bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparing functional and cellular layouts using simulation and Taguchi method
Authors: Jerbi Abdessalem , Chtourou Hédi , Maalej Aref Y.
Published: May 2010

Purpose

A number of simulation studies were conducted by several researchers in order to compare performances of cellular and functional layouts. The methodologies used by these studies either present several objectivity lacks or are highly time‐consuming. The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel and objective methodology, based on the coupling of simulation and the Taguchi method.

Design/methodology/approach

Simulation models for both layouts are first developed. Simulations are then conducted following a standard Taguchi orthogonal array. Subsequently, the obtained results are analyzed using the analysis of variance technique. Finally, a mathematical model is built, and validated by the confirmation test.

Findings

The proposed comparison method permitted to obtain a valid mathematical model used to predict the superiority rank of the two layouts within the scope of the paper.

Originality/value

This paper presents a novel objective methodology for comparing functional and cellular layouts.
A stochastic approach to measure performance of the Indian electronics hardware industry after liberalisation
Authors: Majumdar Rumki
Published: May 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to focus on contribution of technical efficiency change (TEC) and technological progress (TP) to output growth (OG) and addresses the issue of poor total factor productivity growth of electronics hardware industry during liberalization. Inter‐sector differences in productivity have been explained from the perspective of management decision making and their performances.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis is primarily based on 81 electronics hardware firms with incessant operations from 1993 to 2004. The firms have been categorized into four homogenous sub‐sectors and the years into two periods.

Findings

The industry, in general, emphasized more on TP than TEC as the industry moved to a greater liberalization regime. The industry lacked the efforts to develop indigenous technology. It catered to huge domestic demand by importing technology without proper adaptation leading to poor TEC.

Research limitations/implications

The limited database prevented us from exploring the impact of the entry of multi‐national companies, foreign direct investment and foreign investments on the productivity of the electronics firms. The inconsistent and missing data on tariff or duty rates for item‐wise products further limited their scope.

Practical implications

The differences in TEC and TP among sub‐sectors has been due to the differences in managerial decision making and management performance which are firm specific in nature.

Originality/value

This paper has applied a novel approach of combining two established but independent theories of estimating stochastic production function and then estimating OG as a function of IG, TEC and TP. This paper provides a valuable reference for Indian electronics hardware industry not only in reviewing their efficiency, but also focusing on enhancing their management performance.
Capturing and evaluating process information for high‐performance complex manufacturing operations
Authors: Tiwari Ashutosh , Younis Kieron , Turner Chris , Sackett Peter , Cebrian Bautista Miguel
Published: May 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a methodology for rapidly and reliably capturing, representing and analysing process systems to facilitate the potential for operations performance improvement within a complex product design and manufacturing facility operating in a high‐performance business environment.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper demonstrates the proposed methodology within an electro‐mechanical design and manufacturing environment producing complex non‐standard products for a global market. The technique has national and international application for a wide spectrum of design and manufacturing facilities.

Findings

The authors also demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology in capturing, representing and analysing processes to assess the feasibility of and identify the issues involved in realising further performance improvements in an existing complex product, high variety, design and manufacturing facility.

Practical implications

Through the enhanced level of understanding of business processes and knowledge intensive operations, the design and manufacturing facilities managers can now realise the next level of performance enhancement by fully exploiting the potential of performance improvement initiatives. Since the proposed methodology creates an environment in which risks inherent in new techniques are controlled, the facilities managers can also gain competitive advantage by becoming the early adopters of radical performance enhancement approaches.

Originality/value

Most major and many smaller manufacturing companies have adopted the popular performance improvement initiatives. These companies are now striving to achieve the next level of performance enhancement at the system or enterprise level and require a better understanding of their business processes and knowledge intensive operations. This understanding needs to be achieved rapidly, cost effectively and in a readily communicable and quantifiable form to allow analysis and ongoing re‐analysis within the volatile industrial environment. The proposed methodology achieves this through the identification, communication, understanding and analysis of the internal and external interactions and dependencies of the facility.
Achieving agility in manufacturing through finite element mould analysis
Authors: Vinodh S. , Sundararaj G. , Devadasan S.R. , Kuttalingam D. , Rajanayagam D.
Published: May 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report a research which is carried out to examine the possibility of applying finite element analysis (FEA) and computer‐aided design/computer‐aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) concepts in a typical organisational environment to acquire the characteristics of agile manufacturing (AM).

Design/methodology/approach

One of the components of a model of electronic switch manufactured by a company was chosen as the candidate of this research. Five new models of this component incorporated with agile characteristics were developed in electronic environment using Moldflow Plastics Insight software.

Findings

The experiences of conducting this research being reported in this paper indicate the possibility of adopting FEA‐integrated CAD/CAM concept for achieving agility. However, certain hindrances have to be overcome to pursue deeper journey by the contemporary organisations in this direction.

Research limitations/implications

This research is conducted on one component of a product manufactured by a company. The typical scenario prevailing in the company is similar that is seen in many companies situated in other parts of the worlds. Hence, the contributions of this research, particularly the roadmap would be useful for adopting FEA and CAD/CAM concepts to achieve agility in contemporary organisations.

Practical implications

The research reported in this paper has shown the way of focusing FEA‐integrated CAD/CAM utilities towards enhancing AM capabilities of contemporary organisations.

Originality/value

The literature survey conducted in the beginning of this research indicated that deeper research in the direction of applying FEA‐integrated CAD/CAM concept for acquiring agile characteristics is yet to start. Hence, the research reported in this paper is original and valuable.
Internationalization of technology development in China: an evaluation using patent data
Authors: Chakrabarti Alok K. , Bhaumik Pradip K.
Published: May 2010

Purpose

Increased globalization of the world's economies, along with accelerated technological changes are transforming research and development (R&D) activities around the world. The purpose of this paper is to study the technology development in China, particularly in the light of the globalization of R&D activities.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on a detailed analysis of all US patents granted between 1979 and 2007 in which at least one inventor was a resident of China. US patents have been used as a surrogate measure of technology development and a patent developed with a resident Chinese inventor has been assumed to have been developed in China.

Findings

The paper identifies four phases of technical development in China: growth rate of patenting, extent of inventor collaboration, ownership pattern, concentration on technology trajectory and changing role of MNCs characterize each phase. While along the relatively new electrical and ICT technology trajectories, Chinese entities have benefited from the pioneering lead of foreign entities, along the traditional mechanical and chemical trajectories, foreign entities have followed the early work of Chinese entities.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations of the study include the validity of using US patents as the sole measure of technology development. Other measures of technology development may be necessary to validate the findings reported here.

Practical implications

The study provides a rich source of information about different aspects of technology development in China and the challenges it faces in its internationalization.

Originality/value

The identification of four distinct phases have highlighted the pioneering role of foreign entities in opening up some technology trajectories as well as the increasing maturity and competence of all‐Chinese researcher teams.
Exploring the influence of cultural elements on Chinese manufacturing quality
Authors: Fenwick David , Daim Tugrul U. , Iskin Ibrahim , Dahlawi Yasser
Published: May 2010

Purpose

The objective of this paper is to identify the reasons behind the recent issues of Chinese manufacturing quality. This paper aims to discuss the influence of American managers as well as Chinese business cultural effects on Chinese manufacturing quality.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, two survey questionnaires have been prepared for the study based on literature review. Survey instruments were sent to American and Chinese business owners and managers who have a considerable amount of professional experience in the manufacturing area.

Findings

It is found that both American managers and Chinese business culture have influence on Chinese manufacturing quality.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to an understanding of the reasons behind the recent quality issues in Chinese manufacturing.
Knowledge management in China: a review
Authors: Peng Jian , Moffett Sandra , McAdam Rodney
Published: May 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the development of knowledge management (KM) in China and its Western origins.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is developed by exploring the existing KM survey results in China. Discussions from KM surveys into Chinese KM practices and the Chinese economy are presented. A discussion of KM in the Chinese service sector provides a set of KM research reviews to examine the current issues and status of KM studies in this area. To understand KM and its importance to people, technology and process for innovation and knowledge sharing on different levels in the service sector in China, this paper is divided into seven distinct parts, which addresses three main KM issues in China, i.e. development and challenges for Chinese economy and service industry, KM research and practice in China and knowledge sharing and innovation with cultural factors. This paper offers guidance to researchers and managers involved in KM efforts to understand how KM is developed in China and what kind of research model is required for Chinese KM studies.

Findings

KM surveys in China were based on different purposes and scopes. While Western KM theories did provide a foundation for the KM studies in China, the unique Chinese culture environment requires the Chinese research models. The development of KM in China is still at its early stage. Limitations of the current Chinese KM studies are revealed and the KM status of the Chinese service sector also discussed.

Research limitations/implications

A research model that is suitable for the Chinese KM practices is yet to be formally established.

Practical implications

This paper contrasts the development of KM in China by examining different KM survey results from China. For practitioners, findings provide understanding on how KM is developing. For KM researchers, the understanding of culture and analytic directions of KM studies from the Chinese service sector are discussed.

Originality/value

In this paper, KM development in China revealed, that can provide guidance to researches involved in KM efforts and directing the future path of KM analytic model with a cultural perspective.
The overseas Taiwanese in Belize
Authors: Popma Marissa , Roessingh Carel
Published: May 2010

Purpose

The paper aims to give an account to describe the way the South‐South development programme is realized between Taiwan and Belize.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is the result of ethnographic fieldwork research combined with a literature study.

Findings

The development of the newly industrialized country Taiwan can be characterized by a drastic transformation from an impoverished agrarian society towards an affluent industrial economy. Now, Taiwan is aiming to help other developing countries to walk the same path by drawing lessons from their so‐called “Taiwan experience”. In order to transfer their experience, Taiwan has established an overseas development organization, the International Cooperation and Development Fund. This organization offers development assistance to countries of which Taiwan receives political recognition. Central and South America are the regions where most of Taiwan's diplomatic ties exist. One of the recipients of Taiwanese assistance in this area is Belize, a small English speaking, Central American country in the Caribbean Sea, with a multi‐ethnic, densely populated, relatively poor population.

Research limitations/implications

Future research might examine the ways in which these Taiwanese farmers have integrated in Belize and how their entrepreneurial activities contribute in this process.

Practical implications

After visiting Taiwan's project sites in Belize and interviewing government officials, Taiwanese‐Belizeans, Belizean farmers, and non‐farmers, it was found that much of what the Taiwanese brought was indeed considered beneficial, although incomplete. The links between the Taiwanese development organization and the wider society, Belize, were not clearly developed at the time, not least because of the problems in communicating with the Taiwanese development workers(for instance due to language issues). It would be wrong to suggest, however, that Taiwan's development project was only perceived as raising problems for it did have a positive impact.

Originality/value

Although the first Taiwanese project in Belize was launched in 1989 it has until recently received little attention. This paper explores the social impact of this development project from the Taiwanese in Belize.
Role of linkages and diversity of partnerships in a Mexican community‐based forest enterprise
Authors: Orozco‐Quintero Alejandra , Berkes Fikret
Published: May 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify and describe the pervasiveness and importance of various types of institutional and organizational interactions across multiple levels for the management of a community forest enterprise.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper analyzes a long‐standing case in Michoacán, Mexico, the San Juan Nuevo (SJN) enterprise, a community‐based system with a multiplicity of actors, objectives, and partners. Information was collected through 100 semi‐structured interviews. By presenting and discussing the main community‐based development strategy within the overall socio‐political context and achievements of the case, the authors attempt to understand the complexity of cross‐scale institutional and organizational linkages and their role in sustainable resource management.

Findings

SJN enterprise had linkages with some 22 major partners over the years across four levels of organization: local, state, federal, and international. Cross‐scale partnerships were not merely important, but essential for the overall success of the enterprise in the face of uncertainty over resource ownership and lack of legal jurisdiction. These diverse partnerships and interactions enabled robust institutional structures, making possible the development of linkages to help conserve the resource base and create grassroots socio‐economic development for the comuneros.

Research limitations/implications

Further understanding of the importance of partnerships and linkages for the development and maintenance of community‐based initiatives will require the analysis of, and comparison between, several long‐standing case studies.

Practical implications

There is the need to recognize the multiple roles of partnerships, from business networking to research and training, thus unpacking different kinds of capacity building. Actors at various levels can influence management practices in diverse ways, helping to find a balance between local livelihoods and larger conservation needs.

Originality/value

The paper brings a new approach to analyze how indigenous and other rural communities are “opting‐in” to the global economy, through a diversity of partnerships and a complexity of interactions across organizational levels.
The Aivilingmiut people of Repulse Bay (Naujaat), Canada
Authors: Paul Dana Leo , Manitok Pujjuut , Brent Anderson Robert
Published: May 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an account of the enterprising Aivilingmiut people of Repulse Bay (Naujaat), formerly a hub of the now‐defunct whaling industry.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on literature spanning 185 years from 1825 to 2009.

Findings

Throughout history, the Aivilingmiut people appear to have been an enterprising community, adapting well to change. Nowadays, however, the absence of business infrastructure may be a significant barrier to the development of small business opportunities in Repulse Bay.

Practical implications

Regardless of how enterprising a community is, the absence of business infrastructure can impede entrepreneurship.

Originality/value

There is no similar paper about the Aivilingmiut people of Repulse Bay.
Tinapa business resort: beyond the drawing board
Authors: Isekeije Jumoke G.
Published: May 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the viability of Tinapa business resort as a tourism development project for the people of Cross River State in Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper utilizes secondary research.

Findings

Tinapa business resort is an enormous business venture that may be challenging to manage, considering the history of successive governments in Nigeria abandoning projects set up by their predecessors. The resort may be too big for its geographic location and this may pose a challenge to attracting business to the area.

Practical implications

The promoters of Tinapa business resort need to apply detailed tourism development practices in maintaining the resort.

Originality/value

The paper presents the opinion of the author based on secondary data about Tinapa business resort and a report on implications of tourism development on the island of Ios in Greece.
Ethnic Chinese enterprises and the embeddedness of failure
Authors: Dahles Heidi
Published: May 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to aim at assessing the impacts of the embedded nature of ethnic Chinese businesses on the management of business failure in China ventures.

Design/methodology/approach

Upon reviewing the key literature on ethnic Chinese transnational business ventures and, in particular, the concept of embeddedness, the paper proceeds with a description of the data based on ethnographic research among ethnic Chinese entrepreneurs in both Singapore and Malaysia and a brief portrayal of the development of their investments in China since the 1980s. In subsequent sections the empirical findings are first presented and then analyzed. The conclusions reflect on the changing nature of the embeddedness of the ethnic Chinese in diverse but shared legacies.

Findings

The experience of business failure in China contributes to a reorientation among the ethnic Chinese towards both their national communities and each other – and finally affects their transnational business strategies. This process of re‐embedding identity is intertwined with the diverging ethnic politics of the Singaporean and Malaysian nation states and results in the redefinition of a shared identity.

Originality/value

While the literature on the ethnic Chinese business community is focusing on those factors that are conducive to business operations, little attention has been paid to the manners in which business failure is dealt with. In this paper, business failure will be investigated in terms of the impact emanating from the embeddedness of ethnic Chinese businesses in complex economic, social‐cultural, and political configurations.
Use of Cobb‐Douglas production model on some selected manufacturing industries in Oman
Authors: Zakir Hossain Mohammad , Said Al‐Amri Khalid
Published: May 2010

Purpose

The main purpose of this paper is to select the most suitable production model for measuring the production process of some major manufacturing industries in Oman.

Design/methodology/approach

This empirical paper looks into an analytical justification to use Cobb‐Douglas (C‐D) production model in order to estimate and test the coefficients of the production inputs for each of the selected manufacturing industries using annual industrial statistical data over the period 1994 through 2007 published by Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Sultanate of Oman.

Findings

The results of the paper indicate that for most of the selected industries the C‐D function fits the data very well in terms of labor and capital elasticity, return to scale measurements, standard errors, economy of the industries, high value of R2 and reasonably good Durbin‐Watson statistics. The estimated results suggest that the manufacturing industries of Oman generally seem to indicate the case of increasing return to scale. Of the nine industries, seven exhibit increasing return to scale and only the rest two show decreasing return to scale. The paper finds no industry with constant return to scale.

Research limitations/implications

The paper could not consider a good number of manufacturing industries and a long period of time series data in the study because of lack of data availability.

Practical implications

Recently, businessmen as well as industrialists are very much concerned about the theory of firm in order to make correct decisions regarding what items, how much and how to produce them. All these decisions are directly related with the cost considerations and market situations where the firm is to be operated. In this regard, this paper should be helpful in suggesting the most suitable functional form of production process for the major manufacturing industries of developing countries like Oman.

Originality/value

The paper shows originality in substance and makes a unique contribution to the literature on industrial economics in Oman.
Syria's next generation: youth un/employment, education, and exclusion
Authors: Buckner Elizabeth S. , Saba Khuloud
Published: May 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the educational and employment opportunities of Syrian youth. It examines findings from a number of nation‐wide surveys of Syrian youth to investigate the educational and labor market conditions Syrian youth face amidst economic and social changes.

Design/methodology/approach

The study summarizes numerous nation‐wide surveys conducted by Syrian and foreign organizations concerning the employment and educational opportunities of Syrian youth and their attitudes to their future opportunities and other social and economic issues.

Findings

The study finds that class gender and regional background significantly impact the educational and employment opportunities available to Syrian youth. It also finds that Syrian youth express real concerns about their living conditions and future opportunities.

Practical implications

The study argues that future research on Syrian youth must disaggregate findings by background and demographic characteristics. It also argues that more research is needed to understand how youth perceive recent economic and employment changes, including an emphasis on identifying risk factors for marginalization and social and economic exclusion.

Originality/value

This study summarizes findings from the newest and most comprehensive nation‐wide surveys on youth in Syria. Such is often available in Arabic, in hard copy, and to researchers in Syria only. Scholars of the contemporary Middle East and policymakers directly invested in the fates of Syrian youth have a very real need for detailed and current research on youth in Syria.
Investigating recruitment practices and problems of multinational companies (MNCs) operating in Egypt
Authors: Darrag Menatallah , Mohamed Ahmed , Abdel Aziz Hadia
Published: May 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present and discuss the recruitment conditions of multinational companies (MNCs) in Egypt, along with problems and de‐recruitment activities such MNCs face.

Design/methodology/approach

Surveys in the form of questionnaires were used and data from 55 MNCs operating in Egypt were acquired to investigate the recruitment function's processes and problems MNCs faced along with de‐recruitment practices MNCs undertake.

Findings

Results indicated that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) showed higher adoption rate of the recruitment process than large enterprises (LEs). In addition, results indicated that the recruitment function is perceived to be run jointly by human resource management (HRM) and line management, giving an upper hand to HRM. In general, two sets of problems facing recruitment were revealed; candidate‐ and organization‐related problems, where the former had been more frequently reported by SMEs rather than LEs. Finally, the findings illustrated the actual de‐recruitment practices undertaken by MNCs operating in Egypt. SMEs adopted less aggressive de‐recruitment activities than LEs, where mainly recruitment freezing and early retirement are mostly used.

Originality/value

This paper highlights three under‐researched areas by studying the organizational size dimension of recruitment and identifying the pattern of de‐recruitment activities employed by MNCs of different sizes, and also identifying recruitment problems facing MNCs in Egypt. Such findings could help organizations either planning to start up or in enhancing their operations in the Egyptian market. As well, these findings provide insight to recruits about the recruitment stages and problems they might encounter.
The resource curse and private investment: a theoretical model of the impact of corruption
Authors: Everhart Stephen S.
Published: May 2010

Purpose

A neoclassical model of growth is augmented with the purpose of investigating the relationship between private investment, resource endowments, and corruption. It allows for the possibility that corruption influences the steady‐state growth rate through its impact on private investment, resource endowment management, human capital, and governance.

Design/methodology/approach

Corrupt environments critically affect long‐run sustainable economic development through the private investment decision. The groundwork may significantly contribute to emerging economies, particularly Middle East and North African countries with abundant natural resources. Understanding corruption is important for policy recommendations that can fuel the reform agenda. The theoretical model incorporates the potential direct impact and potential indirect effects of corruption on economic output by examining its influence on resource endowment management, the level of private investment and governance. The neoclassical approach is advantageous in that it allows for explicit incorporation of the indirect effects of corruption and potential tradeoffs.

Findings

One conclusion is that for highly corrupt countries, the marginal benefit to output of reducing corruption outweighs virtually any other policy action. The importance of strong governance as a mitigating force against corruption's negative effects is also highlighted. In addition, it indicates that the timing of reform efforts is significant.

Originality/value

The literature lacks a theoretical framework incorporating the potential indirect effect of corruption on output through resource endowment management and the direct effect of corruption through its impact on governance. The literature has only examined the hypothesized influences separately. The paper explicitly links corruption, resource endowments, private investment, and economic output.
Saudi Arabian educational history: impacts on English language teaching
Authors: Elyas Tariq , Picard Michelle
Published: May 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the history of education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its impact on modern teaching practices. It explores the relationship between traditional practices, teacher identity and English language teaching within an increasingly complex context.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors undertake a critical review of education in Saudi Arabia utilising critical reflexivity and their local social knowledge as a means of interrogating practice, research of the field, and related texts.

Findings

The paper indicates a direct link between historical teaching practices in early Saudi Arabia and the current teaching of English. It suggests the concept of “hybridity” as one way for local English teachers to construct identities that meet the contextual challenges.

Practical implications

This paper has implications both locally and internationally. It provides insight into teaching practices preferred by teachers and students in an Arabian context. This in turn has the potential to inform policy and curriculum development by local educators and foreign contractors in Saudi Arabia that take teacher and student identity into consideration. It also facilitates a more nuanced understanding of their Saudi Arabian students by Western educators and administrators.

Originality/value

Although work has been done on teacher identity in Saudi Arabia and limited studies have examined the impact of English as a global language, this is the first study to examine the interplay between historical praxis, teacher identity and the conflicting pressures of teaching English in this context.
Developing curriculum leadership in the UAE
Authors: Stephenson Lauren
Published: May 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to build a comprehensive picture of teacher experiences as three educational institutions undertook the process of pedagogical strategy reform through professional development thus uncovering important local data to inform policy and the change process in public and private schools in the UAE. This paper compares the outcomes, successes and challenges that impacted each project.

Design/methodology/approach

The three studies were ethnographic case studies using autoethnographic techniques. Data were collected using the following methods: survey, semi‐structured and unstructured interviews, evaluations, observation, document analysis, and reflective journals. The data were analysed using an inductive process of identifying themes.

Findings

The findings indicate that individual and collective learning as a result of developing learning communities contributes to a new, evolving and organic model of professional learning which encourages a focus on long‐term solutions for educational leadership in the UAE. Some of the issues that arose include the role of the project manager, the value of distributed leadership, levels of decision making, work relations and processes, and training versus education.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the knowledge base on professional learning in several ways including the development of a better understanding and analysis of teacher professional learning; the development and implementation of a new model of teacher professional learning; the identification of a framework that has a potential application in other contexts; and evaluation of an interdisciplinary application of teacher professional learning.
Corporate governance regulatory convergence: a remedy for the wrong problem
Authors: Lazarides Themistokles , Drimpetas Evaggelos
Published: May 2010

Purpose

The aim of the paper is to highlight the differences between the corporate governance systems in Anglo‐Saxon and Continental European countries, and to argue that legal convergence or isomorphism may become more of a problem than a solution in countries where an issue like minority shareholders' protection is the primary corporate governance problem.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses a number of surveys to support the trend of legal and ownership convergence in Anglo‐Saxon and Continental European countries. The main concern, in Continental European countries, is the expropriation of minority shareholders by the dominant major shareholders, whereas in Anglo‐Saxon firms the main concern is the expropriation of shareholders by the dominant managers (agency problem). Then it analyses the legal initiatives to determine the appropriateness of the legal framework with the fundamentals characteristics of corporations.

Findings

Regardless of the trend for ownership dispersion and convergence of securities laws and regulations observed in the last decade, the main characteristics of ownership structure remain unchanged and the two systems of corporate governance remain distinctively separate. The paper argues that legal‐regulative convergence is not adequate to achieve real corporate governance system convergence. As long as the fundamental differences of the corporate governance systems differ, legal and regulating isomorphism may be the cause of problems and not a solution.

Originality/value

The paper presents an alternative approach in legal‐regulatory framework formulation. It advocates the introduction of a different set of practices and legal initiatives for countries with different characteristics and corporate governance problems.
UCP 600: the new rules on documentary compliance
Authors: Yen Low Hang
Published: May 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the changes brought about by Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits (UCP) 600 in relation to issues of document discrepancies.

Design/methodology/approach

A detailed comparison of both the UCP 500 and the UCP 600 is conducted. The paper adopts a critical analysis approach.

Findings

The UCP 600 does provide a better version of the rules than the UCP 500, but there is still room for improvement.

Research limitations/implications

The UCP 600 only came into force on 1 July 2007 and it is too early to conduct an empirical research to investigate the actual effects of the new rules.

Practical implications

Banks and sellers should implement policy changes within their institution so as to comply with UCP 600.

Originality/value

All parties involved in international trading will have a better understanding of how documents will be compliant under the new UCP 600, thereby avoiding monetary losses, delay in time and unwarranted litigation.
Protection from retaliation for workplace discrimination claims
Authors: Goldberg Ilene V.
Published: May 2010

Purpose

The specific purpose of this paper is to research the relevant case law with regard to the legality of retaliation for workplace discrimination claims.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology employed is traditional legal research and analysis.

Findings

This paper examines standards for proving retaliation, along with the impact of recent US Supreme Court decisions on employers and employees.

Research implications/implications

The research provides a framework for evaluating retaliation claims.

Originality/value

This research is of value to both employers and employees in deciding the standards for proving a retaliation claim.
India under the siege of reform
Authors: Ramesh G.
Published: May 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the contexts for the four papers selected in the area of policy and institutional reforms in India. The two decades of reforms in India have lead to research from multiple perspectives and have thrown up rich repository of knowledge; and the selected papers form part of its continuum. The paper presents a brief overview on the aspects and thrust of these reforms in developed economies, and the learnings. This overview provides the frameworks for understanding reforms in emerging economies. There have been gains but it is still being debated. But, what is concerning policy makers and academicians is the pressure from developed economies and global think tanks to mimic them, when the advantages are still unclear.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper provides a conceptual overview and tries to present the overall framework in which the four papers have to be appreciated. The context itself is tuned to the focus of these papers. The selected papers cover a wide spectrum of domain and reform interventions. The approach is to weave together these papers around the theme of policy and institutional reforms in terms of instruments of interventions and their effectiveness. It also throws up issues for future research.

Findings

This paper can summarize the findings of these studies it emerges that various attempts are being in the realm of reform with different levels of effectiveness. These are also in different stages of implementation. The papers indicate that while there are gains from reforms, the full potential could not be reached or it is too early to say.

Originality/value

The relevance of this paper and the four papers that it presents are at two levels. First is the direct learning from these studies in their areas of focus. Second is in terms of discerning the common thread of reforms that runs through these papers; in terms of their content, implementation, and effectiveness. These attempts are fairly representative of the reform story that is emerging from India.
Introducing competition in the power sector in India: adoption of the US model
Authors: Ranjan Das Rasmi
Published: May 2010

Purpose

The twin objectives of power sector reforms in India – improving efficiency and attracting private investment – are far from being achieved. It is commonly acknowledged that competition in the sector can help achieve the objectives of the reforms, but although the Electricity Act of 2003 promised to usher in competition, even after seven years of its enactment there is very little competition in generation and absolutely no competition in retail supply. This paper seeks to find a road map for the introduction of competition in the power sector in India by discussing and drawing upon the US model of deregulating generation and retail supply whilst simultaneously keeping transmission and distribution under regulation.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is a historical analysis of deregulation in the US power sector and its relevance for India by drawing upon both primary and secondary resources.

Findings

The introduction of competition in the USA has brought substantial gains for the consumer and India can follow this model by mandating all distribution utilities to procure their future requirement of power through open competitive bidding. For retail competition, the system of provider of last resort (POLR) with POLR price being fixed with reference to market price can be the way forward.

Originality/value

This paper offers some practical and implementable suggestions for introducing competition in the power sector in India.
Enabling urban development in India through technology: making change effective
Authors: Venkataraman Susheela
Published: May 2010

Purpose

In the increasingly global world, there will be additional pressures on urban infrastructure, societies and organisations. Many factors cause these additional pressures, such as compression of time, competitiveness of organisations and economies and the demand for higher levels of transparency. Under these circumstances, a focus on sustainability becomes even more important than in the past. Evidence from several developed and emerging economies shows that technology can enable efforts towards sustainable urban development. However, in order for such efforts to yield results, the focus has to extend well beyond technology to balancing economic, environmental and socio‐cultural issues. The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors critical to making the additional investments required for sustainable urban development worthwhile in a country such as India.

Design/methodology/approach

There is not much documented evidence of such urban development projects in India. This paper explored two cases of large‐scale, multi‐year systems implementations in the public sector, in the expectation that lessons learned from those projects would be applicable to urban projects too. The findings are primarily based on interviews with senior government officials involved in such projects.

Findings

While technology no longer poses major limitations, the return on investment of such projects is determined by large‐scale adoption. Most issues raised in the course of this research study pointed to a lack of robust change management in the implementation process. The framework and principles followed by organisational transformation initiatives are seen to be applicable in such cases too. Differences in scale and approach are highlighted in the analysis. In arriving at the return on investment, an approach using a “benefits index” is also proposed.

Research limitations/implications

Further research would involve in‐depth study of many more instances of such projects. While this paper looks back at the projects several years after their inception, ongoing longitudinal studies taking an in‐process view might also add insight.

Practical implications

This paper proposes that in such projects, as much focus must be placed on human transition as is placed on the technical aspects of the project itself.

Originality/value

There is hardly any documented evidence of such large‐scale public purpose projects in India. There are, however, several such projects planned or being executed. This paper is an attempt to identify the issues likely to be faced, so that there might be a higher probability of success for all stakeholders – government, citizens and private companies alike.
Independent directors: time to introspect, suspect, respect – an Indian perspective
Authors: Aggarwal Rashmi
Published: May 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand the culpability of independent directors (IDs) in a public listed company under clause 49 of the listing agreement of the Securities Exchange Board of India, which, primarily, is the corporate governance mandate in India.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper has been developed on the basis of intensive interviews conducted with 16 legal experts working with 50 top listed companies and seven advocates from the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court of India, literature survey from research papers, bare acts and policy guidelines on corporate governance by the Government of India.

Findings

Two contrary opinions are being rendered on the culpability of IDs. The first proposes a strict and absolute penalty on all directors which would deter them from colluding with promoters. The second proposes that IDs should not be tarred with the same brush unless conclusive evidence of collusion is produced. These contrary opinions are herein analyzed and recommendations put forward.

Research limitations/implications

The research paper attempts to study only the culpability of IDs. It envisages the appointments of IDs onto boards without deliberation on the issue assuming that these appointments are made in good faith and trust.

Originality/value

The research paper attempts to study whether the IDs who are non‐executive directors and who do not have a pecuniary relationship with the company actually share a fiduciary relationship with the shareholders and observe the principle of conflict of interest. There are some compelling reasons for them to alienate liabilities given the dramatic effects of financial disarray as in the case of Satyam.
Multicenter phase II study of bendamustine for relapsed or refractory indolent B‐cell non‐Hodgkin lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma
Authors: Ohmachi Ken , Ando Kiyoshi , Ogura Michinori , Uchida Toshiki , Itoh Kuniaki , Kubota Nobuko , Ishizawa Kenichi , Yamamoto Joji , Watanabe Takashi , Uike Naokuni , Choi Ilseung , Terui Yasuhito , Usuki Kensuke , Nagai Hirokazu , Uoshima Nobuhiko , Tobinai Kensei ,   The Japanese Bendamustine Lymphoma Study Group
Published: May 2010

Bendamustine is a unique cytotoxic agent that has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of indolent B‐cell non‐Hodgkin lymphomas (B‐NHLs). In this multicenter phase II trial, the efficacy and safety of bendamustine were evaluated in Japanese patients with relapsed or refractory indolent B‐NHL or mantle‐cell lymphoma (MCL). Patients received bendamustine (120 mg/m2) on days 1–2 of a 21‐day cycle, for up to six cycles. The primary endpoint was the overall response rate (ORR) as assessed by an extramural committee according to International Workshop Response Criteria (IWRC). Secondary endpoints included complete response (CR) rate, ORR according to Revised Response Criteria (revised RC), progression‐free survival (PFS), and safety. Fifty‐eight patients with indolent B‐NHL and 11 with MCL were enrolled. By IWRC, bendamustine produced an ORR of 91% (95% confidence interval [CI], 82–97%; 90% and 100% in patients with indolent B‐NHL and MCL, respectively), with a CR rate of 67% (95% CI, 54–78%). ORR and CR rates according to revised RC were 93% (95% CI, 84–98%) and 57% (95% CI, 44–68%), respectively. After a median follow‐up of 12.6 months, median PFS had not been reached. Estimated PFS rates at 1 year were 70% and 90% among indolent B‐NHL and MCL patients, respectively. Bendamustine was generally well tolerated. Reversible myelosuppression, including grade 3/4 leukopenia (65%) and neutropenia (72%), was the most clinically significant toxicity observed. Common non‐hematologic toxicities included mild gastrointestinal events and fatigue. These results demonstrate the high efficacy and tolerability of single‐agent bendamustine in relapsed patients with indolent B‐NHL or MCL histologies. (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT00612183). (Cancer Sci 2010;)