bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Topological features in crystal structures: a quotient graph assisted analysis of underlying nets and their embeddings
Authors: Eon Jean-Guillaume
Published: March 2016

Topological properties of crystal structures may be analysed at different levels, depending on the representation and the topology that has been assigned to the crystal. Considered here is thecombinatorialorbond topologyof the structure, which is independent of its realization in space. Periodic nets representing one-dimensional complexes, or the associated graphs, characterize the skeleton of chemical bonds within the crystal. Since periodic nets can be faithfully represented by their labelled quotient graphs, it may be inferred that their topological features can be recovered by a direct analysis of the labelled quotient graph. Evidence is given for ring analysis and structure decomposition into building units and building networks. An algebraic treatment is developed for ring analysis and thoroughly applied to a description of coesite. Building units can be finite or infinite, corresponding to 1-, 2- or even 3-periodic subnets. The list of infinite units includes linear chains or sheets of corner- or edge-sharing polyhedra. Decomposing periodic nets into their building units relies on graph-theoretical methods classified assurgery techniques. The most relevant operations are edge subdivision, vertex identification, edge contraction and decoration. Instead, these operations can be performed on labelled quotient graphs, evidencing in almost a mechanical way the nature and connection mode of building units in the derived net. Various examples are discussed, ranging from finite building blocks to 3-periodic subnets. Among others, the structures of strontium oxychloride, spinel, lithiophilite and garnet are addressed.
Firms’ information system characteristics and management accounting adaptability
Authors: Yigitbasioglu Ogan
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– This study aims to explore the relation between the qualities of the information system (IS), management accounting adaptability (MAA) and its effectiveness.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study involves the development and empirical testing of a model where the qualities of the IS and management accounting effectiveness (MAE) are mediated by MAA.

Findings

– Information system flexibility (ISF) and shared knowledge had a significant and positive relation to MAA, which in turn had a positive and significant relation to MAE. There was also a moderation effect of ISF on the relation between IS integration and MAA.

Research limitations/implications

– IS integration in itself may not lead to management accounting stability, but it is the lack of flexibility of the system and lack of cooperation between the stakeholders that might lead to its stagnation.

Practical implications

– Organizations are advised to implement solutions that are relatively flexible and modular, as well as encourage cooperation between stakeholders to fully leverage and improve the existing system.

Originality/value

– The study extends the discourse on the interaction between management accounting and ISs by exploring the role of a number of factors that drive MAA.
Investigating women’s intentions for entrepreneurial growth
Authors: Venugopal Vidhula
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper was to investigate the factors affecting the growth intentions of women entrepreneurs in the Indian context.

Design/methodology/approach

– The author adopted a two-stage design, which included qualitative case studies followed by an online survey of 127 women entrepreneurs.

Findings

– The findings reinforce the significance of entrepreneurs’ perception of her abilities. They also suggest the changing role of family support in continued entrepreneurship with direct family involvement positively moderating the relationship between attitude to growth and growth intentions.

Research limitations/implications

– Given the importance of entrepreneurial growth, the findings provide additional insight into growth intentions of women entrepreneurs and also the dynamic role of family in the life cycle of a venture.

Originality/value

– This paper offers insights into entrepreneurial growth of women in the context of India. It integrates the theory of planned behaviour and social identity theory to provide a comprehensive framework for furthering the understanding of the factors that affect the growth decisions of women entrepreneurs.
The impact of female entrepreneurship on economic growth in Kenya
Authors: Lock Rachel , Lawton Smith Helen
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– This study aims to provide a better understanding of the barriers and constraints that are faced by women entrepreneurs in starting and running a business in Kenya.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study draws on primary research conducted through face-to-face interviews with female entrepreneurs in Kenya in a wide range of sectors, each having their own micro enterprise. It draws on the framework of Bates et al. (2007) and Baughn et al. (2006) to look at the entrepreneurship landscape in Kenya and the barriers and constraints faced by women entrepreneurs, as well as the support and opportunities available.

Findings

– It was found that female entrepreneurs in Kenya face far fewer barriers to starting micro-enterprises now than ever before. It is proving to be a widely successful model, which they use to lift themselves and their families out of poverty. There remain, however, a number of barriers to growth within the micro-enterprise sector. On the basis of these, the paper argues that for female entrepreneurship to have a greater impact on economic growth within Kenya, the country needs to introduce more effective policies, regulation of the informal sector and further support to women entrepreneurs. For example, support could take the form of business training, mentoring and financial support.

Originality/value

– The paper presents original research on the growing phenomenon of female entrepreneurship in Kenya as a means of alleviating poverty. It considers how this trend relates to the growing availability of microfinance.
The impact of person-organization fit on innovative work behavior
Authors: Afsar Bilal
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The direct relationship between person-organization (P-O) fit and employee’s positive work attitudes and behaviours have been well researched. However, there has been no study on the impact of P-O fit on innovative work behaviour (IWB) of the nurses. The purpose of this paper is to fill this gap in the literature. In order to give a complete understanding of the psychology surrounding P-O fit, this study has longitudinally analysed the relationship between P-O fit and IWB along with the impact of a potential mediator, i.e. knowledge sharing behaviour (KSB) on this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

– A total of 357 nurses and 71 doctors from three government hospitals of Thailand filled out the questionnaires. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the relationships.

Findings

– Results of the study indicate that a nurse’s P-O fit is positively associated with both self and doctor ratings of innovative behaviours; and KSB acts as a partial mediator between P-O fit and IWB at both Times 1 and 2. These results imply that a nurse’s perceived fit in the hospital impacts his/her engagement into IWB. As nurses share knowledge with their co-workers frequently, it tends to strengthen the relationship between P-O fit and IWB.

Originality/value

– Study findings begin to explain how P-O fit impacts IWB of nurses. Specifically, the author find that KSB explains the relationship between P-O fit and IWB.
Advancing the Big Five of user-oriented care and accounting for its variations
Authors: Kajonius Petri , Kazemi Ali
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– Care process quality (i.e. how care is enacted by a care worker toward a client at the interpersonal level) is a strong predictor of satisfaction in a wide range of health care services. The purpose of this paper is to describe the basic elements of care process quality as user-oriented care. Specifically, the questions of how and why quality in user-oriented care varies were investigated in the context of elderly care.

Design/methodology/approach

– Two municipalities were selected for in-depth field studies. First, in each municipality, the authors interviewed and observed care workers’ interactions with the older persons in both home care and nursing homes during two weeks (Study 1). Second, in an attempt to gain a deeper understanding of why process quality in terms of user-oriented care varies, the authors conducted interviews with care workers and care unit managers (Study 2).

Findings

– A new taxonomy for categorizing process quality variation, the Big Five of user-oriented care (task-focus, person-focus, affect, cooperation, and time-use), is proposed. In addition, the perceived reasons for process quality variation are reported in our own developed Quality Agents Model, suggesting that variations in care process evaluations may be explained from different perspectives at multiple levels (i.e., older person, care worker-, unit-, department-, and municipality level).

Originality/value

– The proposed taxonomy and model are useful for describing user-oriented care quality and the reasons for its variations. These findings are of relevance for future quality developments of elderly care services, but also may be adapted to applications in any other enterprise employing a user-oriented approach.
Five focus strategies to organize health care delivery
Authors: Peltokorpi Antti , Linna Miika , Malmström Tomi , Torkki Paulus , Lillrank Paul Martin
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The focused factory is one of the concepts that decision-makers have adopted for improving health care delivery. However, disorganized definitions of focus have led to findings that cannot be utilized systematically. The purpose of this paper is to discuss strategic options to focus health care operations.

Design/methodology/approach

– First the literature on focus in health care is reviewed revealing conceptual challenges. Second, a definition of focus in terms of demand and requisite variety is defined, and the mechanisms of focus are explicated. A classification of five focus strategies that follow the original idea to reduce variety in products and markets is presented. Finally, the paper examines managerial possibilities linked to the focus strategies.

Findings

– The paper proposes a framework of five customer-oriented focus strategies which aim at reducing variety in different characteristics of care pathways: population; urgency and severity; illnesses and symptoms; care practices and processes; and care outcomes.

Research limitations/implications

– Empirical research is needed to evaluate the costs and benefits of the five strategies and about system-level effects of focused units on competition and coordination.

Practical implications

– Focus is an enabling condition that needs to be exploited using specific demand and supply management practices. It is essential to understand how focus mechanisms differ between strategies, and to select focus that fits with organization’s strategy and key performance indicators.

Originality/value

– Compared to previous more resource-oriented approaches, this study provides theoretically solid and practically relevant customer-oriented framework for focusing in health care.
Performance management of the public healthcare services in Ireland: a review
Authors: Mesabbah Mohammed , Arisha Amr
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– Performance Management (PM) processes have become a potent part of strategic and service quality decisions in healthcare organisations. In 2005, the management of public healthcare in Ireland was amalgamated into a single integrated management body, named the Health Service Executive (HSE). Since then, the HSE has come up with a range of strategies for healthcare developments and reforms, and has developed a PM system as part of its strategic planning. The purpose of this paper is to review the application of PM in the Irish Healthcare system, with a particular focus on Irish Hospitals and Emergency Services.

Design/methodology/approach

– An extensive review of relevant HSE’s publications from 2005 to 2013 is conducted. Studies of the relevant literature related to the application of PM and of international best practices in healthcare performance systems are also presented.

Findings

– PM and performance measurement systems used by the HSE include many performance reports designed to monitor performance trends and strategic goals. Issues in the current PM system include inconsistency of measures and performance reporting, unclear strategy alignment, and deficiencies in reporting (e.g. feedback and corrective actions). Furthermore, PM processes have not been linked adequately into Irish public hospitals’ management systems.

Research limitations/implications

– The HSE delivers several services such as mental health, social inclusion, etc. This study focuses on the HSE’s PM framework, with a particular interest in acute hospitals and emergency services.

Originality/value

– This is the first comprehensive review of Irish healthcare PM since the introduction of the HSE. A critical analysis of the HSE reports identifies the shortcomings in its current PM system.
Relative position fitting based control strategy for thruster point assembly mechanism of electric propulsion
Authors: Li Xiaohui , Geng Jie , Zhang Qiang , Sun Jing
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– Thruster point assembly mechanism (TPAM) of the electric propulsion system allows to adjust the thrust vector, so that the thrust vector is directed to the satellite center of gravity (COG) during the satellite on-orbit working period. In this way the impact of disturbance torque caused by deviation of the thrust vector from the satellite COG during thruster ignition can be decreased. Therefore, the control accuracy of satellite is influenced directly by the control accuracy of TPAM. On the other hand, the on-orbit application of TPAM is restricted to the on-orbit computer resource. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to design a control strategy for TPAM, and the strategy should not only be able to control the TPAM precisely but also be easily implemented by the on-board computer.

Design/methodology/approach

– First, the structure and work principle of TPAM are discussed, and the mathematical model based on D-H coordinate system is built for it. Then the fitting methods are utilized to design the control strategy of TPAM. Absolute position fitting-based control strategy and relative position fitting-based control strategy are designed, and the least squares algorithm is introduced for parameter selection.

Findings

– Simulations and tests are provided for the TPAM. Compared with the state-of-the-art PD controller, the proposed control strategy shows smaller overshoot and more simple realization. The experiment results are matched with the simulation results and both the experiment and simulation results show the validity of the proposed control strategies.

Practical implications

– The designed control strategies can be used for the TPAM of some satellite’s electric propulsion system.

Originality/value

– The mathematical model of the TPAM based on D-H coordinate system is given. The absolute position fitting-based control strategy and relative position fitting-based control strategy are proposed. Compared with existing methods, the two control strategies have more simple structure and smaller amount of computations. Furthermore, the relative position fitting-based control strategy achieves high precision with simple structure.
Upper limb bilateral symmetric training with robotic assistance and clinical outcomes for stroke
Authors: Simkins Matt , Byl Nancy , Kim Hyunchul , Abrams Gary , Rosen Jacob
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the physiotherapeutic benefits of bilateral symmetric training (BST) for stroke survivors affected by hemiparesis.

Design/methodology/approach

– Other studies have investigated symmetric physiotherapy. A key difficulty in previous work is in maintaining mirror-imaged trajectories between the affected and less-affected limbs. This obstacle was overcome in this work by using a two-armed robotic exoskeleton to enforce symmetry. In total, 15 subjects,
>
6 months post stroke were, randomly assigned to bilateral symmetric robotic training, unilateral robotic training, and standard physical therapy.

Findings

– After 12 training sessions (90 minutes/session), the bilateral training group had the greatest intensity of movement training. They also had the greatest improvement in range of motion at the shoulder. The unilateral training group showed the greatest reduction in spasticity.

Research limitations/implications

– The rationale for symmetric physiotherapy is that it might promote connections from the undamaged brain hemisphere. The robot generated copious amounts of detailed kinematic data. Even though these data provided insights into the human to machine interface using different training modalities, it proved difficult to draw neurological conclusions. It is recommended that future research along these lines should include measures of neurophysiological change and/or changes in neurological activity.

Practical implications

– This research suggests that the advantage of bilateral symmetric movement over other modalities is slight, and that robotic training has comparable results with standard care. If BST is used, care is potentially needed to avoid exacerbation of spasticity. Finally, this research includes a novel quantitative approach for evaluating robotic training.

Originality/value

– This study is of value to therapeutic researchers interested in new physiotherapy techniques, roboticists interested in developing rehabilitation devices, or for rehabilitation game designers interested in using virtual reality.
Performance evaluation of mobile communication system with reliability measures
Authors: Ram Mangey , Nagiya Kuldeep
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to evaluate performance of mobile communication system with reliability measures.

Design/methodology/approach

– The mobile communication system consists of a mobile station (MS), base transceiver station (BTS), base station controller (BSC) and the mobile switching center. The MS is connected to BTS, BTS is connected to BSC and BSC is connected with the mobile switching system. With the help of these stations working, the authors have developed a mathematical model using Markovian approach.

Findings

– Using the supplementary variable technique, the Laplace transformations and Markov process theory, the reliability indices of the mobile communication system are determined.

Originality/value

– In the present work, the authors have developed a mathematical model based on a mobile communication system.
Future urban design strategies for health and wellbeing
Authors: Shiue Ivy
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– Contemporary urban design has tried to account for the satisfaction of the human experience and climate change which might encompass several disciplines. However, from a methodological perspective, a systematic research approach is still lacking. Therefore, this paper aims to propose a universal research method embedded into early urban design phase with an example.

Design/methodology/approach

– A case study was used under the concept of DIDID Action Plan, which was proposed to integrate systematic research into urban design projects in the early phase with a focus on health and well-being. Moreover, design mapping skills tackling health risks at the population level were discussed.

Findings

– This proposal of DIDID Action Plan has provided inclusive steps for future urban design projects with a systematic approach, in particular for health and well-being aspect. DIDID denotes five planning stages, namely, dream, initiation, design, implementation and delivering. With the advancement of urbanisation and technology, more emphasis would be placed on health and well-being to delay chronic diseases by targeting risk contributors and to increase citizens’ quality of life and human life experience, although stopping the breakout of unexpected communicable diseases and disasters would also need to be considered from time to time as well.

Practical implications

– Systematic research to be integrated into early urban design phase could potentially avoid issues such as re-design and save manpower time and costs.

Originality/value

– This proposal is the first to provide a universal research method for early urban design phase with a focus on health and well-being.
Application of fuzzy logic for leanness assessment in SMEs: a case study
Authors: Vidyadhar R. , Sudeep Kumar R. , Vinodh S. , Antony Jiju
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual model and application of fuzzy logic for leanness assessment in small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Design/methodology/approach

– Lean manufacturing enables the manufacturing organizations to achieve streamlined processes. Leanness is the performance measure of lean practices. A conceptual model for leanness assessment in the context of SMEs is developed, and fuzzy logic approach has been used for leanness assessment.

Findings

– The approach computes Fuzzy Leanness Index (FLI), Euclidean distance and Fuzzy Performance Importance Index for various leanness attributes. FLI is found to be (4.42, 6, 7.64), and the organization is found to be “Very Lean”.

Research limitations/implications

– The case study has been conducted in a single manufacturing organization. In future, more studies could be conducted to enhance the practical validity.

Practical implications

– The case study has been conducted in an SME located in Coimbatore, India. Hence, the inferences derived from the study have practical validity.

Originality/value

– The development of conceptual model for leanness assessment for SMEs is the original contribution of the authors.
Combining a survey approach and energy and indoor environment auditing in historic buildings
Authors: Rohdin Patrik , Dalewski Mariusz , Moshfegh Bahram
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– This paper presents an approach where a survey study is combined with energy and indoor environment auditing in the built environment. The combination of methods presented in this paper is one way to obtain a wider perspective on the indoor environment and energy use and also let the people in the building voice their comments on the indoor environment. This is arguably even more important in historic buildings where many of the physical properties are to a higher degree unknown when compared with conventional buildings. The purpose of the paper is to report the experiences from this research project.

Design/methodology/approach

– A combination of energy and indoor environment auditing and standardized occupant surveys.

Findings

– The main findings in the paper are related to the good agreement between results from standardized occupant surveys and physical measurements. The possibility to triangulate problems related to poor indoor conditions was shown to be one main advantage of the combined methodology presented in the paper. A standardized survey approach also allows benchmarking, in this case with two groups representing “average” buildings as well as a group representing well-functioning buildings. The use of records from building key cards was also shown to be an effective way of keeping track of activity in the building and thereby distribute internal gains. In addition, the paper reports a linear correlation between activity level and electricity use.

Originality/value

– The paper shows an effective way to investigate the performance, in terms of energy use as well as indoor environment, of historic buildings in use. This type of approach could benefit property owners, as it both allows benchmarking as well as investigating individual properties before, e.g., a refurbishment.
Effect of outrigger-belt truss location on the dynamic response of high-rise building subjected to blast loading
Authors: Sharifi Yasser , Aviz Hamed
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– Nowadays, with the expansion of terrorist operations around the world and also the dangers of accidental explosions, the need to design structures resistant to this phenomenon for the protection and safety of its citizens is inevitable. Tall buildings are one of the most important issues because of which those behavior should be investigated against the blast loading.

Design/methodology/approach

– In this paper, the authors used a simple method for investigating the dynamic response of tall buildings with the combined system of framed tube, shear core and outrigger-belt truss located at different heights of the building’s that were subjected to blast loading. This proposed model is based on the development of a continuum model and the ruling equations that have been obtained using the energy principle predict the whole structure idealized as a shear and flexural cantilever beam with rotational springs at the belt truss location.

Findings

– The mathematical procedure shows a good understanding of the structural behavior and is suitable for a quick evaluation during the preliminary design stage, which requires less time. Moreover, it was concluded that the present blast load idealization can be used to reasonably assess the response of tall buildings subjected to blast load.

Originality/value

– The comparative analysis in this paper could give other engineers a simple analysis method for the preliminary analysis and design of tall building analysis. Numerical example is given to illustrate the ease of application and the accuracy of the suggested model.
The Early Childhood Socio-Emotional and Behavior Regulation Intervention Specialist (EC-SEBRIS) training model: a crossroad of mental health and early childhood education
Authors: Ritblatt Shulamit Natan
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present the Early Childhood-Socio-Emotional and Behavior Regulation Intervention Specialist (EC-SEBRIS) Certificate Program model integrating knowledge and practice. Coursework, videotaping, on-site coaching, and the reflective process facilitate the application of knowledge through the integration of theory and practice supporting young children and families. It is designed to help teachers and early childhood professionals to internalize the skills and competencies needed to address challenging behaviors in their classrooms or at homes so that they can meet the critical social-emotional and behavioral needs of children.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper will provide: research-based information to establish the need for such training programs; the rational to the conceptual framework of the EC-SEBRIS Certificate Program; the depiction of the wraparound training model, which uses triple coaching and mentoring methods: reflective supervision, videotaping, and on-site coaching for teachers; and a preliminary evaluation of the program, and future plans.

Findings

– The EC-SEBRIS Certificate Program is at its early implementation stage. The author have graduated four cohorts, for a total of 113, early childhood professionals who have been hired to enhance the behavioral health services provided to young children and families. Overall, results suggest that the students’ knowledge base and confidence improved from time 1 to time 2 for each of the knowledge-based courses.

Research limitations/implications

– This is a conceptual paper.

Practical implications

– The program bridges the early childhood education (ECE) and early childhood mental health fields, and recognizes the important role that early care and education professionals play in the socio-emotional development of young children. Coursework, videotaping, on-site coaching, and the reflective process facilitate the application of knowledge through the integration of theory and practice in the field supporting young children and families.

Social implications

– Challenging behaviors are one of the issues all early childhood educators have to deal within their classrooms. The model, as presented in the manuscript, can be implemented in other higher education institutions to enhance the skill sets of professionals who need to respond to this critical need and support healthy development of young children.

Originality/value

– This is an original model emphasizing the importance of training early childhood educators to support emotion and behavior regulation in young children. The paper presents a cutting edge teaching model which integrates knowledge, practice, and reflective practice. This training model focuses on the ECE workforce as the front line to the provision of early childhood mental health support.
THC-DAT: a document analysis tool based on topic hierarchy and context information
Authors: Chen Jing , Wang Tian Tian , Lu Quan
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel within-document analysis tool (DAT) topic hierarchy and context-based document analysis tool (THC-DAT) which enables users to interactively analyze any multi-topic document based on fine-grained and hierarchical topics automatically extracted from it. THC-DAT used hierarchical latent Dirichlet allocation method and took the context information into account so that it can reveal the relationships between latent topics and related texts in a document.

Design/methodology/approach

– The methodology is a case study. The authors reviewed the related literature first, then utilized a general “build and test” research model. After explaining the model, interface and functions of THC-DAT, a case study was presented using a scholarly paper that was analyzed with the tool.

Findings

– THC-DAT can organize and serve document topics and texts hierarchically and context based, which overcomes the drawbacks of traditional DATs. The navigation, browse, search and comparison functions of THC-DAT enable users to read, search and analyze multi-topic document efficiently and effectively.

Practical implications

– It can improve the document organization and services in digital libraries or e-readers, by helping users to interactively read, search and analyze documents efficiently and effectively, exploringly learn about unfamiliar topics with little cognitive burden, or deepen their understanding of a document.

Originality/value

– This paper designs a tool THC-DAT to analyze document in a THC way. It contributes to overcoming the coarse-analysis drawbacks of existing within-DATs.
How Moroccan managers view dividend policy
Authors: Baker H. Kent , Jabbouri Imad
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to survey managers of firms listed on the Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) to learn their views about the factors influencing dividend policy, dividend issues, and explanations for paying dividends. It compares the results to similar dividend surveys in the USA, Canada, Indonesia, and India.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study uses a mail survey of CSE listed firms that paid one or more cash dividends to common stock holders between June 1, 2010 and September 30, 2014 as the primary means of collecting data.

Findings

– The evidence shows that the most important determinants of a firm’s dividend policy are the level of current earnings, stability of earnings, and needs of current shareholders. A significant correlation exists between the overall rankings of the 25 factors influencing dividend policy between managers of Moroccan firms and those of USA, Canadian, Indonesian, and Indian firms. Managers of Moroccan firms perceive that dividend policy affects firm value. Managers view multiple theories including signaling, agency, catering, and life cycle explanations as credible and contribute in explaining why their firms pay dividends.

Research limitations/implications

– Despite a high response rate of almost 55 percent, the number of responses limits the ability to divide the sample firms by size, industry, and other characteristics and to test for statistically significant differences between various groups.

Originality/value

– This is the first survey-based research designed to document how Moroccan managers view dividends. Although evidence suggests that some factors are consistently more important than others, no universal set of factors is likely to be applicable to all firms.
Modeling firm resources –enterprise risk management relationships
Authors: Abd Razak Noraznira , Ab Rahman Zuriah , Borhan Halimahton
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to focus, explore, and provide an in-depth analysis of the relationship between company resources and the process of enterprise risk management (ERM) in order to strengthen corporate structures against emerging uncertainties.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper proposes a strategic risk management framework for the development and sustainability of corporate performance by focussing on the dimension of firm resources extracted from the resources-based theory. This paper focussed on using Malaysia listed firms under Malaysian Bourse as sample frame using the random sampling technique whereby questionnaire were distributed among head of risk management department. Of the 600 questionnaires distributed, 223 were returned completed.

Findings

– The survey results indicate that intangible resources play a significant roles in resources – performance relationship while the other two main dimension that are tangible resources and capabilities have shown contradictory results.

Research limitations/implications

– This paper only focussed on using Malaysia listed firms under Malaysian Bourse as sample frame.

Practical implications

– The management of risk is a dynamic phenomenon and the change of management that parallel with its evolution demand a revisiting and revamping over and over again promptly. In order to adapt and survive the volatile environment time and again, the effort to ensure long-term sustainability has to be made by the firm as success and failure can quickly replace one another in a relatively short period. The results highlight the various insight that might be helpful to managers in terms of managing the performance of the firm by concentrating entirely on its risk management and resources managements process.

Originality/value

– Overall it was shown that only certain dimension of resources within the firm has strong relationship with the performance variation. As such, the company has to ensure that deployment of resources has to be optimized accordingly by focussing on the types of resources that matters so that possibility of improving the outcome of the firm in the volatile global environment can be realized.
The relationship between marketing culture and organizational commitment
Authors: Yildirim Seda , Acaray Ali , Candan Burcu
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to find out whether there was a significant relationship between marketing culture and organizational commitment. In addition, relations between dimensions or marketing culture and dimensions of organizational commitment were investigated. Prior studies have shown that there were significant relationships between organizational culture and organizational commitment. Accordingly it is that there is a significant relationship between marketing culture and organizational commitment.

Design/methodology/approach

– This research collected data via survey method in Istanbul, Turkey. The survey forms were implemented to employees who were selected by convenience sampling method from one private bank’s agencies and 318 employees participated to the survey implementation.

Findings

– With the help of canonical correlation analyze, it was found out that there was a significant relationship between marketing culture and organizational commitment. Accordingly the main hypothesis was supported. Also relations between dimensions of marketing culture and dimensions of organizational commitment were concluded through their canonical loadings.

Research limitations/implications

– This study used two main scales from the literature to determine marketing culture and organizational commitment. For marketing culture, Webster’s (1990) marketing culture scale was preferred to determine marketing culture of employees. Organizational commitment was evaluated in three basic dimensions as affective commitment, continuance commitment and normative commitment according to Meyer and Allen’s (1997) scale. For future studies, different types of scales can be used differently in another service sector or business. The results can give some useful information essentially for managers from banking sector.

Originality/value

– This study has an important originality as being the first one that investigates the relationship between marketing culture and organizational culture in a related literature. So it is thought to show significant relations between marketing culture’s factors and organizational commitment’s factors.
Moving Policy Theory Forward: Connecting Multiple Stream and Advocacy Coalition Frameworks to Policy Cycle Models of Analysis
Authors: Howlett Michael , McConnell Allan , Perl Anthony
Published: March 2016

The stages/policy cycle, multiple streams, and Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF) approaches to understanding policy processes, all have analytical value although also attracting substantive criticism. An obvious direction for research is to determine whether the multiple streams framework and the ACF can be refined and applied to other dimensions of policy‐making set out in the policy cycle model. This article argues that extending and modifying Kingdon's framework beyond the agenda‐setting stage is best suited to this endeavour. Doing so makes it possible to bring these three approaches into alignment and enhances our understanding, although retaining the core insights of each.
Assigning cause of maternal death: a comparison of findings by a facility‐based review team, an expert panel using the new ICD‐MM cause classification and a computer‐based program (InterVA‐4)
Authors: Mgawadere F , Unkels R , van den Broek N
Published: March 2016

Objective

To compare methodology used to assign cause of and factors contributing to maternal death.

Design

Reproductive Age Mortality Study.

Setting

Malawi.

Population

Maternal deaths among women of reproductive age.

Methods

We compared cause of death as assigned by a facility‐based maternal death review team, an expert panel using the International Classification of Disease, 10th revision (ICD‐10) cause classification for deaths during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (ICD‐MM) and a computer‐based probabilistic program (InterVA‐4).

Main outcome measures

Number and cause of maternal deaths.

Results

The majority of maternal deaths occurred at a health facility (94/151; 62.3%). The estimated maternal mortality ratio was 363 per 100 000 live births (95% CI 307–425). There was poor agreement between cause of death assigned by a facility‐based maternal death review team and an expert panel (κ = 0.37, 86 maternal deaths). The review team considered 36% of maternal deaths to be indirect and caused by non‐obstetric complications (ICD‐MM Group 7) whereas the expert panel considered only 17.4% to be indirect maternal deaths with 33.7% due to obstetric haemorrhage (ICD‐MM Group 3). The review team incorrectly assigned a contributing condition rather than cause of death in up to 15.1% of cases. Agreement between the expert panel and InterVA‐4 regarding cause of death was good (κ = 0.66, 151 maternal deaths). However, contributing conditions are not identified by InterVA‐4.

Conclusions

Training in the use of ICD‐MM is needed for healthcare providers conducting maternal death reviews to be able to correctly assign underlying cause of death and contributing factors. Such information can help to identify what improvements in quality of care are needed.

Tweetable abstract

For maternal deaths assigning cause of death is best done by an expert panel and helps to identify where quality of care needs to be improved.
Partial moment volatility indices
Authors: Liu Zhangxin (Frank) , O'Neill Michael J.
Published: March 2016

Forward‐looking partial moment volatility indices are developed using state‐pricing, called the bear index (BEX) and bull index (BUX). Using S&P 500 index (SPX) option prices, we find that BEX and BUX provide superior forecasts for the lower and upper partial moments of future market realised volatility, respectively. We examine the relation between SPX returns and changes in BEX and BUX at the daily level. Results are consistent with the volatility feedback hypothesis. Further, we show that BEX may be more suitable as the ‘investor fear gauge’ than VIX.
Prey preferences of free‐ranging cheetahs on farmland: scat analysis versus farmers' perceptions
Authors: Boast Lorraine , Houser AnnMarie , Horgan Jane , Reeves Harriet , Phale Phale , Klein Rebecca
Published: March 2016

Human–predator conflict is one of the biggest threats to large carnivore species worldwide. Its intensity is closely linked to farmer's attitudes and perceptions of predators. As a result, farmers' estimates of the number of livestock or game‐stock animals killed by predators are often formed based on the perceived number of predators present and their perceivably favoured prey species. This study aims to examine the prey preferences of cheetahs Acinonyx jubatus in relation to farmers' perceptions and the relative contribution of livestock and game‐stock to the cheetahs' diet. Cheetahs' prey preferences were determined through the cross‐sectional analysis of prey hair, found in cheetah scat. Cheetahs were found to predominantly prey on free‐ranging abundant game species, primarily kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros. Game ranchers overestimated the prominence of game‐stock to the cheetahs' diet, especially springbok Antidorcas marsupialis. Potential reasons for these discrepancies and the importance of abundant natural prey as a potential human–predator coexistence strategy are discussed.
High risk of drug‐induced microscopic colitis with concomitant use of NSAIDs and proton pump inhibitors
Authors: Verhaegh B. P. M. , de Vries F. , Masclee A. A. M. , Keshavarzian A. , de Boer A. , Souverein P. C. , Pierik M. J. , Jonkers D. M. A. E.
Published: March 2016

Background

Microscopic colitis (MC) is a chronic bowel disorder characterised by watery diarrhoea. Nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and statins have been associated with MC. However, underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Aim

To study the association between exposure to these drugs and MC, with attention to time of exposure, duration, dosage and combined exposure, and to test hypotheses on underlying pharmacological mechanisms.

Methods

A case–control study was conducted using the British Clinical Practice Research Datalink. MC cases (1992–2013) were matched to MC‐naive controls on age, sex and GP practice. Drug exposure was stratified according to time of exposure, duration of exposure or dosage. Conditional logistic regression analysis was applied to calculate adjusted odds ratios (AORs).

Results

In total, 1211 cases with MC were matched to 6041 controls. Mean age was 63.4 years, with 73.2% being female. Current use of NSAIDs (AOR 1.86, 95% CI 1.39–2.49), PPIs (AOR 3.37, 95% CI 2.77–4.09) or SSRIs (AOR 2.03, 95% CI 1.58–2.61) was associated with MC compared to never or past use. Continuous use for 4–12 months further increased the risk of MC. Strongest associations (fivefold increased risk) were observed for concomitant use of PPIs and NSAIDs. Statins were not associated with MC.

Conclusions

Current exposure to NSAIDs, PPIs or SSRIs and prolonged use for 4–12 months increased the risk of MC. Concomitant use of NSAIDs and PPIs showed the highest risk of MC. Acid suppression related dysbiosis may contribute to the PPI effect, which may be exacerbated by NSAID‐related side‐effects.
Results of a multicentre UK‐wide retrospective study evaluating the efficacy of pixantrone in relapsed, refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma
Authors: Eyre Toby A. , Linton Kim M. , Rohman Phillipa , Kothari Jaimal , Cwynarski Kate , Ardeshna Kirit , Bailey Chris , Osborne Wendy L. , Rowntree Clare , Eden Dewi , Shankara Paneesha , Eyre David W. , Jasani Parag , Chaidos Aristeidis , Collins Graham P. , Hatton Chris S.
Published: March 2016

Relapsed or refractory (R/R) diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in those unfit or ineligible for autologous stem cell transplantation is associated with a poor outcome and new treatment approaches are needed. Pixantrone is a novel aza‐anthracenedione which is structurally similar to anthracyclines and is licenced in R/R DLBCL and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)‐approved following the PIX301 trial. No data exist post‐NICE approval. We performed a UK‐wide retrospective multi‐centre study of 92 R/R DLBCL who received pixantrone. Eighty‐five per cent had refractory disease and 72% had an international prognostic index (IPI) 3–5 at commencement of pixantrone. The median progression‐free survival (PFS) was 2·0 months (95% confidence interval (CI) 1·5–2·4) and the median overall survival was 3·4 months (95% CI 2·7–4·5). The overall response rate was 24% (complete response 10%; partial response 14%). We demonstrate that pixantrone has limited activity in a cohort of high risk, predominantly refractory DLBCL. Multivariate Cox regression revealed that patients who relapsed >12 months after first line treatment, those with fewer prior lines of therapy and relapsed (non‐refractory) DLBCL had improved PFS. The major population of unmet need are those with refractory DLBCL who are poorly represented within trials and in whom pixantrone appears less efficacious compared to relapsed DLBCL.
Brine formation recorded by stable isotopes of Recent benthic foraminifera in Storfjorden, Svalbard: palaeoceanographical implications
Authors: Mackensen Andreas , Schmiedl Gerhard
Published: March 2016

We discuss water oxygen isotopes (δ18Ow) and carbon isotopes of dissolved inorganic carbon (δ13CDIC) of brine‐enriched shelf water (BSW) from Storfjorden (southern Svalbard) in comparison to Recent benthic foraminiferal δ18Oc and δ13Cc calcified in the same water. We determined relatively high δ18Ow values of 0.15±0.03‰ VSMOW in BSW below sill depth at temperatures below −1.8 °C, and high δ18Oc values of 3.90±0.18‰ VPDB. Such high BSW δ18Ow cannot significantly deplete 18Ow contents of Arctic Ocean deep water; furthermore, such high δ18Oc cannot be distinguished from δ18Oc values of 3.82±0.12‰, calcified in warmer Arctic and Nordic seas intermediate and deeper waters. Today, in Storfjorden low benthic δ13Cc and high δ18Oc reflect the low δ13CDIC and relatively high δ18Ow of BSW. High benthic δ18Oc is in contrast to expected low δ18Oc as brine rejection is widely thought to predominantly take place in surface water diluted by meteoric water with very low δ18Ow. Low epibenthic δ13Cc values of 0.50±0.12‰ partly reflect low δ13CDIC caused by enhanced uptake of atmospheric low δ13CCO2 decreased by anthropogenic activities. An adjustment for preindustrial higher values would increase δ13Cc by about 0.6‰. Therefore, in Storfjorden brine formed before the industrial era would be characterized by both high δ13Cc as well as high δ18Oc values of benthic foraminiferal calcite. Our data may cast doubt on scenarios that explain negative excursions in benthic foraminiferal stable isotope records from the Atlantic Ocean during cold stadials in the last glacial period by enhanced brine formation in Nordic seas analogously to modern processes in Storfjorden.