bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The platform‐driven organization
Authors: Rubenstein Howard
Published: July 2006

The purpose of this paper is to shed light on two key developments in the field of leadership that are significantly impacting organizations today. These two new developments are transforming businesses and non‐profit organizations alike. These new developments are: the creation of a new category of leadership called “leaders of leaders,” and the reemergence of the leadership tool called, “the platform,” as the cornerstone of organizations. The first finding of this article is that the “real” job description for a “leader of leaders” is very different from the job description of a “leader of followers.” This article explains that difference. Leaders of followers generally view their job as high level “problem solvers.” “Leaders of leaders” have a completely different job. They have the job of creating new, robust and enduring platforms that provide the organization a unique identity, can mold and direct large scale behavior within an organization and can address successfully large classes of problems. Most importantly, when a leader of leaders creates a platform, the leader must also create a feedback system so the platform can be improved on a continuous basis by input from those who are “on the ground” implementing the platform. The value of this article is that you can take the findings and immediately begin to implement some of the changes suggested in this article in your organization. You can transform your leaders into “leaders of leaders” and you can begin to create one or more “platforms” to improve your operations and organizational results.
Driving sustainable growth and innovation: pathways to high performance leadership
Authors: Jonash Ronald S.
Published: July 2006

The challenge for business leaders, across all industries, is to recognize and accept a new reality in which easy answers, quick fixes and magic bullets are harder to find. This is a reality in which pathways to success are increasingly complex and ambiguous – a reality in which organic growth and innovation emerge as the key drivers of sustainable top‐ and bottom‐line growth. For most companies, this means cutting costs, M&A and operational excellence must be augmented by a sharp focus on building and driving engines for sustainable growth and innovation. In our continued analysis of industry leaders who have been able to drive sustainable growth and innovation over the long term, four major differences have emerged. They have chosen to focus their strategies around organic growth and accelerated innovation building portfolios of compelling and differentiated offerings for well understood customer and market segments; building powerful innovation platforms supported by a rich pipeline of products and services; and building a more robust network of sources and partners who can deliver superior value across the extended enterprise. They know the marketplace well and can effectively take action on their intelligence – combining a wide range of insights (customer and consumer, technology convergence and standards, value chain and competitors) a multitude of idea “sources” and “depositors,” and a robust concept to customer innovation process. They apply disciplined processes more flexibly to the growth and innovation arena where pipelines need to be constantly adjusted, where fast to failure and accelerated experimentation is often as important as guaranteed success. They develop new metrics and measures that shift the behavior and culture of the organization toward sustainable organic growth and innovation – including both business scorecards and individual and team performance measures.
Managing dispersed teams: new challenges, new solutions
Authors: Crowley Elaine
Published: July 2006

This article describes considerations and techniques to increase the productivity of geographically dispersed (also known as “virtual”) teams. Challenges and recommended solutions are provided for increasing the productivity and creativity of geographically dispersed (also known as “virtual” and/or “non‐co‐located”) teams. Examples and ten specific suggestions are based on the author’s work with dispersed multi‐national teams. Recommendations emphasize attention to and adjustment of team systems and dynamics, with illustrative examples. This article identifies typical problems and offers practical solutions for those responsible for leading geographically dispersed teams. Dealing with teams spread out physically requires a mindset (and actions) different from more traditional management of teams with members in the same location. This article explores how to cultivate this mindset and recommends steps to take to insure a dispersed team functions productively.
What to do when people are your most important asset
Authors: Bassi Laurie , McMurrer Daniel
Published: July 2006

The article describes the constraints of the current system for accounting for the value and importance of an organization’s human capital. It describes the Human Capital Capability Scorecard (HCCS), which allows for better valuation of human capital, and examines the implementation of that HCCS system inside diverse organizations, and analyzes the relationship between human capital indices and organizational outcomes. The article describes the composition of five human capital indices, and examines their relationship to key organizational outcomes in a manufacturing firm, public school district, and consortium of banks and finds that human capital indices are positively related to a variety of organizational outcomes, including sales office effectiveness, student achievement test scores, and summary financial measures such as net income per employee. Future research should focus on the application of standard measures of human capital across additional organizations, and seek to more fully explore the effects of specific human capital items. The article suggests that organizations should devote significantly more attention to measuring their human capital in a way that recognizes its value, and that reporting such information publicly will help publicly traded organizations to avoid the too‐common short‐term focus on quarterly earnings. New quantitative evidence is provided to executives about the importance of human capital and methods for human capital and people‐related factors to be more appropriately measured, valued, and reported by organizations are suggeted.
Value‐added benefits consulting can save the day
Authors: Cassidy Dan
Published: July 2006

Technology has changed the way companies do business. As such, it has changed the way consultants dispense their expertise. Without a thorough re‐evaluation of the technology vs consultant ratio, companies are likely to squander funds and waste valuable resources and opportunities. Following the Second World War, companies started offering a plethora of company‐sponsored benefit plans. As these plans grew in complexity, consultants where brought for their experience and expertise. With stretched resources and companies expected to do more with less employees, HR outsourcing has become a nationwide trend. With this came many opportunities for consultants. With all these opportunities come situations where technology could be leveraged to complete projects better or in a more cost‐effective manner than consultants. With the advent of the internet, companies can leverage existing tools and services to do what a consultant does for a fraction of the cost. The value of a good consultant may be how he or she interacts with and augments face‐and‐brain time with technology. This article proposes that understanding and evaluating the return on investment of outsourcing consulting services in light of the new role of technology is vital for companies and their budget.
Mentor, don’t just manage, your next round of leaders
Authors: Shenkman Michael H.
Published: July 2006

Succession is a stated priority for many CEOs. Yet, many executives let the time it takes to select and groom a successor slip away. Shenkman shows why this happens: mentoring, the best method of developing in‐house talent, take a completely different mindset from the one executives use to drive results and success in an organization. Mentoring requires attentive, slow and subtle listening skills, forgiving (even fostering) mistakes, and bringing bad news. None of these are skills fostered in the production‐oriented drive toward managerial prowess. Adapting observations detailed in his book, The Arch and the Path: The Life of Leading Greatly, Shenkman applies lessons garnered from more than 25 years in executive coaching and mentoring, as well as detailed research on the dynamics of becoming, discovering and cultivating leaders. The only way for executives to shift to a mentoring mindset is to add a new skill: that is, learn mentoring and practice it.
Radical strategies may be required in today’s 24/7 society
Authors: Groucutt Jonathan
Published: July 2006

A combination of the Internet and changing lifestyles has significantly affected how many societies interact with business. This article considers some of the challenges facing companies operating with an increasingly competitive 24/7 environment. It also proposes strategies to critically evaluate a company’s position within the marketplace. Companies must learn to be agile to exploit opportunities and protect themselves from the growing threats within the marketplace. Such an approach may be the gateway to sustaining a competitive advantage.
Best practices for dealing with offshore software development
Authors: Vogel David A. , Connelly Jill E.
Published: July 2006

The purpose of this article is to examine why US companies outsource software development offshore and to present the factors to be considered to determine if the benefits of offshore outsourcing outweigh the drawbacks. Is offshoring worth it in terms of cost savings and quality? What are the risks associated with offshoring software development, and how can you hedge against such risks? What types of software should be considered for offshoring? How can you recognize the danger signs of offshore work going awry? Are there alternatives to outsourcing software development offshore, or are there alternative ways to offshore? Offshore outsourcing of software development may not be worth the risk in all cases. However, in the cases that it is worth moving offshore, this paper makes suggestions about how to help ensure success. This article presents advantages, disadvantages, risks and alternatives to offshore outsourcing of software development. Also, it provides alternatives for offshore outsourcing that will be useful for any company or individual considering offshore outsourcing.
Knowledge management: how to foster creation and flow
Authors: Halal William E.
Published: July 2006

The purpose of this article is to help managers and scholars understand the state‐of‐the‐art in knowledge management (KM) and how it is likely to develop further. The paper draws on many examples and original research to outline a conceptual framework describing the evolution of KM. KM is presently limited because the nature of knowledge makes it difficult to actually “manage.” Instead, the field is moving toward an organic form of management focusing on three main concepts: “e‐organizations” that automatically integrate all information and knowledge, “self‐organizing systems” composed of small entrepreneurial units that draw out creative knowledge from the bottom up, and “corporate communities” that use stakeholder knowledge to improve strategy. Managers should develop these organic organizational forms because they encourage the natural creation and flow of knowledge more effectively.
Planning practices in the Greek ocean shipping industry
Authors: Koufopoulos Dimitrios N. , Lagoudis Ioannis N. , Pastra Aspasia
Published: July 2006

Purpose

To investigate and portray the nature and use of formal strategic planning in the Greek ocean shipping industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Studies carried out in well‐developed industrialised countries, predominantly in the manufacturing sector, have contributed significantly to a better understanding and development of the strategic planning field. Nevertheless, there is lack of research based on countries and sectors/industries that are less conventional in nature. The study attempts to shed some light on how shipping management companies (SMC) carried out strategic planning, through a cross‐sectional study based on a random sample of 34 Greek shipping organisations.

Findings

The main findings of the study concern the main planning dimensions: planning completeness, formality, internal and external orientation, CEO's involvement, planning horizons and revision frequencies.

Research limitations/implications

The study provides a benchmark for the measurement of the development of strategic planning in an important service sector in Greece. In addition, it highlights the extent to which indigenous companies operating in a highly uncertain business environment adopt formal, structured and sophisticated planning approaches.

Practical implications

It has been suggested that, if Greek shipping management companies are to obtain the full benefits of planning, systems should be developed which can accommodate advanced financial and scenario planning as well as other strategic tools and techniques. In addition the comprehensive education of the middle level management may contribute significantly to the deeper and timely understanding of the increasingly unpredictable external contingencies.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the existing voluminous literature on planning diffusion by discussing the adoption of planning practices in organisations that operate in a highly uncertain international environment.
Implementing international franchising: the role of intrapreneurship
Authors: Altinay Levent
Published: July 2006

This paper fills a gap in the research undertaken into the role of intrapreneurs in the international franchise process of an organisation. The intrapreneurial role of organisational members in implementing franchising decisions in an international hotel group was investigated. Semi‐structured interviews, observations and document analysis were used as the data collection techniques. Findings suggest that human factors play an important role in the expansion process and, in a culturally diverse context, franchising is very much the concern of the development directors who provide the attributes of intrapreneurs externally in the market.
Developing a framework for rewards in combined production/service businesses
Authors: Israeli Aviad A. , Barkan Rachel
Published: July 2006

Examines monetary rewards in businesses that combine technical and functional aspects of service. Focusing on the restaurant industry, develops a framework that explains tipping as a reward for the two service dimensions. The technical elements of service are rewarded by dollar tip and the functional elements of service are rewarded by percent tip. An overlap between technical and functional elements results in a conflict between dollar tip and percent tip and, it is suggested, result in a magnitude effect. The framework was tested empirically in a sample of restaurants. The findings indicated that customers' evaluation of the service interaction can be summarized by four main components. Multiple regressions provide initial support to the framework, tying the technical elements to dollar tip and functional elements to percent tip.
Lay governance of New Zealand's schools
Authors: Robinson Viviane , Ward Lorrae
Published: July 2006

Purpose

This study investigated the conceptions of governance that informed the practices of school trustees, and considered the extent to which those conceptions matched the policy imperatives that shaped New Zealand's school governance framework.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi‐structured interviews were undertaken with 32 participants in the governance of New Zealand primary schools. The interviews were structured around four scenarios that described the work of a hypothetical Board. For each scenario, the participants were asked to rate how well the Board did its job and then asked to explain their ratings.

Findings

Conceptions of good governance were dominated by concerns about the quality of relationships and the effectiveness and efficiency of task completion. There was little evidence that educational or democratic values shaped governance activity.

Research limitations/implications

These findings were derived from a small sample of 32 participants, drawn from a disadvantaged, multi‐cultural community. While their generalizability to all New Zealand primary school should not be assumed, the similarity of these themes to those reported in prior New Zealand surveys suggests that this sample may not be atypical.

Originality/value

The originality of this study is that it presents a methodology for discovering the extent to which key policy ideas are reflected in the understanding of those who are intended to carry them out.
Creating schools as learning communities: obstacles and processes
Authors: Voulalas Zafiris D. , Sharpe Fenton G.
Published: July 2006

Purpose

The paper sought to clarify the concept of learning organisation/community; to identify the barriers that are perceived to obstruct the creation of learning communities out of traditional schools; to identify how principals go about the task of converting their schools; and the special characteristics of leadership required to transform schools successfully.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was dependent on an extensive review of the literature and generated data from structured interviews of principals from the New South Wales (Australia) public education system.

Findings

Respondents lacked a clear understanding of a learning organisation despite their actions to implement the concept in their own schools; the concept may indeed be too abstract to enable a suitable workable definition; there is, nevertheless, a strong belief that the concept has much to offer; leadership is the key factor in transforming schools; and traditional school structures and cultures, lack of implementation time, and difficulty in obtaining the support of staff and parents are seen as the main barriers to implementation.

Originality/value

The paper explores extensively the possible implications of the study and addresses these to schools and school systems, principals, teachers and parents.
Sale the 7 Cs: teaching/training aid for the (e‐)retail mix
Authors: Dennis Charles , Fenech Tino , Merrilees Bill
Published: July 2006

Purpose

The “4Ps” of the marketing mix have long been popular with students, tutors, trainers and practitioners as a learning and teaching aid. The purpose of this paper is to present an equivalent tool for retail and e‐retail: “Sale the 7Cs”.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach is by reference to and synthesis of other authors’ versions of the marketing, retail and e‐retail mixes, distilled into a simplified framework.

Findings

The findings or outcome of the study are summarised into a framework that has seven components, linked by the “C” mnemonic. Starting with C1 for convenience; the framework also includes C2 for customer value and benefit, C3 for cost to the customer, C4 for computing and category management, C5 for customer franchise, C6 for customer care and service and C7 for communication and customer relationships. This simplified mnemonic is new for (e‐)retail.

Originality/value

Mini case examples are used to illustrate the applicability. These have a practical value for trainers and educators as specimen answers to activity exercises. Retailers may find the convenient 7Cs structure useful when planning strategies and tactics.
Building brand webs
Authors: Rowley Jennifer
Published: July 2006

Purpose

This article undertakes a case study‐based analysis of the Tesco Clubcard loyalty scheme that seeks to re‐conceptualise the role of loyalty schemes by focusing on the role of loyalty schemes in branding and brand webs.

Design/methodology/approach

The article takes a case study‐based approach. Tesco Clubcard has been chosen as the case under study, because it is a significant scheme, and because Tesco have a reputation for innovation in relation both to the use of technology and to approaches to delivering customer value. The analysis describes the features of Clubcard, with specific reference to the network of relationships facilitated through the scheme and the actual or potential value that Tesco and its partners, be they customers or other organisations, derive from the scheme.

Findings

Tesco Clubcard builds relationships on additional dimensions, through: the option to collect Clubcard points through transactions with other retailers; the option to use reward points with a range of leisure and associated outlets, and, the e‐loyalty element of the scheme accessible through the internet. This multidimensional approach to relationships builds a visible relationship web that is central to marketing communication and brand building associated with the Tesco brand. Both brand perceptions and experiences are built as customers make choices regarding the paths through which they will travel. The brand web operates at the three levels of experience, community, and customer data and knowledge.

Originality/value

The research question, “Do loyalty schemes work?”, needs to be reframed to encompass this extended model of the role of loyalty schemes, to surface questions associated with the effect of loyalty schemes on brand perceptions and associated consumer behaviour.
Dealing with complaints in services
Authors: McCole Patrick
Published: July 2006

Proposes a refined conceptual framework for understanding the holistic process of service failure and service recovery for managers from a customer's point of view. The framework focuses on three main dimensions that are of particular relevance for service recovery research. The main dimensions are: awareness, process quality, and intent. The framework provides a holistic understanding of the antecedents and consequences of customer (dis) satisfaction in service failure and presents implications for management. It also presents an agenda for future research in this area.
The relevance of profiling travel activities for improving destination marketing strategies
Authors: Law Rob , Cheung Catherine , Lo Ada
Published: July 2006

Recent economic progress has led to most Hong Kong residents having a high disposable income, and hence the high propensity to travel. Although there are many published articles studying the inbound tourism industry in Hong Kong, the examination of Hong Kong's recent outbound tourism industry has largely been overlooked by tourism researchers. This paper examines Hong Kong travellers’ perceptions of the importance of travel activities. Using a descriptive statistical approach, experimental results indicate that Hong Kong travellers perceived visiting friends/relatives and dining as the most important activities, whereas outdoor sports was perceived as the least important activity. Also discusses the destination marketing issues, and suggests that destinations should concentrate their efforts on the right marketing strategies.
Perceived quality and price: their impact on the satisfaction of restaurant customers
Authors: Pedraja Iglesias Marta , Jesus Yagüe Guillén M.
Published: July 2006

The intensely competitive environment existing in the restaurant sector makes it vital that firms achieve customer satisfaction in order to survive in the long term. Obtaining customer satisfaction means that customers repeat the experienced service and that they become an effective and efficient communication resource, at no cost to the firm. Prominent among the antecedents that determine the level of customer satisfaction are perceived quality and total perceived price. The research carried out shows that perceived quality has a direct and positive impact on the level of customer satisfaction, while, contrary to what was expected, total perceived price does not influence that satisfaction.
Customer satisfaction and waiting staff
Authors: Pratten J.D.
Published: July 2006

This study seeks to investigate the service expected by customers and the ways in which waiting staff can help to satisfy such expectations. Their backgrounds and ambitions are investigated, together with the skills and expertise that they are expected to possess. This is compared to the training offered, which suggests a skills gap worthy of further study. Based on the limited evidence offered, some recommendations are offered about the role of the waiter and waitress in the process of food enjoyment.
Developing graduate managers for hospitality and tourism
Authors: Littlejohn David , Watson Sandra
Published: July 2006

Development of managers is key to the future health of hospitality and tourism: sectors increasingly affected by trends in globalisation and pressures on competitiveness. Reporting on a round table event, driving forces affecting the development of the sectors are identified; major stakeholder views are offered and the ensuing discussion of graduate profiles was organised into three main scenarios: professional developers, portfolio strategists and pragmatic mavericks. The scenarios identify varying approaches for graduates, higher education institutions and employers. One outcome of the analysis is to note high levels of interdependency between these stakeholders in ensuring any desired outcomes and argues for long‐term, strategic co‐operation.
Current human resource challenges in the Caribbean hospitality industry
Authors: Hinds May , Browne Yvette , Henry Ben , Jayawardena Chandana , Butcher Wismore
Published: July 2006

Provides an overview on the current human resource challenges facing the Caribbean hospitality industry, drawing on a presentation made at the second annual Caribbean roundtable discussion, held in Barbados during April 2004, attended by 33 participants and observers from industry and academia. The outcomes are reported here and in the second of two articles, “Future human resource challenges in the Caribbean hospitality industry”.
Human resources issues facing the hotel and travel industry in China
Authors: Qiu Zhang Hanqin , Wu Ellen
Published: July 2006

There are many human resource challenges facing China's hotel and tourism industry. The key issues are: the lack of qualified staff at both operational and managerial levels, high staff turnover rates, the unwillingness of university graduates to enter the industry, and the gap between what is taught in school and college and the realities of the industry itself. The aim here is to explore these issues by interviewing industry executives and academics and via the authors' own experiences of teaching and research in China. It is hoped that these issues will be noted by the Chinese government and by industry leaders, and academics, as it will take a collaborative effort to address them.
Women's anxiety about professional success: 30 years later in a Spanish context
Authors: Antón Concha , Garrido Eugenio
Published: July 2006

Reproduces studies carried out at the beginning of the 1970s that demonstrated women's anxiety about university or professional success. This anxiety was characterised by their fear of being socially isolated. A methodology in which women are asked direct questions shows that they have overcome that anxiety. But when a more subtle type of question is used, it is revealed that women continue to attribute the best academic, professional and social results to men instead of women.
Work‐role expectations and work family conflict: gender differences in emotional exhaustion
Authors: Posig Margaret , Kickul Jill
Published: July 2006

A model integrating work‐role expectations of employees, work‐family conflict, family‐work conflict, and a component of burnout was proposed and empirically tested on 163 employees, who were also part of dual‐earner couples. Gender differences were found in the proposed model. For males, work‐family conflict mediated the relationship between work‐role expectations and emotional exhaustion. Although the same indirect relationship was found for females, a direct relationship also existed between work‐role expectations and emotional exhaustion. Additionally, for females, family‐work conflict was found to be a key contributor to work‐family conflict and emotional exhaustion. Managerial implications and future research directions are discussed.
Gender issues in policing: do they matter?
Authors: Burke Ronald J. , Mikkelsen Aslaug
Published: July 2006

Purpose

This study aims to examine gender issues in a sample of male and female police officers in Norway.

Design/methodology/approach

Three gender issues were considered: perceptions of equal opportunity, possible reasons for differences in male and female career opportunities, and experiences of sexual harassment. Data were collected from 766 police officers in Norway using anonymous questionnaires, a 62 percent response rate.

Findings

Female officers indicated significantly lower levels of equal opportunity perceptions, more reasons for career opportunity differences (particularly discrimination), and more sexual harassment than did male officers. Female officers reporting lower levels of equal opportunity perceptions were less job‐satisfied, more cynical, rated their quality of leadership lower and indicated more health complaints. Female officers experiencing more sexual harassment also indicated less job satisfaction. Finally, female officers offering more reasons for career differences (particularly discrimination) reported less job satisfaction, and lower professional efficacy.

Research limitations/implications

Future research needs to examine gender issues in policing in greater depth using qualitative methodology. Data collected used self‐reports ,raising the possibility of response set tendencies. Results may not generalize to other countries or other professions.

Practical implications

Suggestions for addressing gender issues in organizations are offered.

Originality/value

Provides current information on consequences of gender issues in policing in a cross‐cultural context.
Disasters and economic damage: macro, meso and micro approaches
Authors: van der Veen Anne
Published: July 2006

Tsunamis, droughts, earthquakes, hurricanes and floods are a constant threat to society. Where in the past the population at risk had to react on the consequences of disasters, at present society wants to be more in control. Due to the high costs of restoration, of the stress and of the loss of family and friends, a proactive policy in order to prevent disasters or at least to minimize the impact is required. Such a policy asks for a framework to decide on the risk society wants to take. Moreover, it is mandatory to agree on the way instruments preventing disasters are evaluated on their effectiveness. This special issue accounts for the contributions on the methodology of damage estimation by leading European and American economists. Introduces the subject and presents an overview of all papers.
Defining and measuring economic resilience to disasters
Authors: Rose Adam
Published: July 2006

Three difficulties confront researchers in the resilience arena. At the conceptual level, there is the need to identify resilient actions, including those that may seem to violate established norms, such as rational behavior. At the operational level, it may be difficult to model individual, group, and community behavior in a single framework. At the empirical level, it is especially difficult to gather data on resilience to specify models. The purpose of this paper is to summarize progress on all three planes. First, defines several important dimensions of economic resilience to disasters. Second, shows how computable general equilibrium modeling represents a useful framework for analyzing the behavior of individuals, businesses, and markets. Third, summarizes recent progress in the conceptual and empirical modeling of resilience, including the incorporation of disequilibria and the recalibration of key behavioral parameters on the basis of empirical data. Fourth, uses the results of a case study to illustrate some important issues relating to the subject.
Liability‐driven investment: can the fixed interest markets deliver?
Authors: Mariathasan Joseph
Published: July 2006

The investment strategies which pension funds need to put into place are complex and, in recent years, have been changing rapidly. The author looks at how change is affecting the landscape and at what risk strategies need to be put into place as well.
The nature of risk: The risk management of everything
Authors: Power Michael
Published: July 2006

This is a briefing by the author on his PD Leake lecture given at the Chartered Accountants’ hall earlier in the year. In it he examines the rise and rise of the risk industry and assesses the changes it has wrought in business life. He argues that unless the rise is halted we will see the retreat of socially valuable intelligence from the public domain.
Auditing in the e‐commerce era
Authors: Zhao Ning , Yen David C. , Chang I‐Chiu
Published: July 2006

Financial statements are not as important to investors as they once were, as technology has changed the way companies create value today. While these changes pose serious threats to the economic viability of auditing, they also create new opportunities for auditors to pursue. Both the American Institute of Certified of Public Accountants and the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA) Task Force on Assurance Services have identified continuous auditing as a service that should be offered. Continuous auditing is significantly different from an annual financial statement audit. A latest research report produced by the CICA defines a continuous audit as: “a methodology that enables independent auditors to provide written assurance on a subject matter using a series of auditors’ reports issued simultaneously with, or a short period of time after, the occurrence of events underlying the subject matter.” However, continuous auditing would present significant technical hurdles. These technical hurdles could be overcome if certain conditions exist. Computer‐assisted audit tools (CAATs) are one of the conditions that must exist in order to conduct the continuous auditing. CAATs are defined as computer‐assisted tools that permit auditors to increase their productivity, as well as that of the audit function. Therefore, with the real‐time accounting and electronic data interchange popularizing, CAATs are becoming even more necessary. The demand for timely and forward‐looking information hints that the continuous audit will eventually replace the traditional audit report on year‐end results.
Thresholds of attention
Authors: Utvich Michael
Published: July 2006

At the very heart of business strategy is the relationship between the company and its customer. The active core that allows the company to transmit its value to its customer is through communications. Communications are so fundamental an aspect of business that people sometimes even forget how important they really are. At every level, conveying the company’s information and messages is a critical factor of success, not only for the enterprise, but for each individual business function that drives the whole.
Creating “insatiable demand” – leverage the demand chain to expand your customer base and your revenue
Authors: Bingham Curtis N.
Published: July 2006

Umbrellas always sell well when it is raining. After a major hurricane hit Miami last year, Home Depot shipped in plywood from nearly every store in the southeast and still couldn’t keep up with the demand. Profiting by creating natural disasters is, of course, the stuff of comic books and spy novels, but recognizing and satisfying unmet needs is the key tenet of the demand chain.
Surviving the great “benefits planning earthquake”: pension management in light of recent economic and corporate upheavals
Authors: Cassidy Dan
Published: July 2006

For some years now, there has been a huge crisis developing for companies around how to effectively manage their pension plans. The gist of the crisis is this: pension plans have lost almost half their value while liabilities have skyrocketed due to the current low interest rate environment. Analysts have attempted to characterize this crisis as a “Perfect Storm”, likening it to the hazards described in the book and the movie of the same name. However, a more apt scenario might be that of an earthquake.
Not taught in business schools: cultivating creativity
Authors: Shenkman Michael H.
Published: July 2006

Gwen, an executive that I mentor, was in the process of carving out a business of her own. We met in an outdoor café, on a beautiful spring day in Albuquerque. I like to meet my clients in settings such as this now and then as these places sometimes relax them and free up the conversation. On this day, Gwen took full advantage of the setting. She brought a sketchbook with her, containing the artwork she had done during a course she had just completed.
Putting your leaders where it counts
Authors: Bird Alan , Buchanan Robin , Rogers Paul , Blenko Marcia
Published: July 2006

Companies that systematically and continuously put the right leaders in the right jobs outperform companies that don’t – by a wide margin. In this article, the authors argue that chief executives must recognize and act on the consequences of how they deploy their best managers.
The making of a manager
Authors: Fernandez Jorge E.
Published: July 2006

People can be taught certain managerial technologies, but not the fundamental human traits that convert the employment of those technologies into organizational results. An adult’s leadership capacity is virtually fixed by the time he or she arrives at the corporate doorstep. Simply put, people do not change much once they enter the corporate world and the changes that do occur are mainly due to a consolidation of inherent strengths.
CEOs hit the road: speaking as a brand‐building tool
Authors: Sullivan Vickie
Published: July 2006

By keynoting at association conferences, CEOs and other top executives use speaking as a platform to introduce their companies’ brands into new markets and solidly position them in established markets. Their speeches create “3D branding”, a customized experience that constituents can feel, touch, and interact with. Giving speeches also leverages the credible endorsement of the association and, if made part of a systematic approach, starts building a community of evangelists. Yes, the applause feels good, too.
The leadership journey: becoming an enlightened leader
Authors: Holberton Phil
Published: July 2006

Leaders need to go beyond knowing the answers to seeking the answers. How can I become a more effective leader? What steps can I take to enhance my leadership skills? Every thoughtful executive or manager should ask such questions regularly. In this article, we’ll offer some practical approaches to answering those questions – and better understanding the leadership journey.
Want to accelerate organic growth? Retool your marketing factory!
Authors: Lurie Bob
Published: July 2006

In 1980 at the Ford Motor Company, quality wasn’t job one; survival was. Buffeted by stagnant product lines, hidebound management practices and nimbler Japanese competitors, the once‐dominant car maker was on its way to losing $1.6 billion – its first loss since going public. Ford cars were too often poorly built and out of step with the marketplace. The problem: a fragmented organizational structure that made producing new models a frustratingly slow, cumbersome and inefficient process.
IT imperatives beyond strategic alignment: enterprise architecture flexibility and IT delivery efficiency
Authors: Varghese Jacob , Kurien Priya
Published: July 2006

While researchers across the board have identified significant productivity improvements, and substantial improvements in consumer surplus using information technology in enterprises, there has been little evidence of significant positive impact to sustainable business profitability. While IT systems so far have provided operational benefits and enhanced consumer experience, unless managers take care to go beyond strategic alignment of their information infrastructure investments to ensure architectural flexibility and constantly optimize IT delivery efficiency, they will begin to see diminishing returns from IT as the pace of business changes increases.
Seven ways to hold fast to your customers
Authors: Pegler Mike
Published: July 2006

It’s a fact – customer retention boosts the bottom line. Here’s how to keep them happy, even in tough economic times. Want to nearly double your company’s profitability without having to cut costs, increase prices, or find new customers? Impossible? Not according to some studies, which show that even a small improvement in customer retention can increase profitability by as much as 95 percent. Sharply higher profits, simply by holding onto your existing customers.
Effective management commitment enhances six sigma success
Authors: Thevnin Charles
Published: July 2006

This article examines the approach in incorporating the six sigma quality concepts into the day‐to‐day business operations. The primary emphasis is not on the positive financial results that many companies were able to achieve with the implementation of this quality concept, but to illustrate how it can be linked into the overall company strategy.
Build a talent strategy to achieve your desired business results
Authors: Bergeron Carol
Published: July 2006

Successful companies make their talent strategy part of their strategic planning process and integrate it into daily operations. They strive for the alignment of their talent with the organization’s vision, goals and business strategy. When combined with the alignment of the tools and systems used by employees, these organizations are positioned to effectively compete and win in the marketplace. However, positioning your organization for success is one thing, while making it happen is quite another.
Marketing failed us again
Authors: Schaff‐Glazier Karin K.
Published: July 2006

“Oh no! The new marketing campaign had a lower‐than‐expected return. I guess marketing did not do its job! No more monies for that campaign, or perhaps others for that matter …”. Marketers hear this comment all too often. “Blame the agency (or the internal marketing department); it’s their fault!” Unfortunately, it is everyone’s fault, from the sales rep to the customer‐service executive to the top‐level managers to the marketing director to the receptionist. Unless your agency or internal marketing team understands and values the implementation and tracking stages as much as the fun strategy and creation phase, this scenario will occur more often than not.
After Sarbanes‐Oxley – what next?
Authors: DeLoach James
Published: July 2006

Sarbanes‐Oxley has commanded headlines ever since President Bush signed it into law. Public companies have had to take a closer look at many of their governance processes, reporting and disclosure practices, and internal controls. Even private companies and not‐for‐profits have felt the need to actively demonstrate a commitment to improved governance for the benefit of their various stakeholders. The push toward greater disclosure has snowballed to the point where policymakers, standard setters, regulators, investors, exchanges and rating agencies want more information relating to governance, risks and internal control.
Fabrication of artificial bioactive bone using rapid prototyping
Authors: Chen Zhongzhong , Li Dichen , Lu Bingheng , Tang Yiping , Sun Minglin , Wang Zhen
Published: July 2006

A new technique based on rapid prototyping (RP) is proposed to fabricate the mould of artificial bone composed of a nontoxic soluble material. The mould has both an external structure that exactly coincides with the replaced natural bone and an internal 3D scaffolds simulating the bone microtubule structure. By injecting self‐setting calcium phosphate cement (CPC) with bone morphogenetic protein (BMP, a kind of bone growth factors) into the cavities of the mould, the CPC solidified and the micropores can be formed after the internal 3D scaffolds is dissolved, finally the artificial bioactive bone can be produced. This approach is better than the traditional fabrication process, which the latter method cannot fabricate an artificial bone with inter‐connective micropores so as to realize the osteo‐induction for lack of bioactivity. Through animal experiments, it shows that the simulated inter‐structure could provide artificial bone with proper voids for the growth of the bone tissue and the quick activation, and hence effectively speed up the bone growth by means of activating osteo‐conduction and osteo‐induction. So, the new method of fabricating artificial bone with biological behaviors is justified.
Financial value and public relations
Authors: Tosun Nurhan
Published: July 2006

From a theoretical perspective, there is an emergent trend toward the planning of financial public relations strategies in order to add financial value to businesses. However, the benefits of strategising and planning cannot be fully realised unless they are supported by the entire range of corporate communications activities. In this paper, we explore the idea that to create financial value in business there should be a synergistic interaction among all public relations activities, here exemplified through an embryonic process model.
Quality communication within a connected manufacturing supply chain
Authors: Roethlein Christopher , Ackerson Sara
Published: July 2006

Analyzes four entities in a connected supply chain through a case study. Focuses on the relationships between organizations and the specific goals and objectives of each firm. The study was conducted from an insider's view through personal experiences, and a series of on‐site and telephone interviews with managers from each entity of the supply chain. Focuses on passing on and interpreting quality goals, alignment of quality goals and the existence of partnership with the connected supply chain. The main reason for the success of the supply chain is the strength or dominance of the manufacturer. Strong and frequent unidirectional communication exists between the manufacturer and the supplier and between the manufacturer and the distributor. These connections are the crux of the supply chain. From this strong relationship, the supply chain is able to remain successful while communication weakens and disappears at either end of the supply chain.
Crime on bus routes: an evaluation of a safer travel initiative
Authors: Newton Andrew D. , Johnson Shane D. , Bowers Kate J.
Published: July 2006

This paper reports the main findings of an evaluation of an intensive four‐week policing operation along a single bus corridor, aimed at reducing the extent of crime along the bus route. The evaluation, which adopts a mixture of quantitative evaluation techniques, demonstrates that the operation was successful both in increasing officer arrest rates (up to four times for the officers who worked on the scheme), and also in reducing crime levels for particular crime types, namely assault and theft from vehicle, up to 400m from the route. A conceptual discussion is provided as to how to measure the effectiveness of an operation with no geographically predefined action area and to define the relationship between action areas and displacement or diffusion zones. Consequently, this evaluation examines both the influence of the scheme within a predefined distance from the route, and also proposes a method for determining the likely range of influence of the scheme in terms of physical distance.