bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Entrepreneurship education and job creation for tourism graduates in Ghana
Authors: B. Owusu-Mintah Samuel
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present a report on a tracer study conducted to find out the extent to which entrepreneurship education received by tertiary tourism graduates had been beneficial to them.

Design/methodology/approach

– Application of mixed methods research to collect data from 205 tertiary education graduates by the use of snowball sampling techniques and two entrepreneurship teachers selected purposively.

Findings

– The study revealed that <3 per cent of the graduates were operating their own businesses. Among the reasons given for the low level of entrepreneurship practice among the graduates included their inability to access initial capital, absence of entrepreneurship spirit in the graduates and the unrelated nature of entrepreneurship education studied at the polytechnic to the tourism and hospitality industry.

Research limitations/implications

– The main limitation with this study was sampling bias associated with the snowball sampling technique. This was, however reduced by initially selecting respondents to represent the various year groups of the alumni. In addition, it would have been more appropriate to have included present students in the study to find out their perception of the entrepreneurship education that they are receiving.

Practical implications

– The practical implication of this tracer study is the need for educators to evaluate the entrepreneurship programme to make it subject specific. The work will therefore help tourism educators to prepare syllabi and teach entrepreneurship education that will be relevant and beneficial to tourism and hospitality graduates. Another implication is the need to start teaching entrepreneurship as a course at the basic school level.

Social implications

– The social implications of this study is that it would enable managers of tertiary education institutions to find appropriate means to increase the number of its graduates who will be able to create their own jobs. These entrepreneurs will be able to create more employment avenues.

Originality/value

– The novelty of the work is in the use of a tracer study to obtain occupational distribution of graduates of a tertiary programme that enabled the author to ascertain the percentage of graduates who have started and are managing their own businesses.
An instructional cycle for enhancing innovation-embedded employability
Authors: Chang Chi-Cheng
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The capability of innovation is a major component of high-education students’ employability. The purpose of this paper is to introduce an instructional cycle specific to information technology-related disciplines that helps improve the students’ innovation capability and their employability.

Design/methodology/approach

– Literature review, expert adviceand quasi-experiments are used. Instructional activities were developed out of the innovative instructional cycle proposed in this study, which was adjusted in line with the opinions of 30 experts. Teaching experiments were then conducted on 120 college students to understand how well that instructional cycle leads to improvements regarding each creativity indicator, and how feasible the cycle's employability enhancement approach is.

Findings

– This study concluded eight indicators of employable creativity: the sensitivity to problems, organizing/integration ability, complexity, originality, flexibility, novelty, fluency and the desire to create.

Research limitations/implications

– This study does not focus on how creative thoughts are used to form a mental model that makes students more flexible and adaptable in workplaces.

Originality/value

– The contribution of this study lies in successfully verifying this “cycle” proposed has positive, beneficial effects on shaping a student's employability.
Breathing space – graduate entrepreneurs’ perspectives of entrepreneurship education in higher education
Authors: Fenton Mary , Barry Almar
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine graduate entrepreneurs’ perspectives of entrepreneurship education (EE) in higher education institutions (HEIs) in their formation as entrepreneurs.

Design/methodology/approach

– This qualitative research study was conducted amongst 30 graduate entrepreneurs in the South East of Ireland, who established their businesses between 2001 and 2010 (inclusive).

Findings

– The findings challenge the notion that more EE provision at undergraduate level will lead to greater numbers of graduate entrepreneurs. This is because: HEIs are more focused on preparing students for employment; the academic nature of undergraduate EE; and a “one size fits all” approach to EE fails to recognise the heterogeneity of learners’ needs. However, the findings show that graduate entrepreneurs believed that EE at graduate level provided a welcome “breathing space” to develop their business.

Research limitations/implications

– This research was undertaken within a unique, regional environment, therefore, it is influenced by regional policies, priorities and factors and its main HEI. It does not include either other regional, national or international case studies.

Practical implications

– This research paper provides a conceptual framework or guiding principles for good practice in EE in higher education to include: an enterprise-centric, HEI; a graduated approach to EE; pracademics; a challenging learning environment; authentic experience; and links with the wider enterprise community.

Originality/value

– This research paper offers a nuanced understanding of EE in higher education. Moreover, it contributes to the advancement of knowledge, practice and policy by proposing a conceptual framework for EE in higher education to meet the diverse needs of future graduate entrepreneurs.
Working mothers’ gender ideologies on childcare and perception on existing childcare centres
Authors: Kodagoda Thilakshi
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– This purpose of this paper is to examine how working mothers understand childcare practices and perception on existing childcare centres in a different social context like Sri Lanka.

Design/methodology/approach

– A thematic analysis approach is used to analyse mothers’ narratives, drawn from in-depth qualitative interviews, along with data from some representative secondary sources.

Findings

– The paper considers women professional and managerial employees in Sri Lanka, and demonstrates that working mothers use diverse childcare arrangements to harmonise their work and family life, strongly believing their own mother as the best caregiver for their small children.

Research limitations/implications

– This study represented only middle-class mothers, therefore the research suggested that different mothers (professional and managerial) take their decisions differently. Based on this argument, it can be expected that mothers of different occupations are more likely to take different decisions as they believe what is “right and proper”. Thus, extensive research is warranted.

Practical implications

– This paper discusses the implications while extending the geographical scope of the literature on mothers’ gender ideology on childcare and existing practices in childcare centres.

Social implications

– State and private organizations should consider investments in childcare support and other flexible work options so that women continue to remain in their careers.

Originality/value

– The paper extends the geographical scope of the literature on mothers’ gender ideology on childcare and existing practices in childcare centres. This would be the first research article directly focused on the impact of working mothers’ gender ideologies on childcare and perception on existing childcare centres in Sri Lanka. Thus, the present study provides a number of new research avenues for future researchers to use.
Judicial activism and human rights in Bangladesh: a critique
Authors: Hossain Mollah Awal
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the role of judicial activism as a golden mean approach of judiciary in protecting and promoting human rights from illegitimate interferences of government. With this aim, several case studies have been done on verdicts of higher judiciary in Bangladesh.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper is an exploratory case study focused on Bangladesh. The paper is qualitative in nature and based on secondary sources of published facts like books, journal articles and Dhaka Law Reports. Information also gathered through Internet browsing.

Findings

– Though judiciary is very effective to protect and promote human rights and rule of law in a country through judicial activism or public interest litigation, the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are crucial in Bangladesh. Delay and disposal of cases is one of the great impediments in the process of ensuring human rights in Bangladesh. Besides, negligence in implement the verdict of judiciary and interferences of executive over judiciary is another finding of this paper. Apart from these shortcomings, judicial activism is a very important potential instrument of judiciary to protect and promote human rights and the rule of law in Bangladesh.

Research limitations/implications

– The major limitation of this paper is it is based on secondary sources of information. It would have more rich if periodical data can be used for comparing theory and practice.

Practical implications

– This paper would be helpful for making a policy for overcoming limitations of judicial activism in Bangladesh to protect and promote human rights.

Social implications

– Social awareness can be build-up through NGOs and readers by disseminating and penetrating information of this paper’s findings and recommendations.

Originality/value

– This paper would an unique and add new knowledge in the literature of public interest litigation and Human Rights Law in the context of Bangladesh.
Branding of geographical indications in India
Authors: Aggarwal Rashmi , Singh Harvinder , Prashar Sanjeev
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to identify inherent deficiencies of the geographical indications (GIs) as protective brands adding to the premium value of the products as compared to the protection guaranteed to brands under the trademark route. Whereas the former protects the attributes of the goods, the latter adds to the brand equity of the goods. The paper attempts to find means to assign a strong visible identity that creates a premium visibility for GIs to help them emerge as strong brands just like the brands envisaged for the trademarks.

Design/methodology/approach

– This is a qualitative research based on primary and secondary source of information. Secondary sources comprise statutory provisions of two main acts on GIs and trademarks, articles/news items available in academic/trade journals and information generated from Government of India websites. Primary research involved face-to-face interactions with practicing advocates and select holders of GIs. Information was collected on parameters related to efficacy, applicability, enforceability, monitoring, marketability and legal issues of GIs and trademarks.

Findings

– Though the GI Act was enacted to improve the commercial prospects of manufactured/grown outputs by entities based in a particular geographical limit, it has not delivered to the extent it was expected. The GI product still faces the challenges of poor awareness, fratricidal competition and threat of ingenuine products. The same concept under the trademarks is adequately promoted and protected by ensuring visibility through the logos. And hence, the same can be made mandatorily under the grant of GIs.

Originality/value

– Most of the research done so far on GIs is from a legal perspective. It is perhaps the first work on the theme that takes up the cross-functional approach and explores adding a marketing dimension to a concept that was considered only under the domain of law. The article tries to assimilate best of both the worlds in terms of legal protection and marketing appeal for the geographical indicators.
A closed-form solution to eye-to-hand calibration towards visual grasping
Authors: Pan Hui , Wang Na Li , Qin Yin Shi
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to propose a method that calibrates the hand-eye relationship for eye-to-hand configuration and afterwards a rectification to improve the accuracy of general calibration.

Design/methodology/approach

– The hand-eye calibration of eye-to-hand configuration is summarized as a equation AX = XB which is the same as in eye-in-hand calibration. A closed-form solution is derived. To abate the impact of noise, a rectification is conducted after the general calibration.

Findings

– Simulation and actual experiments confirm that the accuracy of calibration is obviously improved.

Originality/value

– Only a calibration plane is required for the hand-eye calibration. Taking the impact of noise into account, a rectification is carried out after the general calibration and, as a result, that the accuracy is obviously improved. The method can be applied in many actual applications.
Design and experimental verification of an intelligent wall-climbing welding robot system
Authors: Gui Zhongcheng , Deng Yongjun , Sheng Zhongxi , Xiao Tangjie , Li Yonglong , Zhang Fan , Dong Na , Wu Jiandong
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to present a new intelligent wall-climbing welding robot system for large-scale steel structure manufacture, which is composed of robot body, control system and welding system.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors design the robot system according to application requirements, validate the design through simulation and experiments and use the robot in actual production.

Findings

– Experimental results show that the robot system satisfies the demands of automatic welding of large-scale ferromagnetic structure, which contributes much to on-site manufacturing of such structures.

Practical implications

– The robot can work with better quality and efficiency compared with manual welding and other semi-automatic welding devices, which can much improve large-scale steel structure manufacturing.

Originality/value

– The robot system is a novel solution for large-scale steel structures welding. There are three major advantages: the robot body with reliable adsorption ability, large payload capability and good mobility which meet the requirements of welding; the control system with good welding seam tracking accuracy and intelligent automatic welding ability; and friendly human – computer interface which makes the robot easy to use.
Inexpensive spatial position system for the automation of inspection with mobile robots
Authors: Al Rashed Mohammed Abdullah , Sattar Tariq Pervez
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop a wireless positioning system. The automation of non-destructive testing (NDT) of large and complex geometry structures such as aircraft wings and fuselage is prohibitively expensive, though automation promises to improve on manual ultrasound testing. One inexpensive way to achieve automation is by using a small wall-climbing mobile robot to move a single ultrasound probe over the surface through a scanning trajectory defined by a qualified procedure. However, the problem is to guide the robot though the trajectory and know whether it has followed it accurately to confirm that the qualified procedure has been carried out.

Design/methodology/approach

– The approach is to use sophisticated bulk electronics developed for game playing in combination with MATLAB to develop a wireless positioning system.

Findings

– The paper describes the development of an inexpensive wireless system comprising an optical spatial positioning system and inertial measurement unit that relates the 3D location of an NDT probe carried by a mobile robot to a computer-aided drawing (CAD) representation of the test structure in a MATLAB environment. The probe is located to an accuracy of ± 2 mm at distances of 5 m.

Research limitations/implications

– Positioning range is limited to 5 m. Further development is required to increase this range.

Practical implications

– The wireless system is used to develop tools to guide the robot remotely to follow a desired scanning trajectory, obtain feedback about the actual trajectory executed by the robot, know exactly where an ultrasound pulse echo was captured, map identified defects on the CAD and relate them to the real test object.

Originality/value

– An inexpensive spatial positioning system with sufficient accuracy for automated NDT purposes.
Mutual benefits of transferring stock risks to dividend policy
Authors: Ibrahim Eldomiaty Tarek , Atia Ola , Badawy Ahmad , Hafez Hassan
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The literature on the relation between dividends and stock risks include mixed results. The related studies have reached either insignificant, or positive, or negative results. The authors offer a mathematical structure that addresses potential mutual benefits of dividends signaling under conditions of stock risks (systematic and unsystematic). The mathematical structure demonstrates explicitly a case of risk transfer. The purpose of this paper is to examine the potential benefits to firms and stockholders when financial managers adjust dividends per share (DPS) using percentage change in the explanatory power of systematic and unsystematic risks. This perspective is derived from a practical consideration that dividends are part of stock returns that can be adjusted to take stock risks into account.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper utilizes the specifications of the two-stage (simultaneous) regression and partial adjustment model. The sample includes quarterly data for firms listed in the Dow Jones Industrial Average and NASDAQ for the period December 31, 1989-March 31, 2011.

Findings

– The authors have reached general results based on hypotheses developed from related literature. The results show that: first, benefits of risk transfer can be realized. That is, firms as well as stockholders achieve benefits when the DPS are adjusted using percentage change in the explanatory power of systematic risk only; second, dividend growth rates are affected positively by changes in systematic risks; third, the highest stock returns in the market are reached with sharp decreases in dividend growth rates; fourth, in the highest returns quartile, firm size and time do not matter but the industry type does; and fifth, the associations between dividend growth rates, systematic, unsystematic risks, and stock returns are intrinsically nonlinear.

Originality/value

– The study contributes to the literature in terms of first, providing practical insights on the financial strategies that help in the use of dividends to convey the right signals to stockholders, and second, empirically show the potential benefits of adjusting dividends growth rates according to systematic and unsystematic stock risks in a unified mathematical structure that adds to the current literature.
The development experiences of two small African and Northern European communities under globalisation
Authors: Ovaska Tomi , Van der Walt Louw , B. Anderson Robert
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to focus on the development experience in the global world of two small communities, Viimsi in Estonia and Magog in South Africa. These two communities were chosen as exemplars because the authors were familiar with both, and understood them to be illustrative of differing outcomes of interaction of small communities with the global economy offering the prospect of generalisation of findings to the framework and theory. Twenty years ago, both were poor, since then Viimsi has become wealthy, while Magopa remains poor. It is not believed that becoming the wealthiest community in Estonia was Viimsi’s per-determined destiny. What people of Viimsi did to make their community a success relative to the surrounding peer communities is a story of the visible as much as the invisible attributes.

Design/methodology/approach

– These attributes are examined using a framework the authors’ originally developed to explore the participation of Indigenous communities in the global economy in pursuit of development as they defined it. A thorough investigation was done on the interactions among various community stakeholder groups in an attempt to describe the social fabric of these two communities, and this was used to explain why Viimsi was able to take advantage of globalisation, when Magopa was not.

Findings

– While it will be hard, no doubt, to translate all the success attributes of Viimsi to a different location and time, some of the lessons that were uncovered from the study are universal in nature, making them potentially useable for other small communities trying to find their way in the global world.

Research limitations/implications

– Studying only two communities means that the generalisation of the findings is limited to theory. None can be made directly to the population of similar communities, except indirectly through exploration using the theory being developed to test its validity in other circumstances.

Practical implications

– The findings from this paper will increase the understanding of the factors that contribute the a community’s success of lack of, in participating in the global economy.

Originality/value

– This is an under-researched area within development literature.
Social entrepreneurship and post conflict recovery in Uganda
Authors: Sserwanga Arthur , Isabella Kiconco Rebecca , Nystrand Malin , Mindra Rachel
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this study was to explore the role social entrepreneurship has played in post conflict recovery in Gulu district in northern Uganda.

Design/methodology/approach

– An exploratory and qualitative research design was used to examine the role of social entrepreneurship in post conflict recovery in the Gulu community located in Uganda. A sample of five social entrepreneurs and 15 beneficiaries were interviewed.

Findings

– The findings revealed that there is an association between active social entrepreneurship and post conflict recovery. Social entrepreneurship was found to create opportunity recognition, networking and innovation at both an individual and societal level.

Research limitations/implications

– The generalization of the findings was limited by sample and method. A cross-sectional design that was used does not allow for a long-term impact study and limited empirical published research done.

Originality/value

– This in-depth richness provides a clearer appreciation of the role social entrepreneurs’ play in post conflict recovery.
Effective leadership and sustainable development in Africa: is there “really” a link?
Authors: Dartey-Baah Kwasi
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The paper aims to review the concept of leadership as practiced in the West and in Africa, and goes on to establish the link between these two approaches and sustainable development in Africa. It does this with the view of assessing their implications for the attainment of sustainable development on the continent through a developed leadership–impact–effect conceptual model.

Design/methodology/approach

– In seeking to achieve its purpose, the paper uses a literature review approach to assess the leadership orientation in the West (particularly in relation to effective leadership) as against the studied leadership situation prevalent in the African continent to find out their impact on development (sustainable).

Findings

– Findings from the paper reveal a great disparity between the leadership situation in the African continent and the attainment of sustainable development. It also affirms a link between effective leadership approaches, like the transformational leadership approach, and the attainment of sustainable development.

Practical implications

– Based on the findings, it is recommended that African leaders resort to effective leadership styles, with a great emphasis on the transformational style, which integrate creativity, vision and participation, as it attempts to create sustainable development for the citizenry in the continent.

Originality/value

– The paper demonstrated the relevance of effective leadership in ensuring sustainable development in Africa and as a tool for achieving economic growth and development.
Do follower characteristics moderate leadership and employee engagement?
Authors: Zhang Tanyu , C. Avery Gayle , Bergsteiner Harald , More Elizabeth
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– This study aims to, given that most research focusses on leaders and ignores the influence of follower characteristics on either leadership or engagement, investigate whether employee characteristics moderate the relationship between perceived leadership styles and employee engagement. Recent research has shown that visionary and organic leadership paradigms positively influence employee engagement, compared with classical and transactional leadership environments (Zhanget al., 2014).

Design/methodology/approach

– Questionnaire data from 432 sales assistants, collected from retail shopping malls in Sydney, Australia, were analyzed.

Findings

– Structured regression analysis confirmed that the employee characteristics of need for achievement, equity sensitivity and need for clarity moderate the relationship between four leadership paradigms and employee engagement. The nature of the moderation varies in complex ways.

Research limitations/implications

– There is scope to confirm this study in different contexts, to include additional employee characteristics and reconfirm some scales and to remove common method variance.

Practical implications

– The findings suggest that to improve employee engagement: employers should recruit staff exhibiting characteristics predicted to generate high employee engagement; organizations should develop supervisors to ensure that they adopt leadership styles found to drive employee engagement; and recruiters should consider matching the characteristics of employees to the prevailing leadership paradigm(s) in the organization.

Originality/value

– This paper addresses a major gap in the literature by examining the moderating effects of follower characteristics on different leadership paradigms and employee engagement.
Creative strategic thinking and sustainable leadership: lessons from Picasso
Authors: Dufour Yvon , Steane Peter
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to look at Cubism as a source of insights into creative strategic thinking. Cubism originated in the joint effort by Picasso and Braque. It was a new revolutionary paradigm that overthrew classic principles of representation; dispensing with the idea of a single fixed viewpoint that had dominated art for more than six centuries. The classic idea that there is a single best rational analytical process by which strategy comes to be has been dominating management education and practice for more than six decades.

Design/methodology/approach

– We use Picasso’s drawings and paintings as a metaphor for how leaders can look at strategic problems differently, consider more creative choices, and in acting, create more sustainable companies.

Findings

– This article argues that problems occur in organisations not because of poor strategic planning and programming but because of a lack of creative strategic thinking.

Implication

– Picasso’s art is often multi-layered, offering perspective upon perspective, from slightly different angles. It forces the viewer to stop, think and reconsider alternative perspectives in the search for meaning. Sustainable leaders must do this every day. We call this “strategy as cubism”.

Originality/value

– Strategic cubism is about thinking creatively in strategic decision-making through the use of alternative information, which adds value to the overall strategic thinking. Leaders use cubism to shape communication between managers to create options and alternatives, rather than close down creativity, to better facilitate strategic choices that are more sustainable.
The American Marketing Association
Authors: Cochoy Franck
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to explore the sociological process behind the development of the American Marketing Association (AMA). It shows how the shift from isolated endeavors to an organized movement happened in marketing, how and why marketing pioneers merged to build a professional body and what this body provided to its community and to society at large.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper studies the history of the AMA from the perspective of the sociology of science and relies on the marketing literature and other written sources.

Findings

– The paper shows that the AMA is both the result and the center of a coupling procedure. Isolated pioneers in the marketing field found it useful to communicate with those who were engaged in endeavors similar to their own. The meeting resulted in a dialog, and the dialog had necessitated the establishment of the AMA as a common reference point. The AMA provided the marketing community with a language and an institution that could help them to exist and move forward together.

Originality/value

– This paper provides an up to date account of the history of the AMA as well as a sociological analysis of its development.
Implementing corporate sustainability
Authors: Elena Windolph Sarah , Schaltegger Stefan , Herzig Christian
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to conduct an empirical analysis among large German companies to enhance the understanding of whether and which institutional factors influence the application of sustainability management tools. Stepping from corporate sustainability visions to implementation requires the application of management tools. A multitude of sustainability management tools have been proposed in literature. Research on their application in corporate practice is, however, scarce.

Design/methodology/approach

– Based on a survey of large German companies and publicly available data, this paper tests the influence of corporate sustainability networks, indices, standards and the awareness of sustainability management tools on their application in corporate practice.

Findings

– A particularly strong positive relation exists between awareness and application of sustainability management tools. Standards are also found to have a positive influence, while the influence of networks and indices is less strong. Our findings suggest that the application of sustainability management tools can be fostered through the promotion and increasing awareness of tools.

Research limitations/implications

– The analysis is based on a survey of large German companies. Factors of institutional isomorphism are tested. Further research is needed for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the influence of further aspects such as competitive and psychological factors.

Practical implications

– The findings of this paper suggest that the application of sustainability management tools can be fostered particularly well through increasing awareness and the active promotion of tools. Networks, indices and standard help increase awareness.

Originality/value

– The analysis unveils the role of institutional factors influencing the application sustainability management tools in corporate practice.
Public policy processes and the environment: implications for a sustainable future
Authors: L. Atkinson Christopher
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the roots of environment policy through a review and application of policy literature, portraying a disjointed process worried with procedure over substance and too often removed from the reality of environment degradation and attainment of sustainability.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper involves literature review and application of policy literature to sustainability.

Findings

– Government is responsible for protecting the environment in the face of rapid industrial growth, but ineffectiveness in and misunderstanding of the policy process, confounded by a multitude of actors and interests, and, often inadequate resourcing, threaten the possibility of sustainability.

Research limitations/implications

– Policy literature is voluminous. This paper seeks to apply public policy literature to the concept of sustainability, but a comprehensive review of all literature would be beyond the scope of a journal article.

Practical implications

– There is a separation between academic approaches to public policy and complex policy processes in practice. More nuanced sophisticated understanding of the policy process in the literature may allow for greater application to difficult policy problems like sustainability.

Social implications

– Sustainability is critical and should be promoted by public policy; however, interactions within the policy process are difficult and textbook approaches to defining or delineating processes are insufficient to encourage greater understanding of sustainability and how it may actually be achieved through public policy.

Originality/value

– Application of policy literature to sustainability in this manner is fairly unique in the literature.
Perspectives on food traceability: a systematic literature review
Authors: Ringsberg Henrik
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to increase our understanding of perspectives on food traceability in four supply chain risk management (SCRM) approaches to ensure food safety. The occurrence of food safety failures has led to increased attention on food traceability as a means of identifying the causes of deficiencies in supply chains.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper presents a literature review and synthesizes the broader domain of food traceability by analyzing perspectives based on SCRM approaches. In all, 129 published papers were selected and evaluated using content analysis.

Findings

– A framework of SCRM approaches on food traceability is presented. Eight perspectives on food traceability are identified and grouped according to four SCRM approaches: food supply chain complexity and unique identification of goods (logistics management); transparency and interoperability (information management); in-house production and outsourcing (production management); and food quality and safety requirements and the monitoring of food characteristics (quality management).

Research limitations/implications

– The findings provide an in-depth understanding and research suggestions for the management of traceability to ensure food safety in food supply chains. Conclusions are drawn from secondary sources, thus excluding empirical evaluation.

Practical implications

– The implementation of food traceability can result in changes to existing management systems. This paper addresses the perspectives and management challenges that can influence the implication of food traceability to ensure food safety.

Originality/value

– Perspectives on food traceability according to SCRM approaches are presented. Food traceability is analyzed using the philosophy of scientific framework and suggestions for further research are offered.
The impact of innovativeness on supply chain performance: is supply chain integration a missing link?
Authors: Seo Young-Joon , Dinwoodie John , Kwak Dong-Wook
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– This purpose of this paper is to study the impact of innovativeness on supply chain integration (SCI) and supply chain performance (SCP) and the role of SCI in mediating between innovativeness in the supply chain and SCP. Innovativeness is an accepted driver to leverage firm performance. SCI and SCP require innovativeness in the supply chain, but their interrelationships have rarely been researched empirically.

Design/methodology/approach

– A questionnaire survey and structural equation modelling were used in this work. After a structural and measurement model was devised from existing supply chain literature, the main data were collected in a web-based questionnaire survey of South Korean manufacturers. Structural equation modelling was applied to test proposed hypotheses on the associations between variables, following a hierarchical analysis process.

Findings

– Innovativeness in the supply chain had a positive impact on both SCI and SCP. However, the direct impact of innovativeness on SCP disappeared when the model included SCI as a mediator. In specific, internal and supplier integration fully mediated innovativeness–SCP relationships, whereas customer integration had no mediating role on those relationships. The findings suggest that innovativeness can influence SCP only when the manufacturer’s level of SCI is sufficiently effective in developing necessary supply chain practices.

Research limitations/implications

– In this work, innovativeness in the supply chain effectively influenced SCP through the mediation of SCI. However, cross-sectional analysis in one nation using one response per organisation invites validation embracing other geographical areas and longitudinal studies.

Practical implications

– Design of an innovative culture within a firm and along a supply chain can enhance SCI practices by stimulating innovativeness. A high level of SCI should be pursued to effectively transform innovativeness into performance.

Originality/value

– This work seminally examines the effect of innovativeness in the supply chain on SCI and SCP as well as the mediating role of SCI in the relationships between innovativeness and SCP.
Integrated green supply chain management and operational performance
Authors: Yu Wantao , Chavez Roberto , Feng Mengying , Wiengarten Frank
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to extend previous green supply chain management (GSCM) research by developing and empirically testing a conceptual framework that investigates the relationships between three dimensions of integrated green supply chain management (iGSCM) and multiple dimensions of operational performance.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study is based on survey data collected from 126 automotive manufacturers in China. The relationships between theoretical constructs are analysed using structural equation modelling.

Findings

– This study generates important findings of the significant and positive relationships between iGSCM (internal GSCM, GSCM with customers and GSCM with suppliers) and operational performance in terms of flexibility, delivery, quality and cost.

Practical implications

– It is important for managers to simultaneously consider internal GSCM and GSCM with customers and suppliers when implementing environmental sustainability in the supply chains. Overlooking either internal GSCM or external GSCM may hinder their efforts to improve operational performance.

Originality/value

– This study contributes to the literature by defining iGSCM that combines three main dimensions, namely, internal GSCM, GSCM with customers and GSCM with suppliers, and empirically testing its impact on multiple operational performance dimensions.
Achieving supply chain resilience: the role of procurement
Authors: Roberta Pereira Carla , Christopher Martin , Lago Da Silva Andrea
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to understand the role of procurement in identifying and managing the intra- and inter-organisational issues which impact supply chain resilience. Achieving resilience along the supply chain in today’s turbulent business environment requires efforts from both internal and external elements of the extended enterprise.

Design/methodology/approach

– The systematic literature review was conducted between 2000 and 2013 with the objective being to answer the single research question proposed. To do so, a content analysis based on the literature was applied to 30 selected papers.

Findings

– The study revealed that procurement activities do make a significant contribution to creating supply chain resilience. Emerging from the literature review, certain intra- and inter-organisational issues were identified that could impact supply chain resilience. Also the possible actions that procurement could take to enable the enhancement of supply chain resilience were identified.

Research limitations/implications

– This study is limited, in that it is exploratory and focuses only on the body of knowledge presented in two databases over the past 13 years. It has also been restricted to the procurement function and the consequent implications for the upstream supply chain.

Originality/value

– The originality of this paper lies in the identification of intra- and inter-organisational issues from a procurement perspective specifically as they relate to improving supply chain resilience. This raises further questions on the role of procurement in creating supply chain resilience, which has not been well-explored in the current literature.
Theoretical perspectives on information sharing in supply chains: a systematic literature review and conceptual framework
Authors: Kembro Joakim , Selviaridis Kostas , Näslund Dag
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore what theoretical lenses have been used to analyze and understand information sharing in supply chains. The paper elaborates on the predominant theories and discusses how they can be integrated to research different aspects of information sharing.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper carried out a structured literature review by using a combination of selected keywords to search for peer-reviewed articles in ten journals.

Findings

– The findings suggest that four out of ten reviewed articles explicitly apply one or more theoretical lenses. The predominant theories used include transaction cost economics, contingency theory, resource-based view, resource dependency theory and relational governance theories such as the relational view and social exchange theory.

Research limitations/implications

– These theories can be applied to analyze different aspects of information sharing. By using the theories in a complementary way, it is possible to increase our understanding of information sharing between companies related to: why and what information to share with whom, how to share and the impact of antecedents, barriers and drivers.

Practical implications

– The results of the paper highlight the importance of tailoring information sharing structures and mechanisms to the context of the transaction and the business relationship.

Originality/value

– This paper addresses how theoretical perspectives inform empirical research on information sharing in supply chains. It puts forward an integrative conceptual framework based on cross-disciplinary theories and makes specific suggestions for future empirical research in this area.
Linking collaboration and integration to risk and performance in supply chains via a review of literature reviews
Authors: Kache Florian , Seuring Stefan
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to assess the links among these supply chain constructs by conducting a full-scale systematic review of all supply chain management (SCM) literature reviews published in ten leading logistics, SCM and operations management journals from 1989 to 2012. Collaboration and integration are as central to SCM as risk and performance management.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors apply content analysis to execute the systematic literature review on the sample of 103 articles, supplemented by contingency analysis. These approaches guarantee a replicable, rigorous and transparent research process and minimize researcher bias. The analytical categories required for the content analysis are defined along the constructs of collaboration/integration and risk/performance.

Findings

– As can be expected, the review highlights the key role of the two constructs in SCM. In this light, the research claims to provide statistical evidence of a link between the constructs of collaboration/integration and risk/performance, most notably between collaboration and performance, information sharing and rewards sharing, as well as integration and supply chain performance.

Research limitations/implications

– The study assesses the link between the constructs of collaboration/integration and risk/performance through research embedded in literature reviews, pinpointing research gaps and potential future research directions in the field. Contributing to SCM theory building, a thorough review provides statistical proof of the link between collaboration/integration and risk/performance.

Originality/value

– Although numerous literature reviews have been conducted in the past on the SCM constructs of collaboration/integration and risk/performance, no full review of literature reviews aiming to test a theoretical link in the here presented form has yet been undertaken to the authors’ knowledge.
Refractory bullous pemphigoid leaving numerous milia during recovery
Authors: Uchida Shusuke , Oiso Naoki , Koga Hiroshi , Ishii Norito , Okahashi Kazunori , Matsuda Hiromasa , Hashimoto Takashi , Kawada Akira
Published: October 2014

Recovery with milia may occur in bullous pemphigoid (BP), mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) and epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA). Scarring commonly occurs in MMP and EBA. Here, we report a 62‐year‐old man patient with BP, who was left with numerous milia during recovery. The patient had immunoglobulin (Ig)G autoantibodies to the recombinant protein of the BP180‐NC16a domain and the soluble 120‐kDa ectodomain of BP180 (linear IgA bullous dermatosis [LAD]‐1). There are cases of BP with IgG autoantibodies to LAD‐1 and/or the recombinant protein of BP180 C‐terminal domain. Extensive milia formation during recovery may be associated with immunological predisposition and/or improper interaction between hemidesmosomes and the extracellular matrix components.
Composing Urban Orders from Rubbish Electronics: Cityness and the Site Multiple
Authors: Lepawsky Josh , Akese Grace , Billah Mostaem , Conolly Creighton , McNabb Chris
Published: October 2014

What do cities look like when rubbish electronics are the vehicle with which they are explored? This article is an experiment designed to offer a response to that question, and in doing so to productively intervene in the conversation about ‘cityness', ‘metrocentricity' and ‘subaltern urbanism'. We intervene by following flows of rubbish electronics and the action that enacts them as waste and value, drawing on fieldwork in Dhaka, Singapore, Accra and Canada's Greater Golden Horseshoe. Our intervention is an experiment in writing an urban geography of rubbish electronics as a site multiple. We show how following the circulation of rubbish electronics offers a manyfolded synopsis of cities: urban enclaves of high finance and the information economy are also industrial waste producers. Peri‐urban industrial zones are also managers of brands, legal liability and corporate public relations. Cities off the map are also urban innovation systems, while waste is rekindled as value and accumulated as poison. Thereby we suggest how a sensitivity to the site multiple may be a helpful way of grappling with shifting ontology and the performativity of our research practices in urban studies.