bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Street marketing: how proximity and context drive coupon redemption
Authors: Spiekermann Sarah , Rothensee Matthias , Klafft Michael
Published: July 2011

Purpose

In 2009, US coupons set a new record of 367 billion coupons distributed. Yet, while coupon distribution is on the rise, redemption rates remain below 1 percent. This paper aims to show how recognizing context variables, such as proximity, weather, part of town and financial incentives interplay to determine a coupon campaign's success.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reports an empirical study conducted in co‐operation with a restaurant chain: 9.880 Subway coupons were distributed under different experimental context conditions. Redemption behavior was analyzed with the help of logistic regressions.

Findings

It was found that even though proximity drives coupon redemption, city center campaigns seem to be much more sensitive to distance than suburban areas. The further away the distribution place from the restaurant, the less does the amount of monetary incentive determine the motivation to redeem.

Practical implications

When designing a coupon campaign for a company, coupon distribution should not follow a “one‐is‐good‐for‐all‐strategy” even for one marketer within one product category. Instead each coupon strategy should carefully consider contextual influence.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to the authors' knowledge that systematically investigates the impact of context variables on coupon redemption. It focuses on context variables that electronic marketing channels will be able to easily incorporate into personalized mobile marketing campaigns.
Users and technology: are we doing research now?
Authors: Greifeneder Elke
Published: July 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to examine changes in the quality of user research in library and information science.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper connects recent literature studies and current papers submitted to a special issue about user research and technology in Library Hi Tech.

Findings

The paper concludes that the diversity of methods to study users is growing and a confidence about labeling and using methods is becoming manifest. The number of research questions that a single study answers is both diminishing and at the same time growing more diverse.

Research limitations/implications

This paper is not in‐depth research that offers evidence that a change in user research has taken place. Its arguments build on papers submitted to this special issue on that topic.

Originality/value

Research about users, their behaviour and their needs were often an add‐on at the end of a project. In the last two years, this situation has changed. The topic of user experience is suddenly omnipresent at conferences and in journal articles. Studies about the way research is conducted are an important part of library and information science.
Providing online access to historic films at the Washington State University libraries
Authors: O'English Mark , Bond Trevor James
Published: July 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to discuss the procedures and methods developed at Washington State University to digitize and make accessible historic moving images.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper describes the selection and the use of low‐cost technologies to transfer analog film to digital formats. Issues related to the conversion, description, and online hosting of digital films are also addressed.

Findings

Though the steps involved in digitizing film are not trivial, the benefits of access both for the public and archives staff outweigh the expense and labor involved. The procedures described in this paper involve low upfront costs and are sustained through cost recovery fees.

Research limitations/implications

The focus of this paper is on managing, describing, and providing online access to historic films, not digital preservation.

Originality/value

There is a gap in the library literature regarding the practical steps involved in reformatting and hosting online film collections. This paper describes methods which may be adapted by non‐specialists at other institutions.
Next generation or current generation?
Authors: Yang Sharon Q. , Hofmann Melissa A.
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The study described in this paper aims to identify the progress made in the efforts to model current online public access catalogs (OPACs) after the next generation catalog (NGC) in academic libraries in the USA and Canada.

Design/methodology/approach

A random sample of 260 colleges and universities was selected from Peterson's Guide to Four‐Year Colleges 2009, an estimated 10 percent of the total population of 2,560 listed academic institutions. A checklist of 12 features of the NGC was used to evaluate the OPACs of the 260 libraries in the sample. The authors took as the OPAC that which the library linked to as its “catalog,” even though some might be more properly considered “discovery tools” or “discovery layers.” Some libraries used more than one OPAC interface simultaneously; in this case, each OPAC was analyzed separately. In the case of several institutions using the same consortial OPAC, only the first instance of the OPAC was analyzed. About 15 percent of the institutions (n=40) in the sample either did not have web sites or did not provide access to their online catalogs. In all, a total of 233 unique instances of OPACs were analyzed. Data were collected from September 2009 through July 2010. The findings can be extrapolated to the population at the 95 percent confidence level with a confidence interval of ±3.

Findings

While bits and pieces of the next generation catalog are steadily working themselves into the current catalog, academic libraries still have a long way to go. About 16 percent of the OPACs in the sample did not show any advanced features of the NGC. More than half of the libraries (61 percent) had only one to five advanced features in their OPACs. Many of those with six or more NGC features were discovery tools. Only 3 percent of the OPACs in the sample (n=8) demonstrated seven to ten out of the 12 functionalities of the NGC, and they were instances either of WorldCat Local or Summon. The weak areas were federated searching, relevance based on circulation statistics, and recommendations based on patron transactions.

Originality/value

This is the first and only study on a large scale conducted thus far that evaluates the progress towards the NGC in academic libraries in the USA and Canada. The findings help academic librarians to recognize and pin‐point the weak links in implementing a true next generation catalog.
Evaluating EBSCOhost Mobile
Authors: Hegarty Ronan , Wusteman Judith
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of the evaluation described in this paper is to determine the usability of the services provided by the EBSCOhost Mobile application.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology employed was usability testing, comprising pre‐ and post‐usability test questionnaires and “think out‐loud” usability tests.

Findings

Recommendations are made concerning changes to the interface to ensure greater usability.

Research limitations/implications

In this study, the only mobile device used in the testing of EBSCOhost Mobile was the iPhone 3GS. None of the participants had used or owned a smartphone previously.

Originality/value

Libraries are increasingly turning to the Mobile Web to offer new services to their patrons. Smartphones are likely to become central to the future delivery of information services.
Digital library deployment in a university
Authors: Veronica Anunobi Chinwe , Ignatius Ezeani Majesty
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present one of the ways in which digital library technology is employed in providing twenty‐first century library and information services to a university community in a developing country, together with the challenges and prospects of such an application.

Design/methodology/approach

This work analyses documents using content analysis of documents in library archives, interviews with library stakeholders and assessment of the structures, facilities and technologies as deployed in the Digital Library housing the information that is necessary for academic work.

Findings

This work shows that a university's approach to a digital library is a function of environmental, ethno‐political and economic issues. Although the deployment struggled to accommodate the attributes of a digital library, including contents, users, functionality, policy, quality, technology and personnel, success is yet to be fully achieved, because there have been major challenges in terms of management, infrastructure, personnel and the provision of appropriate content. Even so, the effort has been worthwhile and is a stepping‐stone to future effective library services in the university.

Originality/value

This paper provides librarians with an insight into how developing countries understand and apply digital technology to library operations and services. It also provides other libraries and related institutions with an opportunity to learn from a concrete experience.
Travelling the Empire
Authors: Winfield Sarah
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide fresh insights into the meaning and experience of an imperial education and the evolving concept of empire itself in Britain during the inter‐war years. At this time, in imperially‐minded circles, the desire to preserve the cultural and political unity of the Empire was, in part, channelled into forging lasting bonds of brotherhood amongst Empire youth through education. To this end, a host of Empire‐oriented societies launched a variety of travel and exchange programmes designed to educate British youth in the importance of their imperial inheritance. Among these was the School Empire Tours (SETs; 1927‐39), a voluntary organisation led by prominent figures in government and education, which, over the course of 12 years, was responsible for the expeditions of more than 500 public schoolboys to the far flung corners of the Empire.

Design/methodology/approach

A contextualist methodology is employed throughout to produce a nuanced description of the concept of Empire as found within the archive, to assess the contribution made by the SETs to contemporary understandings of Empire and therein identify the significance of the organisation in the thought and practice of education across time.

Findings

A discursive change is highlighted through the subtle re‐conceptualisation of Empire as a progressive and modernising force and the evolving perceptions of the tourists themselves. Moreover, the SETs appear as a microcosm of the problematic co‐existence of democratic tradition and imperial practice during a period of intense social and political flux.

Originality/value

A new light is cast on the competing ideologies of imperialism and brotherhood, offering a unique perspective on the role of gender, class and race in imperial education at this time.
A SOS construct of negative emotions in customers' service experience (CSE) and service recovery by firms (SRF)
Authors: Svari Sander , Slåtten Terje , Svensson Göran , Edvardsson Bo
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The objective of this paper is to test the validity and reliability of a SOS construct and its dimensions (i.e. self, other and situational) of negative emotions in the context of consumers' service experience (CSE) and the following processes of service recovery by firms (SRF).

Design/methodology/approach

A triangular approach was used, based on interviews and a survey in the Norwegian tourism industry. This paper reports the results from the survey consisting of 3,104 customers.

Findings

Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses have been used to examine and test the SOS construct of negative emotions in CSE and SRF. The SOS construct tested has indicated an acceptable fit, validity and reliability.

Research limitations/implications

The SOS construct of CSE and SRF may be seen as a seed for future research in refining and extending endeavors of managing critical incidents in CSE and SRF.

Practical implications

Strategies to manage CSE and SRF should be aimed at solving the three different SOS dimensions of negative incidents in service encounters, namely those that are caused by the customer, the company, or the situation.

Originality/value

The SOS construct brings together, complements and fortifies existing theory and previous research in the context of negative emotions in CSE and SRF.
The effect of service employees' competence on financial institutions' image: benevolence as a moderator variable
Authors: Nguyen Nha , Leclerc André
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the contribution of benevolence as a moderator variable that enhances the effect of service employees' competence on the customer's perception of a service firm's image.

Design/methodology/approach

A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed on data collected from 445 customers in a financial service setting to assess the influence of competence and benevolence, as well as their interactive effects on corporate image.

Findings

The results show a significant interaction between competence and benevolence in their influence on corporate image. The results reinforce the idea that benevolence intervenes as a moderator variable that enhances the impact of competence on corporate image.

Research limitations/implications

The study has limited generalisation given the convenient sample and the great variety of service industries. The efficacy of the direct measures and the hierarchical multiple regression must be considered. It would be helpful to realise similar studies in other service settings by using multidimensional scales of competence, benevolence and corporate image.

Practical implications

Service firms should not only highlight the role of the service employees' expertise but also their attitude and behaviour during the service encounter in a manner so as to increase the customer's trust in the firm's capability, to satisfy his/her needs and to enhance the firm's image.

Originality/value

The present study contributes specifically to understanding how major characteristics of service employees can influence the assessment of corporate image by consumers.
An examination of consumer advocacy and complaining behavior in the context of service failure
Authors: Chelminski Piotr , Coulter Robin A.
Published: July 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the relationships between consumer advocacy and consumer complaining behaviors such as voicing and negative word‐of‐mouth in the context of dissatisfactory service experiences.

Design/methodology/approach

Using an experimental design embedded in a survey methodology, the authors examine the relationship between consumer advocacy and the likelihood for complaining about dissatisfactory service experiences among adult US consumers. Additionally, the authors examine the differences between likelihood for voicing and negative word‐of‐mouth (NWOM) in the context of dissatisfactory service experiences at varying levels of service encounter failure.

Findings

The authors find that consumer advocacy is positively related to consumer complaining (i.e. voicing and NWOM), and that likelihood of NWOM is consistently greater than likelihood of voicing.

Research limitations/implications

This study uses a convenience sample of US adult consumers, which could compromise generalizability of the results to broader consumer populations.

Practical implications

Based on these results, the authors suggest that companies and consumer protection agencies appeal to consumers' advocacy tendencies to facilitate voicing so problems can be quickly identified and resolved, and the negative word‐of‐mouth can be minimized.

Originality/value

This study is the first attempt known to authors to link consumer advocacy to complaining behaviors in the marketplace.
Visibility, governance and social context
Authors: Paisey Catriona , Paisey Nicholas J.
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine financial management in the Pre‐Reformation church in Aberdeen, Scotland during the bishopric of Bishop William Elphinstone (1488‐1514).

Design/methodology/approach

The paper employs a combination of literature‐based analysis, archival research and the use of biographies in order to examine aspects of financial management within the Pre‐Reformation church in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Findings

There is evidence that accounting for assets and income was mobilised in order to achieve social aims. Recording mechanisms give visibility to the church's remuneration and governance strategy. Together, these examples show that there was no evidence of a sacred/secular divide in this context.

Research limitations/implications

Archives may be incomplete but can give insight into financial management in historical context and aspects of the sacred/secular divide.

Originality/value

This paper aids understanding of visibility and governance possibilities afforded by accounting that has been mobilised in an historic setting in order to achieve social aims.
The efficacy/inefficacy of accounting in controlling labour during the transition from slavery in the United States and British West Indies
Authors: K. Fleischman Richard , Oldroyd David , N. Tyson Thomas
Published: July 2011

Purpose

– The aim of this paper is to focus on the transition from slavery to wage workers in the American South and British West Indies, and the corresponding nature of the reporting and control procedures that were established in both venues, in order to create a disciplined workforce, and establish regular relations between employees and employers. It seeks to explain the differences in labour control practices between the two regions and to discuss the impact on these practices of accounting and other quantitative techniques c.1760-1870. In particular, it aims to consider the central role played by government in the process.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study forms part of an archival research project, in which the authors have consulted archives in four Southern States (Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and North Carolina), three Caribbean island nations, formerly British colonies (Antigua, Barbados, and Jamaica), and record repositories the length and breadth of Great Britain. The records of the Freedmen
'
s Bureau (FB), located in the National Archives, Washington, DC, have been likewise visited. These primary sources have been supported by the extensive secondary literature on slavery and its aftermath.

Findings

– In the USA, accounting for labour in the transition from slavery was typically ad hoc and inconsistent, whereas in the BWI it was more organised, detailed, and displayed greater uniformity – both within and across colonies. The role of the British Colonial Office (BCO) was crucial here. A range of economic and political factors are advanced to explain the differences between the two locations. The paper highlights the limitations of accounting controls and economic incentives in disciplining labour without the presence of physical coercion in situations where there is a refusal on the part of the workers to cooperate.

Originality/value

– There is a relatively small volume of secondary literature comparing US and BWI slavery and its legacy. Likewise, the accounting implications of labour-control practices, during the transition from slavery to freedom, are largely understudied. The research also points to a need to assess the decision-influencing capabilities of management accounting systems in other transitional labour settings.
Let
'
s talk
Authors: Stone Gerard
Published: July 2011

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of small business managers
'
objectives and preferred methods of communicating on the communications aspect of accountants
'
advisory relationship with small business. Through exploring and reporting on these issues, the paper seeks to contribute to understanding of accounting
'
s capacity to satisfy the communication needs of its users.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study employs a mixed methodology, comprising a questionnaire to access evidence from small business managers and semi-structured interviews with accountants, which provide a complementary perspective to accountant/small business communications. The analysis of the findings is informed by media richness theory.

Findings

– Small business managers prefer direct forms of contact with their accountants and the richness of verbal communications. This is demonstrated in accountants
'
use of visual and audio cues, including reinforcing and adjusting techniques, which enhance the appeal and utility of verbal communications. Accountants
'
documents have been relegated to a supplementary reinforcing function in the profession
'
s communications with small business. Small firm managers
'
objectives influence their interest in and use of accounting information and the communications approach that their accountant implements. The findings indicate that accountants adopt communications approaches with small business managers, which satisfy the communication needs of the economically significant small business sector, a significant user of accounting information and services.

Originality/value

– The paper contributes to redressing a gap in the accounting discipline
'
s literature regarding accountants
'
communications with small business, while offering insights that may be useful to practitioners in their advisory relationships with small business managers.
Healthcare service quality perception in Japan
Authors: ep Koubaa Eleuch Amira
Published: July 2011

Purpose

This study aims to assess Japanese patients' healthcare service quality perceptions and to shed light on the most meaningful service features. It follows‐up a study published in IJHCQA Vol. 21 No. 7.

Design/methodology/approach

Through a non‐linear approach, the study relied on the scatter model to detect healthcare service features' importance in forming overall quality judgment.

Findings

Japanese patients perceive healthcare services through a linear compensatory process. Features related to technical quality and staff behavior compensate for each other to decide service quality.

Research limitations/implications

A limitation of the study is the limited sample size. Non‐linear approaches could help researchers to better understand patients' healthcare service quality perceptions. The study highlights a need to adopt an evolution that enhances technical quality and medical practices in Japanese healthcare settings.

Originality/value

The study relies on a non‐linear approach to assess patient overall quality perceptions in order to enrich knowledge. Furthermore, the research is conducted in Japan where healthcare marketing studies are scarce owing to cultural and language barriers. Japanese culture and healthcare system characteristics are used to explain and interpret the results.
Service quality measurement: appointment systems in UK GP practices
Authors: Sliwa Martyna , O'Kane James
Published: July 2011

Purpose

A recurring problem in the service quality literature is measurement – knowing which quality aspects should be measured and in what ways. This article aims to assess service quality measurement by focusing on general practice appointment systems.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use a case study, integrating qualitative and quantitative methods, including interviews with stakeholders as well as data regarding appointment systems' temporal aspects.

Findings

This study offers insights into service quality's subjective and context‐dependent nature, as reflected in primary healthcare stakeholder perceptions and service quality's objective and quantifiable aspects, revealing its dynamic, process‐based nature.

Research limitations/implications

The empirical approach to service quality measurement did not focus on all general practice service quality aspects, but instead focused on patient appointments with healthcare professionals. Broader applications to include other service quality aspects should be addressed by research.

Practical implications

Using one approach, service operators could have a tool for obtaining a more complex and richer service quality picture, leading to a better understanding of the relationship between service delivery and its evaluations by different stakeholders.

Originality/value

The service quality measurement method offers innovative insights into different theoretical abstractions, constructively challenges both measurement and service quality, whilst moving beyond managerial and user‐based approaches, and is highly relevant to contemporary organisation practice.
The crisis in United States hospital emergency services
Authors: Harrison Jeffrey P. , Ferguson Emily D.
Published: July 2011

Purpose

Emergency services are critical for high‐quality healthcare service provision to support acute illness, trauma and disaster response. The greater availability of emergency services decreases waiting time, improves clinical outcomes and enhances local community well being. This study aims to assess United States (US) acute care hospital staff's ability to provide emergency medical services by evaluating the number of emergency departments and trauma centers.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were obtained from the 2003 and 2007 American Hospital Association (AHA) annual surveys, which included over 5,000 US hospitals and provided extensive information on their infrastructure and healthcare capabilities.

Findings

US acute care hospital numbers decreased by 59 or 1.1 percent from 2003 to 2007. Similarly, US emergency rooms and trauma centers declined by 125, or 3 percent. The results indicate that US hospital staff's ability to respond to traumatic injury and disasters has declined. Therefore, US hospital managers need to increase their investment in emergency department beds as well as provide state‐of‐the‐art clinical technology to improve emergency service quality. These investments, when linked to other clinical information systems and the electronic medical record, support further healthcare quality improvement.

Research limitations/implications

This research uses the AHA annual surveys, which represent self‐reported data by individual hospital staff. However, the AHA expends significant resources to validate reported information and the annual survey data are widely used for hospital research.

Practical implications

The declining US emergency rooms and trauma centers have negative implications for patients needing emergency services. More importantly, this research has significant policy implications because it documents a decline in the US emergency healthcare service infrastructure.

Originality/value

This article has important information on US emergency service availability in the hospital industry.
Institutional change and the multinational change agent
Authors: Koene Bas , Ansari Shahzad (Shaz)
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of multinational corporations (MNCs) in local institutional change. To what extent do multinational organizations help or hinder change, in particular new industry creation?

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents a qualitative case study examining the role of multinational temporary work agencies in the development of temporary agency market in Spain.

Findings

The authors find that while multinational firms were less constrained by the norms, values and logics of the home environment, they also encountered specific challenges in the implementation of new practices. First, high‐profile introduction of a novel practice requires checks and balances to manage unanticipated developments, such as undesirable activities by opportunistic actors that may derail the change process. Second, rapid growth is not conducive to concerted efforts at industry level, leaving the public identity of the institutional innovation extremely vulnerable. Third, high‐profile change is also vulnerable to redefinition of the practice through misinterpretation or misuse by inexperienced users.

Practical implications

The findings highlight the interaction between global and local actors in the development of a novel market and the main findings provide three concrete aspects of the change process that need to be carefully monitored in processes of MNC‐driven institutional change.

Originality/value

MNCs have been argued to be important agents of change in an organizational field as they are less bound by the norms, values and logics of any particular institutional environment. The authors' analysis shows how this disconnectedness of MNCs can also hinder the change effort in three important ways.
From cultural values to cross‐cultural interfaces: Hofstede goes to Africa
Authors: Jackson Terence
Published: July 2011

Purpose

Hofstede's theory may be problematic from both a methodological/theoretical and practical view when applied to the 80 per cent of the globe we term developing. It is necessary to break out of an epistemic paradigm and a “view from nowhere” in order to focus on multiple layers of cultural interfaces within power dynamics that influence the nature of hybrid organizations and individual cultural identity. The purpose of this paper therefore is to develop a theory of cross‐cultural interfaces.

Design/methodology/approach

Cross‐cultural values theory provides a blunt instrument in Africa, does not take into account global dependencies and is not able to analyse local perceptions of reality within a context of these dependencies. A theory of cultural interfaces is developed that incorporates an Aristotelian phronetic approach to social science.

Findings

This moves away from the universals of analytical rationality towards practical value‐rationality that considers culture from a context‐dependent viewpoint, provides a synthesis for cultural‐institutional approaches, and engages researchers beyond merely looking at differences in cultures and the consequences, and towards what should be done about issues that arise.

Originality/value

By providing an example of how cultural interfaces may be researched, and discussing the associated conceptual issues, it is hoped that this paper will help to move forward the debate about cross‐cultural management.
Tensile strength of fine pitch QFP lead‐free soldered joints with diode laser soldering
Authors: Xue Peng , Xue Song‐bai , Zhang Liang , Shen Yi‐fu , Gao Li‐li , Yu Sheng‐lin , Zhu Hong , Han Zongjie , Chen Yan
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the laser soldering of fine pitch quad flat package (QFP) devices using lead‐free solders and solder joint reliability during thermal cycling.

Design/methodology/approach

QFP devices were selected as the test vehicles and were soldered with four alloy types, Sn37Pb, Sn3.5Ag, Sn3.8Ag0.7Cu and Sn3.8Ag0.7Cu0.03Ce. The experimental samples were QFP‐256 devices with lead‐free solder paste on the printed circuit boards. The packages were dried for 24 h at 125°C prior to reflow soldering. Soldering experiments on the QFP devices were carried out with an infrared (IR) reflow soldering oven and a diode laser (DL) soldering system. Reflow soldering was performed at peak temperatures of 210°C (SnPb), 240°C (SnAgCu and SnAgCuCe) and 250°C (SnAg), as determined on the boards. Pull testing was adopted to evaluate the tensile strength of the four solders using an STR–1000 micro‐joint strength tester.

Findings

The tensile force of the QFP micro‐joints increased as laser intensity increased when it was less than an “optimal” value. The maximum tensile force of the QFP micro‐joints was gained when the laser intensity had increased to 2,165, 2,127, 2,165 and 2,064 W/cm2, depending on the alloy used. The thermal fatigue performance of three lead‐free solder joints, SnAgCuCe, SnAgCu and SnAg, was determined to be superior to that of the eutectic SnPb alloy. After soldering without thermal cycling tests, the fracture morphology of soldered joints exhibited characteristic toughness fracture with both of the soldering methods. After 700 thermal cycles, the fracture mechanism was also toughness fracture, nevertheless, the dimples became large. The fracture morphology of the soldered joints subjected to 1,500 thermal cycles indicated brittle intergranular fracture on the fracture surface and no intense plastic deformation appeared before fracture with IR soldering. For DL soldering, the pull fracture model of the SnAgCuCe was completely ductile in the soldered joint with 1,500 thermal cycles.

Originality/value

The paper usefully investigates the influence of laser intensity on the tensile strength of different soldered joints and the solder joint reliability during thermal cycling.
Transformative business sustainability
Authors: Svensson Göran , Wagner Beverly
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the concept of “transformative business sustainability”. “Business sustainability” refers the total effort of a company – including its demand and supply chain network – to reduce the impact on the Earth's life‐ and eco‐systems –, i.e. the total e‐footprint. “Transformative” highlights the need for an open minded, dynamic and flexible approach to “business sustainability” not governed by blinkers.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper discusses a conceptual development of transformative business sustainability, derived from a frame of reference. The essence is the introduction of a multi‐layer model of units (i.e. different businesses or other stakeholders), a network of e‐footprint sources and a “recovery pool and redistribution buffer” at the interface.

Findings

Transformative business sustainability is both a theoretical and managerial concept. It could also be seen as a roadmap to plan, implement and evaluate business sustainability.

Research limitations/implications

Transformative business sustainability provides opportunities for development. Suggestions for further research are presented.

Practical implications

E‐footprint sources in business, applying an Earth‐to‐Earth approach, are described. The concept of transformative business sustainability contributes by achieving genuine and continuous business sustainability and awareness at strategic, tactical and operative levels of business, avoiding use of buzzwords and window dressing.

Originality/value

Well‐being of the planet Earth has to be at the core of business sustainability. The authors contend that the “recovery pool and redistribution buffer” is crucial in the planning, implementation and evaluation of transformative business sustainability.
An integrated management systems approach to corporate sustainability
Authors: Asif Muhammad , Searcy Cory , Zutshi Ambika , Ahmad Niaz
Published: July 2011

Purpose

This paper seeks to describe an integrated management systems (IMS) approach for the integration of corporate sustainability into business processes.

Design/methodology/approach

An extensive review of published literature was conducted. Building on existing research, the paper presents an original framework for structuring the integration of corporate sustainability with existing business infrastructure. The framework is supported by a detailed set of diagnostic questions to help guide the process. Both the framework and the diagnostic questions are based on the “Plan‐Do‐Check‐Act” cycle of continuous improvement.

Findings

The paper highlights the need for a systematic means to integrate sustainability into business processes. Building on that point, the paper illustrates how an IMS approach can be used to structure the entire process of managing, measuring, and assessing progress towards corporate sustainability.

Practical implications

The paper should be of interest to both practitioners and researchers. The framework and diagnostic questions will help guide decision makers through the process of building sustainability into their core business infrastructure. Since the framework and diagnostic questions provide the flexibility to accommodate specific organizational contexts, it is anticipated that they will have wide applicability.

Originality/value

The paper makes several contributions. The framework provides a systematic approach to corporate sustainability that has not been elaborated on in previous publications. The unique set of diagnostic questions provides a means to evaluate the extent to which corporate sustainability has been integrated into an organization.
A corporate effort towards a sustainable business model
Authors: Høgevold Nils M.
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe a corporate effort to implement a sustainable business model.

Design/methodology/approach

A Norwegian producer of office chairs, selling products across Europe, is examined in this study. Information has been collected from semi‐structured interviews with top‐level management, as well as available internal and external documentation.

Findings

The company's efforts towards a more sustainable business model can broadly be divided into factors within the company and factors outside the company. The case study demonstrates how the carbon footprint on the Earth can be reduced by focusing and influencing factors outside the company's own production facilities.

Research limitations/implications

In a highly competitive market, the case study demonstrates that focusing on the corporate impact of the natural environment can be highly profitable.

Practical implications

The process towards sustainable business operations must be anchored and supported by the top‐level management and owners of the company, and it has to be a long‐term commitment.

Originality/value

The principal contribution from the presented case study is how a more sustainable business model can be achieved even when the majority major part of the carbon footprint on the Earth is generated outside the company's production facilities. The case study illustrates how already known technologies are used to create a sustainable and profitable business.
Sustainable business practices in Spain: a two‐case study
Authors: Cambra‐Fierro Jesús , Ruiz‐Benítez Rocío
Published: July 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to study sustainable business practices of two Spanish small and medium enterprise (SMEs) belonging to different sectors: a winery and a paint company. Special attention is paid to the drivers of such business practices and the lessons that can be learnt from them.

Design/methodology/approach

This research employs a comparative case study approach. The authors describe and compare two business cases from different industry sectors. This paper concludes with several findings that could be of interest for some other companies, as well as interesting areas of future research.

Findings

A comparison of sustainable business practices and their drivers. Similarities and differences between companies lead to different approaches to sustainability. Sustainability may be understood as a strategic tool in order to achieve competitive advantages and help companies successfully operate internationally.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitation of this research is the specific sectors in which it has been carried out that can limit the application of the findings. Further research in additional industry sectors needs to be done to support the implications found in this paper.

Practical implications

Companies need to consider sustainability practices as a long‐term investment instead of as an immediate cost. Culture is a decisive factor in the implementation of sustainable practices.

Social implications

Customers can force companies to implement sustainable practices. However, it has been observed that sometimes there is a need for strict regulations in the sector to encourage companies to implement such practices since customers may not be influenced by the company's sustainable practices.

Originality/value

This research studies and compares actual sustainable business practices in two SMEs based in Spain, but of international activity and belonging to different industry sectors. The main drivers and characteristics of sustainable practices are compared and general implications are drawn from the study.
Service behaviours of highly committed financial consultants
Authors: Furtmueller Elfi , van Dick Rolf , Wilderom Celeste
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the service behaviours of highly committed consultants engaged in face‐to‐face service provision with customers in the financial‐services industry.

Design/methodology/approach

In‐depth interviews are conducted with 41 financial consultants (from 30 financial‐service firms) in Austria. The qualitative data are then rigorously analysed and coded to identify categories of behaviours of highly committed financial consultants.

Findings

In total, 15 behaviours of highly committed financial consultants are identified. These behaviours are shown to include both “in‐role” behaviours and “extra‐role” behaviours. The study also finds that service behaviours of highly committed financial consultants change over time. Employed and self‐employed financial consultants are found to have the same high‐commitment behaviours; however, employed consultants tend to experience conflicts between organisational commitment and customer commitment, whereas self‐employed consultants tend to experience conflicts between their own self interests and the interests of their customers.

Research limitations/implications

The study did not examine whether age and experience influence behavioural differences. Nor did the study address the question of behaviours that are typical of low‐commitment service delivery. Future research could objectively record the behaviours (by audio‐recording and/or video‐recording) to reduce the possibility of self‐serving bias by respondents in reporting their behaviours.

Practical implications

The study provides guidance for managers who wish to encourage and reward highly committed service behaviours among employees.

Originality/value

Little research has been conducted into the actual behaviours of financial consultants while delivering services. Moreover, previous studies of organisational commitment have utilised quantitative methodologies to assess attitudes, whereas this study adopts a qualitative approach and examines actual behaviours of high work commitment.
Characterising the concept of service experience
Authors: Helkkula Anu
Published: July 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review the characterisation of the concept of service experience in service marketing research.

Design/methodology/approach

Using content analysis, 30 articles and two books published in the period from 2005 to 2007 are analysed.

Findings

Three characterisations of the concept of service experience are identified in the literature review: phenomenological service experience (which relates to the value discussion in service‐dominant logic and interpretative consumer research); process‐based service experience (which relates to understanding service as a sequential process); and outcome‐based service experience (which relates to understanding service experience as one element in models of service linking a number of variables or attributes to various outcomes).

Research limitations/implications

To facilitate meaningful research in this area, it is important that researchers critically consider the nature of the concept of service experience in terms of who experiences it, the scope, content, and context of the service experience, and how service experience relates to other concepts, such as value.

Originality/value

No systematic literature review of the characterisation of the concept of service experience has previously been undertaken.
Rejuvenating importance‐performance analysis
Authors: Arbore Alessandro , Busacca Bruno
Published: July 2011

Purpose

Importance‐performance analysis (IPA) is a simple marketing tool commonly used to identify the main strengths and weaknesses of a value proposition. The purpose of this paper is to propose a revision of traditional IPA prompted by intuitions arising from the three‐factor theory of customer satisfaction. The ultimate goal is to propose a decision support method, which is as simple and intuitive as the original IPA, but more precise and reliable than the solutions proposed thus far.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to estimate indirect measures of attribute importance, the study uses the coefficients of a multiple regression with overall satisfaction ratings as the dependent variable. Additional calculations are then introduced in order to manage non‐linear effects.

Findings

Using empirical data from a survey among 5,209 customers of a European bank, the authors show how the proposed method can be more accurate than other solutions, especially as disregarding non‐linear effects can prompt sub‐optimal marketing decisions.

Research limitations/implications

While the procedure in this study is applicable to any service business, the paper does not claim external validity for the numerical results of the empirical application: the authors acknowledge that only one dataset has been used. The authors' goal is merely to demonstrate a revised approach to IPA.

Originality/value

First, the authors assert the need for an explicit distinction between the use of IPA for customer acquisition vs customer retention purposes. These two cases refer to distinct moments in the customer relationship life cycle and thus require separate analyses. The authors then propose a specific method for customer retention IPA. On this basis, they generate two priority charts: one for the purpose of maximizing customer satisfaction and one for the purpose of minimizing customer dissatisfaction.