bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hume’s “Wilt Chamberlain Argument” and taxation
Authors: Henley Kenneth
Published: June 2015

Robert Nozick addresses the idea of egalitarian redistribution in an argument standardly considered original: the “Wilt Chamberlain Argument”. However, this argument (without reference to Wilt Chamberlain) is found in David Hume'sAn Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals, first published in 1751. Placing this argument within a Humean and Hayekian, rather than a Lockean or Kantian, perspective radically changes its import for issues of economic justice. Rather than vindicating the radical individualism of Nozick and other libertarians, applied to our circumstances using Hume's conventionalist and evolutionary account of justice, Hume's Wilt Chamberlain argument vindicates moderate redistribution constrained by the rule of general laws and the goal of fostering innovation and industriousness.
Hume, a Scottish Locke? Comments on Terence Penelhum’s Hume
Authors: Ainslie Donald C.
Published: June 2015

Where Terence Penelhum sees a deep continuity between John Locke's theory of ideas and David Hume's theory of perceptions, I argue that the two philosophers disagree over some fundamental issues in the philosophy of mind. While Locke treats ideas as imagistic objects that we recognize as such by a special kind of inner consciousness, Hume thinks that we do not normally recognize the imagistic content of our perceptions, and instead unselfconsciously take ourselves to sense a shared public world. My disagreement with Penelhum over Hume's debt to Locke helps to explain our disagreement over the nature of Hume's scepticism.
The simple duality: Humean passions
Authors: Qu Hsueh
Published: June 2015

Hume views the passions as having both intentionality and qualitative character, which, in light of his Separability Principle, seemingly contradicts their simplicity. I reject the dominant solution to this puzzle of claiming that intentionality is an extrinsic property of the passions, arguing that a number of Hume's claims regarding the intentionality of the passions (pride and humility in particular) provide reasons for thinking an intrinsic account of the intentionality of the passions to be required. Instead, I propose to resolve this tension by appealing to Hume's treatment of the ‘distinctions of reason’, as explained by Garrett (Cognition and Commitment in Hume's Philosophy, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997).
The idea of the self in the evolution of Hume’s account of the passions
Authors: McIntyre Jane
Published: June 2015

Terence Penelhum has written extensively about the role of the idea of the self in Hume's account of the emotional and moral life of persons. Penelhum fails to notice, however, a change that takes place in the way that the idea of the self functions in Hume's account of the passions as that account evolved after the Treatise. This paper charts part of that evolution, and reflects on its significance for Hume's moral psychology.
The ‘true religion’ of the sceptic: Penelhum reading Hume’sDialogues
Authors: Lemmens Willem
Published: June 2015

According to Terence Penelhum, Philo's confession in the last part of Hume'sDialogues Concerning Natural Religionreveals on the side of the author a reconciliatory and pacifying attitude towards the liberal moderate clergy of his days. This article investigates whether another reading of this intriguing text is not more appropriate. It defends the idea that Philo's speeches and Cleanthes’ reactions to it in the last part of the Dialogues reveal on Hume's side an attitude of mild despair and isolation towards the religious culture of eighteenth-century Scotland, in both its orthodox and more moderate form.
Hume, Locke and consciousness
Authors: Penelhum Terence
Published: June 2015

This is a reply to Donald Ainslie's discussion of Terence Penelhum's work on Hume, Locke and the nature of consciousness; although agree on many points about the differences between Locke and Hume, I take issue with Ainslie's views about the epistemic status Hume accords to introspective acts.
Hume’s atheism and the role of Cleanthes
Authors: Penelhum Terence
Published: June 2015

This is a reply to Willem Lemmens’ discussion of my interpretation of theDialogues on Natural Religionin my 2000 collectionThemes from Hume: Self, Will, Religion. I use Lemmens’ careful textual analysis to clarify my considered position and to further the reading of Part 12 of theDialogues.
The self and the passions
Authors: Penelhum Terence
Published: June 2015

Jane McIntyre's authoritative presentation of the changes Hume makes in the Second Enquiry and the Dissertation on the Passions to the role of sympathy show that he has there left behind the centrality of the idea of the self in the Treatise, and made his philosophy less systematic but more comprehensive.
Allyl isothiocyanate induces stomatal closure in Vicia faba
Authors: Sobahan Muhammad Abdus , Akter Nasima , Okuma Eiji , Uraji Misugi , Ye Wenxiu , Mori Izumi C , Nakamura Yoshimasa , Murata Yoshiyuki
Published: June 2015

Isothiocyanates are enzymatically produced from glucosinolates in plants, and allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) induces stomatal closure in Arabidopsis thaliana. In this study, we investigated stomatal responses to AITC in Vicia faba. AITC-induced stomatal closure accompanied by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and NO production, cytosolic alkalization and glutathione (GSH) depletion in V. faba. GSH monoethyl ester induced stomatal reopening and suppressed AITC-induced GSH depletion in guard cells. Exogenous catalase and a peroxidase inhibitor, salicylhydroxamic acid, inhibited AITC-induced stomatal closure, unlike an NAD(P)H oxidase inhibitor, diphenylene iodonium chloride. The peroxidase inhibitor also abolished the AITC-induced ROS production, NO production, and cytosolic alkalization. AITC-induced stomatal closure was suppressed by an NO scavenger, 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide, and an agent to acidify cytosol, butyrate. These results indicate that AITC-induced stomatal closure in V. faba as well as in A. thaliana and suggest that AITC signaling in guard cells is conserved in both plants.
The longevity effect of echinacoside inCaenorhabditis elegansmediated throughdaf-16
Authors: Wang Xue , Zhang Jiaolong , Lu Lulu , Zhou Lijun
Published: June 2015

Echinacoside (ECH), a natural polyphenolic compound, has been reported to possess important pharmacological activities. However, very little is known about whether or how ECH affects longevity in vivo. We have examined the effects of ECH on the life span and stress tolerance in Caenorhabditis elegans. Our studies demonstrate that the life span of wild-type worms could be extended in the presence of ECH. Furthermore, ECH was found to increase tolerance of worms to heat shock and oxidative stress, while not exerting any influence on pharyngeal pumping rate and progeny production. Our mechanistic studies indicate that supplementation of ECH increases the transcript level of daf-16. ECH treatment also modulates the nuclear localization and transcriptional activities of daf-16, thus fine tunes the expression of daf-16 target genes to promote longevity and increases stress response in C. elegans. Overall, this work reveals the longevity effect of ECH and elucidates the underpinning mechanisms.
Action of an endo-β-1,3(4)-glucanase on cellobiosyl unit structure in barley β-1,3:1,4-glucan
Authors: Kuge Takao , Nagoya Hiroki , Tryfona Theodora , Kurokawa Tsunemi , Yoshimi Yoshihisa , Dohmae Naoshi , Tsubaki Kazufumi , Dupree Paul , Tsumuraya Yoichi , Kotake Toshihisa
Published: June 2015

β-1,3:1,4-Glucan is a major cell wall component accumulating in endosperm and young tissues in grasses. The mixed linkage glucan is a linear polysaccharide mainly consisting of cellotriosyl and cellotetraosyl units linked through single β-1,3-glucosidic linkages, but it also contains minor structures such as cellobiosyl units. In this study, we examined the action of an endo-β-1,3(4)-glucanase from Trichoderma sp. on a minor structure in barley β-1,3:1,4-glucan. To find the minor structure on which the endo-β-1,3(4)-glucanase acts, we prepared oligosaccharides from barley β-1,3:1,4-glucan by endo-β-1,4-glucanase digestion followed by purification by gel permeation and paper chromatography. The endo-β-1,3(4)-glucanase appeared to hydrolyze an oligosaccharide with degree of polymerization 5, designated C5-b. Based on matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight (ToF)/ToF-mass spectrometry (MS)/MS analysis, C5-b was identified as β-Glc-1,3-β-Glc-1,4-β-Glc-1,3-β-Glc-1,4-Glc including a cellobiosyl unit. The results indicate that a type of endo-β-1,3(4)-glucanase acts on the cellobiosyl units of barley β-1,3:1,4-glucan in an endo-manner.
Carbohydrate mouth rinse and caffeine improves high‐intensity interval running capacity when carbohydrate restricted
Authors: Kasper Andreas M. , Cocking Scott , Cockayne Molly , Barnard Marcus , Tench Jake , Parker Liam , McAndrew John , Langan‐Evans Carl , Close Graeme L. , Morton James P.
Published: June 2015

We tested the hypothesis that carbohydrate mouth rinsing, alone or in combination with caffeine, augments high‐intensity interval (HIT) running capacity undertaken in a carbohydrate‐restricted state. Carbohydrate restriction was achieved by performing high‐intensity running to volitional exhaustion in the evening prior to the main experimental trials and further refraining from carbohydrate intake in the post‐exercise and overnight period. On the subsequent morning, eight males performed 45‐min steady‐state (SS) exercise (65% ) followed by HIT running to exhaustion (1‐min at 80% interspersed with 1‐min walking at 6 km/h). Subjects completed 3 trials consisting of placebo capsules (administered immediately prior to SS and immediately before HIT) and placebo mouth rinse at 4‐min intervals during HIT (PLACEBO), placebo capsules but 10% carbohydrate mouth rinse (CMR) at corresponding time‐points or finally, caffeine capsules (200 mg per dose) plus 10% carbohydrate mouth rinse (CAFF + CMR) at corresponding time‐points. Heart rate, capillary glucose, lactate, glycerol and NEFA were not different at exhaustion during HIT (P > 0.05). However, HIT capacity was different (P < 0.05) between all pair‐wise comparisons such that CAFF + CMR (65 ± 26 min) was superior to CMR (52 ± 23 min) and PLACEBO (36 ± 22 min). We conclude that carbohydrate mouth rinsing and caffeine ingestion improves exercise capacity undertaken in carbohydrate‐restricted states. Such nutritional strategies may be advantageous for those athletes who deliberately incorporate elements of training in carbohydrate‐restricted states (i.e. the train‐low paradigm) into their overall training programme in an attempt to strategically enhance mitochondrial adaptations of skeletal muscle.
Alternative splicing converts STIM2 from an activator to an inhibitor of store-operated calcium channels
Authors: Rana Anshul , Yen Michelle , Sadaghiani Amir Masoud , Malmersjö Seth , Park Chan Young , Dolmetsch Ricardo E. , Lewis Richard S.
Published: June 2015

Store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) regulates a wide variety of essential cellular functions. SOCE is mediated by STIM1 and STIM2, which sense depletion of ER Ca2+ stores and activate Orai channels in the plasma membrane. Although the amplitude and dynamics of SOCE are considered important determinants of Ca2+-dependent responses, the underlying modulatory mechanisms are unclear. In this paper, we identify STIM2β, a highly conserved alternatively spliced isoform of STIM2, which, in contrast to all known STIM isoforms, is a potent inhibitor of SOCE. Although STIM2β does not by itself strongly bind Orai1, it is recruited to Orai1 channels by forming heterodimers with other STIM isoforms. Analysis of STIM2β mutants and Orai1-STIM2β chimeras suggested that it actively inhibits SOCE through a sequence-specific allosteric interaction with Orai1. Our results reveal a previously unrecognized functional flexibility in the STIM protein family by which alternative splicing creates negative and positive regulators of SOCE to shape the amplitude and dynamics of Ca2+ signals.
Reclaiming Your Life from a Traumatic Experience: Workbook
Authors: Rothbaum Barbara Olasov , Foa Edna B. , Hembree Elizabeth A.
Published: June 2015

Best used in combination with treatment with a mental health professional, this online workbook will help patients work through PTSD regardless of the type of trauma experienced. This program will reduce anxiety and distress as patients learn to face memories of trauma, while processing emotions about the event using a scientifically tested and proven technique called Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE). It provides a guide for patients to learn how to confront these situations and begin to re-evaluate feelings and beliefs in order to think differently about the experience. It covers how to participate in exposure exercises as well as any real-life situations that bring about feelings of fear in a step-by-step controllable way. Breathing retraining exercises, information on PTSD, case examples, self-assessment tools, and homework assignments are also included.
Introduction
Authors: Rothbaum Barbara Olasov , Foa Edna B. , Hembree Elizabeth A.
Published: June 2015

Chapter 1 introduces and defines Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Prolonged Exposure (PE) Therapy, and Emotional Processing Theory, along with a background to the development of the PE treatment program, its risks and benefits, alternative treatments, the role of medications, and an outline of the program and its structure.
Overcoming Your Pathological Gambling: Workbook
Authors: Ladouceur Robert , Lachance Stella
Published: June 2015

Though gambling has become increasingly prevalent in society, pathological gambling is a serious condition. Through this treatment program, patients will learn not only how to avoid problem situations, but also the truth about gambling. Written by researchers who have spent over two decades studying the psychology of gambling, this guide represents the treatment they have found to be most effective at controlling the urge to gamble, understanding the true nature of gambling games, and preventing future gambling problems. Intended for use in conjunction with supervised therapy, this online workbook includes various self-assessments and exercises designed to help patients reach the ultimate goal of complete abstinence from gambling.
Session 2: Assessing and Managing Stress
Authors: Kennedy Paul
Published: June 2015

Chapter 3 outlines the second CET session for SCI, which focuses on assessing and managing stress. This session includes training on stress appraisal skills, and methods to break down complex stressors such as SCI. Different types of coping are explored, including problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping, and adaptive coping.
Session 3: Problem Solving
Authors: Kennedy Paul
Published: June 2015

Chapter 4 discusses the third CET session for SCI. This session focuses on problem solving, and uses example scenarios to illustrate steps that can be taken to effective problem-solving (including relationship scenarios, wheelchair-access situations, and the reactions of others to your disability).
Session 4: Managing Emotions
Authors: Kennedy Paul
Published: June 2015

Chapter 5 outlines session four of CET for SCI, which discusses emotions and how to effectively manage them. This includes emotional reactions, and a cognitive model of emotions, as well as the importance of pleasant activities and scheduling pleasant activities into your life. Relaxation is also explored, using relaxation training and an autohypnotic relaxation script.
Session 6: Maladaptive/Adaptive Coping
Authors: Kennedy Paul
Published: June 2015

Chapter 7 discusses session six of the CET program for SCI. This session focuses on maladaptive and adaptive coping, and begins by reviewing what has been learned throughout the course of the sessions so far (stress, appraisal, and coping strategies). Maladaptive coping is then explored and contrasted to adaptive coping.
Session 7: Social Support (Final Session)
Authors: Kennedy Paul
Published: June 2015

Chapter 8 outlines the seventh and final session of the SCI CET program. This session discusses social skills (aggression, submission, assertion) and the importance of assertiveness. Social support, its importance in coping, and different types of social support are also explored, along with ways of obtaining and maintaining social support.
Group Specialty Practice
Authors: Barlow Sally H.
Published: June 2015

Chapter 1 discusses group specialty practice and a pro-group approach that utilizes group therapy as a potent treatment in and of itself, not simply as an inferior therapy when compared to individual therapy.
Evidence Bases for Group Practice
Authors: Barlow Sally H.
Published: June 2015

Chapter 2 explores evidence bases for group practice and examines, among other things, that group treatments can rival and sometimes exceed gains made in individual therapy.
Assessment Strategies
Authors: Barlow Sally H.
Published: June 2015

Chapter 3 discusses assessment strategies. A group therapist who uses assessments, at both the individual and group levels, to situate group members in two important, complementary spheres: nomothetic (psychological measures that compare individuals to other White female Americans, for instance, depending upon the norm group) and idiographic (depth psychological measures that enrich individual understanding).
Group Formulation and Case Conceptualization
Authors: Barlow Sally H.
Published: June 2015

Chapter 4 explores individual and group formulations or group case conceptualizations that take a group member’s personal and interpersonal issues into account in a consistent, thoughtful way that utilizes a theory with clear intervention strategies to bring about change.
Other Therapeutic Factors and Leader Interventions
Authors: Barlow Sally H.
Published: June 2015

Chapter 6 explores other therapeutic factors and leader interventions. A skilled group therapist utilizes proven leader interventions and therapeutic factors , such as insight, interpersonal learning, catharsis, installation of hope, all of which occur as the group developmental processes unfold over time from group beginning to group termination (forming, storming, norming, performing).
Structured and Unstructured Groups in Various Settings
Authors: Barlow Sally H.
Published: June 2015

Chapter 7 discusses structured and unstructured groups in various settings. A group treatment approach that uses intervention strategies ranging from highly structured to unstructured , for instance, manualized treatments found in short-term groups such as 12-step programs dealing with addictions, to less structured long-term process groups for personality disorders. Appropriate use of structure enhances group member involvement and often depends upon what is most appropriate for various settings (hospitals, schools, community mental health centers).
Ethics, Legalities, and Other Issues in Group Specialty Practice
Authors: Barlow Sally H.
Published: June 2015

Chapter 10 discusses ethics, legalities, and other issues in group specialty practice. Group leaders must be alert to professional ethics, core knowledge and skills, best practice guidelines, and legal parameters of their particular state or provincial areas.
Diversities in Group Specialty Practice
Authors: Barlow Sally H.
Published: June 2015

Chapter 11 details diversities in group specialty practice. Group therapies and other group intervention strategies are uniquely positioned to focus on issues of diversity, those issues of multiculturalism such as race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and age.
Professionalism in Group Specialty Practice
Authors: Barlow Sally H.
Published: June 2015

Chapter 12 discusses professionalism in group specialty practice. Group leaders possess a strong sense of professional identity as experts in the direct delivery, training, consulting, and research of group interventions. Such group therapists have one trait in common: They value the interpersonal domain in which group members are viewed as contributors to the potent interpersonal fabric where they both give and receive help. Group therapists have the requisite licenses or certifications first, as professional psychologists, and following that, further credentialing such as the American Board of Professional Psychology’s Group Diplomate or the of American Group Psychotherapy Association’s Certified Group Psychotherapist.
Bran Particle Size Influence on Pasta Microstructure, Water Distribution, and Sensory Properties
Authors: Steglich Thomas , Bernin Diana , Moldin Annelie , Topgaard Daniel , Langton Maud
Published: June 2015

Whole wheat pasta offers improved nutritional value compared with regular pasta but lacks appeal to many consumers owing to its negative organoleptic properties, such as texture and taste. Various approaches have been studied to improve these properties in whole wheat products. Optimizing bran particle size showed its potential in noodles, but studies of its effects in pasta are scarce. Therefore, we produced spaghetti enriched with bran fractions similar in chemical composition but with varying median particle sizes of 90, 160, 370, and 440 µm. The effect of bran particles and their median size on dried and cooked pasta was studied by light microscopy and three‐dimensional magnetic resonance imaging. In general, bran particle size did not influence the macrostructure in cooked spaghetti. However, larger bran particles created a more heterogeneous microstructure in contrast to smaller particles and affected starch granule swelling. Sensory analysis indicated a preference for pasta containing smaller particles. Our results give new insight into the microstructural features responsible for the negative consumer appeal, and they could be used to guide future efforts in designing improved pasta formulations.
Improved Algorithms for Finding Edit Distance Based Motifs
Authors: Pal Soumitra , Rajasekaran Sanguthevar
Published: June 2015

Motif search is an important step in extracting meaningful patterns from biological data. Since the general problem of motif search is intractable, there is a pressing need to develop efficient exact and approximation algorithms to solve this problem. We design novel algorithms for solving theEdit-distance-based Motif Search (EMS)problem: given two integersl, dandnbiological strings, find all strings of lengthlthat appear in each input strings with at mostdsubstitutions, insertions and deletions. These algorithms have been evaluated on several challenging instances. Our algorithm solves a moderately hard instance (11, 3) in a couple of minutes and the next difficult instance (14, 3) in a couple of hours whereas the best previously known algorithm, EMS1, solves (11, 3) in a few hours and does not solve (13, 4) even after 3 days. This significant improvement is due to a novel and provably efficient neighborhood generation technique introduced in this paper. This efficient approach can be used in other edit distance based applications in Bioinformatics, such ask-spectrum based sequence error correction algorithms. We also use a trie based data structure to efficiently store the candidate motifs in the neighbourhood and to output the motifs in a sorted order.
Discovery of Pandoraea pnomenusa RB38 N-acyl homoserine Lactone Synthase (PpnI) and its Complete Genome Sequence Analysis
Authors: Chan Kok-Gan , Ee Robson , How Kah-Yan , Lee Siew-Kim , Yin Wai-Fong , Lim Yan-Lue
Published: June 2015

In this study, we sequenced the genome of P. pnomenusa RB38 and reported the finding of a pair of cognate luxI/R homologs which we firstly coined as ppnI, which is found adjacent to a luxR homolog, ppnR. An additional orphan luxR homolog, ppnR2 was also discovered. Multiple sequence alignment revealed that PpnI is a distinct cluster of AHL synthase compared to those of its nearest phylogenetic neighbor, Burkholderia spp. When expressed heterologously and analysed using high resolution tandem mass spectrometry, PpnI directs the synthesis of N-octanoylhomoserine lactone (C8-HSL). To our knowledge, this is the first documentation of the luxI/R homologs of the genus of Pandoraea.
Post-transcriptional regulation across human tissues
Authors: Franks Alexander , Airoldi Edoardo , Slavov Nikolai
Published: June 2015

Transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation shape tissue-type-specific proteomes, but their relative contributions remain contested. Estimates of the factors determining protein levels in human tissues do not distinguish between (i) the factors determining the variability between the abundances of different proteins, i.e., mean-level-variability and, (ii) the factors determining the physiological variability of the same protein across different tissue types, i.e., across-tissues variability. We sought to estimate the contribution of transcript levels to these two orthogonal sources of variability, and found that scaled mRNA levels can account for most of the mean-level-variability but not necessarily for across-tissues variability. The reliable quantification of the latter estimate is limited by substantial measurement noise. However, protein-to-mRNA ratios exhibit substantial across-tissues variability that is functionally concerted and reproducible across different datasets, suggesting extensive post-transcriptional regulation. These results caution against estimating protein fold-changes from mRNA fold-changes between different cell-types, and highlight the contribution of post-transcriptional regulation to shaping tissue-type-specific proteomes.
Classification of service quality attributes using Kano’s model
Authors: Bandyopadhyay Nirmalya
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to classify service quality elements using Kano’s two-way quality model in terms of their instrumentality to customer satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

– Service quality attributes as borrowed from the literature are classified into attractive, one dimensional, and must-be quality elements. Combinations of participants’ response to the functional and dysfunctional questions formed around each service quality element in the Kano evaluation table were instrumental in categorizing service quality elements. Customer satisfaction index in the form of satisfaction increment index (SII) and the dissatisfaction decrement index (DDI) is calculated for each of the quality attributes and service quality dimensions.

Findings

– Out of the 15 service quality elements two are attractive quality, six are one-dimensional quality, and seven are found to be of must-be quality. No attribute can be identified as indifferent quality or reverse quality. The convenience dimension and the operating hours attribute list on top in terms of satisfaction increment index score. The reliability dimension and the courteousness attribute list on top in terms of dissatisfaction decrement index score.

Practical implications

– The findings help the marketer to prioritize improvement of service quality elements and/or dimensions to satisfy customers.

Originality/value

– The paper develops an integrated approach to facilitate marketers identify which of the service quality elements and/or dimensions require attention to strategize effectively in order to achieve a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Factors affecting adoption of internet banking in Jordan
Authors: Rawashdeh Awni
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the Jordanian accountant’s behavioral intention of using the Internet Banking services to focus on the perceptions of the users in terms of usefulness and ease of use of Internet Banking, besides the privacy of using this dynamic technology for meeting their banking requirements.

Design/methodology/approach

– The questionnaire on Internet Banking was specifically designed and used to survey a randomly selected sample of Jordanian accountants from the web site of the Jordan Association of Certified Public Accountants and 298 usable responses were obtained. The data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS (structural equation modeling).

Findings

– The results of this analysis support the extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as well as confirm its robustness for predicting the behavioral intention of the adoption of Internet Banking by the Jordanian chartered accountants.

Research limitations/implications

– During a period when quick changes are taking place, new technologies are entering the market every day, resulting in a cross-sectional study which cannot be generalized perfectly.

Practical implications

– The findings offered useful information for the bank management in order to formulate marketing strategies for Internet Banking.

Originality/value

– This study has contributed to the literature available as it formulated and validated an extended TAM for predicting the adoption of Internet Banking.
Conceptualization and measurement of customer perceived value in banks
Authors: Parente Eduardo Soares , Costa Francisco José , Leocádio Aurio Lucio
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop a scale for measuring the construct perceived value, as evaluated by customers of retail banks.

Design/methodology/approach

– The procedures involved an analysis of the literature about customer perceived value in order to identify the main dimensions relevant to bank sector, and after that, it was followed the conventional steps for developing multiple items scales, with fieldwork, scale purification exploratory analysis of reliability and of validity.

Findings

– After two sampling procedures, the scale for the account holder perceived value retail banking was satisfactorily validated. The final scale is characterized as multidimensional, involving dimensions of operational quality, convenience and access, safety and soundness, and monetary sacrifice, each of them measured with four items reflectively related to the main construct.

Research limitations/implications

– Although the research was carried considering the conventional scaling procedures recommendations, the result may reflect the specificities of Brazilian bank customers; considering this, some other applications are necessary do bring a geographical validation of the scale.

Practical implications

– The scale developed is an instrument that can be used to measure one of the most important constructs of bank customers, the customer perceived value, and can be used by academic researchers and also by bank managers.

Originality/value

– The study brings a contribution not yet present in the main international literature, since no other study with complete development of a multidimensional perceived value measurement scale was identified, and can become a reference for other similar studies in the banking context.
Intention to adopt internet banking in an emerging economy: a perspective of Indian youth
Authors: Yadav Rambalak , Chauhan Vikas , Pathak Govind Swaroop
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to understand the consumer’s intention toward internet banking adoption in Indian context by combining two theories; theory of planned behavior (TPB), technology acceptance model (TAM) and an additional construct, i.e. perceived risk.

Design/methodology/approach

– A questionnaire based survey was conducted to collect responses from young consumers (210 usable responses). Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling to evaluate the strength of relationship.

Findings

– The result shows that perceived usefulness, attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control significantly influences the consumer’s intention to adopt internet banking whereas perceived risk failed to show any significant influence over intention to adopt internet banking.

Research limitations/implications

– The study is limited to young consumers (i.e. professional students) only. Further, the study concerns itself with consumer’s intention not actual behavior.

Practical implications

– The finding will be useful for bank officials for devising strategies and policies related to internet banking in the Indian scenario.

Originality/value

– The paper is one of the initial attempts in Indian context to understand the consumer’s intention to adopt internet banking by combining TPB and TAM theories.
Customer responses to CSR in the Pakistani banking industry
Authors: Khan Zia , Ferguson David , Pérez Andrea
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is twofold: to empirically analyse how customer corporate social responsibility (CSR) perceptions impact on the perceived service quality (PSQ)-loyalty relationship in the banking industry of Pakistan; and to evaluate the mediating role of customer trust in that model.

Design/methodology/approach

– Based on a field survey of 408 customers of five different banks of Pakistan, the hypothesized model is tested through partial least squares based structural equation modelling.

Findings

– The findings demonstrate that banking customers in Pakistan recognise CSR as a multidimensional construct that serves as a direct determinant of PSQ, trust, repurchase and word of mouth (WOM) intentions. PSQ also influences customer trust directly and positively and trust has a direct and positive impact on repurchase and WOM intentions. On the contrary, PSQ does not influence repurchase and WOM intentions directly. Its effect is mediated by customer trust.

Practical implications

– Contrary to the previous mixed findings reported in the literature, this research confirms the explicit contribution of CSR towards customer perceptions and intentions in the context of the banking industry. The findings suggest that banking companies should take great care over preparing their CSR initiatives and include them in their marketing plans in order to improve customer loyalty intentions. In this way, CSR can enhance PSQ and customer trust, which are two key constructs in the loyalty model proposed in this paper.

Originality/value

– The originality of the paper lies in the context in which the research was developed. The banking industry of Pakistan had not previously been extensively researched. The proposal for a comprehensive model that evaluates the role of customer trust is another key contribution of the paper. Previous research has not extensively studied the role of trust in loyalty models that evaluate CSR perceptions along with PSQ.
Investigating the factors influencing the adoption of m-banking: a cross cultural study
Authors: Mortimer Gary , Neale Larry , Hasan Syed Fazal E , Dunphy Benjamin
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– Little is known about the adoption of mobile banking technologies in emerging Asian economies. The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the motivators that influence a consumer’s intentions to use mobile banking.

Design/methodology/approach

– A web-based survey was employed to collect data from 348 respondents, split across Thailand and Australia. Data were analysed by employing exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, path and invariance analyses.

Findings

– The findings indicate that for Australian consumers, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived risk (PR) were the primary determinants of mobile banking adoption. For Thai consumers, the main factors were PU, PR and social influence. National culture was found to impact key antecedents that lead to adoption of m-banking.

Research limitations/implications

– The actual variance explained by the study’s model was higher in Australia (59.3 per cent) than for Thailand (23.8 per cent), suggesting future research of m-banking adoption in emerging Asian cultures.

Practical implications

– The authors identify the important factors consumers consider when adopting m-banking. The findings of this research give banking organisations a foundational model that can be used to support m-banking implementation.

Originality/value

– The study is perhaps the first to examine and compare the intention to adopt m-banking across Thai and Australian consumers, and responds to calls for additional research that generalises m-banking and m-services acceptance across cultures. This study has proposed and validated additional constructs that are not present in the original SST Intention to Use model.
Collective resilience following mine clearance in Kurdish Iraq
Authors: Durham Jo , White Rob
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of the study was to identify the economic impacts of landmine clearance on household livelihoods and to present the qualitative findings of a study undertaken in the Kurdish region of Iraq.

Design/methodology/approach

– The sampling method followed a case series, purposive sampling design. Five recipient households were interviewed from different districts. In addition, purposively selected program staff (N= 4) and local community leaders (N= 2) were interviewed. When undertaking the thematic analysis of the Kurdish household qualitative interviews, it became very apparent that the Kurdish informants did not talk in terms of economic outcomes as a result of demining. The data were then re-analyzed using a narrative framework and reported in this paper.

Findings

– While the research sought a link between demining, livelihoods, poverty reduction and economic development, the respondents told another story. Their story focused on the social consequences of returning to their “grandfather’s land”. Participants’ narratives told of resilience resulting from negotiation with the environment and the importance of regaining one’s identity and hopes to heal in the face of adversity.

Research limitations/implications

– The findings cannot be generalized to all mine action program recipients but have salience for rural households in the site of inquiry.

Originality/value

– The paper is rare in illustrating the social benefits of post-conflict demining and its links with social capital and collective resilience.
Efficiency of public goods provision in Wenchuan earthquake-stricken rural areas, Sichuan, China
Authors: Yang Feng , Yang Minghong
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the efficiency of public goods provision in Wenchuan earthquake-stricken rural areas. The study was undertaken in August and September 2012 by the field survey of 24 villages.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper, by applying the methods of analytic hierarchy process and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation, aims to evaluate the efficiency by means of villagers’ satisfaction, which is designed in the idea of combining overall goal-classifications and specific indicators, including 7 classifications and a total of 36 specific indicators.

Findings

– Based on maximum membership principle by the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation, the calculation results in 0.4485862 as a “general” level of the evaluation membership of efficiency in the post-quake public goods provision, and 3.0634837 as overall comprehensive score, a level lower than 3.5.

Practical implications

– The efficiency by means of villagers’ evaluation is generally at a lower degree. Although the reconstruction has completed some high-quality infrastructure, schools, hospitals and houses, we still face more macroscopic and long-term problems of recovering and sustaining the post-quake communities in many fields.

Originality/value

– It is more worthy to consider how to improve the efficiency of the reconstruction, especially in public goods and public services provision in the quake-stricken rural areas.
Supporting post-disaster social recovery to build back better
Authors: Mannakkara Sandeeka , Wilkinson Suzanne Jane
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to propose a set of principles for implementation of successful post-disaster social recovery in-line with the concept of “building back better” (BBB).

Design/methodology/approach

– A set of preliminary principles for post-disaster social recovery was established from literature review. The 2009 Victorian Bushfires was chosen as a case study to examine the implemented social recovery approaches and impacts.

Findings

– Analysis of the literature and case study have led to the creation of a set of modified BBB principles for social recovery under two categories, first, community support and, second, community involvement. Key principles under first category include: providing personalized support for affected families, specialized support for vulnerable groups and improved psychological support; building community cohesion; and keeping the community informed. Key principles under second category include: involving the community in designing and implementing recovery projects; providing support to the community; and maintaining full transparency.

Research limitations/implications

– This study focusses on one case study. The appropriateness and applicability of the proposed principles can be further tested using a range of different case studies in both developed and developing countries.

Practical implications

– The principles presented should be incorporated into post-disaster social recovery programmes implemented by governments.

Originality/value

– This research takes a unique look at drawing from international experiences to form a set of practical and universal principles to aid post-disaster social recovery as an important part of BBB.
Architects and rural post-disaster housing: lessons from South India
Authors: Tauber Gertrud
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– This research aims to examine three housing projects implemented by local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and planned by local architects after the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 in rural South India. The key to the acceptance of post-disaster houses lies in meeting the peoples’ wishes and needs, and in integrating local know-how into the course of the project process (a premise intensively discussed in theory). After the tsunami of 2004, many (NGOs) appointed architects, assuming that these professionals would be qualified to facilitate the implementation of people-oriented houses (and villages). However, the architects’ roles vary significantly, which had, as will be shown here, a considerable impact on the degree of success of the project.

Design/methodology/approach

– Primary data for this study were gathered through household questionnaires (110); informal interaction; participant-observation (work assignment: 2.5 years; field survey: 4 months); semi-structured interviews (NGO representatives, architects and engineers). Secondary literature was studied on post-disaster housing, building cultures and cultures of knowledge.

Findings

– This study reveals that, in the course of rural post-disaster reconstruction, there is a crying need to appoint the “right” personnel having, first of all, the capacity to comply with the social dynamics at project level, and, second, being able to address those aspects critical for the realization of people-oriented housing. Architects can be a valuable resource for both the NGO and the villagers. However, this paper shows that key to this is, among other considerations, a thorough understanding of the rural (building) culture, its abilities and requirements, the strategic interplay of various roles and abilities during the course of an intricate building process and the design of appropriate roles for adequately-skilled architects.

Originality/value

– To this date, the debate on the role of architects in the context of post-disaster housing has neglected to examine empirically the implications of appointing these professionals in rural post-disaster contexts. This paper addresses this imbalance and complements the existing corpus of work by examining the impact of different roles of architects on the degree of success of the project at village level.
Improvement process selection framework for the formation of improvement solution alternatives
Authors: Low Shye-Nee , Kamaruddin Shahrul , Abdul Azid Ishak
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) processes within a flow-line production-improvement activity. Investigation can lead to understanding of how a process improvement framework influences the decision and fulfillment of the potential to successfully change the operation process.

Design/methodology/approach

– The improvement process selection (IPS) framework is built systematically by incorporating all related decision criteria with suitable tools required to select improvement alternatives. The process consists of three phases: identification, prediction, and selection. The IPS framework is validated through a case study of a company that was carrying out a flow-line production-improvement project.

Findings

– The developed framework is used to prioritize the problem scope and select the solutions from various options. The case study illustrates the process through which the developed framework provided a systematic approach in identifying the solutions and achieving the desired performance improvement. Prediction result analysis shows the framework achieved sustainable process improvement changes and prevents management levels from higher risks in failure improvement. The feedback of the case study has verified the robustness of the framework.

Practical implications

– Quantitative improvement tools, such as MCDM employed in the IPS framework are vital for better understanding of the improvement impact of changes. Thus, the improvement solution alternatives can be analyzed in more comprehensive ways by considering numerous performance metrics in order to select the best improvement alternatives.

Originality/value

– The IPS framework can assist the company in determining optimal decisions in relation to selection of improvement alternatives. As a result, production performance can be affected positively.
The ten commandments of quality: a performance perspective
Authors: Antony Jiju
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide quality professionals of tomorrow with ten commandments of quality.

Design/methodology/approach

– The ten commandments are based on the 20 years experience of the author as an academic, researcher, consultant and a practitioner in the field of quality management (QM).

Findings

– The ten commandments of quality in my perspective include: leadership for quality, customer advocacy, emphasis on teaching applied statistical methods to quality professionals, creating a culture of continuous improvement or incremental innovation, employee empowerment, ownership and engagement, training and education for quality, extending quality into supply chain, quality and environment, learning organization and sustaining issues of quality.

Research limitations/implications

– The key features outlined in this viewpoint paper is based on a single perspective. However, the author is currently pursuing a study looking into the viewpoints of ten QM experts around the globe.

Originality/value

– The paper provides an excellent resource for many researchers and practitioners in the field of QM who can use the key features expressed in the paper as a guide for achieving and sustaining quality in their businesses.