bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Which factors drive product sales in OTC markets?
Authors: Huber Monika , Dippold Katrin , Forsthofer Rudolf
Published: November 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine sales drivers for different OTC product categories.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses data from both consumer and retail panels, which are gathered for various product categories. These long‐term data are analyzed per product category with two specific regression models, mainly time‐series analysis with VAR models and Shapley value regression.

Findings

It is found that purchase intention drives sales a lot in general. Besides, it is very important to distinguish seasonal vs non‐seasonal markets. The trend coefficient, which implies the stage of maturity of the market, indicates more or less saturated markets for the examples. The proposed models can be easily applied to different OTC categories without a lot of customization.

Research limitations/implications

The study does not take into account different outlets (e.g. online, supermarkets) and does not estimate interaction effects between the single drivers.

Practical implications

The paper provides the market researcher with a guideline on how to proceed to model OTC product categories, e.g. which data are to be used, which models are to be estimated, which conclusions can be drawn.

Originality/value

The study develops an analysis approach which is readily applicable to different OTC product categories, which exhibit very distinct market characteristics. The advantage of this approach is that it applies a standardized tool kit of methods to analyze highly varying markets.
Research on management issues in the pharmaceutical industry: a literature review
Authors: Narayana Sushmita A. , Pati Rupesh Kumar , Vrat Prem
Published: November 2012

Purpose

This paper aims to present a review of literature to assess the progress of research on managerial issues in the pharmaceutical industry globally.

Design/methodology/approach

Literature from peer‐reviewed journals available on online databases was collected for the last decade, using the keyword search technique, and then classifying it according to major managerial issues, research methodologies used and geographical zones.

Findings

Behavioral issues at the consumer/physician level and non‐behavioral issues in pricing and medical expenses are studied the most, followed by supply chain management, research and development and manufacturing and services operations management. There is scope for conjunction of research efforts across themes and players. The studies focus on the developed nations through the application of field research and mathematical modeling techniques. The studies in the American region focus more on development and marketing while studies in Europe are aligned towards manufacturing and distribution in the industry. Studies in the developing nations are mostly exploratory in nature and require more focus on issues of research and development and marketing in addition to a substantial increase in overall research efforts. More trans‐continental studies are needed to consolidate research efforts globally.

Research limitations/implications

The review is not exhaustive of all studies available on the industry and each of the issues. Conference papers, unpublished material and lectures were excluded.

Practical implications

Identification of the present and emerging issues together provides practitioners in healthcare systems with an idea of available techniques and strategies to solve problems in healthcare/pharmaceutical management.

Originality/value

A study on research of management issues in the pharmaceutical industry across the world has perhaps not been conducted in the recent past: this paper fills part of that gap.
Leadership, team and decision speed: empirical study using cross‐provincial data
Authors: Gu Jiajun , Weng Qingxiong , Xie Fenghua
Published: November 2012

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to explore the relationship between leadership style, top management teams' (TMTs') behavioral integration, and strategic decision‐making speed. It reveals how leadership impacts on team progress and strategic decision‐making speed.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample was collected from more than ten provinces/cities in China. Factor analysis and structural equation model (SEM) were used to conduct the data.

Findings

The empirical study found that leadership style has a direct positive impact on the speed of strategic decision making, and an indirect positive impact on the speed of strategic decision making through the team behavior integration. The results of SEM show both leadership style and team behavior integration have a significant impact on strategic decision‐making speed. It demonstrates that transformational leadership and transactional leadership have both direct and indirect impact on the speed of strategic decisions. Moreover, transformational leadership has a greater impact than transactional leadership on team behavior integration and strategic decision‐making speed.

Originality/value

The study enriches the empirical test on the relationship between leadership, team and decision speed, therefore helping us further understand how to improve the speed of strategic decision‐making.
The Social Enterprise Mark: a critical review of its conceptual dimensions
Authors: Ridley‐Duff Rory , Southcombe Cliff
Published: November 2012

Purpose

The Social Enterprise Mark (SEM) is claimed to be the first award that guarantees to the public that an organisation is a social enterprise. To date, there has been limited discussion of its conceptual dimensions and legitimacy. This paper seeks to make a contribution to knowledge by critically discussing its conceptual dimensions and exploring its impact.

Design/methodology/approach

This exploratory study uses feedback from participants on open access co‐operative and social enterprise workshops. They were asked to study published SEM criteria then rank ideal types of social enterprise activity (a worker co‐operative, a trading charity and a self‐employed consultant) in order of likelihood of obtaining the SEM.

Findings

Workshop participants from different backgrounds drew the conclusion that SEM criteria favour trading charities and community interest companies with social and environmental objects, not enterprises that deliver social benefits through transforming labour relations and wealth sharing. Participants reacted to their own deliberations differently depending on their sectoral affiliation.

Practical implications

Attempts by the academic community to define the social enterprise sector have run into linguistic and practical problems. Definitions tend to privilege one group of social enterprises over another. The arrival of the SEM in the UK takes place amidst these conceptual and practical difficulties.

Social implications

The SEM criteria contribute to social constructions of social enterprise that favour “social purpose” enterprises that explicitly target a beneficiary group or community, and not “socialised” enterprises that transform labour relations, promote participative democracy, and design new wealth sharing arrangements.

Originality/value

The paper suggests there has been a shift away from the co‐operative values advanced by the founders of the UK social enterprise movement. To secure legitimacy, the paper proposes changes to the SEM to re‐establish the conceptual alignment of social enterprise and the social economy.
Viability of social enterprises: the spillover effect
Authors: Ko Stephen
Published: November 2012

Purpose

This paper seeks to address the questions of how and why the negative consequences emanating from a stricken social enterprise spread to other social enterprises, threatening viability of social enterprises as a whole.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on social categorization theory, a conceptual model is developed to understand how and why the perception of stakeholders on one single, stricken social enterprise can spread to other social enterprises, and ultimately affecting viability of social enterprises.

Findings

A conceptual model outlines how a violation of the legitimacy of a single social enterprise results in bad perception of this stricken enterprise, and which in turn evokes negative responses from stakeholders. Then stakeholders are likely to further conclude that other social enterprises may have similar problems. As a result, they spread their negative responses to other social enterprises as the initially stricken enterprise. These negative consequences can seriously damage a social enterprise and threaten viability of other social enterprises as well.

Practical implications

To regain legitimacy, social entrepreneurs of a focal social enterprise need to upgrade their skills, rationalize operations and enhance governance structure. Given the harmful spillover effect(s) that may inflict other social enterprises, social entrepreneurs of these social enterprises need to differentiate themselves from the focal social enterprise. Social investors need to take the spillover effects into consideration when making investment decisions.

Originality/value

This paper seeks to contribute to social enterprise literature by highlighting the importance of cognitive processing of stakeholders that is subsumed under social categorization theory, while advancing the understanding of viability of social enterprises from a critical perspective.
Conversion of local winery awareness
Authors: Riscinto‐Kozub Kristen , Childs Nancy
Published: November 2012

Purpose

The aim of this research is to distinguish between the attitudinal and behavioral differences in consumers aware of local wineries; half of which visited the wineries (n=233) and half of which did not (n=212). Smaller wineries are dependent on wine sales at the “cellar door” meaning on‐site; therefore, the cellar door experience is a critical part of the wineries overall success. Researchers examined the non‐visitor population in an effort to identify ways in which wineries can improve their services and reputation to convert non‐visitors to visitors. A unique contribution was made in identifying barriers to converting non‐visitors to visitors as well as the non‐visitors' interest and willingness to buy local.

Design/methodology/approach

A first phase of qualitative research occurred to obtain early learning on consumer awareness, trial, repeat, barriers, and image of local wines and wineries. The second phase consisted of a quantitative survey with local wine users/visitors and aware non‐users/visitors, using a panel design and web execution.

Findings

The research factors differ in attitudes, leisure preferences and identification of barriers to determine marketing approaches that would increase winery visits. Factor analysis found strong cores for wine/winery reputation and winery experience. A key discovery to enhance the appeal of local wines was the need to emphasize and romance the hedonic aspect of wine and the winery setting as opposed to expanding knowledge of wines and winery operation. Factor analysis revealed added dimensions for non‐visitors involving travel planning, indoor recreational preference, and buying local.

Originality/value

An examination of local US winery marketing practices, and attitudes of consumers aware of the wineries, yield useful insights for crafting marketing strategies to increase first time and repeat visits to local wineries. This research adds to the limited study of the behavior of consumers aware of local wineries but not visiting the cellar door.
The construction of gender and creativity in advertising creative departments
Authors: Windels Kasey , Lee Wei‐Na
Published: November 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine female creatives' perceptions as to why there are so few women working as creatives (art directors, copywriters, and creative directors) in advertising.

Design/methodology/approach

Interviews with 21 female creatives provided insights into reasons for underrepresentation. Inductive coding was used to allow themes and categories to emerge from the data. A social constructionist interpretation was used.

Findings

Since both gender and creativity are socially constructed, doing gender in the masculine creative department impeded progress and job satisfaction for women. Because women were held accountable both to the norms of the masculine field and to the norms of femininity, their performance suffered as they tried to succeed in an inequitable system.

Originality/value

This paper examines how being a woman operating within a masculine paradigm might be especially difficult in creative fields. Because creativity is constructed based on mostly male gatekeepers using masculinity as a model, women are devalued and unable to influence the field of gatekeepers.
Law applicable to claims asserted in international investment disputes
Authors: Bělohlávek Alexander J. , Černý Filip
Published: November 2012

Purpose

This article aims to deal with international investment disputes, with a focus on the nature of the law applicable to the merits of such disputes.

Design/methodology/approach

The procedure for determining the law applicable in investment disputes, the phases of determination and the impact thereof on the applicable law were analyzed. The diagonality of the disputes and its impact on the law applicable to the merits from the perspective of the interaction between national and international law were also analyzed. Further, the authors focused on the nature of the host state's breach of obligations towards the investor anchored in the investment treaty, and the effect thereof on the law applicable to the merits. In this respect, the notion of the investment itself was analyzed according to the relevant BITs and MITs. Finally, the authors analyzed the applicability of the Ordre Public concept to investment disputes.

Findings

The study provided practical demonstrations and examples of choice of law and application issues as resolved by the tribunals established under the ICSID.

Research limitations/implications

The article deals mainly with the ICSID proceedings. Another should be also analyzed.

Originality/value

The paper provides a new insight into issues of the law applicable to investment disputes by analyzing this problematic in relation to all stages of investment arbitration proceedings. Particularly it took an innovative approach in shedding light on and analyzing the applicability of the Ordre Public concept in relation to investment protection, especially in relation to Article 52 of the ICSID Convention, and the recognition and enforcement proceedings of arbitral awards issued in the course of investment arbitration.
Pay for luck: new evidences from the institutional determinants of CEOs' compensation
Authors: Jouber Habib , Fakhfakh Hamadi
Published: November 2012

Purpose

The optimal contracting view assumes that compensation arrangements should not reward performance upward that is beyond the management's control. Critics to this view assert, however that unearned compensation boom may be suggestive of pay for luck. Hence, the authors ask if CEOs' incentive pay is sensitive to lucky as to purely corporate performance. If such, one could question: Are CEOs rewarded for luck? Do institutional features matter for CEOs pay‐for‐luck? How does systematic incentive effect sensitive to luck's nature? Accepting the premises of both contacting and skimming agency's approaches, this paper aims to answer these questions.

Design/methodology/approach

General and separate ordinary least squares (OLS) and instrumental variables (IV) estimations have been run to estimate the general sensitivity of CEOs' pay, respectively, to performance and luck. These estimations are based on a sample of 300 publicly traded firms covering four countries from the Anglo‐American and Euro‐Continental corporate governance models for the period 2004 to 2008.

Findings

In support of the paper's theorizing, it was found that CEOs pay to be positively related to outside contingencies as well as to shareholders' interests. Positive pay sensitivity to exogenous shocks, which we label systematic incentive effect, shows that management take advantage of lucky external events. Further analyses show, moreover, two stylized facts. First, this effect is asymmetric as executives are rewarded more for good luck than penalized for bad luck. Second, it is less generous under stronger corporate governance, higher investor rights protection, and stricter law enforcement rules. The latter institutional factors seem to be overwhelmingly influential variables in explaining the differences in such effect across countries.

Research limitations/implications

The paper contributes to the CEO compensation research by: showing that a simple contracting view can mislead shareholders about the effective CEOs' skills and efforts; and filling the lack of consensus within the empirical literature as to whether pay for luck depends on institutional features such as the law enforcement level, the degree of investors' right protection, and the corporate governance system's quality.

Originality/value

The paper's findings offer insights to shareholders, pay consultants, and regulators about the effects that unobservable macroeconomic shocks can have towards the design and the efficiency of a CEO pay contract. The findings help, however, academics understanding the international pay gap's causes.
A survey of factors influencing cost structures in the Indian hotel sector
Authors: Vij Madhu
Published: November 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide some empirical evidence of the current trends regarding cost structures in the hospitality industry and to help reveal the present practices on cost structures and management adopted by the Indian hospitality sector.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology employed was mainly survey based with the use of structured questions. Online surveys and interviews were carried out during 2012 with management accountants, chief accountants and finance directors of hotel companies.

Findings

The results of the study suggest that hotels are increasingly challenged to find ways to reduce costs without sacrificing quality. Most of the respondents believe that good management and cost accounting practices are associated with the financial success of hotels.

Practical implications

A study on cost structures will help to identify and focus on the innovative practices that the sector needs to adopt in order to manage costs in the coming years. The findings from this study suggest companies need to modernize their cost accounting systems by implementing activity based costing. Most of the managers surveyed were of the opinion that the traditional costing system does not accurately reflect customer profitability analysis.

Originality/value

The inspiration for this paper arises from the fact that there is little empirical work on cost structures and design in the hospitality industry. Intense competition is now affecting the industry and efforts need to be made to create a sustainable model for hotels that can be adapted to an evolving market scenario.
Toward a history of sport branding
Authors: Hardy Stephen , Norman Brian , Sceery Sarah
Published: November 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review and explore topics that might constitute a history of branding in sport and might also contribute to understanding today's sport branding practices.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper employs both secondary and primary sources on a range of sports across centuries of time and space. The paper also employs Mayer's principles of multi‐media learning.

Findings

The paper finds that sport brands have a long history driven by entrepreneurs and organizations through rule‐making, equipment, distinct names, and employment of new technologies.

Originality/value

The paper identifies a series of topics that merit closer scrutiny by historians whose research might inform contemporary scholars and practitioners of sport marketing.
European research, social innovation and successful cooperativist actions
Authors: Flecha Ramón
Published: November 2012

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to focus on one innovative way through which the European research is contributing to provide scientific evidence about actions that have been demonstrated to successfully reverse the closed cycle of inequality in which many citizens get caught.

Design/methodology/approach

The Communicative Methodology (CM) was applied, combining quantitative and qualitative methods and including the voices of all social agents involved.

Findings

Through the successful actions approach, the INCLUD‐ED project has identified five Successful Cooperativist Actions (SCAs) which have been proven to work in the current economy. Aiming at studying the transferability of the SCAs, the project has analysed how these actions are developed in the case of the Mondragon Corporation and La Estrella and La Milagrosa neighbourhoods of Albacete, the poorest neighbourhoods in Spain.

Practical implications

The CM promotes the inclusion of the social groups that are researched achieving results of high value for society. This article contributes with SCAs to economy and society, providing venues to overcoming social and economic exclusion.

Originality/value

Focusing on the role of the economic sector in tackling the different levels of inequalities from a multidisciplinary perspective, this paper addresses the diverse needs of the general public, scientists, as well as politicians. The implementation of SCAs has been demonstrated to improve different contexts contributing to the inclusive and sustainable growth.
Primary health care services quality in Spain
Authors: Miranda Francisco J. , Chamorro Antonio , Murillo Luis R. , Vega Juan
Published: November 2012

Purpose

Service quality is an elusive and abstract construct, so that particular effort is required to establish a valid measure. Patients' perceptions of health services seem to have been largely ignored by health care providers. The purpose of this paper is to propose a modified approach to the measurement of service quality in a primary health care setting.

Design/methodology/approach

Through the use of the HEALTHQUAL scale adapted from the SERVQUAL scale to the context of primary health care centres, the authors measure the perceptions of service quality reported by both users and health centre managers in Spain. Taking service quality to be a construct of a formative nature, the authors propose a modification for its measurement using partial least squares (PLS) path modelling, as recommended in the literature for the modeling of formative constructs.

Findings

It is found that the model provides health centre managers with a tool for the measurement of functional quality in their organization. The results reveal the importance of health staff attributes and efficiency measures for the perception of health centre quality.

Research limitations/implications

The model can also be used to measure how health care centre managers believe that patients perceive the quality of their service. This allows the potential gap between the provider's view and the customer's view to be assessed and monitored.

Originality/value

The paper extends the previous literature in two directions. First, based on SERVQUAL, it presents a general framework for measuring primary health care service quality as a construct of a formative nature. Second, it is the first application of PLS path modeling to the simultaneous examination of both users' and health centre managers' perceptions in a European context.
Expectations on corporate climate action under regulatory uncertainty
Authors: Buhr Katarina , Hjerpe Mattias
Published: November 2012

Purpose

In absence of extensive regulation, expectations can be a noteworthy institutional pressure driving corporate climate change action. The purpose of this study is to explore expectations on businesses to act on climate change when the anticipations for a new global climate agreement are relatively low. Expectations on corporate climate action are compared in two ways: to the previous year, when anticipations for a new international climate treaty were high, and to other categories of societal actors.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper builds on a questionnaire handed out to an élite sample of 205 participants at the UN climate conference COP16/CMP6 in Cancún 2010, when anticipations were low for regulatory breakthrough in the international climate negotiations.

Findings

The responses suggest that expectations on businesses in 2010 did not decrease compared to 2009, when anticipations were high for regulatory breakthrough. A total of 40 percent of the respondents indicated that their expectations had increased since the previous year. Expectations on businesses were relatively high compared to other societal actors; and the highest expectations were expressed by businesses themselves.

Originality/value

The results provide an empirical foundation which stimulates thinking around expectations that make up an important component in the business environment. It is the first systematic ranking of expectations on business to act on climate change among participants at the UN climate change conference, one of the most prominent arenas in the field. The timing for the data collection provides a unique opportunity to analyse how expectations are related to different levels of regulatory anticipation.
Climate change and the future of South Africa's wine industry
Authors: Vink Nick , Deloire Alain , Bonnardot Valerie , Ewert Joachim
Published: November 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to attempt to synthesise the lessons from at least four different ways of looking at the South Africa wine industry: economics, climatology, viticulture, and the sociology of work.

Design/methodology/approach

The economic performance of South Africa's wine industry since democratisation in the early 1990s is reviewed, as is the effect of climate change on the industry. This is followed by an assessment of possible strategies for building international competitiveness whilst simultaneously coping with the effects of climate change.

Findings

While industry systems should allow the marketing of speciality wines (e.g. from a single vineyard, from a single estate), this is not a viable strategy for most wine producers. Furthermore, climate change will lead to volatility in the characteristics that identify different terroirs.

Practical implications

Industry strategies should rather focus on the benefits of diversity, but with a range of adaptations that will also result in better quality wines. These encompass quality; geographic location; viticultural practices; the style of wines and the renewal of skills. In synthesising this argument, the authors then consider whether such a strategy could enhance or hinder greater international competitiveness for the industry.

Originality/value

The results can be taken into consideration by policy makers and industry stakeholders in designing future strategies.
Reducing depression among perinatal drug users – what is needed? A triangulated study
Authors: Gilchrist Gail , Cameron Jacqui , Nicolson Susan , Galbally Megan , Moore Paddy
Published: November 2012

Purpose

Perinatal drug users are a marginalized group at risk of depression and parenting stress. This study aims to inform service development by determining key components needed to reduce depression among this population by triangulating data from qualitative interviews with service users and their care providers.

Design/methodology/approach

Pre and post natal in‐depth qualitative interviews with drug users attending a specialist antenatal clinic in Melbourne, Australia, and their care providers were conducted; and an email survey of experts was undertaken. Twenty‐eight interviews were conducted and the views of ten experts were received. Data from these sources were triangulated to determine the key components of an intervention to reduce depression among perinatal drug users.

Findings

There was high concordance among data sources. Key service components identified were: case management; extended postnatal care; access to mental health services and drug treatment including relapse prevention; parenting support, and housing support. Judgmental attitudes from healthcare staff and the fear of child protection may be barriers to accessing services.

Research limitations/implications

The study findings are limited by the small sample size.

Practical implications

Services should be enhanced in pregnancy and the early parenting years to build a service model that incorporates the key components identified in this study and supported in the literature.

Originality/value

The originality and value of this study is that it determines the key service components needed to reduce depression among perinatal drug users by triangulating their experiences and views, that of their care providers and expert opinion.
Effect of substrate structure on properties of nitrided layers formed on pure iron
Authors: Lecis N. , Vedani M. , Farè S.
Published: November 2012

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the structure and scratch resistance properties of gas nitrided pure iron samples.

Design/methodology/approach

The effects of material strain hardening and amount of grain boundaries exposed on nitriding surface were evaluated by cold rolling the starting samples to different reduction levels before gas nitriding.

Findings

The study finds that nitriding without any prior cold rolling produced a comparatively wide compound layer with a large fraction of porous zone featuring low scratch hardness values but no evidence of damage. On the contrary, cold rolling before nitriding led to a more irregular and thinner compound layer with reduced amount of porous zone and much finer nitrides in the diffusion zone. Scratch hardness was increased but failure mechanism changed by generation of conformal cracks within the track groove and the appearance of discontinuous spallation at high loads.

Originality/value

One of the issues of great industrial importance concerning nitriding of steels is the need to predict the extent of the nitrided layer in products showing small variations in microstructure or in extent of cold working due to complex manufacturing cycles. Despite the practical importance, relatively little information is available in literature about these issues. The present paper is therefore aimed at investigating the structure and mechanical properties of pure iron samples, gas nitrided with different amounts of cold working and microstructural conditions.
Utilizing technology effectively to improve Millennials' educational performance
Authors: Aviles Maria , Eastman Jacqueline K.
Published: November 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss how technological tools, such as Web 2.0 and online learning management systems, can be utilized to improve Millennials' educational performance.

Design/methodology/approach

An exploratory survey of Millennial business students was conducted to measure their self‐reported use and perceived effectiveness of a variety of hardware, traditional, and Web 2.0 tools.

Findings

An exploratory study of business students finds that course websites and online assessments are the technological tools they report using most often. The technology tools that business students perceive as most effective include personal computers, laptop computers, course websites, discussion groups, message boards, and online assessments.

Research limitations/implications

This exploratory study looked only at business students' self‐report use and perceived effectiveness of technology tools. Future research is needed to examine other college students beyond business, to measure actual use and effectiveness, and to incorporate input from faculty on the use and effectiveness of technology tools.

Practical implications

In this paper, the authors discuss how technological tools, such as Web 2.0 and online learning management systems, can be utilized to improve Millennials' educational performance. These tools can meet Millennials' need for affiliation, low ambiguity, immediate feedback and a personalized learning experience.

Social implications

The Millennial generation is very different from the Generation X or Baby Boomer professor who is trying to effectively teach them. With a better understanding of students' perceptions, business faculties can better utilize technology to improve their Millennial students' performance while providing them with an active, engaging educational experience.

Originality/value

The focus of this paper addresses how to better utilize the technological aptitude of Millennial business students to enhance the students' educational performance and improve business faculty effectiveness.
Toward a course conversion model for distance learning: a review of best practices
Authors: D'Agustino Steven
Published: November 2012

Purpose

The current literature examining the design of effective online learning opportunities recommends an array of best practices but no agreed upon and unifying model. The purpose of this paper is to survey the existing research of effective design models for online learning in an attempt to identify best practices and present a new model.

Design/methodology/approach

Through a comprehensive review of the literature, the paper identifies obstacles to developing an effective course design model for asynchronous distance education. Based upon this review, best practices are identified and a design model is recommended.

Findings

The research identifies the key components of successful course design methods and ultimately recommends a process that has eight steps which occur in three phases. The first phase, the identification phase, encourages the instructor and/or course design team to identify strategies, objectives, assessments and resources. In the second phase, design, instructors select, organize, adapt and reflect. The final phase is implementation, during which the course is taught.

Practical implications

The recommended design model has implications for practice by providing a clear structure for design activities which are aligned with the best practices identified in the research. Instructors and/or instructional designers creating online learning opportunities now have a coherent model supported by a review of the literature.

Originality/value

While a number of online course design models exist, no one model has emerged as pre‐eminent or most effective and efficient. The model recommended by this paper offers a unified model of courses design that synthesizes the most effective aspects of the extant models.
Psychological determinants of consumer credit: the role of attitudes
Authors: Pattarin Francesco , Cosma Stefano
Published: November 2012

Purpose

Consumer credit as a proportion of household debt has grown considerably during the last 20 years across many developed countries. A fairly extensive literature from the field of empirical psychology has provided evidence that personality factors and attitudes may influence individuals’ debt financing decisions. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the importance of attitude to credit and three main research questions are addressed. Is there any relationship between attitude and use of consumer credit? Are there any differences between the attitudes of credit users and non‐users that can be associated with motivations for using consumer credit? Does attitude towards credit affect preferences for the financing of consumption?

Design/methodology/approach

The authors provide answers based on the results of an original survey of the use of consumer credit conducted on a wide sample of Italian households, which allowed the authors to asses the respondents’ attitudes towards credit and to examine them with respect to credit decisions, controlling for several socio‐economic variables.

Findings

The findings indicate that the influence of attitude on consumer credit decisions cannot be ruled out. Attitude toward credit appears to play an important role and is significantly related to motivations for using credit and to the method of choice for financing consumption.

Originality/value

This study improves on most existing research on these topics in the particularly large size and scope of the sample, and also because several studies from the psychological field lack a thorough assessment of household economic conditions and expectations.
Linking Six Sigma's critical success/hindering factors and organizational change (development)
Authors: Pinedo‐Cuenca Ruben , Gonzalez Olalla Pablo , Setijono Djoko
Published: November 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to establish a link between Six Sigma and organizational change theory. Specifically, a framework that aligns Six Sigma critical success/hindering factors and the antecedents of successful organizational change process.

Design/methodology/approach

A theory‐derived framework containing Six Sigma's critical success and hindering factors at each stage of Lewinian change process is first proposed. Then, the framework is compared against the findings from a case study of Six Sigma improvement project in a UK, make‐to‐order, small to medium‐sized enterprise (SME).

Findings

There is a great deal of congruence (consistency) between Six Sigma's critical success factors and the antecedents of successful organizational change. Addressing people's “soft” skills (e.g. commitment, involvement, and communication) is necessary to “unfreeze” the equilibrium. The actual change and confrontation, which occur during “move” stage, requires a combination of both “software” and “hardware” of the organization (i.e. teamwork, methods/tools, organizational structure and culture). It is important for SMEs to provide resources during the “freeze” stage and justify the benefits of change, in order to sustain the change efforts.

Research limitations/implications

This research was based on a single case of Six Sigma improvement project. However, future research will be conducted as a longitudinal study, to capture richer insights from the change process.

Originality/value

This paper offers a practical overview of how Six Sigma can be utilized as a change driver in SMEs and the enablers and barriers of success to be considered, especially during the early stage of adoption.
The development of a value improvement model for repetitive processes (VIM)
Authors: Gibbons Paul Martin , Kennedy Colin , Burgess Stuart , Godfrey Patrick
Published: November 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a value improvement model (VIM) for repetitive processes applicable to any business where people and/or plant provide a service to support the overall business objective. Arguing competitive advantage can be realised through different amalgams of productive and strategic resources, the VIM introduced focuses on aligning resource bundles and influencing factors creating efficacious, efficient and effective processes by applying Lean thinking and Six Sigma tools and techniques more holistically.

Design/methodology/approach

The research methodology taken incorporated a case study approach complimented by the action research process of planning, observing and reflecting summarized as an action case study research design. The case study data examine the development of a management cycle of value improvement on an inter‐terminal shuttle transportation system within a busy international airport.

Findings

The VIM has been proven as a useful model for understanding the critical inputs and influencing factors for delivering sustainable improvements to repetitive processes in a service industry environment.

Research limitations/implications

The research was completedin situat a single business using a single case study example to develop and test the conceptual framework. The VIM would therefore benefit from being applied in both manufacturing and service industry environments to identify other potential environmental factors influencing the repetitive processes, increasing the usefulness to other potential users.

Originality/value

This research project has developed a visual and systematic framework that enables managers to understand, assess and improve repetitive processes within their businesses. The case study example presented in the paper show how this framework can be applied to the setting up of value improvement management cycles.
Sustainable plant oil production for aviation fuels
Authors: Lüdeke‐Freund Florian , Walmsley David , Plath Mirco , Wreesmann Jan , Klein Alexandra‐Maria
Published: November 2012

Purpose

This article seeks to address aviation as an emerging biofuel consumer and to discuss sustainability issues and consequences for feedstock production concepts. Biojet fuels have been identified as a promising, readily deployable alternative to fossil‐based aviation fuels. At the same time they are highly criticised as their production may have negative social and environmental impacts. Therefore, the paper aims to identify major sustainability issues and assessment challenges and relate these to the production of biojet fuel feedstock.

Design/methodology/approach

Two plant oil production concepts are presented that address the sustainability issues discussed. Both concepts are being investigated within the research project “Platform for Sustainable Aviation Fuels”. A literature‐based overview of sustainability issues and assessment challenges is provided. Additionally, conceptual insights into new plant oil production concepts are presented.

Findings

The use of biojet fuels is often hailed as a strategy for the aviation industry to become more sustainable. However, biofuels are not necessarily sustainable and their potential to reduce GHG emissions is highly debated. Several unresolved sustainability issues are identified highlighting the need for improved assessment methods. Moreover, the two concepts presented have the potential to provide sustainably grown feedstock, but further empirical research is needed.

Originality/value

This article addresses researchers and practitioners by providing an overview of sustainability issues and assessment challenges related to biojet fuels. Consequences are identified for two plant oil feedstock concepts: catch cropping in temperate regions and silvopastoral systems in tropical and subtropical regions.
Greenhouse gas emissions reporting and assurance: reflections on the current state
Authors: Martinov‐Bennie Nonna
Published: November 2012

Purpose

Global climate change has become a major societal issue providing the impetus for governments to legislate policy in order to manage and mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To assess whether the use of biomass can reduce GHG emissions requires accounting, reporting and assurance methods and procedures. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate key challenges of GHG reporting and assurance with the example of the Australian framework.

Design/methodology/approach

This viewpoint, discussing GHG emissions reporting and assurance, critically analyses some of the key issues arising in practice, including the current state of organizations' systems and controls, the changing nature of governance structures as well as measurement challenges being experienced by companies regarding GHG reporting.

Findings

The paper finds that more rigorous governance frameworks and management systems are likely to evolve around GHG reporting given the recent introduction of the carbon pricing mechanism and its nexus to companies' financial performance as well as increased risks associated with inaccurate reporting.

Practical implications

The paper contains an overview of the current regulatory environment and key issues surrounding GHG reporting and assurance.

Originality/value

The management of GHG‐related issues has significant implications for organisations. The paper provides both practitioner and academic perspectives on the current issues and challenges within the GHG reporting context.
Joint music therapy and occupational therapy sensory sessions with “Fran”: “Sensing the seasons”
Authors: Turner Sue , Tyas Rosanne
Published: November 2012

Purpose

This article aims to describe a joint collaboration between an occupational therapist and music therapist at the Royal Hospital for Neuro‐disability in Putney, London, UK. It outlines a series of sessions with a patient with hypoxic brain injury who was referred to the neuro‐behavioural unit for rehabilitation.

Design/methodology/approach

The joint work commenced due to a realisation that this particular patient responded well to sensory input and the music and occupational therapist wanted to offer the opportunity to explore this intervention further within a different framework of joint sessions. The article provides an overview of this input, which involved bi‐monthly hour long sessions exploring responses to and engagement with various stimuli within a frame of music, poems and storyline along the themes of the seasons. This ran in conjunction with other rehabilitation sessions on the unit.

Findings

The authors found that the patient responded to this format with the focus being on the creative framework and the interaction between the therapists and minimal pressure to achieve tasks. Of course there were still clear clinical goals and there was participation from the patient in order to improve functional abilities.

Originality/value

The overriding improvements in the patient from using this therapy approach were an increase in concentration span and attention and reduction in vocal distress and behavioural agitation. The authors surmise that there is a place for a package of sensorial input with suggestions for implementation which could be used for other patients in neuro‐rehabilitation in this setting or elsewhere.
Causes of cost overruns in transport infrastructure projects in Asia
Authors: Park Young‐Ill , Papadopoulou Theopisti C.
Published: November 2012

Purpose

One of the world's largest construction markets is in Asia where construction activity is boosted by investment on transport infrastructure. This paper aims to identify and analyse causes of cost overruns in transport infrastructure projects in Asia and assess their importance and statistical relationship with project size.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper pursues the following objectives. First, it identifies factors contributing to cost overruns. Second, using case data and regression analysis, it establishes the statistical relationship between project size and cost overruns. Third, it analyses questionnaire data to rank causes of cost overruns according to their frequency, severity and significance. Last, the paper identifies contract types mostly associated with cost escalation.

Findings

The findings confirm a moderate correlation between cost overruns and one indicator of project size. Awarding contracts to the lowest bidder is identified as the most significant cause of cost overruns. Lump‐sum contracts were found to have the greatest influence on the occurrence of cost overruns.

Research limitations/implications

Stratified sampling would allow the evaluation of how cost overruns are perceived by different professional groups. Further research can focus on measures for the prevention of cost overruns.

Originality/value

The causes of cost overruns have been at the focal point of research however, most studies consider cost overruns in specific Asian countries. Moreover, transport infrastructure projects have received little attention or been underrepresented in datasets comprising general construction projects. The paper seeks to fill this gap by carrying out in‐depth investigation of cost overruns in transport infrastructure in the broader context of Asia.