bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wine retailing in Ireland: the diffusion of innovation
Authors: Murray Agnes , Demick David
Published: September 2006

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how new wines are introduced to and adopted by the consumer within the grocery retail sector in Ireland.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi‐structured interviews were carried out with eight wine buyers/distributors for the grocery retail sector in Ireland and two retail store managers. Interviews were conducted early in 2004. Observation of wine displays in stores was used to confirm marketing communications and promotional techniques employed.

Findings

The findings confirmed a market that is growing, especially in the grocery retail sector and at the lower end of the pricing points. Competition and a desire for growth create the demand for new products and all the elements of the marketing mix are used to support the market entry and adoption of the product by the consumer.

Research limitations/implications

This is an exploratory study with a small sample size; further studies could be carried out to confirm the findings of this study or to replicate elsewhere in the UK or in the non‐wine‐producing countries of Europe.

Practical implications

The findings highlight the strength of competition within the grocery sector and the continued use of discounting as a promotional strategy; this has implications for wine producers in the longer term. There is a need to educate the customer with a view to encouraging them to trade up.

Originality/value

The paper provides some insight into the distribution and marketing of wine in the grocery retail sector in Ireland.
An improved analysis of bagging of textile fabrics. Part I: theoretical
Authors: Amirbayat J.
Published: September 2006

Purpose

Aims to analyse the stress distribution in a circular flexible sheet. Part I provides a theoretical approach to the analysis of the bagging deformation in textile fabrics.

Design/methodology/approach

The investigation includes analysing the stress distribution in a circular flexible sheet clamped around its circumference under an externally applied force by a spherical object. Movement of the material normal to its original plane is then related to the external force and the elastic properties of the sheet, i.e. the elastic modulus and the Poisson's ratio. The effects of the size of the force‐applying object, relative to the sample radius, are also investigated.

Findings

The relationship between the applied force on the centre of a flexible sheet material by a spherical object and the sag of the sheet was derived. Poisson's ratio has an important role on the mechanism of deformation, restricting the extension of the sheet when it is high and intensifying the discontinuity of the strain at the interface.

Research limitations/implications

The work could be expanded to industrial fabrics and to composite materials.

Practical implications

The two papers provide a first step in an attempt for a better understanding of the stresses involved in bagging of a linear elastic sheet. They provide the basis for the development of fabrics that can withstand bagging problems. This research may also put forward improved methods of measuring bagginess. Some of the theoretical work may be used to predict bagginess of fabrics based on properties.

Originality/value

The paper has two improvements on previous work: the inclusion of the effect of fabric Poisson ratio, and the suggestion of a better method of calculating the overall anisotropic properties.
Problem solving within professional services: evidence from the medical field
Authors: Jaakkola Elina , Halinen Aino
Published: September 2006

Purpose

To test the validity of the presumed characteristics of professional services by studying their manifestation in the problem solving that occurs in service production.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses medical research as secondary data to study the existence of associations between the presumed characteristics of professional services and problem solving in the medical context. A systematic review of empirical studies concerning physicians' prescribing decisions is conducted.

Findings

Supporting assumptions presented in the literature, specialist knowledge of professional and customer participation was found to influence prescribing decisions. The assumption regarding collegial control was partially supported. Some degree of contradiction was found with respect to the presumed professional autonomy and altruism. Whilst the professional services literature emphasises factors related to the client's problem, the service encounter and the profession, we conclude that problem solving is influenced also by factors embedded in the related organisational, market and institutional environments.

Research limitations/implications

Further empirical validation of the presumed professional characteristics is needed. The results indicate that professional services research should pay more attention to the role of the wider context in professional problem solving. Medical researchers might also benefit from a broader perspective on patient participation.

Practical implications

An holistic view of factors that influence physicians' prescribing decisions is of use to managers of health care organisations, marketers of pharmaceuticals, and policy makers and third‐party payers.

Originality/value

By using an interdisciplinary approach, the paper contributes to professional services research by providing empirical support for the often repeated characteristics of professional services and outlining factors that potentially influence problem solving within professional services.
Board governance of independent schools
Authors: McCormick John , Barnett Kerry , Babak Alavi Seyyed , Newcombe Geoffrey
Published: September 2006

Purpose

This paper develops a theoretical framework to guide future inquiry into board governance of independent schools.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors' approach is to integrate literatures related to corporate and educational boards, motivation, leadership and group processes that are appropriate for conceptualizing independent school board governance processes.

Findings

Shows that the institutional role of an independent school board is likely to be quite different, and considerably more significant than the role of a board of a systemic school.

Originality/value

This paper develops an original theoretical framework that will provide a sound basis for investigation of an important but neglected aspect of educational administration in Australia.
“New” educational injustices in the “new” South Africa
Authors: Brown Kathleen
Published: September 2006

Purpose

Outlines a framework for social justice, describes both the social and educational context of South Africa, highlights inequitable funding practices, and then advocates for policy changes in the form of vertical equity.

Design/methodology/approach

Provides a retrospective review of mandated segregation by race to hypothetical de‐segregation by post‐apartheid policies to de facto re‐segregation by class, in the “new” South Africa.

Findings

Describes how overt racism in the form of apartheid laws has been replaced by covert racism and class domination in the form of school fees.

Originality/value

Reveals how “new” educational injustices are preventing poor and marginalized groups from getting universal access to high‐quality education in the “new” South Africa.
Strategic management of store brands: an analysis from the manufacturer's perspective
Authors: Oubiña Javier , Rubio Natalia , Jesús Yagüe María
Published: September 2006

Purpose

The main aim of this research is to provide empirical analyses about the store brand management by manufacturers and retailers from the manufacturer's perspective, in the current context, which is one of intense competition between manufacturer and store brands. Particularly, this research pursues to analyse the profile of store brand manufacturers, their perceptions about the retail management of these brands and their own product management of the same.

Design/methodology/approach

A postal survey was carried out directed at manufacturing business units of mass consumer products in Spain. Multivariate techniques are used in the information analysis such as contingency tables, variance and principal component analysis.

Findings

The results highlight the differences between manufacturers and non‐manufacturers of store brands in their competitive position and in the type of manufactured product; the consensus of both groups regarding the perception of favourable merchandising for store brands; the greater number of production and market motivations versus the relational motivations in the manufacture of store brands; the no convenience of producing store brands for leading manufacturers, and the slight differences in the manufacturing process between manufacturer and store brands.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitation of this research is the fact that only the manufacturers' perceptions have been considered. It would be beneficial in future research to consider the opinion of retailers about their own management of these brands.

Originality/value

The main value of the paper is the empirical analyse of the store brand management from the manufacturer's perspective. This subject has been analysed from a general and basically theoretical perspective until now.
Regional regulation analysis of performance in Spanish retailing
Authors: de Jorge Moreno Justo
Published: September 2006

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact on Spanish retail firms' efficiency of the regulatory process experienced in the period 1994‐2002. In particular, the paper aims to study the influence of the Retail Trade Act of 1996, by means of which the Spanish state transferred authority to concede licenses for opening commercial establishments to the regions.

Design/methodology/approach

The objectives have been achieved by non parametric methodology of analysis of efficiency at static and dynamic level (kernel density).

Findings

The results confirm a decrease in firms' technical efficiency in the post‐regulatory period between 1996 and 2002. The different patterns of convergence/divergence in the distribution of technical efficiency depend on firm size. Small firms experience a process of divergence to lower efficiency levels from 1994 to 2002.

Research limitations/implications

Perhaps more regional analysis is also needed. In this sense, it would be interesting to consider the region within which the firms operate, and hence take into account the differences in regulatory processes in each region by size or more precisely by outlet type.

Practical implications

It is necessary to consider the implications that the regulatory processes can have for management in the environment of the retail industry.

Originality/value

The analysis of the efficiency with features of density kernel. As well as the usage of stochastic kernel. This has enabled dynamic effects in the analysis.
Combining social shaping of technology and communicative action theory for understanding rhetorical closure in IT
Authors: Pozzebon Marlei , Titah Ryad , Pinsonneault Alain
Published: September 2006

Purpose

Proposes the concept of rhetorical closure to address the phenomenon of pervasive IT “fashions”. Suggests that prevailing discourses surrounding IT are dominated by the rhetoric of closure and that such closure, although mutually constructed by suppliers, consultants and managers, has had several adverse consequences in terms of organizational change and results. Stimulates a critical thinking regarding the persistence of successive waves of new IT fashions and the consequences of closure on practice.

Design/methodology/approach

Theoretical framework informed by political views within the social shaping school combined with Habermas' theory of communicative action. Illustration of the argument is based on 22 semi‐structured interviews (senior practitioners from client‐firms, software suppliers and consulting‐firms working on ERP projects).

Findings

Outlines the nature of the “chain reaction” produced by rhetorical closure from individual practices to the segment level. Identifies occasions for breaking down rhetorical closure at the three levels of analysis. At the individual level, opportunities are related to daily users' practices. At the organizational level, opportunities are related to ongoing organizational decisions and negotiations regarding IT adoption. At the segment level, opportunities are related to forming coalitions, networks and groups of users.

Originality/value

Adopts an original perspective, examining the concept of rhetorical closure from a combination of two approaches: social shaping of technology and communicative action theory. Connects different types of closure to different types of rationality, and recognizes the specific validity claims underlying them. Calls into question current decision‐making processes that sustain IT pervasiveness and taken‐for‐granted assumptions of inevitability associated with new IT fashions.
Breaking into emerging international hotel markets
Authors: Velo Veronica , Mittaz Cristina
Published: September 2006

Purpose

This paper examines some of the most difficult barriers that hotel chains must overcome when trying to expand internationally. It argues for the importance of the role of well educated hotel management trainees and new graduates in this process.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology was to compare the problems faced by three major international hotel chains (Mövenpick, Kempinski, and Radisson) when expanding into emerging markets with those of a “base case”: The Moscow Aerostar Hotel. Data were obtained through interviews and processed in a comparative manner, contrasting it with the contents of the main case.

Findings

Having identified the common issues that the companies interviewed had to resolve when expanding, which skills educators in hospitality management should enhance in order to produce professionals who are mentally equipped to face current and future challenges with regards to the internationalisation of hotels were determined.

Practical implications

The recommendations arising from this piece will be of use to educators in hospitality management when designing programmes of study and curricula to meet the needs of the labour market. Equally, it will warn practitioners of the common problems to be faced when breaking into international hotel markets based on the experience of colleagues in the industry.

Originality/value

Both practitioners and educators in the hospitality domain will benefit from the synthesis offered in this paper, as it puts together convergent views on what currently worries major players in the field during this time of challenging, but unavoidable globalisation.
Firm structure of the separated turbulent shear layer behind modified backward‐facing step geometries
Authors: Darbandi Masoud , Taeibi‐Rahni Mohammad , Reza Naderi Ali
Published: September 2006

Purpose

One major challenge in turbulent flow applications is to control the recirculation zone behind the backward‐facing step (BFS). One simple idea to do so is to modify the original BFS geometry, of course, without causing adverse or undesirable impacts on the original characteristics of the primary stream. The main objective of this work is to examine the solidity of the recirculation zone behind several different geometries which are slightly to moderately different from the original BFS geometry.

Design/methodology/approach

The implemented modifications cause complicated irregularities at the boundaries of the domain. The experience shows that the mesh distribution around these irregularities plays a critical role in the accuracy of the numerical solutions. To achieve the most accurate solutions with the least computational efforts, we use a robust hybrid strategy to distribute the computational grids in the domain. Additionally, a suitable numerical algorithm capable of handling hybrid grid topologies is properly extended to analyze the flow field. The current fully implicit method utilizes a physical pressure‐based upwinding scheme capable of working on hybrid mesh.

Findings

The extended algorithm is very robust and obtains very accurate solutions for the complex flow fields despite utilizing very coarse grid resolutions. Additionally, different proposed geometries revealed very similar separated regions behind the step and performed minor differences in the location of the reattachment points.

Research limitations/implications

The current study is fulfilled two‐dimensionally. However, the measurements in testing regular BFS problems have shown that the separated shear layer behind the step is not affected by 3D influences provided that the width of channel is sufficiently wide. A similar conclusion is anticipated here.

Practical implications

The problem occurs in the pipe and channel expansions, combustion chambers, flow over flying objects with abrupt contraction on their external surfaces, etc.

Originality/value

A novel pressure‐based upwinding strategy is properly employed to solve flow on multiblocked hybrid grid topologies. This strategy takes into account the physics associated with all the transports in the flow field. To study the impact of shape improvement, several modified BFS configurations were suggested and examined. These configurations need only little additional manufacturing cost to be fabricated.
Gender suppression in New Zealand regional sports trusts
Authors: Shaw Sally
Published: September 2006

Purpose

Gender relations in organisations remain contested and unresolved. While researchers increasingly focus on how gender is articulated, there is also a need to examine gender suppression, or how gender is deliberately not expressed in organisations. The purpose of this research is to examine gender suppression within regional sports trusts (RSTs) in New Zealand (NZ).

Design/methodology/approach

Surveys were sent to all 17 chief executive officers of RSTs in NZ, of which ten replied. Of these, six agreed to a phone interview. The data were transcribed and coded.

Findings

There was evidence of gender suppression within the RSTs articulated through four organisational practices, which were: employing the “best person for the job”; the importance of gender balance; gender equity policies; and the role of external funders influencing gender relations.

Research limitations/implications

The examination of gender suppression provides one area of analysis within the multiple elements of gender relations. Areas for future research are addressed.

Practical implications

In order to de‐stabilise the gendered status quo within the RSTs, employees and other organisational members may be encouraged in future to discuss gender relations. Suggestions for how this may be achieved are proposed.

Originality/value

Gender suppression has not been widely analysed in its own right in organisational analysis, this study represents a theoretical and empirical engagement with this concept in order to further understandings of gender relations.
Empirical evidence of women under‐representation in the construction industry in Nigeria
Authors: Adeyemi Aderemi Y. , Ojo Stephen O. , Aina Omotayo O. , Olanipekun Emmanuel A.
Published: September 2006

Purpose

Female resource represents about half of Nigeria's human resources. For optimal utilization of human resources, gender equality and equity, it was considered that women should be adequately represented in the construction industry which is the prime motivator of the country's economy. A survey was, therefore, conducted to know the level of participation of women in some selected categories of workforce in the industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The research was designed to generate quantitative data on women participation in the construction industry in Nigeria. Data were, therefore, collected from medium and large construction contracting companies on the male/female numerical strength in some selected categories of workforce, the suitability of some construction tasks for women and constraints to female entry into the construction industry using questionnaires, interviews and visits to construction sites.

Findings

The survey revealed that only 16.3 per cent of the sampled companies' workforces were women. Approximately, 50 per cent of these women were employed as labourers, 37.5 per cent as administrative staff, 10 per cent as management staff and 2.5 per cent as craftswomen. Paired t‐test performed on the male/female numerical strength showed that women were underrepresented in the construction industry in Nigeria. The survey also indicated that women preferred office related construction processes to site production.

Originality/value

Findings in this field survey represent the unbiased level of women's participation in Nigeria's construction industry and the data are useful for policy formulation in relation to mainstreaming female into the construction industry.
Work‐family conflict: a study of lesbian mothers
Authors: Tuten Tracy L. , August Rachel A.
Published: September 2006

Purpose

Among the most consistent predictors of work‐family conflict for working parents are the number of hours worked, job role autonomy, and degree of support managers offer parents. Yet, little is known about the unique work experiences of lesbian women in terms of work‐family conflict. This paper seeks to identify correlates of work‐family conflict, specifically work interference with family (WIF), among lesbian mothers and identifies the role that being “out” at work plays in their experience of WIF.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey of 58 working lesbian mothers engaged in long‐term, same‐sex relationships that they categorized as a family was used to collect data on constructs related to work‐family conflict and related variables. The vast majority of the sample were managers or professionals.

Findings

Analyses indicate that increased job role autonomy, fewer hours worked, and increased managerial support are associated with less overall WIF. Additionally, the extent to which participants are “out” at work is associated with reduced WIF, and explains variance beyond the other constructs examined.

Practical implications

Managers can play an essential role in helping reduce WIF among lesbian women via formal steps including offering written support for non‐discrimination policies and benefits for domestic partners. Managers can also take more informal steps such as role modeling acceptance. Finally, managers can modify features of the work environment and jobs themselves.

Originality/value

Being “out” at work can be advantageous for lesbian workers as a strategy for ameliorating WIF. Managers are in a position to make this kind of disclosure possible.
Disaster mitigation framework for India using quality circle approach
Authors: Metri Bhimaraya A.
Published: September 2006

Purpose

Given the widespread lack of proper mechanism for disaster management, this paper aims to develop a disaster mitigation framework using quality circle (QC) – a bottom‐up approach.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper considers QC and discussing the utility of the concept with respect to disaster management. Discusses the process of systematically building a disaster mitigation framework.

Findings

By having the proposed framework, the disasters that occur can be tackled speedily. Owing to the direct involvement of public (key stakeholders), the proposed framework strengthens the knowledge and awareness on disaster management, which in turn helps towards disaster preparedness and disaster mitigation effectively.

Practical implications

The current efforts at disaster mitigation are not successful. The proposed framework provides proactive collaboration among all players including central, state governments and local people to examine risks and vulnerability to all hazards and to implement measures to reduce the damage to a minimum. The application of a framework will help to make plans more functional and relevant and will ensure successful disaster mitigation.

Originality/value

As no systematic frameworks exist in disaster management and planning, this paper offers to provide a comprehensive framework, which involves all the stakeholders. The value of the paper is largely in the area of bringing new possibilities to the attention of the government, public and research and practitioner communities dealing with disaster management.
A call to action on two fronts: better objectives and better strategies
Authors: de Meyrick Julian
Published: September 2006

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to show how health education is a strategy used to achieve the objective of maintenance and improvement in the community's welfare.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper addresses two issues: are health educators attacking the right targets, and are the strategies being developed to attack those targets the right strategies?

Findings

Health education will make the most efficient contribution to long‐term improvement in communities' welfare when it attacks the right targets.

Originality/value

Shows how the strategies used to attack the right targets will be based on the best research available and will involve broader consultation with other disciplines.
Patient‐driven computers in primary care: their use and feasibility
Authors: Shakeshaft Anthony , Fawcett Julia , Mattick Richard P. , Richmond Robyn , Wodak Alex , Harris Mark F. , Doran Christopher M.
Published: September 2006

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to explore the feasibility of using patient‐driven, hand‐held computers in primary care settings, in order to address the apparent failure to implement prevention initiatives into the routine delivery of health care services.

Design/methodology/approach

During an eight‐day period, patients of an English primary care practice who were at least 16 years of age were asked to complete a health‐related survey using a hand‐held computer. They received tailored, on‐screen feedback.

Findings

A total of 143 patients (approximately 55 per cent of all patients) began using a hand‐held computer, of whom 115 (80 per cent) answered all questions. Of these, 24 per cent reported being smokers, 7 per cent and 19 per cent were at‐risk of alcohol harm in the long and short term respectively and 14 per cent rated their overall health as poor or very poor. Most patients rated their level of satisfaction with the hand‐helds as excellent (36 per cent), very good (29 per cent) or good (24 per cent), while 89 per cent agreed to their primary care physician seeing a summary of their feedback.

Originality/value

This is the first study to evaluate the feasibility of using hand‐held computers to conduct patient screening and feedback in primary care settings.
Practical application of spiritual intelligence in the workplace
Authors: George Mike
Published: September 2006

Purpose

To explain why spiritual intelligence can make a difference to the way in which people manage work and lead others in the workplace.

Design/methodology/approach

Contends that, while many people think there is nothing spiritual about work and the workplace, there are many areas of working life in which spiritual intelligence can be applied.

Findings

Highlights the importance of spiritual intelligence in: personal security and how that affects personal effectiveness; building relationships and inter‐personal understanding; and managing change and removing the roadblocks.

Practical implications

Provides plenty to interest specialists in human resource management.

Originality/value

Demonstrates that, while rational intelligence manages facts and information, using logic and analysis to make decisions, emotional intelligence is needed to understand and control one's emotions and feelings, while being sensitive to the feelings of others.
Collaboration, innovation, and value creation in a global telecom
Authors: Allee Verna , Taug Jan
Published: September 2006

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review a systemic organizational change initiative for improving collaboration, innovation and value creation at a global telecom.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a comprehensive internal assessment Telenor identified core issues and challenges in supporting collaboration after several years of dramatic global expansion. From the assessment the change leaders built a business case for launching a systemic change initiative. They chose a collaboration and partnering approach with multiple management groups, with an emphasis on networks and innovation. A two‐year roadmap was developed to build three meta capabilities in collaborative technologies, social innovation and network behaviors and new business thinking.

Findings

The case study is a mid‐point assessment of how the implementation is working. A small and smart approach for introducing new ideas and learning innovations into receptive and influential groups within Telenor, new ways of working are taking hold quickly. The equal emphasis on bringing in social innovation such as communities of practice and introducing a next generation of management tools is effectively changing behaviors that are supported by new collaborative technologies.

Originality/value

Collaboration and knowledge sharing at Telenor is seen equally as a technology issue, a social innovation and behavior issue and a business issue. Many change efforts around knowledge sharing and collaboration emphasize technology or behaviors, but rarely address both effectively. This approach is more systemic than most because it not only addresses these two arenas, but also puts an unusually high emphasis on educating people into new business fundamentals such as the importance of intangible value and the power of networks.
Factors influencing the construction time of civil engineering projects in Malaysia
Authors: Anuar Othman Ahmad , Victor Torrance Johan , Hamid Munshi Ab.
Published: September 2006

Purpose

The objectives of this paper are to determine the current level of construction time performance of public sector projects; and to identify variables related to project characteristics and variables associated with excusable delay that have significant effects on the construction time performance of public sector civil engineering projects in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted a quantitative approach. Original contract duration and actual contract duration of 244 projects were collected from project files to assess current level of CTP. Variables related to project characteristics and excusable delays were then regressed against time performance index using multiple regression analysis to identify variables that had significant relationships with construction time performance.

Findings

The construction time performance of the public projects in Malaysia was found to be affected more by variables related to excusable delays than project characteristic variables.

Research limitations/implications

This study is focused on public sector civil engineering projects limited to irrigation and drainage, road and sewerage projects where building was not included.

Practical implications

Excusable delays were found to be common causes of delay in significant numbers of public projects.

Originality/value

The variables that were found to be significant should be given attention by planners and designers in order to minimize the occurrence of delay in public projects.
Residential construction quality and production levels in Taiwan
Authors: Hsieh Hui‐Yuan , Forster John
Published: September 2006

Purpose

The aim of this article is to present a new, simple applicable method of inferring and assessing residential construction quality at an industry‐wide level.

Design/methodology/approach

Construction quality is measured using ratios of structural materials to production levels. Cement and reinforcing bar per 1,000m2 of residential floor space are the metrics, especially appropriate in Taiwan as new dwelling units (virtually all apartments and row houses) and all of reinforced concrete. Complementary measurements of quality for labour and non‐structural construction material inputs were also made.

Findings

The structural input and complementary measures indicate that the quality of Taiwanese residential construction declines dramatically and consistently at higher production levels. The implication is that dwelling units from the 1990s construction boom are especially at risk.

Research limitations/implications

The methods cannot be used to identify specific buildings at risk. The methods are difficult to apply in situations where construction methods and residential types are heterogeneous.

Practical implications

Construction quality can be monitored on a regular basis so industry‐wide steps can be taken if quality declines appear. The evidence is consistent with Taiwan's sub‐contractor network enabling rapid expansions and contractions at the expense of hidden quality failure.

Originality/value

This paper provides information that could lead to much firmer regulatory systems, hence has the potential to help save lives and property.
The perceptions of the BMW Mini brand: the importance of historical associations and the development of a model
Authors: Simms C.D. , Trott P.
Published: September 2006

Purpose

The paper aims to investigate the main aspects of perceptions of the Mini brand in the UK. Given that consumers' perceptions of a brand are represented by brand awareness and brand image, this research undertakes an in‐depth investigation of the image of the BMW Mini brand in its most established market.

Design/methodology/approach

The study consisted of 55 in‐depth interviews with a cross‐section of important stakeholders with high brand awareness and knowledge.

Findings

The research identifies the importance of the symbolic elements of the brand's image, in particular its fun, sporty, fashionable and stylish image. The study reveals that the brand's appeal is largely at an emotional level based on the brand's symbolic image and key associations. A model is developed to reflect these findings. The study concludes that associations are key to stakeholders' perceptions of the brand. In particular associations related to the brand's heritage and product‐related associations such as the car's aesthetics and handling.

Practical implications

The research identifies the importance of maintaining the brand's heritage, including its British origins, and the product's core appeal. In light of the importance of the brand's British origins, the research identifies possible challenges created through the brand's new German BMW ownership, and the launch of the new Mini.

Originality/value

The study develops a unique insight of this historic and valuable brand, as perceived by key stakeholders with high brand awareness and knowledge. In the light of these findings a model is developed that offers an improved understanding of how brand perceptions are developed.
The impact of the euro on the consumer decision process: theoretical explanation and empirical evidence
Authors: Gaston‐Breton Charlotte
Published: September 2006

Purpose

Because its actual impact is still rather blurred, the euro brings up many questions among managers as well as gives rise to much marketing research. This paper aims specifically to assess and measure the impact of the euro on the consumer decision process.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper first expounds the theory that the currency changeover creates a cognitive and visual bias. Then it moves on to give experimental evidence with a sample of 800 real buyers that, in the French context, the euro currency creates a bias on the different stages of the decision process.

Findings

Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) reveals that euro prices influence the treatment of price information, price perception and, to a more marginal extent, the perception of product value. Individual factors, such as increased experience with the euro, moderate judgmental bias strength.

Practical implications

The results bring out the face value effect of prices, which shows that when unsure of actual price value the consumers turn to nominal value as an anchor for evaluating prices. This paper identifies implications for retailers who have to watch both the overall price range of the items they offer and the price positioning of their own brands in euros and implications for public authorities who have to force consumers to replace price references in the old currency with references in euros.

Originality/value

This research brings out the “magical” or “illusory” effects of prices, while there is only very scant academic evidence available.
Product positioning based on search, experience and credence attributes using conjoint analysis
Authors: Arora Raj
Published: September 2006

Purpose

Using the framework of search attributes, experience attributes, credence attributes and conjoint analysis methodology, the purpose of this paper is to estimate the utilities of various attributes that may be used in positioning teeth‐whitening products. In addition, this research also investigates the role of “penny‐a‐day” (pricing in cents) versus full pricing. Third, disclosure of side‐effects that may result from using these products (an important health care issue) and its impact on consumer choice are also investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses conjoint analysis to estimate the utilities of key attributes of teeth‐whitening products.

Findings

The results reveal that consumers prefer a product that provides benefits lasting for several months after use, a product that does not result in any side‐effects and a slight preference for penny‐a‐day pricing approach.

Research limitations/implications

Caution is advised in extrapolating the results beyond the range investigated in the study.

Practical implications

The findings help marketers in designing new products and positioning teeth‐whitening products based on desirable attributes.

Originality/value

Use of conjoint analysis in investigating the above issues (penny‐a‐day pricing, disclosure of side‐effects) has received limited attention in teeth‐whitening products.
An assessment of professional training for product managers in the pharmaceutical industry
Authors: Prevel Katsanis Lea
Published: September 2006

Purpose

The primary purpose of this study is to identify how and where product managers in the pharmaceutical industry receive the training required to undertake their job tasks, and whether or not there is a relationship between the tasks they perform and the training they receive.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology for this study was exploratory and descriptive in nature, and utilized a cross‐sectional survey design. Both descriptive and relational statistics are used to analyze the data.

Findings

The key findings reveal that product managers receive the majority of their training on the job, with the rest supported by company‐sponsored training and outside seminars. Product managers do not appear to receive company training in proportion to the frequency with which particular tasks are performed.

Research limitations/implications

The limitations to the study are that the findings are limited to one industry and that training needs are self‐reported.

Originality/value

Managers should not assume that on the job training adequately prepares product managers to do their jobs properly, and training should be an essential part of the product manager's experience. The paper identifies specific areas for future training.
Identifying patterns of customer response to price endings
Authors: Wagner Ralf , Beinke Kai‐Stefan
Published: September 2006

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new approach for the identification of price thresholds, which enables learning true thresholds from previous buying decisions recorded in POS scanner data.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology presented herein combines spline regression with generalized cross‐validation. Classical Chi‐square testing confirms the separation of regimes of the price response function by this methodology. Five propositions concerning the consumers' response to odd pricing in a Western‐type market are evaluated.

Findings

Despite the widespread retail practice odd prices are unlikely to flag the actual threshold in consumer response. The term odd price refers to prices with a non‐zero ending in the cent digit, e.g. .95, .98 or .99, which are commonly used in Western‐type markets. Moreover, the simple odd price effects are distinguished from odd‐ending prices with the first number left of the decimal point set to an odd number. The results show that even these prices not always flag a threshold in consumer response.

Research limitations/implications

The discussion of the odd‐price effect is confused by conflicting empirical results and related interpretations of the underlying mechanisms. In contrast to many previous investigations – which are restricted to the consideration of very few price endings – this study covers all reasonable prices. Statistically significant odd‐price effects are found for some brands, but not for all within the same category.

Practical implications

One must argue for checking the thresholds for each brand individually rather than generalizing by applying misleading rules of thumb.

Originality/value

The paper provides researchers as well as practitioners with a methodology to evaluate price thresholds and outlines the shortcoming of contemporary retailers pricing practices in a detailed manner.
Looks matter in developing consumer‐brand relationships
Authors: Bryan Hayes J. , Alford Bruce L. , Silver Lawrence , York Rice P.
Published: September 2006

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe research which introduces attractiveness as a moderator of the relationship between the perceived brand personality and evaluations of the brand as a relationship partner in a product marketing context.

Design/methodology/approach

This research tests hypotheses concerning the relationship between the perceived personality of a test brand and perceptions regarding the quality of the test brand as a relationship partner, and the moderating effects of the test brand's perceived attractiveness. The research is based upon a survey of 142 graduate and undergraduate students attending four universities in the southeastern USA. Reliability and validity of the measures were tested using structural equation modeling and the hypotheses tested using multiple linear regression.

Findings

This research provides empirical evidence, in a product‐marketing context, that perceived attractiveness significantly influences the consumer‐brand relationship development process in meaningful and predictable ways. Results indicate that consumer perceptions regarding a product brand's possession of certain personality traits can influence their opinion of the desirability of the brand as a relationship partner, and that the brand personality‐partner quality connection depends, to a degree, on the brand's perceived attractiveness. The specific role attractiveness plays in the relationship appears to vary across individual brand personality dimensions.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations of this study include use of a student sample, use of a single test brand selected from a single product category, and reliance upon a subset of ten items from the original 42‐item Brand Personality Scale to represent the brand personality construct.

Practical implications

The results suggest that, for relevant product categories, understanding how perceived attractiveness interacts with other brand perceptions can enhance brand managers' understanding of, and thus their ability to foster, consumer relationships with their brands.

Originality/value

This research reveals that it is appropriate to include perceived attractiveness in the discussion of the impact of psychological brand perceptions on consumer‐brand relationship development.
A study on network performance metrics and their composition
Authors: Hanemann Andreas , Liakopoulos Athanassios , Molina Maurizio , Swany D. Martin
Published: September 2006

Purpose

Research backbone networks like GÉANT2 and the national research and education networks are used by a variety of scientists and research projects. These users and the network engineers operating the networks would like to get access to network performance metrics to optimise their use of the network and to troubleshoot performance degradations when they happen. A variety of tools for performing network measurements already exist, and the perfSONAR architecture developed in the Joint Research Activity 1 (JRA1) of GÉANT2 aims at integrating them into a coherent framework. However, a harmonised definition of the most interesting metrics and how measurements must be carried out is still lacking.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper suggests some of the elementary metrics which are relevant for assessing network performance, along with an indication about how to post‐process (or “transform”, or “compose”) them in order to obtain derived summary values that can quickly and intuitively give an indication of network performance. Methods to perform the composition are presented, together with constraints which have to be taken into account to get accurate results. In particular, delay measurements are the most delicate ones to compose.

Findings

The authors carried out a series of experiments for proofing the validity of the composition of delay metrics, and briefly present some preliminary results, that confirm the applicability of the proposed methodology.

Research limitations/implications

Future work needs to confirm the paper's findings on other data sets, possibly collected in different network locations.

Practical implications

The practical implication of the findings is that it is possible for a network operator to accurately predict high percentiles of delays on an end‐to‐end path starting from independent delay measurements on subsequent path sections.

Originality/value

The main original contribution of this paper is the application to a real data set of a post‐processing procedure that is derived from simple statistics theory.
SMARTxAC: a passive monitoring and analysis system for high‐speed networks
Authors: Barlet‐Ros Pere , Solé‐Pareta Josep , Barrantes Javier , Codina Eva , Domingo‐Pascual Jordi
Published: September 2006

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present SMARTxAC, a tailor‐made passive monitoring and analysis system for high‐speed IP networks. The authors also discuss the design challenges we had to face to cope with the requirements of such a system.

Design/methodology/approach

This system has been designed to operate at gigabit speeds without packet loss, while providing very detailed information about the network usage.

Findings

SMARTxAC has become a very powerful tool for the network operators of the Catalan Research and Education Network (Anella Científica) to know, in detail, the usage of their network and to detect network faults, anomalies and attacks when they occur.

Research limitations/implications

In the design of this system, the authors had to trade generality for performance in order to address the current limitations of monitoring high‐speed links.

Practical implications

Since 2003, SMARTxAC has been used for continuously monitoring the Anella Científica.

Originality/value

The main difference between SMARTxAC and other monitoring systems and infrastructures for high‐speed networks is that SMARTxAC has been explicitly designed to analyse the network traffic online, whereas in other approaches, traffic analysis tasks are usually postponed to an off‐line stage.