bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
User preferences of office occupiers: investigating the differences
Authors: Rothe Peggie , Lindholm Anna‐Liisa , Hyvönen Ari , Nenonen Suvi
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The work environment has been identified to influence employee satisfaction and work performance. In order to develop and provide work environments that meet the preferences of as many employees as possible, more information about user preferences and possible preference differences between different kinds of users is required. The purpose of this paper is to increase the understanding concerning office users' work environment preferences. The aim is to investigate whether there are differences in the preferences of office users based on their age, gender, their mobility, and whether they work individually or with others.

Design/methodology/approach

Office users' work environment preferences are studied through a survey directed to office employees. Statistical analysis is used in order to identify work environment preference differences between respondents of different age, gender, and the way they work.

Findings

The results indicate that there are differences between office users' work environment preferences concerning some characteristics of the work environment. The results show that the preferences vary both based on demographic issues such as age and gender as well as based on how they work.

Research limitations/implications

The research is limited to the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, Finland, so the cultural context has to be taken into account when generalising the results.

Originality/value

The paper provides several stakeholders, such as user organisations, designers, consultants, and investors, valuable information on what kind of work environments office users prefer.
Facing the fold: from the eclipse of Utopia to the restoration of hope
Authors: Ogilvy Jay
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The objective of this paper is to make a case for a scenaric stance that holds high road and low road futures in mind at once. Opening with regrets about the total eclipse of Utopian thinking, the paper aims to move on to embrace both aspirational futures and a forthright recognition of the many ways in which things could go wrong. Adopting a scenaric stance amounts to a new, fourth attitude toward historical time and the future. The ancients lived in an ahistorical, cyclical time. Second, modernity embraced a progressive and optimistic approach to the future. Third, post‐modernity turns pessimistic about the future. Fourth, a new scenaric stance vindicates Utopian optimism by pairing it with a forthright recognition of pessimistic possibilities.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a reflective, almost philosophical paper that articulates a new attitude toward the future, which demonstrates the significance of scenario planning for attitudes toward the future.

Findings

A scenaric stance can restore the liberatory potential of Utopian thinking by yoking optimistic, aspirational futures together with a clear‐eyed recognition of the several ways that plans can misfire.

Research limitations/implications

This is a philosophical, reflective piece that does not rely on any quantitative evidence or rigorous modeling.

Practical implications

The practical implications are major: to the extent that the health of the economy relies on confidence and a willingness to take risks, a lemming‐like race to the bottom will result in a Japan‐like endless recession. A vindication is needed for aspirational scenarios.

Social implications

Everyone is better off when fewer people are living in crouch.

Originality/value

After three decades of reviewing and contributing to the literature on future studies, the author has seen nothing that remotely resembles the argument of this paper. Its value consists in its potential for lifting people's sights. One stands in danger of a loss of confidence and an endless recession. One needs to restore a sense of possibility and optimism, but can do so responsibly only if one holds on to an honest sense of the real dangers one faces.
Using an adaptive scenarios approach to establish strategies for tomorrow's workplace
Authors: Saurin Ruth , Ratcliffe John
Published: July 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to demonstrate that it is important to have a methodological process that is reflexive and flexible to achieve fluid interactions that add rigour and energy to the overall process of a built environment project.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper outlines the Prospective through Scenarios futures process used in a study called the “Workplace of the Future”. It also discusses how and why the methodology evolves over the course of the project with participant feedback as the main source of information for the analysis.

Findings

Change is the one factor in the Prospective through Scenarios methodological development that ensures the participants to think deeply and laterally in a futures process, from which a value‐driven process is achieved.

Originality/value

Novel futures techniques have been applied to a discipline that is usually reactive and quantitative – workplace provision and facilities management.
Land of white space opportunity: channel planning and DTV restack in Australia
Authors: Freyens Benoît‐Pierre , Loney Mark
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The last decade has seen increasing advocacy for, and interest in the use of white space in the broadcasting bands by providers of wireless broadband services. This paper aims to discuss the scope in Australia for “symbiotic” and “invasive” white space devices to operate in the UHF band after digital switchover and speculate about longer term trends.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors draw from their analysis of recent regulatory decisions to explain how the parameters established for channel planning naturally conduce to the development of large white spaces. They then identify emerging opportunities for white space usage in the reduced UHF band allocated to digital television services as well as in nearby guard bands.

Findings

The article's analysis suggests that there is considerable scope for white space devices to operate in Australia – even in the context of a reduced UHF band following analog switch off. Furthermore, the authors argue that the development of complementary business models could see off any perceived conflict between intensive white space usage and the long‐term benefit of both broadcasters and telecommunications operators.

Practical implications

It is timely for proponents of white space usage to establish regulatory arrangements that will allow intensive use of those white spaces. Current FCC proposals to base the regulatory framework on spectrum co‐sharing between broadcasters and white space broadband providers may lead to similar, yet distinct, opportunities in the USA as well.

Originality/value

There is a surprising paucity of published information worldwide regarding white space regulation. This article provides an in‐depth discussion of the main parameters driving white space opportunity.
Two approaches to curriculum development for educating for sustainability and CSR
Authors: Stubbs Wendy , Schapper Jan
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report on efforts to develop two stand‐alone subjects on sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) in a mainstream business curriculum at Monash University, Australia.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents details on the educational rationale and design of the two subjects in corporate sustainability and CSR.

Findings

Although many universities offer support for education for sustainability, previous research indicates that most curriculum initiatives in this area have been driven by individual faculty. This paper provides examples of curriculum development that emerged from the grass‐roots initiative, in the absence of an integrated and mainstreamed programme for sustainability.

Practical implications

The paper encourages all faculty, no matter their circumstances, to consider the development of curriculum for sustainability. While individual subjects cannot effect wholesale change, each effort can, no matter how piecemeal, make a difference.

Originality/value

The cases in this paper highlight the importance of skills, knowledge and values to the curriculum for sustainability and CSR. Because there is no formula for how these are integrated into the curriculum, the paper illustrates how individual faculty members have brought their own disciplinary and pedagogical backgrounds to their curriculum design.
Intellectual capital in Spanish public universities: stakeholders' information needs
Authors: Ramírez Córcoles Yolanda , Santos Peñalver Jesús F. , Tejada Ponce Ángel
Published: July 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to demonstrate the need for universities to include information on intellectual capital in their accounting information system.

Design/methodology/approach

An empirical study was conducted to discover the extent to which the different users of university accounting information are now demanding information concerning intellectual capital in order to make the right decisions. To this end a questionnaire was designed and sent to all the members of the Social Councils of Spain's public universities.

Findings

The findings show the opinion of university accounting information users regarding the need for universities to publish information on their intellectual capital in order to make the current model of university accounting information more relevant.

Practical implications

The results of this research show the intangible elements about which universities should provide information in order to satisfy their users' new information demands.

Originality/value

No previous research in this area has been conducted for Spanish universities. This paper brings new expertise regarding the traditional information supplied by universities, which needs to be extended to include information on intellectual capital. Giving users access to a type of information that is relevant for good decision‐making constitutes a healthy exercise in transparency for universities.
Applying activity‐based costing approach for construction logistics cost analysis
Authors: Fang Yuan , Ng S. Thomas
Published: July 2011

Purpose

Construction materials take up a significant proportion of the total construction cost. Without careful planning and controlling on the flow of construction materials, it is possible that the cost of materials may increase unnecessarily. In view of that, this paper aims to examine whether the development of logistics cost analysis can help determine suitable logistics strategies for a project which involves the use of bulky components like precast concrete units.

Design/methodology/approach

The cost elements incurred during the logistics process of precast components from the supplier's yard to the construction site are first identified through the activity‐based costing (ABC) approach. Under each element, the resources necessary to fulfil the specific element are analysed. By representing those cost components through the cost functions, simulations can be carried out to determine the logistics cost under different logistic scenarios.

Findings

Through the ABC approach, the resources consumed can be traced back to the consuming activity and subsequently to a particular cost element. More importantly, the results indicate that the simulation model can identify a logistics option which would result in the lowest logistics cost without affecting the construction schedule.

Originality/value

This paper should help increase understanding of managers and planners on construction logistics activities and their related costs so as to increase their bid competitiveness and/or improve the chance of success at the construction stage by minimising the construction logistics cost.
Innovation performance of construction enterprises
Authors: Na Lim Jay , Peltner Frank
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The complex interactions between firm‐ and industry‐specific factors within a national context and their impacts on innovation often hinder construction enterprises' efforts in optimising their innovation performance. The purpose of this paper is to employ the Cobb‐Douglas empirical production model to develop an innovation production function that illustrates the input and output factors relating to the innovation performance of construction firms.

Design/methodology/approach

Applying these factors to a dataset comprising economic and innovation statistics over 20 years for Germany and Singapore, regression analyses were conducted to investigate the critical resources that contribute to the innovation performance of German and Singaporean construction firms.

Findings

The findings indicated that the maturity of the innovation landscape in Germany cultivates the strength of German construction firms in developing unique firm‐specific resources that pushes their competitiveness edge. In Singapore, construction firms' dependence on the nation's basic science and technology research leads to weak firm dynamics and innovation capabilities.

Originality/value

It is recommended that in Singapore, the government should focus on the strength of their relationships with construction enterprises to aid the development of construction firms' R&D capabilities. The primary recommendation for both German and Singapore construction firms is to develop a system of knowledge documentation and distribution that facilitates systematically reapplications of know‐how, enabling construction firms to develop sustainable competitiveness through unique knowledge assets.
Research in marketing and entrepreneurship: a retrospective viewpoint
Authors: Hills Gerald E. , Hultman Claes
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to reflect upon 13 years of the Journal of Research in Marketing and Entrepreneurship and developments in the field over that period.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors reflect upon the past and future of the marketing and entrepreneurship discipline.

Findings

There is an abundance of important research questions to fuel faculty and PhD student research for years to come.

Originality/value

This paper has value as a reflective piece which goes on to pose research questions of the future.
Best address: the use of innovative marketing in the real estate industry
Authors: Jeanine Meyers Yuvay , Harmeling Susan S.
Published: July 2011

Purpose

This paper seeks to explore the successful entrepreneurial marketing communications done by a small, residential real estate firm, Best Address® LLC, in Washington, DC (USA). The goal of the study is to develop an understanding of best practices used by this firm that can translate into marketing tactics used by other small businesses.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative research was conducted to investigate the tactics used by Best Address® LLC along with an extensive academic literature search to provide support for the study's findings.

Findings

The service quality portrayed by the firm's marketing communication efforts were examined and the key tactics used by this firm were categorized into three areas that fall in line with previous research on successful entrepreneurial marketing strategy. This paper concludes by presenting a theoretical model that conceptualizes service quality as a function of the marketing communications efforts executed by a firm in hopes of guiding entrepreneurs' activities towards positive consumer affect.

Practical implications

This study highlights how Best Address® LLC differentiates itself from its much larger competitors and provides key insights for successful entrepreneurial marketing strategy in the residential real estate business.

Originality/value

Although there is a stream of academic literature regarding entrepreneurial marketing, there are few cases such as this one that present the marketing communications tactics successfully used by a small firm. Entrepreneurs hoping to venture into the real estate industry would benefit from the findings of this study.
The impact of product management on SME firm performance
Authors: Roach David C.
Published: July 2011

Purpose

This study seeks to address a gap in the literature by investigating product management (PM) as a set of firm‐level activities, distinct from the behaviours embedded within the market orientation (MO) construct. This research establishes PM as a set of organizational activities, which lie at the boundary between the traditional functions of the firm.

Design/methodology/approach

A model is proposed and tested using a heterogeneous sample of 316 Canadian small and medium‐sized enterprises, where PM mediates the relationship between MO and firm performance. Data were analyzed using a partial least squares, structural equation model.

Findings

PM behaviour is found to fully mediate the MO – firm performance relationship. Two of the three PM constructs, namely channel analysis/support and market/technical integration account for this effect.

Research limitations/implications

These results support the PM literature, which infers that more emphasis on external boundary spanning activities and internal coordination should positively influence firm performance. Limitations include the heterogeneous nature of the sample, time frame and geographic bias.

Practical implications

Managerial implications include the establishment of an empirical link between PM practices and how firms ultimately perform. This could assist practitioners in enhancing coordination activities between the marketing and technological factions within the organization.

Originality/value

This research establishes PM as a set of activities, which lie at the boundary between the traditional functions of the firm. These activities are found to fully mediate the MO – firm performance relationship and introduce the hereto untested link between PM and firm performance.
Speculative expectations and financial instabilities: when the competitive environment matters
Authors: Parnaudeau Miia
Published: July 2011

Purpose

Strategic decisions taken during financial instability periods are directly influenced by the competitive environment in which actors are evolving. In the highly financialized context in which they proceed, firms are moving in a half light. The rational expectations hypothesis no longer stands relevant when the information made available to actors is incomplete. The aim of this paper is to discuss how in such a situation, firms and banks interact using uncertain profit expectations, and then feed financial crises.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper pinpoints the key role played by a competitive environment on firms' and banks' strategic governance, by discussing a cognitive or experience linked expectations model. It then focuses on the free play of behavior in these enhanced competitive spaces.

Findings

Once admitted the irrelevancy of the rational expectations hypothesis, an optimal way of characterizing expectations under uncertainty is proposed. This solution helps to illustrate how the free play of banks and firms in today's enhanced competitive spaces generate systematic escalations on the markets.

Originality/value

Financial governance would gain more from being steered towards a more explicit consideration of speculative behaviors: the cognitive or experience linked expectations model proposed in this paper is a first attempt to discuss this question.
Banking ethics
Authors: Paulet Elisabeth
Published: July 2011

Purpose

Since the 1980s, the global financial system has faced several crises that have led regulators to consider new conjectural and structural problems. These crises (new technology bubbles, the sub‐prime crisis …) have led economists and financial analysts to the following conclusions. First of all, systemic risk has increased during the last 30 years, which had led regulators to devise rules to evaluate information more efficiently. Second, the recent collapse of stock markets despite the national rescue measures shows the importance of preventative procedures. The third point is that aggressive capitalism has demonstrated its limits. The aim of this paper is to show that regulation is a necessary but not sufficient condition to ensure the efficiency of banking institutions, financial markets and the management of companies.

Design/methodology/approach

Through the analysis of the Swiss banking sector, the paper provides an insight for banks to satisfy social pressure on more ethical behavior. This case could be an example for another functioning for financial institutions.

Findings

By refocusing on their core business, banking institutions will be capable of realizing profit and creating value for the community.

Practical implications

The arguments discussed in this paper could be of interest both for professionals and academics willing to solve the antagonism between profit and ethics: profit can be compatible with social value added.

Originality/value

Banking and finance is not “an ethics free zone”. By changing their behavior, banks can improve their credibility on the market and renew the confidence towards clients.
Can the WTO judges assist the development agenda?
Authors: Ezeani Elimma C.
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the critical issue of legal interpretation on the “development question” as they arise before WTO panels and Appellate Body, in view of the benefits inherent in a more‐rounded consideration of the development needs and concerns of WTO developing country Member States.

Design/methodology/approach

The introduction sets out the background to the challenges of developing countries in utilising the dispute settlement process effectively and using existing support. By analysing relevant cases, Section 2 analyses the “development question” and how it has been so far considered in legal interpretation. Section 3 addresses WTO jurisprudence on development, examining situations wherein “development” arises in the course of WTO dispute settlement. An examination as to how this aspect of WTO jurisprudence may be revisited including the potential aid of trade policy review mechanisms, and procedures for enforcement is then undertaken. It concludes on the position that the WTO judicial review process can work better by providing the much‐needed balance between binding global trade rules and the domestic progress of its developing country membership at the level of dispute settlement.

Findings

This paper establishes the importance of recognising and addressing the fact that core challenges and concerns facing developing countries can and should be factored into the legal interpretation of issues in dispute settlement.

Originality/value

A decisive enquiry into WTO development jurisprudence, this paper addresses developing country capacity to pursue the legal opportunities promised by the WTO dispute settlement mechanism, and how this can be redressed.
Coaching and the link to organizational performance: an HR perspective on how to demonstrate return on investment
Authors: Walker‐Fraser Alison
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into return on investment (ROI) metrics for coaching, from a human resource (HR) perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper provides a viewpoint on the coaching and organizational performance field drawing on qualitative research from HR professionals in the UK and Western Europe.

Findings

A broad definition of ROI can include a range of qualitative and quantitative measurements that demonstrate business impact. A balanced scorecard approach provides a framework for a strategic system of coaching‐organizational learning. Coaching and ROI may be perceived as an investment opportunity.

Originality/value

The paper provides an overview of perceptions of HR professionals on the relationship of coaching to organizational performance and the context of ROI.
Interview with Professor Bob Garratt, author of The Fish Rots from the Head
Authors: by Juliet Harrison Interview
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an interview with Bob Garratt, author of The Fish Rots from the Head. Bob has consulted internationally for over 25 years on five of the six continents. He is known for his discreet work on corporate governance; board review and development; director mentoring; top team development; and strategic thinking.

Design/methodology/approach

This briefing is prepared by an independent interviewer.

Findings

Bob Garratt discusses his reasons for revising of his bestselling book, and how the role of the board needs to function within an organization, in order to get the best from the business and have long‐term success.

Practical implications

The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations.

Social implications

The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that can have a broader social impact.

Originality/value

Bob comes from a background where organizational learning and development are underpinned by the rigor action learning and the blending of human behavior with the feedback mechanisms of cybernetics. Bob wrote the first book called The Learning Organization in 1986 and has experience working with large‐scale organizational changes in the engineering, financial services, defense electronics and non‐profit sectors as well as in government.
China's exports in a world of increasing oil prices
Authors: Gangnes Byron S. , Ma Alyson C. , Van Assche Ari
Published: July 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the impact of oil prices on trade's sensitivity to distance. Furthermore, it seeks to investigate if the nature of trade and the type of goods have a mediating role on the oil prices' impact on trade.

Design/methodology/approach

A set of gravity models are estimated on a unique panel dataset from China Customs Statistics that reports trade by customs regime (processing trade vs non‐processing trade) and by transportation mode (air vs sea) for the years 1988‐2008.

Findings

Higher oil prices increase the sensitivity of China's exports to distance. This effect is especially pronounced for processing exports, where goods cross borders multiple times. On the other hand, it is smaller for exports shipped by air. While these results are statistically significant, their economic effects are relatively small. This paper estimates that the quadrupling of oil prices between 2002 and 2008 has increased the elasticity of Chinese exports with respect to distance by a mere 5‐7 per cent.

Social implications

The surge of oil prices in recent years has led to speculation that rising transportation costs could end the period of dramatic world trade growth – in the words of Rubin, “[…] Your world is going to get a whole lot smaller.” This paper suggests that this concern is overstated.

Originality/value

This is the first paper that estimates the mediating role that the nature of trade and the type of goods play on trade's sensitivity to distance.
Profiling contemporary marketing practices in Bangladesh
Authors: Shahriar Ferdous Ahmed , Hossain Shahid
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how different types of firms relate to their markets in terms of contemporary marketing practices (CMP) in an emerging country, Bangladesh. Additionally, the paper also examines the various marketing performance measures used by Bangladeshi firms.

Design/methodology/approach

The CMP survey was used on 165 marketing managers chosen from a range of industrial sectors as a basis for data collection. Data were analyzed using cluster analysis and other descriptive statistics.

Findings

The study found that a pluralistic marketing approach is predominant among the majority of the Bangladeshi firms, while few other firms also practise transactional marketing. Results also reveal that Bangladeshi firms apply a blend of performance indicators rather than relying on specific financial‐ or client‐based measures to evaluate business success.

Research limitations/implications

The present study provides a benchmark for future studies on CMP in emerging/developing countries and inspires further research designed to deepen understanding about how marketing is practised in emerging markets and how they may differ from developed markets.

Originality/value

Since very few studies have been conducted regarding CMP by incorporating both business‐to‐business and consumer goods/services firms for a specific country into an emerging market, this study adds a new dimension to the horizon of CMPs.
An empirical investigation of foreign direct investment and economic growth in SAARC nations
Authors: Srinivasan Palamalai , Kalaivani M. , Ibrahim P.
Published: July 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the causal nexus between foreign direct investment (FDI) and economic growth in SAARC countries.

Design/methodology/approach

Johansen's cointegration test was employed to examine the long‐run relationship between foreign direct investment and economic growth in SAARC countries. Besides, the vector error correction model (VECM) was employed to examine the causal nexus between foreign direct investment and economic growth in SAARC countries for the years 1970‐2007. Finally, the impulse response function (IRF) has been employed to investigate the time paths of log of foreign direct investment (LFDI) in response to one‐unit shock to the log of gross domestic product (LGDP) and vice versa.

Findings

The Johansen cointegration result establishes a long‐run relationship between foreign direct investment and gross domestic product (GDP) for the sample of SAARC nations, namely, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The empirical results of the vector error correction model exhibit a long‐run bidirectional causal link between GDP and FDI for the selected SAARC nations except India. The test results show that there is a one‐way long‐run causal link from GDP to FDI for India.

Research limitations/implications

This paper employed annual data to examine the causal nexus between FDI and economic growth. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the FDI‐growth relationship further by using quarterly data.

Practical implications

The SAARC nations should adopt effective policy measures that would substantially enlarge and diversify their economic base, improve local skills and build up a stock of human capital recourses capabilities, enhance economic stability and liberalise their market in order to attract as well as benefit from long‐term FDI inflows.

Originality/value

This paper would be immensely helpful to the policy makers of SAARC countries to plan their FDI policies in a way that would enhance growth and development of their respective economies.
The effect of income smoothing on the informativeness of stock price
Authors: Salehi Mahdi , Bashiri Manesh Nazanin
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether income smoothing does indeed improve the informativeness of stock prices about firms' future earnings and cash flows. Also an approach to studying the effects of income smoothing is presented.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses data from 1992‐2006 and runs regressions on each of the 560 industry‐year cross‐sections. The data compiled from the financial statements of firms were collected for each year available from the Tehran Stock Exchange database. Income smoothing is defined as the management of accruals to reduce time‐series variation in income, and uses a cross‐sectional version of the Jones model, modified by Kothari, Leone and Wasley. Smoothing is measured as the variation of net income relative to the variation in CFO, or the correlation between changes in accruals and changes in CFO. Informativeness is measured as the coefficient on future earnings (cash flows) in a regression of current stock return against current and future earnings (cash flows and accruals).

Findings

The findings suggest that income smoothing enhances the information content of the effect of stock price on future earnings, thus improving the ability of market participants to make informed decisions about the allocation of capital resources.

Originality/value

Although previous research on the subject of income smoothing in an emerging market has been documented, its effect on stock prices efficiency is largely unknown. Thus, this paper presents an approach to studying the effects of income smoothing and the knowledge that the ability to manage earnings could improve stock prices efficiency could be useful for academics and policymakers in this market.
Bayesian networks in manufacturing
Authors: McNaught Ken , Chan Andy
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to raise awareness among manufacturing researchers and practitioners of the potential of Bayesian networks (BNs) to enhance decision making in those parts of the manufacturing domain where uncertainty is a key characteristic. In doing so, the paper describes the development of an intelligent decision support system (DSS) to help operators in Motorola to diagnose and correct faults during the process of product system testing.

Design/methodology/approach

The intelligent (DSS) combines BNs and an intelligent user interface to produce multi‐media advice for operators.

Findings

Surveys show that the system is effective in considerably reducing fault correction times for most operators and most fault types and in helping inexperienced operators to approach the performance levels of experienced operators.

Originality/value

Such efficiency improvements are of obvious value in manufacturing. In this particular case, additional benefit was derived when the product testing facility was moved from the UK to China as the system was able to help the new operators to get close to the historical performance level of experienced operators.
Towards the development of an intelligent supply contract design system
Authors: Kobbacy Khairy A.H. , Wang Hexin , Wang Wenbin
Published: July 2011

Purpose

Many supply contracts are employed in practice to improve the performance of supply chains. But there is a lack of research that can offer guidance to practitioners in choosing the best supply contract among a group of popular contracts. This paper aims to fill this gap by developing an intelligent rule‐based supply contract design system for choosing the best contract and its parameters from a supplier's point of view.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach used in this paper is based on the comparison of several supply contracts that are encountered in supply chain practice. The paper aims at identifying the conditions under which one supply contract outperforms another from the supplier's perspective. To facilitate the implementation of the decision‐making rules that are developed in this research, an intelligent decision support system is developed.

Findings

Six popular contracts are analysed; returns policy (RP), quantity discount (QD), target rebate (TR), backup agreement (BA), quantity flexibility (QF), and quantity commitment (QC). The main findings are: QD contracts generate larger expected profits for the supplier than TR contracts do when the demand is exogenous, an RP contract is better than a QD contract when the wholesale profit margin is sufficiently large and that the optimal QC contract always provides a higher expected service level than BA and QF contracts.

Originality/value

The paper presents an approach for developing an intelligent supply contract design system that can offer guidance to practitioners in choosing the best supply contract for a particular supplier.
The World Investment Report at 20
Authors: Ietto‐Gillies Grazia
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review and analyse the World Investment Report 2010 in the context of all the previous World Investment Reports (WIRs) and their historical background.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents a historical analysis, the structural features of all WIRs, and an analysis of content and limitations of WIR 2010.

Findings

The paper starts with considering the historical background leading to successive units dealing with transnational corporations (TNCs) within the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The commonalities in structure, content and methodology among all WIRs are discussed. The essay then analyses the World Investment Report 2010. The conclusions make suggestions for revisiting some of the themes of earlier WIRs.

Research limitations/implications

As a review essay, the paper does not present new empirical results.

Practical implications

The paper makes suggestions for possible content in future WIRs and for revisiting some of the earlier themes in the context of the new economic, political and technological environment. It also argues that tackling problems related to damages to a global public good – the environment – requires the cooperation of both developed and developing regions as well as the development and implementation of global strategies.

Social implications

The WIR has always had a developmental and policy focus. This is also the case of the WIR 2010. However, given the topic – FDI in low‐carbon products and processes – there are limitations in considering possible policies for developing countries, first because dealing with the environment requires more focus on the developed countries, and second because there is still no international agreement on global strategies towards climate change.

Originality/value

The paper presents a historical analysis of the World Investment Report. It presents an analysis of the common structural, content and methodological features of all WIRs, and of WIR 2010 in relation to development and policies in the world economy. The paper stresses the relevance of dealing with a global public good – the environment – at the global level not at the level of single nations or regions. It also highlights the need to consider the problem and related policies in relation to developed countries. It discusses the limitations in terms of strategies and policies due to lack of international agreement.
Extreme learning machine for user location prediction in mobile environment
Authors: Mantoro Teddy , Olowolayemo Akeem , Olatunji Sunday O. , Ayu Media A. , Osman Abu
Published: July 2011

Purpose

Prediction accuracies are usually affected by the techniques and devices used as well as the algorithms applied. This work aims to attempt to further devise a better positioning accuracy based on location fingerprinting taking advantage of two important mobile fingerprints, namely signal strength (SS) and signal quality (SQ) and subsequently building a model based on extreme learning machine (ELM), a new learning algorithm for single‐hidden‐layer neural networks.

Design/methodology/approach

Prediction approach to location determination based on historical data has attracted a lot of attention in recent studies, the reason being that it offers the convenience of using previously accumulated location data to subsequently determine locations using predictive algorithms. There have been various approaches to location positioning to further improve mobile user location determination accuracy. This work examines the location determination techniques by attempting to determine the location of mobile users by taking advantage of SS and SQ history data and modeling the locations using the ELM algorithm. The empirical results show that the proposed model based on the ELM algorithm noticeably outperforms k‐Nearest Neighbor approaches.

Findings

WiFi's SS contributes more in accuracy to the prediction of user location than WiFi's SQ. Moreover, the new framework based on ELM has been compared with the k‐Nearest Neighbor and the results have shown that the proposed model based on the extreme learning algorithm outperforms the k‐Nearest Neighbor approach.

Originality/value

A new computational intelligence modeling scheme, based on the ELM has been investigated, developed and implemented, as an efficient and more accurate predictive solution for determining position of mobile users based on location fingerprint data (SS and SQ).
The impact of IFRS implementation on Greek listed companies
Authors: Iatridis George , Dalla Konstantia
Published: July 2011

Purpose

While the Greek GAAP is stakeholder‐oriented and commonly viewed as a historical cost accounting model, IFRS is shareholder‐oriented and generally perceived as a fair‐value accounting model. The study seeks to investigate the effects of adopting IFRSs on the financial statements of Greek listed companies. It focuses on major Greek industrial sectors and stock market indices and investigates the effects of IFRS adoption on company financial position and performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A binary logistic regression has been applied in order to capture the differences between the pre‐official adoption and official adoption periods. The model focuses on 2004 and 2005. The dependent variable is a dummy variable and takes the following values: 1 for 2005 and 0 for 2004.

Findings

The study shows that IFRS implementation has influenced positively the profitability of most industrial sectors as well as those firms that belong to FTSE 40 and SMALLCAP 80. IFRS adoption appears to negatively influence liquidity for a number of industrial sectors and stock market constituents. An increase in leverage is obtained from the examination of the sample stock market indices and industrial sectors. Similar findings are evidenced for firms of large size and high financing needs.

Research limitations/implications

The study is limited in the following respects. The results reflect short‐term timing differences, which may reverse in later accounting periods. Also, companies should have anticipated IFRS adoption and might have adjusted their accounting policies accordingly, or even managed their reported numbers, in the period under investigation, since the EU Regulation passed in 2002.

Originality/value

The findings of the study are useful for investors, shareholders, financial analysts and other market participants as they provide information about the impact of IFRS implementation per major sector and market index. The effects would be expected to vary as each sector and market index carries different financial attributes. Users of accounting information could make use of the findings of the study for the evaluation of the financial performance and prospects of a sector/index and for other investment decision‐making purposes. The study also contributes to the literature as it focuses on a code law country that is stakeholder‐oriented.
Production ramp up in built‐to‐order supply chains
Authors: Kristianto Nugroho Yohanes
Published: July 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to focus on production ramp up modeling on built‐to‐order (BTO) manufacturers facing customized demand. The general purpose is to present a novel approach to managing collaboration, by considering information exchange between the manufacturer and the supplier.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology applies feedback control mechanism to analyze supplier responsiveness and customer order decoupling point to represent the need for collaboration. A two‐stage game is applied ahead of control system application to optimize the capacity decision, with the ultimate goal being profit maximization.

Findings

The results show that a higher product commonality degree gives more opportunity for quick response BTO supply chains, which are managed by feedback control, and at the same time to possibly mitigate the bullwhip effect caused by demand information noise.

Research limitations/implications

The analytical model here focused on one product family development, so the applicability of the proposed model to the whole product portfolio should be investigated in the future.

Practical implications

This paper helps the manufacturer to act optimally by considering the possibility of information exchange with the supplier and deciding on the product commonality degree, in taking into account the customer's lead time requirement.

Originality/value

A control system model of “BTO Supply Chain” is proposed by including product commonality and response analysis in the simulation model. Furthermore, a contribution to collaborative supply chains is shown by applying a synchronized supply model to represent supplier and manufacturer communication.
Limit pricing with complementary goods
Authors: Tarziján Jorge
Published: July 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the equilibrium limit price charged by a producer trying to deter the entry of a firm that can choose one of the two markets of complementary goods.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors model a dynamic game of incomplete information solved using a “perfect Bayesian equilibrium” approach.

Findings

It is shown that an incumbent will be willing to spend more resources – i.e. charge a lower limit price – to deter entry into its market as products become more complementary. This is because additional benefits are gained from entry deterrence by facing a more competitive market in the complementary product. The additional benefits of entry deterrence are shown to be a function of the degree of complementarity between goods.

Practical implications

A managerial implication of this article is that firms are willing to compete more fiercely to send an entrant to the other's incumbent market as the degree of complementarity between goods increases. An interesting conclusion that is derived from the above analysis is that managers should invest to understand the interdependences (e.g. complementarities) of the goods they sell, since the strategic variables chosen to compete may be affected by them, in some cases in a non‐trivial way.

Social implications

From a public policy perspective, the main contribution of this paper is to point out that regulators who analyze predatory pricing, or other (probably) illegal “low‐price strategies”, should consider the degree of complementarity between goods and its effect on pricing.

Originality/value

As far as the authors' knowledge goes, there are no other papers that analyze entry decisions involving multiple markets of complementary goods.