bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Luxury wine brand visibility in social media: an exploratory study
Authors: Reyneke Mignon , Pitt Leyland , Berthon Pierre R.
Published: March 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to address the visibility of luxury wine brands, in particular the Bordeaux first growth brands in social media.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses data from howsociable.com to portray similar luxury wine brands in multi‐dimensional space. To identify the associations between the brands and the social media visibility indicators, the paper uses correspondence analysis.

Findings

The findings of the paper show that some of the brands considered did not, at the time the data were gathered, have a clearly defined social media strategy.

Practical implications

The indication is that there are opportunities for luxury wine brand managers to use social media as a tool in their marketing strategies; also some threats may exist to these brands should they take a laissez faire approach to social media, particularly when social media are becoming as influential, if not more so than conventional media.

Originality/value

Brands can take directions in social media today that would have been unlikely if not impossible five years ago. While brand managers may not fully be able to control the destinies of these brands, this paper suggests that the approaches followed in this particular research will present brand managers with a tool that will assist them in directing conversations that occur around their brands.
Factors influencing wine consumption in Southern California consumers
Authors: St James Melissa , Christodoulidou Natasa
Published: March 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to further examine factors influencing the intention to drink wine. Building on studies conducted among British and Australian wine drinkers, this study was undertaken among Southern California wine drinkers in an effort to provide cross‐cultural comparison of wine consumption motivations and intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a two‐step methodology (including qualitative interviews and surveys), the influence of both attitudes and subjective norms on the intention to drink wine is examined.

Findings

This current research shows a significant influence of the perceived health benefits of wine consumption among Southern California wine drinkers.

Research limitations/implications

This study is limited to Southern California wine consumers and may lack generalizability. Future research endeavors should focus on expanding the study to include a wider population within the USA and include analysis of additional variables such as gender, ethnicity, amount and type of wine consumed, and others, as related to the intention to drink wine.

Practical implications

By further refining the target consumer group most likely to respond to a marketing message revolving around perceived health benefits, marketers can precisely craft appropriate and effective campaigns. Responsibly touting the health benefits of moderate wine consumption, within the US Tax and Trade Bureau's guidelines, to Southern California wine drinkers could be an effective marketing technique.

Originality/value

The paper's most important finding is the emergence of the perceived health benefits of wine consumption as being influential on the intention to drink wine.
Italian wine demand and differentiation effect of geographical indications
Authors: Stasi Antonio , Nardone Gianluca , Viscecchia Rosaria , Seccia Antonio
Published: March 2011

Purpose

Geographical indications (GIs) provide a strong differentiation tool for firms. Whether this statement is confirmed at aggregate level in terms of market independence of different GIs is not tested yet. The purpose of this paper is to provide demand estimates and elasticities (own‐price and substitution) in order to test this hypothesis and verify the differentiation effect of GIs at aggregate level.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis consists of the application of a quadratic almost ideal demand on a four equation system. Estimates are obtained through an iterated version of a generalized method of moments, which corrects for endogeneity determined by expenditure and prices in case of promotional activities.

Findings

Estimates prove the existence of a differentiation effect of GIs in terms of magnitude of elasticities and substitution effects. GIs corresponding to higher quality generate lower price sensitiveness and product substitution, contrarily to wine without GI. Controlled origin denomination (DOC) wine demand results are price sensitive and they substitute for wines of different GI. Controlled and guaranteed origin denomination (DOCG) is the most profitable GI. In fact, because of its inelastic demand, DOCG price could be potentially increased, to a certain extent, without having significant effects on volumes consumed.

Research limitations/implications

Foreign wine should also be included in the demand system in order to understand the whole Italian wine market. Data concern retail level demand. The whole market, including hotels, restaurants and catering, should be included to offer a wider set of implications.

Practical implications

Marketers and producers could use the information provided by the estimates in order to forecast Italian wine demand. Elasticities and substitution effect provide them with a precise measure of consumers' price sensitiveness, which would be beneficial for their pricing strategies.

Originality/value

The paper provides, for the first time, estimates of a demand system relative to GI differentiated Italian wine.
Developing a framework for examining business‐driven sustainability initiatives with relevance to wine tourism clusters
Authors: Grimstad Sidsel
Published: March 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review and discuss different aspects of institutional theory and resource based‐theory in relation to issues of environmental sustainability and how these might influence business practices and environmental decision making in agriculture‐based tourism businesses. A wine tourism district in Australia has been selected for further studies.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents a brief review of the concept of sustainability for the business community, followed by a review of institutional and resource based theories linked with the natural environment, and discusses how business‐activities towards sustainability might be promoted or hindered by the institutional context. This review identifies current research gaps and makes suggestions regarding empirical testing through comparative research on a wine tourism cluster in Australia and an apple tourism cluster in Norway.

Findings

The paper presents a series of gaps in current theory and empirical research and makes recommendations regarding a comparative empirical study of an Australian wine tourism cluster and a Norwegian apple tourism cluster.

Originality/value

This paper is among the first to explore the issue of environmental sustainability and business decision making from an institutional perspective. The recommendations regarding empirical research will potentially inform future research initiatives regarding environmental sustainability in wine tourism clusters. More knowledge about the firm's perspective on the issue of environmental orientation and strategy, and how best to ensure lasting change is vital for the development of relevant wine business and environmental policies. This knowledge would be important both for wine industry organisations as well as environmental policy makers.
New England Australia
Authors: Grant Bligh , Dollery Brian , Hearfield Colin
Published: March 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to contrast the marketing strategies of the New England Australia wine‐producing region with those of the Languedoc‐Roussillon region in France. While the two regions occupy similar market positions, they nonetheless reveal diametrically opposed marketing strategies. Against the background of this comparative discussion, the paper proposes methods to enhance the development of the New England Australia wine region so that it becomes a more complete example of successful rural restructuring.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses a comparative, political economy approach to explore the marketing strategies of the New England Australia wine‐producing region, and the Languedoc‐Roussillon region in France. In particular, following the work of Garcea‐Parpet, the paper seeks to demonstrate that markets are most usefully viewed as social and political/legal constructs, as well as economic exchanges, and that focussing on the former elements is a fruitful way to proceed, both in terms of analysis and policy prescription for the industry.

Findings

Comparison with the Languedoc‐Roussillon region in France generates future potential opportunities for New England Australia. A number of issues are discussed with respect to the organisation of the industry and its representation, particularly focusing on leadership and the extent to which leadership was both a catalyst for change and a driver of continued success in the case of Languedoc‐Roussillon.

Originality/value

This paper represents the first exploration of the impact of regional status for the New England Australia wine region and the first comparative analysis of the region with Languedoc‐Roussillon.
City branding: a state‐of‐the‐art review of the research domain
Authors: Lucarelli Andrea , Olof Berg Per
Published: March 2011

Purpose

The aim of the paper is to carry out a contemporary and concise “state‐of‐the‐art” review of the city branding research domain, in particular how scholars have approached this field of study, what aspects of city branding have been studied, what cities have been chosen, and how the studies are designed.

Design/methodology/approach

Through an iterative search in multiple literature databases, 217 qualified research studies on city branding were identified and retrieved. Those studies were examined, analyzed and categorized according to six categories: bibliographical data, methodologies used, empirical foundation, conceptual frameworks, branding elements, and reported outcomes of branding efforts.

Findings

City branding is emerging as an internationally recognized research domain characterized by a high degree of multi‐disciplinary, rapid proliferation in and between disciplines, and a somewhat fragmented theoretical foundation. On the basis of research interests, three perspectives were identified (producing, consuming, and criticizing city branding) emerging across academic disciplines

Research limitations/implications

The study is based on research articles in English, published in academic journals, which limits the international and professional scope of the study. Another limitation is the selected time period, which does not include studies prior to 1988 or later than 2009.

Originality/value

As a state‐of‐the‐art review, the main contribution of this paper is a contemporary and comprehensive overview of the field as such. A methodological contribution is the attempt to run a multi‐variate analysis of the branding elements in relation to the output and performance data reported in the studies. Another contribution is the identification of three cross‐disciplinary research perspectives in the field today.
The problem with spatial identity: revisiting the “sense of place”
Authors: Kalandides Ares
Published: March 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold: on the one hand, it is to contribute to a sound conceptualization of the notion of place identity in the context of geographical spatial approaches; on the other, it is to show the implications this has in place branding research.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the paper draws from place branding literature to point out the lack of a conceptualization of place identity, second, it presents the case study of Prenzlauer Berg to show how place identity is constituted. Finally, these findings are linked to literature about the constitution of space and place.

Findings

The concept of spatial identity suffers under the anthropomorphism of the term identity. Only in a sound conceptual framework and through a method mix it is possible to understand how the specificity of space is constituted.

Research limitations/implications

The case study that is the base of this conceptual paper is a neighbourhood. There is a need to further discuss the issue of scale, i.e. whether the same rules apply for cities, regions or nations.

Practical implications

Place branding/marketing is often based on a fuzzy notion of place identity. The above non‐essentialist approach of this identity deeply questions both the legitimacy and the efficiency of any place branding strategy. It thus asks for more sophisticated analytical methods by policy makers and consultants alike.

Originality/value

Conceptualization of spatial identity is a rather vague concept and, though it is often used as a point of departure for several issues, it is usually taken for granted. This paper offers a new systematic approach to the disambiguation of the concept.
How to catch a city? The concept and measurement of place brands
Authors: Zenker Sebastian
Published: March 2011

Purpose

The branding of places has gained popularity among city officials in recent years. Unfortunately, place marketers often disregard the complexity of place brands, as do their counterparts in the academic discussion: the focus repeatedly falls on the simple explorative description of certain city brands, rather than a proper conceptualization of a place brand that employs different measurement approaches for the different elements of the brand. Thus, this paper aims to identify those different elements and discuss measurement approaches that could prove useful in place branding.

Design/methodology/approach

Following a review of the extant literature on the measurement of brand image in general and place branding in particular, the paper outlines distinct elements, categories and dimensions of a place brand, as well as a number of approaches from place brand image measurement, with example cases of each approach.

Findings

Exploring a brand can be divided into three main approaches: in the form of free brand associations of target customers with qualitative methods, in the form of attributes with quantitative methods like standardized questionnaires and with mixed methods that combine qualitative research with quantitative methods.

Originality/value

This paper presents an extensive review of current place brand measurement studies and provides a conceptual framework for the elements of a place brand. Through these means, the paper offers a valuable concept for place branding and furthers the discussion of appropriate measurement approaches in the realm of place branding.
Producing and consuming the painter Raphael's birthplace
Authors: Giovanardi Massimo
Published: March 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to draw upon Johnson's “Circle of Culture” to develop a cultural approach for studying place marketing's internal audience. A research project on the small Italian Renaissance city of Urbino explores how a number of marketing events dedicated to the painter Raphael, who was born there, have been produced and then received among different urban “populations” (dwellers, commuters, students, etc.). The second part of the paper conceptualizes events as both “inward” and “outward” forces and compares the Raphaellian events with some of Urbino's traditional festivities.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a qualitative study that applies discourse analysis to media texts, official documents and 42 in‐depth interviews held with both local officials and internal place consumers.

Findings

The inquiry reveals a predominance of discourses in support of the events: civic pride, identification, and economic benefits. What is more striking is that some participants not only appreciated the marketing events but “went beyond” by producing discourses in support of a more intensive exploitation of Urbino's cultural and heritage resources.

Research limitations/implications

Quantitative research is recommended to generalize evidence stemming from ethnographic inquiry and to measure “the magnitude” of the different discourses produced by the people.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to overcoming the materialist perspective which underpins a consistent part of literature by showing a new (counter)example of the “non‐oppositional voices” of place marketing. Moreover, it sheds more light on how “tertiary communication” takes place and how it can be properly investigated.
Place identity beyond province and metropolis
Authors: Mahnken Gerhard
Published: March 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss communicative problems and perspectives in the branding‐process of a metropolitan region. It pursues the question of how intended place politics and non‐intended socio‐spatial developments impact the process of place branding for Germany's capital region Berlin‐Brandenburg. The metropolitan region is here discussed as a special type of place identity. This type follows wider trajectories. There seems to be a lack of knowledge in how to manage a metropolitan identity.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper focuses on theoretical and practical perspectives of metropolitan place branding. A methodological approach to this case with the research approach public branding was developed by the Leibniz‐Institute for Regional Development and Structural Planning (IRS) in Erkner, Germany.

Findings

Berlin, as an urban space of international significance, continues to stand in a direct spatial and functional relation to the structurally weak areas of the surrounding federal state of Brandenburg. As a consequence, the most diverse array of trajectories, resources, infrastructures, lifestyles and spatial interpretations demand new answers for place branding in metropolitan regions as future spaces of identity. The providing and conceptual integration of intermediaries in the field of knowledge‐based institutions plays a fundamental role in the spatial arrangement.

Research limitations/implications

The paper asks for the preconditions to generate public brand‐knowledge. This knowledge is seen as the key factor for communicative re‐constructions and for identity building in disparate social spaces.

Practical implications

The deliberations try to give answers to the discussion of how far metropolitan place branding, as a worldwide future marketing prospect, can integrate old and new conceptual ideas about handling metropolitan disparities. The deliberations also implicate the question to what extent persuasive strategies for metropolitan brands have to observe limits. In this understanding, the paper gives five recommendations for place managers.

Social implications

Processes of identity formation in social spaces follow certain comprehensive strategic paths and local particularities, whose concurrence becomes an object of metropolitan branding.

Originality/value

A relationship between governance and branding discourses within spaces of identity is discussed. It is here a matter of the fundamental question, namely, under which internal conditions social actors develop a spatial brand in a metropolitan region.
Is there a role for informal settlements in branding cities?
Authors: Hernandez Jaime , Lopez Celia
Published: March 2011

Purpose

Informal settlements are consistent areas in Latin America which exhibit distinctive urban and social dynamics. However, despite their size and impact, these settlements have been traditionally overlooked in terms of the contribution that they make to the city and to any place branding strategy. These areas are commonly seen as having nothing more to offer than poverty and constraint. However, literature and research shows their possibilities beyond those traditional limits, and arguably they can actively contribute to branding cities in Latin America. The purpose of this paper is to critically explore the contribution that informal settlements can make to a fairer, more real and authentic branding of cities.

Design/methodology/approach

The discussion is based on two ongoing research projects, one in urban planning and the other one in business, together with a first‐hand knowledge and engagement with informal settlements in Bogotá.

Findings

Informal settlements can contribute positively to branding cities. Trying to “hide” these areas from visitors' views is not only impossible because of their size, but also not desirable because of how they can enrich a branding strategy. However, there are also major downsides which need to be taken into consideration.

Originality/value

The value resides in the attempt to link two themes that traditionally have been nearly opposite (informal settlements and branding cities), and the elaboration on the outcome of this relationship.
Environment and sustainable development in Bangladesh
Authors: Mohammad Nour
Published: March 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explain and come to an understanding of origin and growth relating to the concept of environment and sustainable development in domestic and international laws; also to show the rationality of enlisting the right to the environment as a basic right in the constitution, that would help to protect this value from the detrimental activities of private entities and states, and also to show the rationality of institutional development.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper attempts to focus on environment and sustainable development in Bangladesh. The research is based upon theoretical sources and empirical data.

Findings

An environment is a set of natural, artificial or man‐made, physical, chemical and biological elements that make the existence, transformation and development of living organisms possible. The appearance of the environmental law arose from the need to conserve the environment in order to avoid its destruction and, as a result, the danger that an adequate quality of life might disappear. By conservation, we understand all those measures that are necessary to preserve the environment and natural resources. In modern times, human development corresponds to the concept of sustainable development and environment. It is a transverse theme derived from joint consideration of the issue of the environment and environmental protection, and of all that concerns production in the development of a country or nation.

Originality/value

The paper is original in calling for making the constitution a weapon, in as much as the environment should be fit for human development so that productive activities may meet present needs without compromising those of future generations. The environment is an independent value and needs as strict protection as other commonly agreed values, such as the right to property, or the right to life and health.
Internal audit function: an exploratory study from Egyptian listed firms
Authors: El‐Sayed Ebaid Ibrahim
Published: March 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the nature and characteristics of internal audit function in Egyptian listed firms and assess its ability to fulfill its role in corporate governance.

Design/methodology/approach

The study has been carried out through a questionnaire survey that aims to explore the internal audit function in Egyptian listed firms from four main aspects: insourcing or outsourcing arrangements of the internal audit function; organizational setting; activities; and interaction with external auditors.

Findings

The findings of the study reveal that a large proportion of Egyptian listed firms have internal audit function, but internal audit function in these firms is less matured. Internal audit function has low levels of organizational independence, management support, and qualification of internal audit staff. Also, the results reveal that internal audit function is still focused on financial audit and internal controls compliance and has not yet moved towards the expanded new role explained in Institute of Internal Auditors's new definition. Finally, the results indicate that there is a weak level of interaction between internal and external auditors in Egypt. These results suggest that internal audit function in Egyptian listed firms, in its current status, faces many difficulties that affect negatively its effectiveness in corporate governance.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of the study create doubt about internal audit's role as a corporate governance mechanism in Egyptian firms and, therefore, indicate that extensive efforts should be made to enhancing the internal audit profession in Egypt. The results of the study should be considered by regulators in Egypt in order to begin the necessary actions for legally pending the Egypt Code of Corporate Governance issued in October 2005 and in order to begin the necessary actions for developing the internal audit profession. However, owing to relatively small sample size, these finding should be interpreted with caution.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the understandings of the nature and characteristics of internal audit function by empirically exploring the nature and characteristics of internal audit function in Egypt, as an emerging market.
Property tax reform: an evaluation of Lagos State land use charge, 2001
Authors: Babawale G.K. , Nubi T.
Published: March 2011

Purpose

The Lagos State land use charge (LUC) 2001 represents a radical and wholesome restructuring of the entire erstwhile land‐based tax system in the state, and the first of its kind in Nigeria. The purpose of this paper is to examine how this maiden holistic intervention in property tax administration in Nigeria has fared in its first nine years.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary data were garnered from stakeholders through personal interviews and structured questionnaires, while secondary data include information from the enabling act and other‐related materials.

Findings

It was noted that the intervention failed to conform to best practice both in policy and administration. As a result, the reform has not ceased to generate controversies, has enjoyed limited acceptability, and achieved limited success.

Originality/value

Taking a cue from the experiences of countries that have demonstrated best practices in property tax reform, the paper proffers suggestions, covering both policy (e.g. extensive stakeholders' consultation) and administration (e.g. improved links between tax payment and provision of local services) that would help to sustain the reform intervention and make it sufficiently worthwhile.
The widening of vicarious liability: implications for employers
Authors: Lockwood Graeme
Published: March 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how the concept of vicarious liability has developed in recent years.

Design/methodology/approach

This work analyses case law decisions pertaining to vicarious liability.

Findings

The paper examines how court decisions have acted to widen considerably the application of vicarious liability in a business context.

Research limitations/implications

Further research could usefully speculate on the direction the law might take in the future.

Practical implications

The paper reveals how vicarious liability applies in a business context and provides some pertinent learning outcomes for employers from case law development.

Originality/value

The analysis presented in this paper explains how an important legal concept applies in a contemporary business context.
Venture capital and private equity in India: an analysis of investments and exits
Authors: Rajan Annamalai Thillai , Deshmukh Ashish
Published: March 2011

Purpose

The venture capital and private equity (VCPE) industry in India has grown significantly in recent years. During five‐year period 2004‐2008, the industry growth rate in India was the fastest globally and it rose to occupy the number three slot worldwide in terms of quantum of investments. However, academic research on the Indian VCPE industry has been limited. This paper seeks to fill the gap in research on the recent trends in the Indian VCPE industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Studies on the VCPE transactions have traditionally focused on one of the components of the investment lifecycle, i.e. investments, monitoring, or exit. This study is based on analyzing the investment life cycle in its entirety, from the time of investment by the VCPE fund till the time of exit. The analysis was based on a total of 1,912 VCPE transactions involving 1,503 firms during the years 2004‐2008.

Findings

Most VCPE investments were in late stage financing and took place many years after the incorporation of the investee firm. The industry was also characterized by the short duration of the investments. The type of exit was well predicted by the type of industry, financing stage, region of investment, and type of VCPE fund.

Originality/value

This paper highlights some of the key areas to ensure sustainable growth of the industry. Early stage funding opportunities should be increased to ensure that there is a strong pipeline of investment opportunities for late stage investors. VCPE investments should be seen as long‐term investments and not as “quick flips”. To achieve this, it is important to have a strong domestic VCPE industry which can stay invested in the portfolio company for a longer term.
Effect of relationship building and constraint‐based factors on business buyers' relationship continuity intention
Authors: Jena Satyajit , Guin K.K. , Dash S.B.
Published: March 2011

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to examine key antecedent variables that affect buyers' relationship continuity intention and measure the relative importance of these key antecedent variables. It also aims to examine the mediating roles of an inter‐organizational trust (trust in supplier organization) and buyers' dependence in determining buyers' relationship continuity intention. To this effect, the paper groups the predictor variables of relationship continuity under two broad categories of factors, i.e. constraint‐based factors; and relationship building factors.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 137 steel buyers. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the validity of the measures. The hypotheses were tested using structural equation modelling. The empirical tests included direct effect and mediating effects testing.

Findings

Trust in supplier was found to mediate the positive effects of communication and offer quality on buyers' relationship continuity intention. Trust in supplier was also found to mediate the negative effects of opportunistic behavior on buyers' relationship continuity intention. However, dependence on supplier does not predict buyers' relationship continuity intention.

Research limitations/implications

The study indicates that it is the relationship building factors and not dependence‐based factors that predict relationship continuity intention of buyers in BtoB relationships. Offer quality aspect has the highest effect on trust in the supplier, pointing to fact that buyers also need tangible evidence to develop trust in the relationship. The study has covered the perception of buyers only and therefore the views can be one sided. Further, there might have been a tendency for the respondents to select a particular supplier with whom they have a good relationship.

Practical implications

Marketing managers of suppliers should try to develop trust‐based relationships rather than dependence‐based relationship with their buyers. In order to build trust in the BtoB relationship, the study suggests that steel suppliers should invest in both economic and behavioral aspect of transaction. Further, suppliers should put performance management systems in place in their organizations that do not encourage opportunistic behavior in their salespersons.

Originality/value

The study relates to inclusion of both behavioral and economic antecedents of trust. Most of the prior studies in BtoB buyer‐seller relationships have focused on behavioral or economic antecedents of trust, but rarely have both aspects been studied together. This study gives an empirical basis on which steel companies can base their BtoB marketing strategy.
Top‐down change in a public sector bank: lessons from employees' lived‐in experiences
Authors: Awasthy Richa , Chandrasekaran Vijayalakshmi , Gupta Rajen K.
Published: March 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to examine a case study of an Indian public sector bank (PSB) to better understand the employee's experience of the change, specifically top‐down culture change.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a qualitative case study approach to describe and extract lessons from a top‐down change in an Indian PSB. The data were collected twice to understand the extent of change with a gap of two years.

Findings

The study indicates that selective change has occurred as a response to the external environment that affected organizational mission and strategy. The study findings indicate that there is a significant realignment of the strategy, structure, systems, and technology along with the level of customer satisfaction. Efforts to realign employees' experiences and attitudes, however, leave a lot to be desired.

Research limitations/implications

The study is based on single case study.

Practical implications

Lessons on how to implement change in the public sector are discussed. The findings bring forth a unique challenge faced by organizations to create a culture which is a blend of market and employee orientation. Further studies are needed in this domain.

Originality/value

This research fills the literature gap in the domain of culture change by carrying out a study in a developing country in Southern Asia. Second, most of the studies do not make a clear distinction between behavioral and values levels, and very few studies have looked at both the levels simultaneously. The current study is an attempt to fill this research gap.
Offshoring to India – realising savings and capturing value
Authors: Messner Wolfgang
Published: March 2011

Purpose

The paper aims to describe the drivers of offshoring to India and how savings and value can be generated by understanding and structuring the offshore journey as a lifecycle.

Design/methodology/approach

While offshoring is a contentious topic, more than 50 per cent of companies across the industries already offshore some of their functions. However, focussing on cost cutting alone can only lead to short‐term benefits while potentially putting at risk the mid‐ and long‐term position. Instead, successful offshoring is a multifaceted transformation, which includes industrialised approaches to service delivery. Levers for the business case not only comprise factor‐cost and effort savings, but also flexibility options and risk normalisation. An offshore delivery strategy can best be implemented by following a lifecycle approach ensuring stringent and informed governance decisions.

Findings

The paper finds that cost savings through offshoring are not only generated through factor cost savings, but increasingly through industrialisation and innovation engineering. To capture savings and value, corporations should actively manage the offshore lifecycle.

Originality/value

Value creation through offshoring is neither inherent to the offshoring process nor to India as a target destination. Instead, a series of governance decisions in the offshore lifecycle lead to the desired result.
Circulating tumor cells as a surrogate marker for determining response to chemotherapy in Japanese patients with metastatic colorectal cancer
Authors: Matsusaka Satoshi , Suenaga Mitsukuni , Mishima Yuji , Kuniyoshi Ryoko , Takagi Koichi , Terui Yasuhito , Mizunuma Nobuyuki , Hatake Kiyohiko
Published: March 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of circulating tumor cells (CTC) as a surrogate marker of the clinical outcome in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients in order to identify Japanese patients responsive to oxaliplatin‐based chemotherapy. Between January 2007 and April 2008, 64 patients with mCRC were enrolled in this prospective study. The treatment regimen was oxaliplatin‐based chemotherapy. Collection of CTC from whole blood was performed at baseline and at 2 and 8–12 weeks after initiation of chemotherapy. Isolation and enumeration of CTC was performed using immunomagnetics. Patients with ≥3 CTC at baseline and at 2 and 8–12 weeks had a shorter median progression‐free survival (8.5, 7.3 and 1.9 months, respectively) than those with <3 CTC (9.7, 10.4 and 9.1 months, respectively) (log‐rank test: P = 0.047, P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). Patients with ≥3 CTC at 2 and 8–12 weeks had a shorter median overall survival (10.2 and 4.1 months, respectively) than those with <3 CTC (29.1 and 29.1 months, respectively) (P < 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively). A spurious early rise in carcinoembryonic antigen level was observed in 11 patients showing a partial response. In contrast, no rise in early CTC level was observed among responders. Our data support the clinical utility of CTC enumeration in improving our ability to accurately assess treatment benefit and in expediting the identification of effective treatment regimens for individual Japanese patients. (Cancer Sci 2011; 102: 1188–1192)
Associations between drinking motives and changes in adolescents' alcohol consumption: a full cross‐lagged panel study
Authors: Schelleman‐Offermans Karen , Kuntsche Emmanuel , Knibbe Ronald A.
Published: March 2011

Aims  Longitudinal full cross‐lagged models are essential to test causal relationships. This study used such a model to test the predictive value of internal (enhancement and coping) and external (conformity and social) drinking motives for changes in alcohol use over time, and tested possible reversed causality (i.e. alcohol use explains later drinking motives).

Design  Longitudinal data consisting of two waves (separated by 1 year) were used to estimate cross‐lagged structural equation models.

Setting  Three comparable (regarding urbanization and social stratification) Dutch communities.

Participants  A total of 454 alcohol‐using adolescents aged 13–16 years (mean = 14.8 years, SD = 0.78) at wave 1.

Measurements  Standardized questionnaires including the Drinking Motive Questionnaire–revised, and items on total weekly consumption and frequency of heavy episodic drinking.

Findings  In adolescence, drinking motive preferences are already relatively stable over time. Also, only social motives significantly predicted increases in total weekly consumption and frequency of heavy episodic drinking. No feedback mechanisms by which alcohol consumption explains later drinking motives scores were found.

Conclusions  Among drinking adolescents in a wet drinking culture, such as the Dutch drinking culture, social drinking motives, rather than enhancement or coping motives for drinking, appear to predict overall consumption and frequency of heavy episodic use a year later. Parents and other important social actors have an active role in reducing alcohol availability and monitoring adolescents' drinking.
Plain packaging increases visual attention to health warnings on cigarette packs in non‐smokers and weekly smokers but not daily smokers
Authors: Munafò Marcus R. , Roberts Nicole , Bauld Linda , Leonards Ute
Published: March 2011

Aims  To assess the impact of plain packaging on visual attention towards health warning information on cigarette packs.

Design  Mixed‐model experimental design, comprising smoking status as a between‐subjects factor, and package type (branded versus plain) as a within‐subjects factor.

Setting  University laboratory.

Participants  Convenience sample of young adults, comprising non‐smokers (n = 15), weekly smokers (n = 14) and daily smokers (n = 14).

Measurements  Number of saccades (eye movements) towards health warnings on cigarette packs, to directly index visual attention.

Findings  Analysis of variance indicated more eye movements (i.e. greater visual attention) towards health warnings compared to brand information on plain packs versus branded packs. This effect was observed among non‐smokers and weekly smokers, but not daily smokers.

Conclusion  Among non‐smokers and non‐daily cigarette smokers, plain packaging appears to increase visual attention towards health warning information and away from brand information.
The 50% and 95% effective doses of desflurane for removal of the classic laryngeal mask airway in spontaneously breathing anaesthetised adults*
Authors: Hui M. T. , Subash S. , Wang C. Y.
Published: March 2011

The 50% and 95% effective doses of desflurane for removal of the classic laryngeal mask airway after suction of the upper airway, in anaesthetised spontaneously breathing adult patients, are not known. To determine these, we studied 38 healthy patients, aged between 18 and 44 years. The target desflurane concentration in each individual patient was determined by the Dixon up‐and‐down method. When the predetermined target end‐tidal desflurane concentration reached steady state, we kept a constant end‐expiratory partial pressure between the alveolus and the brain for 10 min before attempting to remove the classic laryngeal mask airway after suctioning the upper airway. The initial desflurane target concentration was set at 6% and up‐down desflurane increments were 0.1%. This continued until there were at least six crossover pairs. From the probit analysis, the 50% effective dose of desflurane was 5.29% (95% CI 5.132–5.379%) and the 95% effective dose was 5.55% (95% CI 5.429–6.394%).
A randomised control trial to determine if use of the iResus©application on a smart phone improves the performance of an advanced life support provider in a simulated medical emergency*
Authors: Low D. , Clark N. , Soar J. , Padkin A. , Stoneham A. , Perkins G. D. , Nolan J.
Published: March 2011

This study sought to determine whether using the Resuscitation Council UK’s iResus© application on a smart phone improves the performance of doctors trained in advanced life support in a simulated emergency. Thirty‐one doctors (advanced life support‐trained within the previous 48 months) were recruited. All received identical training using the smart phone and the iResus application. The participants were randomly assigned to a control group (no smart phone) and a test group (access to iResus on smart phone). Both groups were tested using a validated extended cardiac arrest simulation test (CASTest) scoring system. The primary outcome measure was the overall cardiac arrest simulation test score; these were significantly higher in the smart phone group (median (IQR [range]) 84.5 (75.5–92.5 [64–96])) compared with the control group (72 (62–87 [52–95]); p = 0.02). Use of the iResus application significantly improves the performance of an advanced life support‐certified doctor during a simulated medical emergency. Further studies are needed to determine if iResus can improve care in the clinical setting.
Factors affecting the profitability of surgical procedures under ‘Payment by Results’
Authors: Abbott T. , White S. M. , Pandit J. J.
Published: March 2011

We wished to analyse the factors influencing the potential profitability of surgical operations under the National Health Service ‘Payment by Results’ scheme. First, we planned to develop a generic theoretical model describing the relationships between ‘profit’, ‘procedure duration’ and ‘costs’. Second, for a group of specific operations, we planned to investigate (using analysis of hypothetical lists) whether it was possible for hospitals to make a profit when lists were maximally efficient. ‘Efficient’ meant full utilisation of the list time, with no gaps between cases and no case cancellations. We assumed that operating theatres cost a median of £16.min−1 (range £12–20.min−1 or ∼£7680 for an 8‐h list), and we used published mean (SD) times for seven common day‐case operations (varicose veins, inguinal hernia, cataract, circumcision, hydrocoele, cystoscopy, breast biopsy). We found that even when conducted perfectly efficiently, some operations (notably varicose veins) were always unprofitable. Conversely, other operations (notably cataracts) would be likely to be profitable even if conducted inefficiently. We conclude that current tariffs do not properly reward efficiency. As tariffs are based in large part on hospitals’ reporting their own costs, flaws in the tariffs are likely to be due to inaccurate reporting. Even for this imperfect funding system, our theoretical model may help to develop strategies to maximise profit. Our analysis suggests alternative ways in which reimbursement systems could be designed to avoid creating perverse incentives and instead properly reward efficient practices.
Inbreeding affects fecundity of American mink (Neovison vison) in Danish farm mink
Authors: Demontis D. , Larsen P. F. , Bækgaard H. , Sønderup M. , Hansen B. K. , Nielsen V. H. , Loeschcke V. , Zalewski A. , Zalewska H. , Pertoldi C.
Published: March 2011

Inbreeding is an increasing problem in farmed mink, because of limited exchange of individuals between farms. In this study, genetic relatedness within seven American mink (Neovison vison) colour strains originating from 13 different mink farms in Denmark was analysed using 21 polymorphic microsatellite loci. We detected large differences in the level of relatedness (range 0.017–0.520) within colour strains. Moreover, a very strong and highly significant negative correlation between the level of relatedness and fecundity was observed (r = 0.536, P < 0.001) [Correction added after online publication on 9 March 2011: r2 has been changed to r]. To our knowledge, this is the first time that such a correlation has been demonstrated for commercially farmed mink.
Novel assays to assess the functional capacity of the classical, the alternative and the lectin pathways of the complement system
Authors: Palarasah Y , Nielsen C , Sprogøe U , Christensen M L , Lillevang S , Madsen H O , Bygum A , Koch C , Skjodt K , Skjoedt M-O
Published: March 2011

Deficiencies in many of the complement proteins and their regulatory molecules have been described and a variety of diseases, such as recurrent infections, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and renal diseases, may be linked to deficiency in the complement system. Screening for complement defects is therefore of great importance. In this study, we present novel improved enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for the functional assessment of the three individual pathways of the complement system. The method is applicable at high serum concentrations and we demonstrate that it minimizes both false negative as well as false positive results. In particular, for the functional mannose-binding lectin activity it represents an improvement on the existing assays. In this respect, the present assays represent novel improved diagnostic protocols for patients with suspected immunodeficiencies related to the complement system.