bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transferring knowledge for organisational customers by knowledge intensive business service marketing firms
Authors: Daghfous Abdelkader , Jeremy Ashill Nicholas , Roger Rod Michel
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the knowledge transfer processes of knowledge intensive business service firms by focusing on the knowledge for customer, which is the knowledge about the service provider's products and services, specifically “before‐sale” knowledge, and the transfer of this knowledge in order to develop customers.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted an in‐depth qualitative study of the knowledge transfer process undertaken by a sample of six global knowledge intensive service firms, to use knowledge transfer as a means of customer development.

Findings

The results of this study suggest that customer absorptive capacity influences the role that knowledge for customers has in ultimately determining whether customer development will occur. Where tacit knowledge transfer occurs, it is restricted to loyal, high share customers. With respect to methods of transfer, the findings reveal that knowledge‐intensive business service firms transferring explicit knowledge utilise both formal and informal methods.

Research limitations/implications

Data collection was cross‐sectional and longitudinal research would have the benefit of examining how customer knowledge transfer changes over time during the customer development process (pre‐sale, during sale and post‐sale customer development). Future research studying other types of knowledge transfer, such as during‐sale and after‐sale knowledge transfer, are also encouraged.

Practical implications

Managers should be open to employing numerous types of media in transferring both explicit and tacit knowledge rather than restricting themselves to the normative “explicit‐formal‐media lean” versus “tacit‐informal‐media rich” categorisations in the literature.

Originality/value

Understanding the role of customer knowledge transfer in the development of existing organisational customers is particularly important in the context of knowledge intensive business service firms. The extant literature recognises that customer development efforts are critically important in increasing service adoption and firm performance but there exists a dearth of research on customer knowledge transfer in the context of professional service organisations.
An ethnographic exploration of knowledge practices within the Queensland Music Festival
Authors: Stadler Raphaela , Reid Sacha , Fullagar Simone
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the utilisation and application of reflexive ethnography as an interpretative methodology for researching knowledge practices within festival organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

The ethnographic approach incorporates two methods of data collection in the research design; participant observation and in‐depth interviews.

Findings

The research identified that knowledge management practices and processes are often invisible to festival staff when they are embedded within a cohesive organisational culture. Ethnography enables the researcher to make explicit the tacit and normalised ways of working that contribute to the success (and failure) of festival organisations to manage knowledge. The immersion of the researcher in the ethnographic process provided a rich understanding of the relational dimension of knowledge management that would be difficult to elicit from in‐depth interviews alone.

Research limitations/implications

New fields of study require a range of research methodologies to inform theoretical and practice‐based knowledge related to event participation and management. This article contributes to the growing event management literature through a unique focus on ethnography as a research method that offers a deeper understanding of knowledge practices within festival organisations.

Originality/value

Limited research has applied an ethnographic approach to festival and event management. This article builds upon early adopters and provides critical insight into the benefits and constraints of ethnographic research.
Constraints to attend events across specialization levels
Authors: Santos‐Lewis Rhiannon , Moital Miguel
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the constraints to attend salsa events and festivals across salsa dancing specialization segments.

Design/methodology/approach

In‐depth interviews with salsa dancers from three salsa specialization levels were carried out.

Findings

Specialization level acted as a predictor of salsa event attendance and there appears to be an event career associated to progress in salsa dancing specialisation, which eventually branched out to a tourist career. Moreover, there was a relationship between the types of constraints and recreation specialisation level, with participants negotiating constraints frequently in order to ensure event attendance.

Research limitations/implications

The interviews were carried out on participants in a mid‐size town in southern England, where the range of competing leisure activities is limited. In addition, the study focused on one recreational activity and one type of event.

Practical implications

Several implications for the marketing of events and festivals can be drawn. First, marketers of salsa events should tie closely with providers of salsa classes and marketers of salsa classes need to provide opportunities for salsa dancers to attend events. Second, marketing strategies aiming at helping recreationists overcome constraints should be different according to the level of specialization. Third, given the nature of constraints faced by the less experienced recreationists, efforts to attract individuals earlier in the specialization path may be fruitless.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the first to explicitly examine the relationship between specialization and constraints to perform behaviors associated to a recreational activity.
Transforming the United Arab Emirates into a knowledge‐based economy
Authors: Ahmed Allam , Abdalla Alfaki Ibrahim M.
Published: May 2013

Purpose

This paper aims at exploring the role of science, technology and innovation (STI) in transforming the United Arab Emirates (UAE) into a knowledge economy (KE) by initially assessing the country's achievements implementing the KE pillars. It further evaluates the country's STI capacity and competence in exercising adoption and diffusion of knowledge.

Design/methodology/approach

A situational analysis and a comparative approach were exploited to describe the UAE's position in terms of transition to a KE, highlighting weaknesses, strengths and opportunities. Related discussions were supported by data made available from several international sources. The country's worldwide performance was particularly matched against that of the other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) together with two more Asian transformation economies and also a few examples from other Arab and Muslim countries.

Findings

Apparently, the UAE has made important progress in the implementation of the KE pillars and transitioning to the innovation‐driven stage, particularly at the macro‐economic environment and quality of infrastructure levels, notably the ICT sector. However, the county is facing several challenges that require concerted efforts and rigorous follow‐up. For instance, the UAE is lagging behind most transformation economies and some GCC countries when it comes to investment in education and R&D activities. This hurdle impeded the country's ability to absorb, adapt and create new technology and knowledge. As a result, the country's economy is experiencing a negative trade balance in foreign technology transfer. The comparative and situational analysis methodology adopted in the context concluded several lessons and policy remarks.

Originality/value

Using the most updated data, this exercise stems from the country's need to examine the current status, a necessary step for realization of new prospects and adoption and application of future policies and programs.
Numerical analysis of mixed convection over horizontal moving porous flat plate by the method of one parameter continuous group theory
Authors: Ferdows M. , Uddin Jashim , Mehdi Rashidi Mohammad , Rahimzadehc N.
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The paper aims to consider non‐viscous, laminar mixed convection boundary‐layer flow over a horizontal moving porous flat plate, with chemical reaction.

Design/methodology/approach

The governing equations are expressed in non‐dimensional form and the series solutions of coupled system of equations are constructed for velocity, temperature and concentration functions using numerical method.

Findings

The investigated parameters are: buoyancy parameter, chemical reaction parameter, order of chemical reaction, Prandtl number and Schmidt number.

Originality/value

The partial differential equations are transformed to ordinary differential equations. The method of one parameter continuous group theory is used for this transformation.
Solution of time‐fractional generalized Hirota‐Satsuma coupled KdV equation by generalised differential transformation method
Authors: Merdan Mehmet , Gökdoğan Ahmet , Yildirim Ahmet , Tauseef Mohyud‐Din Syed
Published: May 2013

Purpose

In this article, the aim is to obtain an approximate analytical solution of time‐fraction generalized Hirota‐Satsuma coupled KDV with the help of the two dimensional differential transformation method (DTM). Exact solutions can also be obtained from the known forms of the series solutions.

Design/methodology/approach

Two dimensional differential transformation method (DTM) is used.

Findings

In this paper, the fractional differential transformation method is implemented to the solution of time‐fraction generalized generalized Hirota‐Satsuma coupled KDV with a number of initial and boundary values has been proved. DTM can be applied to many complicated linear and strongly nonlinear partial differential equations and does not require linearization, discretization, restrictive assumptions or perturbation. The presented method is a numerical method based on the generalised Taylor series expansion which constructs an analytical solution in the form of a polynomial.

Originality/value

This is an original work in which the results indicate that the method is powerful and significant for solving time‐fraction generalized generalized Hirota‐Satsuma coupled KDV type differential equations.
FEM solution of natural convection flow in square enclosures under magnetic field
Authors: Türk Ö. , Tezer‐Sezgin M.
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to obtain finite element method (FEM) solution of steady, laminar, natural convection flow in inclined enclosures in the presence of an oblique magnetic field. The momentum equations include the magnetic effect, and the induced magnetic field due to the motion of the electrically conducting fluid is neglected. Quadratic triangular elements are used to ensure accurate approximation for second order derivatives of stream function appearing in the vorticity equation.

Design/methodology/approach

Governing equations in terms of stream function and vorticity are solved by FEM using quadratic triangular elements. Vorticity boundary conditions are obtained through Taylor series expansion of stream function equation by using more interior stream function values to improve the accuracy. Isothermally heated or cooled and/or adiabatic conditions for the temperature are imposed. Results are obtained for Rayleigh number values and Hartmann number values up to 1000000 and 100, respectively.

Findings

It is observed that streamlines form a thin boundary layer close to the heated walls as Ha increases. The same effect is seen in the vorticity contours, and isotherms are not affected much. As Ra increases streamlines are deformed moving from the heated walls through cooled walls. Vorticity starts to develop boundary layers close to heated and adjacent walls. Isotherms are pushed towards the sinusoidally heated wall whereas in the case of linearly heated left and bottom walls they expand towards cooled part of the cavity as Ra increases.

Originality/value

The application of FEM with quadratic elements for solving natural convection flow problem under the effect of a magnetic field is new in the sense that the results are obtained for large values of Rayleigh and Hartmann numbers.
Measuring the impacts of welfare service innovations
Authors: Sillanpää Virpi
Published: May 2013

Purpose

– Earlier research highlights the need for the welfare service sector to measure the impacts of their services. However, it seems that the welfare services lack measures to show their long-term effects and impacts. This paper aims to present a framework to measure the multidimensional impacts of welfare service innovations and report the empirical results from two case studies.

Design/methodology/approach

– In the first part of the paper, the impact measurement literature is reviewed and a framework for measuring the impacts of welfare services is presented. The empirical part of the paper reports the application of the framework in two cases for measuring the impacts of interventions in welfare services in Finland. The aim of the case studies was to assess and illustrate the usefulness of the framework designed.

Findings

– The framework proposed in the research may serve as a practical tool for decision-makers for assessing the impacts of different services and service innovations in the welfare service sector. This type of assessment is needed, for example, when new service innovations are designed and budgeted for.

Originality/value

– This research introduces a framework for measuring the impacts of welfare services at different levels. In addition, the paper provides information about the measurement process and challenges related to the implementation of impact measurement.
Performance measurement practices in software ecosystem
Authors: Ben Hadj Salem Mhamdia Amel
Published: May 2013

Purpose

– This paper aims to present the results of a survey study on performance and healthiness measurement practices in a Tunisian software ecosystem. The study evaluates the five dimensions of software ecosystem healthiness: robustness, productivity, interoperability, stakeholder's (customer and employee) satisfaction and creativity in the Tunisian context.

Design/methodology/approach

– In this research a questionnaire was developed and distributed to the 150 Tunisian software ecosystem partners.

Findings

– The results of this study show that managers should analyze the robustness, productivity, interoperability, stakeholder's (customer and employee) satisfaction and creativity measures simultaneously in order to enhance the quality of the decision-making process.

Research limitations/implications

– In this study, one software ecosystem and 60 partners were examined. Future research should increase the number of respondents and the software ecosystem in order to generalize these results.

Originality/value

– This paper is unique in reflecting the general practices and perceptions of software ecosystem organizations on performance and healthiness measures in Tunisia.
Online health communities
Authors: Johnston Allen C. , Worrell James L. , Di Gangi Paul M. , Wasko Molly
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how participation in an online health community provides for direct benefits in the form of information utility and social support and an indirect influence on perceptions of patient empowerment.

Design/methodology/approach

A multi‐method approach was conducted involving interviews with moderators of 18 online health communities and a field survey of 153 online health community participants.

Findings

Online health community participation leads to direct benefits in the form of information utility and social support and that information utility also helps to shape perceptions of patient empowerment among community participants.

Research limitations/implications

This research calls into question the role of online health communities as a support mechanism to empower patients to take ownership over their healthcare treatment. Online health communities support the development of patient empowerment by creating and disseminating information that can be used to gain an understanding of a patient's health condition.

Practical implications

Purveyors of online health communities must be able to ensure a high level of engagement among community participants that allows for each member to elicit outcomes such as information utility, while simultaneously guarding against undesirable circumstances that may prohibit a positive experience.

Social implications

Medical professionals can utilize the results of this study to develop strategies for incorporating online health communities into patient care. Specifically, medical professionals can use these results to identify relevant communities and engage in information sharing to ensure relevant and accurate information is disseminated to patients as they seek out information concerning their health conditions.

Originality/value

As an ever growing segment of the population looks to online health communities for health information seeking and emotional support, we still know very little as to the type of support that is provided by these forums and how benefits obtained from participation help to shape patient empowerment outcomes. This study determined that information utility and social support are two benefits obtained by online health community participants and that information utility also helps to shape perceptions of patient empowerment among community participants.
Competing values in software process improvement: a study of cultural profiles
Authors: Dueholm Müller Sune , Axel Nielsen Peter
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The purpose of the article is to investigate the impact of organizational culture on software process improvement (SPI). Is cultural congruence between an organization and an adopted process model required? How can the level of congruence between an organizational culture and the values and assumptions underlying an adopted process model be assessed?

Design/methodology/approach

The competing values framework and its associated assessment instrument are used in a case study to establish an organizational culture profile of a software development business unit within the case company. The instrument is supplemented with a technique to produce culture profiles of texts such as process models like the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) and the case company's quality management system. The different profiles are subsequently analyzed and compared.

Findings

The culture profile of the CMMI confirms previous research and depicts a result‐oriented, formalized, and structured organization. A comparison with the company's quality management system shows congruent culture profiles suggesting that the case company has succeeded in capturing underlying assumptions of the CMMI when updating the quality management system. The analysis also reveals the organizational culture profile of the business unit to be incongruent with the quality management system's profile. This disconfirms previous research claiming that congruence is a prerequisite. Further analysis reveals that actions were taken by managers in the case company to address the cultural challenges and successfully implement new processes. It is, therefore, concluded that cultural incongruence is not an insurmountable barrier to SPI. By comparing cultural profiles, some SPI implementation challenges become evident and that in turn allows for effective SPI management action.

Research limitations/implications

The research is based on a single case study and that is sufficient to disconfirm existing research. Additional research is, however, needed to validate both the proposed text analysis technique as well as the proposed process for assessing and managing cultural challenges confronting SPI projects.

Practical implications

SPI managers are provided with a more complex view of organizational culture in which congruence is not a necessity. SPI managers can choose to compare culture profiles and decide how to address incongruences. To that end the text analysis technique is offered as a web service that allows for analysis of all text‐based process models and standards, and of internal process documentation.

Originality/value

The proposed culture management process, including the text analysis technique, is a cost‐efficient approach to analyzing and providing the basis for managing cultural challenges during SPI in a specific company. The process provides understanding and guidance in dealing with the specific challenges faced by software companies during SPI.
Measuring follower confidence in top leadership direction
Authors: Kottke Janet L. , Pelletier Kathie L. , Agars Mark D.
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to define the construct of confidence in top leadership and to develop a brief measure of that construct.

Design/methodology/approach

Two studies were conducted in which 674 working adults completed measures of work‐related attitudes. In both studies, the scale demonstrated convergent and discriminant validity with like and unrelated constructs.

Findings

The results provide evidence for the construct validity of the new measure.

Research limitations/implications

Respondents were relatively young and drawn predominantly from a working student population in a single region of the USA. Additional research should be conducted with additional working populations, especially in the context of addressing organizational change.

Practical implications

The short five‐item scale would be useful as a diagnostic tool for assessing the confidence of organizational members in their top leadership.

Originality/value

This study supports a concept, confidence in top leadership, that as a followership variable, can be used to identify if top leadership has the support of its followers.
Assessing leadership derailment factors in 360° feedback
Authors: Yii Tang King , Dai Guangrong , De Meuse Kenneth P.
Published: May 2013

Purpose

This paper aimed to examine the relationship between 360° assessment of leadership derailment factors and leadership effectiveness, differences across position levels, and impact of self‐other agreement.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were from an archive of 360° feedback (N=523). Boss ratings of leadership effectiveness were regressed on leadership derailment factors as rated by other rater sources (e.g. peers and direct reports). Polynomial regressions were conducted to examine the impact of self‐other agreement.

Findings

As hypothesized, derailment factors had statistically significant negative correlations with leadership effectiveness. Higher‐level managers were rated higher on derailment factors than lower‐level managers. In‐agreement high ratings of derailment factors (i.e. rated high by both self and others) were associated with lower effectiveness than in‐agreement low ratings (i.e. rated low by both self and others). Self under‐ratings of derailment factors (i.e. self ratings lower than others’ ratings) were related to lower effectiveness than self over‐ratings (i.e. self ratings higher than others’ ratings). It also was found that self ratings were less accurate than ratings from other rater sources.

Research limitations/implications

Leadership derailment induces significant direct as well as indirect costs to organizations. The 360° feedback process can be used to help managers enhance their self‐awareness of derailment potential. Findings of this study can be used to help interpret 360° assessment results.

Originality/value

Past research on 360° feedback has focused primarily on positive leadership characteristics. This study represents one of the few in the literature that empirically has examined the assessment of negative leadership characteristics in 360° feedback.
Seaport‐associated pollutions in Ogu waterway near Port Harcourt
Authors: Henry Ogbuagu Dike , Chidiogo Okoli Grace , Asuenime Agbonikhena Nasiru
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the physicochemical attributes of the Ogu Creek serving the Onne Ports in Port Harcourt, which is impacted by ports transport activities, for establishment of its pollution status.

Design/methodology/approach

In situ measurements were made at six sampling points for water temperature, pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO), turbidity, and conductivity with HORIBA U‐10 Water Quality Checker and for total dissolved solids (TDS) with HACH conductivity/TDS meter. Other parameters were determined using standard methods. The principal components analysis (PCA), test of homogeneity in mean variance and Pearson correlation were used to analyze data.

Findings

The lower range of pH (5.28), the upper ranges of Al (1.20 mg/L) and Fe (3.25 mg/L), as well as the concentrations of Cd (0.022±0.011 mg/L) and Cu (0.08±0.01 mg/L) were outside the Federal Ministry of Environment's permissible limits for aquatic life. Four PCs, which were most correlated with essential pollution indicator physicochemical parameters and ions formed the extraction solution that contributed a cumulative 95.258 per cent variability in the original 22 parameters. Of the associated shipping activities, garbage generation on board accounted for the highest waste volume (97.13 per cent) and bilging impacted hardness (r=0.992) at p<0.01, bunkering impacted Pb ion concentrations (r=0.948), accidental dumping of effluents impacted water temperature (r=0.881), and fish trawling and deliberate dumping of effluents each impacted DO (r=0.896 and 0.957, respectively) of water column at p<0.05.

Practical implications

Bilging, bunkering, dumping of effluents and fish trawling activities constituted pollution in the waterway.

Originality/value

All data relating the physicochemical parameters of the waterway were generated from laboratory analyses by the authors.
How do small business owners manage working capital in an emerging economy?
Authors: Orobia Laura A. , Byabashaija Warren , Munene John C. , Sejjaaka Samuel K. , Musinguzi Dan
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine the actions owner‐managers of small businesses undertake in managing working capital.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopted an exploratory research design. The point of saturation was achieved after ten owner‐managers were interviewed. Data were analyzed using content analysis technique with the aid of NVivo software. Verbatim texts were used to explain the emergent themes.

Findings

The findings indicate that in the absence of systems, structures and procedures, small business owner‐managers intuitively plan, monitor and control their working capital. The activities undertaken include; reliance on memory and oral agreements, informal planning, assuming inventory limits, unconventional record keeping, cash flow based information management and giving credit to close associates.

Research limitations/implications

A more detailed investigation of the steps in the action sequence ma y advance our understanding of the process. Future studies need to test the effect of personal characteristics on working capital management process.

Practical implications

Owner‐managers of small businesses do not require the same degree of sophistication employed in planning, monitoring and controlling working capital. They require soft skills. Therefore, academicians, practitioners and policy makers need to emphasize knowledge management and cash accounting.

Originality/value

This study examines the process perspective of working capital management, an aspect that has not been adequately highlighted in previous studies.
Path‐dependencies, constrained transformations and dynamic agency
Authors: Rautiainen Antti , Scapens Robert W.
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the compatibility of actor network theory (ANT) and new institutional sociology (NIS) in analysing a case study of accounting change.

Design/methodology/approach

This is an interpretive case study.

Findings

The Finnish case city experienced several path‐dependent changes concerning performance measurement (PM), financial reporting and the adoption of enterprise resource planning system (ERP). New tools such as the ERP have a potential to transform the actors and to change the agency of the actors. Furthermore, the concepts drawing on both ANT and NIS can together enrich analyses of accounting changes.

Research limitations/implications

The case analysis suggests guidelines for using ANT and/or NIS in accounting studies.

Practical implications

Understanding accounting developments as an intentional and path‐dependent process affected and constrained bycomplexnetworks, pressures and actors should contribute to better management of accounting changes.

Originality/value

Being informed by both ANT and NIS improves our understanding of accounting change and stability, serendipity, practice variations, changes beyond the minimum required to satisfy external requirements, and of the continued use of some accounting tools despite their limited functionality. Furthermore, we introduce the concepts dynamic agency and constrained transformation for studies of accounting change.
Paying for Pipes, Claiming Citizenship: Political Agency and Water Reforms at the Urban Periphery
Authors: Ranganathan Malini
Published: May 2013

This article interrogates the nature of political agency deployed at sites of market‐oriented water reforms. It presents a case study from Bangalore, India of a water project mandating significant ‘beneficiary’ cash contributions from lower‐middle‐class dwellers for the capital cost of extending piped water to the city's peripheries. Drawing on quantitative and ethnographic data, it illustrates why property owners who lack formal water access and land tenure — groups referred to in this article as the ‘peripheralized middle class’ — consent to paying for pipes rather than resist all together despite the high cost involved. It argues that far from reflecting an internalization of a ‘willingness to pay’ or ‘stakeholder’ ethos celebrated by development practitioners today, payment for water provides an insurgent means to bargain for greater symbolic recognition, respectability and material benefits from the state. In particular, payment for pipes enables peripheral dwellers to strengthen their claims to secure land tenure in an era of exclusionary and punitive spatial policies. Payment thus comprises a terrain of contested meaning making and political struggle, at the heart of which lie the stakes of urban citizenship. In documenting the process by which property related interests and tenure claims are advanced under a scenario of reforms, this article contributes to Gramscian political‐ecological conversations on subaltern political agency and the lived character of hegemony in urban environments.
Lay people in court: the experience of defendants, eyewitnesses and victims
Authors: Fielding Nigel G.
Published: May 2013

The article considers the effect of criminal trial procedures on the experience at court of victims, witnesses and defendants. Trials for offences involving physical violence were observed, and interviews conducted with those involved. The article highlights communication problems lay people encountered relating to courtroom conventions, discusses alternative procedures granting more room for narrative testimony, and draws parallels between such an approach and principles of research methods directed to securing valid, reliable data.
How fair is access to more prestigious UK universities?
Authors: Boliver Vikki
Published: May 2013

Now that most UK universities have increased their tuition fees to £9,000 a year and are implementing new Access Agreements as required by the Office for Fair Access, it has never been more important to examine the extent of fair access to UK higher education and to more prestigious UK universities in particular. This paper uses Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) data for the period 1996 to 2006 to explore the extent of fair access to prestigious Russell Group universities, where ‘fair’ is taken to mean equal rates of making applications to and receiving offers of admission from these universities on the part of those who are equally qualified to enter them. The empirical findings show that access to Russell Group universities is far from fair in this sense and that little changed following the introduction of tuition fees in 1998 and their initial increase to £3,000 a year in 2006. Throughout this period, UCAS applicants from lower class backgrounds and from state schools remained much less likely to apply to Russell Group universities than their comparably qualified counterparts from higher class backgrounds and private schools, while Russell Group applicants from state schools and from Black and Asian ethnic backgrounds remained much less likely to receive offers of admission from Russell Group universities in comparison with their equivalently qualified peers from private schools and the White ethnic group.
The role of independent regulators in policy making: Venue‐shopping and framing strategies in the EU regulation of old wives cures
Authors: Littoz‐Monnet Annabelle
Published: May 2013

This article addresses debates on the formulation of public policy, building upon a body of literature which has focused on the interconnectedness between the venues of policy action and the way issues are defined. It does so by focusing on the strategic role of policy actors in a policy subfield and their attempts at manipulating either frames or venues in order to shape policy. The novelty here consists in pointing to the involvement of regulators in such strategic action. An emerging body of research has indeed shown that the activity of formally independent regulators is not necessarily limited to the implementation of delegated regulatory competencies and that they are increasingly engaged in policy‐making activities. Thus, by resorting to the agenda‐setting and framing literature, the article sheds light on novel pathways through which regulators intervene in policy‐making activities, making a claim that they have very good ‘tools’ at their disposal in order to shape policy. These dynamics are examined in the case of the last piece of the EU's pharmaceutical framework – the 2004 Directive on Traditional Herbal Medicines – which provoked intense debate among manufacturers of herbals, retailers, consumers, and both EU‐level and domestic‐level regulatory authorities.
Using movement ecology to inform translocation efforts: a case study with an endangered lekking bird species
Authors: Kemink K. M. , Kesler D. C.
Published: May 2013

Translocation projects are often hindered by frequent or long‐distance movements made by released animals. Studies identifying how and why animals move after release can inform future translocations and supplement the growing body of literature on translocation biology. We used radiotelemetry to compare movement behavior in 58 resident and 54 translocated endangered greater prairie‐chickens (Tympanuchus cupido) that were collected approximately 500 km from the release area. Translocated birds tended to traverse larger areas than resident birds and their movements were elevated immediately following release. We found no evidence of directional orientation in the movements of translocated birds, and thus concluded that prairie‐chickens were not homing toward their original capture locations. Rather, post‐translocation movements of greater prairie‐chickens were more likely associated with exploration. Our results also suggested that 54% of translocated females and 19% of translocated males may permanently emigrate from a release site. We recommend that greater prairie‐chicken conservationists consider summer releases and larger release cohorts to account for the individuals that emigrate from the establishment site. Based on our findings, we further suggest that a greater number of future translocation projects consider the utility of evaluating post‐release movements as a means of informing translocation decisions.
Impact of tobacco control policies on adolescent smoking: findings from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey in Taiwan
Authors: Huang Song‐Lih , Lin I‐Feng , Chen Chuan‐Yu , Tsai Tzu‐I
Published: May 2013

Aims

To assess the impact of a set of comprehensive tobacco control policies implemented in Taiwan in 2009, including extensive smoke‐free policy, advertisement ban, pictorial warning and price increase, on adolescent smoking prevalence.

Design

Five waves of cross‐sectional surveys.

Setting

Taiwan, 2004–11.

Participants

Nationally representative sample of junior high schools aged 13–15 years, in a biennial survey, total sample size 101 100.

Measures

Core questionnaire of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, including ever smoking, 30‐day smoking and number of cigarettes smoked. The magnitude of prevalence change before and after the 2009 policy implementation was quantified by adjusted odds ratios estimated by piecewise logistic regression models.

Findings

The 30‐day smoking prevalence demonstrated an upward trend [odds ratio (OR) = 1.06, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.02–1.10] between 2004 and 2008. Significant decline in 30‐day smoking prevalence after the 2009 law implementation was observed (OR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.71–0.99). Those living in non‐city areas demonstrated a greater magnitude of change. In addition to changes in prevalence, we observed some delay in the age starting smoking, reduction in smokers who smoke fewer than one cigarette per day, and decrease in smokers who did not buy cigarettes. The decline in smoking prevalence was contributed primarily by the reduction in experimenters.

Conclusion

The comprehensive tobacco control programme introduced in Taiwan in 2009 was associated with a reduction in adolescent smoking, particularly among those in earlier stages of smoking and those who resided in non‐city areas.
Current status of robot‐assisted laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy and distal pancreatectomy: A comprehensive review
Authors: Lai Eric CH , Tang Chung Ngai
Published: May 2013

Background

This article reviews the current status of robot‐assisted laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy and distal pancreatectomy.

Method

Searches of MEDLINE and PubMed databases were conducted using the keywords “laparoscopic pancreatectomy,” “robotic surgery,” “pancreaticoduodenectomy” and “distal pancreatectomy” to find articles published between January 1990 and September 2012. Additional papers were identified by a manual search of the references in key articles.

Results

Only cases reports, cohort series and nonrandomized comparative studies were available to validate the outcomes of robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy and distal pancreatectomy. There was no randomized controlled trial comparing the robotic approach to the laparoscopic or open approach. To the best of our knowledge, only four studies have compared the robotic approach and the open approach for pancreaticoduodenectomy, and four studies have been published comparing the robotic approach and the laparoscopic approach for distal pancreatectomy. The data were difficult to interpret because of the heterogeneity of the pathologies and techniques used. Robotic‐assisted laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy and distal pancreatectomy for appropriately selected patients can be performed safely, with postoperative complication rates and mortality rate comparable to results observed with laparoscopic or open techniques. Robotic surgical systems also seem to improve the spleen‐preservation rate in distal pancreatectomy. The oncologic outcomes have not yet been adequately evaluated.

Conclusions

Robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy and distal pancreatectomy are safe and feasible in appropriately selected patients. However, because of uncertainties regarding long‐term oncologic outcome, caution should be exercised in assessing the appropriateness of this operation for individual patients. Further randomized and controlled studies are required to support the routine use of the robotic technology for pancreatectomy.
Conditional survival after nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma (RCC): changes in future survival probability over time
Authors: Bianchi Marco , Becker Andreas , Hansen Jens , Trinh Quoc‐Dien , Tian Zhe , Abdollah Firas , Briganti Alberto , Shariat Shahrokh F. , Perrotte Paul , Montorsi Francesco , Karakiewicz Pierre I. , Sun Maxine
Published: May 2013

Objective

To examine the impact of length of survival on future survival probability, otherwise known as the effect of conditional survival (CS), after nephrectomy (NT) in patients diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Patients and Methods

Overall, 42 090 patients with RCC who underwent NT were abstracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (1988–2008).

Based on cumulative survival estimates, CS rates were derived according to patient and disease characteristics.

Separate multivariable Cox regression analyses were performed for the prediction of cancer‐specific mortality (CSM), according to 1‐, 2‐, 3‐, 4‐ and 5‐year survival postoperatively.

Results

Immediately after surgery, the 5‐year cancer‐specific survival rate was 83.5%. Amongst patients who survived ≥1, ≥2, ≥3, ≥4, and ≥5 years after NT, the probability rates for surviving an additional 5 years were 87.0, 89.6, 90.9, 92.0 and 92.3%, respectively. Provided that patients survived 1 and 2 years after NT, the probability of being CSM‐free for another 5 years increased by +4.1 and 4.3% for stage III and +12.9 and 10.3% for stage IV disease, respectively.

Similar observations were recorded for patient age, grade, nodal stage and tumour size, and were confirmed upon multivariable analyses.

Conclusion

Survival probabilities vary according to length of survival after NT. Specifically, even amongst patients with more advanced disease at surgery, a more favourable prognosis can be achieved after surviving for 1–2 years.
Transperineal template‐guided saturation biopsy using a modified technique: outcome of 270 cases requiring repeat prostate biopsy
Authors: Ekwueme Kingsley , Simpson Helen , Zakhour Hani , Parr Nigel J.
Published: May 2013

Objectives

To determine the incidence of prostate cancer (PCa), and pathological grade and location of PCa, using a modified transperineal template‐guided saturation biopsy (TTSB).

To compare the acute urinary retention (AUR) rate found using modified TTSB with that of published reports.

Patients and Methods

A total of 270 consecutive patients with persistent clinical suspicion of PCa, despite a median (range) of 2 (1–6) sets of negative transrectal ultrasonography‐guided biopsies, were enrolled and prospectively studied.

All underwent modified TTSB avoiding the peri‐urethral area at the base of the prostate under general anaesthesia.

Statistical analysis was performed using binary logistic regression to determine the prebiopsy predictors of PCa and AUR.

Results

The median (range) patient age was 64 (43–85) years, with a median (range) prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) of 10 (1–114) ng/mL and median (range) prostate volume of 45 (17–106) mL. A mean (range) of 28 (16–43) cores were taken at modified TTSB.

Prostate cancer was diagnosed in 54.8% (Gleason scores 6 in 27.7%, 7 in 43.2%, 8–10 in 29.1% of patients).

The anterior third only was involved in 21%, the middle third in 6.8% and the posterior third in 8.7% of positive cases, although in 75% of positive cases there was some anterior involvement. Comparing uniquely anterior tumours with the 15.5% found uniquely in either the middle or posterior thirds, there was no significant difference between number of positive cores (2 vs 1, P = 0.091), maximum percentage core involvement (30 vs 17.5%, P = 0.315) and maximum tumour length (3.5 vs 2 mm, P = 0.092).

Fourteen patients (5.2%) developed AUR.

On multivariate analysis, PSA density (PSAD) and pre‐TTSB PSA predicted PCa diagnosis, whilst prostate volume, prebiopsy PSA and PSAD predicted AUR.

Conclusions

Modified TTSB has a high cancer yield, especially in the anterior region, in patients with previously negative histology but onward suspicion of PCa.

The modified TTSB technique provides a low risk of AUR without compromising cancer yield.
Compensatory and non‐compensatory multidimensional randomized item response models
Authors: Fox Jean‐Paul , Entink Rinke Klein , Avetisyan Marianna
Published: May 2013

Randomized response (RR) models are often used for analysing univariate randomized response data and measuring population prevalence of sensitive behaviours. There is much empirical support for the belief that RR methods improve the cooperation of the respondents. Recently, RR models have been extended to measure individual unidimensional behaviour. An extension of this modelling framework is proposed to measure compensatory or non‐compensatory multiple sensitive factors underlying the randomized item response process. A confirmatory multidimensional randomized item response theory model (MRIRT) is proposed for the analysis of multivariate RR data by modelling the response process and specifying structural relationships between sensitive behaviours and background information. A Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm is developed to estimate simultaneously the parameters of the MRIRT model. The model extension enables the computation of individual true item response probabilities, estimates of individuals’ sensitive behaviour on different domains, and their relationships with background variables. An MRIRT analysis is presented of data from a college alcohol problem scale, measuring alcohol‐related socio‐emotional and community problems, and alcohol expectancy questionnaire, measuring alcohol‐related sexual enhancement expectancies. Students were interviewed via direct or RR questioning. Scores of alcohol‐related problems and expectancies are significantly higher for the group of students questioned using the RR technique. Alcohol‐related problems and sexual enhancement expectancies are positively moderately correlated and vary differently across gender and universities.
Spinal actions of ω‐conotoxins, CVID, MVIIA and related peptides in a rat neuropathic pain model
Authors: Jayamanne A , Jeong H J , Schroeder C I , Lewis R J , Christie M J , Vaughan C W
Published: May 2013

Background and Purpose

Antagonists of the N‐type voltage gated calcium channel (VGCC), Cav2.2, have a potentially important role in the treatment of chronic neuropathic pain. ω‐conotoxins, such MVIIA and CVID are effective in neuropathic pain models. CVID is reported to have a greater therapeutic index than MVIIA in neuropathic pain models, and it has been suggested that this is due to faster reversibility of binding, but it is not known whether this can be improved further.

Experimental Approach

We examined the potency of CVID, MVIIA and two intermediate hybrids ([K10R]CVID and [R10K]MVIIA) to reverse signs of neuropathic pain in a rat nerve ligation model in parallel with production of side effects. We also examined the potency and reversibility to inhibit primary afferent synaptic neurotransmission in rat spinal cord slices.

Key Results

All ω‐conotoxins produced dose‐dependent reduction in mechanical allodynia. They also produced side effects on the rotarod test and in a visual side‐effect score. CVID displayed a marginally better therapeutic index than MVIIA. The hybrids had a lesser effect in the rotarod test than either of their parent peptides. Finally, the conotoxins all presynaptically inhibited excitatory synaptic neurotransmission into the dorsal horn and displayed recovery that was largely dependent upon the magnitude of inhibition and not the conotoxin type.

Conclusions and Implications

These findings indicate that CVID provides only a marginal improvement over MVIIA in a preclinical model of neuropathic pain, which appears to be unrelated to reversibility from binding. Hybrids of these conotoxins might provide viable alternative treatments.