bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rice PlastidialN-Glycosylated Nucleotide Pyrophosphatase/Phosphodiesterase Is Transported from the ER-Golgi to the Chloroplast through the Secretory Pathway
Authors: Nanjo Yohei , Oka Hiromasa , Ikarashi Noriko , Kaneko Kentaro , Kitajima Aya , Mitsui Toshiaki , Muñoz Francisco José , Rodríguez-López Milagros , Baroja-Fernández Edurne , Pozueta-Romero Javier
Published: October 2006

A nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase (NPP) activity that catalyzes the hydrolytic breakdown of ADP-glucose (ADPG) has been shown to occur in the plastidial compartment of both mono- and dicotyledonous plants. To learn more about this enzyme, we purified two NPPs from rice (Oryza sativa) and barley (Hordeum vulgare) seedlings. Both enzymes are glycosylated, since they bind to concanavalin A, stain with periodic acid–Schiff reagent, and are digested by Endo-H. A complete rice NPP cDNA, designated as NPP1, was isolated, characterized, and overexpressed in transgenic plants displaying high ADPG hydrolytic activity. Databank searches revealed that NPP1 belongs to a functionally divergent group of plant nucleotide hydrolases. NPP1 contains numerous N-glycosylation sites and a cleavable hydrophobic signal sequence that does not match with the N-terminal part of the mature protein. Both immunocytochemical analyses and confocal fluorescence microscopy of rice cells expressing NPP1 fused with green fluorescent protein (GFP) revealed that NPP1-GFP occurs in the plastidial compartment. Brefeldin A treatment of NPP1-GFP–expressing cells prevented NPP1-GFP accumulation in the chloroplasts. Endo-H digestibility studies revealed that both NPP1 and NPP1-GFP in the chloroplast are glycosylated. Collectively, these data demonstrate the trafficking of glycosylated proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum–Golgi system to the chloroplast in higher plants.
Identification and Characterization of Components of a PutativePetunia S-Locus F-Box–Containing E3 Ligase Complex Involved in S-RNase–Based Self-Incompatibility
Authors: Hua Zhihua , Kao Teh-hui
Published: October 2006

Petunia inflata S-locus F-box (Pi SLF) is thought to function as a typical F-box protein in ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation and, along with Skp1, Cullin-1, and Rbx1, could compose an SCF complex mediating the degradation of nonself S-RNase but not self S-RNase. We isolated three P. inflata Skp1s (Pi SK1, -2, and -3), two Cullin-1s (Pi CUL1-C and -G), and an Rbx1 (Pi RBX1) cDNAs and found that Pi CUL1-G did not interact with Pi RBX1 and that none of the three Pi SKs interacted with Pi SLF2. We also isolated a RING-HC protein, S-RNase Binding Protein1 (Pi SBP1), almost identical to Petunia hybrida SBP1, which interacts with Pi SLFs, S-RNases, Pi CUL1-G, and an E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme, suggesting that Pi CUL1-G, SBP1, and SLF may be components of a novel E3 ligase complex, with Pi SBP1 playing the roles of Skp1 and Rbx1. S-RNases interact more with nonself Pi SLFs than with self Pi SLFs, and Pi SLFs also interact more with nonself S-RNases than with self S-RNases. Bacterially expressed S1-, S2-, and S3-RNases are degraded by the 26S proteasomal pathway in a cell-free system, albeit not in an S-allele–specific manner. Native glycosylated S3-RNase is not degraded to any significant extent; however, deglycosylated S3-RNase is degraded as efficiently as the bacterially expressed S-RNases. Finally, S-RNases are ubiquitinated in pollen tube extracts, but whether this is mediated by the Pi SLF–containing E3 complex is unknown.
TheMedicago truncatulaCRE1 Cytokinin Receptor Regulates Lateral Root Development and Early Symbiotic Interaction withSinorhizobium meliloti
Authors: Gonzalez-Rizzo Silvina , Crespi Martin , Frugier Florian
Published: October 2006

Legumes develop different types of lateral organs from their primary root, lateral roots and nodules, the latter depending on a symbiotic interaction with Sinorhizobium meliloti. Phytohormones have been shown to function in the control of these organogeneses. However, related signaling pathways have not been identified in legumes. We cloned and characterized the expression of Medicago truncatula genes encoding members of cytokinin signaling pathways. RNA interference of the cytokinin receptor homolog Cytokinin Response1 (Mt CRE1) led to cytokinin-insensitive roots, which showed an increased number of lateral roots and a strong reduction in nodulation. Both the progression of S. meliloti infection and nodule primordia formation were affected. We also identified two cytokinin signaling response regulator genes, Mt RR1 and Mt RR4, which are induced early during the symbiotic interaction. Induction of these genes by S. meliloti infection is altered in mutants affected in the Nod factor signaling pathway; conversely, cytokinin regulation of the early nodulin Nodule Inception1 (Mt NIN) depends on Mt CRE1. Hence, cytokinin signaling mediated by a single receptor, Mt CRE1, leads to an opposite control of symbiotic nodule and lateral root organogenesis. Mt NIN, Mt RR1, and Mt RR4 define a common pathway activated during early S. meliloti interaction, allowing crosstalk between plant cytokinins and bacterial Nod factors signals.
The Proteolytic Function of theArabidopsis26S Proteasome Is Required for Specifying Leaf Adaxial Identity
Authors: Huang Weihua , Pi Limin , Liang Wanqi , Xu Ben , Wang Hua , Cai Run , Huang Hai
Published: October 2006

Polarity formation is central to leaf morphogenesis, and several key genes that function in adaxial-abaxial polarity establishment have been identified and characterized extensively. We previously reported that Arabidopsis  thaliana ASYMMERTIC LEAVES1 (AS1) and AS2 are important in promoting leaf adaxial fates. We obtained an as2 enhancer mutant, asymmetric leaves enhancer3 (ae3), which demonstrated pleiotropic plant phenotypes, including a defective adaxial identity in some leaves. The ae3 as2 double mutant displayed severely abaxialized leaves, which were accompanied by elevated levels of leaf abaxial promoting genes FILAMENTOUS FLOWER, YABBY3, KANADI1 (KAN1), and KAN2 and a reduced level of the adaxial promoting gene REVOLUTA. We identified AE3, which encodes a putative 26S proteasome subunit RPN8a. Furthermore, double mutant combinations of as2 with other 26S subunit mutations, including rpt2a, rpt4a, rpt5a, rpn1a, rpn9a, pad1, and pbe1, all displayed comparable phenotypes with those of ae3 as2, albeit with varying phenotypic severity. Since these mutated genes encode subunits that are located in different parts of the 26S proteasome, it is possible that the proteolytic function of the 26S holoenzyme is involved in leaf polarity formation. Together, our findings reveal that posttranslational regulation is essential in proper leaf patterning.
Is fruit and vegetable intake in children a rationalistic choice?
Authors: Umeh Kanayo , Crabtree Lucy
Published: October 2006

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the utility of rationalistic constructs for predicting fruit and vegetable intake in children. It was hypothesised that children's gain‐loss evaluations will predict their stage of uptake irrespective of important additional variables.

Design/methodology/approach

Over 200 pupils from a Derbyshire secondary school completed a cross‐sectional questionnaire assessing stages‐of‐change (precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance), gain‐loss considerations, prior consumption, self‐efficacy, and attitude.

Findings

Discriminant function analysis revealed self‐efficacy, attitude, and previous consumption as significant predictors of group membership for both fruit and vegetable intake. Group centroids indicated clear separation of earlier from later stages, and transitional from other stages. Gain‐loss appraisals failed to predict stage membership. Finally, 63.4 and 59.1 per cent of original grouped cases for vegetable and fruit consumption, respectively, were correctly classified. However, classification accuracy varied across stages.

Research limitations/implications

The sample was predominantly Caucasian and from a suburban area. Thus, the generality of these findings to children from other demographics is unclear.

Practical implications

Interventions promoting fruit/vegetable intake in children may lack efficacy if they emphasise possible outcomes (e.g. benefits) associated with eating these foods. Modifying opinions and suggesting easier ways to increase consumption may achieve better results.

Originality/value

Previous research has demonstrated the importance of gain‐loss considerations in adult's stage of fruit/vegetable intake. The current paper extends this literature to children; it appears rationalistic constructs play a negligible role in children when considered within the context of other variables.
Dynamics of performance measurement and organisational culture
Authors: Bititci Umit S. , Mendibil Kepa , Nudurupati Sai , Garengo Patrizia , Turner Trevor
Published: October 2006

Purpose

This research paper aims to model the dynamic relationship between performance measurement, management styles and organisational culture, in order to develop a better understanding of the causal linkages between these three areas.

Design/methodology/approach

The related literature on performance measurement, management control systems and management information systems, in the context of organisational culture, is examined and a framework for mapping the interplay of the three areas is developed. The research is based around five case studies where performance measurement systems were implemented in action research programmes, using identical implementation methods, by the same research team. The use of the performance measurement systems was then observed over a period of time in relation to the implementation lifecycle, changes to management style and organisational structure over time. The dynamic relationships were then mapped using the framework developed. Patterns were observed, which led to new insights.

Findings

Organisational culture and management style seem to be interdependent throughout the lifecycle of the performance measurement system. That is, management styles need to evolve as the maturity of the performance measurement system and the organisational culture evolve. A successfully implemented and used performance measurement system, through cultural change, leads to a more participative and consultative management style. Similarly, the correct use of performance measurement systems can encourage an achievement culture to emerge. All five cases suggested that an authoritative management style was essential at the start but this would change with the emerging culture.

Research limitations/implications

The research results are limited to five socially constructed case studies. Whilst these findings remain valid, they cannot be used for universal generalisations. In terms of modelling the organisational culture, the research focuses on the organisation as a whole and does not take into account the possible existence of sub‐cultures within the organisation.

Practical implications

A better understanding of management styles and organisational culture will allow practitioners to better assess the organisations' readiness to implement performance measurement systems. Similarly, the results provide guidance towards the management styles that would be appropriate when implementing performance measurement systems in different cultural settings.

Originality/value

The framework for modelling the dynamic relationship between performance measurement, management style and organisational culture, together with the findings, should provide useful insights and methods for future researchers in this area.
Collection Development in a digital environment: an imperative for information organizations in the twenty‐first century
Authors: Susana Sánchez Vignau Bárbara , Lourdes Presno Quesada Ileana
Published: October 2006

Purpose

This paper discusses the topic of Collection Development in a digital environment. Developing digital collections is a logical consequence of inserting information technologies in organizations. The usual route towards other models of libraries has allowed the development of the digital collections as a source of Digital Libraries.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on the development of a user‐oriented concept of digital collections.

Findings

The current information society requires Collection Development to guarantee suitable resources in information organizations.

Originality/value

The authors provide a new way of looking at the development of digital collections. In this paper the authors propose a cycle to create a digital collection starting from the established precepts for traditional Collection Development. The creation process is supplemented with an analysis of the term Collection Development starting from the user's focus.
Automatic video surveillance using statistical analysis of temporal posture sequences
Authors: Leo Marco , D'Orazio Tiziana , Spagnolo Paolo , Distante Arcangelo
Published: October 2006

Purpose

The problem of automatic recognition of human activity is one of the most important and challenging areas of research in computer vision because of the wide range of possible applications, for example surveillance, advanced human‐computer interactions, monitoring. This paper presents statistical computer vision approaches to automatically recognize different human activities.

Design/methodology/approach

The human activity recognition process has three steps: firstly human blobs are segmented by motion analysis; then the human body posture is estimated and, finally a temporal model of the detected posture series is generated by discrete hidden Markov models to identify the activity.

Findings

The system was tested on image sequences acquired in a real archaeological site while some people simulated both legal and illegal actions. Four kinds of activity were automatically classified with a high percentage of correct detections.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed approach provides efficient solutions to some of the most common problems in the human activity recognition research field: high detailed image requirement, sequence alignment and intensive user interaction in the training phase. The main constraint of this framework is that the posture estimation approach is not completely view independent.

Practical implications

Results of time performance tests were very encouraging for the use of the proposed method in real time surveillance applications.

Originality/value

The proposed framework can work using low cost cameras with large view focal lenses. It does not need any a priori knowledge of the scene and no intensive user interaction is required in the early training phase.
Leadership styles in the Palestinian large‐scale industrial enterprises
Authors: As‐Sadeq Hasan A. , Khoury Grace C.
Published: October 2006

Purpose

To highlight the importance of leadership through identifying the leadership styles and practices in the Palestinian industrial sector and to find out the optimal style most suitable to this country so as to help its business leaders lead their business ventures effectively and efficiently.

Design/methodology/approach

The triangulation methodology and Bass' (1985) full range model of leadership was utilized because it covers a full range of leadership behaviors and styles from the highly transformational to the highly avoidant (Avolio and Bass, 1991). The multifactor leadership questionnaire and a structured interview were used as the main instruments to elicit the data of the study.

Findings

Transactional leadership style was found to be the most frequently used leadership style; transformational leadership was exhibited less frequently; and laissez‐faire was noted as the least commonly occurring leadership style and more frequently among the leaders with low educational background, low previous managerial experience, and employee leaders. Transformational leadership was found to induce the greatest satisfaction, willingness to exert extra effort, and effectiveness among employees.

Research limitations/implications

The exclusion of the small and medium scale industries, the exclusion of Gaza Strip from the survey, and the unavailability of a complete and official list of Palestinian industrial companies.

Practical implications

The utilization of the transactional leadership style in the Palestinian industrial institutions resulted in high degree of dissatisfaction among employees, which in turn, has dangerous effects and consequences on the overall performance of the organizations. This issue should be given the greatest care, concern, and attention of both the leaders of the Palestinian organizations and the related decision makers if they want to develop and enhance the competitive capacity of the Palestinian economy. Additionally, educators in higher management education in Palestinian universities should include the teaching of leadership theory as an important part of the graduate curriculum.

Originality/value

Many factors were found to have an important impact on the choice of the leadership style. Among these: education, past experience, culture, political and economic stability, and mutual trust. Another important issue revealed by the study is that transformational leadership can be effectively and efficiently implemented in the transitional economies.
Making it sticky
Authors: Haskins Mark E. , Clawson James G.
Published: October 2006

Purpose

To provide and describe an inventory or practices executive education (EE) instructors can use to facilitate the transfer of program participants' learning back to their workplace.

Design/methodology/approach

A number of experienced EE instructor team leaders, from one highly‐ranked business school EE provider, met to share and discuss the mechanisms they use in their EE programs to facilitate the transfer of program participants' learning back to their workplace. This paper presents an overview of each of those mechanisms.

Findings

About 30 mechanisms for facilitating the transfer of EE program participants' learning back to their workplace are discussed along with an organizing framework intended to focus EE program instructors' attention on the key protagonists and the timing of the facilitating mechanisms.

Practical implications

This paper provides a number of very specific, readily implementable things EE program instructors can do to facilitate the transfer of program participants' learning back to their workplace.

Originality/value

Prior literature has documented: the challenge of EE program participants transferring their program learning back to the workplace, identified barriers to the transfer, and even reported on executives' views regarding generalized ways that might be helpful for this transfer to occur. This paper complements this literature by exploring what one top‐ranked EE institution's program instructors actually do in this regard, all in the context of pertinent adult‐learning concepts.
Knowledge management in the business driven action learning process
Authors: Rolland Nicolas
Published: October 2006

Purpose

Understanding what is the role of knowledge management in the action learning process and especially which practices of KM fits with the different phases of the action learning process.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is qualitative: 22 firms were observed and three different types of data were collected.

Findings

It stresses that KM and especially knowledge networks are crucial for an action learning process. Also, it demonstrates that different knowledge management practices have different roles regarding to the phase of the process they are involved. This paper explains the need to understand the organizational context to ensure performing learning.

Research limitation/implications

The main limit is the use of only qualitative research method on 22 multinationals. No questionnaires and the implication for SMEs is limited.

Practical implications

Academics will be interested in knowledge transformations through this process and consultants will discover what relevant knowledge management strategies in each phase of the process.

Originality/value

The topics of action learning and knowledge management are crucial for today's companies but have never been studied in the same research.
Antecedents and consequences of employee engagement
Authors: Saks Alan M.
Published: October 2006

Purpose

Employee engagement has become a hot topic in recent years among consulting firms and in the popular business press. However, employee engagement has rarely been studied in the academic literature and relatively little is known about its antecedents and consequences. The purpose of this study was to test a model of the antecedents and consequences of job and organization engagements based on social exchange theory.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was completed by 102 employees working in a variety of jobs and organizations. The average age was 34 and 60 percent were female. Participants had been in their current job for an average of four years, in their organization an average of five years, and had on average 12 years of work experience. The survey included measures of job and organization engagement as well as the antecedents and consequences of engagement.

Findings

Results indicate that there is a meaningful difference between job and organization engagements and that perceived organizational support predicts both job and organization engagement; job characteristics predicts job engagement; and procedural justice predicts organization engagement. In addition, job and organization engagement mediated the relationships between the antecedents and job satisfaction, organizational commitment, intentions to quit, and organizational citizenship behavior.

Originality/value

This is the first study to make a distinction between job and organization engagement and to measure a variety of antecedents and consequences of job and organization engagement. As a result, this study addresses concerns about that lack of academic research on employee engagement and speculation that it might just be the latest management fad.
A survey of assessor beliefs and practices related to faking
Authors: Robie Chet , Tuzinski Kathleen A. , Bly Paul R.
Published: October 2006

Purpose

To gather information on assessor beliefs and behaviors in relation to assessee faking issues on a personality inventory in the individual assessment process.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey approach was used in this research. Totally 77 experienced assessors who conducted individual assessments for an international consulting firm responded to the survey. Analyses of mean item rankings were used to answer several research questions.

Findings

Major results of the study were: assessors believe faking is a problem; assessors believe they can detect faking; and assessors believe they can effectively eliminate all of the effects of faking when evaluating the candidates.

Practical implications

The first implication from this research is that assessors believe that they can detect and deal with faking despite a paucity of evidence to support it. The second implication is that organizations may be reluctant to continue to develop effective methods of identifying and dealing with faking if their assessors mistakenly believe they are already successfully doing so.

Originality/value

This study is the first to survey experience assessors regarding their beliefs and perceptions of faking issues in the individual assessment process and is designed to garner immediate practical insights and ideas for future testable hypotheses.
Ambiguous grammars and the chemical transactions of life
Authors: Rocha A.F. , Massad E.
Published: October 2006

Purpose

Since proposed by Darwin, evolution is considered to be dependent on a source of genetic variability that must be constrained by environmental conditions in order to generate stable (adapted) phenotypes. Several sources and causes of this variability have been proposed so far. This paper aims to posit that ambiguity of fuzzy grammars is the main source of genetic variability on which natural selection operates.

Design/methodology/approach

Formal grammars (FG) were proposed as the tool to deal with human and artificial languages. Fuzzy formal grammars (FFGs) are the extension of the formalism in the Theory of Fuzzy Logic and are ambiguous grammars. Here, the ambiguity of the ordered set of chemical interactions – the so‐called signal transduction pathways (stp), linking membranes events to DNA reading and protein synthesis – is assumed as an inner source of variability that must be constrained by environmental conditions. Fuzzy formal languages (FFL) theory is used to mathematically formalize the biology concept of stp.

Findings

The genome variability is the result of the constraints imposed by the environment on the grammar intrinsic ambiguity.

Practical implications

The formalism of this model provides a new way to analyze and interpret the findings of the different genome sequencing projects.

Originality/value

The theoretical framework developed here provides a new perspective of understanding the code of life and evolution.
ALVW: an alife behaviour modelling system
Authors: Pina A. , Seron F.J. , Cerezo E. , Gutierrez D.
Published: October 2006

Purpose

Seeks to present here a system that enables the user to design artificial worlds and inhabitants within these worlds.

Design/methodology/approach

An alife (artificial life) approach is used in order to obtain complex behaviour as the emergence of a set of basic behaviours which interact within the environment and between them. Through the paper, the reader will find the necessary details to understand the architecture and the computational model of the system, as well as the way to use it in a specific application: modelling behaviour for synthetic cockroaches within his own environment.

Findings

A detailed example is given of how this application can be used in simulating ecological environments, where the user can design an inhabited ecosystem and observe (tuning it if necessary) the evolution of the artificial ecosystem. Also outlined is another example of how this research system can be coupled with a commercial 3D computer animation software; the goal in this case is to produce automatically a script for a computer animation, reflecting what is happening in the artificial world.

Research limitations/implications

The paper describes a technical research system that allows the user to design reactive behaviour modelling for cockroaches. The next natural step is to make a cognitive behaviour modelling and to extend it to other animals.

Practical implications

Fusion between research systems and commercial packages (in this case, for example, behaviour modelling and 3D computer animation systems) can be an important issue.

Originality/value

The main interests of the presented system face compared with the existing ones are the coordinated use of several alife techniques, the integral approach (design of both the environment and the inhabitants), a computationally reasonable implementation of the system as an artificial ecosystem, and the possibility of using the results of such a research system as an input for a commercial 3D software in order to obtain 3D realistic computer animations.
Coverage, invariability and orbits by structural functions
Authors: Francesc Esteve‐Calvo Pasqual , Lloret‐Climent Miguel
Published: October 2006

Purpose

Based on some of the results and definitions provided in the paper “system linkage: structural functions and hierarchies” and adding new definitions that are in keeping with the spirit of the same paper, new results have been obtained that explore the utility of the structural input‐output function.

Design/methodology/approach

Our approach is based principally on the application of graph theory to the study of relationships between variables using specific set theory concepts.

Findings

A result such as the fact that A covers B, for example, can be interpreted in terms of the latter set being formed of direct influences from elements in the former set in relation to one or more than one relationships. Analogously, the invariant set concept may be interpreted as the set maintaining its structure and status, remaining constant with respect to any possible relationships.

Originality/value

From a practical point of view, in the context of the study of networks within an ecosystem, authors (such as Patten et al. and Patten) have demonstrated that indirect effects between the variables of an ecosystem outweigh direct effects. This is the notion that the present authors have borne in mind in order to extend previous results to indirect influences from a discrete perspective.
Modelling regional economic development
Authors: Blažević Branko , Jelušić Adriana
Published: October 2006

Purpose

The central task is to define the ties, existing between economic dimensions, which can be expressed in specific relations that require special attention during projecting to ensure they are not disrupted. The development of a computer‐based mathematical and economic model makes it possible to constantly monitor the condition of the entire economy of a given region, both from a global aspect, as well as by its individual sectors of activities.

Design/methodology/approach

Economics employs a number of scientific disciplines and their methods, making this approach both multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary. Unlike the variables defined in the model–variables such as domestic product, the volume of fixed funds, the volume of new investment and employment, which change from year to year – the model parameters are considered constants for the entire period to which the model is applied. The parameter estimation indicates the extent to which the defined model is acceptable as a model of future regional economic and tourism growth.

Findings

Providing the trends of past are unacceptable in the future period, the author proposes the use of structured policies, above all in the field of investments, to guide development in the desired direction. The author has addressed this particular issue through the example of a specific tourist region, and has tested and designed a development model not only for the regional economic system, but also for its tourism subsystem.

Research limitations/implications

Although they are suited to certain types of decisions, these methods have shown to be inadequate for other types, long‐term strategic decisions in particular, which require so‐called intuitive methods.

Practical implications

Optimal decision‐making in systems' operations is not possible without predictions pertaining to future economic development. The answers to numerous questions in estimating development factors are being provided by new methods, which seek to incorporate and assert an interdisciplinary approach, that is, a systematic approach in preparing decisions.

Originality/value

This methodology can be used in combination with “classical” methods of research, that will can help to recommend optimum development strategies for regional economic development.
The role of social and self‐conscious emotions in the regulation of business‐to‐business relationships in salesperson‐customer interactions
Authors: Bagozzi Richard P.
Published: October 2006

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to go beyond the received view, which is solely rational and economic minded, and to introduce the concept of self‐regulation of behavior by salespersons and customers as essential mechanisms for initiating, maintaining, and resolving business‐to‐business exchanges.

Design/methodology/approach

By reviewing emerging research, this paper examines the role of positive and negative social and self‐conscious emotions in salesperson‐customer interactions and how salespersons and customers cope with the response of these emotions so as to better function and adapt to their own, their organizations, and the interpersonal needs of their relationships and to do so mindful of the requisites of co‐workers and the common good.

Findings

Four positive emotions were singled‐out as essential to salesperson‐customer relations: pride, attachment, empathy, and emotional wisdom. Six negative emotions were highlighted as key processes in salesperson‐customer relations: guilt, shame, embarrassment, envy, jealousy, and social anxiety. Some research was reviewed as well, suggesting that cultural factors in the form of different self‐construal (e.g. independent versus independent‐based self‐images) moderate the expression of felt positive and negative emotions and their effects on performance and relations with customers and co‐workers.

Originality/value

The ideas presented in this paper can complement economic and other extreme rational explanations of salesperson and customer behavior and point to new practices in such managerial areas as staffing, training, coaching, compensating, and promoting employees.
Self‐knowledge, capacity and sensitivity
Authors: Begley Paul T.
Published: October 2006

Purpose

The article proposes three prerequisites to authentic leadership by school principals: self‐knowledge, a capacity for moral reasoning, and sensitivity to the orientations of others.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual framework, based on research on the valuation processes of school principals and their strategic responses to ethical dilemmas, is used as a practice grounded approach to describing authentic leadership and the acquisition of moral literacy by school leaders.

Findings

Four motivational bases for administrative decision making are described: self‐interest/personal preferences, rational consensus, rational consequences, and trans‐rational ethics/principles. The achievement of self‐knowledge, capacity and sensitivity to others can be best achieved in professional settings through strategies of personal reflective practice, and sustained dialogue on moral issues and the ethical dilemmas of educational practice.

Practical implications

Principals need the capacity to discriminate actual intentions, within themselves and among others. This is not moral relativism, nor is it value absolutism. It is critical thinking and moral literacy.

Originality/value

Several resources are provided as tools for principals and scholars to use in support of developing these capacities within themselves and amongst others.
The effects of atmospheric elements on customer impression: the case of hotel lobbies
Authors: Countryman Cary C. , Jang SooCheong
Published: October 2006

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the atmospheric elements of color, lighting, layout, style, and furnishings that make up the physical environment of a hotel lobby. Previous research indicates that these atmospheric elements impact overall guest perceptions and impressions.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected using a scenario approach along with photographs of the hotel lobby. Structural equation modeling was used to analysis the data to determine which of the atmospheric elements were more influential in the overall impression of the hotel lobby.

Findings

Three of the atmospheric elements (color, lighting, and style) were found to be significantly related to the overall impression of a hotel lobby. Color was the most significant of these three atmospheric elements.

Research limitations/implications

The focus of this research was the hotel lobby. While this physical environment is fairly important in helping to establish first impressions, there are other physical spaces within a hotel that have a large influence on guest perceptions and impressions. Hotel practitioners need to understand the importance of the atmospheric elements and their influence on overall guest perceptions and impressions.

Originality/value

This research examines atmospherics from a hospitality and lodging perspective. The topic has received limited research interest in the past but it is becoming recognized as an important consideration in future hotel design and construction. This research helps in establishing a foundation on which future research can be built.
Future global hospitality leaders: a comparison of European and US ethics
Authors: Brymer Robert A. , Wilborn LaChelle R. , Schmidgall Raymond S.
Published: October 2006

Purpose

The purpose of this research paper is to describe the results and implications of an ethics survey completed by students attending hospitality schools in Europe and the USA.

Designmethodology/approach

A questionnaire containing ten scenarios with five oriented to work issues and five to school issues was given to students attending hospitality programs in Europe and the USA. For each scenario, the students indicated whether the action in the scenario was ethical, not ethical or not a question of ethics (NQE). In addition, students were queried regarding influences on their ethical beliefs.

Findings

The ethical beliefs of both groups of hospitality students were most influenced by their parents and least influenced by college courses in religion. The majority of European and US hospitality students indicated the actions in the scenarios were not ethical while a moderate minority indicated NQE. Overall, US students appear to be slightly less tolerant than their European counterparts.

Research limitations/implications

The majority of European students are within their third and fourth years of college while the majority of US students are in their first and second years of study.

Originality/value

Both hospitality executives and students should find these research results most interesting as they reveal students' ethical views in a variety of settings oriented to work and school. Further, influences of the students' ethical beliefs are clearly reported from most to least important.
Operational challenges in the call center industry: a case study and resource‐based framework
Authors: Jack Eric P. , Bedics Tom A. , McCary Charles E.
Published: October 2006

Purpose

The purpose of this conceptual paper is to examine key operational tradeoffs and challenges that call center managers face.

Design/methodology/approach

To support the concepts advanced in this paper, an embedded case study is used from an inbound call center for a regional wireless phone company that operates in the USA. The research involved: a review of available service quality and call center management literature; development of a resource‐based framework to understand key operational tradeoffs; use of a case study approach with structured interviews of key managers and employees; and synthesis of this data in order to understand why and how these managers made key operational tradeoff decisions. The case study was done on an inbound customer service call center for a regional wireless phone company that operates in the Southeastern USA.

Findings

This research suggests that there are four key resource management decisions that must be addressed in order to improve service quality and effectively manage call center operations: the efficient deployment and use of labor, effective leveraging of technology, capacity management, and demand management.

Research limitations/implications

The use of a single case approach limits the generalizability of results; however, this methodology is effective in providing rich data and a research framework to both build theory and advance future research in this arena.

Practical implications

It is noteworthy that while technology, capacity management, and demand management systems are essential, labor remains a key differentiator in achieving high service quality. A call center must provide dependable service with knowledgeable, honest, polite and empathetic employees who can efficiently answer customers' questions while also promoting more products and services to improve profitability.

Originality/value

While this research is primarily conceptual, it also uses a case study to explain why and how managers make key tradeoffs in order to compete effectively on service quality in the call center industry.
A framework for outsourcing IS/IT security services
Authors: Karyda Maria , Mitrou Evangelia , Quirchmayr Gerald
Published: October 2006

Purpose

This paper seeks to provide an overview of the major technical, organizational and legal issues pertaining to the outsourcing of IS/IT security services.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses a combined socio‐technical approach to explore the different aspects of IS/IT security outsourcing and suggests a framework for accommodating security and privacy requirements that arise in outsourcing arrangements.

Findings

Data protection requirements are a decisive factor for IS/IT security outsourcing, not only because they pose restrictions to management, but also because security and privacy concerns are commonly cited among the most important concerns prohibiting organizations from IS/IT outsourcing. New emerging trends such as outsourcing in third countries, pose significant new issues, with regard to meeting data protection requirements.

Originality/value

The paper illustrates the reasons for which the outsourcing of IS/IT security needs to be examined under a different perspective from traditional IS/IT outsourcing. It focuses on the specific issue of personal data protection requirements that must be accommodated, according to the European Union directive.
Price endings: magic and math
Authors: Liang Jianping , Kanetkar Vinay
Published: October 2006

Purpose

This paper aims to improve understanding of the effects of price endings on consumers' choice behavior. The research study described here was driven by three central questions. First, do consumers process a price holistically or process each digit as a stimulus? Second, do consumers “round” prices? Third, do price endings such as 9 or 0 have specific effects on purchase intentions?

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on a discrete choice experiment where consumers responded to two‐digit prices. Tomato soup and backpacks were the two product categories selected for the study. A total of 188 university students who had purchased these products completed an online survey indicating their choices for one of the four alternative products, with an option of not purchasing anything. Tomato soup prices were varied from 40 cents to 99 cents (every potential price ending was included) and backpack prices varied from $30 to $59 (no pennies). Each respondent made 20 choices for each product and the resulting database was used to construct the nested logit models.

Findings

Estimated models suggest that consumers do not process price holistically. In other words, respondents processed prices by splitting numbers into two parts. Furthermore, the use of truncation and the effects of “odd/even” and “0” appeared to be statistically significant for both canned soup and backpack products. Although there was rounding of prices for the soup category, there was no statistically significant support for that in the backpack category. Finally, the effect of a 9‐ending was statistically significant for the backpack category but not for the soup category.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that consumers may not process prices holistically. This, in turn, means that price endings are likely to influence consumer price sensitivity and both retailer and manufacturer profits.

Originality/value

This is the first paper that examines price endings for all numbers from 0 to 9. In addition, the use of a discrete choice modeling method to infer individual choice behaviour in this context is new and innovative.
Explanatory factors regarding manufacturer brand price consistency
Authors: Luis Méndez José , Oubiña Javier , Rubio Natalia
Published: October 2006

Purpose

In the marketing process, the positioning effort exerted by manufacturers for their brands is slowed by the commercial objectives of intermediary firms. In addition, to act as buyers, retailers act as suppliers of demand segments. When they receive privileged conditions in their product purchasing contracts, they do not always transfer them, totally or partially, to the final consumers through prices. The purpose of this paper is to analyse price dispersion tools available to consumer goods manufacturers to obtain price consistency.

Design/methodology/approach

An empirical study was conducted that analysed the retail price dispersion of 66 manufacturer brands in the categories of packaged foods, drugstore products, personal care products, and cellulose derivatives marketed in 574 Spanish retail outlets in different cities.

Findings

In general, manufacturer brands achieve greater price‐consistency, and therefore less price dispersion, when the consumer's knowledge of the product category is greater and when there are considerable levels of differentiation.

Research limitations/implications

One important limitation must be recognised. Manufacturers' prices offered to retailers were not controlled. Such data would have allowed one to check whether some price dispersion was caused by the discount strategy of the manufacturers themselves.

Originality/value

In this research the effect of retail competitive structure in Porter's model is incorporated. In addition, it is demonstrated that price consistency is more likely to occur for manufacturer brands, and that price dispersion is likely to be lower for such brands.
Storytelling and the “information overload”
Authors: Sax Boria
Published: October 2006

Purpose

This article seeks to examine the various functions served by storytelling, from its origins in prehistoric times to the post‐industrial age.

Design/methodology/approach

Historical records are rich in stories, yet they seldom provide the full social context in which these were told. This article attempts to reconstruct part of that context on the basis of anthropological and biological theories.

Findings

Storytelling appears to have developed in archaic times as a means to organize vast and confusing amounts of information. It retains that function and becomes particularly important in transitional times such as the present.

Practical implications

Today, however, neither empirical nor theoretical analysis is able to cope with the information overload caused by new electronic media. As traditional markers of identity such as ethnicity and class become elusive, individuals, and companies as well, need to articulate their stories in order to define themselves.

Originality/value

This article places storytelling, arguably the most traditional of arts, in the context of a culture dominated by electronic media, thus helping people and institutions to use the power of narrative.
Review of The Truth of Stories: A Native Narrative by Thomas King
Authors: Hearne Betsy
Published: October 2006

Purpose

This is a review of The Truth of Stories by Thomas King.

Design/methodology/approach

This review examines the ways in which the Native American stories collected by Thomas King have been used to shape lives, value systems and public policies. It pays special attention to the controversial way stories have been used both to reflect and to manipulate images of oppressed ethnic groups.

Findings

In six essays, a Canadian professor of literature gives a Native North American perspective on the relationship between stories, culture, and social history. Thomas King's blend of storytelling and analysis models a creative approach to critical methodology.

Originality/value

This review not only introduces an important interpreter of Native American stories, but also suggests ways in which Euro/American scholarship can learn from Native American traditions.