bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Strange Case of the Bay Area
Authors: Walker Richard , Schafran Alex
Published: October 2014

The San Francisco Bay Area is hard to get one's head around and is frequently misunderstood. It is immense, decentered, sprawling, autotopic, multiracial, divided, and more—a crucible of the modern suburban and exurban metropolis. It is distinctive in several regards, but illuminating of the dynamics behind metropolitan geography. Indeed, the Bay Area has been integral to the production of modern American suburbia and its urban system embodies many of the contradictions of the contemporary moment.
Rethinking Suburbia: A Case Study of Metropolitan Miami
Authors: Nijman Jan , Clery Tom
Published: October 2014

Greater Miami makes an interesting case study of suburbanization because of its recent history, the geographic limits of urban expansion, and its profound ethnic makeover at the time that postwar suburbanization peaked in North America. The city–suburb distinction here does not correspond to prototypes and it is equally difficult to find typical suburbs as conventionally perceived. A general discussion of the local meaning of ‘suburb’ and of the formation of suburbia and of city–suburb relations in southeast Florida is followed by a comparative review of six selected ‘suburbs’. While suburban features can be detected across the metropolis, they almost always combine with characteristics that are emphatically not suburban such as high densities or concentrated economic activity. Theoretically, this paper contests the conceptual dichotomies and ahistoricism that have long overshadowed research on suburbs. The study also highlights suburbia as a subjective category and as a complex and multidimensional notion that, in the modern metropolis, can manifest itself partially, and in different ways, in various geographic domains.
Mechanistic model of intake of tropical pasture, depending on the growth and morphology of forage at a vegetative stage
Authors: Boval M. , Coppry O. , Sauvant D.
Published: October 2014

The present model is targeted to simulate the diet of animals in tropical pastures, starting from underlying measurements carried out at the level of the tiller. Practically, we used measurements carried out at the following two levels: (1) on many tillers identified in the sward with rings and measured in various conditions (stages of regrowth, more or less fertilised and or irrigated), (2) on plots grazed individually by heifers tethered during 24 h, with measurements of both the forage and the animal faeces, for assessing their diet. The first step consisted in building a mechanistic model of the morphological grass growth calibrated on measurements performed on Dichanthium spp. at five vegetative stages of growth. In the process of growth, the principal stem was the major driving force, and the senescence of leaves was followed by their disappearance. The compartments represent lengths of stem or leaves. Taking into account the diversity of kinetics of the leaf appearance and growth, they were pooled in three types, according to their appearance process (two lower leaves, four leaves in the middle and the others at the upper level). In a second step, the impact of animal bites was included as an auxiliary variable in the model, taking into account the information at the level of the tillers and at the plot level. The impact of animal depends on the characteristics of the tiller, the length (or mass) and of the leaf characteristics, e.g. the leaves fraction in the sward. Afterwards, the information obtained at the tiller level and from the plot was compared. With a bottom-up approach it is possible to predict at a daily scale, starting from the tiller measurements, the dry matter intake and the organic matter digestibility, both measured at the plot level. Conversely, in a top-down approach, the information measured at the plot level were useful for adjusting the information acquired at the level of the tillers, e.g. the estimates of organic matter digestibility of the stems and the leaves at the plot level, allowing to assess the factors of variation of the organic matter digestibility of the consumed parts of a tiller, by the animal. These first results are encouraging and this model seems to promise a more complete mechanistic model of grazing cattle in tropical environment.
Northern Australian pasture and beef systems. 1. Net carbon position
Authors: Bray Steven , Doran-Browne Natalie , O'Reagain Peter
Published: October 2014

The beef industry in northern Australia manages ~15 million cattle, grazed on 250 million hectares of grassland and savanna woodland. The large size of the beef industry results in significant quantities of greenhouse gases being emitted to the atmosphere through ruminant livestock enteric methane production. However, livestock emissions are only one component of the carbon cycle in which grazing businesses operate. Livestock grazing also affects carbon stocks and fluxes in pasture, woody vegetation, soil and from fire through the consumption of forage and other landscape impacts. Little knowledge is available on the impact of different grazing management strategies on the ‘net carbon position’ incorporating carbon stocks and greenhouse gas emissions when grazing savanna woodlands. The Wambiana grazing trial in northern Queensland, Australia, provides an opportunity to assess carbon stocks and greenhouse gas emissions (reported as t CO2-e) associated with livestock, pasture, woody vegetation, soil and fire under alternative grazing management strategies (moderate and heavy stocking rate) over a 16-year period. The results indicate that tree biomass and woody vegetation dynamics dominate the carbon stocks and fluxes in grazed savanna woodlands. During the trial, both moderate and heavy stocking rate treatments had a positive net carbon balance, with the moderate stocking rate treatment having a better ‘net carbon position’ (19 t CO2-e per ha) than the heavy stocking rate treatment (9 t CO2-e per ha), primarily due to less livestock emissions and greater pasture biomass and soil C. These results add to the previously published benefits on land condition and economic return of grazing at moderate stocking rates, compared with heavy stocking rates.
Ionic Liquid-Promoted Synthesis and Cholinesterase Inhibitory Activity of Highly Functionalized Spiropyrrolidines
Authors: Kumar Raju Suresh , Almansour Abdulrahman I. , Arumugam Natarajan , Basiri Alireza , Kia Yalda , Kumar Raju Ranjith
Published: October 2014

A library of novel, highly functionalized spiropyrrolidines has been synthesized stereoselectively for the first time in ionic liquid medium employing [3+2] cycloaddition of a series of 2-arylmethylidene-5,6-dimethoxy-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-1-ones with an unexplored azomethine ylide derived from acenaphthenequinone or isatin and tryptophan. These compounds were evaluated in vitro for their acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory activities. Molecular modelling simulation was performed to determine the binding interaction and orientation of these molecules in the active site gorge of the respective receptors.
Solvatomorphism and Electronic Communication in FeIII N,N-Bis(salicylidene)-1,3-propanediamine Dimers
Authors: Sirirak Jitnapa , Harding David J. , Harding Phimphaka , Liu Lujia , Telfer Shane G.
Published: October 2014

The reaction of H2salpn (H2salpn = N,N′-bis(salicylidene)-1,3-propanediamine) with Fe(ClO4)3 in a ratio of 1 : 1 and 3 : 2, leads to dark red crystals of the solvatomorphs [(salpn)Fe(μ2-salpn)Fe(salpn)]·0.5MeOH (1) and [(salpn)Fe(μ2-salpn)Fe(salpn)]·MeOH (2), respectively. X-Ray crystallographic studies reveal a slightly distorted octahedral geometry and meridional configuration of the N and O donor atoms with one of the salpn ligands acting as a bridge between the two FeIII atoms to create a dimer. The Fe–N/O bond distances for both dimers indicate that the Fe centres are high spin. Supramolecular dimeric pairs are formed in both structures from C–H···π and/or C–H···O interactions. However, the degree of solvation significantly impacts the arrangements of these dimeric pairs with tightly packed 1D chains in 2 and more loosely packed chains in 1. In addition, electrochemical studies reveal weak communication between the two Fe atoms despite the large distance between them and the lack of conjugation across the bridge.
Understanding and explaining
Authors: Doomen Jasper
Published: October 2014

The quest to provide a fundamental understanding and explanation of reality is
an ambitious one. Perhaps it is too ambitious. The possible restrictions for such
an enterprise to be successful must be inquired in order to determine the issue.
Section 1 explores one’s understanding in reaching (scientific) conclusions:
to what extent does a successful account testify to understanding? Section 2
focuses on the other side of such an account: does it provide an explanation
in a more fundamental sense than pointing out causes of phenomena, or is it
restricted to such a task? A critical stance vis-à-vis the (scientific) enterprise
of unearthing reality’s structure remains necessary in order not to confuse a
consistent and productive theory with one that demonstrates an understanding
and explanation in the sense of this article.
Dialogue-oriented analysis of constructivist teaching and learning within a UK company
Authors: Foster Robert M.
Published: October 2014

Within the UK company featured in this article, the use of Multiple Choice
Questions (MCQs) has increased significantly in recent years (Foster 2013).
Meta-cognitive analysis (Degrave 1996) forms part of ongoing research into
the MCQ-Creation process operated by the organisation. The measurable
assessments and learning outcomes from these investigations show that the
internal dialogue (Hermens 1992) that occurs during MCQ-Creation facilitates
constructivist learning at both individual (Mynard 2011) and corporate (Kirby
2011) levels. The recommendation is that the quality of corporate assessment
and learning would be improved if the company held regular MCQ-Creation
workshops. In addition to generating corporate knowledge in a usable MCQ
format, MCQ-Creation workshops would also improve the overall corporate
internal dialogue.
Exploring the opportunities of social media to build knowledge in learner-centered Indigenous learning Spaces
Authors: Huijser Henk , Bronnimann Jurg
Published: October 2014

This chapter explores the opportunities online learning environments offer to
address issues related to Indigenous pedagogy and Indigenous approaches to
teaching and learning, with a specific focus on social and mobile media. Social
media tools have created many opportunities for social approaches to teaching
and learning, and specifically to developing Indigenous learning communities,
and overall much more explicitly learner-centered approaches. In this
chapter we argue that social media are well suited to address the learning needs
of Indigenous students in Australia, and at the same time we use Batchelor
Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education, and its ‘both-ways’ philosophy, as a
case study to explore some of the opportunities and potential barriers that social
media present within learner-centered pedagogy.
Mobile Game-Based Learning in University Education
Authors: Bartel Alexander , Figas Paula , Hagel Georg
Published: October 2014

Access to information and learning materials should be as independent and
efficient as possible. Mobile Learning (m-learning) makes this happen as a consequence
of the mobile diffusion. This new educational approach offers many
chances to extend the possibilities of e-learning since learning is no longer
dependent on a specific time of occurrence or a particular location. Besides
an integrated pedagogical framework, the process of how sustainable knowledge
can be transformed to students’ minds seems to be the main challenge.
To achieve this sustainability, gamification would be an appropriate method.
Combining gamification-aspects and social interaction to increase the engagement
of students, leads to an application for mobile devices. Its concept and
the different scenarios of using the application in a university context will be
presented in this contribution.
Dialogic knowledge building
Authors: Parker Darlene Ciuffetelli , Pushor Debbie
Published: October 2014

In this chapter we examine conceptually how we have formed an online
narrative inquiry teacher education discourse community over the last
year and a half with emphasis on: (1) the beginning process of developing
and inviting an online community; (2) the trials and tribulations of
building an online community, and; (3) the dialogue process and the
obstacles of dialogic interaction online. We focus our attention on building
a safe community and use Schwier’s (2002) framework and elements
of community building for online collaboration and dialogue. In doing
so, we draw on our methodological work in narrative inquiry as well
as other scholars’ work in creating communities (Campbell, Schwier, &
Kenny 2005; Connelly 2011; Craig 2011). We further use the ‘combined
communal interplay’ of dialogue (Weigand 2010), and how to begin
such a process online, to define the process, dilemmas, and complexities
that we work through and conceptualize in this chapter.
Teaching and learning as explorative action games. Guidelines for the design of dialogic educational technology
Authors: Feller Sebastian
Published: October 2014

In this paper, I develop a view of teaching and learning as explorative action
games (TaLEAG). The concept of the action game is borrowed from Weigand’s
(2010) Theory of Dialogic Action Games or Mixed Game Model (MGM). The
MGM rests on two basic assumptions: communication is dialogic and language
is action. These two assumptions are adapted to teaching and learning in general
and to what I call explorative action games in particular. The ensuing discussion
revolves around the question of how educational technology should be designed
in order to facilitate learning in the context of explorative action games.
The paper is structured as follows: Following the introduction, I will outline a
theory of teaching and learning that is derived from the main assumptions of
the MGM. The focus here is on the dyad of action and reaction in TaLEAG.
I will describe the main features of the initial speech act in the game, which I
call the explorative speech act, as well as of the discover speech act as reaction to
the explorative. In the second step, TaLEAG is connected to a view of learning
as conceptual change learning (CCL). In the final step, this will lead us to a set
of preliminary guidelines for the design of educational technology. The paper
then concludes with an outlook on the direction educational technology should
take in the near future.
The power of words: the changing role of the Italian head of state during the Second Republic
Authors: Amoretti Francesco , Giannone Diego
Published: October 2014

Many authors use the metaphor of an accordion to describe the enlargement of the constitutional functions of the Italian head of state: because of the weakness of the political parties the president is able to ‘open and play the accordion’ according to his own interpretation of his institutional powers. While useful, this metaphor does not take into account the structural changes that have occurred over the last 30 years, as well as the informal powers that recent presidents have resorted to, which were the most important factors in the metamorphosis of the presidential figure. Structural changes include the end of the Cold War, the collapse of the First Republic and the mediatisation and personalisation of politics and party structure. Informal powers include those of ‘esternazione’ (a term that roughly means ‘to render public personal statements without previous consultation with the cabinet’) and of moral suasion. By analysing the development of these two powers, this article aims to describe the changing role of the head of state during the Second Republic. It also defines a typology of presidential moral suasion, which is proposed as a useful tool to analyse presidential style and strategy in influencing law-making. The analysis of the innovative use of communicative powers by the last two presidents, Ciampi and Napolitano, shows how the transformation of the Italian presidency can probably be considered permanent.
Differences in the Patterns of in-work Poverty in Germany and the UK
Authors: Giesselmann Marco
Published: October 2014

This study analyses differences in individual-level working poverty determinants between Germany and the UK. These differences are linked to institutional patterns at the country level. Here, we observe that the two countries differ especially in bargaining centralisation, employment protection legislation and family policy. At the same time, the levels of decommodification and labour market regulation are no longer core differences in the institutional settings of Germany and the UK, which is interpreted as a consequence of Germany's departure from a traditional conservative regime since the mid-1990s. Adopting economic and sociological approaches, we explain how Germany's closed employment system channels the effects of deregulation policies to the periphery of the labour market. Additionally, we argue that open employment relationships that dominate in the UK put specifically older employees at risk. Finally, we identify country-specific differences in the economic dependency of women, resulting from a stronger male breadwinner orientation of family policy in Germany. Accordingly, multivariate analyses based on harmonised versions of the British Household Panel Study (2002–2005) and the Socio-Economic Panel Study (2003–2006) reveal that entrants and re-entrants to the labour market, women and – unexpectedly – low-educated persons are particularly affected by in-work poverty in Germany; whereas older workers are more likely to face precarious economic conditions in the UK.
Individualisation and Poverty Over Time: The Italian Case (1985–2011)
Authors: Biolcati-Rinaldi Ferruccio , Sarti Simone
Published: October 2014

In the last few years, much sociological debate has focused on individualisation theory, especially on Beck's risk society version. According to this theory, contemporary social change can be interpreted as the progressive weakening of the influence of social structures on individual behaviour. Individualisation theory has been adopted in many fields of study (voting behaviour, consumption behaviour, etc.). Although much of the debate has a theoretical character, there have been some attempts to empirically assess individualisation theory. As far as poverty is concerned, scholars supporting individualisation theory, as well as scholars opposing it, have adopted one of the following methodological strategies: highlighting the role played by individual variables (especially by life course variables) rather than structural variables; controlling for individual rather than structural variables. Both these approaches focus on short observation windows; however, it is necessary to consider long periods in order to assess the core of individualisation theory, i.e. the decreasing influence of social structures. Our approach assesses the change (rather than the stability) of the individual-level relationship between structures (occupational classes, education, etc.) and poverty over a long time period. This changing-parameter model is implemented through multilevel modelling with families at level one and years at level two. The analysis focuses on the Italian case and it is based on data from the Family Expenditure Survey (Indagine sui Consumi delle Famiglie) that was collected by the Italian Statistical Institute (ISTAT). It covers the period from 1985 to 2011. The results seem to indicate that there is stability in the relationship between structures and poverty.
Extending the molecular clutch beyond actin-based cell motility
Authors: Havrylenko Svitlana , Mezanges Xavier , Batchelder Ellen , Plastino Julie
Published: October 2014

Many cell movements occur via polymerization of the actin cytoskeleton beneath the plasma membrane at the front of the cell, forming a protrusion called a lamellipodium, while myosin contraction squeezes forward the back of the cell. In what is known as the ‘molecular clutch’ description of cell motility, forward movement results from the engagement of the acto-myosin motor with cell-matrix adhesions, thus transmitting force to the substrate and producing movement. However during cell translocation, clutch engagement is not perfect, and as a result, the cytoskeleton slips with respect to the substrate, undergoing backward (retrograde) flow in the direction of the cell body. Retrograde flow is therefore inversely proportional to cell speed and depends on adhesion and acto-myosin dynamics. Here we asked whether the molecular clutch was a general mechanism by measuring motility and retrograde flow for the Caenorhabditis elegans sperm cell in different adhesive conditions. These cells move by adhering to the substrate and emitting a dynamic lamellipodium, but the sperm cell does not contain an acto-myosin cytoskeleton. Instead the lamellipodium is formed by the assembly of major sperm protein, which has no biochemical or structural similarity to actin. We find that these cells display the same molecular clutch characteristics as acto-myosin containing cells. We further show that retrograde flow is produced both by cytoskeletal assembly and contractility in these cells. Overall this study shows that the molecular clutch hypothesis of how polymerization is transduced into motility via adhesions is a general description of cell movement regardless of the composition of the cytoskeleton.
King John and Royal Control in Ireland: Why William de Briouze had to be Destroyed
Authors: Veach Colin
Published: October 2014

This article re-examines King John’s persecution and eventual destruction of his former friend, William de Briouze, a signal example of John’s tyranny on the eve of Magna Carta. Approaching the episode from the transnational perspective of the two men involved, the study uncovers the roots of their dispute in King John’s attempts to introduce English-style royal rule to Ireland. Desperate to extract what he could from his insular possessions following the loss of Normandy in 1204, John’s attempts to increase his authority in Ireland provoked a violent response from its greatest magnates in 1207. John lost this lesser-known baronial revolt, but the most prudent of his barons soon came to terms with him. Not so William de Briouze, who, we are told had his Irish honour of Limerick seized for refusing a summons to court. From that point Briouze’s fall was sudden and violent. King John hounded him across England and Wales, forcing him into a desperate rebellion and exile in Ireland. But 1207 had shown the limit of John’s power, and Briouze was sheltered for two years by his fellow Irish magnates. King John’s expedition to Ireland in 1210 was to finish the business of 1207, and firmly stamp English royal control on Ireland.increase his authority in Ireland provoked a violent response from its greatest magnates in 1207
In vitro, long-range sequence information for de novo genome assembly via transposase contiguity
Authors: Adey Andrew , Kitzman Jacob O. , Burton Joshua N. , Daza Riza , Kumar Akash , Christiansen Lena , Ronaghi Mostafa , Amini Sasan , L. Gunderson Kevin , Steemers Frank J. , Shendure Jay
Published: October 2014

We describe a method that exploitscontiguitypreservingtransposasesequencing (CPT-seq) to facilitate the scaffolding of de novo genome assemblies. CPT-seq is an entirely in vitro means of generating libraries comprised of 9216 indexed pools, each of which contains thousands of sparsely sequenced long fragments ranging from 5 kilobases to >1 megabase. These pools are “subhaploid,” in that the lengths of fragments contained in each pool sums to ∼5% to 10% of the full genome. The scaffolding approach described here, termedfragScaff, leverages coincidences between the content of different pools as a source of contiguity information. Specifically, CPT-seq data is mapped to a de novo genome assembly, followed by the identification of pairs of contigs or scaffolds whose ends disproportionately co-occur in the same indexed pools, consistent with true adjacency in the genome. Such candidate “joins” are used to construct a graph, which is then resolved by a minimum spanning tree. As a proof-of-concept, we apply CPT-seq andfragScaffto substantially boost the contiguity of de novo assemblies of the human, mouse, and fly genomes, increasing the scaffold N50 of de novo assemblies by eight- to 57-fold with high accuracy. We also demonstrate thatfragScaffis complementary to Hi-C-based contact probability maps, providing midrange contiguity to support robust, accurate chromosome-scale de novo genome assemblies without the need for laborious in vivo cloning steps. Finally, we demonstrate CPT-seq as a means of anchoring unplaced novel human contigs to the reference genome as well as for detecting misassembled sequences.
A holistic and integrated approach to theorizing strategic alliances of small and medium-sized enterprises
Authors: Zhao Fang
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to seek to deliver a new and holistic insight on small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) strategic alliances in terms of the precursor, motivations, selection, governance structure, outcomes and challenges of strategic alliances of SMEs and the relationships between them.

Design/methodology/approach

– To better understand the entire process of SME strategic alliances, the author takes a novel approach which is based on a combined perspective of entrepreneurship and innovation, resource-based theory, and social network theory.

Findings

– The author develops a theoretical model which seeks to conceptualize the antecedents, process, and outcomes of strategic alliances of SMEs and the relationships between them.

Research limitations/implications

– The conceptual framework provides the directions for future empirical testing and further theoretical research.

Practical implications

– This study may help managers better understand the importance of an integrated approach to entrepreneurship and innovation, and the process and outcomes of enhancing their entrepreneurship and innovation capacities through strategic alliances.

Originality/value

– To the author's knowledge, this study is the first of its kind that takes a holistic and integrated approach to study SME strategic alliances.
Does ERP integration foster Cross-Functional Awareness? Challenging conventional wisdom for SMEs and large French firms
Authors: Marciniak Rolande , E.L. Amrani Redouane , Rowe Frantz , Adam Frédéric
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of Cross-Functional Awareness (CFA) and to question how firm size influences the impact of ERP implementation strategies on CFA. Specifically, the paper questions whether size moderates the capability of the firm to achieve CFA.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors developed and empirically tested a conceptual framework using the partial least squares structural equation modeling approach. This study gathered data from a sample of 45 French SMEs and 55 French large firms.

Findings

– The results show that ERP implementation strategies (flexibility, organizational vision, Business Process Re-Engineering, speed of implementation, and focus on core modules) have a direct positive relationship and, in large firms, an indirect relationship (via data quality improvement) with the emergence of CFA. The study also suggests that firm size moderates the resulting emergence of ERP-enabled CFA. The findings will help researchers understand the factors associated with ERP implementation and use that promote or inhibit successful use of ERP systems.

Research limitations/implications

– Similar to many published ERP surveys, the sample size is small. In addition, the authors examined CFA in the survey from the perspective of a single respondent per firm. Finally, there may be a cultural limitation linked to the respondents all being French firms.

Practical implications

– The findings will promote a better understanding of the concept of CFA and its benefits amongst managers, leading to increased productivity and efficiency with ERP. In particular, they will help practitioners identify and manage the right factors during ERP implementations.

Originality/value

– In the expanding world of Enterprise System research, this paper is significant in that it studies the effect of ERP implementation on CFA rather than investigating the factors affecting ERP implementation or the outcomes of ERP implementations. To the best of the knowledge, this is one of the few papers that theoretically articulates and empirically explores the concept of CFA, and tests the relationship between implementation strategy factors and CFA, including the moderating role of size in the context of ERP. The contribution shows that the firm size effect should be examined at the level of SMEs and larger firms separately, rather than at an overall level.
Introduction of electronic documents: how business process simulation can help
Authors: Leyer Michael , Hollmann Maximilian
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– Many companies still use paper documents within their service processes, which is supposed to be inefficient, and a digitalisation of documents is a promising alternative. However, such a change is expensive and the process typically has to be adapted. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to show how business process simulation (BPS) can be used to forecast the effects of the introduction of electronic documents.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper presents a case study of a German bank, and shows how BPS can be used to evaluate the introduction of electronic documents in financial service processes.

Findings

– The case study shows how BPS can be applied to evaluate the implications of introducing IT systems using the example of e-files. The results reveal that not only cycle time, but also costs and administrative workload, can be reduced, while the number of processed orders increases.

Practical implications

– On the one hand the data generated in the simulation results can form the basis for feasibility studies regarding IT investments, e.g. for the migration of historical data from the old document management system system. On the other hand, further actions can be deduced for sales staff and other processes, which can use employees’ additional free time.

Originality/value

– Real case examples are rare, as many companies do not apply simulations. This paper is the first to analyse the impact of introducing electronic documents in service processes using BPS. The paper provides an approach how to conceptualise such settings.
Exploring location-dependency in process modeling
Authors: Zhu Xinwei , Recker Jan , Zhu Guobin , Maria Santoro Flávia
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– Context-awareness has emerged as an important principle in the design of flexible business processes. The goal of the research is to develop an approach to extend context-aware business process modeling toward location-awareness. The purpose of this paper is to identify and conceptualize location-dependencies in process modeling.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper uses a pattern-based approach to identify location-dependency in process models. The authors design specifications for these patterns. The authors present illustrative examples and evaluate the identified patterns through a literature review of published process cases.

Findings

– This paper introduces location-awareness as a new perspective to extend context-awareness in BPM research, by introducing relevant location concepts such as location-awareness and location-dependencies. The authors identify five basic location-dependent control-flow patterns that can be captured in process models. And the authors identify location-dependencies in several existing case studies of business processes.

Research limitations/implications

– The authors focus exclusively on the control-flow perspective of process models. Further work needs to extend the research to address location-dependencies in process data or resources. Further empirical work is needed to explore determinants and consequences of the modeling of location-dependencies.

Originality/value

– As existing literature mostly focusses on the broad context of business process, location in process modeling still is treated as “second class citizen” in theory and in practice. This paper discusses the vital role of location-dependencies within business processes. The proposed five basic location-dependent control-flow patterns are novel and useful to explain location-dependency in business process models. They provide a conceptual basis for further exploration of location-awareness in the management of business processes.
A pricing approach for service companies: service blueprint as a tool of demand-based pricing
Authors: Calabrese Armando , De Francesco Federico
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– Demand-based pricing fixes price according to customers’ perceptions of service value and to their resulting willingness to pay. This pricing approach enables service companies to align their prices to customers’ preferences and to their expenditure propensity. Accordingly, it can generate higher margins than other pricing approaches. Nevertheless, this approach is difficult to implement operationally. Consequently, in order to overcome these implementation difficulties, the purpose of this paper is to provide a demand-based pricing approach based on the user-friendly technique of service blueprint (SB).

Design/methodology/approach

– The methodology relies on the design science leads. Design science deals with creating artefacts or models for supporting human or organizational purposes; such artefacts have to be assessed against criteria of utility or value for users. Accordingly, an experimental action research is performed for both implementing and testing the proposed pricing approach.

Findings

– Starting from the main difficulties hindering implementation of demand-based pricing, SB is proved to enable companies to overcome such difficulties and to support its implementation. Moreover, by employing SB, an innovative approach for fixing service prices is provided.

Practical implications

– The proposed approach enables managers of service companies to overcome difficulties of demand-based pricing and to employ pricing strategies according to demand-based drivers.

Originality/value

– In line with a recent call for research on service pricing, this paper develops a new pricing approach, which is able to promote demand-based pricing.
An empirical study of a novel managing customer power model and business performance in the mobile service industry
Authors: Alotaibi Youseef , Liu Fei
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of dividing the companies’ customers into different priority groups to be served according to their payment history and feedback on the business performance areas: service quality (SQ), business process time (BPT), business process cost (BPC) and customer satisfaction (CS).

Design/methodology/approach

– A new numerical model to improve CS service waiting time according to their priority queue class, particularly customers in the high priority queue class will be proposed. To validate the proposed numerical model, a call centre at the selected telecommunication company is used as a case study. An empirical analysis based on data from 130 business and IT managers is used to evaluate and investigate if it has an impact on business process (BP) performance. Bivariate correlation analysis was used to test four hypotheses. The results were subjected to reliability and validity analyses.

Findings

– The results show that managing customer power is positively associated with BP performance. Furthermore, the results indicate that by using the proposed numerical model, the customers’ satisfaction can be improved.

Research limitations/implications

– The paper has some limitations as it is only tested on one real business organizations and one BP service. Furthermore, the study was conducted only in telecommunication companies. The questionnaires were answered only by IT and business managers in Saudi Arabian telecommunication companies. Therefore, the results cannot be used as a standard and might not be directly transferrable to any sized firm and any other country. Moreover, the results may be affected by common method variance as the authors collected the data from participants by using the same survey and at the same time.

Social implications

– The results of this research provide important evidence for business managers and business analysts that managing customers power can enhance the business performance.

Originality/value

– To date, there is only a few researches have been conducted in the area of separating customers into different priority groups to provide services according to their required delivery time, payment history and feedback. However, most of them have not been evaluated in the business environment. Moreover, no previous study has attempted to empirically demonstrate the relationship between creating a BP model which can manage customer power, SQ, BPT, BPC and CS.
After 12
Authors: Dastidar Surajit Ghosh , Jain Nitin Kumar
Published: October 2014

Subject area

Entrepreneurship.

Study level/applicability

The case is suitable for analysis in an undergraduate/graduate entry level course on entrepreneurship. It may also be taught in a course for non-business majors who are unfamiliar with basic business concepts.

Case overview

Shrey Gupta and Manoj Agarwal were the co-owners of “After 12”, a food facility in the Dhanakwadi area of Pune, India. In only nine months, their food enterprise had become quite popular among the local college going crowd. They were doing brisk business and sales had picked up quite a bit in the last two months. They both were quite pleased with the progress of their business. However, in spite of increasing sales figures in the last few months they hardly generated any profits. The revenue they generated was completely spent on buying raw materials like vegetables and other food materials and the rest was used in the payment of utility bills and wages of the cook and the helper. They only had enough money to continue for another month or so. Both pondered about what is the way to proceed. What can be done to make it sustainable? How would they arrange the extra money to get them going? Should they close down “After 12”?

Expected learning outcomes

The case will aid students to understand: how small businesses are started and may fail; the importance of researching your business idea; and SWOT analysis.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.
Value communication: low-cost marketing initiatives for “Guru Ki Bani 58282”
Authors: Pandey Neeraj , Singh Gaganpreet
Published: October 2014

Subject area

Pricing, digital marketing, marketing management and strategic marketing.

Study level/applicability

The case can be used for pricing or digital marketing courses as well as marketing management courses to MBA students and/or for management development programmes.

Case overview

Goldfinch Mobile Solutions, a Hong-Kong based value added services (VAS) and gaming platform provider, had an exclusive tie up with Bharti Airtel in India for providing value added voice applications on an interactive voice response system (IVRS) platform. The Goldfinch flagship service is “Guru Ki Bani” which may be subscribed to by dialing the short code 58282. This “58282” service has a repository of all Sikh religion daily prayers, religious songs, teachings, stories from Guru's life and similar information that is derived from the Sikh Holy book Guru Granth Sahib Ji. As per mutual agreement between Goldfinch Mobile Solutions and Bharti Airtel, the telecom operator had the responsibility to promote Goldfinch's Guru Ki Bani service amongst its subscriber base through its below the line (BTL) promotional channels such as short messaging service (SMS), outbound calls, cell information, notification SMS after call and above the line (ATL) activities such as posters, leaflets, print, promoters, regional TV, outdoors, etc. The revenue sharing arrangement between Airtel and Golfinch was in the ratio of 75 percent and 25 percent. However, with recent changes in the policies of Telephone Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), promotional marketing used by telecom operators has been constrained. Declining customer share, decreasing profits (after Bharti Airtel halted promotions) and increasing organization cost per customer have made MD and CEO Mr Newton Bubber think of various options including low-cost marketing initiatives besides digital marketing to promote Guru Ki Bani services. Value communication to its huge potential customer base, i.e. 184.19 million Bharti Airtel subscribers was another challenge facing Mr Newton and his marketing team at Goldfinch.

Expected learning outcomes

The case enables students to learn the concepts and application of value creation, effective value communication, price waterfall analysis, importance of costing parameters in pricing decisions, low-cost marketing strategies and digital marketing.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.
The role of reasonable notice legislation in organizational downsizing decisions in Canada
Authors: Chhinzer Nita
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this article is to explore the impact of reasonable notice legislation on organizational mass lay-off practices in Canada.

Design/methodology/approach

– Information regarding 1,147 mass lay-off events in Ontario were examined using aggregate level data analysis and ANOVA to develop an understanding of the role of legislation on mass lay-off practices. The data represent all Notice of Mass Termination provided to the Ministry of Labour from 2001 to 2008.

Findings

– The results suggest that organizations choose to absorb inefficiencies during mass lay-offs to reduce expenses associated with reasonable notice periods. Additionally, the findings suggest that the use of mass lay-offs is polarized, with some organizations executing frequent large lay-offs, whereas others execute infrequent smaller lay-offs.

Research limitations/implications

– This research provides evidence that labour legislation influences organizational decision-making during time of significant organizational change, using an ad hoc review of past organizational event. Further research is required to establish the theoretic basis (motivation, rationalization and perceptions) for these empirical results.

Originality/value

– As downsizing becomes a business norm, the role of government and the concept of reasonable notice remain largely unexplored. Challenges with data availability continue to pose a significant barrier to effectively integrating both internal and external factors that influence organization level downsizing decisions. This article is very timely and extends the current discourse, by providing a preliminary exploratory analysis on the role of reasonable notice legislation.
State of third party logistics providers in China
Authors: Wee Kwan Tan Albert , Yifei Zhao , Zhang Dali , Hilmola Olli-Pekka
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to identify global trends in the third-party logistics (3PL) industry, and with that to find out where the opportunities and challenges lie, what the critical success factors are, and how companies can position themselves well in China. As there is currently very limited knowledge about the 3PL industry in China, this study also intends to shed light in this area.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study is conducted through focus group interviews with senior executives of leading 3PL companies in China followed by a survey with 70 logistics companies.

Findings

– The key strengths of the logistics industry in China include numerous factors such as good connectivity and new infrastructure, while its main weaknesses are a shortage of qualified staff and slow adoption of technologies. There are a number of concerns and issues raised, such as lack of qualified staff, oversupply of warehousing space in China, competition from the influx of foreign 3PL companies to China, and regulations on free trade zones, seaports and airports, all of which may have policy implications.

Research limitations/implications

– As most of the logistics companies in the study are located and dominating in the Eastern and Southern China, it may be useful to conduct similar study in the new emerging western and central regions of China for comparison.

Practical implications

– Managers and investors will appreciate the challenges and opportunities in logistics services in China and have a better insight into Chinese logistics development.

Originality/value

– While China has been viewed as a cost effective place for manufacturing, the logistical costs in China are still very high as compared to other developed countries. This research will highlight the key reasons for the high logistical cost in China.
Insights into individual's online shopping continuance intention
Authors: Mohamed Norshidah , Hussein Ramlah , Hidayah Ahmad Zamzuri Nurul , Haghshenas Hanif
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into individual's online shopping continuance intention. The research uses the Expectation Confirmation Theory and Technology Acceptance Model as theoretical foundations to develop a model to achieve this aim.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research uses a cross-sectional survey research design approach. An online marketplace web site that connects buyers and sellers in Malaysia serves as the research context. Data were collected using convenience approach.

Findings

– Results suggest satisfaction contributes to individual online shopping continuance intention. Consistent with extant research, perceived usefulness of web site links to online shopping continuance intention. Contrary to past findings, perceived ease of web site use does not directly contribute to online shopping continuance intention. Individual's price-oriented lifestyle, perceived ease of web site use and usefulness contributed to individual's satisfaction with online shopping experience. People with time-oriented, net-oriented and price-oriented lifestyles and preference for a web site contribute to perceived ease of web site use. Extraverts have online shopping intention while emotional stability moderates the relationship between perceived usefulness of web site and satisfaction in online shopping.

Originality/value

– Findings aid web service provider and internet retailers when explaining individual continuance intention of online shopping. This research advances understanding of the role of satisfaction, perceived ease of web site use and perceived web site usefulness regarding online shopping continuance intention. The research also sheds light on individual attributes as contributors to online shopping experience, continuance and perceptions of web site.