bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structural basis for allosteric stimulation of Sir2 activity by Sir4 binding
Authors: Hsu Hao-Chi , Wang Chia-Lin , Wang Mingzhu , Yang Na , Chen Zhi , Sternglanz Rolf , Xu Rui-Ming
Published: January 2013

The budding yeast Sir2 (silent information regulator 2) protein is the founding member of the sirtuin family of NAD-dependent histone/protein deacetylases. Its function in transcriptional silencing requires both the highly conserved catalytic domain and a poorly understood N-terminal regulatory domain (Sir2N). We determined the structure of Sir2 in complex with a fragment of Sir4, a component of the transcriptional silencing complex in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The structure shows that Sir4 is anchored to Sir2N and contacts the interface between the Sir2N and the catalytic domains through a long loop. We discovered that the interaction between the Sir4 loop and the interdomain interface in Sir2 is critical for allosteric stimulation of the deacetylase activity of Sir2. These results bring to light the structure and function of the regulatory domain of Sir2, and the knowledge should be useful for understanding allosteric regulation of sirtuins in general.
ASR1 Mediates Glucose-Hormone Cross Talk by Affecting Sugar Trafficking in Tobacco Plants
Authors: Dominguez Pia Guadalupe , Frankel Nicolas , Mazuch Jeannine , Balbo Ilse , Iusem Norberto , Fernie Alisdair R. , Carrari Fernando
Published: January 2013

Asr (for ABA, stress, ripening) genes are exclusively found in the genomes of higher plants, and the encoded proteins have been found localized both to the nucleus and cytoplasm. However, before the mechanisms underlying the activity of ASR proteins can be determined, the role of these proteins in planta should be deciphered. Results from this study suggest that ASR is positioned within the signaling cascade of interactions among glucose, abscisic acid, and gibberellins. Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) transgenic lines with reduced levels of ASR protein showed impaired glucose metabolism and altered abscisic acid and gibberellin levels. These changes were associated with dwarfism, reduced carbon dioxide assimilation, and accelerated leaf senescence as a consequence of a fine regulation exerted by ASR to the glucose metabolism. This regulation resulted in an impact on glucose signaling mediated by Hexokinase1 and Snf1-related kinase, which would subsequently have been responsible for photosynthesis, leaf senescence, and hormone level alterations. It thus can be postulated that ASR is not only involved in the control of hexose uptake in heterotrophic organs, as we have previously reported, but also in the control of carbon fixation by the leaves mediated by a similar mechanism.
An Evolutionarily Conserved Signaling Mechanism Mediates Far-Red Light Responses in Land Plants
Authors: Possart Anja , Hiltbrunner Andreas
Published: January 2013

Phytochromes are plant photoreceptors important for development and adaptation to the environment. Phytochrome A (PHYA) is essential for the far-red (FR) high-irradiance responses (HIRs), which are of particular ecological relevance as they enable plants to establish under shade conditions. PHYA and HIRs have been considered unique to seed plants because the divergence of seed plants and cryptogams (e.g., ferns and mosses) preceded the evolution of PHYA. Seed plant phytochromes translocate into the nucleus and regulate gene expression. By contrast, there has been little evidence of a nuclear localization and function of cryptogam phytochromes. Here, we identified responses to FR light in cryptogams, which are highly reminiscent of PHYA signaling in seed plants. In the moss Physcomitrella patens and the fern Adiantum capillus-veneris, phytochromes accumulate in the nucleus in response to light. Although P. patens phytochromes evolved independently of PHYA, we have found that one clade of P. patens phytochromes exhibits the molecular properties of PHYA. We suggest that HIR-like responses had evolved in the last common ancestor of modern seed plants and cryptogams and that HIR signaling is more ancient than PHYA. Thus, other phytochromes in seed plants may have lost the capacity to mediate HIRs during evolution, rather than that PHYA acquired it.
Network visualisation as a way to the web usage analysis
Authors: Luis Ortega José , Aguillo Isidro F.
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to present network visualisation as a way to analyse and to test the design of a website.

Design/methodology/approach

A network graph of the access to the webometrics.info site from its web logs was analysed. Several graphs (navigational and query graphs) with different added variables were explored. SNA indicators were used to extract the main findings of these networks.

Findings

The results show the double structure of the two language versions, the central position of the search engines as hubs that distribute the access to every page, how the pages are grouped by their thematic and structural relationships, and which pages are less requested through search engines queries or are less visible.

Research limitations/implications

The results are based on the web performance of only one website and therefore generalisation has to be cautious.

Originality/value

The application of network visualisation and SNA indicators allows to explore the navigation of a website by users and to test how it is used. The graph representation makes possible an intuitive way to observe the structure of a website, the behaviour of users and information consumption.
An exploratory study on social library system users' information seeking modes
Authors: Jiang Tingting
Published: January 2013

Purpose

Social library systems are Web 2.0 sites where users discover interesting books, movies, and music, etc., collect these resources to their personal libraries, and share their collections with others. The purpose of this study is to identify the information seeking modes adopted by users in this context as well as to reveal the characteristics of the users who are dominated by each mode.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was conducted to capture the background and behavior data of regular users from Douban, the most influential Chinese‐language social library system. The “friend‐of‐a‐friend” recruitment technique resulted in a total of 129 responses, 112 of which were valid and analyzed to generate both descriptive and inferential statistics.

Findings

Searching, browsing, encountering, and monitoring are the four major information seeking modes adopted by social library system users. The majority of the users tend to combine two or more modes, but each user has a dominating one that helps define him/her as a searcher, browser, encounterer, or monitor. While searching is the most widely adopted mode, browsers are the most prevalent type of information seekers. Different information seekers do not demonstrate significantly different characteristics by and large, however with some exceptions.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first to investigate how users look for resources in social library systems, a problem neglected by previous studies mostly focusing on how users organize and tag resources. The research findings enrich our understanding of social library systems as diverse and dynamic information seeking environments. This in turn will provide useful implications for their interface design to more effectively address the needs and expectations of special types of information seekers.
Acquisitions in knowledge‐intensive industries
Authors: Riviezzo Angelo
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of specific variables, that are strategic orientations, organizational model and prior acquisitions experience, in the management of acquisitions that are not motivated exclusively by financial objectives.

Design/methodology/approach

Multiple cases have been developed, selecting frequent acquirers and analysing the dynamics of acquisitions implementation. Within‐case analysis was aimed at describing the acquisition and integration processes experienced by the selected firms, identifying the role of the researched variables in each phase and their impact on the acquisition outcomes. Thereafter, cross‐case analysis was used to look for the presence of similarities across multiple cases. The organizational characteristics under investigation are proposed as hallmarks of the effective acquirer in knowledge‐intensive industries.

Findings

Characteristics such as the market orientation, the entrepreneurial orientation, the organizational model, the experience in acquisitions management and the investments in knowledge codification emerged from the cases as critical in managing acquisitions that are mainly motivated by the need of the acquirer to have access to knowledge‐based resources of the target.

Research limitations/implications

The paper gives a contribution to the debate going on in literature about the role of new variables in explaining the acquisitions success or failure and the non‐financial motives for acquisitions. It tries to bring the expertise showed by certain firms in managing acquisitions in knowledge‐based industries to specific and, until now, under‐researched features that characterize them. The main limitation of the study is the generalizability of the developed framework, due to the bounded number and the nature of case studies. All the examined firms operate in the field of IT services and all the considered acquisitions are horizontal.

Originality/value

Even if literature has long emphasized the need to prioritize the multiple aspects of the acquisition process and discussed the role of multiple variables in explaining the variance in acquisitions outcomes, empirical research has not completely identified the antecedents of the acquisitions performance and has traditionally overlooked the non‐financial motives for acquisitions. This study focuses on high‐tech industries, where acquisitions are motivated mainly by motives other than financial, and investigates the role of specific and under‐researched characteristics of the acquirer firms.
Employee alienation: relationships with careerism and career satisfaction
Authors: Chiaburu Dan S. , Diaz Ismael , De Vos Ans
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent to which employees' perceptions of alienation (personal and social) are related to positive (career satisfaction) and negative (careerist orientation) career‐related outcomes and to examine the mediating role of career satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper used a cross‐sectional design, with questionnaires administered to 165 employees working in organizations in the USA to test the relationship between alienation and careerism through career satisfaction.

Findings

Alienation was found to be a positive predictor of employee careerism, and a negative predictor of their career satisfaction. The data were consistent with a model positioning career satisfaction as a mediator of the alienation to careerism relationship.

Research limitations/implications

Future research should examine the relationship between alienation and career outcomes in other organizations and job families, to enhance generalizability. Data should be also collected longitudinally, to extend the current cross‐sectional design.

Practical implications

Understanding the empirical link between alienation and career outcomes can provide useful information to reduce negative career outcomes.

Originality/value

The findings point toward a positive relationship between employee alienation and their careerism. In doing so, the paper adds to a body of work where careerism was connected with structural rather than individual predictors.
Person‐environment misfit: the neglected role of social context
Authors: Cooper‐Thomas Helena D. , Wright Sarah
Published: January 2013

Purpose

In recent years, the literature on person‐environment fit as a sought‐after outcome has burgeoned whereas misfit has been relatively neglected. Specifically, little research has investigated how people develop and maintain perceptions of not fitting in. The aim of this paper is to review past research on misfit, and present new data examining the role of coworker social relations in surfacing or diminishing perceptions of misfit.

Design/methodology/approach

Written data were collected from 167 participants and analyzed using thematic coding. Themes emerging from the data were compared against the model of person‐environment misfit.

Findings

From the authors' analysis of previous misfit research they identify four dimensions of misfit: sociodemographic, individual differences, structural, and social. The authors' data support and extend these dimensions. Further, the findings suggest that the social context is related to perceptions of misfit.

Practical implications

Managers can play a key role in misfit perceptions, both through action and inaction. Managers should note the importance of social relations in perceptions of misfit, and aim to provide supportive and well‐structured work contexts.

Originality/value

This paper makes four key contributions to the person‐environment fit literature. One is the categorization of dimensions of misfit, developed from past research. The second is the provision of three conceptual models summarizing different approaches to misfit in relation to fit. Third, the paper provides a novel perspective on misfit by focusing on social norms as the background against which misfit is experienced. Fourth, this research supports and extends on the four component model of misfit developed in the authors' initial review.
If you build it, they will come
Authors: Chan Diana L.H. , Wong Gabrielle K.W.
Published: January 2013

Purpose

Using the HKUST Learning Commons as a case study, this paper seeks to reveal a number of insights on how to effectively engage different user groups within the university.

Design/methodology/approach

The case study focuses on the user‐group engagement process, highlighting the promotion plan and factors that enhance the user‐group engagement.

Findings

Two positive outcomes of the engagement were identified: the diversity of learning activities in the Learning Commons, and the elevated image of the library and librarians.

Practical implications

The experience at HKUST reported in this paper highlights the need for libraries moving to the new “commons” service model to actively promote the facilities by engaging different user groups. The process itself is a necessary component to the success of the new service and facilities.

Originality/value

The case study uses the user engagement framework to steer the promotion effort. The outcomes of the process have long‐term implications for the image and identity of libraries, and subsequently enhance the library's potential in fund raising and resource allocation.
Rock around the (tenure) clock: research strategies for new academic librarians
Authors: Wilkinson Zara
Published: January 2013

Purpose

An increasing amount of tenure‐track academic librarians in the USA are expected to conduct original research and publish their results in peer‐reviewed journals. However, librarians who are new not only to librarianship as a profession but also to academia may find it difficult to become acquainted with research while also mastering the day‐to‐day aspects of their job. The purpose of this paper is to examine why early career academic librarians struggle with research and to present some strategies these librarians can use to get started.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper takes the form of a literature review.

Findings

Librarians often do not research because of factors such as the lack of time and the lack of research skills. Many strategies, such as time management and collaboration, can help them overcome these barriers.

Originality/value

Research is an important topic for academic librarians who hold tenure‐track positions. However, they may be unfamiliar with the sort of research that will be required of them.
A framework for public information services in the twenty‐first century
Authors: van de Pas John
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to define a framework for public information services in the twenty‐first century, as a means to address some arguments that are put forward in the debate on the obsoleteness of public information services in the age of the internet.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper discusses theoretical concepts on the function of information in modern democracy, followed by analysis of two foremost models of seeking knowledge, “the wisdom of crowds” and “expertise”, the different kinds of questions both forms apply to, the kind of knowledge the different models result in, and the application of the findings from that analysis in the information services environment.

Findings

The function of information in a modern democracy still applies today. Information is a means to allow citizens to make informed decisions in the democratic process. The debate on the proper way to provide functional information services in modern democracy is roughly divided between two “schools of thought”. One of them puts the model of “the wisdom of crowds” forward, and sees information technology as the final answer to all questions. The other relies on expertise, which is paramount in classic information services. The conclusion of this paper is that, where not all (research) questions yield to knowledge derived from the wisdom of crowds, there is a true need for information services that specialize in providing information produced by experts. As no other party provides that, public information services should commit themselves to playing a central role in society in providing expert information.

Originality/value

The main value of the paper is comprehensive analysis of the widespread claim that free information on the internet is the end to all means, providing all knowledge at the fingertips. It provides arguments to put forward in debates on the value of public information services.
From iPads to fishing rods: checking out library materials
Authors: Massis Bruce E.
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this column is to review an assortment of the latest non‐traditional materials lent by libraries.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper surveys a selection of items, both technological and traditional, used by libraries in an effort to expand their horizons with a keen eye towards responding to the needs and expectations of their borrowers.

Findings

The paper finds that libraries are eager to enhance an ever‐expanding universe of items to support the borrowing of non‐traditional materials. Once entered into the circulation system, the sky's the limit. The only limitation is the library's budget and creativity in selecting which items to purchase and circulate.

Originality/value

The paper provides useful information on the latest non‐traditional materials lent by libraries.
The evolution of a therapeutic community for offenders with intellectual disability and personality disorder: part one – clinical characteristics
Authors: Taylor Jon , Morrissey Catrin , Trout Sarah , Bennett Charlene
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the profile of community members admitted to the first high secure Therapeutic Community (TC) for males with learning disability and personality disorder.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents descriptive data.

Findings

The characteristics of the men admitted to a TC in the National High Secure Learning Disability Service are likely to present considerable challenges to the development and delivery of the service.

Originality/value

There is very little literature describing interventions for offenders with learning disability and personality disorder. This paper is one of a series that will describe the effectiveness of a TC for men with such difficulties.
Creating a learning climate: a South African study
Authors: Mohamed Hoosen Carrim Nasima , Schutte Basson Johan
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to ascertain whether there were differences in how one public and two private South African organizations created a learning climate.

Design/methodology/approach

This article is based on a survey and comparative analysis of specific departments in a chemical and gas company, an insurance company, and a semi‐private state‐owned organization (SPSOO) to establish dimensions that foster the creation of a learning climate.

Findings

The findings indicated that management support, autonomy and responsibility, time, the opportunity to develop, and guidelines to access information were pivotal in the creation of a learning climate and varied across organizations.

Research limitations/implications

The results indicated that variations across departments within each of these three organizations relating to employees' perceptions of a learning climate were not considered.

Practical implications

The study revealed that a learning climate can be created in different types of organizations through organizational, group and individual drivers. It further revealed that the strategy in creating a climate of learning should be aligned with the organization's structure, culture and goals.

Originality/value

This article makes a contribution to the literature on talent development in organizations as it indicates that different strategies can be utilized in successfully creating a learning climate in different types of organizations.
The impact of affective and cognitive trust on knowledge sharing and organizational learning
Authors: Swift Peter E. , Hwang Alvin
Published: January 2013

Purpose

This paper seeks to add to the research on the role of cognitive and affective trust in promoting knowledge sharing between executives and consequently establishing an organizational learning environment.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper examines the influence of one conceptualization of trust, one that has two sub‐constructs – affective (emotional) trust and cognitive (rational) trust – on knowledge sharing among 157 marketing and sales executives.

Findings

The results indicate that affective trust is more important than cognitive trust in sharing interpersonal knowledge, but cognitive trust is more important in creating an organizational learning environment.

Research limitations/implications

The scope of this study was limited to the marketing and sales functions in business to consumer companies. Knowledge sharing is an acute issue in this industry and the results may not be completely applicable to less competitive industries or business functions. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions further in other industries and business functions.

Practical implications

The results indicate that organizations should focus on organizational processes which promote both affective and cognitive trust. Such processes include job rotation to improve cognitive understanding and employee screening for affective trust traits.

Originality/value

To date, much of the planned organizational learning efforts have been focused on outside interventions (i.e. training seminars, meetings, etc.) that have value but are limited in their ability to generate sustained levels of trust. To increase knowledge sharing and consequent organizational learning benefits, results of this study indicate that organizations should encourage cognitive and affective trust building endeavours.
The link between organizational learning culture and customer satisfaction
Authors: Pantouvakis Angelos , Bouranta Nancy
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to develop a theoretical framework and conduct an empirical study across different service sectors to investigate the inter‐relationships between organizational learning culture, employee job satisfaction and their impact on customer satisfaction. It also aims to examine an individual‐level variable (educational level) to see if it exerts possible moderating effects on the aforementioned relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from employees in three companies that belong to different service sectors (port, supermarket and automobile repair service). A sample of 437 usable questionnaires from first line employees was collected. Regression analysis, including a moderated mediation analysis, was used to examine the relationships.

Findings

The results confirmed the mediating role of employee job satisfaction on the relationship between organizational learning culture and customer satisfaction. In addition, this study empirically supported the premise that the indirect effect of organizational learning culture on customer satisfaction via employee job satisfaction will be stronger when employee education is at a high level than when employee education is at a lower level.

Originality/value

This study highlights that when the employees are supported by their organization's culture, not only are they provided with new knowledge and skills, but they are also more likely to be satisfied by their jobs. This spurs them to offer high‐quality services that will satisfy their customers' needs.
Relationships between organizational trust, knowledge transfer, knowledge creation, and firm's innovativeness
Authors: Sankowska Anna
Published: January 2013

Purpose

This study seeks to provide empirical evidence of relationships between organizational trust, knowledge transfer, creation and innovativeness at the firm level. It aims to hypothesize a mediational model implying that organizational trust is related to knowledge transfer, which will, in turn, enhance knowledge creation, thereby facilitating higher innovativeness.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected using a telephone survey from a cross‐section of industries. A total of 202 surveys were carried out among Polish companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Hypotheses were tested using mediation analysis with multiple regression and structural equation modeling.

Findings

This paper presents the role of trust as a mechanism facilitating transfer and creation of knowledge within the company, so it can be more innovative. Results indicate that: knowledge creation partially mediates the relationship between trust and innovativeness; and knowledge transfer partially mediates the relationship between trust and knowledge creation.

Research limitations/implications

Cross‐sectional data were collected in Poland. It would be highly valuable to consider replicating this study in different settings using longitudinal designs.

Practical implications

The findings accentuate to managers that both knowledge transfer and creation require organizational trust, which taken together result in innovations.

Originality/value

This paper is the first attempt to find empirical support for the role of organizational trust in knowledge creation. Further, analyzing how organizational trust, knowledge transfer, knowledge creation, and innovativeness are related to each other is also an important contribution.
Enabling access to information by people with learning disabilities
Authors: Oldreive Warren , Waight Mary
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to outline a screening protocol that can be used to support the provision of more accessible information.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents a series of four case studies of adults with learning disabilities examining the processes of making information accessible considering their literacy and language skills.

Findings

Screening revealed that four individuals required different mechanisms to maximise their ability to access information provided.

Practical implications

The need to complete relevant screening, devise personalised materials and evaluate success is pivotal in the development of accessible information.

Social implications

The provision of appropriate accessible information with evidenced positive outcomes is fundamental to reducing risk and increasing social inclusion.

Originality/value

This paper summarises a new approach to information provision based on screening, decision making and review. It will be of interest to a range of professionals tasked with the responsibility of providing accessible information to individuals with varying and complex needs who may lack functional literacy skills. This may include completion of capacity screening.
Managing stakeholders in team‐based innovation
Authors: Büchel Bettina , Nieminen Levi , Armbruster‐Domeyer Heidi , Denison Daniel
Published: January 2013

Purpose

Team‐based innovation requires a balance of creative and pragmatic processes both within teams and between teams and their organizational stakeholders. However, prior research has focused primarily on the internal team dynamics that facilitate innovation, paying comparatively little attention to team‐stakeholder dynamics. The purpose of this study is to address this limitation by studying the impact of team‐stakeholder networks and shared cognition on the effectiveness of innovation teams.

Design/methodology/approach

This study investigates the knowledge and trust linkages between 51 new product development (NPD) teams and their organizational stakeholders using a mixed methods design that combines network analysis, surveys, and qualitative interviews. Multiple indicators of team effectiveness were collected at various stages of the innovation process.

Findings

The results show that effective NPD teams establishknowledgeties with many non‐redundant organizational stakeholders and foster a high level of agreement among stakeholders about team innovation factors. Conversely, effective NPD teams also establish highly centralizedtrustnetworks that are focused on only a few key stakeholders in the organization.

Research limitations/implications

This study focuses on NPD teams in chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing. Future studies should seek to replicate the findings using larger samples of teams involving diverse innovation tasks.

Practical implications

These results have implications for the most effective way to build and manage innovation teams, considering both pre‐existing stakeholder linkages and networking strategies for the future.

Originality/value

The results suggest that the optimal characteristics of team‐stakeholder knowledge and trust networks differ and highlight the unique importance of shared understanding about risk‐taking and creativity beyond higher overall levels.
The third stage of IC: towards a new IC future and beyond
Authors: Dumay John
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the overall contribution made by the papers presented in this special edition of the Journal of Intellectual Capital.

Design/methodology/approach

This article is an editorial based on the author's reflections of the papers presented in this special edition.

Findings

Intellectual capital (IC) has a future, based not only on the third stage of IC research, which strengthens IC practices inside organisations, but also on a complementary fourth stage which develops IC eco‐systems.

Originality/value

the papers presented ground the third stage of IC research as a legitimate research undertaking, while at the same time recognising that we need to extend our IC missionary work beyond the boundaries of the organisation, and into the environment where organisations exist.
Intellectual capital research: a critical examination of the third stage
Authors: Dumay John , Garanina Tatiana
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine intellectual capital research (ICR) methods and critically analyse how they have been utilised. The data set for this analysis is based on examining IC papers published in specialist IC and important generalist accounting journals from the years 2000 to 2011.

Design/methodology/approach

The basis of the analysis is Alvesson and Deetz's critical management framework of “Insight”, “Critique” and “Transformative redefinition” with the goal of widening the discourse about how to research IC. This paper is motivated by Guthrie et al., who identify a third stage of ICR which is “based on a critical and performative analysis of intellectual capital (IC) practices in action”.

Findings

This paper argues that there is an increasing performative research agenda however many researchers appear caught in an “evaluatory trap” (Olson et al.) whereby the researchers’ approach to ICR remains stuck in an ostensive approach (see Mouritsen) that characterises second stage ICR (see Petty and Guthrie). The paper also identifies how many accounting researchers are impacted by a “dominance structure” and suggests that they need to break free from the dominance of “accounting” practice before they can understand and realise the potential of IC.

Research limitations/implications

The implication of this paper for ICR and practice is to create a continued discourse about evolving approaches to ICR so we can continue communicating leading edge, third wave ICR, which develops IC theory in practice and effective IC management through praxis.

Originality/value

From 2004 onwards, Guthrie et al. claim the third stage was gaining impetus and thus this paper is novel because it investigates how ICR has transitioned and how ICR might continue to develop.
Not all sunshine and roses: discovering intellectual liabilities “in action”
Authors: Giuliani Marco
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to help to address the need for empirical investigations on intellectual capital and intellectual liabilities “in action” and their consequences in terms of value creation and value destruction. In light of this consideration, this study aims to investigate if and how intellectual capital and intellectual liabilities influence the value creation and destruction processes, that is, if intellectual liabilities “in action” simply mirror intellectual capital dynamics or if they present some specificities.

Design/methodology/approach

A multiple case study method is adopted in order to understand intellectual capital and intellectual liabilities “in action”.

Findings

This study highlights the relevance of intellectual liabilities within the intellectual capital discourse. In particular, it shows that intellectual capital and intellectual liabilities affect the value creation process in different ways. Moreover, it emerges that intellectual liabilities tend to be left out of managerial discussions. Stemming from this, the idea of intellectual equity is proposed and conceived as the logical difference between intellectual capital and intellectual liabilities.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitations of this study are twofold. The first is related to the methodology adopted and in particular to the qualitative mapping process developed. The second is the fact that the constructs to analyse were not indicated by the firms but by the author in order to make the results comparable.

Practical implications

This study contributes to the development of the literature on “intellectual capital in action” and “intellectual capital in practice” bringing in the idea of intellectual liabilities and the consideration that intellectual capital can create, but also destroy, value. Moreover, it highlights the need to monitor and manage intellectual liabilities in order to control the negative effects generated by intellectual capital. Therefore, this analysis has both theoretical and practical implications.

Originality/value

In comparison to the extant literature mentioned, this study does not analyse IC only in terms of value creation, but also in terms of value destruction. Moreover, instead of proposing and developing new concepts, methods and tools, this research investigates intellectual liabilities “in action”. In addition, this work jointly considers value creation and value destruction processes.
IC 21: reflections from 21 years of IC practice and theory
Authors: Edvinsson Leif
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to reflect on 21 years of IC theory and practice as input into discussing the origins of IC, its multiple perspectives and where it is heading.

Design/methodology/approach

This article is based on the author's reflections of the past and vision for the future.

Findings

IC is still for many an invisible fuzzy dimension, or mainly a measuring and accounting issue. For others, it is thought of as a more and more strategic ecosystem for sustainable value creation. Is there a kind of learned blindness in financial capital accounting or ignorance of new value opportunity spaces? We need to go beyond IC reporting. We are on the edge of something, but what?

Originality/value

The paper presents the personal views of an internationally renowned IC academic and practitioner about what the future may hold for IC.
Indian consumers: are they the same across regions?
Authors: Jin Byoungho , Son Junghwa
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The purposes of this study are to empirically test the differences among three major cities in India by their affluence level, selected factors related to consumer purchase behaviors, and to examine the regional differences in purchase behaviors.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 652 usable data were collected from consumers of age 18 years or older residing in Mumbai, New Delhi, and Bangalore, India via mall intercept surveys.

Findings

Overall, the findings confirmed that affluence level in each region explains the variances in region's values, attitudes, lifestyles, and consumption patterns of foreign branded goods. That is, Mumbai (i.e. the highest GDP among the three cities) showed individualistic characteristics (i.e. lower levels of face saving and group conformity). Attitude toward economizing was found to be inversely related to a city's affluence level with Bangalore (least affluent) having the highest attitude toward economizing and Mumbai (most affluent) having the lowest attitude toward economizing. Mumbai and New Delhi consumers purchased significantly more foreign jeans than Bangalore consumers. In purchasing foreign brand goods, social attributes (i.e. brand name and latest fashion) were more prominent in Bangalore consumers who are the most collectivistic in this study.

Practical implications

The findings of this study convey a clear message: assuming Indian consumers are the same across regions is a mistake and a localization approach should be considered to market to each region.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first attempts to examine regional differences in the Indian market. This study adds empirical evidence that differing economic affluence levels are critical in estimating consumption differences by region.
Understanding acculturation of consumer culture in an emerging market
Authors: Gupta Nitin
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the extent of behavioral acculturation of consumer culture (B‐ACC) and attitudinal acculturation of consumer culture (A‐ACC) among the urban, educated, middle class Indian consumers. It also aims to test if B‐ACC and A‐ACC among various demographic segments of Indian consumers differ on the basis of their ownership/usage of foreign brands vis‐à‐vis Indian brands.

Design/methodology/approach

An empirical study has been conducted to address the above mentioned objectives. Data have been collected from urban, educated, middle class Indian consumers using structured questionnaire and following snowball and judgment sampling methods. Data analysis has been done using ANOVA and T‐test.

Findings

The results show that highly educated Indian consumers who fall under the age group of 16‐25 years and belong to upper‐middle class show greater levels of B‐ACC as well as A‐ACC vis‐à‐vis other demographic segments of Indian consumers. In the total sample as well as among all the demographic segments, it was observed that B‐ACC is significantly higher than A‐ACC. Indian consumers who own/use foreign brands show significantly higher B‐ACC across most of demographic segments.

Practical implications

The research clearly identifies the segment which would be most receptive to the globalized marketing strategies of various multinational corporations.

Originality/value

The paper shows the extent of B‐ACC and A‐ACC among the Indian consumers. It provides empirical support to the contention in the extant literature that B‐ACC would be greater than A‐ACC among consumers in the emerging markets.
Customer interaction in service innovation: evidence from India
Authors: Alam Intekhab
Published: January 2013

Purpose

Customer interaction in new service development is a key success factor for new services. However, the knowledge about the process and techniques of customer interaction in any Asian and emerging market is limited. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to investigate the process of customer interaction in new service development in an emerging market – India.

Design/methodology/approach

The article is based on longitudinal case research involving 24 service firms, in which 48 managers and 24 customers were interviewed and the paper followed the development process of several new service projects in real time.

Findings

The research answers several critical questions involved in customer interaction in new service development that include: What are the modes of customer interaction in NSD? What are the stages of customer interaction? Whom a firm shall interact with? What is the role of employees in customer interaction? And what are the pitfalls in customer interaction process?

Research limitations/implications

The results and findings of this study will help managers improve the odds of developing successful new services in the emerging markets.

Originality/value

The research is the first attempt to examine the customer interaction practice of service firms in an emerging market – India. Therefore, it contributes to the extant literature of new service development and innovation.
Quality standards: integration within a bereavement environment
Authors: Crowder Mark
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the means by which one UK local authority obtained certification of its Bereavement Service against ISO9001, ISO14001, and ISO27001. It aims to explain the processes that were followed, highlight the problems that were encountered, and show how these were overcome.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopts a case study approach. The case study emerged from a broader grounded theory study which is outside the scope of this paper.

Findings

This paper demonstrates that ISO27001 can be fully integrated into a single management system with ISO9001 and ISO14001, and also illustrates that the various standards can be applied more flexibly than is often thought.

Practical implications

This study will be of significant benefit to bereavement professionals because it offers advice and guidance on addressing pitfalls that may be encountered when bereavement services wish to seek certification against international standards. It will also benefit quality, environmental, and information security professionals because it shows, in a practical way, how the three standards can be fully integrated.

Originality/value

The integration of ISO27001 into a comprehensive management system is an area which has previously been under‐researched. Furthermore, this paper takes an original perspective to information security, arguing that ISO27001 can be applied beyond an ICT environment, and this is demonstrated by considering the standard in the context of bereavement services.
Quality of life in pharmacological intervention on autism spectrum disorders
Authors: Bertelli Marco , Piva Merli Micaela , Rossi Michele , Lassi Stefano , Bianco Annamaria , Colangelo Julie
Published: January 2013

Purpose

In psychiatry the concept of quality of life (QoL) has gradually acquired importance and interest, becoming a valuable outcome for many clinical trials. In pharmacological research on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), most used outcome measures rely on the effect on behavioural symptoms and functioning impairment, while QoL has rarely been considered. The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic mapping of the literature on QoL as a new outcome measure in psychopharmacological research for adults with ASD.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors reviewed the international literature on the basis of the following questions: did pharmacological interventions on ASD include QoL as an outcome measure? If yes, how and to what extent? What consideration was given to generic (whole‐person) QoL?

Findings

The literature mapping shows an extreme lack of studies including QoL as an outcome measure. The few contributions present in the literature show significant conceptual and methodological limits. The literature does not allow any comparison of effectiveness between classes of drugs or single compounds with respect to QoL.

Originality/value

The present mapping is the first contribution of literature reviewing on the application of QoL to pharmacological treatments of any kind for ASD. Although the international scientific community shows increasing interest on QoL and other person‐centred measures in psychopharmacological practice, in respect to ASD considerable research efforts are needed to make these measures applicable and their usefulness actually proved.
Satisfaction with a child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) intellectual disability service
Authors: Chilvers Rebecca , Gratton Suzannah , Bernard Sarah H.
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess whether a tier four mental health of child and adolescent intellectual disability service was meeting the complex needs of children and families by evaluating performance on key characteristics of a “model service” identified by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 2004.

Design/methodology/approach

Questionnaires assessed all areas of a “model service” for parents and children, and were sent to the 68 consecutive referrals received within an 18 month period. A postal survey response rate of 42.6 per cent (parents) and 11.7 per cent (children) was achieved, and the final sample was found to be representative of the consecutive case series as a whole.

Findings

The service showed excellent performance on all indicators, suggesting it is operating a “model service” as experienced by service‐users themselves.

Practical implications

Issues raised included the need for families to have greater information prior to assessments; clearer explanation of the limitations of the service when families are first seen; and review at the completion of intervention to highlight continuing treatment needs.

Originality/value

The paper may assist in the development of CAMHS for children and young people with learning disabilities.