bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Peter Drucker: modern day Aristotle for the business community
Authors: Kurzynski Marcia
Published: October 2009

Purpose

Current headlines depicting the billion dollar government bailouts of some of the world's largest business corporations suggest that a new paradigm of management is needed. This paper seeks to propose that the management theory of Peter F. Drucker and certain Aristotelian concepts, expressed in the Nicomachean Ethics and Politics, are applicable to the business community today.

Design/methodology/approach

Drucker's management philosophy is synthesized with the moral philosophy of Aristotle to suggest a practical management framework for contemporary business practitioners. In providing a virtue‐based moral framework for management grounded in a concern for character, communal wellbeing, and ultimate purpose, Drucker's Aristotelian‐style of business management provides a viable, virtue‐based management theory that contemporary managers should be able to embrace.

Findings

Drucker has been regarded as one of the most influential management thinkers of the twentieth century. It is suggested that, given the current level of morality shown in the behaviour of business people today – business leaders in particular, what is needed is a change in managerial perspective. A change from the prevailing concern with one's own wellbeing – how much one has, or can get for oneself – to include a concern for the wellbeing of others. It is proposed that Drucker's management philosophy, which reflects Aristotelian matters of character, community and telos, though formulated many years ago, provides a framework for improving managerial behaviour today.

Research limitations/implications

Drucker's pragmatic business commentary and advice reveal a deep understanding of the complexity of the business world and the realities of business from the perspective of the business person, and yet do not reject the overriding moral principles of integrity, community and achievement that serve as the foundation for society.

Originality/value

The paper offers a business‐relevant, virtue‐based perspective that, in the author's opinion, is more than adequate for a renewed vision of management in the twenty‐first century.
Peter Drucker's leap to faith
Authors: Fernandez Susana
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify and interpret the spiritual foundation that permeates all Drucker's contributions, and to show that his convictions served as his internal compass, thus helping him to develop and articulate a coherent and unequivocally ecological view of the nature of management.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper makes use of primary data by focusing on Drucker's published works, as well as private correspondence found at the online Drucker Archives of the Drucker Institute in Claremont Graduate University. It also makes use of materials written about Drucker and his views by former students and colleagues.

Findings

The paper presents Drucker as a lifelong learner, as the excellent student who used his personal lens to observe, synthesize, and purposefully distil his experiences into what would become the practice of management. The paper examines his contributions to the field of management from a personal perspective by presenting Drucker as the spiritual philosopher, the social ecologist, the learning teacher, and the refracting bystander.

Practical implications

The paper suggests that Drucker's views achieve greater clarity, poignancy, and relevance when contextualized within his personal philosophy. This foundation humanizes his phenomenal contributions, and increases respect for a man who exemplified what he preached.

Originality/value

Presenting Drucker as a pragmatist alone devalues his overall contributions to management and society. In an era of reported spiritual decline and commodization of the individual, Drucker's spiritually‐aligned contributions remind readers that doing the “right thing” is both simple and complicated, but always a timelessly human right and responsibility.
Revisiting Drucker's theory
Authors: Yani‐de‐Soriano Mirella , Slater Stephanie
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This paper sets out to review the business history of consumerism and to ask whether over‐consumption is leading to an unacceptable level of inappropriate social behavior that is detrimental to both society and business.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews Peter Drucker's writings on management and explores the meaning of consumerism and how it could have led to the over‐use of marketing. The paper discusses how the word “consumerism” has evolved and brings attention to the role of the internet in consumerism. It explains why poor knowledge management strategies are presenting a new set of challenges for business. Finally, it discusses the reasons why the balance of power between businesses and consumers needs to revert to a status of equilibrium.

Findings

The paper contends that the growth of consumerism has led to the over‐use of marketing and it explains why, in twenty‐first century marketing, social responsibility should be extended to a wider group of stakeholders that includes government, businesses and consumers.

Practical implications

The “consumer is king” concept has implications for management because of the emphasis businesses have placed on their customers. The paper asks managers to review their knowledge management systems and processes. Electronic document management systems (EDMS) and business process management systems (BPMS) will protect corporations from some of the cybercrime examples discussed here.

Originality/value

The research reviews Drucker's work on knowledge management and asks why management continues to fail to implement appropriate knowledge‐based systems for protecting their business.
Success beyond success: the “golden triangle” of continuous performance improvement
Authors: Klaas Jagersma Pieter
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The main subject of the article is continuous performance improvement (CPI). More specifically, the author seeks to understand the most important management challenges under that heading. An extensive empirical study determines companies' most important continuous performance improvement roots.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was conducted from January to September 2008. The author conducted 48 interviews with senior executives of well‐known global companies. The companies cover a wide range of industries.

Findings

Three categories of performance roots are undeniably the chief variables of company and management effectiveness: leadership, business models, and people, i.e. the “golden triangle” of continuous performance improvement. CPI at world‐class levels will only occur if all of these levers are focused upon on an ongoing basis.

Research limitations/implications

The study is embedded in qualitative research, i.e. mainly open‐ended interviews.

Practical implications

Continuous performance improvement means constantly searching for a “better practice”, implementing that practice, and then searching for another “better practice”. Without the emphasis on continuous improvement, one‐time gains are unlikely to lead to further improvements. The competitive squeeze provides the main rationale for executives to build a continuous performance improvement mindset. In doing so, they preserve margins and vitality. A continuous performance improvement approach must be developed that minimizes both perceived and actual risk while ensuring that the benefits from the changes are captured quickly.

Originality/value

Each industry faces a regular, predictable and persistent erosion of competitive positions as a result of competitive pressure, technological progress and changes in industry dynamics. While the dynamics of industries are not easy to understand, the real challenge is how to build a continuous performance improvement mindset and how to roll it out at a pace that will be sufficiently fast to stay ahead of the pack. This article is about the main components of a continuous performance improvement approach (the golden triangle of CPI).
Guided by the brand: from brand management to integrative corporate communications
Authors: Malmelin Nando , Hakala Jukka
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to develop a concept and framework of integrative brand management through a case analysis of the international Dove campaign.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents a conception of integrative brand management and a case analysis.

Findings

The paper presents a thorough case analysis of the Dove campaign, and a framework of integrative brand management.

Originality/value

The paper contributes a framework for organizational brand analysis and management that is applicable to corporate communications, and also contributes a thorough case analysis of the international Dove campaign.
Women's career progression barriers and organisational justice: a study of Iranian society
Authors: Jamali Reza , Nejati Mehran
Published: October 2009

Purpose

For a long time, women have not been judged by the same standards as men when trying to enter a trade or profession reserved traditionally for men or even after becoming part of it, while progressing. This paper explores the concept of career progression of female staff in an academic institute. It seeks to answer the following research questions: What barriers are faced by women in career progression? What are the differences in perceptions among female sub‐groups regarding these barriers? What policies and improvement programs can be provided to promote women's career progression? What is the relationship between women's career progression and justice?

Design/methodology/approach

According to the research objectives, the best way to collect the required data was a questionnaire. In this research, three different questionnaires were used. Also, to rank women's career progression barriers, the TOPSIS technique was used.

Findings

The authors found that there is a significant relationship between career progression barriers with interactional and distributive justice. Our ranking results showed that lack of organisational support and job restrictions are the main barriers to women's career progression. Also, flexible working time options is the main support program for eliminating of these barriers.

Research limitations/implications

The major research limitations of this study were the failure to collect and analyse data that would yield a quantitative assessment of organisational justice, and the distribution of questionnaires among women at work.

Originality/value

This is the first study of its nature conducted among female Iranian university staff to focus on barriers to women's career progression. The paper also offers practical guidance that can be used by management and women employees to facilitate career progression.
A framework for effective feedback for non‐native learners of English writing
Authors: Pounder Elaine
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to devise, test, and refine a method suitable for providing effective feedback for second language university students learning to write academic and business English.

Design/methodology/approach

The research takes the form of a case study using real learners in a Middle Eastern university who are provided with feedback slips which has been specifically designed to cover actual learning objectives along with standard features that remain common across all writing. The feedback slips are attached to assignments, marked using international symbols to highlight errors, for return to students. Following the use of such specifically designed feedback slips throughout the semester, students are invited to participate in the research activity to provide comments as to their effectiveness.

Findings

The paper led to a finding that not only are the feedback slips welcomed but also they are appreciated by all 15 students who participated as volunteers because they have found them to add value to their learning.

Research limitations/implications

The paper is limited by its small sample group and the fact that it is carried out in only one Middle Eastern university where the students are under pressure not only from overcrowded classrooms, but also to complete degrees in the same time frame as native English speaking students. The paper can be extended to include students in other universities with similar issues. It can even be extended beyond the Middle East and not necessarily only in universities where overcrowding pressures exist, i.e. it can include postgraduate students, high‐school students, and even native English learners of composition who might benefit from this particular feedback system.

Practical implications

Considering student views, it is suggested that specifically designed feedback slips would provide a welcome addition to the repertoire of feedback options that are available to instructors.

Originality/value

This is an original initiative by the author which has been proven useful according to the end‐users, i.e. students. It can therefore be of value to instructors who would wish to explore ways to assist aid their own students so that they can make the most of their limited study time by being directed to specific areas for personal development.
Pharmacy students' perceptions of the teaching evaluation process in Jordan
Authors: Al‐Abbadi Ibrahim , Alkhateeb Fadi , Khanfar Nile , Mujtaba Bahaudin , Latif David
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess pharmacy students' perceptions of the usefulness of the teaching evaluation (TE) instrument and the rationale behind their responses.

Design/methodology/approach

A comprehensive survey instrument is constructed by the authors. Pharmacy students at University of Jordan (JU) are asked to complete the survey instrument. The questionnaire is completed during students first required, regularly scheduled class.

Findings

Of the 577 pharmacy students who are invited to participate, 557 completed the survey for a response rate of 96.5 percent. The majority of the 557 pharmacy students viewed student evaluation of teaching as worthwhile (4.11 out of five on a Likert scale anchored at “1, strongly disagree” and “5, strongly agree”), but agreed that the faculty members receiving the best evaluations are not always the most effective teachers (3.54 out of five).

Research limitations/implications

This paper only surveyed pharmacy students who are studying at JU and hence the results from this paper cannot be generalized to all pharmacy schools or countries in the Middle East. In addition, results may be biased by a social desirability effect whereas students respond in a manner that is different than their true perceptions.

Practical implications

Students acknowledge that the nature of the course, answering questions during office hours, and a pleasant instructor personality positively affected their evaluation score, while the majority of students disagree with the belief that having less work to do and easy exams impacted positively their evaluation scores.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the few attempts to assess the students' perception towards the TE process and the rationale behind their responses in the Middle East.
Current status of operations research/management science education at the United Arab Emirates business schools
Authors: Abdulrahman Yousef Darwish
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate current status of operations research/management science education at the United Arab Emirates (UAE) business schools in terms of the position of operational research/management science (OR/MS) course in the curriculum, the title assigned to this course, its objectives, contents, teaching methods, text‐books used, assessment methods, and pre‐requisites.

Design/methodology/approach

Owing to the nature of this paper (exploratory), and the data collected (non‐numerical) this paper has adopted qualitative approach to analyze the collected data.

Findings

Results reveal that all business schools offering this course offer only one OR/MS course. Results also show that OR/MS course is a business core course in the majority of schools offering this course. It is also found that different titles are assigned to this course at different business schools offering this course. Furthermore, results indicate that the main teaching mode used in this course is lectures and main assessment method is exams. It is found that the prevalent objectives of OR/MS course at the business schools offering this course are: teaching students quantitative skills needed to tackle real‐world problems, and teaching students how to use certain OR/MS techniques and how to use software to solve OR/MS models.

Research limitations/implications

This paper like any other paper in the social sciences suffers a number of limitations. For example, this paper is based mainly on course syllabus as a mode of obtaining the required data. Therefore, if other modes of data collection, such as, for example, questionnaires are used, more advanced analysis techniques could be used and this in turn might enhance the results of the study. Furthermore, this paper is based mainly on the point of views of the instructors teaching OR/MS course and therefore neglecting the views of the students taking the course.

Practical implications

This paper has a number of implications for courses' developers and instructors alike. For courses' developers, they will be aware of current status of OR/MS education in the UAE and this in turn might enable them make better decisions regarding OR/MS courses in terms of objectives, contents, teaching formats, assessment methods, etc. For instructors, they will learn from the experiences of each other and this, of course, will enhance their ability to deliver the course in much more effective manner.

Originality/value

Owing to paucity of studies concerning OR/MS education in the Arab countries in general and in the UAE in particular, this paper is the first paper which provides a comprehensive picture of the status of OR/MS education at the UAE business schools.
Planning practices, strategy types and firm performance in the Arabian Gulf region
Authors: Yusuf Attahir , Saffu Kojo
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate planning practices, strategy types, and the performance of indigenous firms in Bahrain and United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Design/methodology/approach

Data are collected from cheif executive officers (CEOs) and top management of 95 local companies sampled from Chamber of Commerce and Industry databases in Bahrain and UAE using face‐to‐face interviews. Analysis of variance and univariate logistic regression are employed in analyzing the data.

Findings

Although most of the firms are long‐term planners, many of them do not have a planning process. Majority of the firms are Prospectors and Analyzers. Prospectors perform considerably better than all the other strategy types. Nevertheless, the firms that are included in this paper appear to be cautious and not aggressive in entering new markets or in taking the lead in introducing and marketing new products.

Research limitations/implications

The paper suffers from selection bias by focusing on indigenous‐owned companies. Also, the data originate from self‐reported responses from business leaders and executives. The results do not establish causality. Finally, only broad demographic links are considered. Other individual and firm variables may influence performance in different ways than indicated here.

Practical implications

Managers must pay heed to the usefulness of planning and ensure that their companies have a planning process in place. Given the performance of Prospectors, managers must adopt some prospector strategies. Experience and high level of education as essential ingredients to successful planning and performance require management consideration.

Originality/value

The paper provides empirical support for Miles and Snow typology and corroborates the existing understanding that planning is beneficial to firms from an under‐researched part of the world.
Work intensity, work hours, satisfactions, and psychological well‐being among Egyptian managers
Authors: Burke Ronald J. , El‐Kot Ghada
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship of measures of work intensity and work hours on potential antecedents and work and well‐being consequences.

Design/methodology/approach

Data are collected from 242 male and female managers and professionals working in a variety of organizations in Egypt using anonymously completed questionnaires, with a 48 percent response rate.

Findings

Work intensity is significantly correlated with work hours, but weakly. Work hours and work intensity share only one common personal demographic and work situation predictor (level of education) but it has opposite relationships with the work hours and work intensity measures. Work hours and work intensity also share one common stable personality predictor, non‐required work, and a workaholic job behavior. This measure however likely reflectes the requirements of managerial jobs more than the addictive and negative aspects of workaholism. Work intensity is more strongly and consistently related to both work and well‐being outcomes. Interestingly, work intensity is positively related to work outcomes and negatively related to indicators of psychological well‐being.

Research limitations/implications

The sample is likely non‐representative of Egyptian managers and data are collected at one point in time making it difficult to determine causality.

Practical implications

The results suggest that work intensity may be more important than work hours as factors in employee work experiences.

Originality/value

The paper fills a gap in understanding of human resource management practices and experiences in Egypt.
Joint venture instability and monitoring
Authors: Roy Chowdhury Prabal
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to build a theory of joint venture formation and instability based on synergy and monitoring.

Design/methodology/approach

This problem is formulated as a dynamic game and solved using the notion of subgame perfect Nash equilibrium.

Findings

It was found that monitoring problems may prevent the joint venture from forming at all. Moreover, joint venture formation usually involves over‐monitoring, and ex post could involve cheating by one, or both the firms. Faced with the possibility of over‐monitoring, firms may choose to under‐invest in improving the input quality. The paper develops some testable implications of this theory.

Originality/value

The contribution of this paper is both methodological, as well as in terms of generation of new insight. It provides a framework that allows one to analyze issues like both sided moral hazard, as well as monitoring in joint ventures. New insights are that monitoring issues can take several forms including over‐ and under‐monitoring by partner firms, and, there is a linkage between such monitoring problems and joint venture instability.
Pursuing inclusion in India: a story of specification errors
Authors: Suryanarayana M.H.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate India's five year plan strategies for including the deprived in the development process since Independence.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a policy review paper based on past studies.

Findings

The paper argues that effective policy formulation for inclusion and its evaluation is conditioned by the available institutional capacity to generate and effectively utilize a sound information base. Using empirical illustrations based on past studies, this paper shows that India's pursuit of inclusion has been hampered because of the limited appreciation of design as well as limitations in available information. This has led to a mechanical pursuit of sophistication in policy formulation, which has rendered both the implementation and an honest evaluation of the policy process difficult.

Originality/value

This paper has relevance for inclusive policy reforms and will open up a debate, as well as future research, on the issues raised.
The low‐income housing market in Jordan
Authors: Al‐Homoud Majd , Al‐Oun Salem , Al‐Hindawi Al‐Mutasem
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The housing sector in Jordan suffers from a lack of balance between supply and demand, in general, and from the inability to meet the demands of low‐income households, in specific. The purpose of this paper is to explore the potentials and obstacles facing low‐income housing supply. It is shown that there is undersupply in low‐income housing.

Design/methodology/approach

The attributes of the supply–demand model are explored using qualitative and quantitative research methods. The first research step was archival. Findings indicated a presence of major obstacles facing developers and hindering them from supplying low‐income housing. The second research step included face‐to‐face interviews with the local developers in three major cities: Amman, Irbid and Zarqa. They were interviewed using a semi‐structured and open‐ended questionnaire.

Findings

Results indicated that most plausible causality of undersupply of low‐income housing is due to macro‐environment attributes: controllable – management (lack of human resources and capacity building), real estate (lack of marketing skills and sales advertising), technology and construction industry (inaccessible appropriate building technology and affordable construction), land ownership and site selection (limited to the developers geographical area); and uncontrollable – financing (small capital operation and difficulties in bank loans and lending), government policies (lack of incentives, tax exemptions, and rigid laws and regulations), and social and cultural (social needs requires certain spatial arrangements and rejection of borrowing from financial institutions for religious reasons).

Practical implications

The study recommends increasing supply of low‐income housing can be achieved by various means and not by single attribute. Attributes affecting this price reduction and increase homeownership include implementing real estate principles and processes, co‐operation of all key‐players through various forms of public/private partnership, facilitating procedures in commercial banks, increasing the number of units that share services and infrastructure, constructing multi‐use housing projects, defining gradual revenue rates for services and limiting revenue rates for the housing units, developing local construction material, using simple shapes and configurations, and reducing non‐used space like the formal reception and dining areas despite their cultural value.

Research limitations/implications

Statistical inferences will be needed in a future study to complement the present study's investigation of low‐income housing production in Jordan.

Originality/value

As the first of its kind, the research help to identify policy implications for different partners (housing developers, local planning authorities, national housing and planning authorities and government policy makers) in order to increase homeownership for low‐income groups.
Housing price volatility and its determinants
Authors: Lin Lee Chyi
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the housing price volatility for eight capital cities in Australia over 1987‐2007. Specifically, the volatility of Australian housing and its determinants were investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

An exponential‐generalised autoregressive conditional heteoskedasticity (EGARCH) model was employed to analyse the volatility for eight capital cities in Australia. The Engle LM test was also utilised to examine the volatility clustering effects in these cities.

Findings

The volatility clustering effects (ARCH effects) were found in many Australian capital cities. The importance of estimating each individual city's EGARCH model was also demonstrated in which the determinants of housing volatility vary from a city to another city. Asymmetric of the positive and negative shocks were also documented.

Research limitations/implications

This study has implications for investors and policy makers in which housing investors should estimate the conditional variance (EGARCH process) of a housing market in respect to the volatility of housing series is not always constant over time. Furthermore, policy makers should also address the importance of considering the sub‐national factors in formulating the national housing policy. The analysis and results are limited by the quality of the data.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the few studies in housing volatility. Additionally, it is probably the first attempt to assess the volatility spillover effects in the Australian housing market.
Considering client‐driven sustainability in residential housing
Authors: Raisbeck Peter , Wardlaw Sarah
Published: October 2009

Purpose

Energy emissions from the new houses being built over recent years have increased rather than declined since the implementation of the current government rating system. This is despite evidence of Australians' growing concern about climate change. This paper seeks to compare the demographics, attitudes and knowledge of people considering building a new home with the factors that would motivate them to adopt a more sustainable home.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical data from a survey of 32 people considering building a home were statistically analysed.

Findings

The results of the research indicate that financial incentives are the key motivator. Furthermore, the research identifies a relationship between age and preferred motivators.

Practical implications

The findings of the research project allow a better understanding of the target group, which can be used to initiate more targeted motivators to encourage them to adopt a more sustainable house design. This can inform more directed marketing of sustainable investment incentives.

Originality/value

The research project establishes an understanding of the target group and the important motivators that would encourage these people, who are considering building a new house, to drive sustainability in residential design. The findings allow a better understanding of the target group, which can be used to initiate more targeted motivators to encourage them to adopt a more sustainable house design.
Evaluating the sustainability of urban housing development in Nigeria through innovative infrastructure management
Authors: Otegbulu Austin , Adewunmi Yewande
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to determine the sustainability of housing development in the context of neighbourhood infrastructure provision and also to examine the level of averting cost and substitutes resorted to by households in the study areas.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 80 questionnaires each were distributed and retrieved from households in Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC) town and Badia, Lagos, Nigeria. The questionnaire design was based on a combination of an extensive review of literature dealing with the economic impact of urban infrastructure on the citizens of Lagos metropolis. All respondents returned completed questionnaires in a usable format, representing a 100 per cent response rate.

Findings

Infrastructure provision is not sustainable in the study areas. This is based on the fact that infrastructure provision in the study areas is deplorable and in consequence households are willing to pay for its improvement.

Research limitations/implications

Sustainability is a goal that allows for continuing improvement of standards of living without irreversible damage to resources need to survive as that humans species. It therefore implies that housing development has to be designed in a sustainable manner with due regard to its neighbourhood. This is reinforced by the fact that housing development cannot be sustainable without neighbourhood interactions and cost‐efficient infrastructure management.

Originality/value

Review of sustainable urban services is needed to curb slum formation and deteriorating housing conditions in urban neighbourhoods. This will be a veritable tool in urban housing and infrastructure management.
The usage and understanding of Australian household mortgages
Authors: Worthington Andrew C.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to establish the profile of mortgage‐holding households in terms of their demographic, socioeconomic, and financial characteristics and assess the current state of knowledge concerning mortgage products in Australia.

Design/methodology/approach

Logit models predict owner‐occupied, investor mortgages, and mortgage understanding. Factors include financial literacy, gender, age, ethnicity, occupation, education, family structure, household income, savings, and debt. Understanding is knowledge of mortgage rates, fees and charges, and familiarity with mortgage terms.

Findings

Middle‐aged and couples with children have an increased likelihood of an owner‐occupied mortgage, while being from a non‐English speaking background, a small business owner, or a skilled tradesman increases the likelihood of an investor mortgage. Understanding is generally poorer for females, rural/regional households and the young, and better for professionals, the university‐educated, and small business owners and skilled tradesmen.

Research limitations/implications

The cross‐section of households is from a period when mortgage rates were stable and housing prices strong.

Practical implications

No more than 40 per cent of mortgage‐holding households have an understanding of any key mortgage terms, only 35 per cent understand the main disadvantage of fixed over variable rates during falls in interest rates, and just 15 per cent understand the fees and charges on their own mortgage. There is a need for financial literacy programmes to continue and expand.

Originality/value

This is the first Australian study to model the demand and understanding of mortgage products using household level data.
Housing shortage for low‐income in Yemen: causes and suggestions
Authors: Alaghbari Wa'el , Salim Azizah , Dola Kamariah , Abdullah Abang Ali Abang
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors that cause housing shortage for low‐income groups in Yemen and recommend some solutions to alleviate the problem.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire survey has been used as the tool to carry out this study. The first part of the questionnaire consisted of three groups namely: economic, administrative, and legal factors. The second part consists of suggestions on housing supply, construction methods, and materials used for low‐cost housing in Yemen. The level of importance of the categories was measured and the relative importance of weightage was ranked.

Findings

The results show that the most important economic factors causing housing shortage were poor handling of available economic resources and shortage of economic resources. The most important administrative factors causing housing shortage were lack of organization and synchronization and not conducting studies on housing. The most important legal factor causing housing shortage was lack of legalization of housing.

Originality/value

The findings could be used to improve housing policies and strategy in Yemen in order to decrease the housing shortage, particularly for the low‐income group.
Can risk management boost the supply of affordable housing development and management?
Authors: Susilawati Connie
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the risk management process conducted by some private and not‐for‐profit affordable housing providers in South East Queensland, and draw conclusions about the relationship between risk assessments/responses and past experiences.

Design/methodology/approach

In‐depth interviews of selected non‐government housing providers have been conducted to facilitate an understanding of their approach to risk assessment in developing and in managing affordable housing projects. Qualitative data are analysed using thematic analysis to find emerging themes suggested by interview participants.

Findings

The paper finds that informal risk management process is used as part of normal business process in accordance with industry standards. Many interviewees agree that the recognition of financial risk and the fear of community rejection of such housing projects have restrained them from committing to such investment projects. The levels of acceptance of risk are not always consistent across housing providers which create opportunities to conduct multi‐stakeholder partnership to reduce overall risk.

Research limitations/implications

The paper has implications for developers or investors who seek to include affordable housing as part of their portfolio. However, data collected in the study are a cross‐section of interviews that will not include the impact on recent tax incentives offers by the Australian Commonwealth Government.

Practical implications

The study suggests that implementing improvements to the risk mitigation and management framework may assist in promoting the supply of affordable housing by non‐government providers.

Originality/value

The focus of the study is the interaction between partnerships and risk management in development and management of affordable rental housing.
Assessing employee wellbeing: is there another way?
Authors: Juniper Bridget , White Nicola , Bellamy Patricia
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to compare factor analysis (FA) with an alternative approach known as impact analysis (IA) in determining items for a questionnaire to measure employee wellbeing.

Design/methodology/approach

FA and IA were conducted on a raw data set drawn from an earlier study to develop an assessment that measures the impact of work on employee wellbeing. IA is an accepted clinical methodology used to verify items in the development of health‐related quality of life instruments that evaluate patient wellbeing in clinical trials.

Findings

FA and IA gave rise to considerably different assessments. IA resulted in a 51‐item scale spread across ten different domains. FA generated an eight‐factor scale with 46 items. In total, 31 variables were common to each version. The additional 20 items using IA included a number of variables that were identified by employees as being important to their wellbeing. The 15 extra items yielded by FA included six variables that were perceived by staff to be relatively unimportant. Five factors were fairly consistent with five of the domains. Both scales showed adequate internal consistency reliability.

Research limitations/implications

The present study suggests an alternative methodology for measuring employee wellbeing. The small number of subjects who participated in the earlier research is a limitation.

Originality/value

The study offers exploratory research into an alternative way to measure wellbeing in the workplace that draws on an accepted clinical methodology already used to assess and evaluate patient wellbeing.
Workplace complementary and alternative therapies for hospital‐site staff
Authors: Meade Oonagh , MacLennan Sara Jane , Blake Holly , Coulson Neil
Published: October 2009

Purpose

Workplace wellness schemes are emerging in NHS settings, including complementary and alternative therapy services aimed at improving employee wellbeing. The aim of this study is to explore the impact of one such therapy service on service users based at a large UK teaching hospital.

Design/methodology/approach

In‐depth semi‐structured interviews were undertaken with seven staff members who participated in at least one workplace complementary or alternative therapy. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis approach was taken in the design of interviews and the analysis of interview data.

Findings

The following themes were elucidated: having positive but tentative expectations of therapies; enhancing health and wellbeing through therapy; appreciation for the “Q‐active” therapy service as part of a workplace wellness programme; and work influencing therapy use and vice versa.

Originality/value

The study adds to the limited research literature evaluating workplace health interventions by using an interview‐based qualitative approach to access employees' experiences of this type of workplace complementary and alternative therapies. Valuable insights were gained about the significance of this particular aspect of a larger workplace health programme. The emergent themes build on the existing literature on individuals' expectations and experiences of complementary and alternative therapies and also on the potential benefits of such a service for workplace health promotion.
Information and communication design for multi‐disciplinary multi‐national projects
Authors: Fox Stephen
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to inform information and communication design for multi‐disciplinary multi‐national projects through the presentation of examples and recommendations based on lessons learned.

Design/methodology/approach

Experiences from action research involving field study with 20 organizations, together with survey research involving 30 external experts.

Findings

Shared understanding in multi‐disciplinary multi‐national projects can be better enabled through the application of information and communication design.

Research limitations/implications

The action research involved only two cases.

Practical implications

Project participants need to have shared understandings in order to achieve project objectives. There are formidable inherent barriers to shared understanding in multi‐disciplinary multi‐national projects. Generic methods for the communication of information; such as use of gestures, speaking business English, and application of standard process charting; can be ineffective. Particularly, when inherent challenges are exacerbated by the introduction of new technological and/or business concepts. Information design seeks to improve the effectiveness of information. Communication design is concerned with the selection of media most suitable for carrying particular information to specific audiences/recipients.

Originality/value

The originality of the research reported in this paper is that it encompasses: inherent challenges in establishing shared understanding; limitations of generic methods for the communication of information; issues underlying information and communication design; as well as two cases of multi‐disciplinary multi‐national projects. The value of this paper is that it includes practical examples to inform information and communication design by personnel in project businesses. Further, practical recommendations for reducing time and cost are provided. Furthermore, these practical recommendations are related to the challenges highlighted by established theory.
Islamic financial product innovation
Authors: Al‐Salem Fouad H.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the financial product innovativeness of Islamic financial institutions.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative research methodology is used to collect and analyze the views of practitioners and researchers of Islamic finance. Different assessments are noted which raise the issue of lack of clarity on that subject.

Findings

Innovation levels of Islamic financial institutions are low owing to the development of Islamic finance as a new activity.

Research limitations/implications

The data available for the study are limited to the views of a small sample of practitioners and researchers in the field of Islamic finance.

Practical implications

The major practical implication is the necessity of developing financial product innovativeness programs as a means for survival and growth.

Originality/value

The paper demonstrates the value of Islamic financial product innovation within the wider context of product innovation.
Evolving banking regulation and supervision
Authors: Ramady Mohamed A.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effectiveness of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency's (SAMA's) regulatory policies.

Design/methodology/approach

Both descriptive and comparative analyses are used, especially in highlighting SAMA's monetary policies and approach during the 2008 world financial crises.

Findings

The analyzes revealed that SAMA has more than adequately met international regulatory supervision standards, but will face challenges in regulating the domestic Islamic banking sector, meeting the self‐imposed 2010 Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) gulf monetary union under a fixed parity rate regime, developing cross border regulatory and supervisory skills, and suggests possible solutions.

Practical implications

The paper noted the role of SAMA in managing monetary policy under a fixed parity regime, its banking supervision policies, and the evolving nature of banking regulation in the face of globalization challenges, World Trade Organization (WTO) accession in 2006 and in coping with the 2008 global financial crises which could be a template for other GCC central banks. The paper highlighted the major elements and effectiveness of Saudi banking law and restrictions on Saudi banks in terms of capital adequacy, reserve requirements and financial services, and address issues such as the impact of new regulatory reforms by SAMA, and their effectiveness on monitoring and supervising Saudi banks.

Originality/value

The paper concludes that the effectiveness of SAMA's regulatory policies has withstood both domestic and international financial crises and that SAMA can play a powerful influence in the proposed GCC monetary union.
Revisiting leadership styles and attitudes towards women as managers in Greece
Authors: Galanaki Eleanna , Papalexandris Nancy , Halikias John
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to deal with the attitudes towards women as managers, and the leadership style that women managers adopt. By replicating a study that was conducted in 1990, it is intended to explore how things have changed during the last 15 years, in terms of attitudes towards women in management, as well as in terms of the leadership style that each gender tends to apply at work.

Design/methodology/approach

A longitudinal survey, first run in 1990 and repeated in 2006, with a similar to the original sample of 229 Greek middle managers. Three very popular research scales are used to study the phenomenon: the women as managers scale, the satisfaction with the supervisor and the Likert four types of leadership styles.

Findings

The 2006 initial findings indicate greater presence of women in managerial positions, and relatively stable attitudes towards women as managers. Satisfaction with supervisor does not appear to be significantly correlated with the managers' gender, while, at the same time, no significant difference appears to exist between the leadership styles that male and female managers adopt.

Originality/value

This research is unique in drawing on cross‐time, large pool of data, to support the existence of persisting effects in the attitudes towards women as managers, as well as the effect of gender on the satisfaction with supervisor.