bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
M-path: a compass for navigating potential metabolic pathways
Authors: Araki Michihiro , Cox Robert Sidney , Makiguchi Hiroki , Ogawa Teppei , Taniguchi Takeshi , Miyaoku Kohei , Nakatsui Masahiko , Hara Kiyotaka Y. , Kondo Akihiko
Published: November 2014

Motivation: Construction of synthetic metabolic pathways promises sustainable production of diverse chemicals and materials. To design synthetic metabolic pathways of high value, computational methods are needed to expand present knowledge by mining comprehensive chemical and enzymatic information databases. Several computational methods have been already reported for the metabolic pathway design, but until now computation complexity has limited the diversity of chemical and enzymatic data used.

Results: We introduce a computational platform, M-path, to explore synthetic metabolic pathways including putative enzymatic reactions and compounds. M-path is an iterative random algorithm, which makes efficient use of chemical and enzymatic databases to find potential synthetic metabolic pathways. M-path can readily control the search space and perform well compared with exhaustively enumerating possible pathways. A web-based pathway viewer is also developed to check extensive metabolic pathways with evaluation scores on the basis of chemical similarities. We further produce extensive synthetic metabolic pathways for a comprehensive set of alpha amino acids. The scalable nature of M-path enables us to calculate potential metabolic pathways for any given chemicals.

Availability and implementation: The web tool and viewer are available for free at http://bp.scitec.kobe-u.ac.jp/m-path/aa/.

Contact:  araki@port.kobe-u.ac.jp and akondo@kobe-u.ac.jp

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
SNV-PPILP: refined SNV calling for tumor data using perfect phylogenies and ILP
Authors: van Rens Karen E. , Mäkinen Veli , Tomescu Alexandru I.
Published: November 2014

Motivation: Recent studies sequenced tumor samples from the same progenitor at different development stages and showed that by taking into account the phylogeny of this development, single-nucleotide variant (SNV) calling can be improved. Accurate SNV calls can better reveal early-stage tumors, identify mechanisms of cancer progression or help in drug targeting.

Results: We present SNV-PPILP, a fast and easy to use tool for refining GATK’s Unified Genotyper SNV calls, for multiple samples assumed to form a phylogeny. We tested SNV-PPILP on simulated data, with a varying number of samples, SNVs, read coverage and violations of the perfect phylogeny assumption. We always match or improve the accuracy of GATK, with a significant improvement on low read coverage.

Availability and implementation: SNV-PPILP, available at cs.helsinki.fi/gsa/snv-ppilp/, is written in Python and requires the free ILP solver lp_solve.

Contact:  tomescu@cs.helsinki.fi

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Settlement and early survival of southern rock lobster, Jasus edwardsii, under climate-driven decline of kelp habitats
Authors: Hinojosa Iván A. , Green Bridget S. , Gardner Caleb , Jeffs Andrew
Published: November 2014

Kelp habitats provide food, refuge, and enhance the recruitment of commercially important marine invertebrates. The southern rock lobster, Jasus edwardsii, supports valuable fisheries in southern Australia and New Zealand. Kelp habitats once covered large areas of inshore reef around Tasmania, Australia, but coverage has reduced over the last few decades due to climate change, especially off the eastern coast of the island. We investigated whether the kelp influences the settlement of lobster post-larvae to artificial collectors and how the presence of kelp affected the overnight predation on the early benthic phase (EBP). Settlement of lobster was tracked over 6 months using crevice collectors that had either natural or artificial giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera attached, or nothing attached (control). Collectors with natural kelp had higher catches than those with artificial kelp or controls (p = 0.003), which suggested enhanced settlement through chemical attraction. Additionally, we measured overnight predation of the EBP in barren and kelp habitats individually tethered to artificial shelters. The kelp habitat was dominated by brown macroalgal species of Ecklonia radiata, Phyllospora comosa, and M. pyrifera, while the barren was devoid of macroalgae. Survival of the EBP was higher (∼40%) in the kelp habitat than in the barren habitat (∼10%) due to differences in predation (p = 0.016). These results suggest that the kelp habitat improves the recruitment of J. edwardsii and that decline in this habitat may affect local lobster productivity along the east coast of Tasmania.
FRIZZY PANICLE Drives Supernumerary Spikelets in Bread Wheat
Authors: Dobrovolskaya Oxana , Pont Caroline , Sibout Richard , Martinek Petr , Badaeva Ekaterina , Murat Florent , Chosson Audrey , Watanabe Nobuyoshi , Prat Elisa , Gautier Nadine , Gautier Véronique , Poncet Charles , Orlov Yuriy L. , Krasnikov Alexander A. , Bergès Hélène , Salina Elena , Laikova Lyudmila , Salse Jerome
Published: November 2014

Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) inflorescences, or spikes, are characteristically unbranched and normally bear one spikelet per rachis node. Wheat mutants on which supernumerary spikelets (SSs) develop are particularly useful resources for work towards understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying wheat inflorescence architecture and, ultimately, yield components. Here, we report the characterization of genetically unrelated mutants leading to the identification of the wheat FRIZZY PANICLE (FZP) gene, encoding a member of the APETALA2/Ethylene Response Factor transcription factor family, which drives the SS trait in bread wheat. Structural and functional characterization of the three wheat FZP homoeologous genes (WFZP) revealed that coding mutations of WFZP-D cause the SS phenotype, with the most severe effect when WFZP-D lesions are combined with a frameshift mutation in WFZP-A. We provide WFZP-based resources that may be useful for genetic manipulations with the aim of improving bread wheat yield by increasing grain number.
The business case for diversity and the perverse practice of matching employees to customers
Authors: Bendick Marc , Lou Egan Mary , Lanier Louis
Published: November 2014

Purpose

The typical “business case” for workforce diversity management in the USA implies that matching the demographic characteristics of sellers to buyers increases firms' productivity and profitability. This paper aims to explore the consequences for both employers and employees of following that guidance.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper statistically analyzes employment data on African Americans from one large US retailer and from the US advertising industry.

Findings

In both cases analyzed, a badly conceived business case for diversity perversely translated into discriminatory employment practices, starting with stereotype‐based segregation in work assignments and spreading to consequent inequality in other employment outcomes such as earnings and promotions. Such patterns illegally limit employment opportunities for women and race/ethnic minorities. Simultaneously, they fail to promote customer relationships and sales.

Practical implications

To avoid negative effects on both business and societal objectives, employers need to be guided by a business case promoting workplace inclusion, not “diversity without inclusion”, which buyer‐seller matching represents.

Originality/value

The business case for diversity is often considered unimportant “boilerplate”. This paper alerts employers to the importance of articulating, and then following, a correct business case.
Routines in enterprise application systems
Authors: Madapusi Arun , Miles Grant
Published: November 2014

Purpose

The concept of “routines” is used to classify diverse enterprise application systems (EAS) into a framework. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the theoretical underpinnings and EAS falling into each of the framework quadrants. The framework provides a guideline for firms to meet their EAS‐organizational alignment challenges.

Design/methodology/approach

The EAS‐organizational alignment framework in this paper is developed through a synthesis of literature. The framework links EAS and organizational routines according to intra‐ and inter‐levels of organizational analysis and inflexible and flexible governance mechanisms.

Findings

The findings suggest that a fit between EAS routines and organizational routines leads to successful EAS deployments and hence improved business performance.

Research limitations/implications

The findings provide researchers with reasons to incorporate routines into existing research models to better explain EAS‐organizational alignment. The next step is to empirically validate the EAS‐organizational alignment framework.

Practical implications

Firms can gain an understanding of how EAS routines and organizational routines can be manipulated to positively influence EAS‐organizational alignment and hence increase business performance. Firms can use routines as strategic tools for adoption and successful deployment of EAS across their global operations.

Originality/value

The paper's findings provide a perspective, different from past research, on our understanding of EAS‐organizational alignment and offer valuable guidance for future research in this area.
Information and communications technology adoption and use in small and medium businesses
Authors: Middleton Karen L. , Byus Kent
Published: November 2014

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of Hispanic ethnicity on the adoption and use of information and communication technology (ICT) tools by small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in a southwestern renewal community (RC).

Design/methodology/approach

The paper investigates the influence of ethnicity on the adoption and use of information and communications technologies in small and medium enterprises using a sample from the RC of a large southwestern metroplex.

Findings

Results point to a continuing digital divide among Hispanic and non‐Hispanic SME owners. Non‐Hispanic SME owners were found to be much more likely to adopt a wider range of ICTs and to use them for both administrative and analytical purposes. Hispanic SME owners not only failed to adopt a full range of ICTs but also they were less likely to use ICTs for long‐term strategic analyses.

Originality/value

The differences presented in this paper suggest that Hispanic SME owners may not be exploiting ICTs in order to achieve optimal operating efficiency and strategic effectiveness. The outcomes are particularly alarming because SMEs in RC areas have been the target of federal efforts to raise business productivity and profitability. The continuing digital divide may be undermining the very polices designed to enhance business operations in these relatively disadvantaged urban areas.
Auditor‐client relationship: the case of audit tenure and auditor switching in Malaysia
Authors: Thahir Abdul Nasser Abu , Abdul Wahid Emelin , Nazatul Faiza Syed Mustapha Nazri Sharifah , Hudaib Mohammad
Published: November 2014

Purpose

The main purpose of this paper is to examine one aspect of auditor‐client relationship, namely audit tenure and switching behaviour, and factors affecting it. Lengthy audit tenure with the same client has been cited as one of the threats to auditor independence. Given the importance of this issue, this research attempts to shed some light on the effect of audit tenure and switching behaviour on auditor independence in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

This study evaluates the effects of various independent variables on switching behaviour and audit tenure using logistic regression analysis.

Findings

An examination of 297 companies listed on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange over a period of 11 years reveals audit firm switching to be significantly associated with distressed large clients and that the length and direction of switch depend upon the type of audit firm.

Research limitations/implications

A number of important variables such as corporate governance characteristics, audit and non‐audit fees and types of audit opinion that could enhance our understanding of audit tenure and auditor switching in Malaysia, were not incorporated into our regression models. Hence, future studies may consider such variables.

Originality/value

This study is the first conducted using Malaysian data where audit tenure and switching are used as dependent variables. The results have important implications on the auditing profession and regulators in Malaysia.
Some consideration on the governannce and price behaviour of the Warsaw stock exchange
Authors: Dockery E.
Published: November 2014

Summarizes the reasons for and methods of regulation in worldwide capital markets; and describes in detail the development, governance and regulatory structure of the Warsaw stock exchange (Poland). Uses a variance ratio approach based on Lo and MacKinlay (1988, 1989) to examine price behaviour in the exchange from 1991 to 1995, shows that it is not a random walk market and puts forward possible explanations for its market inefficiency. Considers the implications for the Polish economy and suggests that public policymakers could tighten securities laws and exchange rules to improve the efficiency of this emerging capital market.
Merger of Malaysian banks: selecting appropriate partners
Authors: Guru Balachandher K. , Avvari Mohan , Balachandran
Published: November 2014

The Malaysian government is rushing banks to merge. The Central Bank has decided that there must be only 10 banks instead of a current total of 20. As a result, the local banks were being forced to merge with other banks. The problem lies in the non‐existence of a systematic means of identifying potential merger partner(s). This study thus, proposes to use the concept of the Transportation Algorithm to select potential merger partners for Malaysian banks, which would maximize the net worth of the merged entity. The methodology employed in this paper may not yield the best merger partner(s) but it should at least narrow down the choices to a select few where together with other rigorous financial, technical, strategic and even qualitative analysis may be used to determine the ultimate merger partner(s).
Estimating accounting and finance models with Microsoft Excel
Authors: Robson Gary S. , Shin Yong B. , Wilson Mixon J.
Published: November 2014

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a way to introduce regression analysis into courses with minimal start‐up time. Doing so makes it less likely that introducing both the software and the estimation technique will create discontinuity in the flow of the material being covered.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper discusses an Excel workbook that reduces the amount of time students must use to become adept at estimating model parameters.

Findings

The workbook provides a set of macros that guides students through the implementation of ordinary least squares (OLS) estimation and provides them with information that is not part of standard Excel output. It also conducts high‐low analysis.

Originality/value

Using this program can reduce the difficulties encountered in having students conduct the valuable exercise of model estimation.
International service variants: airline passenger expectations and perceptions of service quality
Authors: Sultan Fareena , Simpson Merlin C.
Published: November 2014

The primary objectives of this study are to determine if consumer expectations and perceptions of airline service quality vary by nationality. The study also examines whether the relative importance attributed to service quality dimensions in domestic settings can be replicated internationally. An empirical examination of airline passengers is conducted for airlines competing on the transatlantic corridor using a survey instrument in three languages. The study is the first application of an existing model, SERVQUAL, to examine consumer expectations and perceptions in an international environment. It differs from earlier published SERVQUAL research in two significant respects; first, it applies the model internationally in a general classification of business, i.e. international airline service, rather than to individual domestic business enterprises. Second, it applies a portion of the SERVQUAL model to assess service quality by comparing the expectations and perceptions that European and US airline passengers have of both European and US airline groups.
The effects of lower prices on perceptions of brand quality: a choice task perspective
Authors: DelVecchio Devon , Puligadda Sanjay
Published: November 2014

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the negative effect of lower prices on perceived brand quality that has been demonstrated in evaluation tasks arises in a brand choice context.

Design/methodology/approach

The effects of lower prices on perceived quality are assessed via two laboratory experiments in which college students participated.

Findings

A lower price is associated with lower perceived brand quality in Study 1's evaluation task environment. However, Study 2's results indicate a reversal of the negative effects of lower prices on perceived brand quality in an evaluation task to generally positive effects when the lower price is offered in the form of a discount in a choice task.

Practical implications

In addition to providing evidence that fears of the detrimental effects of lower prices may be overblown, the results also provide insight to managers of brands of different levels of quality on how to manage discounts to build, or at least to insulate, perceptions of the brand's quality.

Originality/value

The paper's findings may guide both managerial practice and future research on the effects of lower prices, particularly those in the form of a discount.
Individual and relational self‐concepts in a team context
Authors: Narayan Anupama , Steele‐Johnson Debra
Published: November 2014

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to understand the role of individual and relational self‐concepts on various team processes and outcomes in a team context.

Design/methodology/approach

Participants (n=470) worked in dyads on a computer‐based truck dispatching task, deciding as a team which task activities to perform and in what order. The authors assessed differential relationships between individual and relational self‐concepts and various team processes (e.g. trust) and outcomes (satisfaction).

Findings

Subjective task complexity was influenced primarily by individual self‐concept, specifically their core self‐evaluations. Trust in others was influenced primarily by individuals' relational self‐concepts, specifically their teamwork predisposition. Intrinsic motivation and satisfaction were influenced by both individual and relational self‐concepts.

Research limitations/implications

Future research should examine these effects in teams larger than dyads, with other types of tasks, over longer time periods, and with non‐college student samples.

Practical implications

Depending on the task type, a practitioner might cue different self‐concepts to increase individuals' focus on team performance, individual performance, or both. For example, if the team task is highly interdependent and reciprocal in nature, then the team can be trained together or provided information to cue relational self‐concept.

Originality/value

This paper focuses on the construct of individual and relational self‐concepts and their effects on individual functioning in a team context. The results support and extend prior research by demonstrating that outcomes in a team context can be identified and examined in relation to individual conceptions of the self, relational conceptions of the self, or by both.
Effects of Lift‐off Procedures on Mechanical and Chemical Properties of Photoresists
Authors: Imber N. , Hershcovitz M. , Ashur A. , Klein I. E.
Published: November 2014

A study was undertaken to correlate macroscopic profile variations in the photoresist during
lift‐off procedures with changes in material properties. It was established that soaking in
chlorobenzene, which gave rise to negative slopes, was accompanied by hardening of the top layer of
the photoresist and caused the surface to become hydrophobic. FTIR measurements did not yield new
information about variations in chemical bonding.
Harnessing the power of HR analytics
Authors: Levenson Alec
Published: November 2014

Analytics enable HR to make strategic contributions, but not all analytics offer equal insights. Alec Levenson compares the usefulness of ROI, cost‐benefit, and impact analysis. He also explains why the time is right for HR to build an HR analytics centre of expertise and create a foundation of analytic skills across the function.
The Impact of Budget Deficits on Currency Value: A Comparison of Asian and European Countries
Authors: Su Yuli , Su Tien‐Ming
Published: November 2014

This paper reexamines the relationship between budget deficits and exchange rates by applying Hakkio’s (1996) model to seven Asian countries and eight Euro‐currency countries over the years from 1951 to 2001. Applying the Time‐Series Cross‐Section Regression with the Seemingly Unrelated Regression approach to data from 15 countries, the results indicate that because of the indirect effect of the expected inflation rate, the risk premium, and the expected return rate, currency values are inversely related to budget deficits. However, the empirical results also present evidence supporting the Ricardian Equivalence Proposition that there is no direct effect of budget deficits on exchange rates.
Top Managers’ Compensation, Strategic Orientations, and Firm Performance: Empirical Evidence from Spanish Firms
Authors: Sánchez Marín Gregorio , Aragón Sánchez Antonio
Published: November 2014

This paper analyzes the links among executive compensation, a firm’s strategic orientation, and firm performance. A number of key questions relative to the relationships among these elements remain unanswered because prior research on this subject has reported mixed results, and, moreover, has been confined almost exclusively to U.S. firms. We develop a framework that draws on arguments from agency theory to identify such links. A research design with both archival and survey data is used to test hypotheses in a sample of 253 Spanish companies. We found that top managers’ compensation systems are linked with a firm’s strategic orientations, but in a different form than that of previous studies. Results show two differentiated groups of firms: (1) prospective firms that adapt their managerial compensation systems to the requirements of strategic context, consequently obtaining positive performance effects; and (2) conservative firms that design managerial compensation systems independent of strategic context, consequently not obtaining additional performance benefits.
Organic vs. Mechanistic Structures: Construction and Validation of a Scale of Measurement
Authors: Cruz Sonia , Camps Joaquín
Published: November 2014

This paper aims to create and validate a scale that will serve to measure the construct “organic structure”, currently of great utility for the competitive analysis of firms. On the basis of the literature, eight dimensions, corresponding to the parameters technical system, formalization, centralization, structural complexity, planning and control systems, training, information flows, and culture, form this construct. To verify the reliability and the validity of this measuring instrument we used a sample of 150 large Spanish firms.
Decisional and Interactional Fairness: Supervisor Influence on Merit Pay Satisfaction
Authors: Montemayor Edilberto F.
Published: November 2014

Employee dissatisfaction with merit pay is a long‐standing problem. This study introduces four explanatory constructs, based on decisional and interactional fairness notions, that describe how supervisors implement merit pay and predict merit pay satisfaction. Multigroup confirmatory factor analyses, applied to a sample of American employees (N = 415) and a sample of Venezuelan employees (N = 239), show that the five constructs introduced here are distinct from each other and that their measures generalize across countries (cultures and languages).
Adaptive Responses Under Competitive Pressure: Organizational Flexibility in an Emergent Economy
Authors: Hatum Andrés , Pettigrew Andrew M.
Published: November 2014

This paper examines the processes of organizational adaptation and competitiveness of firms in an emerging economy (Argentina). The empirical focus of this paper concerns the determinants of organizational flexibility during the period from 1989 to 1999, when a combination of economic and political change triggered a massive change in the competitive context of indigenous firms. Two companies in the pharmaceutical industry were selected, one that was flexible (Sidus) and one that was less flexible (DER.S.A.). Longitudinal data are supplied to explore the determinants of organizational flexibility in those organizations.
Design Combination Potential and Get it Done: An Analysis of the Drivers of Technological Performance in Mergers and Acquisitions
Authors: Valentini Giovanni , Chiara Di Guardo Maria
Published: November 2014

The paper explores the impact of mergers and acquisitions (M&As) on technological performance. We posit that the post‐acquisition technological performance is positively related to the technological combination potential of the merging firms and to their ability to realize this potential. In turn, the combination potential depends on M&As motives aimed at complementing firms’ technological resources, whereas firms’ ability to realize their potential is significantly influenced by their prior experience in M&As and technology integration.
Executive Turnover Revisited From an Efficiency Wage Perspective
Authors: Ortín‐Ángel Pedro , Cannella Albert A.
Published: November 2014

We develop theoretical arguments from the efficiency wage model (Shapiro & Stiglitz, 1984) to provide better understanding of Fama’s (1980) seminal notion that executive labor markets contribute to the alignment of executive and shareholder interests. We show how the efficiency wage model can be integrated with several other theories of executive turnover. Furthermore, the model allows for predictions that have received very little analysis to date, such as the effect of firm risk and executive salaries on turnover. We test predictions from the model on a sample of executives from 280 manufacturing firms observed annually from 1986 to 1992. Our sample includes data on over 12,000 observations and nearly 1,700 employment terminations. The results are consistent with the main predictions of the efficiency wage model. Holding performance constant, boards of directors are less patient with (more likely to dismiss) executives who have lower salaries and those in higher risk firms.
Determining Factors of the Intensity of Assembler‐Supplier Relationships in the Automobile Industry
Authors: Barneto Maite , Franco Juan F.
Published: November 2014

During the last two decades, the Western automobile industry has undergone significant changes. These changes have affected not only the internal organization of firms, but also their vertical limits and relationships with suppliers. This paper proposes an analytical model based on the concept of relational intensity, which allows us to characterize and analyze the current relationships maintained between automakers and direct suppliers, using the Japanese model as a frame of reference. The proposed model is applied to the case of the Spanish automobile industry. The automobile assemblers located in Spain maintain relationships of varying intensity with different groups of suppliers. There are four variables that explain this relational intensity: the technical complexity of the part/component, the human capital and locational specificity, and the market power of the supplier.
On How To Measure Managerial and Organizational Capabilities: Multi‐Item Models for Measuring Distinctive Competences
Authors: Camisón César
Published: November 2014

This paper specifies how to construct and validate an instrument based on multi‐item scales for the cataloguing and measurement of managerial and organizational capabilities on the basis of management perceptions. The construction and reduction of the scales have been reinforced by the Delphi and retesting techniques. The use of this methodology was illustrated in a sample of Spanish industrial firms. The paper enhances the value of the instruments for a resource‐based view with regard to the faithful and rigorous measurement of its key concept, distinctive competences. The scales created provide consistent empirical evidence to remove doubts surrounding managerial self‐evaluation, including those arising from problems of self‐esteem and reinforcement effects. In addition, the paper provides empirical evidence to support the predictive ability of distinctive competences on current and long‐term performance variability.
Ownership Structure and Growth Opportunities as Determinants of Bank Debt: Evidence from Chilean Companies
Authors: Saona Hoffmann Paolo , Vallelado González Eleuterio
Published: November 2014

Our aim is to analyze the type of lender and the debt maturity of Chilean firms as a function of their ownership structure and their growth opportunities. We perform the empirical analysis using an unbalanced panel data of 169 firms from 1990 to 2001. Our results show that Chilean firms with growth opportunities, ownership concentration, and a need for external funds issue short‐term bank debt to finance their new investments. This financing source is an efficient mechanism in Chile to alleviate agency and asymmetric information problems. The Chilean institutional environment influences firms’ decisions on banking debt.
Overcoming the Lack of Identification in Bowman’s Paradox Tests: Heteroskedastic Behavior of Returns
Authors: Núñez‐Nickel Manuel , Cano‐Rodríguez Manuel
Published: November 2014

To date, the validity of the empirical tests that employ the mean‐variance approach for testing the risk‐return relationship in the research stream named Bowman’s paradox is inherently unverifiable, and the results cannot be generalized. However, this problem can be solved by developing an econometric model with two fundamental characteristics: first, the use of a time‐series model for each firm, avoiding the traditional cross‐sectional analysis; and, second, the estimation of a model with a single variable (firm’s rate of return), whose expectation and variance are mathematically related according to behavioral theories, forming a heteroskedastic model similar to GARCH (generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity). The application of this methodology for Bowman’s paradox is new, and its main advantage is that it solves the previous criticism of the lack of identification. With this model, we achieve results that agree with behavioral theories and show that these theories can also be carried out with market measures.
The Effect of Employability on Worker Performance
Authors: Villanueva Mikel
Published: November 2014

In this paper, we show that workers’ performance in firms is conditioned by a set of informational factors and expectations about the future. We also demonstrate that any corporate action that successfully raises workers’ employment expectations will translate into performance gains. In the current uncertain context, firms can raise productivity by offering higher‐value jobs that provide workers with greater opportunities to improve their employability. In this sense, high‐performance work organizations can play an important role.
Effect of rotation in a generalized thermoelastic medium with two temperature under hydrostatic initial stress and gravity
Authors: Ailawalia Praveen , Kumar Sunit , Pathania Devinder
Published: November 2014

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the deformation of a rotating generalized thermoelastic medium with two temperatures under hydrostatic initial stress subjected to different types of sources.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology applied here is the use of integral transforms to obtain the components of displacement, force stress, conductive temperature and temperature distribution in Laplace and Fourier domain. The general solution obtained is applied to a specific problem of a half‐space subjected to concentrated force, uniformly distributed force and a moving source. These components are then obtained in the physical domain by applying a numerical inversion method. Some particular cases are also discussed in the context of the problem. The results obtained are also presented graphically to show the effect of rotation and gravity.

Findings

The variations of all the quantities and for all the mediums are similar for concentrated force and distributed forces applied along the free surface of the solid. The values of these quantities are very close to each other for GTES and GTESWG. Deformation of a body depends on the nature of force applied as well as the type of boundary conditions. The variations of all the quantities are more uniform in nature when a force of constant magnitude moves along the surface of solid with some velocity.

Originality/value

Such types of problems in rotating media will find great applications in many dynamical systems and industries.
Material‐modeling and structural‐mechanics aspects of the traumatic brain injury problem
Authors: Grujicic M. , Arakere G. , He T.
Published: November 2014

Purpose

This paper aims to conduct a combined Eulerian/Lagrangian fluid/solid transient non‐linear dynamics computational analysis of the interaction between a single planar blast wave and a human head in order to assess the extent of intra‐cranial shock wave generation and its potential for causing traumatic brain injury.

Design/methodology/approach

Two levels of blast peak overpressure were selected, one corresponding to the unprotected lung‐injury threshold while the other associated with a 50 percent probability for lung injury caused death. Collision of the head with a stationary/rigid barrier (at an initial collision velocity of 5 m/s) was also analyzed computationally, since blunt‐object impact conditions may lead to mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), i.e. concussion.

Findings

A comparison between the two blast and the single blunt‐object impact cases with the corresponding head‐to‐head‐collision results showed that, while the von Mises stress‐based head‐to‐head collision mTBI thresholds are not exceeded under blast‐loading conditions investigated, the high blast‐induced peak‐pressure levels within the intra‐cranial cavity may lead to mTBI.

Practical implications

While concussion is not generally considered as life altering/threatening, the associated temporary loss of situational awareness or consciousness may have devastating consequences in the case of common military tactical and battle‐field scenarios. This suggests that the head‐protection gear (primarily, the helmet) which are currently designed to withstand blunt‐object and ballistic impacts, should be redesigned in order to obtain the necessary level of head protection with respect to blast impact.

Originality/value

The paper provides a comprehensive computational investigation of impact on a human skull/brain assembly.
Investigation on Failure Behavior of Unflawed Steel Cylindrical Pressure Vessels Using FEA
Authors: Brabin Aseer , Christopher T. , Rao Nageswara
Published: November 2014

Finite element analysis (FEA) has been carried out utilizing the ANSYS software package to assess the failure of thick and thin‐walled steel cylindrical pressure vessels. A simple experimental stress analysis (ESA) procedure is described to evaluate the stress components on inner and outer surfaces of the vessels under internal pressure from the measured surface strains. The procedure is validated considering the strain values of FEA for the applied pressure as measured quantities and obtained the corresponding stress components considering the stress‐strain data of the material from ESA and compared with those of FEA results. Failure pressure estimates from FEA (based on the global plastic deformation) were found to be in good agreement with test results of thin as well as thick‐walled cylindrical vessels made of ductile steel materials.
Further Analysis of the Effects of Offshore Assembly Provisions on the US Tariff Structure
Authors: Appleyard Dennis R. , Field Alfred J. , Tower Edward
Published: November 2014

This article conceptually extends a previous analysis of the impact of Offshore Assembly Provisions (OAP) upon Effective Rates of Protection (ERPs). Allowance is made for the fact that the OAP incentive to foreign assemblers to use US components will bid up the price of the components. Expressions are obtained for the relationship between the “standard” ERP, the ERP with OAP in effect, and the nominal rate of protection.
DETERMINATION OF THE OPTIMUM NUMBER OF CORRECTABLE AND DETECTABLE ERRORS FOR A GIVEN CODE
Authors: SPÂNU J.
Published: November 2014

In this paper a method is proposed for the determination of the correctable and detectable errors number, which ensures an optimum compromise between the incorrect decoding probability and the transmission rate. The method is based on the fact that by decreasing the correctable errors number and increasing the detectable errors number, both the incorrect decoding probability and transmission rate are reduced. Among the types of problems which can be solved by this method the most interesting is that of adapting the decoder to the transmission channel. In this paper the binary symmetrical channel is considered, but for other types of channels similar results can also be obtained.
QUALITY CONTROL OVER FLATS: SOME PROBLEMS FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES
Authors: ‘Justinian’
Published: November 2014

In the past, the phrase ‘home, sweet home’ meant a house. Nowadays, in cities and towns, people tend to live in flats, which vary from flats in tower‐ or other purpose‐built blocks to flats in converted houses. Each type of flat has its own problems of maintenance, upkeep and repair. Local authorities concerned with keeping the quality of local housing up to a proper standard have a difficult, unenviable task. Sometimes, a local authority can fulfil its responsibilities towards a particular building through its powers as a landlord. Sometimes, when those powers are inadequate, or when it is not the landlord, it must rely, so far as it can, on its statutory powers under housing law. These two sets of powers may overlap, but should be considered separately. Its powers as a landlord depend on the provisions of its leases. The length of the lease may also be vital.
The County Library and Education
Authors: JOYCE POWELL M.
Published: November 2014

THE county libraries have now, after a few short years of experiment, established themselves as parts of the national system of education, in close relation to the elementary schools, on the one hand, and to the various forms of adult education on the other. Committees and chairmen of committees, directors, county councillors and the ultimate rate‐payers, are beginning to recognise this, but need to recognise in more complete and practical fashion still.
The Banning of Books in Libraries
Authors: BERWICK SAYERS W.C.
Published: November 2014

WHAT is the correct attitude of the librarian in selecting fiction in the present moral bankruptcy of novelists? By a librarian, I mean a person in the direct employ of the public, elected presumably because of his knowledge of books and because the public requires his services as an exploiter of books in its interest. That person has to remember certain elementary facts; among them:—(1) that he is the servant of the public and is usually controlled by a committee or other authority set over him by his great employer; (2) that his personal preferences in literature must be subordinated, or at least restrained, by the general authority of those who have directed literature, although it may be unconsciously, for all time; (3) that for him to act as a censor of books, on his own initiative, is for him to assume an authority in ethics, and in everything else, which is in the nature of suicidal arrogance. On the other hand he needs (1) a pulse sensitive to the most fluid of things, human thought, which can recognize and register changes without losing sight of the eternal verities; (2) knowledge, if we can get it, that may assist this tremendous necessity.
Bookish Education: a Symposium
Authors: L.R.
Published: November 2014

Librarians and others interested in youth have frequently expressed the opinion that the average boy and girl leave school without much knowledge of books other than of those used in classrooms. The view of the critics is that educationists have failed to appreciate the importance of giving youngsters such instruction as would make them realise the fascination and importance of books, and to implant in them a desire to continue reading when school years were finished, and so enable the youngsters better to attain what Mr. Stanley Jast has called “self‐development in an atmosphere of freedom.” The contributors to the present symposium represent educationists and laymen.
The Difficulties of Publishers in War‐time: A Symposium
Authors: L.R.
Published: November 2014

THE destruction of publishing houses in London by enemy attack is but one of the factors that has caused war‐time difficulties in the book trade. The wreckage of premises and loss of stock will certainly continue to have repercussions, as a large number of editions of books were entirely lost, and many of them will not be reprinted. Some of these books were of value. Apart from that, there has been the difficulty of transport, and the paper shortage, while loss of staff owing to calling up has been a factor in the case. It is to be hoped that the Government may release more paper for the publishing trade. When one looks at the mass of circulars of no consequence that continue to be issued and to the waste of paper by Government bodies one reflects sardonically on the fact that the paper quota for books amounts to about 1% of the paper available. Libraries of every character tell of enormously increased demands for books, while the bookshops themselves are busier than ever in history. As the distribution of books is a social service, we trust the Government will realise the position and raise the quota to a point which may meet requirements. If this is not done quickly the book trade will contract, and will be unable to meet the public demand; while libraries of every kind will find their stocks becoming out of date, if not derelict. We are obliged to the publishers who have contributed to the symposium.
Forecasting the Price of Risk Within the Context of the Capital Asset Pricing Model with Market Index Implied Standard Deviations
Authors: Saunders Edward M.
Published: November 2014

The current price of risk is obviously of major concern to financial managers. While the existing financial literature provides a wealth of insight into the issue, little is offered with respect to precise quantification of the return/risk trade‐ off. Perhaps the central difficulty in quantifying current risk and return stems from the fact that virtually all valuation models for unique assets are cast, by necessity, in an expectational framework. Even though expected risk and return are embedded in current price, it is difficult to extract these expectations when they, like prices, are unstable. In this event, history becomes a less than perfect surrogate for the expected future relationship.
To whom do the goods belong?
Authors: Curzon L.B.
Published: November 2014

This is the first in a series of occasional articles on aspects of the law which are of relevance to the retailer. L.B. Curzon, who is a Barrister, is also Principal of the College for the Distributive Trades in London.
Asset Specificity and Corporate Governance: An Empirical Test
Authors: Cushing Woodrow W. , McCarty Daniel E.
Published: November 2014

This study develops a model for estimating an index measure of asset specificity based on the liquidation value of corporate firms and the proportional distribution of their pre‐liquidation assets. A statistically significant positive relationship was found to exist between the estimated specificity index and financial leverage supporting the theoretical prediction. Additional evidence was found that firms with higher variability in sales, lower probabilities of failure, higher valued non‐debt tax shields and higher levels of financial slack use less financial leverage.
Firm Performance Measures: Temporal Roadblocks to Innovation?
Authors: Felix Ayadi O. , Dufrene Uric B. , Pat Obi C.
Published: November 2014

This study identified four performance measures often employed in corporate analysis and examined their relationship with the firm's expenditures in research and development over different periods. These measures reflect both the profitability of the firm and the market value of the firm's total capitalization. This inquiry is motivated by numerous attempts made in the literature to define an ideal measure of corporate financial performance. Repeated surveys and several financial studies [Mechlin and Berg (1980), Watts (1986), Dubofsky and Varadarajan (1987), and Obi (1994)] have revealed that in spite of their empirical shortcomings, the most frequently employed measures are those based on the firm's profitability, essentially, return on equity (ROE), profit margin on sales and return on total capitalization. These measures are handicapped by the fact that they reflect only the historical pattern of the accounting data generating them. In this study, we contend that a reliable measure of performance should reflect the market's perception of the riskiness and timing of the expected returns on the firm's current investments.
Heightened Responsibilities of the Internal Auditor in the Detection of Fraud
Authors: Perry Lisa M. , Bryan Barry J.
Published: November 2014

The internal auditor has an opportunity to play a significant role in the detection and prevention of internal fraud and external fraudulent reporting. This paper examines various methods, including a written company policy, increased audit effectiveness, and active participation with the audit committee, that can be used by the internal auditor to help prevent and detect fraudulent activity.
TARMAC ROADSTONE HOLDINGS LTD. v. PEACOCK AND OTHERS
Authors: Denning  , Stamp L.J. , James L.J.
Published: November 2014

February 27, 1973 Redundancy — Calculation of payment — “Normal working hours” — Workmen employed under contract of employment incorporating national agreement — Normal working week 40 hours actual work — Condition of national agreement that “all workers shall” work overtime in accordance with demands of industry — Workmen regularly working at least 57 hours a week — Whether normal working hours for redundancy payment purposes including overtime where no obligation on employer to provide guaranteed overtime for fixed number of hours — Contracts of Employment Act 1963 (11 & 12 Eliz.II, c.49) Sch.2 para.l(l)(2).
A.J. DUNNING & SONS (SHOP FITTERS) LTD. v. JACOMB
Authors: Donaldson John , Lawder F.H. , Roberts R.
Published: November 2014

May 24, 1973 Industrial Relations — Unfair dismissal — Reasonableness of dismissal — Contracts Manager's inability to co‐operate with clients — Employers' business suffered — No specific warning of risk of dismissal — Tribunal's finding dismissal justified but for lack of warning — Whether warning necessary — Industrial Relations Act, 1971 (c.72), s.24(6).
PARSONS v. CORNWALL COUNTY FIRE BRIGADE AND OTHERS
Authors: Donaldson John , Boyfield R. , Brooks A.G.
Published: November 2014

November 29, 1973 Industrial Relations — Sole bargaining agent — Application for withdrawal of recognition — One‐fifth support for application only in period after notice of application and before hearing — Whether required number of supporting signatures “for the time being” — Industrial Relations Act, 1971 (c.72), s.51(2).