bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Marketing and business process re‐engineering
Authors: Lynch James E.
Published: May 2004

Focuses on the relevance and significance to marketing of the new
management technique of business process re‐engineering. Current
criticisms of marketing′s contribution to contemporary management are
reviewed, with specific examination of the suggestion that the marketing
profession has not responded adequately to major environmental changes.
Reviews the main components of marketing and business process
re‐engineering and concludes that, contrary to some suggestions, these
approaches are not antithetical but complementary. This broad hypothesis
is currently being tested empirically via a small pilot study in the UK
retail sector. The very early results of the pilot study are discussed.
These initial results support the hypothesis that business process
re‐engineering offers the marketing profession a major opportunity to
bring about more effective organizational implementation of the central
marketing concept, if they ensure that key marketing ideas are
institutionalized in the definition of organizational core processes and
systems.
Harvesting the nettle
Authors: Hopkins Michael
Published: May 2004

This article is concerned with the management of a crisis situation
which may occur within a business organization and which is likely to
attract media attention. It is argued that the likelihood of occurrence
of such an event is now much greater than it was previously – not
least because of the speed of present day communications and the
increased public demand for accountability. The writer contends that it
is important for a senior executive to take ownership of a crisis and
handle it strategically rather than allow a team of functional
specialists to respond on a fire‐fighting basis. It is further argued
that the most appropriate executive for this responsibility is the head
of the marketing function, because of his involvement with all aspects
of the business and its strategic direction.
Marketing in a local authority
Authors: Baker F.P.
Published: May 2004

Considers the role of marketing in an increasingly profit‐oriented
local authority. Discusses the problems involved when a public service
espouses marketing principles, but concludes that only marketing can
make most effective use of the scarce resources available to local
authorities.
Communication Network Analysis and Dysfunctional Organizational
Coalition
Authors: Hager Karathanos Patricia
Published: May 2004

Reviews theory on coalition formation and what it might mean to a
manager in an organization. Defines coalition, for the purpose of the
discussion, as a means‐oriented alliance among groups or individuals who
differ in goals. Proposes that a theoretic understanding of coalitions,
coupled with communications network analysis, would be a useful tool for
discerning particular types of organizational coalitions and a guide to
who might coalesce with whom for a detrimental result.
Access to information
Authors: Fisher Shelagh
Published: May 2004

Provides an outline of the main types of published information
available, and found in libraries. Examines first a range of potentially
useful types of information available within libraries and from other
channels. Goes on to provide an account of the use of computers to
search CD‐ROM, online and the Internet to find information.
Sources of UK business information
Authors: Burke Maria E.
Published: May 2004

Endeavours to guide managers through the maze of business
information. Does not pretend to be a survey of all existing business
literature, but provides pointers in three key areas – that of
business directories including Internet sources, market information, and
company information. Includes some examples of company searches.
Making It to the Top: Specific Leadership Skills
Authors: Baack Jane , Carr‐Ruffino Norma , Carr‐Ruffino Norma , Carr‐Ruffino Norma , Pelletier Monique
Published: May 2004

Discusses general skills clusters identified by other researchers as
necessary for leadership success. Reports a US study by questionnaire
survey on the specific skills viewed by male and female managers as
essential for top management posts. Reveals a great deal of agreement,
but women as well as men harbour stereotypes of women as being less able
to handle their emotions under stress, less career‐committed and not
such good team‐players.
Economics and social reality: Professor O’Neil and the problem of
culture
Authors: Armour Leslie
Published: May 2004

Examines the relationship between economics and culture. Discusses
the role of Protestantism, Calvanism and Catholicism in the affluency of
societies. Refers to the article by D.J. O′Neil in this issue which
discusses the works of Horace Plunkett, Edward Banfield and George
Foster, who applied Weberian analysis of culture to the problem of
societies which fail to become affluent. Compares Marxist and Weberian
theories of society and economics.
Roscher and the theory of crisis
Authors: Hagemann Harald
Published: May 2004

Streissler considers Roscher′s theory of crisis to be highly
original and important. Schumpeter, on the other hand, considers it only
a rehash of the ideas of others. Examines this contradiction, beginning
with a reflection on the essential elements of the debates on Keynes,
Say′s law and classical economics. Continues by analysing the statements
of German economists before Roscher on the issues of the general glut
controversy. Ends with a closer inspection of Roscher′s own theory of
crisis.
Future Manufacturing Development in Taiwan
Authors: Simmons J.E.L.
Published: May 2004

Taiwan is a small country of 20 million people which has considerably
more importance on the world manufacturing and trading stage than mere
numbers would suggest. Recent figures show Taiwan to be the 13th largest
trading economy in the world and it is the 12th biggest exporter of
manufactured products. In less than 40 years Taiwan has transformed
itself from a wholly agricultural society to a leader in the group of
newly industrialized countries. Taiwan′s economy, based on
manufacturing, performed remarkably well in the 1980s and is continuing
to grow at about 7 per cent per annum.
Technology – Friend or Foe?
Authors: Gregson Ken
Published: May 2004

Technology can be regarded as a catalyst for change. Sometimes, however,
the change that results can be regarded differently (as positive or
negative) by different individuals or groups depending on where they
stand with reference to the change. Automated teller machines (ATMs),
for example, are regarded by the general public as convenient ways of
withdrawing cash outside normal banking hours. In fact, many people seem
to prefer the anonymity of the ATM even when there is a real person
inside the bank waiting to serve them. Presumably, the people who run
the bank also look on the ATMs favourably, as a means of carrying out
business with lower staffing levels and over longer hours. Bank staff,
on the other hand, may see the technology as a threat to their
livelihood. The number of bank staff has certainly gone down over the
last ten years – presumably, at least some of this decline can be laid at
the door of technology. (There are those who say “Its all their own
fault.” – that the rush to replace people with technology is down to the
poor industrial relations record of the last 25 years. Technology does
not go on strike; or keep demanding high pay increases.)
Negotiate to Win
Authors: Baines Anna
Published: May 2004

It is surprising how often we need negotiation skills, both in our
working lives and in the rest of our lives. It is also surprising how
many of us have never had any training in these skills; it is just
assumed that negotiation comes naturally. In a business setting,
negotiation is usually associated with two areas. The first is the
commercial arena of buying and selling. We negotiate prices for many of
the things we buy –and for the things we sell. Doing a deal can be an
important part of business –and can make the difference between profit
and loss.
Product standardization or adaptation: the Japanese approach
Authors: Leonidou Leonidas C.
Published: May 2004

Focuses on the issue of product standardization versus adaptation, with special reference to the practices of Japanese multinational companies (MNCs) operating in the Middle East. Reveals that the degree of adaptation of Japanese goods is generally moderate, with labelling, packaging and internal features attracting most alterations. Product adaptations were more profound among firms producing consumer goods, as well as those having a long presence in the Arab market. Also suggests that the impact of factors affecting the standardization/ adaptation decision differed according to the specific product aspect, with demographic and political‐legal forces being the most influential overall. With respect to future product strategy, participant firms stated that they would proceed more or less as at present, the only exception being some additional adaptations as regards external characteristics of the product.
The effect of quality circles on perceived service quality in financial services
Authors: Millson Fiona , Kirk‐Smith Michael
Published: May 2004

Over the past decade much has been written on service quality (SQ) in the financial services industry and on the value of quality circles (QCs) in service industries in general. The SQ literature propounds the competitive importance of achieving high standards of SQ in service companies and documents the advantages and difficulties of maintaining these high standards. In a different area of management, quality circles (QCs) have been developed as a method of improving processes within companies, with a literature citing widely held beliefs about the benefits of running QC programmes. However, few, if any, previous writers have analysed how QCs and their advantages relate to SQ, despite the potential synergies between the two areas. Reviews both service quality and quality circles, identifies the relation between the two within the framework of gap analysis, and presents empirical work carried out within Midland Bank, investigating this relationship. Finally, presents a 12‐stage approach to implementing a QC programme.
New developments in organizing around markets
Authors: Klouvi Messan , Kleiner Brian H.
Published: May 2004

A closer look into the business environment shows how rapidly technological changes have been reshaping the industrial and service world. Manufacturing an automobile or a machine tool today does not use the same process as it did 20 years ago. Using electronic data interchange, a supplier can deliver the exact quantity of items needed by its customer in a very short period of time. Describes briefly a process‐focused production system and some criteria for choosing a process. Analyses successively the reasons companies organize around processes, the business processes redesign many companies have been undergoing, and the essential conditions which must surround this radical change. Redesigning business processes has to be done by people and through people who need to be trained, empowered and rewarded. To operate this change companies need to move towards decentralized small business units with an innovative environment.
Kaizen—The many ways of getting better
Authors: Wittenberg G
Published: May 2004

Explores the Japanese kaizen philosophy and its application to manufacturing. The kaizen strategy is based on the process of gradual change bringing improvements to all area of management and production. It is a people based system with standardisation being an essential feature. Describes a kaizen workshop held in the UK by the Kaizen Institute of Europe, with comments from the participants. Concludes with a brief history of the Kaizen Institute of Europe [KIE].
Infact not fiction
Authors: Loughlin Clive
Published: May 2004

Examines the development of a flexible assembly machine, GENASYS
[Generic Assembly System] which has been designed to produce a
range of components. The machine comprises two manipulator arms, a tool
changer and a shuttle system for the pallets on which the assembly operations
are performed. Each manipulator is able to select a different tool from a
carousel tool change mechanism that can accommodate up to 20 different tools.
The machine can easily be programmed for a specific assembly operation and
low batch numbers can be produced economically. Timescales for the design and
installation of the machine are considerably shorter than for a dedicated
assembly line and once installed in a factory new product variants can be
accommodated within very short timescales and with low‐retooling
costs.
Sources of effectiveness in the business‐to‐business sales organization
Authors: Piercy Nigel F. , Cravens David W. , Morgan Neil A.
Published: May 2004

The significance of the search for sales organization effectiveness is underlined by the major costs represented by the field salesforce for many organizations, and it is heightened by the pressures of global competition and new challenges to develop long‐term customer relationships as the foundation for competitive and sustainable marketing strategies. A study of sales management in British companies adds to an emerging research stream by identifying certain characteristics of superior performance and effectiveness in the business‐to‐business sales organization. We find that conventional measures of salesforce size, call‐rates, costs and productivity reveal relatively little about the differences between more effective and less effective sales organizations and may be dangerously misleading. The hallmarks of effective sales organizations we found to be: balanced compensation strategy; successful salesperson characteristics, in terms of motivation, customer orientation, team orientation, and sales support orientation; high performance in the drivers of sales effectiveness, i.e. sales presentation, technical knowledge, but most particularly adaptiveness, teamwork, sales planning, and sales support; the use of behaviour‐based control approaches involving effective monitoring, directing, evaluating and rewarding activities by sales managers; and, sound organizational structures. The research findings contribute benchmarks to a powerful management agenda to be addressed by executives in pursuing sales organization effectiveness.
Integral attachment using snap‐fit features: a key to assembly automation. Part 2 ‐ bringing order to integral attachment: attachment‐level design
Authors: Messler Robert W. , Genc Suat , Gabriele Gary A.
Published: May 2004

This second of a six‐part series presents a hierarchical scheme for classifying integral snap‐fits at the attachment level, bringing great order to where there appeared to be chaos. The scheme is then used to enumerate all possible design options. The proliferation of plastic parts, and the ability to mould such parts of great complexity at little cost penalty, has resulted in the growing use of integral attachment in the form of snap‐fit features in designs. Heretofore, the great diversity of part geometry and integral snap‐fit features has made it appear that design possibilities may be unbounded, and that attempts at optimization might be intractable. The result shows that options can quickly be reduced to a small enough number to allow designers to compare every possibility, thereby making true optimization a practical reality. As such, the scheme guides new designers and validates choices for experienced designers in ways never before possible.
Idea generation techniques in an industrial market
Authors: Coates Nigel F. , Cook Iain , Robinson Harry
Published: May 2004

There is a dearth of published research on the assessment of idea generation techniques. Helps to rectify this and examines idea generation techniques within the new product development process by an in‐depth study of the measuring, checking and precision instruments industry (SIC 3710). Data were collected from 47 companies using telephone interviews. Over 80 per cent of manufacturing respondents claimed to use some form of idea generation technique in their new product development process for new product idea generation or problem solving purposes, with larger companies using more techniques than smaller ones. However, none of the companies’ last new product was initiated by the use of an idea generation technique. It is therefore difficult to justify the resources that idea generation techniques presently consume. The origin of most new product ideas was the customer.
A recipe for mission and vision statements
Authors: Tarnow Eugen
Published: May 2004

Introduces a method to enhance existing mission and vision statements. The format of the initial statement is changed to (1) suggest an action, (2) identify this action only vaguely, and (3) include a social categorization. Discusses some consequences of the Unifying Action Declarations, including examples from experiential group events and from a high tech consulting firm. The resulting “Unifying Action Declarations” allow leaders to use group formation forces to help motivate task performance.
Charities, organisational learning and market orientation
Authors: Bennett Roger
Published: May 2004

Although there exists an extensive literature concerning the factors that facilitate or inhibit organisational learning; scant attention has been devoted to the development of valid and reliable measures of the extents to which organisations actually exhibit propensities to learn. This paper introduces such an instrument (LEONORA ‐ LEarning OrgaNisation ORientAtion indicator) which the author applied to a sample of 291 organisations in a sector (large UK charities) wherein substantial numbers of learning organisations might reasonably be expected to be found. Results indicated that the proposed 26‐item scale is best represented by a factor structure comprising five distinct groupings of variables, involving: market and competitor research; innovation and the ability to accommodate change; teamwork and shared values; information generation and dissemination; and employee training. Overall the findings suggest that charities displaying the essential features of learning organisations have outperformed their rivals over recent years.
Toward a new principia politica: the third revolution in political science
Authors: Rugina Anghel N.
Published: May 2004

The economic science is again in a crisis and a new solution prolegomena to any future study in economics, finance and other social sciences has just been published by the International Institute of Social Economics in care of the MCB University Press in England. The roots of the major financial and economic problems of our time lie in an open conflict between theory and practice. In the 1930s and before the conflict was between classical theory and given realities. In the 1990s the conflict appears between the now prevailing modern, Keynesian theory and the actual realities. In addition during the twentieth century a great argument developed between the two schools of thought, argument which is not yet settled. In one sentence, the prolegomena tried and was successful to solve the conflict between theory and practice and the big doctrinal dispute of the twentieth century. It was a struggle of research and observation over half a century between 1947 and 1997.
The quest for independence of principia logica
Authors: Rugina Anghel N.
Published: May 2004

The economic science is again in a crisis and a new solution prolegomena to any future study in economics, finance and other social sciences has just been published by the International Institute of Social Economics in care of the MCB University Press in England. The roots of the major financial and economic problems of our time lie in an open conflict between theory and practice. In the 1930s and before the conflict was between classical theory and given realities. In the 1990s the conflict appears between the now prevailing modern, Keynesian theory and the actual realities. In addition during the twentieth century a great argument developed between the two schools of thought, argument which is not yet settled. In one sentence, the prolegomena tried and was successful to solve the conflict between theory and practice and the big doctrinal dispute of the twentieth century. It was a struggle of research and observation over half a century between 1947 and 1997.
The problem of values and value‐judgments in science and a positive solution
Authors: Rugina Anghel N.
Published: May 2004

The economic science is again in a crisis and a new solution prolegomena to any future study in economics, finance and other social sciences has just been published by the International Institute of Social Economics in care of the MCB University Press in England. The roots of the major financial and economic problems of our time lie in an open conflict between theory and practice. In the 1930s and before the conflict was between classical theory and given realities. In the 1990s the conflict appears between the now prevailing modern, Keynesian theory and the actual realities. In addition during the twentieth century a great argument developed between the two schools of thought, argument which is not yet settled. In one sentence, the prolegomena tried and was successful to solve the conflict between theory and practice and the big doctrinal dispute of the twentieth century. It was a struggle of research and observation over half a century between 1947 and 1997.
Cross‐cultural advertising in Europe
Authors: Whitelock Jeryl , Rey Jean‐Christophe
Published: May 2004

This paper presents the findings of a survey of television advertisements broadcast on French and UK television channels. The findings show that advertisements which have elements common to both countries are still very much the minority. An analysis of the underlying spirit of national and partially standardised advertisements highlighted the difference in advertising styles between the two countries. UK advertisements continue to rely on humour or straightforward information, where their French counterparts rely on a dreamlike advertising style. These differences appear to be rooted in the individual national cultures and would seem to preclude the possibility of standardised cross‐cultural advertising for the majority of products in the short‐term.
The usage and portrayal of older models in contemporary consumer advertising
Authors: Carrigan Marylyn , Szmigin Isabelle
Published: May 2004

As the population of North America and Europe continues to mature, marketers have started to recognise the consumer opportunity this represents. Given the current and potential importance of this affluent and discriminating group of consumers, one would expect advertisers to make substantial use of older people as models in order to present relevant and attractive appeals to this segment of the market. However, research in North America has found a significant under‐representation of older models in advertising. Assesses the extent to which 50+ adults are used as models in a sample of UK advertisements, and the manner in which they are portrayed. The results confirm the findings of previous US and Canadian studies supporting the view that the over‐50s are ignored by advertisers, although this study found that in the small sample of advertisements where older models are used, they are depicted favourably. Concludes by discussing the relevance of these findings and areas of future research.
Identifying the expectations of older food consumers
Authors: Hare Caroline , Kirk David , Lang Tim
Published: May 2004

Given the many potential negative factors that influence food choice behaviour in older people, it is important to understand the problem areas of food shopping. Uses critical incident technique (CIT) to elicit consumers’ stories of dissatisfying/satisfying shopping experiences and, where dissatisfied, identifies their expectations. Volunteers from a cross‐section of locations in Scotland were interviewed, eliciting 248 incidents. Results identified eight key elements contributing to the food shopping experience with all, except social aspects, having positive and negative incidents. Argues that the factors influencing the food shopping experience are much wider than previous research indicates and that, given the breadth of dissatisfaction across the elements, older consumers are lacking “power” within the marketplace. Expectations indicate that some consumers feel they do not have the ability to exercise any alternative to overcome their dissatisfaction.
Re‐assessing the Enabling Role of Information Technology in KM
Authors: Junnarkar Bipin , Brown Carol V.
Published: May 2004

This paper examines the role of information technology as an enabler of Knowledge Management. It begins with the premise that Knowledge Management requires an under‐standing of knowledge creation at the individual level, and argues that IT tools are necessary, but not sufficient, for enabling sense‐making. The organizational IT role is assessed in terms of: mechanisms to facilitate knowledge creation; the information sources organizational decision‐makers use; and sense‐making activities to support innovation. Frameworks for thinking about initiatives that include IT capabilities and people capabilities are presented for each of these concepts, along with relevant examples. The paper concludes with four IT management guidelines.
Preserving the spoken word: six issues in search of a digital solution
Authors: Seadle Michael
Published: May 2004

How can we digitize the spoken word in a way that maximizes its usefulness and accessibility over as long a period as possible? This editorial lists six issues: copyright and ownership; selection at both the collection and contents level; conversion, formats, and analog input; segmentation and structuring; metadata at both the bibliographic and contents level; and maintenance and refreshing.
International complications
Authors: Seadle Michael
Published: May 2004

Every page on the Web represents an international publication. A client machine in Germany can easily access a server in Michigan, but the copyright laws in the USA differ in a number of significant ways. This column looks at two specific examples, one where there is a difference in the length of protection, and another where German moral rights legislation gives privileges not found in the US law. Although the examples are German and American, similar differences exist between other legal systems.
An Analysis of the Association between Pollution Disclosure and Economic Performance
Authors: Freedman Martin , Jaggi Bikki
Published: May 2004

The association between the extent of pollution disclosures and economic performance of firms belonging to four highly polluting industries — chemicals, steel, oil and paper and pulp is examined. The economic performance is determined by calculating ratios on return of assets, return on equity and operating performance. For measurement of the extensiveness of pollution disclosures, a disclosure index has been developed. The results do not indicate a significant association between the economic performance and pollution disclosures for the total sample. However, when the sample is segmented by industry group, a significant positive correlation is detected for the oil industry, indicating an association between economic performance and pollution disclosures. Furthermore, when the sample is divided on the basis of the firm size, the results show that the sub‐group of large firms with poor economic performance provides detailed pollution information. For smaller firms, no association between the two variables is observed.
Does culture create new jobs in the information society?
Authors: Schmidt‐Braul Ingo‐Eric M.
Published: May 2004

The demand for professionals qualified for handling multimedia services and products has increased significantly in recent years and today there is a lack of staff with competencies corresponding to the demands of the information society in most businesses. However, new competencies are needed if new and interesting products are to be developed in order to make business prosperous. This is also an important issue for the cultural sector which needs to re‐qualify staff in order to compete with other businesses on the provision of information. This implies that information professionals and knowledge workers must be educated and further trained, requiring a qualification campaign on a broad basis. New qualifications are needed within the traditional cultural industries and institutions ‐ people with technical skills as well as readiness for lifelong learning ‐ if the new possibilities and challenges are to be met.
The influence of power on trading partner trust in electronic commerce
Authors: Ratnasingam Pauline
Published: May 2004

Power has become an important contextual factor in electronic commerce adoption. Persuading trading partners can mean using persuasive power. Hence, the way power is used to influence trading partners will determine the extent to which trust is encouraged during the adoption and integration process. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the impact of power in EDI adoption. The findings of a case study within an automotive manufacturer indicate that negative (coercive) power left smaller suppliers in a situation of uncertainty, and even conflict, whereas positive (persuasive) power resulted in open communications between smaller suppliers and their buyers, thus building trading partner trust and long‐term trading relationships.
Development of three‐dimensional apparel CAD system
Authors: Kang Tae J. , Min Kim Sung
Published: May 2004

A comprehensive apparel CAD system was developed to perform automatic garment pattern drafting and the prediction of the final drape shape of designed garment putting on the human body. Three dimensional apparel CAD system starts with a flat garment pattern drafting system. A computerized pattern design script language has been created based on the traditional patterner’s principles to develop an automatic draft system of performing basic garment pattern drafting as well as grading rule generation. A pattern modification system was also developed considering functions required in apparel CAD such as auxiliary pattern generation, seam line creation, and dart manipulation to generate engineering patterns which can be used in the three dimensional garment shape prediction system presented later in part II of this paper.
Buying your next PC: comments and perspectives
Authors: Crawford Walt
Published: May 2004

Unless you’re an inveterate upgrader, you’ll replace your personal computer every few years. Computer crazies say “every 18 months,” and a few retrograde managers might say “when it dies” ‐ but for most of us, three to four years is about right. The author replaced his home computer in August 1996, after three‐and‐a‐half years and several upgrades. Almost a year later, he looks at that buying decision and how it looks today. This article could be considered an update from Trailing Edge 15, when the issue of buying your next PC was most recently raised ‐ before the author purchased his previous system. Those with long memories may be as surprised by what hasn’t changed as well as by what has.
Schaffer library home page: structured access to library and Internet resources
Authors: Connolly Bruce , Golderman Gail M.
Published: May 2004

Outlines the development process which the Schaffer home library went through to create and design its Web site for Union College Schenectady, New York. Profiles the features of the site including new items, news and current affairs and electronic sources and guides. Briefly mentions other initiatives for the future, their challenges, and the future role of the library.
Implementing value strategy through the value chain
Authors: Walters David , Lancaster Geoff
Published: May 2004

This article is a corollary to three articles published earlier in Management Decision. More precise definitions of a modern value chain are proposed, in terms of it being a business system that creates end‐user satisfaction and realises the objectives of other member stakeholders. Comparisons are drawn with the current notion of supply chain management and an explanation is given as to how the supply chain fits into the wider perspective put forward in this paper. Ideas are advanced in relation to value chain relationships and options. Models are then suggested relating to a number of well‐known international companies, where the authors have researched, at primary or secondary level.
Keepers of the knowledge capital: legislating for the new millennium
Authors: Carter Chris
Published: May 2004

This article presents a discussion about the future of knowledge production within business schools. It questions the traditional “legislative” role of universities and argues that analysts need increasingly to look to the knowledge‐generating activities of groups, such as consultants, in order to understand what is taken as and what constitutes knowledge in the corporate world. The aim of this article is to stimulate debate on the future of knowledge production in both academia and consultancies.
Management decisions for effective ISO 9000 accreditation
Authors: Abraham Morris , Crawford John , Carter David , Mazotta Frank
Published: May 2004

Over the last few years, governments, the public and private sectors, and international trading partners, have and are enforcing “ISO certification” and other similar quality standards as a requirement for doing business and often demand ISO 9000 accreditation as a prerequisite in their requests for tenders. There have been related criticisms that businesses are thus sometimes seen to be opportunistic in pursuing certification merely to retain and hopefully increase sales rather than improve quality. This research aims to explore whether certification itself provides some guarantee of performance outcomes, or whether such outcomes are dependent on the way in which the accreditation process is introduced into organizations. The results indicate that certification itself seems to provide little guarantee of effective performance outcomes. Rather, performance outcomes are highly dependent on the strategy for implementation, with high performance outcomes being associated with changes to both transformational and transactional organizational variables.
Working with courage, fear and failure
Authors: English Peter , Sutton Elaine
Published: May 2004

This abstract describes research to explore the extent to which issues such as personal courage, fear and the potential for failure are addressed in mentoring relationships. How much can mentoring contribute to personal growth and why it is that some people in mentoring relationships seem to have an almost transformational development experience and yet for others it seems to have little impact? The methodology consisted of individual interviews with National Health Service managers, focus group discussions, reflection on the authors’ experiences and discussions with delegates attending the 6th Annual European Mentoring Conference. The article summarises the issues of personal courage and fear addressed in different types of mentoring relationships and identifies the conditions necessary for mentoring relationships that are able to explore these issues.
A role for imagery in mentoring
Authors: Fletcher Sarah
Published: May 2004

This article suggests that simple imagery and visualization techniques can be used with the mentoring relationship. After identifying the challenge that mentors need strategies to promote mentee development, the article presents a case for using visualization and shows how this strategy has been used in other contexts. Visualization and imagery is then applied to pre‐service teachers. The article concludes by exploring the potential for the use of visualization by mentors arguing that visualisation could help bring about self‐actualization.
Mentoring: the Australian experience
Authors: MacGregor Linda
Published: May 2004

The article examines the thought and practice relating to mentoring in Australia. Beginning with facilitated mentoring, two case studies are provided. A second view, guided learning is also explored. The article concludes with a consideration of future trends.
Production of a fully functional, permuted single‐chain penicillin G acylase
Authors: Flores Gabriela , Soberón Xavier , Osuna Joel
Published: May 2004

Penicillin G acylase (PGA) is a heterodimeric enzyme synthesized as a single‐polypeptide precursor that undergoes an autocatalytic processing to remove an internal spacer peptide to produce the active enzyme. We constructed a single‐chain PGA not dependent on autoproteolytic processing. The mature sequence of the β‐domain was expressed as the N terminus of a new polypeptide, connected by a random tetra‐peptide to the α‐domain, to afford a permuted protein. We found several active enzymes among variants differing in their linker peptides. Protein expression analysis showed that the functional single‐chain variants were produced when using a Sec‐dependent leader peptide, or when expressed inside the bacterial cytoplasm. Active‐site titration experiments showed that the single‐chain proteins displayed similar kcat values to the ones obtained with the wild‐type enzyme. Interestingly, the single‐chain proteins also displayed close to 100% of functional active sites compared to 40% to 70% functional yield usually obtained with the heterodimeric protein.
Modification of halogen specificity of a vanadium‐dependent bromoperoxidase
Authors: Ohshiro Takashi , Littlechild Jennifer , Garcia‐Rodriguez Esther , Isupov Michail N. , Iida Yasuaki , Kobayashi Takushi , Izumi Yoshikazu
Published: May 2004

The halide specificity of vanadium‐dependent bromoperoxidase (BPO) from the marine algae, Corallina pilulifera, has been changed by a single amino acid substitution. The residue R397 has been substituted by the other 19 amino acids. The mutant enzymes R397W and R397F showed significant chloroperoxidase (CPO) activity as well as BPO activity. These mutant enzymes were purified and their properties were investigated. The maximal velocities of CPO activities of the R397W and R397F enzymes were 31.2 and 39.2 units/mg, and the Km values for Cl− were 780 mM and 670 mM, respectively. Unlike the native enzyme, both mutant enzymes were inhibited by NaN3. In the case of the R397W enzyme, the incorporation rate of vanadate into the active site was low, compared with the R397F and the wild‐type enzyme. These results supported the existence of a specific halogen binding site within the catalytic cleft of vanadium haloperoxidases.
Pressure dissociation studies provide insight into oligomerization competence of temperature‐sensitive folding mutants of P22 tailspike
Authors: Lefebvre Brian G. , Comolli Noelle K. , Gage Matthew J. , Robinson Anne Skaja
Published: May 2004

Several temperature‐sensitive folding (tsf) mutants of the tailspike protein from bacteriophage P22 have been found to fold with lower efficiency than the wild‐type sequence, even at lowered temperatures. Previous refolding studies initiated from the unfolded monomer have indicated that the tsf mutations decrease the rate of structured monomer formation. We demonstrate that pressure treatment of the tailspike aggregates provides a useful tool to explore the effects of tsf mutants on the assembly pathway of the P22 tailspike trimer. The effects of pressure on two different tsf mutants, G244R and E196K, were explored. Pressure treatment of both G244R and E196K aggregates produced a folded trimer. E196K forms almost no native trimer in in vitro refolding experiments, yet it forms a trimer following pressure in a manner similar to the native tailspike protein. In contrast, trimer formation from pressure‐treated G244R aggregates was not rapid, despite the presence of a G244R dimer after pressure treatment. The center‐of‐mass shifts of the fluorescence spectra under pressure are nearly identical for both tsf aggregates, indicating that pressure generates similar intermediates. Taken together, these results suggest that E196K has a primary defect in formation of the β‐helix during monomer collapse, while G244R is primarily an assembly defect.
Sequence‐structure mapping errors in the PDB: OB‐fold domains
Authors: Venclovas Česlovas , Ginalski Krzysztof , Kang Chulhee
Published: May 2004

The Protein Data Bank (PDB) is the single most important repository of structural data for proteins and other biologically relevant molecules. Therefore, it is critically important to keep the PDB data, as much as possible, error‐free. In this study, we have analyzed PDB crystal structures possessing oligonucleotide/oligosaccharide binding (OB)‐fold, one of the highly populated folds, for the presence of sequence‐structure mapping errors. Using energy‐based structure quality assessment coupled with sequence analyses, we have found that there are at least five OB‐structures in the PDB that have regions where sequences have been incorrectly mapped onto the structure. We have demonstrated that the combination of these computation techniques is effective not only in detecting sequence‐structure mapping errors, but also in providing guidance to correct them. Namely, we have used results of computational analysis to direct a revision of X‐ray data for one of the PDB entries containing a fairly inconspicuous sequence‐structure mapping error. The revised structure has been deposited with the PDB. We suggest use of computational energy assessment and sequence analysis techniques to facilitate structure determination when homologs having known structure are available to use as a reference. Such computational analysis may be useful in either guiding the sequence‐structure assignment process or verifying the sequence mapping within poorly defined regions.
Accessibility of introduced cysteines in chemoreceptor transmembrane helices reveals boundaries interior to bracketing charged residues
Authors: Boldog Thomas , Hazelbauer Gerald L.
Published: May 2004

Two hydrophobic sequences, 24 and 30 residues long, identify the membrane‐spanning segments of chemoreceptor Trg from Escherichia coli. As in other related chemoreceptors, these helical sequences are longer than the minimum necessary for an α‐helix to span the hydrocarbon region of a biological membrane. Thus, the specific positioning of the segments relative to the hydrophobic part of the membrane cannot be deduced from sequence alone. With the aim of defining the positioning for Trg experimentally, we determined accessibility of a hydrophilic sulfhydryl reagent to cysteines introduced at each position within and immediately outside the two hydrophobic sequences. For both sequences, there was a specific region of uniformly low accessibility, bracketed by regions of substantial accessibility. The two low‐accessibility regions were each 19 residues long and were in register in the three‐dimensional organization of the transmembrane domain deduced from independent data. None of the four hydrophobic–hydrophilic boundaries for these two membrane‐embedded sequences occurred at a charged residue. Instead, they were displaced one to seven residues internal to the charged side chains bracketing the extended hydrophobic sequences. Many hydrophobic sequences, known or predicted to be membrane‐spanning, are longer than the minimum necessary helical length, but precise membrane boundaries are known for very few. The cysteine‐accessibility approach provides an experimental strategy for determining those boundaries that could be widely applicable.
Development and Governmentality
Authors: Watts Michael
Published: May 2004

The subjectivity of individuals, the so‐called speakers and hearers of political discourse, who actually, or even ideally, populate a state, needs to be understood in terms of enunciative modalities ‐ the statuses, sites, and positions ‐ of their existence as political subjects. Enunciative modalities refer to the ways a discursive practice is attached to bodies in space (Clifford, 2001:56).Governmental thought territorializes itself in different ways… We can analyze the ways in which the idea of a territorially bounded, politically governed nation state under sovereign authority took shape… One can trace anomalous governmental histories of smaller‐scale territories… and one can also think of these [as] spaces of enclosure that governmental thought has imagined and penetrated… how [does it] happen that social thought territorializes itself on the problem of [for example] the slum in the nineteenth century (Rose, 1999:34–36)?
An Inter‐temporal General Equilibrium Econometric Model for a Small Open Economy with Application to Australia
Authors: Han Sang‐Hee , Woodland Alan D.
Published: May 2004

An inter‐temporal general equilibrium econometric model is developed for the Australian economy and used to simulate a trade policy. The model treats the prices of non‐traded goods as endogenous and takes account of the inter‐temporal optimality conditions implicit in the determination of saving, capital formation and the price of new investment. Utilising quarterly Australian data, the model is estimated by the method of full information maximum likelihood. Estimates of supply and demand elasticities are presented and discussed. Finally, the model is used to simulate the effects upon the economy over time of anticipated and unanticipated changes in the tariff rate.
Exploring the Role of the Real Exchange Rate in Australian Monetary Policy
Authors: Dennis Richard
Published: May 2004

An important issue in small open‐economies is whether policymakers should respond to exchange rate movements when they formulate monetary policy. Micro‐founded models tend to suggest that there is little to be gained from responding to exchange rate movements, and the literature has largely concluded that such a response is unnecessary, or even undesirable. This paper examines this issue using an estimated model of the Australian economy. In contrast to microfounded models, according to this model policymakers should allow for movements in the real exchange rate and the terms‐of‐trade when they set interest rates. Further, taking real exchange rate movements into account appears even more important with price level targeting than with inflation targeting.
Consumption and Wealth in Australia
Authors: Tan Alvin , Voss Graham
Published: May 2004

This paper examines the relationship between consumption and wealth in Australia. We find a steady‐state relationship between non‐durables consumption, labour income and aggregate household wealth for the period 1988–1999. We also find that changes in both non‐financial and financial assets have significant but different short‐run and long‐run effects in dynamic consumption models. Finally, we place our results within the broader empirical literature and examine whether they are consistent with standard theories of consumption.
Protectionist Lobbying and Strategic Investment
Authors: Damania Richard
Published: May 2004

Why are some uncompetitive industry sectors so effective in lobbying for greater protection and support? This paper attempts to explain the lobbying success of these industries in terms of the strategic role of investment in technology as a credible commitment device. By eschewing potentially profitable investment opportunities firms credibly signal to the government that the cost of a tariff reduction will be substantial. This enables the firms to lobby more effectively for policy concessions. Political considerations may therefore provide a significant incentive for firms to reject investment in newer technologies, even when these lower production costs.
Household Composition, Equivalence Scales and the Reliability of Income Distributions: Some Evidence for Indigenous and Other Australians
Authors: Hunter Boyd H. , Kennedy Steven , Smith Daniel
Published: May 2004

Indigenous families experience substantial and multiple forms of economic burden arising from the size and structure of their families and households. Indigenous households are more likely to have more than one family in residence than other Australian households and are more likely to be multigenerational with older Indigenous people living with younger people in extended family households. This paper seeks to characterise the economies of household size in Indigenous and other Australian households using equivalence scales that cover the range of feasible values and 1995 National Health Survey data.