bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing collaborative provision: implications for HE/FE relationships
Authors: Elliott Geoffrey , Gamble Jon
Published: January 2003

A key objective for many higher education (HE) institutions is the development and enhancement of partnerships with sub‐regional organisations. Much of this activity takes the form of collaborative provision of intermediate level HE programmes delivered in partnership with local further education (FE) colleges. The research reported in this article, carried out in a HE institution with a substantial level of partnership programmes, was designed to enhance the quality of collaborative provision by assessing the information needs of curriculum leaders and managers of joint provision, and proposing strategies for the enhancement of information systems. The research design included a survey of the needs of HE course managers, mapping existing information sources and strategies, identifying gaps in provision, proposing strategies that would improve communication and information at all levels, and identifying implications for the HE sector in general regarding transferability of outcomes. Concludes that culture difference between HE and FE can be a strength of collaborative provision, and that information and communication technology has potential in supporting such provision through improved management of inter‐institutional information flows, and employing standardised and quality assured assessment practices.
Transformational leadership or the iron cage: which predicts trust, commitment and team efficacy?
Authors: Arnold Kara A. , Barling Julian , Kevin Kelloway E.
Published: January 2003

This paper investigates the differential effects of transformational leadership and the “iron cage” on trust, commitment and team efficacy at the team level. Transformational leadership has been shown to have positive effects on trust, commitment and team efficacy. However, it could be argued that these results are not due to the leadership but to the idea that the team has developed strong norms that constrain their behavior and “force” them to perform. The rival hypothesis that the iron cage results in trust, commitment and team efficacy is tested using hierarchical regression analysis. We find that transformational leadership in teams predicts trust, commitment and team efficacy over and beyond the perceptions of the iron cage. The iron cage adds to the prediction of commitment only. Results suggest that while encouraging strong values and norms within a team will lead to increased commitment, focusing on transformational leadership in teams is a more effective way to encourage the development of trust, commitment and team efficacy.
Serve your supply chain, not operations – a case study
Authors: Kumar Sameer , Chandra Charu , Stoerzinger Mike
Published: January 2003

Describes research to identify and pilot an improved planning and fulfilment process at Noramco, a manufacturing division of General Pump. The focus was to develop a synchronized system from source to consumption with continuous flow of information and materials for one of Noramco’s main product lines. System‐wide changes were accomplished using a cross‐functional team with the goal of reducing waste and investment in inventory. Traditional measures of manufacturing efficiency and utilization were compared with proposed measurements of through‐put (T), investment in inventory (I), and operating expense (OE). Although traditional measures showed actual decline, proposed measures showed improvement and increased profitability of 200 per cent for this product line. These new performance measures reflected a change from local to global thinking. Improved capacity management in the system was achieved by sharing information between suppliers and customers.
Critical knowledge/skill sets required by industries: an empirical analysis
Authors: Yen David C. , Lee Sooun , Koh Seokha
Published: January 2003

Classifies the critical knowledge/skill set according to content or domain of knowledge by means of a survey. This is conducted in accordance with what IS practitioners and educators can easily relate. The survey uses this approach and includes four broad categories of critical Information Systems (IS) knowledge/skills: IS technology knowledge/skills, organizational and societal knowledge/skills, interpersonal knowledge/skills, and personal trait knowledge/skills.
Modernisation, the NHS Plan and healthy communities
Authors: Wistow Gerald
Published: January 2003

This paper reviews the NHS Plan from the perspective of the Government’s wider programme of “modernising” public services. Although broadly focussed, particularly highlights older people. Two dimensions of modernisation are identified. The NHS Plan is seen to be patient‐cited – rather than citizen‐centred. Argues further, that, if the economic, social and environmental causes of ill health are to be addressed more generally and if citizens are to be enabled to live in healthy, sustainable communities, planning for health services should logically be subordinate to planning for health. Health improvement plans should, therefore, be integrated within the wider community strategies for which local authorities are to have lead responsibility. Similarly, as ill health is recognised to be an important aspect of poverty, inequality and social exclusion, there is a strong case for the integration of the regional offices of the NHSE within the wider structure of regional governance. Finally, the personal social services should ensure that the values of social work and social care are not displaced by medical and nursing models which, historically, have shown little understanding of community development processes.
Managing waiting patients’ perceptions
Authors: Naumann Stefanie , Miles Jeffrey A.
Published: January 2003

In a study of 195 patients visiting the urgent care department of a hospital in the UK, we examined the effects of three elements of process control on patients’ fairness and satisfaction perceptions. Patients who believed they had a voice in the triage process had higher fairness perceptions and waited a shorter period of time than those who believed they did not have a voice in the triage process. In addition, patients who were told the expected waiting time and were kept busy while waiting had higher satisfaction perceptions. We identify implications for hospital employees in managing the patient waiting process.
Leadership development in UK companies at the beginning of the twenty‐first century
Authors: Alimo‐Metcalfe Beverly , Lawler John
Published: January 2003

States that the development of leadership in the NHS is currently high on the agenda of the Department of Health, the government and local health sector organisations. Reports the findings of a study of public and private sector organisations, exploring the development of their in‐house leadership skills. Outlines the findings in depth and discusses the implications for health organisations.
The effect of rules, habits and bureaucracies on costing in the UK National Health Service
Authors: Brookfield David
Published: January 2003

The widespread adoption and implementation of costing systems in the UK National Health Service (NHS) has been an important part of the response to the structural changes brought about in the health sector over the last 20 years. One key feature of costing systems in this context is to provide a guide by which efficiency and effectiveness may be measured against a background of decision making in a public service environment where the public service provision ethos is important. Re‐assesses the role of costing systems in the NHS in the light of research on rules and habit formation in the decision‐making process. In developing these points further argues that bureaucracies provide an important linkage in marshalling implicit habitual behaviour to multiple‐organisational goals. In so doing, bureaucratic structures represent part of the mechanism which facilitates effective organisational performance. Such performance is made efficient through the use of accounting systems which measure performance and provide signals for resource allocation via quasi‐costs (or the internal quasi‐transfer prices), although the extent of the usefulness of such signals is questioned. In particular, argues that there is no connection between the market, such as it is, and intra‐hospital resource allocations, at least not in a direct manner, nor in any manner in the short term.
Crossing the great divide?
Authors: Eng Ong Seow , Ooi Joseph , Hien Wong Nyuk
Published: January 2003

This study examines the issue of cross‐continental publishing in real estate research to understand the research interaction between the two major English‐speaking countries and to determine if a home bias exists. This study also determines the extent to which authors from other countries publish in US and UK journals, and provide a ranking of non‐US universities and authors. The survey of top US and UK real estate journals from 1993 through 1998 reveals that a home bias exists. The home bias concentration is higher in US journals than in UK journals, while UK journals exhibit more balanced origins, emanating not only from the USA/Canada, but also from Australia, New Zealand and Asia. In addition, the study reveals that the Universities of Reading, Ulster and Glasgow are well placed among European universities, while the National University of Singapore ranks well in Asia. Top US researchers tend to publish exclusively in US journals; likewise the same is observed for UK researchers. However, some notable exceptions are observed. Finally, a possible reason for the home bias could be the different research approaches undertaken by US and UK journals.
Improving quality of life in a region
Authors: Riecken Glen , Yavas Ugur
Published: January 2003

Proposes to determine the relative importance of factors on which people rely in choosing a place to live and their assessments of a local area in the Southeastern USA. Presents recommendations to aid local authorities in improving quality of life in the region. Concludes that this should be done in partnership with non‐governmental entities such as Parent/Teacher Associations or trustees of local art councils for effective changes to be made.
Progress in electronic service delivery by English District Councils
Authors: Phythian Michael J. , Taylor William G.K.
Published: January 2003

The UK Government has set targets for the use of Internet technologies in communicating with their citizens and delivering services to them. This research seeks to identify to what extent English District Councils (EDCs) can be said to have an integrated IT strategy and by what means they are delivering services electronically. Specifically, the research probes indicators for success in electronic service delivery, such as the use of partnerships and Web site links to other levels of government. Prima facie evidence suggests that the sample of 108 EDCs is representative of the entire list of 238 EDCs. Findings suggest that around half of EDCs can be said to have a fairly high level of IT integration. The most significant indicator is the development of partnerships, particularly with suppliers.
Retaining business customers through adaptation and bonding: a case study of HDoX
Authors: Ahmad Rizal , Buttle Francis
Published: January 2003

Business markets are complex. Sellers have to deal with customised demand, both passive and active markets, multi‐person interactions and interconnected relationships. Reports the case study of HDoX, a producer of hydrogen peroxide, an industrial chemical that has wide applications from the disinfecting of equipment in the foodstuffs industry to the bleaching of paper pulp. Focuses on HDoX’s practices for retention of its business customers, specifically, its industrial bulk users of hydrogen peroxide, through adaptation and bonding. HDoX’s customer retention practices are not part of an explicit retention plan but, instead, emerged as a result of HDoX’s continuous adaptation to customers and other members of its business network. The process of retaining industrial business customers is dynamic and contextualised and involves managing multi‐dimensional bonds between the seller, customers and other members of the business network.
Variations in relationship strength and its impact on performance and satisfaction in business relationships
Authors: Hausman Angela
Published: January 2003

Develops a summary construct, relationship strength, composed of interfirm trust, relationship commitment, and relationalism and supports the role of relationship strength in achieving positive relational outcomes, like relationship satisfaction and performance. The survey sample comes from a national population of hospital material managers who make decisions regarding purchases from a small group of large medical/surgical supply firms. Structural models support improved fit provided by relationship strength over a model containing the individual constructs comprising relationship strength. Managerial and academic implications of relationship strength include improved strategic planning and actionable information on improving relational outcomes.
Benefits of ISO 9000 implementation in Spanish industry
Authors: Casadesu´s Martí , Gime´nez Gerusa , Heras Iñaki
Published: January 2003

The ISO 9000 standard for quality management systems was accepted by the International Organisation for Standardisation in 1987. Since then, large companies and SMEs have been obliged to open their doors to something new, “the culture of quality”, a message that is very often associated with the initials of this well‐known standard. Currently, there are more than 6,000 companies with this certificate in Spain, but they have not always obtained the same results. This paper gives the results of empirical research into 502 Spanish companies to determine the benefits of the implementation of this standard. By means of cluster analysis it was found that different typologies of companies exist. Also, nearly 65 per cent of the companies certified in Spain have obtained substantial internal and external benefits.
Taxing the Internet: leveling the playing field or milking the cash cow?
Authors: Cardinali Richard
Published: January 2003

Examines the current status of Internet tax both in the USA and Europe to ascertain, if, indeed, leveling the playing field is required or if milking the cash cow is in order. It also examines legislation and court rulings from the USA and Europe and examines some of the possibilities for the future.
Innovation, business performance and regional competitiveness in the West Midlands: evidence from the West Midlands Business Survey
Authors: Mole Kevin , Worrall Les
Published: January 2003

Focuses on exploring the extent and patterns of innovation in the West Midlands region, based primarily on data generated by the Price Waterhouse West Midlands Business Survey, a bi‐annual survey of around 1,000 businesses. Explores regional development and innovation within a framework developed by Camagni, which focuses on agglomeration economies and the creation of an innovative milieu within a regional economy. Suggests two methods to encourage innovation within the UK’s West Midlands region through support to associated expenditures (training and exporting). In the context of a rising currency the research suggests that innovating firms have a strategy to overcome adverse currency movements.
The emerging food‐ safety industry in Russia
Authors: Caskie Paul , Davis John
Published: January 2003

The roles of government and the private sector in the provision of food safety in Russia are explored. The establishment and operation of a private food‐safety company are described and its competitiveness is analysed in the context of the evolving food‐regulatory, policy and economic environments found in a transition economy. Business success is attributed to operational efficiency, customer service and flexible strategic management. Potential threats to sustainability from inadequate regulation are identified. The creation of a viable business is viewed as an exemplar in foreign technical assistance to a country in transition to a market economy.
On continuity, culture, competition – cooperation and convergence, too
Authors: Enser Peter
Published: January 2003

This keynote paper considers each of the three facets included in the title of the conference: continuity, culture and competition. Each facet, it is argued, challenges the academic community in library and information science (LIS) to retreat from a narrow view of knowledge transfer in society founded on textual documentation as the channel of communication, and libraries as the means of gaining access to such documentation. The case against continuity in the design and teaching of LIS curricula is made by forecasting the likely socioeconomic context of information resource management in 2005. The widening availability of digitally‐integrated cultural artefacts signals the need for a convergence of librarianship with professional activity within other forms of memory institution. Competition from the subject discipline of computer science to provide the knowledge and skills deemed most appropriate for the information professional of the future suggests that LIS academics should collaborate, rather than compete within their community, the better to present a strongly unified discipline provision as the basis for a convergence of interests and influence with information system developers.
Measuring students’ performance and perceptions: empirical studies in different dimensions of quality assurance at a library school
Authors: Ole Pors Niels
Published: January 2003

This paper is concerned with dimensions of quality assurance in learning. It focuses on three questions. The first concerns students’ performance in formal exams. The second question focuses on factors that influence student evaluation of teaching and the third is about the possible correlation or co‐variation between the marking of students at formal examinations and students’ perception of their profit in relation to the unit. The data consists of two sets. One is a comprehensive file of approximately 10,000 formal exams. The other set of data consists of approximately 4,000 SET evaluation forms. The marking of students at formal examinations is investigated in relation to factors such as the type of examination, the level of examination and teachers’ and external examiners’ marking patterns. The SET results are analysed in relation to factors such as the gender and experience of the teacher, the students’ efforts and workload and other educational variables. The paper also compares SET results with performance at formal exams and finds that a linear correlation does not exist.
Customer‐focused benchmarking for facilities management
Authors: Loosemore M. , Hsin Y.Y.
Published: January 2003

Documents a research project which investigated the use of benchmarking in managing facilities. The research focused on a variety of sectors including health, education, hotels, defence and government enterprises. Depicts a fragmented facilities management profession that has an introspective, crude and unimaginative approach to measuring facilities performance. This arises from a poor understanding of the relationship between facilities and the core business objectives of the organisations that use them. Concludes that one of the biggest challenges for the profession is to develop a generic methodology to better understand this relationship. Without this, facilities managers will continue to perform a controlling rather managing function and to experience problems in demonstrating the commercial value of their role.
FM puzzle: sick building and Sydney’s open‐plan offices
Authors: Ilozor B.D. , Treloar G.J. , Olomolaiye P.O. , Okoroh M.I.
Published: January 2003

Presents analytical findings of sick building situations in Sydney’s open‐plan offices. Aims to ascertain facilities managers’ perceptions of sick building impacts on discrete aspects of workspace management, with a view to raising general awareness. A total of 100 open‐plan offices in the Sydney CBD were studied, and collated data analysed using partial correlation. Significant associations were found between sick building syndrome and certain aspects. However, management control played moderating roles in some of the associations. Concludes that, with management control, sick building syndrome may be perceived as critical to only a limited workspace aspect. The implication is for sick building syndrome to be largely generalised as inconsequential to many aspects of work environment in Sydney, probably following the Hawthorne management ideology.
Internet users’ adoption of Web retailing: user and product dimensions
Authors: Fenech Tino , O’Cass Aron
Published: January 2003

Focuses on examining consumer characteristics that influence Internet users to adopt the Web for purchase related behavior (retail usage). The key constructs examined in relation to actual adoption are attitudes and perceived usefulness. Also focuses on variables that impact Internet users’ attitudes toward Web retailing, including Internet users’ shopping orientation, perceived Web security, shopping innovativeness, satisfaction with Web sites, importance of inspecting products and price sensitivity. Data was gathered via a self‐administered Web survey. A total of 392 completed surveys were obtained and the results indicate that such characteristics of consumers do influence attitudes towards using Web retailing. The results also indicate that attitude and perceived usefulness do predict adoption of the Web for retail usage. Finally, the results indicate that significant differences exist between adopters of Web retailing and non‐adopters in the price significance, need to handle products and purchase likelihood when they cannot handle products purchased via retailing channels.
The journey for survival: he case of new product development in the brewery industry
Authors: Nwabueze Uche , Clair Law Zoe
Published: January 2003

Owing to intensifying competition and changing trends, the process of new product development has become increasingly important to competitiveness in the brewing industry. Consumers are now demanding more innovative products, thus requiring brewers to find better and quicker ways of introducing new products. This paper through the use of two case studies, aims to capture the essential attributes of new product development in the brewery industry.
An empirical investigation of customer satisfaction with health care services
Authors: Amyx Douglas , Bristow Dennis N.
Published: January 2003

A 2 × 2 full factorial between subjects experimental design was used to examine how three elements of the health care experience (patients’ freedom to choose a physician; patients receiving their preferred physician; health care outcome) impacted on patient satisfaction with health care service. All constructs with corresponding measurements were discussed, and their relationships with satisfaction were examined. Hypotheses were developed and tested for each relationship using a pencil and paper scenario of a patient’s first time service encounter at a health clinic. Results of the experiment indicated that given an undesirable health outcome, allowing patients a choice of physicians favorably raised patient satisfaction levels. Further, patients who were treated by a physician whom they preferred rated the health care experience more positively than did patients who received non‐preferred physicians.
Cross‐cultural consumer decisions: consideration sets – a marketing universal?
Authors: LeBlanc Ronald P. , Herndon Neil C.
Published: January 2003

This research explores the existence of consideration sets as a marketing universal by evaluating consideration set sizes for a shopping good in a cross‐cultural context. Previous studies of marketing universals investigated consumers’ use of product quality signals for shopping goods. This study used two operational definitions of a consideration set and found that both the average number of brands considered and the number of brands tried on were statistically equal for two matched samples in different cultures, supporting the status of consideration sets as a marketing universal.
Consumer perceptions of shopping bags
Authors: Prendergast Gerard , Wai Ng Shuk , Lee Leung Lee
Published: January 2003

Retail shopping bags are a form of secondary packaging, which are provided by retailers (free of charge) to customers as a means of transporting merchandise. In Hong Kong, the reuse of shopping bags is a common phenomenon. What are the important reasons for consumers to use and reuse shopping bags? What are the usage frequencies of different kinds of shopping bags? There are no published studies relating to shopping bags, therefore, this exploratory study aims to provide an initial insight toward consumer perceptions of shopping bags. After qualitative work, a survey consisting of a total of 200 personally‐administered questionnaires was conducted at a selection of Hong Kong’s Mass Rapid Transport (MRT) stations in Hong Kong. The target sample included males and females aged 15 or over, with an equal distribution of each gender. The findings indicated that the majority of interviewees would like to use and reuse paper shopping bags rather than plastic shopping bags. In addition, the interviewees desired different attributes from paper shopping bags when compared with plastic shopping bags. Finally, the relationship between the duration of keeping a shopping bag and the frequency of reusing the same bag is identified.
The network construct in entrepreneurship research: a review and critique
Authors: O’Donnell Aodheen , Gilmore Audrey , Cummins Darryl , Carson David
Published: January 2003

The network construct is in common usage in entrepreneurship research. However while the increasing use of the construct has furthered our understanding of the phenomenon of entrepreneurship, its popularity has sometimes led to misapplication and inconsistent research findings. Traces the development of the network concept in the two strands of research that have dominated this field, namely inter‐organisational networks and the entrepreneur’s personal network. Discusses the specific contexts in which these two branches have received most attention. Proposes that several key areas have been relatively neglected and offers direction for future research which would serve to improve our understanding of the entrepreneurial process.
Entrepreneurs transcend time: a biographical analysis
Authors: Morrison Alison
Published: January 2003

Aims to provide an insight relative to the motivations of individuals entering into entrepreneurship. Analysis is made of the respective biographies of a female and a male immigrant entrepreneur who chose to participate in the domain of commercial hospitality, albeit separated by 68 years. A model of entrepreneurial motivation first presented by Naffziger guides this analysis. The model is attractive in that it combines wider environmental forces with the intrinsic motivations and social context of the entrepreneurs. It is concluded that it may be possible to isolate an independent common set of “out‐of‐time” factors associated with entrepreneurial motivation, that encompass the personal domain of the entrepreneur (characteristics, environment, goals). These combine with dependent “in‐time” factors (business idea, business environment) arising from the economic and social trends of the day to present a complex amalgam of events, characteristics and traits. It is proposed that entrepreneurs are “travellers through time”. Times may change, but the motivation, emotion, drive, purpose and “mania” of entrepreneurs remain constant.
Organisational learning style, competencies and learning systems in small, UK manufacturing firms
Authors: Chaston I. , Badger B. , Mangles T. , Sadler‐Smith E.
Published: January 2003

Organisational learning is increasingly being mentioned in the literature as a mechanism for assisting the market performance of small firms. There exists, however, limited empirical evidence on either the benefits conferred by organisational learning and the learning systems utilised to manage the process. A survey of small UK manufacturing firms was undertaken to acquire data on whether a relationship exists between learning style and the competencies exhibited by organisations. The survey also sought to determine the nature of learning systems used by small manufacturing firms. The results suggest that as firms move from a lower‐level to a higher‐level learning style, this is accompanied by competence enhancement that can contribute to improving organisational capability. It also appears that a higher‐level learning style is accompanied by the adoption of a more formalised learning system inside the organisation. The implications of these findings are discussed and proposals presented on the needs for further research.
Exploring team formation processes in virtual partnerships
Authors: Ratcheva Violina , Vyakarnam Shailendra
Published: January 2003

Different types of new ventures require different types of new venture teams in order to operate successfully. Virtual teams formed across organisational boundaries and organised around an opportunity are a relatively new area of research. A review of previous research shows that, although virtual teams have been well defined as a concept, only a few studies have contributed to the understanding of the processes of assembling and maintaining effective inter‐organisational teams enabled by new modes of communication. By combining cross‐disciplinary theoretical approaches, the reported study presents a conceptual overview of team formation in virtual settings. The findings of the study confirm that interorganisational teams follow special development patterns, which can be described as cyclical self‐energising processes.
Achieving lean supply through agile manufacturing
Authors: McCullen Peter , Towill Denis
Published: January 2003

Drawing on results from supply chain modelling and dynamic simulation, presents four material flow principles which can be employed to reduce the bullwhip effect. A case study from the precision mechanical engineering sector is employed to illustrate the effect of rapid response manufacturing and supply chain integration. Analysis of six years of time‐series data indicates bullwhip reduction of up to 58 per cent. These results serve to validate the four material flow principles of selecting appropriate control systems, time‐compression, information transparency, and echelon elimination. They also raise interesting questions concerning the relationship between manufacturing agility and lean supply. For, by attenuating bullwhip the studied company was able to reduce their global inventory by 45 per cent. Thus, by viewing manufacturing in the context of the supply chain as a whole, it is possible to see how agile manufacturing can eliminate sources of variability induced waste; particularly inventory. In this way it is argued that agile manufacturing can subsume the paradigm of lean production.
Reflections on the determinants of voluntary turnover
Authors: Price James L.
Published: January 2003

Offers reflections on the study of the determinants of voluntary turnover based on empirical research conducted since 1972 at the University of Iowa (Iowa City) by Price, Mueller and their colleagues. The largest share of this research is constituted by 33 studies, mostly theses and dissertations. Reflections are offered about the causal model used and the measures advanced. Alternative models of voluntary turnover are described and possible future research is indicated. A measurement Appendix is also presented. The purpose of the paper is to improve the explanation of voluntary turnover.
From “temp‐to‐perm”
Authors: Amuedo‐Dorantes Catalina
Published: January 2003

Following the notable growth of temporary employment, a series of incentives were approved by the Spanish Government to promote both the hiring of workers on a permanent basis and the conversion of contracts from temporary to permanent employment. Nonetheless, hiring and dismissal cost reductions have had a small impact. This paper examines the determinants of Spanish employers’ reliance on temporary workers and their “temp‐to‐perm” conversions. Approved wage and dismissal cost reductions for permanent workers promote the hiring of permanent workers but have virtually no impact on contract conversions, which primarily respond to employers’ flexibility needs and unions’ pressures for increased employment stability.
Occupational replacement demand in Australia
Authors: Shah Chandra , Burke Gerald
Published: January 2003

Information on job openings by occupation is important for those looking for jobs, for those contemplating education and training options and for policy makers in education and training. Job openings in an occupation are a result of employment growth and the replacement of workers who leave the occupation. In this paper, three concepts of replacement demand are outlined and net replacement demand is estimated and projected for 81 occupational groups, covering the whole of employment in Australia. The results show the net replacement demand rate to vary substantially across occupations, with an average annual rate of 2 per cent.
Harnessing the talents of a “loose and baggy monster”
Authors: Myers Jan , Sacks Ruth
Published: January 2003

Much of the research and dialogue around the voluntary sector is around the economics and identity of the sector. Its relationship with clients, suppliers and government has become more sophisticated and complex. The ability of voluntary sector leadership to be proactive in determining the nature of these relationships underpins much of the current debate on the future of the voluntary sector, both in the UK and internationally. There are useful lessons to be learnt from business techniques. Yet, the execution of business‐enhancing tools needs to be considered in the context relevant to the sector’s interests and to the primary aims of a sector. This paper is based on practitioner experience, previous unpublished research, initial doctoral research into management and learning in the sector and e‐mail interviews with key respondents working in the non‐profit sector in the UK and Russia.
Improving the reliability of embodied energy methods for project life‐cycle decision making
Authors: Treloar Graham J. , Love Peter E.D. , Faniran Olusegun O.
Published: January 2003

Embodied energy is the total amount of energy required to produce a product, and is significant because it occurs immediately and can be equal over the life cycle of a building to the transient requirements for operational energy. Methods for embodied energy analysis include process analysis, input‐output analysis and hybrid analysis. Proposes to improve the reliability of estimating embodied energy based on input‐output models by using an algorithm to extract systematically the most important energy paths for the “other construction” sector from an Australian input‐output model. Demonstrates the application of these energy paths to the embodied energy analysis of an individual commercial building, highlighting improvements in reliability due to the modification of energy paths with process analysis data. Compares materials and elements for the building, and estimates likely ranges of error.
A fuzzy‐based analytic approach to collaborative decision making for construction teams
Authors: Yang Hongmei , Anumba Chimay J. , Kamara John M. , Carrillo Patricia
Published: January 2003

Describes a study that exploits the potential of fuzzy systems in construction through the development of a decision support system which is capable of handling fuzziness in the collaborative decision‐making process. The proposed system is intended to provide an objective and rational framework within which collaborative decisions can be made by virtual construction project teams. Given the often linguistic nature of the weightings ascribed by individual disciplines to decision criteria, the proposed system will utilise fuzzy systems theory to rank criteria and recommend an optimal decision alternative. Presents an example to illustrate how the proposed tool works.
Similarity assessment in a case‐based reasoning framework for building envelope design
Authors: Iliescu Serban , Fazio Paul , Gowri Krishnan
Published: January 2003

An important part of the knowledge required for designing the envelope of a new building is based on experience. Confronted with a building envelope design problem, a human expert adds to well‐established domain knowledge his/her own experience or the experience of others, to support his/her reasoning process, and to guide him/her in stereotypical situations. Based on that observation, we can conclude that the building envelope design fits well the description associated with the so‐called “weak theory domains”, and is a prime candidate for adopting a case‐based reasoning (CBR) approach. Proposes strategies to encode, organize, and compare prototypical building envelope cases within a CBR framework for selecting the construction alternatives during the preliminary stage of the building envelope design. The methodology presented aims to find the most suitable design alternative for a new building envelope from a library of prototypical building cases.
Intelligent multimedia for expertise‐intensive training in construction
Authors: Shen Qiping , Li Heng , Deng Zhongming
Published: January 2003

Knowledge‐based systems (KBS) and multimedia technology (MMT) have been widely used in many industries for years to solve complicated problems. The integration of KBS and MMT, which leads to intelligent multimedia, provides a powerful tool for expertise‐intensive training. Although many tasks in construction demand extensive expertise and years of experience, the use of intelligent multimedia for training on these tasks has, however, hardly been documented in the literature. Aims to demonstrate the feasibility and potential benefits of using intelligent multimedia for expertise‐intensive training in construction. By referring to a case study in strategic cost estimate for building projects, illustrates the facilities that can be offered by the integrated systems. Since strategic cost estimate for a building project at early design stages is an extremely complex task, trainees have to go through a long period of learning before they can be competent in conducting such tasks. Introduces an intelligent multimedia system as a solution to the above problem. Reveals that intelligent multimedia can be deployed to meet the challenges of accurately representing the highly complex expertise in the knowledge base, and facilitating the learning process of the trainees through the highly interactive and non‐linear access to the explicit and transparent expertise.
Finding critical financial ratios for Taiwan’s property development firms in recession
Authors: Hsieh Ting‐ya , Wang Morris H.‐L.
Published: January 2003

Ratio analysis is an excellent way of looking into a firm’s financial status. However, in performing the ratio analysis, an often underemphasized task is the selection of ratios for use. In a multi‐criteria decision‐making framework, poor quality of criteria selection, i.e. financial ratios, will consequently undermine the quality of evaluation. Aims at establishing a systematic approach for finding critical financial ratios to assist in financial analysis for the construction industry. As each sector of the industry is intrinsically unique, the set of critical ratios for different sectors will certainly vary. However, the approach for finding useful financial ratios will not distinguish itself with respect to the concerned sector rather than the purpose of analysis. The proposed approach incorporates the concept of multi‐criteria decision making and the entropy method. The approach is demonstrated in a case study in which major property development firms in Taiwan are evaluated.
Overcoming information opacity in construction: a commentary
Authors: Jaggar David , Ross Andrew , Love Peter E.D. , Smith Jim
Published: January 2003

Provides an overview on the development of information production in construction. It is suggested that there is a need for the professional organisations to re‐think the way they produce project information so that the opacity in current project information is replaced by transparency so that all the stakeholders in the procurement process can move from their adversarial/bargaining positions to one that encourages a team problem‐solving approach.
Role of flow velocity on the scaling behaviour
Authors: Mathiyarasu J. , Boopathi C. , Subramanian P. , Palaniswamy N.
Published: January 2003

The efficacy of antiscaling treatments under simulated flow conditions was studied by chronoamperometric technique. The effect of temperature and concentration on the scale forming behaviour of different compounds were also studied under the simulated flow conditions. In order to simulate the flow conditions a rotating disc electrode technique was employed. The mechanism of antiscaling behaviour of different chemicals was studied through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. It was found that the flow velocity affected the efficiency of antiscalants. Polymer based compounds follow the growth modification adsorption mechanism, while compounds like EDTA and phosphonate follow nucleation modification absorption/chemisorption mechanism. Temperature and concentration of the scale forming compounds have a significant role in the scaling process, particularly at the low concentrations.
1,2,4,5 tetrazo spiro (5,4) decane‐3 thione as a corrosion inhibitor for arsenical aluminium brass in 3.5% NaCl solution
Authors: Berchmans L. John , Venkatakrishna Iyer S. , Sivan V. , Quraishi M.A.
Published: January 2003

The influence of a newly synthesised organic compound on the inhibition of corrosion of arsenical aluminium brass in a NaCl solution has been investigated using weight loss measurements, potentiodynamic polarization studies and impedance measurements. Different corrosion kinetic parameters obtained from polarisation studies reveal that the inhibition of corrosion of arsenical aluminium brass in NaCl is under mixed control. UV‐reflectance, X‐ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopic studies have also been carried out to understand the mechanism of inhibition of corrosion, and also the morphological changes on the surface of the alloy. The adsorption of this compound on the metal surface from 3.5% NaCl solution is found to obey Temkin’s adsorption isotherm.
The third dimension in document supply
Authors: Cornish Graham P.
Published: January 2003

Interlibrary supply has been about sending photocopies or actually lending books, but there is increasing demand for images of three‐dimensional objects as they really are. Original objects cannot be delivered, but technology allows delivery of images from museums and galleries as well as archives and libraries and users can often find these on the Web. There are no “rights” in many of these materials which allows unlimited image creation, sharing and downloading. The two major factors to consider are whether what is supplied is a true image of the object requested and second, the de‐contextualisation of the image from the collection where the object is housed.
Model licences and interlibrary loan/document delivery from electronic resources
Authors: Brennan Croft Janet
Published: January 2003

Defines model licences and discusses their importance for both libraries and vendors. Describes several models in detail, and examines their ILL clauses; this chronological survey includes the PA/JISC and NESLI initiatives, the John Cox Associates model licence suite, and the CLIR/DLF/Liblicense model, among others. Discusses how model licences are being used by publishers and consortia, and offers suggestions for using them in the reader’s library
Opinion paper: Access to documents by the independent researcher
Authors: Line Maurice B.
Published: January 2003

Researchers who are not attached to any institution face serious problems of access; they are often not close to a research library, and have to pay for access for documents obtained from other libraries, and even more for access to most research material on the Web. No easy solution is in sight.
An examination of social and environmental reporting strategies
Authors: Cormier Denis , Gordon Irene M.
Published: January 2003

The purpose of this study is to examine three electric utilities, two publicly owned and one privately owned. The basis of this examination is legitimacy theory employing a small sample case‐type approach. In particular we are interested in social and environmental disclosures found in annual reports and how these disclosures differentiate between publicly owned and privately owned enterprises. In our examination we use some traditional efficiency measures but we also employ effectiveness measures relying on the proprietary costs and information costs views in our analysis. Our major findings are that ownership status and size, which are likely to affect legitimacy, influence the amount of social and environmental disclosure. Finally, while environmental disclosures seem to be related to information costs and benefits, this relationship does not seem to hold for social disclosures.
Adult education, lifelong learning, and the future
Authors: Bork Alfred
Published: January 2003

Adult continuing education will be of increasing importance, as the median age of our society and the pace of change continue to increase. The paper begins with an examination of the goals of all learning. It focuses on a new paradigm for learning, tried so far only on a very limited basis: computer‐based tutorial learning, considered particularly important for adult learning. This paradigm, practical today with modern technology, allows a much more individualized approach to learning than is largely available today, for very large numbers at much lower total costs than at present. Student interaction with the computer will be frequent (every few seconds) and in the student’s native language. Little large‐scale experience is available with such highly interactive material, so we should begin with extensive experimental efforts in this direction. A large worldwide developmental effort in many languages would follow successful research.
Managing people’s values and perceptions in multi‐cultural organisations
Authors: Holden Richard
Published: January 2003

Examines the problems and pitfalls of managing multi‐cultural organisations from a corporate perspective. The author, a practising HR director, makes use of his work experience of three companies to analyse the difficulties arising from different values, perceptions and cultures in MNCs. Language and communications play a significant role which are illustrated in the areas of European Works Councils, mergers and takeovers and HRM processes, particularly regarding international recruitment. Solutions to these problems include training management awareness and understanding of the cultural context within which the firm operates, and managers keeping an open mind with regard to the different values and perceptions held by others.
Application of genetic algorithms to the development of a variable Schmidt number model for jet‐in‐crossflows
Authors: Guo Yanhu , He Guangbin , Hsu Andrew T.
Published: January 2003

Proposes the use of genetic algorithms to assist the development of turbulence models. A variable Schmidt number model for scalar mixing in jet‐in‐crossflows was developed through theoretical analyses. A uniform micro genetic algorithm is implemented to optimize the model. This is the first known application of the genetic algorithm (GA) technique to turbulence model development. Overall, the GA technique worked exceptionally well for this problem in a cost‐effective and time‐efficient manner. A set of experimental data on a single round jet issued into a confined crossflow is selected for calibration and optimization of the model constants using the uniform micro‐genetic optimization algorithm. Three sets of experimental data of jet‐in‐crossflows are used for the validation of the new model. Numerical results show that the proposed scheme of using the genetic algorithms to develop turbulence models produces very promising results.