bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reducing environmental pollution caused by construction plant
Authors: Morledge Roy , Jackson Frank
Published: April 2007

Quantifiable data produced in a national report by the Environment Agency of England and Wales entitled Water Pollution Incidents in England and Wales 1997 and published by the Stationery Office in 1998, identifies over 3,723 substantiated pollution incidents across England and Wales in 1997. Within the generic sector classed as “Industry” the construction industry was the most frequent polluter responsible for 22 percent of all substantiated water‐related pollution incidents in that sector. The report also identified that a significant number (28 percent) of all substantiated pollution incidents across England and Wales are directly attributable to mineral‐based fuels and oils, many of which are used extensively within the construction industry. This paper seeks to locate the possible causes and effects for some of that oil‐based pollution, discusses the issues and identifies a unique and radical client‐motivated solution within the UK to reduce and mitigate the undesirable impacts upon the environment. Evidence produced by the oil industry shows the enormous amount of one particularly aggressive pollutant – hydraulic oil – which remains annually, unaccounted for. Hydraulic oil is used in most tracked earthmoving machinery; the sort of machinery most closely associated with construction work carried out near to watercourses. Biodegradable hydraulic oil is much more considerate to the environment, but is more expensive and not usually installed in new plant and machinery. The paper argues that on a life cycle basis the use of biodegradable oil is viable and feasible and that there are many external factors that make its usage desirable.
RFID and the Innovation Cycle
Authors: Sheffi Yossi
Published: April 2007

In this paper, several “disruptive” technologies are considered and the paths they have taken from the early innovation phase to full implementation are traced. The technologies include: refrigeration; the automobile and highway system; incandescent lighting; the television; and, the personal computer. Each technology is traced through several steps leading from the early innovation to wide adoption. Then the same steps are applied to RFID, placing it in this historical context and speculating on the possible future adoption and impact of this technology.
The Impact of E‐collaboration Tools on Firms' Performance
Authors: Cassivi Luc , Lefebvre Élisabeth , Lefebvre Louis A. , Majorique Léger Pierre‐
Published: April 2007

In this paper, we focus on the relative efficiency of different e‐collaboration tools and their impact on the performance of individual firms positioned along the supply chain. In exploratory study, the supply chain of one large telecommunications OEM was analyzed in two consecutive phases, namely a detailed case study and an electronic survey. This led to the examination of an entire supply chain from both upstream and downstream perspectives. Supply chain execution and supply chain planning e‐collaboration tools were identified and their relative efficiency was assessed. We attempt to map out the tools' potential to enhance the performance of, individual firms, in particular the link between e‐collaboration configurations and key performance dimensions.
A framework for information systems planning for e‐business
Authors: Pant Somendra , Ravichandran T.
Published: April 2007

E‐business information systems are computer applications that leverage intra‐ and inter‐firm process and systems integration. Considering the growth and strategic importance of e‐business, while it is important for organizations to carefully plan for and architect e‐business systems, none of the existing information systems planning models is adequate for the task. An e‐business architecture planning model is developed by identifying 12 generic e‐business models and three axes on which drivers of the information architecture needs of e‐business firms fall. Sowa and Zachman’s information architecture is augmented to further facilitate e‐business information systems architecture planning.
Global strategies for SMe‐business: applying the SMALL framework
Authors: Tetteh Emmanuel , Burn Janice
Published: April 2007

The World Wide Web (WWW) offers exciting new opportunities for small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) to extend their customer base into the global marketplace. However, in order to exploit these advantages in a global strategy, the SME needs to adopt an entirely different approach to strategic planning and management which can enable it to deploy an extensive infrastructure network based on shared resources with other firms. This paper presents a framework for the analysis and design of global strategies within the organisational context of SMEs using Internet‐based information technologies. Central to the framework – SMALL – is the transformation of the key attributes of an SME environment through a virtual organising perspective. The framework is supported by a number of case examples of SMEs operating in a global context and a detailed analysis of three Australian SMEs. It provides a new perspective to strategies for e‐business in SMEs and to e‐business research.
Learning strategies and CI: lessons from several small to medium Australian manufacturers
Authors: Hyland Paul , Mellor Robert , Sloan Terry , O’Mara Eddie
Published: April 2007

Australian manufacturers need to develop strategies that will enable them to compete in the Asia‐Pacific region. Australia is regarded as a high wage economy so can rarely compete solely on price. Once they are able to deliver a quality product at an acceptable price to remain competitive they must get the most out of their existing resources, particularly their workforce. CI is a widely recognised low cost strategic process for improving a manufacturing operation. This paper examines five small to medium manufacturers and uses a mapping tool that measures the extent of learning within the firms. If firms using CI are to fully benefit from the learning process then they must have a strategy in place that ensures knowledge is captured and the workforce is willing to transfer knowledge throughout the organisation.
Impacts of ISO 9000 registration on European firms: a case analysis
Authors: Withers Barbara E. , Ebrahimpour Maling
Published: April 2007

ISO 9000 certification serves as an entré into the global marketplace. European firms have been the most prolific in obtaining ISO 9000 certification. The certification experiences of 11 European firms are described. On‐site interviews and questionnaires were used to identify: the obstacles encountered during the implementation effort; the impacts certification had on operational factors; and the ISO 9000 elements requiring the greatest resources. Results suggest that firms of different sizes, in different industries, in different countries have similar experiences with respect to the obstacles, benefits, and effort associated with ISO 9000 certification. This information may facilitate certification by companies in countries seeking to penetrate international markets.
The effects of transformational leadership on organizational conditions and student engagement with school
Authors: Leithwood Kenneth , Jantzi Doris
Published: April 2007

Most school restucturing initiatives assume significant capacity development on the part of individuals, as well as whole organizations; they also depend on high levels of motivation and commitment to solving the substantial problems associated with the implementation of restructuring initiatives. Transformational approaches to leadership have long been advocated as productive under these conditions, and evidence suggests that transformational practices do contribute to the development of capacity and commitment. Much less evidence is available, however, about whether these socio‐psychological effects actually result in organizational change and enhanced organizational outcomes. Survey data from an achieved sample of 1,762 teachers and 9,941 students in one large school district were used to explore the relative effects of transformational leadership practices on selected organizational conditions and student engagement with school. Results demonstrated strong significant effects of such leadership on organizational conditions, and moderate but still significant total effects on student engagement.
Towards a model of teacher receptivity to planned system‐wide educational change in a centrally controlled system
Authors: Waugh Russell F.
Published: April 2007

Proposes a new model of teacher receptivity to system‐wide educational change, where the change is planned and implemented in a centrally controlled educational system involving teachers in their classrooms. Suggests a measure of teacher receptivity (based on the model) to help administrators plan a change and manage the implementation. Teacher receptivity is proposed to consist of four first‐order aspects, operationally defined by a number of second‐order aspects. These are: characteristics of the change (comparison with the previous system and practicality in my classroom), managing the change at school (alleviation of concerns, learning about the change and participation in decisions at my school), value for the teacher (personal cost appraisal, collaboration with other teachers and opportunities for teacher improvement) and teacher perceived value for students. Teacher receptivity is measured with three aspects for each of the 50 stem‐items and there is an ordered set of response categories relating to these aspects.
An actuarial model of rehabilitation versus new construction of
housing
Authors: Johnstone Ivan M.
Published: April 2007

Develops actuarial benefit‐cost ratio models of rehabilitation and
new dwelling construction to indicate when investment in public housing
is best diverted from new construction into rehabilitation of existing
dwellings. The data used by the models are based on an empirical study
of the mortality of New Zealand housing stock and assumed schedules of
no depreciation, straight line depreciation, and diminishing value
depreciation of dwelling services. Shows that under conditions of no
depreciation it would be impossible to rehabilitate dwellings fully
within a justifiable budget at market discount rates. The benefitcost
ratios are also overly sensitive to fluctuations in the mortality of the
housing stock. Under the more realistic conditions of straight line and
diminishing value depreciation, the benefit‐cost ratios are insensitive
to fluctuations in mortality and decision making whether to invest in
rehabilitation or new construction is viable.
Problems and prospects of supermarket development in China
Authors: Wing‐Chun Lo T. , Lau Ho‐Fuk , Lin Gong‐Shi
Published: April 2007

There is an argument that the channel of distribution reflects the economic development of a country. China is a developing country. When supermarket technology was introduced to China in 1981, supermarkets were mainly serving visitors from overseas. When the economic environment improved during the 1990s, supermarkets in China shifted focus to the local community. The findings of this study showed that the nature of problems faced by supermarkets changed over time during the past 18 years. In the 1980s, most of the problems were related to technology transfer and the support from supplementary industries. In the 1990s, the problems were mainly related to competition and management issues. If China joins the WTO the Chinese government will speed up the development of the service industry. Supermarkets will then become a new power in the retailing industry in China. Multinational retailing giants will play a significant role in the technology transfer. However, their presence will also create tremendous pressure on local operators, forcing many inefficient ones out of the retailing scene.
Does the Internet compete with or complement bricks‐and‐mortar bank branches?
Authors: Yakhlef Ali
Published: April 2007

What does the Internet imply for the business of banking and how will it affect it? Are branch offices “doomed” and obsolete? Explores the major Swedish banks’ adoption of the Internet with a view to highlighting the ensuing changes in the way banks conduct their business and deliver their services. Although the number of branches is shrinking in rhythm with increased Internet use, their role is increasingly changing as banks move from a view of the Internet as a means for improving efficiency, to one of seeing it as a strategic device for transforming the business. Since more and more of the transaction processing load is taken over by technology, banks are concentrating on strengthening their marketing approach and re‐inventing their business model. In this context, traditional bank branches, with an infrastructure supporting transaction processing, are being transformed into an open‐space interface within which bank experts engage intimately with their customers, delivering specialised, advisory services.
Analysing and redesigning a remote sensing business process for rapid estimates of agriculture in Europe
Authors: Zenié Alexandre
Published: April 2007

Describes the application of the Action Workflow approach to analyse a European project for monitoring agriculture from high resolution satellite images by using remote sensing techniques. The objective of this study was to improve and maintain co‐ordination between the organizations involved in the remote sensing process which evolved from a pilot phase and became operational. The study of the existing process was supported by the workflow product ActionWorkflow Analyst. Breakdowns and possible weaknesses identified in the previous process are reported. On the basis of a critical process review, the process is rationalized with an explicit visibility of customers, suppliers, organizational roles, activities and their communicative relationship. The re‐engineered process improves the service to customers in the European Commission (i.e. DG VI and Eurostat) and reduces transaction costs due to notably less customer/supplier interactions. Furthermore, there is a clear distinction between recurrent operations (done with more efficiency than in the actual process) and strategic services (with an added value to the management ofad hocrequests in the previous process). The newly designed business process has been prototyped using the workflow suite by Action Technologies. Evaluates the appropriateness of the ActionWorkflow approach and the systems ActionWorkflow Analyst, Builder and Manager for Lotus Notes.
Relevance conventions and problem boundaries in work redesign teams
Authors: Wynn Eleanor , Novick David G.
Published: April 2007

Presents findings from a study undertaken to identify some of the conversational issues in the production of knowledge in cross‐functional work redesign groups. Illustrates what may be key sources of miscommunication based in differing conversational relevance. Postulates that the recognition of relevance and, by extension, the recognition of a valid contribution, is influenced by the manner of discourse or speech style. Feels that the language behaviours as disclosed in the analysis can be inhibiting to the work of cross‐functional teams responsible for a variety of organizational change processes, including IS development and workflow redesign.
Research chefs’ competencies: a Delphi approach
Authors: Birdir Kemal , Pearson Thomas E.
Published: April 2007

Identifies the basic competencies of research chefs. A modified, three‐round (pilot round plus two rounds) Delphi procedure was employed. The Research Chefs Association nominated 33 research chefs. Ten of these chefs contributed to the pilot round; 25 to the first round; and 22 to the second round. In the pilot round, the chefs identified the knowledge, skills and abilities that a successful research chef should have. In the first round, the chefs rated and analyzed the competencies identified in the pilot round. In the second round, competencies were identified. The title “research chef” is actually a generic name for two different kinds of research chef: “research‐focused research chef” or “management‐focused research chef”. Even though these chefs share some common competencies, they differ in their basic competencies. A total of 12 basic competencies (competencies rated four and over on the five‐point Likert scale) were identified for research‐focused research chefs, and eight basic competencies were identified for management‐focused research chefs. A total of 19 basic competencies were also identified that applied to both research‐ and management‐focused research chefs.
Service failure and recovery in UK theme parks: the employees’ perspective
Authors: Lewis Barbara R. , Clacher Emma
Published: April 2007

The focus of this article is the perspective of customer contact‐employees on service failure and service recovery. Data were collected, using a critical incident methodology, from a sample of font‐line employees in UK theme parks. They described service failures and subsequent service recoveries, both satisfactory and dissatisfactory, which were categorised in relation to employee response to service delivery system failures, employee response to customer needs and requests, unprompted employee actions and problem customers. The findings revealed a diversity of service failures and recovery actions, and implications for theme park managers are discussed, with respect to managing the delivery of service and the role of customer‐contact employees with regard to training, empowerment and team‐building activities.
Trends in food safety: implications for European hotels
Authors: Knowles Tim
Published: April 2007

The central message coming out of this paper is that the realisation of food safety legislation within the context of the European internal market, whilst laudable, has encountered, and will continue to meet with difficulties in its effective implementation. In considering specifically food safety within the European hotel industry, there has been a move away from prescription to generalised principles contained within the relevant legislation. Yet, with such flexibility, differences have emerged in interpretation, all at the expense of the single market, free of trade barriers. The size of the EU inevitably means that more emphasis regarding food safety procedures will be placed on shifting responsibility to hotel proprietors and also on appropriate monitoring by authorities. However, because of the nature and structure of the European hotel industry, in terms of chain and independent hotels, and its transient workforce, the evidence suggests that a substantial minority are still not ready to assume those responsibilities.
Commercial hospitality consumption as a live marketing commmunication system
Authors: Gillespie Cailein , Morrison Alison
Published: April 2007

This paper presents a marketing perspective that may have considerable relevance within niche markets that are served by hotels positioned at the top end of the market, with distinctive lifestyle products. It considers the extent to which such products can be effectively positioned through semiotic marketing strategies. Emergent strategies are presented in a model of a live market communication system. It is proposed that this represents a reorientation in focus of positioning strategies from product and transaction, to cultural criteria and sensory differentiation. Justification is presented on the basis that while core hotel products and services and their functionality are easily duplicated, semiotics, aesthetics and their lifestyle associations are more difficult to mimic. The application of this reorientation is illustrated through the examples provided as an extraordinary collection of highly individual hotels. These products have been deliberately defined to align to conceptions of self‐image, selling a set of symbolically defined features that are prototypical of a certain lifestyle.
Sex discrimination in the licensed trade: a study of the differing attitudes to legal matters
Authors: Pratten John , Lovatt Christopher
Published: April 2007

In recent years, the licensed trade in the UK has had to adapt to changing trends in leisure and, simultaneously, cope with major structural change and management reorganisation. Within this context there is an increase in government regulation of the employment world both to full‐time and to other employees. This has extended to enhanced protection of peripheral workers as a current EU priority and the issue of directives. The article outlines the principal changes in the trade and the modern management trends. From there, it proceeds to analyse the impact of some key aspects of the law relating to sex discrimination and its observance by the managers/tenants of public houses. This is limited to the recruitment of staff but touches on sexual harassment and the rights of peripheral workers. An examination of the literature is undertaken and a comparison between the findings from this and the empirical research from a case study is made, exploring the differences between the attitudes of differing categories of licensee. Managers are more compliant with the spirit of the law than tenants and lessees. The consequences of non‐compliance with the law are stressed.
Do hotel managers have sufficient financial skills to help them manage their areas?
Authors: Burgess Cathy
Published: April 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to investigate whether managers in hotels have sufficient financial skills to help them effectively manage their areas, within the context of a changing industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Additional findings from a series of recent research projects amongst hospitality financial controllers have been utilised to give an alternative viewpoint to those found from literature.

Findings

A review of literature identified a strong need for managers to have financial skills, but there is little recent evidence as to whether they actually hold these skills. Hotels are changing fast with pressure to maintain profits resulting in new approaches to management, but there is concern that the development of systems has meant an over‐reliance on these to control costs. Financial controllers consider that departmental and general managers do not have enough business skills – and finance skills in particular – to optimise costs and revenues and hence maintain profits.

Research limitations/implications

The findings were based on a fairly small sample of respondents, utilising projects designed for alternative purposes. However, the findings raise questions as to the trust that hotel companies have placed in their systems and approaches.

Practical implications

If the concerns expressed by controllers are not addressed by hotels, then inevitably standards of control will suffer, costs will rise and hence profitability will be negatively affected

Originality/value

There has been little recent consideration of the realities and the impact of systems changes on management, the majority of earlier projects considering the need for skills rather than the actual possession of these amongst managers.
Market segmentation in hospitality research: no longer a sequential process
Authors: Bowen John T.
Published: April 2007

Explores development in market segmentation relating to hospitality and tourism research published between 1990 and 1998. The literature is divided into three sections: segmenting a market; market targeting and marketing positioning. Identifies new areas for research, deeper examination of segments, identification of difference between markets, and more segments.
Service guarantees: a strategic mechanism to minimise customers’ perceived risk in service organisations
Authors: Kandampully Jay , Butler Liam
Published: April 2007

Service offerings are largely intangible in nature. Customers are thus unable to assess the purchase outcome prior to experience, rendering the risk of possible customer dissatisfaction very high. It is argued that the concept of service guarantees proposed by services management theory can be effectively utilised to reduce the perceived risk of dissatisfaction for the customer in service organisations. Additionally, it is suggested that service guarantees force management to undertake activities which elevate the superiority of the organisation in the eyes of the customer and, thus, the opportunity to transform one‐time customers into loyal ones. The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to illustrate how customers’ behavioural intentions can be influenced by the use of a service guarantee; and second, to outline a systematic process that can help service business managers to develop and implement an effective service guarantee. This research highlights the numerous benefits available to service organisations by utilising the service guarantee as a strategic tool. Some of the important management implications are also outlined.
Women in sport management: advancing the representation through HRM structures
Authors: Moore Mark E. , Parkhouse Bonnie L. , Konrad Alison M.
Published: April 2007

Examines the effects of organizational characteristics, philosophical support, and substantive human resource management (HRM) programs on promoting gender equality within sport management. A questionnaire was developed to collect data on philosophical support and HRM practices within sport organizations and sent to 500 collegiate and professional sport organizations in the USA; 196 respondents (39 per cent) returned their completed survey forms. Findings indicated significant confirmatory paths between experiencing a gender discrimination lawsuit and philosophical support (t = –3.14, p < 0.05), philosophical support and substantive HRM programs (t = 9.56, p < 0.05) and philosophical support and representation of female managers (t = 2.36, p < 0.05). Concludes that philosophical support of top managers leads to the development of substantive HRM programs to promote gender equality in sport management and greater female manager representation.
Locating cyclone shelters: a case
Authors: Dalal Jyotirmoy , Mohapatra Pratap K.J. , Mitra Gopal C.
Published: April 2007

Purpose

This paper aims to present the cyclone shelter location problem as a problem of grouping a set of villages into a minimum number of clusters and finding the location and capacity of the shelters.

Design/methodology/approach

Proposes an algorithm to solve the location problem that uses a distance matrix of the villages, applies Elzinga‐Hearn method iteratively to group them into circular clusters, and determines the shelter size. It is implemented in a software package, which reads the village records from a database, executes the steps of the algorithm, and writes the results into a file.

Findings

The villages are grouped into 13 clusters, eight requiring cyclone shelters to be built and five requiring no shelter, taking into consideration the available space in double‐storeyed buildings in the villages. The capacity and location of the each shelter are also obtained.

Research limitations/implications

The approach can be modified to address several practical constraints. For example, for the villages situated far from the coast, the limiting travel distance can be increased, considering that a lesser intensity cyclone would give more time to the villagers to reach the shelter.

Practical implications

Funds are available from a number of public and private organizations to construct cyclone shelters, which could be used properly only when optimal locations for the cyclone shelters are identified.

Originality/value

Originality of the work lies in adapting Elzinga‐Hearn method iteratively to group the villages into circular clusters and implementing the algorithm in software solution. The concerned authority, to take cyclone shelter location decisions, can use the software.
Health risks among early school leavers: findings from an Australian study examining the reasons for, and consequences of, early school drop out
Authors: Barrowman Clare , Nutbeam Don , Tresidder Julia
Published: April 2007

This paper presents data from a survey of 283 out‐of‐school youth conducted in New South Wales, Australia, supplemented by interviews with a separate group of out‐of‐school youth. Overall the data indicate that those adolescents who leave school early for “home reasons” generally enjoyed their school experience, but that family problems or dysfunction resulted in them having to leave. Once out of school, and in many cases out of home, they are a highly vulnerable group, more likely to participate in health‐damaging behaviours, and to experience more mental health problems than adolescents who left school early for other reasons. This group of early school leavers have enjoyed their school experience and have some “connectedness” to school that is severed when they leave. Schools have not demonstrated their capacity to identify and support students in such adverse circumstances. These results suggest that schools need to be better equipped to identify and manage adolescents who are having difficulties at home, and who may need to leave home as a consequence of abuse or neglect. The results also point to the need for accessible counselling and advisory services within school, and school protocols for crisis management, especially for students who leave their family home.
Strengthening research capacity in health promotion practice settings
Authors: Wimbush Erica
Published: April 2007

Training in research and evaluation skills is a frequently expressed need among health promotion practitioners. Research conducted in Scotland among health promotion specialists and their managers showed that training in research on its own would be an insufficient response. In this paper, it is argued that there is a need to develop a broader strategy which seeks to strengthen research capacity within health promotion practice settings, rather than simply offering training to improve practitioners’ research skills. This will help to improve the quality of research conducted in practice settings and contribute to building an evidence base for health promotion. A broader professional development strategy for health promotion research in Scotland is proposed which utilizes a range of learning routes and delivery mechanisms. This will be backed up by the establishment of a broad strategic research partnership which brings together practitioners, researchers and policy‐makers so as to develop a better understanding of what evaluation evidence is needed and who is contributing what.
Effective risk management in financial institutions: the turnbull approach
Authors: Carey Anthony
Published: April 2007

Risk management is more important in the financial sector than in other parts of the economy. But it is difficult. The basis of banking and similar financial institutions is taking risk in conditions of uncertainty. Describes how the Turnbull report, for which the author was project director, created a new underlying approach to risk. Provides a guide to the way in which the various Turnbull ideas have become the bedrock of risk management and suggests how they can be developed.
Balancing the odds: stochastic accounting
Authors: Mainelli Michael , Harris Ian
Published: April 2007

The use of a deterministic numeric paradigm in auditing and accounting may well be the root cause of many current problems. This paper argues that risk‐based accounting methods should start using probabilistic inputs which would show resultant distributions as output. “Stochastic accounting” would better inform users of financial information. Although this recommendation would change the way accounts were produced and presented, it would lead to more usable financial information.
Corporate regulation: dead hand or safeguard in the year 2004
Authors: Davis Roger
Published: April 2007

The author, head of professional affairs at PricewaterhouseCoopers, suggests that there are great differences in the approach to regulation between the USA and Europe and suggests that the issues of risk management needs to better take this into account as the year 2004 unfolds.
The future of the academic library and the academic librarian: a Delphi study
Authors: Feret Blazej , Marcinek Marzena
Published: April 2007

Identifies the most important trends in changes that are occurring in academic libraries and their impact on the role of the academic library as a whole, with focus on the skills and characteristics of a new‐century librarian. To achieve this goal a Delphi study was conducted between December 1998 and April 1999 involving 23 key library experts from ten countries. The study was entitled: “What will be the role of an academic library and skills of an academic librarian in the year 2005?”
A history and critique of quality evaluation in the UK
Authors: Harvey Lee
Published: April 2007

Purpose

To provide a history of the emergence of quality systems from the mid‐1980s. To show how quality became a primary policy concern in higher education policy. To map the development of quality processes and raise questions about dominant approaches and express concerns for the future.

Design/methodology/approach

Historical document analysis.

Findings

The problems in institutionalising quality are analysed and it is concluded that the British system of quality monitoring failed to engage with transformative learning and teaching.

Practical implications

As the UK developments guided many other countries into developing a system of quality, the UK history of the emergence and development of quality processes 1985‐2005 is of interest to international readers. It identifies both good practice and what to avoid.

Originality/value

The historical analysis reveals how quality evaluations were guided as much by political pragmatism as rational evaluation.
The Second Annual Global Information Security Survey
Authors: Dinnie Garry
Published: April 2007

The second Ernst & Young Information Security Survey was compiled from the responses of 4,254 IT managers in 29 countries spanning North and South America, Europe, Africa and Australasia. All the main industry groups were represented. It provides many lessons as to how companies should approach the pressing issue of information security.
Evaluation of brand equity measures: further empirical results
Authors: Maio Mackay Marisa
Published: April 2007

Presents further empirical results on the convergent and predictive ability of a selection of consumer based brand equity measures. An underlying assumption in this study was that choice was an indicator of brand equity. It is a replication and extension of work carried out by Agarwal and Rao in 1996. Their work is the only study that has attempted to consolidate existing research on consumer based brand equity. Overall, the results generally concurred with those of Agarwal and Rao. Most of the measures were found to be convergent, and to estimate choice. The results mean that managers should now have more confidence in selecting from a range of brand equity measures, many of which can be collected easily and at minimal cost. More empirical studies, however, need to be carried out in a range of different markets to assess the wider performance of these brand equity measures.
Do techno‐skeptics use on‐campus e‐mail?
Authors: Spennemann Dirk H.R.
Published: April 2007

Attempts to understand, via a questionnaire, students’ attitudes towards electronic mail and to evaluate its effectiveness in student learning. Analyses the data and gives an interpretation of the results, discussing some of the issues raised.
Motivations for and barriers to Internet usage: results of a national public opinion survey
Authors: Katz James , Aspden Philip
Published: April 2007

Analyzes a national random telephone survey, carried out in October 1995, on the motivations for and barriers to Internet usage. Eight percent of the random sample reported being Internet users, while surprisingly another 8 percent reported being former users. In total, 85 percent of respondents reported having heard of the Internet. The survey showed evidence of a digital divide, Internet users being generally wealthier and more highly educated, and blacks and Hispanics disproportionately unaware of the Internet. Social and work networks appear to be important for stimulating interest in the Internet and providing users with support. As to reasons for using the Internet, socio‐personal development appears to be the key driver, while nonusers have a decidedly different set of beliefs about the Internet’s value. As to the barriers to Internet usage, even experienced users find it difficult to get started, which confirms other studies of this topic. Barriers include cost and difficulties in understanding how to use the Internet. Concludes that the results of the survey indicate that people strongly desire an easier‐to‐use Internet.
How technology‐driven business strategy can spur innovation and growth
Authors: Berman Saul J. , Hagan Jeff
Published: April 2007

Purpose

The aim of this article is to show how technology‐driven business strategy can offer some distinct advantages.

Design/methodology/approach

The IBM Institute for Business Value studied ten companies that are known within their respective industries for strong innovation.

Findings

The study found that these companies' innovations stood out because they accomplished one or more of the following: changed the basis of competition; broke the rules of scale; and/or introduced totally new business models.

Practical implications

Many of today's most exciting and “disruptive” innovations now tend to occur at the intersection of market insight and technological know‐how, and many of the companies that are seizing the initiative in this new competitive environment are doing so by taking a fundamentally different approach to strategy development – an approach the authors call “technology‐driven business strategy.”

Originality/value

The authors observed six common principles that innovative companies, like the ten in their study and others that they have worked with, seem to follow in their approach business strategy development: Consider technology a core input. Revisit strategy and technology context regularly. Uniquely manage emerging businesses opportunities. Plan for disruptions. Manage for today's and tomorrow's context. Focus technology on the customers’ priorities.
The impact of top performers on project teams
Authors: Hacker Marla
Published: April 2007

Management and scholars have been searching for the determinants of project team performance for many years. Individual characteristics and intra‐team processes are most often hypothesized to influence team performance. To date, though, we still do not really understand why some teams perform better than other teams. Studies have provided mixed findings and inconclusive results. The study described in this article continues the search for variables that influence project team performance. The findings provide support for an increasingly, albeit controversial, discussion occurring within human resource circles, concerning the impact of top performers on team performance.
Enhancement of maintenance management through benchmarking
Authors: Richard C.M. , Tse Peter , Ling Li , Fung Francis
Published: April 2007

The market‐oriented competitive environment in electric utilities has forced many power plants to become more conscious of the role of maintenance management in enhancing their equipment performances and consequently improving the quality of their services. Good equipment maintenance practices can improve the reliability of the power system; maintenance has become the prominent management issue for electric utilities. In recent years, power plants have started using benchmarking to identify the best practices for enhancing their maintenance works. In this paper, a case on benchmarking for maintenance management in a large‐scale power plant is analyzed. Benchmarking is used to search for optimum methods for maintenance management practices in order to improve the overall effectiveness of the operations and maintenance of the plant. By adopting the best practices appropriately, benchmarking could help plants to become more cost‐effective in maintenance. However, for plants looking for breakthrough improvement in maintenance, on top of benchmarking, other means, i.e. intelligent decision support system (IDSS) for maintenance, are required as well.
Historical and epistemological trends in public administration
Authors: Dobuzinskis Laurent
Published: April 2007

Begins with a brief overview of how public administration emerged as the positivist theory and technocratic practice of the modern administrative state. The question then becomes: To what extent has public administration been affected by the societal shift toward postmodernism? The author argues that public administration has moved some distance away from its positivist origins; however, the transformation of public administration is still incomplete. The author concludes that public administration should pay more attention to the recent developments of post‐positivist methods of analysis rather than attempting to adopt all the tenets of postmodernism. Large bureaucratic organizations remain typically modern, but they should not be either conceptualized or managed as small machines.
Wittgenstein on language: toward a theory (and the study) of language in organizations
Authors: Watson Robert P.
Published: April 2007

What has emerged in large organizations is the use of hybrid language of abstractions, jargon, euphemisms, and complex syntax known as bureacratease. Often this misuse of language is done with the purpose of deceiving and misinforming. Whether or not this was the intent, however, the result of bureaucratees is often just that along with the breakdown of communication between the organization and the clientele it serves. Moreover, there is insufficient research devoted to this phenomenon. Borrowing from Wittgenstein, this article offers a model for understanding bureaucratese and attempts to move the field of public administration toward a theory of this misuse of language in organization.
The transformation of US steel 1945‐1985: perspectives from the corporation and the union
Authors: Newell Stephanie E.
Published: April 2007

This paper is part of a study which attempts to take a different approach to understanding the events which occurred in the U. S. steel industry during the period 1945 to 1985. In undertaking to provide a different form of explanation, this project was principally concerned with searching for an understanding of how those in the industry chose to act in the manner they did. The findings presented demonstrate the extent to which organizational and industry history influence managers′ interpretations of the world in which they exist, and the possibilities for action within that interpretation. Attributions about ones′ self, and others, are slow to change. The narratives which reflect those attributions are important to the organization and to the development of strategic actions. The manner in which steel industry managers chose to understand their role, and the role of others in the industry, had a long‐term impact on the strategies they developed.
The evolution of the performance appraisal process
Authors: Wiese Danielle S. , Buckley M. Ronald
Published: April 2007

The performance appraisal process has been the focus of much researcher and practitioner attention. In spite of this attention, methods used in performance appraisal are generally ineffective in increasing the quality of performance appraisal processes. Thus, while performance appraisal processes have evolved, progress has been less forthcoming. There are many areas related to the performance appraisal process which are ripe for development and research creativity.
Future potential of rapid prototyping and manufacturing around the world
Authors: Wohlers Terry
Published: April 2007

Attempts to answer the frequently asked questions “where is rapid prototyping now?” and “where is it going?”. Begins by assessing the state of the worldwide market for rapid prototyping (RP) systems, and goes on to detail the factors that will determine the level of future growth. Some of these are technical issues, others are human factors. Provides an overview of how RP technology is developing, and concludes with an upbeat view of the potential for growth in the industry.
Controlled laser forming for rapid prototyping
Authors: Thomson Gareth , Pridham Mark S.
Published: April 2007

It is now well‐known that laser forming offers considerable potential for rapid prototyping and manufacture of sheet metal components. However, a problem with the technique to date has been the generally poor repeatability of the process as a whole on a run‐to‐run or‐day‐to‐day basis. Efforts to rectify the problem by careful selection and pre‐setting of the process parameters, based on empirical data, have proved unsatisfactory due to the inherent variability of the laser system. Elimination of the variability would require conditions which would be impractical for production situations. In order to overcome this difficulty a closed loop control system based on monitoring component deformations, as they approach target values, has been developed. In response to the deformation data, available at each forming pass, the forming parameters are adjusted so that forming continues at an optimum rate to a predetermined tolerance. Discusses the production of laser‐formed components and shows how the implementation of a feedback control system can negate the inevitable process variability, thereby significantly aiding the efficient and accurate production of components.
Local adaptive slicing
Authors: Tyberg Justin , Helge Bøhn Jan
Published: April 2007

This paper presents a new approach to adaptive slicing that significantly reduces fabrication times. The new approach first identifies the individual parts and features that comprise each layer in a given build, and then slices each independently of one another. This technique improves upon existing adaptive slicing algorithms by eliminating most of the slices that do not effectively enhance the overall part surface quality. Conventional adaptive slicing methods produce unnecessary layers that contribute to increased fabrication times without improving the overall quality of the part surfaces. These unnecessary layers result from fabricating all of the parts and features within the build volume at a given height using a single build layer thickness. Each thickness is commonly derived from the one part or feature existing at that height whose surface geometry requires the thinnest layer to meet a tolerance criterion. The new approach has been implemented on an FDM 1600 rapid prototyping system, and has demonstrated a 17‐37 per cent reduction in fabrication times compared to that of conventional adaptive slicing methods.
Online functional testing with rapid prototypes: a novel empirical similarity method
Authors: Cho Uichung , Wood Kristin L. , Crawford Richard H.
Published: April 2007

Functional testing with rapid prototypes is confined to certain areas due to a number of issues: the lack of a reliable similarity method that can solve distorted similarity problems; limited material choices; range of prototype sizes; and distinct material structures between prototypes and actual products. Methods are thus needed to expand the application of functional testing with rapid prototypes, and thus potentially impact the performance and cycle times of current product development processes. In this context, an improved similarity method that utilizes a geometrically simple specimen pair is developed in this paper. A realistic numerical simulation and an experimental mold design example (using a selective laser sintering prototype) demonstrate the validity and impact of the new method.