bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Total agile design system model via literature exploration
Authors: Vinodh S. , Sundararaj G. , Devadasan S.R.
Published: April 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the researches reported in literature on agile manufacturing (AM) and determine the avenues by which agility can be imparted in traditional sectors.

Design/methodology/approach

After reviewing the literature on AM, it has been found that these papers address AM along as many as 12 directions. The findings of this review are used to design a model called total agile design system (TADS).

Findings

The major finding of the exploration reported in this paper is that, the need of the hour is to sensitize the traditional sectors for acquiring design capabilities compatible for imbibing agility in totality.

Research limitations/implications

The TADS model proposed has been reviewed only by 25 industry captains. However, this may not affect the credibility of this model as it is designed by referring to a large number of researches reported in peer reviewed articles appeared in leading international journals.

Practical implications

After designing, TADS was exposed to 25 industry captains. Their feedback was gathered using a questionnaire. The results of analysis of their feedback indicates the practical compatibility of TADS.

Originality/value

It appears that no researcher has identified the different directions in which AM researches have progressed. Moreover, no researcher has contributed a model to adopt computer aided design (CAD)/computer aided manufacturing (CAM) and rapid prototyping (RP) technologies in totality to achieve agility in manufacturing organisations. As this paper has overcome the absence of these kinds of researches, it is original and valuable.
The asymmetric volatility of house prices in the UK
Authors: Tsai I‐Chun , Chen Ming‐Chi
Published: April 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to show an indication that the asymmetric volatility between house price movement may account for the defensiveness of the housing market.

Design/methodology/approach

First the UK nation‐wide house price data from the last quarter (Q4) of 1955 to the last quarter of 2005 are used and then the most suitable mean and variance equations to estimate the conditional heteroscedasticity volatilities of the returns of house prices are selected. Second, a variable that examines the leverage effect of volatility is incorporated into the model. The GJR‐GARCH model is used.

Findings

The results of the empirical test show that while the lagged innovations are negatively correlated with housing return, that is when there is bad news, the current volatility of housing return might decline.

Research limitations/implications

The results indicate that the volatilities between house prices moving up and moving down are asymmetric.

Practical implications

The results show that there is a defensive effect in the UK housing market during the data periods used.

Originality/value

Although several articles have documented that there is heteroscedasticity and autocorrelation in the volatilities of real estate prices, few of those papers have noted one of the most important advantages of the housing market, its defensiveness, from the viewpoint of volatile behavior.
Primary health care centres in the UK: putting policy into practice
Authors: Jones Peter , Hillier David , Comfort Daphne
Published: April 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore some of the challenges in putting government policy on the development of a new generation of primary health care centres into practice, at a time when a growing number of property companies are moving into the primary health care market.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper begins by outlining the government policy issues driving the development of primary health care centres, it describes the ways in which these centres are being developed and discusses some of the issues involved in putting government policy into practice.

Findings

The paper reveals that the government's plans to develop a new generation of primary health care centres have provoked considerable controversy and it explores five sets of issues, namely the quality of health care; location and accessibility; economies of scale and cost savings; the changing balance of public and private sector provision; and impacts within the wider urban environment.

Originality/value

The paper provides an accessible review of the debate surrounding the development of primary health care centres and as such it will be of interest to those working in, engaging with, and studying the primary health care property market.
Construction and updating of property price index series
Authors: Wilhelmsson Mats
Published: April 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to construct a hedonic property price index in the segmented housing market.

Design/methodology/approach

Three different research questions are investigated. The first considers how to identify separate local housing markets, with the use of a regression‐tree approach, and the second concerns when it is possible to update a price index, with a recursive regression approach. Finally, the question about seasonal adjustment is investigated.

Findings

Overall, the hedonic approach is the best method to use. Moreover, the County of Stockholm is not one market in the sense that the market can be represented by only one property price index. It can be best described as a number of different sub‐markets where the property prices grow differently. The results suggest that there exist at least five different price indexes in the County of Stockholm. The results also support that recursive regressions are two appropriate methods to answer the research questions. Here, the empirical analysis suggests that the parameter estimates converge relatively fast toward the estimate using all observations.

Practical implications

The paper illustrates how to derive sub‐markets in the construction of a price index and when to update a price index series.

Originality/value

The introduction of new financial products, such as property derivatives, to the market has made the construction and quality of property price indexes more important. High quality price indexes are vital when it comes to, for example, pricing property derivatives. The paper facilitates this.
A dynamic RSS information push service mechanism based on ontology of user information needs
Authors: Chen Chuanfu , Wu Zhiqiang , Ran Congjing , Tang Qiong , Chen Song , Zhang Xiaojuan
Published: April 2009

Purpose

This aim of this article is to propose a technical solution for digital libraries to establish the information needs ontology based on a comprehensive understanding of personalized user information needs and offer an information push service by really simple syndication (RSS) in a ubiquitous computing environment.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the authors formalize an ontology model applicable to the ubiquitous computing environment to describe user information needs comprehensively. The information needs related to the user's research activities are regarded as the ontology, which is described with web ontology language (OWL), and thus an ontology knowledgebase is established. Second, in light of the user's explicit information needs, the digital library finds the hidden information needs from the ontology knowledgebase, and also extracts the information resources required by the user from the corresponding database and then pushes them to the user by means of RSS. Finally, users can browse through a man‐machine interface to access the information.

Findings

After these steps, an RSS information push service architecture is established based on the user information needs ontology, providing the users with dynamic, personalized and proactive information services.

Originality/value

The innovation of this research lies in the fact that the architecture that is put forward is helpful to improve the accuracy and integrity of information push service of digital library, and is also beneficial for the research on u‐library.
Creating a bilingual library information environment for foreign users
Authors: Aihong Fan
Published: April 2009

Purpose

The number of international students and overseas faculty in Tsinghua University in Beijing has grown rapidly in recent years. How to help foreign users overcome the language barrier and make a full use of the library is a realistic problem that is encountered by many libraries. This paper aims to introduce an exploration of Tsinghua University Library experiences and to give some suggestions for the future.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper first describes the large influx of international students and then analyzes the information needs of foreign users by showing the results of a user survey conducted by the Tsinghua University Library in 2007. The library has made a great effort in creating a bilingual information environment for foreign users. A full spectrum of practices is presented in respect of resource, service, infrastructure and the English skill of librarians, etc.

Findings

Foreign users have multi‐level needs for libraries and the language need is the most outstanding one. As an integral part of the university community, foreign users share many information requirements with Chinese users. Therefore, the library must try to solve the language problem and enhance its academic support functions at the same time.

Practical implications

Libraries in non‐English‐speaking countries can do a lot to help foreign users with limited local language competency to make use of the library. Building a bilingual information environment is comprehensive systems engineering with many aspects involved.

Originality/value

This paper makes useful suggestions for creating a bilingual library information environment for foreign users of today and also provides tips for future improvement.
From information commons to knowledge commons
Authors: Shuhuai Ren , Xingjun Sheng , Haiqing Lin , Jialin Cao
Published: April 2009

Purpose

Based on the information commons service model, the aim of this article is to propose a new model for knowledge commons. It seeks to define the conceptual model and constructing framework of knowledge commons, which aim for a collaborative knowledge‐sharing environment to support innovative community activities of university library.

Design/methodology/approach

By analyzing the innovation activities of communities, infusing theories of knowledge management, collaboration and Library 2.0, the knowledge commons conceptual model is brought forward to improve communication, collaboration, sharing and conversation.

Findings

Since the innovative community is interdisciplinary and cross‐campus, the scattered research team and study group requires a library to extend the services to a logical system, while the virtual layer is to make this spatial decentralized and logically centralized system a reality. The core elements, namely information technology, organization and management, culture and spirit, make up the supporting layer, of which, trust and collaboration culture for innovation is important.

Practical implications

Research work and practice of information commons and library 2.0 have aroused a new round of the library service movement, while the knowledge commons conceptual model would provide steering for a knowledge sharing environment.

Originality/value

In this paper, the new model is based on information commons and assimilating the theories of knowledge management, collaboration and Library 2.0, intended to integrate digital library, physical resource, virtual resource and human resource into a whole. It is of great importance for the library to serve education and scientific research well.
Programming Library 2.0 that users need
Authors: Zheng Qiaoying , Wang Shaoping
Published: April 2009

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to focus on the formulation of a Library 2.0 program that will guide the realization of a “user‐centered” service pattern.

Design/methodology/approach

In‐depth user investigations are the first step toward a successful Library 2.0 program, which will reflect what users really hope to achieve through Library 2.0. Three user investigations were carried out with the purpose to get users' opinions and suggestions about Library 2.0 services. Then the target was formed on the basis of analysis and evaluation of users' needs. The Library 2.0 programming was analyzed in four tiers of management ideas, service patterns, technical support, and content development.

Findings

User investigations are of primary importance in programming Library 2.0, and a program formulated on such investigations will not miss its aim, and be more realistic.

Originality/value

The paper does not dwell on technical particularities of Library 2.0, but focuses on the key role of a program in realization of the concept of Library 2.0, and the methodology of programming.
The method of fundamental solutions with dual reciprocity for three‐dimensional thermoelasticity under arbitrary body forces
Authors: Tsai C.C.
Published: April 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a meshless numerical method for three‐dimensional isotropic thermoelastic problems with arbitrary body forces.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper combines the method of fundamental solutions (MFS) and the dual reciprocity method (DRM) as a meshless numerical method (MFS‐DRM) to solve three‐dimensional isotropic thermoelastic problems with arbitrary body forces. In the DRM, the arbitrarily distributed temperature and body force are approximated by polyharmonic splines with augmented polynomial basis, whose particular solutions and the corresponding tractions are reviewed and given explicitly. The MFS is then applied to solve the complementary solution. Numerical experiments of Dirchlet, Robin, and peanut‐shaped‐domain problems are carried out to validate the method.

Findings

In literature, it is commented that the Gaussian elimination can be used reliably to solve the MFS equations for non‐noisy boundary conditions. For noisy boundary conditions, the truncated singular value decomposition (TSVD) is more accurate than the Gaussian elimination. In this paper, it was found that the particular solutions obtained by the DRM act like noises and the use of TSVD improves the accuracy.

Originality/value

It is the first time that the MFS‐DRM is derived to solve three‐dimensional isotropic thermoelastic problems with arbitrary body forces.
Retail internationalisation from emerging markets: case study evidence from Chile
Authors: Bianchi Constanza
Published: April 2009

Purpose

Research on international retailing has generally emanated from Europe and North America. Nonetheless, retailers from emerging countries can also be important players in regional markets. The purpose of this paper is to explore how retailers from emerging markets can become strong enough to compete internationally.

Design/methodology/approach

The study examines a longitudinal case study of the internationalisation process of Falabella, a Chilean retailer that has recently become an important player in the Latin America retail industry. Drawing on 32 interviews with company managers, as well as industry data and corporate reports, this paper provides insights into the successful internationalisation process of a retailer from an emerging country.

Findings

The paper offers insights into emerging market internationalisation. In particular, these findings suggest that specific capabilities and resources, such as local and regional partnerships, organisational learning, innovation orientation, adaptation to the local markets, and an experienced management team, are required for emerging market retailers to internationalise and improve their likelihood of success in foreign markets.

Research limitations/implications

This paper explores an underdeveloped topic through the analysis of a longitudinal case study. Thus, it is necessary to further expand this line of research and investigate other emerging market retailers.

Practical implications

This study raises a number of important issues for emerging market retail managers that are reluctant to expand abroad and compete with large multinationals from developed markets, or that are struggling with their actual internationalisation process.

Originality/value

To date, the retail internationalisation literature has focused on the international experiences of firms from developed nations. However, there is a gap in the literature as to how retailers from emerging countries can become strong enough to compete internationally.
The mediating effects of brand music and waiting time updates on customers' satisfaction with a telephone service when put on‐hold
Authors: Peevers G. , McInnes F. , Morton H. , Matthews A. , Jack M.A.
Published: April 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to deliver empirical data comparing the effects of music with the effects of providing waiting time information on customers who are kept on hold when telephoning their bank. It aims to discover if either has a more positive impact on their affective responses (satisfaction), and to discern if these effects are measurably different to a telephone call without music, or waiting time information, and for different durations of wait.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology is an empirical study using bank customers as participants. Questionnaires and user observations techniques are employed to collect quantitative data which are analysed using repeated measures ANOVAs.

Findings

Overall the presence of updates, or music, has a positive influence on satisfaction when compared to just a ringing tone, but for a waiting time of one minute music has no influence on satisfaction. The acceptable waiting time threshold plays a very critical influence on satisfaction with the service. A waiting time above this results in larger differences being observed in the responses to the four treatments, with music and updates both having greater influence. In general, the presence of music and updates are also shown to reduce the overestimation of perceived waiting time.

Originality/value

This paper reports findings from an existing UK telephone banking service with 197 customers in three different locations. Implications from the findings provide insights for telephone service managers when choosing between adopting music or updates for managing on‐hold periods.
Assessing the outcomes of Generation‐Y customers' loyalty
Authors: Foscht Thomas , Schloffer Judith , Maloles Cesar , Chia Swee L.
Published: April 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine what factors influence the satisfaction, loyalty, and behavioral intentions of the members of Generation Y with regard to their banking needs.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a multiple‐item survey instrument, 242 Austrian respondents were queried on what factors affect their satisfaction, loyalty, and behavioral intentions. Factor analysis and regression analysis are employed in the study.

Findings

The study finds differences among the three age groups contained in Generation Y in terms of their sources of information, financial services used, likelihood of switching, and number of banks utilized. In addition, determinants of satisfaction, loyalty, and behavioral intention are primarily affected by satisfaction with employees and services rendered. The results indicate that as young people reach certain milestones, their needs become more multifaceted. Consequently, the determinants of satisfaction also change.

Originality/value

This paper treats Generation Y as a heterogeneous group rather than homogeneous as many studies usually treat this age cohort. Moreover, given that many banks are trying to “grow” markets, this study looks at how the determinant factors change from one stage to another. Financial institutions will benefit from the insight derived from this paper in crafting their marketing strategies. It indicates what seems to be important to each age group in increasing their satisfaction level.
International explorer expatriate survey
Authors: Dawes Farquhar Jillian
Published: April 2009

Purpose

A survey commissioned by HSBC questioned 2,155 expatriates (expats) across four continents about the challenges that they face. This paper aims to present its findings under three headings of: expat existence, expat offspring, and expat experience.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were captured by using a virtual survey between February and April 2008. The survey was concerned with a range of topics: lifestyle, earning capacity, issues affecting children, and ease of integration into the community.

Findings

Expatriates provide an example of a global segment that would appear to offer financial institutions opportunities for increasing customer value. The survey provides data that can form the basis for a global bank wanting to meet the needs of this potentially affluent group not only in providing financial services but also working with other service providers to create packages to suit this group, including accommodation or housing, the needs of children, and concierge services.

Originality/value

From a financial services marketing perspective, expats present an interesting and potentially valuable customer segment with specific banking needs.
Development of a variance prioritized multiresponse robust design framework for quality improvement
Authors: Kovach Jami , Rae Cho Byung , Antony Jiju
Published: April 2009

Purpose

Robust design is a well‐known quality improvement method that focuses on building quality into the design of products and services. Yet, most well established robust design models only consider a single performance measure and their prioritization schemes do not always address the inherent goal of robust design. This paper aims to propose a new robust design method for multiple quality characteristics where the goal is to first reduce the variability of the system under investigation and then attempt to locate the mean at the desired target value.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper investigates the use of a response surface approach and a sequential optimization strategy to create a flexible and structured method for modeling multiresponse problems in the context of robust design. Nonlinear programming is used as an optimization tool.

Findings

The proposed methodology is demonstrated through a numerical example. The results obtained from this example are compared to that of the traditional robust design method. For comparison purposes, the traditional robust design optimization models are reformulated within the nonlinear programming framework developed here. The proposed methodology provides enhanced optimal robust design solutions consistently.

Originality/value

This paper is perhaps the first study on the prioritized response robust design with the consideration of multiple quality characteristics. The findings and key observations of this paper will be of significant value to the quality and reliability engineering/management community.
The design of EWMA control chart for average with type‐I censored data
Authors: Tsai Tzong‐Ru , Lin Chen‐Chun
Published: April 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to establish an exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) control chart for monitoring the mean level of Gompertz lifetimes with type‐I censoring.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed control chart is developed based on the conditional expected values (CEVs). The control limits are determined numerically with an algorithm.

Findings

Compared with the EWMA CEV control charts of Zhang and Chen, numerical results indicate that the proposed control chart has good performance to detect mean shifts for Gompertz lifetimes either in decrease or in larger increase with type‐I censoring in terms of the average run length (ARL).

Originality/value

The paper shows that, based on the proposed method, practitioners can monitor the mean level of Gompertz lifetimes via an EWMA CEV control chart with type‐I censoring.
Corporate governance, firm characteristics and risk management committee formation in Australian companies
Authors: Subramaniam Nava , McManus Lisa , Zhang Jiani
Published: April 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how a risk management committee (RMC), as a newly evolving sub‐committee of the board of directors, functions as a key governance support mechanism in the oversight an organisation's risk management strategies, policies and processes. However, empirical evidence on the factors associated with the existence and the type of RMCs remains scant.

Design/methodology/approach

Using an agency theory perspective, this study investigates the association between board factors such as proportion of non‐executive directors, Chief Executive Officer duality, and board size; as well as, other firm‐related factors (e.g. auditor type, industry, leverage, and complexity), and the existence of a RMC, and the type of RMC (namely, a separate RMC versus one that is combined with the audit committee). Data was collected from the annual reports of the top 300 Australian Stock Exchange (ASX)‐listed companies.

Findings

The results, based on logistic regression analyses, indicate that RMCs tend to exist in companies with an independent board chairman and larger boards. Further, the results also indicate that in comparison to companies with a combined RMC and audit committee, those with a separate RMC are more likely to have larger boards, higher financial reporting risk and lower organisational complexity.

Research limitations/implications

Data limited to top 200 top ASX‐listed companies, thus restricting generalisability of the results.

Originality/value

The findings of this study provide additional information on the use and design of RMCs in a voluntary setting.
Paradigm shift in information systems auditing
Authors: Majdalawieh Munir , Zaghloul Issam
Published: April 2009

Purpose

This paper seeks to identify change factors within the various elements of the IS audit universe aiming to give practitioners and management insight about the state of the IS audit profession and its future directions, especially within the United Arab Emirates (UAE) context.

Design/methodology/approach

Potential change factors that are taking place in IS audit were initially identified based on a literature review and the experience of the authors within the field. These changes were then categorized within one of the elements of the IS audit universe. To validate the IS audit change factors, a questionnaire was chosen as a data collection tool. The survey was sent to relevant practitioners in the subject matter within the UAE and was completed by 62 respondents.

Findings

The study concluded that the role of IS auditors in lessening in applications and infrastructures audits and is strengthening in the arena of IT management audits.

Practical implications

The implication of study for IS audit practitioners is that they need to be better equipped to conduct IT management audits and to contribute value to their organization as part of IT governance endeavors rather than focusing on infrastructure and application audits. On the other hand, the implication for management is that they should be aware of the capabilities of IS audit and set their biggest value expectations in the area of IT management assurance and governance.

Originality/value

The paper makes a contribution by identifying change factors within the various elements of the IS audit universe aiming to give practitioners insight about the state of the profession and its future directions.
The role of audit committees in managing relationships with external auditors after SOX
Authors: Hoitash Rani , Hoitash Udi
Published: April 2009

Purpose

Recent US reforms aimed at strengthening audit committees and their structure grant independent audit committees the responsibility to appoint, dismiss, and compensate auditors. The purpose of this paper is to examine the association between audit committee characteristics and auditors' compensation and dismissals following the enactment of the Sarbanes Oxley Act (SOX).

Design/methodology/approach

A series of linear and logistic regression models were employed in a unique sample comprising of 2,393 observations.

Findings

It was observed that stronger audit committees demand a higher level of assurance and are less likely to dismiss their auditors. Further, an increase was found in auditor independence as measured by reduced board involvement and less dismissals following an unfavorable audit opinion. Overall results suggest that increased audit committee roles and independence after SOX contribute to auditor independence and audit quality.

Practical implications

This research has implications for regulators, auditors, boards and academics. The paper highlights that although all audit committees had to improve as a result of SOX, the remaining variation in audit committee characteristics continue to be important to the demand for auditor and audit quality.

Originality/value

This study is the first to consider the association between audit committee characteristics and its extended responsibilities after SOX.
The best returns come from intangible resources: an integrated approach
Authors: Augusto Sequeira Camilo , Fernández y Fernández Eloi , Christina Borges Márcia
Published: April 2009

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to propose an integrated model for intangible resources, which will contribute to breaking down the old paradigm, and bring it to managers' attention that the best returns are likely to come from intangible resources.

Design/methodology/approach

The theoretical approach is based on the concept of core competencies as defined by Hamel and Prahalad, and further developed in Andriessen's Making Sense of Intellectual Capital. It also explores the benchmarking concept presented in Viedma's “Intellectual capital benchmarking system”.

Findings

Business practitioners and scholars have been developing new methods and models to understand intellectual capital. Unfortunately, these methods and models present a view on both tangible and intangible resources of an organisation that is non‐integrated and reinforces the traditional management focus on tangible assets only.

Research limitations/implications

The method proposed here is being prepared to be tested in a large energy company under a three‐phase project (the object of future papers).

Originality/value

The paper describes a model and introduces a method based on it.
Designing operative productivity measures in public services
Authors: Jääskeläinen Aki , Lönnqvist Antti
Published: April 2009

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to find out how the productivity of public services can be measured in the operative level of organisations. In particular, the role of different output elements (tangible and intangible) is examined.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative research approach is used. The current knowledge of the issue is presented by examining literature on public service productivity, intellectual capital and performance measurement. In the empirical part, the findings of the literature review are applied and further examined in the context of two services of the City of Helsinki, Finland.

Findings

The paper identifies tangible and intangible output factors in two case services. It also illustrates how the factors can be measured in practice. The empirical examination suggests that the challenges in the operative level productivity measurement relate especially to defining measures. Identifying of different output factors is an easier task.

Research limitations/implications

The study presents and applies a novel approach of designing productivity measures for public services. More empirical studies using the approach are called for.

Practical implications

The measurement approach presented here can be utilised as a basis for designing sophisticated productivity measures of public services.

Originality/value

A key challenge in examining public service productivity relates to the intangible nature of services. Despite the great potential and practical relevance of the topic there seems to be no understanding of how to capture this feature in order to design valid productivity measures. The paper adds to the current knowledge by describing the process of designing measures for disaggregated components of productivity, shares practical experiences related to the design process and highlights the main challenges.
Intellectual liabilities: lessons fromThe Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
Authors: Stam Christiaan D.
Published: April 2009

Purpose

Intellectual capital theory and practice predominantly focus on measuring and managing intangible assets. However, if one wants to balance the intellectual capital books, one should recognise both intellectual assets and intellectual liabilities. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to present a theoretical framework for measuring intellectual liabilities.

Design/methodology/approach

Identifying intangible liabilities is identifying the risk of the decline and fall of organisations. One of the first extensive studies related to the causes of decline and fall is Gibbon'sThe Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. It seems as if the main lessons that were drawn from the study are also applicable to today's business environment. Therefore, the framework that is developed here is based not only on intellectual capital literature, but also on Gibbon's study into the causes of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire.

Findings

The findings are combined in a framework for measuring intellectual liabilities. The main distinction within the proposed framework is the distinction between internal and external liabilities. Internal liabilities refer to the causes of deterioration that arise from the sources of value creation within the organisation. External liabilities refer to the causes of deterioration that come from outside and are beyond the control of the organisation.

Originality/value

The article explores a relatively new topic (intellectual liabilities) from a perspective (historical sciences) that is rarely used in management science.
Benjamin Franklin's principles of political economy: a speculative inquiry
Authors: Dodson Edward J.
Published: April 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which Benjamin Franklin's understanding of political economy was shaped by his association with the French school of writers known as physiocrats.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper works from direct statements by Franklin in his published works and correspondence and biographical sources.

Findings

Franklin declared himself to embrace physiocratic principles and ideals but was not able to advance these ideals at home.

Research limitations/implications

Further details are undoubtedly available from sources not translated from French into English.

Practical implications

The course of history would have been significantly different had the physiocratic ideals become the basis for law and public policies.

Originality/value

The paper offers further evidence of the influence of the physiocratic school on Franklin, as one of the leading practical philosophers of his age.
World‐ownership, self‐ownership, and equality in Georgist philosophy
Authors: Moellendorf Darrel
Published: April 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the accounts of self‐ and world‐ownership in the social philosophy of Henry George, and a Georgist social theorist Nicolaus Tideman.

Design/methodology/approach

The accounts of George and Tideman are evaluated using the tool of conceptual and logical analysis.

Findings

The paper argues that although the institutional proposals of Georgist are important and worth serious consideration, there are fundamental problems with the Georgist accounts of self‐ and world‐ownership.

Practical implications

The Georgist institutional recommendation of a land tax is not necessarily rejected by the criticism of the Georgist accounts of self‐ and world‐ownership.

Originality/value

The value of this paper derives from its careful analytic evaluation of the most basic concepts of the Georgist tradition. It serves, then, as a philosophical evaluation of that tradition and of those parts of the tradition that Georgism share with libertarianism generally. It also serves as a comparison of the basic commitments of Georgism and liberal egalitarianism.
Globalization and culture: four paradigmatic views
Authors: Ardalan Kavous
Published: April 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to show how different philosophical schools of thought view the relation between globalization and culture differently.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper places the existing philosophical schools of thought into four broad categories: functionalist, interpretive, radical humanist, and radical structuralist. This paper then shows how each of these four broad categories view the relation between globalization and culture differently.

Findings

This paper finds that the functionalist paradigm views globalization and culture as universal, the interpretive paradigm views globalization and culture as particular, the radical humanist paradigm views globalization and culture as a domination ideology, and the radical structuralist paradigm views globalization and culture as causing conflict between classes.

Research limitations/implications

This paper assumes that each school of thought can be located in one of the four broad categories of philosophical schools of thought. However, this may not be applicable to each and every philosophical school of thought.

Practical implications

This paper implies that one would benefit by becoming familiar with other ways of seeing the same phenomenon. This paper shows that the relation between globalization and culture can be viewed at least from four different vantage points and therefore one would have a better understanding of the relation between globalization and culture if one becomes familiar with all four different view points.

Originality/value

The contribution of this paper is the advice that in the era of globalization it is better for people to become open‐minded because different people from different parts of the world have different perspectives and the best way to be able to live together is to learn about how others think.
Early retirement for mothers in Greece
Authors: Kaskarelis Ioannis A. , Tsilika Kyriaki
Published: April 2009

Purpose

Greek social security system has a provision, under which women who have children are entitled to exit the labour force and claim pension benefits after completing 20 years of work and at a fully productive age. The critical issue arising from this regime is that it seems that mothers are rewarded for their nature of being able to give birth to children, which is unfair for the rest of working people. This paper aims to address these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The reward of maternity should be given at the proper time, i.e. by subsidizing mothers to stay at home and breeding their children. For this purpose we set up a cost‐benefit analysis in an overlapping generation model in order to compare the present provision with an alternative, under which mothers are subsidized and abstain from the labour market for 15 years. However, this policy could be applied to either gender.

Findings

In the model we develop (as alternative) we show that this kind of provision, under certain parameters' values could be to the benefit of the social security system in pure financial terms, beyond the other positive qualitative externalities for the society.

Practical/implications

This alternative policy could be proved more efficient in financial and economic terms for the social security system, but it could also influence family programming and increase birth rate.

Originality/value

The most valuable result is that children breeding and the occupation of one parent with this task are not deterministically inefficient, or waste of resources, for the economy and the social security system, as many economists (and other social scientists) insist. And on the other hand, breeding of children by their parents is precious for the society since it strengthens family and, through that, social bonds.
Social economy and social responsibility: alternatives to global anarchy of neoliberalism?
Authors: Golob Urša , Podnar Klement , Lah Marko
Published: April 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to point out a way to overcome the circumstances that arose out of the global neoliberal system. It is argued that this is possible when all relevant actors in society cooperate and that a change in a way of thinking in the private sector needs to come from within.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper searches the alternative to neoliberalism in the social economy and responsibility paradigms by examining their theoretical and normative standpoints linking them to practical views.

Findings

The paper argues that the solution to the hegemonic neoliberalism is the new model of social economy which can be put in force only by simultaneous cooperation of all key actors in a society, and especially a driving force behind the existing economic system – the for‐profit sector. Lately it seems that its actors have, indeed, more actively take over their role within social economy, acknowledging the importance of the socially responsible behaviour.

Originality/value

The paper introduces a four‐leaf clover model of social economy actors and integrates the social economy paradigm with the notion of social responsibility of the for‐profit sector.
Excel best practices
Authors: Balik Robert J.
Published: April 2009

Purpose

Currently many jobs for undergraduate finance majors require that the student demonstrate advanced Excel modeling skills. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate and explain the Excel Best Practices which should enhance their financial modeling efficiency.

Design/methodology/approach

The focus is a way to teach the Excel Best Practices when teaching financial modeling with Excel 2007. It uses a chronological modeling procedure that is consistent with current learning theory and the way students should use these Excel Best Practices. A capital budgeting replacement problem is used to illustrate many of the Excel Best Practices.

Findings

It was found that using a chronological modeling procedure is consistent with current learning theory.

Originality/value

Using the procedures mentioned in this paper should result in efficient financial modeling. Efficient models are created in less time, have fewer errors, if any, and are designed for ease of use.
An automation algorithm for harvesting capital market information from the web
Authors: Agrrawal Pankaj
Published: April 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop an algorithm to harvest user specified information on finance portals and compile it into machine‐readable datasets for quantitative analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

The Visual Basic macro language in Microsoft Excel is applied to develop code that is not constrained by the single‐query function of Excel. The core of the algorithm is built around the splitting of the URL connector line and the placement of a continuously updating variable into which are looped as many tickers as there are in the input list. The output is then written to non‐overlapping cells.

Findings

Numerical information placed on major finance websites can be harvested into structured machine‐readable datasets by applying this algorithm.

Research limitations/implications

One significant change in Microsoft Excel 2007 is that the worksheet is expanded from 224 to 234 cells, or to be more specific, from 256 (IV) columns × 65,536 rows (28 × 216) to 16,384 (XFD) × 1,048,576 (214 × 220). These new limits while allowing for a larger number of tickers, still constrain a single worksheet to 16,384 columns. For five fields per ticker that translates into roughly 3,200 ticker symbols.

Practical implications

The algorithm extends user accessibility to websites that do not provide the facility of simultaneous downloading of information on multiple stock tickers. Furthermore, the procedure automates the downloading of multiple pieces of information (fields) and entire tables per ticker (record).

Originality/value

An exhaustive literature search did not find any paper that discusses a multiple ticker algorithm for web harvesting.
Portfolio optimization using the quadratic optimization system and publicly available information on the WWW
Authors: Kale Jivendra K.
Published: April 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe some optimization exercises which have proved to be very useful for introducing students to Markowitz‐style mean‐varience optimization.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper describes two exercises that walk students through the process of gathering security price and dividend data, estimating the parameters of the joint distribution of asset returns, and then using a portfolio optimizer to construct mean‐variance efficient portfolios. It describes the basic methodology, and the more complex formulations of the portfolio optimization problem that are used in practice.

Practical implications

Portfolio selection is typically taught in finance courses as an abstract solution to a system of equations, and does little to connect the portfolio construction process to Exchange Traded Funds, stocks, bonds and other assets that are traded in markets. This study offers a practical approach to teaching portfolio optimization, that starts with gathering market data and shows how a quadratic optimization system is used to construct mean‐variance optimal portfolios.

Originality/value

The exercises in this case study prepare students to construct mean‐variance efficient portfolios for asset allocation with Exchange Traded Funds, and for building stock and bond portfolios, using market data and a portfolio optimizer.
The chat reference interview: seeking evidence based on RUSA's guidelines
Authors: van Duinkerken Wyoma , Stephens Jane , MacDonald Karen I.
Published: April 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to compare established reference interview guidelines (RUSA) with actual reference provider behaviors in remote reference transactions. The data is used to argue that specific reference interview “best practice standards” should be developed for remote access reference services.

Design/methodology/approach

Remote reference transactions were examined for evidence of adherence, or not, to the RUSA guidelines and behaviors. The transcripts were also coded for showing evidence, or not, of user satisfaction.

Findings

Data from 1,435 virtual reference transcripts shows that in 82 percent of the reference sessions the user found the information needed. Analysis also shows that librarian compliance with RUSA‐recommended reference interview behaviors, especially in the areas of listening/inquiring and searching is frequently poor – possibly due to time constraints.

Research limitations/implication

This study adds to the empirically‐based knowledge on the reference interview process and virtual reference services.

Practical implication

Reference policies and procedures can be modified to accommodate patrons based on type of reference access. Education and training of reference staff can be customized to meet patron needs.

Originality/value

This paper develops a methodology for evaluating the reference interview in a virtual reference transaction and suggests modification of the RUSA reference interview guidelines for remote access reference services.