bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tipping points on the horizon
Authors: Murray Arthur J.
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the previously published conceptual framework of the enterprise of the future (EOF) in light of new trends and predicted changes in global socio‐economic conditions.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper examines socio‐economic data which indicate the emergence of major trends; analyzes the emerging trends and looks for convergences that will likely result in “tipping points”, i.e. paradigmatic shifts which render current business models obsolete, and demand the development of new, more agile models.

Findings

The very near future (10‐20 years) will likely see a convergence of several emerging trends which will demand dramatically new knowledge‐intensive enterprise models. Some of the trends cited in the paper include; diminishing fossil fuel supplies in the face of increasing demand; aging public infrastructure; stresses on the health care system and emerging workforce created by an aging population; economic disequilibrium caused by unsustainable levels of government deficit spending and monetary expansion. Three specific applications of the EOF were selected for their relevance in addressing the challenges presented; developing the capacity for sustained innovation and problem‐solving; transitioning toward a knowledge‐based paradigm for medical research; promoting social knowledge entrepreneurship.

Originality/value

Applying the EOF conceptual framework will aid in an organization's ability to recognize, respond to, and even anticipate, major trends and tipping points in a complex, rapidly changing market. Expected overall benefits include; dissolution of old organizational barriers, and the improved flow of knowledge; more rapid response to changing conditions; greater clarity of vision, and improved execution of strategy; increased overall organizational performance.
Determinants of behavioral intentions in the mobile internet services market
Authors: Vlachos Pavlos A. , Vrechopoulos Adam P.
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the theoretical and empirical meaningfulness of a composite model of behavioral intentions in a pure mobile internet services context.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper starts by investigating the influence of seven service quality determinants on overall service quality perceptions, employing a qualitative research design. Next, these determinants are embedded in a holistic nomological framework depicting the complex interrelationships between prominent service evaluation constructs and behavioral intentions. The model is tested employing partial‐least squares structural equation modeling in the context of a field experiment involving the delivery of music content over real‐world mobile networks and devices.

Findings

The study finds that content quality, contextual quality, device quality, connection quality and privacy concerns have a strong positive influence on service quality perceptions. Overall, service quality, value and satisfaction have a simultaneous direct effect on behavioral intentions.

Research limitations/implications

Consumer decision making is complex, and, for gaining favorable consumer behavior, it does not suffice to manage and measure service quality, satisfaction and value in an isolated manner but rather in a collective way.

Practical implications

So as to adopt mobile e‐commerce services consumers require to be rewarded with high levels of outcome quality (e.g., wide selection of music songs, sonic and video quality), anytime and most importantly at any place.

Originality/value

Study results imply that when it comes to specifying service evaluation frameworks employing service quality, satisfaction and value‐operationalized at a cumulative level traditional exchange contexts are not different from electronic commerce exchanges.
Affect and the role of corporate customer expertise within legal services
Authors: Garry Tony
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to explore the role of affect evoked among customers of differing expertise within a business‐to‐business credence service context and examine how this affects overall satisfaction judgements.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on the affect and satisfaction literature, the paper examines affective reactions to service delivery within multi‐national and regional corporate legal services markets. A two‐stage methodology is adopted incorporating explorative interviews and a survey comprising 252 users of corporate legal services.

Findings

Findings suggest the customer's ability to form expectation and performance assessments about the core service may have a moderating influence on affective reactions within a business‐to‐business credence service context. Customers of differing expertise will vary in the way they set service expectations and evaluate service delivery in relation to the technical, functional and affective components.

Practical implications

Organisations should devote effort to devising appropriate service delivery processes that are pertinent to the individual customer. This in turn has implications for the recruitment, training and empowerment of employees in credence services that have traditionally focused on technical qualifications and experiential knowledge as the key drivers of human resource management strategies such as recruitment and reward systems.

Originality/value

This paper contributes towards an understanding of the role of customer expertise on affect evoked within business‐to‐business credence services.
Vulnerability, “innocent” disasters and the imperative of cultural understanding
Authors: Cannon Terry
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to make an argument that there are different types of social construction of disasters.

Design/methodology/approach

The focus is on disasters triggered by natural hazards.

Findings

It is now widely accepted that disasters are a product of a natural hazard having an impact on a vulnerable population. But the value of the concept of vulnerability is in danger of becoming less meaningful because it is removed from the political and economic processes that generate some vulnerabilities. On the other hand, there are some types of disasters that are relatively “innocent”, in the sense that people live in places that are exposed to risk for purposes of access to their livelihood, and not because social forces or power relations have forced them to live there, or made some groups more vulnerable than others.

Practical implications

If it is the case that some vulnerability is “innocent”, then forms of explanation are needed of people's willingness to expose themselves to risk that go beyond the “strong” forms of social construction (where power relations are a key factor in generating the social construction of disasters). Instead, it is essential to examine “cultural” and psychological explanations of people's behaviour, including an understanding of group behaviour, religious beliefs and other aspects that often distinguish the perspective on risk taken by “insiders” compared with the supposedly rational and policy‐oriented approach of “outsiders” who see it as their role to help reduce disaster risks.

Originality/value

The discussion of different types of social construction of disasters is original. Debate on the need to include analysis of cultural and psychological aspects in disaster risk reduction is not very well developed and, according to this paper, is of absolutely crucial importance in reducing the impact of natural hazards.
Survival strategies to overcome inaagosto and nordeste in two coastal communities in Batangas and Mindoro, the Philippines
Authors: Natalia M. Dalisay Soledad
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to describe how the people in two coastal communities in Batangas and Mindoro respond to the effects of these seasonal changes on their lives and livelihood.

Design/methodology/approach

The study makes use of findings from a previous study conducted by the author in Batangas and from primary data gathered in Mindoro through interviews with key informants.

Findings

The study shows that people in the two communities visited viewed the monsoon rains and typhoons brought about by seasonal changes as being part of the daily life challenges they had to face. The rainy season was also the lean food season which they called inaagosto in Batangas and nordeste in Mindoro. Hence, their responses were mostly at the individual or household level, rarely taking advantage of community programs and projects that could help them survive the lean food season. Although divided by a body of water, the people in Batangas and Mindoro employed very similar strategies. These strategies included negotiating for entitlements, engaging in extra‐income‐earning activities, and reallocating scarce food resources in the home. They differed, however, in ways in which they had “reinvented” food during the lean season. In both communities, coping was seen to be gendered.

Practical implications

The paper provides an understanding of how people respond to hazards that accompany the lean season and how best to approach these responses to achieve optimum results that would truly address the challenges faced by affected communities.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the development of more appropriate programmes and projects that would alleviate the effects of inaagosto and nordeste.
From emergency relief to livelihood recovery
Authors: Régnier Philippe , Neri Bruno , Scuteri Stefania , Miniati Stefano
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the issue of post‐disaster livelihood recovery through economic rehabilitation, with the illustration of post‐tsunami promotion of microentrepreneurship activities generating employment and income among the affected populations.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper examines two field case studies in Aceh (Indonesia) and Tamil Nadu (India), where a well‐established European NGO carried out economic relief and microentrepreneurship rehabilitation in 2005‐2007.

Findings

Despite unlimited trust in rapid reconstruction capacity, post‐tsunami livelihood recovery has been chaotic and uncoordinated. Contrary to humanitarian agencies in charge of emergency relief, only a few development agencies and NGOs were able to deliver a rapid rehabilitation of microeconomic activities existing locally before the disaster.

Research limitations/implications

There are values but also obvious limits to comparing the micro‐level experiences of a major European NGO in two different locations such as Aceh and Tamil Nadu, and to deducing macro‐ and meso‐level lessons to be learned.

Practical implications

There are difficulties in benchmarking the divison of labour but necessary coordination among development agencies and their humanitarian counterparts in the field of post‐disaster sustainable economic rehabilitation.

Originality/value

Post‐disaster economic security and livelihood recovery are at the forefront of current international policy research in humanitarian and development cooperation circles. Documented case studies and lessons to be learned are still scarce for feeding possible best practices.
Tsunami‐resilient communities' development in Indonesia through educative actions
Authors: Morin Julie , De Coster Benjamin , Paris Raphaël , Flohic François , Le Floch Damien , Lavigne Franck
Published: June 2008

Purpose

Following the 26 December 2004 tsunami, Planet Risk NGO took part in the international research program TSUNARISK and ATIP‐CNRS Jeune Chercheur. The aim of this paper is to encourage the development of tsunami‐resilient communities essentially through educative actions.

Design/methodology/approach

The tsunami risk in Indonesia was assessed by researchers. Planet Risk then used scientific findings and advice for building adapted prevention actions among Javanese populations.

Findings

Many people could have survived if they had received a basic knowledge of tsunamis. The Indonesian public as well as local authorities must be educated to face tsunami risk. To be efficient, this education must be adapted to local cultural and geographical characteristics. Collaboration between researchers and practitioners is a good means of reaching such an objective.

Originality/value

The paper is the result of a two‐year successful collaboration between interdisciplinary scientific teams and an NGO team. It demonstrates that an efficient prevention scheme can be implemented through this kind of collaboration. To the authors' knowledge it is the first time that such tsunami education programmes have been led in Indonesia.
The effectiveness of revenue‐sharing contract to coordinate the price‐setting newsvendor products' supply chain
Authors: Yao Zhong , Leung Stephen C.H. , Lai K.K.
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to numerically analyze the coordinating mechanism of the revenue‐sharing contract in newsvendor products' supply chain. The contract considers stochastic and price‐dependent demand.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents an analytical model for supply chain contracts and then uses numerical methods with the Stackelberg game to identify the contracts' properties.

Findings

Comparing the revenue‐sharing contract with the price‐only contract, the paper finds that a revenue‐sharing contract does improve supply chain performance. However, the benefits earned by the revenue‐sharing contract differ among the supply chain partners under the impact of demand variability and price‐sensitivity factors. Specifically, the manufacturer will earn a greater share in channel profit in the revenue‐sharing contract than in case of a price‐only contract. Also, the incentive by revenue‐sharing contract could not lead to Pareto improvement. In other words, the retailer's profit in revenue‐sharing contract might be lower than that in price‐only contract.

Research limitations/implications

Management should note that there are additional administrative costs needed to monitor the revenue‐sharing contract. Incorporating these costs into models will yield more insight into the problems. Also, the retailer has more accurate market information due to the proximity to the customers that will lead to a different game mode.

Practical implications

Management such as airlines, hotel, video rental, etc. can adopt this kind of contracts to manage their retailers to obtain the higher channel performance. But they should be careful selecting the revenue sharing proportion. The research limitations also give some suggestion for practical reference.

Originality/value

Many studies have shown that the revenue‐sharing contract can obtain a higher channel performance. However, little attention has been noted that the fraction of shared revenue has a significant impact on the channel performance. To apply this form of incentive in practice, managements should consider the impact of the fraction of shared revenue in the revenue‐sharing contract on supply chain performance. This paper considers these issues.
Are the temptations of online reverse auctions appropriate for your business?
Authors: Kumar Sameer , Maher Megan
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to explore the benefits of online reverse auctions for both buyers and suppliers in contrast to the negative implications for procurement process. This paper also aims to provide a framework for managers determining if participation in online reverse auctions is appropriate for their business.

Design/methodology/approach

Information was gathered from numerous sources including surveys from both buyers and suppliers in a multitude of industries in order to create a comprehensive analysis of benefits and shortcomings of online reverse auctions. Additional research could be pursued by conducting a detailed cost analysis of buyers who have adopted online reverse auctions. A thorough analysis of unit cost and total cost changes amongst various industries could provide benchmark data for companies contemplating entering the reverse auction arena.

Findings

The research analysis finds a strong temptation for buyers to participate in online reverse auctions: price reductions. However, buyers should approach online reverse auctions with caution as total cost savings can be misleading and participation may result in damaged relationships with suppliers. This can be seen in the results portrayed in the buyer and supplier industry survey which shows that buyers are more keen to participate in online reverse auctions in order to gain advantage of the lower prices and global potential of suppliers, whereas some buyers are keen on making a strong relationship with existing suppliers through direct contact.

Research limitations/implications

Buyers' determination to use online reverse auctions relies on product specifications, supplier relationships, the current supply and demand environment, indirect costs, and several other factors which will vary for each product and for each buyer. Therefore, an all‐encompassing decision model cannot be presented to accommodate each scenario. However it can be seen that the industrial survey to the buyers and the suppliers has been an effective tool in bridging the gap between the decision model and the factors that vary between each buyer.

Practical implications

This paper provides managers a framework for determining if online reverse auctions are appropriate for their business. In practice, additional company specific information can be applied to the decision making model.

Originality/value

This paper includes a comprehensive decision framework specifically for buyers as well as an abbreviated decision model for suppliers.
The impact of logistics performance on organizational performance in a supply chain context
Authors: Green Kenneth W. , Whitten Dwayne , Inman R. Anthony
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The paper's aim is to theorize and assess a logistics performance model incorporating logistics performance as the focal construct with supply chain management strategy as antecedent and organizational performance, both marketing and financial, as consequences.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from a national sample of 142 plant and operations managers are analyzed using a structural equation modeling methodology.

Findings

The results indicate that logistics performance is positively impacted by supply chain management strategy and that both logistics performance and supply chain management strategy positively impact marketing performance, which in turn positively impacts financial performance. Neither supply chain management strategy nor logistics performance was found to directly impact financial performance.

Research limitations/implications

To compete at the supply chain level, manufacturers must adopt a supply chain management strategy. Such a strategy requires integration and coordination of key external processes such as purchasing, selling, and logistics with supply chain partners. In this study the focus is limited to the impact of logistics performance on organizational performance within a supply chain context.

Practical implications

As manufacturers work to improve the logistics processes, they support their organization's supply chain strategy, resulting in improved performance for the overall supply chain and ultimately their manufacturing organizations.

Originality/value

Organizational managers are being asked to focus directly on supply chain functions such as logistics to bolster the competitiveness of the supply chains in which their organizations are integral partners. Does such a supply chain focus ultimately result in improved organizational performance? This study provides evidence that a supply chain focus will enhance logistics performance, which will ultimately result in improved organizational performance.
Political risk perception in Indonesian power projects
Authors: Voelker Conrad , Permana Andre , Sachs Tillmann , Tiong Robert
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify and to assess specific political risks associated with Indonesia's public private partnership (PPP) power projects and their generally available mitigating measures, based on the perception of the main stakeholders (government, investors, lenders and insurers).

Design/methodology/approach

The approach taken is: a comprehensive literature review to identify an initial list of specific political risks associated with Indonesia's PPP power projects and generally available mitigating measures for these risks; unstructured interviews and discussions to gather recent issues related to the study and to filter the risks and project measures identified at previous step; and finally a survey conducted with questionnaires in order to evaluate the risks and their allocation, to suggest corresponding mitigating measures.

Findings

The study identified that the political risk perception for Indonesian power projects is still relatively high, due to its legal and regulatory risk and breach of contract risk. Viable government support is also desired by most of the players instead of having political risk insurance as the risk mitigation strategy.

Originality/value

The study has identified a political risk mitigation strategy for infrastructure investment in the Indonesian power sector. Based on that, this study contributes as a scientific exercise in measuring the political risks perception of all stakeholders, which can be useful for all involved parties to mitigate this type of risk successfully.
A comparative analysis of tender sums and final costs of public construction and supply projects in Nigeria
Authors: Olatunji Oluwole Alfred
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between tender figures, consultants' figures and final construction costs of construction projects under competitive bidding in the Nigerian construction industry, as guided by the due process policy, a national public procurement reform program.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 13 construction professionals and public contract administrators were interviewed. Their views were reported intermittently as the secondary data collected on 137 projects; 95 of these were construction and 42 supply projects. The findings are then analyzed and discussed.

Findings

The study presents a number of regression models which can be used to predict the final cost and actual duration of construction and supply projects under the due process regime in Nigeria as functions of lowest bids, consultant estimates, successful bid, gross floor area, average bid, contractor's proposed contract duration and the consultant's proposed contract duration.

Practical implications

The models used, apart from being worthy benchmarks for future study, can be of immense use to developing countries with the intention of implementing the due process policy of Nigeria in their countries as the limitations of the reform are succinctly discussed. Moreover, with the growing prospect for heavy engineering projects, the study will be of use to intending international contractors willing to explore the Nigerian construction market, either by holistic participation or by forming partnerships or alliances with Nigerian domestic firms.

Originality/value

The paper presents one of the pioneering stochastic studies based on empirical data on construction and supply projects under the due process reform in Nigeria.
On the role of worksite fitness policy for developing intellectual capital
Authors: Aura O. , Ahonen G. , Sveiby K‐E.
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The paper's aim is, in a framework of intellectual capital (IC), to study the interactions of a worksite fitness program (WFP) policy with a multidisciplinary approach in an IT‐company of 220 employees.

Design/methodology/approach

In a five years follow‐up setting, the associations of physical activity and the company's worksite fitness policy (WFP) effects on different elements of IC were studied. Qualitative methods were applied in constructing indicators and a scorecard type IC measure.

Findings

In a cross‐sectional and follow‐up setting, several findings with respect to IC were observed regarding physical activity in general and activity in WFP in particular. The findings were relatively strong regarding health‐ and wellness‐related indicators as part of human capital, where also relational capital indicators such as project feedback, revealed positive associations. Overall, WFP was seen to be an integrated part of structural capital.

Research limitations/implications

This case study was carried out in Finland, where the traditions of WFP are relatively long. This will, to some extent, restrict the implications of the results in countries or business cultures where WFP is not general.

Practical implications

The results emphasize first the need for company specific IC measures, and second the importance of humane, soft management procedures (like WFP) in developing a company's IC.

Originality/value

The paper is the first to examine the relations of IC and WFP and will thus provide new insights in developing a company specific IC.
Creating flex‐lean‐agile value chain by outsourcing
Authors: Mohammed Ilyas R. , Shankar Ravi , Banwet D.K.
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the characteristics of flexible, agile and lean supply chains and establish, by factor analysis, that outsourcing can be a key intervention achieving the triple objective of flexibility, agility and leanness.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is a blend of theoretical framework and practical application and employs structural analysis to draw an interventional roadmap to facilitate value chain outsourcing.

Findings

The paper finds that by outsourcing activities processes, organizations can deliver better value to the customer.

Originality/value

The paper is of value in identifying the variables for effective value chain outsourcing.
The pros and cons of computing the h‐index using Google Scholar
Authors: Jacso´ Pe´ter
Published: June 2008

Purpose

A previous paper by the present author described the pros and cons of using the three largest cited reference enhanced multidisciplinary databases and discussed and illustrated in general how the theoretically sound idea of the h‐index may become distorted depending on the software and the content of the database(s) used, and the searchers' skill and knowledge of the database features. The aim of this paper is to focus on Google Scholar (GS), from the perspective of calculating the h‐index for individuals and journals.

Design/methodology/approach

A desk‐based approach to data collection is used and critical commentary is added.

Findings

The paper shows that effective corroboration of the h‐index and its two component indicators can be done only on persons and journals with which a researcher is intimately familiar. Corroborative tests must be done in every database for important research.

Originality/value

The paper highlights the very time‐consuming process of corroborating data, tracing and counting valid citations and points out GS's unscholarly and irresponsible handling of data.
What's happening in coaching and mentoring? And what is the difference between them?
Authors: Clutterbuck David
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a summary of the latest developments in the field of corporate coaching and mentoring.

Design/methodology/approach

Provides a viewpoint on the coaching and mentoring field drawing on research from Europe and the US.

Findings

Structured or supported coaching and mentoring within organisations is evolving rapidly and research is at last beginning to provide valuable insights into effective practices. Some strongly‐held assumptions are being challenged along the way. Greater definitional clarity, within specific contexts, contributes to efficacy. Increasing professionalisation with the coaching and mentoring sector is being helped by dialogue between the various bodies representing coaches and mentors and by the spread of supervision.

Originality/value

The article provides a succinct overview of the current position of the corporate coaching and mentoring arena and offers insights into how the field will develop in the future.
Socio‐cultural analysis of personal information leakage in Japan
Authors: Orito Yohko , Murata Kiyoshi
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse incidents of personal information leakage in Japan based on Japanese socio‐cultural characteristics of information privacy and to consider how best to develop an effective personal information protection policy that conforms to Japanese situations as well as to the global requirement of personal information protection.

Design/methodology/approach

After describing recent incidents of personal information leakage in Japan, the paper examines the defects of the Act on Protection of Personal Information (APPI) that permit these incidents to continue. Subsequently, these incidents and the responses of the Japanese people in a manner that reflects the unique Japanese socio‐cultural characteristics of information privacy are analysed. Finally, the paper proposes a revision of APPI that conforms to these Japanese socio‐cultural characteristics as well as to the global requirement for personal information protection.

Findings

Personal information leakage cases and social responses in Japan reflect three Japanese socio‐cultural characteristics: Uchi/Soto awareness, insular collectivism and Hon'ne/Tatemae tradition. An effective law protecting personal information in Japan's cultural environment cannot be made simply by copying the privacy protection laws in western nations. Instead, legal protection of personal information should be drafted that reflects and takes into account these socio‐cultural characteristics.

Originality/value

This paper conducts analysis of incidents of personal information leakage in Japan based on Japanese socio‐cultural characteristics. A revision of APPI is proposed on the basis of the analysis. The paper's analysis and proposal would provide a good clue to develop effective measures to protect personal information and the right to information privacy in the global, multicultural information society.
Artificial intelligence in Buddhist perspective
Authors: Promta Somparn , Einar Himma Kenneth
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the possibility and desirability of artificial intelligence (AI) by considering western literature on AI and Buddhist doctrine.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper argues that these issues can best be considered examined from a variety of philosophical and religious viewpoints and that resolution of those issues depends on which point of view the questions are addressed from. There are a number of philosophical questions involving AI usually considered by philosophers: what is the definition of AI, what is a status of an AI as compared with human intelligence, is there a legitimate purpose for creating AI; if so, what is that purpose? Buddhism is a religion that is deeply philosophical and, perhaps to the surprise of western readers, has a lot to say about the nature of human mind and human intelligence. Although Buddhism does not talk explicitly about AI, the richness of its philosophical views concerning human nature and the nature of the physical world sheds considerable light on the philosophical questions stated above.

Findings

The paper explains how Buddhist teaching would answer the four questions above.

Originality/value

The paper is the first to clarify the Buddhist position on AI, and perhaps represents the first attempt to explore the relationships between any major religion and the AI agenda.
Adaptive ontology re‐use: finding and re‐using sub‐ontologies
Authors: Stecher Rodolfo , Niederée Claudia , Nejdl Wolfgang , Bouquet Paolo
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The discovery of the “right” ontology or ontology part is a central ingredient for effective ontology re‐use. The purpose of this paper is to present an approach for supporting a form of adaptive re‐use of sub‐ontologies, where the ontologies are deeply integrated beyond pure referencing.

Design/methodology/approach

Starting from an ontology draft which reflects the intended modeling perspective, the ontology engineer can be supported by suggesting similar already existing sub‐ontologies and ways for integrating them with the existing draft ontology. This paper's approach combines syntactic, linguistic, structural and logical methods into an innovative modeling‐perspective aware solution for detecting matchings between concepts from different ontologies. This paper focuses on the discovery and matching phase of this re‐use process.

Findings

Owing to the combination of techniques presented in this general approach, the work described performs in the general case as well as approaches tailored for a specific usage scenario.

Research limitations/implications

The methods used rely on lexical information obtained from the labels of the concepts and properties in the ontologies, which makes this approach appropriate in cases where this information is available. Also, this approach can handle some missing label information.

Practical implications

Ontology engineering tasks can take advantage from the proposed adaptive re‐use approach in order to re‐use existing ontologies or parts of them without introducing inconsistencies in the resulting ontology.

Originality/value

The adaptive re‐use of ontologies by finding and partially re‐using parts of existing ontological resources for building new ontologies is a new idea in the field, and the inclusion of the modeling perspective in the computation of the matches adds a new perspective that could also be exploited by other matching approaches.
The emergence of the pharmaceutical industry in the developing world and its implications for multinational enterprise strategies
Authors: Rao P.M.
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper, focusing mainly on India – and a lesser extent on China – is to examine, broadly, two related issues concerning the rise of pharmaceutical industry in the emerging economies: the strategic response of the emerging‐country pharmaceutical firms to the new patent regime that recognizes and enforces product patents; and its implications for multinational enterprise (MNE) strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on extensive review of the relevant conceptual and empirical literature and secondary data.

Findings

The strategic response of pharmaceutical firms in the emerging economies (India and China, for example,) to the new patent regime is to develop multiple competencies and position themselves to simultaneously compete and collaborate globally with the MNEs – large firms rapidly moving towards discovery and development of new drugs, and medium and small firms engaged in the production of off‐patent generics and contract manufacturing, respectively.

Practical implications

The trend towards greater collaboration between the emerging‐country firms and the MNEs in the new patent regime raises serious concern about prescription drug prices in the developing as well as developed countries. Given the importance of the pharma industry to thehealth of nations, firms in rich and poor countries alike will continue to come under public pressure to develop and market the needed drugs at affordable prices.

Originality/value

The paper would be of value to practitioners and scholars interested in the implications – for MNE pricing, outsourcing and R&D strategies, for example – of the rapid rise of pharmaceutical industry in the developing countries such as India and China.
Energy and climate policies to 2020: the impacts of the European “20/20/20” approach
Authors: Stankeviciute Loreta , Criqui Patrick
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to quantify the possible interactions among the three European objectives in the horizon of 2020: the reduction of 20 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG); the saving of 20 per cent of the European energy consumption; and a share of 20 per cent of renewable energies in the overall energy consumption. Particular focus is, however, placed on the influence of the CO2 emission reduction targets and on their consequences on the carbon price in 2020.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to explore the interactions among the three European objectives and their induced effects, a number of scenarios are tested within a combination of two modeling tools: the POLES world energy model and ASPEN, an auxiliary model dedicated to the analysis of quota trading systems. With reasonable assumptions for the burden sharing among the member states, the energy efficiency objectives and the renewable energy targets are achieved using national quota systems in each European country (white and green certificate systems and their implicit prices), while the CO2 emission reduction is carried out within the European Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) in line with the objective of 20 per cent emission reduction.

Findings

The paper shows, in particular, that the two quota policies (white certificates and green certificates) decrease significantly the European marginal emission reduction cost and consequently, the compliance costs for ETS participants. The high‐renewable target compliance cost could be reduced significantly if carbon price signal and energy saving policies are in place. The paper also shows that the sole carbon price signal has a limited influence for stimulating renewable energies and energy savings and thus concludes on the need for specific policies targeting these two areas.

Originality/value

This paper is a first attempt to comprehensively deal with the economic fundamentals of the 3D regulatory system proposed by the Commission for Energy and Climate and is of value in proposing a comprehensive approach of the economics of the “20/20/20” European policy.
The value of health and the power of prevention
Authors: Loeppke Ronald
Published: June 2008

Purpose

Health is inextricably linked to the productivity and therefore the economic viability of individuals, populations and nations. A global strategy for health enhancement would yield a multitude of benefits for humankind. The root cause of the escalating healthcare cost crisis is driven by a health crisis from a growing burden of health risks that are leading to an expanding burden of chronic illness yielding an unsustainable economic burden. This paper aims to present a general review of the business value of health and the power of prevention in addressing solutions for managing total health and productivity costs.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews the scientific and economic business case for investing in health enhancement.

Findings

Highlights of employer case studies and published research demonstrate that comprehensive, integrated population health enhancement can lower health risks, reduce the burden of illness, improve productivity and lower total health‐related costs. The dominant components of the solution are a substantial commitment to prevention and a culture of health rather than just more treatment and cure. In addition there needs to be a focus on the quality and effectiveness of care rather than just the quantity and efficiency of the care.

Originality/value

The healthcare cost conundrum can be impacted by reducing the burden of chronic illness and health risk in populations, thereby improving the health and productivity of the workforce, the health of the bottom line for engaged employers and ultimately the health of a nation's economy. Ultimately, the broader value proposition of integrated population health and productivity enhancement should drive this strategy by leveraging the value of health and the power of prevention.
Asian wellness in decline: a cost of rising prosperity
Authors: Tsui Audrey H.H.
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to provide a general review of the state of wellness in Asia's growing economies.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper looks at wellness issue in a number of Asian countries.

Findings

The rising prosperity of Asia's growing economies has drawn adverse consequences on employee wellness and the work‐life balance of many people. Intensified global competition and the expanding wealth gaps in Asia induce stress and create tension. A growing segment of Asia's working population reports being overworked and excessively strained, along with symptoms of fatigue, depression/anxiety, musculo‐skeletal pains, sleeping disorders and a rapid increase in chronic diseases. Long working hours, excessive workload, weekend duties, inadequate physical activity and an unhealthy lifestyle are often cited as the key sources of chronic fatigue and work stress. Mounting incidents of occupational illnesses/accidents, and the growing number of karoshi and suicides among prime‐aged working adults further raise concerns regarding individuals' health awareness and corporate effectiveness in employee wellness management.

Originality/value

The paper provides a valuable overview of the situation of declining wellness in Asia.
Trade and regional integration: analysis of the effectiveness in the GCC
Authors: Hossain Kamal Naser Amzad
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effectiveness of the GCC integration.

Design/methodology/approach

Both descriptive and comparative analyses are used. In order to measure the effectiveness, indicators like trends of trade, FDI inflows, joint venture project activities and technology diffusion are considered.

Findings

The analyses revealed that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) regularly reviews the collective process of all the proposals to be executed. It also conducts an in‐depth analysis of all issues concerning the GCC states and their societies. The analyses also showed increasing trends in exports and imports, and high‐tech manufacturing after implementing customs union. In the same fashion, the number of joint venture projects, total capital investment and capital investment per project increase dramatically after executing customs union. The analysis further shows that the investment in large‐scale joint venture projects increases during the same period. The paper finds a sharp increase in FDI during the period between 2001 and 2004; within this period, the customs union has been implemented. This increased FDI is mainly due to the fact that the GCC attains enlarged domestic market size and stable economic growth after the GCC integration. The GCC integration also contributes to improve the push and pull factors of FDI that have further attracted increased FDI. The paper shows that the GCC countries have adapted and deployed new technology considerably quickly during the period 1999 to 2005 compared with the 1990s.

Practical implications

The study noticed improvements in all indicators as well as the push and pull factors that enhance effectiveness of the GCC integration. To attain more effective regional integration, a periodic review of all the issues concerning the GCC states and their societies in light of the advancement taking place in the Arab world and international arenas is vital.

Originality/value

The study finds that the effectiveness of the GCC integration is progressive. The integrators that measure effectiveness such as trends of trade, FDI inflows, joint venture project activities and technology diffusion show increasing trends.
Site‐specific incorporation of unnatural amino acids into urate oxidase in Escherichia coli
Authors: Chen Mingjie , Cai Lei , Fang Zhengzhi , Tian Hong , Gao Xiangdong , Yao Wenbing
Published: July 2008

Urate oxidase catalyzes the oxidation of uric acid with poor solubility to produce 5‐hydroxyisourate and allantoin. Since allantoin is excreted in vivo, urate oxidase has the potential to be a therapeutic target for the treatment of gout. However, its severe immunogenicity limits its clinical application. Furthermore, studies on the structure–function relationships of urate oxidase have proven difficult. We developed a method for genetically incorporating p‐azido‐L‐phenylalanine into target protein in Escherichia coli in a site‐specific manner utilizing a tyrosyl suppressor tRNA/aminoacyl‐tRNA synthetase system. We substituted p‐azido‐L‐phenylalanine for Phe170 or Phe281 in urate oxidase. The products were purified and their enzyme activities were analyzed. In addition, we optimized the system by adding a “Shine‐Dalgarno (SD) sequence” and tandem suppressor tRNA. This method has the benefit of site‐specifically modifying urate oxidase with homogeneous glycosyl and PEG derivates, which can provide new insights into structure–function relationships and improve pharmacological properties of urate oxidase.
Autophagy Is Essential for Preimplantation Development of Mouse Embryos
Authors: Tsukamoto Satoshi , Kuma Akiko , Murakami Mirei , Kishi Chieko , Yamamoto Akitsugu , Mizushima Noboru
Published: July 2008

After fertilization, maternal proteins in oocytes are degraded and new proteins encoded by the zygotic genome are synthesized. We found that autophagy, a process for the degradation of cytoplasmic constituents in the lysosome, plays a critical role during this period. Autophagy was triggered by fertilization and up-regulated in early mouse embryos. Autophagy-defective oocytes derived from oocyte-specific Atg5 (autophagy-related 5) knockout mice failed to develop beyond the four- and eight-cell stages if they were fertilized by Atg5-null sperm, but could develop if they were fertilized by wild-type sperm. Protein synthesis rates were reduced in the autophagy-null embryos. Thus, autophagic degradation within early embryos is essential for preimplantation development in mammals.
Mercury's Magnetosphere After MESSENGER's First Flyby
Authors: Slavin James A. , Acuña Mario H. , Anderson Brian J. , Baker Daniel N. , Benna Mehdi , Gloeckler George , Gold Robert E. , Ho George C. , Killen Rosemary M. , Korth Haje , Krimigis Stamatios M. , McNutt Ralph L. , Nittler Larry R. , Raines Jim M. , Schriver David , Solomon Sean C. , Starr Richard D. , Trávníček Pavel , Zurbuchen Thomas H.
Published: July 2008

Observations by MESSENGER show that Mercury's magnetosphere is immersed in a comet-like cloud of planetary ions. The most abundant, Na
+
, is broadly distributed but exhibits flux maxima in the magnetosheath, where the local plasma flow speed is high, and near the spacecraft's closest approach, where atmospheric density should peak. The magnetic field showed reconnection signatures in the form of flux transfer events, azimuthal rotations consistent with Kelvin-Helmholtz waves along the magnetopause, and extensive ultralow-frequency wave activity. Two outbound current sheet boundaries were observed, across which the magnetic field decreased in a manner suggestive of a double magnetopause. The separation of these current layers, comparable to the gyro-radius of a Na
+
pickup ion entering the magnetosphere after being accelerated in the magnetosheath, may indicate a planetary ion boundary layer.
Mercury Cratering Record Viewed from MESSENGER's First Flyby
Authors: Strom Robert G. , Chapman Clark R. , Merline William J. , Solomon Sean C. , Head James W.
Published: July 2008

Morphologies and size-frequency distributions of impact craters on Mercury imaged during MESSENGER's first flyby elucidate the planet's geological history. Plains interior to the Caloris basin displaying color and albedo contrasts have comparable crater densities and therefore similar ages. Smooth plains exterior to Caloris exhibit a crater density ∼40% less than on interior plains and are thus volcanic and not Caloris impact ejecta. The size distribution of smooth-plains craters matches that of lunar craters postdating the Late Heavy Bombardment, implying that the plains formed no earlier than 3.8 billion years ago (Ga). At diameters less than or equal to 8 to 10 kilometers, secondary impact craters on Mercury are more abundant than primaries; this transition diameter is much larger than that on the Moon or Mars. A low density of craters on the peak-ring basin Raditladi implies that it may be younger than 1 Ga.