bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influential factors of bra purchasing in older women
Authors: Risius Debbie , Thelwell Richard , Wagstaff Chris , Scurr Joanna
Published: June 2012

Purpose

In addition to the psychological differentiation of older women, ageing has numerous effects on the breast, influencing the volume, density and constitution of the tissue. It is currently unknown how these changes may affect bra requirements and bra consumer behaviour. The purpose of this paper is to explore factors of importance in bras in a cohort of women aged 45 to 65 years, whilst considering purchasing behaviour, brand loyalties and self‐image.

Design/methodology/approach

Following a grounded theoretical perspective, this study was exploratory in nature, including a mixture of five semi‐structured interviews and two focus groups with women, aged 45 to 65 years, to discuss bra habits, considerations, and influential factors of purchasing. Data were content analysed with additional frequency analysis.

Findings

The paper provides five key dimensions within which older women focus their attentions when purchasing bras. These are aesthetics, comfort, practicalities of bra purchase, breast support and psychological aspects. Participants purpose their bra requirements to be multifaceted and changing with increasing age.

Practical implications

Bra manufacturers and distributers may need to consider these factors when marketing towards an older population of women, to optimise products and subsequent sales.

Originality/value

The paper advances the literature by providing fundamental information on the key areas of consideration for older bra consumers.
Regulatory context
Authors: Rusmin Rusmin , Brown Alistair M.
Published: June 2012

Purpose

Based on semi‐structured interviews with current senior officers of the Indonesian Police Force, Indonesian Attorney General's Office and the Indonesian Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (Pusat Pelaporan dan Analisis Transaksi Keuangan),the purpose of this paper is to consider the regulator context and governance of some key issues in Indonesia's anti‐money laundering (AML) regime: the progress of “know your customer” implementations and the crackdown on foreign bribery.

Design/methodology/approach

Interviewing respondents from key Indonesian agencies involved in the AML regime, the authors used semi‐structured interviews to develop a narrative analysis of the research questions.

Findings

The results of the narrative analysis suggest all three agencies are satisfied with the effectiveness of “know your customer” regulations, particularly in their capacity to heighten awareness. All respondents, however, were a little more circumspect on the foreign bribery crackdown.

Practical implications

The paper shows that at best, mutual legal assistance provided help for transaction reports and analysis. At worst, it appears foreign bribery issues are an intractable problem. It is concluded that policy tools need to be contextualised within Indonesia's socio‐economic realities rather than wholly struck from western fields.

Originality/value

Fresh “insider” insights were gleaned about the current state of play regarding “know your customer” principles and the clampdown on foreign bribery. This is of value to many parties involved in the advancement of AML, both within and outside Indonesia.
A better credit card fraud prevention strategy for Indonesia
Authors: Yogi Prabowo Hendi
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper, which is based on author's PhD study, is to assess the efficacy of Indonesia's credit card fraud prevention from a strategic point of view, using a model of payments fraud prevention practice developed by the author based on similar practices in the USA, the UK and Australia.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary and secondary data, particularly from the payments system of the USA, the UK, Australia and Indonesia were used. Such data were collected by means of literature reviews and in‐depth interviews with payments system professionals.

Findings

The author establishes that credit card fraud prevention practice in Indonesia is still at a lower level of robustness than those in the USA, the UK and Australia. Deficiencies in the credit card fraud prevention practice in Indonesia are indicated, inter alia, by a lack of reliable fraud data collection, management and distribution mechanisms as well as a lack of effective and efficient identity management practice. Deficiencies and weaknesses in the system should be identified and action taken to make it more consistent with credit card fraud prevention practices of other countries.

Originality/value

The paper sees credit card fraud prevention practice in Indonesia as a function of many factors which influence one another, based on which the analysis is built.
Gender and white‐collar crime: only four percent female criminals
Authors: Gottschalk Petter
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an empirical study of white‐collar crime to create insights into perceptions of potential offenders with a gender perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

Media coverage of individual criminals was used as identification for crime cases, which were then found in court rulings.

Findings

The paper is based on empirical research of convicted white‐collar criminals. Out of 161 convicts presented in newspaper articles, there were 153 male and eight female criminals, i.e. 4 per cent.

Research limitations/implications

It is indeed hard to believe that Norwegian men commit 25 times more white‐collar crimes when compared to Norwegian women. Therefore, it is a question of whether the detection rate for female white‐collar criminals is lower than for male white‐collar criminals.

Practical implications

More attention might be paid to characteristics of female white‐collar crime in the future.

Originality/value

Rather than presenting some cases and anecdotal evidence, the paper presents substantial statistical evidence to conclude on gender differences in white‐collar crime.
Assessing the green value chain to improve environmental performance
Authors: Kung Fan‐Hua , Huang Cheng‐Li , Cheng Chia‐Ling
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between green management and environmental performance. This was accomplished by considering each operational element, including the supply and acquisition of upstream materials, research and development, manufacturing and packaging, marketing, promotion and education, and recycling activities.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper constructs an integral model of the green value chain to reveal the extent to which Taiwanese manufacturing industries are adopting green value chain management and implementing environmentally conscious business practices. Survey data were collected from 118 Taiwanese manufacturers.

Findings

The findings indicate a positive relationship between green value chain management and environmental performance. The results suggest that when firms only implement green management in particular areas the effect is insignificant; however, a comprehensive implementation can result in an overall improvement in environmental performance.

Originality/value

This paper may serve as a reference for firms mapping out future environmental policies and provide an input of various perspectives and arguments into the discipline of green management.
Status and factors of food security in Pakistan
Authors: Hussain Abid , Routray Jayant Kumar
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine the level of food self‐sufficiency, un‐accessed portions of food, and food gap between the national food security line of the country and consumption by its people. It also aims to scrutinize the major physical and economic factors inducing food insecurity in the country.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper applies descriptive statistics using mainly secondary data with the support of some primary information.

Findings

Pakistan is almost self‐sufficient in food production even if only 30 percent of its production potential has been achieved. In spite of such a situation, the average food consumption of its people is still significantly below the standards set up for the national food security line. The study also established that the food gap in the country is 30 percent, while a 35 percent portion of available food is un‐accessed due to various constraints spawned by physical, economic and sometimes natural factors. Out of the seven administrative units of Pakistan, Punjab and Sindh are the main food producing units while the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) are the most highly food deficit unit. Irrespective of the level of local food production, food gap still exists in all administrative units due to inefficient food procurement and distribution system, illegal movement of food commodities, poor monitoring of marketing systems, lower purchasing power and natural disasters.

Research limitations/implications

The paper elaborates on the average situation of the country, and establishes the baseline for future research to investigate the issues of food security deeply, providing some key recommendations.

Originality/value

The paper investigates the concept of food security through the important indicators, i.e. food gap and un‐accessed portion of food, and tries to sort out the factors inducing such gaps.
What do EESD “experts” think sustainability is? Which pedagogy is suitable to learn it?
Authors: Segalàs Jordi , Mulder Karel F. , Ferrer‐Balas Didac
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study how experts on teaching sustainability in engineering education contextualize sustainability; also to evaluate the understanding of sustainability by engineering students. The final aim is to evaluate what pedagogy experts believe provides better opportunities for learning about sustainability in engineering education.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used conceptual maps (cmaps) analysis with two taxonomies of four and ten categories. The first taxonomy clusters the significance of sustainability in environmental, technological, social and institutional aspects and shows the main trends; the second (of ten categories) divides the previous categories into greater detail. To evaluate the experts' cmaps two indices were defined that provide information about what experts think sustainability is most related to and evaluate how complex they see the sustainability concept. In total, 500 students from five European engineering universities were then surveyed and the results compared with those of the experts. Finally, interviews were held with experts to try to determine the best pedagogy to apply to achieve learning around sustainability.

Findings

The results show that Engineering Education for Sustainable Development (EESD) experts consider that institutional and social aspects are more relevant to sustainability than environmental and technological ones. The results were compared with the understanding of sustainability by a sample of more than 500 engineering students who had taken courses on sustainability at five technical universities in Europe. This comparison shows a mismatch among the EESD “experts'” and the students' understanding of sustainability, which suggest that sustainability courses in engineering degrees should emphasise the social and institutional aspects versus environmental and technological ones. Moreover, courses should emphasize more the complexity of sustainability.

Originality/value

The paper emphasizes the lack of priority that social and institutional aspects are given in sustainability courses and promotes a discussion about how these two elements and complex thinking can increase their importance in the engineering curriculum.
Customer satisfaction at the Faculty of Philosophy Library in Osijek, Croatia
Authors: Petr Balog Kornelija , Plašćak Bernardica
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the findings of the customer satisfaction survey of the Faculty of Philosophy in Osijek Library. The purpose of the survey was to determine the level of satisfaction among two customer groups: students and faculty.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology utilised was a five‐page satisfaction questionnaire.

Findings

This paper presents the findings of the first customer satisfaction survey of the Faculty of Philosophy in Osijek Library. The satisfaction data are collected as a part of a wider library evaluation program and present the first step in future continuous measurement of customers’ expectations and their satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

The structure and the size of the sample do not secure the representativeness. Among the student population, the paper was distributed only to those who visited the library, which, in a way, reduces the validity of the sample (those who are dissatisfied with library services may avoid the library). Among the faculty, the survey was distributed via e‐mail, but some faculty members do not check their e‐mail accounts regularly (or not at all).

Originality/value

This is the first measurement of customer satisfaction for the Faculty of Philosophy in Osijek Library. Furthermore, there are only a few similar papers that report on research in Croatian libraries in international literature.
Potable water saving in high‐density housing
Authors: Lau Stephen S.Y. , Yang Feng , Ma Anthony Y.W.
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand the potential as well as the limitations of user behavioral and technical approaches in potable water savings in typical high‐density urban housing estates in Hong Kong.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach used was a review of the lessons learnt from the case study of two housing estates that had participated in the CIWEM HK Water Saving Competition 2009. The overall effectiveness of user behavioral and technical measures was reviewed by studying targeting, strategy setting, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation mechanism.

Findings

The behavioral approach appears to be a promising one to achieve substantial water savings and has a potential for wide application in Hong Kong; detailed cost‐benefit analysis should be carried out to assess the cost‐effectiveness of water‐efficient technologies and devices.

Research limitations/implications

The number of cases is limited, and is selected from a finite set of estates that had participated in the competition, which might limit the applicability of the findings to other regions.

Originality/value

The case study provides a useful source for housing estate facilities managers to determine suitable water saving approaches and strategies for housing estates typically found in Hong Kong.
A casual relationship between building maintenance market and GDP: Hong Kong study
Authors: Tan Yongtao , Shen Liyin , Langston Craig
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the causal relationship between the building maintenance market and GDP in Hong Kong.

Design/methodology/approach

The Granger causality test is used to investigate the lead‐lag relationships between the maintenance and repair work and GDP in Hong Kong. With regression analysis, the future trend of the maintenance market is forecasted.

Findings

The results show that the growth of the economy will lead to the growth of the maintenance market, not vice‐versa. And the building maintenance market in Hong Kong will keep increasing with the economy growth.

Originality/value

This paper shows that the growth of the economy in Hong Kong Granger‐causes the growth of the maintenance market. Plus there are other factors affecting the maintenance market, including the increasing number of ageing buildings, obsolescence and adaptive reuse, legislation, sustainability and social responsibility. The results of this paper provide a valuable reference for the Hong Kong Government to formulate new policies. More importantly, these findings will help contractors have a better understanding of the maintenance market in Hong Kong, both current and future.
An internalization theory rationale for MNE regional strategy
Authors: Verbeke Alain , Kano Liena
Published: June 2012

Purpose

This paper seeks to demonstrate that internalization theory, as a “complete” theory of the firm, is particularly well equipped to analyze multinational enterprise (MNE) regional strategies, thanks to its joint transaction cost economics and resource‐based foundations.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper builds on recent work by Wolf, Egelhoff, and Dunemann to show that internalization theory's predictions on MNE regional strategy are superior to those suggested by several other conceptual frameworks. For each of the 11 hypotheses formulated by Wolf and his co‐authors, an alternative is proposed here that is consistent with internalization theory predictions.

Findings

MNE regional strategy is an important empirical phenomenon. Internalization theory, as a powerful conceptual framework with general applicability, simplicity and accuracy, allows in‐depth analysis of MNE regional strategies.

Research limitations/implications

Internalization theory scholars need to find new ways of operationalizing MNE firm‐specific advantages (FSAs), as well as MNE resource recombination trajectories, to predict accurately when and how MNEs will pursue regional versus global strategies.

Practical implications

MNE senior management should rethink international expansion strategies and realize that most large MNEs actually pursue regional, not global strategies.

Social implications

Even the world's largest MNEs have great difficulty engaging in novel resource recombination across the globe, and their alleged market power should therefore not be overestimated.

Originality/value

International business scholars should embrace internalization theory as the general theory of the MNE, rather than looking for insight from theories not intended – nor properly equipped – to study strategies of the world's most complex entrepreneurial organizations.
Growing new MNEs in New Zealand: the FSA/CSA framework revisited
Authors: Gerke Anna , Benson‐Rea Maureen
Published: June 2012

Purpose

This article aims to investigate how country location, as a source of country‐specific advantage (CSA), and product innovation, as a source of firm‐specific advantage (FSA), influence the international expansion of small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) and their growth to become multinational enterprises (MNEs). It also aims to confirm internalization theory by testing the applicability of an extant concept, the FSA/CSA framework for the international expansion of SMEs. Developed and empirically validated largely in the context of the MNE, this paper seeks to show how the framework can be applied in the context of SMEs that develop into MNEs.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative approach is employed within a single industry setting using multiple cases. Propositions are formulated to explain the theorized relationships between innovation and the growth of SMEs in a sector which depends heavily on specific CSAs. Data were collected through semi‐structured interviews and archival data, and are analyzed in data displays, tables and matrices.

Findings

The article finds that location of the industry cases as a source of CSAs, and product innovation as a source of FSAs, are highly relevant for growing New Zealand SMEs into MNEs. The study applies internalization theory to the growth strategies of SMEs.

Originality/value

This research combines extant theory and a specific context in order to analyze phenomena through a distinct conceptual lens. It confirms the CSA/FSA framework by applying it in a new empirical context. It can inform decision‐makers in growing SMEs on the strategic and international implications of firm and location advantages.
Evaluation of tunnels under squeezing rock condition
Authors: Ghiasi Vahed , Ghiasi Samad , Prasad Arun
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the methods employed for classifying and quantifying the potential of squeezing in tunnels. Along with the empirical and semi‐empirical approaches presently available in order to anticipate the potential of squeezing tunnel problems, the squeezing potential of Karaj water transfer tunnel and North West Tunnel Convey (NWTC) tunnels (Lot 2), located in Iran, are evaluated and presented. Those two case studies have an interesting geology profile and parameters to identify and then evaluate the squeezing potential.

Design/methodology/approach

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the tunnel construction. This paper describes the squeezing behavior of poor rock mass associated with deformability and strength properties. In Karaj water transfer tunnel, there are eight lithological rock types; and NWTC tunnel (Lot2) has 21 Lithological rock types. The parameters for rock classification, such as rock quality designation (RQD), rock mass rating (RMR), modified RMR, Q‐system, geological strength index (GSI), rock mass index (RMi), and rock structure rating (RSR) are evaluated and presented here. The parameters mentioned above are the input parameters for squeezing study in Karaj and NWTC tunnels. According to different methods of squeezing evaluation of tunnel presented in tables, the results of two case studies are presented in this paper.

Findings

One of the more significant findings to emerge from this study showed that about 3 km of the second part of NWTC tunnel, and 2 km of the Karaj tunnel have high squeezing potential. This research deals with not only an overview of the methods used for the identifying and quantifying of squeezing along with the empirical and semi‐empirical approaches presently available in order to anticipate the potential of squeezing tunnel problem, but also the case studies of NWTC and Karaj tunnels to evaluate and compare the potential of squeezing by different methods. These two tunnel case studies have high potential of squeezing therefore the lining of those two tunnels must be strong enough to overcome this issue.

Originality/value

This study is a precise and concise comparison of the evaluation of tunnels under squeezing rock condition. The present study confirms the previous findings and contributes additional evidence that suggests that there are many studies conducted using empirical and analytical methods to determine the squeezing phenomenon in tunnels. This paper responds to the various questions like, what is the squeezing phenomenon. How can we quantify the potential of squeezing in weak rock? What are the different approaches to the understanding of squeezing phenomenon?
Enriching descriptive information in ranking and sorting problems with visualizations techniques
Authors: Nemery Philippe , Ishizaka Alessio , Camargo Mauricio , Morel Laure
Published: June 2012

Purpose

Most of the proposed decision aid methods provide the user only with a prescriptive approach (quantitative analysis) without any descriptive approach (qualitative analysis). It is therefore not possible to justify and recommend ways of improvement. The purpose of this paper is to introduce visualization techniques to complement prescriptive approaches.

Design/methodology/approach

Visual techniques have been developed for the FlowSort sorting method, namely the FS‐GAIA and stacked bar diagrams.

Findings

It is found that with visual techniques, fine details can be captured, e.g. detection of incomparability (with FS‐GAIA) and the composition of a score (with stacked bar diagrams).

Research limitations/implications

In the future, it is expected that other multi‐criteria decision methods will be complemented by prescriptive approaches.

Practical implications

A real case study is introduced in order to illustrate the practicality of the visual techniques. In this paper, the innovation performances of small and medium enterprises from the French Lorraine region are assessed.

Social implications

It is expected that the quality of the decisions taken are improved because of being better informed.

Originality/value

The paper, using a real case study, provides important new tools to enhance decision quality.
Modeling the important organizational factors of safety management system performance
Authors: Hsin Lin Yi
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between safety culture and the organizational identity of safety management system (SMS), in order to provide more awareness of how airline employees perceive organizational identity and safety culture as they successfully implement SMS.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual path model analysis is tested using data analysis research design.

Findings

The findings show that safety culture has been strengthened as the result of the implementation of a SMS. Furthermore, the loyalty factor of organizational identity is found to positively and significantly predict the performance of SMS through safety culture.

Practical implications

This paper is intended to provide some introductory perspectives on how to successfully apply safety culture and the supporting organizational identity for implementing SMS, as well as guidance about the areas in which airlines must improve if they wish to reduce accidents and incidents.

Originality/value

The questionnaire survey is designed to form perceptions of flight crews and helps to maintain a focus on the key persons in aviation safety management.
Identifying and ranking critical success factors of customer experience in banks
Authors: Garg Ruchi , Rahman Zillur , Qureshi M.N. , Kumar Ishwar
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify and evaluate the critical success factors which make the dimensions for measuring customer experience (CE) in banking organizations more effective and purposeful. These critical success factors have been prioritized in order to find out which is more important for the five threshold dimensions to achieve favourable CE.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper examines the critical success factors of CE which have been identified from the literature survey and through expert's opinion have finally confirmed in context of this study on banking organizations. Further, analytic hierarchy process (AHP) has been used in order to evaluate the identified 14 critical factors of CE and to find their priorities for success in banking organizations.

Findings

On the basis of the proposed hierarchical model, the findings suggest that the factors such as convenience, employees, online functional elements, and servicescape are critical for measuring CE in banking organizations.

Research limitations/implications

In the literature, it is assumed that the criteria for measuring CE are mutually exclusive. But it has been found that in the real world these criteria may sometimes depend on one other, particularly in banking organizations. Therefore, in order to resolve such issues it is advised that future research may apply analytic network process (ANP).

Practical implications

The findings suggest that the managers in banking organizations must ameliorate these critical factors according to their weights, in order to attain favourable CE, sustainable competitive advantage and customer delight.

Originality/value

Because of the subjective nature of CE, AHP serves as an empirical approach in prioritization of critical success factors of CE, which has been a major lacuna in available literature. The results presented in this paper are objective, reliable, and may be generalized for measuring CE in banking organizations.
Sectoral innovation system and technology policy development in China
Authors: Chan Leong , Daim Tugrul
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the status quo of China's innovation systems and contribute to the development of effective innovation policies.

Design/methodology/approach

The construct of this paper is based on a comprehensive case study in China's transportation sector. Detailed discussions and analyses follow to give implications in policy making.

Findings

Sectoral innovation capability can be enhanced in a learning environment that balances domestic innovation and international technology transfer. Government should strategically leverage various resources for innovation.

Originality/value

Through the analysis of case study, a conceptual framework to support sectoral innovation is proposed. The research gives insight on how to improve and prepare the conditions for future innovation.
Fringe benefits and loyalty on the Chinese labour market – a trend towards higher individual‐ and performance‐orientation
Authors: Kasper Helmut , Muehlbacher Juergen , Kodydek Georg , Zhang Liping
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The labour turnover rate is in general 10 per cent in China. Although this rate is especially high for blue collar workers, fluctuation among qualified employees and managers is high as well. As a result, the economic development has led to high competition on the Chinese market. Moreover, companies also have to deal with lack of employees – especially highly qualified ones. The purpose of this paper is to figure out the impact of fringe benefits on the labour turnover rate of Chinese professionals.

Design/methodology/approach

The study subjects were 14 managers working for private companies in the Shanghai region. The authors conducted semi‐structured interviews as the primary data collection procedure to investigate reasons, opinions, and views about fringe benefits and employees' loyalty to their organisations.

Findings

The paper outlines highly diverse perspectives about fringe benefits. Furthermore, the authors show a series of reasons for labour turnover and motivators of Chinese professionals.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the compensation literature by analyzing the relation between fringe benefits and loyalty of Chinese professionals. Moreover, it shows to what extent fringe benefits influence labour turnover in China. It also presents the preferred fringe benefits of employees in Chinese companies.
Framework of human resource planning (HRP) influencing factors for local workforce supply in Malaysian construction industry
Authors: Norhidayah  , Kasim Narimah , Shamsudin Alina
Published: June 2012

Purpose

Human resource planning (HRP) is important during workforce supply to help organizations appoint the right people in the right job. However, few studies have considered the role of HRP practices for local workforce supply in the Malaysian construction industry. The purpose of this paper is to identify the implementation of HRP and framework development of HRP influencing factors for local workforce supply in the Malaysian construction industry.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed method was adopted to interpret the data of semi‐structured interviews and questionnaire survey. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with ten interviewees from government and non‐government organizations. Questionnaires were distributed to a random selection of contractors in the urban areas of Malaysia. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) and the Matrix Table.

Findings

The findings revealed that economic changes were dominant HRP influencing factors. Only organization strategy; nature of work; economic changes; and demographic (social) changes are significant HRP influencing factors for local workforce supply in the Malaysian construction industry.

Research limitations/implications

Future research should try to adapt the HRP framework in the suitable HRP model to explain the HRP practices in construction organization.

Originality/value

The paper offers insight into HRP implementation in construction firms and HRP influencing factors for local workforce supply, focusing on the construction industry in Malaysia.
Facilitating knowledge sharing in a Chinese consulting company
Authors: Yang Hua , Chen Peng , Xu Yong
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of communities of practice (CoPs) in facilitating knowledge sharing within a Chinese management consulting company.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative case study was conducted within a Chinese management consulting company. Data collection was based on focus group interviews and in‐depth interviews.

Findings

The finding of this study suggests that there are some knowledge sharing barriers caused by both organizational factors and cultural factors. CoP in the case company have been playing very positive roles in overcoming those barriers and facilitating knowledge sharing in the company.

Research limitations/implications

The findings are restricted to the specific context of this study. However, qualitative methodology contributes to thick and rich data and it gives an understanding of the phenomena under study within the context of the study. Therefore, readers can decide and make their own generalizations with relevant context.

Practical implications

Based on the research findings, the study developed the knowledge sharing model in the case company, which provides a synthesis for this study result. This model can help related academics and practitioners to understand the Chinese cultural and social influences on knowledge management practice, as well as the role of CoPs in facilitating knowledge sharing in Chinese organisations.

Originality/value

Few studies have explicitly paid attention to knowledge sharing within Chinese organizations. This paper provides useful information both for academics interested in cultural issues within knowledge management and impartial advice for knowledge managers within Chinese companies.
Sino‐UK transnational education in China: rhetoric versus reality
Authors: Zhuang Lee , Xueying Tang Amelia
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the gap between what should happen and what actually happens in Sino‐UK transnational education (TNE) provision, with a focus on the barriers of language and culture.

Design/methodology/approach

Following a literature review, an exploratory study was carried out using the non‐probability‐based snowball sampling method. In total, 38 programme managers from ten Sino‐UK TNE providers responded to a questionnaire survey, with eight of them taking part in a subsequent semi‐structured interview. Additional data were collected via observations at staff meetings and classes.

Findings

Demand for Sino‐UK TNE based in China was in decline for reasons including demographic changes, increased competition and expansion in the Chinese state sector. Due to barriers of language and culture, the overall learning experience of TNE students in China was not found comparable with that of their counterparts in the UK in terms of learning, teaching and academic support.

Research limitations/implications

Without further research, the findings of this study may not be generalised to all Sino‐UK providers due to the non‐probability based sampling method.

Practical implications

Managers of a Sino‐UK TNE partnership on both sides need to be open about the language and culture induced challenges facing the sector and be committed to addressing them in the long term if they are to continue their operation.

Originality/value

The paper presents admissions from practitioners about the disparities between the rhetoric and reality of the current Sino‐UK TNE provision, which raise questions critical to the future survival of the sector.
How much does country matter in emerging economies? Evidence from Latin America
Authors: Diaz Hermelo Francisco , Vassolo Roberto
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the magnitude of country, industry and firm‐specific effects for firms competing in emerging economies and also explore differences between high and low performers.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use ANOVA methodologies on samples from firms competing in Latin America between 1990‐2006.

Findings

It was found that the firm‐specific effect is the most important one, and relatively equivalent in magnitude to the firm‐specific effects found in developed countries. Country and industry effects are less important than the firm‐specific effect. Contrary to previous studies that indicate that the country effect is relatively more important in emerging economies, the authors found that it is even less important than the industry effect, a result that has important implications for strategic management and international business theory. The source behind the strong firm‐specific effects might stem from their resources and capabilities to manage and take advantage of the institutional and macroeconomic environments. Further analysis indicates that the firm‐specific effect is relatively more important for firms showing high performance than for those firms showing low performance.

Research limitations/implications

Through these findings the authors feel that further research is needed so as to arm future managers with a more clear and comprehensive strategy when doing business in a Latin American country. The paper's findings are specific for large public corporations in Latin America.

Practical implications

The paper allows managers to think about sources of competitive advantages in emerging economies.

Originality/value

The paper shows that, despite weak institutional contexts and highly volatile macroeconomic environments, managers in the region should be able to obtain substantial differences in economic performances within the region. Activities needed for such differentiation might differ from those carried out in developed countries, with more emphasis on managing institutional voids and periods of economic and political cycles but the result should be the same.
Organizational identity as an anchor for adaptation: an emerging market perspective
Authors: Hatum Andrés , Silvestri Luciana , Vassolo Roberto S. , Pettigrew Andrew
Published: June 2012

Purpose

There is little doubt that organizational identity – that which is central, distinctive, and enduring about an organization – mediates in adaptive processes. Exactly how this mediation takes place, and whether it is favorable or unfavorable to adaptation, must still be fully established. The purpose of this paper is to add to the literature on identity and adaptation by exploring the relationship between these two constructs in family firms operating in an emerging economy. Based on measures of strength of identity, the authors examine how identity affects the adaptive processes of issue identification, strategic impulse definition, and implementation, where the authors look at pace of adjustment.

Design/methodology/approach

Longitudinal and comparative case studies were conducted of polar types presenting two pairs of organizations in two separate industries. These organizations faced the challenge of founder succession and a radical shift in macroeconomic conditions over a period of three decades. Through these four cases the authors hope to provide clear pattern recognition of strength of identity and adaptation – and of the relationship between these two constructs – in the face of severe internal and external shocks. The approach seems adequate in the larger context of inductive theory development and particularly suitable to the exploration of theoretical constructs, as it allows the researcher to unravel the underlying dynamics of path dependencies and/or evolutionary processes.

Findings

It is found that strong‐identity organizations are able to foresee relevant changes in their industries, define adequate strategic responses, and implement them in an evolutionary (i.e. smooth) manner. Conversely, loose‐identity organizations misread industry trends, incur strategic paralysis, and must eventually enforce revolutionary (i.e. violent) changes in order to ensure survival.

Originality/value

The paper addresses a critical issue for the advancement of organizational theory: the relationship between organizational identity and adaptation in emerging economies. In addition, it has important practical implications for managers doing business in turbulent environments. It makes a sound theoretical contribution and has important managerial implications.
Empowerment as a tool for a healthy resettlement: a case of new African settlers in South Australia
Authors: Mwanri Lillian , Hiruy Kiros , Masika Joseph
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the application of empowerment and the role that it plays in fostering community participation, community integration and in enabling a healthy re‐settlement of culturally and linguistically diverse migrants who have recently arrived in Australia from Sub Saharan Africa.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper's approach is a discussion expressing the views of authors supported by the relevant literature drawn from a wide range of sources on migration, settlement, health, social, environment, cultural and public health issues. The African community and its peak organisation, the African Communities Council of South Australia is presented and various empowerment strategies used by the council are discussed as a healthy model for empowering new settlers in the new environment.

Findings

The first part of the paper describes the migration of African migrants in South Australia and sets the scenario describing the current state of these migrants including opportunities and challenges they face in the new environment. The second part describes theories and contexts of community empowerment, relationship between community empowerment and a healthy settlement; and the relevance and implications of community empowerment. The third part draws the above context and the empowerment strategy is specifically related to the African Community in South Australia. The empowerment strategy in this case represents a wide range of interventions aimed to equip new African migrants to a successful and a healthy resettlement and integration in South Australia. By addressing a wide range of settlement challenges and issues, the strategy employs concepts of empowerment that have been used in public health in general, health promotion, health education, communications, community engagement and community development.

Originality/value

The paper highlights challenges and opportunities for new migrants in the new environment and argues that community empowerment is an important enabling tool for a healthy settlement, particularly for people with refugee backgrounds. The paper also acknowledges that the community development approach has assisted the target group and has improved their ability to overcome challenges associated with settlement through capacity building, social capital and community connectivity.
The New Zealand gaming and betting survey: Chinese and Indian people's experience
Authors: Tse Samson , Rossen Fiona , Hoque Ekramul
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse attitudes, understanding of gambling and gambling related harm among Asians in New Zealand using secondary data from the New Zealand 2006/07 Gaming and Betting Attitudes Survey (GBAS).

Design/methodology/approach

This survey interviewed 1,973 nationwide randomly selected youths and adults (≥18 years) using structured questionnaire. Chinese (N=113) and Indian (N=122) data were analysed separately to compare between them and with NZ Europeans (N=792). Descriptive analysis was carried out and was subsequently tested for significant correlations by weighted (p<0.01) and un‐weighted (p<0.05) variables.

Findings

A higher proportion of Chinese males (66.8 percent) represented in the survey compared to Indian (43.0 percent) and NZ European (48.9 percent) where Chinese consisted of more youthful age structure. Chinese respondents were more likely to be in the lowest income bracket (NZ$10,000) compared to others. Among the ten gambling activities “casino table gambling” and “casino electronic machines” (slot‐style machine) were most popular among the Chinese where Indians preferred “gambling/casino evening”. A significant proportion of Chinese were unwilling to refer family or friends to gambling help services despite believing that gambling does more harm than good. Pre‐committed gambling sum was the most common harm minimising strategy suggested by participants. They believed education and consultation could deter youths from harmful gambling.

Research limitations/implications

This survey highlighted gambling behaviours and thoughts of the ethnic minority population in New Zealand. Study outcomes would be valuable in formulating ethnic specific preventative programme and may have policy implication.

Originality/value

There has been limited research on gambling behaviour of ethnic minorities in New Zealand. This paper fills some of the gaps.
The pharmacist's role in the Egyptian pharmaceutical market
Authors: Taher Ahmed , Stuart Elnora W. , Hegazy Ibrahim
Published: June 2012

Purpose

Pharmaceutical companies' marketing strategies have traditionally targeted only physicians and, more recently, consumers. The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of the pharmacist as prescriber, influencer, switcher, and dispenser of pharmaceutical drugs in one developing country, Egypt.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors surveyed pharmacists in Cairo, Egypt. The pharmacists were asked to estimate the percentages of patients who came in with a prescription, with only a box or a recommendation for a medicine and with only symptoms, and whether he/she switched the patient to another medicine. Pharmacies were classified as to the social class of the pharmacy neighborhoods. Cluster analysis was used to further classify pharmacists as “Influencers” and “Non‐influencers”.

Findings

Overall the pharmacists influence 39 percent of all purchase decisions for pharmaceuticals with higher levels of influence in lower social class neighborhoods. Approximately one out of four pharmacists was classified as an Influencer.

Practical implications

In developing countries, the pharmacist plays a key role in which medicines patients ultimately purchase. Marketing activities directed toward the pharmacist may provide an important opportunity to maximize the pharmaceutical firms' return on marketing investment.

Originality/value

Few studies have looked at the marketing of pharmaceutical drugs in developing countries. This paper is unique in that it examines the role of the pharmacist in these markets, thus providing an important addition to the understanding of the challenges to the industry in these countries and important implications for pharmaceutical marketing strategies.