bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Induction of Heart Valve Lesions by Small-Molecule ALK5 Inhibitors
Authors: Anderton Mark J. , Mellor Howard R. , Bell Alex , Sadler Claire , Pass Martin , Powell Steve , Steele Samantha J. , Roberts Ruth. R. A. , Heier Annabelle
Published: August 2011

Aberrant signaling by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and its type I (ALK5) receptor has been implicated in a number of human diseases and this pathway is considered a potential target for therapeutic intervention. Transforming growth factor-β signaling via ALK5 plays a critical role during heart development, but the role of ALK5 in the adult heart is poorly understood. In the current study, the preclinical toxicology of ALK5 inhibitors from two different chemistry scaffolds was explored. Ten-week-old female Han Wistar rats received test compounds by the oral route for three to seven days. Both compounds induced histopathologic heart valve lesions characterized by hemorrhage, inflammation, degeneration, and proliferation of valvular interstitial cells. The pathology was observed in all animals, at all doses tested, and occurred in all four heart valves. Immunohistochemical analysis of ALK5 in rat hearts revealed expression in the valves, but not in the myocardium. Compared to control animals, protein levels of ALK5 were unchanged in the heart valves of treated animals. We also observed a physeal dysplasia in the femoro-tibial joint of rats treated with ALK5 inhibitors, a finding consistent with a pharmacological effect described previously with ALK5 inhibitors. Overall, these findings suggest that TGF-β signaling via ALK5 plays a critical role in maintaining heart valve integrity.
Multisite Carcinogenicity and Respiratory Toxicity of Inhaled 1-Bromopropane in Rats and Mice
Authors: Morgan Daniel L. , Nyska Abraham , Harbo Sam Jens , Grumbein Sondra L. , Dill Jeffrey A. , Roycroft Joseph H. , Kissling Grace E. , Cesta Mark F.
Published: August 2011

Two-year 1-bromopropane (1-BP) inhalation studies were conducted because of the potential for widespread exposure, the lack of chronic toxicity and carcinogenicity data, and the known carcinogenicity of structurally related compounds. Male and female F344/N rats and B6C3F1/N mice were exposed by inhalation to 0, 62.5 (mice only), 125, 250, or 500 (rats only) ppm 1-BP for 6 hr/day, 5 days/week for 105 weeks. Exposure of male and female rats to 1-BP resulted in significantly increased incidences of adenomas of the large intestine and skin neoplasms. In male rats, the incidence of malignant mesothelioma of the epididymis was statistically significantly increased at 500 ppm, but the biological significance of this common lesion is unclear. Incidences of pancreatic islet adenoma in male rats were significantly increased at all concentrations relative to concurrent controls but were within the historical control range for inhalation studies. There was no evidence of carcinogenic activity of 1-BP in male B6C3F1 mice; however, significantly increased incidences of alveolar/bronchiolar neoplasms of the lung were present in female mice. Exposure to 1-BP also resulted in increased incidences of nonneoplastic lesions in the nose of rats and mice, the larynx of rats and male mice, the trachea of female rats and male and female mice, and the lungs of mice. Inflammatory lesions with Splendore Hoeppli (S-H) material were present primarily in the nose and skin of exposed male and female rats, indicating that 1-BP caused immunosuppression.
Profile of Patients with Completion Thyroidectomy and Assessment of Their Suitability for Outpatient Surgery
Authors: Wu Gaosong , Pai Sara I. , Agrawal Nishant , Richmon Jeremy , Dackiw Alan , Tufano Ralph P.
Published: August 2011

Objective

Outpatient thyroid surgery for thyroid lobectomy has been shown to be safe and feasible. The safety of outpatient completion thyroidectomy in patients who have previously undergone thyroid lobectomy has not been extensively evaluated in the medical literature to date. The authors sought to evaluate postoperative complications associated with completion thyroidectomy in their institution to determine if it would be safe and feasible to perform as an outpatient procedure.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Tertiary care teaching hospital.

Subjects and Methods

Two hundred four consecutive patients, who underwent completion thyroidectomy after previous thyroid lobectomy from January 2000 to June 2010, comprised the study population. Medical records were reviewed for preoperative and postoperative serum calcium levels, preoperative and postoperative fiber‐optic laryngoscopic examination of vocal fold mobility, associated comorbidities, length of hospital stay, drain use, seroma or hematoma formation, final thyroid pathology, and postoperative follow‐up.

Results

Overall, 9 patients (4.4%) developed postoperative complications, including transient symptomatic hypocalcemia in 4 patients (2.0%), transient laboratory hypocalcemia in 3 patients (1.5%), seroma formation in 1 patient (0.5%), and hematoma development in 1 patient (0.5%). There were no cases with permanent or temporary vocal fold paralysis. No significant difference was found in the overall complication rate before and after 4 hours of observation (P =. 50).

Conclusion

Selected patients who undergo completion thyroidectomy after previous thyroid lobectomy can be safely discharged after 4 hours of postoperative observation with appropriate instructions.
Evidence‐Based Medicine in Health Care Reform
Authors: Hughes Gordon B.
Published: August 2011

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 mandates a national comparative outcomes research project agenda. Comparative effectiveness research includes both clinical trials and observational studies and is facilitated by electronic health records. A national network of electronic health records will create a vast electronic data “warehouse” with exponential growth of observational data. High‐quality associations will identify research topics for pragmatic clinical trials, and systematic reviews of clinical trials will provide optimal evidence‐based medicine. Evidence‐based medicine is the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients. Thus, health care reform will provide a robust environment for comparative effectiveness research, systematic reviews, and evidence‐based medicine, and implementation of evidence‐based medicine should lead to improved quality of care.
Music: Artistic performance or a therapeutic tool? A study on differences
Authors: Petersson Gunnar , Nyström Maria
Published: August 2011

The aim of this study is to analyze and describe how musicians who are also music therapy students separate music as artistic performance from music as a therapeutic tool. The data consist of 18 written reflections from music therapy students that were analyzed according to a phenomenographic method. The findings are presented as four qualitatively-separated perceptions that describe differences in the purpose, symbolic value, professional competence and perceived reception of music. The underlying meaning is discussed as a difference between intuition and reflection.
Laser fluorescence angiography reveals perfusion defects in retrograde cardioplegia
Authors: Gorki H , Patel NC , Balacumaraswami L , Pillai JB , Subramanian VA
Published: August 2011

Background: Adequate perfusion of the right ventricle with retrograde cardioplegia has always been questioned. However, clinical studies suggested sufficient protection and, up to now, intraoperative assessment of cardioplegia distribution has been difficult.

Methods: As a pilot study in 14 patients, we used indocyanine green laser fluorescence angiography (ICGLA) to assess vascular and myocardial perfusion of different areas of the right anterior ventricular wall. Regions of interest were analyzed quantitatively using a new software package.

Results: ICGLA allowed rapid and reliable visualization of cardioplegic flow and distribution. Retrograde cardioplegia revealed perfusion defects in the territory of the right anterior cardiac veins when compared to antegrade delivery and to areas close to the left anterior descending vein(s), confirmed by quantitative analyses of maximal fluorescence intensity. Five patients were excluded from quantitative analyses. The learning curve, pitfalls, limitations and special image details are described.

Conclusion: A larger study is necessary to examine the relevance of perfusion defects to metabolic changes in affected myocytes and to global right ventricular function.
Active vision in robotic systems: A survey of recent developments
Authors: Chen Shengyong , Li Youfu , Kwok Ngai Ming
Published: August 2011

In this paper we provide a broad survey of developments in active vision in robotic applications over the last 15 years. With increasing demand for robotic automation, research in this area has received much attention. Among the many factors that can be attributed to a high-performance robotic system, the planned sensing or acquisition of perceptions on the operating environment is a crucial component. The aim of sensor planning is to determine the pose and settings of vision sensors for undertaking a vision-based task that usually requires obtaining multiple views of the object to be manipulated. Planning for robot vision is a complex problem for an active system due to its sensing uncertainty and environmental uncertainty. This paper describes such problems arising from many applications, e.g. object recognition and modeling, site reconstruction and inspection, surveillance, tracking and search, as well as robotic manipulation and assembly, localization and mapping, navigation and exploration. A bundle of solutions and methods have been proposed to solve these problems in the past. They are summarized in this review while enabling readers to easily refer solution methods for practical applications. Representative contributions, their evaluations, analyses, and future research trends are also addressed in an abstract level.
Fluvial geomorphology 2008–2009
Authors: Stott Tim
Published: August 2011

This progress report on the discipline of fluvial geomorphology reviews 134 papers, 112 of which were published in Earth Surface Processes and Landforms ( ESPL) during the calendar years of 2008 and 2009. It continues where the last report for 2006 and 2007 ( Stott, 2010 ) ended. Papers are again grouped by themes to cover 10 subdisciplines within the subject area. The themes were chosen by classifying all geomorphological articles published in ESPL for the same period, of which 38% were within the subject area of fluvial geomorphology. Themes (in order of number contributing to the total) were: fluvial sediment transport; soil erosion and control; modelling the fluvial environment; river management, restoration and effects of vegetation on fluvial systems; gully and hillslope sediment transfer; river regulation, channel change and human influences; advances in methodology in fluvial geomorphology; fluvial hydraulics; fluvial chronology; and bank erosion in fluvial systems. The 2006–2007 and 2008–2009 periods are compared and it was found that broadly the same themes retained their popularity (in terms of numbers of papers published) as in the previous report for 2006–2007.
Effect of ply-thickness on impact damage morphology in CFRP laminates
Authors: Saito Hiroshi , Morita Mitsuhiro , Kawabe Kazumasa , Kanesaki Manato , Takeuchi Hiroki , Tanaka Mototsugu , Kimpara Isao
Published: August 2011

In this article, the effects of ply thickness on the impact damage mechanisms in CFRP laminates are discussed based on the experimental observations. Quasi-isotropic CFRP laminates were manufactured using 38 µm thick thin-ply prepregs. Impact damage inside the laminates was evaluated by using ultrasonic scanning and sectional fractography. Compression after impact strength was also evaluated. Thin-ply laminates showed 23% higher strength than standard-ply laminates. Transverse cracks decreased drastically in thin-ply laminates, and localized delamination was largely extended. Based on the discussions in our previous study and the literature, the specific ply thickness without drastic crack propagation appears to be less than or equal to 40 µm. Therefore, the thin laminates showed few and localized transverse cracks and delamination was largely propagated in the midplane.
Shear strengthening of RC T-beams with externally side bonded GFRP sheet
Authors: Panda K.C. , Bhattacharyya S.K. , Barai S.V.
Published: August 2011

This article presents an experimental investigation on the performance of 2500 mm long reinforced concrete (RC) T-beams strengthened in shear using epoxy bonded glass fiber fabric. The experimental program consisted of testing of 18 full scale simply supported RC T-beams. Nine beams are used as control beam with three different stirrups spacing without glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) wrap and rest nine beams are strengthened in shear with one, two, and three layers of GFRP sheet on side of the web of the T-beams for each type of stirrup spacing. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness, shear behavior, the cracking pattern, and modes of failure of strengthened RC T-beams. The experimental result indicates that RC T-beams strengthened in shear with side-bonded GFRP sheet increases the effectiveness by 12.5% to 50%. The theoretical study demonstrated that, when compared with ACI guidelines, the proposed model gives better agreement with the test results available.
Antioxidant and antiapoptotic effects of capsaicin against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats
Authors: Hassan Memy H , Edfawy Mohamed , Mansour Ahmed , Hamed Abdel-Aziz
Published: August 2011

The aim of the study was to evaluate the potential hepatoprotective utility of capsaicin against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury and to explore the possible mechanisms whereby this agent mediated its beneficial effects. We randomized 40 rats into four groups for treatment with corn oil, CCl4, capsaicin and both CCl4 and capsaicin, respectively, for 8 weeks. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected and used for determination of aspartylaminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and total bilirubin, while the liver tissues were subjected to hematoxylin and eosin examination; evaluation of malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH) and active caspase-3 contents; and evaluation of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione- S-transferase (GST) activities. Animals treated with CCl4 exhibited significant elevation in AST, ALT, total bilirubin and caspase-3 and exhibited significant decrease in activities of SOD, CAT, GST and GSH contents. The combination (both capsaicin and CCl4) group has preserved the liver histology, liver enzymes and bilirubin close to normal, exhibited significant induction in the activities of CAT, SOD and GST, increased the liver content of GSH and active caspase-3 and conversely showed significant decrease in liver MDA content compared to CCl4 challenged rats. Capsaicin confers an appealing hepatoprotective effect which might be explained partially via diminishing the generation of MDA, induction of antioxidant systems and inhibition of active caspase-3.
An Examination of Dependence Power, Father Involvement, and Judgments About Violence in an At-Risk Community Sample of Mothers
Authors: Samp Jennifer A. , Abbott Leslie
Published: August 2011

Individuals sometimes remain in dysfunctional, and even violent, relationships due to a perceived dependence on a partner. We examined the influence of dependence power judgments (defined by a combined assessment of mother commitment, perceived father commitment, and perceived father alternatives) in a community sample of mothers potentially bound to a relationship with the father of her child. We also considered the influence of perceived father involvement in the child’s life on judgments related to dependence power. Using a survey design with a sample of 100 mothers (age: 16-43, M = 29.16, SD = 7.17 years old) enrolled in a local Early Head Start/Head Start program, we observed that a mother’s perceived father involvement was positively associated with judgments of her dependence power. Furthermore, we observed that her assessment of dependence power was negatively associated with her tolerance for both physical and psychological violence as well as the use of destructive child discipline tactics.
Rape and Child Sexual Abuse
Authors: McGee Hannah , O’Higgins Madeleine , Garavan Rebecca , Conroy Ronán
Published: August 2011

Rape myths are prejudicial and stereotyped beliefs about rape which persist in society. They may have a significant impact on those affected by rape as well as the performance of legal and public participants in the justice system. Rape myths may differ over time and within different societies and cultural settings. Awareness of contemporary and local rape myths is necessary if they are to be successfully challenged through public campaigns and other means. This study sought to assess the prevalence of myths concerning rape and sexual abuse in a national population survey.
Being a Positive Bystander
Authors: Casey Erin A. , Ohler Kristin
Published: August 2011

As bystander approaches become increasingly prevalent elements of sexual and domestic violence prevention efforts, it is necessary to better understand the factors that support or impede individuals in taking positive action in the face of aggressive or disrespectful behavior from others. This study presents descriptive findings about the bystander experiences of 27 men who recently became involved in antiviolence against women work. More specifically, we describe the consistency with which respondents actively intervene in the speech or behavior of others, the strategies they use, and the factors they weigh as they deliberate taking action. Respondents report a complex and interrelated set of individual and contextual influences on their choices within bystander opportunities, which hold implications for both violence-specific models of bystander behavior and for prevention intervention development.
Answering the Questions of Rape Prevention Research
Authors: Foubert John D.
Published: August 2011

Rape prevention programmers and researchers have long struggled to select the most appropriate theoretical models to frame their work. Questions abound regarding appropriate standards of evidence for success of program interventions. The present article provides an alternative point of view to the one put forward by seven staff members from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Tharp et al., 2011). Questions are posed for readers to consider regarding the appropriateness of the medical model for rape prevention programs, whether randomized control trials are the one and only gold standard, whether programs presented to groups should be evaluated at the group or individual level, whether subscribing to principles of prevention selected by the CDC for other disciplines translate well to rape prevention, what constitutes sufficient dosage, and what constitutes a rigorous research program studying an evolving rape prevention intervention.
May the Economic Downturn Affect Corporate Philanthropy? Exploring the Contribution Trends in Spanish and U.S. Companies
Authors: Urriolagoitia Lourdes , Vernis Alfred
Published: August 2011

The study purpose is to gain insight into changing diverse management approaches to corporate philanthropy in a period that spans both from economic boom and recession. First, the authors present an overview of Spanish corporate philanthropy and compare it to U.S. corporate philanthropy. The authors find a significant gap between the U.S. and Spain’s corporate philanthropic spending as a percentage of profits and different trends between the two. A significant similarity is that the economic downturn is having a lower impact on spending than was predicted. The authors then focus on eight Spanish companies to explore how firms manage their philanthropy. The authors present a management model matrix that provides a framework for philanthropy management types and throws up divergent results for both society and companies. It seems that those companies that are managing philanthropy in a more sustainable way are not cutting their spending in this field despite falling profits.
A Decade of Helping
Authors: Griffith James
Published: August 2011

Community service has been a topic of public discourse and policy. Yet the literature has fallen short in providing reliable estimates of such service generally, and specifically, regarding its contextual circumstances, obligatory nature, and longevity. To fill information gaps, this study reports community service among college students who participated in four nationally representative samples, spaced approximately 4 years apart—1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008. From 1996 to 2008, proportionally more students reported having performed community service, from 39% in 1996 to 47% in 2008, accompanied by an increase in community service required by the students’ program of study. There was also an increase in onetime service, from 9% in 2000 to 25% in 2008, most of which was voluntary or not required. The apparent rise in community service represents opportunities for volunteerism among young adults, especially in the wake of recent global catastrophic events.
Using Institutional Theory to Explore Local Variations in United Way’s Community Impact Model
Authors: Paarlberg Laurie E. , Meinhold Stephen S.
Published: August 2011

In response to ongoing changes in local economic and philanthropic structures, the United Way of America has encouraged local affiliates to adopt a new philanthropic model—Community Impact. Despite efforts to rebrand the system, significant variation exists in local implementation of the new initiative. Drawing on case studies in 6 communities, we explore how local contexts shape local practices. Consistent with a growing body of research that describes the impact of local institutions on organizational practice, we find that local United Way practices are shaped by local institutions and the field level pressures to adopt Community Impact often conflict with local performance logics. These local logics are influenced by historical stocks of philanthropic and civic capital that both constrain and offer alternatives for local strategies.
Ideals of Hindu girlhood: Reading Vidya Bharati’s Balika Shikshan
Authors: Manjrekar Nandini
Published: August 2011

Like conceptions of childhood, notions of ideal girlhood are mediated by ideological frameworks, institutions and practices related to gender, community and nation. This article examines these discourses in the context of Hindu girlhood as represented in Balika Shikshan (Education for Girls), a publication of Vidya Bharati, the educational wing of the Hindu nationalist organization, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Published in 2003, Balika Shikshan is designed as a guidebook for teachers, delineating the essentials of relevant knowledge for Hindu girls. The article discusses the historical and ideological contours of the knowledge proposed in this text and the pedagogical demands of its transaction. It also attempts to deconstruct, through the knowledge and implied pedagogy of the text, the image of the Hindu girl for whom it is intended.
Children’s moral reasoning about illness in Chhattisgarh, central India
Authors: Froerer Peggy
Published: August 2011

This article is about children’s moral reasoning about illness and supernatural retribution in a rural tribal community in Chhattisgarh, central India. Detailed ethnographic analysis is devoted to the norms and experiences within which conceptions about illness causality and morality are formed. The author is principally interested in the discrepancy between children’s and adults’ knowledge about moral accountability; in how children make sense of this knowledge in relation to their own moral worlds and their entry into adulthood; and in what this tells us about the transformation of both knowledge and persons.
Optimum path synthesis of a four-link mechanism with rolling contacts
Authors: Lin W Y
Published: August 2011

Kinematic synthesis problems of a four-link mechanism with rolling contacts have been studied in the literature. One may imagine a very difficult synthesis problem, which is much more difficult to solve for a seven-target-point problem. In fact, the kinematic synthesis formulation for a four-link mechanism with rolling contacts discussed in the literature is complicated by the improper selection of the design variables, which leads to simultaneous increases in the number of design variables and in the number of synthesis equations. Thus, in this work, an improved formulation for the kinematic synthesis of the four-link mechanism with rolling contacts is proposed where the GA–DE hybrid evolutionary algorithm is applied to solve the optimum path synthesis problem. Three examples are studied to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model. The findings show that the present formulation can reduce the number of design variables for a seven-target-points synthesis problem by 10 when compared with that using the previous formulation discussed in the literature. This reduces the difficulty of a seven-target-point synthesis problem. More accurate results for all examples can be obtained only with the GA–DE algorithm. Thus, the proposed formulation is superior to the previous one discussed in the literature.
A multiproxy palaeolimnological study of climate and nutrient impacts on Esthwaite Water, England over the past 1200 years
Authors: Dong Xuhui , Bennion Helen , Battarbee Richard W. , Sayer Carl D.
Published: August 2011

The response of diatom assemblages to changes in climate and nutrients over a 1200 year timescale was investigated by means of a multiproxy sediment core study involving radiometric dating, diatoms, grain size, loss on ignition and geochemical analysis. Four stages of environmental change were defined, each being consistent with changes in documented human activity and known climate patterns. From ad 750 to 880 relatively high nutrient status and a cold, unstable climate was inferred based on the high abundance of Aulacoseira subarctica and high Na/K and Na/Al values. In the following 1000 years (ad 880–1880) diatom assemblages were dominated by Cyclotella comensis, Cyclotella radiosa and Achnanthidium minutissimum, suggesting a long period of relatively low productivity and, by implication, that climate was the main control on the community during this period. Two climatic phases, namely the ‘Medieval Warm Period’ (MWP) and the ‘Little Ice Age’ (LIA), were apparent. According to shifts in the diatom assemblages and other proxies, it was proposed that the MWP was initiated from ~ad 880 and was terminated by the LIA at ~ad 1350. After ad 1880 the palaeoecological data revealed a period of strong human impact in the catchment and hence higher productivity. This work illustrates the complexity of climate–nutrient interactions and the roles of the two drivers on different timescales and at various stages of the lake’s history: climate impacts were more pronounced when nutrient concentrations were relatively stable prior to ~ad 1880; while nutrients appeared to play a more important role in regulating diatom communities from the mid-eighteenth century.
The complete information literacy? Unforgetting creation and organization of information
Authors: Huvila Isto
Published: August 2011

Even though the concept of information literacy typically embraces an idea of a complete participation in an information community, its definitions have tended to underline the phases of seeking, searching and evaluation instead of creating information. Shortcomings of information creation can, however, explain many of the difficulties of finding information. This article develops the notion of information literacy with a specific focus on integrating creation and organization of information as central aspects of being information literate and discusses the implications of developing information creation processes from the point of view of information professionals and users. Finally, suggestions are made for how information creation might be improved in practice.
Industrialising Country Firms: Success Dynamics in Global Markets
Authors: Kirpalani V.H. Manek , Luostarinen Reijo
Published: August 2011

This article deals with three important matters concerning the growth of internationalising/globalising firms from Lesser Developed Countries (LDC) and newly industrialising countries. One is the development of the optimal international/global expansion path for such firms, two is the question of sustainable competitive advantage. A significant factor governing it is market orientation, which envelops the whole firm and all its functions. This orientation backed by marketing capability promotes global brand success. Integration of the organisation of the firm around the brand process is the way now for firms to achieve greater regional/global success. Three is whether sustainable competitive advantage and the type of industry one is in significantly impact the expansion path.
Some Issues in Retail Management in India
Authors: Sarma Mrinmoy K.
Published: August 2011

Though the Indian retailing enjoys many unique features, it is still done in a primitive way. Barring a few exceptions, the Indian retailers, particularly FMCG retailers, are not in a position to implement world class practices of supply chain management. The concepts of Quick Response of Efficient Consumer Response are unheard of in the Indian retailing. The two bases of modern retailing management, the Electronic Data Interface and a mutually respectable partnership among retailers and suppliers (the manufacturers) are missing to a great extent in the Indian context. Also, Indian marketing channel members are performing some unnecessary tasks that make the channel structure heavy and inefficient. Though these inefficiencies are observed in all retailing irrespective of industry, the symptoms are more evident in Indian FMCG retailing. Inefficiency in retailing leads to lower profitability of the retailers and lower service outputs for consumers. Some suggestions are made to improve retail management in the emerging business scenario.
EURO: Past, Present and Future
Authors: Paul Justin
Published: August 2011

The introduction of the Euro was expected to spur the creation of a stable and systemic financial system in Europe. Though the Euro's inception represented the biggest change in the international monetary system since the formation of IMF and World Bank, the currency has lost its credibility due to its continuous depreciation over the last one and half year time period. Instead of creating more opportunities for the consumers and investors, the currency has brought about fresh challenges within the euro area and in countries outside the euro area for the management of risk and financial crisis. The Euro has depreciated around 20 per cent against most of the currencies, since its adoption and this has created uncertainity among the foreign exchange market participants. While the future of the Euro cannot be readily predicted, it is not likely to appreciate over the next two years. This paper examines the exchange rate movements of Euro and its implications through an eclectic approach.
Privatisation: The Berlin-Chemie Way
Authors: Parashar S.P.
Published: August 2011

In the public sector regeneration and turnaround market in the last quarter of the last century, privatisation has been the most commonly prescribed drug. The biggest difficulty, however, in the way of effective application of this drug, as repeatedly reported by potential users, has been “dealing with excessive manpower”; from which, almost without exception, the public sector enterprises have been suffering in the entire third world. Consequently, more often than not, privatisation has remained a mere paper prescription (or a topic for non-conclusive seminars). The Berlin-Chemie AG, a German pharmaceutical company offers a very refreshing experience in this context. It is a story of regenerating a public sector enterprise from a parastatal of a communist country, to a market sauvy company From a domestic to an international company. In its regenerating years, it got corporatised, privatised. And it all happened under the direction of the same CEO.
Leadership Styles, Traits, Roles and Practices down the Ages
Authors: Singh S. B. , Karunes S.
Published: August 2011

The field of leadership is still evolving and expanding. The paper is an exercise to summarise analytically the various thoughts on leadership which will serve as guidelines to practising managers to evolve their own strategy and style to tackle the emerging situations the industries of tomorrow are likely to pose.
Developing Leaders for the 21st Century
Authors: Kurup Shantha B. , Pankajam A.
Published: August 2011

Leader is a person who leads. In this changing world a leader should be able to adapt to changes in order to be effective. This article attempts to give an exposure to the new generation leaders as well as developing others. According to the analysis one should be a visionary leader with wider reading habits, understanding skills, counselling skills, etc to be a change leader. The three important phases of developing leaders by the organisations are career track development, on the job training and off the job development. Out of these, off the job development is considered an effective tool to develop leaders for the 21st century.
Experiencing Work at Different Organisational Levels
Authors: Bilgiç Reyhan , Karaca Candan , Ünalan Gaye , Savlý Hande
Published: August 2011

This study looks at the differences in organisational attitudes among the different managerial levels in a government organisation in Turkey. A total of 172 professionals participated in the study and they were grouped into different organisational levels. The levels were arranged according to the conventional status perceptions in organisations. The sample was grouped into five levels: 1) top management, 2) second to top, 3) middle management, 4) the non-managerial level, 5) professionals. The professionals working in the different departments of the organisation were grouped under the title of professionals. They included lawyers, engineers, etc. The survey consists of 80 questions relating to various aspects of organisational life. As expected, the levels were significantly different from each other on a number of attitudes according to ANCOVA results. The demographic variables were used as covariates. Specifically, top management had more positive attitude towards job than the other layers of management. Interestingly, there was no difference between management and non-management in terms of pay satisfaction, attitudes towards ISO 9002 training, experienced stress, skill utilization, and satisfaction with the physical conditions. The lowest mean among the 10 sub-factors belongs to the pay satisfaction for all levels. This is the usual trend in Turkey among the public sector employees. The results of the study indicate that management and non-management can be different in experiencing the organisational life and it is in the interest of the organisation to make lower levels have a more positive experience in the organisations for better organisational life and productivity.
Role of IT as an Enabler of Supply Chain Management
Authors: Singh Rakesh
Published: August 2011

Indian firms have realised that adopting supply chain as a strategic competitive advantage tool has early payoffs. Information technology has played an important role among the firms that have been successful. They realised the importance of state-of-the-art information technology in linking supply with demand to achieve competitive advantage.

Why do firms still fail to capitalise on the use of information technology? What inhibits this seamless flow of information across the supply chain? What are the lessons that can be drawn from those firms that have been able to use Information Technology successfully to add value and create sustainable value chain?

This paper attempts to answer the above questions. It is an attempt to understand the role of Information Technology in supply chain management. We have reviewed the literature in order to understand how IT can effectively help supply chain become a strategic tool. With the help of exploratory research tools we have tried to find out how IT can be effectively utilised as a supply chain enabler. Our research findings are that aligning IT application to overall business strategy, managing processes rather than functions, developing cross functional teams, strategic alliance with suppliers and distributors, etc., create the right kind of organisational architecture, which help IT become a strategic competitive advantage tool.
Market-Orientation in Commercial Banks — A Study of Selected Banks in Delhi
Authors: Verma D P S , Israney Hema
Published: August 2011

Commercial banks in India have undergone a significant metamorphosis since the initiation of the economic reforms in 1991. Many of their archaic rules and regulations have been replaced by transparency, greater autonomy, and market dynamism. The liberalisation policy of the Government of India has allowed the private sector units to operate and give competition to with the erstwhile monopolies of commercial banks in the public sector. Besides, the modern, sophisticated, and discerning consumers want nothing but the best from their bank(s). In order to survive the emerging competition among commercial banks to gain the largest share of the market, the importance of market-orientation is continuously increasing in the banking industry. This paper seeks to make a comparative study of the current status of market-orientation in selected commercial banks in Delhi.
Roles of Management Teams in Management Development
Authors: Singh Kavita
Published: August 2011

Integrative organisations are the organisations of the future - the 21st century model. The focus in these organisations is shining from inflexible, bureaucratic structures to flexible, organic structures. Management teams in such organisations will have to play a variety of team roles in order to achieve the goals and objectives of the organisations.

This paper is based on a study which examines the extent to which the management teams discharge expeditiously, a set of eight mutually supportive team roles, so that its individual members know how to contribute what is needed and how to limit their contributions.

The findings of the study are that the two public sectors studied are dominated by Company Workers (CW), who actually are a fleet of people ready for implementation. But in the absence of other significant roles like Plants and Resource Investigators, there is scarcity of generation of new ideas and willingness to explore resources outside the organisation. The requirement is that a change has to occur from CW culture to a more dynamic and flexible culture to keep adapting the organisation to environmental changes. A few recommendations have been provided to bring about the desirable changes.
Legitimising Leadership: A Framework for Institutional Leadership
Authors: Biswas S N , Biswas Urmi Nanda
Published: August 2011

Different theoretical frameworks on leadership influence process are briefly reviewed. Particularly the process of leadership legitimisation crisis in organisations is highlighted and the transition of leadership influence process, from the transactional perspective to transformational leadership perspective, is discussed. The paper argues that leadership influence process is important and the intensity and resilience of this influence process makes a difference in organisational functioning and growth, which is rooted in the legitimacy of leadership in the eyes of the followers. The crisis of legitimacy and ways and means for attaining legitimacy, has been a major concern for many leaders and researchers. While acknowledging the inherent strength in the transformational leadership model as a major step towards legitimising the leadership influence process, this paper illustrates certain gaps in the existing transformational leadership framework. Based on later research and instances of leadership influences in organisations, a value based institutional leadership framework is proposed. It is argued that the value based institutional leadership will legitimise the leadership influence process in organisations and will be pervasive and enduring.
Supplementing Management Skills in SSI Sector
Authors: Chhikara M S
Published: August 2011

In the last decade of the 20th century we find great change in the business environment. In contrast to the earlier period, this closing decade, popularly known as an era of ‘reforms’, can be called a period of delicensing, deregulation and decontrol for Indian industries. The process of privatisation, liberalisation and globalisation of economic activities has affected the whole economy in one way or the other. Even the small-scale sector, growing under a protective umbrella, since independence, has been left open to the invisible hands of market forces. It has increased the sphere of competition both horizontally and vertically in national as well as international markets and created an environment where only the fittest survive and inefficient get weeded out. The compulsions of the changing economic scenario have made their operations more complex and increased uncertainty in achieving goals. It has underlined the concepts of productivity, quality, effectiveness and efficiency. In sum, the successive rounds of economic reforms have changed the macro-economic scene for small enterprise development.

Healthy sustenance may be ensured and the potential benefits may be realised only if SSIs are managed professionally especially when management deficiency and a low level of skill and technology have been one of the major weaknesses of the SSI sector. But, operationally, due to various factors, employing professional managers by SSIs is limited which is eroding their competitive strength and healthy survival.

In this regard Small Industries Development Bank of India, the apex institution for SSIs, not only reviewed the ground realities, reinforced the demand for managerial skills to ensure longer and healthy sustenance of SSIs but also launched a Small Industries Management Programme (SIMAP) for providing cost-effective managerial cadre prepared from the vast pool of unemployed graduates. For imparting managerial knowledge and skills through specially designed courses, reputed institutes of technology and management, that have linkage with SSIs sector, have been involved. A special Task Force has been constituted to follow-up and monitor the programme.
Assessing the Quality of Wap News Sites: The Webqual/M Method
Authors: Barnes Stuart J. , Vidgen Richard T.
Published: August 2011

This paper reports on the evaluation of wireless Internet news sites using the WebQual/m instrument. From initial application in the domain of traditional Internet web sites, the instrument has been adapted for sites delivered using the wireless application protocol (WAP). The WebQual approach is to assess the web-site quality from the perspective of the ‘voice of the customer’, an approach adopted in quality function deployment The WebQual/m instrument is used to assess customer perceptions of information, site and user-oriented qualities. In particular, the qualities of three UK-based WAP news sites are assessed via an online questionnaire. The results are reported and analysed and demonstrate considerable variations in the offerings of the news sites. The findings and their implications for mobile commerce are discussed and some conclusions and directions for further research are provided.
Effective Human Resource Planning Using Quantitative Tools - A Suggestive Approach
Authors: Bhattacharyya Dipak Kumar
Published: August 2011

Basic process of Human Resource Planning (HRP) is not only to compare present human resources to future needs but also to identify skill and competency gaps. Competency gap analysis helps to develop required competency in line with the organisational mission, vision and strategic objectives. HRP provides strategic basis for taking HR decisions, anticipating change. Of-late HRP has become an important enterprise-wide strategic function not only to achieve goals and objectives but also to sustain present level in organisations. Globally, skill shortages, competency gap, redundancies, downsizing, rightsizing are the major issues in today's organisations.

The biggest problem for manpower or human resource redundancy lies with inadequate Human Resource Planning (HRP). To achieve any goal, manpower requirement needs to be assessed, located and harnessed. HRP is not mere assessment of number of men required. An organisation also has to categorise men as per their knowledge and skills and so also to ensure their balanced allocation.

This study discusses the contemporary HRP process, without, however, discarding the importance of traditional processes altogether. Traditional processes, by and large follow logical sequence to study the job and then translate the job information into manpower requirement. Here, however, we have discussed the importance of application of some selected quantitative manpower planning models and then suggested their consideration for reducing the risk of inaccurate manpower planning. While doing so, some theoretical discussions with illustrations have been made deliberately to avoid any possible gap in understanding the models.
Corporate Governance: An Alternate Approach
Authors: Panchali Jinesh N. , Baid Rachana
Published: August 2011

The modern public corporation command huge societal resources at their disposal. They need to be accountable for its use to society. Apparently, since shareholders provide the risk capital (and hence own the company), it should be accountable to them. However, can a company legitimize its existence by confining its accountability towards specific section of stakeholders? Can a company abuse its market position by indulging in undesirable trade practices to avoid competition for serving the interests of shareholders? Thus, a matter of debate is, in whose interests the company should be governed and in what manner a balance may be maintained among the interests of the various stakeholders?

Shareholders' wealth maximisation argument is based on a number of restrictive assumptions may not be valid, at least, in emerging economies like India. Also, there have been evidences where companies have done well despite maximising interests of stakeholders (other than shareholders) wealth. For lasting success of the business, its top priority need not be its shareholders. In fact, precedence of shareholders' interests over other stakeholders may adversely affect the long term survival and success of the business. It requires optimisation of interests of various stakeholders over lop-sided maximisation of one class of stakeholders.
Life Insurance Potential in India: An Economic Approach
Authors: Thampy Ashok , Sitharamu S.
Published: August 2011

The market for life insurance in India has evolved in the context of the specific socio-economic and political environment that existed over the years. Prior to nationalisation, although the insurance business had grown considerably, it remained an essentially urban phenomena. This limited spread of life insurance was also marked by many malpractices, deficiencies and frequent liquidation of insurance companies, shaking public confidence in purchasing insurance. The objectives of nationalisation were to spread insurance coverage, to provide a stable environment thus increasing the confidence of the people in insurance, and to harness the resources generated for nation building activities as determined by the government.

The purpose of this paper is to estimate the size of the individual life insurance market that exists in India. In this study, we have not provided an estimate of the potential for group life insurance. It is hoped that these estimates will help to plan the business strategy and set goals in the life insurance sector.