotics and hermeneutics
Authors: Sitz Lionel
Published: April 2008

Purpose

This paper contends that the central question in understanding consumers' experiences is not what is said (lexical analysis) or why (ideological analysis), but how consumers relate these experiences. The purpose is to present a method called discourse analysis (DA) to examine consumers' narratives. This interdisciplinary perspective advantageously complements the lexical, content analytic or semiotic approaches traditionally used in marketing.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to show the potential of DA as a method to analyze qualitative data, the paper reports on a research concerning consumers' shopping experiences. Data used stemmed from in‐depth interviews that are analyzed through a critical DA informed by discursive psychology and foucauldian approaches.

Findings

DA allows marketers grasping the experiential value of shopping activities by depicting these experiences as ongoing constructions which meaning is constantly reinterpreted. DA also gives access to the various ways informants' manage their identity through narration. Hence, it challenges the simplistic dichotomy between consumers and producers and allows marketers to look at consumers as co‐producers of their lived experience. Given the scope of the study, the obtained results are situated and further researches should be conducted to critically analyze various types of discourses, produced by different actors. This paper shows the potential of DA in analyzing qualitative material. DA could be usefully employed to grasp the thoughts and feelings of the consumers. Rather than solely conducting lexical and/or semiotic analyses, marketers could use DA as a complementary investigation tool.

Originality/value

Through DA, this paper suggests new ways for seeking knowledge about the consumers and the market. To this end, it presents DA principles and shows that it is too often neglected by marketers trying to analyze consumers' narratives.
A semiotic analysis of nostalgia as a connection to the past
Authors: Kessous Aurélie , Roux Elyette
Published: April 2008

Purpose

Based on Greimas' contributions in 2002 and on qualitative research, this paper aims to focus on a semiotic analysis of the meaning of nostalgia related to products and brands.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper involves a two‐stage interview process. Informants were interviewed first in T1 (July‐August 2005) about products and brands connected to nostalgic feelings. They were re‐interviewed a year after in T2 (June‐July 2006). Pictures of products and brands evoked in T1 were shown and informants where asked what came to mind when they where exposed to such material. Based on the transcription of the interviews, a three‐step content analysis was performed: a first reading of the corpus made it possible to identify the two dimensions of time that structure the informant's discourse: “continuity” and “discontinuity”. Then a lexical analysis of the vocabulary associated with nostalgic experience was computed. Finally, a semiotic analysis of the texts was performed.

Findings

The two opposing dimensions of a semiotic square, “continuity” versus “discontinuity” provide a structure for understanding the most important features of nostalgia: “long‐standing nostalgia” (continuity) and “first‐time nostalgia” (discontinuity). This provides a typology of four nostalgic moments: everyday past, uniqueness, tradition and transition which are linked to specific brands and objects.

Research limitations/implications

Since this typology is qualitative, it must be confirmed on a larger scale in order to be implemented by managers in the marketing decision‐making process.

Originality/value

These four distinct moments enable a researcher to propose a typology of brands, products or objects that when considered in association, can provide a better understanding of emotional attachment.
Ant colonies for structure optimisation in a failure prone series‐parallel production system
Authors: Nahas Nabil , Nourelfath Mustapha , Ait‐Kadi Daoud
Published: April 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to extend the optimal design problem of series manufacturing production lines to series‐parallel lines, where redundant machines and in‐process buffers are both included to achieve a greater production rate. The objective is to maximize production rate subject to a total cost constraint.

Design/methodology/approach

An analytical method is proposed to evaluate the production rate, and an ant colony approach is developed to solve the problem. To estimate series‐parallel production line performance, each component (i.e. each set of parallel machines) of the original production line is approximated as a single unreliable machine. To determine the steady state behaviour of the resulting non‐homogeneous production line, it is first transformed into an approximately equivalent homogeneous line. Then, the well‐known Dallery‐David‐Xie algorithm (DDX) is used to solve the decomposition equations of the resulting (homogenous) line. The optimal design problem is formulated as a combinatorial optimisation one where the decision variables are buffers and types of machines, as well as the number of redundant machines. The effectiveness of the ant colony system approach is illustrated through numerical examples.

Findings

Simulation results show that the analytical approximation used to estimate series‐parallel production lines is very accurate. It has been found also that ant colonies can be extended to deal with the series‐parallel extension to determine near‐optimal or optimal solutions in a reasonable amount of time.

Practical implications

The model and the solution approach developed can be applied for optimal design of several industrial systems such as manufacturing lines and power production systems.

Originality/value

The paper presents an approach for the optimal design problem of series‐parallel manufacturing production lines.
Process capability indices dedicated to bivariate non normal distributions
Authors: Castagliola Philippe , Garcia Castellanos José‐Victor
Published: April 2008

Purpose

Process capability indices (PCI) are frequently used in order to measure the performance of production processes. In their 2005 article, Castagliola and Castellanos proposed a new approach for the estimation of bivariate PCIs in the case of a bivariate normal distribution and a rectangular tolerance region. This paper proposes extending Castagliola and Garcia‐Castellanos's paper to the estimation of bivariate PCIs in the case of non‐normal bivariate distributions.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed method is based on the use of Johnson's System of distributions/transformations in order to transform the bivariate non normal distribution into an approximate bivariate normal distribution. Numerical examples are presented and some criteria are given in order to choose the appropriate Johnson's distribution.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed method is only dedicated to the case of two quality characteristics and a rectangular tolerance region (the most common case).

Findings

The proposed method allows the evaluation of bivariate capability indices irrespective of the distribution of the data and thus allows obtaining more reliable estimates for these values.

Originality/value

The main originality of the method presented in this paper is its ability to compute bivariate capability indices when the distribution of the data is not a bivariate normal distribution, i.e. the general case.
When a “worker” becomes an “older worker”
Authors: Desmette Donatienne , Gaillard Mathieu
Published: April 2008

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to investigate the relationship between perceived social identity as an “older worker” and attitudes towards early retirement and commitment to work.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data were obtained from 352 workers aged 50‐59. Hierarchical regression analyses were performed to test the influence of social identity after controlling for demographics, organizational variables and work‐to‐family conflict.

Findings

The results show that self‐categorization as an “older worker” is related to negative attitudes towards work (stronger desire to retire early, stronger inclination towards intergenerational competition) while the perception that the organization does not use age as a criterion for distinguishing between workers supports positive attitudes towards work (e.g. higher value placed on work).

Research limitations/implications

This study is cross‐sectional and does not allow conclusions about causality between intergroup processes and attitudes towards works. Future research should develop longitudinal designs to verify that social identity as an “older worker” does induce elders' attitudes at work.

Originality/value

Retirement is usually considered as an individual and opportunistic decision. This research highlights its social dimensions and suggests that managers should pay attention to ageism at work and its potential effects not only on the withdrawal process but also on the quality of life in the workplace.
The transition process to post‐working life and its psychosocial outcomes
Authors: Crego Antonio , Alcover de la Hera Carlos , Martínez‐Íñigo David
Published: April 2008

Purpose

This paper aims to carry out an in‐depth exploration of early retirement processes from a psychosocial perspective, identifying factors that play a relevant role in decisions for leaving work as well as variables involved in retirement adjustment and possible outcomes for retirees.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative data from nine focus groups – made up of a total of 78 Spanish early retirees from different sectors of activity (industry, bank/financial services and telecommunications) – were codified and analyzed using the ATLAS.ti 5 program.

Findings

The study highlights the relevance of how organizational exit is carried out (voluntariness, perception of justice, etc.) in relation to the adjustment to retirement. The degree to which the labor market exit implies different types of rupture (psychological contract, identity, professional and personal objectives, way of life, etc.) conditions the adaptation to post‐working life. The importance of social support during the transition process from work to early retirement is pointed out.

Research limitations/implications

The study is an initial exploratory approach to the early retirement experience in Spain. Although the sample is not representative, the use of qualitative methods allows for the identification of relevant variables to include in future research. Results should be complemented by means of triangulation method, involving contrast between qualitative and quantitative strategies.

Practical implications

Organizational HRM policies should aim to promote a smoother early exit as well as guarantee “fair play” during the process. Concerning adjustment to early retirement, psychosocial programs aiming to improve coping strategies are needed.

Originality/value

The paper presents a systematic overview of early retirees' discourse, analyzing the role of different variables involved in the transition process from work to early retirement.
Engaging workers in simulation‐based e‐learning
Authors: Slotte Virpi , Herbert Anne
Published: April 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate learners' attitudes to the use of simulation‐based e‐learning as part of workplace learning when socially situated interaction and blended learning are specifically included in the instructional design.

Design/methodology/approach

Responses to a survey questionnaire of 298 sales personnel were collected and analysed. Additionally, quantitative and qualitative data from 37 sales directors were obtained to further address the research question.

Findings

It was found that a majority of the participants conveyed improvement in their overall level of customer service skills applied in their own work tasks. In addition to the on‐line simulation being an engaging and fun way of learning, the socially situated interaction and blended delivery of the training program encouraged and facilitated discussion and fruitful debates about customer service in the workplace.

Research limitations/implications

This study was limited by its potentially non‐representative sample, representing those who voluntarily participated to improve their sales and customer service skills in one chain bookstore.

Practical implications

A high rate of positive participant responses is attributable to the proper opportunity to supplement learning with practice, achieved through the design features of the program. The work has relevance for other corporate training providers considering incorporating live facilitation into on‐line simulation solutions.

Originality/value

Previously, not much attention has been paid to the use of a coach physically present working with learners using on‐line simulation‐based training, nor to differential benefits such arrangements may provide. Nor were many practical examples of socially situated e‐learning found in the literature. Feedback from both sales personnel and their directors provided a unique opportunity to analyse a work‐based training program using such arrangements.
Sharing practical knowledge in hostile environments: a case study
Authors: Guzman Gustavo
Published: April 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an empirical contribution towards the understanding of the process of sharing practical knowledge (PK) in a hostile work environment. The particular focus is an instance of the process of sharing PK between experienced and non‐experienced workers in a bio‐pharmaceutical industry.

Design/methodology/approach

An interpretive perspective was applied in the inductive and qualitative empirical study. Case study methodology was applied in order to analyse the sharing of practical knowledge.

Findings

Research findings from this study have unravelled characteristics of this process that to date have not been discussed in the literature. First, Learning‐by‐observing has limitations in promoting PK sharing in hostile environments. Second, because there is a wide range of alternative solutions for performing a specific task, sharing PK lends itself to political uses. Third, socialisation is important in order to facilitate the sharing of PK, but it is not enough. Political issues surrounding PK sharing shape socialisation processes and therefore provide a better explanatory base for PK sharing. Fourth, the use of standard work processes to share PK is limited in complex tasks. Thus, it is argued that the main features of PK support high levels of uncertainty that in turn favours the use of political behaviour in the process of sharing PK.

Originality/value

Focussing on sharing PK in hostile environments is important since the literature has mainly focussed on organisations in which consensus and participation were either implicitly or explicitly assumed.