bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Competitiveness, globalization and technology development in Thai firms
Authors: Chaiprasit Sasiprapa , Swierczek Fredric William
Published: April 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the influence of competitiveness, strategic direction (SD), and competencies on the level of globalization and technology development in Thai firms from the executive perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

A pilot survey of 64 respondents in executive MBA programs was employed to identify the strategic factors that influence globalization and technology development.

Findings

The analysis specified important factors linked to SD, strategic management competencies, and global actions related to globalization performance and technology development. To achieve a better global performance and business development, Thai companies should adopt global standards, select potential international partners, use cross‐national projects, and focus more on the level of globalization of their operations. Top managers in strategy or business operations in high‐performing firms perceive a significantly higher globalization performance and technology development.

Research limitations/implications

The survey was limited to the perceptions of executive participants in Thailand using a survey only in English.

Practical implications

Thai executives need more effective strategic approaches to compete in the global marketplace and to determine the appropriate strategies to achieve a global level of performance and increased technology competence.

Originality/value

The paper shows that the strategic competencies and global competencies of executives play a significant role in firms' level of global performance and technology development. These competencies support effective strategies to improve the competitiveness of Thai companies on a global level.
Communications infrastructure and traditional determinants of inward foreign investment
Authors: Suh Taewon , Boggs David J.
Published: April 2011

Purpose

This paper seeks to examine the effects of communications infrastructure and other traditionally‐investigated, market‐related factors on net investment inflows into developed versus emerging markets.

Design/methodology/approach

Hypotheses are developed and tested empirically using auto‐regression analysis. Data are used from 38 countries (19 developing and 19 developed) over a ten‐year period (1995‐2004).

Findings

Findings are consistent with the view that research models of the drivers of investment inflows should consider markets' levels of economic development, different time frames, and macro‐economic changes in the global market.

Research limitations/implications

Communications infrastructure influences a country's ability to attract foreign investment. Extrapolation of the results to other places and times should be done with caution.

Practical implications

Managers should carefully examine the information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure before investing in foreign countries to determine suitability to supporting achievement of company objectives. Policy makers that wish to attract foreign investment should strengthen country ICT capacity and, especially for emerging economies, complementary capabilities and telecommunications utilization.

Originality/value

The research highlights the importance of communications infrastructure for attracting inward foreign investment and suggests that technological infrastructure and human utilization of communications impact investment inflows, but only during a certain time frame in the development process of market economies.
Integrating foresight into government. Is it possible? Is it likely?
Authors: Erik Solem Knut
Published: April 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine and explain the role of foresight in government, while making an attempt to ascertain why foresight is both necessary and rare. The paper aims to identify main areas where foresight is needed as well as the constraints that it faces. It also aims to provide some prescriptions and recommendations for improving both system and process.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology is based on case studies and literature search on futures/forecasting. Furthermore, analysis and observations are based on the author's own participation in different governmental and research environments; in several academic circles; within “think tanks” and on the international circuit (mostly at the UN, NATO, IAEA, IIASA and OECD) as well as within the Scandinavian scene.

Findings

Several methodologies and techniques that are identified here may allow people to help perceive, evaluate and control the effects of their actions, present as well as future. However, they have, so far, only been used spasmodically. One reason for this state of affairs is that the difference between “well‐structured” (normal) and “ill‐structured” (futures type)problems has not been properly identified or satisfactorily solved. The political system faces three major problems: the problem of competence; the problem of deliverability; and the problem of legitimacy. All of these can be helped by the understanding and application of proper foresight methods and techniques.

Originality/value

From the design/methodology point of view, this paper draws on the combined sources of international practice and theoretical implications. Its findings are easily comprehended and hence useful for their practical application for decision making on global as well as regional problems. The concept of fully “learning to unlearn” is of primary importance, as well as that of not “discounting the future”, for which several methods and techniques have been analyzed and suggested.
Assessment of corporate foresight project results: case of a multinational company in Turkey
Authors: Atilla Öner M. , Göl Beşer Senem
Published: April 2011

Purpose

The overall aim of the research is to provide an assessment of the level of the reported success of foresight project results of a multinational company in Turkey.

Design/methodology/approach

The model of assessment is based on an integrated framework characterized by approaching foresight as a project and associating it by the redefined pitfalls in, and success factors of, corporate foresight projects in order to facilitate better conversion of their results into actual changes in corporations. A multinational company in Turkey (Siemens Turkey) is chosen for the exploratory case study. The exploratory assessment model was designed via the use of a survey questionnaire, a case study, and interviews of managers (who were involved in the corporate foresight project).

Findings

Results of the individual assessment of corporate foresight project at the company were labeled as “successful”. There needs to be given an overall attention to the process‐oriented elements of the foresight project. Pitfalls in the foundation phase accumulated the highest problem area, suggesting that the total project would eventually suffer.

Research limitations/implications

One of the limitations of the study is the use of a single case with an attempt to assess the pitfalls of the foresight projects. The exploratory study may include premature conclusions about the assessment of corporate foresight project results, yet a single case can imply generalizable insights. The authors believe this research suggests some potentially significant insights for foresight studies and their applications.

Practical implications

The study may help to support the reliability of the foresight studies as they have been implemented and might bring a new methodological challenge on the quality and success of the corporate foresight project results.

Social implications

The approach described the factors affecting the success of corporate foresight activities with respect to understanding the pitfalls of foresight projects. Taking reference to such a framework, foresight results may be better delivered and disseminated in corporations with concrete results and actual changes in organizations. The model of assessment may be used to analyze the level of the reported success of foresight project results in companies implementing foresight activities.

Originality/value

Although foresight studies within businesses has become more important and widespread with its systematic and continuous/participatory approach, based on a variety of methods, it is still a partially explored area in terms of research with mainly descriptive studies.
Managers' foresight matters
Authors: Amsteus Martin
Published: April 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the relationship between the foresight of managers and firm performance.

Design/methodology/approach

An evolutionary perspective is deployed to specify the presumed relationship between managerial foresight and firm performance measures. A positive relationship between managerial foresight and firm performance is proposed. The hypothesis is tested through Spearman's rho, on Swedish managers, and firms in the computer programming industry. Managers' foresight as well as performance is assessed as indexes.

Findings

The paper finds a moderate and statistically significant positive relationship between managers' foresight and firm performance.

Research limitations/implications

There is support for the theoretical relationship between managerial foresight and firm performance. There is a strong rationale for further studies.

Originality/value

The paper provides empirical evidence regarding the importance of managerial foresight for firm performance.
Science and technology foresight baker's dozen: a pocket primer of comparative and combined foresight methods
Authors: Smith Jack E. , Saritas Ozcan
Published: April 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to fill a perceived gap in the tool bag of a foresight practitioner – namely the need for a quickly accessible and concise overview of the main methods being employed in contemporary foresight, and some guidance on when and how one can select or combine several methods within a single project or focus area to achieve the best results. The intention is that such a primer can be easily reproduced into a format suitable and portable for managers to consult when in project meetings to design foresight processes and select methods.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a matrix table plus some text analysis and diagrams, a concise review of the dominant and most innovative tools for framing technology foresight processes is developed and summarized.

Findings

The paper produces 13 foresight methods classified, summarized and referenced with a limited selection of literature references.

Practical implications

The intention is that the main table and diagrams can be easily copied to a standard poster or made into a pocket pamphlet for those who wish to carry the primer with them.

Originality/value

The insights in the paper are derived from the authors' foresight design and management experience, from inputs and discussions and from relevant literature sources. It is envisioned that this will be only the first pocket primer, with further editions expected in the future, as more diverse experience is gained with these methods and new approaches are tried and tested.
An exploratory study of the historical landscape of corporate social responsibility in the UK
Authors: Idowu Samuel O.
Published: April 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to piece together chronologically the events and revolutionary acts that have been taken by groups of individuals, entrepreneurs/industrialists and corporate entities in the UK which fall under the ambit of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in order to derive the history of CSR in the country.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from literature and prior studies were used to gather the required information in order to contribute to knowledge about the history of CSR, at least from the perspective of the UK.

Findings

The results suggest that individuals in groups, industrialists/entrepreneurs acting individually, and even corporate entities have been indirectly engaged in CSR activities in the UK for well over 200 years. Altruistic CSR in the UK has a long history.

Originality/value

Information on how CSR evolved in the UK and elsewhere is considered to be valuable by both academic researchers and business managers, as it provides a framework on which future studies can be based. In addition, it improves the understanding of how the field originally started before it reached its current state.
Small and large firm regulatory costs: the case of the Sarbanes‐Oxley Act
Authors: Millar James A. , Wade Bowen B.
Published: April 2011

Purpose

As a result of scandals concerning major financial crime in the early twenty‐first century, including accounting and auditing fraud and inappropriate behavior by directors on the boards of US corporations, Congress hurriedly enacted the Sarbanes‐Oxley Act (SOX) in 2002. SOX's major purpose was to restore investor confidence in America's securities markets. Small firms argued that their cost of compliance was very heavy and that their burden was greater than for larger firms, especially the costs related to section 404 of the Act, which dealt with new requirements to obtain independent audit opinions. The authors found no empirical research that supports or denies these claims. Subsequently, in 2007, the Securities and Exchange Commission reduced the Act's new audit requirements for small companies. This paper aims to examine audit fees for large and small firms.

Design/methodology/approach

The study examines actual audit fee data to investigate the increased costs paid by publicly traded companies to independent audit firms for their services due to Sarbanes‐Oxley. The authors use univariate and multivariate statistical methods to compare increases in audit fees paid by samples of 150 large firms and 150 small firms.

Findings

The study finds that both small and large firms incurred increased audit fees due to compliance with Sarbanes‐Oxley, and that small companies did incur larger increases in their cost burden.

Originality/value

The study uses actual audit fee data reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission and controls for other factors that determine audit fees in reaching its conclusions.
Corporate governance in a developing economy: barriers, issues, and implications for firms
Authors: Okpara John O.
Published: April 2011

Purpose

Effective corporate governance is significant for firms in developing countries because it can lead to managerial excellence and help firms with a weak corporate governance structure to raise capital and attract foreign investors. The purpose of this paper is to examine the barriers, issues, and challenges hindering effective development and implementation of corporate governance in Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

A combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods was employed to collect information. Specifically, data were collected from 296 managers, company presidents, and board of directors in selected firms. Descriptive data and interview analyses are presented with respect to the barriers and issues hindering effective corporate governance development and implementation in Nigeria.

Findings

The study provides significant current information on corporate governance and barriers hindering its development and implementation in Nigeria. The findings reveal a number of constraints that hinder the implementation and promotion of corporate governance in Nigeria. These constraints include weak or non‐existent law enforcement mechanisms, abuse of shareholders' rights, lack of commitment on the part of boards of directors, lack of adherence to the regulatory framework, weak enforcement and monitoring systems, and lack of transparency and disclosure.

Research limitations/implications

The study was limited to four cities in Nigeria. A broader geographic sampling would better reflect the national profile. Another limitation could stem from the procedure used in data collection (drop off and pick up). However, extreme measures were taken to protect the identities of the respondents.

Originality/value

The significance of this study stems from the fact that very few studies have explored the impact of human resource challenges and prospects in Nigeria. The results provide additional insights into corporate governance practices in Nigeria, a sub‐Saharan African country. This region has thus far been neglected by management researchers, and so the insights gained from this study will contribute to the future development of this line of research, particularly in a non‐Western country like Nigeria.
Corporate governance and board equity ownership
Authors: Pergola Teresa M. , Joseph Gilbert W.
Published: April 2011

Purpose

This study aims to test empirically the relationship between board equity ownership and corporate governance on earnings quality of for‐profit corporations, to help practitioners enhance corporate governance practices.

Design/methodology/approach

The study examines two competing theories of equity ownership (convergence of interests and management entrenchment) to explain how board members react to owning the firm's stock and whether governance impacts their behavior. In a sample of 499 publicly traded firms, a governance index was calculated and the relative power of equity ownership and governance was regressed on reported earnings quality.

Findings

The results support the management entrenchment theory. Both independent and insider board members become entrenched, negatively impacting reported earnings quality and the strength of the governance structure. However, effective governance using a composite of mechanisms moderates the effects of entrenchment.

Research limitations/implications

The effect of individual governance variables on earnings quality is not identified. The reader should not generalize the results of this research to other types of organizations, such as not‐for‐profit or governmental entities. The authors studied for‐profit, publicly held firms where directors act as agents of the stockholders and corporate governance is tasked with the responsibility to monitor management and improve investor confidence in reported earnings quality. The authors acknowledge that in other types of entities, the governance culture and objectives may be different and the results of this study may not apply.

Practical implications

The results provide insight regarding the motivations and behavior of board members and the impact of stock ownership on their actions. Stronger governance controls are needed within the entrenchment range of stock ownership. Firms should not rely on oversight by independent board members to control insider board members. A composite of governance mechanisms can moderate negative behavior.

Originality/value

The results challenge commonly held beliefs that independent board members and board members who own stock will perform their fiduciary duty. This means that governance mechanisms should address all board members, not just specific types and that equity ownership must be very high before it can be relied upon as effective.
Revisiting ethics in strategic management
Authors: McManus John
Published: April 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the challenges faced by corporations in incorporating ethics into their strategic management processes.

Design/methodological approach

The research is based on a survey of the issues and the literature published in Europe, North America and Asia.

Findings

Findings indicate a definite gap between the implementation of strategy and the moral and ethical obligations of corporations. Given the decline in business ethics and recent corporate scandals it is proposed that ethics be brought back to the forefront of strategic management and integrated into the strategic management process.

Research limitations/implications

The paper serves as a instrument for debate and future research in that the ethical issues faced by corporations will continue to gather momentum as will the issues faced by traditional strategists.

Originality/value

This paper allows researchers and practitioners to gain an understanding of the issues and shortcomings in strategy and ethical integration, which allows for future research.
Taking VANET to the clouds
Authors: Olariu Stephan , Khalil Ismail , Abuelela Mahmoud
Published: April 2011

Purpose

The past decade has witnessed a growing interest in vehicular networking and its myriad applications. The initial view of practitioners and researchers was that radio‐equipped vehicles can keep the drivers informed about potential safety risks and can enhance their awareness of road conditions and traffic‐related events. This conceptual paper seeks to put forth a novel vision, namely that advances in vehicular networks, embedded devices, and cloud computing can be used to set up what are known as vehicular clouds (VCs).

Design/methodology/approach

The paper suggests that VCs are technologically feasible and that they are likely to have a significant societal impact.

Findings

The paper argues that at least in some of its manifestations, the ideas behind VCs are eminently implementable under present day technology. It is also expected that, once adopted and championed by municipalities and third‐party infrastructure providers, VCs will redefine the way in which pervasive computing and its myriad applications is thought of.

Research limitations/implications

This is a new concept for which a small‐scale prototype is being built. No large‐scale prototype exists at the moment.

Practical implications

VCs are a novel concept motivated by the realization of the fact that, most of the time, the tremendous amount of computing and communication resources available in vehicles is underutilized. Putting these resources to work in a meaningful way should have a significant societal impact.

Social implications

The main goal of this paper is to introduce and promote the concept of VCs, a non‐trivial extension, along several dimensions, of the by‐now “classic” cloud computing. The paper shows that the concept of VCs is feasible as of today – at least in some of its manifestations – and that it can have a significant societal impact in the years to come.

Originality/value

The idea of a VC is novel and so are the potential applications that are discussed in the paper.
An energy‐efficient scheme for reporting events over WSNs
Authors: Mousannif Hajar , Al Moatassime Hassan , Rakrak Said
Published: April 2011

Purpose

Energy consumption has always been the most serious issue to consider while deploying wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Sensor nodes are limited in power, computational capacities and memory so reporting the occurrence of specific events, such as fire or flooding, as quickly as possible using minimal energy resources is definitely a challenging issue. The purpose of this paper is to propose a new, reactive and energy‐efficient scheme for reporting events. In this scheme, nodes that detect a certain event will organize themselves into a cluster, elect a clusterhead that will collect data from the cluster members, aggregate it and forward it to the mobile sink.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to evaluate the scheme, a new sensor node model was designed, where the network layer is implemented from scratch. This layer contains the state process model of the algorithm which was made available through a high‐fidelity process modeling methodology.

Findings

Simulation results show that a high‐event notification delivery ratio and a significant energy saving is achieved by deploying the proposed sensor node model; comparisons with existing methods show the efficiency of using the new scheme.

Originality/value

The new contribution in this paper is a novel, reactive and energy‐efficient scheme for reporting events over WSNs. The concept introduced in this paper will decrease energy consumption inside the network and, thus, improve its lifetime.
SOLE: context‐aware sharing of living experiences
Authors: Zhu Jian , Oliya Mohammad , Keng Pung Hung , Choong Wong Wai
Published: April 2011

Purpose

The rapid advances in the technologies of mobile computing and wireless communications have facilitated the use of applications and services on handheld devices. Sharing of living experience (SOLE) is one such service, through which users can share their experience of daily activities such as shopping, entertainment, and traveling. This paper seeks to study SOLE in more detail.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents an application framework for a context‐aware SOLE which considers location, preferences, and other useful information for a seamless user experience. SOLE leverages on the service‐oriented middleware, Coalition. Entities of interest are represented as services registered with Coalition, which are organized using location information. This facilitates location‐based selection of entities for associating or retrieving experiences. In addition, Coalition incorporates the contexts of users in the discovery and delivery of experience information. Besides, to cater for resource constraints of mobile devices, the concept of “proxy” is introduced.

Findings

A detailed study of SOLE, namely, its design as well as its interaction with the middleware, information providers and information consumers, is provided. As a proof of concept, a prototype of SOLE for mobile phone users is also provided. The experiments show the ease of using SOLE and its acceptable performance in practice.

Originality/value

SOLE is generic and scalable, by not assuming a specific application scenario; flexible, by allowing the user to choose where to store the experience data and to specify his audience; and context‐aware by considering the contexts of the user such as location and preferences in the experience sharing process.
Chinese MNEs and Latin America: a review
Authors: Fornes Gaston , Butt‐Philip Alan
Published: April 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to review and analyse the literature on the internationalisation of companies from China to Latin America (LA).

Design/methodology/approach

The approach taken is that of a general review.

Findings

The analysis shows that: the vast majority of academic literature relates to the characteristics of Chinese MNCs and their expansion into developed countries; the available evidence tends to suggest that China's MNCs already possess some competitive capabilities that, although not yet completely developed and consolidated to compete against companies in developed countries, seem to have achieved a certain level that allows them to successfully compete in Latin American markets; the Chinese Government has directly participated by committing most of the investments itself and also by signing treaties and trade and investment agreements with more than 20 developing countries; and the current trade and investment figures hint that, in the medium term, Chinese MNCs may be involved in market‐seeking FDI in LA.

Originality/value

These findings seem to question the fit of existing theories with the reality of China's firms and the need for further studies in this area.
Retaining Africa's talent: the role of Africa's higher education
Authors: Mpinganjira Mercy
Published: April 2011

Purpose

Brain drain has become a serious problem on the African continent. Most African migrants initially move out of their countries of origin to pursue higher education studies abroad. Encouraging more African students to study within the continent is seen as one way of dealing with the problem. This paper aims at understanding factors influencing African students to undertake postgraduate studies abroad.

Design/methodology/approach

Focus group discussions, in‐depth interviews and an online structured questionnaire were the main approaches used for data collection. A sample of 94 international postgraduate students from Africa studying at University of Witwatersrand in South Africa was used in the analysis.

Findings

The results show that conditions in both the students' countries of origin and in the possible hosting countries contribute to the decision to study abroad. Of prime importance among the factors attracting students abroad is the need to acquire an education with world‐wide recognition.

Practical implications

The findings have implications for the management of the higher education sector in the continent and the marketing of a country and/or its institutions to international students coming from other African countries.

Originality/value

The paper identifies the factors influencing international student mobility among African students and notes the implications of these on attracting African students wanting to study abroad to do so in countries within the continent.
Experience, comfort, and privacy concerns: antecedents of online spending
Authors: Spake Deborah F. , Zachary Finney R. , Joseph Mathew
Published: April 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine antecedents of consumer online spending.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 766 college students in the USA completed surveys using intercept interviews on a college campus. The research examines the consumer's level of technological savvy, experience with online shopping, level of confidence that online activities are not monitored, worry about other parties obtaining credit card information, comfort providing personal information online, and concern for online privacy when predicting the amount a consumer will spend online.

Findings

The findings reveal that consumer experience with online shopping and level of comfort with providing personal information online were significant predictors of the amount spent online. Surprisingly, privacy concerns were not a significant factor in online spending.

Practical implications

The results provide useful information to online marketers and privacy advocates by revealing factors that influence the amount spent by consumers via the internet.

Originality/value

This paper fills an identified gap in the literature on online shopping in that most research to date has either focused on regulatory issues or consumer demographics related to online privacy concerns.
Understanding illegal music downloading in the UK: a multi‐attribute model
Authors: Sirkeci Ibrahim , Bára Magnúsdóttir Lóa
Published: April 2011

Purpose

This study aims to examine the role of product attributes, applying the multi‐attribute model, on consumers' decisions to download digital music via unauthorised sources in the UK.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected through an online survey. Consumer choice was measured through three sets of questions built on Likert scales to identify individuals' evaluation of importance placed on the eight attributes, when making a choice, and level of satisfaction with those, both for purchasing and downloading. Two logistic regression models are developed using background characteristics and responses to these three sets of questions. The consumer choice between purchasing digital music and downloading through unauthorised channels was analysed in regards to eight product‐specific attributes.

Findings

The results show that illegal downloaders expect a similar utility from both channels, while others tend to have a more positive attitude towards their chosen channel (i.e. purchasing). Background characteristics such as age, gender, education, and income show some relevance to the choice of music downloading channel. Regarding the importance attributed to and satisfaction from the eight product attributes, security of the source, variety of available music, quality, copyright, and legitimacy of the source are found to be significant in determining the choice.

Practical implications

This study is likely to guide digital music providers in designing their marketing plans using key attributes and consumer perceptions.

Originality/value

This is a rare study of downloading behaviour in the UK using a mixed population sample which is not dominated by students. Findings question the weight of price in decision making.
Determinants of consumer‐driven healthcare
Authors: Ha Sejin , Jung Lee Yun
Published: April 2011

Purpose

This study aims to examine the relationships between consumer self‐confidence in health information search and health‐related outcomes (i.e. knowledge about cancer prevention, healthcare behavior, and use of the web as a primary source for health information). The associations between self‐confidence in health information search and its predictors (i.e. health literacy and trust in health information sources) are explored as well.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used the 2007 Health Information National Trends Survey data. Stepwise linear regression analyses, a logistic regression analysis, and stepwise multiple regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The results from this study revealed that consumer self‐confidence in health information search appears to be linked with perceptions of health literacy and trust in information sources, particularly, trust in health professionals (e.g. doctors, healthcare professionals, government health agencies, family and friends, the internet), but not in information‐focused media (newspapers or magazines). Furthermore, as expected, consumer self‐confidence in health information search determines two health‐related outcomes, which are knowledge about cancer prevention and healthcare behavior.

Originality/value

The results of this study provide researchers with a better understanding about the key factors guiding consumers to have informed healthcare and enabling public health agencies to evaluate the effectiveness of their policies.
National study of injury‐increasing analgesics in the elderly
Authors: Blackwell Steven A. , Baugh David K. , Montgomery Melissa A. , Ciborowski Gary M. , Levy Jesse M.
Published: April 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the probability of the occurrence of an analgesic medication injury when controlling for potential risk factors, as well as gain a better understanding of which risk factors appear more problematic.

Design/methodology/approach

Cross‐sectional retrospective review of 2004 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service Medicaid Pharmacy claims data. Logistic regression analysis performed to examine the risk of injury‐related emergency room (ER) visits following the use of analgesics controlling for potential risk factors.

Findings

Methadone, an agent to treat severe pain, and propoxyphene, an agent to treat non‐severe pain, are problematic opioids in the elderly. White origin, male gender, and increased disease burden are potential risk factors influencing injury‐related ER visits for elderly analgesic recipients. Increased age in the elderly is a potential risk factor for severe pain analgesics; decreased age for non‐severe pain analgesics.

Research limitations/implications

The study uses administrative data which, by its nature, makes conducting outcomes research on inappropriate medication use problematic. A number of confounders are present.

Practical implications

Appropriate drug therapy in an elderly patient is complicated by age‐related changes in pharmacokinetics as well as chronic disorders that affect drug response. Knowing of additional risk factors that may place the patient at greater odds of having an adverse outcome should improve prescribing practices.

Originality/value

The findings add to the literature by identifying problematic risk factors associated with injury among elderly recipients of analgesics.
Users' consumption of healthcare videos on hospital web sites
Authors: Huang Edgar , Bolchini Davide , Jones Josette F.
Published: April 2011

Purpose

While hospitals have done much over the last five years to push new media marketing, little research has been done to find out whether such endeavors are justified by users' healthcare online information consumption. This study attempts to find evidence for or against such endeavors.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the Delphi technique, this study investigated both users' healthcare video consumption behavior and their underlying rationales through three rounds of questions among 30 users of varied demographic backgrounds as a purposive sample.

Findings

Most participants did not watch videos hospital web sites because of their stereotypical understanding that hospital web sites provide no more than clerical information and because of videos' perceived inefficiency in delivering relevant and personalized information. However, most participants expressed their willingness to watch videos if the presentation is improved.

Research limitations/implications

Although the Delphi technique is arguably the best approach when there is no defined population for sampling, a small sample may still be inadvertently biased toward the participants.

Practical implications

Hospitals need to make users aware of the abundant healthcare information in multimedia formats including video on their web sites, present the relevant content, and make such presentations easily digestible.

Social implications

Hospitals' move into online new media marketing may help hospitals establish levels of trust with their online users comparable to the levels doctors currently enjoy and encourage consumers to visit hospital web sites as part of their healthcare decision‐making process.

Originality/value

For the very first time, this study has answered from the users' perspective and with evidential support the question whether hospitals' march into new media marketing is justified.
Dynamic capabilities of institutional entrepreneurship
Authors: McKague Kevin
Published: April 2011

Purpose

Although the concept of institutional entrepreneurship has been developed in the institutional theory literature to explain change in the normative context of organizations, little attention has been given to understanding what institutional entrepreneurs actually do to create change. The purpose of this paper is to begin to address this gap in the literature by drawing on the process, challenges, successes and lessons learned when a large multilateral organization (the United Nations Development Program) launched a new international multi‐stakeholder initiative to facilitate inclusive business development.

Design/methodology/approach

This case study gathered qualitative data through key informant interviews, participant observation and a review of project documents and e‐mail correspondence.

Findings

Drawing on institutional theory and the literature on dynamic capabilities, the research found that highly institutionalized organizations acting as institutional entrepreneurs need to manage two key tensions – legitimacy management and change process management – in order to influence change in their institutional fields.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to combine institutional theory and the dynamic capabilities literatures to understand the question What capabilities are required by organizations to succeed in changing their institutional fields?
Construmex: housing investments for Mexican migrants and their families
Authors: Serrano González Loretta
Published: April 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the challenges and implications related to the integration of low‐income customers into the strategy of CEMEX, one of the world's largest building materials companies.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study with data from interviews of a wide variety of stakeholders as well as observation and review of company documents.

Findings

Construmex was launched following CEMEX's experience with Patrimonio Hoy, a socially minded business targeted at low‐income families. Since its inception in 2001, Construmex helped more than 14,000 Mexican migrants in the USA improve, build or buy a house for themselves or their families in Mexico. Through a comprehensive value proposition, Construmex provided access to remote sales, micro‐credit and professional design and planning assistance.

Practical implications

Among early barriers was an initial overconfident approach from the company, as well as a low level of trust from potential clients. The program's success was possible through the establishment of key partnerships. By playing an intermediary role between migrants and their beneficiaries in Mexico, Construmex helped to increase the resource efficiency and effectiveness of housing investments. Migrants gained control of the destination of their money and saved time and resources. Among unsolved challenges was the need to reach a larger scale and financial sustainability. Opportunities to strengthen impacts were related to improved engagement of salespersons, local distributors and beneficiaries.

Originality/value

The case provides insights on how a low‐income market can be integrated to the business strategy of a large company resulting in the creation of social and business value.
The contribution of grassroots businesses to post‐conflict development in Liberia
Authors: Tarway‐Twalla Alfred K.
Published: April 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine the contribution of grassroots (mostly informal) businesses to post‐conflict, socio‐economic development in Liberia.

Design/methodology/approach

The research findings are based on quantitative data from a survey of 1,823 grassroots business owners from the central region of Liberia and qualitative data from 48 key informant interviews and 22 focus groups.

Findings

Grassroots businesses ensured access to goods and services in remote towns and villages, a key component of post‐conflict development. Although they were usually profitable and had high loan repayment rates, inadequate loan opportunities undercut their contributions to private sector growth and capacity development.

Originality/value

This research points to the contribution of grassroots businesses to post‐conflict social and private sector development, a relatively unexplored area of research in Liberia. The study reveals how grassroots businesses provide needed goods, services, and livelihoods in inaccessible parts of Liberia. This research can be used by government and non‐governmental organization to contribute to improve the economic situation for grassroots businesses in Liberia.
Development of small and medium enterprises in a developing country
Authors: Tahi Hamonangan Tambunan Tulus
Published: April 2011

Purpose

The Indonesian Government has taken many measures to support the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which are expected to play a crucial role in employment creation, gross domestic product growth, and non‐oil and gas export development. The purpose of this paper is to examine recent developments of SMEs in Indonesia. More specifically, it aims to address the following research questions: How important are SMEs in Indonesia? What are their main constraints? What is the impact of women entrepreneurs on SME development? and Can Indonesian SMEs be sources of innovation?

Design/methodology/approach

The paper analyzes data from Indonesia's National Agency of Statistics and reviews key literature and secondary data on Indonesian SMEs.

Findings

First, SMEs have been the main player in domestic economic activities as they account for more than 99.9 percent of all firms and employ 96.2 percent of the workforce. Second, key SME constraints include lack of finance and marketing difficulties. Third, representation of women entrepreneurs is still relatively low and can be attributed to low level of education and cultural/religious constraints. Finally, SME innovation capability is low for several key reasons.

Originality/value

The paper considers the involvement of women in SMEs in a Muslim‐majority country and contributes to the literature on the innovation capability of SMEs.
Opportunities for learning from crises in projects
Authors: Hällgren Markus , Wilson Timothy L.
Published: April 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how individuals in projects learn from crises.

Design/methodology/approach

The multiple‐case protocol described by Yin and his six sources of evidence were utilized. Observations were contemporaneous and somewhere between direct and participative. Bias was avoided by having the observer on site, but not part of the project team. A diary recorded events; company notes and records substantiated observations.

Findings

The study contributes to the understanding of the need that project managers have to adapt to changes from plan and the coincidental learning that occurs in the workplace. Both cumulative and abrupt crises treated by project/site teams and corporate staff are described. A necessary and sufficiency approach was used to rationalize the organizational learning. The necessary condition was that the episodes could be described in terms used by Gherardi in her treatment of routine learning. As a sufficiency condition, the authors discussed the systemic approach in which these episodes are handled.

Research limitations/implications

Because research was built on case studies, one has the reservations commonly associated with this approach. Extension from and agreement with previous studies, however, lend to acceptance of the study.

Practical implications

Results suggest that crises can be managed in accordance with four general responses associated with learning within the organization. The responses themselves are associated with five organizational practices that aid management in general.

Originality/value

The value of the work is that it extends basic concepts of organizational learning to treating crises in projects, which are both by definition unique.
The Norwegian front‐end governance regime of major public projects
Authors: Christensen Tom
Published: April 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a theoretically based analysis and evaluation of the Norwegian quality assurance scheme (QA1 and QA2) for major public projects (MPPs), drawing on a number of different perspectives from organization theory and decision‐making theory, but also from insight from two major public reform waves – new public management (NPM) and post‐NPM. The purpose is to analyze the scheme as a governance system, focusing on the way of organizing the decision system. Two illustrative cases are also analyzed where the QA system is used.

Design/methodology/approach

The theory used in the article is taken from decision‐making theory, including an economic‐rational, an instrumental‐structural and a garbage can perspective, but also from reform theory and studies. The quality assurance scheme in Norway is first outlined, followed by a presentation and application of decision‐making theory on the system, and then a discussion of the elements from reform waves in the system. Method is interviews and public documents. The paper is also based on a pilot study that the author has done together with a consulting firm, covering three MPPs and an ongoing analysis of 23 MPPs.

Findings

A structural‐instrumental perspective gives the best insight into the complex design of the QA system, which encompasses both centralizing elements with the potential to increase political control, and devolutionary elements, such as the use of private experts, while an economic‐rational perspective helps to explain the technical planning ideal. The garbage can perspective highlights complexity, potential ambiguity and the use of symbols. In a second step, the article shows that the QA system's approach to planning and the inclusion of external experts is very much inspired by NPM reform thinking, the QA1 part of the system, which anchors the system in the central political leadership and thus potentially increases political control, is a typical post‐NPM element. The two cases illustrate both how the political executive can use the QA system to increase control, that the consultants play a mainly supportive role and that MPP as about many other aspects than the one central for a QA system.

Originality/value

There are very few studies of QA systems for MPPs that are using decision‐making theory and reform theory in this way. Many MPP studies are of a technical and economic character, while the study described in this paper very much digs into the political considerations build into such systems and their balancing towards other concerns and interests. Designing QA system will, accordingly, be much more a political issue and not a technical and economical one.