bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Children’s diets: should they be taken with a pinch of salt?
Authors: Bussell Gaynor
Published: November 2002

Evidence for the harmful effect of salt on the health of adults is growing and is now so overwhelming that government authorities and health experts are recommending that adults should not consume more than 6g of salt a day. However, no such recommendations exist for children. Presents evidence to show that by eating their current high‐salt diet children are storing up health problems for the future. Evidence also exists to show that children’s poor diets are having health implications now, such as worsening of asthma and possibly preventing children from achieving their peak bone mass. Children’s diets have already been shown to increase the risk of obesity, heart disease and other health problems and these problems are being compounded by a high salt intake. Food providers and industry need to follow the lead of most major supermarkets, and gradually start to reduce the level of salt in food provided for both adults and children.
The architecture of employee attitudes to safety in the manufacturing sector
Authors: Cheyne A. , Oliver A. , Tomás J.M. , Cox S.
Published: November 2002

This study examines the relationships between components of organisational safety climate, including: employee attitudes to organisational and individual safety issues; perceptions of the physical work environment and perceptions of workplace hazards; and relates these to self‐reported levels of safety activity. It also attempts to replicate the explicative model derived by Cheyne et al. in a similar study within the manufacturing sector. Data were collected from a large manufacturing organisation using a questionnaire. A total of 708 valid questionnaires were returned and formed the basis for the subsequent analyses. These data showed that a common structure of attitudes to safety issues and perceptions of the work environment can be constructed in line with the previous model, with a few differences, providing some evidence of a sector‐wide safety culture. The strength of employees’ attitudes with regard to safety management and individual responsibility once again played central roles in the model and are consistent with earlier findings. Comparisons are made between the two organisations and mean scores on each of the model components show that there are differences between the two organisations in terms of individual responsibility and personal involvement, as well as levels of safety activity and perceived levels of workplace hazards. The results are discussed in terms of generating general models of attitudes to safety, which in turn may facilitate climate change.
A change of name or a change of identity?
Authors: Caldwell Raymond
Published: November 2002

The role and significance of people management professionals in managing change has become increasingly important with the growing ascendancy of “HRM” in its various manifestations. Yet there is persistent concern that “traditional personnel managers” may be less willing or able to act in this arena when compared with apparently new style HR specialists. Is it possible that individuals with an HR job title will perceive their role as more proactive or effective in managing change? The survey findings presented here of 98 people management professionals in a sample of 350 major UK companies, explore four key areas of HRM often closely associated with change management interventions. While the findings indicate important areas of agreement between “personnel” and “HR” sub‐groups, defined by job title, they also demonstrate significant differences in role perceptions and evaluations of practice in the change management arena. It is concluded that people management professionals with an HR job title appear to identify more strongly with the change‐oriented agenda of HRM. However, there were no significant differences between personnel and HR sub‐groups in their perceived effectiveness at managing change. The implications of these findings for the future of the personnel job title are then discussed.
Job‐to‐job turnover and job‐to‐non‐employment movement
Authors: Sutherland John
Published: November 2002

This paper analyses an establishment‐based data set of voluntary quits. Exit interview data identifies two discrete types of quitters, viz. those who quit to accept alternative jobs offering superior terms and conditions of employment and those who quit for other reasons and without having alternative jobs to go to. A binomial logit model is estimated to identify the probability of quitting for reasons of having been offered and having accepted alternative employment. This probability is seen to be both gender and grade related. Females are less likely to quit for this reason. Individuals occupying the financially better rewarded grades are more likely to quit for this reason. Policy recommendations are forwarded based on the analysis.
Gecko, the walls cleaner
Authors: Michelini Rinaldo C. , Cepolina Francesco
Published: November 2002

The paper discusses commercial cleaning robots available on the market. It introduces Gecko, a virtual prototype of a cleaning robot. Gecko has been conceived, assembling mainly standard components, and the actual behaviour in running conditions is shown by using consistent digital mock ups: Gecko is able to fully clean and sanitise floors, walls and ceilings. To comply with health needs, the robot cleans surfaces using steam. Details on abilities and components are provided. The wall sustentation is guaranteed by four suction cups. The path planning allows a 2D Cartesian motion. To simplify the robot control, innovative “automatic suspensions” are integrated in the sustain and actuation system. Finally, other possible applications fields for such a robot are discussed.
Robots help Peugeot meet targets
Authors: Kochan Anna
Published: November 2002

PSA's plant in Sochaux began building the Peugeot 307 last year, using a brand new body shop where the role of robots is not only to automate processes but also to ensure that production targets are met. This article outlines how the new body shop operates and the functions that robots undertake.
Robotic mailman who does not ring twice, yet
Authors: Bloss Dick
Published: November 2002

Unique dual gantry robots from ABB handle trays and totes of mail at postal sorting centers. Automation has increased the efficiency and accuracy of distributing mail to containers which are used to move the mail on to other post offices or to other sorting stations within the distribution center. One hundred installations already completed by ABB have proven the benefits of robot mail container handling.
Robots make a show at the UK automation and machine tool exhibitions
Authors: Rooks Brian
Published: November 2002

Reviews robotic exhibits at the UK Automation and Robot (AandR) show held alongside the UK's major manufacturing product exhibitions owned by the UK Machine Tool Technologies Association (MTTA), including MACH 2002. A centrepiece of the AandR show was the “robot island” sponsored by British Automation and Robots Association (BARA) in which a variety of robot applications were demonstrated including machine tending, bin picking and plastic riveting. Some of the robot exhibits in the MACH and Metalworking shows are also described including applications of press brake tending and deburring.
Mobile robots walk into the future
Authors: Rooks Brian
Published: November 2002

Describes some of the papers presented at an international colloquium on autonomous mobile systems held to celebrate 10 years of the Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation (IFF) in Magdeburg, Germany. Following definition of a mobile robot, papers on wheeled and biped robot platforms are discussed. These are followed by a review of some of the applications using dedicated robot systems, including an autonomous welding cell, a concept for process plant maintenance, a pipe inspection robot and systems for cleaning glass facades on high buildings. The latter work at IFF has resulted in two commercial systems, one already installed for the 1997 Leipzig Trade Fair and the other to be installed at the new Fraunhofer Foundation building in Munich in 2003.
A method for planning industrial robot networks for automotive welding and assembly lines
Authors: Ranky Paul G.
Published: November 2002

Automotive robot network planning needs sound methods, new management style, and practices that are based on co‐operation, respect and trust. This is fundamental because networking means sharing and exchanging quality information at all levels of the enterprise. Robots working in welding and assembly lines need to communicate with each other, with their cell/line control computer, with the factory production control systems, with quality control systems, assuring that quality is checked at process level in order to gain valuable feedback from the shop floor. In this paper, we introduce some of the most important network planning and engineering/technology management principles and rules that robot networkers should keep in mind. In the follow‐up paper we illustrate actual simulation case studies and results, based on our established methods.
Mixed 2D and beam formulation for modeling sandwich structures
Authors: Avdeev Ilya V. , Borovkov Alexei I. , Kiylo Olga L. , Lovell Michael R. , Onipede Dipo
Published: November 2002

This paper presents a new finite element (FE) approach to modeling edge effects in beam sandwich structures. The approach is based on a mixed 2D and beam formulation conjuncted by means of a penalty function method. Several results from analysis of sandwich beams and frames bending with different boundary conditions and laminate properties are solved in order to demonstrate the accuracy of the algorithms and software developed. The influence of the penalty factor on the spectral condition number of the stiffness matrix and on the residual norm of the solution is also investigated for different isotropic and sandwich structures. The FE analysis of complex sandwich beam joint is subsequently presented. Results of this analysis show the advantages of the developed approach for large problems.
Areas of improvement in certified firms advancing towards TQM
Authors: Claver Enrique , José Tarí Juan , Molina José Francisco
Published: November 2002

This paper, which is part of a wider research process, identifies the categories of quality management, from the answers provided by those responsible for quality in 106 certified firms, in order to determine the importance of these categories, identify areas for improvement to progress beyond ISO 9000 quality management system series and compare our results with other studies in Spain. We conclude by indicating a set of recommendations for managers of certified firms which wish to progress beyond ISO 9000 series registration advancing towards total quality.
A QFD approach for distribution’s location model
Authors: Chuang Pao‐Tiao
Published: November 2002

This article constructs a distribution’s location model, from the perspective of a firm’s customers, suppliers, and employees, by applying a systematic quality function deployment (QFD) approach. The proposed approach aims to assist a distribution company’s location decision in selecting an optimal location that satisfies the overall location requirements. The QFD procedure began by collecting possible candidate location requirements, followed by conducting the first stage of a sampling survey to identify the secondary location requirements. These were then sorted into major categories of location requirements. Then, the location evaluating criteria were derived from the location requirements and a central relationship matrix was established to display the degree of relationship between each pair of location requirement and location evaluating criterion. Furthermore, the second stage of a sampling survey was conducted to collect data for computing the importance weighting for each category of location requirement. During transformation of the QFD, the importance degree and the normalized importance degree of each location criterion were computed, respectively. The normalized importance degree was, finally, used as the evaluating weight in a distribution company’s location model for the analysis of location evaluation. An empirical study regarding the location decision for a distribution center in Taiwan was provided to demonstrate the proposed approach.
Bootstrap lower confidence limits for the process capability indices Cp, Cpk and Cpm
Authors: Balamurali S. , Kalyanasundaram M.
Published: November 2002

The capability indices are widely used by quality professionals as an estimate of process capability. Many process indices have been proposed and developed with Cp, Cpk and Cpm among the most widely used. More recently, techniques have been developed to construct lower 95 percent confidence limits for each index. These techniques are based on the assumption that the underlying process is normally distributed. The non‐parametric but computer intensive method called Bootstrap is utilized and the Bootstrap confidence limits are calculated for these indices. A simulation using three distributions (normal, log‐normal and chi‐squared) was conducted and a comparison was made of the performances of the Bootstrap and the parametric estimates.
A hybrid method to evaluate reliability of complex networks
Authors: Chaturvedi S.K. , Misra K.B.
Published: November 2002

In this paper, we propose a hybrid method to evaluate reliability of large and complex networks that incorporates the best features of earlier techniques such as KDH88 and CAREL. The present method combines CAREL’s COMpare and REDuce operators along with KDH88 and eliminates the use of the other two operators of CAREL, thus resulting in an extensive reduction in the number of exclusive and mutually disjoint terms. The procedure not only saves CPU time by an appreciable amount but also can be run even on a low‐end PC. To demonstrate the advantage of handling a large complex system on a relatively small computer, we provide a comparison of the present approach with CAREL and KDH88 and solve several problems of various complexities on a low‐end PC.
How much law should librarians know?
Authors: Arundale Justin
Published: November 2002

The paper discusses the teaching of elements of law within the Library and Information Studies (LIS) curriculum, using the programmes at the University of Brighton as an exemplar. The inclusion of legal topics in LIS teaching has been endorsed by professional associations, but has not been extensively discussed in the literature. A small‐scale pilot research project is described, which sought to characterise senior library and information service managers’ views about legal knowledge and expertise. A series of legal topics is reviewed, and discussed in the light of the pilot project results. The topics covered are: Computer Misuse; Contracts; Copyright; Court Procedures; Data Protection; Freedom of Information; Libel and Defamation; Official Secrets; Patents; and Human Rights. The project results appear to validate the assumptions underlying the University of Brighton’s provision, and suggest that teaching elements of law is worthwhile. However, further work is required and is in progress.
Sources of information on drugs: survey among veterinary practitioners in Slovenia
Authors: Cuk Angela , Juznic Primoz
Published: November 2002

The article briefly describes the research published on use of information sources by physicians and veterinary practitioners. It specifies in particular studies on the use of drug information sources in human and veterinary medicine and outlines the situation of the veterinary profession in Slovenia. It presents the results of a questionnaire survey on the use of information on drugs by Slovenian veterinary practitioners, on how they use information technology and electronic information sources, while it also indicates new possibilities for veterinary medical libraries and professional veterinary organisations how to provide, by new information and communication technologies, relevant information for veterinary practitioners in the most convenient way.
Private funding for capital projects
Authors: Nicely Donna D.
Published: November 2002

Over the past few years, librarians have come to the realization that it is essential to have private funding to augment public resources for major capital projects. Use of private and public funds can have beneficial effects for the library. The funds can be used in a variety of ways to enhance the project and to help provide for future library programs and services.
Plain English collection budgets: a collection plan for public libraries
Authors: Truck Lorna
Published: November 2002

The public library of Des Moines has addressed problems of a neglected materials collection and inadequate materials budget through a new and innovative collection plan based on quantifiable local standards. The library measures median collection age, and shelf availability of recently circulated items. The collection plan is based on a standard size determined for each library collection. Items added each year equal the number of items withdrawn. Collection budgets are calculated using formulas that will provide a five‐year median age and at least 50 per cent availability in all types of materials. The library has succeeded in reducing the median age from 16 to eight years and has achieved 50 per cent availability in almost all collection areas.
Producing useful research about quality improvement
Authors: Øvretveit John
Published: November 2002

Many quality improvement interventions such as educational programmes, hospital quality strategies, and quality evaluation systems have not been evaluated. The aim of this paper is to encourage research into these “quality improvement processes” by presenting suitable designs and methods, and by describing research approaches which are less familiar in healthcare. The paper proposes that the choice of research design depends on the level and complexity of the intervention. Theory‐building approaches are more suitable than experimental theory testing approaches for evaluating higher‐level complex interventions and for understanding critical context factors. Collaborative action evaluation studies can provide useful information for decision makers – an example is given. “User focused” research can provide knowledge for developing more effective quality intervention processes and for making better decisions about their use and implementation.
Health professionals’ perceptions of breaking bad news
Authors: Dickson David , Hargie Owen , Brunger Karen , Stapleton Karyn
Published: November 2002

The growth of the “patient‐centred” approach to health care has highlighted the importance of quality communication practices. One area that remains problematic, however, is the process of breaking bad news to patients and/or relatives. Hence, there have been calls for more research and training in this domain. Reports the findings of a study that used the critical incident technique to explore the breaking bad news encounter from the perspective of the health care practitioner. In total 33 senior medical and nursing staff reported on situations in which they described specific, vividly recalled, experiences of both “effective” and “ineffective” bad news delivery. These reported incidents were content analysed and a range of key dimensions was identified for both effective and ineffective experiences. Interpersonal communication skills emerged as particularly salient factors and these are discussed in detail, together with implications for future research and training.
The greening of organizational culture
Authors: Harris Lloyd C. , Crane Andrew
Published: November 2002

The green management literature repeatedly argues that in order to behave in a sustainable manner, organizational actions will need to go beyond technical fixes and embrace new environmentally responsible values, beliefs and behaviors. In this context, developing sustainability is frequently viewed as largely dependent on the extent of green culture change in organizations. However, empirical evidence for such a change in culture is not apparent, although much anecdotal support has been cited. Seeks to address some of the shortcomings in extant literature and supplies contemporary evidence of managers’ perceptions of the extent to which the green culture change is occurring and of factors acting as barriers or facilitators to such change. Begins with a review of the literature pertaining to organizational culture and greening. Following this, details the research design and methodology. Thereafter, lays out the findings of the interviews in detail. Finally, discusses these findings and suggests a number of implications, conclusions and directions for further research.
A road less travelled
Authors: Knights David , McCabe Darren
Published: November 2002

This article presents a research framework that understands any management innovation, such as total quality management (TQM), as discursive knowledge that can have certain power effects. It may transform individuals into subjects that secure some sense of their own meaning and identity through participating either as managers or employees in the practices the knowledge embraces. But TQM can also have the opposite effect, resulting in subjects resisting or distancing themselves from, rather than embracing, the discourse. The paper reviews three interpretations of TQM, which are described as rational managerialist, critical control, and processual. It critiques each of these approaches so as to offer an alternative way of understanding TQM, which would also have application to a wide variety of other innovations. In short, it attempts to build upon earlier approaches in the anticipation that we might move beyond our present understanding of innovations such as TQM.
The “death valley” of change
Authors: Elrod P. David , Tippett Donald D.
Published: November 2002

This paper provides an overview of the current body of knowledge surrounding the human response to change and transition. Models of the change process, as perceived by diverse and seemingly unrelated disciplines, are identified, compared, and contrasted by tracing the evolution of these models from seminal works through contemporary research. Surprisingly, a majority of the models studied were found to share two important characteristics: they follow Lewin’s 1952 three‐phase model of change; and they describe a degradation of capabilities in the intermediate stages of the change process. In a practical example, the authors explain their experimental verification of the change models’ applicability to an organizational change involving the introduction of teams. The interrelationship of developmental and change models is discussed. Finally, the importance to leaders and managers of developing an understanding of the current state‐of‐the‐art in human response to change and transition is discussed.
A grounded theory for resistance to change in a small organization
Authors: Macrì Diego Maria , Tagliaventi Maria Rita , Bertolotti Fabiola
Published: November 2002

This paper focuses on the process that generates resistance to change in a small organization. We build a grounded theory that interprets resistance to change in terms of interdependencies between the characteristics of the economic environment and of the industry, the dispositions of individuals, and the patterning of their actions within the social network. These three levels of analysis are mainly investigated separately from one another in empirical studies. An Italian small manufacturing firm was the object of our field study. Observations, ethnographic interviews and analysis of documents were the techniques employed.
Stock market response to the formation of global alliances: evidence from Spanish corporations
Authors: Vidal Suárez Marta M.
Published: November 2002

This paper analyzes the stock market reaction to global alliance formation in the Spanish context. For the purposes of this study, global alliances are those which are established with international partners in order to coordinate actions in several countries, seeking the development of complementary relationships on a global scale. Using a sample of 72 global alliances formed between 1987 and 1997 by Spanish firms listed on the Madrid Stock Exchange, it shows that the Spanish firms gained an average abnormal return of 0.2 percent on the day of the announcement.
Management trends in the EU: three case studies
Authors: Paulson Steven K. , Steagall Jeffrey W. , Leonard Thomas M. , Woods Louis A.
Published: November 2002

This paper reviews the literature concerning the degree to which a universal European business management model exists now and is expected to develop in the future in response to European Union (EU) influences. The experiences of business organizations in Austria, Germany and Poland are presented as case evidence that the EU experience will increase the homogeneity of business management practices. The authors collected case study materials as part of an interdisciplinary project concerning EU enlargement. Outcomes include: a better understanding of business management during a period of EU growth in size and influence; and case materials for college level international business courses which highlight the cases discussed in the article.
European challenge: developing global organizations
Authors: Harris Philip R.
Published: November 2002

In the twenty‐first century more European organizations will have to go global in scope and operations. Increasing globalization is forcing such a transformation of corporations, associations, and agencies. If business expects to be competitive in the global marketplace, their use of information technology is not only a force in this trend, but a powerful tool to achieve this goal. This article examines the impact of globalization on institutions, the challenges and issues in globalization, and how to transform an organization into a global enterprise. The latter occurs, the author suggests, when such change is well planned, so that a new work culture is created which embraces new technologies, such as in the fields of communications and information.
The Anglo‐American versus the Continental European corporate governance model: empirical evidence of board composition in Belgium
Authors: Ooghe Hubert , De Langhe Tine
Published: November 2002

Compares two corporate governance models: the Anglo‐American and the Continental European model. These corporate governance models differ strongly, and the differences are mainly due to differences in the business context. The problems arising from separation of ownership from control will thus have to be solved through different mechanisms. One important mechanism is the board of directors. The board composition of 122 companies has been analyzed in a Belgian empirical study. From the tests, finds a significant positive relationship between the number of directors in the board and a range of other factors. Shareholder structure does not seem to have an effect on the size of the board. A second variable concerning the composition of the board, is the percentage of external directors. Finds that the number of external directors differs significantly between companies with a different nationality and between companies that are listed or not. Size, shareholder structure and industry were not related to the percentage of external directors in a company.
Consumer perceptions of Internet retail service quality
Authors: Janda Swinder , Trocchia Philip J. , Gwinner Kevin P.
Published: November 2002

The purpose of this manuscript is to explore consumers’ perceptions of Internet retail service quality. This is accomplished via two studies. Study 1 utilizes qualitative depth interviews to identify five dimensions important to consumers in their assessment of the quality of Internet retailers. These are termed performance (how well an online retailer does in terms of meeting expectations regarding order fulfillment), access (Internet retailer’s ability to provide a variety of products from anywhere in the world), security (relating to perceptions of trust in the online retailer’s integrity regarding financial and privacy issues), sensation (interactive features of the e‐retailer’s Web site) and information (quantity and credibility of information provider by the online retailer). Study 2 quantifies the five dimensions using multi‐item scales, and conducts a survey to assess the reliability and validity (convergent, discriminant, and nomological) of these dimensions. Theoretical and managerial implications of the results are also discussed.
E‐CRM Web service attributes as determinants of customer satisfaction with retail Web sites
Authors: Feinberg Richard , Kadam Rajesh
Published: November 2002

Business is moving online, not as a matter of choice, but as a matter of necessity. The use of the Internet as a channel for commerce and information presents an opportunity for business to use the Internet as a tool for customer relationship management (CRM)/(e‐CRM). Despite widespread agreement that CRM/e‐CRM has direct and/or indirect impact on customer satisfaction, sales, profit, and loyalty, the significance of e‐CRM and the various e‐CRM features in influencing customer satisfaction has not been well researched. This study attempted to uncover relationships between e‐CRM and customer satisfaction by determining the presence of e‐CRM features on retail Web sites for which we have customer satisfaction data, and determining if the amount of e‐CRM is related to customer satisfaction or which, if any, of the various features of e‐CRM are related to customer satisfaction. It was found that retailers differ in the presence of the 42 different e‐CRM features; that there is a positive relationship between the amount of e‐CRM on a Web site and customer satisfaction with the Web site; and that not all e‐CRM attributes are equal – some are related to satisfaction and some are not. There was no relationship between the level of e‐CRM on a retail Web site and sales and profit.
The impact of loyalty with e‐CRM software and e‐services
Authors: Taylor Steven A. , Hunter Gary L.
Published: November 2002

E‐service is a critical strategic marketing consideration today for many firms, based largely on the promise of more cost‐effective models of self‐service relative to large (and expensive) call centers for technical support and customer service. The rapidly emerging electronic customer relationship management (e‐CRM) industry provides the primary tools for implementing e‐service. Interestingly, the e‐CRM industry faces the same challenges and strategic marketing considerations as their organizational customers, in that they must deliver exceptional service and support to the companies purchasing/using e‐CRM software. A review of organizational mission/vision statements suggests that e‐CRM companies are generally positioning themselves as exemplars of customer satisfaction provision and relationship management. However, recent industry analysis suggests that their organizational customers generally report low to ambivalent ratings on customer satisfaction measures (our study also supports these findings). This discrepancy could be partly attributed to very little empirical inquiry having appeared to date to assess the efficacy of existing relationship marketing theories within this fast‐moving industry. The current study provides an exploratory investigation that looks at the well‐established (in other marketing settings) relative influences of quality, customer satisfaction, and loyalty in the formation of future purchase intentions and word‐of‐mouth behaviors within the e‐CRM industry. Concludes that e‐CRM marketers must first identify means of increasing the overall level of customer satisfaction within their industry, and then begin to consider moving beyond customer satisfaction toward broader loyalty‐based strategic marketing objectives to support their relationship marketing practices. Practitioner and research implications of the reported study are discussed.
Moderated group chat: an empirical assessment of a new e‐service encounter
Authors: van Dolen Willemijn M. , de Ruyter Ko
Published: November 2002

In this paper, the focus is on a new type of electronic service encounter called Moderated Group Chat (MGC). MGC is defined as on‐line, real‐time interactions between groups of customers with an active coordinating role for a company representative and a commercial objective. Based on the technology acceptance model, we develop a conceptual framework and examine empirically which factors drive customer satisfaction with MGC sessions. Particularly, we look at the impact of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and perceived enjoyment on customer satisfaction. As MGC involves multiple participants and interactions take place within an electronic group environment, predictor‐criterion relationships may vary between individual‐ and group‐level or shared perceptions. Therefore, the relationships between aforementioned determinants and chat session satisfaction are tested using a multi‐level model. In addition, group size was included as a control variable. Finally, since chat is an innovative service delivery channel, we also took a number of customer characteristics (i.e. innovativeness, experience with investing and experience with chat) into account. Whereas we find support for a positive impact of the majority of predictor variables on chat session satisfaction, the precise nature of the relationship varies across levels. Moreover, while group size is positively related to satisfaction, experience with investing exhibits a weakly negative relationship.
The quest for a new hierarchy in education: from loose coupling back to tight?
Authors: Lowe Boyd William , Crowson Robert L.
Published: November 2002

Building on and reconsidering previous research on organizational models of education, the authors argue that while many administrators in education are still trying to manage ambiguous, and occasionally “anarchic” organizations effectively, the ambivalences of both loose and tight structures are today better understood than 25 years ago. In a development paralleling the evolution of organizational thinking in corporate management which no longer posits a “one‐best‐system hierarchy”, developments in education theory and practice point to the emergence of hybrid models of organization that capture the advantages of centralization and coordination produced by hierarchy while attempting to harness the advantages of more decentralized organizational structures.
The new managerialism in education management: corporatization or organizational learning?
Authors: Meyer Heinz‐Dieter
Published: November 2002

During the 1990s, many schools and universities had begun to phase out traditional forms of educational governance and adopted forms and practices used in private and corporate management. Yet, the meaning (and implementation) of these changes is contested. Proponents of the new managerialism in education argue that managerial methods are necessary to respond to the demands of a changed environment with dramatically increased degrees of uncertainty in a knowledge‐dependent society. Opponents view the new managerialism in the context of capitalist corporatism penetrating heretofore sacrosanct boundaries of non‐market institutions. In this paper, I argue that the ongoing changes in education management are better understood as instances of organizational learning in response to the limits of bureaucratic organization in turbulent environments.
Tightly coupled policy in loosely coupled systems: institutional capacity and organizational change
Authors: Fusarelli Lance D.
Published: November 2002

This article examines the loosely coupled nature of the US educational system and explores recent systemic reform initiatives designed to improve education through more tightly coupled education policy and practice. The utility and limitations of loose coupling as an organizational construct are examined and critiqued. A number of significant forces are exerting ever‐greater pressure on policymakers to more tightly couple US education, including environmental pressures, the emergence of powerful new institutional actors, an emergent institutional capacity, and institutional isomorphism. After reviewing the effectiveness of systemic reform initiatives in several states, the article concludes that education in the USA is moving toward a system of fragmented centralization in which policymakers have greater opportunity to craft more coherent, systemic education policy amidst competing demands for limited resources.
Leadership: spanning the technical and institutional dimensions of organizations
Authors: Ogawa Rodney T. , Paredes Scribner Samantha
Published: November 2002

This article brings together the issues of leadership and organization. We begin by discussing the concept of leadership, emphasizing the importance of the context in which leadership occurs. Because the type of leadership addressed in this paper occurs in the context of formal organizations, we revisit the concept of “loose‐coupling”, which reveals the rational and institutional dimensions of organization, explaining how each dimension provides a different form of determinacy on and through which leadership can act. We end by drawing on a study in which we are currently engaged to examine the forms that leadership may take in the rational and institutional dimensions of organizations.
Rationality and reality in organizational management
Authors: Rowan Brian
Published: November 2002

In this paper, I argue that ideas about loose coupling can serve a useful purpose in organization theory, but only if they are re‐worked substantially. This re‐working, I argue, will involve merging ideas about loose coupling with ideas found in other lines of work developed contemporaneously, including research on the “new” managerialism, institutional theory, and organizational ecology. Such a re‐working, I hope, will entail closer attention to the elements in educational systems that can be coupled and to an expanded list of coupling mechanisms. Using this expanded list of coupling mechanisms, and thinking more clearly about how educational organizations are embedded in dense and complex webs of couplings calls for a movement away from an exclusive concern with loose and tight couplings among dyadic elements in organizational systems, and toward a concern with “tangled” couplings.
Stepping into the light: stakeholder impact on competitive adaptation
Authors: McLarney Carolan
Published: November 2002

This paper develops a new model for analysing industry competitive structure. The new model combines traditional strategic group analysis with stakeholder theory. Thus we have a model that incorporates all actors into the industry analysis. Company‐stakeholder clusters reveal the hidden, and often, crucial relationships that determine firm longevity. Using the new model, the small production canning industry is analysed.
A content analysis of multinationals’ Web communication strategies: cross‐cultural research framework and pre‐testing
Authors: Okazaki Shintaro , Alonso Rivas Javier
Published: November 2002

Despite the growing trend toward the interactive medium, there would appear to be a lack of comprehensive research methodology for evaluating the degree of standardisation in multinational corporations’ (MNCs’) online communication strategies across differing cultures. The objective of this exploratory study is to construct a research framework for cross‐cultural comparison of corporate Web pages, applying traditional advertising content study techniques. A series of pre‐tests were conducted to examine three explanatory variables, i.e. information content, cultural values and creative strategies on Japanese MNCs’ product‐based home pages in Japan, Spain and the USA. The results revealed that Japanese firms tended to localise their online communication strategies in their target markets. In closing, future research directions are discussed and content analysis research designs are summarised.
Internet usage and competitive advantage: the impact of the Internet on an old economy industry in Spain
Authors: Rosa del Aguila Obra Ana , Bruque Cámara Sebastián , Padilla Meléndez Antonio
Published: November 2002

Since the beginnings of the computing era it has been suggested that firm performance could be enhanced by the use of information technology which would help firms to score better on such indicators as productivity, profitability and market share. TCP/IP or the Internet are examples of the technology that is now available to help firms pursue their strategic aims. So far, however, their effects remain uncertain. In this paper we attempt to provide some evidence regarding the impact of the Internet on competitive advantage in a non “dot.com” industry in Spain. We also offer some ideas that may help to explain the role of the Internet as a competitive tool in modern firms.
Predicting Internet/ e‐commerce use
Authors: Sexton Randall S. , Johnson Richard A. , Hignite Michael A.
Published: November 2002

Use of the Internet continues to grow at an explosive rate. While entertainment, education and communication serve as important applications of the Internet, e‐commerce continues to emerge as an increasingly significant business phenomenon. However, little empirical research exists to identify factors that influence the extent to which individuals use the Internet and e‐commerce. With the aid of survey research and a neural network, this study analyzes a wide range of variables in an attempt to identify accurate predictors of this usage. The results of the analysis identify gender, overall computer usage, job‐related use, and home access as important characteristics that should influence use of the Internet and e‐commerce.
Product characteristics and Internet shopping intentions
Authors: Vijayasarathy Leo R.
Published: November 2002

Estimates of online sales by product categories reveal that certain types of products fare better than others. A few conceptual papers have offered frameworks to assess the compatibility of a product to online marketing and sales. These frameworks that are based on product characteristics could help explain the differences in the asymmetrical success of online retailing. This paper reports the results of an empirical study that investigated differences between Internet shopping intentions for products categorized by cost and tangibility. Analyses of data, collected through a mail survey from over 750 respondents, show that intentions to shop using the Internet differ by tangibility of product. Reasons for this discrepancy are provided through an examination of salient and normative beliefs, along with implications for online merchants.
Knowledge management for the analysis of complex experimentation
Authors: Maule R. , Schacher G. , Gallup S.
Published: November 2002

Government agencies carry out many events each year designed to determine future requirements and capabilities. These events include field experiments, surveys, interviews, simulations and workshops. Similar themes are evident across many of these events. Unfortunately, mechanisms for passing information from one event to the next, or for developing bodies of knowledge in the topical areas they address, have yet to be fully developed. The task is difficult on two fronts. In response to this need a knowledge management capability was developed to help provide structure for dynamic and static data and thereby, aid in the analysis of complex experimentation. The system warehouses qualitative and quantitative data and supports mining operations through a number of traditional and artificial intelligence‐based techniques. Described are the information architecture of the system, the knowledge processing methodologies, and the structure of the thematic data sets that form the knowledge ontologies.
Distortion minimization of laser‐processed components through control of laser scanning patterns
Authors: Dai K. , Shaw L.
Published: November 2002

Residual thermal stresses and distortion are frequently present in the parts built using a layer‐by‐layer solid freeform fabrication techniques assisted with a moving laser source. This study uses finite element analysis to investigate the effect of laser scanning patterns on residual thermal stresses and distortion. It is shown that the out‐of‐plane distortion of a layer, processed by a moving laser beam can be minimized with a proper selection of the laser scanning pattern. A scanning pattern having changes in its scanning direction frequently by 90° at every turn can lead to the cancellation of concave upward and downward distortions. As a result of this cancellation, very small distortion is present in the laser processed plate. It is also found that distortion is mainly caused by transient thermal stresses rather than residual thermal stresses.
Tool path generation of multi‐material assembly for rapid manufacture
Authors: Zhu W.M. , Yu K.M.
Published: November 2002

Tool path generation is the key procedure to fabricate multi‐material (MM) assemblies in rapid prototyping (RP) machines. In slicing MM assembly, there will be 2D regions of different materials. The regions need to be filled into 2.5D slabs. In order to complete all regions in a certain slice faster, tool holders should fill the regions simultaneously. In other words, the tool holders will move around in the RP work envelope concurrently. In such case, interference between tool holders may occur. Therefore, collision‐free path plan should be generated. In this paper, a dexel based spatio‐temporal modelling approach is proposed for detecting collision in rapid manufacturing MM assemblies. The approach is based on 2D regions in dexel representation, which needs only simple computation. As a result, tool holders can fill MM regions simultaneously and efficiently.
Direct laser fusing to form ceramic parts
Authors: Tang Hwa‐Hsing
Published: November 2002

This paper proposes a new layered manufacturing method for forming a ceramic part, ceramic laser fusing (CLF). It involves mixing ceramic powder with an inorganic temperature‐resistant binder to form a thin green body layer. Due to laser radiation, the green body layer is melted locally and the substrate, which is also formed by green body layers, underneath it is wetted by the melted phase. This process can minimize the “balling effect”. In comparison with other layered manufacturing methods, in hand of CLF the ceramic green layer is fused together directly by laser exposure, requiring no conventional sintering post process. Furthermore, during laser fusion this process is able to compensate dimensional error due to shrinkage. Therefore, CLF is suitable for producing complex part with less distortion. Despite crack sensitivity, this process may have a potential to fabricate investment mould for precision casting.
A CNC cutting trajectory algorithm for profiled edge lamination tooling
Authors: Im Yong‐Tai , Walczyk Daniel F.
Published: November 2002

Focuses on Profiled Edge Lamination (PEL) tooling and the development of a new alogrithm, the Adaptively Vectored profiles Projection (AVPP), Describes the geometrical relationships and heuristics for determining the abrasive water jet (AWJ) cutting orientation, position, and cutting sequence. The algorithm has ben implemented in a software program that can be used to generate machining code form PEL fabrication using a 5‐axis CNC AWJ cutting machine. Based on an investigation of cutting trajectory behavior on a challenging benchmark tool shape, the algorithm generates cutting paths that are well behaved, avoid any excessive leading or lagging of the AWJ cutting nozzle, and conform exactly to the original STL geometry. finally, an aluminium PEL tool used for hydroforming a production aluminium aircraft part was successfully fabricated using the AVPP algorithm and then demonstrated.