bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Legionella steelei sp. nov., isolated from human respiratory specimens in California, USA, and South Australia
Authors: Edelstein Paul H. , Edelstein Martha A. , Shephard Lisa J. , Ward Kevin W. , Ratcliff Rodney M.
Published: September 2011

Legionella

-like bacteria were isolated from the respiratory tract of two patients in California, USA, and South Australia, but were not thought to cause disease. These bacteria, strains F2632 and IMVS-3376T, were found to have identical

Legionella

macrophage infectivity potentiator (mip) gene sequences and were therefore further characterized to determine their genetic and phenotypic relatedness and properties. Both of these Gram-negative-staining bacterial strains grew on buffered charcoal yeast extract medium, were cysteine auxotrophs and made a characteristic diffusible bright yellow fluorescent pigment, with one strain making a late appearing colony-bound blue–white fluorescent pigment. The optimal in vitro growth temperature was 35 °C, with very poor growth at 37 °C in broth or on solid media. There was no growth in human A549 cells at either 35 or 37 °C, but excellent growth in Acanthamoeba castellani at 30 °C and poorer growth at 35 °C. Phylogenetic analysis of these bacteria was performed by sequence analysis of 16S rRNA, mip, ribonuclease P, ribosomal polymerase B and zinc metalloprotease genes. These studies confirmed that the new strains represented a single novel species of the genus

Legionella

for which the name Legionella steelei sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is IMVS-3376T ( = IMVS 3113T = ATCC BAA-2169T).
The use and value of local information systems
Authors: Oakford Alefiyah , Williams Peter
Published: September 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to show that there has been a rise in the development of local information systems in recent years. However, little research exists on users' perspectives of the value they obtain from these systems. This paper seeks to directly address this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study approach was employed. The system selected for the case study was the Milton Keynes intelligence (MKi) Observatory, which is managed by Milton Keynes Council. Interviews with key staff involved in the system's development were undertaken to examine the reasons for the development of a local information system. A survey with the system's users provided insight into its use and value.

Findings

The paper found that, although the MKi Observatory is of significant value to users, they experience difficulty in finding data and information and in the use and interpretation of statistical and mapping data. There is a lack of awareness of the importance and use of metadata associated with resources in the system. Implications for the development of other similar systems are outlined.

Originality/value

The study identifies how the MKi Observatory local information system may better facilitate the exchange of data and information to its users. Such research is essential if the full potential of these systems is to be realised and to identify how they may better meet the needs of their users. Implications for other similar systems were also elicited, so that the value of this study and its findings can be used by other local information systems, or those considering the development of such a system.
Assessing malnutrition among chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy cancer Benghazi outpatients
Authors: Pandey Diwa , Buzgeia Mohammed H. , Badr Safaa A.E. , Gheith Senussi Faiza , Ibrahim El‐Mokasabi Haifa , Mohammed El‐Shahomi Aisha
Published: September 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the extent of actual malnutrition and its risk among cancer patients receiving radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy in the Libyan city of Benghazi.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross‐sectional nutritional assessment study using the patient‐generated subjective global assessment (PG‐SGA) was carried out on 200 (91 males and 109 females) cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.

Findings

A total of 25 per cent of the subjects were severely malnourished while 73.5 per cent were either at risk of malnutrition or suspected to be malnourished. Almost all (99.5 per cent) needed some degree of intervention (critical in nature for 83.5 per cent). Family income and physical activity were associated with nutritional status (p<0.05). Body Mass Index alone is an insensitive criterion for identifying malnutrition among such patients. All the sections and subsections of the PG‐SGA had a statistically significant positively correlation with its total score (r=0.51‐0.96, p<0.05). Dieticians played a very limited role in patient nutritional care.

Practical implications

It is suggested that dieticians should play a more participatory and prominent role in a multidisciplinary team involved in patient nutritional care. The PG‐SGA can help identify areas where tailor made strategies to counteract specific malnutrition or its risk can be planned, implemented and monitored.

Originality/value

There exists a considerable prevalence of malnutrition among Benghazi cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, most of whom need critical intervention.
Baby boomers' desires for future health and food services
Authors: Worsley Tony , Wang Wei , Hunter Wendy
Published: September 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify food and health services desired by baby boomers and to examine their likely antecedents.

Design/methodology/approach

A random sample of baby boomers in Victoria, Australia (n=1,108) completed a postal survey and rated the desirability of 13 post retirement food and health services.

Findings

The strongest demand was expressed for low cost fruit and vegetables, 24‐hour GP services, environmentally friendly foods, and friendly places to meet friends and exercise, among others. Generally, psychographic variables were key predictors of demand for social (health) services, food services, and vitamin pills and herbal remedies. Demand for food services was associated with universalism values.

Research limitations/implications

The cross‐sectional design prevents causal attributions; however, the findings suggest that baby boomers' demand for services falls into three groups, which are related to their psychographic characteristics.

Originality/value

Consideration of these desired services may facilitate the planning of future health and food services for this broad age group.
Does the availability of vocational qualifications through work assist social inclusion?
Authors: Smith Erica , Smith Andy
Published: September 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss whether the availability of qualifications through work‐based traineeships in Australia assists social inclusion.

Design/methodology/approach

Industry case studies, of the finance and cleaning industries, were undertaken as part of a national research project on quality in traineeships. The two industry case studies were analysed to provide data on social inclusion aspects. A general discussion on the “pros” and “cons” of gaining qualifications through work, from a social inclusion point of view, is included.

Findings

The industry case studies show many advantages of work‐based qualifications for people who have had disadvantaged economic and social backgrounds. The study presents a model showing how work‐based qualifications help to meet the twin social inclusion goals of employment and education. However in economic hard times, the need to have a job may rule out some people. Also, some doubts about quality in work‐based delivery may mean that qualifications gained through work may be of lower value than those gained at least partly through formal study.

Research limitations/implications

The models put forward are tentative, based on the findings in the research study that has been described and the authors’ earlier research. Further research is necessary to establish the social inclusion benefits of this means of gaining qualifications. In particular longitudinal research with disadvantaged people who have gained qualifications through this route is needed to evaluate whether their completion of qualifications through employment has assisted their broader economic and social engagement, and in what ways. In addition, research is needed to compare the quality and utility of qualifications gained through work and those through education providers as a poor‐quality qualification may be of limited long‐term use to an individual.

Practical implications

Work‐based qualifications are shown to be a useful investment of public resources. The research also analyses some shortcomings of this method of gaining qualifications so that they can be addressed by employers and training providers.

Social implications

The research establishes the social inclusion utility of work‐based qualifications, providing insights useful for education systems and social welfare organisations.

Originality/value

This is one of very few scholarly studies of the large‐scale use of work‐based qualifications.
Balancing HRM: the psychological contract of employees
Authors: Sonnenberg Mariëlle , Koene Bas , Paauwe Jaap
Published: September 2011

Purpose

This study aims to “bridge” two streams of HRM research: organisation level research on HRM and performance and individual level research on employee work perceptions and behavioural performance. This study seeks to analyse the value of organisation level HRM practices for individual level employees' assessment of the degree of violation of their psychological contracts. It also aims to examine the contribution of commitment HRM practices and traditional HRM practices in explaining perceptions of psychological contract violation.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a sample of 49 organisations with 2,099 individual respondents, the paper analyses the relationship between organisation level HRM practices and individual level employees' assessment of the degree of violation of their psychological contracts, using multi‐level analysis.

Findings

The findings show a clear positive influence of a number of HRM practices. More use of HRM practices leads to lower levels of perceived psychological contract violation for individual employees, regardless of individual characteristics. Commitment HRM practices explain about half of the variance in psychological contract violation that is due to the total amount of HRM practices.

Research limitations/implications

A limitation of the study is its cross‐sectional design and the measure of HRM practices, indicating more or less explicit attention for HRM in an organization, but not possible substitutable and synergetic effects between various HRM practices. Further research should therefore explore the effect of combinations of HRM practices. Findings however do indicate the relevance of organization level HRM for individual level perceptions of the employment relationship.

Practical implications

It is in the interest of managers to have a clear knowledge of which organisational activities will elicit those attitudes and behaviours necessary to achieve organisational goals. These findings highlight the importance of HRM practices to contribute to employees' realistic assessment of the mutual demands of their employment relationship with their organization. The more HRM practices the better in terms of employees' psychological contract violation. Furthermore, the findings show the importance of commitment HRM practices, but also the remaining relevance of more traditional practices.

Originality/value

This study combines insights on organisation level HRM with insights on individual level psychological contracts. Although the necessity of using multi‐level analysis in these kinds of studies has been argued by various researchers, this study is one of the first to use this analytical technique, thus genuinely showing the impact of organizational level HRM practices on individual level HR outcomes (in this case the psychological contract).
The effects of perceived external prestige, ethical organizational climate, and leader‐member exchange (LMX) quality on employees' commitments and their subsequent attitudes
Authors: Kang Dae‐seok , Stewart Jim , Kim Hayeon
Published: September 2011

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the role of perceived external prestige (PEP), ethical organizational climate, and leader‐member exchange (LMX) quality in explaining organizational and career commitment, and also analyzes effects of the two commitments on motivation to participate in training and turnover intention.

Design/methodology/approach

Relationships among the constructs are predicted based on relevant literature, and are tested using survey results from 477 employees working in 15 of the leading corporations in South Korea.

Findings

Structural equation modeling (SEM) shows that ethical organizational climate and LMX quality are a significant correlate of both forms of commitment, whereas perceived external prestige is a predictor of organizational commitment but not career commitment. Furthermore, as a mediator, each form of commitment also affects employees' training participation motivation and their turnover intention.

Originality/value

Overall, the value of this study lies in its focus on multiple forms of commitment reflecting current employment relationships, and in the identification of new variables for use by HR professionals in determining ways to improve both commitment to organization and career.
KiwiSaver annual reporting disclosure practices: an exploratory study
Authors: Matuschka Matthew , Colquhoun Philip , Marriott Lisa
Published: September 2011

Purpose

The paper aims to examine the disclosure practices of KiwiSaver retail schemes in New Zealand. The aim is to investigate the level of comparability of KiwiSaver disclosures in the annual reports provided to members.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data from KiwiSaver annual reports, the paper addresses three research questions using a disclosure index method. First, in the absence of standardised performance measures, will schemes adopt comparable disclosure practices? Second, will larger schemes disclose more information than smaller schemes? Third, will better performing schemes disclose more information than poorer performing schemes?

Findings

The analysis indicates that KiwiSaver schemes' disclosure practices are not comparable and there are no evident patterns between size or performance and disclosure quality or quantity.

Research limitations/implications

As this is an exploratory study, a sample of schemes is used in the research, thereby limiting generalisability of the research. In addition, different schemes have chosen different permitted forms for reporting to scheme members, exacerbating the lack of comparability this paper seeks to study; with some schemes providing abridged annual reports and others providing full annual reports to members. Moreover, the use of a disclosure index for classification introduces an element of subjectivity into the research method.

Originality/value

Overall savings, of which retirement savings is a subset, are low in New Zealand. One of the mechanisms to encourage saving is to provide an environment that supports effective investment decision making. This research highlights some of the inconsistencies that exist in current reporting practices and limit comparability between KiwiSaver schemes.
Cluster‐based global firms' use of local capabilities
Authors: Andersen Poul , Bøllingtoft Anne
Published: September 2011

Purpose

Despite growing interest in clusters role for the global competitiveness of firms, there has been little research into how globalization affects cluster‐based firms' (CBFs) use of local knowledge resources and the combination of local and global knowledge used. Using the cluster's knowledge base as a mediating variable, the purpose of this paper is to examine how globalization affected the studied firms' use of local cluster‐based knowledge, integration of local and global knowledge, and networking capabilities.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative case studies of nine firms in three clusters strongly affected by increasing global division of labour.

Findings

The paper suggests that globalization has affected how firms use local resources and combine local and global knowledge. Unexpectedly, clustered firms with explicit procedures and established global fora for exchanging knowledge were highly active in local knowledge use, whereas CBFs characterized by a more implicit knowledge base did not use localized knowledge.

Research limitations/implications

The study is exploratory and covers three clusters in one small and open developed economy. Further corroboration through replicated studies and possibly triangulation with quantitative studies would further develop the understanding on how globalization impacts on the internal organization of CBFs.

Practical implications

For policy makers, cluster policies should be reconsidered if the role of clusters differs from what has been expected so far. From being self‐contained systems which only links to the outside world in the extremities of the local value chain, cluster activities now unfolds in complex production networks around the world, entailing the development and/or integration of clusters in both developing and developed countries.

Originality/value

Several studies have examined the changing role of clusters in the evolving global division of labour. However, research is lacking that addresses the challenges of transformation from the level of the CBF and how these may be affected by cluster evolution. The paper takes a micro‐oriented perspective and focus on clusters in Denmark, a small and mature economy.
Leadership and quality management practices in Thailand
Authors: Laohavichien Tipparat , Fredendall Lawrence D. , Stephen Cantrell R.
Published: September 2011

Purpose

This study aims to examine the effects of leadership behaviors on quality management (QM) practices and their effects on quality performance of manufacturing companies in Thailand. The hypotheses were that leadership leads to infrastructure practices, which in turn support quality practices. These quality practices improve quality performance. This was tested using a structural equation model. In general, the model was supported although all of the individual practices examined here were not statistically significant.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey of quality managers of firms located within Thailand was conducted and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to determine how leadership affected quality practices which in turn affected quality performance. The interactions of leadership with infrastructure and core variables were tested and found to be insignificant.

Findings

The SEM established that leadership behaviors supported one infrastructure practice – human resource management, which in turn supported one core QM practice – statistical process control. While six dimensions of transformational and two dimensions of transactional analysis were tested, only two dimensions of transformational and one dimension of transactional leadership were retained. However, these did load onto one leadership second‐order factor. The interactions of leadership with infrastructure and core practices were not significant. The core practices significantly affected three quality performance measures – product returns, product rework and scrap levels.

Research limitations/implications

Further investigation is needed to understand how the Thai culture affects the use of quality practices. Since there was only one respondent per company, the study needs additional validation. Further investigation of the transformational and transactional leadership constructs is necessary.

Practical implications

This suggests to international managers that many of the quality techniques are useful in both developing countries and developed countries. It also suggests that transactional leadership was more effective than prior literature expected it be.

Originality/value

This paper demonstrates that leadership in Thailand is important to the implementation of quality practices. The findings indicate that leadership is an important component of QM and affects infrastructure practices which in turn affect core quality practices. Finally, these core practices affect quality performance. This confirms prior QM models. A major finding is the importance of the contingent punishment dimension of transactional leadership. The confirmatory factor analysis suggests that the individual dimensions of transformational and transactional leadership are not reliable as currently operationalized and further work is needed to develop reliable leadership scales.
Project portfolio selection in continuous improvement
Authors: Kornfeld Bernard J. , Kara Sami
Published: September 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic overview of approaches to project portfolio selection in continuous improvement and to identify opportunities for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper reviews the extant literature on the theory and application of project portfolio selection in continuous improvement.

Findings

Manufacturing organisations must routinely deliver efficiencies in order to compete, but their ability to realise sustainable competitive advantage from these improvements is hampered by the lack of objective approaches for targeting their improvement efforts. In this paper a normative framework for linking strategy to process improvement implementation is presented. The paper then examines the literature on portfolio and project selection in continuous improvement and presents a descriptive framework that represents the current state. Three gaps are highlighted: optimisation of the future state, portfolio generation, and the appropriate measurement to judge outcomes.

Research limitations/implications

As a review, this work relies on the use of secondary sources. Some of these sources were published in publications that are not peer‐reviewed.

Practical implications

There are significant limitations to the approaches used by industry for project selection but the methods described in the literature do not offer an adequate solution to this problem. Practitioners must be aware of the benefits and shortcomings of the methods and recognise that they assist with choice not design.

Originality/value

This review fills a gap in the literature by providing researchers and practitioners with an overview of approaches, a better understanding of the shortcomings of current approaches and a normative model that highlights areas for further research.
Developments in electromagnetic radiation sensing. Part two: long wavelengths
Authors: Bogue Robert
Published: September 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review recent developments in the sensing of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with wavelengths longer than those of visible light.

Design/methodology/approach

Following a short introduction, this paper discusses recent research into the sensing of infra‐red (IR), terahertz (THz) and microwave radiation.

Findings

It is shown that novel sensors are being developed for all of these classes of EMR. Improved IR sensors are attracting strong interest from the military, novel THz sensor developments reflect the growing uses of this radiation and research into cosmology and astronomy are driving the development of highly sensitive microwave sensors.

Originality/value

The paper provides a technical review of recent research into sensing IR, THz and microwave radiations.
Imaging a rectangular fluidised bed by electrical capacitance tomography: preliminary results
Authors: Wang Wei , Yang Hairui
Published: September 2011

Purpose

Rectangular fluidised beds are commonly used in industry, e.g. circulating fluidised bed (CFB) boilers. Apparently, no one has tried to imagine rectangular fluidised beds by electrical capacitance tomography (ECT). The purpose of this paper is to design a rectangular ECT sensor to understand the behaviour of a rectangular CFB riser.

Design/methodology/approach

A rectangular sensor with eight electrodes is adopted to obtain the capacitance data. The sensitivity map is simulated to calculate the grey level of pixels for visualisation using the linear back‐projection algorithm.

Findings

Experiments showed that the position of the objects in the riser can be obviously indicated and the central region of the object(s) has significantly higher grey level than other regions in the images using the rectangular ECT sensor.

Research limitations/implications

It has a limitation in providing a higher resolution image.

Practical implications

The results obtained by the rectangular ECT sensor show that it is promising to study the characteristics of flow non‐uniformity in the fast fluidisation regime of CFB.

Originality/value

Without using square and circular ECT sensors, this is the first time a rectangular ECT sensor has been developed to study the unique problems of the characteristics of flow non‐uniformity in a rectangular CFB riser.
A fast and effective approach to generate true orthophoto in built‐up area
Authors: Zhong Cheng , Li Hui , Huang Xianfeng
Published: September 2011

Purpose

Orthophoto suffers from the relief displacement effects magnified by high resolution imaging sensors especially when mapping urban areas. True orthophotos eliminating relief displacement with digital surface model (DSM) are presented to assure reliable interpretability and maintain the high quality of the available data. Previous efforts did not provide accurate and fast ways for generating true othorphoto. The purpose of this paper is to try to solve the problem by analyzing the complexity of algorithm processes and finding the optimum manner to allocate them.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, an optimum segmentation number for radial sweep is presented to achieve minimum complexity. First, the scan area, number of azimuth lines and visibility judgment area of radial sweep and spiral sweep method have been discussed with rigorous geometric theory, and then algorithm complexities of both methods are estimated with mathematical computation theory. Finally, minimum complexity of the methods is obtained with extreme point theory of differential calculus.

Findings

Experiments have demonstrated that the proposed method has the best efficiency, and is efficient to avoid “M‐potion” problem, and false occlusions and false visibilities caused by the rolling area, the incompatibility between the DSM and ground image resolution.

Originality/value

The deduction and experiments indicate that the proposed method is a robust, accurate, fast, and effective approach to generate high quality, true orthophoto at a large‐scale.
In‐plane displacement sensing from circular grating moiré fringes using graphical analysis approach
Authors: Yen Kin , Ratnam Mani
Published: September 2011

Purpose

Researchers in the past have used Fourier transformation method to determine the in‐plane displacement components from moiré fringes generated by a pair of overlapping circular gratings. In this approach it is necessary to assume that the transmittance is sinusoidal. The purpose of this paper is to propose a graphical method for determining the 2D displacement components from the moiré patterns more easily instead of the complex Fourier transformation method.

Design/methodology/approach

The moiré patterns were spatially transformed from Cartesian‐to‐polar coordinate system. The morphological grayscale dilation operation was used to eliminate the residual gratings in the transformed pattern while preserving the moiré fringes. The center line of the moiré fringe was fitted with a sine curve and the in‐plane displacement values were determined directly from the peak‐to‐valley height and the position of the peak in the fitted curve.

Findings

Experimental results showed that the proposed moiré pattern analysis method is able to give in‐plane displacement accuracies of 0.002 mm in the x‐direction and 0.01 in the y‐direction without the need for complex computation.

Research limitations/implications

Resolution of the proposed method is limited only by the resolution of the imaging system.

Practical implications

The proposed graphical method for determining 2D displacement components from the moiré patterns can be applied to low‐frequency circular gratings whose transmittance is not sinusoidal.

Originality/value

The graphical analysis method is novel and allows the displacements components to be determined more easily.
Contextual leadership
Authors: Muna Farid A.
Published: September 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of context and culture on leadership and decision‐making styles of Lebanese‐born executives working in the USA, the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and Lebanon.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a semi‐structured questionnaire, 76 successful Lebanese executives were interviewed in three regions of the world. Comparisons among the three groups are made on three elements: early ingredients for success particularly during childhood and educational years, emotional intelligence (EI) leadership styles, and decision‐making styles.

Findings

Although successful leaders, born and raised in Lebanon, share the early ingredients for success, they differ significantly in their decision making and EI leadership styles when working outside Lebanon with multicultural and diverse followers.

Research limitations/implications

The research findings strongly suggest that future research on cross‐cultural leadership will be more fruitful when context and culture are taken into account, and if researchers use a non‐Western conceptualization of culture, and when the research is conducted by multicultural and interdisciplinary researchers.

Originality/value

The study lends support to the notion that successful leaders adapt to their new culture and context, learning from adversity and experience, and mastering the cultural context.
Searching for excellence in business education
Authors: Anninos Loukas N. , Chytiris Leonidas
Published: September 2011

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to contradict past and present perceptions of excellence in business education, and to present excellence as a primary element for future business education in an era of new challenges for global management.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach, by which this paper is structured, is theoretical and has been based on literature regarding excellence in business education and philosophical works.

Findings

The findings of the paper support the view that current business education results in a partial conception or misconception of management with immediate consequences in managerial decision making and business activity. Business education should be seen as an odyssey towards personal (balanced spiritual and technocratic) advancement that can pave the way for noble management behaviour.

Practical implications

The paper brings out an alternative perspective on business education by considering economics and management as part of a unified context. The attainment of excellence in business activity signifies necessary changes in the foundations of business education, so that future managers have a wider and diversified knowledge repository that will allow them to act in a harmonious way.

Originality/value

The paper offers an alternative way of viewing excellence in business education combining knowledge on management and philosophy which perhaps needs to be taken into consideration by business schools worldwide in order to build a mentality of excellence in business behaviour.
Governance: the new challenge for the African renaissance
Authors: Schepers Stefan
Published: September 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine economic growth in Africa. It is generally recognised that governance in African countries is not effective enough to deal with economic challenges. Given the ongoing economic growth, it is important that proper reforms are made in order to stabilise economic performance and allow for further economic diversification and social progress.

Design/methodology/approach

This article aims to scan the issue in view of further research.

Findings

The economic growth in Africa should lead equally to governance modernisation.

Originality/value

The article is based on political and economic writings and on practical experience in the public and private sectors.
Behavioural economics and financial services marketing: a review
Authors: Chuah Swee‐Hoon , Devlin James
Published: September 2011

Purpose

It has been argued that the insights provided by behavioural economics have profound implications for the study and practice of marketing. The purpose of this paper is to provide a detailed analysis of how such insights help enhance understanding of aspects of marketing and consumer behaviour in financial services markets.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper looks at various facets of behavioural economics which it is felt provide particularly important and salient insights in the context of financial services. In particular, it studies loss aversion and prospect theory, status quo bias and defaults, framing and anchoring effects, hyperbolic discounting, availability effect and salience and over‐confidence. In doing so, it provides a number of examples from the financial services context which provide insightful and informative insights for both commercial practitioners and policymakers. In each case, relevant phenomena are introduced and explained before providing a number of applications and examples from the financial services domain.

Findings

The authors find that the insights afforded by behavioural economics are useful in helping to explain various aspects of consumer behaviour in financial services markets. It is shown that an understanding of the implications of behavioural economics may help in fashioning a choice architecture that is more likely to bring the desired consumer response, from either a commercial or policymaking perspective.

Practical implications

This analysis provides important insights for those responsible for the marketing of financial services, policymakers in the financial services domain, third sector agencies seeking to foster greater engagement with financial services and other interested parties.

Originality/value

The paper adds value by drawing together various aspects of behavioural economics, providing an analysis of their relevance to financial services marketing and offering numerous examples and applications.
The effect of subtle religious representations on cooperation
Authors: Ahmed Ali , Hammarstedt Mats
Published: September 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how subtle religious representations affect prosocial behavior. The authors study the impact of religious representations on prosocial behavior in terms of cooperation in a one‐shot/three‐person public goods game.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used the scrambled sentence task to prime participants with religious words before they were asked to make a one‐shot/three‐person public goods game decision.

Findings

Both in the raw data and when controlling for factors such as age, gender and religious beliefs, the authors found that priming of religious representations increased cooperation in the experiment, that is, increased contributions to the public good. The authors found no significant interaction effects between priming and self‐reported measures of religiosity, suggesting that the priming effect was present among both self‐reported religious and nonreligious participants. Self‐reported measures of religiosity were not correlated with cooperation in this study.

Originality/value

The paper adds to the growing body of experimental economics literature that has studied self‐reported measures of religiosity alongside behavior in different economic games. This study contributes to the literature by examining the effect of subtle influences of religion on cooperation. Also, in contrast to previous economic literature, the paper examines the direct impact of religion as an independent variable on cooperation.
Effects of airline bankruptcies: an event study
Authors: Jayanti Rama K. , Jayanti S.V.
Published: September 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of bankruptcies on the market share effects of rival firms in the airline industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Employing event study methodology, the authors examine the impact of bankruptcies on major and minor airlines by analyzing four different types of events: filing for bankruptcy by major carriers; coming out of bankruptcy by major carriers; shutdown by major carriers; and filing of bankruptcy by minor carriers.

Findings

Empirical results indicate that filing for bankruptcy by major carriers and shutdown by major carriers resulted in positive abnormal returns around the announcement dates for rival firms, while coming out of bankruptcy by major carriers resulted in negative impact. As expected, the last type of events involving filing for bankruptcy by minor carriers resulted in insignificant abnormal returns.

Originality/value

The results point to the importance of systematically incorporating bankruptcies by competitive firms in estimating and forecasting market demand. The results provide a diagnostic tool to evaluate what kind of contingencies necessitate planning for unexpected spikes in market share.
Managing teacher balkanization in times of implementing change
Authors: Ng Shun‐wing
Published: September 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to report an exploratory study which was designed to illuminate how school cultures and teachers' value orientations are affected by the educational change of parental involvement.

Design/methodology/approach

The qualitative research that informs this paper is conceptualized within the interpretive paradigm. Two schools were selected purposefully for the study. In‐depth interviews with 12 teachers and their principal were conducted in each school where observation took place for half a year. Eventually themes and dimensions of teachers' value demarcations emerged in times of change.

Findings

The study demonstrates that three balkanized factions of teachers were wrestling at school. The first balkanized teacher group welcomed the innovation of parental involvement. The second faction of teachers who disbelieved such innovation was found diffident and conservative, and demonstrated resistance to change. The third type of teachers was of a majority who might or might not take part in implementing change. However, once incentives were imposed from the management, they would probably be assimilated.

Research limitations/implications

The study aims at illuminating teachers' responses to change. It does not attempt to make generalization.

Originality/value

The study reveals that managing teacher balkanization in times of change, school leaders' personal beliefs and their early intervention, are of paramount importance.
School reputation and its relation to parents' satisfaction and loyalty
Authors: Skallerud Kåre
Published: September 2011

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the direction and strength of the relationships between school reputation, parent satisfaction and parent loyalty.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reports the findings of a survey of 325 parents from three primary schools across Norway. Building on previous work examining corporate reputations, a new measure of school reputation, as viewed by parents, was developed. Structural equation models were used to validate the new reputation measure and to test the proposed relationships. Relationships linking school reputation to parent satisfaction and loyalty were tested.

Findings

Support for a four‐dimensional scale for assessment of parent‐based school reputation was found, using the following dimensions: parent orientation, learning quality, safe environment and good teachers. Parents' satisfaction significantly affected all reputation dimensions. Views of schools as having a parent orientation and good teachers affected parents' loyalty.

Research limitations/implications

The study is limited to parents from three primary schools in a country‐specific context and should therefore be validated with other schools and in other contexts.

Practical implications

Parent‐based school reputation can be easily assessed through a frugal measurement instrument. School managers can address parent satisfaction in order to achieve a good school reputation. A carefully crafted and implemented program for increased parent satisfaction and school reputation would be an important tool for attracting future pupils.

Originality/value

Although reputation is at the core of modern school management, relatively little research has been conducted that addresses the appropriate conceptualisation and measurement of school reputation. Additionally, there has been little work on potential relationships to antecedent and consequent factors. This study contributes to filling this gap in the research.
School board member professional development and effects on student achievement
Authors: Roberts Kerry L. , Sampson Pauline M.
Published: September 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to focus on the issue of professional development education for school board members. The research question that guides this mixed study is: does school board member professional development have an effect on student achievement?

Design/methodology/approach

The standardized protocol for this study was to send a developed questionnaire to 50 directors of state school board associations. An inductive analysis was made of the state school board directors' responses on whether they felt professional development had a positive effect on student achievement. Their responses were then compared with Education Week's 2009 rating of state education systems.

Findings

From the response from the 26 responding state directors, the study found that most states do not require professional development for school board members. State board directors did feel that school board professional development had a positive effect on student achievement. Of the states that did require school board professional development, they received an overall rating of B or C according to the Education Week 2009 rating, while those states that did not require professional development received a rating of C or D.

Research limitations/implications

Mixed research such as this adds to the conversation of the need for required school board professional development but the findings need to be re‐analyzed with all 50 states responding.

Practical implications

The practical implications are profound in that it is desired that children should succeed and learn in quality schools. School board members' lack of education (i.e. they only require high‐school diploma or GED) has an effect on student achievement. School board members need to take required professional development in all areas of public schooling so that quality decisions can be made for children's education.

Social implications

The social implications are that school board member professional development sends a message to students that continued adult learning is necessary in all walks of life for the USA to continue its leadership in the world.

Originality/value

School board members with the barest qualifications are elected to, in essence, run public schools. Little research has been done about the effects of school board member education on student achievement. This paper explores the voices of state directors in relation to professional development for school board members in US public school discourse and fills some of the gaps in the research.
How young, technical consumers assess online WOM credibility
Authors: O'Reilly Kelley , Marx Sherry
Published: September 2011

Purpose

Specifically focusing on one antecedent (information seeker's characteristics) for electronic word‐of‐mouth adoption and credibility assessments, the purpose of this paper is to attempt to shed light on consumer motivations for making and taking online recommendations, and how technically savvy consumers assess credibility online.

Design/methodology/approach

To investigate the role and influence of word‐of‐mouth (WOM) amongst technically savvy online consumers, purposeful sampling was used to limit participants to those who have made online purchases and who spend more than three hours a day on the internet. Using an adaptation of the grounded theory method, this study was triangulated via one face‐to‐face interview with each participant, member‐checking, analysis of online communications deemed “not credible” by the participants, and through relevant literature from marketing and information systems (IS).

Findings

Analysis shows that participants exhibit more of a “bricks‐to‐clicks” than a “clicks‐to‐bricks” purchasing cycle. In addition to relying on customer reviews online, participants accept online WOM to enhance their self‐worth, avoid risk, or enact negativity bias. Additionally, assessment of online WOM credibility is based on four factors: the polarity and quantity of posts, the logic and articulation of posts, the ability to find corroborating sources, and the previous experience of participants with particular sellers.

Originality/value

Previous research in WOM has not specifically explored how technically savvy consumers assess the credibility of online information and how these consumers may help to identify future trends for online customer exchanges. This qualitative study fills this gap. Conceptual framework and managerial implications are discussed.
Cultural analysis of dieting consumers' construction of bodies and identities
Authors: Leipämaa‐Leskinen Hanna
Published: September 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze how meanings of body and identity are constructed when dieting. The paper utilizes cultural approach and focuses on the ways meanings of body and identity are constructed in social interaction.

Design/methodology/approach

A netnographic research design connected to qualitative diary research was applied in the study. Three web diaries including notes from a period longer than one year were analysed inductively. That is, the research questions were approached data driven.

Findings

Three themes showing the cultural meanings of dieting body were identified: “towards a better body”, “the ashamed body” and “back into control”. Moreover, two themes address the negotiating with the contradictory meanings of identity. They were labeled as “from invisible to visible” and “the humanlike scales”. The identified themes were further analysed in relation to previous findings presented by Thompson and Hirschman in their analysis of consumers' experiences of their embodied selves.

Originality/value

Little attention has been paid to dieting in previous cultural consumption studies even though meanings body and identity and their intertwining have been addressed. As the present findings are based on the naturally occurring data, they offer new ways to understand the meanings related to dieting. Maintaining the body project seems to be the project of becoming something (better) and therefore it asks the consumer to negotiate continuously with her body and identity. Consequently, the paper brings forth social and marketing implications that are developed on the grounds of findings.