bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing national policies to support software in Europe
Authors: Leimbach Timo , Friedewald Michael
Published: October 2010

Purpose

Software and software‐based services (SSBS) are a major domain of the European ICT industry and are recognised as a key element in developing the information society. This article aims to shed light on the various strategies, policies and activities pursued by the EU and its member states.

Design/methodology/approach

The article is based on a survey of national programmes that are aimed specifically or in substantial part at the software sector. This analysis and assessment usually faces two challenges: unlike other technologies that have the same significance and/or the same attractiveness, the SSBS industry is a very dynamic one, due to several specific characteristics; and there are increasing inter‐dependencies between the European and national levels as well as between supply‐side and demand‐side policies, which require a more detailed analysis of the different national policies for the EU member states. Therefore a comparative analytical framework is used that takes account of the different composition and structure of the SSBS industries in EU member states.

Findings

The analysis shows that there are still great differences among the EU member states, but in general there is relatively little activity in European member state governments targeted specifically at fostering SSBS producers. However, as a result of the EU activities virtually all member states have implemented policies to foster the development towards an information society.

Originality/value

The paper highlights that normally these overall policies address and integrate both the supply side as well as the demand side. This is at least an improvement compared to recent years, when adaption, diffusion and application were taken for granted.
Graduated response and the emergence of a European surveillance society
Authors: Meyer Trisha , Van Audenhove Leo
Published: October 2010

Purpose

This paper seeks to offer an alternative critique to graduated response, a warning and sanction mechanism aimed at fighting online piracy.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper reflects on and frames graduated response in terms of theories on surveillance society and code. In particular, it analyses the graduated response debate in the European Union and the current initiatives in France and the UK.

Findings

The paper argues that graduated response portrays rights holders as being in a state of emergency, is a form of social sorting, and has a technological bias.

Originality/value

This paper contends that many objections raised to graduated response have been reduced to issues concerning the procedure rather than the principle, and that important societal questions concerning graduated response remain un(der)explored.
Reputation and public awareness of facilities management – a quantitative survey
Authors: Coenen Christian , von Felten Daniel , Schmid Mirjam
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop an empirically tested framework for public awareness and reputation of facilities management (FM) as a business sector.

Design/methodology/approach

A national survey of representative sections of the population was designed and carried out to determine the level of public awareness and the reputation of FM. This survey was based on image/reputation categories from the international European Performance Satisfaction Index studies.

Findings

The findings provide a highly differentiated picture and give an interesting insight into the varied understanding of FM. Only a small fraction of the population has a realistic understanding of what the term FM means. The additional information collected about selected features of the respondents (age, gender, occupation, education, household income, etc.) facilitates interesting cross‐references to the level of public awareness and reputation of FM thus allowing an illuminating analysis of the findings.

Practical implications

A framework for measuring public awareness and reputation of FM is presented and tested. It can be used in the development of a cross‐national survey. In this study, the measurement of public FM awareness and reputation is applied only to one pilot country and further international research is needed to validate this tool within other geographical settings.

Originality/value

This survey represents the first quantification of public awareness and reputation of FM and is planned to be repeated on an international level at a two‐year interval, thus enabling comparisons between countries and corporations.
A critical review of performance measurement in construction
Authors: Yang Huan , Yeung John F.Y. , Chan Albert P.C. , Chiang Y.H. , Chan Daniel W.M.
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to critically review the literature of performance measurement both in general and in the construction industry in particular. By doing so, it seeks to provide valuable insights into how to construct a comprehensive performance measurement model for the construction industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a comprehensive literature review on performance measurement, the paper presents a critical review of the development of performance measurement, with a special focus on the construction sector. The strengths and weaknesses of most previous measurement frameworks and techniques are investigated. Performance information that each can generate is analyzed in the context of the construction industry.

Findings

The research findings showed that performance measurement studies in construction can be divided into three levels: project, organizational, and stakeholder levels. In addition, the major frameworks of performance measurement in construction were found to be: European Foundation for Quality Management excellence model, balanced scorecard model, and key performance indicators model. The most frequently applied research techniques of performance measurement in construction included: gap analysis, integrated performance index, statistical methods, and data envelopment analysis method. The performance information generated from the measurement encompasses frameworks and hierarchical indicators, and functions and score.

Research limitations/implications

The research focuses on the performance measurement of construction. Further research work should be conducted to cover other industries.

Practical implications

The paper provides an innovative and useful approach to defining the process of performance measurement in construction, which can be of great use to both the research community and industrial practitioners.

Originality/value

The paper summarizes the recent performance measurement research studies in construction, integrates the whole process of the performance measurement, and offers useful insights into future areas of research in this field.
Factors affecting housing maintenance cost in Malaysia
Authors: Ali Azlan‐Shah , Kamaruzzaman Syahrul‐Nizam , Sulaiman Raha , Cheong Peng Yong
Published: October 2010

Purpose

It has been found that the cost for housing maintenance is relatively high due to poor maintenance practices. This paper aims to determine and identify the factors contributing to rising maintenance costs.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative approach was adopted that sought to gather factual data using the approach taken by El‐Haram and Horner. The research first identified the critical factors through a literature review. A total of Eighty questionnaires were then distributed to relevant respondents such as building managers or supervisors, maintenance management staff and others. In total, 31 completed questionnaires formed a database for descriptive and ranking analysis.

Findings

The research concluded that five of the most dominant factors were expectation of tenants, building materials, building services, building age and failure to execute maintenance at the right time. Meanwhile, it was found that two of the most influential impacts were outstanding maintenance charges and over‐budget.

Originality/value

Measures to minimise the housing maintenance cost were obtained, such as participation of tenants and residents in housing management works and allows their acceptance of a lower standard expectation.
An overview of CSR in the renewable energy sector
Authors: Mezher Toufic , Tabbara Samer , Al‐Hosany Nawal
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is the introduce corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Abu Dhabi, the biggest Emirate and one with the largest oil reserve in United Arab Emirates (UAE). Abu Dhabi set the first renewable energy policy in the region in January 2009. The policy calls for at least 7 percent of Abu Dhabi's power generation capacity to come from renewable energy sources by 2020. In 2006, the leadership of Abu Dhabi made a strategic decision to establish a globally competitive renewable energy sector in the country and hence the Masdar Initiative was created. It is driven by the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (ADFEC), also called Masdar.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper focuses on the corporate social responsibility of Masdar and the role the firm is playing as the “prime mover” in the renewable energy sector in UAE and the region. The paper is structured in the following manner. First, the literature on corporate social responsibility is reviewed. Second, the environmental challenges of UAE are highlighted. Third, the paper discusses the different business units of Masdar and their related projects and investments at local, regional and global levels. Finally, the role of ADFEC as a “prime mover” in sustainability and corporate social responsibility is highlighted.

Findings

Masdar has taken leadership in CSR and sustainable energy technologies in Abu Dhabi, UAE and the region.

Originality/value

The case demonstrates the willingness of oil‐producing countries to become more sustainable and to do something about climate change. The Masdar Initiative, which includes the first carbon‐neutral city, can be regarded as a benchmark for future similar projects in the region and around the world.
Investigating technology transfer projects and institutional development in developing countries
Authors: Kovič Maša
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this research paper is to demonstrate that the success of technology transfer projects depends, among others, also on the projects' conformity with the institutional development in the concerned country.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper focuses on a study of two different user models of solar home systems in two different African countries with different institutional development, Zambia and Kenya. In the studied countries the solar home systems and thus home electricity are available to the users under different circumstances and terms. These circumstances and terms are closely connected to the functioning of the economic and judicial institutions in the mentioned countries.

Findings

The paper illustrates that, while the technology transfer project based on a “fee‐for‐service” solar home system was successful in Zambia, it would be unsuccessful in Kenya. And contrariwise, the technology transfer project based on a “market” solar home system was successful in Kenya, but would be unsuccessful in Zambia. The reasons for this difference are based on the different institutional development in the mentioned countries.

Originality/value

The paper illustrates that the success of a technology transfer project is dependent not only on emission reductions, but also on the accessibility of the project to the targeted user. The latter requirement, however, depends on how well the project takes into account which institutions are developed in a country and how well they function.
Diffusion of solar technology in developing countries
Authors: Ndzibah Emmanuel
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the growing trend of power outages in Ghana and the possible diffusion of a solar solution from the solar technologies; it also seeks to ascertain whether people in Ghana as well as developing countries would resort to renewable energy because of its “greenness”.

Design/methodology/approach

A focus group study was used, aimed at investigating the right parameters to be put in place for an effective diffusion of solar solutions in developing countries and, this instance, Ghana.

Findings

Results from the interviews of sampled respondents selected from different regions of the country indicated that many Ghanaians consider solar energy as the best alternative. However, it was a matter of affordability, financing and accessibility. Supplementary discussion into the benefits of resorting to “greenness” of solar energy, which seems not to be of major concern to potential users in Ghana, is highlighted. Moreover, making solar energy accessible in Ghana and the related market‐marketing conditions of the solutions are addressed. Based on the findings, a comprehensive examination of the reasons behind the slow adaptation of solar energy as an alternative is addressed. The alternative solar solutions identified include: standalone; backup and hybrid.

Originality/value

The study can be seen as the first in a series of attempts to understand the energy crisis in Ghana. The paper is aimed at promoting awareness of renewable energy solutions and its potential for helping the country to achieve a balanced economic growth.
Biofuels adoption in Nigeria
Authors: Abila Nelson
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to make a preliminary analysis of the potentials for the adoption of biofuels in Nigeria. This initial analysis aims to capture some of the possibilities in the adoption of biofuel and the promotion of the cultivation of energy crops and processing of biofuels in Nigeria. Taking a step towards biofuel adoption is crucial for Nigeria to remain an important player in the world energy market, as there is a shift in global fossil fuel consumption.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopted a desk review of existing literatures on global biofuels production potentials. A synthesis of data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) secondary database on major energy crops production was also conducted, while the GIS map was generated from GIS data sourced from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Findings

Nigeria has immense potential for energy crops cultivation and the production of bioethanol and biodiesel. The existing database shows that Nigeria ranks very high in terms of production of the major energy crops such as soybean, palm oil, sesame and cassava. The rainfall distribution shows that most energy crops can be grown all over Nigeria. Nigeria has the capacity to be a leading exporter of biofuels. The adoption of biofuels can also ease the financial strain relating to the heavy burden of fossil fuel subsidy and also enhance local livelihoods within the production chains.

Practical implications

With the very high potential for biofuel production, the Government as well as private investors should take steps towards investing in agriculture for the production of energy crops and the establishment of biofuel‐processing plants in Nigeria.

Originality/value

The paper is a preliminary analysis of bio‐economic and environmental modeling of the adoption of biofuels in the energy sector in Nigeria. This analysis has opened up the focus of the bigger study, modeling the biological, economic, environmental and other impacts of biofuel adoption.
Articulation of environmental and socio‐economic externalities from bioenergy
Authors: Brose Isabelle , Van Stappen Florence , Castiaux Annick
Published: October 2010

Purpose

Bioenergy from agriculture is considered to be a way to reduce GHG emissions and thus global warming and climate change. Bioenergy also presents other environmental externalities as impacts on air, soil and water quality, biodiversity, etc. In addition, bioenergy presents socio‐economic externalities as impacts on human health, social wellbeing, local prosperity, etc. These externalities must be assessed in order to enhance responsible politics' choice of the best bioenergy routes to support through incentives as subsidies or quotas. The aim of this research project is to enhance the political choice of bioenergy routes to support through incentives as subsidies or quotas.

Design/methodology/approach

From the literature review and assessment of certification initiatives, the paper has derived a list of environmental externalities, i.e. environmental sustainability criteria, and a list of socio‐economic externalities, i.e. socio‐economic sustainability criteria, to be taken into account in bioenergy routes evaluation. Environmental and socio‐economic externalities selected are interlinked and cannot be assessed in isolation. They are thus articulated into a qualitative model, which defines links between externalities and characterizes them into positive or negative correlations, and indeterminate relations.

Findings

From this model, it appears that many interactions between environmental externalities or between socio‐economic externalities from bioenergy are not straightforward. Many of them are time or space‐dependent. Agricultural practices vary from one region to another; indirect effects are far from being understood and assessed correctly, long‐term effects of climate change are still unknown, etc. Moreover, environmental externalities should be articulated together with socio‐economic externalities.

Practical implications

On the basis of the consolidated qualitative model, a quantitative model will be built. It will enable the monetization of externalities and their introduction in a political decision‐making tool. This tool will help politics to compare different bioenergy routes and choose the best according to their sustainability.

Originality/value

The quantitative model should allow the monetization of externalities and their introduction in a political decision‐making tool. This instrument will help politics to take into account sustainability in their comparison of different bioenergy routes when they want to promote: employment, GHG emissions reduction, biodiversity conservation, etc.
Information technology project management within public sector organizations
Authors: Rosacker Kirsten M. , Rosacker Robert E.
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The project management literature contains a growing body of research addressing information technology (IT). Currently, the majority of these studies direct attention towards projects completed within private sector organizations. Given the unique characteristics surrounding public sector organizations, this paper aims to argue that it is inappropriate to apply the lessons learned from private sector organizations in the public arena without investigating their applicability empirically.

Design/methodology/approach

A review of the historical evolution of IT usage within public sector organizations is offered. The broad body of project management knowledge is discussed, and the unique characteristics of public sector organizations are detailed. These three concepts combine to provide a conceptual framework for reviewing empirical research published in Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy.

Findings

It is concluded that the additional empirical research is needed to further our understanding of the applicability of project management principles, developed and applied in private sector organizations, to the unique organizational format presented by public sector operations.

Originality/value

As the use of, and dependence on, IT within all organizations continues to expand throughout the world, it becomes critically important for managers to understand “best business practices” so that these successful managerial techniques can be applied appropriately to enhance and refine operational practices. Importantly, problems associated with the successful management of information technology projects have been and continue to be significant concerns, thus highlighting the need for better knowledge development and transfer that can be provided by well designed and completed research.
Locating central travelers' groups in travel blogs' social networks
Authors: Vrana Vasiliki , Zafiropoulos Kostas
Published: October 2010

Purpose

Using Travelpod.com, this paper aims to provide a methodology to locate central groups of travelers and to describe pattern characteristics of central travelers.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses snowball sampling to locate travelers and analyze their hyperlink interconnections to identify central travelers' groups. Analysis of the adjacency matrix of the social network of travelers using multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis to identify core travelers' groups follows.

Findings

In total, 7 percent of travelers are considered central travelers. They form core groups containing the most active and information providing travelers. Group membership is correlated with common travelers' characteristics.

Research limitations/implications

The research is limited to a specific network of travelers, to a specific time interval, and to a specific sampling method. Repetition of the study in other travelers' networks in several time instances using a full list of member travelers would help to generalize the findings. Also, graph theoretical approaches other than the statistical analysis used could reveal more properties.

Practical implications

Travelers in core groups are more likely to be reached by others who navigate through a series of incoming links that lead to them and it is probable that these travelers have the potential to address many visitors and therefore to have a significant impact on the provision of information.

Originality/value

The originality of the paper lies in the use of multivariate statistics on the network adjacency matrix to locate core travelers groups and on finding groups of the most influential travelers.
Relationships between employee readiness for organisational change, supervisor and peer relations and demography
Authors: Shah Naimatullah , Ghulam Sarwar Shah Syed
Published: October 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the relationships and predictive power of supervisor and peer relations along with demographic factors towards employee readiness for organisational change in a developing country.

Design/methodology/approach

Adopting a quantitative approach, this cross sectional study applies a self‐administered survey questionnaire for data collection. Descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlations are obtained using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), Version 15.0 for Windows. Multiple regression analysis (MRA) is used to test a number of hypotheses. Finally, multianalysis of variances (MANOVA) is applied to find the relationships between change readiness and demographic characteristics.

Findings

The results show that supervisor and peer relations (independent variable) and the number of dependents and younger employees (independent variables) have positive and significant relationships to readiness for change. In addition, these predictors are the key determinants of employee readiness for organisational change in a developing country.

Research limitations/implications

This study has methodological limitations as it employed a “one point in time” measurement; however, it involved several subsidiary organisations of a large public‐sector organisation.

Practical implications

This study contributes to the literature on change management, particularly from a developing country perspective, and assists management and practitioners of human resources management, organisational behaviour and change agents in assessing, designing and evaluating new or existing programs for organisational change.

Originality/value

This study provides empirical evidence of employee readiness predictor variables for organisational change.
E‐business complaint management: perceptions and perspectives of online credibility
Authors: Breitsohl Jan , Khammash Marwan , Griffiths Gareth
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate public online consumer complaint responses from three different perspectives: the complainer, the company and third party consumers. Consumer complaint behaviour and management has been studied in various streams of literature, yet the subsequent processes triggered by a company complaint response have not been studied so far. In particular, this paper seeks to divert from examining complaint participants in isolation by recognising interrelated communication effects of complaint dialogue and public media.

Design/methodology/approach

Looking at credibility perceptions as a theoretical construct for measuring the utility of a complaint as well as attitude‐orientation as an evaluative moderator, the paper highlights the ambiguity of meaning transfer in an online complaint forum.

Findings

It is hypothesised that credibility and congruence in attitude orientation positively enhance complaint utility perceptions and strongly bias complaint dialogue evaluations.

Originality/value

The paper highlights that expected relevant results for online complaint managers and marketers alike are the inclusion of post‐complaint communication into corporate image and relationship management as well as using credibility perceptions as a benchmark for online customer satisfaction and potential positive electronic word‐of‐mouth.
Overall governance, firm value and deviation from one share: one vote principle
Authors: Bozec Yves , Bozec Richard , Dia Mohamed
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The objective of this study is to investigate further the interplay between corporate governance and firm performance with special focus on a situation expected to bring larger agency costs to the firm, that is, when voting rights of the dominant shareholder exceed his/her cash flow rights.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is conducted in Canada over a four‐year period from 2002 to 2005 and uses a balanced sample of 130 firms or 520 firm‐year observations. Corporate governance is measured based on the ROB corporate governance index published by The Globe and Mail.

Findings

The results clearly show a positive and significant relationship between the ROB governance scores and Tobin's Q, when there is a separation between voting and cash flow rights. In the absence of any excess voting rights, no significant relation is found between governance and performance.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that regulators need to exercise caution before deciding whether or not to recommend or impose corporate governance rules for all firms, since the benefits of these rules may vary among the firms.

Originality/value

The study contributes to explaining mixed international evidence on the governance‐performance relationship, while directing attention to the moderating effect of the deviation from the one share‐one vote principle. To the best of the authors' knowledge, no other study using corporate governance indices has taken into account the impact of excess voting rights despite the widespread use of that practice outside the USA.
Actors' balancing of criteria when translating an idea
Authors: Damm Scheuer John
Published: October 2010

Purpose

Taking the model of association as a point of departure the research question asked in the paper is: what is the role of translators and their criteria for choices in the translation of clinical pathways in a psychiatric ward?

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on an explorative single case‐study. Data were collected through participative observation and document studies. A temporal bracketing approach to process studies were used where the chain of events were broken down into chronologically organized episodes and then submitted to rigorous analysis.

Findings

The case‐analysis demonstrates that the role of human translators is to construct meaningful narratives that mobilize and enrol human as well as non‐human actors. Different translation proposals and translation criteria are continuously constructed, negotiated, tested out and weighted or balanced against each other by humans through the use of narratives. The analysis also demonstrates that other actors than humans may act and influence the translation process.

Originality/value

The model of association has until now been less precise and needs development of its theorization of the role of human translators and their criteria for choices in local organizing processes. The paper contributes to this development by means of an explorative case‐study.
Impact of infrastructure on output, productivity and efficiency
Authors: Sharma Chandan , Sehgal Sanjay
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an empirical evaluation of the impact of infrastructure development on industry‐level productivity, output and efficiency in India over the period 1994‐2006.

Design/methodology/approach

The first stage, estimated total factor productivity (TFP) and technical efficiency of eight important industries. In the next stage, the effects of infrastructure were estimated on TFP, output, labor productivity and technical efficiency. Fully modified ordinary least squares procedure was utilized to generate consistent estimates of the relevant panel variables in the cointegrated frameworks.

Findings

The results of this study are mixed. On the one hand, TFP, output and technical efficiency appear to be positively and largely affected by infrastructure. On the other hand, the effect of infrastructure on the labor productivity is somewhat negligible. In addition, the effects of information and communication technology on the industrial performance are found to be very weak.

Originality/value

This is the first study of its kind in the related literature which attempts to investigate the role of infrastructure in industrial performance, using alternative frameworks, namely, growth accounting and production function approach. The paper uses appropriate techniques to account for the potential endogeneity of regressors as well as for multicollinearity among infrastructure variables.
On the political economy of a backward region
Authors: Sarkar Abhirup
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a political economy model for a less developed region where a significantly large number of people belonging to the informal sector depend on political favours for their survival due to ill‐defined property rights. The purpose is to show that in such a scenario, democracy and political competition might lead to economic stagnation.

Design/methodology/approach

The arguments in the paper are represented in terms of a theoretical model.

Findings

The central result is that the party with a better political organization will have the incentive to maximize the size of the informal sector, which will also maximize its probability of winning. In equilibrium this party choosing anti‐development policies will have a higher probability to be in power. Thus universal franchise may lead to inefficiencies in such economies. These inefficiencies stem from ill‐defined property rights in the informal sector.

Originality/value

This paper is an original contribution to the class of political economy models of less developed countries.
Interaction between trade and environment policies with special‐interest politics
Authors: Keswani Mehra Meeta
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to examine the interdependencies between trade and environment policies, as they get jointly determined in a political‐economy model of a small open economy. In theoretical literature, government is usually modeled as benevolent. In real economies, however, it is not a pure social welfare maximizer. Lobbies have stakes in the specific policies, and they negotiate with/bribe the government over the latter's policy stance. The influence of industry lobbying on both trade and the environment policies at the political equilibrium is the focus of the paper.

Design/methodology/approach

Concepts from non‐cooperative game theory are used to incorporate a Nash‐bargaining game between the industry lobby and government. Government is not benevolent. Campaign contributions help win elections and provide incentive to distort policies to attract lobby contributions. Several situations are modeled. Given a politically set environment policy, tariffs may be zero in view of the free trade agreements. Or, a sequential game is modeled where environment policy is set to maximize social welfare, given a politically determined trade policy. Alternatively, in the full political equilibrium, government and lobby bargain simultaneously over tariff and the environmental tax.

Findings

Lobbying implies that government may trade‐off one policy for another. When only environment policy is politically manipulable by the lobby, pollution tax is lower than the Pigouvian tax. If, instead, the lobby can influence trade policy only, government provides protection to domestic import‐competing sector. In a sequential game, the trade policy outcome does not change, but pollution tax is always higher than the Pigouvian level, even with the environmental lobby absent. With both the policies political, the government “concedes” and offers positive tariff protection, but, not on environment policy; that is, imposes a pollution tax higher than the Pigouvian level.

Originality/value

The paper provides useful insights into how, under the influence of special‐interest politics, and bargaining between the government and lobbies, the trade and environment policies interact with each other. In comparison with the existing literature on this issue, it derives several stronger and (apparently) counter‐intuitive conclusions.
Residential market development in sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Anim‐Odame Wilfred K. , Key Tony , Stevenson Simon
Published: October 2010

Purpose

There is a general consensus that residential submarkets exist, but the basis upon which these are specified remains the subject of debate. The purpose of this paper is to model data on different residential locations in Ghana to show how the submarkets have performed over the past 16 years.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper employs hedonic modelling based on 3,250 sale transactions and 1,130 rental transactions from 1992 to 2007.

Findings

The results demonstrate that five residential real estate characteristics – location, detached, landscaping quality, gross internal areas and plot size – predominate in the explanation of both rental and transactions prices across all submarkets. They also highlight points of variation between the submarkets. An understanding of the impact of these features on residential price and rent is important for capital and rental valuation.

Originality/value

This paper analyses historic performance of the residential market, both at the aggregate and disaggregate level to place the housing market in an investment context.
Evaluating the real estate market by confidence index in China: a case study of Shenzhen
Authors: Xu Qian , Li Heng , Hui Eddie C.M. , Chen Zhen
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present results from a pilot research into the Chinese real estate confidence index, called CRE index, with regard to three diverse aspects, including effective demand and supply, potential demand, and potential supply, and to develop an effective tool for diversity management at different levels in the Chinese real estate market.

Design/methodology/approach

To undertake this research, a novel methodology framework is introduced in terms of the three aspects. Extensive literature review and questionnaire survey are systematically adopted accordingly to work out three individual sub‐indices, and to compose the entire CRE index.

Findings

The research put forward a novel approach to describing the changing situations of the Chinese real estate market by means of the CRE index, which is synthetically calculated based on its three sub‐indices to reflect the three different aspects. For the calculation of the CRE index, data collected from government statistics and specific questionnaire survey are effectively used, and this proves a practical approach as proposed for the research.

Research limitations/implications

Although the CRE index is proposed to be a generic indicator for the Chinese market, this research focuses only on a synthesized CRE index for the local real estate market in Shenzhen, and data collected are also limited from 1999 to 2003. However further research with more comprehensive data can draw an entire picture and provide more reliable forecast based on either local or national data in China.

Practical implications

As it is a generic indicator to reflect changes in the Chinese real estate market, the CRE index provides all stakeholders with a quantitative method to verify history and detect tendency with regard to the progressive development of the market which is influenced by dynamic social and natural conditions.

Social implications

The CRE index has been developed as a tool to support diversity management in the Chinese real estate market, and it is assumed that governors at local, regional, and national levels can all use this tool in macroeconomic regulation and control towards the Chinese real estate market. Others, including developers, investors as well as consumers can all make informed judgments based on the value and trend of the CRE index.

Originality/value

The CRE index uniquely incorporates comprehensive market data and statistics, including historic data from government statistics and current information from questionnaire survey and literatures, into confidence index calculation. In this regard, comparing with other confidence indices for the real estate market, this method is capable of providing more informed predications, especially when statistical data are full and accurate.
The paradox of China's international stock market co‐movement
Authors: Nishimura Yusaku , Men Ming
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the daily and overnight volatility spillover effects in common stock prices between China and G5 countries and explain their implications on the basis of empirical results.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis utilizes the exponential generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (EGARCH) model, the cross‐correlation function approach, and realized volatility for daily and intraday stock price data that cover the period from January 5, 2004 to December 31, 2007.

Findings

Principally, the paper concludes the following: strong evidence of short‐run one‐way volatility spillover effects from China to the US, UK, German and French stock markets is observed and the test results indicate that Chinese investors were not rational and China's stock market entered a speculative bubble period after the second half of 2006.

Originality/value

Contrary to widespread belief, the empirical results suggest that a small (China) stock market has significant influence on a large (G5) stock market but not vice versa. This paradox is interpreted as a particular phenomenon existing together with the rapid economic development and severe capital regulation in China.
China's pathway to low‐carbon development
Authors: Wang Yi
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore China's current policy and policy options regarding the shift to a low‐carbon (LC) development.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses both a literature review and empirical systems analysis of the trends of socio‐economic conditions, carbon emissions and development of innovation capacities in China.

Findings

The analysis shows that a holistic solution and co‐benefit approach are needed for China's transition to a green and LC economy, and that, especially for developing countries, it is not enough to have only goals regarding mitigation and adaptation. Instead, a concrete roadmap towards a LC future is needed that addresses key issues of technology transfer, institutional arrangements and sharing the costs in the context of a global climate regime. In this light, it is argued that China should adopt an approach for low‐carbon development centred on carbon intensity reduction over the next ten years.

Originality/value

The paper thus provides a unique summary, in English, of the arguments supporting China's current low‐carbon innovation policies from one of the authors of this policy.
Chinese low‐carbon innovation
Authors: Marigo Nicoletta , Foxon Timothy J. , Pearson Peter J.G.
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the innovation effort underway in China to develop domestic technological capacity for the manufacturing of a low‐carbon energy technology: solar photovoltaics (PV).

Design/methodology/approach

A framework for analysis based on the “technological capability” (TC) literature was developed and applied to explore the innovative capacities and performance of the Chinese PV manufacturers. The paper draws on a survey conducted in China in mid‐2005 with a selected number of PV manufacturers, as well as on personal interviews with other Chinese PV stakeholders and international experts.

Findings

The paper shows that by 2005 PV firms in China had progressed well beyond basic operational capabilities and were quickly moving away from being mere users of imported PV components. Despite the existence of considerable differences between the firms, their competitiveness extended beyond the use of relatively cheap labour to the reduction of production costs through TC improvements. The paper recognises that the Chinese firms had developed innovation capacity only in the most mature PV technology family, i.e. crystalline silicon, which could leave them vulnerable if new PV technology families takeover. Moreover, the Chinese Government has not so far chosen to build upon its dynamic low‐carbon PV industry by promoting long‐term measures for the development of the domestic PV market. Consequently, challenges remain for the industry.

Originality/value

There has been limited previous research into China's capacity for PV innovation, how it is developing and how it might be improved. The paper shows that a better understanding of these aspects has important bearings on China's low‐carbon future and on potential development of a significant export industry.
Going green: women entrepreneurs and the environment
Authors: Braun Patrice
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The paper seeks to explore whether women entrepreneurs may be more engaged with green issues than their male counterparts. The study was undertaken to add to our understanding of gendered attitudes and behaviours around green entrepreneurship.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper opted for a mixed method exploratory study consisting of quantitative datasets from two regional studies on environmental attitudes and behaviour and qualitative data generated as part of an Australian green entrepreneurship training program.

Findings

The study found that participating women had stronger environmental attitudes and commitment to the green entrepreneurship program than males, suggesting that women entrepreneurs may be more engaged in green issues than male entrepreneurs.

Research limitations/implications

Given the exploratory study approach, research results lack generalisability. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed framework.

Practical implications

Understanding gendered behaviours has implications for policy and education in terms of greening the small business sector. It also has implications for business innovation, the green marketplace and a sustainable post‐carbon future.

Originality/value

The paper helps lay the foundation for comprehensive research on women entrepreneurs' engagement with environmental issues and green entrepreneurship.
Values and female entrepreneurship
Authors: Terrell Katherine , Troilo Michael
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to research the extent to which different types of values influence a woman's decision to become an entrepreneur.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper constructs a two‐stage model to capture the entrepreneurial decision. In the first stage, life values affect the decision to enter the workforce. In the second stage, work values impact the type of employment sought: entrepreneur vs employee.

Findings

It is found that women whose life value is that “men should have scarce jobs before women” are less likely to participate in the labor force and hence less likely to become an entrepreneur; work values of initiative, achievement, and respect are positively correlated with entrepreneurship.

Research limitations/implications

The definition of entrepreneurship is limited to those who are self‐employed.

Practical implications

The findings have important policy implications. If policy makers wish to spur the rate of entrepreneurship among women to make it approach or reach the same rate as men's, raising young women's awareness that they need not hold themselves secondary to men in the job market and instilling in them work values of achievement, initiative, and respect are important.

Social implications

If policymakers address values that impede women's economic participation, they have the potential to assist both women's social status as well as their economic well‐being.

Originality/value

The contribution and originality of the work is the synthesis of labor economics and entrepreneurship scholarship in the two‐stage model of how values influence a woman's decision to become an entrepreneur.
Connecting with women entrepreneurs: equality or business imperative?
Authors: Lawton Sue
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the need for a shift from traditional sources of enterprise activity to routes that stimulate economic growth. In particular, it focuses on the potential of women‐owned businesses to contribute to economic recovery, and asks if creating greater access to corporate and government contracts, through initiatives such as WEConnect.

Design/methodology/approach

This is essentially a discussion paper starting the debate on the contribution women business owners can make to the recovery of the economic meltdown.

Findings

Connecting with women‐owned businesses is no longer about corporate social responsibility or, indeed, levelling the proverbial “playing field”. It is simply a business imperative!

Originality/value

This is an original piece of work aimed at raising awareness of the value of women business owners in the supply chain.
Sound production in the pygmy sculpin Cottus paulus (Cottidae) during courtship and agonistic behaviours
Authors: Kierl N. C. , Johnston C. E.
Published: October 2010

A field study examined sound production in the pygmy sculpin Cottus paulus, a threatened species found only in Coldwater Spring (Coosa River drainage), Alabama where the study was conducted. Two distinct call types are made during both courtship and agonistic encounters: a single knock and a knock train. The duration of the knock train significantly differs between contexts, while the signal structure stays the same. Knock trains are longer when the intended audience is a female, while short and abrupt when intended for a male intruder.