bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Local housing administration models for large housing estates
Authors: Blomé Gunnar
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe and evaluate three different models of how to organise services to tenants in municipal housing companies.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical data used in this study are gathered from a detailed two‐year case study.

Findings

Three different functions are identified: customer service (e.g. reporting of faults); the letting process; and caretaking (day‐to‐day activities and control over in‐ and outdoor areas). The three models for local administration differ as to which functions are decentralised to a local group and which are centralised, and are evaluated from several different perspectives. The models where more decisions are decentralised leads to better information about the local conditions, makes it easier to coordinate work in an area, creates more motivation for the staff and makes it easier to involve the tenants. The main problem with the decentralised models is moral hazard problems, e.g. that the local team create their own agenda, are pressured by certain tenants to give them advantages and that the result is lack of control and an inconsistent policy in the company.

Research limitation/implications

The primary issue of the study is how housing companies can organise their resources in order to create an efficient local administration in large housing estates. Further research is needed to decide if the economic profitability differs between different organizational models in relation to tenants' perceived service quality.

Originality/value

The research identifies and analyses different organisation models for local administration in large housing estates more thoroughly than earlier research.
Renovate for profit: New Zealand residential case study
Authors: Fortes Raewyn , McCarthy Iona
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The primary purpose of this paper is to test an appropriate methodology for quantifying a return to residential property homeowners who were committed to make improvements to their homes prior to placing on the market for sale.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a pilot study where empirical data were collected via two survey instruments from nine homeowners within the Horowhenua/Manawatu region of New Zealand. Market values of the properties before and after home improvement were assessed using a variety of market value measures including a valuation by a registered valuer, property owner's assessment and sale price.

Findings

The findings reveal that both the registered valuations and the property owner's assessment of expected sale price was within the range ±8 per cent of the final sale price. Seven of the nine houses included in this pilot study showed a positive return on time and money invested in minor home improvements.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations relate to the dated data, small sample size and geographical spread of the sample. The time and cost required to gather home improvement activity data is another limitation.

Practical implications

Potential exists for the model developed in this paper to be replicated internationally. This paper supports the view that homeowners who are actively involved in the real estate market have an accurate assessment of the value of their own homes. Improvements increase the quality and condition of existing residential housing stocks. Minor improvements are often overlooked due to the cost of gathering data. This paper encourages further studies of minor improvement expenditure on residential property.

Originality/value

This paper adds to the body of renovation literature as the data collection was conducted at the time improvements were being made, thus reducing response errors. The inclusion of comprehensive valuation reports by registered valuers increased the reliability of market value assessments. Research in this area is useful to provide greater understanding of the benefits of minor improvement expenditure.
Forces for change in property education and research in Australia
Authors: Hefferan Michael J. , Ross Stuart
Published: October 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to identify changes occurring within the property professions and at the same time focus on the changing structures of the tertiary education sector in Australia and how both of these will influence property/real estate education and research into the future.

Design/methodology/ approach

The paper reviews a range of published international material and conference papers mostly emanating from the Pacific Rim Real Estate Society (PRRES) a formal focus for property researchers, educators and practitioners from over 15 countries. Structured interviews with leading property academics were conducted along with the authors' direct involvement with the Australian Property Institute and their National Education Board.

Findings

There is a strong demand for tertiary/property real estate education, which will continue in Australia though with a likely wider base extending beyond the traditional valuation and analysis fields. However, given the significant emerging changes in the tertiary sector in Australia, certain universities will tend to focus in such specialist areas.

Research limitations/implications

It would appear that this is not a widely researched area outside the PRRES group. The findings, however, are sound and have important implications for education and research in this critical economic sector.

Practical implications

The findings should help better refine the academic offer and research initiatives developed by those individual universities as they seek to establish their market niche. Whilst this paper applies particularly to the Australian context, observations regarding changing demand will be of wider interest and assistance.

Originality/value

This paper for the first time considers the changing demand for real estate / property graduate courses and demands for research in this field against the backdrop of contemporary change in the tertiary sector in Australia.
Capturing our stories and GLIFOS: rich‐media video
Authors: Kirkland Jessica , Smith Arro , Roy Loriene
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the use of GLIFOS Social Media Manager in the “Capturing our stories” Oral History Program of Retired/Retiring Librarians. The goal of the “Capturing our stories” project is to record the life histories and disseminate and interpret these stories as lessons for other librarians. GLIFOS Social Media is a means by which the interviews are interpreted and disseminated.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper describes the “Capturing our stories” oral history program of retired/retiring librarians, GLIFOS Social Media software, and how GLIFOS is used to transcribe and add rich‐media capabilities to the “Capturing our stories” interviews.

Findings

GLIFOS is a useful tool for making the videos of the “Capturing our stories” program searchable, accessible, and more meaningful to viewers. It liberates video from the visual format to enable more manipulation of the data and use of the content.

Practical implications

The ability to search and add rich‐media capabilities to video is vital to making the vast amount of data and content in video searchable, accessible, and meaningful.

Originality/value

The paper describes a proprietary, wiki‐based software application (GLIFOS) for adding rich‐media capabilities to video.
Learning 2.0: a catalyst for library organisational change
Authors: Gross Julia , Leslie Lyn
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe “what happened” with round two of the implementation of Learning 2.0 with a large and diverse group of library staff at Edith Cowan University (ECU) Library during 2007/2008.

Design/methodology/approach

A previous paper reported on a study of the suitability of the 23 Things Learning 2.0 program for a small group of early adopters in the ECU Library. This follow‐up paper reports challenges that library management faced when the remaining staff were given the 23 Things Learning 2.0 program. All remaining library staff members were encouraged to undertake the program, but take‐up was not strong and only 25 per cent of staff completed the program. At the conclusion of round two of Learning 2.0, all staff were surveyed to find out reasons for completion or non‐completion, what types of technologies they needed support with, and how they wished to learn about the emerging/Web 2.0 technologies.

Findings

From the observations and survey responses in this study it was found that while Learning 2.0 was a suitable program, some staff required extra time and a more hands‐on approach to their workplace learning.

Originality/value

The paper is unique in that it follows up on previous research at the same institution, and reveals new findings.
An approach to discover and recommend cross‐domain bridge‐keywords in document banks
Authors: Su Yu‐Min , Hsu Ping‐Yu , Pai Ning‐Yao
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The co‐word analysis method is commonly used to cluster‐related keywords into the same keyword domain. In other words, traditional co‐word analysis cannot cluster the same keywords into more than one keyword domain, and disregards the multi‐domain property of keywords. The purpose of this paper is to propose an innovative keyword co‐citation approach called “Complete Keyword Pair (CKP) method”, which groups complete keyword sets of reference papers into clusters, and thus finds keywords belonging to more than one keyword domain, namely bridge‐keywords.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach regards complete author keywords of a paper as a complete keyword set to compute the relations among keywords. Any two complete keyword sets whose corresponding papers are co‐referenced by the same paper are recorded as a CKP. A clustering method is performed with the correlation matrix computed from the frequency counts of the CKPs, for clustering the complete keyword sets. Since keywords may be involved in more than one complete keyword set, the same keywords may end up appearing in different clusters.

Findings

Results of this study show that the CKP method can discover bridge‐keywords with average precision of 80 per cent in the Journal of the Association for Computing Machinery citation bank during 2000‐2006 when compared against the benchmark of Association for Computing Machinery Computing Classification System.

Originality/value

Traditional co‐word analysis focuses on co‐occurrence of keywords, and therefore, cannot cluster the same keywords into more than one keyword domain. The CKP approach considers complete author keyword sets of reference papers to discover bridge‐keywords. Therefore, the keyword recommendation system based on CKP can recommend keywords across multiple keyword domains via the bridge‐keywords.
The impact of internet use on teaching, learning and research activities in Nigerian universities
Authors: Nwezeh Chinwe M.T.
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of internet resources and the evaluation of their usefulness on teaching, learning and research in Nigerian universities with particular emphasis on Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile‐Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on a descriptive survey using questionnaires for data collection. The respondents constitute students (750) and academic staff (115) from OAU. Descriptive statistics (frequency counts and percentages) were used to analyze the data.

Findings

The results from the paper reveal that a majority of the surveyed academic staff and the students found the internet to be very useful. Internet resources mostly used by both groups were e‐mail and the world wide web (WWW). Search interfaces were used for looking for research information. It was discovered that the users were not given adequate user education to enable them make use of the internet resources available.

Originality/value

That the internet is widely used is not a surprise, but the paper points to the fact that more conscious efforts must be made in the introduction of user education and information literacy programmes, as well as in staff training on information and communication technology resources in the library.
Investigation of MARC use in Iranian academic libraries
Authors: Ghaebi Amir , Shamsbod Mahmood , Karimi‐Mansoorabad Elham
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the usability of machine‐readable cataloging (MARC) in the academic libraries located in Tehran, Iran.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative methodology was adopted. The data are based on a survey conducted with a researcher‐made questionnaire to measure the views of Iranian academic librarians about MARC. In total, 45 librarians who have at least one year experience in cataloging and classification and know MARC were the sample of this study. Statistical analysis (descriptive and inferential) was applied using Excel and SPSS software to analyze the data.

Findings

The results showed over 72 per cent of catalogers in Tehran academic libraries claimed that they know MARC and 50 per cent of them claimed that they used it. Based upon the librarians' views the most important advantages of MARC are: making uniform subject headings, union catalogue and uniform authority names, exchange information with other libraries, exchange bibliographic information with different languages. Also according to the in catalogers the most important problems of MARC in general are: unchangeable format, detailed format, and not paying attention to needs of end‐users, different coding system in the country, problem of library software in using MARC, and using different MARC formats.

Originality/value

The paper's findings may help improve our understanding about MARC. The survey results could be used for enhancing the level of MARC application in academic libraries, not only in Iran but also elsewhere.
The integration system for librarians' bibliomining
Authors: Shieh Jiann‐Cherng
Published: October 2010

Purpose

For library service, bibliomining is concisely defined as the data mining techniques used to extract patterns of behavior‐based artifacts from library systems. The bibliomining process includes identifying topics, creating a data warehouse, refining data, exploring data and evaluating results. The cases of practical implementations and applications in different areas have proved that the properly enough and consolidated data warehouse is the critical promise to successful data mining applications. However, the data warehouse creation in the processing of various data sources obviously hampers librarians to apply bibliomining to improve their services and operations. Moreover, most market data mining tools are even more complex for librarians to adopt bibliomining. The purpose of this paper is to propose a practical application model for librarian bibliomining, then develop its corresponding data processing prototype system to guarantee the success of applying data mining in libraries.

Design/methodology/approach

The rapid prototyping software development method was applied to design a prototype bibliomining system. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the system, there was a comparison experiment of accomplishing an assigned task for 15 librarians.

Findings

With the results of system usability scale (SUS) comparison and turn‐around time analysis, it was established that the proposed model and the developed prototype system can really help librarians handle bibliomining applications better.

Originality/value

The proposed novel application bibliomining model and its developed integration system are proved to be effective and efficient in bibliomining by the task‐oriented experiment and SUS to 15 librarians. Comparing turn‐around time to accomplish the assigned task, about 35 per cent in terms of time was saved. Librarians really require an appropriate integration tool to assist them in successful bibliomining applications.
Information technology and gender gap: toward a global view
Authors: Galyani Moghaddam Golnessa
Published: October 2010

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the gender gap in computer and internet usage from all over the world. Design/methodology/approach – The paper addresses some issues on gender and information technology (IT) with focus on gender gap drawn from a review of the literature. It also applies Hofstede's model to justify the gender differences. Findings – Information and communication technology has brought many changes in society in many aspects, has shaped new scenarios and provided new challenges for human beings. Women, comprising over half of society, are not waived of these changes, although, there is a gender gap to access and use of IT among all nations without exception. More recent studies, particularly in developed countries, show gender differences more than gender gap. Originality/value – The paper provides insights into the current computer and especially internet usage by gender among different countries.
End‐user training on the utilization of electronic information sources in fisheries sciences institutions in South India
Authors: Sujatha H.R. , Shivananda Murthy H.
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the use of electronic information sources (EIS) and the need for end‐user training in the Fisheries Sciences institutions of South India.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper was conducted using a questionnaire‐based survey method along with the observations and informal interviews among the users of the seven Fisheries Sciences institutions of South India. The response rate received was 79 per cent. The sample respondents chosen for the study consists of 183 teachers/scientists, 71 research scholars and 81 postgraduate students. The data collected were tabulated and analyzed by using SPSS statistical software. The analysis of data covers the computer literacy level, use of different electronic sources, and frequency of its use, and the areas of training needed by the users of Fisheries Sciences institutions.

Findings

It is observed that the respondent's perceived ability to use the computer is quite high and that there is significant use of EIS mainly for research purposes. Though the majority felt that their level of computer literacy was average or above average, they expressed a need for training in the use of the EIS. The respondents preferred workshops, hands‐on training, on‐screen presentations and the need‐based support to self‐help guides/hand‐outs and training by central/state government.

Originality/value

The findings of the paper have provided useful insights for the library management to take appropriate steps and plan strategies in a systematic manner so as to enable the users to achieve a higher skill which in turn would facilitate the better provision and utilization of the EIS. The paper can also be of use for other subject areas.
Managers' and auditors' perceptions of intellectual capital reporting
Authors: Ahmed Atef , Hussainey Khaled
Published: October 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to explore managers' and auditors' perceptions of intellectual capital (IC) measurement and reporting in Egyptian companies.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws on a questionnaire survey sent to managers and external auditors who were asked to provide their opinion about IC measurement and reporting for companies listed on the Egyptian Stock Exchange.

Findings

The paper finds significant differences between respondents' rates on IC indicators. These differences are due to different industry sectors involved in our sample. Further, it finds that Egyptian listed firms neither measure nor report IC indicators in their annual reports. In addition, it finds that auditors' responsibilities on IC reporting are ambiguous. Finally, the paper finds that work experience is the main determinant of managers' perceptions of IC indicators, while professional education is the main determinant of external auditors' perceptions of IC indicators.

Originality/value

Prior research on IC used the content analysis approach to measure levels of IC disclosure in annual reports. This paper adds to the existing literature by using the results of a survey questionnaire distributed to managers working in (and auditors specialised in) Egyptian companies to explore their perceptions on IC measurement and reporting. Since prior research has focused on developed economies, we strongly believe that this paper contributes to the existing literature, as we are the first to examine this issue in Egypt as an example of a developing economy.
Fraud detection, redress and reporting by auditors
Authors: Hassink Harold , Meuwissen Roger , Bollen Laury
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The primary research question of this study is to what extent auditors comply with auditing standards once they encounter fraud and whether compliance is associated with particular fraud characteristics (i.e. material versus immaterial fraud, management versus employee fraud, statutory versus voluntary audit and external versus internal fraud) as well as with auditor (experience) and audit firm characteristics (Big Four versus non‐Big Four). The study also aims to provide evidence on the role of auditors in redressing fraud. Redress refers to the auditee taking measures to nullify the consequences of the fraud, insofar as possible, and to prevent any recurrence of such fraud.

Design/methodology/approach

To gather data on the role of auditors in fraud cases, a survey was conducted among all audit partners of the top 30 Dutch audit firms. In total, 1,218 audit partners were selected and received a postal questionnaire. In total, 326 questionnaires were returned (27 per cent), of which 296 (24 per cent) were usable.

Findings

The results reveal that auditors fail to comply with some important elements of fraud standards. There are substantial differences among audit firms regarding compliance with the relevant auditing standards. Furthermore, auditors appear to encounter corporate fraud only incidentally. About half of the auditors believe they have a “significant” impact on redressing fraud.

Research limitations/implications

One of the main research findings is that it is difficult for individual auditors to build up expertise in fraud detection. There appears to be a need for specific training programs for auditors to help them to detect fraud, emphasizing the need for mandatory consultation with the technical department of the audit firm once “red flags” indicating fraud are found. Indeed, this need for change has been addressed by the Dutch professional accountancy body NIVRA as a direct result of the findings of this study.

Originality/value

This study extends existing research by investigating the compliance of auditors with fraud standards and it sheds light on the actual redress experiences of auditors. It focuses on the actions taken by auditors – or the lack thereof – in situations where auditors encounter fraud signals. The study indicates that in the absence of good oversight, auditors have mixed incentives when they are confronted with signals for fraud, resulting in actions that are not always in line with existing regulatory requirements.
An empirical investigation of the use of ISA 520 “analytical procedures” among Big 4 versus non‐Big 4 audit firms in Egypt
Authors: Samaha Khaled , Hegazy Mohamed
Published: October 2010

Purpose

This study aims to examine the International Standards on Auditing (ISA) number 520 relating to analytical procedures (APs) and adapt relevant aspects of prior studies on APs to the Egyptian audit context. The study investigates the extent of use of APs in Egypt during the three main stages of an audit by size of firms and level of staff. It examines auditors' perceptions of the frequency and effectiveness of different types of APs in achieving a selected set of audit objectives. The study also identifies the types of assurance provided by APs and their influence on detailed testing as well as analyzing the role of auditing standards in the context of the use of APs.

Design/methodology/approach

The design and research method are empirical using a questionnaire survey to collect information on actual uses of APs from 14 audit firms in Egypt which audit the 100 actively traded companies on the Egyptian Stock Exchange (EGX) as measured by the EGX 100 index. The survey was carried out between 2008 and 2009.

Findings

The results of the study showed relatively low use of APs by Egyptian auditors with wide variations in its use by Big 4 and other auditing firms. Auditors from Big 4 firms are found to use APs to a greater extent than auditors from non‐Big 4 firms. Also, the reliance on APs tends to differ by auditors rank and position. The majority of auditors consider APs useful in achieving audit objectives. Audit firms of all size continue to emphasize judgment‐based compared to quantitatively based procedures. The results also indicated a lack of confidence in the use of APs as substantive procedures. Finally, the study confirmed prior research findings in that auditing standards are regarded as most effective in codifying existing large firms practice. It was found that ISA 520 has been least effective in stimulating change in the Egyptian audit practice.

Research limitations/implications

The different economic, political, educational, and culture environment in Egypt may restrict the generalisability of this study results.

Practical implications

In order to increase the use of APs by Egyptian auditors in the various stages of the audit engagement, auditors need to understand the requirements of the Egyptian Auditing Standards regarding their use. Auditors also need to be aware of the application of various APs techniques, especially those associated with statistics and mathematical models. Educational institutions and the Egyptian Association of Accountants and Auditors must play significant role in educating auditors about APs techniques and their use in planning, testing and final review of the financial statements.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to an understanding of the nature and uses of APs within the Egyptian culture and economic context. The study will stimulate further research in understanding the importance of the use of APs in audit engagements in different perspectives.
Insights into current practices in auditing environmental matters
Authors: Chiang Christina
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate insights into current practices in auditing “environmental matters” in accordance with Audit Guidance Statement 1010: The Consideration of Environmental Matters in the Audit of Financial Reports, which was introduced by the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants in 2001.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach to gathering evidence for this study is qualitative semi‐structured in‐depth personal interviews with 27 auditors: 18 financial auditors (FAs) in chartered accounting practice and nine public sector auditors (PSAs) from the office of the Auditor‐General.

Findings

The interview findings confirmed that the auditors respond to isomorphic pressures that affect them, either by employing acquiesce or compromise strategies and that institutional theory fits best as an appropriate theory to frame the research. Environmental matters are only considered in the planning of a company audit when it is significant and relevant to financial reporting. However, evidence showed that FAs are influenced by mimetic isomorphism by adopting the perspective of company management. On the other hand, PSAs are driven by the legislative mandate imposed by the Local Government Act 2002 to search out and verify the validity, accuracy and completeness of information on environmental matters. FAs auditing both companies in the private sector and public sector organisations are able to maintain two dissimilar approaches and attitudes, depending on the type of entities they are auditing.

Research limitations/implications

As with all qualitative interviews, there are some limitations associated with individuals' responses to the semi‐structured open‐ended interview questions.

Practical implications

To prioritise the consideration of environmental matters in the audit practices of FAs for company audits will require both coercive and normative pressures in their organizational sphere.

Originality/value

This study assists in understanding an audit phenomenon not widely known. It would also add a geographical variation to existing literature.
Challenges and opportunities from greenhouse gas emissions reporting and independent auditing
Authors: Olson Eric G.
Published: October 2010

Purpose

It is clear that the trend toward measuring and managing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on a global scale is not slowing, even though different countries and geographic regions are approaching the issue with different points of view and different levels of vigor. Along with an increase in measuring and managing GHG emissions, enterprises around the world should expect to see a higher level of independent assurance and audit reporting needed. The purpose of this paper is to identify and discuss the challenges and opportunities that accompany GHG emissions accounting and auditing, as well as the supply chain and operational dependencies that are different from traditional financial auditing.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper explores the challenges and opportunities from measuring and auditing GHG emissions, and contrasts audits of sustainability information with more traditional financial auditing. It also explores some of the issues in supply chain and operational dependencies that are important in measuring and auditing GHG emissions and are different from more traditional accounting practices.

Findings

With the importance of processes to independently audit GHG emissions and natural resource consumption expected to grow in the future, it is important to understand how past experience with financial accounting and auditing can play a role in shaping the future for environmental stewardship. This paper shows that there are a number of key differences between financial and carbon auditing, which must be considered as enterprises begin to consider how to best support increasingly important sustainability reporting. As more publicly traded firms voluntarily issue sustainability reports and new legislation drives a greater need for standardized carbon accounting, so too will the need for auditing GHG emissions grow. This paper explains that GHG auditing will require cross‐functional skills with operational and process knowledge, accounting capabilities and an understanding of how operational data correlates with estimates for GHG emissions.

Originality/value

Much existing work addresses why, where, how, and who should be measuring and managing GHG emissions, but little attention is being given to the unique challenges that must be overcome in order to achieve reporting transparency. Independent auditing of GHG emissions has maintained a low profile while reporting is voluntary and standards are not fully agreed upon. However, with the possibility of legally binding legislation on the horizon, enterprises that are prepared to audit their GHG emissions and resolve issues early will be well positioned from both a compliance and market‐competition perspective.
A new model for service businesses in product‐centric firms
Authors: Gopalani Anees
Published: October 2010

Purpose

Confronted by lower product sales prospects, increased margin pressures and customer demands for free service support, many firms are entering the service business. Yet most of these firms will be unable to scale their service operations to develop a viable stand‐alone services capability. In the rare cases where they are successful in establishing a services business it will often fail to deliver the expected profit margins. However, when properly planned and executed, a products to services business transformation generates impressive results. this paper aims to investigate this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper defines how to scale services business. Key challenges and mitigation approaches as well as case studies are provided to effectively execute on services transformation. Various challenges and their effects are examined separately. Several tactics to overcome some of the key challenges identified.

Findings

When managed properly, new services businesses can deliver solid economic value to the top and bottom line. In order to capture this value, managers must look at services through a very different lens, understanding that this is a fundamentally different business model than their existing product business. It is recommended managing the entire services value chain to realize the full benefits of creating independent services revenue stream, increased product pull‐through, and deeper customer relationships.

Originality/value

By considering various obstacles a company faces in scaling services business, the paper provides insight into what strategies may be effective as established companies deal with balancing existing product‐centric business while scaling services business.
Operating models for a multipolar world: balancing global integration and local responsiveness
Authors: Girod Stephane , Bellin Joshua B. , Ranjan Kumar S.
Published: October 2010

Purpose

Multinationals have always needed an operating model that works – an effective plan for executing their most important activities at the right levels of their organization, whether globally, regionally or locally. The choices involved in these decisions have never been obvious, since international firms have consistently faced trade‐offs between tailoring approaches for diverse local markets and leveraging their global scale. This paper seeks a more in‐depth understanding of how successful firms manage the global‐local trade‐off in a multipolar world.

Design methodology/approach

This paper utilizes a case study approach based on in‐depth senior executive interviews at several telecommunications companies including Tata Communications. The interviews probed the operating models of the companies we studied, focusing on their approaches to organization structure, management processes, management technologies (including information technology (IT)) and people/talent.

Findings

Successful companies balance global‐local trade‐offs by taking a flexible and tailored approach toward their operating‐model decisions. The paper finds that successful companies, including Tata Communications, which is profiled in‐depth, are breaking up the global‐local conundrum into a set of more manageable strategic problems – what the authors call “pressure points” – which they identify by assessing their most important activities and capabilities and determining the global and local challenges associated with them. They then design a different operating model solution for each pressure point, and repeat this process as new strategic developments emerge. By doing so they not only enhance their agility, but they also continually calibrate that crucial balance between global efficiency and local responsiveness.

Originality/value

This paper takes a unique approach to operating model design, finding that an operating model is better viewed as several distinct solutions to specific “pressure points” rather than a single and inflexible model that addresses all challenges equally. Now more than ever, developing the right operating model is at the top of multinational executives' priorities, and an area of increasing concern; the international business arena has changed drastically, requiring thoughtfulness and flexibility instead of standard formulas for operating internationally. Old adages like “think global and act local” no longer provide the universal guidance they once seemed to.
How strategies of deception facilitate business growth
Authors: Pech Richard , Stamboulidis Greg
Published: October 2010

Purpose

This paper intends to describe examples of entrepreneurial growth and defensive strategies used by smaller firms against larger and aggressive competitors. It aims to focus specifically on the use of strategies of deception, which, for the purposes of this discussion, are defined as legal, but unexpected methods of pre‐empting or countering potentially harmful competitor actions.

Design/methodology/approach

These case examples of strategies of deception are drawn from two successful Australian firms, one from the horticultural industry, and the other from the petroleum retail industry. These cases are taken from a wider study of Australian entrepreneurs completed in 2009.

Findings

The two cases describe unique growth strategies that not only take market needs into consideration, but which are also designed to pre‐empt retaliatory strategies by competitors. One entrepreneur deploys a strategy designed to hide his success, giving the impression that his (very large firm) is only a very small family entity; the second entrepreneur takes this strategy further by completely hiding himself and his web of business interests from sight. This allows him to avoid aggressive competitive retaliatory behaviors. The strategies these entrepreneurs deploy are not unethical or illegal; rather, they offer a means of leveraging limited resourced firms against large, aggressive competitors.

Originality/value

These examples of strategies of deception are an extension from research originally reported in Pech. The case examples are valuable in their contribution to the study of entrepreneurial growth and defensive strategies, and provide insights into the means by which smaller firms can counter the presence of large and aggressive competitors.
Profitably shared delusions
Authors: Marren Patrick
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review the importance of mass shared beliefs in shaping economies, markets, nations, and business strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper takes the form of an opinion column.

Findings

The paper reveals that it is important to factor in the malleability of mass psychology, and its changeability, when making strategy for your organization. Multiple, seemingly inconsistent scenarios may actually all “come true” in series.

Originality/value

The paper connects a number of ideas in psychology, economics, strategy, medicine, and philosophy.
Determinants of choice of depositary receipt programs: an exploratory study
Authors: Šević Aleksandar , Krishnamurti Chandrasekhar , Šević Željko
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to perform an exploratory study of depositary receipts (DRs). In addition to the geographical analysis it test several hypothesis linked to various DRs’ issues.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the publicly available The Bank of New York's (now The Bank of New York Mellon) database, descriptive statistics and logit analysis were applied.

Findings

It is evident that smaller firms issue DRs in lower level programs apparently due to the considerable cost barriers; firms with larger capital expenditure plans prefer to issue under level III or Rule 144A DR programs and higher quality firms, proxied by lower leverage, are likely to make higher‐level DR issues.

Research limitations/implications

The database is updated quite frequently and departures from enclosed findings are likely to occur in the years to come.

Practical implications

Management interested in issuing DRs may become acquainted with the pattern exercised by both small and large companies, or by companies with specific capital structures. In this manner the listing demonstrates less uncertainty as long as it is possible for managers to ascertain and compare own companies’ features.

Originality/value

The paper adds to the current literature regarding in‐depth analysis of the DRs market.
Banking productivity: an overview of the Greek banking system
Authors: Chatzoglou Prodromos D. , Diamantidis Anastasios D. , Vraimaki Eftichia , Polychrou Elena , Chatzitheodorou Kyriakos
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to examine the productivity of the Greek banking sector for the time period 2004‐2006.

Design/methodology/approach

Standard ratio measures of bank financial performance have been used as output measures in a data envelopment analysis model in combination with efficiency ratios’ analysis.

Findings

The Greek banking efficiency remains relatively constant throughout the period under observation, while, on average, big banks perform better than medium and small ones.

Research limitations/implications

Profit and loss accounts as well as balance sheet accounts of each bank are used for examining bank efficiency.

Practical implications

A positive relationship between bank size and performance is observed. More specifically, it is suggested that large total assets gives a bank the ability to achieve higher efficiency levels; thus, a merger of two small banks will probably increase their efficiency and competitiveness in the long term.

Originality/value

Greek banks are at a crossroad and faced with the dilemma of expanding their operations internationally or staying at home. The current financial crisis has made this dilemma stronger. The paper's findings suggest that probably the best solution for the Greek banks to overcome their current problem is to merge.
On the determinants of interest margin in transition banking: the case of Serbia
Authors: Marinkovic Srdjan , Radovic Ognjen
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the link between, on one hand the interest margin of the bank, and the determinants of the interest margin on the other. The basic importance of bank interest margin or spread (BIS), arises from the fact that it presents an indicator of a bank's profitability as well as the cost of financial intermediation imposed on both its depositors and debtors.

Design/methodology/approach

To test the relationship using multiple linear regressions with lagged variables (OLS – ordinary least squares). In addition using correlation analysis as well as bootstrapping model was necessary to overcome the issue of unknown statistical distribution of small data samples.

Findings

The quantitative study reveals proposed positive and significant correlation between bank interest margins and proxies of interest‐rate risk, negative correlation with risk averseness, positive but slightly lower correlation with credit risk variable, and finally, not so strong influence of foreign bank entry. Research limitations/implications –To be more reliable, models should include individual bank‐specific data for cross‐banks examination, an area worthy of further research.

Social implications

Having implemented the methodology, the paper draws some policy recommendations. To make interest margin optimal, authorities should redesign existing system of deposit protection together with building institutional credit guarantees and thus enable relevant information to flow freely amongst participants, i.e. to establish official information sharing arrangements for bank industry.

Originality/value

This is the first econometric study of the bank interest spread determinants for the Serbian banking industry.
Testing the relation between beta and returns in the Athens stock exchange
Authors: Theriou Nikolaos G. , Aggelidis Vassilios P. , Maditinos Dimitrios I. , Šević Željko
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between beta and returns in the Athens stock exchange (ASE), taking into account the difference between positive and negative market excess returns' yields.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were taken from DataStream database and the sample period consists of 12 years divided into four six‐year periods such that the test periods do not overlap. Regression analysis is applied, using both the traditional (unconditional) test procedure and the conditional approach.

Findings

The estimation of return and beta without differentiating positive and negative market excess returns produces a flat unconditional relationship between return and beta. However, when using the conditional capital asset pricing model (CAPM) and cross‐sectional regression analysis, the evidence tends to support the significant positive relationship in up market and a significant negative relationship in down market.

Research limitations/implications

The small number of listed companies in the ASE led to the inclusion of the financial and insurance companies in the sample, and to the formation of a small number of portfolios. The same research methodology could be applied to individual stocks of the ASE and with the exclusion of all financial companies.

Originality/value

The results tend to support the existence of a conditional CAPM relation between risk and realized return trade‐off.
A reactive greedy randomized adaptive search procedure for a mixed integer portfolio optimization problem
Authors: Anagnostopoulos K.P. , Chatzoglou P.D. , Katsavounis S.
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a procedure for finding the efficient frontier, i.e. a non‐decreasing curve representing the set of Pareto‐optimal or non‐dominated portfolios, when the standard Markowitz' classical mean‐variance model is enriched with additional constraints.

Design/methodology/approach

The mean‐variance portfolio optimization model is extended to include integer constraints that limit a portfolio to have a specified number of assets, and to impose limits on the proportion of the portfolio held in a given asset. Optimization‐based procedures run into difficulties in this framework and this motivates the investigation of heuristic algorithms to find acceptable solutions.

Findings

The problem is solved by a greedy randomized adaptive search procedure (GRASP), enhanced by a learning mechanism and a bias function for determining the next element to be introduced in the solution.

Originality/value

This is believed to be the first time, a GRASP for finding the efficient frontier for this class of portfolio selection problems is used.
Model‐based management (MBM): a vital prerequisite for organizational viability
Authors: Schwaninger Markus
Published: October 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce and conceptualize the topic of Model‐based management (MBM) in organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

The relevance of different types of models for management is elaborated, and a research agenda for this new topic is proposed.

Findings

An analysis of the concept, role and function of models in the context of management and organization, as well as an outline for a new understanding of both the concept and role of models for management, grounded in system science is found.

Practical implications

Ultimately, MBM can enhance the intelligence, adaptiveness and viability of organizations of any kind: private, public, non‐profit, large or small.

Originality/value

Taking models as the pivot of a research project on general management is unconventional. The gain promised by such an innovative scope derives from its high potential: both theory and practice can benefit from the envisaged research. Theoretically speaking, advances in management and organization science can be achieved, while on the practical side, the insights gained will caution managers and leaders against succumbing to the traps of complexity, while radically improving their managerial effectiveness.