bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Achieved and tangible benefits: lessons learned from a landmark EDRMS implementation
Authors: Wilkins Linda , Swatman Paula M.C. , Holt Duncan
Published: February 2009

Purpose

Entering the twenty‐first century, burgeoning information management needs in both the private and public sectors are pushing adoption of automated records management systems. Electronic Document and Records Management Systems (EDRMS) are evolving as the most likely solution. Despite this trend, relatively few published accounts of e‐records implementations exist that present achieved and measurable benefits. This paper seeks to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors highlight a set of workflow driven strategies that required considerable managerial and financial investment.

Findings

The case study shows just how crucial it is for any organisation to bring with it the people and the processes involved in the creation, management and maintenance of records and information, if a centralised approach is to work over the longer term.

Practical implications

The detailed nature of the investigation also serves to highlight a set of well‐documented IT strategies for records management. These strategies, carefully put in place before the project got under way, demonstrably underpin the implementation and its outcomes. Practitioners should find the opportunity to examine and select transferable practices from each stage of the implementation particularly valuable.

Originality/value

This review of a recent landmark EDRMS implementation in an Australian local government authority supplements the sparse literature currently available.
How knowledge organizations work: the case of detectives
Authors: Gottschalk Petter , Holgersson Stefan , Terje Karlsen Jan
Published: February 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize detectives in police investigations as knowledge workers.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on a literature review covering knowledge organizations, police organizations, police investigations, and detectives as knowledge workers.

Findings

The paper finds that the changing role of the detective as a resource influences investigation performance in solving complex and organized crime.

Research limitations/implications

This exploratory research provides no final conclusions.

Practical implications

Leadership in police investigations needs to focus on knowledge management among detectives rather than information collection in each criminal case.

Originality/value

Until this paper, the secretive nature of the detective world has been unexplored by manpower researchers.
Organizational commitment, knowledge management interventions, and learning organization capacity
Authors: Massingham Peter , Diment Kieren
Published: February 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between organizational commitment and knowledge management initiatives in developing learning organization capacity (LOC).

Design/methodology/approach

This is an empirical study based on a single case study, using partial least squares (PLS) analysis.

Findings

The strategic importance of LOC and the role of knowledge sharing in developing LOC have been well documented. The effect of social and conversational technologies on LOC has also undergone investigation. The effect of individual factors (e.g. attitudes) towards such technologies has not been adequately described empirically. This paper links organizational commitment, a broad attitude domain, and technology aptitude, a narrow attitudinal facet, to knowledge sharing via a social and conversational technology.

Originality/value

This research clarifies person‐related effects within these important workplace phenomena.
The indirect relationship between organizational‐level knowledge worker turnover and innovation
Authors: Guidice Rebecca M. , Thompson Heames Joyce , Wang Sheng
Published: February 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to conceptually demonstrate that the relationship between turnover and innovation is not direct as some research suggests, but rather indirect, with organizational learning as the prerequisite social mechanism that ties the two phenomena together.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper integrates research across a number of related areas to develop a model of the immediate and indirect organizational consequences of different rates of knowledge worker turnover.

Findings

The paper finds that certain conditions and mechanisms must first be in place to pave the way to innovation. Grounded in social capital theory, this paper describes how turnover rates and organizational learning can be curvilinearly related with respect to ambidextrous learning; how betweenness centrality and learning culture can moderate this relationship; and why organizational learning should mediate the turnover‐innovation relationship.

Research limitations/implications

Faulty decisions based on simplified beliefs place organizational performance in a precarious position. Studies must consider how changes in personnel affect activities where interpersonal relationships are critical. Turnover that beneficially breathes diversity, critical evaluation, and creativity should result in benefits that more than offset its costs.

Originality/value

By taking an in‐depth look at previously disconnected research, the paper offers a unified model that more accurately depicts the processes and outcomes that intercede and explain how knowledge worker turnover rates come to influence innovation.
Changing affective content in brand and product attributes
Authors: Abbott Marcus , Holland Ray , Giacomin Joseph , Shackleton John
Published: February 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to explore whether consumers' cognitive reactions to a branded product remain stable over time. In many created concepts, entity attributes are such that cognitive reactions to them change in a predictable manner by attraction to elements of novelty and typicality in the genre. By analysing products from a luxury vehicle brand, under the framework of a theoretical model of changing “affective content”, this paper seeks to explore whether brands behave similarly.

Design/methodology/approach

The study draws on research previously published into the changing nature of art, poetry, architecture and other artistic genres. Text from motoring press articles written contemporarily to the production of products of the brand, over the past 80 years, are analysed for constructs of affective content and the overall values expressed.

Findings

The results provide evidence that the attributes of some branded products produce cognitive conditions that cycle in a manner that is predictable, with change points corresponding to new product introductions.

Practical implications

Through understanding cognitive reactions to the branded product that may be discreetly deconstructable and anticipated, advantageous product attribute development can progress with some certainty. Further, new product launches can be timed to coincide with receptive consumer conditions supported by appropriate attribute emphasis.

Originality/value

This paper applies a theory, which has been proven to exist in a number of artistic genres, to the brand for the first time. Its contribution is twofold; firstly, to expand developing knowledge into the cognitive processing of the branded product; and secondly, to introduce an informative process to product and brand development activities.
Impulse purchases of new products: an empirical analysis
Authors: Harmancioglu Nukhet , Zachary Finney R. , Joseph Mathew
Published: February 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to examine consumers' cognitive processes and motivations for making impulse purchases of new products.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 157 consumer surveys were collected and these were analyzed using structural equations modeling.

Findings

There are two major findings: new product knowledge and consumer desire for excitement and esteem promote impulse buying intention and behavior.

Originality/value

The paper is among the first to determine how impulse purchases of new products differ from impulse purchases of other types of products. In doing so, the paper builds on the substantial body of work surrounding impulse purchases.
A step‐by‐step process to build valued brands
Authors: Boatwright Peter , Cagan Jonathan , Kapur Dee , Saltiel Al
Published: February 2009

Purpose

The primary purpose of this study is to illustrate an analytical method to identify tangible and intangible customer values and to translate those values into brand identity differentiators and product specifications.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors adapt a product development analysis tool, the Value Opportunity Analysis (VOA), to the design of a brand identity, illustrating the use of the tool in a case study with International Truck and Engine.

Findings

The paper illustrates how the VOA was used as a tool for evaluating and crafting both a brand identity, and shows how the brand identity translates into product specifications so that products embody, communicate, and deliver the brand identity.

Research limitations/implications

Although the VOA has been used in diverse markets (business to business, consumer software, physical product), in this article the VOA is illustrated in the context of brand identity for physical products. Future studies should illustrate how the application of the method may vary across domains.

Practical implications

This approach will appeal to executives, brand managers and product managers who have a goal of maintaining a differentiated brand identity and clearly delivering brand values through the products in the brand portfolio.

Originality/value

Products serve as influential sources of information about a brand's identity. The paper treats the brand as a product to be designed, adapting an analytical approach to translate customer value into brand identity and ultimately into the specification of the products, to ensure that all are aligned to answer the marketplace needs in a way that differs from competitors.
Examination of satisfaction in cross‐product group settings
Authors: Allen Broyles S. , Ross Robert H. , Leingpibul Thaweephan (Duke)
Published: February 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to test a model that examines whether the “meets expectations” and “affective feeling state” perspectives of satisfaction are distinct constructs in a cross‐product group setting with products that have disparate levels of consumer involvement, and to test whether the constructs' influence on (re)purchase behavior are (dis)similar across product groups.

Design/methodology/approach

New measures were developed for a survey that was administered to mid‐Western US respondents. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data and test hypotheses that were developed from extant literature.

Findings

The study's findings suggest there is external validity that meets expectations and affective feeling state are two distinct constructs, and that while each construct's influence on (re)purchase behavior varies across product groups, the comparative influence differs from what is suggested in extant literature.

Research limitations/implications

Only three brands, each of which is relatively affordable were used in the study and the survey was completed with university students and with respondents from a broad range of age and socio‐economic backgrounds.

Practicable implications

This study provides a foundation for future cross‐product group research, and reveals marketers' need to develop strategies with dual goals of meeting consumers' expectations, and developing positive consumer affective feelings.

Originality/value

This study is a benchmark comparative cross‐product group consumer satisfaction study.
Plaiting pricing into product categories and corporate objectives
Authors: Kehagias John , Skourtis Emmanuel , Vassilikopoulou Aikaterini
Published: February 2009

Purpose

Using the product classification proposed by the Commodity School as it was originally expressed and later developed, this research aims to focus on defining pricing strategies for specific corporate objectives, that is, profit increase, market share increase, and prevention of new competitors from entering the market.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to investigate the relationship between four consumer product categories and alternative pricing strategies in light of various corporate objectives, a set of research questions and propositions was formed and tested on the basis of data reflecting opinions expressed by marketing executives through a mailed survey in Greece.

Findings

For convenience and preference products, the low‐price strategy is used more often, irrespective of corporate objectives, whereas the high‐price strategy is used more often, irrespective of corporate objectives, for specialty products. For shopping products, the low‐price strategy is used more often when the main corporate objectives are increased market share and the prevention of new competitors from entering the market, but when the main corporate objective is increased profits, the high‐price strategy tends to prevail.

Research limitations/implications

The current research could be further expanded to cover other related topics such as the pricing policies and specific pricing methods that are used in the four product categories in combination with the pricing strategies they relate to and serve.

Practical implications

For marketers, the development of the proposed framework can serve as a basis for pricing decisions, provided, of course, that they use research‐based information about the extent to which their products have the attributes of a certain product category.

Originality/value

As the literature review revealed, no conceptual links have been made between the three important parameters examined, that is, product categories, corporate objectives, and pricing strategies, that can form a pricing framework for consumer products. This research serves as a starting point for developing such a three‐point framework.
MySpace comments
Authors: Thelwall Mike
Published: February 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the characteristics of social network comments to give a broad overview to serve as a baseline for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

English comments from a representative sample of public MySpace profiles were examined with a collection of exploratory analyses, using automatic data processing, quantitative techniques and content analyses.

Findings

Comments were normally for general friendship maintenance and were typically short, with 95 per cent having 57 or fewer words. They contained a combination of standard spelling, apparently accidental mistakes, slang, sentence fragments, “typographic slang” and interjections. Several new creative spelling variants derived from previous forms of computer‐mediated communication have become extremely common, including u, ur, :), haha and lol. The vast majority of comments (97 per cent) contained at least one non‐standard language feature, suggesting that members almost universally recognise the informal nature of this kind of messaging.

Research limitations/implications

The investigation only covered MySpace and only analysed English comments.

Practical implications

MySpace comments should not be written in, or judged by, standard linguistic norms and may cause special problems for information retrieval.

Originality/value

This is the first large‐scale study of language in social network comments.
Online accessibility concerns in shaping consumer relationships in the automotive industry
Authors: Smith Alan D.
Published: February 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide practitioners of management and information technology a sense of how the automobile industry uses the internet to market its products.

Design/methodology/approach

A review of the applied literature on practices and actual examples of companies' practices (obtained through personal interviews and basic empirical analysis of managers located in Pittsburgh, PA) was conducted. An analysis of data derived from web‐enabled and highly educated professionals from the metropolitan area of Pittsburgh, PA, resulted in 60 interviews from an initial sample of over 155 professionals from three area firms. Techniques reviewed include online advertising, data mining from web sites, other conventional advertising of the company web site and positioning their vehicles among the various search engines.

Findings

The statistical findings lead to the general conclusion that people are using the internet with greater regularity to gain information about vehicle purchases. However, the vast majority of those surveyed still preferred to ultimately complete the purchase in person.

Practical implications

The findings show that while dealers are forced to be more competitive in terms of financing and pricing, dealerships are not in danger of being cut from the vehicle purchase model, at least not in the short‐term.

Originality/value

The internet has proven to be an invaluable tool for consumers who are either considering the purchase of a new car or actually in the process of doing so. In today's market, automotive manufacturers must have a significant market presence to compete and, in many cases, just to survive in a business environment where several of the major automotive manufacturers must find new markets overseas.
Evaluation of community web sites
Authors: Anh Tran Lan
Published: February 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore an evaluation approach and to develop a model of web site evaluation that includes the specification of evaluation criteria, key issues to discuss and recommendations for improving the web site – in this case, that of the Community Social Planning Council of Toronto (CSPC‐T).

Design/methodology/approach

The research consisted of three phases: phase 1 involved selection of the general evaluation criteria for web sites, based on a review of the literature plus the collection of factual data on information systems related to the CSPC‐T web site; phase 2 included a step‐by‐step evaluation of the existing CSPC‐T web site based on the general criteria presented in phase 1; and phase 3 provided recommendations in association with the key issues identified in phase 2 in order to improve the CSPC‐T web site, and developed the key components of the evaluation model.

Findings

The evaluation of the CSPC‐T web site found mostly positive results in terms of the content of the site and its ability to deliver information to the residents and local communities of Toronto. However, the design of the web site had some negative points requiring improvement, including site structure, page layout and interface design.

Practical implications

The paper demonstrates a step‐by‐step, practical evaluation of community web sites. The research provided a detailed report to CSPC‐T about its existing web site. This should be useful to CSPC‐T in considering how to improve its web site or whether to redesign it to deliver information and services more effectively.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the knowledge base in the fields of community networks and web site evaluation, and to the improvement of the quality of information and service delivery to local communities via the web.
Gender differences in reasons for frequent blog posting
Authors: Lu Hsi‐Peng , Hsiao Kuo‐Lun
Published: February 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to improve understanding of what motivates individual blog owners to post information frequently on weblogs, and whether gender affects those motivations.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors propose a model incorporating three key determinants of the intention to update weblogs: self‐expression; subjective norms; and personal outcome expectations. These were based on Social Cognitive Theory. An empirical study involving 525 subjects was conducted to test this model.

Findings

The results indicate that subjective norms have a stronger effect on the intention than personal outcome expectations or self‐expression. Additionally, women's intention was strongly influenced by self‐expression while men's intention was strongly influenced by personal outcome expectations of using weblogs.

Research limitations/implications

The authors verified the effects of subjective norms, personal outcome expectations and self‐expression on the intentions of weblog owners. The research found that these factors are important determinants of the intention to update weblogs. Moreover, it was found that gender moderates the relationships between factors and the intention in the research model.

Practical implications

For weblog service providers, the results can be used to develop tools to enhance people's intentions to publish according to gender.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the factors that promote the use of weblogs.
An overview of the e‐book marketplace
Authors: Vasileiou Magdalini , Hartley Richard , Rowley Jennifer
Published: February 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the e‐book marketplace players and their services against a context in which e‐books are becoming an increasingly significant category of digital resource.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper starts with a brief overview of the literature on the global e‐book market and e‐book business models offered by vendors to libraries. Analysis of the web sites of nine e‐book publishers and 11 e‐book aggregators was used as a basis for profiling the main features of e‐books (user‐oriented features and librarian‐ oriented features) and the services offered by e‐book publishers and e‐book aggregators. Key points from these profiles are discussed, and conclusions and recommendations for the future of the e‐book marketplace are offered.

Findings

The e‐book market is under constant change and it is important to monitor its development, not just at national but also at international level. Currently, the majority of e‐book vendors market to libraries – typically academic libraries, and publishers are increasingly using e‐aggregators to distribute their titles. Collections of e‐books are expanding gradually and there is evidence of increasing uptake. Current e‐book business models are complex and range considerably.

Practical implications

This development of the availability of e‐books could have significant implications for the future role of libraries and for library strategies, policies and processes.

Originality/value

The paper draws attention to the potential of the future importance of e‐books and profiles the uptake of the e‐book marketplace in terms of main players and their services.
Searching for measurable benefits
Authors: Jacsó Péter
Published: February 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to review the alternatives and to demonstrate the easily measurable benefits of savvy searching for airfares.

Design/methodology/approach

A desk‐based approach to data collection is used.

Findings

It is found that by exploring the best deals through savvy searching can yield instantly measurable benefits. Depending on travel patterns, being a savvy travel searcher can easily save enough money to yield a very good return on investment.

Originality/value

The article highlights some points and reinforces others on some of the best practices for savvy searching.
A case of a municipal solid waste management system for a medium‐sized Indian city, Aligarh
Authors: Khalil Nadeem , Khan Mubashra
Published: February 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to assess the current practices and state of solid waste management systems (SWMS) in one medium‐sized Indian town, identifying main issues and problems to its ineffectiveness, inefficiency and to gain some suggestions and recommendations to improve the SWM infrastructure and practices in such Indian towns.

Design/methodology/approach

A medium size city, Aligarh, having a population of about 0.7 million and situated 130 km from the capital city of India, Delhi, was selected for this study. An extensive literature review was conducted to establish a theoretical framework. Field visits were conducted to collect the primary data and to understand the SWMS of the city, including interaction and interviews with the various officials and workers of the municipality responsible for SWM and residents of the city. A protocol was developed to analyze the sources, quantification, and to determine the composition of waste streams. Existing reports related to SWM and recommendations of planners/NGOs/consultants for improving the system were studied.

Findings

Despite all efforts being made by the local municipality within their limited resources, the solid waste management situation in Aligarh is still not adequate. The waste is being dumped on low lying or open areas in the outskirts of the city without engineering and scientific methods. This situation of SWMS can be compared with other Indian towns of similar size.

Originality/value

The paper discusses problems, opportunities and perspectives in the existing solid waste management system in Aligarh city and assesses the potential for its improvement.
An assessment of construction details as indicators of the environmental impact of materials used on the “skin” in Greek cities
Authors: Bougiatioti Flora , Evangelinos Evangelos , Poulakos George , Zacharopoulos Elias
Published: February 2009

Purpose

Construction materials mostly affect the environment during the first stages of their life cycle. Their placement during the construction stage is of equal importance as it affects their environmental impact during the stage of use and the final stage of demolition and rejection. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the environmental impact of different construction details, which are typically used for different city surfaces in Greece.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis of the environmental impact of construction details is both quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative analysis is mainly based on embodied energy calculations of different possibilities of placement. The qualitative analysis of the different construction details considers other environmental issues, such as the water cycle in cities and the possibility of reuse and recycling, which are strongly influenced by the way materials are attached to the building shell or general substrate. All the data are gathered from bibliographical sources.

Findings

For urban open spaces and flat roofed buildings, the placement of various materials with and without the use of cement‐based mortars reveals significant differences in the environmental impact. The same applies to building façades with the current construction (cement‐based mortars or synthetic resins) compared to the ventilated façade system.

Practical implications

Architects and designers can use the methodology and the findings of this study in order to carefully design the construction details of building façades and flat roofs, and urban open spaces.

Originality/value

The study points out the significance of the construction stage in the evaluation of the environmental impact of materials in Greece, where there is extensive use of cement mortars and concrete in the construction of the paving of urban open spaces.
Assessing elements of surface hydrology for environmental quality characterisation of a site northwest of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Tahir Hussein M. , Awad Hussien , Allafouza Omar , Al Ahmadi Fahad
Published: February 2009

Purpose

Surface hydrology studies are becoming more important for environmentalists and design engineers in arid regions where climate elements, particularly rainfall, are severe, sporadic and difficult to forecast. The main purpose of this study is to analyse elements of surface hydrology in the northwest of Riyadh City as part of environmental quality characterization for urban development.

Design/methodology/approach

The study area lies within a typical arid zone in the Arabian desert, and forms an integral part of Riyadh City extension. Field observations, collection and analyses of meteorological data, identification and analyses of the drainage network were the main approaches used in this study. The study made use of SPOT 4 satellite images, published topographic maps and Digital Elevation Model (DEM) from Shuttle Radar (SRTM).

Findings

Drainage analyses show four sub‐dendritic systems in northwest Riyadh. The study area lies within the middle sub‐catchment with a total area of 11‐5 km2. Average annual rainfall is 125 mm. It occurs in the months of November‐February with a standard deviation of 17‐25.5 for monthly rainfall and a standard deviation of 3.2‐8.8 for maximum daily rainfall. Annual relative humidity is 34.4 percent, annual solar radiation is 477 cal/cm2 per day, prevailing wind direction is NE and N with an average speed of 5.1 km/hr, and average annual evaporation is 2910 mm. Runoff peak flow varies from 2.73‐4.67 m3/sec.

Practical implications

Planners, design engineers, decision makers can use these findings for urban environmental development. The results of this study can help to prepare safeguard settlements from any unforeseen events.

Originality/value

The study indicates the importance of environmental quality chacterization for urban development.
Analysing the role of decision‐making economics for industry in the climate change era
Authors: Hardisty Paul E.
Published: February 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how project economics and decision making in industry can be affected by global climate change. When assessing the sustainability of any design or project, one of the key emerging considerations is the potential for the decision to contribute to greenhouse house gas (GHG) emissions. Changes in climate may also lead to new project risks with further economic implications.

Design/methodology/approach

Examination of the wider social economic implications of climate change provides the basis for considering individual projects within the context of the social costs of carbon emissions, the prospect of the gradual internalisation of those costs, and the costs and benefits of adaptation to protect against the impacts of global change on the project.

Findings

Emissions of greenhouse gases, still widely not priced in many parts of the world, drive the emerging observed and predicted effects of climate change on the planet. This damage has real value and can be monetised, allowing a notional social cost of carbon to be estimated. As climate change continues to manifest itself, societies start to react, constraining emissions and creating a market price or tax for carbon. If economic analysis for project decision making includes an explicit consideration of the likely future trajectory of carbon prices, and also examines the wider external social costs of carbon, the benefits of early adoption of revenue‐positive measures to reduce emissions are revealed. In the same way, the financial costs of procrastination are made increasingly evident as regulatory and economic baselines shift. Designing for inevitable climate change will also help industry future‐proof their operations.

Practical implications

At present, relatively few organisations examine the financial and economic implications of carbon emissions or the effects of a changing climate on their operations. To avoid unnecessary costs, and maximise benefit for stakeholders, decision making for business and government needs to incorporate an explicit economic treatment of the current and likely future implications of operating in a climate‐constrained and climate‐impacted world.

Originality/value

By conducting the kind of analysis proposed, organisations can not only help to reduce GHG emissions, but can also improve their own financial performance. The value of this analysis will only increase over the coming decades of the climate‐change era.
Social networks, football fans, fantasy and reality
Authors: McLean Rachel , Wainwright David W.
Published: February 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of the digital culture on football supporters through analysis of official and unofficial websites and media reports. At first glance it would appear that technology has brought about greater opportunities to communicate, to share views which previously could not be widely published, and to organise against the commercial power of the large football clubs. However, surveillance, censorship and control continue to impact on supporters to restrict and ultimately prevent the ideal speech situation that is necessary to empower fans and promote greater participation in their clubs. Current media manipulation and corporate interests restrict and alienate fans who often have more of a historically constituted (over generations) sense of ownership and culture within their local clubs.

Design/methodology/approach

A critical social theory approach is adopted to examine structures and processes related to communication between fans, the media, football clubs and the public. Habermas' theory is draw upon using the concepts of “colonization of the Lifeworld” and “communicative action” to inform a theme and discourse analysis of official and independent football club websites and media reports. How corporate interests (the system) are manipulating public opinion and freedom to speak openly within an overall goal of profit maximization for club owners and the large media corporations are explored.

Findings

Although steps to enable free communication have been made we are still a long way off supporters having a powerful enough voice to organise against the commercial power of the large football clubs and media conglomerates. The ideal speech situation remains elusive and the hegemonic state remains unchallenged. Football supporters are increasingly constructed as “consumers” and the ultimate power remains in mass media and broadcast rather than personal “narrowcast”.

Originality/value

This paper extends debate on the impact of the developing “digital culture” focusing on football supporters, a specific and prevalent community within British society. It raises issues for further research in this area.
Strategic framework for brand integration in horizontal mergers and acquisitions
Authors: Anh Vũ Dũng , Shi Yongjiang , Hanby Terry
Published: February 2009

Purpose

The paper aims to provide both academics and practitioners a strategic framework for integrating brands in horizontal mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in order to create and deliver value.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual framework developed from a review of the existing literature and pilot case studies.

Findings

The paper first discusses the importance of brand integration for value creation in horizontal M&As from a practical perspective. The paper then reviews three related bodies of existing literature that are critical to this research – M&As, product and brand management, integration approach. This review leads to the identification of the research gap in the area of brand integration in M&As. The paper then develops and proposes a strategic framework for integrating brands in horizontal M&As based on the pilot case studies and existing literature.

Originality/value

The paper structures and classifies the fragmented existing literature in the domain of product and brand management into four major views – customer (market) perspectives, supply (manufacturing) concerns, product development (innovation and technology) considerations and value creation. This classification can be a useful approach for future research in reviewing the diversified product and brand management literature. The strategic framework developed here consolidates the four perspectives of product and brand management and the two views of strategic management (positioning and resource‐based) and presents four major strategies and a process for the successful integration of brands in post‐horizontal M&As. The paper also provides an overview of overseas M&A activities on the part of Chinese companies in terms of trend and motives and considers some implications of the brand integration strategic framework for Chinese companies when they acquire international brands. Future research priorities are also discussed and research methods recommended.
Backcasting performance of the emerging renewable energy sector in China
Authors: Ng Artie
Published: February 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the use of backcasting approach in dealing with the indeterminate future performance of the emerging renewable energy sector, based on the case of China. Through backcasting analysis of the emerging sector under uncertainties and concerns of the stakeholders, it acknowledges a range of hurdles ingrained in the current energy system and issues related to technology management within the Chinese context.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a conceptual paper with integration of relevant contemporary knowledge.

Findings

This study points out the challenges in plausible developments for the renewable energy sector harnessing such approach. Particularly, the pursuit of end‐points under a multitude of optima can be associated with goal‐seeking embedded in backcasting for sustainable developments, whereas economic and technological constraints inherent to the processes of technological innovation in the cultural environment are recognized. Formulating an integrative framework, this study suggests the relevance of the approach of backcasting to augment dynamic policy analysis and planning for plausible developments in time, and to consequently optimize resource allocation in the renewal of necessary technological infrastructure.

Originality/value

This paper structurally reveals critical issues in the development of an emerging technology sector of growing importance and the pertinent implications to policy making in China for sustainable development given the underlying quantitative and qualitative constraints.
Institutional structure and incentives of technology transfer
Authors: Cao Yong , Zhao Li , Chen Rensong
Published: February 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand different institutional mechanisms for promoting effective innovation diffusion and maximizing spillovers from fruitfulness of university‐industry linkages.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach involved the content analysis of university documents and in‐depth interviews with university personnel. The paper investigated the types of changes which had been instituted by selected universities in regards to the management of invention disclosure and patent licensing procedures, policies for new business startups by faculty and graduates. The paper then studies how university incentive structures have been reshaped to encourage and facilitate engagement with industry.

Findings

The types of changes have been instituted by select universities enhance research commercialization capacity in regards to the management of invention disclosure and patent licensing, policies for new business startups by faculty and graduates, and provision of seed capital, training and incubator facilities, especially the relationship between technology transfer offices and university administration, as well as faculty; how university incentive structure has been reshaped to encourage and facilitate engagement with industry; how gross royalties and/or net royalty income are distributed between university and faculty.

Originality/value

This paper describes the important role of institutional underpinnings for building commercial linkages. It also explores what university policies and institutions shape the nature and fruitfulness of innovation diffusion in China.
Science and technology policy management in China
Authors: Yong Chen‐Chen , Teh Pei‐Lee , Ooi Keng‐Boon , Siah Kim‐Lan
Published: February 2009

Purpose

Science and technology is the bedrock in developing a knowledge‐based economy. Immense changes will be spawned by the development of science and technology. Today, China's remarkable growth has brought a great interest to the rest of the world in fostering her economic development through scientific research and technology acquisition. Whether China will be the world leader in science and technology remains a puzzle. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to examine the challenges of the science and technology development in strengthening China's economic growth. In this context, the purpose of the study is to provide a conceptual framework for the strategic management of science and technology policy in China.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was conducted based on the past and present observations and literature review.

Findings

Although the concept of “policy for science” plays a pivotal role in the technology progress in China, the concept of “science for policy” should be emphasized. Hence, a unified policy framework where the concepts of “science for policy” and “policy for science” have to be incorporated and synchronized in tackling the challenges faced by current practices.

Originality/value

The commitment in developing an “innovation‐oriented society” in the twenty‐first century, it is essential to lay the foundation for the framework to understand the science and technology policy management in stimulating the Chinese economic growth. The framework could be served as the basis for policy formulation and policy analysis.
Systematically innovate! What sounds like an oxymoron is actually a recipe for dependable results
Authors: Crosswhite Dave , Rufat‐Latre Jorge
Published: February 2009

Purpose

Strategic innovation competence is critical to business success in the world today. How to develop this competence is an even more critical issue facing businesses today. This paper aims to investigate this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper explains how companies can solve these dilemmas as it explores relevant innovation theory and practice with several short case studies. Principles underlying the development of an innovation competence and an explanation of how companies can put these principles into practice to overcome the most common innovation challenges are also discussed.

Findings

The paper shows how ongoing, systematic innovation has become the only sustainable source of competitive advantage

Originality/value

This paper discusses how companies can put the principles of innovation and change into their business and make it work for them.
Competitiveness and emerging markets
Authors: Pillania Rajesh K.
Published: February 2009

Purpose

The twenty first century is increasingly categorized as a century for hyper‐competitiveness. In the knowledge economy, any country can be the location of knowledge resource and it is increasingly becoming difficult to have national competitive advantages as compared to previous centuries. This paper seeks to study the competitiveness of emerging markets, particularly Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) countries.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper obtains help form literature and recent competitiveness reports.

Findings

Emerging markets, particularly the group of BRIC countries, are increasingly becoming the growth driver of the global economy. In the Global Competitiveness Rankings of World Economic Forum, India is most competitive among BRICs, whereas in World Competitiveness Rankings of the IMD, China is most competitive followed by India, Brazil and Russia. In the knowledge economy Index and Knowledge Index, Russia is the leading player followed by Brazil, China and India.

Research limitations/implications

To maintain the growth story of emerging markets, competitiveness is a must. This issue needs to be further researched.

Practical implications

The paper finds that India and China are ahead of Russia and Brazil on competitiveness indices, but lag in knowledge indices. Thus, whereas Brazil and Russia need to focus on governance and business efficiency, India and China need to develop knowledge resources.

Originality/value

Emerging markets and competitiveness are important research issues and this paper tries to provide some basic understanding on competitiveness of emerging markets.
Demystifying knowledge management
Authors: Pillania Rajesh K.
Published: February 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to attempt to demystify knowledge management.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper looks at existing literature.

Findings

The paper finds that, in simple words, knowledge management involves three things, namely, knowledge creation, knowledge dissemination and knowledge implementation. It is a comprehensive concept and information systems and human resource management are part of it.

Research limitations/implications

There are serious implications of playing with the concept of knowledge management for researchers and practitioners and by focusing on and bringing it into functional domain like IT; the concept is forced to under perform.

Practical implications

Knowledge management is a strategic management concept drawing from various disciplinary areas.

Originality/value

This paper put things into perspective and clears the confusions and complexities around the concept of knowledge management.
Multinationals and emerging markets
Authors: Pillania Rajesh K.
Published: February 2009

Purpose

There is an increased interest in research and explanation for emerging markets and multinational corporations (MNCs). This paper aims to study emerging markets and MNCs.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper takes help of existing literature and industry examples.

Findings

The success record of MNCs from developed countries in emerging market has been mixed. The MNCs from emerging markets are now expanding and acquiring companies in developed countries at a rapid pace in recent years. This is reflected in the increasing number of emerging markets MNCs in the Fortune Global 500 list. Emerging market MNCs are giving tough competition to developed country MNCs in other emerging markets as well as Third World countries. The emerging market MNCs' power and impact has increased significantly and many of them have become household names across the world.

Research limitations/implications

MNCs play a very important role in global business. Multinationals and emerging markets have become a popular subject of research.

Practical implications

MNCs from developed countries need to understand emerging markets better. Emerging markets multinationals need to learn further in conquest for global markets.

Originality/value

This paper looks at various issues involved in multinationals and emerging markets.
How great leaders avoid disaster: the value of contingency planning
Authors: Simpkins Robert A.
Published: February 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss how leaders can benefit from better contingency planning.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is a viewpoint from an acclaimed organizational advisor and specialist in strategic planning.

Findings

The paper gives examples of good and bad contingency planning, and offers advice on how to put together a plan.

Practical implications

This paper will help managers develop and implement better strategic contingency plans.

Originality/value

This paper will be very useful for practitioners wanting to learn about contingency planning, or considering whether to write a plan or not. It gives clear step‐by‐step instructions, and uses well‐known examples from practice.