bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evolving B2B e‐commerce adaptation for SME suppliers
Authors: Boeck Harold , Bendavid Ygal , Lefebvre Elisabeth
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore a central issue in industrial marketing, namely the buyer‐seller relationship, by focusing on how its development influences and is influenced by the use of B2B e‐commerce strategies. More specifically, the paper aims at identifying what kinds of B2B electronic interactions are imposed by influential buyers; exploring the link between these electronic interactions and the buyer‐seller relationship; and seeing how influential buyers and SME suppliers adapt their own strategies in this online environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The multi‐case study methodology was used to allow for rich data collection and analysis and to support the discovery of patterns.

Findings

The results indicate that large buyers use specific e‐commerce processes and tools for the different relationships they have with their SME suppliers. The latter must adapt to these requirements to attain the next relationship level or risk forfeiting their established position. When a supplier reaches the new level, other requirements arise, forcing it to continuously adapt its e‐commerce strategy.

Research limitations/implications

The model proposed in this paper can serve as a tool to align B2B e‐commerce strategies and buyer‐seller relationship levels.

Practical implications

Some SME suppliers have developed a competitive advantage by going through this cycle faster than their competitors. The following relationship stages were observed: pre‐relationship, spot relationship and contractual relationship. Interestingly, there was no collaboration stage in the relationships studied.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to an understanding of the link between electronic interactions and the buyer‐seller relationship. Its information is particularly relevant to organizations that transact or plan on transacting electronically with clients or suppliers in a B2B setting.
The impact of industry and training influences on salesforce consulting time and consulting effectiveness
Authors: Pelham Alfred
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose if this article is to study the relative impact of industry competitive conditions on salesforce consulting time and consulting effectiveness, relative to the impact of type of sales training.

Design/methodology/approach

Surveys were sent to sales managers and hypotheses were tested in simultaneous equation models.

Findings

Industry product differentiation has the greatest impact on consulting effectiveness. Industry customer segment number has a positive influence. The relationship between consulting time and consulting effectiveness is highest in commodity industries.

Research limitations/implications

Future studies should expand the sampling frame to include all manufacturing industries, service firms, and consumer goods firms. Future studies should include other firm variables such as strategy, structure, and level of market orientation to improve the explanation of variation.

Practical implications

Sales managers in commodity industries have a relatively high opportunity to enhance customer relationships by enhancing the consulting aspects of their sales management programs.

Originality/value

This study furthers our understanding of the contingency nature of sales management practices on salesforce behaviors and the contingency nature of the impact of those behaviors. This study provides managers in commodity industries with an understanding of the potential value of increasing the extent of consulting‐oriented sales training. This study also suggests that managers seeking to increase salesforce consulting should consider restructuring the salesforce by customer group.
Relationship‐value‐based antecedents of customer satisfaction and loyalty in manufacturing
Authors: Čater Barbara , Čater Tomaž
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The paper's purpose is to broaden knowledge of customer satisfaction and loyalty in business‐to‐business markets.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors propose and test a model in which customer satisfaction is conceived as mediating the relationship between the elements of relationship value (price, product quality, delivery performance, supplier know‐how, time‐to‐market, service support and personal interaction) and attitudinal and behavioural customer loyalty. The empirical analysis uses structural equation modelling and is based on 477 customer‐supplier relationships in the manufacturing context.

Findings

The results show that satisfaction is negatively affected by price and positively by delivery performance, supplier know‐how and personal interaction. On the other hand, satisfaction positively influences behavioural and attitudinal loyalty. In addition, behavioural loyalty is also negatively affected by price and positively by product quality, while attitudinal loyalty is positively affected by personal interaction.

Research limitations/implications

Future research could add views from the supplier's side and also examine the focal relationship in a network of relationships. The model should be cross‐validated with the same instruments in other contexts.

Practical implications

The paper's main finding that satisfaction is more affected by delivery performance, supplier know‐how and personal interaction than by price holds direct implications for generic business strategies. By building unique relationships with their customers, suppliers can demonstrate they have something different to offer when there is strong market pressure on price. In addition, the finding that the antecedents of behavioural loyalty are more “rational” and “firm‐related”, while the antecedents of attitudinal loyalty are more “emotional” and “individual‐related”, can be used by marketers to improve the relationships with their customers.

Originality/value

The paper systematically addresses the antecedents of customer satisfaction and loyalty from the perspective of relationship value dimensions – an approach that has not yet been taken in the literature.
A re‐examination of B2B sales performance
Authors: Zallocco Ronald , Bolman Pullins Ellen , Mallin Michael L.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the understanding of sales performance measurement by developing an organizing framework for classifying sales performance measures based on the various performance criteria used by researchers. Subsequently, the results of both a focus group and in‐depth interviews with sales managers and salespeople will be presented using the classification framework developed. The objective is to determine whether gaps exist between how researchers and practitioners view and classify salesperson performance measures as well as to provide insights to effective sales management practices in areas such as salesperson skill development, goal attainment, resource allocation, and customer relationship management.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative study, using in‐depth interviews, explores the relationship between sales managers and salespersons and their respective views on sales performance measurement. The interview questions were developed using information derived from a sales executive focus group. In‐person in‐depth interviews were conducted with eight sales managers and eight salespeople from eight organizations.

Findings

The paper proposes a new method for organizing the types of performance measures that are used, crossing effectiveness‐efficiency with internally‐externally‐focused measures. The findings indicate that a gap appears to remain between the attributes of performance that researchers focus on and what occurs in the world of sales.

Research limitations/implications

The findings suggest that sales control theories can be used to present an organizing framework of sales performance based on sales outputs, salesperson skill/capability development, sales activities, and market indicators. Our typology might serve as a way to better understand certain research areas where there have been inconsistent findings, and should lead to new measure development for empirical research. In addition, a number of manager and salesperson recommendations for the practicing sales manager are reviewed.

Originality/value

This paper helps to clarify an area that is characterized by ambiguity and an identified need to identify new performance metrics.
Category‐specific RECIPEs for internet retailing quality
Authors: Francis Julie E.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

Limited attention has been given to the stability of the dimensions of quality across different types of internet retailing. This study aims to identify four distinct categories of internet retailing, develops a separate quality measurement scale for each category, then compares the dimensions of quality that emerged for each context.

Design/methodology/approach

Four category‐specific quality measurement scales (or RECIPE scales) were developed, one for each Fulfilment‐Product type of internet retailing. The scales were administered to 1,262 internet shoppers, then the data were used to refine and assess the statistical properties of each instrument. A cross‐category review of the refined quality dimensions was performed.

Findings

All four categories of internet retailing involve the quality dimensions of customer service and security. However, the dimensions of quality associated with selecting, paying for and obtaining products vary according to the type of product that is purchased (goods versus services) and the fulfilment method (offline versus electronic).

Research limitations/implications

There are four category‐specific variations of internet retailing quality. This study provides a framework for distinguishing and measuring each variation.

Practical implications

The “one‐size‐fits‐all” approach to measuring and managing internet retailing quality is not sufficient. Managers should develop quality management strategies that cater to the purchase and fulfilment requirements of customers in their type of internet retailing.

Originality/value

This study delineates internet retailing into four categories and presents a quality measurement scale for each category. This includes scales for three categories where such instruments do not otherwise exist.
Consumer reaction to service failure and recovery: the moderating role of attitude toward complaining
Authors: Augusto de Matos Celso , Vargas Rossi Carlos Alberto , Teixeira Veiga Ricardo , Afonso Vieira Valter
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The paper seeks to investigate, in a context of service failure and recovery, how consumer satisfaction is affected by problem severity and company responsiveness, how satisfaction influences repatronage intentions, word‐of‐mouth, and complaint intentions, and how consumer attitude toward complaining (ATC) moderates these relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

An integrated model is proposed, following recent developments in the service recovery literature. This model is tested using data from a survey with 204 complaining customers.

Findings

Service recovery affected satisfaction more strongly for consumers with high ATC, indicating a moderating role of ATC. This moderator was also supported in the link between satisfaction and complaining intentions. Also, failure severity and perceived justice influenced satisfaction, which affected repurchase intentions, word‐of‐mouth, and complaining intentions.

Practical implications

Service managers should consider the differences between customers with low versus high ATC when providing recovery for a service failure. For instance, the importance of responsiveness in service recovery is even greater for those customers with high ATC, and those customers with low ATC have their complaint decision more dependent on their satisfaction level. Also, it is important to improve the customers' perceived fairness in the complaint resolution process.

Originality/value

This paper investigates the key antecedents and consequences of satisfaction in a context of service failure and recovery by integrating previous research in a comprehensive model. ATC is proposed and tested as a moderator when complainers and non‐complainers are compared in the level of the strength of the relationships. Previous research has not found a moderation effect in this level.
Do services marketers' success measures match their strategies?
Authors: Manion Michael T. , Cherian Joseph
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The paper seeks to show that the strategic types of service marketers (e.g. Prospectors, Defenders or Analyzers) match the types of success measures that they use to evaluate new services.

Design/methodology/approach

A theory is developed to show why service marketers of different strategic types use different success measures for the evaluation of new services. Using responses from 202 financial services marketers, strategic types are shown to relate in theoretically expected ways with the importance ratings of the categorized success measures.

Findings

Notable relationships among strategic types and their success measure are identified. Prospectors, for example, attach greater importance to growth performance measures, consistent with the growth orientation of their service development programs. Defenders, on the other hand, attach more importance than Prospectors to efficiency performance measures, which relate to their programs' efficiency orientation. Analyzers, interestingly, place more emphasis on objectives‐based performance measures, including strategic fit, than Prospectors.

Research limitations/implications

The sampling frame purposely contains only US financial services firms; as such, future research may build upon this single‐industry, single‐country study.

Practical implications

Academic success literature generally disregards the strategic types of respondents in measuring the success of service development programs. Practitioners, however, seek performance measures that are consistent with their firm's business strategy. This study provides a categorization of the most important success measures as appropriate to different strategic types.

Originality/value

The service success literature has often dealt with the question of “what causes success?” and has rarely confronted, head‐on, the question of “what is success?”. This paper addresses this critical research gap.
Push, scream, or leave: how do consumers cope with crowded retail stores?
Authors: Whiting Anita
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The paper examines coping strategies that consumers use within crowded retail stores. Specifically, this study explores and identifies coping strategies that consumers use, investigates whether the Folkman or Duhachek coping frameworks adequately capture all of the ways consumers cope, and looks at the implications these coping strategies may have on consumers and retailers.

Design/methodology/approach

A three‐stage qualitative study was conducted. Stage One consisted of informal interviews with customers. Stage Two was a pilot study of airport passengers. Stage Three was an online qualitative survey.

Findings

Many of Duhachek's and Folkman's coping strategies were operative within a crowded retail setting. The coping strategies that were frequently used were distancing, avoidance, social support, rational thinking, action, escape, positive thinking, emotional venting, and confrontive. The study also found that further refinement of coping strategies and scales is needed.

Research limitations/implications

An understanding of consumer coping strategies can help retailers to promote beneficial consumer coping strategies and avoid or limit detrimental coping strategies. The limitation of the study is that it is exploratory in nature.

Originality/value

The paper provides a rich and vivid understanding of how consumers cope in a crowded environment, and demonstrates the importance of crowds and consumer coping and how these variables affect retailers. The study identifies new coping strategies, relabels existing coping strategies with more descriptive and comprehensive titles, and confirms established coping strategies.
Key determinants of real estate service quality among renters and buyers
Authors: Tuzovic Sven
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to compare quality perceptions of virtual servicescapes and physical service encounters among buyers and renters of real estate.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative data from a sample of 27 professionals engaged in higher education in the USA are gathered by recorded interview before being transcribed and imported into MAXQDA 2007 software for analytical coding.

Findings

Particular differences are found to exist between renters and buyers with regard to specific service attributes – for example, description of properties and type of visuals during the pre‐purchase stage, knowledge/experience and honest behavior of realtors during the service encounter stage and a continuous relationship with the realtor in the post‐encounter stage.

Research limitations/implications

Generalization of the results is limited because the study utilizes data from only one industry (real estate) and from only one demographic segment (professionals in higher education).

Practical implications

Real‐estate firms need to pay attention to both the training of agents and the design and content of their websites.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to knowledge regarding virtual servicescapes in professional services.
Managing adoption barriers in integrated banking services
Authors: Lee Jonathan , Morrin Maureen , Lee Janghyuk
Published: October 2009

Purpose

Service organizations such as retail banks are attempting to increase their customers' lifetime value through the introduction of service innovations such as integrated banking. To date, these efforts have met with mixed success. This research proposes that strategic consideration of barriers to adoption can significantly alter and enhance the effectiveness of segmentation and communication efforts for service innovations.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper utilizes a latent class regression with concomitant variables on a large‐scale multinational consumer survey (n=2,702).

Findings

The results demonstrate that incorporating barriers to adoption significantly alters the segments into which customers are classified, resulting in improved model fit and out‐of‐sample prediction.

Originality/value

Future innovations will present other types of barrier. The authors show here that marketers can benefit from managing perceived barriers instead of directly analyzing consumer demographics.
Using atmospheric elements in service retailing: understanding the bar environment
Authors: Grayson Rollo A.S. , McNeill Lisa S.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

In retail environments, the atmosphere communicates to consumers through non‐verbal channels, impacting on their beliefs about a product, a service or the way in which a service is provided. The current paper explores the bar environment, and the use of atmospherics by managers as well as responses to atmosphere by consumers,

Design/methodology/approach

The research takes a qualitative approach, utilising focus groups with consumers, and in‐depth interview with bar managers to assess the use and importance of atmospheric elements in the bar environment.

Findings

The findings suggest that managers and consumers want the same things from the bar environment. However, parties are divided as to the best way of achieving this.

Research limitations/implications

The research is limited to a sample of bars in one city. However, implications for bar retailing in general can be drawn from the observations by customers and managers.

Practical implications

The study provides confirmation that atmospheres have the ability to creative positive emotions and behaviours. The results also highlight areas where atmospherics can not only be used to attract more patrons, but also to allow managers to reflect on their atmosphere creation practices.

Originality/value

Research into atmospherics in service and retailing is still limited, with specific studies of unique environments' aspects required to further our knowledge of the part that atmospheric elements play in the success of these settings.
The management of High Court records in Botswana
Authors: Motsaathebe Lorato , Mnjama Nathan
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss issues pertaining to the management of court records in Botswana.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper shows the use of questionnaires, structured and unstructured interviews with the High Court administrators and records keepers as well as personal observations on how records are managed, inspection of storage facilities and observations on records retrieval procedures.

Findings

Concludes that in the past the management of legal records at the High Court received little attentions, but now the High Court has embarked on measures including the introduction of an automated court record system to manage its records.

Practical implications

The paper shows that the effective management of legal records is of crucial to the administration of justice and that there is a need to pay closer attention to the management of court records.

Originality/value

This paper brings together issues related to the management of court records at the High Court in Botswana.
Management of electronic records
Authors: Kemoni Henry N.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to present empirical research findings regarding the management of electronic records in selected ESARBICA member countries. It presents background information about ESARBICA and the current state of electronic records management in the region. The challenges posed by electronic records as reported in the literature and the capacity building initiatives and guidelines developed by archival institutions, professional organizations and universities for effective management of electronic records are presented. It proposes suggestions for further research.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on a review of literature on electronic records and empirical studies dealing with management of electronic records in the ESARBICA region. The review of empirical research findings is based on selected countries in the ESARBICA region.

Findings

The empirical research findings indicate most countries in the ESARBICA region lack capacity and face various challenges in managing electronic records. These relate to: lack of policy and legislation, standardization, authenticity, capacity building, physical infrastructure and lack of awareness among recordkeeping professionals and government authorities on electronic records management issues.

Research limitations/implications

Although ESARBICA consists of 12 countries, the empirical research findings were limited to five countries (South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia and Kenya) and selected Sub‐Saharan Africa countries. Further research will be conducted to establish the current state of electronic records management in the remaining seven ESARBICA member countries namely: Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Zanzibar.

Practical implications

It is hoped that the paper will provide useful information and data to educators and trainers, researchers, students, practitioners, policy makers, civil society, and international development partners who have an interest regarding the challenges posed by electronic records and e‐government and governance strategy in ESARBICA region and Africa in general.

Originality/value

This paper supplements previous studies undertaken in the ESARBICA region regarding the management of electronic records. The empirical research findings would be of significance to record and archives management scholars/educators/consultants/researchers and students undertaking studies in management of records, including management of electronic records within and outside Africa.
Nurturing attitudes for records management in Malaysian financial institutions
Authors: Mohammad Yusof Zawiyah
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to find out whether financial institutions in Malaysia comply with the relevant Acts and Regulations governing them, namely the Companies Act and Regulation 1966; the Bank Act and Financial Institution Act (BAFIA) 1989); the Bankers Book (Evidence Act 1989); and the Evidence Act). Also this study seeks to identify whether financial institutions develop appropriate and suitable attitudes to records management. It is the objective of this paper to investigate whether financial institutions comply with the identified Acts and Regulations; whether businesses easily understand the language used to phrase the Acts and Regulations; and whether the surveyed institutions adopt the right attitudes towards records management.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted survey as its method employing questionnaire and interview as the techniques to gather data. The survey involved ten financial institutions in Klang Valley (headquarters only), which was performed in 2005. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 11).

Findings

The findings reveal that financial institutions in Malaysia are aware of the previously mentioned Acts and Regulations. However, records management has never been a priority. This is because there is no enforcement of practice. For organizations failing to produce records/documents on request, the maximum penalty for being guilty for an offense (as stated in the Companies Act) is only 2,000 Malaysian Ringgit (approximately equivalent to sterling 285). Though respondents agreed that records management could give untold benefits and advantages, many do not take the appropriate steps as the need is not pressing and the penalty is not severe.

Originality/value

This paper presents original research of records management practice in this sector, of potential value to other jurisdictions.
Numerical issues in modelling macrosegregation during DC casting of a multi‐component aluminium alloy
Authors: Du Q. , Eskin D.G. , Katgerman L.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the ways to diminish or eliminate numerical diffusion and dispersion. Numerical dispersion and diffusion are present in the predicted macrosegregation profiles reported in the literature and they hinder the interpretation of the simulation results. With the motivation to eliminate these numerical problems by employing appropriate meshes, simulations of macrosegregation in a billet direct‐chill cast from a multi‐component aluminium alloy has been performed.

Design/methodology/approach

First the idea that numerical dispersion could be alleviated by refining the structured mesh size is tested and the extent of this mesh refining to overcome these numerical problems is discussed. Second the link of numerical dispersion and diffusion to the type of mesh used is investigated.

Findings

Unstructured mesh eliminates the numerical dispersion present in the structured mesh while it introduces the numerical diffusion. It is concluded by performing calculations with the same settings but different meshes that, although refining the structured mesh could alleviate the numerical oscillation, it increases the computation time dramatically. Therefore the best solution to overcome these numerical problems is the employment of a hybrid mesh consisting of both structured and unstructured mesh.

Originality/value

This work reveals the reasons behind the numerical dispersion and diffusion in macrosegregation modelling and gives a practical solution.
Numerical study of heat transfer and pressure drop for flow past inline and staggered tube bundles
Authors: Jayavel S. , Tiwari Shaligram
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop an indigenous three‐dimensional computational code and apply it to compare flow and heat transfer characteristics for inline and staggered arrangement of circular tubes in a tube bundle.

Design/methodology/approach

A finite‐volume based computational code is developed to solve the momentum and energy equations for flow through a three‐dimensional rectangular channel and past built‐in tube bundles having inline and staggered arrangement. The approach is based on SIMPLE algorithm. The basic conservation equations of mass, momentum and energy are solved over a body‐fitting grid on the physical domain to obtain the flow and temperature fields.

Findings

Heat transfer and pressure drop are compared for inline and staggered tube arrangements in a tube bundle over range of Reynolds numbers 300 ≤ Re ≤ 800. Results are validated suitably against those available in literature.

Research implications

Tube‐fin heat exchangers with continuous fins on a tube array are commonly used in air‐conditioning industry and in air‐cooled condensers of power plants. The flow structure within the finned tube bank is complex due to the presence of a circular tube, which causes flow acceleration over the fin surface and flow separation on the back side of the tube resulting in low velocity wake region. The present study provides a better understanding of flow behavior and heat transfer for inline and staggered arrangement of tube bundles in tube‐fin heat exchangers at different Reynolds numbers.

Originality/value

A numerical code based on finite volume method has been developed and used for computations to predict heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics for flow past inline and staggered arrangement of circular tubes. Predictions are made from the computed results about suitability of staggered/inline tube arrangements in a given range of Reynolds number.
Non‐polynomial spline method for the solution of the dissipative wave equation
Authors: El Danaf Talaat S. , Abdel Alaal Faisal E.I.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a non‐polynomial spline‐based method to obtain numerical solutions of a dissipative wave equation. Applying the Von Neumann stability analysis, the developed method is shown to be conditionally stable for given values of specified parameters. A numerical example is given to illustrate the applicability and the accuracy of the proposed method. The obtained numerical results reveal that our proposed method maintains good accuracy.

Design/methodology/approach

A non‐polynomial spline is proposed based on the dissipative wave equation, which gives nonlinear system of algebraic equations; by solving these equations, the numerical solution is found.

Findings

It is found that the method gives more accurate numerical results for such nonlinear partial differential equations. The stability is good.

Research limitations/implications

Any nonlinear or linear partial differential equation can be solved by such method.

Practical implications

We compare between the numerical and analytic solutions of the dissipative wave equation, also the error norms which were small.

Originality/value

This paper presents a new method to solve such problems.
Convective heat transfer prediction for an axisymmetric jet impinging onto a flat plate with an improved k‐ ω model
Authors: Kubacki S. , Dick E.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to provide improvements to the newest version of the k‐ ω turbulence model of Wilcox for convective heat transfer prediction in turbulent axisymmetric jets impinging onto a flat plate.

Design/methodology/approach

Improvements to the heat transfer prediction in the impingement zone are obtained using the stagnation flow parameter of Goldberg and the vortex stretching parameter of Wilcox. The third invariant of the strain rate tensor in the form of Shihet al.and the blending function of Menter are applied in order make negligible the influence of the impingement modifications in the benchmark flows for turbulence models. Further, it is demonstrated that for two‐dimensional jets impinging onto a flat plate the stagnation region Nusselt number predicted by the original k‐ ω model is in good agreement with direct numerical simulation (DNS) and experimental data. Also for two‐dimensional jets, the proposed modification is deactivated.

Findings

The proposed modification has been applied to improve the convective heat transfer predictions in the stagnation flow regions of axisymmetric jets impinging onto a flat plate with nozzle‐plate distances H/D = 2, 6, 10 and Reynolds numbers Re = 23,000 and 70,000. Comparison of the predicted and experimental mean and fluctuating velocity profiles is performed. The heat transfer rates along a flat plate are compared to experimental data. Significant improvements are obtained with respect to the original k‐ ω model.

Originality/value

The proposed modification is simple and can be added to the k‐ ω model without causing stability problems in the computations.
What makes people decide to visit and use an internet‐delivered behavior‐change intervention?
Authors: Brouwer W. , Oenema A. , Crutzen R. , de Nooijer J. , de Vries N.K. , Brug J.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore adults' cognitive deliberations in deciding to visit an internet intervention, to extend the visit to use and process the intervention's content, and to revisit the intervention.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative study was conducted consisting of five focus group interviews (n = 29, 25‐69 years). The interview transcriptions were subjected to systematic content analysis.

Findings

The results indicate that being motivated to change a health behavior and curiosity about the content were important factors in the decision to visit an internet intervention. To extend a visit, mainly intervention aspects were considered such as visual appeal, the number of questions needed to complete within the program, and the existence of a registration procedure. To induce revisits, regularly updated content and the possibility to monitor behavior change were important.

Practical implications

These findings suggest that activities to promote use of internet interventions need to be directed at motivating adults to think about potential behavior change. Furthermore, intervention aspects need to meet various criteria, such as a professional appearance, concise and easy to understand texts and an explanation for the use of a registration procedure.

Originality/value

The results of this explorative study can be used as a basis for further studies aimed at improving dissemination and use of internet‐delivered behavior change interventions.
The usability of medicine education assignments for seven to nine year‐old children
Authors: Hämeen‐Anttila Katri , Honkanen Leena , Vainio Kirsti
Published: October 2009

Purpose

A medicine education web site was developed during a research project in 2002–2004 to help teachers in primary and junior secondary schools to teach children the proper use of medicines. However, there was a need to develop further the assignments for the youngest schoolchildren. The aim of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of three medicine education assignments created for seven to nine year‐old children, and to describe how children experienced them.

Design/methodology/approach

Triangulation of two methods was used: ten observed lessons and eight focus group discussions (FGD) with children (n=46). Two researchers observed medicine education lessons given by four primary school teachers. After these lessons, the children were interviewed in focus group discussions.

Findings

Teachers used the assignments in various ways. It became clear in the observations that the children enjoyed the assignments and that they did not feel embarrassed about the topics discussed. During the FGDs, they discussed topics related to learning objectives generally in a good and extensive way. Moreover, the children remembered the main messages to be learnt.

Originality/value

The medicine education assignments developed for seven to nine year‐old children are useful and feasible, and furthermore, they are flexible and can be used in different situations with different groups of children.
Pre‐school overweight and obesity in England
Authors: Robinson Sally , Page Kirsty
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a summary of current policy and research related to pre‐school overweight and obesity, and to provide a rationale for why early years settings are being placed at the forefront of strategies to address the problem.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on a narrative review of current research, policy and practice.

Findings

Today 22.9 per cent of four and five year olds are overweight or obese. The Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives strategy is a cross‐government initiative, which aims to make England the first major country to reverse the obesity epidemic. The pre‐school period represents a critical time for interventions, which could prevent excess weight gain and its associated physical and psychological damage to health.

Practical implications

Practitioners in early years settings have a significant contribution to make to promoting the healthy weight of children.

Originality/value

Concerns about overweight in childhood have received much attention. This paper seeks to raise awareness of the importance of the pre‐school period, and to provide a useful review of current research, policy and sources of support for those who are best placed to address the issue.
Promoting children's mental, emotional and social health through contact with nature: a model
Authors: Maller Cecily Jane
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to determine educators' perceptions about the benefits of contact with nature for children's mental, emotional and social health.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach was exploratory using qualitative methods. Face‐to‐face interviews were conducted with school principals and teachers as well as professionals from the environmental education industry. Interviews focused on the perceived benefits for children's health from school activities involving hands‐on contact with nature.

Findings

Hands‐on contact with nature is perceived by educators to improve self‐esteem, engagement with school and a sense of empowerment, among other benefits. Different types of activities are perceived to have different outcomes. A model is proposed to illustrate the findings.

Research limitations/implications

Activities involving hands‐on contact with nature may have significant health outcomes for children. Further empirical work is needed to determine the extent of the benefits and provide further evidence.

Practical implications

Findings support the value of activities involving nature and provide further incentive to include such activities in teaching curricula. Activities involving hands‐on contact with nature at school may be a means of promoting children's mental, emotional and social health at a crucial time in their development.

Originality/value

This paper addresses two gaps in current knowledge: much research on contact with nature and health and wellbeing has focused on adults not children; despite the popularity of nature‐based activities in schools there has been no investigation into the potential of these activities to promote children's mental, emotional and social health.
The acceptance of blogs: using a customer experiential value perspective
Authors: Keng Ching‐Jui , Ting Hui‐Ying
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This study is based on the interactivity and perceived similarity between blog readers and the others, and incorporates the concepts from customer experiential value. This paper aims to examine emotional experiences that internet users gain while reading blogs, that is, assesses the attitude of blog readers through their subjective experiences within the communication process.

Design/methodology/approach

An empirical survey is used to test the hypotheses. The sample is 349 users who browse blogs frequently. Data are analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM) to understand the cause and effect of the entire model and to determine the goodness of fit of the conceptual model.

Findings

Empirical results demonstrate that: interpersonal interaction enhances browsers, aesthetic experiences as well as playfulness; machine interaction generates high aesthetics value which comprises visual and entertainment effects, service excellence, and CROI; perceived similarity by readers positively influences the four components of customer experiential value; and a positive correlation exists between user attitudes toward reading blogs and their experiential value in aesthetics, playfulness, and service excellence.

Practical implications

The findings will help bloggers understand the factors key to success and allocate the appropriate resources to operate a blog and achieve success.

Originality/value

The value of this study is to establish the importance of customer experiential value theory. Previous research on customer experiential value primarily focuses on analysing consumer shopping behaviours and mostly on the utilitarian value of products. This research focuses on inner pleasure gained through reading blogs, such as aesthetic experiences and emotional reactions.
E‐government adoption in ASEAN: the case of Cambodia
Authors: Sang Sinawong , Lee Jeong‐Dong , Lee Jongsu
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that influence e‐government adoption in Cambodia as one of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses the technology acceptance model (TAM), the extended TAM (TAM2), the diffusion of innovations (DOI) theory, and trust to build a parsimonious yet comprehensive model of user adoption of e‐government. The authors test the model with an empirical study. Data are collected from a total of 112 public officers in 12 ministries in Cambodia. The research model is then assessed with multiple regression analyses.

Findings

The findings in this study show that the determinants of the research model (perceived usefulness, relative advantage, and trust) are support. At the same time, the important determinants of perceived usefulness include image and output quality.

Practical implications

The study would help government policy decision makers design and implement policies and strategies to increase the adoption of e‐government services in Cambodia as well as in other countries, particularly ASEAN member states that have a similar situation.

Originality/value

This paper is one of a few studies on e‐government adoption in ASEAN and the first study on e‐government adoption in Cambodia.
Mutual self‐disclosure online in the B2C context
Authors: Chou Yu‐Jen , Teng Ching‐I , Lo Shao‐Kang
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the relationship between company identity information disclosure, trust, and consumer self‐disclosure intentions during the first visit to a company website.

Design/methodology/approach

This study conducts one‐factor (company identity information disclosure) between‐subject experiment design. Participants were randomly assigned into two groups: company identity information disclosure – high vs low. Furthermore, this study also uses LISREL to analyse the model.

Findings

The analytical results indicate that when a company website discloses much of its identity information, consumers trust the company more, and exhibit greater intentions to provide their personal information. Specifically, this study's results show that consumer's trust mediates the relationship between company identity information disclosure and consumer self‐disclosure intentions.

Practical implications

Companies often invite consumers to disclose personal information on websites, and then use this information to build and maintain relationships with these customers. This study suggests that a company can disclose their information more on their website. Consequently, consumers trust more toward the company and then have higher disclosure intentions.

Originality/value

Traditionally, most interpersonal communication research indicates when someone discloses more, the other communication participant also discloses more. Although previous research investigates the impact of online information disclosure on trust and consumer self‐disclosure, there are no studies that address the potential impact of a company disclosing information about its identity. This study examines the influence of company identity information disclosure and emphasises the important role of trust during the first visit to a website.
Top management team composition and views of viable strategies
Authors: Gallén Tiina
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to form propositions about the relationship between the cognitive composition of the top management team and its view of the viable strategy for a firm.

Design/methodology/approach

The cognitive style of 58 members of ten top management teams were analyzed using the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the strategy types based on Miles and Snow typology were defined using the paragraph approach. Descriptive statistics were used in the analysis.

Findings

Based on data from the ten top management teams in the spa industry, this study proposes that the cognitive composition of the top management team affects the strategies they prefer. Further, it is proposed that intuitive‐thinking top management teams prefer either a prospector or an analyzer strategy. A defender or an analyzer strategy is preferred by sensing‐thinking top management teams. Defining the composition of the top management team using the cognitive style is proposed to be a more promising way to explain the homogeneity or heterogeneity of the team than traditional measures such as age or education in this context.

Practical implications

For the top management teams, the results of this study emphasize the importance of knowing the cognitive composition of the top management team and especially taking it into consideration during strategic decision‐making.

Originality/value

This study extends existing research by illuminating the relationships between the cognitive composition of the top management team and the strategy type and also confirms several results drawn from previous studies concerning manager‐strategy relationships. This paper also attempts to inspire researchers to take cognitive composition into consideration when studying the influences the top management team has on a firm's strategy.
Relationship between emotional intelligence and transformational leadership of supervisors
Authors: Polychroniou Panagiotis V.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the relationships between social skills, motivation and empathy (emotional intelligence components) and transformational leadership in Greek organisations giving emphasis on supervisor‐subordinate interaction on a team basis. In particular, this study aims to investigate employees' perceptions regarding their supervisor's emotional intelligence as well as transformational leadership.

Design/methodology/approach

Participants were 267 managers working at various functional units and different hierarchical levels. Data were collected by means of questionnaires in a series of face‐to‐face structured interviews regarding subordinates' perceptions for the following: supervisors' emotional intelligence; and transformational leadership.

Findings

Results provided support for the model which suggests that supervisors' emotional intelligence components such as social skills, motivation, and empathy are positively associated with transformational leadership increasing team effectiveness with subordinate.

Research limitations/implications

Data were collected from convenience samples that might limit generalisability of results. Implications for management are discussed including the need for supervisors to use emotional intelligence competencies and transformational leadership, so that their subordinates are empowered to participate and increase team effectiveness.

Originality/value

This study contributes to our understanding of the linkage among emotional intelligence and transformational leadership of supervisors in Greek organisations and the impact on teamwork with their subordinates.