bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structure determination of KLaS2, KPrS2, KEuS2, KGdS2, KLuS2, KYS2, RbYS2, NaLaS2and crystal-chemical analysis of the group 1 and thallium(I) rare-earth sulfide series
Authors: Fábry Jan , Havlák Lubomír , Dušek Michal , Vaněk Přemysl , Drahokoupil Jan , Jurek Karel
Published: March 2014

One of the purposes of this work is to provide a crystallographic review of group 1 and thallium rare-earth ternary sulfidesM+Ln3+S2. We have therefore determined crystal structures of KLaS2, KPrS2, KEuS2, KGdS2, KLuS2, KYS2, RbYS2, which belong to the α-NaFeO2structural family (R \bar 3 m), as well as NaLaS2, which is derived from the disordered NaCl structural type (Fm \bar 3 m). The determined structures were compared with known members of the group 1 as well as thallium(I) rare-earth sulfides by the standard tools of crystal-chemical analysis such as comparison of bond-valences, analysis of interatomic distances and comparison of the unit-cell parameters. The results indicate why the cubic structural type is limited to Li+and Na+members of the series only. The analysis has also revealed frequent problems in the reported crystal structures, especially in the determination of the K+compounds, probably due to severe absorption and different accuracy and sensitivity of various instruments. Intense diffuse scattering has been discovered in NaLaS2, which will be the subject of further investigation. The newly determined as well as already known structures are summarized, together with critical comments about possible errors in the previous structure determinations.
Strong positive and negative deviations from Vegard's rule: X-ray powder investigations of the three quasi-binary phase systems BiSX1 − xYx(X,Y= Cl, Br, I)
Authors: Schultz Peter , Keller Egbert
Published: March 2014

Three quasi-binary phase systems, BiSX1 − xYx(X,Y= Cl, Br, I; 0 <x< 1), have been investigated by X-ray powder diffraction. All three systems show unlimited solubility. For BiSCl1 − xBrxand BiSCl1 − xIx, strong positive and negative deviations from Vegard's rule are observed with respect to the lattice parametersaandc. They are qualitatively explained by the asymmetry of theXcoordination polyhedron and by anion–anion repulsions. Forx< 0.32 [x> 0.32] the BiSCl1 − xIxsystem mimics the behaviour of the BiSCl1 − yBry[BiSBr1 − yIy] system (0 <y< 1).
Structure determination of three polymorphs of xylazine from laboratory powder diffraction data
Authors: Zvirgzdins Alvis , Mishnev Anatolijs , Actins Andris
Published: March 2014

The crystal structures of three xylazine hydrochloride [N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-5,6-dihydro-4H-1,3-thiaz-2-amine hydrochloride] polymorphsA,ZandXhave been solved from powder diffraction data and refined using Rietveld refinement. Data were obtained with Cu Kα radiation. All polymorphs were found to have structures withZ′ = 1 andZ= 4. All the structures determined contained strong hydrogen bonds between the amino groups and chloride anions. The crystal structures of formsAandXfeatured π–π stacking interactions.
Comparison of the structural motifs and packing arrangements of six novel derivatives and one polymorph of 2-(1-phenyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)pyridine
Authors: Tawfiq Kinaan M. , Miller Gary J. , Al-Jeboori Mohamad J. , Fennell Paul S. , Coles Simon J. , Tizzard Graham J. , Wilson Claire , Potgieter Herman
Published: March 2014

The crystal structures of a new polymorph and seven new derivatives of 2-(1-phenyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)pyridine have been characterized and examined along with three structures from the literature to identify trends in their intermolecular contact patterns and packing arrangements in order to develop an insight into the crystallization behaviour of this class of compound. Seven unique C—H...Xcontacts were identified in the structures and three of these are present in four or more structures, indicating that these are reliable supramolecular synthons. Analysis of the packing arrangements of the molecules usingXPacidentified two closely related supramolecular constructs that are present in eight of the 11 structures; in all cases, the structures feature at least one of the three most common intermolecular contacts, suggesting a clear relationship between the intermolecular contacts and the packing arrangements of the structures. Both the intermolecular contacts and packing arrangements appear to be remarkably consistent between structures featuring different functional groups, with the expected exception of the carboxylic acid derivative 4-(4-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl) benzoic acid (L11), where the introduction of a strong hydrogen-bonding group results in a markedly different supramolecular structure being adopted. The occurrence of these structural features has been compared with the packing efficiency of the structures and their melting points in order to assess the relative favourability of the supramolecular structural features in stabilizing the crystal structures.
Internet use by international graduate students in the USA seeking health information
Authors: Yoon JungWon , Kim Soojung
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– Considering that the internet is a useful source for health information, especially by foreign-born students, this exploratory study aimed to investigate international graduate students' internet use in the context of seeking health information.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data were collected from 54 Korean graduate students in the USA using a survey questionnaire. Quantitative analysis using SPSS was conducted to describe Korean graduate students' internet use for seeking health information and to identify factors that possibly influence their health-information seeking activities.

Findings

– The survey participants preferred Korean resources because of language problems and the internet was the primary source. They reported difficulties in identifying appropriate health information sources and understanding medical information. They often sought online health information to solve their or their family's current health problems and consequently, personal relevance was regarded as an important evaluation criterion, as was accuracy.

Research limitations/implications

– By looking at an understudied user group, this study leads to a better understanding of the patterns of internet use for seeking health information among a specific ethnic group. The findings of this study demonstrate the needs of health education materials and guidelines that introduce credible health information sources and medical information for Korean graduate students and their families.

Originality/value

– Despite the increasing number of international students in the USA, there is a lack of research on the health information-seeking behavior of international students. The findings of this study will help health education specialists and health information professionals provide international students with necessary health information.
An examination of the information disclosure behavior of infertility bloggers
Authors: Knoll Maria , Bronstein Jenny
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– The study aimed to investigate the information disclosure behavior of women bloggers who suffer from infertility by examining their self-disclosure as it relates to the anonymity patterns they adopted.

Design/methodology/approach

– A survey was distributed to approximately 300 authors of infertility blogs, 135 bloggers answered the request to take part in the study. The survey gathered basic demographic and blogging practice data, and measured different elements of the bloggers' discursive and visual anonymity as well as their patters of self-disclosure.

Findings

– Findings reveal that the majority of respondents identify themselves on their blogs and only a small percentage decided to be totally anonymous, and about half of the bloggers post actual photos of themselves and their lives. The participants reported a high rate of self-disclosure, revealing sensitive information, letting their defenses down, disclosing highly intimate details about their lives, writing openly about their infertility treatments on their blog. No significant correlation was observed between visual and discursive anonymity and the perceived self-disclosure of participants. Results show that the more anonymous the bloggers are, the more afraid they become that their blog may be read by people they know offline. On the other hand, the more identifiable the bloggers are, the more willingness they show to share the content of their journal with people they know offline. The majority of participants expressed concerns that blogging could negatively impact their lives.

Originality/value

– This study explores an alternate explanation through the examination of the bloggers' self-disclosure patterns as they relate to the degree of anonymity adopted.
An integrated framework of online generative capability: interview from digital immigrants
Authors: Chris Zhao Yuxiang , Xu Xiaojuan , Sun Xiaoling , Zhu Qinghua
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– In the Web 2.0 era, more and more digital immigrants actively participate in blogging, video sharing, online rating, and micro blogging, etc. However, some may be more skilled in producing and generating online content while others still meet some barriers in doing so. Thus, it is interesting to investigate the online generative capability of digital immigrants in Web 2.0 context. This paper seeks to address this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors selected Shanghai as their target province in this study for its large scale of internet users. An in-depth semi-structured interview was used as their research method. They selected several community clubs as the interview settings. In addition, age was adopted as a threshold to define the Chinese digital immigrants for its convenience in sampling.

Findings

– Chinese digital immigrants are playing an important role in content generating, and have a great potential in the future contribution, and a number of digital immigrants regard the content generating as a pretty easy work while some others felt difficulties, even frustrated and exhausted when generating content. About the content type, digital immigrants prefer to generate that content with low granularity. About the motivation, the intrinsic motivation and the extrinsic motivation with an internalized focus play a dominant role. About the generating mode, digital immigrants prefer to generate content individually or collectively.

Originality/value

– This paper develops the concept of online generative capability by adapting the notion of generativity from other disciplines to the characteristics of Web 2.0. Then an integrated conceptual framework is built and evaluated. Practically, the paper puts forward some implications for the designers, managers, and information service staff from different perspectives to facilitate the digital immigrant's online generative capability.
A new goal-directed benchmarking for supplier selection in the presence of undesirable outputs
Authors: Azadi Majid , Farzipoor Saen Reza , Hosseinzadeh Zoroufchi Kamyar
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– In this paper, the authors extend the goal-directed benchmarking theory proposed by Stewart for benchmarking and selecting suppliers. This extension is in recognition of the fact that benchmarking for suppliers is more than a pure monitoring process and includes a component of future planning. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– In this paper, the proposed model utilizes a goal programming structure to find points on the efficient frontier which are realistically attainable by suppliers in the presence of undesirable outputs, but at the same time achieving a closer method to long-term organizational goals (as distinct from the local performance of individual suppliers).

Findings

– The contributions of the current paper are as follows: the proposed model considers undesirable outputs in the context of goal-directed benchmarking. The proposed model does not demand weights from the decision maker. The proposed model can be easily computerized, enabling it to serve as a decision making tool to assist decision makers. For the first time, the proposed model is applied for the supplier selection and benchmarking.

Originality/value

– To the best of knowledge of the authors, there is not any reference that discusses supplier selection problem and benchmarking in the presence of undesirable outputs in the context of goal-directed benchmarking.
Effects of cultural assimilation on the performance of a construction project – evidence from UAE
Authors: Ullah Khan Asad
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of the national culture on the performance of a construction project in the UAE. This study benchmarks reason for the success or failure of construction projects from the cultural perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study takes a case study approach, using the qualitative research method. Data were collected through participant observation and project records as part of the lessons learned and the data were analysed using the coding procedure of grounded theory. Re-confirmation and cross-checking interviews were also conducted to confirm the correctness of the coding. The qualitative data were expressed in quantitative terms to signify statistically the effect of the national culture on the construction project. In this way, the research methodology employed triangulation in its data analysis.

Findings

– This study found differences in the national culture of the Chinese construction project management teams in overseas construction projects in the UAE. The level of uncertainty and long-term orientation contributed to the success of one of the construction projects under scrutiny and the failure of the other.

Research limitations/implications

– The study was limited to two construction projects in the UAE. Further research into construction projects is required to validate whether the national culture is generally an element to consider in overseas construction projects.

Practical implications

– The research study provides reasons for the success and failure of the two projects from the perspective of differences in national culture. Understanding the cultural differences in international construction projects should help to resolve project issues before these need to be terminated. The termination of a project has economic and social implications for all the stakeholders.

Originality/value

– No research study was found to have identified the national culture dimensions of overseas construction project management teams in the UAE. The longitudinal study helped to understand cultural assimilation during the execution of construction projects in the UAE.
Methodology for optimizing geographical distribution and capacities of biomass power plants in Sabah, East Malaysia
Authors: Seng Lim Yun , Lee Koh Siong , Morris Stella
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– Biomass waste can be used as fuel in biomass power plants to generate electricity. It is a type of renewable energy widely available in Malaysia because 12 million tons of the biomass waste is produced every year. At present, only 5 per cent of the total biomass waste in Sabah, one of the states in Malaysia, is used to generate electricity for on-site consumption. The remaining 95 per cent of the biomass waste has not been utilized because the transportation cost for shifting the waste from the plantations to the power plants is substantial, hence making the cost of the biomass generated electricity to be high. Therefore, a methodology is developed and presented in this paper to determine the optimum geographic distribution and capacities of the biomass power plants around a region so that the cost of biomass generated electricity can be minimized. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– The methodology is able to identify the potential locations of biomass power plants on any locations on a region taking into account the operation and capital costs of the power plants as well as the cost of connecting the power plants to the national grid. The methodology is programmed using Fortran.

Findings

– This methodology is applied to Sabah using the real data. The results generated from the methodology show the best locations and capacities of biomass power plants in Sabah. There are 20 locations suitable for biomass power plants. The total capacity of these biomass power plants is 4,996 MW with an annual generation of 35,013 GWh. This is sufficient to meet all the electricity demand in Sabah up to 2030.

Originality/value

– The methodology is an effective tool to determine the best geographic locations and sizes of the biomass power plants around a region.
Evaluating public consultation in nuclear energy: the importance of problem structuring and scale
Authors: Hurlbert Margot
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– This paper hypothesizes that in respect of developing nuclear energy, utilizing one process, on one occasion, and with only the development of nuclear energy as the “policy problem” on which consultations are based will not be successful; a more successful model occurs over the long term, utilizes an iterative process of engagement, and multiple framing of related energy issues (in addition to the development of nuclear energy). The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper reviews and analyzes the framing of issues and chosen mechanisms of public consultations employed by the Government of Saskatchewan in relation to the nuclear energy future for Saskatchewan. These mechanisms are reviewed based on the perceptions and comments made by members of the public within the consultations which were recorded, coded and analysed, as well as a series of semi-structured qualitative interviews with key personnel involved in the consultation process. The three mechanisms of public participation employed by the Government of Saskatchewan are analyzed and evaluated and a model developed to facilitate the analysis.

Findings

– Alternative measures of successful participation are useful. The framing of issues, the time frame of analysis, and quality of communication flows are all determinative of success. The utilization of a combination of participatory mechanisms is also beneficial. An optimal strategy of public consultations respecting energy is developed based on interviews with key personnel in the policy field.

Research limitations/implications

– This research is based only on the perceptions of participants expressed within the participatory processes and key personnel in the energy policy field of Saskatchewan.

Originality/value

– This paper offers a model linking several policy considerations useful to future energy policy public consultations.
Behavioral explanation of contagion between oil and stock markets
Authors: Ghorbel Achraf , Abbes Boujelbene Mouna , Boujelbene Younes
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to investigate empirical evidence of behavioral contagion between oil market, US market and stock markets of oil-importing and oil-exporting countries, during the oil shock and US financial crisis period of 2008-2009, after controlling for fundamentals-driven co-movements.

Design/methodology/approach

– To examine the volatility spillover among oil market and stock markets, the conditional variance of the trivariate BEKK-GARCH model includes three variables: oil returns, US index returns, and the respective individual market returns of 22 oil-importing and exporting countries. The authors estimate the time-varying correlation coefficients between the prediction error of oil market and each stock index. Also, the authors estimate the time-varying correlation coefficients between the prediction error of US market and each stock index.

Findings

– The estimation of the trivariate BEKK-GARCH model for VIX, oil market and 23 stock markets of oil-importing and oil-exporting countries suggests the volatility spillover of American investor sentiment to stock market and oil market returns. To capture the pure contagion effects between oil market and stock markets, the authors estimate the forecasting errors of time-varying parameter using the Kalman independently of macroeconomic fundamentals factors. The authors analyze the dynamic correlation between forecasting errors of oil price returns and stock indices returns. The authors show a sharp increase in time-varying correlation coefficients during the oil crisis and US financial crisis period of 2008-2009, which provides strong evidence of herding contagion between oil market and stock markets during the turmoil period.

Originality/value

– This paper makes an original contribution in identifying the behavioral contagion between oil market, US market and stock markets of oil-importing and exporting countries especially during the oil shock and US financial crisis period of 2008-2009. Specifically, the authors consider investor sentiment and herding bias to explain the volatility transmission between oil and stock market returns.
Unhappy anniversary?
Authors: Hanley Joe , Marsland David
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the importance and nature of relationships of trust in care settings. The paper addresses the central question of what is it about these kinds of relationships that is associated with harm and abuse?

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper takes a discursive approach, based, implicitly, on an ecological framework of analysis.

Findings

– The conclusion is that the relationships between staff and service users in residential care settings are characterised by non-mutual dependency, isolation and unequal decision-making powers. Therefore such relationships deserve special focus and attention in order to safeguard and protect the people concerned.

Practical implications

– The paper implies that practitioners and policy makers should find ways to ensure that they listen more closely to people living in residential settings. Practitioners should ask more about the quality of relationships that people enjoy with the staff that support them.

Originality/value

– The paper suggests that in order to safeguard people more effectively, practitioners and policy makers should reconsider the central focus of their energies and revisit issues such as isolation, in the lives of disabled and older people living in residential care.
The more the better?
Authors: Koch Christian
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop a combined social constructivist, internal and external conceptualisation of the process of realising offshore wind farms, and to investigate costs, time, delays and operational performance results of offshore wind farm power plant projects in Denmark and Sweden with a view to possible strategic misrepresentation.

Design/methodology/approach

– Desk study of a sample of seven Danish and Swedish offshore wind farms using triangulation of publicly available material.

Findings

– Some of the wind farm projects are successful and some less successful. In the latter group, budget and time overruns and under-performance are found. The paper discusses specific elements of possible strategic misrepresentation but finds a contradictory pattern. Also competences developed on the basis of experience do not produce clear results, since more recent wind farm performance is poorer than earlier.

Research limitations/implications

– If desk research were combined with other methods, it would be possible to detect projects ' internal phenomena better.

Practical implications

– There is a need to improve the efficiency of the wind farm building process and to improve the quality of offshore wind turbines, their foundations and cabling.

Originality/value

– Renewable energy power plants comprise an important societal investment, yet their costs and possible cost reductions are poorly understood.
Rethinking construction cost overruns: cognition, learning and estimation
Authors: Ahiaga-Dagbui Dominic D. , Smith Simon D
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– Drawing on mainstream arguments in the literature, the paper presents a coherent and holistic view on the causes of cost overruns, and the dynamics between cognitive dispositions, learning and estimation. A cost prediction model has also been developed using data mining for estimating final cost of projects. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– A mixed-method approach was adopted: a qualitative exploration of the causes of cost overrun followed by an empirical development of a final cost model using artificial neural networks.

Findings

– A conceptual model to distinguish between the often conflated causes of underestimation and cost overruns on large publicly funded projects. The empirical model developed in this paper achieved an average absolute percentage error of 3.67 percent with 87 percent of the model predictions within a range of ±5 percent of the actual final cost.

Practical implications

– The model developed can be converted to a desktop package for quick cost predictions and the generation of various alternative solutions for a construction project in a sort of what-if analysis for the purposes of comparison. The use of the model could also greatly reduce the time and resources spent on estimation.

Originality/value

– A thorough discussion on the dynamics between cognitive dispositions, learning and cost estimation has been presented. It also presents a conceptual model for understanding two often conflated issues of cost overrun and under-estimation.
Hearing voices simulation: process and outcomes of training
Authors: Patterson Sue , Goulter Nicole , Weaver Tim
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the experience and impact of targeted training involving simulation of auditory hallucinations on attitudes and practice of professionals working with people with mental illness.

Design/methodology/approach

– Pragmatic mixed-method study. Data were collected from 83 professionals who completed training using cross-sectional survey and focus groups. Descriptive, comparative and thematic analyses were performed.

Findings

– Training was associated with changes in thinking and attitude related to working with people who hear voices. Participants, who commonly found the simulation confronting, drew on the experience to deepen appreciation of coping with voices that are distressing and develop a new frame of reference for practice. They positioned themselves differently and described adopting a range of practices consistent with the recovery approach. Environmental constraints variously impacted on capacity to enact these practices.

Research limitations/implications

– The study was conducted in one centre using a bespoke survey instrument with a sample intrinsically motivated to complete training. Hence, caution should be exercised with regard to generalisability. However, findings are consistent with the limited published literature and the mixed-method approach provided a comprehensive understanding.

Practical implications

– The paper demonstrated that the training employed can support development of patient centred, recovery-oriented practices. These are likely essential to optimising patient and service outcomes. Further research is needed to examine the impact of training on a broader cross section of professionals and the outcomes for patients.

Originality/value

– The paper provides important new insights regarding the mechanisms by which training can contribute to development of patient-centred care.
Development of a competency framework for a specialist dementia service
Authors: Smythe Analisa , Jenkins Catharine , Bentham Pete , Oyebode Jan
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to discuss the development of a competency framework for staff working in a specialist service for people with dementia.

Design/methodology/approach

– A qualitative and purposive methodology was used and included focus groups, questionnaires and interviews. Content analysis together with synthesis of literature was used to generate the competency framework.

Findings

– A competency framework was developed with eight main clusters. These were: skills for working effectively with people with dementia and their families; advanced assessment skills; enhancing psychological well-being; understanding behaviours; enhancing physical well-being; clinical leadership; understanding ethical and legal issues; and demonstrating skills in personal and professional development.

Research limitations/implications

– Further research is needed to include service user perspectives.

Practical implications

– The framework could be implemented in practice by managers, health care professionals and training providers as a tool to identify strengths and limitations in knowledge skills and attitudes and to identify areas for competency development through specific training.

Originality/value

– The competency framework contributes to the development of a training curriculum for staff working within a specialist service.
Assuring materials availability during the production transfer process
Authors: Fredriksson Anna , Wänström Carl , Medbo Lars
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– The materials planning (MP) environment sets the prerequisites for the MP process. Before and during production transfer and start-up (PTS) supply chain uncertainty of the MP environment increases, as the company goes from a known to an unknown situation. The purpose of this paper is to describe the impact of the MP environment on the MP process before and during PTS.

Design/methodology/approach

– A conceptual framework describing the MP environment before and during PTS is developed and applied to one case of outsourcing from Sweden to China. The framework is based on a literature review and further evaluated by both researchers and managers.

Findings

– A conceptual framework describing the dynamic MP environment before and during PTS has been developed compared to previously static MP environments descriptions. In addition, this framework proved to be useful in analysing the importance of various characteristics of the MP environment before and during PTS.

Practical implications

– The study highlights the importance of a proactive approach to materials availability when transferring production. The conceptual framework developed here can be used as a checklist to identify the characteristics of the MP environment that are most important to ensuring materials availability.

Originality/value

– The paper highlights the PTS when outsourcing, a substantial time frame with a large impact on success. This is an important contribution, given the focus of previous outsourcing research on strategic issues. Further, the paper demonstrates the differences between static and dynamic MP environments.
Maintenance policy selection model – a case study in the palm oil industry
Authors: Ding Siew-Hong , Kamaruddin Shahrul , Abdul Azid Ishak
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– An optimal maintenance policy is key to the improvement of the availability and reliability of a system at an acceptable level without a significant increase in investment. However, the selection process is a complicated task because it requires in-depth knowledge on maintenance policies and on the technical requirements of maintenance. The difficulties and complexity of the selection process arise from the combination of conflicting maintenance constraints such as available spares, size of workforce, and maintenance skills. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– The proposed maintenance policy selection (MPS) model is separated into three major phases. The first phase identifies the critical system (CS) based on failure frequency. The failure mechanism in the CS is then analyzed by using a failure mode and effect analysis in the second phase. In the third phase, a multi-criteria decision making method, called the technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution, is adopted to identify an optimal maintenance policy that can minimize the failures.

Findings

– Through a case study, preventive maintenance was selected as the optimal maintenance policy for the reduction of system failures. The results obtained from the case study not only provide evidence of the feasibility and practicability of the developed model, but also test the acceptability and rationale of the developed model from the industry perspective. Valuable knowledge and experience from employees were extracted and utilized through the proposed model to rank the optimal maintenance policy based on the capability to reduce failure.

Originality/value

– The practicality of the MPS model is justified through an implementation in the palm oil industry. The application of the MPS model can also be extended to other manufacturing industries.
Adaptation of the value stream mapping approach to the design of lean engineer-to-order production systems
Authors: Matt D.T.
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this research is to examine relevant parts of the case of an Italian steel construction company's green field plant design process to identify best practice guidelines for the adaptation and use of value stream mapping (VSM) in the design of lean engineer-to-order (ETO) production systems.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper reviews the most relevant literature in the field of VSM and discusses its limitations regarding the application in an ETO environment. Based on the analysis of an industrial case, the original VSM methodology is adapted with a special focus on ETO. Information was collected through multiple site visits and semi-structured interviews with the company's key staff of the project, as well as examination of relevant company documentations.

Findings

– A set of guidelines was developed on the basis of an industrial case research. In this context, major attention was given to two aspects: the introduction of synchronization points in front of merge-activities in the value stream, and the splitting of customer orders into suitable production orders and equal time increments of work.

Research limitations/implications

– The findings of this research are limited due to the focused nature of a case study-based research. However, the obtained results encourage assuming its transferability to similar problems.

Originality/value

– This paper provides an original industrial case study with valuable insights for the adaptation of the VSM methodology to batch-of-one ETO environment.
Critical success factors for total productive manufacturing (TPM) deployment at Egyptian FMCG companies
Authors: Sabry Shaaban Mohamed , H. Awni Ali
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– In this paper, the authors study the critical success factors for deploying total productive manufacturing (TPM) programs in the Egyptian fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors study five Egyptian FMCG companies that have deployed TPM. Data were collected through interviewing group of middle managers in each company in addition to the TPM manager. Site visits were conducted for the purpose of data verification.

Findings

– The research identified nine factors affecting the success of TPM deployment. The importance of each of those factors depends on the stage of the TPM deployment maturity at the company.

Originality/value

– The main practical implication of this finding is to guide companies undergoing a deployment of TPM, particularly in developing countries, to focus on the factors that are most pertaining to the level of their deployment maturity.
Consumer engagement with self-expressive brands: brand love and WOM outcomes
Authors: Wallace Elaine , Buil Isabel , de Chernatony Leslie
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore attitudes of consumers who engage with brands through Facebook “likes”. It explores the extent to which these brands are self-expressive and examines the relationship between brand “liking” and brand outcomes. Brand outcomes include brand love and advocacy, where advocacy incorporates WOM and brand acceptance.

Design/methodology/approach

– Findings are presented from a survey of Facebook users who engage with a brand by “liking” it.

Findings

– Brands “liked” are expressive of the inner or social self. The study identifies a positive relationship between the self-expressive nature of brands “liked” and brand love. Consumers who engage with inner self-expressive brands are more likely to offer WOM for that brand. By contrast, consumers who engage with socially self-expressive brands are more likely to accept wrongdoing from a brand.

Research limitations/implications

– The research is exploratory and is limited to consumers who are engaged with a brand through “liking” it on the Facebook social network.

Practical implications

– The study offers suggestions for managers seeking to enhance brand engagement through Facebook “liking”, and to encourage positive brand outcomes (such as WOM) among consumers already engaged with a brand on Facebook.

Originality/value

– This paper provides new insights into consumer brand engagement evidenced through Facebook “liking”. It charts the relationship between “liked” self-expressive brands and brand love. Distinctions are drawn between brand outcomes among consumers who “like” for socially self-expressive reasons, and consumers who are brand engaged by “liking” to express their inner selves.
Exploring positively- versus negatively-valenced brand engagement: a conceptual model
Authors: D. Hollebeek Linda , Chen Tom
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– After gaining traction in business practice the “brand engagement” (BE) concept has transpired in the academic marketing/branding literature. BE has been defined as the level of a consumer's “cognitive, emotional and behavioral investment in specific brand interactions”. Although pioneering research provides exploratory insights, the majority of literature to-date addresses consumers' specific positively-valenced BE; thus largely overlooking potential negatively-valenced manifestations of this emerging concept and their ensuing implications. The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel BE conceptualization that extends to cover focal negatively-valenced, in addition to positively-valenced BE expressions, thus providing a more comprehensive theoretical model of BE. Specifically, while positively-valenced BE addresses consumers' favorable/affirmative cognitive, emotional and behavioral brand-related dynamics during focal brand interactions (e.g. brand-usage); negatively-valenced BE, by contrast, is exhibited through consumers' unfavorable brand-related thoughts, feelings, and behaviors during brand interactions.

Design/methodology/approach

– Drawing on netnographic methodology, the authors develop a conceptual model addressing the key characteristics of consumers' positively-/negatively-valenced BE, and derive a set of key BE triggers and consequences.

Findings

– Based on their analyses the authors develop a conceptual model, which addresses consumers' positively/negatively valenced BE, and key antecedents and consequences.

Research limitations/implications

– Future research is required, which tests and validates the proposed model for specific categories and brands using large-scale, quantitative analyses.

Practical implications

– Generating enhanced managerial understanding of positively/negatively valenced BE, this research contributes to guiding managerial decision making regarding the management of specific brands.

Originality/value

– By proposing a conceptual model incorporating positively-/negatively-valenced BE, this paper extends current insights in the branding/marketing literatures, thus contributing to managers and scholars.
Brand tribalism: an anthropological perspective
Authors: A. Taute Harry , Sierra Jeremy
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– Companies should move beyond product attribute positioning to fostering affective-laden relationships with customers, as customers often want to feel engaged with the brand they purchase. These brand tribal members share something emotively more than mere brand ownership. As measures of brand engagement continue to evolve, proven instruments measuring brand tribalism and studies investigating its explanatory power are limited. The purpose of this paper is to help fill this research fissure by offering a three-study approach, leaning on Sahlin's anthropological theory of segmented lineage.

Design/methodology/approach

– In Study 1, the authors develop and evaluate the measurement properties of a brand tribalism scale. Using survey data in Study 2 and Study 3, the applicability of brand tribalism on brand-response variables across two technological contexts is examined.

Findings

– Data drawn from ordinary brand users confirm scale validity while questioning the efficacy of communal social structures to affect brand attitude and repurchase intentions.

Research limitations/implications

– Moving consumers from occasional brand users to members of their brand tribe should be one of many company objectives. The studies here offer acumen as to why such objectives should be pursued and how they can be met.

Originality/value

– The data from the three studies lend insight to the importance of brand tribalism, its measurement properties, and raise issues regarding its effect on key brand-related outcomes.
Monitoring CEOs: can insider-dominated boards do a good job?
Authors: Wang Yuwei
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the monitoring effectiveness of insider-dominated boards and outsider-dominated boards on different types of CEOs.

Design/methodology/approach

– To test whether boards monitor inside CEOs and outside CEOs differently and to compare the sizes of the effects across board types, the paper relates CEO resignations to performance measure. The paper tests the hypotheses using logit models to estimate the probability of a CEO change.

Findings

– It is widely believed that only an outsider-dominated board can provide effective management oversight. The paper finds evidence supporting this view after categorized CEOs based on their affiliation with their firms upon hire. However, the paper also documents that after the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX), an insider-dominated board is just as effective as an outsider board in monitoring if the CEO was initially hired from outside of the firm. This suggests that there is no difference between insider and outsider board monitoring of outside CEOs. Therefore, after SOX, as far as board monitoring is concerned, what matters is the independence between the CEO and the firm rather than the board structure itself.

Research limitations/implications

– If effective board monitoring is the reason of the revised listing standards approved by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 2003 to require companies listed on NYSE or Nasdaq to have a board that is composed of a majority of independent (or outsider) directors, the paper has provided more flexibility and choices to the listed firms. For example, firms that will be better off with insider boards can choose to hire outside CEOs because monitoring effects on outside CEOs are the same regardless of board types after SOX.

Originality/value

– The results of this paper have interesting implication. First, the paper has shown that an outsider-dominated board is still a better monitor even after categorized CEOs based on their affiliation with their firms upon hire. Second, if effective board monitoring is the reason of the revised listing standards approved by SEC in 2003 to require companies listed on NYSE or Nasdaq to have a board that is composed of a majority of independent (or outsider) directors, the paper has provided more flexibility and choices to the listed firms. For example, firms that will be better off with insider boards can choose to hire outside CEOs because monitoring effects on outside CEOs are the same regardless of board types after SOX.
Yield differences between coupon and principal STRIPS
Authors: Vonhoff Volker
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– Coupon and principal Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal Securities (STRIPS) maturing at the same date often trade at different yields. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper analyzes for the first time the maturity structure of these differences for the US Treasury STRIPS market.

Findings

– The paper surprisingly finds that short-term coupon STRIPS persistently trade at lower yields whereas long-term coupon STRIPS trade at higher yields compared to matched-maturity principal STRIPS.

Originality/value

– An integrated analysis of Treasury STRIPS and the underlying notes market allows us to isolate two determinants: first, properties of the underlying notes that spill over to principal STRIPS, and second, the liquidity of coupon STRIPS measured by stripping activity and stripping volume.
A long-term assessment of research productivity in accounting and finance departments in UK: 1991-2010
Authors: C. Chan Kam , Chang Chih-Hsiang , Y. Tong Jamie , (Frank) Zhang Feida
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to conduct an assessment of the research productivity of the accounting and finance community in UK higher education institutions (HEIs) during 1991-2010 using 44 high-quality accounting and finance journals.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors follow Chan et al. (2011) to use their 22 finance journals. For accounting journals, the paper includes a set of 24 accounting journals that were used in a global accounting ranking study by Chan et al. (2007). The paper uses the number of coauthors (n) and coaffiliations (M) to derive the weighted articles as the measurement metric.

Findings

– In general, the research output in terms of weighted articles steadily increases during the 20-year period. The University of Manchester, London School of Economics, and London Business School are the top-three HEIs using 44 accounting and finance journals for the full sample. The authors also find that it is a challenge to publish multiple articles. If an author is able to manage five total appearances, he/she is in the top 16 percent among the 1,447 UK authors. Furthermore, the paper finds that many highly productive authors are able to move to different jobs during the 20-year period.

Research limitations/implications

– The assessment of research productivity is, unavoidably, based on a set of selected accounting and finance journals. Hence, no matter what journal screening criteria the paper uses, there is always a subjective element in the process. If other journals or more/less journals were to be included in a similar study, different results may emerge. As a way to extend the value of the research, it would be interesting to obtain broader institutional knowledge, such as the tenure requirements of HEIs in UK, and information on the institutions where faculty members obtained their doctoral degrees, so that the authors can better evaluate the research productivity among accounting and finance community in the UK.

Originality/value

– The paper conducts an assessment of the research productivity of accounting and finance community in UK HEIs during 1991-2010 using 44 high-quality accounting and finance journals. The study fills the gap of the extant literature to compliment the assessment of the UK accounting and finance departments in RAEs.