bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Customer relationship management as advertised
Authors: Wang Ping , Burton Swanson E.
Published: November 2008

Purpose

The paper aims to raise the question: how can a new information technology's (IT's) early momentum toward widespread adoption and eventual institutionalization be sustained? The purpose of the paper is to examine sustaining technological momentum as a form of institutional work and entrepreneurship not widely recognized as such.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reports a case study of Business Week's special advertising section used in 2000‐2004 to both exploit and help sustain the momentum of customer relationship management (CRM).

Findings

The study finds that the advertisement section's producers employed it over several years to recurrently produce and disseminate credible discourse advancing CRM, incorporating models for action, and providing fresh meanings to the organizing vision for this technology so as to accentuate its progress and keep it worthy of continued attention. Most significantly, acquired momentum, while problematic to sustain, can nevertheless serve as its own resource, to be continuously reinvested in the form of public discourse which must itself be kept “lively” so that momentum may be extended.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the institutional explanation of IT diffusion by theorizing the process of sustaining technological momentum as an important institution‐building task. In particular, it illuminates the contribution of entrepreneurially produced and disseminated discourse to this process and provides an illustration and analysis of specific forms of institutional work, strategies, and tactics employed in the process. Additionally, the paper suggests that institutional work for sustaining technological momentum differs in certain respects from that needed to launch a technology so as to acquire momentum in the first place.
Do virtual communities matter for the social support of patients?
Authors: Marco Leimeister Jan , Schweizer Karin , Leimeister Stefanie , Krcmar Helmut
Published: November 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore whether online communities meet their potential of providing environments in which social relationships can be readily established to help patients cope with their disease through social support. The paper aims to develop and test a model to examine antecedents of the formation of virtual relationships of cancer patients within virtual communities (VCs) as well as their effects in the form of social assistance.

Design/methodology/research

Data were collected from members of virtual patient communities in the German‐speaking internet through an online survey to which 301 cancer patients responded. The data were analyzed with partial least square (PLS) structural equation modeling.

Findings

Virtual relationships for patients are established in VCs and play an important role in meeting patients' social needs. Important determinants for the formation of virtual relationships within virtual communities for patients are general internet usage intensity (active posting vs lurking) and the perceived disadvantages of CMC. The paper also found that virtual relationships have a strong effect on virtual support of patients; more than 61 per cent of the variance of perceived social assistance of cancer patients was explained by cancer‐related VCs. Emotional support and information exchange delivered through these virtual relationships may help patients to better cope with their illness.

Research limitations/implications

In contrast to prior research, known determinants for the formation of virtual relationships (i.e. marital status, educational status, gender, and disease‐related factors such as the type of cancer as control variables, as well as general internet usage motives, and perceived advantages of CMC as direct determinants) played a weak role in this study of German cancer patients. Studies on other patient populations (i.e. patients with other acute illnesses in other cultures) are needed to see if results remain consistent.

Practical implications

Participants and administrators of patient VCs have different design criteria for the improvement of VCs for patients (e.g. concerning community management, personal behaviour and the usage of information in online communities). Once the social mechanisms taking place in online communities are better understood, the systematic redesign of online communities according to the needs of their users should be given priority.

Originality/value

Little research has been conducted examining the role of VCs for social relationships and social networks in general and for patients in particular. Antecedents and effects of virtual social relationships of patients have not been sufficiently theoretically or empirically researched to be better understood. This research combines various determinants and effects of virtual relationships from prior related research. These are integrated into a conceptual model and applied empirically to a new target group, i.e. VCs for patients.
Enterprise resource planning and the post bureaucratic organization
Authors: Lowe Alan , Locke Joanne
Published: November 2008

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to use a case study setting involving the implementation of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to expose and analyze the conflicts in the characterizations of the post bureaucratic organisation (PBO) in the literature. ERP implementations are often accompanied by increasing levels of stress in organizations that place pressures on organizational relationships and structures. Additionally, ERPs are regarded as introducing their own techno‐logic of centralization, standardization and formalization that provides an apparent contrast to the exhortations about employee empowerment.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study of ERP implementation in a medium‐sized entity is presented. The paper explores aspects of ERP and PBO from the context of postmodern organization theory.

Findings

Some concerns about PBO identified in the literature are reflected in the case situation. For example, there is a commitment to give up private time and work flexibly by some employees. The paper also provides evidence of the way the management team substitute their reliance on a key individual knowledge worker for that of an ERP system and external vendor support. Paradoxically, trust in that same knowledge worker and between core users of the system is essential to enable the implementation of the system.

Originality/value

This paper adds empirical insight to a predominantly theoretical literature. The case evidence indicates some conflicting implications in the concurrent adoption of PBO and ERP.
The role of branding in the value chain
Authors: Glaser Stan
Published: November 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to address the question: how are members of the value chain aligned to a common goal? It attempts to demonstrate that the brand is the one mechanism that unites both the supply and demand sides of the value chain.

Design/methodology/approach

Mission, vision and transaction models are critically evaluated as aligning mechanisms to the value chain. Illustrating that transaction model with an e‐procurement example it is argued that all approaches are deficient in aligning stakeholders, particularly customers. In stressing the sociotechnical qualities of the supply chain, it is argued the brand is the only common element to the entire demand chain.

Findings

Brand strategy management should be both a demand and supply chain priority, in contrast to its general demand chain focus.

Research limitations/implications

There needs to be empirical demonstration of the role that the brand plays in value chain dynamics, particularly the behaviour of participants in the supply chain.

Practical implications

The responsibilities of marketing management become more focussed on to the requirements of the supply chain.

Originality/value

While the role of the brand in the consumer and customer markets has been widely discussed its importance as a value chain coordinating mechanism is highlighted in this paper.
Solution of thermo‐fluid problems by collocation with local pressure correction
Authors: Kosec Gregor , Šarler Božidar
Published: November 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the application of the mesh‐free local radial basis function collocation method (RBFCM) in solution of coupled heat transfer and fluid‐flow problems.

Design/methodology/approach

The involved temperature, velocity and pressure fields are represented on overlapping five nodded sub‐domains through collocation by using multiquadrics radial basis functions (RBF). The involved first and second derivatives of the fields are calculated from the respective derivatives of the RBFs. The energy and momentum equations are solved through explicit time stepping.

Findings

The performance of the method is assessed on the classical two dimensional de Vahl Davis steady natural convection benchmark for Rayleigh numbers from 103 to 108 and Prandtl number 0.71. The results show good agreement with other methods at a given range.

Originality/value

The pressure‐velocity coupling is calculated iteratively, with pressure correction, predicted from the local mass continuity equation violation. This formulation does not require solution of pressure Poisson or pressure correction Poisson equations and thus much simplifies the previous attempts in the field.
An artificial compressibility method for buoyancy‐driven flow in heterogeneous saturated packed beds
Authors: Visser C.J. , Malan A.G. , Meyer J.P.
Published: November 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to focus on modeling buoyancy driven viscous flow and heat transfer through saturated packed pebble‐beds via a set of homogeneous volume‐averaged conservation equations in which local thermal disequilibrium is accounted for.

Design/methodology/approach

The local thermal disequilibrium accounted for refers to the solid and liquid phases differing in temperature in a volume‐averaged sense, which is modeled by describing each phase with its own governing equation. The partial differential equations are discretized and solved via a vertex‐centered edge‐based dual‐mesh finite volume algorithm. A compact stencil is used for viscous terms, as this offers improved accuracy compared to the standard finite volume formulation. A locally preconditioned artificial compressibility solution strategy is employed to deal with pressure incompressibility, whilst stabilisation is achieved via a scalar‐valued artificial dissipation scheme.

Findings

The developed technology is demonstrated via the solution of natural convective flow inside a heated porous axisymmetric cavity. Predicted results were in general within 10 per cent of experimental measurements.

Originality/value

This is the first instance in which both artificial compressibility and artificial dissipation is employed to model flow through saturated porous materials.
A short note on Joule heating in electro‐osmotic flows
Authors: Nithiarasu P. , Lewis R.W.
Published: November 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to numerically model electro‐osmotic flow (EOF), Joule heating and heat transfer in a channel filled with an electrolyte and to introduce a consistent non‐dimensional scaling.

Design/methodology/approach

The finite element method along with a fractional step method is employed. Empirical relations for temperature dependent viscosity, electrical and thermal conductivities are also employed. Unstructured meshes are used in the numerical calculations.

Findings

The consistent scaling introduced in the present study is a better and easier way of modelling Joule heating effects in EOF.

Originality/value

The non‐dimensional scaling proposed is novel and consistent. The novelty is also introduced in the solution procedure as this is used for the first time to tackle EOF with Joule heating and conjugate heat transfer.
Finite element numerical analysis of blood flow and temperature distribution in three‐dimensional image‐based finger model
Authors: He Ying , Himeno Ryutaro , Liu Hao , Yokota Hideo , Gang Sun Zhi
Published: November 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the blood flow and temperature distribution in human extremities.

Design/methodology/approach

The simulation is carried out from three aspects. Firstly, the hemodynamics in the human upper limb is analyzed by one‐dimensional model for pulsalite flow in an elastic tube. Secondly, the blood flow and heat transfer through living tissues are described basing on porous media theory, and the tissue model is coupled with the one‐dimensional blood flow model. With respect to geometric modeling, MR‐image‐based modeling method is employed to construct a realistic model of the human finger.

Findings

It is found that the temperature variation is closely related to the blood flow variation in the fingertip and the blood flow distribution in the tissue is dependent on the locations of large arteries and veins.

Originality/value

Blood flow and temperature distribution in a 3D realistic human finger are firstly obtained by coupling the blood circulation and porous media model.
Accounting measures of operating performance outcomes for Australian mergers
Authors: Lau Ben , Proimos Alex , Wright Sue
Published: November 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse success at the corporate level for 72 Australian mergers between publicly listed firms during the period 1999‐2004, and to reassess evidence in earlier Australian studies that contrasts findings from other countries which report a decline in post‐merger operating performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A number of accounting operating performance measures for profitability, cash flow, efficiency, leverage and growth are used to proxy for the success of the merger, which is defined in terms of an improvement in each merged firm's industry‐adjusted operating performance between the pre and post‐merger period. Both non‐parametric and parametric comparisons of these measures are presented.

Findings

Some evidence that mergers improve the operating performance of the post‐merger firm is found. Industry adjusted profitability, cash flows, efficiency and leverage measures were higher in the post‐merger period.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this study are limited by the small sample size, the focus on listed firms, and the use of only operating financial measures of merger success. Future research could examine more mergers over a longer time period, use alternative methods of performance benchmarking, and use alternative measures of merger success, such as share price performance.

Originality/value

Australian mergers led to improved corporate performance during the period 1999‐2004. This result is consistent with findings in other countries but has not been found in prior Australian research.
Qualitative characteristics of financial reporting: a historical perspective
Authors: Shahwan Yousef
Published: November 2008

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a historical review for several leading documents in relation to the objectives of financial statements. These documents are: The Trueblood Report, The Corporate Report, Making Corporate Reports Valuable; and Guidelines for Financial Reporting Standards. These documents have a significant importance in financial reporting literature.

Design/methodology/approach

Content analysis approach was adopted in this study given its analytical and comparative nature of historical documents. In terms of studying historical data, content analysis main advantage is objectivity, in addition to its ability to provide unobtrusive evidence of historical trends.

Findings

The historical review showed that the basic objective of financial statements is concerned with providing useful information for economic decision making. In addition, it emphasized that information is useful when: it shows economic reality of the financial statements (i.e. balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement); and it is relevant and reliable to users.

Practical implications

In view of the comparison and analysis above, the four documents emphasized on the usefulness of accounting for decision‐making purposes and as such it leads to an inference that accounts should essentially portray economic reality.

Originality/value

In light of current financial reporting failure, it is important to revise leading documents in relation to the objectives of financial statements and to evaluate current developments. This paper is of much value to the accounting profession, as well as to the corporate reporting setters.
A multidimensional approach to multilevel security
Authors: Winjum Eli , Kjetil Mølmann Bjørn
Published: November 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose and describe a concept for multilevel security (MLS) that may be advantageous in information systems with a limited number of security levels. The concept should also adapt to information systems with limited capacities.

Design/methodology/approach

Assuming that confidentiality, integrity and availability are mutually independent security attributes of a generic information object, security requirements are modelled as a multidimensional vector space. Each axis represents one dimension of security. An axis is divided into an arbitrary number of levels. The paper shows how rules from the classic MLS models may enforce one‐directional information flow simultaneously and independently along each axis. By controlling flow this way, insecure or undefined states cannot be reached.

Findings

Handling different MLS properties independently enables an effective verification algorithm based on simple logical or binary operations. Verification of rights can be executed within a few clock cycles.

Research limitations/implications

Future research includes formal in‐depth studies of potential applications in databases, sensor information, operating systems and communication networks.

Practical implications

Simple logical port circuits may implement the proposed verification method. The method is well suited for tamper proof devices immune to software‐based attacks.

Originality/value

The paper describes a MLS concept that combines dimensions of security, like confidentiality, integrity and availability. The concept intends to be a “light‐weight” alternative to classic MLS models.
The reliability of mandatory cash expenditure forecasts provided by Australian mining exploration companies in quarterly cash flow reports
Authors: Gallery Gerry , Nelson Jodie
Published: November 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the usefulness of pre‐production cash expenditure forecasts issued by Australian mining explorers in their quarterly cash‐flow reports.

Design/methodology/approach

Usefulness is determined by examining compliance and the reliability of forecasts (accuracy and bias) for a sample of 1,760 forecasts issued by 481 explorers in 2005/2006. The cross‐sectional variation in reliability is examined using regression analysis.

Findings

The findings reveal a high level of compliance but significant inaccuracies (median forecast error of around 50 percent of actual expenditure for exploration and evaluation expenditure and 85 percent for development expenditure), and some evidence of forecast bias. Forecast inaccuracy is more prevalent in firms that have poorer performance, greater financial slack, greater cash‐flow volatility, no financial leverage, and for firms that are smaller, in the pre‐development stage, and in the mineral (non‐oil and gas) sub‐industry.

Research limitations/implications

The analysis of forecast usefulness is confined to compliance and reliability. Further research could consider the value‐relevance and predictive ability of these forecasts.

Practical implications

The findings question the usefulness of mandatory forecasting by showing that the information role of forecasts in capital markets is impaired when firms have little discretion over the forecast decision, timing and specificity.

Originality/value

This is the first study to examine mandatory cash expenditure forecasts and makes a significant contribution to the small literature on mandatory financial forecasts.
Organizational life cycle and performance among SMEs
Authors: Lester Donald L. , Parnell John A. , “Rick” Crandall William , Menefee Michael L.
Published: November 2008

Purpose

This exploratory study seeks to bridge a gap in the literature by exploring the life cycle‐strategy relationship to discover the preferred strategy for high and low performing firms in four of the five stages of the organizational life cycle.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 600 managers randomly chosen from chamber of commerce membership lists in the southern USA were mailed an extensive scale that included items to measure life cycle stage, generic strategy, industry attractiveness and stability, size, and satisfaction with performance. The instrument included 20 life‐cycle items, four items for each of the five stages.

Findings

Partial support was found for the expected relationship between strategy and performance as firms move through the organizational life cycle. New, high‐performing organizations that were satisfied with their performance preferred first mover strategies, while renewing organizations categorized as high performers also emphasized the first mover strategic approach. Mature high performers preferred a uniqueness strategy over one based on efficiency.

Research limitations/implications

The fifth proposition, concerning declining firms, could not be adequately tested. Other limitations of this study include the limited sample size, the limited size variance of participating firms, and the cross‐industry nature of the sample. Combining the research stream of organizational life cycle with generic strategies and satisfaction with performance complicated the project.

Practical implications

Life cycle and performance research provides managers with a snapshot of high and low performing firms and an understanding of how their situation, decision‐making style, strategy and structure fit. High performers focus on proactive, first mover strategies.

Originality/value

The organizational life cycle is operationalized, demonstrating characteristics for high and low performing firms in each stage except decline.
Assessing the effect of social networks among Mexican enterprises
Authors: Castillo José , Jurado Jaime , Allen Stephen
Published: November 2008

Purpose

This purpose of this paper is to test if social network theory applies in a developing country like Mexico. A set of Mennonite milk processors is tested against non‐Mennonite milk processors along five dimensions of firm performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 61 milk processing firms is tested utilizing logistic regression where regression variables are financial fluidity, number of employees, age of the enterprise, productivity and efficiency, and other business related difficulties.

Findings

It appears that social network theory in the form of religious ties, applies in Mexico as it does in much different industrialized economies that have typically been the setting for previous tests of social network theory.

Research limitations/implications

Secondary data rather than primary data were used for this test, as a result, the usual battery of tests on research variables that ascertain validity and reliability could not be conducted. Moreover, the data covered only milk processors in northern Mexico.

Practical implications

It would appear that organizations might benefit from the open observance of religious practice at work, contrary to the secular approach of the past.

Originality/value

This paper may represent one of the first tests of network theory utilizing religious ties in Mexico.
Employee motivation: a Malaysian perspective
Authors: Islam Rafikul , Zaki Hj. Ismail Ahmad
Published: November 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the motivating factors of employees working in various Malaysian organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey method was adopted. The survey questionnaire consisted of two parts: respondents' personal information were obtained through Part A and in Part B, they were asked to rank the ten motivating factors in terms of their effectiveness. The motivating factors were compiled from the existing literature and refined through consultation with human resource professionals.

Findings

An ordered set of motivating factors for employees working in Malaysian organizations. Demographic factors like gender, race, education, etc. were found to have impact on the ranking of the factors.

Originality/value

The findings are expected to provide useful guidelines to managers while developing employee motivation programs.
Networked (interactive) position: a new view of developing and sustaining competitive advantage
Authors: Baffour Awuah Gabriel , Abraha Gebrekidan Desalegn
Published: November 2008

Purpose

In the extant literature a firm's development of its competitive advantage is seen to be the task of the firm alone. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new and a broader approach of how competitive advantage can be developed and maintained in today's highly competitive and dynamic markets. To this end, how a firm handles its relationships with significant actors in its network becomes very decisive for the development of its competitive advantage.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on a network approach, case studies have been used to shed lights on the extent to which the development of competitive advantage of firms affect and are affected by their interaction with some actors in a network of exchange relationships.

Findings

An important conclusion of this study is that a firm's highly valued performance, an indication of its strong position or competitive strength, has its roots in its regular and intensive interaction with some significant actors in its network.

Research limitations/implications

All firms in this study have demonstrated that competitive advantage can be achieved by building up a strong position through interaction, learning and adaptation with some significant actors in the marketplace. Since the study is based on one setting, extending a similar study to several settings will be very useful.

Originality/value

The paper provides insights into how a firm, in the effort to build its competitive advantage, draws on its own capabilities and complementary capabilities of its partners in a network.
Reflections on zero and zero‐centered spirituality in organizations
Authors: Karakas Fahri
Published: November 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to invite managers and practitioners to reflect on the meaning and implications of the concept of zero for individual and organizational spiritual growth.

Design/methodology/approach

Building on spirituality and complexity literatures, this paper stimulates non‐traditional thinking in organizational change and leadership. The paper uses the concept of zero as a creative metaphor for organizational development.

Findings

The paper introduces a systemic, unified, multidimensional, holistic, complex, chaotic and dynamic paradigm for organizations based on spirituality: paradigm zero. Zero represents paradox, transcendence, interconnectedness, balance, modesty, creativity, inspiration, and the essence and mystery of human existence.

Practical implications

This paper invites managers to consider a futurist perspective called zero‐centered thinking that enables creativity and reflection in the middle of complexity.

Originality/value

This paper builds on cutting edge spirituality and complexity concepts to enable new thinking for twenty‐first century managers and professionals. Zero philosophy provides organizations a new trans‐disciplinary paradigm based on spirituality, complexity, chaos, systems sciences, quantum physics, emergence, and Sufism.
Product market competition, regulation and dividend payout policy of Malaysian banks
Authors: Ameer Rashid
Published: November 2008

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the impact of the product market competition, regulations on the dividend policies of the listed banks, over the period 1995‐2005 in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

An ordered probit modelling technique and target adjustment model is used.

Findings

Significant differences are found in the payout of the banks categorized as selling non‐interest based banking products and mix of both interest and non‐interest based banking products. It is found that the decision to increase dividends is significantly related to earnings, and the decision to cut dividend is significantly related to the changes in the non‐performing loans, corporate and real estate sectors loans ratio and earnings losses.

Research limitations/implications

The research findings have implications for the regulators of banks.

Originality/value

The research provides a clear link between banks' portfolio choice and earnings that have implications for dividends in emerging markets.
Waste makes haste: Sarbanes‐Oxley, competitiveness and the subprime crisis
Authors: Nordberg Donald
Published: November 2008

Purpose

The passage of the Sarbanes‐Oxley Act of 2002 followed hard on the collapses of Enron and WorldCom. Waste makes haste. Official reports for US government agencies worried that the legislation may have impaired New York's competitiveness as a venue for international capital transactions. But a threat from a seemingly different direction – the subprime shakeout – exposed bigger issues. This paper aims to raise questions about many of the assumptions made in the discourse about the relative competitiveness of US and European capital markets.

Design/methodology/approach

Building on Healy and Palepu's analysis of Enron, it compares the root issues at Enron with a preliminary view of the sources of the subprime crisis to build an outline for regulatory response.

Findings

Remedies in Sarbanes‐Oxley failed to address several of the ailments in evidence in Enron. The haste of making “Sarbox” may have led us to waste an opportunity to prevent or reduce the impact of the subprime debacle.

Originality/value

The comparison of the seemingly unrelated cases reveals similar ethical gaps and regulatory lapses, suggesting a different type of legislative and regulatory response may be needed. It makes suggestions for further research to guide future policymaking.
Efficiency of authoritative disclosure recommendations
Authors: Miihkinen Antti
Published: November 2008

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the potential for disclosure recommendations given by authoritative supervisory bodies to reduce information asymmetry between the management and shareholders.

Design/methodology/approach

There is only meagre existing evidence concerning firms' responses to disclosure recommendations. This paper uses descriptive statistics and OLS regression analysis to test if firms behave more similarly to voluntary or to mandatory disclosure when they follow the Committee of European Securities Regulators disclosure recommendation for International Financial Reporting Standards transition. Second, it analyses the determinants of and incentives for recommended transition disclosure.

Findings

Recommended disclosure is documented to have more mandatory characteristics than purely voluntary disclosure. Moreover, the certain disclosure incentives for managers and corporate governance factors prove to have an impact on recommended disclosure. Firm size, growth prospects, and independent board members associate positively with recommended disclosure whereas there is a negative relationship between financial leverage and recommended disclosure.

Research limitations/implications

The paper does not provide evidence on the cost differences between disclosure laws and authoritative disclosure recommendations. This could be examined by future research.

Practical implications

Authoritative disclosure recommendations reduce information asymmetry. In some cases they may be a faster and more cost‐efficient way to achieve disclosure enhancements than regulation.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to explore the efficiency of authoritative disclosure recommendations in situations where urgent disclosure improvements are needed. The results have implications for regulatory bodies evaluating different strategies to reduce asymmetric information in these situations.
High court rules customer who opted from private to intermediate customer status to have been contributorily negligent to his spread betting losses
Authors: Gray Joanna
Published: November 2008

Purpose

The article's aim is to report and comment on the High Court case Spreadex Ltd v. Sekhon.

Design/methodology/approach

The article outlines the facts surrounding the case and comments on the ruling.

Findings

The High Court rules that a customer who opted from private to intermediate customer status was contributorily negligent to his spread betting losses.

Originality/value

The article shows that there are many points in this decision where either what was revealed by the evidence or the Judge's comments and reasoning will echo beyond the parameters of the case itself.
Court of appeal confirms decision that claim in relation to pension transfer and drawdown advice is time barred
Authors: Gray Joanna
Published: November 2008

Purpose

The article's aim is to report and comment on the Court of Appeal case Shore v. Sedgwick Financial Services Ltd & Others.

Design/methodology/approach

The article outlines the facts surrounding the appeal and comments on the ruling.

Findings

The Court of Appeal reached the same conclusion as the trial Judge as to the outcome– both claims were time barred through limitation. However, the reasoning differed from that of the trial judge in certain respects as to the significance of the exact dates on which the claimant was properly to be seen to have suffered loss or to have been aware of his loss.

Originality/value

The article highlights how this case shows how important it is to actively and continually review one's financial situation in order to make any meaningful use of common law and statutory remedies for negligent or non‐compliant financial advice.
E‐business strategy in Western Europe: offshore BPO model perspective
Authors: Kim Gyeung‐Min
Published: November 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is first, to investigate the effective governance structure in early stage of offshore business process outsourcing (BPO), especially in the case where service provider's language is different from client's language, and second, to explore some of the conditions at the adoption of BPO that are likely to influence the shape of the governance structure.

Design/methodology/approach

Ground theory building methodology that builds theory in a grounded and inductive fashion is used for this study. First, a genetic framework to analyze offshore BPO governance structure is derived from extant literature. Then, the framework is applied to an exploratory case analysis to explore an effective form of the governance mechanism.

Findings

The hybrid governance structure consists of inter‐organizational coordination mechanisms, inter‐organizational systems and social control. Companies that wish to offshore their business process should select the service providers that can facilitate setting up such hybrid governance structure.

Originality/value

As offshore BPO is expected to be booming in the next few years, this study helps both academics and practitioners to understand the effective governance structure of offshore BPO.
Managing outsourcing process: applying six sigma
Authors: Agarwal Rakesh , Bajaj Nonika
Published: November 2008

Purpose

The decision to manage an outsourced project is easy but to provide client satisfaction is a difficult process. Outsourcing has been broadly accepted due to the extensive and useful business need they provide, even in those situations where the planning/decision support paradigm provided by the system poorly fits the business. The purpose of this paper is to propose an effective modeling methodology for managing the process of outsourced projects for the clients.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper proposes a cimosa, O3ML and business outsourcing process using DMADV methodology ‐‐ an effective modeling methodology for managing the process of outsourced projects for clients.

Findings

The hybrid governance structure consists of inter‐organizational coordination mechanisms, inter‐organizational systems and social control. Companies that wish to offshore their business process should select the service providers that can facilitate setting up such hybrid governance structure.

Research limitations/implications

The limitations of managing the outsourced paradigm (IT or business process), i.e. redesigning work and assigning responsibilities, need to be clearly recognized if they are to be dealt and delivered with in an effective manner.

Practical implications

Six sigma is a business process improvement strategy, which essentially checks that the performance of the business is according to the needs of the client. The end‐user of a product or service is a client and thus the deliverable of a project should be according to the needs of the client.

Originality/value

The paper is of value in proposing an effective modeling methodology for managing the process of outsourced projects for clients.
IS outsourcing – a strategic perspective
Authors: Foogooa Ravi
Published: November 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the different facets of the strategic perspective of information systems (IS) outsourcing, compare strategic IS outsourcing with traditional IS outsourcing and identify research opportunities.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based primarily on a review of the literature.

Findings

IS outsourcing is now an accepted practice and the market is growing regularly. The initial hype surrounding IS outsourcing has died out and there is now a more rational approach towards outsourcing with an increasing emphasis for a strategic approach towards IS outsourcing rather than just a cost‐cutting motivation.

Originality/value

The paper clarifies the definitions of IS outsourcing and strategy, taking into consideration the evolution of the definitions before comparing strategic IS outsourcing with traditional IS outsourcing. The paper is concluded with identification of future research opportunities in the field of strategic IS outsourcing.
Public centric e‐governance in Jordan
Authors: Belwal Rakesh , Al‐Zoubi Khalid
Published: November 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the efforts made by Jordan in the direction of e‐governance and people's perception of corruption, trust, and e‐governance.

Design/methodology/approach

Desk research was conducted using secondary data sources followed by a field survey conducted with 412 sample respondents in three major cities of Jordan. Following the triangulation approach, the responses of university professors and the common people were also secured.

Findings

The Jordanian government's efforts towards e‐governance are commendable in the Middle East. However, there are certain impediments that are witnessed in the form of the digital divide, corruption, social bottlenecks, the stage of democratization, the lack of marketing to stakeholders, and the citizen's lack of adoption of technology. Educated people are aware of the merit of e‐governance contrary to the uneducated ones and perceive that corruption in the Jordanian public sector is increasing.

Research limitations/implications

The study mainly reflects the views of the educated people. The views of the uneducated ones are secured through basic interactions as they expressed their inability to respond to the questionnaires. Somehow, the respondents are not very open to freely share their opinions or have abstained from participation‐since they consider this a sensitive issue within the Jordanian cultural and political setup. Further, asking opinions of members of the public might not be the ideal way of judging the level of corruption, or changes in it.

Originality/value

People's perception is that Jordan is affected by a low level of corruption and that its citizens lack awareness of e‐governance. To remedy this, its citizens need to be motivated to trust and to participate in the process of e‐governance and to increase their understanding of the tools and technologies available.
A survey of ethics and regulation within the ICT industry in Australia: ethics education
Authors: Lucas Richard , Mason Nyree
Published: November 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a preliminary analysis of age and gender across a number of questions asked in a survey of ethical attitudes of professionals in the information and communication technology (ICT) industry in Australia. While a large number of demographic questions regarding ethics and regulation, only those concerning age and gender are examined here.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was conducted of the ICT workplace in Australia. The results were analyzed using SPSS.

Findings

There are some significant differences across the generations as well between the genders. Gen Y is different when compared to the others on how important ethical regulations ought to be. Gen Y thinks that ethical regulations ought to be less important. When gender was examined it was clear that males thought that ethical regulations ought to be significantly less important when compared with what females thought.

Research limitations/implications

While a larger sample size was desired, the consistency of the replies, when compared against a number of comparative populations, indicated that the replies we received were representative of the ICT workforce.

Originality/value

This paper raises many issues that demand greater care and attention be given when constructing new models of governing ethics within the Australian ICT workplace.
Incentive incompatibilities and arbitrage opportunities
Authors: Venezian Emilio
Published: November 2008

Purpose

The paper aims to examine the practical importance of the finding of Mayers and Smith, that underinvestment is a problem when debt exposed to bankruptcy is part of the financial structure.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper examines critically the assumptions underlying the Mayers and Smith paper.

Findings

The necessary assumption of deterministic arbitrage in the market for productive properties used by Mayers and Smith in their model is found to be unrealistic. Even if that assumption were valid, however, the result of Mayers and Smith establishes that raising exposed debt is a negative net present value project for the investor and hence that form of financing would not be found in practice.

Practical implications

The existence of exposed debt does not explain the demand or commercial insurance.

Originality/value

The paper challenges the results of Mayers and Smith that have been used to examine the effect of debt on insurance demand for almost 20 years with mixed results.
Recapitalization, mergers, and acquisitions of the Nigerian insurance industry
Authors: Aduloju S.A. , Awoponle A.L. , Oke S.A.
Published: November 2008

Purpose

Recapitalization, mergers, and acquisitions are the most crucial issues confronting the Nigerian Insurance Industry (NII) in recent times. Yet information relating to these issues is rarely reported in print. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a survey aimed at understanding the challenges faced within the NII and the reactions of the insurance underwriters towards the recapitalization exercise in Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

Stratified sampling was applied in segregating listed insurance companies on the Nigeria Stock Exchange into top‐, middle‐, and lower‐management cadres. Random sampling was then used in selecting samples of the insurance company's staff. A questionnaire containing both open‐ended and closed‐form questions was used as the instrument to collect the primary data. Questionnaire administration was combined with personal interviews and record viewing in gathering relevant facts for use. Fifty‐four questionnaires were properly filled and returned from members of staff of the selected insurance companies. Chi‐square statistical procedures revealed the true position of the issues raised in the hypotheses.

Findings

Recapitalization has been enhancing the development of the insurance industry and mergers and acquisitions have remained viable options for companies to remain in business.

Research limitations/implications

Limited financial and non‐financial resources, as well as a reluctance to release information by insurance companies and other operators in the industry, prevented further investigation.

Originality/value

The study serves as an information source for investors in the insurance industry.
Trading indicators with information‐gap uncertainty
Authors: Thompson Colin J. , Guttmann Anthony J. , Thompson Ben J.P.
Published: November 2008

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a new quantitative methodology for predicting turning points and trends in financial markets time series based on information‐gap decision theory.

Design/methodology/approach

Uncertainty in future returns from financial markets is modeled using information‐gap decision theory. The robustness function, which measures immunity to uncertainty, yields an additional time series whose turning points anticipate and reflect those of the underlying financial market time series.

Findings

The robustness function falling above or below certain thresholds is shown to provide a new reliable technical indicator for predicting highs and lows in financial markets. In addition, iterates of the robustness function are shown in certain cases to predict trends in financial markets.

Research limitations/implications

In the analysis and application presented here the authors have only considered a special case of the robustness function. Stricter performance requirements and alternative process model estimates for future returns could be included in the information‐gap model formulation and analysis.

Practical implications

An additional technical trading tool for applying Information‐Gap theory to financial markets has been provided.

Originality/value

This paper provides a new reliable methodology for constructing technical indicators for use by traders and fund managers in financial markets.
Jump liquidity risk and its impact on CVaR
Authors: Zheng Harry , Shen Yukun
Published: November 2008

Purpose

The aim is to study jump liquidity risk and its impact on risk measures: value at risk (VaR) and conditional VaR (CVaR).

Design/methodology/approach

The liquidity discount factor is modelled with mean revision jump diffusion processes and the liquidity risk is integrated in the framework of VaR and CVaR.

Findings

The standard VaR, CVaR, and the liquidity adjusted VaR can seriously underestimate the potential loss over a short holding period for rare jump liquidity events. A better risk measure is the liquidity adjusted CVaR which gives a more realistic loss estimation in the presence of the liquidity risk. An efficient Monte Carlo method is also suggested to find approximate VaR and CVaR of all percentiles with one set of samples from the loss distribution, which applies to portfolios of securities as well as single securities.

Originality/value

The paper offers plausible stochastic processes to model liquidity risk.