bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Managing local employees: expatriate roles in a subsidiary
Authors: Petison Phallapa , Johri Lalit
Published: May 2008

Purpose

In order to identify expatriate roles in a subsidiary it is necessary to go beyond those functions which are subservient to the headquarters. This paper sets out to prescribe a new spectrum of development roles with respect to varying capabilities and development needs of local employees.

Design/methodology/approach

The roles of expatriates are analyzed based on seven case studies conducted with top automobile manufacturers in Thailand: Toyota Motor Thailand; Hino Motors (Thailand); Honda Automobile (Thailand); Isuzu Motors (Thailand); BMW (Thailand); DaimlerChrysler (Thailand); and Auto Alliance (Thailand).

Findings

Four types of expatriate roles – commander, conductor, coach, and connector – are proposed; the roles correspond to the degree of task readiness and managerial capabilities of local employees.

Practical implications

The paper provides a tool that will help expatriates understand their roles according to the technical skills and managerial capabilities of local employees.

Originality/value

The paper offers practical advice for diagnosing expatriate roles and their training prior to assignment to a subsidiary.
Effect of additives on fat uptake and sensory quality of deep fried foods
Authors: Gowri B.S. , Begum Khyrunnisa , Saraswathi G. , Prakash Jamuna
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of incorporation of selected additives on fat uptake and sensory quality of two traditional deep fried snacks.

Design/methodology/approach

A wheat‐based snack Diamond cuts, and a rice and gram‐based spicy snack Kodbale, were chosen. The products were prepared by incorporating to the dough, 0.2, 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0 per cent of 11 different additives like gum acacia, gum Tragacanth, Methylcellulose, Gaur Gum, Pectin, Gum Karaya, Gum Carageenan, Xanthan Gum, Gum Gellan, Seafoam and Beligara. Products were evaluated for sensory attributes and fat uptake was estimated by soxhlet extraction.

Findings

Results indicated that average fat uptake in Diamond cuts and Kodbale was 28.00 and 30 per cent, respectively. In Diamond cuts, while addition of additives did not alter fat uptake remarkably, a slight decrease in the case of gum Tragacanth (0.2 per cent) and Gaur Gum and Gum Carageenan (0.75 per cent) was observed. Statistical analysis of sensory attributes revealed only a marginal difference in textural quality of Diamond cuts incorporated with Gaur Gum, Pectin and Beligara. In Kodbale, fat uptake was marginally lowered by the addition of Gaur Gum, gum Tragacanth, Xanthan Gum and Gum Carageenan at 0.75 per cent. No significant differences were observed among the sensory qualities except for marginal differences in textural quality of Kodbale incorporated with Gaur Gum, Gum Carageenan and Beligara. It can be concluded that addition of additives did not influence the fat uptake or sensory quality of fried products studied to a significant extent.

Originality/value

Since some of the additives improved textural quality of products and fried products are usually stored and consumed, these additives can probably help in improving the texture of stored products. Further studies in this area would help in confirming this.
Efficacy of Ganoderma lucidum on plasma lipids and lipoproteins in rats fed with high cholesterol diet
Authors: Tong Chow‐Chin , Choong Yew‐Keong , Mohamed Suhaila , Mohamed Mustapha Noordin , Aini Umar Nor
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report on the anti‐cholesterol activities of Ganoderma lucidum on Sprague–Dawley white rats.

Design/methodology/approach

Rats were divided into four groups with a sample size of six rats per groups. Different formula diets were given to each group for a period of six months. At regular intervals, blood samples were taken and analysed for the total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) and low density lipoprotein (LDL‐C) levels.

Findings

Administration of hyperlipidemia diet in rats fed with 1 per cent cholesterol diet caused an increase in the TC, TG, as well as LDL‐C level as compared to the control. A decrease of 23.6 per cent in the HDL‐C level was also noted. However, supplementation of the feed with G. lucidum (0.1 per cent) in rats decreased the TC, TG and LDL‐C level significantly (P < 0.05) while further increased the plasma concentration of HDL‐C. In the case of rats fed with diet containing a mixture of 1 per cent cholesterol and 0.1 per cent of Ganoderma, the lipid profile showed much higher readings (p < 0.05) compared to the chol group.

Practical implications

The possible efficacy of G. lucidum in reducing the deposition of cholesterol in the wall of the blood vessels was indicated.

Originality/value

This article provides useful information to health care providers and consumers.
Breakfast habits and snacks consumed at school among Qatari schoolchildren aged 9‐10 years
Authors: Hassan Abdelmonem S. , Al‐Dosari Sara N.
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The objective of this study is to assess breakfast habits and foods mostly consumed as snacks during the school day among fourth grade Qatari schoolchildren.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross‐sectional survey on a random sample of fourth grade students was carried out using a questionnaire on food frequency, food habits and types of foods consumed in breakfast and during the school day. The study included 259 students, 124 (47.9 per cent) girls and 135 (52.1 per cent) boys aged 9‐10 years.

Findings

Results of the study revealed that 91.1 per cent of the boys and 89.5 per cent of the girls ate breakfast daily. Bread and breakfast cereals consumption at breakfast was significantly higher (p = 0.04) among girls (86.3 per cent) compared with boys (76.3 per cent). Cheese and eggs were consumed by 90.7 per cent of the children at breakfast. Sweets and chocolates consumption was significantly higher (p < 0.001) among girls (56.5 per cent) than boys (28.2 per cent). Consumption of bakery items was significantly higher (p = 0.035) among boys (45.9 per cent) compared with girls (33.1 per cent). About 80 per cent of the children consumed potato chips. More boys (80.7 per cent) than girls (48.4 per cent) bought their snacks from school (p < 0.001).

Originality/value

The paper reports some dietary habits among schoolchildren in Qatar that has not been reported before. The paper highlights some positive dietary habits that should be encouraged, e.g. eating breakfast daily, and some negative dietary habits that need to be addressed in nutrition education programs targeting schoolchildren in Qatar, e.g. high consumption of potato chips and low consumption of milk as snacks.
Using UN information resources: a guide for general reference librarians in academic settings
Authors: Griffiths David N.
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to help reference librarians in academic institutions to more effectively use UN information resources to meet users' needs.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper outlines the United Nations' structure, addresses the effects of misconceptions regarding the organization's boundaries, describes the categories of UN information resources and their most useful content, identifies and evaluates the most important reference tools by or about the UN, and casts light on little‐known obstacles to intellectual access in the UN information environment.

Findings

Access to UN information is often hindered by the idiosyncrasies of UN documents and their records, misconceptions about the United Nations' relationships with other organizations, and a lack of in‐depth information about UN reference sources. The effects of these problems can be ameliorated, however, through the information, techniques, and strategies presented here.

Originality/value

This article identifies and evaluates the UN reference sources of greatest use to general reference librarians. This is the first publication to demonstrate how indexing policies and common characteristics of UN documents impede access to UN information and to show how these barriers can be circumvented.
Impact of prior content and meta‐cognitive knowledge on students' performance in an introductory accounting course
Authors: Mei Tan Lin , Laswad Fawzi
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of five factors, reflecting students' diversity in prior content and metacognitive knowledge, on students' academic performance in the introductory accounting course.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a conceptual framework of prior knowledge, five factors are hypothesised to have an impact on students' performance. They are: prior accounting knowledge, age, gender, intended academic major, and first language. A self‐administered questionnaire is completed by students enrolled in the compulsory introductory accounting course at a large multi‐campus NZ university. Multivariate analysis is carried out to test the research hypotheses and the predictive ability of the five independent variables on students' performance.

Findings

Consistent with the educational psychology literature, prior content knowledge has a significant impact. Students' metacognitive knowledge, which differs according to their language and gender, also has a significant effect on students' performance.

Research limitations/implications

The low R2 in the regression model suggests that, although some of the study variables are significant, a high proportion of variation in academic performance remains unexplained by the model. The results may also not be representative of student population in general as information is elicited from students from one particular university. Future research could extend the sample to more than one tertiary institution and consider the effect of other potential variables such as students' intrinsic motivation and learning strategies.

Originality/value

Unlike many prior studies which lacked a theoretical framework to support their research, this study proposes a conceptual framework drawn from the education psychology literature for examining students' performance in the introductory accounting course.
Fundaments of trust management in the development of virtual communities
Authors: Casaló Luis V. , Flavián Carlos , Guinalíu Miguel
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The importance of virtual communities is growing day by day, since consumers are increasingly using online tools to share ideas and contact fellow consumers. For this reason, the purpose of this paper, which is based on relational capital theory, is to analyze what factors determine the consumer commitment to a virtual community.

Design/methodology/approach

A positive effect of trust in a virtual community on commitment to the community is suggested. In addition, some antecedents of trust placed in a virtual community are proposed. After the validations of measurement scales the hypotheses are contrasted through structural modelling.

Findings

The data show that trust placed in a virtual community has a positive and significant effect on consumers' commitment to that virtual community. Additionally, a general disposition to trust, a greater familiarity with the community and a stronger norm of reciprocity in communication in the community may increase the level of trust placed in a virtual community.

Research limitations/implications

Data were collected thanks to a web survey using Spanish‐speaking members of free software virtual communities. Thus, it would be interesting to carry out a new validation of the model using other types of virtual communities and a wider sample of consumers, particularly in terms of different nationalities.

Practical implications

This study has shown how managers may foster trust and commitment toward a virtual community in order to ensure the community's success and survival in the long term; that is, the ongoing participation in the community.

Originality/value

Most of the works that are focused on virtual communities have been conducted at the conceptual level. Thus, with the aim of progressing this topic, the study analyzes empirically the precursors of trust and commitment to a virtual community.
Factors influencing Irish consumers' trust in internet shopping
Authors: Connolly Regina , Bannister Frank
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe a study in which a previously validated measurement instrument is used to investigate the existence and importance of specific factors that are thought to predict the generation of consumer trust in internet shopping in Ireland.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 858 individuals was surveyed using a previously validated measurement instrument that focused on a number of key constructs identified in the literature as potential trust predictors.

Findings

The study results provide evidence that Irish consumers' trust in internet shopping is the result of specific factors, the first of which relates to the vendor's perceived integrity, and the second of which relates to the vendor's perceived competence. The former encompasses social antecedents of trust, while the latter encompasses the technical antecedents of trust.

Originality/value

The insights provided by this research make a valuable contribution not only to information systems research, but also to the overall body of marketing, trust and diffusion research. The findings of this research are of potential benefit to online vendors of all types who seek to engender consumer trust in their web sites.
Intellectual capital: a user's perspective
Authors: Petty Richard , Ricceri Federica , Guthrie James
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to offer an empirical account of how a group of financial professionals uses intellectual capital (IC) information, and the value that the group imputes to IC reporting. The paper also aims to understand the group's ability to privately access information that might help them determine the value of a company's IC in support of their decision‐making.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey administered to a group of financial professionals in Hong Kong.

Findings

Respondents would like companies to be more transparent and provide more information on their IC. Respondents believe that greater IC disclosure would be rewarded with an increase in the company's share price – even though few respondents thought that they would pay more themselves for enhanced disclosure. Further, most respondents seem to be currently addressing their IC information needs through private information channels, and rate the publicly provided information as poorly suited to their needs.

Practical implications

Greater regulatory control may be needed to ensure that information being communicated privately also enters the public domain in a timely fashion. It is also suggested that making market participants more aware of the positive effects of voluntary disclosure on stock prices may lead to an increase in voluntary disclosure.

Originality/value

The paper provides empirical evidence on the value relevance of IC information from a user's perspective.
A LIS collaboratory to bridge the research‐practice gap
Authors: Ponti Marisa
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the notion of a collaboratory as a virtual learning community and discuss its significance to support collaboration between library and information science (LIS) researchers and practitioners.

Design/methodology/approach

The LIS literature describes various forms of inter‐institutional collaboration involving librarians and information professionals, but there is an apparent lack of documented cases of collaboratories involving LIS practitioners and researchers. The paper draws from the literature about collaboratories in the fields of social informatics and information systems and describes the notion of collaboratory, its characteristics and main functions.

Findings

It is argued that a LIS collaboratory in the form of a virtual learning community has the potential to provide researchers and practitioners the opportunity to bring in and integrate their respective knowledge, expertise and connections, as well as expand participation of practitioners in research projects. Another claim is that this virtual learning community may fill a critical niche for small institutions as LIS schools and practitioners, and give them the opportunity to choose and work together on relevant research projects. While the prospect of LIS collaboratory looks promising, the challenges to building one need not be overlooked, in particular working at distance and crossing institutional boundaries. More research is needed on the socio‐organizational issues that can influence collaboration between LIS researchers and practitioners.

Research limitations/implications

The discussion is based on the author's review of the literature and observations.

Originality/value

The notion of collaboratory is still new to the LIS field. This paper offers the opportunity to trigger a new discussion on collaboration between researchers and practitioners and the potential of collaboratories to support new forms of collaboration.
Transforming library and higher education support services: can change models help?
Authors: Sidorko Peter Edward
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to analyse an organisational change process that sought to integrate library and other educational support services in an Australian university.

Design/methodology/approach

The article assesses the organisational change processes using John Kotter's eight step approach as outlined in his book Leading Change.

Findings

While the change processes enjoyed varying degrees of success, it is revealed that several of the techniques recommended by Kotter in his eight steps were adopted, but that the process did not fully utilise the entire eight step process. Questions surrounding the suitability of organisational change models are also raised.

Research limitations/implications

The successful outcomes from the change processes owe credit to Kotter's model for organisational change. While models for change may have certain limitations, they are still revealed as useful in the hands of a skilful leader.

Practical implications

Kotter's eight step model is reviewed in the context of a library change processes. Further analysis of the application of Kotter's model to library change processes may reveal different outcomes.

Originality/value

This paper provides a unique perspective of applying a recognised model for organisational change to library change processes utilising a combination of theory and practice.
Integrating the Kano model, AHP and planning matrix
Authors: Bayraktaroğlu Gül , Özgen Özge
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to analyze the user (as a customer of the library) requirements related to library services by using service‐based quality function deployment (QFD) and employ QFD to identify visible marketing strategies in a service sector.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, QFD is applied to central library services of Dokuz Eylul University (DEU) in Izmir, Turkey. Basically, the methodology used in this study integrates the Kano model, AHP and planning matrix of house of quality. First, a focus group study is held to find out the requirements of university students for the university library that are then classified using the Kano model. The requirement categories are ranked with respect to their relative importance using analytical hierarchy process (AHP). In the last step, all findings are transferred to the planning matrix and strategies for DEU Central Library are developed.

Findings

The paper reveals marketing strategies for a non‐profit organization, a state university library, and helps the library find out its competitive position.

Research limitations/implications

User requirements are determined through focus group studies held with undergraduate students. Other library users like academicians, external users, university staff and graduate students are ignored. Consideration of all possible user categories will give a whole picture of the requirements and their importance. In addition, a fair number of requirements limited the application of AHP only to the primary requirement categories.

Practical implications

The strategic importance of requirements was identified more precisely and service elements were allocated more effectively.

Originality/value

This study investigates the user requirements for library services in depth. It attempts to integrate AHP, Kano and QFD methods in library services for the first time to find out the most strategically important requirements. Therefore, it sheds light to library managers how to allocate their budget, arrange their services and develop their marketing strategies.
Book acquisition practices in Nigerian university libraries: challenges and prospects
Authors: Ajidahun C.O.
Published: May 2008

Purpose

This study aims to investigate and examine the acquisition practices in the Nigerian University Libraries.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 42 copies of a questionnaire entitled: “Collection Development in University Libraries Questionnaire” were mailed to all the 42 state and federal university libraries in Nigeria excluding the private university libraries. Only 18 university libraries returned their questionnaires that were used for the study.

Findings

Results show that acquisition of books in Nigerian university libraries is done mostly through purchase. In addition, Nigerian university libraries patronize the British‐based multinational publishers more than the local booksellers for their acquisitions. The study further shows that payments made to book vendors in Nigeria are taxed by Nigerian universities.

Originality/value

The paper provides useful suggestions that can enhance the acquisition practices in Nigerian university libraries.
Operations management research in the automotive sector
Authors: Taylor Margaret , Taylor Andrew
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to take a fresh look at some of the contemporary operations management (OM) research issues in the automotive sector in order to identify potential future research directions. It addresses the question of what remains to be investigated after so many decades of enquiry.

Design/methodology/approach

A review confined to recent articles published in some of the most mainstream OM journals, seeking to identify research gaps in the field.

Findings

The paper reviews some of the most prevalent misperceptions about Japanese production management (JPM) and the Toyota production system. It observes that much of contemporary OM research in the automotive industry still wrestles with the complexities of JPM approaches, whose richness of nuance and complexity appear to be always just beyond the authors' grasp. Argues for the use of alternative theoretical lenses to help uncover novel insights.

Originality/value

The paper reaffirms the author's overarching research mission which is to contribute to the improved practice of OM by conducting rigorous research in the field. It underscores the need for novel approaches to OM research in the automotive sector. This is particularly apposite at a time when the differences between production systems seem to be disappearing and when some recent empirical evidence suggests that lean management may only be skin deep in many companies which rely too heavily on consultants to the detriment of depth of knowledge and employee involvement.
Transferring Japanesekaizenactivities to overseas plants in China
Authors: Aoki Katsuki
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine management practices in transferring Japanesekaizenactivities to overseas plants. The aim is to provide a greater understanding of organisational capabilities that facilitate an incremental organisation‐wide innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

Case studies of nine medium‐ and large‐sized Japanese auto‐parts overseas plants in China were conducted. The data were analysed by comparing the successful cases of management practices concerning the transfer of Japanesekaizenactivities to overseas plants with unsuccessful ones. Based on the assumption that learning is situated in the context, the concept of communities of practice promoted by Wenger is used as the analytical framework of this study.

Findings

The results of the comparative analysis show some common characteristics of management practices in successful cases: they actively used team‐based rather than individual‐based suggestion schemes; they had human resource practices that emphasised the importance of having workers who could do more than one job and long‐term employment; and the managers of successful cases conducted shop floor visits to check the work processes every day.

Originality/value

This study suggests the necessity for the researchers and practitioners ofkaizento consider a healthy balance between three types of organisational capabilities that encourage workers' self‐initiative, facilitate cross‐functional communication, and discipline workers.
A systems perspective on the death of a car company
Authors: Oliver Nick , Holweg Matthias , Carver Mike
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to understand how large and apparently successful organizations enter spirals of decline that are very difficult to reverse. The paper examines the case of Rover, once one of the largest car producers in the world, which collapsed in 2005. An analysis of strategic and operational choices made over a period of 40 years investigates the reasons for, and consequences of, a growing mismatch between the context faced by the company (industry dynamics, market conditions) and its operational capabilities, a mismatch that ultimately brought about the company's demise.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on interviews with 32 people, including senior managers (including four chief executives), government ministers and union officials who were key decision makers within, or close to, the company during the period 1968 and 2005. Secondary sources and documentary evidence (e.g. production and sales data) are used to build up a historical picture of the company and to depict its deteriorating financial and market position from 1968 onwards.

Findings

The company was formed from a multitude of previously independent firms as part of a government‐sponsored agenda to build a UK National Champion in the car industry. The merged company failed due to several factors including poor product development processes, poor manufacturing performance, difficult labour relations, a very wide product portfolio and a lack of financial control. Although strenuous efforts were made to address those issues, including periods of whole or part ownership by British Aerospace, Honda and BMW, the company's position deteriorated until eventually production volumes were too low for viable operation.

Practical implications

The case of Rover highlights the importance of what has been termed “the management unit” in complex systems. The management unit comprises processes and routines to deal with challenges such as managing product portfolios, connecting strategic and operational choices, and scanning and responding to the environment. In the case of Rover, a number of factors taken together generated excessive load on a management unit frequently operating under conditions of resource scarcity. We conclude that viewing corporate failure from a systems perspective, rather than in terms of shortcomings in specific subsystems, such as manufacturing or product development, yields insights often absent in the operations management literature.

Originality/value

The paper is of value by showing corporate failure from a systems perspective, rather than in terms of shortcomings in specific subsystems, such as manufacturing or product development; and yields insights often absent in the operations management literature. The Rover case featured in the paper demonstrates the usefulness of systems ideas to understanding at least some types of failure, not as an alterative to capability‐based approaches, but in addition to them.
Increasing returns in the aggregate: fact or fiction?
Authors: Johanna Perälä Maiju
Published: May 2008

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate whether empirical evidence for scale economies can be found across countries and if so, whether this evidence varies across the stage of development.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses statistical methods to make comparisons between countries.

Findings

The empirical results suggest overall evidence towards aggregate increasing returns across all samples. Within the Cobb‐Douglas framework, stronger evidence for aggregate increasing returns is found among samples depicting economies in the early stages of development. The CES framework in turn supports aggregate scale economies for advanced economies, while unitary elasticity of substitution cannot be rejected for less developed economies, giving further support for the Cobb‐Douglas estimates.

Research limitations/implications

Given that evidence for scale economies is found within different estimation frameworks for different groups of economies, comparative judgment is prevented. The results nevertheless provide evidence on the overall relevance of scale economies within and across groups of economies, while also giving a clear indication of the relevance of stage of development in economic growth and development analysis.

Originality/value

The most fundamental insight of the empirical results presented in this paper is that there is no reason to assume that the determinants of growth or the parameters guiding economies' adjustments towards their steady states or growth paths will be similar for economies at different stages of development, given their significant structural differences, whether in terms of production structures and characteristics or consumption patterns.
Quantifying the aesthetics of non‐conventional structures
Authors: Abu‐Obeid Natheer , Hassan Reem F. , Ali Hikmat H.
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to compare the aesthetic responses of three groups (architects, engineers and non‐experts) to a set of non‐conventional structures.

Design/methodology/approach

A group of 150 respondents (divided into three equal sub‐groups of architects, structural engineers, and non‐experts) were selected to participate in the main study, which used 14 different non‐conventional structural systems. The images of these systems were derived from an earlier pilot study. The evaluation tool included 38 semantic items, also derived from the pilot study. Two statistical analyses were applied to the collected data: factor analysis and ANOVA.

Findings

Finds, first, that factor analysis revealed a set of factors identified by all participants as meaningful dimensions, by which they evaluate structural systems. Second, ANOVA revealed differences between the three groups when evaluating different structural systems using the identified factors. Differences between the groups were attributed to their different backgrounds and technical training.

Practical implications

The study argues that understanding the aesthetic experience of architects, engineers and ordinary users of structures is essential. First, it helps the designers to establish the basis for selecting appropriate structural methods and materials in relation to building design. Second, it would also help the designers to better understand the relationship between the structure and architecture in terms of a trade‐off between the technical and aesthetic issues. Third, it helps the designers to better understand how their designed structures are perceived by the public.

Originality/value

This study introduces an alternative approach to the study of the aesthetics of structures, with a focus on non‐conventional structures.
A study of the use of a performance‐based approach to fire safety design in buildings
Authors: Lo S.M. , Zhao C.M. , Yuen K.K.
Published: May 2008

Purpose

Traditionally, buildings are designed in accordance with prescriptive building and fire codes. Rapid urbanization causes an increase in urban population and commercial activities, and an increase in demand for large and complex buildings. Buildings that have been constructed in accordance with the old prescriptive requirements may not have the same fire safety level as the standard enforced today, even if all fire safety items are maintained at the original design standard. It is the usual practice that any upgrading or alteration works to be carried out in an existing building are required to comply with the requirements currently enforced. The demand for using a performance‐based approach for designing large complex buildings as well as alteration works in existing or historical buildings is increasing. The paper aims to discuss the issues involved

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents a brief comparison of the use of performance‐based fire safety design in three locations and presents the use of a system dynamics model to examine how the technological investment will affect the use of performance‐based fire safety design.

Findings

The model predicts that increased investment by the Hong Kong authorities would see a rise in the number of building projects using a performance‐based approach within a few years.

Originality/value

The research in this paper provides guidance to the building control regime in Hong Kong on how to achieve an increase in the use of a fire‐engineered approach to enhance fire safety design in buildings.
Implications of thermal and building integrity performance on buildability of a worker dormitories project
Authors: Low Sui‐Pheng , Liu Junying , Lim John
Published: May 2008

Purpose

Where buildability is concerned, the six total building performance (TBP) mandates are seldom taken into consideration.. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between buildability and the two TBP mandates of thermal performance and building integrity performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A real life case study of a worker dormitories building project was used as the base model for analysis. A breakdown of the buildability scores for the project was first noted. Thereafter, the TBP guidelines relating to thermal performance and building integrity performance were incorporated into the base model and the buildability scores were recomputed.

Findings

Following the thermal performance guidelines, a negative relationship with buildability was observed. However, a positive result was established between the building integrity performance guidelines and buildability. The different relationships occurred due to the different aspects of the base model that needed to be changed to conform to the guidelines for both mandates.

Practical implications

It appears that the incorporation of guidelines for any one of the six TBP mandates will yield different results depending on the situation. This was the case for both thermal performance and building integrity performance in the present study.

Originality/value

The paper establishes the relationship between the TBP mandates of thermal performance, building integrity performance and buildability for the first time, which is beneficial to building designers.
Occupant satisfaction with workplace design in new and old environments
Authors: Schwede Dirk A. , Davies Hilary , Purdey Brian
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to investigate time‐factors in occupant‐environment relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper analyses satisfaction ratings on 12 workplace environment features collected from more than 5,000 occupants in 48 office buildings in Australia. The database is divided into seven environment categories: first occupied after construction; new occupation after major update; recent relocation into an existing environment; re‐occupying an environment after refurbishment; relocation of workspace in an existing environment; acclimatised occupation of a refurbished workspace; and continued occupation of an existing environment. Cumulative frequency profiles of the collected ratings for each of these categories are analysed qualitatively and quantitatively.

Findings

The study shows that updated environments which are occupied by the same organisation before and after refurbishment are more successful than environments which are occupied by a new organisation after update. New buildings provide the greatest number of satisfied occupants. While many workplace design aspects are successfully addressed in newly designed and updated environments, satisfaction with acoustic and visual design features is equally poor in all investigated environment categories.

Originality/value

The study develops understanding of which environment categories, defined by the duration of the occupant‐environment relationships, are most successful in providing satisfying design features. The study thereby provides advice for facility management decision making.
Facilities design incorporating just‐in‐time principles for ramp‐up light factories in Singapore
Authors: Pheng Low Sui , Ying Show Mei
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to show how the successful implementation of the just‐in‐time (JIT) philosophy in the manufacturing industry has helped to reduce cost and time and increase quality of products. Existing studies on JIT principles in the building industry were predominantly focused on the construction stage.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical part consisted of pilot interviews with architects who designed ramp‐up light factories and a survey of tenants operating out of these factories.

Findings

The findings from the survey of tenants suggest that architectural designs, in terms of space and layout, have met the tenants' operational facilities needs. The tenants were generally satisfied with the ramp‐up light factory facilities design features, in relation to the relevant JIT principles.

Research limitations/implications

The empirical findings were based on the user's perceptions and not on analyzing the actual physical facilities design of the ramp‐up factories with respect to JIT principles. This area is recommended for future research.

Practical implications

The application of JIT principles to further improve the facilities design of ramp‐up light factories would help to reduce waiting time and double handling of goods during transportation. In addition, the application of JIT principles also enhances the smooth flow of delivery to every unit with less damage to the quality of the goods being delivered.

Originality/value

This exploratory study is not about how the management of the design process can be improved. Rather, it examines, for the first time, whether the application of JIT principles to improving the facilities design of ramp‐up light factories would effectively meet the tenants' operational facilities needs and improve their productivity after they have moved into the premises.
A constructive study on creating core business relevant CREM strategy and performance measures
Authors: Lindholm Anna‐Liisa
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to describe the creation process of the model for identifying the added value of corporate real estate management (CREM), implement the developed model in a case organisation and test whether it works in practice.Design/methodology/approach– The study is carried out using a constructive research approach, where the validity of the model built is tested through a single, but in‐depth, case study.Findings– The research presents the model for identifying the added value of CREM, the theoretical connections from the empirical research and practical implications of the developed model. Furthermore, the study presents the main step of a constructive research approach and examines the applicability of this research approach to real estate and facilities management‐related research.Practical implications– The model tested and developed in this research provides corporate real estate and facilities managers with the tools they need to identify their contribution to the wealth of the firm. The model also helps organisations to ensure the match between a company's business and real estate and facilities strategies.Originality/value– Previous research has not tested the model for identifying the value added by corporate real estate and facilities management (FM). The research approach of the paper, a constructive study, is also quite unfamiliar to and untested by real estate and FM researchers.
A mixture model with modified mass transfer expression for cavitating turbulent flow simulation
Authors: Liu Shuhong , Li Shengcai , Zhang Liang , Wu Yulin
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a mixture model with modified mass transfer expression for calculating cavitating (two‐phase) flow.

Design/methodology/approach

The mass transfer relations are derived based on the mechanics of evaporation and condensation, in which the mass and momentum transfer count for factors such as non‐dissolved gas, turbulence, surface tension, phase‐change rate, etc.

Findings

As shown by two calculation examples, the modified model can predict the cavitating flow with high accuracy, agreeing well with experimental results.

Originality/value

The methods described are of value in improving stability in numerical calculations.
CFD simulation on a thermal power plant with air‐cooled heat exchanger system in north China
Authors: Wang Q.W. , Zhang D.J. , Zeng M. , Lin M. , Tang L.H.
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the overall flow and temperature field of the air in the whole power plant, especially around the air‐cooled heat exchanger (ACHE) to evaluate the feasibility of the thermal plant project.

Design/methodology/approach

The commercial computational fluid dynamics code FLUENT with standard k‐ε turbulent model was used. The buoyancy of the air was also considered.

Findings

It is concluded that plume recirculation occurs in each case due to the wind effect and the suction of the fan. Installing a side board below or above the fan platform (side board I or side board II) is an effective method of avoiding the plume recirculation and, the higher the board, the better the effect. When the height of the side board I H1≥10 m or the height of the side board II H2≥12 m, the temperature distributions of the fan platform will be sufficient to meet the requirement.

Research limitations/implications

A proper distance between the adjacent high buildings and the ACHE should be found with further investigation.

Practical implications

The paper presents a very useful numerical method for the prediction of the flow and temperature field around ACHE or in a large space.

Originality/value

The paper provides the numerical simulation of the flow and heat transfer inside the whole thermal power plant. Suggestions which can effectively avoid the unfavorable influence and ensure the whole system in safe conditions are offered. The study gives some useful information to the design of a thermal power plant with an ACHE system.
Breaking through the cultural clutter
Authors: Magnusson Peter , Wilson Rick T. , Zdravkovic Srdan , Xin Zhou Joyce , Westjohn Stanford A.
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine and compare the validity of different operationalizations of cultural and institutional distance.

Design/methodology/approach

First, a review of the theoretical background for Hofstede's, Schwartz's, Trompenaars's, and Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness' (GLOBE) cultural frameworks is provided, as well as the institutional environment. Then, the validity of each framework is assessed by evaluating how well each framework groups countries into appropriate clusters, and finally comparisons between the different frameworks are drawn.

Findings

It was found that the cultural distance (CD) constructs based on Hofstede and Trompenaars have strong convergent validity. CD constructs based on Schwartz and GLOBE are found to have the weakest validity. The institutional distance (ID) constructs are conceptualized to be broader than the traditional CD constructs. However, high correlations indicate a strong overlap between ID and CD. Additionally, the ID constructs are highly correlated with factors related to economic development, potentially limiting their usefulness.

Originality/value

Both researchers and practitioners can choose from a variety of CD/ID frameworks to fill their needs; however, variance in the performance between frameworks may lead to faulty conclusions. In response to this need to accurately capture cross‐cultural differences, the validity of nine different operationalizations of CD/ID have been examined. Contrary to popular belief, the traditional CD construct based on Hofstede is shown to compare favorably with other frameworks and calls for the abandonment of this index may be premature.
Culture study in international marketing: a critical review and suggestions for future research
Authors: Yaprak Attila
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a critical review of culture study streams in international marketing and offer suggestions for future development.

Design/methodology/approach

A comprehensive review of earlier and current approaches to culture study in international marketing is offered. Shortcomings of earlier studies are highlighted and suggestions for remedies are presented. Future research suggestions are also offered.

Findings

Five streams of earlier studies and their shortcomings are presented, along with four avenues for future research.

Practical implications

More sharply framed culture study will lead to a deeper understanding of culture's role in targeting, segmentation, and positioning and strategy formulation by scholars and managers of international marketing.

Originality/value

The paper integrates a large body of research in an important research area in international marketing and offers future research directions.
Cross‐cultural examination of the relationships among firm reputation, e‐satisfaction, e‐trust, and e‐loyalty
Authors: Jin Byoungho , Yong Park Jin , Kim Jiyoung
Published: May 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically compare the impact of firm reputation on consumers' evaluation of e‐tailers' market response outcomes (satisfaction, trust, and loyalty) in two cultures, the USA (individualism, low uncertainty avoidance, low context, and high‐trust society) and South Korea (collectivism, high uncertainty, high context, and low‐trust society).

Design/methodology/approach

Two sets of data were collected, one in the USA and the other in Korea, using a mall intercept method. Males and females over 18 who had online purchase experience were chosen as respondents.

Findings

The results with 385 usable questionnaires (182 from the USA and 203 from Korea) revealed that firm reputation contributes to customer loyalty by increasing customer satisfaction, and this effect is stronger in Korea than in the USA. However, contrary to the expectations, no cultural differences were found in reputation‐trust and trust‐loyalty links. That is, firm reputation leads to customer loyalty through trust in both cultures and the impacts are the same across cultures.

Research limitations/implications

Further validation of the findings with other cultural settings merits attention.

Practical implications

The firm reputation‐satisfaction‐loyalty link is stronger in Korea than in the USA. While it may be premature to conclude the link is stronger in all Asian markets, international managers should carefully consider this finding when establishing operations in Asian markets.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first systematic cross‐cultural examinations of how firm reputation functions in an e‐tailing context increase market response outcomes.