bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Emerging distribution systems in central and Eastern Europe
Authors: Lorentz Harri , Yew Wong Chee , Hilmola Olli‐Pekka
Published: September 2007

Purpose

The purpose of the research is to shed light on the evolution of distribution structures and its consequent implications for supply chain management (SCM) in the context of the emerging markets of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).

Design/methodology/approach

A structured literature review followed by two case studies, which combine qualitative and quantitative analysis. Mainly in‐depth interviews were used, with company sales data analysis in terms of variation and forecast accuracy.

Findings

It was found that CEE distribution structures are overlapping, and along complex traditional structures there exists a possibility for a more direct approach. This modern key‐account approach improves supply chain performance, mainly due to echelon elimination and information sharing. The case studies also illustrate that supply chain demand distortion originating practices create uncertainty in demand, even in the case of modern key accounts. The findings therefore suggest that general SCM approaches of the “West” are evident and appropriate also in the “East”.

Research limitations/implications

Owing to the limited number of case studies, this research is considered exploratory. The presented two case studies are essentially illustrative examples of the distribution operations of two international companies in CEE markets.

Practical implications

For practitioners, the two case studies provide important insight on the nature of alternative distribution structures in CEE, and what the level of forecast accuracy and the demand fluctuation may be expected. It is proposed that the emerging opportunities for supply chain partnership development should be carefully reviewed.

Originality/value

The paper draws upon real‐life data from emerging CEE markets with an approach that is not commonly used in distribution and SCM studies on CEE.
Prioritizing service quality dimensions
Authors: Chowdhary Nimit , Prakash Monika
Published: September 2007

Purpose

The study was undertaken with a purpose to investigate if any generalization in importance of service quality dimensions is possible. Service providers are often not sure of the amount of tangibilisation necessary and the right mix of other service quality dimensions – reliability, assurance, empathy, responsiveness, and the role of price‐added by researcher.

Design/methodology/approach

A two stage analysis was deployed. First free listing of important service quality concerns for 16 services across the four service types (as suggested by Lovelock) was done to see if any rank correlation was possible. This was followed by two‐step cluster analysis to reveal natural grouping (or clusters) within a data set for each service quality dimension that would otherwise not be apparent.

Findings

Generalization of quality dimensions was not possible among all types of services taken together, however important insights were available pertaining to each service type.

Practical implications

Some generalizations within the service types were possible for different services. Thus, service providers can consider these finding when designing service delivery.

Originality/value

Considering the two important dimensions – tangibility of service act and whether such an action is targeted at the customer or their possessions, the paper details what service quality issues are important for which service type.
Adopting internet banking services in a small island state: assurance of bank service quality
Authors: Jenkins Hatice
Published: September 2007

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the factors affecting the adoption of internet banking services by domestic commercial banks in a sparsely populated small island.

Design/methodology/approach

Being one of the smallest island economies in the world, North Cyprus was chosen as a case study to explore the factors that affected the penetration of internet banking services in North Cyprus over a two year period. The managers of 23 banks operating in North Cyprus were interviewed first in 2004 and later in 2006. Furthermore, the web sites of these banks were also examined both in 2004 and in 2006 in order to measure the progress made in adopting internet banking services between these periods.

Findings

Evidence from survey studies and from banks' web sites indicated that banks in North Cyprus have been consistently moving towards providing internet banking services despite a very small potential market to share. In 2004, the majority of commercial banks claimed that the potential market was too small to adopt internet banking services in North Cyprus. Yet, in 2006 the same banks were in the process of introducing internet banking as an assurance to their customers that they would be able to maintain a competitive quality of service in the future, hence avoid losing their customers to the branches of foreign banks.

Research limitations/implications

The implication for domestic banks is that if they wish to complete with foreign banks they must embrace internet banking.

Originality/value

Contributes to the literature on internet banking services in small islands.
“Ethnocentricity” in top journals of services management
Authors: Svensson Göran , Slåtten Terje , Tronvoll Bård
Published: September 2007

Purpose

The objective is to describe the “ethnocentricity” (i.e. geographical affiliation of editor(s), editorial board(s), editorial review board(s) and author(s)) of selected journals in services management.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample is restricted to the examination and comparison of five top journals in services management during a six‐year period. In total, the content analysis consisted of 1,189 articles.

Findings

The authors contend that there is in part a troublesome and challenging “ethnocentricity” in some of the examined journals.

Research limitations/implications

The impact of “ethnocentricity” is underestimated in the examinations of academic journals in the field of services management. It is an important issue that needs to be raised and discussed in literature, due to the paradigmatic influences that it may have on the journal and its characteristics – in extension, the journal ranking and the journal quality.

Practical implications

The authors provide some suggestions, all of which are troublesome to implement. If done, it has to be done progressively and it will take time to not lose the current editorial scope and success of the journal.

Originality/value

This paper fills a knowledge gap in the literature by examining specific aspects of the “ethnocentricity” of “top” journals in the particular area of services management.
Factors affecting service companies' satisfaction with ISO 9000
Authors: Calisir Fethi
Published: September 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this study has been to determine the level of difficulties/obstacles associated with the implementation of ISO 9000, the importance of achieving expected improvements and the level of success in achieving expected improvements. The overall aim is to specifically explore the influence of these factors on service companies' satisfaction with ISO 9000.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey methodology was used to gather data. Simple t‐ and Tukey tests, principal components analysis, and multiple regression analysis were used to test the hypotheses of this study.

Findings

The results suggest that service companies may be more than satisfied with ISO 9000 if they lay greater emphasis on considering alternative approaches to educating the top and medium level managers and receiving support from top management. They also need to focus on enhancing the enterprise's quality in terms of reputation, inter personal relations, and motivation on the part of employees.

Research limitations/implications

There are several limitations. First, the fact should not be ignore that these relationships may not apply to all businesses because the data have been collected from service companies. Second, a large percentage of the satisfaction remains unexplained suggesting the need for additional research incorporating potential unmeasured variables in the current study.

Practical implications

Educating top and medium level managers must increase in importance as a competitive priority. Personnel must be provided with extensive training particularly in communication and quality skills. Activities aimed at increasing personnel motivation must be given a high priority.

Originality/value

This study presents a thorough understanding on a model of service companies' satisfaction with ISO 9000, and how various factors moderate several paths of the model.
Modeling for management of variations in building projects
Authors: Manzoor Arain Faisal , Sui Pheng Low
Published: September 2007

Purpose

This paper seeks to present research into the development of a theoretical model for making more informed decisions for the management of variations in building projects. Primarily, the study proposes six principles of effective variation management, which would be helpful for building professionals in assessing and taking proactive measures for reducing the adverse impact of variations.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the principles of effective variation management, a theoretical framework for management of variation orders was developed. The stages presented in the theoretical framework were grouped into three main phases – screening, choice of promising alternatives, and dominance building. Based on the theoretical framework, a model for management of variations was developed.

Findings

The theoretical model presents a structured format for management of variation orders. The model will enable the project team to take advantage of beneficial variations when the opportunity arises without an inordinate fear of the negative impacts. By having a systematic way to manage variations, the efficiency of project work and the likelihood of project success should increase.

Originality/value

The study would assist building professionals in developing an effective variation management system. The model emphasized sharing the lessons learned from existing projects with project teams of future projects. The lessons learned should be identified throughout the project life cycle and communicated to current and future project participants. The system would be helpful for them to take proactive measures for reducing variation orders. Hence, the study is valuable for all professionals involved with building projects.
Built‐in resilience to disasters: a pre‐emptive approach
Authors: Bosher Lee , Dainty Andrew , Carrillo Patricia , Glass Jacqueline
Published: September 2007

Purpose

Professions involved with the construction industry need to become more aware of disaster risk management (DRM) activities if lessons are to be learned from the past and a resilient built environment attained in the future. This study aims to focus on identifying which construction‐associated stakeholders should be involved with DRM initiatives in the UK, and when these stakeholders should be involved. This research is thereby unique and a key step in the longer‐term aim of identifying how stakeholders should be involved and what issues they need to address regarding the integration of DRM into construction decision making.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents the findings of a UK‐wide questionnaire survey, semi‐structured interviews and a validation exercise involving a range of professionals from construction, planning, insurance, emergency management and local/national government agencies.

Findings

This research identifies the key construction stakeholders that should be responsible for ensuring that resilience issues become integrated and ensuring the key stages of the design‐construction‐operation process where their inputs are required.

Originality/value

The finding presented are an important and logical step in the longer term aim of identifying how stakeholders should be better involved and what issues they need to address regarding the integration of DRM into construction decision making.
Interview with innovation guru Geoffrey Moore: seeking solutions to intractable problems
Authors: Davidson Alistair , Leavy Brian
Published: September 2007

Purpose

This is an interview with innovation guru Geoffrey Moore, the author of five books that have gained an enthusiastic following among corporate managers pursuing market development. It offers a wide range of insights on innovation management.

Design/methodology/approach

Two Strategy & Leadership contributing editors, one a CEO of several startups and the other a senior academic who often writes about innovation, asked Moore about his experiences advising high tech companies.

Findings

Moore believes the best way of thinking about innovation is to put your company in service to an attractive target market to work on a solution to a seemingly intractable problem.

Practical implications

Moore believes the biggest innovation mistake large firms make is to have amodel for “childhood” (the incipient innovation) and “adulthood” (the mature innovation) but no model or patience for adolescence (the struggling innovation). Most innovations are killed during their adolescent stage.

Originality/value

Moore believes that Job #1 for a CEO is to declare what is core (that will contribute to long‐term competitiveness). The stronger that declaration, the easier it is to manage the execution effort downstream. CEOs are naturally reluctant to pursue this course because they want to maintain a portfolio of options. But large organizations become impossible to steer when there is insufficient commitment to taking a specific course.
Implementing a corporate career lattice: the Mass Career Customization model
Authors: Benko Cathleen , Weisberg Anne
Published: September 2007

Purpose

This article introduces mass career customization, a system that encourages a continuous collaboration between employer and employee to design customized career paths, taking into account both the changing needs of the business and employees' changing lives. mass career customization is an adaptive model of career progression that offers employees career‐long options for keeping their work and personal lives in sync and employers the long‐term loyalty of their best and brightest.

Design/methodology/approach

MCC was first introduced through a 120‐participant implementation pilot that began within Deloitte Consulting LLP in 2005 and then continued through a year‐long second round pilot with approximately 300 participants in 2006.

Findings

Satisfaction with career‐life fit improved, in some case sharply. Nearly 90 percent said MCC positively influenced their decision to remain with the organization. Team leaders said the ongoing MCC process was an advantage in staffing new projects with top talent. Client service standards were maintained. Significant savings were achieved, primarily driven by positive impact on retention and associated revenue. Positive correlation between MCC and retention was identified. Improved employee satisfaction, morale and productivity.

Practical implications

The MCC framework lays out a definite set of options along each of the four core dimensions of a career – Pace, Workload, Location/Schedule and Role – with specified tradeoffs for each choice, allowing for choices to change over time.

Originality/value

Customizing careers within a corporate lattice system offers significant benefits over the traditional corporate ladder. Deloitte's MCC model has the power to inspire greater employee productivity, reduce the costs of turnover and generate greater loyalty through a collaborative approach to designing careers.
Considering the utility of Altman's Z‐score as a strategic assessment and performance management tool
Authors: Calandro Joseph
Published: September 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to provide commentary on the utility of Altman's Z‐score as a strategic assessment and performance management tool. This possibility is suggested in the recently published book Measuring Organizational Performance – Metrics for Entrepreneurship and Strategic Management Research (Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar, 2006) by Robert B. Carton and Charles W. Hofer.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is a corporate manager's analysis of the utility of Altman's Z‐score as a strategic assessment and performance management tool based on published research, with suggestions for further research.

Findings

The analysis supports Carton and Hofer's findings with respect to the utility of the Z‐score as a strategic assessment and performance management tool.

Practical implications

While the Z‐score is both popular and widely used in the fields of credit risk analysis, distressed investing, M&A target analysis, and turnaround management it has received relatively little attention as a strategic assessment and performance management tool. The findings of Carton and Hofer's study, in conjunction with the impressive results achieved by GTI Corporation, suggest that applying the Z‐score in strategy and performance management may also be warranted, especially after more research is undertaken.

Originality/value

This article offers a manager's perspective on new research that indicates the potential of a popular financial distress metric to provide insight in the areas of entrepreneurship and strategic management.
Brand, organisational identity and reputation in SMEs: an overview
Authors: Abimbola Temi , Vallaster Christine
Published: September 2007

Purpose

This paper is a brief historical examination of brand, organisation identity and reputation in small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). The discussion is situated within the context of the challenges that the global knowledge‐based business environment poses to organisations of differing sizes.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors' approach is discursive. The argument is supported by findings from published studies and empirical reality. The authors analyse and distill our thoughts (and the empirical findings) in a way that is relevant to the activities of entrepreneurs and SMEs.

Findings

Organisations are better able to create strong firm by integrating branding, reputation building, relevant and appropriate organisational identity beyond their visual façade. They need to be more proactive, and also have to express and embed their brand value propositions within their identity and reputation in their dealings with customers. The authors surmises that researching about (and evaluations of) brand, reputation and organisation identity need to play more active roles in offering novel ways of conceptualising and documenting the realities of the contemporary (global) business environment in which firms operates.

Originality/value

The study offers new horizons on brand, organization identity and reputation as they relate to economic reality. The authors unequivocal articulation is that these concepts are critical factors in the success of enterprises and small businesses in competitive markets.
Organisational marketing in the creative industries
Authors: Powell Shaun , Ennis Sean
Published: September 2007

Purpose

The marketing of small‐ to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) can face many challenges, particularly for those operating within the creative industries. The purpose of this paper is to describe an inductive and exploratory case study approach to empirically investigate the issues and complexities uncovered when taking a mainly internal, organisational perspective to creativity, identity and the brand.

Design/methodology/approach

Issues of commitment, identification and alignment were considered and how these relate to the SME brand. Then the relevance and advantages associated with adopting an inductive case study approach, from an interpretative perspective were discussed. This incorporates multi‐level interviews and thematic analysis with the aid of various qualitative data analysis software packages (C‐I‐Said, NVivo and QDA Miner).

Findings

The themes uncover and explore some of the subtle complexities involved with organisational marketing for SMEs within the creative industries. These themes also present a number of important implications for the academic and practitioner communities to reflect upon, particularly in relation to the relevance of attempting to achieve a “desired” or “ideal” identity and brand. Issues relating to the evolving nature of SMEs, various forms of employee egos as well as multiple foci of employee commitment have been identified. The authors' research has also uncovered a number of instances of “disidentification” amongst creative employees. Rather than being seen as a threat or risk, some creative organisations see a benefit for encouraging, or at least not suppressing deidentification or disidentification, in relation to their creative brand and image.

Originality/value

By taking a rigorous exploratory and inductive approach, a grounded understanding of the problematic nature of organisational creativity and organisational marketing in relation to SMEs in the creative industries have been provided. Practitioners can also benefit from the observations as they are empirically based upon a number of case studies.
Are “high potential” executives capable of building learning‐oriented organisations?
Authors: Belet Daniel
Published: September 2007

Purpose

The author's interest in learning organisation development leads him to examine large French companies' practices regarding “high potential” executives policies and to question their selection and development processes and their capabilities to develop learning oriented organisations.The author also tries to explain why most large French companies are not yet familiar with this concept.

Design/methodology/approach

An analysis of the managerial and leadership characteristics of the French élite, as well as of the way they are trained in French grandes écoles and universities, can help to understand the kind of dominant style of leadership that features in the so called “high potential” executives in most large French companies.

Findings

The criteria against which these French “high potential” executives are discriminated explains largely their still very traditional hierarchical and centralised leadership styles, that are not favourable to build the more learning oriented organisations of the future. In addition most of the management development programmes for these executives stem from the traditional hierarchical leadership models that do not foster the necessary changes.

Research limitations/implications

This article is based on the results of several studies performed in France by organisational sociologists about the corporate élite and the “high potential” executives of large companies and their development policies. The author relies on his participation in field researches but also draws from his extensive professional experience and in‐depth knowledge of these large organisations as consultant, trainer and speaker.

Originality/value

This article provides a critical approach of the mainstream “high potential” model based on the learning organisation philosophy. It proposes another vision of the “high potential” executive concept that the author believes to be more adequate in facing up to the challenge of the HR management and leadership changes that most large French organisations will likely have to face in the future. It also raises the issue of the adequacy of the present leadership development offer of the higher management education system. Although slightly political it aims at generating a debate about the very concept of the “high potential” executive, which is a major key to the necessary changes in the people management and leadership practices for the organisations of the future.
Foresight as a triple helix of industry, university and government relations
Authors: Ughetto Elisa
Published: September 2007

Purpose

This paper attempts to interpret Foresight in the light of the Triple Helix concept.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper explores, in the light of the Triple Helix framework, the architecture of a Technology Foresight project which was carried out in Piemonte (Italy) in 2006, where government, firms, universities, research organizations and financial institutions were gathered to discuss on the long‐term implications of policy decisions and to develop strategic visions that could help policy making and priority setting.

Findings

Drawing on its participative approach, Foresight can be seen as a way of catalyzing the multidisciplinary relationships among the three different spheres of the Triple Helix model, thus bringing them to dialogue and to share a common space for building visions on long‐term challenges. Participation of stakeholders with different backgrounds, dynamics of overlapping opinions, emergence of hybrid organizations and exchange of formal roles are some of the elements characterizing a Foresight exercise that reflect a Triple Helix configuration.

Originality/value

The value of the paper is in exploring a Foresight exercise through the lenses of the Triple Helix model.
Foresight formulation in innovative production, automation and control systems
Authors: Mekid S. , Schlegel T. , Aspragathos N. , Teti R.
Published: September 2007

Purpose

This paper aims to define imminent and future key aspects in innovative production machines and systems but more specifically to focus on the automation and control aspects.

Design/methodology/approach

The foresight analysis is based on the state‐of‐the‐art of current manufacturing technologies with a setup of key enabling features and a roadmap research.

Findings

The paper finds that more integration of current and future technology development is required to build a strong platform for various applications featured with interoperability, trust, security and protection. Autonomy and close collaboration aspects in machines remain as crucial targets for the near future. An immediate action is required on smart strategies for the design patterns and agents to enable intuitive components for high quality dynamic user interfaces. This will allow rapid configuration and adaptation to new manufacturing tasks with highly improved machine learning.

Originality/value

The paper describes the future of key aspects required to move the production, automation and control systems forward.
An exploratory study into the factors that influence patients' perceptions of cleanliness in an acute NHS trust hospital
Authors: Whitehead Heather , May Daryl , Agahi Helen
Published: September 2007

Purpose

If NHS hospitals wish to influence patients to choose them and, as the literature review suggests, cleanliness will be a key‐influencing factor in making that choice, it would seem important for hospitals to understand what factors lead people to decide whether a hospital is clean or dirty. The research aims to identify what the key factors are that influence patients' perceptions of cleanliness and to rank these factors in order of importance.

Design/methodology/approach

The project utilised a mixed methodology to collect the data. The hospital staff and people who had been recent patients took part in focus groups in order to gather their views. The current hospital in‐patients were surveyed through the use of a paper questionnaire.

Findings

The main themes that influence the perceptions of cleanliness emerging from the analysis can be summarised under three broad headings – appearance of the environment, physical cleanliness and staff behaviour. The findings suggest that this subject is much more complex than the production of a list. The appearance of the environment is a complex set of perceptions based on what individuals believe to be important, what they observe and what they expect. The research suggests that the appearance of the environment is the most important factor.

Originality/value

The paper starts to explore the factors that influence patient perception of cleanliness and provides practical information to NHS estates and facilities managers.
Hospital facilities and the role of evidence‐based design
Authors: Becker Franklin , Parsons Kelley S.
Published: September 2007

Purpose

Drawing on recent research related to hospital facilities, this paper aims to discuss the role of evidence‐based design in facility planning and design as a key element in helping the field of facility planning and management continue to strengthen professional practice.

Design/methodology/approach

The discussion draws on relevant literature and recent research.

Findings

Evidence‐based design is having a major impact on planning and design of hospital facilities, and can play a similar role for other facility types.

Originality/value

Calls for evidence‐based design for healthcare facilities abound. This paper discusses important issues surrounding the implementation of an evidence‐based design approach that need to be considered for this approach to be successful in all types of facilities.
The need of validation and recognition of learning outcomes acquired non‐formally and informally
Authors: Teresevičienė Margarita , Zuzevičiūtė Vaiva , Hyde Julie
Published: September 2007

Purpose

This paper aims to examine and summarize the findings of a comparative survey carried out to assess how learning outcomes acquired non‐formally or informally are validated and recognized. Owing to limitations of the study, this paper just seeks to consider the challenges that higher education faces, and the new possibilities that might emerge.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology of the study includes critical and systemic analysis of references, also quantitative and qualitative research, which was completed as a three‐stage survey. The following methods were used: analysis of recent legal and political educational documents, structured interviews of experts, and a questionnaire comprising open and closed type questions.

Findings

The EU is committed to the principles of transferable learning but, until the principles and processes of recognition and validation of learning are integrated within national policy, this is unlikely to happen in any meaningful way. The current situation of autonomous HE management militates against consistency and equity of access for students wishing to have learning recognised and accredited.

Research limitations/implications

A total of 55.3 per cent of questionnaires were returned (as 600 questionnaires have been sent out to NGOs in the countries mentioned), so this must be seen as a limitation of the study.

Practical implications

Findings can be used in designing and implementing procedures of validation and recognition in higher education (of learning outcomes acquired non‐formally and informally, e.g. in work place).

Originality/value

A targeted study enables one to make an informed comparison of practices (in the field of validation and recognition) among different countries, and to identify elements of the process that are successful in a variety of contexts.
Age‐related patterns of reproductive success in house sparrows Passer domesticus
Authors: Hatch Margret I. , Westneat David F.
Published: September 2007

A common life history pattern in many organisms is that reproductive success increases with age. We report a similar pattern in house sparrows Passer domesticus, older individuals performed better than yearlings for most measures of reproductive success. Older males and females began breeding earlier in a given season and fledged more young than their yearling counterparts. Individual males also fledged more young in their second breeding season than they did in their first, but individual females did not show consistent improvement in reproductive success from year one to two. A path analysis indicated that age in both sexes acted primarily through the timing of breeding; earlier nesters laid more eggs and hence fledged more young but did not have more nesting attempts. We tested whether the increased reproductive success with age arose from high quality individuals surviving to be older (selection hypothesis). In contrast to the main prediction of this hypothesis that reproductive success and survival should be positively related, we found that survival from one year of age to two years of age was negatively related to reproductive success in the first year for males and females combined. Additionally, individuals that survived to breed as two‐year‐olds did not differ in total young fledged in their first year from those that did not survive to their second season of breeding. Our results indicate that fledgling production increases with age due to improvements in timing of breeding, particularly in females, and not because of the loss of poor breeders or increased output. Mechanisms producing age‐related differences in timing of breeding warrant further study.
Manipulating rearing conditions reveals developmental sensitivity in the smaller sex of a passerine bird, the European starling Sturnus vulgaris
Authors: Rowland Eloise , Love Oliver P. , Verspoor Jan J. , Sheldon Lani , Williams Tony D.
Published: September 2007

Traditionally, studies of sexually size‐dimorphic birds and mammals report that the larger sex is more sensitive to adverse environmental conditions during ontogeny. However, recent studies in avian species that exhibit moderate size‐dimorphism indicate that the smaller sex may be more sensitive to poor rearing conditions. To better understand sex‐specific sensitivity in a passerine exhibiting moderate size‐dimorphism, we examined growth, cell‐mediated immunity (CMI) and survival of European starling Sturnus vulgaris nestlings following an experimental reduction of maternal rearing ability (via a feather‐clipping manipulation). Contrary to conventional theory, daughters showed reduced growth in both body mass and measures of structural size in response to the maternal treatment. In contrast, sons showed no reductions in any of these traits in relation to the treatment. No sex‐specific differences in nestling CMI were found for either group, although CMI of nestlings raised by manipulated mothers were higher than those of control nestlings. Finally, fledging sex ratios did not change from those at hatching indicating that neither sex appeared differentially sensitive to the maternal treatment in terms of mortality. These results reveal that variation in the quality of the rearing environment can have significant effects on the smaller sex of a passerine exhibiting moderate dimorphism and as such support recent studies of species with small‐moderate sexual size‐dimorphism. Combined results suggest that sex‐specific effects of environmental variation on nestling development may be both context‐ (i.e., brood size, resource level, hatching order) and temporally‐ (when during development they occur) specific. Furthermore, more studies are needed that examine multiple traits at several developmental stages and then follow the sexes over the longer‐term to examine potential effects on fitness.
Completing the neo‐Darwinian synthesis with an event criterion
Authors: Kluge Arnold G.
Published: September 2007

Willi Hennig conceptualized the systematic character as an inherited transformation event whereas he operationalized it in terms of the similarity of objects. A causal evolutionary explanation underlies his conceptualization; however, the operational definition is denied that explication because similarity is an abstraction—the similarity of objects is a function of their intensionally defined properties. These opposing treatments of evidence involve other problems that affect the coherence of systematics. For example, the uses of similarity, and the taxonomic relationships it defines, lead to category errors when the particulars of evolution are inferred. Not only is there no requirement in evolutionary theory that similarity relations be explained as homologs, reification occurs when the similarity defined class or set of organisms is claimed to be a part of lineage system history. Also worth noting, it is the transcendentalism put forward in the early nineteenth century by Étienne Geoffroy Saint‐Hilaire, and not the evolutionary theory of Charles Darwin, that provides the theoretical justification for using object similarities in comparative biology. All of these problems are removed by considering the transformation event, instead of the object, as the thing being explained in the operational definition of character. Ostension or description of objects by extension are consistent with evolutionary theory, and may be used in phylogenetic practice, as when delimiting the accompanying states of a particular transformation series event. In addition to a coherent evolutionary epistemology being achieved with this operational redefinition of character, event hypotheses as evidence provide severe and critical objective tests of phylogenetic relationships. With this redefinition, morphology is expected to retake its place among the most rigorous theoretical sciences. This reconsideration of the systematic character, the elimination of all prescriptive references to object similarity and its accompanying transcendentalism, is also seen as a significant step towards completing the neo‐Darwinian synthesis of evolution.

© The Willi Hennig Society 2007.
The 18mer peptaibols from Trichoderma virens elicit plant defence responses
Authors: VITERBO ADA , WIEST ARIC , BROTMAN YARIV , CHET ILAN , KENERLEY CHARLES
Published: September 2007

Peptaibols, the products of non‐ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPS), are linear peptide antibiotics produced by Trichoderma and other fungal genera. Trichoderma virens strain Gv29‐8, a well‐known biocontrol agent and inducer of plant defence responses, produces three lengths of peptaibols, 11, 14 and 18 residues long, with several isoforms of each. Disruption of the NRPS gene, tex1, encoded by a 62.8‐kb uninterrupted open reading frame, results in the loss of production of all forms of 18‐residue peptaibols. Tex1 is expressed during all Trichoderma developmental stages (germinating conidia, sporulating and non‐sporulating mycelia) examined on solid media. Expression analysis by reverse transcriptase PCR shows that in Gv29‐8 wild‐type the abundance of tex1 transcript is greater during co‐cultivation with cucumber seedling roots than when grown alone. Cucumber plants co‐cultivated with T. virens strains disrupted in tex1 show a significantly reduced systemic resistance response against the leaf pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. lachrymans, and reduced ability to produce phenolic compounds with inhibitory activity to the bacteria as compared with plants grown in the presence of wild‐type. Two synthetic 18‐amino‐acid peptaibol isoforms (TvBI and TvBII) from Gv29‐8 when applied to cucumber seedlings through the transpiration stream can alone induce systemic protection to the leaf pathogenic bacteria, induce antimicrobial compounds in cucumber cotyledons and up‐regulate hydroxyperoxide lyase (hpl), phenylalanine ammonia lyase (pal1) and peroxidase (prx) gene expression. These data strongly suggest that the 18mer peptaibols are critical in the chemical communication between Trichoderma and plants as triggers of non‐cultivar‐specific defence responses.
Continuous cardiac output measurement: arterial pressure analysis versus thermodilution technique during cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass
Authors: Lorsomradee S. , Lorsomradee S. R. , Cromheecke S. , De Hert S. G.
Published: September 2007

This study compared cardiac output measured with an arterial pressure‐based cardiac output measurement system and a thermodilution cardiac output measurement system. We studied 36 patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Simultaneous arterial pressure‐based and thermodilution cardiac output measurements were compared before and after cardiopulmonary bypass, and after phenylephrine administration. Bland‐Altman analysis showed good overall agreement between the two methods. Bias (limits of agreement) before and after cardiopulmonary bypass were − 0.21 (− 2.97–2.55) l.min−1 and 0.01 (− 3.79–3.81) l.min−1, respectively. Phenylephrine administration decreased thermodilution cardiac output by a mean (SD) of 11 (16)% and increased arterial pressure‐based cardiac output by 55 (34)%. We conclude that arterial pressure‐based cardiac output and thermodilution cardiac output measurement systems yield comparable results during cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. However, after phenylephrine administration, the two measurement systems provided opposing results.
Multiple congenital coagulopathies co‐expressed with Von Willebrand’s disease: the experience of Hemophilia Region III Treatment Centers over 25 years and review of the literature
Authors: ASATIANI E. , KESSLER C. M. ,   ON BEHALF OF THE DIRECTORS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE HEMOPHILIA TREATMENT CENTERS IN REGION III
Published: September 2007

Summary.  The haematologist medical directors of the Hemophilia Region III Treatment Centers in the mid‐Atlantic Region III of the United States identified individuals in their databases diagnosed with additional congenital coagulopathies co‐expressing with Von Willebrand’s disease (VWD) and its variants. Sixteen individuals from 14 unrelated families, originating from five institutions, had been evaluated comprehensively. They represented approximately 1.5% of the calculated VWD population (n = 986) registered in region III at the end of year 2002. Eleven of the 16 (68.75%) had type 1 VWD; two (12.5%) had type 2A; two (12.5%) had type 2 Normandy (2N) and one (6.25%) had coexisting type 2B and type 2N VWD. The accompanying coagulopathies consisted of severe or moderate factor VIII (FVIII) deficiency (haemophilia A) in six (37.5%); severe or moderate factor IX deficiency (haemophilia B) in three (18.75%); severe or moderate factor XI deficiency in two (12.5%); severe factor VII deficiency in two (12.5%); combined factor XI and XII deficiencies in one (6.25%); qualitative platelet abnormality in one (6.25%); and one had combined type 2B and type 2N VWD (6.25%). The reversal of overt bleeding often required multiple therapeutic modalities, mandated by the specific combination of coagulation disorders. This included administration of specific purified clotting factor concentrates, cryoprecipitate, fresh frozen plasma, 1,8 deamino‐d‐arginine vasopressin, antifibrinolytic agents, platelet transfusions, etc. In summary, combined inherited coagulopathies coexisting with VWD are uncommon and frequently are phenotypically divergent from VWD. Successful therapy required an individualized approach, employing multiple replacement strategies, based on the laboratory definition of the specific additional coagulation defect.
The pentraxin serum amyloid P component is found in the male genital tract and attached to spermatozoa
Authors: Malm Johan , Sonesson Annika , Hellman Jukka , Bjartell Anders , Frohm Birgitta , Hillarp Andreas
Published: September 2007

Serum amyloid P component (SAP) belongs to the pentraxin family of proteins, members of which are characterized by radial pentameric structure and calcium‐dependent ligand binding. SAP is present in all types of amyloidosis and has been shown to bind to several ligands, but the physiological function of this protein has not been fully elucidated. The present study identified and characterized SAP in human semen and immunolocalized it to the male reproductive tract. SAP was also detected in seminal plasma by immunoblotting and purification by affinity chromatography followed by mass spectrometry. According to electroimmunoassay, the concentration of SAP in semen is approximately 2 mg/L, and flow cytometry revealed SAP attached to the surface of spermatozoa. Moreover, immunohistochemistry showed positive staining of spermatozoa, subsets of epithelial cells, and the stroma of accessory male genital glands and testis. Presence of mRNA supports local production of SAP, as shown with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. We identified SAP in a new setting – the human male reproductive system. SAP was detected on ejaculated spermatozoa, in seminal plasma and in tissue sections from the male reproductive tract. Further functional studies are needed to explain the role of SAP in human reproduction.
Sperm DNA damage is associated with assisted reproductive technology pregnancy
Authors: Bakos Hassan W. , Thompson Jeremy G , Feil Deanne , Lane Michelle
Published: September 2007

The literature suggests an association between sperm DNA damage and assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes. However, previous studies involved the transfer of multiple embryos, which has complicated the interpretation of the results. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the levels of sperm DNA damage and fertilization rate, embryo development as well as pregnancy outcome, following single embryo transfer. Patients (n = 113) undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) (n = 45) and intra‐cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) (n = 68) were assessed for their levels of sperm DNA damage in the sample used for insemination. DNA damage was determined using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase‐mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate‐nick end labelling (TUNEL). The relationship between DNA damage and outcomes were assessed using regression analysis. Overall data showed no association between sperm DNA damage and fertilization rate, or embryo development in vitro. However, when IVF was the insemination method, there was a significant negative correlation between fertilization rates and sperm DNA damage (p < 0.05). When ICSI was the insemination technique, low sperm DNA damage was associated with successful pregnancy (37.8 ± 5.7% DNA damaged sperm) compared with failed implantation (52.9 ± 3.9% DNA damaged sperm, p < 0.05). Our results suggest that sperm DNA damage as measured by the TUNEL assay may provide an indicator for patients with poor fertilization rates and/or those unable to achieve pregnancy following ART treatment.
Schematic representation of case study research designs
Authors: Rosenberg John P. , Yates Patsy M.
Published: September 2007

Title.  Schematic representation of case study research designs

Aim.  The paper is a report of a study to demonstrate how the use of schematics can provide procedural clarity and promote rigour in the conduct of case study research.

Background.  Case study research is a methodologically flexible approach to research design that focuses on a particular case – whether an individual, a collective or a phenomenon of interest. It is known as the ‘study of the particular’ for its thorough investigation of particular, real‐life situations and is gaining increased attention in nursing and social research. However, the methodological flexibility it offers can leave the novice researcher uncertain of suitable procedural steps required to ensure methodological rigour.

Method.  This article provides a real example of a case study research design that utilizes schematic representation drawn from a doctoral study of the integration of health promotion principles and practices into a palliative care organization.

Discussion.  The issues discussed are: (1) the definition and application of case study research design; (2) the application of schematics in research; (3) the procedural steps and their contribution to the maintenance of rigour; and (4) the benefits and risks of schematics in case study research.

Conclusion.  The inclusion of visual representations of design with accompanying explanatory text is recommended in reporting case study research methods.