bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Advanced manufacturing technology and work design: Towards a theoretical framework
Authors: Wall Toby D. , Corbett J. Martin , Clegg Chris W. , Jackson Paul R. , Martin Robin
Published: July 2007

This paper introduces a theoretical framework to guide research into the psychological effects of advanced manufacturing technology (AMT) on shopfloor operators. The framework has two main aspects. First, based on the emerging literature on the job content implications of AMT, it identifies four key constructs, namely: control, cognitive demand, production responsibility and social interaction. Second, by drawing on the more established job design, stress and related literatures, it predicts how these independent variables differentially affect system performance, job‐related strain and job satisfaction. The wider implications and limitations of the theoretical framework are discussed.
Maternal employment experiences, attention problems and behavioral performance: A mediational model
Authors: Barling Julian , Macewen Karyl E.
Published: July 2007

The present study posits and empirically tests a process model examining the effects of interrole conflict, satisfaction with, and commitment to the role of employed mother on a self‐report measure of cognitive difficulties and a behavioral measure relevant to work performance (proof reading). Fifty‐three full‐time employed mothers with at least one child living at home participated. The proposed model, tested using Lisrel VI, provided an excellent fit to the data. Specifically, interrole conflict exerted an indirect effect on proof reading performance, mediated by self‐reported attention and concentration difficulties. Satisfaction with and commitment to the role of employed mother were not related to either proof reading performance or self‐reported cognitive difficulties.
Effects of self‐esteem and gender on goal choice
Authors: Levy Paul E. , Baumgardner Ann H.
Published: July 2007

The relationship between enduring or personality characteristics and goal choice has been of considerable theoretical, but little empirical interest in recent years. From an expectancy value perspective, we addressed the impact of self‐esteem and gender on choice of goal difficulty level. As predicted, esteem and gender made significant contributions to the prediction of goal choice. The implications of these findings for future research in organizational settings, goal setting theory, and the relationship between goals and tasks are discussed.
Assessing the completeness of a job analysis procedure
Authors: Taber Tom D. , Peters Theodore D.
Published: July 2007

The current research analyzed employee perceptions of the completeness of a self‐report, point‐factor job evaluation system. Complementary qualitative and quantitative techniques were used to identify characteristics of jobs, characteristics of employees, and characteristics of the job evaluation procedure that affected employee perceptions of the system. Analyses indicated that the job evaluation instrument might describe some classes of jobs more completely than others. Situations where job evaluation is particularly problematic are identified and discussed.
The job satisfaction of older workers
Authors: Eichar Douglas M. , Norland Stephen , Michael Brady E. , Fortinsky Richard H.
Published: July 2007

Older workers re‐entering the workforce and those changing jobs are coming to play an increasingly important role in the labor force, especially as part‐time workers. Yet the work orientation and job satisfaction of these workers has not been studied. Do ‘situational’ factors such as skill and pay matter for this subgroup of workers, and if so, which ones? If significant factors exist, can their effect be explained by the mediating influence of ‘dispositional’ factors like work values? This paper explores these questions in a study of 198 older workers who had begun new, mostly part‐time jobs. Regression analysis shows that the intrinsic indicators for skill and autonomy have a positive effect on job satisfaction. No extrinsic factor was significantly related to satisfaction, indicating that these workers are more than ‘instrumentally’ oriented. This support for a ‘situational’ interpretation of the impact of work, especially intrinsic features, was sustained in analyses which incorporated work values. To the extent that the growing number of part‐time jobs are relatively low‐skilled, and to the extent that older workers in new jobs are influenced most by intrinsically rewarding work, there appears to be a growing mismatch between an occupational niche and those who are being sought to fill it.
Shiftwork and department‐type related to job stress, work attitudes and behavioral intentions: A study of nurses
Authors: Jamal Muhammad , Baba Vishwanath V.
Published: July 2007

The present study examined the relationship of shiftwork and department‐type with employees' job stress, stressors, work attitudes and behavioral intention. Data were collected by means of a structured questionnaire from nurses (N = 1148) working in eight hospitals in a large, metropolitan city in eastern Canada. One‐way ANOVA, MANOVA and two‐way ANOVA were used to analyze data. Results generally support the prediction that nurses working on fixed shifts were better off than nurses working on rotating shifts in terms of the dependent variables of the present study. The prediction that nurses working in non‐intensive care departments were better off than nurses working in intensive care departments received mixed support at best. A few interaction effects of shiftwork × department‐type on dependent variables were also noted.

The impact of socio‐demographic variables — age, marital status, cultural background (English‐ versus French‐speaking) — on the above relationships were also analyzed. Results are discussed in light of the previous empirical evidence on shiftwork and department‐type.
Prevalence of work‐family conflict: Are work and family boundaries asymmetrically permeable?
Authors: Frone Michael R. , Russell Marcia , Cooper M. Lynne
Published: July 2007

This study tested Pleck's (1977) hypothesis concerning gender differences in the relative permeability of work and family boundaries. Data were obtained from a randomly drawn community sample of 631 employed adults (278 men; 353 women). Respondents reported that work interfered with family life (W→F conflict) more frequently than family life interfered with work (F→W conflict). These results suggest that work and family boundaries are indeed asymmetrically permeable with family boundaries being more permeable than work boundaries. However, there was no evidence of gender differences in the pattern of asymmetry, indicating that the dynamics of work and family boundaries may operate similarly among men and women. Implications for future research are discussed.
The impact of feedback and self‐efficacy on performance in training
Authors: Karl Katherine A. , O'Leary‐Kelly Anne M. , Martocchio Joseph J.
Published: July 2007

This field experiment examined the main and interactive effects of self‐efficacy and feedback (i.e. the use of feedback versus no feedback) on performance in a speed reading class. Results showed that the provision of feedback was beneficial to the performance of all subjects, however as subject self‐efficacy increased, the beneficial effects of feedback to the subject's performance also increased. Subjects who received feedback on their performance experienced significantly greater increases in self‐efficacy than subjects who received no feedback. The more positive the performance feedback received, the greater the increase in individual self‐efficacy. The implications of these results for training programs are discussed.
Stress and strain among union lay officials and rank‐and‐file members
Authors: Shirom Arie , Mayer Ada
Published: July 2007

This study explored the effects of fulfilling, on a voluntary basis, the role of lay officials in a local union of teachers on stress, strain, and the relationship between stress and strain. Levels of typical teachers' stress, and their effects on strain, were systematically compared for lay officials and rank‐and‐file members. Data were gathered from 1045 teachers who constituted 60 per cent of the staff in a representative sample of 30 high schools in Israel. Respondents completed a questionnaire that included measures of several types of occupation‐specific stresses and two psychological strains: Somatic complaints and burnout. Relative to the rank‐and‐file members, union officials reported higher levels of overload and parent–teacher conflict, but the same levels of strain. The results of the regression analyses indicated, as expected, that union officials' strain was predicted by stresses associated with their representational duties. For the two groups of teachers, the measures of stress exerted the same detrimental effect on each of the strains. Thus, it was concluded that lay union officials were not at greater risk of psychological strain relative to their fellow teachers.
Stress, work and professional satisfaction and militancy among Canadian physicians
Authors: Burke Ronald J.
Published: July 2007

The introduction of a national health care system in Canada has resulted in regular and increasing conflict between the medical profession, government and other political actors. The present study utilizes a stressor–strain framework to understand physician militancy in Canada. Data were collected from 2087 men and women physicians using questionnaires completed anonymously. Four groups of predictor variables identified in previous research were considered: individual demographic characteristics, practice characteristics, work stressors, and work and professional satisfactions. Empirical support for the model was found. Each panel of predictor variables had significant and unique relationships with measures of physician militancy.
The main effect model versus buffering model of shop steward social support: A study of rank‐and‐file auto workers in the U.S.A
Authors: Fried Yitzhak , Tiegs Robert B.
Published: July 2007

Social support has long been considered an important factor in influencing the experience of stress and strain at work (e.g. Cohen and Wills, 1985). Yet the effect of union support on stress and strain has been largely neglected. In the present study we explored the role of social support provided by shop stewards as both a predictor of various indicators of strain experienced by their constituents as well as a buffer of stress–strain relations. These hypothesized relations were evaluated using data provided by rank‐and‐file members (N= 112) of a large local union associated with the automotive industry located in the midwestern region of the U.S.A. The results were not generally supportive of the main‐effect model of steward support, but were consistent with the buffering model.
Success and failure in the labour market
Authors: Schaufeli Wilmar B. , Vanyperen Nico W.
Published: July 2007

In previous research on unemployment, conflicting evidence has been found for a ‘reverse causation interpretation’, indicating that prolonged unemployment is a consequence of psychological distress instead of the reverse. The present longitudinal study was conducted to test this reverse causation explanation. A second issue addressed in this study was whether getting a job or not depends more strongly on subjective or psychological factors than on objective factors (e.g. a person's biographical background, length of unemployment). Two independent samples were examined: Sample 1 (n = 635) consisted of school‐leavers, and sample 2 (n = 467) consisted of subjects who had been unemployed for more than one year. Some support was found for the reverse causation explanation. In addition, more than objective factors, a strong job orientation and a problem focused coping style appeared to be a precursor of success in the labour market. Accordingly, getting a job seems to be primarily a function of one's own efforts.
Dispositional affectivity as a predictor of work attitudes and job performance
Authors: Cropanzano Russell , James Keith , Konovsky Mary A.
Published: July 2007

Previous research has shown that dispositional negative affect (NA) is associated with lower levels of job satisfaction. Little research has been conducted, however, on other organizational implications of negative affect or on the potential effects of dispositional positive affect (PA). The present studies examined the relationship of both positive and negative affectivity to organizational commitment, turnover intentions, global job satisfaction and performance. In the first study both NA and PA were associated with organizational commitment and turnover intentions. Additionally, commitment mediated the relationship between dispositional affectivity and turnover. Finally, PA and tenure interacted to predict job performance, such that PA and job performance were positively related, but only for high tenure employees. In Study 2 the findings were generally similar, but not identical. Both NA and PA were related to global job satisfaction and turnover intentions. However, only PA was related to affective organizational commitment. Moreover, both job satisfaction and affective commitment mediated the relationship between dispositional affectivity and turnover intentions. Finally, unlike Study 1, PA was not related to job performance. Rather, NA and tenure interacted such that when individuals were lower in tenure, NA was negatively related to performance.
Coping with job insecurity: How does personality make a difference?
Authors: Roskies Ethel , Louis‐Guerin Christiane , Fournier Claudette
Published: July 2007

Reversing a long‐standing tradition of neglect, occupational stress researchers have recently rediscovered the importance of personality disposition in understanding the transformation of stresses into strains and strains into symptoms. Two recent studies of job insecurity in our laboratory provided a fortuitous opportunity to explore the extent of this influence and the mechanisms by which it operates. The most important of our findings is that positive personality attributes impact as strongly on mental health as does negative personality disposition, albeit in the opposite direction. Thus, personality can cushion, as well as aggravate, the impact of occupational stress.
An experimental examination of implicit stress theory
Authors: Perrewe Pamela L. , Fernandez Denise Rotondo , Morton Karen S.
Published: July 2007

Implicit theories lead individuals to make assumptions about one trait based on their knowledge of another trait. This study experimentally examined Implicit Stress Theory under conditions of high and low performance information. The objective was to test for evidence of Implicit Stress Theory in ratings of effectiveness, commitment, and burnout. Results indicated moderate support for Implicit Stress Theory such that raters evaluated employee burnout and commitment as higher when the employee was perceived to be working under stressful conditions. Interestingly, the data suggested stronger support (based on the proportion of variance explained) for an Implicit Performance Theory such that information regarding good performance was associated with higher levels of commitment and less burnout than poor performance.
Psychological health and involvement in interpersonally demanding occupations: A longitudinal perspective
Authors: Jenkins Sharon Rae , Maslach Christina
Published: July 2007

This longitudinal study examined relations among interpersonal demands of jobs and the psychological health, job and work involvements, and job satisfaction of workers. Two samples of archival data were collected between the 1940s and 1971. Workers of both sexes who were psychologically healthier in adolescence and earlier adulthood manifested greater involvement and (for men only) satisfaction later in adulthood. People in interpersonally demanding jobs showed greater involvement and satisfaction; men were more involved, but not more satisfied, than women. Older cohort members who were more psychologically healthy were more likely to enter, and remain in, interpersonally demanding jobs. However, this relationship was moderated by both chronological age and historical period, which are cohort variables that are often ignored in the occupational literature. The common practice of presuming generalizability across these dimensions may not be warranted.
Three scales of professional deviance within organizations
Authors: Raelin Joseph A.
Published: July 2007

Salaried professionals may exhibit organizational deviance when faced with conflict resulting from their mutual role as professional and employee. Some of this behavior may be directly harmful to both the individual and the organization, whereas some may constitute adaptive maladjustments. An earlier study proposed that these deviant behaviors could be organized into Guttman scales. In this article, three such scales were tested for underlying unidimensionality and cumulativeness using scalogram analysis. Not only was the practice of organizational deviance, although not widespread, confirmed, but the scales survived the parameters of the Guttman procedure. A replication of the scales produced sufficient validation for their further development and usage.
Evaluation of an occupational stress intervention in a public agency
Authors: Landsbergis Paul A. , Vivona‐Vaughan Eleanor
Published: July 2007

Only in several controlled studies have organizational or situational stressors (in contrast to individuals) been targeted for change in order to reduce occupational stress. This study evaluates the impact of an intervention which was based on organizational development, action research and Karasek's job strain model. Employee committees conducted problem diagnosis, action planning, and action taking in two departments in a public agency. Waiting list control departments and pre‐ post‐ and follow‐up assessment were utilized. Results indicated a mixed impact of the intervention in one department, but a negligible or negative impact in the other. Obstacles to the effective implementation of the intervention strategy are discussed. These included a limited focus for the committees (department‐wide rather than agency‐wide), the negative impact of a major agency reorganization, and the lack of a more formal management and labour commitment to maintaining the stress reduction and organizational change process.
A Putative CCAAT-Binding Transcription Factor Is a Regulator of Flowering Timing in Arabidopsis
Authors: Cai Xiaoning , Ballif Jenny , Endo Saori , Davis Elizabeth , Liang Mingxiang , Chen Dong , DeWald Daryll , Kreps Joel , Zhu Tong , Wu Yajun
Published: July 2007

Flowering at the appropriate time of year is essential for successful reproduction in plants. We found that HAP3b in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), a putative CCAAT-binding transcription factor gene, is involved in controlling flowering time. Overexpression of HAP3b promotes early flowering while hap3b, a null mutant of HAP3b, is delayed in flowering under a long-day photoperiod. Under short-day conditions, however, hap3b did not show a delayed flowering compared to wild type based on the leaf number, suggesting that HAP3b may normally be involved in the photoperiod-regulated flowering pathway. Mutant hap3b plants showed earlier flowering upon gibberellic acid or vernalization treatment, which means that HAP3b is not involved in flowering promoted by gibberellin or vernalization. Further transcript profiling and gene expression analysis suggests that HAP3b can promote flowering by enhancing expression of key flowering time genes such as FLOWERING LOCUS T and SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS1. Our results provide strong evidence supporting a role of HAP3b in regulating flowering in plants grown under long-day conditions.
The effects of joint reward system in new product development
Authors: Jin Chang Tsun , Pao Yeh Shang , Yeh I‐Jan
Published: July 2007

Purpose

This study purports to examine the effects of a joint reward system (JRS) under a new product development (NPD) setting by identifying four neglected aspects of JRS that contains a procedural view (participation of reward decision and reward contingent on NPD phases) and a monetary view (risk‐free to participate and over‐reward incentive) in a conceptual model, and then to empirically test their effects on knowledge sharing and NPD performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Using regression analysis, the proposed model was tested on 233 valid respondents (112 in R&D, 50 in marketing, and 71 in manufacturing), including 92 from electronics firms, 87 from semiconductor firms, 29 from biotechnology firms, and 25 from pharmaceutical firms in Taiwan.

Findings

The results indicated that risk‐free to NPD project members is the most salient aspect of JRS on knowledge sharing and NPD performance. Joint determination of reward allocation was found to be a favorable JRS for only marketing and NPD performance. Rewards contingent on NPD phases have shown conflicting results between R&D and marketing. No relationship was found for over‐reward incentive on knowledge sharing and NPD performance. Despite the mixed effects of JRS, knowledge sharing is a strong predictor of NPD performance.

Originality/value

This study extends understanding of the complexities of rewards on knowledge sharing and NPD success by decomposing and testing four unique aspects of JRS, which sheds a new light on NPD researches.
The impact of performance measurement in the voluntary sector
Authors: Moxham Claire , Boaden Ruth
Published: July 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this research paper is to identify the impact of contextual and processual factors on the development, use and impact of performance measurement systems in voluntary and community organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews the applicability of business and public sector performance measurement frameworks to voluntary organisations. It presents the findings of a study through four case studies and draws conclusions on the impact of measurement systems in the voluntary sector.

Findings

The research identifies a low utilisation of performance measurement frameworks and discusses what systems are currently used, how such systems are administered and the impact of measurement on performance.

Research limitations/implications

The evidence is based on four micro‐voluntary organisations that receive public sector funding. The findings are based on the perceptions of the organisations delivering the services and illustrate the relationship between the public and voluntary sectors. Further, cases utilising a range of stakeholders should be studied to examine the validity, reliability and generalisability of the presented results. However, given that there is practically no empirical evidence at all on this issue at present, the study provides useful evidence that can be further developed.

Practical implications

The research findings present contextual and processual barriers to measuring the efficiency and effectiveness of voluntary organisations. For performance measurement frameworks to support current practice, these barriers need to be recognised and addressed.

Originality/value

The paper highlights performance measurement implications for a sector that is unaccustomed to scrutiny. As little research has been conducted within this sector, these findings contribute to the body of knowledge.
Using SPC to measure a national supermarket chain's suppliers' performance
Authors: Morgan Chris , Dewhurst Adam
Published: July 2007

Purpose

This research paper aims to explore the application of Statistical Process Control (SPC) methods to measure the performance of a national supermarket chain's problem suppliers. The use of SPC control charts was expected to help in the understanding of the management of buyer/supplier relationships and the effect of the suppliers' performance in the supermarket's replenishment system.

Design/methodology/approach

The data analysed were based on the performance of 12 suppliers to the national supermarket over a period of 77 weeks. Quantitative data were supplemented with qualitative data obtained from the suppliers' managers and the supermarket's buyers. The paper compares the measurement of the suppliers' performance using descriptive statistics such as skewness, kurtosis and correlation, with those obtained using SPC‐based control chart techniques.

Findings

The results of this analysis indicate that neither descriptive statistics nor the SPC approach were a complete answer to monitoring supplier performance in the supermarket environment. Instead a composite approach was most likely to be effective in improving buyer/supplier relationships. The use of descriptive statistics is important in establishing consistent and achievable performance targets; the use of SPC facilitates performance monitoring and enables meaningful problem‐solving dialogues to be established.

Practical implications

From a retail managerial perspective these results help both in the design of the performance measurement system and in the establishment of realistic performance standards throughout the supply system.

Originality/value

The results suggest that performance measurement of supermarket replenishment systems needs to use a range of performance measures and extend beyond conventional dyadic buyer/supplier analysis.
Assessment of the impact of an open‐URL link resolver
Authors: Yi Hua , Herlihy Catherine S.
Published: July 2007

Purpose

This paper seeks to report a data‐driven assessment of student and faculty use of electronic scholarly resources pre‐ and post‐implementation of an open‐URL link resolver.

Design/methodology/approach

Usage data were extracted from two multidisciplinary scholarly aggregators pre‐ and post‐implementation of an open‐URL link resolver. Open‐URL link resolver usage data for both aggregators were also collected and two timelines established. Statistical analysis was performed to assess direct and indirect impact.

Findings

Study results show that the implementation of an open‐URL link resolver has directly contributed to usage increase in the short and long periods under study. Usage patterns also indicate the technology has indirect impact.

Research implications/limitations

Limitations include one‐semester limits of short‐term data. Non‐standardized data could be compared only within each aggregator.

Practical implications

Research outcomes provide a tool for the assessment of student/faculty use of electronic scholarly resources and Collections and Catalog librarian participation in teaching and learning. Usage data are increasingly available to librarians, so work based on research findings can be assessed.

Originality/value

This paper reports student/faculty usage data of searching activities, not their perceptions of electronic resources. Usage data demonstrate that librarians who select and provide access to electronic resources positively affect teaching and learning.
The rhetoric and reality of “quality” in higher education
Authors: Cartwright Martin J.
Published: July 2007

Purpose

The paper aims to describe research undertaken in two post‐1992 universities into staff perceptions of and reactions to the rhetoric of the national quality agenda in the UK as expressed by bodies such as the Quality Assurance Agency and the discourse about quality implicit in that agenda. The research examined how academic staff engaged with the discourse and the extent to which the rhetoric of quality is reflected in the day‐to‐day realities of post‐1992 universities.

Design/methodology/approach

The research involved a qualitative investigation of the personal experiences of six academics employed in two post‐1992 universities and comprised in‐depth interviews around three themes which were undertaken during 2005 and 2006. The data from the interviews are summarised and paraphrased in a way which faithfully and accurately captures the sense and spirit of each of the interviews as validated by the interviewees.

Findings

The paper concludes that from the point of view of the academic staff who formed part of this research there is a considerable mismatch between the rhetoric of the official paragons of quality represented by the Quality Assurance Agency and the experience of quality by academic staff embroiled in the quality systems that the two universities involved in this research had developed as a consequence of the requirements of government and government agencies.

Originality/value

This paper will be of interest to academics and academic managers with responsibilities for quality assurance not only in universities with mature quality assurance systems but also in those in which such systems are being introduced or developed.
Interactive business development, capturing business knowledge and practice
Authors: McKelvie Gregor , Dotsika Fefie , Patrick Keith
Published: July 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to follow the planning and development of MapaWiki, a Knowledge Management System for Mapa, an independent research company that specialises in competitor benchmarking. Starting with the standard requirements to capture, store and share information and knowledge, a system was sought that would allow growth and expansion whilst supporting the quick and easy recording and maintenance of interactions between employees.

Design/methodology/approach

Trying to identify the optimum KM solution, the social and technical systems within the organisation cooperated in the investigation of different approaches and in the system's design and development. From the case study perspective the Yin (1994) approach was adopted as a framing and guiding schema. This was further shaped through the action research aspect, involving problem‐solving and generating new knowledge and awareness. The solution selection methodology followed was based on the framework proposed by Despres and Chauvel (1999).

Findings

The application of MapaWiki as a KM system has been very successful. It has already become the central tool for collaboration within the company as well as the central knowledge repository where users add comments and suggestions to articles related to product development, meetings minutes, conference notes etc.

Originality/value

This case study has highlighted the underlying power of the wiki concept and has shown how it can be extended substantially from its original use, typically a notice board or brainstorming tool. Our example demonstrates an interactive collaborative environment that allows for the capture, storage, and sharing of information, knowledge and knowledge sharing practice, that has improved efficiency and the adoption of good practices.
Restorative justice: not “rights”, but the right way to heal relationships at work
Authors: Kidder Deborah L.
Published: July 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of restorative justice as a tool for rebuilding trust and repairing damaged relationships in the workplace.

Design/methodology/approach

The literature on restorative justice, found predominantly in the criminology field, is reviewed, and the origins and tenets of restorative justice are explained.

Findings

Research suggests that the goals of restorative justice are to repair the harm after a damaging incident, to repair the damaged relationship between the two parties in conflict, and restore the offender back to the community.

Originality/value

Restorative justice promises to address the issue of repairing damaged relationships at work, a critical problem in organizations that has yet to be thoroughly addressed in the management literature.
Fit preferences of female consumers in the USA
Authors: Pisut Gina , Jo Connell Lenda
Published: July 2007

Purpose

The paper seeks to investigate fit preferences of female consumers in the USA based on the relationship between their fit preferences, body cathexis, fit problems, and personal profiles.

Design/methodology/approach

Female subjects (n=1,026) between the ages of 19 and 54 were asked to respond to a questionnaire that was mailed to subjects. The questionnaire was used to evaluate consumer fit preferences for individual garment categories (jackets, pants, skirts, blouses, and jeans) relative to respondents' personal profiles, body shape, and body cathexis. Terminology, fit issues, and elements of fit expressed as important to female consumers as identified in an initial focus group which was part of a larger study associated with this research were considered in development of the questionnaire.

Findings

Eighty percent of the sample reported two or more areas of the body where fit problems occurred. One‐third of the respondents altered up to 25 percent of RTW. Semi‐fitted preferences for clothing were reported most often. A significant relationship was found between women who scored high on the body cathexis scale and those who desired more fitted clothing. Body shapes were fairly evenly distributed among all age categories, except for the 19‐35 year old respondents who were more likely to have an hourglass silhouette.

Research limitations/implications

This methodology involved a self‐report of several variables. Items such as body measurements and body shape were subjective. Answers could be inaccurate because of respondents' lack of knowledge of their measurements or their desire to represent a more ideal figure for themselves. Using 3D body scanning to verify body measurements and body shape could provide more accurate results.

Practical implications

The issue of the fit in apparel is critical for both industry and academia. Academia has traditionally examined fit based on expert analysis and is just beginning to investigate the importance of fit from the consumer's viewpoint. In the product development area, industry needs to be able to go beyond just body measurements to incorporate fit preferences based on categorical profiles of consumer groups.

Originality/value

As a construct, fit is difficult to study. This paper identifies variables, constructs a stimulus and investigates women's preferences for fit in various garment categories.
Fashion supply chain organisation and management between the UK and China
Authors: Chen Zhimin , Murray Richard , Jones Richard M.
Published: July 2007

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to analyse simplified traditional fashion clothing supply chain models between the UK and China to identify the key issues in quality and communication management.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative research utilising key informant interviews was used. A total of nine full interviews were undertaken from three simplified supply chains. A content analysis approach was used to analyse the data based on recurring themes. The focus was on the management of quality and communication including design development, sample development and approval, fabric/trims order and approval, bulk production management and shipping/warehouse management.

Findings

The research suggested that for fashion supply chain organisation and management between the UK and China attention should be focused on improvement of three common aspects capable of inhibiting performance: deficiencies in design specification, language barriers, and cultural/human barriers.
A task‐based approach to assessing the accessibility of web sites
Authors: Craven Jenny , Nietzio Annika
Published: July 2007

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe research undertaken for the European Internet Accessibility Observatory (EIAO) project. It aims to demonstrate how, using a task‐based approach, statistical measures can be applied to an initial assessment of a web site's accessibility, which could then be applied to further assessments to provide an evolving picture of the ongoing accessibility of a web site. Design/methodology/approach – Task‐based assessments were used to assess the accessibility of web sites, using quantitative and qualitative analysis. The findings from this approach were mapped onto a probabilistic model, developed to assess the probability of an accessibility barrier relating to a specific feature or features of a web site. Findings – The paper finds that providing participants with a task instead of allowing them to randomly explore and evaluate a web site yielded more comparable results. For the EIAO project team, the benefit of the task‐based approach was that it allowed them to compare the user testing results with the results of the automated testing tool developed by the project. From the aggregation models included in the analysis, the most appropriate model and parameters were selected, and adjustments were made according to the comparison outcome. Research limitations/implications – Due to resource limitations and efficiency requirements, the assessments undertaken were limited to automatic evaluation, which could also be tested by the users. Therefore not all accessibility barriers in a web site could be identified. Despite this, it is felt that the outcome of the automatic analysis can be utilised as indicator for the overall accessibility of the web site. Originality/value – This paper provides a framework for web designers, commissioners, and policy makers to undertake a user focussed assessment of the accessibility of their web sites, which could be used in conjunction with other assessment methods.
Assessing Generic Learning Outcomes in public lending libraries
Authors: Amosford John
Published: July 2007

Purpose

This paper aims to outline some key results from the “Reading a Difference” survey carried out by Devon County Council's Corporate Consultation Service with Devon Library and Information Service among libraries across the South West of England in 2006. The principal aim of this study was to create and disseminate a learning outcome assessment tool for all public library authorities in the South West of England to inform future policy and research decisions of the South West Museums, Libraries and Archives Council.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper explores the use of in book questionnaires to illicit learning experiences from readers as a cost effective method of data collection. It outlines work carried out by to consider the assessment of learning outcomes from book loans to adults within the South West of England.

Findings

The paper finds that it is clear that an assessment tool for learning outcomes can be developed for use within public libraries, and that there is scope for further research on the learning processes to inform policy and the end users. Alongside the theoretical approach to surveying learning outcomes, there are practical outcomes to be explored by public libraries in studying this data. The willingness of the public to engage with library services in this way was in itself positive and the comments made have been used to inform service changes and reaffirm what libraries are currently doing well, or not.

Originality/value

The paper demonstrates that this type of study can inform managers of the requirements of service delivery and strategic overview of learning within libraries.
Site‐specific structural investigations of oxidized nickel samples modified by plasma erosion processes
Authors: HOLZAPFEL C. , SOLDERA F. , FAUNDEZ E. A. , MÜCKLICH F.
Published: July 2007

A focused ion beam was employed for local target preparation for EBSD analysis. The volume of the ion‐solid interaction is well below 50 nm at glancing incidence for metallic and transition metal oxide samples. Therefore, focused ion beam can successfully be used for electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) sample preparation. The sample investigated consists of Ni covered with a NiO layer of ∼5 μm thickness. Focused ion beam cross‐sectioning of these layers and subsequent electron imaging in addition to EBSD maps shows a bimodal structure of the oxide layer. In order to test the potential of such oxidized samples as electrode materials, single spark erosion experiments were performed. The erosion craters have diameters up to 40 μm and have a depth corresponding to the thickness of the oxide layer. In addition, a deformation zone produced by thermoshock accompanies the formation of the crater. This deformation zone was further investigated by EBSD analysis using a new way of sample preparation employing the focused ion beam technology. This target preparation routine is called Volume of Interest Transfer and has the potential of providing a full three‐dimensional characterization.
A sandwich‐embedding method for oriented sectioning
Authors: LEROUX O. , VAN DER KINDEREN G. , VIANE R. L. L.
Published: July 2007

High‐quality sections are indispensable for many scientific studies. Most published methods are often time‐consuming or require special devices. We present an easy, quick and low‐cost method for oriented embedding of thin structures using glycol methacrylate resin and self‐constructed, reusable embedding tools made of overhead transparencies. This technique allows for more flexibility in orientation than other methods, enabling precise transverse, longitudinal and even oblique sectioning.
Diaphragmatic proteasome function is maintained in the ageing Fisher 344 rat
Authors: Kavazis Andreas N. , DeRuisseau Keith C. , McClung Joseph M. , Whidden Melissa A. , Falk Darin J. , Smuder Ashley J. , Sugiura Takao , Powers Scott K.
Published: July 2007

The diaphragm is the most important inspiratory muscle in mammals and is essential for normal ventilation. Therefore, maintenance of diaphragm function is critical to overall health throughout the lifespan. Evidence indicates that the ubiquitin proteasome pathway (UPP) function is diminished in locomotor skeletal muscle of ageing animals, but the function of the UPP in the senescent diaphragm has not yet been studied. Diaphragms were harvested from 6‐ and 24‐ to 26‐month‐old Fisher 344 rats (n= 8 per group), and a comprehensive assessment of key components of the UPP, proteasome activity and ubiquitin‐conjugating enzyme activity was performed. Gene expression and diaphragmatic protein levels of several key proteasome components are not altered in the diaphragm by ageing. Furthermore and most importantly, the senescent diaphragm exhibited no age‐related changes in the content of endogenous ubiquitin–protein conjugates or 20S proteasome activity. In conclusion, in contrast to locomotor skeletal muscle, proteasome function and ubiquitin‐conjugating enzyme activity are preserved during senescence in diaphragm. A more thorough understanding of the divergent molecular mechanisms and pathways regulating the UPP in different skeletal muscles could lead to the enhancement of therapeutic strategies aimed at improving morbidity and mortality outcomes in different clinical populations.
Analysis of a Ferric Uptake Regulator (Fur) Mutant of
Desulfovibrio vulgaris
Hildenborough
Authors: Bender Kelly S. , Yen Huei-Che Bill , Hemme Christopher L. , Yang Zamin , He Zhili , He Qiang , Zhou Jizhong , Huang Katherine H. , Alm Eric J. , Hazen Terry C. , Arkin Adam P. , Wall Judy D.
Published: July 2007

Previous experiments examining the transcriptional profile of the anaerobe
Desulfovibrio vulgaris
demonstrated up-regulation of the Fur regulon in response to various environmental stressors. To test the involvement of Fur in the growth response and transcriptional regulation of
D. vulgaris
, a targeted mutagenesis procedure was used for deleting the
fur
gene. Growth of the resulting Δ
fur
mutant (JW707) was not affected by iron availability, but the mutant did exhibit increased sensitivity to nitrite and osmotic stresses compared to the wild type. Transcriptional profiling of JW707 indicated that iron-bound Fur acts as a traditional repressor for ferrous iron uptake genes (
feoAB
) and other genes containing a predicted Fur binding site within their promoter. Despite the apparent lack of siderophore biosynthesis genes within the
D. vulgaris
genome, a large 12-gene operon encoding orthologs to TonB and TolQR also appeared to be repressed by iron-bound Fur. While other genes predicted to be involved in iron homeostasis were unaffected by the presence or absence of Fur, alternative expression patterns that could be interpreted as repression or activation by iron-free Fur were observed. Both the physiological and transcriptional data implicate a global regulatory role for Fur in the sulfate-reducing bacterium
D. vulgaris
.
Changes in Microbial Community Composition and Geochemistry during Uranium and Technetium Bioimmobilization
Authors: Michalsen Mandy M. , Peacock Aaron D. , Spain Anne M. , Smithgal Amanda N. , White David C. , Sanchez-Rosario Yamil , Krumholz Lee R. , Istok Jonathan D.
Published: July 2007

In a previous column study, we investigated the long-term impact of ethanol additions on U and Tc mobility in groundwater (M. M. Michalsen et al., Environ. Sci. Technol. 40:7048-7053, 2006). Ethanol additions stimulated iron- and sulfate-reducing conditions and significantly enhanced U and Tc removal from groundwater compared to an identical column that received no ethanol additions (control). Here we present the results of a combined signature lipid and nucleic acid-based microbial community characterization in sediments collected from along the ethanol-stimulated and control column flow paths. Phospholipid fatty acid analysis showed both an increase in microbial biomass (∼2 orders of magnitude) and decreased ratios of cyclopropane to monoenoic precursor fatty acids in the stimulated column compared to the control, which is consistent with electron donor limitation in the control. Spatial shifts in microbial community composition were identified by PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis as well as by quantitative PCR, which showed that
Geobacteraceae
increased significantly near the stimulated-column outlet, where soluble electron acceptors were largely depleted. Clone libraries of 16S rRNA genes from selected flow path locations in the stimulated column showed that
Proteobacteria
were dominant near the inlet (46 to 52%), while members of candidate division OP11 were dominant near the outlet (67%). Redundancy analysis revealed a highly significant difference (
P
= 0.0003) between microbial community compositions within stimulated and control sediments, with geochemical variables explaining 68% of the variance in community composition on the first two canonical axes.
Gene Overexpression and Biochemical Characterization of the Biotechnologically Relevant Chlorogenic Acid Hydrolase fromAspergillus niger
Authors: Benoit Isabelle , Asther Michèle , Bourne Yves , Navarro David , Canaan Stéphane , Lesage-Meessen Laurence , Herweijer Marga , Coutinho Pedro M. , Asther Marcel , Record Eric
Published: July 2007

The full-length gene that encodes the chlorogenic acid hydrolase fromAspergillus nigerCIRM BRFM 131 was cloned by PCR based on the genome of the strainA. nigerCBS 513.88. The complete gene consists of 1,715 bp and codes for a deduced protein of 512 amino acids with a molecular mass of 55,264 Da and an acidic pI of 4.6. The gene was successfully cloned and overexpressed inA. nigerto yield 1.25 g liter−1, i.e., 330-fold higher than the production of wild-type strainA. nigerCIRM BRFM131. The histidine-tagged recombinant ChlE protein was purified to homogeneity via a single chromatography step, and its main biochemical properties were characterized. The molecular size of the protein checked by mass spectroscopy was 74,553 Da, suggesting the presence of glycosylation. ChlE is assembled in a tetrameric form with several acidic isoforms with pIs of around 4.55 and 5.2. Other characteristics, such as optimal pH and temperature, were found to be similar to those determined for the previously characterized chlorogenic acid hydrolase ofA. nigerCIRM BRFM 131. However, there was a significant temperature stability difference in favor of the recombinant protein. ChlE exhibits a catalytic efficiency of 12.5 × 106M−1s−1toward chlorogenic acid (CGA), and its ability to release caffeic acid from CGA present in agricultural by-products such as apple marc and coffee pulp was clearly demonstrated, confirming the high potential of this enzyme.