bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effective g-factor in In0.53Ga0.47As/In0.52Al0.48As quantum well investigated by magnetotransport measurement
Authors: Liu X. Z. , Xu Y. G. , Yu G. , Wei L. M. , Lin T. , Guo S. L. , Chu J. H. , Zhou W. Z. , Zhang Y. G. , Lockwood David J.
Published: January 2013

The magneotransport properties of a high carrier concentration and high mobility 20-nm thick In0.53Ga0.47As/In0.52Al0.48As quantum well (QW) are investigated by tilt angle dependent Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations and by weak antilocalization (WAL) in an in-plane magnetic field. The effective g-factor g* and zero field spin splitting Δ0 are extracted from tilt angle dependent beating pattern. We found that g* shows a dramatic reduction with increasing carrier density due to the increased effective band gap. Furthermore, an anomalously rapid suppression of the WAL effect with increasing in-plane magnetic field B|| is observed. This reveals that the total dephasing rate is not solely contributed by Zeeman splitting. The microroughness scattering in the QW is proposed to be another factor to cause the dephasing and thus responsible for this effect.
Hole injection enhancement by sparsely dispersed Au nanoparticles on indium tin oxide electrode in organic light emitting devices
Authors: Wang D. , Yasui K. , Ozawa M. , Odoi K. , Shimamura S. , Fujita K.
Published: January 2013

Gold nanoparticles stabilized by a hyper-branched polystyrene and adhered sparsely on indium tin oxide electrode can enhance hole injection to hole transport layer of N,N′-diphenyl-N,N′-bis(1-naphthyl)(1,1′-biphenyl)-4,4′-diamine. Although surface coverage by nanoparticles is less than 1%, the current density increases almost 1.5 orders of magnitude in hole-only device compared with the identical device without nanoparticles. This nanoparticle is also applied in typical organic light emitting diode. The driving voltage can be significantly lowered accompany with almost six times higher current density and luminance at 6 V. The local electric field induced by negatively charged nanoparticles should bring about the hole injection enhancement.
Tip-induced artifacts in magnetic force microscopy images
Authors: Iglesias-Freire Óscar , Bates Jeffrey R. , Miyahara Yoichi , Asenjo Agustina , Grütter Peter H.
Published: January 2013

Useful sample information can be extracted from the dissipation in frequency modulation atomic force microscopy due to its correlation to important material properties. It has been recently shown that artifacts can often be observed in the dissipation channel, due to the spurious mechanical resonances of the atomic force microscope instrument when the oscillation frequency of the force sensor changes. In this paper, we present another source of instrumental artifacts specific to magnetic force microscopy (MFM), which is attributed to a magnetization switching happening at the apex of MFM tips. These artifacts can cause a misinterpretation of the domain structure in MFM images of magnetic samples.
Reducing thermal transport in electrically conducting polymers: Effects of ordered mixing of polymer chains
Authors: Pal Souvik , Balasubramanian Ganesh , Puri Ishwar K.
Published: January 2013

Reducing the phonon thermal conductivity of electrically conducting polymers can facilitate their use as potential thermoelectric materials. Thus, the influence of the coupling between the longitudinal and transverse phonon modes on overall thermal conductivity is explored for binary mixtures of polyaniline (PANI) and polyacetylene (PA) chains by considering various geometric polymer mixture configurations. The molecular simulations reveal that an increase in the interfacial area available for transverse interactions between dissimilar chains enhances atomic interactions that are orthogonal to the heat transfer direction. As transverse collisions between PA and PANI chains are enhanced, the motion of longitudinal phonons is disrupted, impeding thermal transport. This enhances phonon scattering and reduces longitudinal thermal transport. While there is a nonlinear decrease in the phonon thermal conductivity with increasing interfacial contact area, there is a corresponding linear growth in the nonbonded interaction energies between the different polymers.
Optimized cobalt nanowires for domain wall manipulation imaged by in situ Lorentz microscopy
Authors: Rodríguez L. A. , Magén C. , Snoeck E. , Serrano-Ramón L. , Gatel C. , Córdoba R. , Martínez-Vecino E. , Torres L. , De Teresa J. M. , Ibarra M. R.
Published: January 2013

Direct observation of domain wall (DW) nucleation and propagation in focused electron beam induced deposited Co nanowires as a function of their dimensions was carried out by Lorentz microscopy (LTEM) upon in situ application of magnetic field. Optimal dimensions favoring the unambiguous DW nucleation/propagation required for applications were found in 500-nm-wide and 13-nm-thick Co nanowires, with a maximum nucleation field and the largest gap between nucleation and propagation fields. The internal DW structures were resolved using the transport-of-intensity equation formalism in LTEM images and showed that the optimal nanowire dimensions correspond to the crossover between the nucleation of transverse and vortex walls.
Surface-plasmon-polariton assisted modification of spontaneous emission of colloidal quantum dots in metal nanostructures
Authors: Briscoe Jayson L. , Jayasundara Nadeepa , Cho Sang-Yeon
Published: January 2013

We experimentally demonstrate extraordinary optical transmission (EOT) assisted photoluminescence (PL) of CdSe/CdS colloidal quantum dots (QDs). The quantum dots were encapsulated between a metallic nanostructure and a Bragg reflector to enhance the interaction of spontaneously emitted photons with a resonant electromagnetic surface wave. The measured PL spectrum of the fabricated sample exhibits spectral narrowing and a shift in peak wavelength of 22 nm and 7 nm, respectively. Furthermore, we tested the angular dependence of the signal to confirm the existence of EOT. This demonstration is a critical step towards realizing plasmonic colloidal QD based coherent emitters.
On the correction of errors in some multiple particle tracking experiments
Authors: Rowlands Christopher J. , So Peter T. C.
Published: January 2013

A common source of error in particle tracking experiments is identified, and a theoretical model for the magnitude of the error is offered. In many cases, the error is small, but in systems where only a few particles are being tracked, the measured mean squared displacement can be up to 50% smaller than the actual value. The theoretical model predictions are confirmed using numerical simulations and experimental observations of polystyrene microspheres in water.
Theoretical study of the indium incorporation into III-V compounds revisited: The role of indium segregation and desorption
Authors: Pelá R. R. , Teles L. K. , Marques M. , Martini S.
Published: January 2013

Indium based III-V compounds are very important technological materials. However, the indium incorporation depends on several phenomena, among them, the influence of indium segregation has been the most studied. In this paper, we show that to predict accurately the energy levels of In based III-V quantum structures, besides the indium segregation, the indium desorption must also be considered. In order to verify this assumption, we consider InGaAs/GaAs quantum wells as a benchmark case, and simulate 48 different quantum wells comparing with photoluminescence results.
A photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional study of di-tantalum boride clusters: Ta2Bx− (x = 2–5)
Authors: Xie Lu , Li Wei-Li , Romanescu Constantin , Huang Xin , Wang Lai-Sheng
Published: January 2013

The structural and electronic properties for di-tantalum boride clusters Ta2Bx− (x = 2–5) were investigated using photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional calculations. The photoelectron spectra for Ta2Bx− (x = 2–5) are obtained at several photon energies with rich spectral features. Density functional theory calculations are performed at the BP86 level to search for the global minima of both the anionic and neutral clusters. The calculated vertical electron detachment energies for the global minimum and low-lying isomers are compared with the experimental data. Strong boron-boron bonding is found to dominate the lowest energy structures of Ta2Bx− and Ta2Bx (x = 2–5), which are shown to be bipyramidal with the boron atoms forming an equatorial belt around the Ta–Ta dimer. Strong Ta–Ta bonding is observed in Ta2Bx− and Ta2Bx for x = 2–4, whereas the Ta–Ta distance is increased significantly in Ta2B5− and Ta2B5.
The charge-trapping and triplet-triplet annihilation processes in organic light-emitting diodes: A duty cycle dependence study on magneto-electroluminescence
Authors: Peng Qiming , Chen Ping , Li Feng
Published: January 2013

We studied the magneto-electroluminescence (MEL) in tri-(8-hydroxyquinoline)-aluminum (Alq3)-based organic light-emitting devices through both steady-state and transient methods. As the magnetic field increases, the MEL exhibits a rapid rise, followed by the saturation tendency at all voltages in the steady-state measurement, but in the transient measurement it first increases to a maximum and then decreases to negative values when the driving voltages are higher than 8V. Furthermore, we found that the MEL strongly depends on the duty cycle of the pulse voltage. Finally, by employing the triplet-triplet annihilation model combined with the charge trapping effects, we explained the duty cycle dependence of MELs.
Bovine spermatozoa react to in vitro heat stress by activating the mitogen-activated protein kinase 14 signalling pathway
Authors: Rahman Mohammad Bozlur , Vandaele Leen , Rijsselaere Tom , El-Deen Mohamed Shehab , Maes Dominiek , Shamsuddin Mohammed , Van Soom Ann
Published: January 2013

Heat stress has long been recognised as a cause of subfertility in farm animals. The objectives of the present study were to elucidate the effect of heat stress on sperm function and involvement of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) 14 signalling pathway. Spermatozoa incubated for 4 h at a physiological temperature (38.5°C) exhibited significantly (P < 0.05) reduced motility, plasma membrane integrity and mitochondrial potential compared with non-incubated spermatozoa; the reductions in these parameters were more severe following incubation at a hyperthermic (41°C) temperature (P < 0.01). Percentages of fertilisation and embryo development were highly affected in spermatozoa incubated at 41°C compared with non-incubated spermatozoa (P < 0.01). Similarly, embryo quality was adversely affected by sperm incubation at 41°C, as indicated by a higher apoptotic cell ratio in Day 7 blastocysts compared with that in the non-incubated control group (14.6% vs 6.7%, respectively; P < 0.01). Using SB203580 (10 µg mL–1), a specific inhibitor of the p38 MAPK pathway, during sperm hyperthermia reduced MAPK14 activation (24.9% vs 35.6%), increased sperm motility (45.8% vs 26.5%) and reduced DNA fragmentation (16.9% vs 23.4%) compared with the untreated control group, but did not improve subsequent fertilisation and embryo development. In conclusion, heat stress significantly affects the potential of spermatozoa to penetrate oocytes, as well as subsequent embryo development and quality. Notably, the data show that the MAPK14 signalling pathway is largely involved in heat-induced sperm damage. However, further research is needed to elucidate other signalling pathways possibly involved in heat-induced sperm damage.
Multiple Dimensions of Spirituality in Recovery: A Lagged Mediational Analysis of Alcoholics Anonymous’ Principal Theoretical Mechanism of Behavior Change
Authors: Krentzman Amy R. , Cranford James A. , Robinson Elizabeth A. R.
Published: January 2013

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) states that recovery is possible through spiritual experiences and spiritual awakenings. Research examining spirituality as a mediator of AA's effect on drinking has been mixed. It is unknown whether such findings are due to variations in the operationalization of key constructs, such as AA and spirituality. To answer these questions, the authors used a longitudinal model to test 2 dimensions of AA as focal predictors and 6 dimensions of spirituality as possible mediators of AA's association with drinking. Data from the first 18 months of a 3-year longitudinal study of 364 alcohol-dependent individuals were analyzed. Structural equation modeling was used to replicate the analyses of Kelly et al. ( Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2011;35:454–463) and to compare AA attendance and AA involvement as focal predictors. Multiple regression analyses were used to determine which spirituality dimensions changed as the result of AA participation. A trimmed, data-driven model was employed to test multiple mediation paths simultaneously. The findings of the Kelly et al. study were replicated. AA involvement was a stronger predictor of drinking outcomes than AA attendance. AA involvement predicted increases in private religious practices, daily spiritual experiences, and forgiveness of others. However, only private religious practices mediated the relationship between AA and drinking.
12-Step Affiliation and Attendance following Treatment for Comorbid Substance Dependence and Depression: A Latent Growth Curve Mediation Model
Authors: Worley Matthew J. , Tate Susan R. , McQuaid John R. , Granholm Eric L. , Brown Sandra A.
Published: January 2013

Among substance-dependent individuals, comorbid major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with greater severity and poorer treatment outcomes, but little research has examined mediators of posttreatment substance use outcomes within this population. Using latent growth curve models, the authors tested relationships between individual rates of change in 12-step involvement and substance use, utilizing posttreatment follow-up data from a trial of group Twelve-Step Facilitation (TSF) and integrated cognitive-behavioral therapy (ICBT) for veterans with substance dependence and MDD. Although TSF patients were higher on 12-step affiliation and meeting attendance at end-of-treatment as compared with ICBT, they also experienced significantly greater reductions in these variables during the year following treatment, ending at similar levels as ICBT. Veterans in TSF also had significantly greater increases in drinking frequency during follow-up, and this group difference was mediated by their greater reductions in 12-step affiliation and meeting attendance. Patients with comorbid depression appear to have difficulty sustaining high levels of 12-step involvement after the conclusion of formal 12-step interventions, which predicts poorer drinking outcomes over time. Modifications to TSF and other formal 12-step protocols or continued therapeutic contact may be necessary to sustain 12-step involvement and reduced drinking for patients with substance dependence and MDD.
Involvement in 12-Step Activities and Treatment Outcomes
Authors: Zemore Sarah E. , Subbaraman Meenakshi , Tonigan J. Scott
Published: January 2013

This study addresses the relative importance of specific 12-step activities to recovery, and how treatment affects participation in those activities. Data were from a clinical trial testing a 12-step facilitation intervention called MAAEZ (Making AA [Alcohol Anonymous] Easier). Participants ( N = 508) were recruited at treatment entry. Analyses examined 8 activities measured at baseline, 7 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months. In simultaneous equations, meeting attendance and having a sponsor were the only strong and consistent predictors of abstinence across time points, though other activities (i.e., use of a home group, befriending members, service work, and reading the literature) were significant in some analyses. Treatment involvement had mixed effects on activity participation over time. Contradicting research suggesting that meeting attendance contributes little beyond other 12-step activities, the current results highlight the importance of consistent meeting attendance and sponsorship in recovery. The results suggest a need for enhanced facilitation of key activities even in typical 12-step–oriented treatment.
CluePedia Cytoscape plugin: pathway insights using integrated experimental and in silico data
Authors: Bindea Gabriela , Galon Jérôme , Mlecnik Bernhard
Published: January 2013

Summary: The CluePedia Cytoscape plugin is a search tool for new markers potentially associated to pathways. CluePedia calculates linear and non-linear statistical dependencies from experimental data. Genes, proteins and miRNAs can be connected based on in silico and/or experimental information and integrated into a ClueGO network of terms/pathways. Interrelations within each pathway can be investigated, and new potential associations may be revealed through gene/protein/miRNA enrichments. A pathway-like visualization can be created using the Cerebral plugin layout. Combining all these features is essential for data interpretation and the generation of new hypotheses. The CluePedia Cytoscape plugin is user-friendly and has an expressive and intuitive visualization.

Availability: http://www.ici.upmc.fr/cluepedia/ and via the Cytoscape plugin manager. The user manual is available at the CluePedia website.

Contact: bernhard.mlecnik@crc.jussieu.fr or jerome.galon@crc.jussieu.fr

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Regulation of intestinal microbiota by the NLR protein family
Authors: Biswas Amlan , Kobayashi Koichi S.
Published: January 2013

The human intestine harbors a diverse microbial community consisting of a large number of bacteria and other micro-organisms that have co-evolved with the host intestinal immune system. During this process, microbiota and the host immune system shape one another by various mechanisms to achieve a successful symbiotic relationship. An increasing amount of evidence suggests that dysbiosis—the breakdown of such harmonized colonization—may result in infectious and inflammatory disorders, and recent advances in our studies indicate that receptors such as Toll-like receptors and NLR (nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor; or nucleotide-binding domain- and leucine-rich repeat-containing receptor) proteins that detect micro-organisms and their products play a critical role in maintaining intestinal homeostasis. In this review, we summarize the role of NLR proteins in the regulation of intestinal microbiota. NLR proteins belong to a diverse family of cytoplasmic microbial sensors, mutations of which are involved in various disorders, including inflammatory bowel diseases. Understanding of the different roles of NLR family proteins in the intestine is, therefore, an important step towards the development of therapeutics against digestive diseases.
Extended Kantorovich method for coupled piezoelasticity solution of piezolaminated plates showing edge effects
Authors: Kapuria Santosh , Kumari Poonam
Published: January 2013

The powerful extended Kantorovich method (EKM) originally proposed by Kerr in 1968 is generalized to obtain a three-dimensional coupled piezoelasticity solution of smart piezoelectric laminated plates in cylindrical bending. Such solutions are needed to accurately predict the edge effects in these laminates under electromechanical loading. The Reissner-type mixed variational principle extended to piezoelasticity is used to develop the governing equations in terms of displacements, electric potential as well as stresses and electric displacements. It allows for exact satisfaction of the boundary conditions, including the non-homogeneous ones at all points. An
n
-term solution generates a set of 11
n
algebraic ordinary differential equations in the inplane direction and a similar set in the thickness direction for each lamina, which are solved in closed form. The multi-term EKM is shown to predict the coupled electromechanical response, including the edge effects, of single-layer piezoelectric sensors as well as hybrid laminated panels accurately, for both pressure and electric potential loadings. This work will facilitate development of accurate semi-analytical solutions of many other unresolved problems in three-dimensional piezoelasticity, such as the free-edge stresses in hybrid laminates under bending, tension and twisting.
Oblique impact of a smooth body on a thin layer of inviscid liquid
Authors: Khabakhpasheva T. I. , Korobkin A. A.
Published: January 2013

The two-dimensional motion of a rigid body with a smooth surface is studied during its oblique impact on a liquid layer. The problem is coupled: the three degrees of freedom of the moving body are determined together with the liquid flow and the hydrodynamic pressure along the wetted part of the body surface. The impact process is divided into two temporal stages. During the first stage, the wetted region expands at a high speed with jetting flows at both ends of the wetted region. In the second stage, the free surface of the liquid is allowed to separate from the body surface. The position of the separation point is determined with the help of the Brillouin–Villat condition. Calculations are performed for elliptic cylinders of different masses and with different orientations and speeds before the impact. The horizontal and vertical displacements of the body, as well as its angle of rotation and corresponding speeds are investigated. The model developed remains valid until the body either touches the bottom of the liquid or rebounds from the liquid.
Isolation and DNA characterization of a simian retrovirus 5 from a Japanese monkey (Macaca fuscata)
Authors: Takano Jun-Ichiro , Leon Arlene , Kato Miyoko , Abe Yuko , Fujimoto Koji
Published: January 2013

An SRV-like virus was isolated from a colony-born Japanese monkey. To identify this SRV-like virus, we designed universal primers at regions that were conserved among the reported SRV sequences in the 5′-LTR and the short ORF and we obtained plasmid clones containing the complete gag, prt, pol and env genes. The full-length sequences of the isolate were determined from the plasmids and by direct sequencing. Sequence comparisons and phylogenetic analyses indicated that this SRV-like virus had a sequence identical to the reported 626 bp of SRV-5. In this study, we isolated SRV5/JPN/2005/V1 from a Japanese monkey and characterized the full-length SRV-5 sequence.
CSR failures in food supply chains – an agency perspective
Authors: Wiese Anne , Toporowski Waldemar
Published: January 2013

Purpose

Companies implement corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices along their supply chains to fulfil stakeholder requirements. In doing so, failures in which CSR aspects are violated also emerge, caused by single supply chain members. In these situations, quite often the other supply chain members also appear responsible although they mostly do not have complete control over suppliers and sub‐suppliers due to information gaps. Therefore, the malpractice of one single company can harm the reputation of related companies. This paper aims to analyse recent CSR failures along food supply chains with the aim of evaluating why these occurred and what possibilities exist to avoid similar failures in the future.

Design/methodology/approach

Agency theory analyses information asymmetries in relationships in which one party delegates work to another party. In the considered failures, the downstream company can be regarded as principal by ordering products from the suppliers (agents). Consequently, agency theory contributes towards understanding failures in CSR implementation and highlighting solutions.

Findings

The cases analysed illustrate that CSR failures can have negative impacts on the companies' reputation and therefore also financial effects. Implementing a successful CSR policy should therefore be a primary interest of companies. Agency theory proved suitable to illustrate supply chain relationships and point out implications for companies. The instruments of agency theory can help to avoid CSR failures in food supply chains.

Originality/value

The paper combines agency theory with failures in CSR along food supply chains. In doing so, new insights into supply chain relationships are gained and implications for supply chain members to avoid CSR failures can be deduced. One special characteristic of the analysed failures is that the principal is not aimed at increasing the quantity of the agent's output but the quality.
The Southern Agrarians: a case study in intellectualized collection development
Authors: Dilevko Juris
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a case study about how academic librarians can contribute to the interdisciplinary research endeavors of professors and students, especially doctoral candidates, through an intellectualized approach to collection development.

Design/methodology/approach

In the wake of protest movements such as the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street, colleges and universities have begun to develop courses about these events, and it is anticipated that there will be much research conducted about their respective histories. Academic librarians can participate in those research efforts by developing interdisciplinary collections about protest movements and by referring researchers to those collections.

Findings

Through a case‐study approach, this paper provides a narrative bibliography about Southern Agrarianism that can help professors and students interested in the Tea Party or Occupy Wall Street movements to see their research endeavors from a new interdisciplinary perspective.

Originality/value

The value of this paper lies in presenting a concrete example of the way in which academic librarians can become active research partners through the work of building collections and recommending sources in areas that professors and students may not have previously considered.
Quantitative assessment of dual gait analysis based on inertial sensors with body sensor network
Authors: Wang Zhelong , Qiu Sen , Cao Zhongkai , Jiang Ming
Published: January 2013

Purpose

Due to the complex mechanism during walking, human gait takes plenty of information reflecting human motion. The method of quantitative measurement of gait makes a profound influence in many fields, such as clinical medicine, biped robot control strategy and so on. The purpose of this paper is to present a gait analysis system based on inertial measurement unit (IMU) and combined with body sensor network (BSN).

Design/methodology/approach

The authors placed two wireless inertial nodes on the left and right ankles, so that the acceleration and angular velocity could be obtained from both sides at the same time. By using the kinematical model of the human gait, many methods such as time series analysis, pattern recognition and numerical analysis, are introduced to fuse the inertial data and estimate the sagittal gait parameters.

Findings

The gait parameters evaluation gains a practical precision, especially in the gait phase detection and the process of how the two feet cooperate with each other has been analyzed to learn about the mechanism of biped walking.

Research limitations/implications

The gait analysis procedure is off line, so that the system ensures sampling at a high rate.

Originality/value

This gait analysis system can be utilized to measure quantitative gait parameters. Further, the coordination of dual gait pattern is presented. Last but not least, the system can also be put into capturing and analyzing the motion of other parts of the body.
Can facility managers impact the expected budgetary outcomes of robust asset management programs?
Authors: Rogers Jeffrey W.
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual risk assessment technique to aid facility managers with developing robust asset management programs. It proposes to evaluate three discrete risk sensitivity levels relative to the recognition of stochastic costs on expected budgetary outcomes. The paper expands the domain of available risk assessment techniques toward estimating impacts from uncertainty on desired levels of service.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper explores the concept that facility managers can cost‐effectively manage robust asset management programs. This is accomplished by evaluating simple relationships between risk‐sensitive decision‐response alternatives and systems degradation characteristics. The resulting parameters are aggregated to estimate expected budgetary outcomes for robust asset management programs.

Findings

The paper reveals that if facility managers assume risk‐avoidance positions, they can positively affect expected budgetary outcomes for robust asset management programs. Facility managers can manage the magnitude of these adverse impacts by mitigating stochastic costs associated with the completion of unscheduled asset management activities.

Research limitations/implications

The expected implications are enhancements to the abilities of facility managers to cost‐effectively manage stochastic costs relative to risk sensitivity and desired levels of service. However, because of the chosen research approach, the research results may lack general usability. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions further.

Practical implications

The practical implications allow facility managers to cost‐effectively manage adverse impacts on expected budgetary outcomes for robust asset management programs.

Social implications

The expected contribution is a tool for facility managers to manage uncertainty when allocating limited financial resources among the competing corrective, maintenance, and rehabilitation activities within robust asset management programs.

Originality/value

The paper fulfills an identified need to study how facility managers can do more with less. This need to be cost‐effective requires facility managers to recognize stochastic costs on the expected budgetary outcomes for robust asset management programs.
Analytic hierarchy process approach for competitive property management attributes
Authors: Lo Kak K. , Hui Eddie C.M. , Ching Ringo H.F.
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The property service agents (PSAs) are the outsourced agents of Hong Kong Housing Authority (HKHA), who manage the HKHA's rental properties in a competitive environment. To enhance the competitiveness edges of these PSAs under the inelastic management fee constraint, it is prudent for them to acknowledge those competitive property management attributes upon which PSAs reallocate their limited internal resources to best meet the expectations of the tenants.

Design/methodology/approach

Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was adopted for revealing the preference of tenants on those captioned attributes under a ratio scale. The data were collected through face‐to‐face interviews with the representatives of tenants of housing estates including but not limited to chairmen of Mutual Aid Committees and District Councilors.

Findings

The findings indicated that, amongst all competitive property management attributes, tenants of older housing estates preferred a higher level of repairs and maintenance, while those tenants of younger and larger population housing estates focused more on environmental control issues.

Practical implications

Without an objective quantitative analysis of tenants' preferences, the PSAs might render misallocation of limited resources, which would not only jeopardize their survival in the competitive commercial world but also upset the expectation of the tenants.

Originality/value

The use of quantitative study to solicit the preferences of public housing tenants on property management attributes is the first kind of study which provides comprehensive knowledge of tenants' preferences and could enable PSAs to enhance their competitiveness in the commercial world under the constraints of inelastic management fees structure.
Understanding informal feedback seeking in the workplace
Authors: van der Rijt Janine , Van den Bossche Piet , S.R. Segers Mien
Published: January 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the position of employees in the organizational hierarchy is important in explaining their feedback seeking behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study takes a social network perspective by using an ego-centric network survey to investigate employees
'
feedback seeking behaviour within their professional networks. Data were collected from an online questionnaire among 243 employees working in a large multinational organization located in The Netherlands.

Findings

– Results indicate that employees frequently seek feedback from colleagues within the same department. However, managers or leaders seek significantly less feedback from colleagues in the same department and from coaches, as compared to others. Furthermore, employees perceive the feedback they receive from managers/leaders, coaches, and colleagues in the same department as useful.

Originality/value

– The study findings extend the existing literature on the dynamics of feedback seeking of employees across different hierarchical levels. Methodologically, an egocentric network survey was used to investigate the employees
'
relationships within their professional network. The findings suggest that this approach, novel in research on feedback seeking, is valuable and promising.
The impact of feedback training for inspectors
Authors: J. Dobbelaer Marjoleine , J. Prins Frans , van Dongen Dré
Published: January 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore whether oral feedback by inspectors of the Dutch Inspectorate of Education is an adequate method to support the professional development of teachers in primary education. This study aims to examine the impact of short feedback training for inspectors (focused on effective feedback conversations) on feedback quality and on teachers
'
feedback perception. In addition, it aims to study the relation between immediate perception and the delayed perception of that feedback.

Design/methodology/approach

– In an independent sample experimental design, 15 inspectors provided feedback to 40 teachers in primary education. Nine inspectors received short feedback training (the experimental group), while six others did not receive this training (the control group).

Findings

– The results indicate that feedback provided by trained inspectors can foster professional development of teachers in primary education and that short feedback training has added value. The quality of the feedback by inspectors was related to teachers
'
immediate perception of the feedback and the delayed perception of the feedback.

Research limitations/implications

– A limitation of this study is the small group of inspectors and the limited number of feedback conversations they could provide. Further research could be aimed at examining the impact of feedback of trained inspectors on the professional development of underperforming teachers.

Originality/value

– This paper contributes to research that examines effective ways to use feedback conversations in workplace settings for the professional development of teachers.
School leadership practice and preparation
Authors: Ylimaki Rose , Jacobson Stephen
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to utilize successful leadership practices drawn from seven nations to improve leadership preparation.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a case study approach to gain a contextualized understanding of successful leadership across seven nations. Data sources primarily featured interviews with principals, teachers, staff members, parents, and students. Cases were analyzed within and then across nations with regards to organizational learning (OL), instructional leadership (IL), and culturally responsive practices (CRP).

Findings

The cross‐national analysis of successful leaders indicated emerging policy trends, demographic changes, similarities and differences among leaders, and recommendations for leadership preparation.

Originality/value

This paper draws from successful practices in OL, IL and CRP in seven nations to make recommendations for improving leadership preparation.
Developing the next generation of black and global majority leaders for London schools
Authors: Johnson Lauri , Campbell‐Stephens Rosemary
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to discuss the views of black and ethnic minority school leaders about the Investing in Diversity program, a black‐led program developed in 2004 to address the underrepresentation of black leaders in the London schools. Major themes are identified from interviews with black and South Asian women graduates of the program and recommendations made for leadership development strategies to help aspiring and current black and global majority headteachers “bring who they are” to their leadership.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative case study data about the Investing in Diversity program include document analysis of curriculum modules and participant observation of the weekend residential, survey satisfaction data from several cohorts, and face‐to‐face interviews with a purposive sample of seven headteachers from African Caribbean, African, and South Asian backgrounds who completed the Investing in Diversity program six‐seven years ago. These semi‐structured individual interviews were conducted in the spring of 2012 during an all‐day visit to their schools and focused on barriers and supports in their career path, approach to leadership, and their views on their leadership preparation.

Findings

Participants identified black and ethnic minority headteachers as role models, the importance of mentoring and informal networks, and opportunities to lead as supports to their career path to headship. Many of their long‐term informal networks were established with other BME colleagues who attended Investing in Diversity. Barriers included subtle (and not so subtle) discrimination from parents, teachers, and administrators for some of the participants.

Research limitations/implications

Observational studies and interview studies, which included a bigger sample of black and ethnic minority headteachers, would extend this research.

Practical implications

This study provides suggestions for schools and local authorities about leadership preparation strategies that make a difference for aspiring BME leaders.

Originality/value

There is a paucity of research on the views of British BME headteachers. This study adds to the research base on BME leadership development in Britain and contributes to international research on self‐defined black leadership perspectives.
Developing tools for research on school leadership development
Authors: Showanasai Parinya , Lu Jiafang , Hallinger Philip
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The extant literature on school leadership development is dominated by conceptual analysis, descriptive studies of current practice, critiques of current practice, and prescriptions for better ways to approach practice. Relatively few studies have examined impact of leadership development using experimental methods, among which even fewer studies have employed a cross‐cultural comparative perspective. The aim of this paper is to discuss the feasibility of using a computer simulation as tools for research in leadership development.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a methodology development paper. It discusses the feasibility of using a computer simulation as tools for research in leadership development. Exemplary research questions, research designs, and data analyses are used to illustrate the potential of this approach for addressing under‐explored issues in management education.

Findings

Three categories of cross‐cultural comparative research questions are proposed: comparative study of leadership expertise, comparative study of instructional approaches, and comparative study of leadership development processes. This study demonstrates the research potential of using the computer simulations to address complex issues in leadership development across cultures.

Originality/value

Although computer simulations have been used as training tools for several decades, few scholars have explored their potential for use in the collection of complex data in an efficient fashion. The current study not only demonstrates how a specific simulation has been adapted to collect data on leadership development in education, but also models the means by which computer simulations could be employed in a similar fashion in other domains of education and training.
How to keep the talent you have got
Authors: Bagga Gaurav
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine where high rates of employee attrition are a problem and put forward some possible solutions.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper concentrates on the experience of information technology (IT) firms in India.

Findings

The paper describes how employees seem most likely to leave a company after around five years. The longer an employee remains with a company, the less likely he or she is to leave.

Practical implications

The paper highlights the importance of making employees feel valued, keeping them informed of what is going on in the company, relating their work to the aims of the organization as a whole and ensuring that they have a clear career‐development path.

Social implications

The paper stresses that high rates of employee attrition can harm not only individual companies, but also national economies as a whole.

Originality/value

The paper focuses on the IT industry in India to recommend how to reduce employee attrition.
Vodafone puts mobility at the heart of business strategy
Authors: Webb Nick
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to chart Vodafone's journey from a conventional office‐based business to a new, uncharted, largely mobile and dynamic strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper highlights some of the operational and cultural challenges that the company had to overcome along the way, the advantages the changes have brought and the lessons the company has learned.

Findings

The paper explains that, since unified communications were adopted throughout the organization, employees are able to pick up messages and no longer need to miss any call. This seamless service has improved the speed and quality of customer service, slashing decision times and enabling smarter, more informed working. Pricing changes that could take up to 90 days to execute now take only four days. Customer complaints have also dropped by 57 percent in two years.

Practical implications

The paper reveals that productivity has increased by 15 percent, employees' work‐life balance has improved, and flexibility and openness to change have become embedded in the organizational culture.

Social implications

The paper describes how employees can use their time more effectively, partly because flexible working enables them to spend less time commuting.

Originality/value

The paper details the lessons that a major multinational company learned from a program of significant organizational change.
Mina makes the most of human‐resource management
Authors: Panagiotakopoulos Antonios
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe how strategic human resource management has transformed the fortunes of three Greek micro‐enterprises.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper explains the problems faced by Mina mini‐market, Franco leather manufacturing and Yiannis Hair Care, and how they overcame them.

Findings

The paper highlights the key role that training can play in improving product quality and customer service and setting a struggling company back on the track to success.

Practical implications

The paper reveals that training can go hand in hand with new bonus schemes, employee empowerment and better conditions of employment.

Social implications

The paper details a number of approaches that small companies can adopt to help them to survive in a challenging economic context.

Originality/value

The paper recounts how three Greek micro‐businesses have achieved organizational change against the background of difficult economic circumstances.
Academic advising: does it really impact student success?
Authors: Young‐Jones Adena D. , Burt Tracie D. , Dixon Stephanie , Hawthorne Melissa J.
Published: January 2013

Purpose

This study was designed to evaluate academic advising in terms of student needs, expectations, and success rather than through the traditional lens of student satisfaction with the process.

Design/methodology/approach

Student participants (n=611) completed a survey exploring their expectations of and experience with academic advising. Principal axis factor analysis, multiple regression analyses, and analyses of variance were applied to student responses.

Findings

Six interpretable factors (i.e. advisor accountability, advisor empowerment, student responsibility, student self‐efficacy, student study skills, and perceived support) significantly related academic advising to student success. Differences emerged with regard to advisement of demographically diverse students.

Practical implications

The results suggest improvements in advising practices, particularly interventions focused on specific demographic populations.

Originality/value

The present study contributes to existing literature by expanding advising research beyond student satisfaction to explore how it influences student success. Additionally, results suggest a need for future research that further develops the concept and practice of quality academic advising.
The Intangible Global Report: an integrated corporate communication framework
Authors: Veltri Stefania , Nardo Maria Teresa
Published: January 2013

Purpose

Intangibles are the main value drivers of a firm. This consideration implies that it becomes more and more important/urgent to measure and report intellectual capital. The new reporting statement (intellectual capital report) is not yet commonly used by firms, but many, on a voluntary basis, already publish environmental, social and sustainability reports, which contain much information on intangibles. Starting from this point, the purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that it is possible to integrate the information contained in both reports in a singlead hocintegrated document, having both external and internal communication aims.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper addresses three research questions: whether the theoretical premises exist for the integration of the two different frameworks; which frameworks should be chosen as a starting point; and which features should have an integrated framework. Theoretical premises for integration have been found in the research‐based view (RBV) theory. To chose the social report and intellectual capital report (ICR) framework to use as starting points, the authors analyze the frameworks from the intellectual capital (IC) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) literature; then choose the frameworks (GRI3 and Meritum reports) founded on an evolved notion of, respectively, corporate responsibility and IC, which share the same features – the orientation towards stakeholders, the managerial approach, and the focus on intangible activities that a new integrated framework should respect.

Findings

Starting from the selected CSR and ICR frameworks, the authors planned and designed a new, ad hocmodel of corporate communication, able to integrate the social and intangible dimensions in a single document, named the Intangible Global Report (IGR). The IGR framework is composed of five dimensions, three derived from the ICR (human capital, structural capital, relational capital) and two from the GRI report (environmental, social). The different aspects of each dimension are surveyed in terms of intangible resources, activities and impacts, measured by financial and non‐financial indicators.

Originality/value

The main originality of the paper consists in providing a general framework for firms to integrate all their intangible information in a single document – the IGR framework – focused on the firm's strategy, which allows the stakeholder to visualize all the firm's intangibles, how a company conducts its activities and the impacts that such activities have on the environmental, social and IC dimensions.