bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Successfully launching your product: getting it right
Authors: Soni Ameeta , Cohen Harriet
Published: July 2006

Every company wants to launch the “right” products in the market quickly and retain loyal customers for a long time. So why is this so difficult for most companies? Often, product launch failures are due to such fixable factors as: poor understanding of user needs; lack of competitive analysis; lack of understanding of regulatory or channel issues; lack of up‐front planning; and poor cross‐functional communication.
Boardroom myths: reconciling prescription and research guidance
Authors: Daily Catherine M. , Dalton Dan R.
Published: July 2006

Not since the passage of the Securities and Exchange Commission Act of 1934 have matters of corporate governance received such concentrated attention. The failures of a series of notable US companies, beginning with Enron Corporation, have reignited attention toward effective corporate governance. The single most remarkable governance‐related outcome of the Enron failure is the passage of the Sarbanes‐Oxley Act of 2002. Congress passed this legislation as a means for remedying the types of governance failures that are believed to have significantly contributed to Enron’s downfall.
Should the system do this? An introduction to real‐world information ethics
Authors: Gleason David H.
Published: July 2006

You can’t unscramble an egg. You break it into a bowl, mix it, cook it, and eat something very different from what you started with. But if the shell were to fall in at step one without your noticing, then you must discard the inedible result and restart the process. Similarly, when an information technology (IT) project is ill‐conceived, often the only way to change the outcome is to start again. Every system, from a mailing list to an airplane guidance system, codifies the ethics of its designers and developers.
Information technology strategy – managing the dark side
Authors: Savin Jerald M.
Published: July 2006

A strategy is a plan or method for achieving a set of goals. Sounds simple enough, but when it comes to information technology (IT), that’s not always the case. Why? Because the executives who approve strategic IT plans may not understand the scope and content they provide. The purpose of this article is to demystify IT strategic plans by identifying some basic guidelines for developing the content and providing appropriate questions to challenge the content once it is created.
Meritocracy: responding to the myth
Authors: Hyter Mike
Published: July 2006

In my consulting practice, I spend a great deal of time talking with senior level executives about their organization’s human resource practices. One theme I hear consistently is that their organizations are “true” meritocracies where the “gifted” rise to the top as a result of a fair process. The irony is that women and professionals of color in those same companies often tell me that the environment is far from fair to them.
Getting everybody on the same page
Authors: Stokely Craig R.
Published: July 2006

Think of a company or organization that you really respect. Chances are that the firm you choose is particularly effective in its communication with all of its constituents – employees, customers, suppliers and shareholders. And why is this? Because today’s marketplace is characterized by constantly changing success requirements.
Closing the communication gap
Authors: Messmer Max
Published: July 2006

The fast and efficient exchange of information is undeniably a competitive advantage in business. And in a fluctuating economic environment, it’s paramount. Unfortunately, in the rush to adapt to market needs, many organizations sacrifice effective communication. As priorities shift, executives may impart only the immediate goals and fail to share the rationale and strategies behind them. They may be so focused on results, they neglect to praise and reward their staff. Most of all, managers may forget that communication is a two‐way exchange – one part dialogue, one part listening.
Manufacturing sacrificial patterns for casting by salt powder lamination
Authors: Marutani Yoji , Kamitani Takayuki
Published: July 2006

The increasing use of rapid prototyping (RP) which fabricates complicated models easily, has highlighted the desire for making metal models also with RP technology. However, direct RP technology for metal models is not established yet. This paper presents a technology for manufacturing sacrificial patterns using salt powder. By soaking in water the salt patterns can be removed from moulds very easily. They are converted to metal models very easily through investment casting. The feasibility of the method was examined by laminating salt powder with 3D printing method. In the preliminary test it turned out that pure salt powder is unsatisfactory. So flour was mixed with salt powder for the absorption of the binder, because it is insoluble in water and readily available at low cost. Controlling the mixing ratio tests were made to examine the quality of the salt patterns, and showed promising results not only as sacrificial patterns but also as conventional 3D models. Then metallic models with complicated shapes were fabricated by casting in plaster using these salt models as patterns, and it was proven that these salt models can be used in investment casting as sacrificial patterns.
Press and publicity management: the Dyson case
Authors: Boyle Emily
Published: July 2006

Entrepreneurial businesses are, by definition, different from large corporations. Thus, although the objectives of marketing communications of both types of firm are the same the ways in which each carries them out is different, and, whereas the nature of corporate marketing communications is well researched and understood, the nature of entrepreneurial marketing communications is largely unresearched. Entrepreneurs are restricted in their use of a wide range of marketing media favoured by larger organisations as a result of resource constraints. Thus, according to Stokes', entrepreneurs favour word‐of‐mouth marketing communication because it costs nothing. However, they could avail of other media. This article analyses the ways in which the entrepreneur, James Dyson, harnessed independent press publicity to create sales of his innovative new vacuum cleaner in the years from 1993 to1998. In particular it considers the content and linguistic style of the newspaper reports and how they influenced people's buying behaviour. The study was undertaken using a contemporary historical research methodology.
Corporate communication: reflections on twentieth century change
Authors: Ihator Augustine S.
Published: July 2006

Looks at developments in corporate communications during the twentieth century. Reveals that communication between organizations and their publics during the twentieth century has been changing and substantially improving due to a changing society, corporate values, information technology, enhanced connectivity and shared values among nations. Also notes that businesses are beginning to equally focus on both products and consumers, and have been moving from the traditional unidirectional approach to contemporary multidirectional approaches to integrated communication. Concludes that the success or failure of business no longer affects just a few individuals or stakeholders and in time, there may be less dialectical tension between the corporate communication profession, business and society as a whole.
The development of a supply chain management process maturity model using the concepts of business process orientation
Authors: Lockamy Archie , McCormack Kevin
Published: July 2006

The concept of process maturity proposes that a process has a lifecycle that is assessed by the extent to which the process is explicitly defined, managed, measured and controlled. A maturity model assumes that progress towards goal achievement comes in stages. The supply chain maturity model presented in this paper is based on concepts developed by researchers over the past two decades. The Software Engineering Institute has also applied the concept of process maturity to the software development process in the form of the capability maturity model. This paper examines the relationship between supply chain management process maturity and performance, and provides a supply chain management process maturity model for enhanced supply chain performance.
E‐logistics and the natural environment
Authors: Sarkis Joseph , Meade Laura M. , Talluri Srinivas
Published: July 2006

Organizations realize that a strong supporting logistics or electronic logistics (e‐logistics) function is an important organizational offering from both the commercial and the consumer perspective. The implications of e‐logistics models and practices cover the forward and reverse logistics functions of organizations. They also have a direct and profound impact from an environmental perspective. Focuses on a discussion of forward and reverse e‐logistics and their relationship to the natural environment. The issues analyzed include those of traditional green logistics and supply chain management functions such as: inventory management, transportation, warehousing, delivery management, supplier management, packaging and order management. Issues relevant to each of these major areas from the electronic commerce and natural environment overlap are discussed. Examples of practices and results are integrated. Environmental issues facing reverse e‐logistics are also described. Brings to the forefront the reverse e‐logistics function, which has been selcom studied even from a non‐environmental perspective. After discussion of the many pertinent issues in these areas, direction of practice and implications for study and research are then presented.
An empirical study of the imperatives for a supply chain implementation project in Seagate Technology International
Authors: Khiang Bay Boon , Tang Nelson K.H. , Bennett David
Published: July 2006

Singapore's electronics manufacturers are facing many questions. In the computer hard‐drive industry, where the problem of obsolescence is common and where a product's lifecycle may be only six months, manufacturers are anxious to know what the next order‐winning criteria will be. Since low labour costs are no longer a key factor, many organisations are developing their competencies in research and development, sales and marketing, logistics and supply chain management in order to maintain competitiveness. This paper illustrates how Seagate has envisaged a climate of cooperation and collaboration to better serve its customers in the areas of technology, cost and delivery. The paper is based on observations and findings following a longitudinal case study approach at the Seagate Storage Product Group (SPG) in Singapore. The seven‐stage implementation framework adopted by Seagate in their SCM project is discussed, together with the process of how Seagate has created a paradigm shift towards a new culture of teamwork‐based collaboration.
The art of the possible: relationship management in power regimes and supply chains
Authors: Cox Andrew
Published: July 2006

This paper outlines the general theoretical approach adopted in the power regime perspective on sourcing and relationship management. The paper focuses on the art of the possible. This means that managers have to develop sourcing relationships that are appropriate given the circumstances in which they find themselves. To understand appropriateness it is argued that buyers and suppliers must understand the five sourcing choices available and the power circumstances that exist between them in supply chain networks. Only by understanding the power regime that exists can buyers and suppliers fully understand what is the appropriate way for them to manage relationships.
Managing appropriately in construction power regimes: understanding the impact of regularity in the project environment
Authors: Ireland Paul
Published: July 2006

This paper investigates the impact of lean and partnering approaches to supply management in the construction industry. The paper outlines how the project environment that is endemic in the construction industry creates power regime structures that are often resistant to lean and partnering approaches to sourcing and business relationship management. Drawing on two case studies – one for mechanical and electrical products and the other for prefabricated restaurant subunits – the paper shows that what is appropriate in one context may not be an appropriate or realistic sourcing or business relationship choice in another. The paper concludes that only in supply chains with high levels of extended buyer dominance and/or interdependence, and with regular volumes, is a lean/partnering approach feasible.
Player power: capturing value in the English football supply network
Authors: Lonsdale Chris
Published: July 2006

This paper explores the relationship power, appropriateness in relationship management and the commercial outcomes in buyer and suppler exchange by analyzing the recent history of the involvement of BSkyB in particular, and television companies in general, in the English football supply chain network. The paper describes the major players in the chain and where and how value flows commercially between the major protagonists in the network. The paper shows that although the Premiership football clubs have received an enormous increase in revenue over the last ten years this has not been translated into higher (or in some cases any profits). This is because the club's ability to leverage their customers is not capable of being used against their key suppliers – the players. It is the players (or at least those perceived to be the most talented and saleable) who have been appropriating the major share of value in this supply chain network.
Opportunity and constraint in business‐to‐business relationships: insights from strategic choice and zones of manoeuvre
Authors: Sanderson Joe
Published: July 2006

This paper has two main objectives. The first is to discuss a case study analysis of a supply network in the UK naval shipbuilding sector. The case study is designed to provide an empirical exploration of the core theoretical propositions contained in the power regimes perspective. This perspective proposes that dyadic power structures matter for an understanding of opportunity and constraint in business‐to‐business relationship management. The second objective is to discuss how this conceptualization of opportunity and constraint might be extended and made richer by a focus on strategic choice and zones of manoeuvre. Some of the core organization theory literature is reviewed and possible analytical linkages to the power regimes perspective are identified.
A two cohort study of the ethical orientations of state police officers
Authors: Catlin Dennis W. , Maupin James R.
Published: July 2006

The ethical orientations of two cohorts of officers in a large state police organization were identified using an ethical orientation questionnaire that measures scales of idealism and relativism. Cohort 1 was measured during the recruit academy and after one year on the job. Cohort 2 was measured at one year on the job and two years. This research examined the ethical orientations of these two cohorts, the ethical orientation differences between the two cohorts and characteristics associated with those differences. There were significant differences in the ethical orientations of Cohort 1 officers between the first and second measurement. New recruits tend toward the idealistic ethical dimension more than one‐year officers. One‐year officers tend more toward the relativistic ethical dimension than new recruits. Similar but non‐significant differences were found in Cohort 2.
Inter‐domain work‐family, family‐work conflict and police work satisfaction
Authors: Gary Howard W. , Howard Donofrio Heather , Boles James S.
Published: July 2006

This research investigates the relationship between inter‐domain conflict in the form of work‐family conflict and family‐work conflict with various facets of employee job satisfaction. The study was conducted among police personnel (n = 119) in a large southeastern state. Results indicate that work‐family conflict is significantly related to satisfaction with job in general, pay, supervision, promotion, work, and co‐workers. Family‐work conflict is not as consistently related to the facets of job satisfaction. In general, as expected, conflict between work‐family is more closely related to employee job satisfaction than conflict between family‐work. Managerial implications are included as well as directions for future theoretical research.
Marketing the corporate university or enterprise academy
Authors: Eccles Gavin
Published: July 2006

This article considers solutions to the one of the areas of greatest weakness in corporate university management, that of the marketing of its purpose and benefits. It draws upon a stakeholder framework to define the different relational perspectives which have to be managed for success in establishing the corporate university brand as having the capability to deliver career potential and also add another level of value to the enterprise at all levels.
Creating a knowledge‐based city: the example of Hsinchu Science Park
Authors: Chen Stephen , Ju Choi Chong
Published: July 2006

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the role of tacit knowledge in successful knowledge‐based cities. It focuses on a case study of Hsinchu Science Park in Taiwan. The growth of successful knowledge‐based cities is dependent on three interrelated processes that create and transfer tacit knowledge in cities: local knowledge creation, transfer of knowledge from external sources and transfer of that knowledge into productive activities. Researchers need to focus on processes for the creation and transfer of tacit knowledge in cities, and designers and policy makers of knowledge‐based cities need to focus on creating tacit knowledge in cities. Discusses the connection between tacit knowledge and growth of global cities.
Broken promises and/or techno dreams? The future of health and social services in Europe
Authors: Saritas Ozcan , Keenan Michael
Published: July 2006

Despite differences in political approaches and institutional frameworks, health and social services in all European Union (EU) Member States face similar challenges, notably the need to adjust to demographic ageing and to changing employment and family patterns. This article takes a closer look at some of those issues (drivers) that are likely to have significant implications for the future of the sector. On this basis, three diverging “integrated visions” for health and social services are presented. The first vision is a “best guesstimate” and assumes that current developmental targets, for example, on reducing cardiovascular disease, are generally met. The second vision is a “problem‐plagued” view of health and social services, where targets are missed and the current level of service generally stays the same or deteriorates. Finally, the third vision presents a more “visionary” picture of health and social services where services are largely transformed from what is known today. All “integrated visions” have been constructed from existing health‐care scenarios as well as the drivers identified earlier. The paper is rounded off with an account of some of the policy measures being implemented by the European Commission and Member States in addressing several of the areas highlighted as important for the future of the sector.
Paying the price: the future for Europe's media sector
Authors: Blackman Colin
Published: July 2006

In the 1990s, innovation in information and communication technologies (ICT) looked set to transform traditional publishing and media through more efficient production, new forms of distribution, the entry of new players and much greater choice for consumers. The Internet offered the prospect for everyone to be a publisher or broadcaster. “New media” were the buzzwords. But with the bursting of the Internet bubble, what is the future for publishing and media? This article looks at the major trends and driving forces shaping the future of Europe's media sector, examines some scenarios, and considers their policy implications.
Innovation and funding specialist services
Authors: Sach T.H. , Whynes D.K. , Parker P. , Archbold S.M.
Published: July 2006

This paper traces the innovative development of the Nottingham Cochlear Implant Programmes. The paediatric programme was the first to be established in the UK in 1989 and remains the largest programme in the UK today, whilst the adult programme developed later, in 1994. The first section of the paper describes trends in service development whilst the second section makes detailed reference to the history of funding arrangements which enabled the programme to become established. The third part of the paper examines the (de)merits of locality purchasing versus centralised purchasing for specialist services, using cochlear implantation as way of illustration. The paper aims to provide an informative history of the development of the service in Nottingham and from this background create debate as to the most appropriate future funding mechanism for cochlear implantation in particular and specialist services in general.
Realising integrative care by delegation
Authors: van Offenbeek Marjolein A.G.
Published: July 2006

Hospital managers are constantly confronted with capacity and continuity problems that tempt them to investigate the possibility of further job differentiation. In The Netherlands, the hospital physician represents a new breed of physicians who are not oriented towards a medical specialism but towards a patient domain. The hospital physician represents a controversial kind of job differentiation that is expected to stimulate more continuity. This case study shows how medical specialists themselves are starting to address the fragmentation caused by specialization. According to the professionals involved, the hospital physician constitutes a solution that does not threaten their professional values. They report a number of ways in which this job type can contribute to solving the problems reported. However, concerns have been raised about the risks of developing these new jobs without changing the existing professional and work structures.
The impact of capitation on physician organizations' cost structures
Authors: Gartland Myles P. , Carroll Cathryn A.
Published: July 2006

This paper aims to evaluate the relationship between capitation payment methodology and the physician organization cost function. The paper provides evidence supporting a positive relationship between overhead rates and the level of capitation. Based on sample data, US medical practices whose net medical revenue consists of 11 percent or more capitation payments have significantly higher overhead costs per physician FTE.
Talking to health managers about change: heroes, villains and simplification
Authors: Greener Ian
Published: July 2006

This paper presents contextual and empirical analyses of the pressures on senior health managers in the NHS through an examination of the documents produced by the NHS National Co‐ordinating Centre for Service Delivery and Organisation on “Managing change”. The result is a discussion and advocacy of the means through which “knowledge” with “knowing” might be brought together in the NHS to move it more towards an evidence‐based approach to management.
Beyond strategy
Authors: Heng H.K.S. , McGeorge W.D. , Loosemore M.
Published: July 2006

Purpose

Seeks to explore the brokerage role of facilities manager in hospitals, based on the premise that facilities management (FM) is largely concerned with “strategic brokerage”. Strategic brokerage is the term coined by Akhaghi to explain the integration of a wide range of support services to ensure the effective operation of the core business of an organization.

Design/methodology/approach

The research was conducted in the health service sector using a single case study approach to examine the brokerage potential for FM in a hospital in the Sydney Metropolitan area. A social network analysis technique was used to identify and analyse the communication networks of players in a hospital environment. Two general questions guided the analysis. First, what is the brokerage potential within the FM process? Second, where are the opportunities for brokerage?

Findings

The results indicate that identifying relationship linkages between different functional units can create potential brokerage opportunities.

Originality/value

The proposition is made that viewing FM from a brokerage perspective can add value to the delivery of health‐care services.
General practitioners’ assessments of hospital quality and performance
Authors: Mannion Russell , Goddard Maria
Published: July 2006

An increasing amount of data on the quality and clinical performance of NHS hospital Trusts is entering the public domain, however there has been no research looking at how this information is used by general practitioners. A telephone questionnaire survey using a random sample of general practitioners found that less than a quarter of general practitioners used published clinical outcomes data to inform their assessments of the quality of hospital services. Only a small proportion discussed these data with their patients. Nevertheless, some latent demand for this type of information was detected. Those responsible for publishing such data should develop data sets and design dissemination strategies that are capable of engaging the attention of general practitioners. Given the sheer volume of information targeted at general practice it is advisable that the views and opinions of general practitioners are incorporated in future developments.
An audit of an ADHD Assessment Clinic in light of NICE guidelines
Authors: Allen Rosalind , Glavina Helen
Published: July 2006

The assessment and management of ADHD is a significant issue in terms of resources for child psychiatric services, and increasingly Community Paediatricians and General Practitioners are becoming involved. This practice of shared care is amongst recommendations in the NICE guidelines on the use of methylphenidate for ADHD, published in 2000. Following the establishment of an ADHD Assessment Clinic in Peterborough, its performance was audited in light of these guidelines and recommendations from other publications. Audit standards for assessment and stimulant medication initiation procedures were set and evaluated in 63 children seen during the first year. There was success in achieving multi‐disciplinary assessments, carefully supervised initiation of medication and subsequent shared care with GPs. Problem areas included waiting times, follow‐up of problems detected on psychometric screening, physical screening, especially prior to medication, and communication with schools. Changes are now being implemented to address these issues.
Consent for paediatric surgery: what are the risks?
Authors: Woodward Suzette , Franck Linda , Wilcox Duncan
Published: July 2006

A total of 63 parents whose children underwent urological surgery at a tertiary referral specialist paediatric hospital were surveyed at three times points: immediately after signing consent; two to three days after surgery (at discharge); and by telephone two to three weeks after discharge. The survey was to assess parents’ perceptions of the consent process and parental recall of information given about the surgical procedure and risks. Results demonstrated that despite the majority of parents being satisfied with the consent process, operation, aftercare and the subsequent health of their child, their recall of risk information was poor, with 60 per cent of parents unable to recall any explained risks of the operation. This study pre‐dated the introduction of the national consent policies and forms, but provides evidence which supports the need for this consistent approach across the NHS which emphasises the effective communication of risks and benefits in relation to proposed treatment.
Quality and cost improvement in neonatal prescribing through clinical audit
Authors: Bhatt Jayesh , Nye Christine , Kirkbride Vincent
Published: July 2006

Gentamicin is one of the most frequently used antibiotics in neonatal units and there are many regimes in use based on weight and/or gestational age (GA). Direct costs include prescription and therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). A retrospective audit (loop 1) identified 48 per cent trough and 51 per cent peak levels outside the desirable range (trough: ≤2; peak: 5‐10 mg/L). A prospective re‐audit (loop 2) showed improved results (15 per cent and 29 per cent), which improved further (11 per cent and 26 per cent) in loop 3. For loops 1, 2, and 3 the mean (±SD) trough levels were 2.16 (±1.04), 1.30 (± 0.63) and 1.23 (±0.62) respectively and peak levels were 5.05 (±1.87), 6.64 (±2.48), and 6.2 (±1.81) respectively. Cost savings occurred as the number of doses required was reduced by one‐third to 50 per cent, depending upon the infant characteristics. Furthermore, in 27 per cent of cases, gentamicin was discontinued before TDM was necessary. By completing the audit cycle improved quality of therapeutic care has been achieved, with more accurate drug monitoring targets achieved and reduced drug costs.
Safety in numbers: moving to a standard crash‐call number
Authors: Ranger Chris
Published: July 2006

The Department of Health and the Cabinet Office's Regulatory Impact Unit want to eliminate unnecessary bureaucratic burdens on front‐line NHS staff. They asked the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) to look at the pattern of telephone numbers used by NHS acute trusts to summon the emergency teams that deal with cardiac arrests and the feasibility of introducing one telephone number for cardiac arrests across all hospitals. Greater staff mobility, the increased use of agency and locum staff due to mergers and an increase in the number of trusts using more than one telephone number to summon hospital crash teams mean heightened risk of confusion and possible delays in treatment for patients. A survey of NHS acute trusts found that at least 27 different crash call numbers were in use in NHS hospitals. The number 2222 was the most frequently used crash call number. The NPSA recommended in a Patient Safety Alert issued in February 2004 that all NHS organisations providing acute services in England and Wales should plan to use this as their standard crash call number.
Organizational diagnostic factors in family business
Authors: Champathes Rodsutti Michita , Makayathorn Piyarat
Published: July 2006

Purpose

To examine organizational diagnostics taken from the best practice model of change as organizational diagnostic factors in a specific type of business such as family businesses. These account for many of companies in Asia and are regarded as a special from the mixture of management focus on business, family and ownership.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to manage changes in family business successfully, the organizational diagnostic factors are analyzed from executives' in‐depth interviews with Thai family businesses that implement new IT systems.

Findings

Communication, generation, ownership, family structure, politics and national culture are six diagnostic factors in Thai family businesses that are not the same as the model of change.

Originality/value

Consultants and change agents in family businesses, especially in Asia, can use these factors as an additional guideline for their effective change management.
Learning and knowing in teams
Authors: Dovey Ken , Singhota Jai
Published: July 2006

Purpose

To explore the collective means through which professional sports teams learn and generate new knowledge forms in order to remain competitive in challenging global arenas, and to examine the applicability of these means to business organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

The objectives were achieved by drawing on the business and sporting experience of two executive coaches who have access to current elite‐level sports coaches. Through unstructured interviews with sports coaches and business executives over a period of years, the research question of collective learning in sports teams has been explored and its relevance to business contexts, analyzed.

Findings

Using social capital theory as an analytical lens, the research shows that organizational form is a critical determinant of the effectiveness of collective learning. This is the main reason why business teams are unable to emulate the successful learning that occurs in elite‐level sports teams. The research shows that the hierarchical structure of most business organizations constrains the development of the social capital necessary for sustained learning and knowledge construction.

Practical implications

The primary implication of the research findings is that business leaders need to view their role as that of creating and managing a social environment in which mission‐pertinent learning and knowledge construction activities are nurtured. In practice, it means that the nature of business leadership and, in particular, power management practices in business organizations needs to be questioned and re‐conceptualized.Originality/valueUsing social capital theory as a framework for the analysis of this phenomenon is new. The article should be valuable to the leader of any organization that is attempting to sustain superior competitive performance in the global knowledge economy.
Interview with Chris Yapp
Authors: Yapp Chris
Published: July 2006

Chris Yapp is Head of Public Sector Innovation at Microsoft. He has been in the IT Industry since 1980s in a variety of roles. He is also an Associate of the Think Tank DEMOS. Here he answers questions about his work.
Towards sustainable water resources management
Authors: Lüderitz Volker
Published: July 2006

The European Water Framework Directive is the basis of sustainable water resources management in the European Union. The required “good status” of waterbodies can be achieved only by encouraging the application of natural renewable‐energy‐driven ecological engineering. Ecotechnological methods in wastewater treatment (e.g. constructed wetlands) can remove more than 90 per cent of total N and P, and organic load. These methods also save up to 80 per cent of the cost and energy compared with central technical systems. Because ecomorphology in around 80 per cent of German streams and rivers is disturbed to a high degree, increased efforts for renaturalization are necessary. Successful control concerning first initiated measures shows that improvement of stream morphology has a remarkable positive influence on water ecology.
Automated generation of environmental reports with Umberto
Authors: Marx Gómez Jorge , Amelung Mario
Published: July 2006

In environmental reports contained environmental data must be updated and edited regularly (e.g. according to the reporting period). An important part of each environmental report is a systematic representation and evaluation of the substantial material and energy flows in a enterprise. In an ideal case specialized software systems exist for eco‐balancing, which makes external access to its data possible. These data can be transferred automatically and thus rationally into the document structure of an environmental report. In this article a basic approach is introduced for automatic transfer of ecological balance data into a XML form and the integration into an environmental report using the software tool Umberto.
Problem‐solving environment for flood forecasting
Authors: Hluchy L. , Habala O. , Simo B. , Astalos J. , Tran V.D. , Dobrucky M.
Published: July 2006

This paper presents a prototype of the collaborative problem solving environment (PSE) for flood forecasting. Flood forecasting is a complex problem that requires cooperation of many scientists in different areas. To enable this cooperation in a manner comfortable to hydrometeorological experts, a part of the CrossGrid project is aimed towards developing a PSE, whose prototype is described here. The PSE consists of a cascade of simulation models, a storage system for computed and measured data and other used datasets, a Web‐based portal with collaboration tools and a powerful computation facility. The whole system is tied together by grid technology and is used to support a virtual organization of experts, developers and users.
Application of pine bark as a sorbent for organic pollutants in effluents
Authors: Brás Isabel , Teixeira Lemos Luis , Alves Arminda , Fernando R. Pereira M.
Published: July 2006

Nowadays trace organic pollutants represent a major concern in water treatment systems. Activated carbon has been used for most applications aiming at the reduction of these kind of compounds in aqueous effluents, but regeneration needs and high operation costs led to a renewed interest in the search for alternative sorbents. Pine bark is an excedentary raw material from sawmills in Portugal, and therefore a profitable natural resource that has already been successfully tested in the adsorption of organochlorines from contaminated water. This study aims at characterizing the pine bark surface structurally and chemically, to understand the nature of sorption occurring when a trace organic contaminant is present in aqueous effluents. Pentachlorophenol (PCP) was the trace contaminant used in the experiments. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mercury porosimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were the techniques used, in addition to classical chemical analysis and solid phase micro extraction (SPME) prior to gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) for PCP quantification. The pine bark proved to be a material of very low porosity, low specific surface area, strong carbon aromatic content probably relative to polyphenols and lignin composition. Sorption experiments showed a good correlation for the linear adsorption isotherm, as well as the desorption experiments. In the conditions tested, the average PCP removal after 24 h was above 98 per cent. This material proved to be an encouraging sorbent for cheap water remediation solutions.
Capturing the arsenic fraction of CCA treated waste wood in the solid instead of in the gas phase during pyrolysis
Authors: Hata Toshimitsu , Bronsveld Paul , Kakitani Tomo , Meier Dietrich , Kajimoto Takeshi , Imamura Yuji
Published: July 2006

Recycling of preservative‐treated waste wood can be an environmental problem due to toxic elements being emitted into the environment. Pyrolyzing CCA‐treated wood at low temperature without any oxidizing agent is applied to capture the arsenic fraction in the solid residue. The influence of well‐defined process parameters such as pyrolysis temperature, time and heating rate are studied. Arsenic contents in the gas phase were measured by a wet chemical method while structural analysis of the arsenic reaction products was determined with Transmission Electron Microscopy.
A review of the usefulness of gas flares in air pollution control
Authors: Akeredolu F.A. , Sonibare J.A.
Published: July 2006

Various impacts of direct venting of natural gas into the environment, both in the upstream and downstream petroleum operations, often compel the chemical engineer to specify air pollution control equipment for installation on new and existing platforms/facilities. Flares, a special class of such equipment, are considered in this paper. The major types of flares used in the oil industry are reviewed and the principles guiding their operation and performance discussed. Information which would aid the choice of flare system for new applications is also discussed.
Chemical agents incineration exhaust fallout and effects
Authors: Adel Miah M.
Published: July 2006

Incineration strengths of hazardous (2.8×108μg/s) and nonhazardous (6.31×108μg/s) materials were found from the quantities to be incinerated, chemical formulas, and the incineration time. The smoke stack geometry, exhaust dynamics, and different atmospheric stability conditions were used in the Gaussian model to predict the maximum concentration distances of 0.5 to about 6 km at the ground level in the downwind direction. However, trailing edges of some of exhaust distributions were found to extend beyond 120 km under some atmospheric stability conditions. The counties of Jefferson, Lonoke, Pulaski, Dallas, Cleveland, Calhoun, and Grant in the state of Arkansas are more likely to be affected than others. The possible major products in the hazardous incineration exhaust are chlorinated compounds. The results of this study are important to know the areas that fall under comparatively higher concentrations of incineration exhaust for further observations because of its inherent impact upon living beings, crop production, and environmental conditions.
A survey of trends related to the contamination of street dust by heavy metals in Gwagwalada, Nigeria
Authors: Mashi S.A. , Yaro S.A. , Eyong P.N.
Published: July 2006

Purpose

Contamination of the environment by heavy metals is a phenomenon of global importance today. When present in high concentrations in the environment, heavy metals may enter the food chain from soils and result in health hazards. Accumulation in street dust is one major way through which heavy metals may find their way into soils and subsequently living tissues of plants, animals and human beings. In this paper, the magnitude and sources of some heavy metals (Cu, Mn, Fe, Cd, Pb and Zn) in street dust samples in and around Gwagwalada, Nigeria, were assessed.

Design/methodology/approach

Street dust samples were collected from 12 sites with and without varying levels of human activities (blacksmithing, motor repair works, metal working and fabrication, vehicular traffic and residential development) in the area and analysed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry to determine the magnitude and sources of accumulation of the above heavy metals in street dust in the study area.

Findings

The mean concentrations were found to be 210, 79, 97, 3.9, 120 and 96 μg g−1 respectively, for Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd, Fe and Mn across the various sampling sites. Samples collected from sites with human activities were found to contain concentrations of the metals that are generally higher than those in background areas (without human activities). However, metal working and fabrication, and motor repair works were found to have a stronger influence on the accumulation of the metals in the dust samples than vehicular traffic.

Practical implications

The results indicate that, contrary to what is expected, based on the observations made in several areas by many researchers elsewhere, metal working and fabrication, and motor repair works have a stronger influence on the accumulation of the metals in the dust samples than vehicular traffic in the study area.

Originality/value

Provides information on heavy metal contamination of the environment in an area of Nigeria.
Assessing solid waste recycling opportunities for closed campuses
Authors: Ziadat Anf H. , Mott Henry
Published: July 2006

Purpose

The commercial and residential refuse generated by Ellsworth Air Force Base, USA was characterized and analyzed for collection procedures, and the opportunities for increasing the amount of solid waste that could be recycled were evaluated.

Design/methodology/approach

Random loads of hauled solid waste (an average 3.0 US tons/load) from different waste streams of Ellsworth Air Force Base were sorted. The weight fraction of each category of recyclable material derived from the hand sorting operations was applied to the three years of mixed waste tonnage in order to estimate the tonnage of each recyclable category disposed of as refuse during each year. The assessment of the data obtained from three full calendar years focused on the mixed solid waste generated from commercial and residential areas such as offices, childcare, lodging, supermarkets, food service facilities, and others.

Findings

Over 2,500 tones of recycling opportunities were missed during the 1999‐2001 calendar years. The characterizations of the total weight produced from commercial and residential waste streams showed that recyclable material constituted 35.95 percent and 23.27 percent of refuse from the commercial and the residential areas, respectively. The amounts of total recyclable material as missed opportunities for recycling were found to be 1,728 tons and 715 tons from the commercial and residential areas.

Practical implications

In response to the findings, Ellsworth Air Force Base has implemented a number of strategies for increased recovery of recyclables from its solid waste streams.

Originality/value

Quantifying missed opportunities for recycling is a useful action in planning future recycling operations aimed at best solid waste management practices.
A readiness model for adopting Web services
Authors: Wu Chenhui
Published: July 2006

Swanson's tri‐core model and typology of IS innovation is used to analyze Web services as IS innovation. Reconciling theoretical and practical perspectives, we develop a three‐layer nested‐stage model as a road map for studying Web services innovation. Most current Web services practice is at the first stage as IS technological process innovation (Type 1b). High compatibility, high divisibility, and high customizability are the primary characteristics of Web service (Type 1b), which originate from the innovation invention layer. Perceived communicability, perceived relative advantage, perceived complexity, and financial cost are the secondary characteristics of Web services (Type 1b), which are located at the innovation adoption layer. We propose a readiness model to illustrate the key controllable factors that influence the adoption decision of Web services (Type 1b): innovation awareness readiness, innovation‐needs fit readiness, technological skills readiness, and financial resources readiness.
A framework for designing strategy content controls
Authors: Muralidharan Raman
Published: July 2006

Strategic control has recently been recognized to serve two purposes – to ensure that strategy is implemented as planned and to shape strategy content during implementation. While there are many analytical tools available for designing strategic controls that ensure strategy implementation, there are no comparable tools available for designing strategic controls that shape strategy content during implementation. This paper develops a framework for designing strategic controls that shape strategy content during implementation. The paper also illustrates the framework through brief case examples.