bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Project Blacklight: a next generation library catalog at a first generation university
Authors: Sadler Elizabeth (Bess)
Published: March 2009

Purpose

This paper sets out to provide an overview of the open source online public access catalog (OPAC) software known as Blacklight. It includes a discussion of the reasons why the University of Virginia decided to create the Blacklight project, rationale behind design decisions, an overview of the technologies used, and some examples of interface designs and object behaviors.

Design/methodology/approach

Design approaches discussed include open source methodologies, model/view/controller development patterns, and strategies for efficient staff training and utilization.

Findings

The Blacklight project is not yet complete, but initial usability testing is favorable. The project shows particular promise among previously underserved populations such as music researchers, and for previously under‐used collections.

Practical implications

Libraries who are considering de‐coupling their OPAC from their Integrated Library System will find useful information about this process as undertaken by the University of Virginia, as well as more information about Blacklight, and more information about whether Blacklight might be a good fit for their library.

Originality/value

Blacklight is an open source OPAC system that is particularly well suited to large libraries with diverse collections. It is the only open source OPAC system with a focus on creating customized interfaces for specific populations.
LibraryThing for libraries at Claremont
Authors: Westcott Jezmynne , Chappell Alexandra , Lebel Candace
Published: March 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to share the experience of implementing LibraryThing for Libraries (LTFL) at the Claremont University Consortium's libraries, the first US academic library to try LTFL.

Design/methodology/approach

The objectives are to share CUC's experience with LTFL, sharing a list of pros and cons about the tool, implementation of the tool, experiences with the tool, and future steps planned by LTFL.

Findings

Claremont University Consortium finds the tool to be a helpful overlay of user‐generated tags and suggested readings based on tags over the current bibliographic information provided in the traditional library catalog. Implementation of LTFL is easy, LTFL provides significant and immediate support, and is useful for finding items for research as well as for browsing.

Originality/value

The paper is valuable for libraries considering LTFL as a catalog overlay, as well as for libraries interested in learning about next generation cataloging concepts.
Implementing VuFind as an alternative to Voyager's WebVoyage interface
Authors: Ho Birong , Kelley Keith , Garrison Scott
Published: March 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of what is involved in implementing the VuFind discovery tool.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper documents Western Michigan University's experience with VuFind thus far, in several stages: planning; pre‐alpha testing; alpha testing; and beta testing.

Findings

The implementation process took longer than the authors originally expected. Users' input was not consistent and demanded software customization. WMU began with a relatively loose project management approach, but later reinforced the project with a specific scope statement and prioritized items within the scope to arrive at a beta‐testable version of VuFind.

Practical implications

The benefits of using open source software include low barrier and cost to entry, highly customizable code, and unlimited instances (libraries may run as many copies of as many components as needed, on as many pieces of hardware as they have, for as many purposes as they wish). One significant cost is in human resources required to install, configure and customize open source software.

Originality/value

The paper provides a unique account of one library's experience providing an alternative catalog interface using open source software. It also uniquely reports on VuFind hardware and software architectures and some initial testing results and evaluation.
The VuFind implementation at Villanova University
Authors: Houser John
Published: March 2009

Purpose

This case study seeks to document the experiences of Villanova University's Falvey Library staff as they developed and implemented the VuFind open source discovery tool for libraries. It aims to address the decision to hire a programmer for the library, the decision to make the VuFind software open source, and the library's development and implementation processes.

Design/methodology/approach

The author interviewed, recorded, and corresponded with members of the library staff on multiple occasions over a five‐month period during the ramp‐up to, and just after, the launch of the new software. The paper is complemented by three podcasts created from the interview material that are available online.

Findings

The creators of VuFind took a relatively informal approach to library software development. However, the resulting software has been well received, both by the library development community and Villanova University. Keys to this success were close attention to user expectations deriving from their experiences using widely available web‐based search tools and applications, a continuous process of sharing work and soliciting input, and rapid improvements to the software. The open source development process facilitated the sharing and collaboration that made this rapid improvement possible.

Practical implications

Other libraries that are considering the possibility of developing their own software may find Villanova's experience and approach useful in determining where to focus their planning and concentrate their resources.

Originality/value

The case study will be of interest to persons engaging in or considering whether to engage in open source development of a library application. It will also appeal to library administrators interested in learning about the technology planning or software development.
Tracking repetitive use of electronic reserve items
Authors: Oliver Astrid
Published: March 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to share findings on how to track the recurring use of items placed on electronic reserve over a period of time using the Create Lists application in Innovative's Millennium software, in order to help determine copyright compliance with regard to electronic reserves.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach takes the form of use of the Create Lists application in Innovative's Millennium ILS software to track repetitive use of electronic reserves over time and the creation of search statements using both Boolean and regular expressions to capture relevant data in the Create Lists application. Repetitive use of electronic reserve items was tracked over a four‐year period, with repetitive use initially rising, and then declining over the past year for Fort Lewis College.

Findings

Using both Boolean and regular expressions, it is possible to create a series of search statements that will retrieve information from item records in Millennium that identify materials that have been placed on electronic reserves over a series of semesters.

Research limitations/implications

Research was conducted using the Create Lists application of Innovative's Millennium software. It is unknown whether other ILS systems have similar functionality or capability. The implications of the findings indicate that it is possible to track general electronic reserve copyright compliance over time.

Originality/value

The paper offers a methodology for gauging copyright compliance.
One box to search them all
Authors: Gibson Ian , Goddard Lisa , Gordon Shannon
Published: March 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present how, in May 2008, the Ad Hoc Committee on Federated Search was formed to prepare a preliminary report on federated searching for a special meeting of Librarians Academic Council at Memorial University Libraries. The primary purpose is to discuss current implementation of federated searching at this institution, explore what other institutions have done, examine federated search technologies, and offer recommendations for the future of this resource.

Design/methodology/approach

Information was drawn from a recent usability study, an informal survey was created, and a literature/technology review was conducted.

Findings

These four recommendations were proposed and unanimously accepted: actively develop the current federated search implementation by developing a web presence supporting “federated search in context”, re‐evaluating the need for consortial purchase of a federated search tool, continuing to assess the current federated search marketplace with an eye to choosing a next‐generation federated search tool that includes effective de‐duping, sorting, relevancy, clustering and faceting, and that the selection, testing, and implementation of such a tool should involve broad participation from the Memorial University Libraries system.

Originality/value

Provided is an inside look at one institution's experience with implementing a federated search tool. The paper should be of interest to anyone working in academic libraries, particularly the areas of administration, public services, and systems.
A mobile video service trial: TOEST
Authors: Kim Sungwon
Published: March 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce Commercial Mobile Video Service Trial (TOEST) of Korea Telecom (KT), relaying experience related to the implementation of mobile video service for portable devices to libraries and information management organizations that are interested in this service.

Design/methodology/approach

Research data used were collected from internal materials such as unpublished project reports, RFI, RFP, etc. written throughout the process of implementing projects. The information also draws on the author's experience and involvement in TOEST trial between 2005 and 2007.

Findings

From the technical perspective, it was confirmed that technical advancements and environments that enable the implementation of mobile video service for portable devices have been fully established. The technical areas that need to be further improved are the advancements of battery capacity, low‐power consumption technology, and functional improvement of the I/O slot in portable devices.

Research limitations/implications

TOEST provides only download type service for portable devices such as PDAs and PMPs. Streaming type service for mobile phones has been performed only for the purpose of internal tests.

Practical implications

For information management organizations and libraries, mobile video service for portable devices is cutting‐edge technical service that can provide new customer value to users. Also, it is possible to apply profit models from the commercial point of view.

Originality/value

The paper introduces various technical and environmental elements as specifically as possible, including practical things that we have experienced during the course of implementing mobile video service systems for portable devices. Experience in TOEST development would be helpful to information management organizations and libraries planning to provide mobile video service for portable devices.
Item‐level usage statistics
Authors: Merk Christine , Scholze Frank , Windisch Nils
Published: March 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present how the JISC Usage Statistics Review Project aims to formulate a fundamental scheme for recording usage data and to propose a standard for its aggregation to provide meaningful and comparable item‐level usage statistics for electronic documents such as, for example, research papers and scientific resources.

Design/methodology/approach

A core element of the project has been a stakeholder workshop. This workshop was held in Berlin, 7/8 July 2008. Representatives of key stakeholder groups (repositories, libraries, COUNTER, IRStats, JISC, LogEc, MESUR, OA‐Statistics and other Open Access projects) were invited. During the workshop a fundamental scheme for the recording and the exchange of log files was discussed as well as the normalization of data collected.

Findings

The following mandatory elements describing usage events were agreed during the stakeholder workshop: Who – identification of user/session, What – item identification and type of request performed (e.g. full‐text, front‐page, including failed/partially fulfilled requests), When – date and time, usage event ID. The following elements were regarded as optional: From where – referrer/the referring entity and identity of the service. Usage events should be exchanged in the form of OpenURL Context Objects using OAI. Automated access (e.g. robots) should be tagged. The definition of automated access has to be straightforward with an option of gradual refinement. Users have to be identified unambiguously, but without recording personal data to avoid conflicts with privacy laws. Policies on statistics should be formulated for the repository community as well as the publishing community. Information about statistics policies should be available on services like OpenDOAR and RoMEO.

Originality/value

The paper is based on the detailed project report to the JISC, available at http://ie‐repository.jisc.ac.uk/250/
The role of organizational competencies in the market‐orientation‐performance relationship
Authors: Subramanian Ram , Kumar Kamalesh , Strandholm Karen
Published: March 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the specific ways in which market orientation of an organization contributes to the creation of organizational competencies that lead to superior performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data from 159 acute care hospitals were statistically analyzed to test the research hypotheses.

Findings

Market orientation makes a significant contribution to the creation of a number of organizational competencies which, in turn, lead to superior performance in the areas of cost containment, growth in revenue, success in retaining patients, and success of new services.

Originality/value

Given the changing competitive landscape in the health care industry, managers of these organizations are increasingly being forced to recognize organizational competencies so that they can leverage them for market success. A set of competencies leads to the organization becoming market orientated. Market orientation, in turn, leads to organizational success in a variety of areas.
Dilution of brand extensions: a study
Authors: Lahiri Isita , Gupta Amitava
Published: March 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine situations in which brand extensions are likely to dilute beliefs associated with family brands.

Design/methodology/approach

Hypotheses are developed and tested in a consumer survey that included experimental and control groups.

Findings

The findings show the congruity of the extension with the family brand is an important factor, the absence of which increases the chances of dilution of the family brand. Perceived success/failure of the extension is a more important factor that also enhances or dilutes the image of the family brand.

Research limitations/implications

Brand names can be hurt by brand extensions, which contain attributes incompatible with or negating favorable family brand beliefs.

Practical implications

If managers feel the dilution is occurring because of an extension, they can increase perceptions that the extension is atypical of the family brand.

Originality/value

This paper identifies certain key attributes of extensions that, if ignored, may dilute the image of the family brand.
Leadership and work motivation from the cross cultural perspective
Authors: Ahmad Khaliq
Published: March 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast conventional management thought, its main features of leadership, and work motivation with those from an Islamic perspective. The paper fills in the literature gap that exists, despite the growing importance of a need for knowledge on management from an Islamic perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is conceptual in nature. Therefore, the method adopted is descriptive and approached using revealed knowledge sources, as well as knowledge from conventional management literature from the cultural school of management thought.

Findings

Leadership and motivational concepts in Islamic management are more comprehensive than the conventional theories. Islamic motivation frameworks also provide fundamentals for developing a strong Islamic leadership. Implications of these Islamic management concepts are not only confined to this materialistic world but also have connotation for subscribers of the belief of attaining eternal success in the hereafter.

Originality/value

The paper gives a better understanding and guidelines for managers of multinational corporations, especially those working in Muslim countries, in order to achieve their corporate objectives successfully.
Leadership – the five big ideas
Authors: Allio Robert J.
Published: March 2009

Purpose

There are five ideas at the center of the endlessly debated and recycled findings and insights on leaders and leadership that produce a stream of leadership books. The paper aims to help practitioners separate the hype from the proven.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper assesses the five big leadership ideas, proposes four research challenges and offers five prescriptions for leadership improvement.

Findings

The five big ideas are as follows. Character – competent (get the right job done) and ethical (act with integrity) are at the essence of character. No best way to lead – no single model fits all situations. Today, the favored model for leadership is the self‐effacing, humanistic individual; co‐creation of unique customer value is today's mantra for enlightened leaders. Leaders must collaborate – good leaders design and manage a collaborative process of decision making and conflict resolution to which all the stakeholders subscribe. In the absence of such a process, implementation of strategy falters or fails. Adaptability is key to longevity – helping organizations adapt to change is perhaps the single most important leadership competency. Leaders are self‐made – although leadership theory and principles can be taught, effective leadership behavior must be learned.

Practical implications

Managers can use the paper's insights to discount the hype used to promote many leadership books and training.

Originality/value

The paper offers a broad, long‐term perspective on leadership theory and practice.
Using a value creation compass to discover “Blue Oceans”
Authors: Sheehan Norman T. , Vaidyanathan Ganesh
Published: March 2009

Purpose

Researchers Kim and Mauborgne argue that firms seeking to grow in mature markets need to create new buyer value, thereby entering Blue Ocean markets, where they don't have rivals. In contrast, firms fighting rivals in bloody, Red Oceans will struggle to remain profitable. To facilitate the search for Blue Oceans the paper aims to offer managers a new tool to uncover new points of buyer differentiation.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper draws from the strategy, marketing and economics literatures to illustrate how firms can enhance performance by creating Blue Oceans.

Findings

This paper suggests that one way to generate Blue Ocean strategies is to use the fundamental building blocks of value creation. Based on extensive work with value creation logics, it proposes that there are three types of value firms can offer customers: lower prices using an industrial efficiency logic; increase user connectivity with a network services logic; or enhance the offering's fit with the user needs using a knowledge intensive logic. By combining parts of two or more of the value creation logics, managers may construct innovative bundles of attributes.

Practical implications

Blue Ocean strategies are most appropriate for companies in the mature/decline phase of the product life cycle that are suffering from declining revenues and decreasing customer loyalty. Organizations facing these pressures typically attempt to increase the bottom line by increasing marketing and branding efforts while cutting costs and trying to dodge price wars. These value renovations usually meet with little success as competitors are attempting the same moves in what is largely a zero sum game. Instead of focusing on besting rivals, Kim and Mauborgne argue firms should aim for value innovation by redefining their offerings to compete in niches where there is no competition. Applying value creation logics helps managers redefine their offerings.

Originality/value

This is the first paper to outline how combining value creation logics leads to discovering Blue Oceans.
How to distinguish smart big moves from stupid ones
Authors: Strebel Paul , Ohlsson Anne‐Valérie
Published: March 2009

Purpose

When top executives undertake big moves – dramatic shifts in strategic direction – their decisions can make or break a company. This paper aims to offer a methodology for cutting the risks of making a catastrophic misstep.

Design/methodology/approach

To avoid a corporate disaster and increase the chances of a smart and ultimately successful big move the paper raises six critical questions that must be answered honestly and unequivocally by managers.

Findings

The research indicates that there are five classic types of big move, each corresponding to a different position on the corporate performance curve: finding a new game; going for growth; getting into shape; relaunching growth; and restoring profitability.

Practical implications

The paper outlines the ego traps of each big move and how to avoid them.

Originality/value

By defining the critical six questions and revealing the ego traps and how to avoid them the paper provides a valuable learning guide and checklist for top management.
Exploring and learning from the future: five steps for avoiding strategic surprises
Authors: Randall Doug
Published: March 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to argue that the reason most organizations get blindsided by market transformations is that they undertake strategic planning processes – like scenario development –without seeing them as a unique opportunity for learning about and exploring multiple futures.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper demonstrates the Monitor360 approach to learning from scenario development.

Findings

The paper reveals that exploring multiple possible ways the future could unfold gives decision‐makers the ability to look in the right place for game‐changing events, to rehearse the appropriate responses and to systematically track indicators of change.

Practical implications

The process offers five discrete steps to make scenario planning more effective. The paper explains why each step should be undertaken with a distinct mindset.

Originality/value

When planners follow the process described in the paper, which systematically cuts through the barriers to effective group learning and decision making, and combine it with principles that give discipline and robustness to the entire endeavor, the future, and the company's place in it, comes into a much sharper focus.
Leading the transformation to co‐creation of value
Authors: Ramaswamy Venkat
Published: March 2009

Purpose

Leading businesses are learning how to use the engagement experiences of individuals and communities as the new basis of their value creation for customers. This paper aims to look at this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

To initiate and implement this co‐creation model, especially in established organizations, the paper proposes adopting a new mindset.

Findings

The paper finds that once leaders recognize the “interactions among individuals everywhere in the system” as the new locus of value creation, it stands to reason that organizations must be designed to function around them.

Practical implications

In the co‐creation paradigm, value is a function of experiences other than the product itself, such as web platforms and environments for consumer interactions with the product and with a community of other users. Intuit's www.intuitlabs.com is another good illustration; there, Intuit's internal engineers get a fast, direct connection to customers, and the community of customers connects to the “makers” of Intuits offerings.

Originality/value

Becoming a co‐creative organization is impossible without the active involvement of managers at all levels and every employee who interacts with customers – from the call center operator to the service mechanic, from the sales representative to the logistics manager, from the software engineer to the product developer.
Stop improvising change management!
Authors: Henrik Jørgensen Hans , Owen Lawrence , Neus Andreas
Published: March 2009

Purpose

A major IBM consulting survey finds that most CEOs consider themselves and their organizations to be executing change poorly. In contrast, there are a few out‐performers (top 20 percent) who are the change masters. The paper seeks to analyze why most companies are managing change poorly while those few are doing it well.

Design/methodology/approach

The IBM Global Making Change Work Study explored differences in how change was implemented by over 1,500 practitioners worldwide. IBM conducted surveys and face‐to‐face interviews with project leaders, sponsors, project managers and change managers from many of the world's leading organizations.

Findings

The study finds that change management is at a turning point: from an art to a professional discussion; from improvisation to a richer, more systematic approach, based on clear empirical perspectives on what works and what does not.

Practical implications

Although many practical insights – about closing the “change gap” – were identified, the real message is that companies can no longer justify or afford an improvised approach to change management.

Originality/value

The Making Change Work study shows that executing change well remains the exception, though it is certainly an achievable goal. The research with practitioners revealed practical insights about closing the change gap – including the insight that “soft,” people‐related factors typically present greater challenges than hard, technology‐related factors that are generally easier to identify and measure.
Lessons for strategists in Graham & Dodd's Security Analysis, 6th edition
Authors: Calandro Joseph
Published: March 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to consider how top corporate executives in a variety of industries can find important lessons in the recently published sixth edition of Benjamin Graham and David Dodd's Security Analysis (New York: McGraw‐Hill, 2008).

Design/methodology/approach

This paper includes an interview with the lead editor of the book, value investor Seth Klarman. He explains key strategic lessons that non‐financial executives can learn from the value investing concepts and methodology.

Findings

The insights contained within Security Analysis can and should be leveraged by business leaders and strategists to create value for their firms.

Practical implications

Graham and Dodd‐based valuation and investment is a viable method with which to assess corporate strategic initiatives (such as mergers and acquisitions, share buy‐backs, etc.).

Originality/value

This paper, the first in a business strategy journal, explains how business leaders can become adept at using modern applications of Graham and Dodd‐based valuation insights and technology to inform their strategic decision‐making.
The revised decision‐square model (RDSM)
Authors: Shetach Ana
Published: March 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to provide team managers with a practical set of guidelines for coping with a few common obstacles to successful management of managerial processes.

Design/methodology/approach

The article regards the issue of decision‐implementation, taking place at all levels of managerial and organizational activities. It focuses on some of the main reasons for mishaps, faults and failures. It goes on to present the revised decision‐square model (RDSM) – a tool that can provide managers with the necessary control, to lead more team processes and projects towards successful terminations. The tool is based on Adizes' “decision‐square” model.

Findings

The article provides evidence in the form of quotes from testimonies of managers, who have adopted this strategy for their every‐day use with their teams.

Practical implications

The article offers a practical and detailed set of guidelines, to lead managers towards a relatively high level of control in the management of effective and efficient team decision making and implementation processes, ensuring their route to successful achievements.

Originality/value

Limited attention has been given in the literature to the studying of practical and applicable managerial techniques to successful decision‐implementation in teams. This article focuses on this neglected domain, coming up with an integrative tool for this purpose.
Reciprocated relational preferences and intra‐team conflict
Authors: Curşeu Petru L. , Kenis Patrick , Raab Jörg
Published: March 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to explore the effects of the interaction between team diversity and reciprocated relational preferences on task and relationship conflict in teams.

Design/methodological approach

The paper reports the results of an empirical study conducted on 66 teams, of which 32 were randomly created, while 34 teams were formed through a pair matching strategy (team dating).

Findings

The results show that mutual positive preferences attenuated the positive impact of team diversity on relationship conflict within teams.

Research limitations/implications

The results support the theoretical distinction between task and relationship conflict and show that close interpersonal relations within teams have a differential impact on the two types of conflict.

Practical implications

The results reported in the study support the use of the team dating strategy for team design in different organizational settings.

Originality/value

The paper introduces a new method for team formation based on reciprocated relational preferences.
The impact of physical environment on employee commitment in call centres
Authors: McGuire David , McLaren Lauren
Published: March 2009

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to examine the effect of the physical environment on employee commitment. It explores how favourable working conditions can affect an employee's sense of well‐being which in turn can generate higher levels of employee commitment.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire instrument based upon previously validated measures was completed by 65 front line call centre employees. The Baron and Kenny four‐step procedure for testing mediation effects was adopted.

Findings

The statistical analysis confirms that employee well‐being mediates the relationship between physical environment and employee commitment.

Originality/value

The call centre industry needs to make employees more autonomous by reducing the level of scripting, encouraging greater involvement and participation in work systems and setting targets and the organization of regular team events.
The relationship between support, commitment and intent to leave team
Authors: Paillé Pascal
Published: March 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to address and gain a more complete understanding of the effects on relationships between perceived team support (PTS), team commitment and intent to leave the team.

Design/methodology/approach

Team commitment was examined as a mediator between perceived team support and intent to leave the team. To reach this objective, a survey on French white‐collar employee (n=355) was conducted. The procedure of Baron and Kenny was selected for the mediation test.

Findings

The study provides several interesting data. First, data reveal two dimensions for PTS. The first one is labelled PTS toward work, the second one is labelled PTS toward well‐being. Second, while team commitment mediates the relationship between PTS toward work and intent to leave the team, team commitment does not mediate PTS toward well‐being and the intent to leave the team.

Originality/value

The findings extend the understanding of how perceived team support and team commitment are related to intent to leave the team. It was found that team commitment plays a mediating role between perceived team support and intent to leave the team. Because to date, no research has examined the mediating role of team commitment on the relationship between PTS and intent to leave the team, the study provides interesting findings.
Reducing hospital‐acquired infections through knowledge‐sharing in work teams
Authors: Lemmergaard Jeanette
Published: March 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyze the use of a team‐based organizational structure for the purpose of improving the quality of the services provided by the health care system. More specifically, the research aims to investigate the efficiency of a cross‐functional team‐based structure in regard to improving knowledge‐sharing and hereby reducing hospital‐acquired infections (i.e. health‐care associated infections) caused by insufficient hand hygiene.

Design/methodology/approach

The findings are drawn from interviews, observations, and desk research conducted in a large Danish university hospital. The paper has applied a case study methodology using grounded theory and has approached the analysis by employing a holistic view.

Findings

The paper identifies the necessity for educating the hygiene teams in regard to team processes. Professional knowledge of proper hygiene behavior is to be combined with knowledge of procurement, processes of change, and teamwork in such a manner that the members of the hygiene teams can implement these tools effectively.

Research limitations/implications

The study is based on a small sample. The context and process imposed constraints and the findings are context specific; this has implications for the application of the findings to other settings.

Practical implications

Knowledge about proper hand washing is not enhanced through written policies and procedures.

Originality/value

The paper offers insight into means of enhancing hygiene standards by the integration of organizational processes and change with knowledge and knowledge transfer within a hospital.
An empirical examination of the relationships between adult attention deficit, reliance on team mates and team member performance
Authors: Coetzer Graeme H. , Trimble Richard
Published: March 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of adult attention deficit on team members, the relationships between team members, the task performance dynamics within teams and team member performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 304 management students working in self managing project teams completed measures of adult attention deficit, difficulty with necessary tasks, general independence, extraordinary reliance on team mates and acceptance of reliance on team mates. A measure of a team member's performance was completed by the other team members upon completion of the team project. Product moment correlations were used to examine associations between the measures, and partial correlations were used to test for mediation effects. The Williams T2 test was used to test for significant differences in correlations between adult attention deficit and related variables.

Findings

Adult attention deficit interferes with the ability to perform necessary tasks and constrains the achievement of a general sense of independence. The disorder also promotes extraordinary reliance on team mates and constrains team member performance. Although the disorder promotes extraordinary reliance on team mates, it promotes acceptance of such reliance to a much lesser extent.

Research limitations/implications

Future research needs to sample a variety of workplace teams. Testing the hypotheses on new samples will also help to confirm the validity and reliability of the measures developed for this study.

Practical implications

Organizations that are increasingly reliant on the performance of employee teams need to be more aware of the influence of adult attention deficit on team members, their relationships with other team members and their performance. Providing individual training and team interventions that target the cognitive, emotional and behavioral capacity for completing necessary tasks is especially important for team members afflicted with the disorder.

Originality/value

This is the first study to examine the relationship between adult attention deficit, reliance on other team members and team member performance. This research is of value to researchers, organizational development specialists, managers and team members who are trying to improve the performance of team members with adult attention deficit.
Determinants of new product performance in small firms
Authors: O'Dwyer Michele , Ledwith Ann
Published: March 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the determinants of new product performance in small firms; specifically, the impact of customer orientation, competitor orientation, interfunctional co‐ordination, product launch proficiency and product advantage.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on previous studies a model was developed addressing determinants of new product and organisational performance (customer orientation, competitor orientation, interfunctional co‐ordination, product advantage, and product launch proficiency). These relationships were explored using data collected from 26 small firms in Ireland.

Findings

The results indicate that competitor orientation and product launch proficiency are strongly linked to new product performance and organisational performance in small firms. Additionally, they illustrate a lack of significant relationships between performance and customer orientation, interfunctional coordination and product advantage, thus suggesting that the existing large firm models explored may not be fully applicable to small firms.

Practical implications

Small firms need to ensure that they know their competitors, as competitor orientation is linked with both new product performance and organisational performance.

Originality/value

While the importance of market orientation and new product development to the survival and success of firms is well supported in the literature, the study demonstrates clearly that the measures used, and relationships found, in large firms do not all apply in small firms.
Conceptualising entrepreneurial capital for a study of performance in small professional service firms
Authors: Stringfellow Lindsay , Shaw Eleanor
Published: March 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a robust theoretical framework for exploring the longitudinal impact of social capital on the performance of small business service firms.

Design/methodology/approach

This conceptual paper builds on theories of capital, particularly entrepreneurial capital, to develop a theoretically robust framework within which to consider the longitudinal impact of social capital on small business service firms.

Findings

Reviewing current literature on entrepreneurial capital demonstrates the difficulty in isolating capital in its various forms due to the convertibility and overlapping nature of different types of capital. Also problematic is the impact of time and the effect which changing amounts and types of capital can have on firm performance. The conceptual model addresses these concerns by exploring social capital in a sector where financial capital presents less of a barrier to entry and where owners' human capital, particularly their educational achievement, is broadly similar. To capture process‐based data, three key stages in the entrepreneurship process are explored: nascent, start‐up, and established.

Practical implications

Understanding the changing structure and relational aspects of social capital over time and its impact on performance will assist small business owners in utilising their relationships more effectively. Although the study focuses on small professional service firms it may also be applicable to other sectors, or be used in replicated studies with other professions.

Originality/value

The conceptual framework proposed recognises the overlapping and convertible nature of different forms of capital. Further, it recognises the fluctuating nature of entrepreneurial capital over time and the different outcomes which can emerge from social capital.
Information technology adoption in SMEs: an integrated framework
Authors: Nguyen ThuyUyen H.
Published: March 2009

Purpose

The aim of this research is to gain a clearer understanding of information technology (IT) adoption in small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) by analysing and contrasting the current literature. Whilst describing how and why SMEs acquire IT, the paper also seeks to highlight the enablers as well as the inhibitors that influence the adoption process.

Design/methodology/approach

The method was a review of literature including empirical research and case studies related to IT adoption from various databases such as Business Premier, Science Direct, JStor and Emerald Insight. Supporting material was accessed from reference books regarding similar concepts and theories.

Findings

The literature suggests that SMEs adopt IT for many reasons. In general, the majority of the changes result from pressures from both internal and external sources. In addition to these drivers, there are factors that influence the process either directly or indirectly. Based on these different perspectives the paper proposes a conceptual framework that is composed of those perspectives that are relevant to the adoption of IT in SMEs.

Research limitations/implications

This conceptual framework for the IT adoption process is based on the existing literature. It is open to and requires empirical testing to determine its relevance and validity in a practical setting.

Originality/value

The paper demonstrates the process of IT adoption in SMEs by combining perspectives from the literature. The framework will help adopters gain a practical overview of the IT adoption process in SMEs.
Do business angels benefit their investee companies?
Authors: Macht Stephanie A. , Robinson John
Published: March 2009

Purpose

Entrepreneurial businesses often face financial and experiential gaps, which can constrain their growth. Business angels (BAs) can provide sources of financial, human and social capital to overcome these gaps. Building on the work by Munck and Saublens, this paper aims to introduce a framework that seeks to provide a detailed understanding of the benefits that BAs can bring to the firms in which they invest.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to obtain a detailed understanding of the benefits that BAs bring to their investee companies, semi‐structured, in‐depth telephone interviews were conducted from an investee perspective. The key managers of nine angel‐funded companies were purposefully selected and the transcribed interviews analysed with the help of common qualitative analysis techniques.

Findings

According to investee managers, BAs provide benefits in all four areas of the proposed framework. Specifically, BAs: help overcome funding gaps; fill knowledge/experience gaps through provision of their own expertise and involvement; provide a wide range of contacts and leverage further funding, including their own follow‐on finance.

Research limitations/implications

The anonymous nature of the BA market requires convenience sampling, which, in addition to the small sample size used, does not allow for generalisability. The use of telephone interviews instead of face‐to‐face interviews did not allow for observation of non‐verbal cues. Nevertheless, the study identified various areas in need of further research.

Originality/value

In‐depth interview data enabled a detailed exploration of the financial and non‐financial benefits of BA funding from an under‐utilised investee perspective. The paper's main value, however, lies in establishing the usefulness of a framework showing BAs' benefits in a structured manner.
Entrepreneurship in teleology: the variety of the forms
Authors: Katsikis Ioannis N. , Kyrgidou Lida P.
Published: March 2009

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to define a range of entrepreneurial concepts and provide a critical review of their content in order to map the forms of the entrepreneurial actions within their teleological context.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the authors' definition of teleology as the process of heading towards an end, entrepreneurship was categorized into a three‐item typology, namely subject, process and object. The latter served as a platform for the analysis, which reveals some key qualities about research in entrepreneurship.

Findings

The paper provides a categorization of entrepreneurship both at the distinction (subject, process, object) and the contextual level and the commonalities and differences among entrepreneurship's different teleological approaches are analyzed and the potential is offered for further avenues of research to emerge. Additionally, it is demonstrated that the teleological approaches represent distinct approaches to interpret diverse aspects of the entrepreneurial phenomenon and provide insights into the way in which the entrepreneurial process itself unfolds.

Originality/value

The paper provides an innovative categorization of entrepreneurship as subject, process and object while discussing a variety of various entrepreneurial forms through their teleological nature within each of the three categories. The paper is valuable to scholars seeking to further advance their understanding in the various fields of entrepreneurship, understand the function of the particular set of activities to be undertaken, the role of particular individuals/agents involved in the entrepreneurial process, the opportunity identification/exploitation process as well as the particular objective that each entrepreneurial form aims at fulfilling.
The influence of self‐construals on young Korean consumers' decision‐making styles
Authors: Hong Youn Hahn Kim , Kean Rita
Published: March 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationships between self‐construals and decision‐making styles of Korean college students.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 872 Korean college students from three different Korean university campuses completed three‐part questionnaires (self‐construal, decision making styles and demographic information).

Findings

It was found that Korean college students' decision‐making styles can vary according to their self‐construals.

Research limitations/implications

Although data were collected from three different universities located in different geographic locations, the study was conducted using a convenience sample rather than a random sample. Therefore, a randomly selected, diverse and geographical sampling is recommended to be able to generalize results from such a study to the total Korean college student population.

Practical implications

Findings suggest that high‐end luxury imported goods might appeal to Korean college students with Independent self‐construals. Even though there is an emerging new group of students with an independent self‐construal, the majority of Korean college students still hold a higher interdependent self‐construal than independent self‐construal. Therefore, different marketing strategies should be developed according to the different market segments among the Korean college students based on the different clothing product categories and quality.

Originality/value

Despite the growing global market and importance of studying cultural differences, little information about the influence of culture on consumer behaviour is available. The findings of the dual‐self concept within the Korean culture and their close relationship with decision‐making styles contribute to the theoretical knowledge base of contemporary consumer behaviour.