bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A comparison of institutional stakeholders' perceptions of presidential effectiveness
Authors: McGoey Shane P.
Published: February 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to extend the research of Michael, Schwartz, and Balraj pertaining to presidential effectiveness. Faculty senate chairpersons, academic deans, senior‐level institutional officers, and student leaders were surveyed in order to ascertain whether there was a relationship between stakeholders' perceptions and whether the findings support the original study conducted by Michael et al.

Design/methodology/approach

A descriptive, survey research methodology was utilized to survey 36 institutions of higher learning in the state of Ohio. Each participant was requested to complete a two‐page survey that included questions related to indicators of presidential effectiveness, factors associated with the president's role at their respective institution, and ways of improving presidential effectiveness. Analysis of the data included a descriptive analysis of means and standard deviations; Spearman rho coefficient to obtain correlations of ranked data; and an Analysis of Variance to identify differences among each independent variable.

Findings

Analysis of the data showed that participants agreed that all of the indicators of effectiveness were important. Additionally, stakeholders and trustees agree more than they disagree on the indicators of effectiveness and the role of a president.

Practical implications

The implications of this research suggest that an assessment of the president should include institutional stakeholders in the process coupled with a detailed assessment of the institution. Strong oversight by the governing board is important to ensure integrity of the process, respect for individuals and the office of the president, and support for the professional development of a president.

Originality/value

This study extended the research of Michael et al. pertaining to presidential effectiveness.
Health care performance and accountability
Authors: Dummer J.
Published: February 2007

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to examine health care performance and accountability.

Design/methodology/approach

A strategic view of how quality assurance fits into other initiatives aimed at bringing about improvements in health care is offered in the paper.

Findings

The paper finds that the task of defining the way in which health care can be most efficiently and effectively delivered is the concern of all health care staff. Aims, should be clarified, performance criteria and measures agreed on and, wherever possible and appropriate standards set up. Management also has the responsibility of ensuring the consistency and coherence of the many different activities that contribute to the aim of good health care.

Originality/value

The paper provides useful information on the planning and performance of quality assurance in health care.
The quest for quality: translation of a mythical idea
Authors: Dobosz‐Bourne Dorota , Kostera Monika
Published: February 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the model of the translation of particularly important ideas for the organization and its context, called mythical ideas.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on ethnographic research.

Findings

It is found that change processes based on mythical ideas are especially dynamic but also very vulnerable. The consequences of failure can be vital for the organization and its environment.

Originality/value

The paper explores the outcomes to which the translation of a mythical idea can lead. The findings are of value for people involved in organizational change processes.
Quality management in a healthcare organisation: a case of South Indian hospital
Authors: Manjunath Usha , Metri Bhimaraya A. , Ramachandran Shalini
Published: February 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to provide an analysis of quality management using the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Criteria (MBNQA) criteria in a 300‐bed hospital in South India.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) criteria in‐depth interviews are conducted with the heads of the departments in the case hospital. Data is analysed and compared with the MBNQA points to evaluate the performance of the hospital in all the seven criteria's of MBNQA.

Findings

The paper presents the strengths and opportunities for improvement through MBNQA criteria. The total points scored are 753 out of 1,000 points. This reveals that quality performance of case hospital is of higher level. However among all the seven criteria, the hospital has still more opportunity to improve the quality in MBNQA criteria no. 4, i.e. measure, analysis and knowledge management.

Research limitations/implications

This study brings out a potential area of research about how the ratings and activities in the case hospital compares with other health care organisations.

Practical implications

The outcome of this paper clearly indicates that MBNQA criteria act as a powerful tool to analyse the quality performance of the hospital. The health care organisations can use MBNQA as self‐assessment tool to evaluate and to improve the health of the hospitals. MBNQA as self‐assessment tool help the hospitals to lay the road map for world‐class performance.

Originality/value

The paper illustrates the measurement of quality performance through MBNQA to the healthcare administrators that is the first step for managing and improving quality in health care organisations. It provides lessons for those hospitals that have already started quality initiatives.
Service quality attributes determine improvement priority
Authors: Chen Shun‐Hsing , Yang Ching‐Chow , Lin Wen‐Tsann , Yeh Tsu‐Ming
Published: February 2007

Purpose

Although there are many quality measurement theories and models, all are imperfect; that is, each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Particularly, some models cannot indicate accurate improvement priorities. The purpose of this study is to develop an integrated performance model that improves service quality and acquires accurate improvement priorities that promote customer satisfaction and eliminate resource wastage.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applied a performance matrix and quality loss function (QLF) theory to determine priority items needing improvement. A questionnaire was designed to determine the priority of improvement objectives derived from certain questionnaire items that do not fall into the appropriate performance zone (APZ) of the performance matrix. Finally, the QLF was adopted to rank the improvement objectives in terms of priority. A large QLF area indicates customer satisfaction needs improvement.

Findings

This study utilized an employee satisfaction survey to demonstrate this matrix, and found that it reflects the improvement priorities of different items and avoids the shortcomings of other models. In this case study, 11 items must be improved; furthermore, five items with the greatest QLF areas became the priority items for improvement.

Originality/value

This performance matrix also considers the items of surplus resource investment, which can be included in improvements, thereby avoiding resource wastage.
The analysis of personal and delay allowances using work sampling technique in the sewing room of a clothing manufacturer
Authors: Gunesoglu Sinem , Meric Binnaz
Published: February 2007

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to study the operator activities in garment industry and the percentages of distribution of operations and to analyze the personal and delay allowances by observing the operations and deriving the ratios within a manufacturing period.

Design/methodology/approach

A work sampling technique is used. Relevant reports (1978‐2004) are studied to give the basis and methodology of the technique. In accordiance with work sampling techique, the operations to be observed in a sewing room are defined, the number of observations and observers required for each day and the procedure for making observations are determined and the distributions of work flows are calculated.

Findings

It is found that 72.7 per cent of working time in an general sewing room was spent for productive activities and 23.2 per cent for personal and unavoidable delay allowances.

Practical implications

Work sampling technique gives information about personal and delay allowances in a work flow of any sewing room. When the distributions of activites are determined, it is possible to find which activities are most responsible for low efficiency. For this purpose, standard operations time in a sewing room should be determined by time measurement studies and work flow should be organized.

Originality/value

This paper deals with an actual sewing room and gives general information about the distributions of activites in work flow which should be used for organization of any sewing room.
Market power and regulation: the last great US department store consolidation?
Authors: Wood Steve , Wrigley Neil
Published: February 2007

Purpose

To examine the impact of the merger of the two largest US department store companies on the competitive state of the sector and specifically the anti‐trust implications of the consolidation.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on semi‐structured interviews with leading US department store executives as well as an ongoing close dialogue with US retail analysts.

Findings

The consolidation raises considerable anti‐trust issues with the creation of a $30bill sales company. However, consistent with previous recent rulings, the Federal Trade Commission has adopted a broad view of the department store market from the standpoint that the consolidation is essentially defensive – in short, the sector is failing because it is not a separate and distinct market. However, the divestiture of 75 stores will give competitors footholds in new markets thereby changing the geography of competition in many catchments. This is likely to be the largest consolidation that the competition authorities will effectively allow, representing the last opportunity for the sector to become a more robust competitor against alternative formats that have intervened in its key product lines.

Originality/value

Recent restructuring of the US department store industry has generated a relatively limited academic literature, despite considerable M&A activity, subsequent organisational reorganisation, and sales of $88 billion per year. Transformation of the competitive landscape of the industry raises important issues of market regulation and corporate strategy.
On steady flow of a reactive variable viscosity fluid in a cylindrical pipe with an isothermal wall
Authors: Makinde O.D.
Published: February 2007

Purpose

This paper aims to demonstrate an application of a novel approximation technique, for a function whose partial series is known, to a problem in thermal ignition in a combustible variable viscosity fluid.

Design/methodology/approach

Analytical solutions are constructed for the governing non‐linear boundary‐value problem using regular perturbation technique (RPT) coupled with computer‐extended series solution (CESS) and a special type of Hermite‐Padé approximant.

Findings

The steady state thermal ignition criticality conditions and their dependent on both Frank‐Kamenetskii and viscous heating parameters are accurately obtained. The results also revealed the rapid convergence of the approximation procedure with gradual increase in the number of series coefficients utilized in the approximants.

Originality/value

The analytical and computational procedures utilized in this paper are advocated as an effective tool for investigating several other parameter dependent nonlinear boundary‐value problems.
Professional respect for female and male leaders: influential gender‐relevant factors
Authors: Wolfram Hans‐Joachim , Mohr Gisela , Schyns Birgit
Published: February 2007

Purpose

The paper aims to test the impact of gender‐relevant factors on professional respect for leaders.

Design/methodology/approach

Three determinants were analysed: gender constellation (gender match) between leaders and followers, gender‐stereotypic leadership behaviour, and followers' gender role attitudes. A field study with N1=121 followers and their N2=81 direct leaders from 34 German organisations was conducted. Leaders were on the lowest level of hierarchy.

Findings

The data showed that female leaders are at risk of receiving less professional respect from their followers than male leaders: male followers of female leaders had less professional respect than female followers of male leaders. Moreover, gender role discrepant female leaders (i.e. autocratic) got less respect than gender role discrepant male leaders (i.e. democratic). But no difference was found with regard to gender role congruent female (i.e. democratic) and male (i.e. autocratic) leaders. Finally, followers with traditional gender role attitudes were prone to have comparatively little professional respect for female leaders.

Research limitations/implications

Future research should analyse gender‐relevant factors that influence the granting of professional respect and systematically compare these effects across branches. Furthermore, it would be interesting to see whether followers evaluate leaders from higher levels of hierarchy in the same way as our respondents did.

Practical implications

In order to promote women in leadership positions, followers' prejudices against female leaders should be reduced.

Originality/value

Field studies about the evaluation of female and male leaders explicitly considering their followers' gender role attitudes are rare. The results reflect that sexism is well and alive.
The relationship of social support to the work‐family balance and work outcomes of midlife women
Authors: Marcinkus Wendy C. , Whelan‐Berry Karen S. , Gordon Judith R.
Published: February 2007

Purpose

This paper seeks to examine the relationship of a network of social support for midlife women with their attitudes toward work‐family balance and work outcomes, including job satisfaction, organisational commitment, and career accomplishment.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 1,089 women between the ages of 35 and 50 across three organizations were surveyed and then 72 of them interviewed.

Findings

Results indicate that the women generally received more personal social support than work‐based social support and more instrumental than expressive support from all sources. Work‐based social support was positively associated with job satisfaction, organisational commitment, and career accomplishment; personal social support was also associated with job satisfaction and organisational commitment. Work‐family balance may partially mediate the relationship between social support and work outcomes.

Originality/value

Much of what is known about work‐life issues centers on the work‐family conflicts of younger women with children. Perceptions are explored of work‐life balance among women at midlife, an understudied population with significant work and personal responsibilities. This study contributes to research by examining the relationships among the full network of social support, work‐family balance, and work‐related outcomes, as well as the nature of this support for working women. The combination of quantitative and qualitative methods provides substantive insights into the complexity of these relationships for women at midlife.
Primary healthcare organizations facing a disaster: the Quebec experience
Authors: Lalonde Carole
Published: February 2007

Purpose

This paper seeks to evaluate the role and the nature of the interventions by primary healthcare organizations in Quebec during the ice storm of 1998. The two basic questions are: to what extent CLSC perform their socio‐community mission during this disaster? Are there some contingencies factors that explain variation between CLSC in their intervention?

Design/methodology/approach

Data collection is based on face to face discussion held with 19 managers responsible for the disaster's plan for their CLSC, 59 professionals that took an active and direct role in disaster interventions and 25 collaborators from municipalities and diverse community organisms. On top of the face to face discussions, a questionnaire was remitted to all the interviewees.

Findings

The research provides a qualified analysis of the interventions of the CLSCs and identifies what works well (performance factors), what went wrong (non performance factors) and what varies from one territory to another (variance or contingencies factors). The results of this research corroborate most of the reports brought about by the theories of disaster management planning to the look at the importance of plans, the development of a culture of prevention and of civil security, the importance of the training as much for the leaders as for the professionals. Moreover, primary healthcare organizations such as CLSC's in Quebec have a strategic positioning in disaster because of the multidisciplinary functioning of their teams and their knowledge of the local community.

Research limitations/implications

The research is limited to the interventions of CLSCs and the interventions of other professionals of the health system or from volunteers are not considered.

Practical implications

The social community mission of organizations such as the CLSC can be optimized using four specific plans: the clientele plan, the training plan, the local consultation plan and the multidisciplinary plan. Specific recommendations on each aspect are identified to help managers and professionals in the attainment of their socio‐communitarian mission.

Originality/value

The research provides interesting data on the contribution of multidisciplinary teams (nurses, doctors, social workers, psychologists, ergotherapists, etc.) as well as from their managers and first line collaborators. It puts in evidence their strengths and weaknesses and identifies ways of improving disaster interventions.
The terrorism threat and managing workplaces
Authors: Howie Luke
Published: February 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present research findings on how the threat of terrorism to Australia affects managers and employees in workplaces in a large city. It investigates the various workplace impacts of the terrorist threat and examines how this affects organizational efficiency and effectiveness and employee wellbeing.

Design/methodology/approach

A literature review of the impact of the terrorist threat to workplaces is presented using academic research and journalistic commentary. This review informs research collected in seven organizations via in‐depth interviews of 40 minutes length conducted with staff and management in the administrative, legal, retail, sporting and services sectors. In total, 55 interviews were conducted with an additional 50 respondents who were unavailable for interviews completing surveys.

Findings

A number of significant negative impacts of the threat of terrorism on Melbourne workplaces are identified. The most significant were workplace discrimination and diversity management, cultural change to be security oriented, and increased occupational stress.

Research limitations/implications

The sample population for the research is quite small so the conclusions cannot be considered generalizable. Rather, the research represents specific cases where the impacts are felt and, as such, may exist in other sectors and cities. The results are highly concerning and suggest that terrorism has a detrimental effect at work and on life.

Practical implications

The findings can assist organizations in preparing management responses and actions in preventing the negative impacts of the threat of terrorism.

Originality/value

Research of this kind is extremely limited yet of the highest importance to organizations in large cities.
Delivering health education: the contribution of social and emotional learning
Authors: Weare Katherine
Published: February 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to outline the contribution of school‐based programmes of social and emotional learning (SEL) to health education, and outline a recent initiative by the English government, “Secondary SEAL”.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents evidence for the impact of SEL programmes, and accounts the key principles of the English SEAL programme.

Findings

The paper finds that SEL programmes impact on learning, behaviour, emotional and social wellbeing and physical health, provided that they follow certain key principles.

Originality/value

The paper shows, that for the first time, the English Secondary SEAL programme has been outlined in an international journal.
The Fosby Flop can teach business to soar
Authors: Francis Arthur
Published: February 2007

Purpose

Asks why performance improvement is debated so much more in sport than in business, and whether business has anything to learn from sport techniques.

Design/methodology/approach

Looks at different performance levels and why it is beneficial to utilise modern techniques.

Findings

Finds that a major reason the performance of the average UK firm lags behind that of the average business in the US, France and Germany is that UK senior managers are often failing to use modern management practices.

Practical implications

Points out that France, Germany and the USA have had business schools since the turn of the twentieth century, but it was not until the mid‐1960s that they came to the UK. But there is now a national network of management scientists, far more numerous than sport scientists. The resource is there, but businesses need to learn how to use it.

Originality/value

Argues that if sport scientists can help athletes, business schools and industry need to work more closely together to get the same benefits for firms.
Quality management and enhancement processes in UK business schools: a review
Authors: Hodgkinson Myra , Kelly Mike
Published: February 2007

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to provide insights into the processes that can be and have been adopted by UK business schools as they attempt to meet the Quality Assurance Agency's concern with the standard of quality management and enhancement.

Design/methodology/approach

A review of the literature provides interpretations of quality, quality management and quality enhancement. The paper continues by identifying the ways in which priorities in need of improvement are identified. The different “quality” models that are employed are then evaluated in terms of their implementation within business schools.

Findings

The paper concludes with emerging reflections that highlight that the most significant aspect in terms of taking forward different models, processes and approaches is the importance of organisational culture.

Originality/value

It is argued that without an awareness of the existing organisational culture the introduction of any model, process or approach will not in itself create or sustain a quality enhancement culture.
Applying rich picture diagrams to model case studies of construction projects
Authors: Sutrisna Monty , Barrett Peter
Published: February 2007

Purpose

Information and findings from investigations of construction projects using qualitative methodologies such as the grounded theory methodology (GTM) are inevitably rich. When using multiple case studies, the cross‐case analysis procedure has been found overwhelming and difficult to grasp all at once. Hence, an approach using rich picture diagrams (RPD) has been applied specifically for the purpose of modelling case studies and capturing the richness of the information along the case studies' storylines. This paper aims to explain the reasoning behind and the development process of such diagrams.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper investigates the underlying concepts of the GTM, case study approach, and the soft system methodology (SSM) from which the RPD was originally derived. Based on the identified agreement between and consistency of both methodologies, the development of RPD to model case studies in an ongoing research project (using the GTM) is explained. The subsequent cross‐case analysis procedure is also discussed, leading to conclusions.

Findings

The paper demonstrates the applicability of the RPD originating from the SSM as a tool to present the storylines of case studies within the GTM, to improve presentation and enable thorough cross‐case analysis by providing a holistic view of the storylines.

Originality/value

In response to the scholarly challenge to contribute to the further development of the GTM, the paper presents the application of a tool from SSM (i.e. the RPD). Whilst enriching the techniques within the GTM, this application provides a solution for researchers and stakeholders to model case studies of construction projects.
The significant factors causing delay of building construction projects in Malaysia
Authors: Alaghbari Wa'el , Razali A. Kadir Mohd. , Salim Azizah , Ernawati
Published: February 2007

Purpose

The paper seeks to identify the major factors causing delay in building construction projects in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire survey was used to carry out the study. The questionnaire consisted of 31 factors which were grouped into four major categories by responsibility – contractor factors, owner factors, consultant factors and external factors. The level of importance of the categories was measured and the relative importance of weights was ranked.

Findings

The study finds that financial problems are the main factor and coordination problems are the second most important factor causing delay in construction projects in Malaysia. The results were analyzed to rank the causes of delay and further classify the types of delay.

Research limitations/implications

The scope of this study is limited to building projects in the Klang Valley area, where major Malaysian cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam and Seremban are located. The data for this study was gathered through a detailed questionnaire survey.

Originality/value

Based on the analysis of the ranking and intensity of causes of delay, this paper suggests possible improvements that could be made in order to reduce delays in the construction industry.
G‐ROME: semantic‐driven capacity sharing among P2P networks
Authors: Exarchakos Georgios , Antonopoulos Nick , Salter James
Published: February 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a model for sharing network capacity on demand among different underloaded and overloaded P2P ROME‐enabled networks. The paper aims to target networks of nodes with highly dynamic workload fluctuations that may experience a burst of traffic and/or massive nodes' failure rates.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper shows that when locally available network capacity is not adequate for the workload requirements, the excessive capacity needs to be sought into other networks with more availability. A random flat P2P overlay of the ROME servers is used for the discovery and movement of nodes between two networks. Centralised or decentralised DHT‐based directories of available nodes cannot cope with high workload fluctuations and frequent join/leave actions of nodes. The paper also introduces semantics to refine the answers to the ones with the most appropriate nodes for the requesting network and to find the requested capacity faster and more efficiently. The behaviour of the model is simulated to evaluate with several experiments the model based on some metrics.

Findings

The paper finds that all the user queries of an overloaded underlying network are dropped if G‐ROME is not used but as G‐ROME overlay satisfies the requested capacity of a ROME server, its Chord ring size increases. In case of uniformly distributed and/or plentiful capacity over the overlay, shallow searches may give very good results. On the contrary, deeper searches are required for scarce capacity but the number of messages increases almost exponentially.

Originality/value

This paper provides a model for moving the required resources to the requesting job environment rather than the job and its context to the resource.
The global village: online cross‐cultural communication and HRM
Authors: Fujimoto Yuka , Bahfen Nasya , Fermelis Jan , Härtel Charmine E.J.
Published: February 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine relational and task dimension of online communication and the associated emotional experience.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper examines four categories of work outcomes: emotional experiences of work, work attitudes, work dynamics and work behaviours; and links each to the cross‐cultural online communication context.

Findings

It was found that diversity‐oriented HRM can reduce the cultural fault‐lines between individualist and collectivist (IC) cultures, and thereby positively moderate the relationship between cross‐cultural online communication and affective, cognitive and behavioural outcomes.

Practical implications

Diversity‐oriented HRM can capitalize on an organisation's cultural diversity and avoid cross‐cultural misunderstandings. In a more practical sense, the research purports that combined use of IC HRM practices can produce greater efficiency and effectiveness in online communications worldwide.

Originality/value

The paper provides an insight into the potential implications of increased use of information technology on cross‐cultural communication, and human resource management. The significance of diversity‐oriented human resource management in managing these implications is also highlighted.
A framework for responsive health policy and corporate communication
Authors: Paulo Moreira J.
Published: February 2007

Purpose

The paper aims to contribute to the development of a systematic framework of analysis pertaining to the relationship between public health crisis (PHC) and scares and corporate communication practice. It aims to clarify the complex relationship between public health policy development and corporate crisis and risk communication issues.

Design/methodology/approach

Literature review in the fields of crisis communication, crisis and risk management and public health policy; the multidisciplinary approach provided principles for a framework of analysis.

Findings

The framework proposed identifies fields of intersection between governments, corporations, the media and the experts in the context of risk perception management providing inputs for both public health policy and corporate communication new developments.

Research limitations/implications

The need for further research arises from the identification of the different areas of intersection between governments, corporations, the media and the experts and further elucidation of its dynamics should be pursued.

Originality/value

The framework builds a bridge between disciplines that have not been articulated for the practice inherent in public health and scares‐related communication issues. It proposes a multidisciplinary framework of analysis applicable to any type of PHC or scare.
Financial sector convergence and corporate governance
Authors: Mullineux Andy
Published: February 2007

Purpose

To explore the implications of financial sector convergence for corporate governance systems.

Design/methodology/approach

Globalisation, regulatory harmonisation and pensions reform are driving convergence of bank and market oriented systems of corporate finance towards a hybrid model (“hybridisation”). Given the importance of financial systems in corporate governance, this may lead to convergence of corporate governance systems; legal traditions notwithstanding.

Findings

The growth in the importance of funds (pension, insurance, mutual, hedge, venture capital) and the decline in the importance of bank as shareholders has the potential for forcing convergence in corporate governance if the funds actively use their shareholder (or proxy) voting rights. Data on financial institution voting patterns is required to test the hypothesis.

Originality/value

Hybridisation is increasingly widely recognised, although not universally supported by the data. This paper attempts to draw the implication of the hybridisation process for corporate governance given the breakdown of traditional market and bank‐based systems.
Corporate governance in Germany
Authors: von Rosen Rüdiger
Published: February 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an outline of German corporate governance.

Design/methodology/approach

The history of the German Corporate Governance Code is highlighted. Then a short overview of the acceptance of the code by companies in practice is given which is based on an empirical survey. This is followed by the most recent changes as well as an overview of the developments of corporate governance in Europe. Finally, a summary of the current discussion of codetermination in terms of company management in Germany is provided.

Findings

This appraisal, accompanied by a high degree of approval of the code, shows that, on the one hand, its stipulations partly break with tradition and, on the other hand, have undergone frequent changes: in a period of four years, already four amendments have been made.

Originality/value

The paper offers insight into issues of corporate governance in Germany.
An appraisal of the Pensions White Paper proposals
Authors: Flight Howard
Published: February 2007

Purpose

This paper seeks to evaluate the Pensions White Paper proposals against down to earth and relatively obvious objectives and criteria; and to suggest some options – no matter how politically difficult – which need to be considered.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper assesses eight objectives which the White Paper should meet, namely: increasing retirement saving and reducing the savings gap; adequate minimum income for all aged over 75; incentives for retirement saving; simpler retirement saving products; tidying up state saving schemes; public sector and private pension provisioning; retirement saving products and arrangements for changing times; and stability for the future.

Findings

The White Paper has the hallmarks of a compromise and politically crafted palliative, which is in danger of having unintended and contrarian effects towards reducing rather than increasing pension savings.

Originality/value

The paper offers a critical appraisal of the Pensions White Paper proposals.
“If in doubt count it out!”: a review of the AIT criminal trial
Authors: Hatt Samantha , Burger Richard
Published: February 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to consider the outcome of the Financial Services Authority (FSA)'s first ever contested criminal prosecution of company directors accused of making misleading statements to the market.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews the trial and the comments of the trial judge and court of appeal on sentence and confiscation.

Findings

This case shows the FSA's willingness to prosecute significant cases of market misconduct and how seriously the courts consider such behaviour.

Originality/value

This paper will be of interest to the directors and officers of listed companies, their professional advisers and regulatory lawyers.
An exploratory study on the reasons for purchasing imported high fashion apparels
Authors: Kamenidou Irene , Mylonakis John , Nikolouli Konstantina
Published: February 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the reasons that Greek consumers purchase imported high fashion apparel over Greek designers high fashion apparel. The objective of the research is to detect the underlying factors that affect their purchasing behaviour.

Design/methodology approach

Qualitative research was conducted through discussions with consumer focus groups, all purchasers of imported high fashion apparel. Quantitative research was undertaken by means of a questionnaire with 28 items referring to the reasons for purchasing imported high fashion apparel. The sample consisted of 200 high fashion consumers from the city of Larissa, Greece. Data analysis includes descriptive statistics, reliability, as well as factor analysis by principal component analysis with Varimax rotation.

Findings

Results indicate that the consumers perceive that the imported high fashion apparel have better aesthetics, a better line and are produced from quality textiles, compared to the domestic high fashion apparel. Four factors derived underpinned the purchasing reasons of imported high fashion apparel: “status and image”, “quality of the product”, “marketing reasons” and “in fashion”.

Research limitations/implications

This research was exploratory in nature and employed a non‐probability sampling method. Future research should be carried out to confirm the findings of the current study.

Practical implications

This study provides a useful source of information, which can be used by Greek high fashion apparel designers regarding the reasons why Greek customers of high fashion apparel purchase imported over domestic ones. This paper suggests which elements Greek designers of high fashion apparel should focus upon in order to gain a larger market share.

Originality/value

This study is important in terms that it is the first one to explore the reasons for purchasing imported high fashion apparel over domestic ones in Greece. It highlights 28 reasons (items) derived from qualitative research. In addition it suggests appropriate quality and marketing actions to be undertaken by Greek high fashion apparel designers.
Actions to overcome knowledge transfer barriers in MNCs
Authors: Riege Andreas
Published: February 2007

Purpose

This paper seeks to offer a comprehensive list of actions that help managers to prevail over numerous internal knowledge transfer barriers, an area that has received little attention thus far.

Design/methodology/approach

Arguments draw upon theory in knowledge management and related fields and in‐depth interviews with over 60 senior and middle managers in 20 Australian‐based multinational corporations (MNCs).

Findings

The approach established two main thrusts. First, the literature review has identified a wide range of knowledge transfer barriers that managers need to consider. However, there also is some confusion as to how to prevail over them. Second, based on the literature and fieldwork the paper highlights an extensive list of initiatives managers can employ to overcome numerous internal transfer barriers.

Research limitations/implications

The number of respondents was sufficiently large to provide analytical generalisation. Whilst the paper provides a general guideline on how to overcome diverse barriers, there still is no conclusive empirical evidence based on a large‐scale comparative study giving indication about the effectiveness of diverse managerial actions to enhance knowledge transfers in the internal and external supply chain.

Practical implications

Senior and middle managers may utilise the provided list as an action identification tool when challenged to overcome diverse knowledge transfer barriers.

Originality/ value

This paper highlights a large number of possible actions to overcome barriers to internal knowledge transfer. In particular, the action list serves as a starter or reassurance kit for managerial decision making when facing various barriers upon introducing, maintaining, or seeking to improve internal knowledge transfer practices. The aim, however, was no cookbook approach suggesting that a set of particular managerial actions will suit all firms, that is, specific actions are likely to show diverse levels of success and effectiveness.
Knowledge management in the Malaysian aerospace industry
Authors: Wai Tat Lim , Hase Stewart
Published: February 2007

Purpose

This paper aims to study existing knowledge practices, the use of knowledge management (KM) as a strategic tool and the factors affecting the use of KM in the Malaysian aerospace industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Senior personnel in the industry were interviewed using a grounded theory approach and convergent interviewing. Secondary data in the form of company documents and reports were used to clarify issues raised in the interview. Triangulation of the findings with the literature resulted in the identification of a framework for the application of KM practices.

Findings

The framework identified in this study consists of four stages: awareness cultivation; objectives definition; strategy adoption; and action implementation. Each of these stages involves a number of key elements for successful KM implementation.

Originality/value

KM is a considerable organizational asset as a source of competitive advantage and wealth. Thus, it is vital to identify those factors critical to the successful implementation of KM practices in organizations.
Do SMEs influence their markets? An exploratory study
Authors: Grundvåg Ottesen Geir , Grønhaug Kjell
Published: February 2007

Purpose

Due to their limited resources small‐ and medium‐sized firms are often assumed not to influence or “drive” their industries or markets. However, based on insights from social cognition and studies of firms' reputations it is argued that small firms might benefit from actively influencing their reputations as well as the standards against which they are evaluated. The purpose of this paper is to explore empirically whether small firms actually try to influence their markets in such a manner.

Design/methodology/approach

A detailed longitudinal tracking of a top manager's (of a medium‐sized manufacturing firm) interactions with the firm's external constituencies is applied to investigate whether and how this manager tries to influence other market actors.

Findings

The results show that considerable efforts are devoted to try to influence a wide range of external actors in relation to a range of topics, but with an emphasis on the characteristics of his own firm. This indicates that the firm aims to induce and benefit from a good reputation.

Originality/value

The value of the paper is that it demonstrates how small firms can “drive” their small enterprises, markets in a more subtle and incremental manner as opposed to how market driving is presently understood.
“Insider accounts”: a qualitative research method for small firms
Authors: Ekanem Ignatius
Published: February 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to present a detailed description of the qualitative research method adopted by the author in his doctoral research into the investment decision‐making process in small manufacturing enterprises; and to inform small firm researchers generally, particularly those who may be considering the use of a qualitative research methodology for the first time in the study of processes of decision‐making.

Design/methodology/approach

“Insider accounts” is an innovative qualitative methodology, which involves in‐depth, semi‐structured interviews and direct observation, conducted longitudinally in a case study approach. It is a research method, which includes detailed accounts from the actors themselves, incorporating the actual motives and behaviour of owner‐managers. It is based on a philosophy that the “objects” studied are in fact “subjects”, producing accounts of their world.

Findings

The finding in the study for which this methodology was used is that owner‐managers predominantly use “bootstrapping” techniques for their investment appraisal rather than the more formal methods suggested in the financial management literature. So‐called “objective” studies of decision‐making process using questionnaires and positivist‐type approaches, do little to help to answer the basic questions relating to how and why decisions are taken. Without answering these questions it is impossible to recommend how practices can become more effective.

Research limitations/implications

The study is limited to the extent to which it can be generalised to a wider population of small firms.

Originality/value

The paper presents a detailed description of a qualitative research method, “insider accounts”.
A methodology for researching international entrepreneurship in SMEs
Authors: Fillis Ian
Published: February 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate an alternative methodological approach to researching international entrepreneurship which mirrors the creativity of successful entrepreneurial organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

The biographical approach discussed overcomes the pervasive linear thinking found in the wider management discipline. Successful entrepreneurial practice is anything but linear. This notion is embraced in the consideration of a methodology which mirrors its non‐linear path.

Findings

A biographical approach constructs richer and deeper data which would otherwise remain undiscovered. It allows for a more flexible approach to research. Triangulation with the more usual methods of survey work and in‐depth interview ensures that quality and rigour are maintained throughout.

Research limitations/implications

Research which adopts a more considered, critical perspective is limited in international entrepreneurship. There is evidence that critical entrepreneurship researchers are embracing alternative methodologies such as narrative, discursive and literary approaches which complement and challenge existing dominant thinking.

Practical implications

Up to now, many practitioners have felt that researchers do not listen sufficiently to their stories of success and failure and that there is a lack of meaningful engagement with them. The approach discussed here helps to improve the relationship between researcher and researched.

Originality/value

Following more creative approaches such as those espoused in this paper, can help to facilitate more meaningful interaction between the researcher and the biographical subject.
A review of techniques for risk management in projects
Authors: Ahmed Ammar , Kayis Berman , Amornsawadwatana Sataporn
Published: February 2007

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a review of techniques that support risk management in product development projects using the concurrent engineering (CE) philosophy.

Design/methodology/approach

The Australia/New Zealand risk management standard AS/NZS 4360:1999 proposes a generic framework for risk management. This standard was adapted for product development projects in the CE environment. In this paper, existing techniques were reviewed for their applicability to processes in risk management; namely, techniques for establishing context, risk identification, risk assessment and treatment.

Findings

Risk management is an activity within project management that is gaining importance due to current business environment with a global focus and competition. The techniques reviewed in this paper are used on an ad hoc basis currently. A more risk focused approach is likely to result in an integration of several of these techniques, resulting in an increased effectiveness of project management.

Practical implications

The techniques reviewed in this paper can be used for the development of risk management tools for engineering and product development projects.

Originality/value

This paper provides a gist of techniques categorized in the form that they are applicable for implementation of risk management functions in product development projects using CE philosophy.