bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Value recovery network design for product returns
Authors: Srivastava Samir K.
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to use a conceptual model from literature for designing value recovery (VR) networks for three categories of post‐consumer product returns.

Design/methodology/approach

A bi‐level optimization model is developed to determine the disposition decision for refrigerators, washing machines and passenger cars in the Indian context using data for product returns from literature. Using standard off‐the‐shelf software, the break‐even values of returns are calculated for setting up various VR facilities under different scenarios to maximize profits for a ten‐year time‐horizon.

Findings

The VR activities are profitable for all the three categories of products beyond a certain minimum quantity of returns. Experimentation across the three product categories shows that presently remanufacturing is not a viable economic proposition in the Indian context. Further, the VR network design suggested by this approach is volume flexible.

Research limitations/implications

A “push” system where the volumes and grades of returns drive the VR decisions. Optimization has been carried out for three product categories and not brands or OEMs. No free choice of facility locations.

Practical implications

The insights and learning under different scenarios may be utilized as inputs for decision‐making and for designing various incentive plans.

Originality/value

This work is a first step towards VR network design in the Indian context. Various tools from the methodological perspective are used and provide detailed network design from the topological perspective.
Investigating the concept of potential quality
Authors: Tuzovic Sven
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to examine the concept of “potential quality” – that is, a company's tangible search qualities (such as the physical servicescape and virtual servicescape) – within the context of the real‐estate industry in the USA.

Design/methodology/approach

This qualitative study collects data by conducting personal in‐depth interviews with 34 respondents who had been recent buyers or renters of property. The data are then coded and themed to identify quality dimensions relevant to this industry.

Findings

The results indicate that a buyer's perception of the overall service quality of real‐estate service consists of two components: the interaction with a realtor (process quality); and the virtual servicescape, especially the firm's website design and content (potential quality). The study concludes that existing scales (such as SERVQUAL and RESERV) fail to capture the tangible component of service quality sufficiently in the real‐estate industry.

Research limitations/implications

The study uses data from only one industry (real estate) and from only one demographic segment (professionals in higher education).

Practical implications

Service providers of intangible, high‐contact services must appreciate the importance of the virtual servicescape as a surrogate quality indicator that can help to reduce information asymmetries and consumers' uncertainty with regard to initiating a business relationship. Real estate firms need to pay attention to the training of agents and the design and content of their e‐service systems.

Originality/value

This study integrates potential quality, process quality, and outcome quality in a comprehensive proposed model. In particular, the study identifies “potential quality” as a combination of the attributes of the virtual service environment and the physical service environment.
ISO 9001 and residential homes for the elderly: a Delphi study
Authors: Heras Iñaki , Cilleruelo Ernesto , Iradi Jon
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to assess the appropriateness of applying the ISO 9001 quality standard to the residential aged‐care sector.

Design/methodology/approach

The study undertakes a prospective qualitative survey using the Delphi methodology. A panel of 14 experts in the field constitutes the panel.

Findings

ISO 9001 has certain shortcomings in the context of the residential aged‐care sector. There is a need to fit generic quality‐management models to the specific characteristics of the sector, and to integrate those generic quality management models with specialised models.

Practical implications

Managers of residential aged‐care services should ensure: that they have sufficient resources to implement quality‐management models; that all personnel are involved in the implementation; and that generic models are appropriately adapted to the specific needs of the aged‐care sector.

Originality/value

The paper provides an original conceptual overview of the application of a generic quality‐management system to a specific services sector.
An evolutionary‐based inverse approach for the identification of non‐linear heat generation rates in living tissues using a localized meshless method
Authors: Erhart Kevin , Divo Eduardo , Kassab Alain
Published: May 2008

Purpose

This paper aims to develop and describe an improved process for determining the rate of heat generation in living tissue.

Design/methodology/approach

Previous work by the authors on solving the bioheat equation has been updated to include a new localized meshless method which will create a more robust and computationally efficient technique. Inclusion of this technique will allow for the solution of more complex and realistic geometries, which are typical of living tissue. Additionally, the unknown heat generation rates are found through genetic algorithm optimization.

Findings

The localized technique showed superior accuracy and significant savings in memory and processor time. The computational efficiency of the newly proposed meshless solver allows the optimization process to be carried to a higher level, leading to more accurate solutions for the inverse technique. Several example cases are presented to demonstrate these conclusions.

Research limitations/implications

This work includes only 2D development of the approach, while any realistic modeling for patient‐specific cases would be inherently 3D. The extension to 3D, as well as studies to improve the technique by decreasing the sensitivity to measurement noise and to incorporate non‐invasive measurement positioning, are under way.

Practical implications

As medical imaging continuously improves, such techniques may prove useful in patient diagonosis, as heat generation can be correlated to the presence of tumors, infections, or other conditions.

Originality/value

This paper describes a new application of meshless methods. Such methods are becoming attractive due to their decreased pre‐processing requirements, especially for problems involving complex geometries (such as patient specific tissues), as well as optimization problems, where geometries may be constantly changing.
Numerical study of turbulent channel flow with strong temperature gradients
Authors: Lessani Bamdad , Papalexandris Miltiadis V.
Published: May 2008

Purpose

This paper sets out to perform a detailed numerical study of turbulent channel flow with strong temperature gradients using large‐eddy simulations.

Design/methodology/approach

A recently developed time‐accurate algorithm based on a predictor‐corrector time integration scheme is used in the simulations. Spatial discretization is performed on a collocated grid system using a flux interpolation technique. This interpolation technique avoids the pressure odd‐even decoupling problem that is typically encountered in collocated grids. The eddy viscosity is calculated with the extension of the dynamic Smagorinsky model to variable‐density flows.

Findings

The mean velocity profile at the cold side deviates from the classical isothermal logarithmic law of the wall. Nonetheless, at the hot side, there is a better agreement between the present results and the isothermal law of the wall. Further, the numerical study predicts that the turbulence kinetic energy near the cold wall is higher than near the hot one. In other words heat addition tends to laminarize the channel flow. The temperature fluctuations were also higher in the vicinity of the cold wall, even though the peak of these fluctuations occurs at the side of the hot wall.

Practical implications

The findings of the paper have applications in the design and analysis of convective heat transfer equipment such as heat exchangers and cooling systems of nuclear reactors.

Originality/value

The paper presents the first numerical results for non‐isothermal turbulent channel flow with high wall‐temperature ratios (up to 9). These findings can be of interest to scientists carrying out research in turbulent flows.
Industrial specialization and regional clusters in the ten new EU member states
Authors: Sölvell Örjan , Ketels Christian , Lindqvist Göran
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of regional concentration patterns within ten new European Union (EU) member states, EU10, and make comparisons with EU15 and the US economy.

Design/methodology/approach

Industrial specialization and clusters are measured as employment in the intersection between a sector (three‐digit NACE data) and a particular region (NUTS 2 level), with a total of 38 sectors and 41 regions within EU10. Regional cluster size and degree of specialization is measured along 3D: absolute number of employees (>10,000 jobs is used as cut‐off for a regional cluster), degree of specialization (regional sector employment is at least two times expected levels) and degree of regional market labor dominance (>3 per cent of total employment in a particular sector). Each of these three measures of cluster size, specialization and labor market focus are classified with a “star”. The largest and most specialized clusters receive three stars.

Findings

EU10 exhibits 19 three‐star regional clusters, which display high values for each of the three measured parameters. In addition, there are 92 two‐star regional clusters and 313 one‐star regional clusters. The analysis also suggests that regional concentration in EU10 is clearly lower than in the USA, and slightly lower than in the old EU member states. In a few cases – IT, biopharmaceuticals and communications equipment – where the total size of the cluster is small, and there is little historical legacy in Eastern Europe, the EU10 exhibits higher geographical concentration than EU15.

Research limitations/implications

Overall, the economies of EU10 exhibit a pattern of geographical concentration close to a random distribution, i.e. the process of regional concentration and redistribution of industry is in a very early phase. If Europe is to build a more competitive economy, industrial restructuring towards larger clusters must be allowed and pushed by policy makers both at the national and EU levels.

Practical implications

Policymakers must be well informed about geographical concentration patterns of industry. The research offers a consistent methodology of mapping regional clusters and geographical concentration patterns across sectors.

Originality/value

This paper is the first in measuring regional concentration patterns in Europe at this fine level, and is based on a new methodology developed by Professor Michael E. Porter at Harvard University. The paper has also introduced a new method of ranking clusters according to the star model.
Accountability and learning assessment in the future of higher education
Authors: Hockfield Malandra Geri
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to broadly describe and provide insight into the national dialogue in the USA concerning accountability for educational results in academic institutions.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach takes the form of a thorough survey of the key questions, current issues, and organizational players in this national dialogue.

Findings

Policy makers and educators should use the present opportunity to work together, focusing not on narrow one‐size‐fits‐all measures but on the improvement of a new generation of complementary approaches.

Originality/value

The paper presents a clear articulation and discussion of the key questions that are driving the national dialogue on this topic.
Assessing outcomes in graduate education
Authors: Lydell Lesley
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the current interest in accountability for educational results within the context of US graduate education.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper takes the form of a survey of significant aspects of assessment in graduate education: historical contexts, current challenges, and an envisioned future.

Findings

A greater concern for and active inclusion of students' perspectives distinguishes discussions of educational results in graduate education from discussions of results in undergraduate education.

Originality/value

The paper presents a clear distinction between graduate and undergraduate contexts for discussions of accountability and educational results
The eight principles of strategic authenticity
Authors: Pine B. Joseph , Gilmore James H.
Published: May 2008

Purpose

As more companies wrap their offering with “an experience,” it is important that experience authenticity is understood to be a critical consumer sensibility. This paper aims to address this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors have studied experience marketing and found that consumers often choose to buy or not buy based on how genuine they perceive an offering to be. The authors warn that fakery, phoniness, or manipulation that becomes associated with your offering will harm your brand.

Findings

The paper finds that executives must learn to understand, manage, and excel at delivering authenticity. So how can leaders tell the difference between bogus and authentic business opportunities?

Research limitations/implications

A short case study of the Walt Disney Company shows that authenticity will not result when a company strives for a strategic position that is inimical to its traditions.

Practical implications

The execution zone is the set of decisions and actions that a company can make and still be perceived as true to self. For companies that try to operate outside their execution zone there is little likelihood that the resultant offerings will be perceived as authentic. Managers can learn to use eight principles to guide them in delineating where exactly your own “execution zone” lies, and thereby stake out viable, powerful, and compelling competitive positions.

Originality/value

To discover your company's authentic opportunities, use the eight principles to peer into your future until you determine where you should go. And then treat that future not as a destination but as a guide to the path before you.
Pursuing successful rapid manufacturing: a users' best‐practices approach
Authors: Munguía Javier , de Ciurana Joaquim , Riba Carles
Published: May 2008

Purpose

This paper seeks to present the results of a study carried out within rapid manufacturing (RM) service providers and engineering centres in Northern Spain. By disclosing strategies for their everyday operation, it is intended to show how the internal expertise acquired overtime copes with the lack of standards within this industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was deployed by means of a survey including four main issues: RM concepts, process planning, materials and costs. Questions range from general RM perceptions to specific production criteria like: layer thicknesses, laser power, quality assurance methods, etc. A special emphasis is made on cost parameters, since they play a major role when selecting the final manufacturing route.

Findings

The so‐called “de facto standards” were found to be widely used in order to minimize production risks for RM. The study also suggests the need for specific RM standards based on key issues like material recycling, process planning and costs assignment.

Practical implications

The study is mainly focused on additive RM processes used in Spanish centres. Although, some other technologies applied elsewhere might not be considered, it is assumed that most of the technologies mentioned in this study are available worldwide, thus providing valuable information to increase the general RM base of knowledge.

Originality/value

Unlike most of the RM literature based on benchmarking of processes to provide information, this paper shows first hand data from users and service providers, showing RM practices and preferences from a different approach.
In pursuit of a sustainable supply chain: insights from Westpac Banking Corporation
Authors: Keating Byron , Quazi Ali , Kriz Anton , Coltman Tim
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to provide clues to industry and academia on how best to approach the challenge of developing a sustainable supply chain.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study was undertaken of the Westpac Banking Corporation – one of the world's most socially responsible banks – to examine how they approached the challenge of managing corporate social responsibility (CSR) in their supply chain.

Findings

This paper highlights some of the challenges and opportunities associated with extending corporate governance beyond the firm boundary. Specific attention is given to a discussion of assessment and governance tools.

Research limitations/implications

The use of a single case study limits the generalizability of these findings. Future research can build on these findings by extending the scope to include additional firms, regions and methods.

Practical implications

A best practice model is developed from the discussion to provide practical guidance to firms.

Originality/value

While the extension of CSR to the supply chain is an emerging area of interest, the literature provides few clues on how best to pursue sustainable supply chain management. This paper provides a valuable and timely contribution to this topic by reviewing the lessons and practices of a recognised CSR leader.
The roles of self‐disclosure, modesty, and self‐monitoring in the mentoring relationship
Authors: Blickle Gerhard , Schneider Paula B. , Perrewé Pamela L. , Blass Fred R. , Ferris Gerald R.
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of protégé self‐presentation by self‐disclosure, modesty, and self‐monitoring in mentoring.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used three data sources (i.e. employees, peers, and mentors) and a longitudinal design over a period of two years.

Findings

Employee self‐disclosure and modesty at time 1 predicted an increase in mentoring received and mentoring given at time 2. Further, self‐monitoring moderated the modesty‐mentoring given relationship such that employees high in self‐monitoring had the strongest positive relationship between modesty at time 1 and mentoring given two years later. Also, modesty interacted with self‐monitoring at time 1 to influence the number of mentors involved with employees. That is, the modesty – number of mentors relationship was positive for those high in self‐monitoring, and negative for those low in self‐monitoring.

Research limitations/implications

Employees can exercise influence over the amount and type of mentoring experiences they receive based on the style on interaction they utilize with potential mentors, with specific reference to self‐monitoring and the use of modesty.

Practical implications

It is modesty, and early career employees' ability to present it well, that will lead to positive affect (i.e. liking) and behavior (e.g. benevolence and generosity) by senior managers.

Originality/value

Investigates the role of protégé self‐presentation by self‐disclosure, modesty, and self‐monitoring in mentoring.
Are humans resources?
Authors: Inkson Kerr
Published: May 2008

Purpose

This paper aims to offer a critique, from a career studies perspective, of the common term “human resource management.”

Design/methodology/approach

Provides a literature review and critique.

Findings

The term “human resource management” is a metaphor that presents employees as passive commodities or assets rather than as active agents, and thereby potentially de‐humanizes them. In an alternative view based on career studies, individual employees are active agents utilizing the resources of employing organizations to pursue personal goals. Alternative terms to “human resource management” are suggested.

Research limitations/implications

There is scope for study of the effects of “human resources” terminology on employees' and others' view of and attitude to the human resource management function.

Practical implications

Examination of “human resources” discourse may promote examination of the implications of current discourse for practice, facilitate moderation of practice, and stimulate the search for new discourse and new practice, by both organizations and individuals.

Originality/value

This paper questions a prevailing and widely accepted form of discourse in management and advocates change.
Defining knowledge management (KM) activities: towards consensus
Authors: Beesley Lisa G.A. , Cooper Chris
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to present a vocabulary of terms that clearly define knowledge management (KM) activities in order to move towards consensus in the adoption of a common language within the field.

Design/methodology/approach

Existing literature across several disciplines has been integrated to provide a clear description of the sorts of activities an individual undertakes in order to move from knowledge acquisition to innovation, and a clarification of the terms used to describe such activities is put forth.

Findings

Adoption of a common vocabulary to describe KM activities provides a platform to better understand how best to manage these activities, and enables clearer identification of the knowledge management capabilities held by various sectors within the broader business community.

Research limitations/implications

There is a need to undertake empirical research and in‐depth case studies of knowledge management practices using a common vocabulary as a framework with which to interpret findings.

Practical implications

The adoption of a common frame of reference to describe knowledge management activities will deepen understanding of current KM practices, enable identification inhibitors and facilitators of KM, lead to increased dialogue between academia and industry, and present opportunities to the education sector to incorporate such a vocabulary into its curriculum.

Originality/value

The framework presented here will remove the veil of mystery that currently clouds knowledge management and facilitate broader uptake of KM practices, thereby realising the benefits of a knowledge‐based economy in the broader business community.
Tax evasion and avoidance typologies
Authors: Simser Jeffrey
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore tax evasion and avoidance typologies with a view to understanding how they work and the implications for those who handle the wealth of others.

Design/methodology/approach

American, Canadian and UK cases of tax avoidance and tax evasion are studied.

Findings

Structuring transactions to avoid or minimize taxes is highly complex, and thus, fraught with risk, particularly for advisors.

Research limitations/implications

Commercial and taxation law in a globalized economy is an ever‐changing matter.

Practical implications

There is an enormous potential for reputational risk which can bear significant consequences for the unwary financial advisor. Money launderers can hide their assets applying methods similar to those used to evade or avoid taxes.

Originality/value

Thousands and thousands of pages documenting tax evasion and avoidance cases have been distilled into an overview paper.
Export problems perceptions and clustering of Greek wine firms
Authors: Karelakis Christos , Mattas Konstadinos , Chryssochoidis George
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to further develop the extant export problems literature by focusing on a context that has attracted limited attention so far, namely the wine sector. The objective is to examine empirically Greek wine firms' perceptions of the factors that may impede their export activities.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary data were gathered from 110 wine firms that responded to a battery of exporting problem items. A combination of exploratory, confirmatory and cluster analyses were employed to classify and profile firms according to their perceptions about the frequency of export problems.

Findings

Three clearly distinct clusters were formed. The results indicate that export problems are likely to occur in firms that are more passive in terms of export activities than in firms that adopt active and competitive export postures.

Research implications/limitations

The findings are interpreted and discussed in the light of extant theory. Particular attention is paid to the implications for management and public policy administrators. The study is confined to a single country/single industry context and provides an overview of the problems experienced only by indigenous wine firms in export markets.

Originality/value

Although the study corroborates the extant literature, it is innovative in that the sample, i.e. the census population of Greek exporting wine firms, lends more credence to the findings for the particular sector and the export problems literature.
Developing inter‐regional brands
Authors: Ruediger Kaufmann Hans , Durst Susanne
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The contribution of the present research and aim of the present paper is a provision and discussion of eclectic interdisciplinary concepts constituting a body of knowledge for developing and managing inter‐regional brands, hence contributing to closing the scientific gap as to an inter‐regional brand development conceptualisation.

Design/methodology/approach

The research method used was a case study, targeted to develop an understanding of a neglected academic field. Based on a documentary analysis, semi‐structured in‐depth interviews were conducted and interpreted. The InterReg IIIB‐supported RegioMarket project and a case study on Liechtenstein provide the background for the project.

Findings

Based on an extensive literature review, the present paper states that interdisciplinary theoretical development of the concept of branding has not kept pace with the increasing practical application of the branding concepts in a variety of sectors leading to application gaps and dissatisfying results. Representing the ultimate level of complexity, the development and management of inter‐regional brands crossing nations and cultures currently lacks any empirically researched systematic theory. Following the exploratory stage, an initial conceptualisation is presented to bridge the scientific gap as to the development of inter‐regional brands.

Research limitations/implications

The major limitation of the research is that it focuses on only one participating region. Hence, the initial conceptualisation needs to be validated in other participating regions. A further limitation refers to a lack of research on the specific influence of SMEs on the success of the development of inter‐regional brands.

Originality/value

The discussion interlinks the interdisciplinary concepts of branding, perception, region, leadership, culture and identity and provides an initial conceptualisation so far not identified in the field of inter‐regional branding.
Role typologies for enterprising education: the professional artisan?
Authors: Anderson Alistair R. , Jack Sarah L.
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how the context, approach and teaching techniques used for entrepreneurship education need to reflect the different roles that encompass enterprise.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors analyse and reflect upon what attributes, qualities, skills and knowledge are required for the different roles involved in entrepreneurship.

Findings

From the analysis the authors identify role typologies and argue that teaching entrepreneurship needs to produce a combination of the creative talents of the artist, the skills and ability of the artisan, yet include the applied knowledge of the technician with the know‐what of the professional. The authors then present some examples of pedagogies in entrepreneurship that might be used to develop the skills required for these roles.

Practical implications

The authors demonstrate why the teaching of entrepreneurship requires a combination of theory and practice.

Originality/value

The paper shows that a different approach to understanding entrepreneurial pedagogy may be useful for educators and students.
Entrepreneurship education in Germany and Sweden: what role do different school systems play?
Authors: Fuchs Kathrin , Werner Arndt , Wallau Frank
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The question arises whether entrepreneurship education will be able to facilitate the entrepreneurial attitude in the near future. Unfortunately, the decisive role of compulsory schooling has long been neglected in this context. Until recently it was considered sufficient to provide education in entrepreneurship in universities (especially in the area of Business Administration) or in the form of special courses for people who consider starting their own business. Picking up the discussion at this point, the purpose of this paper is to analyse to what extent compulsory school education in Germany and Sweden facilitates a more entrepreneurial way of thinking among pupils.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the paper briefly summarises the relevant research literature and specify important components of entrepreneurship education. Second, it discusses what exactly is to be understood by entrepreneurial qualities and present a holistic approach based on a model by Dahlgren. Third, it describes the unique data and presents some empirical results. The empirical analysis concentrates on Germany. Yet, for reasons of comparison, it additionally analyses the situation in Sweden. Finally, the paper summarises the results and discusses the policy implications.

Findings

The results presented clearly suggest that German schools do not succeed very well in presenting self‐employment as an attractive alternative to dependent work. Swedish pupils generally show a higher preference for self‐employment than their German counterparts. Furthermore, the results suggest that German schools diminish rather than encourage pupils' ambitions to become self‐employed as the pupils become older.

Originality/value

To the authors' knowledge this is the first empirical study which compares the effect of different school systems on entrepreneurial attitude simultaneously (i.e. with the same questionnaire and at the same point of time).
An efficient wireless network discovery scheme for heterogeneous access environments
Authors: Siddiqui Farhan , Zeadally Sherali
Published: May 2008

Purpose

Several new network types have emerged over the last couple of years. Many of these networks are being connected together to provide mobile users with the capability of staying always connected to the Internet which requires seamless transitions from one network to another without causing interruption to on‐going connections. To maintain connectivity during handoff, all the networks that are accessible to the mobile station need to be known. The paper aims to propose a novel energy‐efficient network discovery approach that enables fast discovery and selection of available access networks.

Design/methodology/approach

The performance of the proposed approach over an actual network testbed consisting of heterogeneous networks (such as wireless local area, cellular) is evaluated.

Findings

It was found that the approach yields between 12.4 and 19.1 per cent improvement in battery power consumption over other network discovery approaches.

Originality/value

The paper proposes and implements a novel scheme to discover wireless networks in a multi‐access environment consisting of heterogeneous networking technologies.
Organizing: how to study it and how to write about it
Authors: Czarniawska Barbara
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review emerging approaches to field studies of organizing that aim to avoid the problems of traditional methods and techniques.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based in pragmatist philosophy and constructionist perspective. Within this frame, the paper starts with a brief history of fieldwork methods in organization study, continues by diagnosing their shortcomings in the light of contemporary developments, and ends by reviewing promising approaches to studying contemporary organizations.

Findings

Young researchers are warned about possible risks and gains from experimenting with new methods.

Originality/value

The potential value of the paper is in its function of a guide for organization scholars looking for innovative approaches to their study object.
Competitive advantage as a legitimacy‐creating process
Authors: Grandy Gina , Wicks David
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how small firms in the tattooing industry actively shape institutional expectations of value for consumers in a changing industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws upon interviews with key actors in the firms under study to explore their experiences with consumers and other constituents in determining how competitive advantage is constructed in this environment. These data are complemented data with interviews with governmental representatives and material from secondary sources.

Findings

The results reveal efforts of firms to construct and increase organizational legitimacy through the prominence of discourses of professionalism based on artistry and medicine/public health. These bases of competitive differentiation are not the clear result of exogenous pressure, rather they arise through the active efforts of the firm to construct value guidelines for consumers and other constituents.

Practical implications

Strategic management in small firms is a complex and dynamic process that does not necessarily mirror that of large organizations. Constructing competitive advantage is an interacting process between key actors of small firms and various constituents.

Originality/value

The paper extends the application of institutional theory in strategic management by illuminating the active role that firms play in creating industry norms, especially in industries where norms are not well established or no longer entrenched. Moreover, exploring an alternative site of study offers a means through which to see well‐studied issues in new ways.
Cultural revitalisation
Authors: Callan Samantha J.
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to challenge the notion that culture change programmes will inevitably gain support from employees by exploring ways in which policy implementation is affected by and provokes shifts in organizational cultures.

Design/methodology/approach

Case studies investigated aspects of cultural change post‐implementation of family‐friendly policies. A grounded theory approach was adopted in the collection and analysis of the data, largely but not exclusively obtained through three sets of interviews, giving a limited longitudinal dimension to the study.

Findings

As both organizations had been sated with change, the idea that further adjustment was necessary to facilitate better work‐life balance for employees was potentially alienating to the very members most needing to be “brought on board”. Harnessing widely esteemed values and adopting the language of “cultural revitalisation” rather than cultural change appeared more effective in securing broader support of employees.

Research limitations/implications

Studies began after policy implementation so there was significant dependence on participant recall to access perceptions of any shifts and HR managers determined sample composition. Both necessitated the use of a wide range of supplementary evidence (as befits case study research) and the latter the development of an “informal track” of participants.

Practical implications

Cultural change programmes must appreciate the importance of enduring values, correctly identifying those which appear most resonant for employees, ensuring that these feature prominently when promoting a “work‐life balance” agenda.

Originality/value

It is unusual for case studies to look in detail at processes of change. This paper refines notions of organizational culture change and considers how best to include employees most likely to be resistant to a “work‐life balance” agenda.
e‐Government in Jordan: challenges and opportunities
Authors: Elsheikh Yousef , Cullen Andrea , Hobbs Dave
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the challenges encountered in e‐government implementation, as well as the potential opportunities available in the context of Jordanian society.

Design/methodology/approach

A detailed examination and analysis of Jordan's published e‐government vision and strategy is presented, together with a review of other relevant literature.

Findings

The findings and implications of this study reveal Jordan is still lagging behind in utilising information and communication technologies for delivering government services online.

Practical implications

An understanding of the current status of e‐government in Jordan can help policy makers in the country pursue development of the public sector organisations on the one hand, and would be of importance for Jordan's economic future success on the other.

Originality/value

This is believed to be the most up‐to‐date and comprehensive analysis of Jordan's plans and assessment of its level of readiness for delivery of e‐government services.
Diversity–productivity relationships in two ecologically realistic rarity–extinction scenarios
Authors: Isbell Forest I. , Losure David A. , Yurkonis Kathryn A. , Wilsey Brian J.
Published: May 2008

To develop a better understanding of how biodiversity loss and productivity are related, we need to consider ecologically realistic rarity (i.e. reduced evenness and increased dominance) and extinction (i.e. reduced richness) scenarios. Furthermore, we need to identify and better understand the factors that influence species and community yielding behaviors because the general conditions for overyielding are the same as those for coexistence. We established experimental tallgrass prairie plots in Iowa to determine how two ecologically realistic rarity–extinction scenarios influenced aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) and disassembly. Equal‐mass seedlings of six tallgrass prairie species were transplanted into field plots to establish realistic declining species evenness (high, medium, low) and richness (4, 1) treatments. Across declining evenness treatments, the relative abundance of the ubiquitous tall species Andropogon gerardii increased, the relative abundance of the tall species Salvia azurea was constant, and the relative abundance of two short (dissimilar height scenario) or two tall species (tall scenario) decreased. Monocultures of Andropogon represented a continuation of this trend until there was complete dominance by Andropogon and extinction of all other species. Our treatments also allowed us to test if variation in plant height contributes to the complementarity effect. Niche partitioning in plant height was not positively related to complementarity. The effects of declining species evenness and richness on the diversity–productivity relationship were different for these two ecologically realistic rarity–extinction scenarios. Specifically, as diversity declined across treatments, ANPP and the selection effects decreased in tall communities, but not in dissimilar communities. Additionally, differences between these two scenarios revealed that decreased species yielding behavior is associated with two tallgrass prairie extinction risk factors, rarity and short height. The differences between these scenarios demonstrate the importance of incorporating the known patterns of diversity declines into future studies.
Environmental and social constraints on breeding site selection. Does the exploded‐lek and hotspot model apply to the Houbara bustardChlamydotis undulata undulata?
Authors: Hingrat Yves , Saint Jalme Michel , Chalah Toni , Orhant Nicolas , Lacroix Frédéric
Published: May 2008

Habitat selection is a hierarchical process where the distribution of individuals is constrained by environmental factors acting from the landscape scale to specific microhabitats such as breeding sites. However, interactions between conspecifics might greatly influence bird distribution and habitat use, especially in lekking birds. In the lekking Houbara bustardChlamydotis undulata undulata, we investigated the respective role of environmental and social constraints on the distribution of nests and display sites. We measured environmental variables around 69 nests and 70 display sites at different spatial scales: the landscape, the breeding range, and the display and nest site scale. The variables were compared to those measured at 50 random plots to determine whether environmental features are actively selected. Social variables were included by studying spatial relationships between displaying male density, nests and female movements throughout the year. At the landscape scale, human presence acted as a limiting factor for the establishment of nest and display sites. At the breeding range scale, habitat requirements differed between sexes. Breeding females used a heterogeneous complex of habitats provided by the network of wadis (water courses) crossing the reg (gravel plain) covered by tall perennial plants. In contrast, display males looked for conspicuousness and courtship ability by selecting the reg with short perennials, and used temporarily flooded areas for feeding. Males aggregated on traditional display site where they experienced the greatest female density. This result supported the hotspot model in the evolution of leks in the Houbara bustard. It underlies an overriding effect of female attraction on male settlement in the individual habitat selection process.
RNA silencing‐mediated resistance to a crinivirus (Closteroviridae) in cultivated sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) and development of sweetpotato virus disease following co‐infection with a potyvirus
Authors: KREUZE JAN F. , KLEIN ILANIT SAMOLSKI , LAZARO MILTON UNTIVEROS , CHUQUIYURI WILMER J. CUELLAR , MORGAN GABRIELA LAJO , MEJÍA PATRICIA G. CIPRIANI , GHISLAIN MARC , VALKONEN JARI P.T.
Published: May 2008

Sweetpotato chlorotic stunt virus (SPCSV; genus Crinivirus, family Closteroviridae) is one of the most important pathogens of sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.). It can reduce yields by 50% by itself and cause various synergistic disease complexes when co‐infecting with other viruses, including sweetpotato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV; genus Potyvirus, family Potyviridae). Because no sources of true resistance to SPCSV are available in sweetpotato germplasm, a pathogen‐derived transgenic resistance strategy was tested as an alternative solution in this study. A Peruvian sweetpotato landrace ‘Huachano’ was transformed with an intron‐spliced hairpin construct targeting the replicase encoding sequences of SPCSV and SPFMV using an improved genetic transformation procedure with reproducible efficiency. Twenty‐eight independent transgenic events were obtained in three transformation experiments using a highly virulent Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain and regeneration through embryogenesis. Molecular analysis indicated that all regenerants were transgenic, with 1–7 transgene loci. Accumulation of transgene‐specific siRNA was detected in most of them. None of the transgenic events was immune to SPCSV, but ten of the 20 tested transgenic events exhibited mild or no symptoms following infection, and accumulation of SPCSV was significantly reduced. There are few previous reports of RNA silencing‐mediated transgenic resistance to viruses of Closteroviridae in cultivated plants. However, the high levels of resistance to accumulation of SPCSV could not prevent development of synergistic sweet potato virus disease in those transgenic plants also infected with SPFMV.
A family of serine proteases of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis: chpC plays a role in colonization of the host plant tomato
Authors: STORK INES , GARTEMANN KARL‐HEINZ , BURGER ANNETTE , EICHENLAUB RUDOLF
Published: May 2008

Genes for seven putative serine proteases (ChpA–ChpG) belonging to the trypsin subfamily and homologous to the virulence factor pat‐1 were identified on the chromosome of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm) NCPPB382. All proteases have signal peptides indicating export of these proteins. Their putative function is suggested by two motifs and an aspartate residue typical for serine proteases. Furthermore, six cysteine residues are located at conserved positions. The genes are clustered in a chromosomal region of about 50 kb with a significantly lower G + C content than common for Cmm. The genes chpA, chpB and chpD are pseudogenes as they contain frame shifts and/or in‐frame stop codons. The genes chpC and chpG were inactivated by the insertion of an antibiotic resistance cassette. The chpG mutant was not impaired in virulence. However, in planta the titre of the chpC mutant was drastically reduced and only weak disease symptoms were observed. Complementation of the chpC mutant by the wild‐type allele restored full virulence. ChpC is the first chromosomal gene of Cmm identified so far that affects the interaction of the pathogen with the host plant.
Dendritic cells from control but not atopic donors respond to contact and respiratory sensitizer treatment in vitro with differential cytokine production and altered stimulatory capacity
Authors: Holden N. J. , Bedford P. A. , McCarthy N. E. , Marks N. A. , Ind P. W. , Jowsey I. R. , Basketter D. A. , Knight S. C.
Published: May 2008

Background
Chemical haptens induce both contact and allergic respiratory disease with dendritic cells (DCs) controlling and directing immune responses in vivo. Contact and respiratory haptens may promote differential cytokine production yet distinguishing these effects in vitro remains difficult due to human donor variability.

Objective
We sought to determine the effect of atopic status on the ability of DC to respond to contact and respiratory sensitizer treatment in vitro as DC from atopic donors are believed to promote Th2‐type responses.

Methods
Enriched DC from control or atopic donors were treated for 4 h with levels of the contact sensitizer 2,4‐dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) or the respiratory sensitizer trimellitic anhydride (TMA) that did not reduce cell viability. A sensitive intracellular detection technique was used to measure cytokine production, while T cell responses were assessed in a mixed leucocyte reaction.

Results
DC from control, non‐atopic, donors produced cytokines differentially in response to sensitizer treatment; DNCB treatment significantly increased the production of Th1 cytokines IL‐12 and IFN‐γ while TMA induced the production of IL‐13. Control donor DC treated with TMA stimulated less in a mixed leucocyte reaction than untreated cells with any response reduced further by blocking IL‐13 in culture. However, DC from atopic donors showed no significant alteration in either cytokine production or T cell stimulatory capacity after sensitizer treatment.

Conclusion
Haptens modulate DC by changing the production of cytokines that may play a role in T cell stimulation and subsequent polarization of the immune response. DC from atopic donors were unresponsive to chemical sensitizer treatment, and may be deficient in inducing divergent T cell responses.