bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cognitive style and personality: impact on multimedia perception
Authors: Gulliver Stephen R. , Ghinea George
Published: February 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between cognitive style, user personality and perceived multimedia quality.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper used Cognitive Style Analysis and an adapted Myers‐Briggs questionnaire to assess cognitive style and user personality respectively. It also used an adapted Quality of Perception metric to assess user‐perceived multimedia quality.

Findings

The research shows that personality type and user cognitive style affects information assimilation, self‐perceived achievement and student level of confidence.

Practical implications

This work suggests a number of practical recommendations to support the consideration of personality and cognitive style in preparation of educational multimedia material.

Originality/value

This paper provides consideration of personality and cognitive style, and the impact that they have on user multimedia perception.
Online media rivalry
Authors: Okazaki Shintaro , Romero Jaime
Published: February 2010

Purpose

This study aims to identify distinct online media user segments on the basis of three media theories, namely media displacement theory, media complementarity theory and media richness theory.

Design/methodology/approach

A large‐scale, mobile‐based web survey was conducted in Japan to assess behavioural variables (media time allocation, media richness perceptions, and media access motives) and demographics.

Findings

The latent class model reveals four distinct media user segments: dual media users (i.e. users of the internet on both the mobile and the PC); mobile internet users; PC internet users; and passive online users. Dual media users are likely to: spend more time on information searching; perceive greater levels of media richness in online media; and share common motives for accessing internet media via both mobile and PC. The findings are consistent with our theoretical expectations.

Research limitations and implications

Any exploratory clustering of consumers is by definition a snapshot that depends on time and place. Consequently the findings would very likely have been different if the underlying data had been sampled at another time or in different locations. Despite this limitation the findings corroborate some of the basic tenets of theories of media competition and complementarity.

Practical implications

The fact that almost a third of online media users access internet content via both mobile and PC suggests the increasing importance of cross‐media strategies.

Originality/value

This is a pioneering study that examines media competition and complementarity between the mobile internet and the PC internet.
Traffic metrics and Web 2.0‐ness
Authors: Chiang I‐Ping , Huang Chun‐Yao , Huang Chien‐Wen
Published: February 2010

Purpose

There has been considerable discussion of various aspects of the “Web 2.0” concept in the past several years. However, the Web 2.0 concept as a whole has not been analysed through the lens of the Web 1.0 metrics on which managers rely heavily for planning and evaluation. This paper aims to analyse the relationships among a site's audience metrics and its degree of Web 2.0‐ness.

Design/methodology/approach

Data collected from an online panel's clickstreams were aggregated to derive the web audience metrics. A web site's degree of Web 2.0‐ness was evaluated through a three‐step procedure by a series of binary criteria as to whether the site accommodates popular Web 2.0 applications. Pearson and Spearman correlations were conducted for the empirical analysis of data consisting of clickstreams gathered from an online panel coupled with expert scoring of web sites.

Findings

It was found that the size of a web site's visitor base is positively associated with the average number of page views per visitor. The average number of page views per visitor is in turn positively associated with the speed at which the visitors consume the site's content. Furthermore, a site's degree of Web 2.0‐ness is positively associated with the average number of page views per visitor and the speed of content consumption on the site.

Practical implications

First, the “double jeopardy” phenomenon of small brands found in the consumer package goods market is also observed for small sites in cyberspace in terms of audience metrics. Second, the accommodation of more Web 2.0 applications in a web site enhances the site's attractiveness so that its visitor base grows and its visitors will have a deeper relationship with the site.

Originality/value

This paper examines the Web 2.0 phenomenon through the Web 1.0 lens by exploring the relationships among web audience metrics and the degree of Web 2.0‐ness across web sites. It characterises the relationships among a web site's audience metrics and those between such metrics and the site's degree of Web 2.0‐ness. In addition this study fills an important gap in the literature and could serve as a stepping‐stone for further exploration of Web 2.0 issues from the market perspective.
An exploratory study of the weather and calendar effects on tourism web site usage
Authors: Gun Lim Gyoo , Hyun Kim Do , Choi Minnseok , Choi Jin H. , Chang Lee Kun
Published: February 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the weather and calendar effects on the usage pattern of a tourism web site.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper analyses data from a yearlong web log involving 21,655,089 visitors to a popular tourism web site. The weather factors include rain, snow, cloud cover, and the calendar factors include seasons and holidays in order to test the proposed model.

Findings

Using data from the Korea Tourism Organisation and the Korean Meteorological Administration, the results show that when it was rainy, cloudy, summer or a workday, the number of visitors to the tourism information web site was higher.

Originality/value

The results provide managers involved in the tourism industry with useful insights for effective use of web sites by running them more efficiently and setting up appropriate marketing strategies in terms of the weather and calendar variables.
A generic framework for collaborative multi‐perspective ontology acquisition
Authors: Zhitomirsky‐Geffet Maayan , Bar‐Ilan Judit , Miller Yitzchak , Shoham Snunith
Published: February 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a general framework that incorporates collaborative social tagging with a novel ontology scheme conveying multiple perspectives.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper proposes a framework where multiple users tag the same object (an image in this case) and an ontology is extended based on these tags while being tolerant of different points of view. Both the tagging and the ontological models are intentionally designed to suit the multi‐perspective environment. The paper develops a method based on a set of rules that determine how to associate new concepts to predefined perspectives (in addition to determining relations to topics or other concepts as typically done in previous research) and how to insert and maintain multiple perspectives.

Findings

This case study experiment, with a set of selected annotated images, indicates the soundness of the proposed ontological model.

Originality/value

The proposed framework characterises the underlying processes for controlled collaborative development of a multi‐perspective ontology and its application to improve image annotation, searching and browsing. The significance of this research is that it focuses on exploring the impact of creating a constantly evolving ontology based on collaborative tagging. The paper is not aware of any other work that has attempted to devise such an environment and to study its dynamics.
Prevalence and classification of web page defects
Authors: Ofuonye Ejike , Beatty Patricia , Dick Scott , Miller James
Published: February 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an update on previous surveys that have looked at the quality of HTML documents on the worldwide web. Previous surveys have indicated that the quality of HTML documents tends to be quite poor, with most documents containing defects.

Design/methodology/approach

To determine the extent of this problem, the paper undertook a large‐scale study of HTML document quality among the most popular web sites (approximately 100,000).

Findings

This paper found that the vast majority (over 95 per cent) of web sites did not adhere to the worldwide web consortium standards for HTML.

Research limitations/implications

This study represents a single investigation over a short timeframe. Hence, ideally the study needs to be replicated in the future to help generalise the findings.

Practical implications

Such poor quality may jeopardise the security or usability of a web site, making the site's users vulnerable to malware attacks. This poor level of quality has drastic implications for web usability and security.

Originality/value

This new survey undertook a more extensive examination of popular web sites than previous surveys.
Metadata mega mess in Google Scholar
Authors: Jacsó Péter
Published: February 2010

Purpose

Google Scholar (GS) has shed the beta label on the fifth anniversary of launching its service. This paper aims to address this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

As good as GS is – through its keyword search option – to find information about tens of millions of documents, many of them in open access full text format, it is as bad for metadata‐based searching when, beyond keywords in the title, abstract, descriptor and/or full text, the searcher also has to use author name, journal title and/or publication year in specifying the query. This paper provides a review of recent developments in Google Scholar.

Findings

GS is especially inappropriate for bibliometric searches, for evaluating the publishing performance and impact of researchers and journals.

Originality/value

Even if the clean up of Google Scholar accelerates it should not be forgotten that those evaluations of individuals and journals that have been done based on Google Scholar in the past few years have grossly handicapped many authors and journals whose name was replaced by phantom entries.
Globalization and governance for sustainability
Authors: Martinelli Alberto , Midttun Atle
Published: February 2010

Purpose

This paper seeks to take stock of core arguments in some of the most central governance traditions and to discuss their capacity to deliver solutions. It starts with an appraisal of the strengths and weaknesses of the ideas of market‐, state‐ and civil‐society‐led governance, but also factors in the effect of media and communication as governance arenas in their own right. Then it aims to review core arguments put forward in broader approaches to governance where multiple governance mechanisms are combined.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a conceptual paper that reviews central approaches in the governance literature and their ability to further sustainable development. The review is taken as a basis for tentative formulations of new supplementary governance approaches.

Findings

Out of the critical analysis the paper distils is an approach to governance that combines three basic elements: First, a re‐interpretation of Montesquieu's principle of checks and balances – applied not only to state institutions, but also to the interplay between the state, markets and civil society. Second, an argument for polyarchic, multilevel governance, where flexible institutional frameworks, at various levels of aggregation, allow actors to jointly engage in developing governance. Third, it argues that open communication may constitute an important governance element. It ends by recognising that global governance, going forward, will include a mix of parallel governance models, in some ways competing for hegemony, but supporting one another in other ways.

Originality/value

The originality/value of the paper lies in its critical assessment of central current governance theories and in its launch of new supplementary governance approaches.
The promise and limitations of partnered governance: the case of sustainable palm oil
Authors: Nikoloyuk Jordan , Burns Tom R. , de Man Reinier
Published: February 2010

Purpose

This paper sets out to report on a study of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) as an instance of “partnered governance” oriented to advance sustainable development in a supply chain. After briefly discussing the conceptualization of partnered governance, its social organizational features, and its drivers, the paper aims to outline the history and structure of RSPO and then to assess the effectiveness, efficiency and level of legitimation of this innovative governance structure. The paper points out several of the limitations as well as potentialities of partner governance arrangements such as that of RSPO.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper shows through a focused multi‐method case study how the RSPO developed as consumer‐oriented businesses partnered with civil society organizations and palm oil producers to address what was seen as a long‐term threat to rain forests, on the one hand, and to financial interests, on the other.

Findings

In the case of deforestation caused by oil palm expansion, national government intervention was absent and international regulation could not be mobilized. While the RSPO's system of partnered governance may have many shortcomings, the paper stresses that there are few real alternatives that have been as successful in addressing this type of sustainability issue. A major structural problem with such partnerships for sustainability is that their emergence and development typically depend on powerful players.

Originality/value

The originality/value of the paper lies in its identification of several of the strengths and weaknesses of partnered governance based on a focused case study, and suggests ways in which partnered governance can be developed and optimized in addressing sustainability issues.
Governance arrangements for sustainability: a regional perspective
Authors: Schmitter Philippe C.
Published: February 2010

Purpose

This paper seeks to focus on the preconditions for forging International strategies to deal with social and environmental sustainability. Taking the Brundtland Report and its implied strategy based on inter‐governmental conferences and treaties at the global level as a point of departure, the paper suggests an alternative strategy which focuses on governance arrangements (GAs) rather than government agencies and at the regional rather than the global level. The paper argues that for these to function effectively, they must be perceived as legitimate by those affected by their decisions. The paper aims to argue that this will depend on their conformity with certain generic principles regulating the chartering, composition and decision making of such GAs. If these are successful in Europe, their norms may diffuse to other world regions.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a conceptual paper, which presents principles for international governance for sustainability based on current experiences with governance in the European Union.

Findings

The paper points out that, since the publication of the Brundtland Report, among the most significant political/institutional changes with regard to policies for environmental sustainability have been the expansion of the competences of the European Union (EU) and the emergence of a numerous and wide‐ranging set of trans‐national non‐governmental organizations. The paper indicates how this new institutional terrain may be used to forge new governance strategies for sustainability.

Originality/value

The originality/value of the paper lies in its analysis of decision making in the EU as a point of departure for global governance for sustainability.
Montesquieu for the twenty‐first century: factoring civil society and business into global governance
Authors: Midttun Atle
Published: February 2010

Purpose

This paper sets out to argue for rethinking governance through the prism of Montesquieu's model of checks and balances within state powers. It aims to explore the parallel between the eighteenth century concept of division of power and the current need to engage and balance the powers of the state, industry/markets and civil society in governance for global sustainability. It also takes Montesquieu's doctrine of balance of powers beyond static checks and balances into more dynamic innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a conceptual paper that translates seventeenth and eighteenth century state theory into twenty‐first century governance. It also explores how models from innovation may be applied to discuss dynamic aspects of governance.

Findings

Drawing on the product‐cycle model, the paper shows how governance entrepreneurship may be explored and understood in innovation terms. The paper explores extractive industries' transparency initiative (EITI) as an illustration of governance innovation to address a gross governance and market failure in the extractive industries – the “resource curse”, particularly in developing countries. It shows how much of EITI's remarkable success in building institutional support is due to actors expanding from their traditional domains into new complementary roles. Each of the three powers – civil society, business, and politics – has exploited their comparative advantages in bringing the governance project forward.

Originality/value

Given the limitation of conventional governance models, the originality/value of the paper lie in its launch of new supplementary governance approaches and their application to the EITI case.
The importance of building a culture of innovation in a recession
Authors: Prabhu Jaideep
Published: February 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine how corporate culture can be harnessed to foster radical innovation in a recession.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses the findings of a survey and archival data from 750 public firms in various manufacturing industries across 17 major economies of the world in 2003‐2004. The firms in the sample come from developed economies such as the USA, UK, Germany and Japan, as well as developing economies such as China and India, thus allowing the comparison of the drivers of innovation across very different national contexts.

Findings

The paper finds that, if certain attitudes, practices and behaviours are shared by members of a firm, it is more likely to have a forward‐looking, risk‐taking culture.

Practical limitations/implications

Managers can benchmark their corporate culture against three crucial attitudes and three related practices.

Originality/value

Previous studies have focused on how national policies drive innovation; the paper challenges those conventional views. This work can enable HR managers to overcome the challenges posed by the economic climate to develop a more enterprising corporate culture.
Successfully managing change during uncertain times
Authors: Lewis Evelyn , Romanaggi Don , Chapple Aimie
Published: February 2010

Purpose

Based on more than two decades of hands‐on experience in the field of organizational change management consulting, this paper seeks to reflect on the most common misunderstandings and mis‐steps that can derail executives as they manage their companies through complex, multifaceted change journeys.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper focuses on six key imperatives that can enable executives to overcome resistance to change, sustain workforce performance through difficult challenges, provide effective leadership and support the new workforce behaviors necessary to propel an organization faster and more effectively toward its business goals. When discussing each area, the authors explore the right mindset to see and understand the issue, the skills needed to be effective and the initiatives that can be put in place to support the change programme.

Findings

New mindsets, skills and execution capabilities are important if executives and managers are to bring about successful change within their organizations. Successful implementation of change requires an understanding of the human response to change. Resistance to change is real, and is a barrier that can stop an organization from reaching its goals. Because response to change is predictable, however, an organization is not helpless in dealing with the people aspects of change. Proven approaches, tactics and initiatives exist that can improve an executive's chances of successfully managing the organization and its people through complex, ongoing portfolios of change.

Originality/value

Using real‐life experience of organizations across both the public and private sectors, the paper presents practical advice to meet today's challenges at a time when the pace and scope of change appear to be virtually unprecedented.
A change for the better
Authors: Fraser Judith , Hemmings Catherine
Published: February 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to look at a recent delivery by Oakridge Training and Consulting of a programme to enhance the ability to deliver change management at Contour Housing Group.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper looks at the background to the need – the client's own research, which highlighted employee concerns regarding the management and communication of change – and outlines the development of focus groups to understand more about the need and to develop a strategy for learning.

Findings

Understanding the need for change is the first step to its acceptance. Yet all too often managers are frustrated by a lack of employee vision. It is probably the case that they see things in a different light and there is a real need for the rationale for the change to be substantive, well thought through and credible. Imposing change without communication and consultation serves only to widen the understanding and communication gap. To avoid this, employers need to consider what they are doing to help employees' understanding and ability to manage the process – how are they avoiding the guesswork? They must also consider what they will continue to do. Change management does not end after the announcement of change plans, it is really only the starting‐point.

Originality/value

Oakridge designed a bespoke programme that was delivered to 60 managers at different managerial levels within the company. Included in this paper is some early anecdotal evidence of the programme's success from those attending. It is supported by a best practice guide to change management, based on Oakridge's experience in helping organizations deal with change.
Making telework work: leading people and leveraging technology for competitive advantage
Authors: Offstein Evan H. , Morwick Jason M. , Koskinen Larry
Published: February 2010

Purpose

Teleworking is often indicated as a flexible working arrangement. This paper seeks to highlight that flexibility is just one positive characteristic of telework and to demonstrate both the strategic and practical implications of adopting telework. In addition, it aims to highlight best practices and specific activities that enable telework to achieve its full potential.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on a series of interviews, personal experiences and observations encompassing a wide range of organizations to include profit and non‐profit/government across a variety of industry sectors that include retail, high technology, manufacturing and hospitality and service, the paper provides an overview on how to make telework work effectively and smoothly within profit and non‐profit organizations. Moreover, it confronts the leadership literature to examine how leadership – not technology – is the critical variable in telework success.

Findings

In the most successful cases of telework, organizations and individuals were seen to fuse technology and leadership to do work without the limitations of geography, time or physical presence. Thus, while many may embrace telecommuting or telework almost exclusively for its flexibility benefits, the most successful organizations and individuals welcomed telework, first and foremost, as a source of competitive advantage.

Originality/value

The paper departs from traditional management thought on two fronts. First, it is contended that the essence behind successful telework arrangements is more of a function of leadership than of technology. Second, and related to the previous point, the paper suggests that a creative, innovative and progressive leadership mentality is necessary in the design and implementation of telework programmes. As a result, many managers must be willing to depart from long‐held and conventional notions of leadership.
Determinants of management's preferences for an earnings threshold
Authors: Fang Li Sherry
Published: February 2010

Purpose

Previous research has provided mixed evidence on the relative importance of three earnings thresholds that managers seek to achieve: avoiding losses, avoiding earnings declines and avoiding negative earnings surprises. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether firm‐specific factors influence management's preferences for an earnings threshold.

Design/methodology/approach

Logit models are estimated to explore the relationships between firm‐characteristics and management's perceptions of the relative importance of each threshold.

Findings

This paper finds that: large firms, firms with high growth prospects and firms with high trading volume are more concerned with avoiding negative earnings surprises, while small firms, firms with low growth prospects and firms with low trading volume are more prone to avoid earnings declines and losses; for firms with high analyst forecast accuracy (relative to a random walk model forecast), avoiding negative earnings surprises is more important than avoiding earnings declines and losses; and firms with low analyst forecast dispersion focus more on avoiding negative earnings surprises and losses, while firms with high analyst forecast dispersion focus more on avoiding earnings declines. Overall, this paper shows that firm characteristics do affect management's perceptions of the relative importance of each threshold.

Originality/value

This study recognizes the cross‐sectional differences in the earnings threshold hierarchy. The results suggest that regulators and practitioners should focus on different thresholds for different types of firms when investigating the mechanisms used to achieve the thresholds.
The evaluation of the Canadian BAX contract in managing short‐term interest rate exposure
Authors: Siam John J. , Khalid Nainar S.M.
Published: February 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to document stylized features and market behaviour of the Canadian Bankers' Acceptance Futures (BAX) contract; and outlook for the BAX contract as the dominant instrument to manage Canadian short‐term interest rate exposure.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopts GARCH methodology to model the time‐varying nature of the volatility of prices in the context of hedging and presents a time‐varying estimation of the hedge ratios between the BAX contract and major Canadian money market instruments.

Findings

The key finding is that the growth of the BAX Market hinges on the further development of the Canadian money market and its appeal to the international investor.

Originality/value

The paper demonstrates the suitability of the BAX contract as a tool in managing Canadian short‐term interest rate exposure for both domestic and international investors.
A study on how public policies affect legitimacy in virtual communities
Authors: Hercheui Magda David
Published: February 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how public policies may influence the way members of virtual communities linked with social movements perceive the legitimacy of their leaders and governance structures.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on qualitative research (in‐depth interviews) with three Brazilian environmental education virtual communities. It adopts an interpretive approach, grounding the analysis in institutional theory.

Findings

The paper shows that a public policy of funding the studied communities has reinforced the legitimacy of some leaders and legitimated more centralised decision‐making structures. The influence of the funding has endured even after the end of the respective contracts.

Research limitations/implications

Although the paper is limited to three virtual communities in a very specific context, its conclusions may inform other studies on the institutional instruments (sanctions mechanisms) governments may appropriate to influence the virtual interactions among members of social movements and civil society organisations and which impact their offline interactions as well.

Practical implications

The paper calls attention to the need to discuss public policies with stakeholders, especially to permit social movements and civil society organisations to have a say in policies that may affect their social structures.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to understanding how public policies impact interactions in virtual environments and in a broader sense, and the relevance of considering the influence of institutions in online interactions.
Free and Open Source Software in developing contexts
Authors: Miscione Gianluca , Johnston Kevin
Published: February 2010

Purpose

Originating in the USA and Northern Europe, Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) found on the internet its fertile environment. In more recent years, FOSS is becoming an increasingly important element in strategies for development and implementation of information and communication technologies also in developing countries. Mainstream research on FOSS has catered to the underlying principles or freedom, open organizational forms, and on its economical aspects. The purpose of this paper is to shed new light on the actual consequences of FOSS, often left in the background.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper examines where FOSS principles' assumptions are likely to be more evident: in contexts of developing countries, which are geographically and organizationally far from the original environment of FOSS. A mixed methodology characterizes this work: quantitative and qualitative methods bring readers' attention to unusual empirical settings and downplayed organizational processes of information technology (IT) implementation and adoption.

Findings

The consequences of FOSS on IT implementation and actual use are ambivalent. It is argued that FOSS adoption does not happen spontaneously, neither by decree, and that the relevance of open technologies as public goods remains in the different role of local actual technical and organizational capabilities, and environment conditions.

Originality/value

Such a focus complements existing studies on the economical relevance of FOSS, which are not the focus of this paper.
A human environmentalist approach to diffusion in ICT policies
Authors: Weilbach Lizette , Byrne Elaine
Published: February 2010

Purpose

Through an evaluation of the information technology (IT) adoption and diffusion models and the free and/or open source policy of the South African Government, the underlying assumption is that the developmental divide between those with and those without access to technology is purely technical. This paper aims to illustrate that if Free and/or Open Source Software is to be used as a building block to bridge the “digital divide” a more social and environmental perspective, which embraces the philosophy behind the software, needs to complement the technical perspective. The human environmental model is presented as a useful alternative which, if embraced, can inform more holistic information and communication technology (ICT) policies.

Design/methodology/approach

Through a review of diffusion of innovations models an alternative diffusion framework is described and applied to an interpretive open source case study in South Africa.

Findings

Contemporary diffusion and innovation models are narrowly focused on IT as a purely technological linear phenomenon. This perspective also underlies many ICT policies. A more socio‐technical adoption model can assist in providing a more holistic approach to ICT policy development.

Originality/value

The application of a new innovation model, the human environmental model, to ICT policy provides a holistic framework in which the complexity of the innovation process can be reflected in policy. Such an approach to ICT policy formulation will assist with broadening the perspective of policy makers from IT as a technical solution to IT as part of a socio‐technical solution and recognise the duality of the innovation process.
The concept of modularity: diffusion from manufacturing to service production
Authors: Bask Anu , Lipponen Mervi , Rajahonka Mervi , Tinnilä Markku
Published: February 2010

Purpose

Modules and modularity have been popular concepts in operations research and management rhetoric for decades. Nevertheless, it seems that there is no single universal definition of modularity for classical research themes such as modularity in physical products or modular manufacturing. The purpose of this paper is to describe the current state of modularity research and to clarify the concept and impacts of modularity by means of a literature review. The paper discusses whether the modularity concept originally developed in the context of physical products could be applied in the context of product‐related services.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the authors use a methodology called systematic integrative literature review to describe the current state of modularity research and to define – based on the findings of the review – the themes that are most commonly related to the modularity concept. As service modularity research is a relatively new topic, the authors look for definitions and themes related to modularity from other areas of modularity research.

Findings

The paper presents four key themes and definitions associated with modularity in different perspectives. To illustrate how modularity can be comprehended in the service context, the paper presents examples related to logistics services.

Research limitations/implications

The use of an integrative literature review has its limitations and a more thorough review of service literature is needed for more in‐depth understanding of how modularity is actually manifested and conceptualized in the service context. In the future, in‐depth interviews of service providers will be needed for a more thorough understanding of whether the modularity approach can be used in services today and in the future and if so, how it can be applied in practice.

Practical implications

The findings may be useful particularly for manufacturers and logistics service providers in improving their service offerings and processes.

Originality/value

There is growing interest in issues related to modularity. The paper discusses the key themes related to modularity in the contexts of product, production and processes, organization and supply chain, and service. In addition, the paper illustrates some practical implications for modularity, particularly in the logistics services context.
Demand‐supply chain representation
Authors: Holmström Jan , Ala‐Risku Timo , Auramo Jaana , Collin Jari , Eloranta Eero , Salminen Antti
Published: February 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose demand‐supply chain representation as a tool to support economic organizing between original equipment manufacturers going downstream and customers considering how to better outsource maintenance and asset management.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is a presentation of a representation tool using a design theory template.

Findings

The concept of demand visibility point and requirements penetration point can be used to describe different ways of economic organizing as interaction between demand and supply. The proposed representation scheme supports the identification of visibility‐based changes in economic organization, such as vendor‐managed inventory and reliability‐based maintenance services.

Research limitations/implications

The paper is conceptual and requires further empirical work.

Practical implications

The representation tool can be used both by practitioners engaged in outsourcing maintenance and practitioners involved in the development of industrial service offerings.

Originality/value

The paper introduces demand‐supply chain representation to development of industrial service offerings and outsourcing of maintenance activities.
Implementation of Lean‐Kaizen in the human resource service process
Authors: Suárez‐Barraza Manuel F. , Ramis‐Pujol Juan
Published: February 2010

Purpose

Over the last decade, some Mexican public organisations have begun to enter into a dynamic in which issues such as service quality, ongoing improvement, and internal and external customer orientation are becoming essential to their day‐to‐day management. The purpose of this paper is to present a successful example of how Lean‐Kaizen is implemented in the human resource service process of a Mexican public service organisation.

Design/methodology/approach

The research method adopted is the case study. Research is carried out in a Mexican public service organisation, and adopts a retrospective focus. Four methods are used to gather data: direct observation; participative observation; documentary analysis; and semi‐structured interviews.

Findings

The Lean‐Kaizen approach helps this public service organisation to improve cycle times in the human resource selection and hiring process. Various enablers and inhibitors are also identified during implementation.

Research limitations/implications

Research is based on a single case study. However, rather than seeking empirical generalisation, it tries to examine how the Lean‐Kaizen approach can be successfully implemented in a service process.

Practical implications

The research is effectively a guide for practitioners (public managers) wishing to apply or already applying Lean‐Kaizen in their service processes.

Originality/value

A review of academic and practitioner literature on the subject indicated that implementation of the Lean‐Kaizen approach has hardly begun to be explored. It is also significant that in Mexico and Latin America, examples of the transfer and implementation of this kind of approach are practically non‐existent in academic literature on the subject.
Transferring Lean into government
Authors: Radnor Zoe
Published: February 2010

Purpose

This paper evaluates the transfer of a Lean approach developed by a global manufacturing and logistics company into a large UK Government department. The purpose of this paper is to examine which tools and techniques are transferred and implemented into the government department together with their impact as viewed by the staff within the department in order to bring about both technical and culture change.

Design/methodology/approach

The research takes a case study approach based visiting ten sites within one organisation interviewing over 250 people throughout the organisation.

Findings

This paper reflects on the introduction or transfer of a Lean approach into a large government department in order to understand which tools are relevant and have had an impact. The findings indicate that the tools mostly focused on the principle of Lean related to reduction of waste and that some of the concepts such as standard work may not be appropriate for public services. On reflecting on the findings, the paper presents two frameworks – one for clarifying the purpose of the tools in terms of assessment, improvement and monitoring and another, the House of Lean, as a framework for not only for the tools but also the factors to support the implementation of the tools.

Research limitations/implications

The research is limited to one organisation one approach to Lean. However, the size of the organisation and the establishment of the approach mean that the limitations are small with the findings – particularly the development of the frameworks relevant to the majority of public service organisations.

Originality/value

To date the development and implementation of business improvement methodologies such as Lean are still under researched within public services. The majority of papers to date focus on presenting case studies of what happened. This paper attempts to go beyond that in order to present framework to help in understanding, developing and challenging the concept of Lean in public services.
Work‐related attitudes of employees in the emerging ITES‐BPO sector of Sri Lanka
Authors: Wickramasinghe Vathsala , Kumara Saman
Published: February 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore work‐related attitudes of information technology (IT) enabled business process outsourcing (ITES‐BPO) employees.

Design/methodology/approach

There are 25 firms operating in Sri Lanka that fall into the category of ITES‐BPO; a random sample of 117 employees from these 25 firms responded to the survey.

Findings

The findings suggest that tenure has a significant effect on task autonomy and marital status has a significant effect on working hours.

Originality/value

A research exploring work‐related attitudes of ITES‐BPO employees towards their work and work environment, in a South Asian country that is considered as active and promising destination for such services, could provide practitioners with key information that could enable them to make informed managerial decisions.
Achieving client‐supplier alignment through management control paths
Authors: Silva‐Domingo Luis , Canet‐Giner Teresa
Published: February 2010

Purpose

The client‐supplier alignment problem is receiving growing attention in related literature and important contributions have been made for our understanding of the phenomenon. However, recent works agree on the fact that an integrative view of the problem is still lacking and consequently, a practical model is lacking also. The purpose of this paper is to present a new management control perspective that may help to improve understanding of the phenomenon.

Design/methodology/approach

From a review of the previous literature, the paper evolves into the conceptual development of a new model.

Findings

The paper argues that previous literature shows important limitations. First, its models try to find the best archetypes when evidence shows that no pure archetype can be found. Second, it has neglected the performance problem. Third, the suggested specific control mechanisms have been limited to the appropriation problem. In order to make a contribution, this paper presents an innovative and complete view of the client‐supplier alignment problem from a management control perspective that evolves into an integrative model which introduces the concepts of central misfit and management control paths.

Originality/value

The paper makes a contribution to the outsourcing literature by exposing previous biases and proposing an innovative view of the client‐supplier alignment problem. Moreover, the paper proposes a new model for the design of management control systems in order to improve performance. These contributions, although theoretical, could have a great practical impact as they could lead to a prescriptive model, useful for practitioners.
Role of logistics outsourcing on supply chain strategy and management
Authors: Hilletofth Per , Hilmola Olli‐Pekka
Published: February 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of logistics outsourcing in Northern Europe through survey research. Research work intends to shed more light on logistics outsourcing with other than case‐based company examples.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey was completed during late 2007 and early 2008 in Finland and Sweden for the largest companies in industrial and service sectors. Altogether 34 answers were received, and they were gained mostly from industrial and trading companies.

Findings

The research results show that warehousing, IT, and customs brokerage outsourcing could have impact on some managerial and strategic aspects of supply chains (SC). Thus, none of the identified difference areas was found to be statistically significant. Potential impact areas of SC strategy and management are integrated IT systems of manufacturing and logistics, reverse logistics procedures, and re‐engineering of logistics processes. However, research shows that in‐house produced IT function, and potentially outsourced warehousing, have important roles in more international purchasing.

Research limitations/implications

Altogether, the amount of responses in the survey was relatively low, but treating Finnish and Swedish companies as one group gives us some opportunity for statistical analysis. This grouping might be one limiting factors of our study, and especially in its generalization power; however, our earlier analysis with the data shows that these countries operate in a rather similar interest area. Another limiting factor of our research findings is the difference in respondent profiles – operating principles of logistics and trade companies are different as compared to manufacturing.

Practical implications

Research shows that IT is potentially having an important role in both, international purchasing emphasis as well as on warehousing outsourcing activities. Contrary to the common view, this research gives some indication that in‐house IT is valuable, and more integrated applications are needed for example, when warehousing is being outsourced.

Originality/value

This is one of the seminal research works regarding North European outsourcing practices, and their affects on SC strategies and management. Both of the countries have an advanced industrial sector, which gives perspective for the readers world wide.
The next step for the CEO
Authors: Willcocks Leslie
Published: February 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to distill research findings that will influence CEO and top team behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

The findings are based on case study research into 650 plus organisations and their outsourcing arrangements in Europe, Asia Pacific and USA.

Findings

CEOs have five reasons for ensuring IT‐based services outsourcing is included in their strategy discussions. IT outsourcing impacts upon a firm's market value. The sheer size of outsourcing expenditure merits senior management attention. Getting outsourcing wrong can seriously damage corporate health. At the same time, the evidence shows examples of outsourcing playing a strategic role for many businesses, and only the CEO has the real bargaining power to make outsourcing deliver this strategic dividend.

Research limitations/implications

The research was carried out by the LSE's Outsourcing Unit and uses in‐depth longitudinal case studies to identify outsourcing practices that work, in terms of achieving superior business results.

Practical implications

The paper spells out the reasons why CEO and top teams should be engaged in their outsourcing decision making and management.

Originality/value

The paper establishes well researched grounds for why CEOs and top teams need to act differently if more effective outsourcing is to be achieved.