bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Value dimensions and creativity: an international comparative study
Authors: Kyvik Oyvin , Zhang Yingying , Romero‐Martinez Ana M.
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically explore the relationship between value dimensions and creativity, particularly between the intrinsic and extrinsic value approaches and creativity values.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopts an explanatory approach. After analyzing construct validity, reliability and factor analysis, the study tests its hypotheses by performing a multi‐regression analysis with a sample of 389 individuals in two different regions.

Findings

There are two main conclusions. First, intrinsic value systems (personal life values and intrinsic work values) affect creativity value in a positive manner. Second, extrinsic value systems (social life values and extrinsic work values) have an insignificant or weak positive impact on the creativity value.

Originality/value

The results of this research are applicable to the global technology/innovation intensive knowledge economy, where highly dynamic and competitive business environments also demand further strategy innovation. A focus on the intrinsic value approach could be effective to enhance creativity value, and hence this type of behavior. Relative management education and human resource management practices need to take this into account in their program designs, in order to further their strategic importance for better performance in a global business world.
Creative leaders promote creative organizations
Authors: Ellen Mathisen Gro , Einarsen Ståle , Mykletun Reidar
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of leaders’ creativity as a predictor of organizational creativity. The authors expected that creative leaders would promote creativity directly by functioning as a model and inspiration for their followers and indirectly by promoting a creativity‐supporting work climate.

Design/methodology/approach

The research was conducted in organizations within the restaurant sector; the data were obtained using questionnaires to employees and leaders (n=207), as well as external raters’ evaluation of restaurant creativity level. Responses from each organization were aggregated using mean scores (n=39).

Findings

Significant positive associations were found between leaders’ creative behavior, organizational creative climates, and organizational creative behavior. Mediation analyses revealed that the relationship between leaders’ creative behavior and organizational creativity was mediated by organizational creative climate.

Practical implications

The results may provide useful guidelines for organizations that put emphasis on creativity, both for leader recruitment and leader development.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the creativity literature since it is one of the first to explore leader personality and leader creative behavior as predictors of creativity in organizations.
Effects of process and product‐oriented innovations on employee downsizing
Authors: Vicente‐Lorente José David , Ángel Zúñiga‐Vicente José
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role played by different types of firm innovation on employee downsizing. Drawing on economic and management views, the authors aims to assess the potential positive or negative effect of different types of processes (i.e. new technology via the introduction of new equipment as well as new methods of organizing the workforce) and product (i.e. number of innovations) innovations on employee downsizing.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical setting is a sample of Spanish manufacturing firms over the period 1994‐2006. The authors employ probit models for panel data as an empirical tool.

Findings

The results show a negative and significant effect of process innovations associated with acquiring and deploying new production equipment and product‐oriented innovations on the probability of carrying out important reductions in workforce. However, a positive and significant effect is found when process innovations are linked to the adoption of new methods of organizing the workforce.

Practical implications

Managers might play a significant role in employment creation, especially when they carry out process innovations related to the acquisition of complementary production assets (i.e. new equipment) and market highly innovative products. Policy makers might contribute to diminish the potential number of employees affected by firms’ downsizing strategies by designing, for example, public subsidies systems that deliberately prompt both types of innovations.

Originality/value

The authors make an effort to provide alternative explanations about why firms downsize, as they analyze different types of process and product innovations whose effects on employment (and, thus, downsizing) do not seem to be clear. Moreover, the paper furthers one's understanding of the effect of firm innovation by focusing on the potential effect of one type of process innovation which has not been examined until now: the adoption and implementation of new methods of organizing the workforce owing to new technology.
Do discriminatory attitudes to older workers at work affect their retirement intentions?
Authors: Messe Pierre‐Jean
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether employers’ attitudes towards older workers, especially regarding promotions, really affect their retirement intentions, distinguishing between men and women.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the author uses the 1992 wave of the Health and Retirement Study to estimate, through a Fields decomposition, the relative contribution of the feeling of an older worker to be discriminated against regarding promotions; and to explain the self‐reported probability to work full time after 62, decomposing by gender. Second, using the two first waves of HRS, the author removes any bias due to time‐constant unobserved heterogeneity, to test whether the individual feeling of being passed over for promotion may be misreported, owing to a strong preference for leisure. Finally, the author examines the effect of a change in this variable over time on the intentions to exit early.

Findings

The Fields decomposition shows that feeling passed over for promotion plays a non‐negligible role to predict retirement plans but only for women. In addition, using panel data allows a misreporting bias to be exhibited that may lead to underestimating of the negative effect of discriminatory practices towards older workers on their retirement plans. Lastly, an increase between 1992 and 1994 in the age‐discrimination towards older workers encouraged women to leave their job early, while it had no effect on retirement plans of men.

Practical implications

Empirical results put forward the idea that retirement intentions may differ across gender, owing to the different nature of the employer‐employee relation. While for men, this relation is characterized by delayed‐payment arrangements signed ex ante with the employer, as already shown by Adams, it is not true for women. Consequently, the age‐based preference of employers for promotion, leading to a lower probability of promotion for older workers, is treated by men as a consequence of ex ante arrangements and does not affect their retirement plans. However, women can attribute such attitudes of their employer to a kind of blatant discrimination, reducing therefore their attachment to their job.

Originality/value

The paper presents a longitudinal approach towards the determinants of retirement intentions that allows the unobserved heterogeneity constant over time to be removed and to estimate to what extent the feeling of being passed over for promotion may be attributed, for each gender, to some arrangements signed ex ante with the employer.
Retirement intentions of older migrant workers: does health matter?
Authors: Gérard Vaillant Nicolas , Wolff François‐Charles
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of self‐assessed health on retirement plans of older migrants living in France. As immigration is primarily associated with labor considerations, the role of economic incentives in the migration decision suggests that health could play a minor effect in immigrants’ decision to retire.

Design/methodology/approach

Using detailed data on immigrants living in France collected in 2003, the authors examine the role of health on early retirement intentions using simultaneous, recursive models that account for the fact that subjective health is potentially endogenous.

Findings

It is found that being in poor health increases the intention of migrant workers to retire early, but the subjective health outcomes have little influence on retirement plans.

Practical implications

Since subjective health outcomes have less influence on retirement plan than economic variables, migrants may have incentives to postpone their retirement decisions in order to avoid an excessive pension reduction.

Originality/value

Knowing the relative contribution of health variables and economic factors in the context of migration is a challenging issue since in almost all industrialized countries, the proportion of migrants having retired or nearing retirement has increased substantially. The authors’ analysis is the first contribution to study the role of health on retirement intentions of older migrants.
GIS: an annotated guide to selected resources
Authors: Koury Regina , Downing Beth , Lynne Semenza Jenny
Published: June 2012

Purpose

This article aims to provide an annotated bibliography of some of the geographic information system (GIS) resources, specifically data sets, available to libraries and researchers. Drawing on the collective authors' experience working with the GIS resources, this article aims to help librarians interested in developing and building their GIS collection.

Design/methodology/approach

A literature review was performed using library databases, as well as consulting various library subject guides on the topic. Idaho State University is home to the GIS Training and Research Center and the university offers Master's degrees in Geographic Information Science and Historical Resources Management; the authors consulted graduate GIS students on resources used in the program.

Findings

There is a large body of literature on GIS. This annotated guide, while not comprehensive, is a solid start to a GIS resources collection.

Originality/value

No other annotated bibliography currently exists for those interested in building a library collection of GIS data sets.
Google Books: primary sources in the public domain
Authors: Leonardo Dália
Published: June 2012

Purpose

This paper strives to examine and draw attention to important printed primary sources available in Google Books through the company's partnership with a growing number of European libraries. It aims to include a brief annotated bibliography and provide an analysis of a select number of digitized works in Google's vast digital library.

Design/methodology/approach

The author researched texts published in the early modern era in Google Books, focusing on works with prominent visual elements. Each digitized book was evaluated for its intellectual contribution and narrative, as well as legibility and overall digital quality. This research was supplanted by an examination of pertinent secondary sources.

Findings

Despite controversies over metadata and classification Google Books remains an indispensable research tool and offers unprecedented access to works in the public domain in a variety of languages and fields of study.

Originality/value

This article encourages librarians, teachers, researchers, and scholars to further explore invaluable full text, freely accessible digital books in such areas as the Scientific Revolution, and European exploration/contact with indigenous populations throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
Use of collection development policies in electronic resource management
Authors: Mangrum Suzanne , Ellen Pozzebon Mary
Published: June 2012

Purpose

Library resources evolve daily with ongoing expansion of electronic offerings by publishers and vendors. Collection development policies have long been employed to guide decision making and inform stakeholders, but how are these policies serving libraries and their users as our collections continue to move online? This paper aims to discuss the role of collection development polices, past and present, and the challenge of collections moving to an electronic format.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors performed a content analysis to discover how academic libraries are addressing this change in collection development.

Findings

The paper finds that virtually all libraries do an excellent job of addressing the traditional elements of collection development. About half of the libraries mentioned electronic licensing issues in the policy, but most of those were general statements.

Originality/value

Although the library profession is well aware of the changes that electronic resources bring to libraries, there is not a lot of research on how collection development policies should guide electronic resource management. As shown in this research, it is often completely left out of the collection development policy process.
Open access to national bibliography:Polish approach
Authors: Krynicka Magdalena
Published: June 2012

Purpose

Although the “open access” and “bibliography” appear to be contradictory concepts, as the first applies to the idea of direct and unrestricted access and the use of the resources' content and the latter refers to the list of resources' descriptions, the issue of open access to bibliography is widely discussed by the librarians' community nowadays. This paper aims to elaborate on the subject of the Polish national bibliographic agency's approach along with its experiences and problems.

Design/methodology/approach

“Open Access to National Bibliographies: Best Practices and Business Models” was the subject of the Bibliographic Section's session of the IFLA World Library and Information Congress that took place in Gothenburg in 2010. This article is based on a discussion paper presented at the session.

Findings

The better realization of the idea of “open access” to bibliography needs more effort and further cooperation among the libraries, publishers and institutions of law especially in respect of copyright, legal deposit and press laws. International exchange of experience and popularization of good practice in this field is necessary for success and inclusion of the national bibliography into open bibliographic universe.

Originality/value

The Polish National Bibliography is a public good, i.e. a non‐commercial product. Its principal aim is to give complete and reliable bibliographic data about the intellectual and cultural heritage and to make them easily accessible not only for librarians and other actors of the publishing market, but also for the general public.
Mars curiosity: sensors on the red planet
Authors: Bogue Robert
Published: June 2012

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a technical description of the sensors and instruments used on NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission.

Design/methodology/approach

Following an introduction, this paper describes the various sensors and instruments used on the mission. The sampling systems, power source and communication technologies are also considered.

Findings

This shows that the Mars Science Laboratory is equipped with an array of sophisticated analytical instruments, sensors and cameras which will yield a unique insight into the Martian environment.

Originality/value

This paper provides details of the sensors and instruments being deployed on NASA's latest robotic mission to the surface of Mars.
Adaptive error control in wireless sensor networks under harsh smart grid environments
Authors: Erman Bilgin Bilal , Cagri Gungor Vehbi
Published: June 2012

Purpose

High packet error rates and variable link capacity due to harsh electric power system environments make reliable communication a challenging task for WSN in smart grid. Therefore, to increase network reliability and hence, to improve smart grid system performance, there is an urgent need for reliable communication protocols. The purpose of this paper is to propose an Adaptive Forward Error Correction (AFEC) mechanism for different smart grid environments, including 500 kV outdoor substation and underground transformer vaults, to address these challenges.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents the comparative performance evaluations of proposed AFEC mechanism for different smart grid environments. Simulation experiments have been performed by extending the ns‐2 network simulator. It also introduces existing and potential smart grid applications, research challenges, and opportunities of smart grid.

Findings

Comparative performance evaluations show that the proposed AFEC mechanism achieves high communications reliability without causing unnecessary network overhead. Also the advantages of existing smart grid applications have been presented.

Originality/value

The paper shows that high communications reliability without causing unnecessary network overhead has been achieved. Also comprehensive reviews of WSN smart grid applications have been presented.
An improved structural design for accelerometers based on cantilever beam‐mass structure
Authors: Yan Liu , Yulong Zhao , Sun Lu
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an improved structural design for accelerometers based on cantilever beam‐mass structure and offer the descriptions of sensor fabrication, packaging and experiments.

Design/methodology/approach

The cantilever beam‐membrane (CB‐membrane) structure is designed as the sensing element for piezoresistive accelerometers. In the CB‐membrane structure, a cantilever beam and two identical membranes as a whole part supports the proof mass. Four piezoresistors are distributed on the surface of the cantilever beam to form a Wheatstone bridge. Finite element method is used to carry out the structural analysis and determine the sensor dimensions. The sensor chip is fabricated by bulk micro‐machining technique, packaged in dual‐in‐line (DIP) way and tested.

Findings

Compared with the conventional cantilever beam‐mass (CB‐mass) structure, the CB‐membrane structure can improve the sensor's performances, including response frequency, output linearity and cross‐axis sensitivity. The results of simulation and experiments prove that the CB‐membrane accelerometer has good performances.

Research limitations/implications

The accelerometer is simply packaged and the zero offset voltage has not been compensated. Moreover, the measured response frequency is lower than the simulated value. Further work and study are needed to solve these problems.

Originality/value

The accelerometer with CB‐membrane structure has good performances as the static and dynamic experiments show and is suitable to detect the spindle vibration of the machine tools.
Range and image sensor combination for three‐dimensional reconstruction of objects or scenes
Authors: Altuntas Cihan , Yildiz Ferruh
Published: June 2012

Purpose

Laser scanning is increasingly used in many three‐dimensional (3‐D) measurement and modeling applications. It is the latest technique used in 3‐D measurement, and is becoming increasingly important within a number of applications. However, many applications require photogrammetric data in addition to laser scanning data. The purpose of this paper is to present a range and image sensor combination for three‐dimensional reconstruction of objects or scenes.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, a Nikon D80 camera was mounted on an Ilris 3D laser scanner and CPP was estimated according to the laser scanner coordinate system. The estimated CPP was controlled using three different methods which were developed in this study and a sample application as coloring of point cloud using image taken by the camera mounted on the laser scanner was performed.

Findings

It was found that when a high‐resolution camera is mounted on laser scanners, camera position parameters (CPP) should be estimated very accurately with respect to the laser scanner coordinate system.

Originality/value

The paper shows that the combination of high‐resolution camera and laser scanners should be used for more accurate and efficient results in 3D modeling applications.
A simple capacitive biosensor device for histamine measurement
Authors: Wasoh Helmi , Yook Hengb Lee , Abu Bakar Fatimah , Wagiran Rahman , Bakar Salleh Abu , Azah Yusof Nor , Misrond Norhisam , Hazimah Abdul Rahmane Fatin
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe a capacitive biosensor device consisting of an enzyme electrode and a simple detector which has been developed for histamine measurement.

Design/methodology/approach

In this analysis, degradation of histamine through enzymatic reaction produces signal that is monitored using a simple detector equipped with “astable” multivibrator operation circuit (in capacitor‐resistor circuit).

Findings

Different frequency (f) readings have been obtained for glucose, alcohol and histamine in different concentration levels, showing the ability of this simple device system to measure their dielectric constant (k) as formulated by the equation f=(1.44d)/ [kA (R1+2R2)]. The analysis using smaller electrode gap (d) produces higher value of f, indicating that d, is directly proportional to f. For histamine, by using immobilized enzyme electrode, the results show that the change of dielectric properties during the 300‐second reaction period could also be monitored. A linear relationship is obtained between concentration and frequency from 50 to 200 ppm.

Practical implications

Based on this result, an enzyme electrode and “astable” operation circuits have the potential to be used in the development of a simple capacitive biosensor device.

Originality/value

The paper is an outcome of experimental work carried out to observe capacitive sensing behavior using an immobilized enzyme, to measure biological samples, especially histamine.
Are business schools doing their job?
Authors: Muff Katrin
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to further the debate on relevance in business education by sharing one business school's experiences.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative survey was carried out, reviewed by two independent collaborators. Conclusions drawn from interviews with more than 30 CEOs and HR Directors, from across all industries, provide findings on how business leaders think about higher education in business.

Findings

The results highlight their perspective regarding: how academic programs can add real value in business; what business schools should teach more; and what they should teach less in their MBA programs.

Research limitations/implications

There was a limited sample size of 30 participants. Also. the research is used as a part of a case study being conducted about Business School Lausanne by Prof. Dr J.B.M. Kassarjian, Professor in Management at Babson College, Boston, USA.

Practical implications

A detailed account of an ambitious academic revision provides insights into how entrepreneurship can be applied and lived in the academic world.

Originality/value

This paper examines how a boutique business school in Switzerland has undertaken a profound program revision based on the input and perspectives of business leaders. It demonstrates how key learnings from personally‐conducted interviews were effectively translated into the school's MBA curriculum, thereby transforming not only the program but also the way the school interacts with program participants.
Company citizenship creation in the developing countries in the era of globalization
Authors: Miroshnik Victoria
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether a multinational company can transmit its corporate management system and operations management system from its domestic operation to its subsidiary located in a country with very different national culture.

Design/methodology/approach

This research proposes that it is possible for a multinational company to override differences in national culture and create a “company citizenship” across the globe, with similar corporate management and operations management system. Another purpose of this research is to show that it is not true that globalization would create just one single culture, originated in the USA and Western Europe, which is called “Jet‐Set Culture” by Freedman. Japanese multinational companies are spreading their own unique organizational values of their management system across the world in their subsidiaries. Thus, different multinational companies may create their own unique organizational culture that produces their own company citizenship, which can be spread globally. To prove these hypotheses, this paper has reported the result of a survey conducted in the domestic operations of the Toyota Motor Company (Toyota) and in its operations in India.

Findings

Core values of Toyota's management systems are derived from the values that are identified in the mission statement of Toyota. According to the results of the survey based on opinions of Toyota's employees, there are broad similarities in the values composing its management systems, irrespective of national locations. Thus, Toyota has managed to form the “company citizenship” in its headquarters in the host country, Japan, and successfully transmitted it in its subsidiary located in the host country, India, with an alien national culture.

Research limitations/implications

The paper shows that company citizenships of different companies, based on their unique organizational cultures, but not on their national cultures, are emerging as a new organizational form in this global era.

Practical implications

Different multinational companies may create their own unique organizational culture that produces their own company citizenship and which can be spread globally.

Originality/value

This paper proposes that there are some specific espoused values in every important multinational company, which form its organizational cultures and create values, which in turn may form commitment of its employees. These commitments are the indicator of successful performance of a company because creation of commitment leads to success of the company; this interrelationship between culture and commitment can be called company citizenship and can be transmitted from one part of the globe to another by a multinational company through the transmission of its corporate management and operations management system.
Coaching executive teams to reach better decisions
Authors: Ben‐Hur Shlomo , Kinley Nikolas , Jonsen Karsten
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a systemic approach to understanding the challenges facing executive teams in making good decisions and propose a simple framework for addressing these challenges.

Design/methodology/approach

Having identified Groupthink as a useful framework for understanding the challenges facing decision‐making groups, the paper reviews research into potential solutions and leverages case studies to propose a new model for tackling the challenges inherent in decision making.

Findings

The suggested model incorporates previously proposed process‐ and insight‐based solutions and adds a broader focus on information flow and how decision‐making behaviour is influenced and informed by the context in which it occurs.

Practical implications

The paper emphasises the role of a trusted, expert coach in implementing the proposed solutions and describes how coaches can leverage an understanding of the systemic nature of decision‐making behaviour to improve decision‐making ability in both teams and individuals.

Research limitations/implications

Areas for future research are identified and potential limitations to the model are discussed, in particular the impact of geographical and organisational cultural issues.

Originality/value

The paper questions the predominantly individual‐based approach to tackling the challenges of decision making and highlights additional interpersonal processes that can both cause and be the source of solutions to Groupthink.
Adapting from glorious past to uncertain future
Authors: Wood Brian , Muncaster Max
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to valuate existing building stock with respect to its contribution to a changing and uncertain future, especially in relation to energy performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors review literature related to existing buildings, climate change and future environmental needs; present energy performance data from ten case studies; and identify inadequacies and scope for improvements with reference to typical housing stock.

Findings

Current policies and programmes are inadequate to the scope and scale of the task; a step‐change in thought and practice is needed.

Practical implications

A massive programme is warranted if the substantial stock of existing buildings is to be adapted to meet identified environmental standards to “save the planet”; a radical re‐conceptualisation of building adaptation is required.

Originality/value

The paper prompts a review of the role of the surveyor in achieving sustainability through adaptation of existing buildings.
Embedding energy saving policies in Dutch social housing
Authors: Nieboer Nico , Kroese Robert , Straub Ad
Published: June 2012

Purpose

Many studies on policy implementation have emphasized the difficulties of putting policies into practice. This paper presents several ways in which Dutch social landlords incorporate their energy saving policies in their “regular” housing management, such as planned preventive maintenance, renovations and other physical improvements.

Design/methodology/approach

Several housing associations were selected that have formulated an energy saving policy and that have at least some experience in implementing these policies into projects. Interviews were held with managers of asset and maintenance management and with policy staff of housing associations. The extent to which the policy ambitions, both at the portfolio level and at the project level are carried out, and in which way these ambitions are embedded in the organisations’ regular working processes are investigated. Also, the main stimuli and barriers for the implementation of the energy saving policies are identified. Special attention has been paid to the feasibility of combining of energy saving measures with other physical improvements in the housing stock.

Findings

Results show that the implementation of energy saving policies in annual improvement and maintenance plans is in most cases not problematic, and that the most significant problems arise during the realisation of the policies in the preparation of specific investment projects.

Research limitations/implications

Energy saving policies are relatively new to the sector in The Netherlands. Therefore, the number of case studies is relatively low.

Originality/value

The paper offers case studies which illustrate and explain the gap between energy saving policies and realisation of these policies.
Energy‐led retrofitting of solid wall dwellings: technical and user perspectives on airtightness
Authors: Banfill Phil , Simpson Sophie , Haines Victoria , Mallaband Becky
Published: June 2012

Purpose

Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) is increasingly being promoted in the UK as a means of reducing the CO2 emissions from dwellings, and installers report growing activity in the retrofit market. However, the airtightness of a dwelling is a crucially important factor governing the achievement of CO2 reductions, and the purpose of this paper is to understand the technical implications of airtightness levels in an experimental dwelling, purpose built to typical 1930s standards, at the same time as gaining the users’ perspectives on airtightness and ventilation in their homes.

Design/methodology/approach

In‐depth interviews were carried out with 20 households to collect information on their retrofit and improvement strategies, attitudes to energy saving and their living practices as they impinge on ventilation. The experimental house was sealed in a series of interventions, leading to successive reductions in the air permeability as measured by a 50 Pa pressurisation test. The behaviour of a whole‐house MVHR system installed in the experimental house, was simulated using IES Virtual Environment, using a range of air permeability values corresponding to those achieved in the retrofit upgrading process.

Findings

In the house considered, air permeability must be reduced below 5 m3/m2h for MVHR to make an overall energy and CO2 saving. However, to achieve this required a level of disruption that, on the basis of the views expressed, would be unlikely to be tolerated by owners of solid wall dwellings.

Originality/value

The paper is the first to combine results from a user‐centred approach to exploring the existing practices of householders with a simulation of the energy and CO2 performance at different levels of airtightness of an experimental house in which MVHR has been installed.
Restoration of Town Hall in Kolkata for adaptive reuse: a case study
Authors: Bose Shivashish
Published: June 2012

Purpose

Practical conservation of heritage buildings in Kolkata started in the 1990s and the first restoration project was the Town Hall, a public building built by the British in 1813, in the central business district by a public‐private partnership. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the restoration process and adaptive reuse of the Town Hall as a case study.

Design/methodology/approach

A team of conservationists, architects and structural engineers worked during 1996‐1998. The methodology included surveying and documenting the existing structure; examining old materials and methods of construction, earlier repairs and the suitability of matching new materials; analysing the structure, defects and their causes; prescribing remedial measures; preparing items of work, estimating and tendering for appointment of contractors; allocating funds for restoration; supervision and monitoring of the works.

Findings

It was necessary to undertake structural strengthening and physical restoration through corrective measures, and reinstallation of all service systems, which resulted in the opening up of this edifice again for various kinds of public use, that included a museum.

Social implications

This was a pilot project for the state administration and the people of Kolkata. After this project, the conservation of historic buildings became an agenda of government and civil society. The lessons learned here were applied to the restoration of other similar buildings in Kolkata.

Originality/value

Conservation‐researchers, academics and practitioners will gain from this paper an in‐depth understanding of the restoration process in Kolkata.
Decision support tools in energy‐led, non‐domestic building refurbishment
Authors: Strachan Megan , Banfill Phil
Published: June 2012

Purpose

Pressure is growing globally for larger businesses to improve the energy performance of the buildings in which they operate. Property or facility managers are usually responsible for these improvements through energy‐led refurbishment. The number and complexity of possible interventions pose challenges that these professionals attempt to meet by using decision support tools (DSTs). The work aims to identify key features of DSTs for energy‐led building refurbishment and define an optimum approach.

Design/methodology/approach

A desk study examined ten DSTs reported in the available literature and evaluated them against a set of desirable attributes that a property or facility manager would value for this task.

Findings

The results of the desk study concluded that no DST offers every feature and that there is an opportunity for a new DST for energy‐led refurbishment. An optimum DST template is proposed, consisting of a seven‐step process from assessment of the existing state of the building through to continuous evaluation and improvement of the refurbished building.

Originality/value

The work combines the best features of available DSTs into a novel optimised strategy for energy‐led refurbishment of non‐domestic buildings, which is geographically non‐specific and could be applied anywhere in the world.
Carbon audit: a literature review and an empirical study on a hotel
Authors: Lai Joseph H.K. , Yik Francis W.H. , Man C.S.
Published: June 2012

Purpose

Worldwide, many carbon audit guidelines have been developed, but comparative reviews of these guidelines and empirical findings of carbon emissions from hotels remain limited. The aim of the study reported here was to bridge these knowledge gaps.

Design/methodology/approach

A comparative review of the legislations and guidelines for carbon audits in Australia, the UK and Hong Kong was made. An empirical audit, which entailed a series of site visits and interviews for collecting the record data of a typical hotel in Hong Kong, was conducted to identify the sources and amounts of carbon emissions from the hotel.

Findings

Conducting carbon audits for buildings in Hong Kong is entirely voluntary. Reporting of certain scopes of carbon emissions is at the sole discretion of the reporting party. Purchased electricity for the hotel is the dominant source of carbon emissions.

Research implications

Audits in future may follow the reported audit process to identify carbon emissions from other hotels to enlarge the pool of empirical findings, which is a prerequisite to developing carbon emission benchmarks and carbon footprint analyses.

Practical implications

The suggestions made for overcoming the obstacles found from the audit are crucial for performing smoother and more complete audits in future.

Originality/value

The review findings and the practical problems identified are useful information for the stakeholders of carbon audits, including policy makers and facilities management practitioners.
Key performance indicators (KPI) for the sustainability of building energy efficiency retrofit (BEER) in hotel buildings in China
Authors: Peng Xu Peng , Chan Edwin H.W. , Qian Queena K.
Published: June 2012

Purpose

Building energy efficiency retrofit (BEER) not only provides excellent opportunities to reduce overall energy consumption of buildings in a city but also encourages environmental protection, the rational use of resources, and occupants' healthcare, which all contribute towards the sustainability of existing buildings. However, there is a lack of effective performance indicators to measure the sustainability of BEER projects. The aim of this paper is to formulate a list of key performance indicators (KPI) for the sustainability assessment of BEER in hotel buildings.

Design/methodology/approach

First, a literature review and in‐depth interviews with industry experts and academic researchers were conducted, which filtered the performance indicators for assessing sustainability. Second, a questionnaire survey was conducted to collect data from various groups of experts to analyze the significance of the selected performance indicators. Finally, a model based on fuzzy set theory was designed to identify the key performance indicators (KPIs) for the sustainability of BEER.

Findings

Eight KPIs were identified based on fuzzy set theory in this study. They are: quality performance, hotel energy management, cost performance, project profitability, energy consumption and resources saving, health and safety, stakeholder satisfaction, and innovation and improvement.

Practical implications

The KPIs of sustainability of BEER identified for hotel buildings in China in this study can be useful reference for other similar research. However, with the different requirements for building types and building ownerships, the KPIs of sustainability of BEER for different buildings may be variable. The findings in this study may not be directly relevant to other types of building.

Originality/value

Key performance indicators for the sustainability assessment of BEER in hotel buildings in China are identified and analyzed in this study. The KPIs can help decision‐makers to identify an optimal solution between alternatives, which presents the maximum sustainability performance.
Export decision‐making orientation: an exploratory study
Authors: Nemkova Ekaterina , Souchon Anne L. , Hughes Paul
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine two predominant export decision‐making orientations emanating from normative and descriptive decision theory, namely planning and improvisation and their coexistence within exporting firms. In addition, contingencies under which one may be more appropriate than the other for optimal performance consequences are identified.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative study was conducted with UK exporters by way of in‐depth interviews. The results were analyzed using within‐ and cross‐case displays of in‐vivo and literature‐based codes, based on Miles and Huberman's recommendations.

Findings

The study reveals widespread use of improvisation in export functions, and its co‐existence with export planning for enhanced decision‐making. In addition, resource‐ and capabilities‐based moderators are identified that may affect the ways in which planning and improvisation are related to export performance.

Research limitations/implications

This is a preliminary study which addresses the two export decision‐making orientations together for the first time. Further quantitative research is needed to formally test the conceptual model developed.

Practical implications

Export decision‐makers often feel guilty about improvising, believing that planning is the accepted norm. Avoidance and covert use of improvisation, however, are not necessary. Indeed, export improvisation can have many positive consequences for the export function, especially when combined with export planning.

Originality/value

Research on export decision‐making has tended to focus on normative decision theory (from which planning emerges), largely overlooking descriptive approaches which identify improvisation as a valid decision‐making orientation. However, in today's global and competitive environment, better performance consequences are increasingly to be found in the faster and more creative export decisions that improvisation can afford. This study addresses for the first time how benefits can be drawn from employing a combination of export planning and improvisation.
Aligning strategic orientation with local market conditions
Authors: Griffith David A. , Kiessling Timothy , Dabic Marina
Published: June 2012

Purpose

One role of a foreign subsidiary within a multinational corporation's (MNC's) global portfolio is to connect the MNC to foreign customers. To examine this key customer contact point, this study aims to examine the linkages between local market conditions and strategic orientation, and how strategic orientation influences knowledge management capabilities of MNC subsidiaries, employing the Miles and Snow strategic orientation perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted of 112 managers in foreign MNC subsidiaries in Croatia. Data were analyzed with both discriminant analysis and MANCOVA.

Findings

The results indicate that in highly dynamic and competitively intense markets, MNC subsidiaries primarily employ a Prospector orientation. Furthermore, the results indicate that there is a significant difference in knowledge management capabilities among subsidiaries depending on their strategic orientation, with the Prospector orientation most closely aligned with knowledge acquisition, knowledge conversion and knowledge application.

Practical implications

The findings highlight the importance of strategic orientation in MNC subsidiaries tailoring to local market conditions. The results suggest that MNC subsidiaries undertaking a Prospector strategic orientation develop greater knowledge acquisition, conversion and application capabilities.

Originality/value

This study conceptualizes the MNC subsidiary as a key marketing element of the global MNC whole and examines the nuanced relationships between the host environment and MNC foreign subsidiary strategic orientation as well as MNC subsidiary strategic orientation and knowledge management relationship.
Strategic orientations and export market success of manufacturing firms
Authors: Eibe Sørensen Hans , Koed Madsen Tage
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the association of international orientation and market orientation and their joint effects on export market success. Additionally, it aims to examine how firms’ foreign market portfolio diversity moderates this association.

Design/methodology/approach

On the basis of a review of the literature on market orientation and international orientation in relation to manufacturers’ performance on export markets, the paper proposes a set of hypotheses. The hypotheses are empirically tested using 249 questionnaire responses from CEOs supplemented with census data.

Findings

The results indicate that international orientation is positively related to export market success and that this relationship is independent of market portfolio diversity. The paper provides insights to the limitations of the dominant position that holds market orientation as an undisputed valuable strategic capability since market orientation has different non‐linear associations with export market success depending on market portfolio diversity. Finally, the results indicate that the joint effects of international orientation and market orientation on export market success only are present for firms with a focused market portfolio.

Research limitations/implications

The authors argue that the performance implications of different strategic orientations on export market success are context‐dependent and that firms’ market portfolio diversity assists in providing this nuanced insight. The study's empirical cross‐sectional setting limits inference about causality among the constructs.

Practical implications

While all exporting manufacturing firms may benefit from an international orientation, business practitioners are advised to pay particular attention to the diversity of their foreign market portfolio prior to allocating resources to market‐oriented activities.

Originality/value

In this empirical contribution, the authors show how international orientation explains performance differentials among manufacturing exporters as well as how market orientation positively moderates this relationship. Furthermore, the paper shows the context dependency of the value of firms’ market orientation on the basis of export market portfolio diversity.