bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evolving the ingredients for reciprocity and spite
Authors: Hauser Marc , McAuliffe Katherine , Blake Peter R.
Published: October 2009

Darwin never provided a satisfactory account of altruism, but posed the problem beautifully in light of the logic of natural selection. Hamilton and Williams delivered the necessary satisfaction by appealing to kinship, and Trivers showed that kinship was not necessary as long as the originally altruistic act was conditionally reciprocated. From the late 1970s to the present, the kinship theories in particular have been supported by considerable empirical data and elaborated to explore a number of other social interactions such as cooperation, selfishness and punishment, giving us what is now a rich description of the nature of social relationships among organisms. There are, however, two forms of theoretically possible social interactions—reciprocity and spite—that appear absent or nearly so in non-human vertebrates, despite considerable research efforts on a wide diversity of species. We suggest that the rather weak comparative evidence for these interactions is predicted once we consider the requisite socioecological pressures and psychological mechanisms. That is, a consideration of ultimate demands and proximate prerequisites leads to the prediction that reciprocity and spite should be rare in non-human animals, and common in humans. In particular, reciprocity and spite evolved in humans because of adaptive demands on cooperation among unrelated individuals living in large groups, and theintegrativecapacities of inequity detection, future-oriented decision-making and inhibitory control.
Structure and function in mammalian societies
Authors: Clutton-Brock Tim
Published: October 2009

Traditional interpretations of the evolution of animal societies have suggested that their structure is a consequence of attempts by individuals to maximize their inclusive fitness within constraints imposed by their social and physical environments. In contrast, some recent re-interpretations have argued that many aspects of social organization should be interpreted as group-level adaptations maintained by selection operating between groups or populations. Here, I review our current understanding of the evolution of mammalian societies, focusing, in particular, on the evolution of reproductive strategies in societies where one dominant female monopolizes reproduction in each group and her offspring are reared by other group members. Recent studies of the life histories of females in these species show that dispersing females often have little chance of establishing new breeding groups and so are likely to maximize their inclusive fitness by helping related dominants to rear their offspring. As in eusocial insects, increasing group size can lead to a progressive divergence in the selection pressures operating on breeders and helpers and to increasing specialization in their behaviour and life histories. As yet, there is little need to invoke group-level adaptations in order to account for the behaviour of individuals or the structure of mammalian groups.
Culture and the evolution of human cooperation
Authors: Boyd Robert , Richerson Peter J.
Published: October 2009

The scale of human cooperation is an evolutionary puzzle. All of the available evidence suggests that the societies of our Pliocene ancestors were like those of other social primates, and this means that human psychology has changed in ways that support larger, more cooperative societies that characterize modern humans. In this paper, we argue that cultural adaptation is a key factor in these changes. Over the last million years or so, people evolved the ability to learn from each other, creating the possibility of cumulative, cultural evolution. Rapid cultural adaptation also leads to persistent differences between local social groups, and then competition between groups leads to the spread of behaviours that enhance their competitive ability. Then, in such culturally evolved cooperative social environments, natural selection within groups favoured genes that gave rise to new, more pro-social motives. Moral systems enforced by systems of sanctions and rewards increased the reproductive success of individuals who functioned well in such environments, and this in turn led to the evolution of other regarding motives like empathy and social emotions like shame.
Monitoring web traffic source effectiveness with Google Analytics
Authors: Plaza Beatriz
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to develop a new user‐friendly in‐house tracking methodology for academics to analyse the effectiveness of visits (return visit behaviour and length of sessions) depending on their traffic source: direct visits, referring site entries and search engine visits. In other words, how deep do visitors navigate into the web site? Which is their internal performance depending on their traffic source?

Design/methodology/approach

This paper addresses these questions by time series analysis of Google Analytics data. Some statistical matters with regard to the use of Google Analytics data in combination with time series methodology are fine‐tuned.

Findings

Return visits are the main engine for nurturing session length, but which type of traffic source nurtures these return visits? In order to answer this question, an important distinction must be made between “total return visits” and “marginal return visits”. Site entries stay longer to the extent their “marginal return effectiveness” is higher. For our particular web site direct visits are the most effective ones, followed by search engine visits and only thirdly link‐entries.

Research limitations/implications

This methodology is critical for an effective web site traffic source monitoring and benchmarking that may lead to better web site strategies.

Originality/value

The importance of this paper is not the particular web site but the new methodology tested to arrive at these results, an experiment that could be repeated with different web sites.
Evaluation to digital filtering to obtain Sagnac shift in open loop‐IFOG
Authors: Reza Nasiri Avanaki Mohammad , Toloei Alireza
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to find the best way to obtain the Sagnac phase shift in the output signal of open loop interferometric fiber optic gyroscopes (IFOGs). Also, the utilized digital filtering based on FIR kaiser window for implementing the digital signal processing part is evaluated.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach is based on implementing four kaiser FIR filters, the coefficients of which have been obtained from SPtool. They were simulated with SPtool in the Matlab 7.1.

Findings

The results show that the chosen computational method has reliable accuracy. On the other hand, it could require low‐computational effort, and it is a simple way which is important for the signal processors.

Research limitations/implications

The limitation in this paper is that the designed filters have high order and they require much time; therefore, a high‐speed device is needed. For solving this problem, it is proposed to perform some estimation by experiments.

Practical implications

IFOGs are used in aircraft, missiles, and new civil fields such as automobile navigation, antenna stabilization, crane control, unmanned vehicle control, wind, and renewable energy platform stabilization.

Originality/value

There is no other paper which has explained mathematics of IFOG implementation in the signal processing part as completely as is done here.
Shape optimization of the airfoil comprising a cross flow fan
Authors: Askari S. , Shojaeefard M.H.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

Fanwing airfoil is a new lift‐generating section invented in 1997 by Patrick Peebles. The early shape of the airfoil has not changed until now. So far, no research has been done to change or modify the airfoil shape in order to improve its aerodynamic performance. In this paper, possibility of changing the airfoil shape to improve its aerodynamic performance is studied. For this purpose, six different geometric shapes of the airfoil are investigated numerically to determine the best airfoil on the basis of lift and drag coefficients. Flow over the airfoil is solved by developing a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code. The purpose of this paper is to find a more efficient configuration for the Fanwing airfoil with lower power consumption and better performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Flow over the airfoil is investigated by CFD. At the airfoil solid walls, the no slip condition is applied. Re‐Normalization Group k‐ε model is used for turbulence modeling. The pressure‐velocity coupling is calculated by the SIMPLEC algorithm. Second‐order upwind discretization is considered for the convection terms. Finite volume method with rectangular computational cells is used for the entire solution domain.

Findings

It is observed that the airfoil with curved bottom wall and a slot in upper wall has the maximum lift coefficient. Also, the airfoil with curved bottom wall and no slot has the minimum drag or maximum thrust (negative drag) coefficient. Therefore, instead of increasing the airfoil lift or decreasing its drag by enhancing driving motor speed with larger energy consumption, this can be done only by changing the airfoil shape. It is perceived that the airfoil lift coefficient can be augmented at least 10 percent and its drag can be reduced more than 2.8 percent only by changing its shape and no excessive power consumption. Since the airfoil shape is modified, these advantages are permanent and its benefits are cumulative through time. Eccentric vortex inside the cross flow fan that is reported earlier in the research paper is found in this airfoil, too. In addition, velocity vectors, contours of static pressure and distribution of the static pressure over the airfoils surfaces are illustrated for better understanding of the flow details.

Research limitations/implications

Since the airfoil shape is very complicated for numerical study, two‐dimensional simulation has been carried out. Also, flow over the airfoil is considered steady‐state and incompressible.

Practical implications

In this paper, some modifications for the Fanwing airfoil are suggested in order to improve its aerodynamic performance. This is the first research for changing the configuration of the Fanwing airfoil and can be very helpful for the researchers involved in this topic as well as aerospace industries.

Originality/value

This paper is valuable for researchers in the new and up to date concept of the Fanwing airfoil. This work is original.
Safety enhanced digital flight control system
Authors: Chudý Peter , Tomczyk Andrzej , Rzucidlo Pawel
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the general idea, design, and implementation of control system for general aviation aircraft which reduces pilot workload.

Design/methodology/approach

Proposed indirect flight control system framework is intended to simplify piloting, reduce pilot workload, and allow low‐end general aviation aircraft to operate under deteriorated meteorological conditions. Classical control theory is used for the design of the flight control laws. Although not inherently robust, controllers with classical control logic are made sufficiently stable using a correct and updated controller structure.

Findings

Despite controversies between perception of a modern manned aerial vehicle and limitations imposed by legacy airworthiness codes it is shown that a pilot workload reducing system can be successfully implemented onboard of a low‐end general aviation aircraft.

Research limitations/implications

Hi‐level control laws and optimization of handling qualities can lead to unfavourable and unpredictable forms of man‐machine interactions, e.g. pilot‐induced oscillations.

Practical implications

General aviation aircraft are mostly flown by a single pilot, who could benefit from an intelligent system or “virtual copilot” assisting in or supervising the aircraft's safe operation under any conditions. Aircraft with this capability represents a next step in the evolution that might ultimately lead to trajectory‐based free‐flight concept of aircraft operations.

Originality/value

The paper introduces a safety enhanced digital flight control system on board small general aviation aircraft.
The applicability analysis of troposphere delay error model in GPS positioning
Authors: Xinlong Wang , Jiaxing Ji , Yafeng Li
Published: October 2009

Purpose

Troposphere delay is one of the important error sources in global positioning system (GPS) positioning. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the accuracy and adaptability of GPS troposphere error correction models, and to provide theoretic foundation for model selection in GPS accurate positioning.

Design/methodology/approach

The principle of troposphere delay error effecting on GPS signals is theoretically analyzed. The model peculiarity and modeling method of the four common troposphere delay correction models: Hopfield, Saastamoinen, Black, and Egnos models are discussed detailedly. With the measurement data from Crustal Dynamics Data Information System of the technical support institution for GPS, the accuracy and applicability of the four models are quantificationally studied.

Findings

For a low elevation, Hopfield, Saastamoinen, and Black models show great agreement with each other, and have quite high precision. In the zenith direction, the maximal troposphere delay error of three models are all less than 1 dm, but Black and Hopfield models have higher precision than Saastamoinen model. Black model can be regarded as the improved form of Hopfield model: for a high elevation, precision of two models are close, while for a low elevation, Black model shows to be more effective than Hopfield model. The precision of Egnos model is quite lower than that of Black, Hopfield, and Saastamoinen models. However, Egnos model can be a better choice when it is difficult to obtain real‐time meteorological data in certain application environment.

Originality/value

This paper makes thorough research on GPS troposphere delay error correction models. The conclusions are presented for selecting troposphere delay models, which are useful for practical engineering application.
Inhibition of copper corrosion in 3.5 percent NaCl solutions by triazole derivative
Authors: Yu Jianfei , Feng Quanfen , Yu Yafei
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the corrosion behavior of copper in 3.5 percent NaCl solutions with and without 3‐amino‐5‐mercapto‐1,2,4‐triazole (3‐AMT).

Design/methodology/approach

Weight‐loss measurement, potentiodynamic polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy are applied to study the corrosion behavior of copper in the absence and presence of different concentrations of 3‐AMT under the influence of various experimental conditions.

Findings

The results show that inhibition efficiency (IE) increases with increasing the immersion time in the presence of 1.0×10−4 mol/l 3‐AMT and the IE% maintains about 94 percent during the studied inhibitor concentration of 5.0×10−3 mol/l. The Tafel polarization studies indicate that the IE% increases with increasing concentration of 3‐AMT, and the compound was a mixed inhibitor. The adsorption of 3‐AMT on the surface on copper has been found to obey the Langmuir adsorption isotherm, and the values of free energy of adsorption are calculated. 3‐AMT is chemically adsorbed on the copper surface.

Originality/value

The results of this paper can be used for reducing corrosion rates of copper in which a suitable inhibitor with the highest efficiencies is required in chloride solutions.
Determinants of sustainable business relationships in selected German agri‐food chains
Authors: Reynolds Nikolai , Fischer Christian , Hartmann Monika
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify factors which influence the sustainability of selected German agri‐food chains.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is composed of a literature review, qualitative and quantitative expert interviews, and structural equation modelling.

Findings

Effective communication, the existence of personal bonds and equal power distribution between buyers and suppliers are key determinants of sustainable vertical business relationships. The relevance and significance of the determinants differ across the investigated chain stages (farmer‐processor versus processor‐retailer), the use of formal versus non‐formal relationship types and the maturity of a relationship.

Research limitations/implications

Further research needs to empirically apply the analysis to agri‐food chains other than the investigated pig‐meat and cereal ones.

Practical implications

Agribusiness and farm managers can enhance the sustainability of their business relationships by effective communication by fostering personal bonds with their suppliers and/or buyers, and by employing – and retaining – key staff who fit culturally and/or socially with those with whom they transact. Finally, managers also need to be aware of the fact that a business relationship can be negatively affected by abusing a more powerful market position.

Originality/value

A model for measuring the sustainability of vertical business relationships is presented and empirically tested. In addition, factors influencing the sustainability of these relationships are identified for the case of selected German agri‐food chains.
Innovation drivers and barriers in food processing
Authors: Fortuin Frances T.J.M. , Omta S.W.F. (Onno)
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The food processing industry, confronted with increased global competition and more stringent customer demands, is pressurized to improve the pace and quality of its innovation processes. This paper aims to find out what factors constitute the main drivers and barriers to innovation and to explore how far the food processing industry can rely on the principles of innovation management developed in high‐tech industries to improve its innovation performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on the investigation of nine multinational food processing companies with their headquarters and/or major operations in The Netherlands. For this study a research questionnaire was developed, based on theoretical insights derived from the industrial organization theory and the resource‐based view. In each company the research director, CTO, or CEO completed the questionnaire and was interviewed about different aspects of innovation management.

Findings

The food processing industry can indeed rely on the principles of innovation management. However, there is clear room for improvement. Especially the potential of “open innovation” with suppliers and buyers to leverage innovation resources and capabilities is underutilized. Interestingly, the uneven power distribution in the chain, especially the high pressure of buyers, acts as a strong driver for innovation. Seen in this light it is noteworthy that in most companies the communication from R&D to marketing needs further improvement to enhance customer orientation, one of the main drivers of innovation success.

Originality/value

This study is the first to investigate innovation management concepts related to success in the food processing industry.
Eliciting processing industry damage from feed crises
Authors: Meuwissen Miranda P.M. , Van Andel Alex L.A. , Van Asseldonk Marcel A.P.M. , Huirne Ruud B.M.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess direct and indirect damages of dairy processors and pig and poultry slaughterhouses in The Netherlands following the occurrence of a feed crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

Starting from a number of feed crisis scenarios the paper analyses processing industry damage parameters through a combination of sector data and individual company assessments. In case of confidential data, outcomes are presented as indices.

Findings

The paper finds that, in the most likely scenario, it is expected that a feed crisis affects 15 processors, i.e. 20 per cent of processing business in The Netherlands. Processors' direct damage is largely (>90 per cent) determined by the mixing of produce during various phases of processing. Indirect damage is on average perceived not to exceed direct damage.

Practical implications

The results are useful in current stakeholder debates on sharing damage burdens of feed crises across supply chain partners.

Originality/value

This paper extends currently available risk analyses of feed contaminations by eliciting damage beyond farm level.
Standardized food safety management: the case of industrial yoghurt
Authors: Chountalas Panagiotis , Tsarouchas Dimitrios , Lagodimos Athanasios
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The recently introduced ISO 22000:2005 modified the classical HACCP approach by embedding food safety into the wider context of a standardized management system and refining the required safety control measures. There is little guidance regarding ISO 22000 implementation as well as inconsistencies regarding definitions and control measures specifications. This paper aims to provide a structured approach for the implementation of ISO 22000, applied to the case of industrial yoghurt.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach consisted of two stages. The first primarily comprises the interpretation of the ISO 22000 specifications. The second includes the application of these requirements (as interpreted) to industrial yoghurt manufacture, considering all major varieties (set, stirred and strained) and types (with or without flavourings).

Findings

The paper reveals a managerial perspective of ISO 22000, overcoming existing inconsistencies for determining the necessary control measures, as applied to industrial yoghurt.

Research limitations/implications

This research is limited to the case of industrial yoghurt considered. However, the methodology used is general and can apply to any other product.

Originality/value

This paper provides an interpretation of ISO 22000, based on other standardized management system practices and widely accepted managerial principles. The findings can help in the development of the necessary state‐of‐the‐practice tools to facilitate future ISO 22000 implementations, in conjunction with the ISO 9001 quality standard.
Packaging design: creating competitive advantage with product packaging
Authors: Rundh Bo
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study how packaging and packaging design can contribute to competitive advantage for marketing a consumer product.

Design/methodology/approach

Different influences from actors in the packaging design process are discussed in a conceptual model. A single case study based on five “corporate stories” about packaging development resulting in a new package are presented and analysed.

Findings

The present study demonstrates influences on the design process of a package from external and internal factors. The outcome of the design process is, to a great extent, dependent on the interaction between the main actors in this process. The study argues for the importance of the interaction with customers for planning and conducting the design. The result of such a process is a package that can trigger customers make a purchase and/or re‐inforce the brand name for a re‐purchase of the product.

Practical implications

The main implications for management are that packaging is a vital instrument in modern marketing activities for consumer goods, for example in the competitive food industry. The study highlights a few factors that trigger a customer to purchase a product by designing a suitable package for the product. Packaging design makes it possible to introduce new and better solutions for diverse marketing and logistic problems in a supply chain.

Originality/value

This paper fulfils an identified need for contributions to more research on packaging and marketing strategy.
Wine recommendations: who do I believe?
Authors: Parsons Andrew G. , Thompson Ann‐Marie
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify potential recommendation strategies for wine retailers. It aims to investigate the effectiveness of common sources of recommendation in influencing wine purchase decisions for typical customers and consider the value of each recommendation in different store‐contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

An exploratory survey is conducted, examining the weighting customers give each recommendation source, followed by a laboratory experiment designed to test the influence of recommendation sources in two different store‐contexts – supermarket and specialist wine retailer. Statistical analysis was conducted to determine the most effective sources for each retail context.

Findings

Insights from the survey suggest that specialist wine retailer customers value personal staff‐, staff choice‐, and award‐based recommendations, whereas supermarket shoppers value awards and bestseller recommendations. The laboratory experiment highlights the distinction between staff credibility and peer group credibility, with the specialist retailer benefiting from staff and award‐based recommendations and the supermarket benefiting from bestseller and award‐based recommendations.

Research limitations/implications

This research demonstrates a need for researchers to consider recommendation sources when building models of consumer choice, and also to consider the store‐context in which those recommendations are received. It also appears worthwhile to investigate further the relationship between bestseller lists, peer group credibility, and shopper behaviour when customers are shopping for premium foods.

Practical implications

Wine sellers need to be aware of the value of recommendations. Staff recommendations should be encouraged when selling through a specialist wine retailer, whereas peer‐group recommendation should be encouraged for supermarket sales. Awards are shown to be a valuable asset in either context.

Originality/value

The comparative effectiveness of staff, award, and bestseller‐based recommendations in influencing shopper choices for wine is revealed for the first time in this research, allowing researchers and practitioners to appreciate their value in decisions. Furthermore, the impact of the store‐context on recommendation value is shown.
Assessing the ecological soundness of organic and conventional agriculture by means of life cycle assessment (LCA)
Authors: de Backer Eline , Aertsens Joris , Vergucht Sofie , Steurbaut Walter
Published: October 2009

Purpose

Sustainable agriculture implies the ability of agro‐ecosystems to remain productive in the long‐term. It is not easy to point out unambiguously whether or not current production systems meet this sustainability demand. A priori thinking would suggest that organic crops are environmentally favourable, but may ignore the effect of reduced productivity, which shifts the potential impact to other parts of the food provision system. The purpose of this paper is to assess the ecological sustainability of conventional and organic leek production by means of life cycle assessment (LCA).

Design/methodology/approach

A cradle‐to‐farm gate LCA is applied, based on real farm data from two research centres. For a consistent comparison, two functional units (FU) were defined: 1ha and 1 kg of leek production.

Findings

Assessed on an area basis, organic farming shows a more favourable environmental profile. These overall benefits are strongly reduced when the lower yields are taken into account. Related to organic farming it is therefore important that solutions are found to substantially increase the yields without increasing the environmental burden. Related to conventional farming, important potential for environmental improvements are in optimising the farm nutrient flows, reducing pesticide use and increasing its self‐supporting capacity.

Research limitations/implications

The research is a cradle‐to‐farm gate LCA, future research can be expanded to comprise all phases from cradle‐to‐grave to get an idea of the total sustainability of our present food consumption patterns. The research is also limited to the case of leek production. Future research can apply the methodology to other crops.

Originality/value

To date, there is still lack of clear evidence of the added value of organic farming compared to conventional farming on environmental basis. Few studies have compared organic and conventional food production by means of LCA. This paper addresses these issues.
Importance of health and environment as quality traits in the buying decision of organic products
Authors: Mondelaers Koen , Verbeke Wim , Van Huylenbroeck Guido
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to explore consumer preference for fresh vegetables labelled as organic in combination with health and environment related quality traits. The study decomposes organic farming into its main quality aspects and measures consumers' preference structure for organic, in general, and for specific organic quality traits in particular.

Design/methodology/approach

By means of stated choice preference modelling, the following hypotheses are tested: consumers prefer health over environment related quality traits; the organic label plays a significant role in consumers' choice for organic products; organic farming is perceived as healthier and more environmentally friendly than conventional farming; purchase intention is mainly driven by health related quality traits; both health and environmental concerns influence purchase frequency, though to a different extent. The choice experiment was completed by 527 participants, with four repetitions per participant.

Findings

The health‐related traits score better than environmental traits in shaping consumer preference for organic vegetables. Consumers prefer organic products over B‐branded products, but not over A‐branded products, which suggests that consumers classify organic products among other quality niche products. However, they attribute a better score to the health and environment related quality traits of organic products, indicating a difference in quality cues between organic products and quality products in general. Price becomes less important, whereas presence of an organic label becomes more important with increasing buying intensity of organic vegetables. Undesirable traits, such as pesticide residue levels trigger a stronger response than desirable traits, such as environmental or health benefits.

Original value

The measurement of the role of health and environment quality traits in consumers' decision to buy organic or not is of relevance given the current debate on the factual differences between organic and conventional vegetables. Furthermore, the use of the stated choice preference to test the hypotheses is original and relevant.
Will international business always speak English?
Authors: Hurn Brian J.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to show the development of English as the main international language for business, its advantages and disadvantages and the different variants of English.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper discusses competition from other languages and emphasises need for British business itself to acquire fluency in foreign languages and thereby understand other cultures to gain competitive advantage. The author deplores HE's reduction in language teaching and stresses need for development of a simpler, standardised international English for business which can be more easily used by both English native speakers and others. The paper analyses the reasons for spread of English and its strengths and weaknesses and deduces need for a simpler form of international English for global business use..

Findings

The paper concludes that British business should itself acquire linguistic and cultural fluency in foreign languages as well as supporting ways of making English more standardised and simpler for foreigners to acquire.

Originality/value

The paper shows how British business competitive advantage can be increased by reducing linguistic complacency in parallel with supporting the development of a more effective means of communication in English in international business.
Dynamic organizational learning: a conceptual framework
Authors: Law Kris M.Y. , Gunasekaran Angappa
Published: October 2009

Purpose

Organizational learning (OL) has been considered to be an effective developmental initiative in organizations that have a mission to develop, to sustain and to advance. There is a wide range of beliefs of thinking about what organizational learning is, how it occurs, and how it is applied and how it influences organizational development. Different perspectives are used to study OL by researchers from different disciplines. There is no clear and widely accepted depiction of the linkage between OL and its enabling factors. Such a comprehensive concept covering many aspects, such as organization science, organizational knowledge and learning, is difficult to achieve. The purpose of this paper is to determine the applicability of a conceptual model to describe OL as a continuous process.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper proposes a conceptual approach describing OL as a continuous process. Selected literature on various OL theories is reviewed.

Findings

The model not only describes OL as a continuous goal‐driven process, but also allows the understanding of the relationships with various influencing factors and facilitating the effectiveness of an OL framework.

Originality/value

The authors introduce a variant of a classic approach to analyze the OL process by describing OL as a continuous process. A model for successful OL by placing emphasis on the facilitative learning framework (FIF) is proposed.
The romance of the followe: part 3
Authors: Hurwitz Marc , Hurwitz Samantha
Published: October 2009

Purpose

In the first two papers, the authors provided an overview of the research on followship and then presented a new model that extends understanding of it. This paper illustrates how the followship model can be used effectively to enhance organizations through coaching, mentoring, organizational change (enterprise‐wide reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions), high performer development, executive retention, new hire on‐boarding, leader development, and also in designing HR tools for performance management.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a capstone article. As such, it summarizes key points made previously, discusses existing HR practices and how they can be improved, incorporates case studies on followship, and illustrates practical applications.

Findings

Leaders must learn to model followship, and use it to solve staff performance issues. HR departments should include followship training to enrich development planning and, in the case of enterprise‐wide change such as mergers and acquisitions, speed and improve the results. Finally, providing followship training helps prevent executive derailment, improves Gen Y integration, and enhances the opportunities for high performers' career development.

Originality/value

This third and final article shows practical applications of ideas followship brings to organizational development. As such, it will be interesting to senior executives, high performance talent managers, executive coaches, and HR departments.
“Relevance” as a boundary concept
Authors: Nolin Jan
Published: October 2009

Purpose

Throughout its history, information retrieval has struggled to handle contradictory needs of system oriented and user‐oriented research. Information retrieval has gradually, starting in the 1960s, moved toward handling the needs of the user. This paper aims to consider the way boundaries toward the user and user‐oriented perspectives are drawn, renegotiated and re‐drawn.

Design/methodology/approach

The central concept of relevance is seen as a boundary concept, complex and flexible, that is continuously redefined in order to manage boundaries. Five influential research papers from the 1960s and early 1970s are analysed in order to understand usage of the concept during a period when psychological and cognitive research tools began to be discussed as a possibility.

Findings

Relevance does not only carry an explanatory function, but also serves a purpose relating to the identity of the field. Key contributions on research on relevance seems to, as a by‐product, draw a boundary giving legitimacy to certain theoretical resources while demarcating against others. The strategies that are identified in the key texts are intent on finding, representing, justifying and strengthening a boundary that includes and excludes a reasonable amount of complexity associated with the user.

Originality/value

The paper explores a central concept within information retrieval and information science in a new way. It also supplies a fresh perspective on the development of information retrieval during the 1960s and 1970s.
Complexity theory and the web
Authors: Tredinnick Luke
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the influence of complexity theory on the development of the web. It seeks to critique the role of complexity theory as a governing metaphor in the discourse of the web, and to examine whether complexity theory is able to provide an adequate description of the web, and its relationship to society and knowledge.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is a critial review.

Findings

The paper establishes the influence of complexity in the discourse of the web and questions the adequacy of complexity theory to provide a description of the web and its relationship to cognition and society.

Originality/value

This paper explores the influence of a single concept (complexity theory) on the discourse and development of the web.
Complementarity – a concept for document analysis?
Authors: Skare Roswitha
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a discussion on the concept of complementarity and to show how it can work in a concrete document analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

Starting out with the question of whether it is correct to refer to Bohr's principle of complementarity in the field of document analysis, the paper discusses literature written on the subject, before it uses an example to show that it would be more accurate to view complementarity as a relationship between parts that form a whole, thereby not mutually exclusive.

Findings

The paper finds that the various approaches are not necessarily mutually exclusive. They could be investigated either parallel to one another or nearly simultaneously, even though synchronous observation is not possible. The extent to which a complementary document analysis with an equal weighting of all aspects is actually feasible remains an open question.

Originality/value

The principle of complementarity is rather new in document analysis. The concept introduced by Niels W. Lund is discussed here for the first time.
Abstracting: information literacy on a professional level
Authors: Koltay Tibor
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to argue for a conception of information literacy (IL) that goes beyond the abilities of finding information as it includes communication skills. An important issue in this is that abstractors exercise IL on a professional level.

Design/methodology/approach

By stressing the importance of the fact that information literacy extends towards verbal communication the paper takes an interdisciplinary approach, the main component of which is linguistics.

Findings

It is found that verbal communication and especially analytic‐synthetic writing activities play an important role in information literacy at the level of everyday language use, semi‐professional and professional summarising of information. The latter level characterises abstracting.

Originality/value

The paper adds to the body of knowledge about information literacy in general and in connection with communication and abstracting.
Information literacy skills among female students in Kuwaiti high schools
Authors: ur Rehman Sajjad , Alfaresi Sumayyah
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to measure the level of information literacy skills in Kuwaiti high schools.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey method was used for this study. The population frame consisted of the female students in the 11th grade of the largest governorate in Kuwait “AL‐Asema” which reflected the conditions and environment of a majority of high schools in Kuwait. A cluster random sample was picked of 11th grade classes of girls’ schools in the governorate. The sample thus consisted of a total of 263 students in the randomly selected clusters. A questionnaire was designed and personally administered. Data thus collected were analyzed.

Findings

It was found that a majority of Kuwaiti high school students lacked skills in catalog searching and use, selection of information sources, formulation of search strategies, and selection of pertinent sources. Similarly, a majority of them did not make effective use of their public or school libraries. Most of them had not borrowed a book for more than 13 weeks.

Originality/value

No such research has been conducted in this region. This study provides useful analysis of the prevailing situation that might help in planning and managing information literacy programs in these schools.
The “author pays” model of open access and UK‐wide information strategy
Authors: Joint Nicholas
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to comment on recent trends in UK information strategy which aim to further the development of a coherent national “author pays” open access (APOA) research publication system.

Design/methodology/approach

A description of APOA national policy initiatives, which is put into a wider context by looking at some economic analyses of the principles underlying this form of open access. This is in turn followed by the author's own conclusions, which synthesise these two perspectives.

Findings

It is not at all clear that the economics of APOA are well enough understood to guarantee that the original aim of open access – to deal with unaffordable serials price inflation – will be achieved by a large scale move towards a national APOA system in the UK. An enhanced, nationally coordinated move geared towards establishing APOA on a proper footing would be a bold experiment, and, as such, it might not fully achieve its aims. In recognition of this possibility, it would be worth considering the establishment of a similar, enhanced, UK‐wide programme for the development of purely repository‐based open access materials, to be developed in parallel with an APOA system, as an insurance policy in case the author pays model does not realise its full potential.

Research limitations/implications

This paper does not give any clear description of the nature of an enhanced, UK‐wide repository‐based open access programme. Further investigation would be required to ascertain if this suggestion is feasible. It may be the case that existing national initiatives aimed at supporting the growth of open access subject and institutional repositories have exhausted the potential for coordinated UK‐wide development of this strand of the open access movement.

Practical implications

The insights provided give some idea of the practical difficulties of taking forward APOA systems on a national basis.

Originality value

This paper combines views taken from a variety of different sources in the hope that a fresh perspective on the issue of APOA is made available to the reader.
A critical evaluation of the curriculum development strategy of the LIS education programs in Sri Lanka
Authors: Wijetunge Pradeepa
Published: October 2009

Purpose

A comprehensive analysis of the LIS education system was carried out covering the 2004‐2007 period and it was established that currently 24 LIS education programs are conducted in Sri Lanka by eight educational institutions. The purpose of this paper is to present a critical evaluation of the curriculum development strategy of the LIS education programs in Sri Lanka based on the major research.

Design/methodology/approach

The research used both quantitative as well as qualitative research methods to determine the present status of affairs and the study was based on primary and secondary data collected by means of questionnaires, semi‐structured interviews, participatory observations and review of documents. Primary data were collected from the LIS course co‐ordinators, teachers and policy makers. Researcher's own reflections were also used.

Findings

The empirical survey identified that six main subjects are taught across most of the LIS programs; that most programs provide a general knowledge in LIS but not opportunities for specialisation; appropriate levels of complexity were not evident across the different levels of programs; and there is no national core in LIS so that all programs cover a set of common subjects at appropriate depths and breadths suitable for different levels of programs. Findings with regard to the curriculum development strategies identified that most of the curricula documents are not comprehensive, and that the Sri Lankan LIS curriculum developers do not use any formal curriculum development model. Analysis of the curriculum development teams indicated that most members have no training in curriculum design, and the teams lack contributions by other stakeholders except LIS professionals. Several recommendations are presented to eliminate the weaknesses of the curriculum development strategy in the LIS programs.

Research limitations/implications

This paper is based on a broader empirical study of the LIS education system of Sri Lanka and throws some light on specific research on identifying the most appropriate curriculum development model for Sri Lanka.

Practical implications

The findings of the research are directly applicable to the tasks of the curriculum developers and the LIS education policy makers in Sri Lanka and they can use the findings for the improvement of the LIS education programs.

Originality/value

Contents or the curriculum development strategy of the current Sri Lankan LIS education programs have not been critically analysed before and this paper presents the original research findings relevant to all the programs conducted in 2007.
An empirical examination of the effects of self‐efficacy, supervisor support and motivation to learn on transfer intention
Authors: Al‐Eisa Abdulkarim S. , Furayyan Musaed A. , Alhemoud Abdulla M.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

Recent developments in research related to training transfer have recognized transfer as a complex process rather than a product of training. Transfer intention has been viewed as the first and most crucial stage in the transfer process. Despite its importance in determining the extent to which training transfer can occur, transfer intention has not been examined sufficiently in the literature. This paper aims to address this deficiency.

Design/methodology/approach

For the purpose of enhancing the knowledge and understanding of transfer intention as an important facet of the transfer process, the study was conducted to examine the influences of self‐efficacy as an individual‐level factor and supervisor support as an organizational‐level constituent on transfer intention. Owing to the paucity of research on transfer intention, the theoretical framework on the bases of which the hypotheses regarding the relationships between those two antecedents and transfer intention were constructed was partially supplemented by the Theory of Planned Behavior. The mediation role of motivation to learn in each of those relationships was also investigated, based on a series of regression analyses performed on the data collected from 287 public employees in Saudi Arabia.

Findings

The results showed that supervisor support was the most salient factor that affects transfer intention. Motivation to learn was found to influence transfer intention directly and to partially mediate the relationships of transfer intention with supervisor support and self‐efficacy.

Originality/value

Further analysis showed that supervisor support fully mediates the relationship between self‐efficacy and transfer intention.