bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mass media promotion of a smartphone smoking cessation app: Modeled health and cost impacts
Authors: Nghiem Nhung , Leung William , Cleghorn Cristina , Blakely Tony , Wilson Nick
Published: December 2018

Background

Smartphones are increasingly available and some high quality apps are available for smoking cessation. However, the cost-effectiveness of promoting such apps has never been studied.

Objective

To estimate the health gain, inequality impacts and cost-utility from a five-year promotion campaign of a smoking cessation smartphone app compared to business-as-usual (no app use for quitting).

Methods

A well-established Markov macro-simulation model utilising a multi-state life-table was adapted to the intervention (lifetime horizon, 3% discount rate). The setting was the New Zealand (NZ) population (N = 4.4 million). The intervention effect size was from a multi-country randomised trial: relative risk for quitting at six months = 2.23 (95%CI: 1.08 to 4.77). Intervention costs were based on NZ mass media promotion data and the NZ cost of attracting a smoker to smoking cessation services ($NZ64 per person).

Results

The five-year intervention was estimated to generate 6760 QALYs (95%UI: 5420 to 8420) over the remaining lifetime of the population. For Māori (Indigenous population) there was 2.8 times the per capita age-standardized QALYs relative to non-Māori. The intervention was also estimated to be cost-saving to the health system (saving NZ$115, 95%UI: 72.5 million [m] to 171m; US$81.8m). The cost-saving aspect of the intervention was maintained in scenario and sensitivity analyses where the discount rate was doubled to 6%, the effect size halved, and the intervention run for just one year.

Conclusions

This study provides modelling-level evidence that mass-media promotion of a smartphone app for smoking cessation is likely to generate health gain, reduce ethnic inequalities in health and save health system costs. Nevertheless, there are other tobacco control which generate considerably larger health gains and cost-savings such as raising tobacco taxes.
Oral thermosensing by murine trigeminal neurons: modulation by capsaicin, menthol, and mustard oil
Authors: Leijon Sara C.M. , Neves Amanda F. , Breza Joseph M. , Simon Sidney A. , Chaudhari Nirupa , Roper Stephen
Published: December 2018

When consumed with foods, mint, mustard and chili peppers generate pronounced oral thermosensations. Here we recorded responses in mouse trigeminal ganglion neurons to investigate interactions between thermal sensing and the active ingredients of these plants--menthol, allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), and capsaicin, respectively--at concentrations found in foods and commercial hygiene products. We carried out in vivo confocal calcium imaging of trigeminal ganglia in which neurons express GCaMP3 or GCAMP6s and recorded their responses to oral stimulation with thermal and the above chemesthetic stimuli. In the V3 (oral sensory) region of the ganglion, thermoreceptive neurons accounted for ~10% of imaged neurons. We categorized them into 3 distinct classes: cool-responsive and warm-responsive thermosensors, and nociceptors (responsive only to temperatures ≥43-45o). Menthol, AITC, and capsaicin also elicited robust calcium responses that differed markedly in their latencies and durations. Most of the neurons that responded to these chemesthetic stimuli were also thermosensitive. Capsaicin and AITC increased the numbers of warm-responding neurons and shifted the nociceptor threshold to lower temperatures. Menthol attenuated the responses in all classes of thermoreceptors. Our data show that while individual neurons may respond to a narrow temperature range (or even bimodally), taken collectively, the population is able to report on graded changes of temperature. Our findings also substantiate an explanation for the thermal sensations experienced when one consumes pungent spices or mint.
A pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic assessment of the hepatic and bone-marrow toxicities of the new trypanoside fexinidazole
Authors: Watson James Andrew , Strub-Wourgraft Nathalie , Tarral Antoine , Ribeiro Isabela , Tarning Joel , White Nicholas J
Published: December 2018

Fexinidazole is a novel oral treatment for Trypanosoma brucei gambiense human African trypanosomiasis: g-HAT. Fexinidazole is also active against other kinetoplastid parasites, notably T. cruzi the causative agent of Chagas disease. During the course of a dose ranging assessment in chronic indeterminate Chagas disease, delayed neutropenia and significant increases in hepatic transaminases were observed and clinical investigations were suspended. We retrospectively analyzed all available pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data on fexinidazole in normal healthy volunteers and in patients with chronic Chagas disease and g-HAT, in order to assess the determinants of toxicity. A population pharmacokinetic model was fitted to plasma concentration data on the bioactive fexinidazole sulfone metabolite from three phase I studies, two g-HAT phase II/III field trials and one Chagas phase-II field trial (n=462 total). Bayesian exposure-response models were then fitted to hematological and liver related pharmacodynamic outcomes in chronic Chagas patients. Neutropenia, reductions in platelet counts, and elevations in liver transaminases were all found to be exposure and thus dose dependent in patients with chronic Chagas disease. Clinically insignificant transient reductions in neutrophil and platelet counts consistent with these exposure-response relationships were observed in the g-HAT trials. In contrast, no evidence of hepatotoxicity was observed in the g-HAT trials. Fexinidazole treatment results in a dose dependent liver toxicity and transient bone marrow suppression in Chagas disease. Regimens of shorter duration should be trialled for Chagas. The currently recommended regimen for sleeping sickness provides exposures within a satisfactory safety margin for bone marrow suppression and does not cause hepatotoxicity.
Trogocytosis by Entamoeba histolytica mediates acquisition and display of human cell membrane proteins and evasion of lysis by human serum
Authors: Miller Hannah Warkentin , Suleiman Rene L. , Ralston Katherine S
Published: December 2018

Entamoeba histolytica is the protozoan parasite responsible for amoebiasis. We previously showed that E. histolytica kills human cells through a mechanism that we termed trogocytosis (trogo-: nibble), due to its resemblance to trogocytosis in other organisms. In parasites, trogocytosis is used to kill host cells. In multicellular organisms, trogocytosis is used for cell-cell interactions in the immune system, in the central nervous system, and during development. Thus, nibbling is an emerging theme in cell-cell interactions both within and between species, and it is relevant to host-pathogen interactions in many different contexts. When trogocytosis occurs between mammalian immune cells, cell membrane proteins from the nibbled cell can be acquired and displayed by the recipient cell. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that through trogocytosis of human cells, amoebae acquire and display human cell membrane proteins. Here we demonstrate for the first time that through trogocytosis, E. histolytica acquires and displays human cell membrane proteins and that this leads to protection from lysis by human serum. Protection from human serum only occurs after amoebae have undergone trogocytosis of live cells, but not phagocytosis of dead cells. Likewise, mutant amoebae that exhibit a phagocytosis defect, but are unaltered in their capacity to perform trogocytosis, are nevertheless protected from human serum. Our studies are the first to demonstrate that amoebae can display human cell membrane proteins and suggest that acquisition and display of membrane proteins is a general feature of trogocytosis that is not restricted to trogocytosis between mammalian immune cells. These studies have major implications for interactions between E. histolytica and the immune system and also reveal a novel strategy for immune evasion by a pathogen. Since other microbial eukaryotes use trogocytosis for cell killing, our findings may apply to the pathogenesis of other infections.
Accounting and the post-new public management
Authors: Steccolini Ileana
Published: December 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to reflect various pathways for public sector accounting and accountability research in a post-new public management (NPM) context.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper first discusses the relationship between NPM and public sector accounting research. It then explores the possible stimuli that inter-disciplinary accounting scholars may derive from recent public administration studies, public policy and societal trends, highlighting possible ways to extend public sector accounting research and strengthen dialogue with other disciplines.

Findings

NPM may have represented a golden age, but also a “golden cage,” for the development of public sector accounting research. The paper reflects possible ways out of this golden cage, discussing future avenues for public sector accounting research. In doing so, it highlights the opportunities offered by re-considering the “public” side of accounting research and shifting the attention from the public sector, seen as a context for public sector accounting research, to publicness, as a concept central to such research.

Originality/value

The paper calls for stronger engagement with contemporary developments in public administration and policy. This could be achieved by looking at how public sector accounting accounts for, but also impacts on, issues of wider societal relevance, such as co-production and hybridization of public services, austerity, crises and wicked problems, the creation and maintenance of public value and democratic participation.
Derivations of design concepts for video search interfaces
Authors: Loke Cliff , Foo Schubert , Majid Shaheen
Published: December 2018

Purpose

Keywords search is intuitive, simple to use and convenient. It is also thede factoinput interface for textual and multimedia retrieval. However, individuals often perform poorly when faced with exploratory search tasks that are common during learning, resulting in poor quality searches. The purpose of this paper is to examine how adolescent learners search and select videos to support self-learning. The findings allow for the identification of design concepts of video retrieval interface and features that can facilitate better exploratory searches.

Design/methodology/approach

Participants were assigned two customized video search tasks. The think-aloud protocol is used to allow participants to verbalize their actions, thoughts and feeling. This approach offered rich insights to the participants’ cognitive processes and considerations when performing the search tasks.

Findings

This study identified five themes for exploratory video search behavior: selection of internet resources, query formulation/reformulation, selection of the video(s) for preview, getting acquainted with the video content, and making a decision for the search task. The analysis of these themes led to a number of design concepts, ranging from supporting exploration of topics to better interaction with metadata.

Practical implications

The findings can inform future development of dedicated video retrieval systems interfaces that seeks to facilitate effective exploratory searches by learners.

Originality/value

This study contributes by suggesting design concepts for video retrieval system developers to support exploratory video searches.
Consumers’ anti-consumption behavior toward organic food purchase: an analysis using SEM
Authors: Ashraf Mohammad Ali , Joarder Mohd Hasanur Raihan , Ratan Sarker Rafij Ahmed
Published: December 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors affecting anti-consumption behavior of the consumers toward organic food purchase: in particular, how do individual beliefs about trustworthiness of organic foods, normative structure of social pressure and self-efficacy affect individual intentions to make organic food purchases and actual purchasing behavior? To answer this question, a theoretical framework of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) as its foundation has been established. Using measurement scales in order to measure different aspects of trustworthiness, normative structure, self-efficacy, attitude, perceived behavioral control (PBC) and subjective norms, a survey instrument has been developed to examine the several associations implied by the model of TPB.

Design/methodology/approach

In doing so, data on a structured questionnaire were collected from various parts of a city based on convenience random sampling procedure. The respondents were interviewed face-to-face to collect information on a structured questionnaire. Data (n=337) were analyzed using a research framework formulated based on the TPB through the structural equation modeling procedure.

Findings

The findings of the study indicate that among the seven independent variables of trustworthiness, normative structure, self-efficacy, attitude, subjective norm and PBC, only subjective norm has not been statistically significant to influence organic food purchase behavior.

Research limitations/implications

The result implies that various sociopolitical forces and skewed monthly incomes are inhibiting the consumers (anti-consumption) to increasingly buy the organic food products.

Practical implications

In this regard, government, policy planners, academia as well as media have profound roles to play to encourage people to buy more organic food for their health safety and overall consumer well-being.

Originality/value

This research is based on primary data collected from the respondents of a sub-urban areas of a metropolitan city. The findings will help formulate a sound food policy for ensuring social well-being of the consumers.
Sensory analysis of 20% solids fortified blended porridge
Authors: Chambers IV Edgar , Maughan Curtis , Padmanabhan Natarajan , Alavi Sajid , Adedji Akinbode
Published: December 2018

Purpose

Evaluations of food aid products such as corn soy blend (CSB) suggest that higher nutrient-dense weaning foods are needed. CSB at 20 per cent solids was suggested, but it is too thick for weaning use. The purpose of this paper is to examine if high or low pressure extrusion or a change from corn to sorghum could reduce viscosity without major sensory changes compared to CSB, a widely used fortified blended food (FBF).

Design/methodology/approach

A 2×2 factorial design of grain (corn or sorghum) and extrusion pressure (low or high) was used to produce fortified extruded CSB and sorghum soy blend (SSB) that match new nutritional recommendations at 20 per cent solids. A control CSB sample was also produced. Porridge was made and a descriptive panel measured sensory properties and a Bostwick Consistometer determined viscosity.

Findings

Control CSB was thicker, lumpier, and stickier than the extruded samples. Sorghum samples had more sorghum flavour and corn samples had more corn flavour, but generally other flavour characteristics differed only slightly from the control product. None of the samples were as thin as recommended for infant swallowing, but the extruded sorghum samples were less viscous than other samples.

Originality/value

Nutrient-dense FBFs at high solids content have been recommended but not yet well tested. This paper provides a sensory examination of high solids FBFs with the potential for use as supplementary foods for infants and children.
Suape Container Terminal: Evaluating a Berth Reservation Scheme
Authors: Florez Humberto
Published: December 2018

The COO for Suape Container Terminal, the largest deep–water port in Brazil's Northeast must consider a proposal presented by the users' council that calls for the establishment of a reservation scheme that minimizes the risk of docking delays. Under this proposal, ocean carriers, on the one hand, agree to pay a reservation fee that significantly increases revenue for Tecon Suape. On the other hand, they expect Tecon Suape to compensate them financially when a berth is not available upon vessel arrival. Tecon Suape's management team must evaluate that suggestion, as the team prepares to enter contractual negotiations with the users.
Internship in a business school: expectation versus experience
Authors: Neelam Netra , Bhattacharya Sonali , Kejriwal Vishakha , Bhardwaj Varsha , Goyal Anshul , Saxena Arushi , Dhawan Deeksha , Vaddi Aditya , Choudaha Garima
Published: December 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the value of internship as a function of the disparity between the initial expectation from the internship and its actual experience. The perceived internship experience has been evaluated through the expectation confirmation theory (ECT).

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 106 students pursuing Master of Business Administration in a business school in India were administered a questionnaire to assess their expectations and experience before and after the internship. The self-designed questionnaire based on review of extant literature on internship included items related to supervisor–intern exchanges, significance of prior classroom academic preparation, prior work experience and perceived learning value. Students’ assessment scores on the internship project were taken as the outcome variable.

Findings

Pre- and post-analysis of perceived internship value indicated a positive expectation disconfirmation. The result indicates that “Positive Expectation Disconfirmation” has a significant direct relationship with overall satisfaction with internship. Structural equation modeling further revealed that perceived quality of the supervisor–intern exchange has a significant relationship with perceived internship value. Perceived significance of classroom academic preparation has a weak negative relationship with both perceived internship value and internship performance. Perceived internship value has a weak positive relationship with internship performance.

Originality/value

It is first time an attempt has been made to look into the issue of internship from the ECT.
Slip velocity and temperature jump of a non-Newtonian nanofluid, aqueous solution of carboxy-methyl cellulose/aluminum oxide nanoparticles, through a microtube
Authors: Goodarzi Marjan , Javid Saeed , Sajadifar Ali , Nojoomizadeh Mehdi , Motaharipour Seyed Hossein , Bach Quang-Vu , Karimipour Arash
Published: December 2018

Purpose

With respect to two new subjects, i.e. nanofluids and microchannels, in heat transfer systems and modern techniques used for building them, this paper aims to study on effect of using aluminum oxide nanoparticles in non-Newtonian fluid of aqueous solution of carboxy-methyl cellulose in microtube and through application of different slip coefficients to achieve various qualities on surface of microtube.

Design/methodology/approach

Simultaneously, the effect of presence of nanoparticles and phenomenon of slip and temperature jump has been explored in non-Newtonian nanofluid in this essay. The assumption of homogeneity of nanofluid and fixed temperature of wall in microtube has been used in modeling processes.

Findings

The results have been presented as diagrams of velocity, temperature and Nusselt Number and the investigations have indicated that addition of nanoparticles to the base fluid and increase in microtube slip coefficient might improve rate of heat transfer in microtube.

Originality/value

The flow of non-Newtonian nanofluid of aqueous solution of carboxy methyl cellulose-aluminum oxide has been determined in a microtube for the first time.
Managing differences, interaction, and partnership quality in global inter-firm relationships
Authors: Wibisono Yogi Yusuf , Govindaraju Rajesri , Irianto Dradjad , Sudirman Iman
Published: December 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop and to empirically test a model that explains how managing differences between an information technology (IT) provider and an overseas client influences partnership quality and ultimately affects the continuity of the relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

A field survey by distributing questionnaires to Indonesian IT providers was conducted over four months, yielding 78 completed responses. These empirical data were analyzed by the partial least squares–structural equation modeling technique to examine the measurement and structural models.

Findings

Managing differences, i.e. cultural, temporal and standards differences, has a positive impact on partnership quality through inter-firm interaction, i.e. information exchange, coordination and participation. Partnership quality, consisting of the dimensions of commitment, trust and integration, has a substantial positive impact on the continuity of the relationship.

Research limitations/implications

This study was limited by the use of a limited number of samples, reducing the precision of the results.

Practical implications

This study suggests that if the IT provider is able to manage the cultural, temporal and standards differences with the overseas client, it increases information exchange, coordination and participation between both parties, which are necessary for establishing a high-quality partnership.

Originality/value

This study is the first empirical examination of how the management of differences between an IT provider and an overseas client influences the continuity of their relationship through interaction and partnership quality.
Improving SMEs’ competitiveness with the use of Instagram influencer advertising and eWOM
Authors: Konstantopoulou Anastasia , Rizomyliotis Ioannis , Konstantoulaki Kleopatra , Badahdah Raghad
Published: December 2018

Purpose

Under Saudi Vision 2030, there is a forthcoming raise of support to small- or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the current 20 per cent of GDP to 35 per cent; thus, SMEs’ access to finance is becoming easier. At the same time, the cosmetics retail industry is expected to rapidly grow further in the next few years, on account of the already mounting demand and easy availability of cosmetics through online channels. The purpose of this study is to explore the use of beauty Instagram influencers in advertising as a tool to increase competitiveness for SMEs.

Design/methodology/approach

An exploratory research design was used and in-depth interviews were conducted to get a better understanding of female Saudi young adults’ perceptions with regards to trust towards Instagram influencers, electronic word of mouth (eWOM) and advertising.

Findings

SMEs can benefit greatly from eWOM in their quest for competitiveness. Therefore, when a beauty influencer on Instagram advertises a product to SMEs followers this leads to increased awareness and purchase intention. The findings indicated that the participants are quite sceptical when receiving reviews or promotion from beauty influencers on social media, as they rarely regard them as authentic. Moreover participants seem to trust influential beauty Instagrammers when they had a positive experience with the influencer before. Trust, honesty and authenticity were important factors that increase the impact of eWOM.

Originality/value

This paper offers an in-depth understanding of the use of Instagram advertising and eWOM in a rapidly developing industry and explores these as key communication pathways for modern SMEs in their effort to achieve resilience and competitiveness.
A psychometric evaluation of the job crafting questionnaire (JCRQ) among employees working in Jordanian universities
Authors: Ghadi Mohammed Yasin
Published: December 2018

Purpose

Job crafting is recently argued to have five dimensions (Nielsen et al., 2017): increasing challenging demands, decreasing social demands, increasing social job resources, increasing quantitative demands and decreasing hindrance demands. The purpose of this study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties and construct validity of the five-factor model of job crafting, introduced by using a sample of Jordanian university employees.

Design/methodology/approach

A pre-determined survey on was used. Accordingly, 513 professional workers in several universities completed the survey. Cronbach’s alpha was used to assess the internal consistency of the scale, whereas series of confirmatory factor (CFA) analysis and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were conducted to assess the scale’s factorial and discriminant validity. Other tests were also conducted.

Findings

As predicted, the proposed model best fit the data. Statistical analysis yielded several findings. First, the results of the reliability test revealed that the five sub-scales of job crafting had significant and sufficiently strong internal consistencies. Second, the results showed that the 15 items loaded significantly with a factor loadings more than 0.50. Third, the CFA results confirmed that the five-factor model best fitted the data in comparison to the one-factor model. Finally, the construct validity of JCRQ-15 was confirmed through its correlation with several validating variables.

Research limitations/implications

Some limitations need to be addressed. First, the sample came from participants working in specific Jordanian universities which may limit the generalization that could be made from the results to other occupations. Second, due to the cross-sectional design of the present study, the question remains whether the JCRQ-15 are stable overtime. Third, the common methods bias might be a problem because it is one of the main sources of measurement error in validation studies using self-reported scales.

Originality/value

The present study provided an early supportive evidence for the use of the JCRQ-15 as a valid measure of job crafting in the Jordanian context.
Strategic information sharing and competition under cap-and-trade regulation
Authors: Yu Man , Cao Erbao
Published: December 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether truthful information sharing can be achieved via informal cheap talk in a competitive setting, and how carbon emission constraint and information-sharing modes (no information sharing, partial information sharing and public information sharing) interact with each other under cap-and-trade regulation.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper establishes an emission-dependent supply chain consisting of a manufacturer, an incumbent retailer who has superior demand information and a new entrant retailer. The manufacturer abates carbon emissions under the pressures of government environmental regulation and consumers’ eco-friendly concern. The research formulates a multistage game to explore every party’s decision and the implications of information-sharing modes.

Findings

The results show that truthful information sharing can be achieved when the manufacturer decides both the wholesale price and carbon emission abatement. The results also show that the incumbent retailer’s information-sharing decision highly depends on the manufacturer’s capacity in abating carbon emissions and the demand uncertainty.

Originality/value

The research adds value to information management and sustainable production literature. This work emphasizes the interaction between the information flow and material flow. Not only it investigates the factors that affect information-sharing modes from a new point of view when considering carbon emission constraint, but also provides operational strategies for manufacturers to make more profit when facing asymmetric information and emission regulation.
The effect of e-service quality on Jordanian student’s e-loyalty: an empirical study in online retailing
Authors: Al-dweeri Rami Mohammad , Ruiz Moreno Antonia , Montes Francisco Javier Llorens , Obeidat Zaid Mohammad , Al-dwairi Khaldoon M.
Published: December 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the dimensions of e-service quality, its effects on e-satisfaction and e-trust and its impact on behavioural and attitudinal loyalty in Jordanian youth users of online retailing.

Design/methodology/approach

The scale proposed in this study has been specifically constructed using the four models most recognised for measuring e-service quality: E-S-QUAL, WebQual, eTransQual and eTailQ. The dimensions used in this study are efficiency, privacy, reliability, emotional benefit and customer service. The research model was statistically tested by students in Jordan, using Amazon.com.

Findings

It is found that privacy, reliability, emotional benefit and customer service are important elements to measure the e-service quality, but efficiency is not. E-trust was found to be an antecedent of e-satisfaction, and behavioural loyalty an antecedent of attitudinal loyalty.

Originality/value

The contribution of this study is thus the investigation of the causal relationship between the e-service quality dimensions, e-satisfaction, e-trust, behavioural loyalty and attitudinal loyalty, where it is necessary to consider the subject in more depth and to examine e-service quality dimensions based on a proposed model constructed from the four most common models.
Acceptance of mobile banking in Islamic banks: evidence from modified UTAUT model
Authors: Raza Syed Ali , Shah Nida , Ali Muhammad
Published: December 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the factors which affect mobile banking (M-banking) acceptance in Islamic banks of Pakistan by using the modified uniﬁed theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model. The performance expectancy, facilitating conditions, social influence, effort expectancy, perceived value, habit and hedonic motivation are taken as independent variables. Similarly, the intention to adopt M-banking is taken as the mediator, and actual usage is used as the dependent variable.

Design/methodology/approach

The data are collected by using the survey method, and the five-point Likert scale is used for this purpose. The statistical techniques applied to the dataset were confirmatory factor analysis and partial least square structure equation modeling.

Findings

The empirical evidence shows that all the variables except for social influence have a significant positive effect on the intention which results in actual usage.

Practical implications

This study will help the Islamic banks in boosting the M-banking growth and decision-makers in crafting those strategies that increase the M-banking acceptance.

Originality/value

This paper makes a unique contribution to the literature with reference to Pakistan, being a pioneering attempt to investigate the factors which affect M-banking acceptance in Islamic banks of Pakistan by using the modified UTAUT model.
Customer process management
Authors: Lim Chiehyeon , Kim Min-Jun , Kim Ki-Hun , Kim Kwang-Jae , Maglio Paul
Published: December 2018

Purpose

The proliferation of customer-related data provides companies with numerous service opportunities to create customer value. The purpose of this study is to develop a framework to use this data to provide services.

Design/methodology/approach

This study conducted four action research projects on the use of customer-related data for service design with industry and government. Based on these projects, a practical framework was designed, applied, and validated, and was further refined by analyzing relevant service cases and incorporating the service and operations management literature.

Findings

The proposed customer process management (CPM) framework suggests steps a service provider can take when providing information to its customers to improve their processes and create more value-in-use by using data related to their processes. The applicability of this framework is illustrated using real examples from the action research projects and relevant literature.

Originality/value

“Using data to advance service” is a critical and timely research topic in the service literature. This study develops an original, specific framework for a company’s use of customer-related data to advance its services and create customer value. Moreover, the four projects with industry and government are early CPM case studies with real data.
Grey strategies interaction model
Authors: Zakeri Shervin , Yang Yingjie , Hashemi Melika
Published: December 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to implement the strategies selection process in a proposed formulated mathematical framework to prioritize selected strategies with the interaction of other groups of strategies, known as the strategies interaction model (SIM).

Design/methodology/approach

SWOT analysis is a popular useful strategic planning tool, which analyzes organizations internal and external factors. The traditional SWOT procedure lists internal and external factors and derives four groups of strategies based on the organization’s strategic position. SWOT is easy to use as a business analyzing tool, while it is not competent enough for strategic formulation. With the emergence of the economy’s vicissitudes, undulations in the markets and multiple changes, and various variables in the industrial competitive environment, selection of the organization strategies confront uncertainty in decision making. The SIM framework presents a solution to select alternative strategies for organizations in unpredictable situations.

Findings

The findings show that SIM is a reliable approach to evaluate, select and rank organization’ strategies. SIM proposes alternative strategies due to the uncertainty of the organization’ environment with respect to the four strategic positions. The SIM’ proposed ranking process is in accordance with the highest impact of each strategy on each other. Furthermore, it possesses advantages of AHP, ANP and other applied multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques in SWOT analysis.

Practical implications

In this paper SIM is applied within a dairy company located in the north of Iran.

Originality/value

SIM has the advantages of the classic SWOT and fills the gaps of MCDM methods application in the SWOT analysis. Moreover, it provides a formulated algorithm for the organizations to face the uncertainty of the environment. SIM philosophy can be widely used in the decision and managerial implications.
Multidimensional research about oleotourism attraction from the demand point of view
Authors: Ruiz Guerra Ignacio , Molina Valentin , Quesada José Manuel
Published: December 2018

Purpose

Experimental tourism can be understood as a new trend in tourist demand. Tourists want to experiment with lifestyles in different places. The information society shows how and where the best products are cultivated and is linked to how the quality of life should be. Nowadays, we are intended to know more and better things, both tangible and intangible, and new technologies show them to us immediately. One intends to live these opportunities as soon as they can.

Design/methodology/approach

From the experimental point of view Olive Oil Tourism (Oleotourism) emerges from the olive oil consumer’s interest in learning about the production process, so they can discover a lifestyle associated to this product. This research begins with an exploration of tourists’ motivations. Then, focusing on these consumers, this work has different targets: first, to assess how consumers perceive intangible aspects of olive oil and, second, to forecast the potential demand for oleotourism.

Findings

The development of tourism is the result of tourist entrepreneurs that react to the pre-existing demand/opportunity by identifying it in the tourist market.

Research limitations/implications

The consumer’s experience is important, but touristic trends are changing. The importance of olive oil may grow in the future because the nutrition benefits are known by all countries. The natural experience around olive oil will drive it to other stakeholders.

Practical implications

It is very early to recognize if the olive oil tourism industry is economically interesting, and whether innovative offers can be created based in olive oil and the lifestyle in rural areas.

Social implications

The local development around olive oil tourism could be a potential complement with the principal activities, which are usually agricultural activities, farmer interests and local and historical heritage. This is a means to foresee the plausible impacts of the development of oleotourism on tourist destinations, for which oleotourism might become a competitive advantage based on an agri-food product with many intangible profits: olive oil.

Originality/value

This is the first opportunity to learn about the personal interest of the consumer regarding olive oil. They give us the opportunity to know if the institutional offer about new destinations based on olive oil tourism will have a chance or will it be an economic complement with the principal activities.
Option contract design for supply chains under asymmetric cost information
Authors: Chen Xue , Li Bo , An Simin
Published: December 2018

Purpose

A lack of visibility into the manufacturer’s production cost information impedes a retailer’s ability to maximize her own profits, especially when market demand is uncertain. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the use of an option contract within a one-period two-echelon supply chain in the presence of asymmetric cost information.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the principal-agent model, the retailer, acting as a Stackelberg leader, offers a menu of option contracts to mitigate the risk of uncertain demand and reveal asymmetric production cost information. The optimal contract in asymmetric and symmetric information scenarios is derived. Finally, the impact of production costs on the optimal contracts and the actors’ profits is explored by numerical experiments.

Findings

By comparing the optimal equilibrium solutions in two scenarios, the authors show that asymmetric cost information has a large impact on the optimal option contract and profits. In addition, information rent is affected by the type differential. The results prove that the level of information asymmetry plays a vital role in option contracts and profits.

Originality/value

Different from the existing literature on private demand information, this paper considers a supply chain with asymmetric cost information in the context of option contracts. Interestingly, not only the production cost but also the probability of a low production cost can affect the option strike price. In addition, from the perspective of the manufacturer, a high cost does not always bring a high information rent. These findings can provide some guidance to decision-makers.
Pragmatic implications of embedded librarianship in academics: a review of eminent literatures
Authors: Pati Bharati , Majhi Sabitri
Published: December 2018

Purpose

As the concept of “embedded librarianship” is gaining acceptance globally, and a surplus amount of literature is available for the aspiring practitioners, it would be supplementary to carry out such a literature review and bring alike and crucial works together within one piece of writing. This paper aims to gather realistic instances in LIS literature, where embedded librarianship has been practiced successfully.

Design/methodology/approach

While the focus of this review paper is on embedded librarians in curricular contexts, the phraseembedded librarianhas a variety of meanings, including librarian involvement and integration at the macro levels such as college, department, programme, research team and micro levels such as course designing, semester assignments and competitive preparation etc. List of relevant literatures was collected from Scopus and LISTA database. Later, full text of the listed document was retrieved from different sources. But the literature that included practical role of an embedded librarian was prioritised and the one which incorporated proposed theories was excluded, and hence, 67 of them were found to be fitted for reviewing purpose in the current case.

Findings

While planning for any extensional service besides the usual housekeeping ones, a vigorous transformation in the attitude has to be engulfed. Though the conception of embedded librarianship as a whole is an extended version of service deliverance, it can be alienated into sections according to the contextual outline and areas of embedding such as in the research context, pedagogical participation and offering information literacy.

Research limitations/implications

This paper provides a panoramic view on the emerging notion of this extended version of librarianship. By successfully practicing the embedded librarianship model, the user group would be benefited and the professionals could justify the ethics of their professionalism. Embedded librarianship in the university context can be a very important endeavour for the future challenges. The proactive initiatives of the librarian along with a handy support from authorities might ensure continuous and effective partnerships.

Originality/value

This paper is expected to be one of the initial and review articles in the area of embedded librarianship in academics. It is a highly informative paper on embedded librarianship and will be most useful for researchers to refer this paper for individual study and also will promote the academic librarians for taking initiative to work as effective embedded librarians.
Responsible leadership, affective commitment and intention to quit: an individual level analysis
Authors: Haque Amlan , Fernando Mario , Caputi Peter
Published: December 2018

Purpose

Drawing on social learning theory, the purpose of this paper is to explore the mediational effect of affective commitment on the relationship between responsible leadership and intention to quit.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applied a two-step process of the structural equation modelling technique to test the proposed hypothesised model. A web-based survey was administered to collect data targeting a sample of 200 full-time Australian employees.

Findings

The results suggest that responsible leadership significantly influences employees’ affective commitment and their intention to quit. As predicted, both responsible leadership and affective commitment negatively influenced intention to quit. Notably, the direct influence of responsible leadership on intention to quit was found to be partially mediated by employees’ affective commitment.

Practical implications

This study shows how leaders can expect to reduce employees’ intention to quit by leading responsibly through valuing employees’ affective commitment.

Originality/value

This study makes a unique contribution to responsible leadership literature by linking it with social learning theory. Moreover, there are only a handful of studies examining responsible leadership and its influence on employees’ behavioural outcomes. This study extends the limited understanding of responsible leadership and its relationship with affective commitment and intention to quit.
In search of ethics: from Carroll to integrative CSR economics
Authors: Wagner-Tsukamoto Sigmund
Published: December 2018

Purpose

Revisiting Carroll’s classic corporate social responsibility (CSR) pyramid framework, this paper aims to evolve a novel synthesis of ethics and economics. This yielded an “integrative CSR economics”.

Design/methodology/approach

This theory paper examined how to conceptually set up CSR theory, argue its ethical nature and establish its practical, social and empirical relevance. Economic analysis reached out from contemporary institutional economics to Smith’s classic studies.

Findings

The paper reconstructed all of Carroll’s four dimensions of CSR – economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic responsibilities – through economics. The paper discounted a core assumption of much CSR research that economic approach to CSR, including the instrumental, strategic “business case” approach to CSR, were unethical and lacked any foundations in ethics theory. Integrative CSR economics reframes research on viability and capability requirements for CSR practice; redirecting empirical research on links between CSP (corporate social performance) and CFP (corporate financial performance).

Research limitations/implications

The paper focused on Carroll as the leading champion of CSR research. Future research needs to align other writers with integrative CSR economics. Friedman or Freeman, or the historic contributions of Dodd, Mayo, Bowen or Drucker, are especially interesting.

Practical implications

The paper set out how integrative CSR economics satisfies the “business case” approach to CSR and develops practical implications along: a systemic dimension of the market economy; a legal-constitutional dimension; and the dimension of market exchanges.

Social implications

Integrative CSR economics creates ethical benefits for society along: a systemic dimension of the market (mutual gains); a legal-constitutional dimension (law-following); and the dimension of market exchange (ethical capital creation). Social benefits are not only aspired to but also are achievable as a business case approach to CSR is followed.

Originality/value

The paper’s main contribution is a new synthesis of economics and ethics that yields an “integrative CSR economics”.
Systemic Dissemination of Injected Foreign Material
Authors: Olds Kelly , Gilbert John , Langlois Neil E.I. , Byard Roger W.
Published: December 2018

A 32‐year‐old woman collapsed following an intravenous injection of material that included crushed pharmaceutical tablets. Resuscitation was attempted but was unsuccessful. She had an extensive past medical history of complications resulting from intravenous drug use. Death was due to mixed drug toxicity. The major findings at autopsy included a 10 mm deep skin sinus over the right femoral vein that was used as an injection site. Polarizable foreign material was present at the injection site and also within the lungs with a granulomatous reaction. Of note, a probe‐patent foramen ovale had permitted paradoxical embolization of this material into the systemic circulation with lodgement within the liver, portal lymph nodes, myocardium, spleen, kidneys, and pancreas. This case highlights the importance of checking for any intracardiac shunts, which may be quite small, and systemic dissemination of foreign material to multiple organs in intravenous drug users who present for medicolegal assessment.
Influence of anxiolytic premedication on vasovagal reactions and home readiness following outpatient intrathecal anaesthesia—A retrospective analysis
Authors: Gebhardt Volker , Kiefer Kevin , Weiss Christel , Schmittner Marc D.
Published: December 2018

Background

Vasovagal reactions during application of intrathecal anaesthesia (IA) are associated with high anxiety levels. A high percentage of patients undergoing outpatient surgery suffer from anxiety. Anxiolytic premedication in day‐surgery is suspected to delay recovery and discharge and is, therefore, not routinely used. The aim of this retrospective analysis was to detect the influence of anxiolytic premedication on the incidence of vasovagal reactions and time until discharge home.

Methods

Anaesthesia records of all patients undergoing outpatient surgery under low‐dose IA from January 2008 to June 2017 were analysed. Incidences of vasovagal reactions with a decrease in blood pressure and/or heart rate and need for cardiovascular activating medications were documented. Patients were categorised as having received an anxiolytic premedication or not. The time from intrathecal injection of the local anaesthetic until readiness for discharge was recorded.

Results

The records of 2747 patients were analysed. One thousand two hundred and ninety‐one of them received an anxiolytic premedication of 1‐2 mg midazolam intravenously. Three hundred and fourteen patients had vasovagal incidents during application of IA (no premedication n = 217 [15.0%], premedication n = 97 [7.5%], P < 0.0001). Premedication did not prolong time to achieve readiness for discharge (mepivacaine: P = 0.5886, chloroprocaine: P = 0.1555). However, in the prilocaine group, premedication led to a significantly earlier achievement of readiness for discharge (P = 0.0002).

Conclusion

Anxiolytic premedication significantly reduces the incidence of vasovagal reactions during the application of IA and does not affect time until readiness for discharge.