bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Promoting Hong Kong's higher education to Asian markets
Authors: Cheung Alan C.K. , Yuen Timothy W.W. , Yuen Celeste Y.M. , Cheong Cheng Yin
Published: July 2010

Purpose

The main purpose of this study is threefold: to analyze the current conditions of higher education services offered in the three target markets; to conduct market segmentation analysis of these markets; and to recommend the most appropriate market entry strategies for Hong Kong's education service providers.

Design/methodology/approach

The data for this project were obtained primarily by questionnaire survey and interviews. The research team collected 1,370 questionnaires and conducted a total of 121 individual and focus group interviews in the four studied cities – Mumbai, New Delhi, Jakarta, and Kuala Lumpur.

Findings

The study found that there was a high unmet demand for higher education overseas and that the visibility of Hong Kong's higher education was relatively weak in these Asian markets. In order to capture the continued rise of students in Asia, higher education institutions and the Hong Kong government need to work together to analyze the potential markets critically and employ marketing strategies sensibly. Several key recommendations have been provided based on the findings.

Research limitations/implications

The study was undertaken in a few key cities in these three target markets. However, findings from the study may generate insights into other cities with similar characteristics in these countries and the Asian regions.

Practical implications

The paper suggests that decision makers at the institutional level and government level seeking to enter these markets must pay attention to the importance of market segmentation and the 4P variables in formulating their marketing strategies.

Originality/value

Few studies have examined the current condition of higher education services in these three emerging Asian markets. The study provides some useful marketing information to education decision makers in Hong Kong and elsewhere who may be interested in formulating marketing strategies in these markets.
A social network analysis of healthcare professional relationships in a French hospital
Authors: Boyer Laurent , Belzeaux Raoul , Maurel Olivier , Baumstarck‐Barrau Karine , Samuelian Jean‐Claude
Published: July 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to describe relationships among healthcare professionals in a French public hospital using social network analysis (SNA) and to improve health service quality by strengthening health service management and leadership.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was based on a questionnaire sent to randomly selected French public hospital professionals and administrators. Network composition measures were obtained using a name generator. Analysis focused on three main indicators: “centrality”, “prestige”, and “clique participants”. The SNA was carried out using UCINET® and statistical analyses were performed with SPSS version 15.0.

Findings

A total of 104 questionnaires were returned and analysed. Centrality, prestige and clique indicators were highly correlated (all p‐value were less than 0.01). Physicians had the highest scores for the three indicators. Older age (≥45 years) was associated with higher centrality and clique numbers scores. Transversal activity was associated with higher scores than other specific activities (hospitalisation, ambulatory care), except for emergency care.

Originality/value

The paper shows how networks and SNA techniques provide novel and useful means to understand communication and collaboration between hospital professionals.
Improving patient safety culture
Authors: Hellings Johan , Schrooten Ward , Klazinga Niek S. , Vleugels Arthur
Published: July 2010

Purpose

Improving hospital patient safety means an open and stimulating culture is needed. This article aims to describe a patient safety culture improvement approach in five Belgian hospitals.

Design/methodology/approach

Patient safety culture was measured using a validated Belgian adaptation of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) questionnaire. Studies before (autumn 2005) and after (spring 2007) the improvement approach was implemented were completed. Using HSOPSC, safety culture was measured using 12 dimensions. Results are presented as evolving dimension scores.

Findings

Overall, 3,940 and 3,626 individuals responded respectively to the first and second surveys (overall response rate was 77 and 68 percent respectively). After an 18 to 26 month period, significant improvement was observed for the “hospital management support for patient safety” dimension – all main effects were found to be significant. Regression analysis suggests there is a significant difference between professional subgroups. In one hospital the “supervisor expectations and actions promoting safety” improved. The dimension “teamwork within hospital units” received the highest scores in both surveys. There was no improvement and sometimes declining scores in the lowest scoring dimensions: “hospital transfers and transitions”, “non‐punitive response to error”, and “staffing”.

Research limitations/implications

The five participating hospitals were not randomly selected and therefore no representative conclusions can be made for the Belgian hospital sector as a whole. Only a quantitative approach to measuring safety culture was used. Qualitative approaches, focussing on specific safety cultures in specific parts of the participating hospitals, were not used.

Practical implications

Although much needs to be done on the road towards better hospital patient safety, the study presents lessons from various perspectives. It illustrates that hospital staff are highly motivated to participate in measuring patient safety culture. Safety domains that urgently need improvement in these hospitals are identified: hospital transfers and transitions; non‐punitive response to error; and staffing. It confirms that realising progress in patient safety culture, demonstrating at the same time that it is possible to improve management support, is complex.

Originality/value

Safety is an important service quality aspect. By measuring safety culture in hospitals, with a validated questionnaire, dimensions that need improvement were revealed thereby contributing to an enhancement plan.
DOC questionnaire: measuring how GPs and medical specialists rate collaboration
Authors: Berendsen Annette J. , Benneker Wim H.G.M. , Groenier Klaas H. , Schuling Jan , Grol Richard P.T.M. , Meyboom‐de Jong Betty
Published: July 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to assess the validity of a questionnaire aimed at assessing how general practitioners (GPs) and specialists rate collaboration.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary data were collected in The Netherlands during March to September 2006. A cross‐sectional study was conducted among 259 GPs and 232 specialists. Participants were randomly selected from The Netherlands Medical Address Book. Specialists rarely contacting a GP were not invited to participate.

Findings

Exploratory factor analysis indicated that the questionnaire, consisting of 20 items, measured five domains: organisation; communication; professional expertise; image; and knowing each other. Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranged from 0.64 to 0.83 indicating sufficient internal consistency. Correlation coefficients between domains were all <0.4. All but “communication” clearly produced distinguishing scores for different respondent groups.

Research limitations/implications

This study shows that the doctors' opinions on collaboration (DOC) questionnaire is valid and that it may have the potential to give feedback to both medical professionals and policy makers. Such feedback creates an opportunity to improve collaboration.

Originality/value

The DOC questionnaire is a useful instrument for assessing collaboration among GPs and specialists. It can provide feedback to both medical professionals and policy makers. Such feedback creates an opportunity to improve collaboration.
Effect of Bi on the microstructure and tensile behavior of Sn‐3.7Ag solders
Authors: He M. , De Leon N. , Acoff V.L.
Published: July 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate a Pb‐free solder alternative, specifically the effect of Bi on the microstructure and tensile strength of Sn‐3.7Ag solders casted under different cooling rates.

Design/methodology/approach

Sn‐3.7Ag solder paste was mechanically blended with different percentages of Bi particles (99.999 percent) to form composite solder pastes. The solder paste was cast under different cooling rates to form dog‐bone shape samples for tensile testing. The solder samples were subjected to tensile testing on an INSTRON 5543 tester with loading rate 10−3 s−1. Both the as‐cast and tensile‐tested samples were mounted, ground and polished for microstructure and fracture surface analysis. Scanning electron microscopy/Energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy was used to characterize the microstructure, morphology, and composition.

Findings

The tensile strength of Sn‐3.7Ag solder increased with increased Bi addition. However, elongation decreased with increased Bi addition. The tensile strength of Sn‐3.7Ag‐xBi (x=0, 1, 2, 3, 4 wt%) solders increased with increased cooling rates when Bi is lower than 3 wt%. The reason for improved strength of Sn‐3.7Ag‐xBi solders is the result of the combination of the solid solution strengthening and precipitation strengthening effects of Bi.

Originality/value

Tensile testing Bi reinforced Sn‐3.7Ag solder formed under different cooling rates is new in the paper. With the additions of Bi to Sn‐3.7Ag, the solder strength has been increased, which may be beneficial to the electronics industry and other researchers seeking a better replacement for Sn−Pb solder.
Experimental investigation on the failure of lead‐free solder joints under drop impact
Authors: Liu Fang , Meng Guang , Zhao Mei
Published: July 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mechanism of ball grid array (BGA) lead‐free solder joint failure under board‐level drop impact.

Design/methodology/approach

A round shaped test board was used. First, drop tests at three different heights were carried out. Then, dye stain testing and metallurgical analysis were performed in order to study the failure mechanism of lead‐free solder joints under drop impact.

Findings

The test results indicate that the combined effect of mechanical shock and printed circuit board bending vibration is the root cause of solder joint failure under drop impact. On the other hand, the fracture of BGA lead‐free solder joints occurs at the intermetallic compound interface near the package side, and the failure mode is brittle fracture.

Originality/value

These results are the same as those for JEDEC standard test boards. The round test board could take the place of the JEDEC standard test board when conducting drop testing.
Deviance or norm? Exploring corporate social responsibility
Authors: Ralston Ekaterina S.
Published: July 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the body of cross‐disciplinary literature on corporate social responsibility (CSR), organizational structure, and organizational culture. The author suggests that the issue of social responsibility is a phenomenon both external and internal to organizations, as it lies on the cusp of organizational culture and social expectations.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper bridges classical sociological thought and contemporary views on CSR to develop an argument about the deviant nature of CSR. It highlights the theoretical challenges to establish socially responsible behaviors of organization as a mainstream norm.

Findings

The paper suggests that CSR should be perceived within the context of the existing social norms and understood as an outcome of shared set of organizational norms and values. The review of existing theories of CSR is followed by a discussion of whether CSR is a deviant or a normative phenomenon.

Originality/value

The paper presents CSR as a deviant behavior and argues that in order for it to become a common organizational practice, ideas of socially responsible behaviors should be incorporated into the existing set of social expectations.
Extended regional dispatch for truckload carriers
Authors: Don Taylor G. , Whicker Gary L.
Published: July 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether or not driver job satisfaction, carrier performance, and customer service can be improved as a result of the use of uniquely constructed, extended regional dispatching systems.

Design/methodology/approach

Simulation is used to examine regional dispatching systems that are extended in scope of dispatch by using integrated freight lanes. The results of extended regional dispatching systems are compared to traditional dispatching methods and previous experimentation with stand‐alone regional and lane dispatching.

Findings

It is shown that a carrier's adoption of extended regional dispatching can be beneficial to both trucking companies and drivers, while remaining relatively neutral to customers. Additionally, it is shown that this improvement can be obtained without significant degradation of the driving jobs that remain outside the regional dispatching network.

Research limitations/implications

A new method of dispatching has been developed in such a way that very attractive regional driving jobs can be extended to a much larger percentage of drivers than in more established regional alternatives. This reduces reliance on the less effective random, over‐the‐road dispatching systems that are typically utilized in the truckload trucking industry.

Practical implications

Carriers may be able to utilize extended regional dispatching systems as a means of improving driver satisfaction and retention.

Originality/value

This research extends knowledge in the area of alternative dispatching methods for truckload carriers in a way that drastically improves the quality of life for professional drivers.
A model of sedimentary delta growth: a novel application of numerical heat transfer methods
Authors: Voller V.R.
Published: July 2010

Purpose

Understanding the factors that contribute to the growth of sediment delta lobes in river systems has significant benefit towards protecting civil and social infrastructure from severe weather events. To develop this understanding, this paper aims to construct a three‐dimensional numerical model of a sediment delta depositing on to a two‐dimensional bedrock basement entering an ocean at a constant sea‐level.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach used adapts and applies techniques and schemes previously used in building numerical heat transfer models of melting systems. Particular emphasis is placed on modifying fixed grid enthalpy like schemes.

Findings

The resulting model provides important insight on the features that control the partition of sediment delta deposition between the land and ocean domains. The model also illustrates how tectonic subsidence may control the rate of delta growth.

Originality/value

This is the first numerical heat transfer inspired model of a three‐dimensional sediment delta deposit over both land and ocean domains. The problem has scientific merit in that it represents a melting‐like moving boundary problem with two distinct moving boundaries and a space/time dependent latent heat. Further, this work is a necessary first step towards building a comprehensive understanding of how to restore delta systems to protect civil and social infrastructure.
A novel single domain approach for numerical modelling solid oxide fuel cells
Authors: Mauro A. , Arpino F. , Massarotti N. , Nithiarasu P.
Published: July 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe two‐ and three‐dimensional numerical modelling of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) by employing an accurate and stable fully matrix inversion free finite element algorithm.

Design/methodology/approach

A general and detailed mathematical model has been developed for the description of the coupled complex phenomena occurring in fuel cells. A fully matrix inversion free algorithm, based on the artificial compressibility (AC) version of the characteristic‐based split (CBS) scheme and single domain approach have been successfully employed for the accurate and efficient simulation of high temperature SOFCs.

Findings

For the first time, a stable fully explicit algorithm has been applied to detailed multi‐dimensional simulation transport phenomena, coupled to chemical and electrochemical reactions, in fluid, porous and solid parts of a SOFC. The accuracy of the present results has been verified via comparison with experimental and numerical data available in the literature.

Originality/value

For the first time, thanks to a stabilization analysis conducted, the AC‐CBS algorithm has been successfully used to numerically solve the generalized model, applied in this paper to describe transport phenomena through free fluid channels and porous electrodes of SOFCs, without the need of further conditions at the fluid‐electrode interface.
An overview on ADCO crude oil storage tanks
Authors: Shaluf Ibrahim M. , Abdulla Salim
Published: July 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of storage tank incidents and the causes of the incidents. The paper also seeks to present a brief overview on Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations (ADCO) experience of Jebel Dhanna (JD) export terminal.

Design/methodology/approach

Major hazard installations (MHIs) store large quantities of flammable material in storage tanks. Storage tanks represent important capital assets and are often critical operational items. The failure of a tank can have several undesirable effects such as endangering personnel, affecting the environment and interrupting the operator's business. The storage tank incidents and ADCO's experience on operating of an export terminal are collected from several sources such as technical articles, text books, internet web sites, and internal reports. The incidents and the causes of the incidents are reviewed and summarised. The ADCO's experience in operation of a crude oil tank farm are outlined.

Findings

The world has witnessed 480 tank fire incidents in the period 1951‐2003. The major cause of storage tank fire incidents was due to lightning. The leaks and the spills from the tanks were due to corrosion, operation, improper or lack of maintenance, poor design and/or maintenance of piping systems, fire and explosion. Although several studies have been carried out to record the tank incidents and the causes of the incidents the studies were not comprehensive. Many tank fire incidents that occurred have not been recorded in the previous studies. ADCO have been operating the JD crude oil terminal for more than three decades without a major incident. This was achieved through the design, operation and maintaining of the tanks in accordance with international standards, periodical studies by expert consultancy, and regular development of the control and protection systems with up‐to‐date technology.

Originality/value

The findings highlight that an international storage tank incidents database should be established to compile the scattered data in one site. The tank incidents database encourges the MHIS to publish tank incidents. The database can assist MHIs as well as the research institutes to learn lessons from the incidents. MHIs publishing articles is one of the means of sharing and exchanging the experience with similar installations and institutes.
Wellness 101: health education for the university student
Authors: Wharf Higgins S. Joan , Lauzon Lara L. , Yew Ann C. , Bratseth Christopher D. , McLeod Nicole
Published: July 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to describe two phases of a mixed‐method study: in phase I, the wellness practices of students at a Canadian university are reported. These data informed the re‐development of a first‐year health education course. Subsequent to its revision, phase II of the study assessed the impact of the course on students' wellness practices and learnings.

Design/methodology/approach

In phase I, 855 students completed a survey rating ten wellness practices relating to themselves. Survey results were explored further in focus groups with 60 students. In phase II, a pre‐ and post‐design assessed the impact of the health education curriculum. Wellness practices were surveyed, at the beginning and end of term, and content analysis was conducted on students' assignments.

Findings

In phase I, the mean overall wellness score was 779.7 out of 1,000 or “good”. Students scored highest in sexuality and safety, and lowest in physical activity and nutrition. Qualitative analyses revealed four primary themes important to students' wellness: being or holistic health; belonging or feeling connected to others and the campus; becoming or studying to achieve a professional or scholarly degree; and balance – or the search for stability. In phase II, significant changes were found for seven wellness scores when comparing the beginning and end of semester. Analysis of course assignments found that students left the course with enhanced affect and knowledge levels.

Originality/value

The results support the argument that a health education curriculum, responsive to students' identified needs, and in conjunction with a healthy campus environment, promises to enhance student wellness.
The SNAP Platform: social networking for academic purposes
Authors: Kirkwood Keith
Published: July 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to introduce an enterprise‐wide Web 2.0 learning support platform – SNAP, developed at Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia.

Design/methodology/approach

Pointing to the evolution of the social web, the paper discusses the potential for the development of e‐learning platforms that employ constructivist, connectivist, and participatory pedagogies and actively engage the student population. Social networking behaviours and peer‐learning strategies, along with knowledge management through guided folksonomies, provide the back‐bone of a social systems approach to learning support.

Findings

The development of a cloud‐based read‐write enterprise platform can extend the responsiveness of the learning institution to its students and to future e‐learning innovations.

Originality/value

The full potential of e‐learning platforms for the development of learning communities of practice can now be increasingly realised. The SNAP Platform is a step in this direction.
An appetite for creative destruction
Authors: Shurville Simon , Browne Tom , Whitaker Marian
Published: July 2010

Purpose

This paper seeks to examine the emerging role of the Senior Academic Technology Officer (SATO) in higher education. It aims to consider two existing templates for this professional role derived from mainstream information management and information technology: the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and the Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Characteristically, CIOs and CTOs might be expected to have different appetites for creative destruction. The paper seeks to focus on the match between a SATO's own appetite for radical technological change and innovation – that is, for creative destruction – and that of their institution. The paper concludes with some observations concerning role design and appropriate recruitment and selection criteria for SATOs in higher education.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper informs its discussion with a micro case study and the outcomes of a virtual anecdote circle comprised of 20 senior academics, administrators, and educational technologists from higher education institutions in Asia, Australia, North America, and the UK.

Findings

The research suggests that the preferred model for a SATO is closest to that of a CIO with a leaning towards innovation and change. However, the paper finds that a SATO's personal appetite for creative destruction may be in conflict with the institution's culture, norms and values, resulting in poor outcomes for both. In order to avoid extreme mismatch the paper recommends a realistic approach to the recruitment and selection of SATOs that is aligned with the organisation's tolerance for innovation and change.

Research limitations/implications

The paper contributes to the body of research‐based literature concerning the strategic management and development of professional scientific and technical staff.

Originality/value

Given the strategic importance of SATOs to ICT‐driven transformation, university leaders will require evidence to formulate appropriate human resource and performance management strategies for these key academic‐related/professional staff. The paper brings together evidence from a highly informed group of stakeholders with active interests in the field using a virtual anecdote circle.
Academics and Wikipedia
Authors: Eijkman Henk
Published: July 2010

Purpose

There is much hype about academics' attitude to Wikipedia. This paper seeks to go beyond anecdotal evidence by drawing on empirical research to ascertain how academics respond to Wikipedia and the implications these responses have for the take‐up of Web 2.0+. It aims to test the hypothesis that Web 2.0+, as a platform built around the socially constructed nature of knowledge, is inimical to conventional power‐knowledge arrangements in which academics are traditionally positioned as the key gatekeepers to knowledge.

Design/methodology/approach

The research relies on quantitative and qualitative data to provide an evidence‐based analysis of the attitudes of academics towards the student use of Wikipedia and towards Web 2.0+. These data were provided via an online survey made available to a number of universities in Australia and abroad. As well as the statistical analysis of quantitative data, qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis using relational coding.

Findings

The data by and large demonstrate that Wikipedia continues to be a divisive issue among academics, particularly within the “soft sciences”. However, Wikipedia is not as controversial as popular publicity would lead one to believe. Many academics use it extensively though cautiously themselves, and therefore tend to support a cautious approach to its use by students. However, evidence supports the assertion that there is an implicit if not explicit awareness among academics that Wikipedia, and possibly by extension Web 2.0+, are disruptors of conventional academic power‐knowledge arrangements.

Practical implications

It is clear that academics respond differently to the disruptive effects that Web 2.0+has on the political economy of academic knowledge construction. Contrary to popular reports, responses to Wikipedia are not overwhelmingly focused on resistance but encompass both cautious and creative acceptance. It is becoming equally clear that the increasing uptake of Web 2.0+in higher education makes it inevitable that academics will have to address the “political” consequences of this reframing of the ownership and control of academic knowledge production.

Originality/value

The paper demonstrates originality and value by providing a unique, evidence‐based insight into the different ways in which academics respond to Wikipedia as an archetypal Web 2.0+application and by positioning Web 2.0+within the political economy of academic knowledge construction.
The Internet in six words or less
Authors: Schwartz David G.
Published: July 2010

Purpose

This paper seeks to present six key articles from the archives of Internet Research within a research framework, covering infrastructure, organization, commerce, governance, linking, and interface.

Design/methodology/approach

The six articles are introduced, summarized, and used to focus attention on each of the core areas of research that impacted the growth of the Internet.

Findings

The prism of time is one of the most powerful tools of observation available to scientists and researchers. Palaeontologists think in terms of aeons, archaeologists consider millennia a mere starting‐point, even the biologists, chemists, and physicists have centuries of prior research to consider. Internet Research, the Journal, is only 20 years old – and the field only slightly older than that. Yet what decades those have been. Six articles from the early years of Internet Research epitomize much of the innovation, excitement, challenges and vision that would reshape the world. While tremendous advances in technology have been made in the past 20 years, a number of the original issues and challenges remain unresolved.

Practical implications

The paper serves to frame the historic articles within a broader research context.

Originality/value

The paper provides a conceptual framework for researchers seeking insights into some of the early formative research on the Internet and web.
Developing the national communications and information infrastructure
Authors: Kapor Mitchell , Weitzner Daniel J.
Published: July 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to discuss the importance of developing a national communication and information infrastructure that meets near‐term needs and capabilities.

Design/methodology/approach

The current status of Electronic Frontier Foundation's Open Platform Proposal, which is based on narrowband ISDN implementation, is described.

Findings

The advantages and drawbacks of Electronic Frontier Foundation's Open Platform Proposal are presented.

Originality/value

The paper provides recommendations for public policy criteria that should be used in evaluating different infrastructure proposals.
Think disruptive! How to manage in a new era of innovation
Authors: Leavy Brian , Sterling John
Published: July 2010

Purpose

The current downturn may offer a unique opportunity for astute corporate leadership to undertake the kind of innovation that disrupts markets, channels or even industries says Scott Anthony, president of innovation consultancy Innosight, co‐founded by disruptive innovation guru, Clayton Christensen. This paper aims to investigate this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

In this interview, Anthony reviews how the tenets of disruptive innovation – identify the job the customer cannot get done, look for innovative ways to get that job done, focus on experimentation and learning – apply in a recessionary environment.

Findings

Anthony warns that in recessions, a company may think has a choice – risk innovation or choose the safety of survival mode. But it is a false choice. The only way to survive is to innovate.

Practical implications

Anthony explains that “Scarcity is a great innovation enabler. Lean teams have to focus on the most critical issues.”

Originality/value

Anthony's golden rule: “The best way to develop disruptive capabilities is to start small and learn as you go.”
Students' major choice in accounting and its effect on their self‐efficacy towards generic skills
Authors: Sugahara Satoshi , Suzuki Kazumi , Boland Gregory
Published: July 2010

Purpose

The objective of this paper is to explore undergraduate students' self‐efficacy of their generic skills in an attempt to identify whether a student's choice of a major in accounting develops these types of skills.

Design/methodology/approach

The present paper collected its data from a survey administered in September, 2007 to undergraduate students studying at an Australian university located in the nation's capital. The questionnaires were distributed to students who were enrolled in both a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. In these degrees, students can major in any business‐related subject including business administration, human relations, finance, financial planning, and accounting. From a total response of 174 students, 165 students were identified as effective respondents.

Findings

The findings have indicated that accounting programs produce a limited impact on improving students' self‐efficacy in relation to what is required in today's accounting profession. An improvement is found in one's self‐efficacy of analytical skills only. Further analysis confirmed that there are other stronger predictors such as job experiences and the native language of English, which will affect students' higher self‐efficacy of generic skills.

Originality/value

This paper successfully contributes to the literature on students' self‐efficacy by providing the first empirical evidence on the effect that an undergraduate accounting curriculum in Australia has on developing students' self‐efficacy of generic skills. Tertiary educators, by revamping current accounting programs, will assist future graduates develop a full range of generic skills that are necessary for them to compete in today's competitive accounting environment.
Contribution of cross‐functional teams to the improvement in operational performance
Authors: Santa Ricardo , Ferrer Mario , Bretherton Phil , Hyland Paul
Published: July 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of cross‐functional teams in the alignment between system effectiveness and operational effectiveness after the implementation of enterprise information systems (EIS). In addition, it aims to explore the contribution of cross‐functional teams to improvement in operational performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The research uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, in a two‐stage methodological approach, to investigate the influence of cross‐functional teams on the alignment between system effectiveness and operational effectiveness and the impact of the stated alignment on the improvement in operational performance.

Findings

Initial findings suggest that factors stemming from system effectiveness and the performance objectives stemming from operational effectiveness are important and significantly well correlated factors that promote the alignment between the effectiveness of technological implementation and the effectiveness of operations. In addition, confirmatory factor analysis has been used to find the structural relationships and provide explanations for the stated alignment and the contribution of cross‐functional teams to the improvement in operational performance.

Research limitations/implications

The principal limitation of this study is its small sample size.

Practical implications

Cross‐functional teams have been used by many organisations as a way of involving expertise from different functional areas in the implementation of innovative technologies. An appropriate use of the dimensions that emerged from this research, in the context of cross‐functional teams, will assist organisations to properly utilise cross‐functional teams with the aim of improving operational performance.

Originality/value

The paper presents a new approach to measure the effectiveness of EIS implementation by adding new dimensions to measure it.
Global teams: a network analysis
Authors: Berg Nicola , Holtbrügge Dirk
Published: July 2010

Purpose

In the last few years, several empirical studies about the determinants and success factors of global teams have been published. While these studies show many interesting results, they are often focused on single variables such as cultural homogeneity, cooperation length, or task complexity, but rarely analyze the complex relationships between these concepts. The aim of this paper is to explore how members of global teams consider the relevance of different determinants of their cooperation, how these determinants are interrelated, and how they influence team performance.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, a network study of global teams in the automotive and airline industries is presented. Based on interviews with the members of nine teams in three companies the software programs NVivo and UCINET were applied for a construct causal network analysis of the relationships between various team characteristics and their impact on team performance.

Findings

The study shows that the interaction of team members from different cultures does not directly impact the productivity and creativity of teams. This relationship is rather influenced by various determinants such as task complexity, language skills, communication media and intercultural training.

Research limitations/implications

A restriction of this study is its regional concentration on teams with members from European cultures. Future research should broaden this perspective and focus on global teams with a more diverse composition in terms of culture. For example, it would be interesting to know whether for global teams in Asia, South America or Asia similar or different determinants are relevant.

Originality/value

The study enhances the knowledge of the complex interrelationships between various determinants of global teams and their impact on team performance. A major methodological contribution is the analysis of real teams, enabling a far more realistic picture than previous experimental studies conducted in this area that deal with simulated teams, whose members do not have a shared past nor a shared future.
Adaptive performance: a criterion problem
Authors: Stokes Charlene K. , Schneider Tamera R. , Lyons Joseph B.
Published: July 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an empirical examination of the convergent validity of the two foremost measurement methods used to assess adaptive performance: subjective ratings and objective task scores. Predictors of adaptive performance have been extensively examined, but limited research attention has been directed at adaptability itself as a validated construct within the job performance domain. Due to this neglect, it is unclear if researchers can generalize findings across criterion measurement methods.

Design/methodology/approach

Teams of five (275 individuals) performed a computer‐based task that involved a series of disruptions requiring an adaptive response. In addition to post‐disruption task scores, subjective self‐ and peer‐ratings of adaptive performance were collected.

Findings

Results did not indicate strong support for the convergent validity of subjective and objective measures. Although the measures were significantly related (r=0.47, p < 0.001) and shared a relatively similar correlation pattern in the multitrait‐multimethod matrix, 78 percent of the variance between measures was unexplained.

Research limitations/implications

Given the goal of understanding “job” performance, results should be confirmed for actual jobs where adaptive performance is imperative (e.g. emergency response, multicultural teams).

Practical implications

These findings should serve as a warning that the construct validity of adaptive performance has yet to be fully established, and previous research results should be interpreted cautiously as generalizations about adaptive performance may be limited by the particular measures used to assess the construct.

Originality/value

This study was unique in its examination of both subjective and objective measures of adaptive performance. The findings of the present study highlight the need for sound theory to support the adaptive performance construct.
Multiple sourcing strategies and order allocation: an ANP‐AUGMECON meta‐model
Authors: Kirytopoulos Konstantinos , Leopoulos Vrassidas , Mavrotas George , Voulgaridou Dimitra
Published: July 2010

Purpose

The strategic importance of sourcing is inherent in the positioning of the purchasing operation in a supply chain and supplier evaluation – a crucial step in sourcing – is a complex multicriteria decision making (MCDM) problem. The purpose of this paper is to provide a meta‐model for supplier evaluation and order quantity allocation, based on a MCDM method, namely the Analytic Network Process (ANP) and a multiobjective mathematical programming method (MOMP), the AUGMECON.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed approach consists of two parts. The former develops and applies the ANP method in order to evaluate the suppliers in qualitative terms. The latter implements the AUGMECON method in order to find the Pareto optimal solutions for the allocation of order quantities in a multiple sourcing environment. The integrated meta‐model is exposed through an illustrative case concerning the parapharmaceutical enterprise cluster in Greece.

Findings

The proposed meta‐model constitutes an efficient method that enables managers to actively participate in the decision making process and exploit the “qualitative value” of their suppliers, while minimizing the costs and the mean delivery times. In addition, it is proved to be suitable for the enterprise clusters, as it adapts a multiple sourcing strategy and enhances the partnership among the members.

Research limitations/implications

The outcome of the model is highly dependent on the inputs provided by the decision maker. Moreover, the ANP method is computational intensive, but this limitation can be alleviated by appropriate software tools.

Originality/value

The proposed meta‐model is an innovative approach for decision making in the area of multiple sourcing and order allocation.
Explaining Nigeria's import demand behaviour: a bound testing approach
Authors: Adetunji Babatunde M. , Egwaikhide Festus O.
Published: July 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an empirical analysis of the aggregated import demand behavior for Nigeria using annual data between 1980 and 2006.

Design/methodology/approach

The bounds test analysis was used to estimate the long‐run relationship between imports and its determinants.

Findings

Test results show that imports, income and relative prices are cointegrated. The estimated long‐run elasticities of import demand with respect to income and relative prices are 2.48 and −0.133, respectively.

Originality/value

These results suggest that the Marshall‐Lerner condition are not satisfied for Nigeria.
Effective benchmarking of innovation adoptions
Authors: Azadegan Arash , Teich Jeffrey
Published: July 2010

Purpose

Recent rapid pace in the introduction of innovations has made adopting new technologies, such as those used for electronic procurement, a routine practice. But successful technology adoption depends on a multitude of factors, including those related to the adopter, to the technology, to the provider and the network within which they operate. Without careful consideration of these factors, effectiveness of benchmarking of technology adoptions may be remiss of predictable outcomes. The paper aims to aid in understanding when and how benchmarking applies to technology adoptions by introducing a new conceptual framework.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper combines facets of established theories of innovation adoption to develop a new broad‐based framework. It then applies the framework to develop propositions on the adoption of two distinct types of e‐procurement technologies (EPT), namely electronic data interchange and online auctions.

Findings

Three prominent adoption theories that explain innovation adoption are highlighted and it is noted that while useful, on their own, these theories may have limited explanatory power. These paradigms are leveraged to develop an interlocked framework that helps better explain the factors that influence innovation adoption. The factors are categorized into four groups, namely that of the technology, the adopting firm, its trading partners and the network within which it operates.

Research limitations/implications

The paper's conceptual hypotheses need to be empirically validated in a later study.

Practical implications

The paper suggests that application of proper benchmarking practices that are reflective of the technology, the adopter, the provider, and network factors.

Originality/value

This paper fulfils a need to study how benchmarking of innovation adoptions in general, and for EPT in particular, can be made more effective by applying a multi‐dimensional perspective on their adoption.
Electronic commerce applications for supply chain integration and competitive capabilities
Authors: Hong Paul , Tran Oahn , Park Kihyun
Published: July 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the impacts of supplier‐ and customer‐oriented electronic communication technologies (ECTs) (electronic data interchange (EDI) and internet‐based) on supply chain integration and manufacturing competitive capabilities (flexibility and quality).

Design/methodology/approach

The research model is based on resource‐based view of technology use, ECTs, and supply chain management literature. Data from 711 international manufacturing firms International Manufacturing Strategy Survey (IMSS IV) are analyzed using exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling to test the proposed relationships.

Findings

The results suggest: the importance of applying two specific ECTs (EDI and internet‐based) for both supplier and customer integration; and the direct impact of supplier integration and customer integration on manufacturing competitive capabilities.

Research limitations/implications

Except for perceptual biases inherent to survey methodology, this research provides rich implications on ECTs (particularly, EDI and internet‐based) on supply chain integration and manufacturing competitive capabilities.

Practical implications

The findings of this research provide practical management insights on ECTs investment and deployment practices. Creation and delivery of values require effective integration of technologies for key performance outcomes across suppliers, customers and internal business processes.

Originality/value

This paper fills the research gap by presenting a research model and empirically validates how ECTs impact on quality and flexibility based on rich empirical data of 711 firms of manufacturing firms.
Measuring visibility to improve supply chain performance: a quantitative approach
Authors: Caridi Maria , Crippa Luca , Perego Alessandro , Sianesi Andrea , Tumino Angela
Published: July 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe a quantitative approach to assess the degree of visibility that a focal company has of its supply chain, addressing specifically complex networks and ecosystems.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on an in‐depth literature review concerning the measurement of supply chain visibility and the assessment of its value. An extensive, six‐month discussion and refinement process with the supply chain managers of nine leading companies was conducted to validate the proposed approach and to conduct real case studies.

Findings

The main outcome of this paper is a model to measure the visibility level in complex supply networks. Such a measure can be used for benchmarking and as a diagnostic tool for practitioners to find more easily the areas where a visibility improvement is more urgent.

Research limitations/implications

The model provides a measure of the visibility across the inbound supply chain. Further research will extend the approach to the internal and outbound supply chains. Moreover, limited empirical evidence is presented in this paper, which mainly aims to validate the proposed approach. A wider application of the model could offer interesting opportunities in terms of managerial practice and provide a more extensive basis for benchmarking.

Originality/value

Various authors have attempted to quantify visibility across a supply chain, but they either calculate it only for simplistic, two‐tier or linear supply chains, or they fail to provide a comprehensive visibility metric.