bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Education and training in the knowledge‐based economy
Authors: Psarras John
Published: July 2006

Purpose

Knowledge management (KM) has recently received considerable attention in the computer information systems community and is continually gaining interest by industry, enterprises and academia. As one moves into an era of “knowledge capitalism”, KM in combination with information management, will play a fundamental role in the success of transforming individual knowledge into organisational knowledge. The increasing economic importance of knowledge, which nowadays redefines the links among education, work and learning, makes the role of KM quite crucial. The main purpose of this paper is to propose new ways of using KM for the development of modern education and training.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents the basic issues related to KM, by reviewing key contributions to the field. It then discusses the applicability of KM concepts and principles to education and training, presents real and successful examples and proposes innovative ways in order to apply KM techniques in this field.

Findings

The main finding is that KM can successfully contribute to the development of education and training in the context of the new knowledge‐based economy.

Practical implications

The main implication is the need to explore how companies and organisations can efficiently and effectively adopt such KM approaches for education and training.

Originality/value

The distinguishing feature of this study is that it shows that the key concepts of KM can be used for education and training purposes, something that in turn can help companies to leverage the skills and expertise of its members and consequently to maintain and enhance their knowledge capital.
The individual as learner
Authors: Bennet Alex
Published: July 2006

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a short introduction to the current learning environment and the need for a transformational shift in thinking and learning.

Design/methodology/approach

The primary foundations of classical learning theory are introduced before exploring major attributes of the current learning environment.

Findings

Differences between learning in simple, complicated and complex systems are identified.

Originality/value

This paper lays the groundwork for recognizing the value of the Learning Organization Portfolio featured paper: “Expanding the knowledge paradigm” by David Bennet.
Building blocks to a knowledge valuation system (KVS)
Authors: Green Annie
Published: July 2006

Purpose

This paper proposes a logical approach to valuing knowledge within the context of the business enterprise.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology or approach to knowledge valuation is derived from empirical research based on a framework of intangible valuation areas (FIVA). The key valuation components of FIVA are used as the basis for the evolution of an enterprise knowledge valuation system (KVS).

Findings

A conceptual model provides the foundation a business needs to construct a KVS that aligns with business performance. This aids businesses in modeling their business intelligence and identifying intelligent behavior that significantly contributes to the decision‐making process of stakeholders in today's business enterprises.

Originality/value

Businesses enterprises are challenged with the development and use of knowledge within the business to positively affect the performance and market valuation of a business enterprise. The conceptual model presented in this paper expands on existing components of intangible asset and value chain models to aid business stakeholders in a method that organizes and structures enterprise knowledge such that they understand what their enterprise knowledge is and the value of their enterprise knowledge.
Alexandria burned – securing knowledge access in the age of Google
Authors: Gayton Cynthia M.
Published: July 2006

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the legal implications presented by the Google Library Project which entails the digitization of the collections of five prominent libraries.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper focuses on knowledge access and the effect digitization will have on the availability of books heretofore available only in analog form and in libraries. This paper does not address “e‐books” or similar electronic publishing formats but instead analyzes the process of digitizing hard copy books in their entirety, making the content available for searching online, and the copyright, private property, and antitrust issues that will confront a online commercial library.

Findings

While conducting research for this paper, it was found that the internet space opens up as many problems as opportunities. The copyright laws have been well balanced over the years to reflect the interests of the copyright holder and the public. Commercial entities, in particular, internet search engines, are entering into licensing and other contractual arrangements which may limit public access to works that would otherwise be available for use under the existing fair use, first sale, and library exemption regimes.

Originality/value

What may be considered original is the emphasis on the contract between Google and the University of Michigan's “cooperative agreement.” It is unusual that such a document is available for public scrutiny and provides a window into the thinking of both parties. Google, with extraordinary assets available to it, may be able to unfairly skew knowledge access in a way unimaginable in a traditional library setting. Characterizing the legal relationship between Google, the libraries, and the public may not be new, but the approach should afford additional insight into the ongoing hard copy/electronic copy debate.
The new enterprise knowledge management© Gartner, Inc.
Authors: Caldwell French
Published: July 2006

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explain how knowledge management (KM) is an essential part of an information management (IM) initiative. IM and KM leaders must be aware of the challenges of fusing KM and IM.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on observation of numerous KM and IM projects, and on discussions with expert practitioners and senior management.

Findings

Executives want as close to real time decision support as they can get and they want business context around the data. For the information technology organization this means integrating structured data with unstructured content and building collaboration into analytic tools so that analysts across the company can share what they know. It means building KM into IM projects.

Originality/value

Chief information officers and senior business managers who are implementing IM projects for decision support will get more value by including KM initiatives that provide for context and collaboration.
Unified approach to agile knowledge‐based enterprise decision support
Authors: Vandergriff Linda J.
Published: July 2006

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify and prioritize 30 decision support capabilities. Not limited to quantitative analysis techniques, the highest priority capabilities included explicit knowledge access and reliability, timely risk management, ability to communicate decisions and learn from their implementation.

Design/methodology/approach

To meet the needs of AKEs, it is critical developers implement the right capabilities. This requires a unified approach that identifies a complementary decision support set of capabilities. Using a triangulation approach of qualitative architecting and quantitative survey processes, this study evaluates enterprise‐specific operating environment and business models. It expands the integrated informed decision cycle model to identify decision making, decision implementation, and knowledge management‐related capabilities.

Findings

Agile knowledge‐based enterprises (AKEs) drive a need for a more aware, inclusive, and responsive decision support system. Goldman et al. observe that organizations are responding to these needs in a piecemeal fashion. Although significant research exists on knowledge management, decision analysis, and other decision support applications, Vahidov and Kersten assert that researchers and developers lack a unified decision‐support approach. Without such an overarching framework for identification and evaluation of needed capabilities, investment choices can provide incompatible or wrong capabilities with substantial chance of missing needed capabilities. All of these situations lessen the return on investment expected from a unified approach.

Originality/value

The combined capability set informs organization infrastructure investment for future evaluation and development of decision support.
A case study on knowledge management implementation in the banking sector
Authors: Belaid Kridan Ahmed , Steven Goulding Jack
Published: July 2006

Purpose

Knowledge management literature predominant comes from a western perspective. The purpose of this paper is to report on an empirical study to find out if the organisations acting in less business environment such as Libyan organisations (banking in particular) will be able to implement a knowledge management system (KMS) and how they can benefit from it.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is built mainly around “what” question related to information processes within organisations within a social context. This study uses a case study approach using an interpretive perspective (a qualitative method) to map and describe relationships. This approach enables a greater degree of granularity to be captured.

Findings

The benefit of KMS is an essential step in defining critical areas in implementing a KMS and determining strategy in this research. The results show that KMS could be of most significance for enhancing the organisations' performance and led them to better position in today's competitive environment. These benefits are fundamental issues related to different encouragements in KMS implementation such as better decision‐making, improving the customer relationship and management, create new value through new services (innovations), and creating additional businesses.

Originality/value

The banking and financial sectors are fundamental drivers of innovation. In this context, their contribution to KM concept and applications are of specific value, especially concerning the leverage of intellectual capital. Knowledge intensive organisations like these are increasingly implementing KMS to drive forward their strategies and improve performance. This paper therefore, focuses specially on presenting a framework tailored to meet the banking and financial sector's needs.
Catalytic anodes for electrodeposition: a study for acid copper printed circuit board (PCB) production
Authors: Gabe D.R. , Cobley A.J.
Published: July 2006

Purpose

Insoluble anodes have long been used as an alternative to the preferred soluble types, primarily for their practicality and without great attention to their efficacy. However, since about 1970 so‐called catalytic anodes, typified by platinised titanium, have been increasingly used for electrochemical processes without too much attention to possible side‐effects. The purpose of this paper is, therefore, to review the types of commercially available catalytic anodes and their electrochemical properties, particularly with respect to acid copper electroplating.

Design/methodology/approach

Commercially available catalytic anodes were obtained from various anode suppliers and their electrochemical properties and behaviour with respect to acid copper electroplating were studied.

Findings

While the oxidising capability of catalytic anodes is undisputed, it can lead to oxidation of organic species in electroplating solutions. This in turn can lead to loss of control and additional costs for additives in electrodeposition. This study has addressed the issue and the paper attempts to set down some data‐based rules for the selection process. It also discusses some ways of optimising the choice of anode for acid copper processing of printed circuit‐related processes.

Originality/value

The paper determines the benefits and problems associated with the utilization of catalytic anodes in acid copper electroplating baths and, in particular, their effect on brightener consumption. It describes the factors affecting this phenomenon and describes a novel method for overcoming it.
Tin whisker risk assessment
Authors: Fang Tong , Osterman Michael , Mathew Sony , Pecht Michael
Published: July 2006

Purpose

To present a methodology, including the algorithms, to quantify the risk of failure from tin whiskers and to present a dynamic risk trend based on the distribution of each of the whisker growth parameters, generated from experiments over a period of time. This paper also aims to demonstrate the practical application of the methodology developed.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper has been written to provide a methodology to assess tin whisker risk due to fixed whiskers in electronic products. The risk assessment process has been detailed in the paper. To demonstrate the usefulness of the methodology, a tin whisker risk assessment was conducted for a printed circuit board (PCB) in operation.

Findings

Based on the experimental tin whisker growth data it is observed that growth rates of mean length and average density decrease with time. Based on the risk assessment, it was estimated that for the common matte tin over copper finish, the failure risk for the circuit card assembly was 4 per cent over 20 years. It was recommended that, for this product, components with bright tin lead finish should not be used. It was also found that the effectiveness of the conformal coating on this PCB is limited by the relative risk of the components on the board.

Originality/value

The paper provides a new methodology to assess fixed tin whisker risk in electronic products. The methodology provides a dynamic risk trend with time because the algorithm incorporates distributional data of whisker growth and the distributional data as a function of time. This type of assessment was lacking in the previous studies.
The diverse world of social enterprise
Authors: Thompson John , Doherty Bob
Published: July 2006

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the diverse world of social enterprise.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper profiles 11 different social enterprises from around the world. These range from a profit‐achieving business in a very competitive industry, but one with strong social principles, through a profitable workers' co‐operative to ones needing to find financial sustainability if they are to continue their social aspirations. The paper discusses a number of key issues in defining an organisation as a social enterprise and highlights the central issue of measuring success and impact.

Findings

In some of the enterprises the important contribution of a pivotal social entrepreneur is apparent. The need to create and add value for customers and clients is always apparent, as is the need to find effective routes to market. It can be concluded that whilst certain beliefs and principles are routinely evident, social enterprises most certainly cannot be described as “one‐size‐fits‐all”.

Originality/value

The paper presents a collection of social enterprise stories.
Corporate social responsibility: the 3C‐SR model
Authors: Meehan John , Meehan Karon , Richards Adam
Published: July 2006

Purpose

To develop a model that bridges the gap between CSR definitions and strategy and offers guidance to managers on how to connect socially committed organisations with the growing numbers of ethically aware consumers to simultaneously achieve economic and social objectives.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper offers a critical evaluation of the theoretical foundations of corporate responsibility (CR) and proposes a new strategic approach to CR, which seeks to overcome the limitations of normative definitions. To address this perceived issue, the authors propose a new processual model of CR, which they refer to as the 3C‐SR model.

Findings

The 3C‐SR model can offer practical guidelines to managers on how to connect with the growing numbers of ethically aware consumers to simultaneously achieve economic and social objectives. It is argued that many of the redefinitions of CR for a contemporary audience are normative exhortations (“calls to arms”) that fail to provide managers with the conceptual resources to move from “ought” to “how”.

Originality/value

The 3C‐SR model offers a novel approach to CR in so far as it addresses strategy, operations and markets in a single framework.
Social enterprise in the public sector. MetService: thinking beyond the weather
Authors: Luke Belinda , Verreynne Martie‐Louise
Published: July 2006

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to consider the role of government in fostering entrepreneurial activity and economic development, thereby balancing social and economic objectives.

Design/methodology/approach

Case studies on state‐owned enterprises (SOEs) in New Zealand, one of which is examined in detail, are analysed and compared. Triangulated data from interviews, texts, and personal observation were collected and analysed in two separate phases, examining effective pathways for social enterprise in the public sector and related themes.

Findings

Findings suggest the role of government is not limited to policy‐making. Examination of activity which aims to balance social and economic objectives identifies several factors which have contributed to successful and entrepreneurial operations within SOEs.

Research limitations/implications

Although limited to a single case, this paper reveals the nature and importance of entrepreneurial activity within government organisations.

Practical implications

Deregulation as an alternative to privatisation is examined and evaluated.

Originality/value

Evidence is provided to support entrepreneurship within the public sector as a strong foundation for balancing both social and economic objectives.
Savings behaviour in Fiji: an empirical assessment using the ARDL approach to cointegration
Authors: Narayan Paresh Kumar , Narayan Seema
Published: July 2006

Purpose

This paper aims to delineate the short‐ and long‐run relationships between savings, real interest rate, income, current account deficits (CADs) and age dependency ratio in Fiji using cointegration and error correction models over the period 1968‐2000.

Design/methodology/approach

The recently developed bounds testing approach to cointegration is used, which is applicable irrespective of whether the underlying variables are integrated of order one or order zero. Given the small sample size in this study, appropriate critical values were extracted from Narayan. To estimate the short‐ and long‐run elasticities, the autoregressive distributed‐lag model is used.

Findings

In the short‐ and long‐run: a 1 per cent increase in growth rate increases savings by over 0.07 and 0.5 per cent, respectively; a 1 per cent increase in the CAD reduces savings rate by 0.01 and 0.02 per cent, respectively; and the negative coefficient on the real interest rate implies that the income effect dominates the substitution effect, while in the short‐run the total effect of the real interest rate is positive, implying that the substitution effect dominates the income effect.

Originality/value

This paper makes the first attempt at estimating the savings function for the Fiji Islands. Given that Fiji's capital market is poorly developed, the empirical findings here have direct policy relevance.
A democratic view on prosperity
Authors: Cojanu Valentin
Published: July 2006

Purpose

This paper aims to advance the argument that the process of wealth creation predominantly originates from the economic system of democracy. It seeks to put forth the concept of economic democracy and understand as the process enabling the opportunities for welfare gains to multiply in favour of ever‐larger parts of population.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper questions the main insight of the conventional view on the benefits of specialisation according to which a nation's prosperity becomes inevitable under the circumstances of efficient allocation of available resources. It takes instead account of how economic interests intertwine with political processes and proposes an analytical deconstruction of the economic influence of political decisions with extensive consideration to Olson's perspective on collective action.

Findings

The argument is that the conventional prediction is necessarily limited by several particular occurrences that make the process of wealth creation take a course dependent on the democratic organization of economic activities. The set of policy actions, as well as its underlying principles rest on the understanding that diversification of sources of economic gains should stand as option number 1 on any governmental priority list in order to achieve a better standard of living.

Originality/value

The paper sheds light on a different perspective, which does not take for granted the principles of free market and open society as determinants of a country's prosperity and proposes instead an understanding of the sources of prosperity based on occupational diversification as a practical consequence of the economic democracy.
The valuation effects of stock splits in NASDAQ
Authors: Lyroudi Katerina , Dasilas Apostolos , Varnas Antonios
Published: July 2006

Purpose

To investigate whether a stock split is still considered a policy that creates value for the underlying company and the rationale behind such action for companies listed on the NASDAQ.

Design/methodology/approach

The event study methodology of Strong is employed to examine the announcement effect of stock splits on stock prices.

Findings

The results indicate a positive market reaction at the stock split announcement and that the liquidity hypothesis explains well the rationale for the stock splits.

Research limitations/implications

The sample is quite small (57 observations) and the examination period is limited to 1999 and 2000.

Practical implications

Findings are of particular interest to researchers, practitioners and investors that have an interest in firms listed on NASDAQ.

Originality/value

Limited research on the stock price behaviour of firms listed on NASDAQ around stock split announcement date.
Optimisation of FTSE 100 tracker funds
Authors: Rafaely B. , Bennell J.A.
Published: July 2006

Purpose

Tracker funds offer an attractive balance between risk and return, by providing the profit of the index, with the reduced risk associated with the broad market cover. An effectively designed tracker fund will achieve best tracking of the index with minimal running and trading costs. This paper aims to investigate the use of improved optimisation methods for the design and maintenance of tracker funds.

Design/methodology/approach

Most current methods of tracker fund optimisation use quadratic programming (QP), due to its simple formulation and efficient solution. However, the explicit tracking of the return of the index and the optimal selection of the subset of shares composing the fund is not directly available using these methods. This paper investigates ways to overcome the shortcomings of current methods by using genetic algorithms (GA). A GA based tracker fund optimisation method is applied to Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 data using computer simulations.

Findings

Tracking performance is presented and compared to QP. Results show the advantage of the new method for various conditions of tracker fund subset size and update rates. In particular, there is an improved performance when evaluating the errors in optimising returns of the index.

Practical implications

The paper intentionally sets out to use commercially available software to implement the optimisation approaches, thus demonstrating that the advantages of using GAs are easily realisable and do not require tailor made software.

Originality/value

The paper provides a direct comparison between the established approach of QP and a GA. The implementation uses commercially available software and is therefore easily realisable in practice.
Macroeconomic risk and the Fama‐French three‐factor model
Authors: Black Angela J.
Published: July 2006

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the relationship between the conditional variance of the factors from the Fama–French three‐factor model and macroeconomic risk, where macroeconomic risk is proxied by the conditional variance for a default risk premium and real gross domestic product (GDP) growth.

Design/methodology/approach

A generalised autoregressive conditional heteroscedastic model is used to generate the conditional volatilities and bivariate Granger causality tests are used to examine the empirical relationship between the risk measures.

Findings

Past values of the conditional variance for a default risk premium have information that is precedent to the conditional volatility for value premium and the small stock risk premium, and the conditional variance for the market risk premium has information about the future volatility of macroeconomic risk, as proxied by the conditional variance for GDP growth.

Research limitations/implications

The implications are that conditional volatility associated with default is related to current and future volatility in value premium; however, volatility associated with the market risk premium appears to be a predictor of future macroeconomic risk. A caveat is that the results are dependent on the proxies used for macroeconomic risk and more refined measures of macroeconomic risk may yield different results.

Practical implications

This paper suggests that examination of the relationship between the volatility of macroeconomic factors and the explanatory factors in asset‐pricing models will help to further understanding of the relationship between risk and expected return.

Originality/value

This paper focuses directly on the links between risk associated with the Fama–French factors and macroeconomic risk. This added knowledge is beneficial to practitioners and academics whose interest lies in asset price modelling.
Financial liberalization and price rigidity in the Nigerian banking system
Authors: Felix Ayadi O. , Hyman Ladelle
Published: July 2006

Purpose

Many developing countries embarked on a program of financial liberalization in order to maximize the benefits associated with a free market system. The preponderance of the evidence in the financial economics literature is that market‐determined interest rates become volatile subsequent to financial liberalization. This paper aims to examine the liberalization program in Nigeria with a view to finding out whether the level of banking competition is increased after financial liberalization.

Design/methodology/approach

The test of banking competition is premised on the argument by Hannan and Berger that retail interest rate rigidity results from either market concentration or the size of the customer base. The cointegration and error correction models are applied to quarterly wholesale and retail interest rates from 1987 through 2001, in order to analyze their long‐run as well as short‐run dynamics.

Findings

The retail lending and deposit rates possess a long‐run equilibrium relationship. Moreover, the minimum rediscount (wholesale) rate (MRR) and the deposit rate also exhibit a long‐run equilibrium relationship. If the lending and deposit rates diverge from their long‐run equilibrium relationship, 37 per cent of the disequilibrium is corrected each quarter by changes in the lending rate. On the other hand, any disequilibrium in the long‐run relationship between the deposit and MRRs can be corrected by changes in the MRR at about 58 per cent per quarter.

Originality/value

The results imply that the financial liberalization in Nigeria failed to achieve its key objective of a market‐driven interest rate system.
Comparing users' perspectives of in‐person and virtual reference
Authors: Nilsen Kirsti
Published: July 2006

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to compare user perspectives on visits to in‐person and virtual reference services conducted by participants in the Library Visit Study, an ongoing research project.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper compares satisfaction rates, identifies staff behaviours that influence user satisfaction, and suggests how both face‐to‐face and virtual reference can be improved. Since 1990, participants in the Library Visit Study have been MLIS students who ask questions at in‐person and virtual reference desks, and report on their experiences. In addition to these accounts, students complete questionnaires on their experiences. Level of satisfaction with the in‐person or virtual transactions, based on the “willingness to return” criterion, are computed. Satisfaction is compared with other factors such as correctness of answers and friendliness of library staff. Underlying problems that influence satisfaction are identified. Findings – Data from 261 in‐person and 85 virtual reference transaction accounts (both e‐mail and chat) show that virtual reference results in lower satisfaction than in‐person reference. Underlying problems that are associated with user dissatisfaction were identified in face‐to‐face reference and carry over to virtual reference, including lack of reference interviews, unmonitored referrals and failure to follow‐up. Research limitations/implications – The number of virtual reference visits is relatively small (85) compared with 261 in‐person visits. Practical implications – The reasons for ongoing failures are examined and solutions that can help improve both face‐to‐face and virtual reference are identified. Education and training of reference staff can be improved by recognition of the behavioural causes of dissatisfaction in users. Originality/value – This paper provides empirical data that compare user perceptions of in‐person and virtual reference.
Learning our way to change: improved institutional alignment
Authors: Davis Hiram L. , Somerville Mary M.
Published: July 2006

Purpose

At California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, USA, systems thinking practice guides strategic organizational change. A new Research and Information Service and education (RISE) initiative and an emerging professional knowledge management model illustrate participants' “deep learning” as leaders realign the organization within the broader context of the academic enterprise. This study aims to examine this initiative.

Design/methodology/approach

This “thought leadership” approach uses soft systems methodology (SSM) to support collaborative learning focused on re‐examining organizational contexts and assumptions. Fortified by data‐driven dialogue, library faculty and staff learn how to think holistically about repurposing resources, redirecting programming, restructuring staff, and retooling expertise.

Findings

Rethinking activities guided by SSM build library staff capacity to improve systems and services through active learning experiences focused on interpreting results and applying insights from user research. Results to date also identify elements of and processes for transformational thought leadership in contemporary information and knowledge organizations.

Research limitations/implications

This promising line of inquiry suggests the efficacy of systems thinking for organizational change initiatives which seek to better align workplace outcomes with constituencies' needs. Results to‐date also suggest elements of, and processes for, thought leadership initiatives which seek to create sustainable workplace learning culture.

Practical implications

This applied systems thinking methodology can inform organizational decision making intended to improve institutional alignment and, concurrently, advance workplace learning.

Originality/value

SSM is typically used in an isolated intervention by external organizational development consultants. At California Polytechnic State University, organizational leaders seek to embed SSM in workplace culture to further evidence‐based information practice and workplace learning.
Adapt or die: a call to action for libraries
Authors: Long Sarah Ann
Published: July 2006

Purpose

To introduce an OCLC report on public perception of libraries.

Design/methodology/approach

An overview of the report is given, along with personal recommendations in response to research results.

Findings

Largely, the reaction to libraries is positive, yet overwhelmingly survey respondents were not aware of, nor do they use, most libraries' electronic information resources. The internet is more of a competitor than realized, as most in the survey ranked the quality of library and internet information about equal. The author believes that libraries must change from passive to aggressive marketers of library services, as well as make libraries easier to use, with fewer rules and more self‐service.

Originality/value

Reliable research has generated valuable and challenging insights for libraries.
Does labour law actually produce equality among workers?
Authors: Ichino Pietro
Published: July 2006

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to deal with the problem of labour law effectiveness, i.e. the comparison between the protective rules’ reasons for existence and their practical effects.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper briefly reviews the most important economic models from which arguments can be drawn in support of (or against) the coherence between labour law aims and effects, particularly focusing on the principal/agent model, which considers the work contract as partially functioning as a sort of insurance policy aimed to guarantee a certain degree of equality among workers notwithstanding their different ability and luck. The paper then assumes the traditional labour law commitment to building equality among workers as a test‐bench of the labour law effectiveness. It then proposes a crucial test for the equalization principle's practical functioning: when is it fair to dismiss an inefficient worker? The paper analyses the current mechanism of judicial application of just cause for dismissal, showing how, in its Italian version, it actually causes the most rigid courts’ orientation – instead of the average one, or the median one – to be assumed by employers and employees as a benchmark for their behaviour in case of litigation.

Findings

This mechanism appears theoretically coherent with the guarantee, traditionally pursued by labour law, of equality among workers independently of the differences among their performances; but this effect is based on the prerequisite that they are hired “under the veil of ignorance” about the efficiency of their future performance; this is why this effect can operate only within the firm where they are employed. Outside the firm, in the external labour market, the same traditional mechanism causes an effect of exclusion for the worker whose lack of efficiency is already visible. The paper concludes that the best effective guarantee of welfare for the worker who turns out to be the loser in the natural or social lottery is today given – rather than by a strong protection of stability of the work relationship – by a system of education, professional training, information and intensive assistance in the labour market, capable of reducing as much as possible, or even eliminating, his/her deficit of initial endowment or handicap, either pre‐existing or acquired.

Originality/value

The paper offers insight into the issue of whether labour law actually produces equality among workers.
The strategic use of American cyberlaw and cyberspace jurisprudence
Authors: Ware Robert
Published: July 2006

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of jurisdictional conflict on the internationalization of firms with internet – focused strategies – in both the physical and virtual environments.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper examines this new phenomenon in the international legal environment through the analysis of Yahoo!'s website internationalization and a review of American cyberlaw jurisprudence.

Findings

This paper suggests that firms with Internet‐focused strategies are aware of the asymmetries in the application and enforcement of extraterritorial judgments, and use these asymmetries as a component of their website internationalization strategy. This paper also suggests that previous calls for the regulation of cyberspace, which are based only on an analysis of the virtual environment, may provide misleading conclusions regarding the operation of international jurisdictional conflict.

Research limitations/implications

This is a nonquantitative analysis and scope‐limited to American law.

Practical limitations

The paper contain practical and actionable information, and suggests framework for future quantitative and nonquantitative research.

Originality/value

This is the only paper, known to the author, to investigate cyberspace jurisprudence using theories from Law and International Business.
Market scanning for new service development
Authors: Veflen Olsen Nina , Sallis James
Published: July 2006

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop and test a theoretical model of narrow and broad market scanning in a service industry, including short‐ and long‐term outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

In a cross‐sectional survey, structural equation modeling is used to test the hypotheses on a sample of 126 hotel managers in Norway.

Findings

Given that services often involve direct interaction between the customer and the provider, customers play a more active role in the service development process. This has ramifications for how service firms scan their environment and, in turn, for incremental and discontinuous innovation. It is found that narrow and broad scanning each affect the new service development process in a unique way. Narrow scanning has a strong positive effect on profitability through incremental service adaptation; broad scanning has a weak but significant effect on profitability through incremental service adaptation, and broad scanning positively influences spin‐off knowledge.

Research limitations/implications

The two greatest limitations of the research, which translate into important avenues for future research, are to develop a better measure of discontinuous innovation, and to test the model in an alternative setting, because hotels are very dependent on locality and surroundings.

Practical implications

When developing services, services managers must distinguish between short‐ and long‐term performance, and how they scan their markets. Adapting to customers to the exclusion of exploring new opportunities threatens long‐term viability.

Originality/value

The paper offers the following advice: as with organizational learning, service firms need to scan their markets by design, not default.
Large firms, entrepreneurial marketing processes, and the cycle of competitive advantage
Authors: Miles Morgan P. , Darroch Jenny
Published: July 2006

Purpose

The paper aims to explore how large firms might leverage entrepreneurial marketing processes to gain and renew competitive advantage.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper applies past research on entrepreneurial marketing and entrepreneurship with examples from a long‐term case study of firms in New Zealand, Sweden, the UK, and the USA to illustrate how entrepreneurial marketing processes can be strategically employed by large firms to create or discover, assess, and exploit entrepreneurial opportunities more effectively and efficiently.

Findings

The paper offers insight into how large firms leverage entrepreneurial marketing processes to gain advantage. The findings suggest that, in free and open markets, entrepreneurial marketing processes can be strategically employed to create superior value for the firm's customers and owners.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the work of both academics working at the marketing/entrepreneurship interface and executives seeking to leverage marketing to create competitive advantage.
The role of key account programs, trust, and brand strength on resource allocation in the channel of distribution
Authors: Verbeke Willem , Bagozzi Richard P. , Farris Paul
Published: July 2006

Purpose

Seeks to better understand whether a retailer's trust in a manufacturer is a key concept in their motivation to allocate resources to those manufacturers with whom they have a long‐term relationship compared with economical motivations.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey research method is used to study all customers from three large manufacturers in The Netherlands. These retailers had to answer questions about their trust in a manufacturer, the manufacturer's investments in the relationship, and their marketing efforts. Questions were also asked about the allocation of their own scarce resources for the manufacturer, specifically their adoption of in‐store marketing campaigns initiated by the manufacturer. Structural equation models and regression analyses were employed.

Findings

Trust is not that important, but the manufacturer's investments in the brand are the most important predictors. However, interaction effects were also found: trust interacts with investments in the brand to influence resource allocations. It was also found that personal contact of salespeople of the manufacturer with managers at store as well as their contact with headquarters had an effect on resource allocation. This is conceived to be an indication that people at headquarters take into consideration how people at the floor level evaluate the brands and their effects on customers when making resource allocation decisions. In other words, retailer chains have complex buying centers.

Research limitations/implications

A large set of customers was analyzed from three different manufacturers, but customers could have been investigated from many manufacturers.

Practical implications

Retailers respond to manufacturers mainly with economic motivations (e.g. what is the value of this brand for my own firm?). However, trust at times interacts with these economic motivations. This means that manufacturers should invest both in the relationship with the retailer and in their brands, if they want to motivate the retailer to allocate scarce resources (e.g. time).

Originality/value

This paper identifies important factors that influence retailer behavior that have not been studied within a fast‐moving retail context.
The relationship between resource dependence and market orientation
Authors: Macedo Isabel Maria , Carlos Pinho José
Published: July 2006

Purpose

This article sets out to examine the market orientation construct within the context of the non‐profit sector. Given the specificity of non‐profit organisations and the increasingly demanding resource environments in which these organisations operate, the adoption of the concept of marketing is viewed as an adaptive strategy for ensuring that organisations receive the necessary resources for accomplishing their missions and carrying out their activities. In line with this, the present article aims to investigate the extent to which the type of revenue strategy is related to the organisation's market orientation, towards donors and/or users.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing from a resource dependence conceptual framework, the article reports findings from a quantitative study of a representative sample of Portuguese non‐profit organisations (NPOs). This approach was complemented by qualitative research methods. Combining these two approaches has given access to different levels of reality and provided a more holistic understanding of the phenomena under study.

Findings

The results from the present study demonstrate that Portuguese NPOs favour a market orientation towards users/beneficiaries, revealing a less proactive behaviour in relation to their donors. In the present study, the resource dependence theory has proved to be an important theoretical tool for understanding market orientation strategies within the non‐profit sector. The link between the type of resource strategy and the organisation's market orientation stands out as an important finding derived from the present study and is particularly visible in relation to donor market orientation. In addition, empirical data partially support the conclusion that diversification of revenue sources is likely to favour a higher degree of market orientation. Further refinement of the adequacy of the MARKOR scale within the context of the non‐profit sector stands out as an avenue for further research.

Research limitations/implications

As the sample used for analysis was drawn from Portugal, the generalisability of the results to other countries remains to be tested.

Practical implications

The findings of the present study may assist public policy‐makers in the design of more adequate policies in the allocation of resources to non‐profit organisations.

Originality/value

The study contributes to a better understanding of market orientation in the specific context of the non‐profit sector. Moreover, this is done through applying the market orientation scale to two different stakeholders (i.e. donors and users/beneficiaries) in the evaluation of market orientation and in its relationship with resource strategies.
Supplier development practices: an exploratory study
Authors: Wagner Stephan M.
Published: July 2006

Purpose

Seeks to provide a more differentiated view of supplier development activities currently applied by European firms.

Design/methodology/approach

An exploratory empirical study was conducted based on a review of previously published research on supplier development and case studies with 12 industrial firms. The survey responses from 173 firms were factor‐analyzed to explore various dimensions of supplier development and their interrelationships. Furthermore, an industry‐level analysis was performed.

Findings

Firms are reluctant to develop suppliers. Two dimensions of direct and four dimensions of indirect supplier development were observed. Providing human and capital support to suppliers (i.e. two dimensions of direct supplier development) is strongly related to formal supplier evaluation, structures and processes for evaluating suppliers as well as communication (i.e. three dimensions of indirect supplier development).

Research limitations/implications

Future studies should incorporate the perspective of the supplier firm, include small and medium‐sized enterprises, and approach pressing questions related to performance implications for the buying firm and sharing of the benefits achieved in supplier development activities.

Practical implications

Firms can compare their approach towards various supplier development practices with the approach taken by a representative sample and their industry as a whole.

Originality/value

The paper conducts new research in a European setting. Furthermore, a novel industry‐level view is presented.