bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A laminin 511 matrix is regulated by TAZ and functions as the ligand for the α6Bβ1 integrin to sustain breast cancer stem cells
Authors: Chang Cheng , Goel Hira Lal , Gao Huijie , Pursell Bryan , Shultz Leonard D. , Greiner Dale L. , Ingerpuu Sulev , Patarroyo Manuel , Cao Shiliang , Lim Elgene , Mao Junhao , McKee Karen Kulju , Yurchenco Peter D. , Mercurio Arthur M.
Published: January 2015

Understanding how the extracellular matrix impacts the function of cancer stem cells (CSCs) is a significant but poorly understood problem. We report that breast CSCs produce a laminin (LM) 511 matrix that promotes self-renewal and tumor initiation by engaging the α6Bβ1 integrin and activating the Hippo transducer TAZ. Although TAZ is important for the function of breast CSCs, the mechanism is unknown. We observed that TAZ regulates the transcription of the α5 subunit of LM511 and the formation of a LM511 matrix. These data establish a positive feedback loop involving TAZ and LM511 that contributes to stemness in breast cancer.
A novel mechanism for Prp5 function in prespliceosome formation and proofreading the branch site sequence
Authors: Liang Wen-Wei , Cheng Soo-Chen
Published: January 2015

The DEAD-box RNA helicase Prp5 is required for the formation of the prespliceosome through an ATP-dependent function to remodel U2 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles (snRNPs) and an ATP-independent function of unknown mechanism. Prp5 has also been implicated in proofreading the branch site sequence, but the molecular mechanism has not been well characterized. Using actin precursor mRNA (pre-mRNA) carrying branch site mutations, we identified a Prp5-containing prespliceosome with Prp5 directly bound to U2 small nuclear RNA (snRNA). Prp5 is in contact with U2 in regions on and near the branchpoint-interacting stem–loop (BSL), suggesting that Prp5 may function in stabilizing the BSL. Regardless of its ATPase activity, Prp5 mutants that suppress branch site mutations associate with the spliceosome less tightly and allow more tri-snRNP binding for the reaction to proceed. Our results suggest a novel mechanism for how Prp5 functions in prespliceosome formation and proofreading of the branch site sequence. Prp5 binds to the spliceosome in association with U2 by interacting with the BSL and is released upon the base-pairing of U2 with the branch site to allow the recruitment of the tri-snRNP. Mutations impairing U2–branch site base-pairing retard Prp5 release and impede tri-snRNP association. Prp5 mutations that destabilize the Prp5–U2 interaction suppress branch site mutations by allowing progression of the pathway.
Direct Chemical Sequencing of End-Labeled RNA
Authors: Nilsen Timothy W.
Published: January 2015

Chemical sequencing of RNA relies on the fact that each of the four bases in RNA is susceptible to chemical modification in a different way. In this protocol, end-labeled RNAs are subjected to base-specific chemical modification reactions that make the RNA strand adjacent to the modified base susceptible to cleavage. The chemical modification reaction is base-specific but limited so that not every base in every strand is modified. After cleavage, the resulting set of radioactive fragments is resolved via polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.
Properties and Use of Genetically Encoded FRET Sensors for Cytosolic and Organellar Ca2+ Measurements
Authors: Park J. Genevieve , Palmer Amy E.
Published: January 2015

In the last 15 years, there has been an explosion in the development of genetically encoded biosensors that report enzyme activity, chemical transformation, or concentration of ions and molecules in living cells. Currently, there are well over 120 biosensors of different cellular targets. As a general design principle, these sensors convert a molecular event, such as the binding of a molecule to a sensing domain or a signal-induced change in protein conformation, into a change in the sensor's fluorescence properties. In contrast to small-molecule sensors, genetically encoded sensors are generated when sensor-encoding nucleic acid sequences, which have been introduced by transgenic technologies, are translated in cells, tissues, or organisms. One of the best developed classes of biosensors is the genetically encoded Ca2+ indicators (GECIs). Here, we briefly summarize the properties of ratiometric GECIs and describe how they are used to quantify Ca2+ in specific cellular locations, such as the cytosol, nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, and mitochondria.
Alkaline corrosion properties of laser-clad aluminum/titanium coatings
Authors: Aggerbeck Martin , Herbreteau Alexis , Rombouts Marleen , Verwimp Jo , Ambat Rajan
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to study the use of titanium as a protecting element for aluminum in alkaline conditions.

Design/methodology/approach

– Aluminum coatings containing up to 20 weight per cent Ti6Al4V were produced using laser cladding and were investigated using light optical microscope, scanning electron microscope – energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-Ray Diffraction, together with alkaline exposure tests and potentiodynamic measurements at pH 13.5.

Findings

– Cladding resulted in a heterogeneous solidification microstructure containing an aluminum matrix with supersaturated titanium (<1 weight per cent), Al3Ti intermetallics and large partially undissolved Ti6Al4V particles. Heat treatment lowered the titanium concentration in the aluminum matrix, changed the shape of the Al3Ti precipitates and increased the degree of dissolution of the Ti6Al4V particles. Corrosion testing showed significant localized dissolution of the aluminum matrix.

Research limitations/implications

– Increased titanium concentration and heat treatment gave improved alkaline corrosion properties. At pH 13.5, the Al3Ti phases were protected, while the aluminum matrix corroded.

Practical implications

– For alkaline corrosion-protection of aluminum in the automobile industry, titanium might be useful at pH values below 13.5 or by using other coating techniques.

Originality/value

– This is the first study testing the use of titanium as a protective element of aluminum in stringent alkaline conditions.
The inhibitive action of chitosan extracted from Archachatina marginata shells on the corrosion of plain carbon steel in acid media
Authors: Okoronkwo A.E. , Olusegun S.J. , Oluwasina O.O.
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this investigation was to study the inhibitive action and adsorption potential of chitosan extracted fromArchachatina marginatasnail shells on the corrosion of plain carbon (mild) steel in acid media.

Design/methodology/approach

– Weight loss and thermometric methods were used during this investigation. Characterization of the obtained chitosan was accomplished with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. The effects of parameters influencing the inhibition process (concentration and temperature) were evaluated, and the sorption isotherms and thermodynamic parameters were derived.

Findings

– The results obtained showed that chitosan has good inhibition potential with an efficiency of 93.2 per cent. The inhibition efficiency decreased with an increase in temperature but increased with increasing concentration of chitosan. Test results best fitted the Langmuir Isotherm with a correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.999. The thermodynamic parameters studied reveal that the adsorption of chitosan on the surface of mild steel is spontaneous.

Originality/value

– The paper fulfills an identified need in finding solutions to the problems of metal corrosion using agricultural wastes.
Singapore’s Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau
Authors: Quah Jon S. T.
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to make recommendations to address the four limitations of Singapore’s Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper begins by attributing Singapore’s reputation as the least corrupt Asian country to the CPIB’s four strengths: its independence from the police; its adequate staffing and funding; its adoption of the total approach to enforcement; and its impartial enforcement of the anti-corruption laws. It then proceeds to identify the CPIB’s limitations and provides four suggestions to address these limitations.

Findings

– The sentencing of Edwin Yeo, a senior CPIB officer, to ten years’ imprisonment on 20 February 2014 for misappropriating US$1.76 million for nearly four years reveals that there were weaknesses in the CPIB’s internal controls and procurement procedures in spite of its effectiveness in curbing corruption. This paper recommends that the CPIB addresses its four limitations by strengthening its internal controls and procurement procedures; enhancing public trust and confidence by further improving its outreach to the population; improving the external oversight of its activities; and developing its in-house research capabilities.

Originality/value

– This paper will be useful for those scholars, policy-makers, and anti-corruption practitioners who are interested in how the CPIB can further enhance its effectiveness even though Singapore is perceived as the least corrupt Asian country.
Routines do matter: role of internal communication in firm-level entrepreneurship
Authors: Zur Agnieszka , Walega Agnieszka
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between routine communication practices and corporate entrepreneurship (CE). Drawing upon CE theory and neo-bureaucratic theory, the paper provides insight into all the directions of routine corporate communication and their potential influence on CE.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper reviews past and current literature from which hypothesis are developed. Applying the competing values framework and data from 64 Polish manufacturing firms, we used multiple power regression to test the hypothesized relationships.

Findings

– The study provides evidence for a positive relationship between routine communication practices and CE. The analysis reveals different levels of influence of various communication aspects on CE.

Practical implications

– Many organizations’ common objective of their redesign efforts is to get rid of the bureaucratic features of the organization. This study suggests that the challenge is to reconfigure certain routine processes and formal requirements within the organization to better suit CE purposes. The paper specifies which routine communication practices can significantly impact CE.

Originality/value

– Very few prior voices articulate the need of routine practices study in CE research. This paper extends CE theory by providing a new perspective on CE factors and opening new avenues for further research.
Electrical engineering reference resources: a survey from LibGuides
Authors: Osorio Nestor L
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this survey is to find a significant sample of reference resources for electrical engineering as they are presented in subject-specific LibGuides.

Design/methodology/approach

– The survey is based on a detailed observation and collection of sources designated as Reference Resources in LibGuides, titles found were compiled and organized.

Findings

– The results are substantial; they offered a body of specialized resources, which includes e-book collections, dictionaries, handbooks, encyclopedias and other resources that are important to electrical engineering students and researchers.

Research limitations/implications

– A considerable amount of resources were found; nevertheless, they represent the resources found in a randomly selected sample of LibGuides; therefore, the result is limited to the group of libraries selected.

Practical implications

– The results of this survey are valuable to subject librarians interested in comparing resources with a pool of libraries and to discover titles that can be of interest to their collections.

Originality/value

– The work is original, as this is the first paper publishing the results of a survey of electrical engineering guides.
Attitudes towards participation in business development programmes
Authors: Abbasian Saeid , Yazdanfar Darush
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The aim of the study is to investigate whether there are any differences between the attitudes towards participation in development programmes of entrepreneurs who are immigrants and those who are native-born.

Design/methodology/approach

– Several statistical methods, including a binary logistic regression model, were used to analyse a unique, firm-level dataset collected by the Swedish Small Business Forum in October and November 2012. The dataset was based on a questionnaire composed of 60 closed questions that was completed by 531 participants representing 395 companies.

Findings

– Based on the analysis of 15 different attitude variables, the empirical findings are that immigrant managers/owners are more likely to show a positive attitude to participation in development programmes, in terms of nine of those attitude variables, than their native counterparts. Because there are no data about second generation of immigrants in the sample, thus, this category may have had an impact on the results. However, there is no possibility to identify any impact on the results.

Originality/value

– There is no prior research focusing specifically on this question, and to the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first that has attempted to deal with the issue. This study is based on a recent and unique database, and provides new evidence on the relationship between ethnicity and attitude towards participation in development programmes among entrepreneurs. Its context is different from that of prior research.
Psychological needs, engagement, and work intentions
Authors: Shuck Brad , Zigarmi Drea , Owen Jesse
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this study was to empirically examine the utility of self-determination theory (SDT) within the engagement–performance linkage.

Design/methodology/approach

– Bayesian multi-measurement mediation modeling was used to estimate the relation between SDT, engagement and a proxy measure of performance (e.g. work intentions) (N = 1,586). To best capture the phenomenon of engagement, two measures of engagement (i.e. the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-9 [UWES-9] and the Job Engagement Scale [JES]) and one measure of harmonious and obsessive passion (HOPS) were utilized. The HOPS was split into separate scales (harmonious and obsessive passion). SDT was operationalized through the Basic Psychological Needs at Work Scale (BPNS). Performance was operationalized through a latent proxy of work intentions.

Findings

– Results demonstrated that the association between SDT and engagement were positive. Indirect effects between SDT and work intentions were significant for only two of the four measures of engagement (i.e. the UWES and Harmonious Passion). Hypotheses were partially supported.

Practical implications

– SDT operated as an appropriate framework for capturing the underlying psychological structures of engagement for each of the four measures. In some cases, engagement did not mediate the relation between SDT and performance as expected, highlighting the contextual nature of engagement in both application and measurement.

Originality/value

– This is one of the first studies to explicitly link a broad well-established psychological theory to engagement. This connection allows researchers to explain the latent processes of engagement that underpin the observed relationships of engagement in practice. Moreover, this is one of only a handful of studies that has used a multi-measurement approach in exploring the engagement–performance linkage and one of the only studies to use Bayesian methodology.
Competence-based analysis of needs in VET teachers and trainers: an Italian experience
Authors: Sartori Riccardo , Tacconi Giuseppe , Caputo Beniamino
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The aim of the research presented here was to detect, in line with the European Union’s “Education and Training 2020” work program, the training needs of teachers and trainers working in the vocational education and training (VET) system in the Italian Region of Veneto to design courses, experiences and other training programs tailored to meet the needs emerged.

Design/methodology/approach

– Four focus groups were including VET teachers and trainers were created, two before the construction and two after the online administration of anad hocquestionnaire asking teachers and trainers to rate 67 competencies (43 for teachers, 24 for trainers) on the two dimensions of self-assessment (explicitly defined as the current level of mastery) and importance (explicitly defined as the expected level of mastery). Eight hundred twelve teachers and 166 trainers filled in the questionnaire which also asked them to give suggestions about the courses, experiences and other training programs to be designed.

Findings

– In questionnaires, teachers and trainers declare they are competent enough to do what they do (self-assessment always obtains higher ratings than importance, except in one competence for teachers), even if in focus groups they say they want to be trained. Accordingly, they express a clear preference for short or very short courses, tailored on their specific needs and for training experiences and programs which are alternative to classroom training.

Practical implications

– The research is a preliminary action to a European Social Fund project named “Training for trainers”, whose main aim is to give birth to courses, experiences and other training programs, specifically dedicated to VET teachers and trainers, to allow them to develop or refresh the competencies they feel they need for work. Besides, it allowed testing of the benefit of using mixed methods for a competence-based analysis of needs.

Originality/value

– Data will be used to design courses, experiences and other training programs that really meet the needs of VET teachers and trainers in Veneto to tackle those aspects they consider really important for work in a lifelong learning perspective.
Information technology networked system for student mobility support
Authors: Dębiec Piotr , Materka Andrzej
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– This paper presents an IT system – Student Connectivity Module (SCM) – designed to support administration of student exchange between universities in different countries, developed under the EU seventh Framework Program. The purpose of this paper is to share the acquired knowledge on existing difficulties in mobility management, propose solutions to those problems, and present results of system validation using its prototype deployed at two universities.

Design/methodology/approach

– Prior to the system design, the needs, plans and expectations concerning the academic IT services were surveyed among 100 universities. On this basis, in close with prospective system users, an original peer-to-peer system was developed using top-down model-driven and agile software development techniques.

Findings

– The barriers to effective interoperation of academic information systems (AIS) were revealed: first, diversity and heterogeneity of campus IT solutions; second, differences in patterns of international student mobility flow; third, diversity in national personal data protection policies; and fourth, lack of standards for e-data exchange. The SCM system overcomes these problems by adopting platform-independent IT solutions, web-services, a network of trusted authority servers, and a novel “quasi-standard” solution for e-data exchange, with the use of home university campus cards to access facilities at host institutions.

Originality/value

– The management of foreign student exchange is a complicated process. It involves students, faculty, administrative staff and external institutions. To the authors knowledge, there is no other comprehensive networked IT system available to facilitate administration of student mobility, make it better controlled, less laborious and faster, in a secure way. The IT solution contributes to overcoming the current barriers to academic mobility within Europe and elsewhere.
Overcoming barriers to adoption of environmentally-friendly innovations through design and strategy
Authors: Naor Michael , Bernardes Ednilson S. , Druehl Cheryl T , Shiftan Yoram
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore how a company which developed an environmentally friendly innovation attempted to address diffusion issues. Specifically, the purpose is to describe the ways in which an electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure company, in partnership with a major car manufacturer, tried to address barriers to diffusion of an environmentally friendly innovation during the development stage to improve the likelihood of success and lessons learned from its failure.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors explore a single instrumental case of an Israeli company that developed infrastructure for EVs in partnership with a major automaker. The authors collected data using a series of semi-structured interviews at the companies’ headquarters, through direct observation in the company, and through the examination of archival and secondary data sources.

Findings

– The authors find that the company tried to incorporate design features in both the product and organization to address key diffusion barriers identified through survey and consumer focus research. The study maps product/service design innovations for infrastructure that combined with multi-stage organizational diffusion strategies for EVs, were used to address both functional (usage, value, and risk) and psychological (tradition and image) barriers for mass-market adoption.

Practical implications

– The study provides insights on how to incorporate information about barriers to adoption into product/service design and on the development of organizational-level diffusion strategy to address changes of customer’s behavior required by certain innovative sustainable solutions. In addition, the authors speculate potential causes for more recent developments with the technology that can serve as a lesson for future projects.

Originality/value

– Past studies have advanced the knowledge about issues surrounding the adoption and diffusion of EVs. The study expands this stream of research by focussing on product/service and organizational strategy design and by illustrating, through an empirical exploratory case study, how a company attempted to overcome these obstacles. The authors advance various propositions and point out potential exciting avenues for future research on the dissemination of environmentally friendly innovations.
Empowerment through government subsidized microfinance program
Authors: Mukherjee Arghya Kusum
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to see whether the government subsidized microfinance program has been able to expand physical, economic, political and socio-cultural spaces across castes, creeds and religious beliefs.

Design/methodology/approach

– The District of Murshidabad, West Bengal, India has been chosen as field of investigation. Initial survey was conducted in 2006. Same households were resurveyed in 2008. Therefore, the data are two period panel data. During survey a stratification was done according to socio-cultural status. To remove unobserved heterogenity, difference in difference method has been applied.

Findings

– The program has been found to succeed in impacting upon physical, economic and political components of empowerment, but has failed to expand socio-cultural spaces of four socio-religious communities (SRCs) namely, upper castes, other backward castes, schedule castes (SCs) and Muslims (Ms). This study also examines the impact of the program on different measures of empowerment across SRCs, and shows that program participation has significant impact on the likelihood of empowerment for members of UC community.

Research limitations/implications

– Participation in SGSY program enable women to negotiate gender barriers, increase their control over their own lives, and improve their relative position in their households, though to some extent. But we do not mean to suggest that participation in SHGs is the only panacea to gender subordination. The authors acknowledge the need for consciousness raising, organizing and struggling for women’s right for women empowerment.

Originality/value

– There is hardly any study measuring the empowerment potential of microfinance program across SRCs.
Effect of foreign aid on corruption: evidence from Sub-Saharan African countries
Authors: Mohamed Masoud Rashid , Kaliappan Shivee Ranjanee , Ismail Normaz Wana , Azman-Saini W.N.W
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of foreign aid on corruption in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Foreign aid is aimed to promote economic growth by complementing the recipient country’s shortfall of financial resource. However, if the recipient country’s quality of governance and institutions is poor, the process of growth will be undermined. Since foreign aid to SSA countries has been increasing substantially in recent years, it is imperative to explore its impact on the level of corruption in the SSA countries.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper opted to use a Quantile regression (QR) approach to examine the impact of foreign aid on corruption. The data cover from the year 2000 to 2010 for 42 Sub-Saharan countries. QR is appropriate to achieve the stated objective because the method enables to examine the effect of aid on at different level of corruption.

Findings

– The paper provides empirical insights on the impact of foreign aid on corruption level in SSA countries. The finding indicates that foreign aid has reduction effect on the corruption level of SSA countries. The effect is likely to be greater in nations that experience a higher level of corruption. The findings further reveal that aid from different bilateral sources has different effect on corruption. As a whole, the findings are statistically significant and robust to alternative measure of corruption.

Research limitations/implications

– Since the study just focus on Sub-Saharan African countries, the research findings may lack generalization to the entire African countries or poor developing countries that are receiving substantial amount of foreign aid. Therefore, future research should incorporate all the African countries or all poor developing countries.

Practical implications

– Since the empirical findings reveals that aid reduces the corruption level and aid from different bilateral source have different effect on corruption, it is important to establish more cooperation between donor countries in allocating aid. The conditions attached to aid should be, among other things, be related with improvement of governance and institutional environment. Allocation of aid should be selective such that countries in institutional quality should be among the important criteria for a country to qualify for aid.

Originality/value

– This paper fulfills the need to study the relationship between foreign aid and corruption in the case of SSA countries. The aid-corruption nexus is relatively under explored issue especially in the case African countries.
The impact of economic downturn on mental health in Canada
Authors: Latif Ehsan
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to use longitudinal Canadian data from the National Population Health Survey (1994-2006) to examine the impact of provincial unemployment rate on mental health as measured by the short form depression scale.

Design/methodology/approach

– To control for the unobserved individual specific factors, the study utilized individual-specific fixed-effects model.

Findings

– The study found that, for the overall model, provincial unemployment rate has a significant positive impact on depression. The study further examined the impact of unemployment rate on depression for a number of sub-groups based on gender, age, marital status, and education. The results suggest that the impacts of unemployment rate on depression are heterogeneous across different sub-groups.

Practical implications

– The results of this study have important policy implications. Previous studies suggest that mental stress may lead to risky health behaviours such excessive drinking, substance use, and smoking. These risky health behaviours may have long term health consequences in terms of chronic conditions such as heart disease, cancer, etc. Thus policy makers may consider taking appropriate steps to provide mental health support during the period of recession. Such support may also be helpful for the unemployed individuals who are too depressed to search for job.

Originality/value

– Previous studies on this issue may suffer from potential bias since they omitted unobserved individual specific factors from the estimating equations. This paper has taken the opportunity of utilizing longitudinal Canadian Population Health Survey and adopts an individual specific fixed effects method to estimate the effects of macroeconomic conditions on mental health. All of the studies reviewed here used data from the USA. So far no study has examined the impact of unemployment rate on mental health using Canadian data. It is interesting to conduct a study using Canadian data since there are important differences between Canada and the USA with respect to labour market policies and health care systems.
Segregation dimensions and development differentials of ethnic enclave
Authors: Chan Steve Kwok-leung
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to employ enclave economy in the perspective of economic sociology to explain the existence and process of the Thai enclave in Hong Kong.

Design/methodology/approach

– In-depth interviews and case studies are employed in relation to Thai restaurant and grocery shop owners and employees in Hong Kong.

Findings

– This study is an attempt to explain the clustering of Thai ethnic small businesses in Kowloon City through a discourse on the ethnic enclave economy. The Thai migrant enclave in Hong Kong is explored with dimensions of segregation, namely evenness, exposure, clustering, concentration and centralization (Massey and Denton’s, 1988). This study suggests that these Thai enclave businesses have two differentials compared to the findings of Zhou (1992) in Chinatown restaurants in New York.

Social implications

– The findings provide evidences for social workers, migrant associations and policy makers in developing ideas of ethnic business enabling. There should be wide range of supporting and welfare policies for the empowerment of migrants and minority ethnic groups. An immigrant enclave should no longer be regarded as a ghetto for many business chances can be found there.

Originality/value

– Two ethnic economy development differentials are developed. First, ethnicity similarity between the minority group and the majority ethnic enables ethnic business accessing earlier to an interethnic clientele from wider society. Second, internal factors of the ethnic enclave and external factors of the wider society have constrained the diversification of ethnic business.
Explaining the role of trust in cloud computing services
Authors: Adjei Joseph Kwame
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explain the role of trust in cloud computing services based on empirical evidence from interviewing executives of financial institutions in Ghana. The paper answers the questions: what is the role of trust in cloud computing service acquisition, and what policies promote trusted cloud computing services?

Design/methodology/approach

– This is an explanatory paper that is based on literature review and empirical data on exploring reasons for cloud computing service acquisitions. A combination of interviews and focus group discussions was used as methods for data collection. Information technology and electronic banking executives of five major commercial banks in Accra, Ghana, between January and July 2013 were interviewed. A total of ten respondents were interviewed, two in each of the selected banks. A purposive sampling technique was used in the selection of informants. This approach allows the selection of qualified informants to ensure extensiveness and diversity of opinion.

Findings

– Although previous literature proffers various factors as key to cloud computing adoption, uses or provisioning, this study brings trust to the fore as an imperative for cloud computing service acquisition by financial institutions. It also shows that trust increases if users perceive that cloud computing service providers act in honesty and in users’ interest, making trust a fundamental factor that informs financial institutions’ decision to acquire cloud computing services.

Research limitations/implications

– The research introduces a new dimension about the widely held perceptions of the factors that influence adoption of cloud computing services.

Practical implications

– Developers of cloud computing solutions that are targeted at corporate users must focus on systems that enhances their trustworthiness, as it is a primary criteria for user buy-in. Similarly, any trust-building effort by cloud computing service providers minimizes users’ concerns and pushes the services providers closer to the trust threshold.

Originality/value

– The paper outlines the trust factors that are imperative for cloud computing uses by financial institutions. This is one of the pioneering papers that address trust issues in cloud computing from the perspective of financial institutions.
The case for repealing the EU’s telecommunications legislation
Authors: Hampton Simon
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– This purpose of this article is to argue for repealing the bulk of the EU’s telecoms regulatory structure because the package’s work is done.

Design/methodology/approach

– The views expressed in this paper are based on the author’s extensive experience in the telecoms, media and Internet sectors.

Findings

– The paper finds that competition is strong and sustainable; that many of the key dynamics in the sector are driven by the broader digital economy and thus beyond the scrutiny of sector regulators; and that regulation is being capitalised into the political economy, distorting incentives to the detriment of European consumers.

Originality/value

– The paper contributes to the debate over the future direction of regulation in European telecommunications.
Determinants of loan losses of Indian Banks: a panel study
Authors: Dhar Satyajit , Bakshi Avijit
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that influence the variability of loan losses (termed as non-performing advances or NPA in India) of Indian banks in the public sector during the period of five years from 2001 to 2005.

Design/methodology/approach

– The analysis is based on a panel approach, which considers both spatial and time dimensions of observations. Panel regression was used to explore the impact of different bank-specific factors on NPAs of 27 public sector banks (PSBs). Standard tests were used to find out suitability of different models of panel data analysis. Eight bank-specific factors were identified for analysis on the basis of review of extant literature.

Findings

– Certain bank-specific factors, in particular, net interest margin and capital adequacy ratio exhibit negative and significant impact on gross non-performing advances (GNPA) ratio of Indian PSBs. The results also suggest that relative quantum of sensitive sector (SEN) (comprised of commercial real estate, commodity and capital market) advances has a positive relationship with NPA ratio, and such a relationship is statistically significant.

Research limitations/implications

– The sample is restricted to India and may not be reflective of other countries. The study considers bank-level factors, and there are some macro factors (e.g. gross domestic product, interest rate and inflation rate) which could have explained the variability of GNPA ratio.

Practical implications

– Provisioning against loan losses is a major issue for stability of the banking system. Identification of appropriate causes of variability of such loan losses is important for managing credit portfolio of a bank. A positive and significant relationship between SEN advances and NPA calls for a more cautionary approach toward lending to those sectors.

Originality/value

– This paper is believed to be the first attempt to empirically examine the role of bank-specific factors. This study attempts to enrich empirical research in the field and provides an insight into the role of various bank-specific factors on loan losses in the context of Indian PSBs. The study provides contrary evidence regarding the role of priority sector advances on a GNPA ratio.
Organizational climate, trust and knowledge sharing: insights from Malaysia
Authors: Jain Kamal Kishore , Sandhu Manjit Singh , Goh See Kwong
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of organizational climate and trust (TR) on knowledge-sharing (KS) behaviour in selected multinational firms in an emerging market – Malaysia. Two dimensions of KS – knowledge collecting (KC) and knowledge donating (KD) – were separately studied for this research.

Design/methodology/approach

– Survey data were collected from 231 participants from 25 multinational firms. Multivariate analysis was used to assess the research model.

Findings

– The research findings indicate that organizational climate dimension, affiliation, is positively related to both KD and KC, while fairness dimensions of organizational climate are not positively related to KD and KC. Among the two dimensions of TR (cognitive and affective), it was found that cognitive TR is positively related to KD, while affective TR is positively related to KC.

Research limitations/implications

– The sampling was confined to the Klang Valley area of Malaysia.

Practical implications

– The study is useful because it makes an attempt to study the relationship between organizational climate and the two dimensions of KS, KC and KD, separately. The study examines the similar relationship with TR.

Originality/value

– This research has provided both theoretical and managerial implications to further advance the literature on the impact of organization factors such as organizational climate (OC) and individual factors such as TR on KS behaviour. This research examines the relationship of OC with specific KS dimensions such as KD and KC. Limited research has addressed this. This research has also contributed further to business literature by applying social capital theory in explaining the impact of multidimensional categories of TR: affective TR and cognitive-based TR on KD and KC.
Risk factors in adolescents’ involvement in violent behaviours
Authors: Baxendale Sarah , Lester Leanne , Johnston Robyn , Cross Donna
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine risk factors associated with Western Australian secondary school students’ involvement in violence-related behaviours.

Design/methodology/approach

– This cross-sectional study examined data collected using an anonymous self-completion questionnaire from 542 school students aged 13-17 years. The questionnaire measured risk factors associated with being a perpetrator and/or victim of violence-related behaviours.

Findings

– Gender was significantly associated with being a victim and perpetrator of violence-related behaviours. Males were significantly more likely than females to be a victim of threatening and physical violence at school, and to be a perpetrator of physical violence at school and in the community. Males were significantly more likely than females to watch violent media, with exposure to violent media associated with physically hurting someone at school. Students involved in greater acts of animal cruelty had increased odds of being involved in all forms of the violence measured.

Research limitations/implications

– Limitations such as the cross-sectional nature of the study and the small sample size are noted, along with suggestions for future research.

Practical implications

– Implications of the research for practitioners working with adolescents, with a particular focus on the school setting, are discussed.

Originality/value

– Most previously published research on adolescent involvement in violence has been conducted outside Australia, and as such, may not be directly applicable to the experiences of young people in Western Australia.
Lift-off for Mexico? Crime and finance in money laundering governance structures
Authors: Behrens Timo
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this article is to analyse Mexico’s money laundering governance with a focus on its 2007-2013 reform process. It provides a view of money laundering governance as a politically contested policy area and a reflection on the reach and purpose of the international regime promoted by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Design/methodology/approach

– The analysis uses an actor-centred approach on governance structures relating groups of public and private actors with competing policy preferences.

Findings

– Three ideal-typical groups of actors are identified. Of these, the Financial Integrity and Criminal Enforcement Groups were central proponents of prevention- and prosecution-based policies, respectively. While criminal enforcement was initially sidelined, its role was strengthened in Mexico since 2007. Despite early signs of success, diverging policy preferences between these groups continue to complicate money laundering governance in Mexico through a complex distribution of tasks between them.

Practical implications

– To address wider crime fighting concerns, more emphasis should be put on the role of prosecutorial actors in money laundering governance. Beyond the domestic level, the results raise concerns about the increasing focus of the FATF on money laundering as a threat to financial integrity.

Originality/value

– The article adds to a better understanding of money laundering governance in Mexico. Further, the presented systematisation of actors can inform the analyses of money laundering governance and underlying political tensions in other country cases. By focusing on organised crime and prosecution, the case deviates from the international trend to concentrate on issues of market integrity and prevention-orientated policies.
Internal auditors’ perceptions of their role in environmental, social and governance assurance and consulting
Authors: Soh Dominic S.B. , Martinov-Bennie Nonna
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the nature and extent of internal audit functions’ (IAFs) involvement in environmental, social and governance assurance (ESG) and consulting in Australia. To identify emerging priorities, and the profession’s capacity to respond to these, the paper also explores internal audit practitioners’ perceptions of the current and future importance of these issues and the adequacy of their skills and expertise in meeting the challenges associated with their involvement in these areas.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data were collected from 100 Chief Audit Executives and internal audit service provider partners through a survey.

Findings

– Governance issues are a key area of focus for respondents’ assurance and consulting efforts, followed by social and environmental issues, respectively. While governance issues are perceived to be of greatest current importance to IAFs, environmental issues are most commonly expected to increase in importance over the next five years, and are reported to be in greatest need of further development of IAFs’ skills and expertise.

Research limitations/implications

– As the corporate landscape and expectations around transparency and accountability increase, the internal audit profession needs to address the current perceived skills gap in their ability to provide assurance and consulting on ESG issues to ensure their continued relevance and ability to meet stakeholders’ needs and expectations in providing effective integrated assurance and in contributing to internal improvements.

Originality/value

– This paper provides initial empirical evidence of the nature and extent of internal audit’s involvement in ESG assurance and consulting.
A simple method to prepare carbon nanotubes from sunflower seed hulls and sago and their application in supercapacitor
Authors: Zhang H.Y. , Niu H.J. , Wang Y.M. , Wang C. , Bai, X.D. , Wang S. , Wang Wen
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper was to provide a simple method for the preparation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by pyrolysing sunflower seed hulls and sago and to evaluate the application of such CNTs in supercapacitors.

Design/methodology/approach

– The CNTs were obtained by pyrolysing sunflower seed hulls and sago at 800°C. The prepared CNTs were studied by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, cyclic voltammograms, galvanostatic charge and discharge and electrochemical impedance spectra methods.

Findings

– The CNTs had large surface areas as determined by the methylene blue method and the Brunauer – Emmett – Teller method. And the CNTs that were prepared by pyrolysing the natural sunflower seed hulls (denoted as CNTs-1) and sago (denoted as CNTs-2) had capacitances of 86.9 F/g and 26.7 F/g, respectively.

Research limitations/implications

– The capacitances of CNTs can be further improved.

Practical implications

– The exceptional electronic and mechanical properties of CNTs prepared lend the CNTs to diverse applications including electrocatalysts, hydrogen storage, photovoltaic devices actuators, energy storage, field-emitting flat panel displays and composites.

Originality/value

– Currently, CNTs have not yet been used in the industry at a mass production scale due to high costs associated. The outcomes of the study reported in this article could provide a convenient method in aid of industrialisation of the production of CNTs.
Country-of-origin and emerging countries: revisiting a complex relationship
Authors: Touzani Mourad , Fatma Smaoui , Mouna Meriem Labidi
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of the current study is to attempt to contribute to the understanding of some socio-cultural factors likely to explain the preference for international products in emerging countries, and more specifically those characterising former colonised countries in the Middle East and North Africa.

Design/methodology/approach

– The chosen approach is exploratory and of a qualitative inductive nature. It was based on a series of semi-structured and unstructured in-depth interviews with Tunisian consumers about their relationship to local and foreign products.

Findings

– A set of complex and inter-related explanatory factors of the country-of-origin phenomenon emerged through the analysis, notably the complex of the decolonised, acculturation in situ, frustration towards the West and sensitivity to the Western fashion system.

Research limitations/implications

– The main limitation of this research is that the interviews were carried out among people living in the three main cities of Tunisia, which are urban settings.

Practical implications

– This research proposes a general framework and a set of new constructs that may be used by leaders of businesses, communications agencies or distribution companies. These elements may help them for segmentation, assortment and range decisions, and brand names.

Social implications

– Given the failure of “buy local” campaigns, this research shows the importance to revive Tunisian consumers’ feeling of identification with their local culture and to reconcile them with their own identity. Suggestions are given to reach these objectives.

Originality/value

– This research proposes a framework explaining how the country-of-origin effect in emerging countries operates in a different manner from what has been suggested in the studies conducted in Western contexts.