bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Customer orientation and performance outcomes in supply chain management
Authors: Sik Jeong Jung , Hong Paul
Published: September 2007

Purpose

Despite an extensive body of knowledge on the importance of customer orientation in the marketing and management literature, the impact of customer orientation and interactive system infrastructure throughout enterprise networks is not fully understood. The purpose of this paper is to present a model linking customer orientation, interactive system infrastructure, value chain practices, and network performance outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

The prior literature on customer orientation and supply chains is reviewed and a framework is presented which shows the relationship between customer orientation and network performance outcomes, along with other variables.

Findings

The conclusion supports the importance of customer orientation in the context of the proposed value chain framework.

Research limitations/implications

The framework introduced in this paper provides a review of customer orientation in the enterprise network and a basis for further empirical validation.

Practical implications

The research framework suggests that customer orientation practices may have a positive impact on network infrastructure design, practices, and performance outcomes. Implementation of customer orientation practices and outcomes within this research framework may allow management to meet customer requirements more effectively.

Originality/value

This paper expands the concept of customer‐orientation in the extended enterprise network context.
Framework for internet‐supported inter‐organizational product development collaboration
Authors: Kern Eva‐Maria , Kersten Wolfgang
Published: September 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to introduce a framework for internet supported inter‐organizational product development, which enables companies to efficiently configure their development processes according to their needs.

Design/methodology/approach

Three ideal types of partner integration are identified and specific design guidelines for each type are proposed. Current approaches for product development collaboration are analysed. Based on their shortcomings the main approach of this paper evolves. Additionally the main results of interviews with experts are used to develop and introduce a framework which has been tested partially in the shipbuilding industry.

Findings

The paper identifies three types of partner integration and proposes specific design guidelines.

Research limitations/implications

The framework introduced in this paper provides guidance for future research in the area of product development collaboration.

Practical implications

The framework further supports managers in designing efficient and effective inter‐organizational product development collaboration by choosing the appropriate level of partner integration.

Originality/value

The paper presents a practical and usable framework for internet supported inter‐organizational product development collaboration. The main focus is on designing the partnership interaction.
Reconceptualising benchmarking development in UK organisations: the effects of size and sector
Authors: Anderson Karen , McAdam Rodney
Published: September 2007

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to explore both the development and reconceptualisation of benchmarking and performance measurement within UK organisations, using a brief literature review, theoretical reconception and an empirical study of UK organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

An empirical study was conducted involving UK organisations (n=156) across a wide range of organizational sizes and sectors. Analysis included the use of descriptives, chi‐square tests and one‐way ANOVA between and within groups.

Findings

The findings show how, firstly, organisations are progressing towards benchmarking and performance measurement maturity as traditionally defined. Secondly, the findings show how organisations that have reached this stage are reconceptualising benchmarking and performance measurement to meet fundamentally changing market and operational conditions.

Practical implications

The paper gives a structured outline for organisations seeking to design and implement advanced performance measurement and benchmarking methodologies.

Originality/value

The concept of lead performance measure and benchmarking is an emergent area of study. This paper shows current developments and makes suggestions for further research.
Performance measurement system and relationships with performance results
Authors: Olsen Eric O. , Zhou Honggeng , Lee Denis M.S. , Ng Yoke‐Eng , Chewn Chong Chow , Padunchwit Pean
Published: September 2007

Purpose

This study aims to address an important gap between the normative view of an integrated performance measurement system (PMS) design that assumes a clean slate and the organizational realities of a PMS design as an ongoing analysis, coordination and improvement process.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors present a framework for evaluating the effectiveness of a PMS based on three criteria – i.e. causality, continuous improvement and process control – and use a case study to illustrate the application of the methodology and the interpretation of results for PMS design.

Findings

The determination of “driver measures” in an integrated PMS involves a complex process that requires a number of considerations not adequately addressed in prior research.

Research limitations/implications

This study involves only a single case study and the model presented involves only a two‐tier analysis.

Practical implications

The framework provides a simple methodology that organizations can easily adopt to analyze individual and group performance measures and relate them to the strategic performance measures of the company.

Originality/value

The study follows an emerging line of research that addresses the design of an integrated PMS as an ongoing improvement process.
Traditional or contemporary? The prevalence of performance measurement system types
Authors: Burgess T.F. , Ong T.S. , Shaw N.E.
Published: September 2007

Purpose

The paper seeks to examine the prevalence of traditional versus contemporary (balanced) types of performance measurement system (PMS) in an emerging economy and link incidence to key organisational factors of size, age and ownership.

Design/methodology/approach

Data on design and use of PMSs are collected through a questionnaire survey (n=149) of electrical and electronic firms. Hierarchical cluster analysis identifies two PMS groups and assigns them to traditional and contemporary types, and then links them to key organisational factors via contingency tables.

Findings

Use of contemporary PMS dominates the sample. PMS type is significantly associated with size and ownership, while age is not. Firms more likely to use contemporary PMSs are foreign‐owned and large in terms of number of employees.

Research limitations/implications

This survey‐based research employs multivariate analysis and therefore standard limits for such statistical work apply. Results rely on hierarchical cluster analysis.

Practical implications

If balanced approaches are more effective, as is argued by many, then a firm without such a style of PMS is at a competitive disadvantage given the high incidence of use.

Originality/value

The paper establishes a framework for a contemporary type of PMS that integrates balanced scorecard and other balanced approaches, then collects data in an emerging economy. Links use of contemporary PMS type to key organisational factors.
Modeling the efficiency of GCC banks: a data envelopment analysis approach
Authors: Mostafa Mohamed
Published: September 2007

Purpose

The major aim of this research is to measure the relative efficiency of the top 50 Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) banks. The sensitivity of the results is also investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

Data envelopment analysis (DEA) was used to evaluate the relative efficiency of GCC banks. Cross‐sectional data for the year 2005 were used to conduct the analysis.

Findings

The results indicate that the performance of several banks is sub‐optimal, suggesting the potential for significant improvements. Separate benchmarks were derived for possible reductions in resources used, and significant savings are possible on this account.

Originality/value

From a policy perspective, this study highlights the importance of encouraging increased efficiency throughout the banking industry in the GCC.
Product finding on the semantic web
Authors: Langegger Andreas , Wöß Wolfram
Published: September 2007

Purpose

There is still little support for the consumer decision‐making process on the web, especially when prices are not the primary property of a product. Reasons for that are complex product specifications as well as often volitional weak interoperability between e‐commerce sites. This paper aims to address this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

The semantic web is supposed to make product information more interoperable between different sites. Additionally, some products with limited time frames of availability, like real estates or second‐hand cars, require periodical searches over several days, weeks, or even months. For those kinds of products existing systems cannot be applied. Instant information about new offers on the market is therefore crucial. Wireless access to the web enables services to become instantaneous and to provide up‐to‐date information to users.

Findings

This paper presents a framework which is based on multivariate product comparison allowing users to delegate search requests to an agent. The success of the agent depends heavily on the matching algorithm. Fuzzy utility functions and the analytical hierarchy process are a very feasible combination for the scoring of offers.

Originality/value

The proposed system supports users finding products on the web matching specific user preferences and instantly informs them when new items become available on the virtual market. As a specific use case the framework is being applied to the real estate sector, because especially for this sector several shortcomings of the current support have been identified.
WSMO/X in the context of business processes: improvement recommendations
Authors: Nitzsche Jörg , van Lessen Tammo , Karastoyanova Dimka , Leymann Frank
Published: September 2007

Purpose

Service‐oriented architecture (SOA) is an architecture paradigm targeting integration of applications within and across enterprise boundaries. It has gathered research and industry acceptance and has given an enormous impetus to the business process management technology. Web service (WS) technology is one implementation of the SOA paradigm. It enables seamless integration of new and legacy applications through a stack of standardized composable specifications. WS orchestration is facilitated by the Business Process Execution Language which provides a recursive service composition model. While the programming model the WS technology provides is very flexible, a major deficiency is the need to discover services implementing a particular abstract interface, whereas functional similarities of services are disregarded. The Semantic Web Service technologies, like Web Service Modelling Ontology (WSMO) and Web Ontology Language for Services have been developed with the purpose of eliminating these deficiencies by enabling service discovery based on functional and non‐functional properties. The paper aims to focus on these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents a list of requirements that business processes impose on SOA applications. It analyzes the support that WSMO/Web Service Model eXecution environment (WSMX) provides to address these requirements and compares it with the support enabled by the WS specification stack.

Findings

The paper identifies major flaws in the WSMO model and its reference implementation with respect to business process support.

Originality/value

The paper recommends possible solutions for eliminating the lack of needed features on behalf of WSMO/WSMX. It presents in detail how to enable asynchronous stateful communication among WSMO WS and partner‐based WS discovery by extending the WSMO model. Additionally, it extends the API of the reference implementation to facilitate the execution of services communicating asynchronously.
Modeling e‐learning content
Authors: Wolfgand Matsui Siqueira Sean , Helena Lima Baptista Braz Maria , Nascimento Melo Rubens
Published: September 2007

Purpose

This paper seeks to present a modeling approach for e‐learning content, describing how to structure e‐learning content and also represent it in OWL DL.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents three different layers of information that should be considered in e‐learning and conceptual models to guide the representation of e‐learning content. This proposal is based on existing standards and experience gained in previous works. It is also shown how to structure and represent the content embedded in learning objects (LOs).

Findings

Besides providing a better structuring of the e‐learning content, content reuse and exploratory navigations over content through the semantic relationships between information (mainly information objects (IOs) and conceptual units) are promoted.

Research limitations/implications

A visual tool to allow a better exploration of the e‐learning content is already being developed. However, it is essential to develop optimized storing and retrieving mechanisms that would make this approach more interesting.

Practical implications

When compared with other approaches such as those based on semantic models and deductive models, the decrease in complexity makes acceptance and adoption of this approach by teachers and instructional designers easier.

Originality/value

This paper fulfils an identified three‐level information need for e‐learning content and presents a new modeling approach. Besides structuring the e‐learning content, the model is also represented in OWL DL. It allows an easier/richer implementation of e‐learning content.
Architectural approach for handling semi‐structured data in a user‐centred working environment
Authors: Ekelhart Andreas , Fenz Stefan , Goluch Gernot , Klemen Markus D. , Weippl Edgar R.
Published: September 2007

Purpose

Today the amount of all kinds of digital data (e.g. documents and e‐mails), existing on every user's computer, is continuously growing. Users are faced with huge difficulties when it comes to handling the existing data pool and finding specific information, respectively. This paper aims to discover new ways of searching and finding semi‐structured data by integrating semantic metadata.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed architecture allows cross‐border searches spanning various applications and operating system activities (e.g. file access and network traffic) and improves the human working process by offering context‐specific, automatically generated links that are created using ontologies.

Findings

The proposed semantic enrichment of automated gathered data is a useful approach to reflect the human way of thinking, which is accomplished by remembering relations rather than keywords or tags. The proposed architecture supports the goals of supporting the human working process by managing and enriching personal data, e.g. by providing a database model which supports the semantic storage idea through a generic and flexible structure or the modular structure and composition of data collectors.

Originality/value

Available programs to manage personal data usually offer searches either via keywords or full text search. Each of these existing search methodologies has its shortcomings and, apart from that, people tend to forget names of specific objects. It is often easier to remember the context of a situation in which, for example, a file was created or a web site was visited. By proposing this architectural approach for handling semi‐structured data, it is possible to offer a sophisticated and more applicable search mechanism regarding the way of human thinking.
Building corporate image through societal marketing programs
Authors: Chattananon Apisit , Lawley Meredith , Trimetsoontorn Jirasek , Supparerkchaisakul Numchai , Leelayouthayothin Lackana
Published: September 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to develop and test a Thai model for societal marketing's impact on consumer's attitudes toward a corporate image.

Design/methodology/approach

A preliminary model was developed from the existing literature, followed by exploratory research consisting of three in‐depth interviews and four focus groups to refine the model. The model was then tested with data collected from a mail survey completed by 1,153 respondents, using structural equation modeling.

Findings

The findings indicate that a societal marketing program and corporate communications can create positive consumer attitudes toward corporate image. In addition both educational level and marital status of respondents significantly influence consumer attitudes towards corporate image. Moreover, societal marketing program identity, when compared with other variables, illustrates the most powerful impact on customers' attitudes toward corporate image.

Research limitations/implications

The data were gathered from one program only, hence future research could extend these findings to other programs to test their generalisability.

Practical implications

The key implications of these findings for marketing managers include support for the use of societal marketing programs at a strategic level as well as suggestions for successful implementation of these programs.

Originality/value

This study contributes to societal marketing research because a scarcity of empirical research still exists in this field, particularly in Asian countries such as Thailand.
Organisational sociopaths: rarely challenged, often promoted. Why?
Authors: Pech Richard J. , Slade Bret W.
Published: September 2007

Purpose

Organisations sometimes select and promote the wrong individuals for managerial positions. These individuals may be incompetent, they may be manipulators and bullies. They are not the best people for the job and yet not only are they selected for positions of authority and responsibility, they are sometimes promoted repeatedly until their kind populate the highest levels of the organisational hierarchy. The purpose of this paper is to address this phenomenon by attempting to explain why it occurs and why organisational members tolerate such destructive practices. It concludes by proposing a cultural strategy to protect the organisation and its stakeholders from the ambitious machinations of the organisational sociopath.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors develop an explanatory framework by attempting to combine elements of the theory of memetics with structuration theory. Memetic theory helps to analyse culture and communication of beliefs, ideas, and thoughts. Structuration theory can be used to identify motives and drives. A combination of these theoretical approaches can be used to identify the motives of organisational sociopaths. Such a tool is also useful for exploring the high level of organisation tolerance for sociopathic managers.

Findings

Organisational tolerance and acceptance for sociopathic managerial behaviour appears to be a consequence of cultural and structural complexity. While this has been known for some time, few authors have posited an adequate range of explanations and solutions to protect stakeholders and prevent the sociopath from exploiting organisational weaknesses. Reduction of cultural and structural complexity may provide a partial solution. Transparency, communication of strong ethical values, promotion based on performance, directed cooperation, and rewards that reinforce high performing and acceptable behaviour are all necessary to protect against individuals with sociopathic tendencies.

Originality/value

The authors provide a new cultural diagnostic tool by combining elements of memetic theory with elements of structuration theory. The subsequent framework can be used to protect organisations from becoming the unwitting victims of sociopaths seeking to realise and fulfil their needs and ambitions through a managerial career path.
An emergent entrepreneur?
Authors: Frith Kirk , McElwee Gerard
Published: September 2007

Purpose

The identification and exploitation of opportunities requires specific entrepreneurial skills. The purpose of this paper is to present the activities of a drug‐dealer in a provincial town in the UK.

Design/methodology/approach

Adopting a qualitative approach, specifically a narrative history, an examination of the key motivations and business functions carried out by the dealer is provided. The personal circumstances and entrepreneurial characteristics of the dealer are explored and compared with existing typologies of entrepreneurial individuals.

Findings

The paper concludes by suggesting that social research of this kind is not value free, and nor should it attempt to be so. The drug‐dealer outlined in this account exhibits clear and well‐defined entrepreneurial characteristics.

Originality/value

The paper develops a more detailed understanding of the nature and function of drug‐dealing activities and how these correlate with an contradict existing theoretical contributions.
A survey of law, business and philosophy students in China on the ethics of tax evasion
Authors: McGee Robert W. , Guo Zhiwen
Published: September 2007

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to learn the views of law, business and philosophy students in China on the ethics of tax evasion.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper begins with a review of the literature and identifies the main issues and summarizes the three main viewpoints that have emerged over the centuries. It then reports on the results of a survey of Chinese law, business and philosophy students who were asked their opinions on the ethics of tax evasion. The survey consisted of 15 statements, representing the 15 issues and three viewpoints that have emerged over the centuries. Participants were asked to signify the extent of their agreement with each statement by placing a number from 1 to 7 in the space provided. About 256 usable responses were received. The data were then analyzed to determine which of the three viewpoints was dominant among the sample population. The three groups were compared to determine whether their responses were different. Male scores were also compared to female scores to determine if the responses differed by gender.

Findings

There was widespread approval for tax evasion on ethical grounds, although some arguments to support tax evasion were stronger than others. Males and females were equally opposed to tax evasion. Business and economics students were more favorably disposed to tax evasion than were law and philosophy students.

Research limitations/implications

The sample was limited to students in just three majors in one Chinese city. Sampling students in other majors and in other Chinese cities might have yielded different results. Sampling Chinese business people, Chinese lawyers and accountants might have also yielded different results. No comparison based on age was made because the sample consisted of people from the same age group. Choosing a sample consisting of different ages might have revealed differences in opinion based on age.

Practical implications

If the government of China wants to reduce the extent of tax evasion, the first step is to determine why people evade taxes. The second step is to take measures to remove the reasons why people evade taxes. The present study ranks the reasons why people think tax evasion is morally acceptable. Corruption, waste and unfairness were the three strongest reasons for justifying tax evasion. Thus, three things government can do to reduce the extent of tax evasion is to become less corrupt, less wasteful and less unfair. This study has widespread implications for other countries, since the same arguments have been used in the literature for the past 500 years to justify tax evasion. The findings for China might be applied to any number of other countries.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to rank the reasons that have traditionally been given to justify tax evasion for a city in central China and it is one of only a few to rank reasons justifying tax evasion for any country.
Sino‐Irish teaching dynamics through learning styles' awareness
Authors: Mangina Eleni , Mowlds Frances
Published: September 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is the investigation of Chinese students' learning styles through managed learning environments. Despite the diversity of cultures in the world and the implications of it within the teaching strategies and learning styles, knowledge transfer across cultures has been one of the most challenging tasks for the academic institutions.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper discusses a case study of Asian undergraduate students in terms of their learning styles and the on‐line delivery of courses from western academics. A review of relevant research is presented and certain issues of the multicultural character of education are discussed.

Findings

Learning styles is the only information available to western academics, so that they can adjust the teaching strategy, enhance students' imagination and challenge them to the new for them “student‐centered” teaching strategy. On‐line managed learning environments can bridge the gap between the east and west academic pedagogies.

Practical implications

It is hoped that the growing interest of on‐line delivery of courses will be of particular value for courses delivered from western academics to Asia. The awareness of students' learning styles will provide the opportunity for the teachers from the western institutions to substantially contribute to global knowledge transfer across cultural borders.

Originality/value

The diversity will always exist in the classroom and the success of teaching is based on the ability to use the awareness of differences, and facilitate skills to make these differences benefit the students and the class as a whole.
Crafting self identity in a virtual community
Authors: Tian Robert G. , Wu Yan
Published: September 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the construction of virtual community identities among Chinese internet users and their motivation for lurking, posting or flaming.

Design/methodology/approach

TakingQiangguo Luntanas an online study site the authors apply an ethnographic approach for the research, a method that is becoming more and more favourable by scholars in study virtual communities. The data gathered are mainly through participant observation and in‐depth interviews.

Findings

The findings suggest that internet bulletin boards enable ordinary Chinese to have their identities as politically activated citizens constructed in cyberspace. A consistent enthusiasm for political participation can be found in user's pennames, signature files, political clusters, and online behaviours.

Originality/value

This is an original case study.
Organizational changes in Chinese companies: a resource‐based view
Authors: Alas Ruth , Sun Wei
Published: September 2007

Purpose

In recent years, resource‐based theory has emerged as one of the most promising theoretical frameworks in the field of management. In this paper, the authors aim to explore the application of a resource‐based view when implementing organizational change in Chinese organizations. The problems associated with change are explored from the perspective of human resources (HR).

Design/methodology/approach

Structured interviews were conducted with top or middle managers in 160 companies in several large cities in the northern part of China: Beijing, Tianjin, Jinan and Zibo.

Findings

From the perspective of HR, the main problems faced when implementing change in Chinese organizations include the following: bureaucratic regulations and strict orders remain the core features of the process of implementing changes in Chinese companies. Meanwhile, the intrinsic values and emotions of employees were neglected and coercion and manipulation was frequently used as a strategy to overcome resistance to change. Moreover, Chinese managers are found to lack the skill to involve employees in the change process.

Originality/value

The study provides some insights into the human side of the change management process in China. Based on the research results the authors have identified the main problems associated with HR and recommend that the human resource management function facilitate the success of organizational changes.
A cross‐cultural assessment of attitudes of business students toward business ethics
Authors: Peppas Spero C. , Yu Tyler T.
Published: September 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether undergraduate and graduate business students in China and the USA share similar attitudes with regard to business ethics.

Design/methodology/approach

Using an instrument derived from Becker and Fritzsche, this study measured attitudes toward eight business ethics value statements. In addition, the survey asked respondents to report the degree to which they believed that reports of corporate irresponsibility had influenced their responses to the survey. Tests of significance were used to determine significant differences.

Findings

Despite advances in communication, the influence of foreign firms now operating in China, and the return to China of nationals who were educated in the USA, of eight business ethics value statements examined, significant differences between the Chinese and US respondents were found in all but one case.

Research limitations/implications

The data were drawn from the southern USA and from eastern China. Future researchers may wish to replicate the study using samples from diverse geographical areas in each country. This study could also be replicated to assess similarities and differences between management and student samples.

Originality/value

The results of this study point out significant differences between Chinese and US evaluations of the business ethics value statements examined. Given a history of years with little interaction between these two nations and the cultural distance between China and the USA, studies such as this provide useful information in the process of helping the people of these two nations better understand one another. The findings should prove especially useful to those concerned with the increasingly important issue of ethics in business operations.
Experiential learning exercises for tourism and hospitality executive training
Authors: Martin Drew , Woodside Arch G.
Published: September 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this Editorial is to introduce the reader to seven training exercises in tourism.

Design/methodology/approach

Introduces the papers in this special issue.

Findings

Effective learning requires doing–practice–failure–interpreting–experiencing success, rather than listening and watching.

Originality/value

Provides an introduction to experiential learning exercises for tourism and hospitality executive training.
Executive training exercise in sport event leverage
Authors: O'Brien Danny , Chalip Laurence
Published: September 2007

Purpose

Some sport event stakeholders now look beyond “impact” to achieving longer‐term, sustainable outcomes. This move away from anex post, outcomes orientation towards anex ante, strategic approach refers to the phenomenon of event leveraging. This paper aims to introduce readers to the concept, and poses practical exercises to challenge current thinking on sport event impacts.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper provides an introduction to the literature on the strategic leveraging of sport events and presents three theoretical models depicting various aspects of event leverage. The paper includes training exercises on the subject of sport event leverage along with possible answers.

Findings

Building on prior work, this paper proposes a new model for social leverage. The model and the related discussion highlight potential synergies between economic and social leverage.

Research limitations/implications

As the proposed model for social leverage is essentially exploratory, it remains empirically untested. This represents an obvious challenge for further research.

Practical implications

This paper recognizes that, particularly in the last decade, a paradigm shift has taken place in parts of the international events community, and provides a challenge and potential direction for event practitioners to continue the path towards achieving the triple bottom line of economic, social and environmental benefits for host communities.

Originality/value

The social leverage model breaks new ground in the (sport) events field, as does the push towards sustainability and a more triple bottom line approach to event outcomes.
Tourist harassment: review of the literature and destination responses
Authors: McElroy Jerome L. , Tarlow Peter , Carlisle Karin
Published: September 2007

Purpose

This paper aims to review the very limited literature on tourist harassment, discusses determinants and offers some policy suggestions for controlling the problem. Some emphasis is given to the Caribbean where harassment has been a long‐standing issue.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to gauge the extent and patterns of harassment, an exhaustive review of the literature is conducted and two recent case studies on Barbados and Marmaris, Turkey are extensively summarized.

Findings

Results indicate harassment is an increasing problem with global dimensions. Vendor persistence is the main type, followed by drug peddling and sexual harassment with most incidents occurring at the beach and/or shopping areas and the least at hotels. Regarding underlying determinants, the literature emphasizes host‐guest socio‐economic distances while the case studies emphasize cultural differences.

Research limitations/implications

Although the research review is limited principally to third‐world destinations, suggested best practice policy directions are useful for mature destinations in developed countries. They include: involving all tourism stakeholders in addressing the issue, promoting programs to enhance resident‐visitor mutual understanding, improving reporting mechanisms and systematic tracking of the problem and, in the long run, integrating those at the margin who comprise most of the harassers into the tourism mainstream.

Originality/value

The paper fills a gap in the literature on a growing concern and concludes with two training exercises to deepen understanding of the issue.
Management exercises and trainer's note in sustainable tourism and dynamics
Authors: Johnston Robert J. , Tyrrell Timothy J.
Published: September 2007

Purpose

To provide training exercises that will help tourism planners and analysts better understand the fundamentals of tourism sustainability and dynamics.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is organized as a presentation of tools and conceptual models, followed by associated training exercises and answers. The first exercise addresses basic concepts of sustainability as applied to tourism development. The second addresses the use of phase diagrams to illustrate the dynamic behavior and change of tourism‐related economic and environmental conditions over time.

Findings

Operational definitions of sustainable tourism generally are consistent with a wide variety of outcomes for a tourist destination. Exercises demonstrate that operational definitions of tourism sustainability require numerous choices and tradeoffs, and are more complex than is suggested by common discourse.

Practical implications

Given that the most desirable sustainable outcomes for tourism differ across groups, the search for sustainable tourism outcomes must combine environmentally sustainable outcomes (which are often many) with socially acceptable compromise solutions that lie somewhere between the optima for each distinct group. No amount of searching, bargaining, or stakeholder education will reveal a universal sustainable solution that maximizes benefits to all affected groups. In the vast majority of cases no optimal solution exists.

Originality/value

The paper provides tools and conceptual frameworks that characterize potential conflicts, hazards, and tradeoffs implicit in the choice among different sustainable or non‐sustainable outcomes for tourism.
Enhancing the stability and solubility of TEV protease using in silico design
Authors: Cabrita Lisa D. , Gilis Dimitri , Robertson Amy L. , Dehouck Yves , Rooman Marianne , Bottomley Stephen P.
Published: September 2007

The ability to rationally increase the stability and solubility of recombinant proteins has long been a goal of biotechnology and has significant implications for biomedical research. Poorly soluble enzymes, for example, result in the need for larger reaction volumes, longer incubation times, and more restricted reaction conditions, all of which increase the cost and have a negative impact on the feasibility of the process. Rational design is achieved here by means of the PoPMuSiC program, which performs in silico predictions of stability changes upon single‐site mutations. We have used this program to increase the stability of the tobacco etch virus (TEV) protein. TEV is a 27‐kDa nuclear inclusion protease with stringent specificity that is commonly used for the removal of solubility tags during protein purification protocols. However, while recombinant TEV can be produced in large quantities, a limitation is its relatively poor solubility (generally ∼1 mg/mL), which means that large volumes and often long incubation times are required for efficient cleavage. Following PoPMuSiC analysis of TEV, five variants predicted to be more stable than the wild type were selected for experimental analysis of their stability, solubility, and activity. Of these, two were found to enhance the solubility of TEV without compromising its functional activity. In addition, a fully active double mutant was found to remain soluble at concentrations in excess of 40 mg/mL. This modified TEV appears thus as an interesting candidate to be used in recombinant protein technology.
Functional analysis of the GTPases EngA and YhbZ encoded bySalmonella typhimurium
Authors: Lamb Heather K. , Thompson Paul , Elliott Catherine , Charles Ian G. , Richards Jamie , Lockyer Michael , Watkins Nicholas , Nichols Charles , Stammers David K. , Bagshaw Clive R. , Cooper Alan , Hawkins Alastair R.
Published: September 2007

TheS.typhimuriumgenome encodes proteins, designated EngA and YhbZ, which have a high sequence identity with the GTPases EngA/Der and ObgE/CgtAEofEscherichia coli. The wild‐type activity of theE. coliproteins is essential for normal ribosome maturation and cell viability. In order to characterize the potential involvement of theSalmonella typhimuriumEngA and YhbZ proteins in ribosome biology, we used high stringency affinity chromatography experiments to identify strongly binding ribosomal partner proteins. A combination of biochemical and microcalorimetric analysis was then used to characterize these protein:protein interactions and quantify nucleotide binding affinities. These experiments show that YhbZ specifically interacts with the pseudouridine synthase RluD (KD= 2 μM and 1:1 stoichiometry), and we show for the first time that EngA can interact with the ribosomal structural protein S7. Thermodynamic analysis shows both EngA and YhbZ bind GDP with a higher affinity than GTP (20‐fold difference for EngA and 3.8‐fold for YhbZ), and that the two nucleotide binding sites in EngA show a 5.3‐fold difference in affinity for GDP. We report a fluorescence assay for nucleotide binding to EngA and YhbZ, which is suitable for identifying inhibitors specific for this ligand‐binding site, which would potentially inhibit their biological functions. The interactions of YhbZ with ribosome structural proteins that we identify may demonstrate a previously unreported additional function for this class of GTPase: that of ensuring delivery of rRNA modifying enzymes to the appropriate region of the ribosome.
Cd36, a class B scavenger receptor, functions as a monomer to bind acetylated and oxidized low‐density lipoproteins
Authors: Martin Catherine A. , Longman Emma , Wooding Carol , Hoosdally Sarah J. , Ali Saira , Aitman Timothy J. , Gutmann Daniel A.P. , Freemont Paul S. , Byrne Bernadette , Linton Kenneth J.
Published: September 2007

Cd36 is a small‐molecular‐weight integral membrane protein expressed in a diverse, but select, range of cell types. It has an equally diverse range of ligands and physiological functions, which has implicated Cd36 in a number of diseases including insulin resistance, diabetes, and, most notably, atherosclerosis. The protein is reported to reside in detergent‐resistant microdomains within the plasma membrane and to form homo‐ and hetero‐intermolecular interactions. These data suggest that this class B scavenger receptor may gain functionality for ligand binding, and/or ligand internalization, by formation of protein complexes at the cell surface. Here, we have overexpressed Cd36 in insect cells, purified the recombinant protein to homogeneity, and analyzed its stability and solubility in a variety of nonionic and zwitterionic detergents. Octylglucoside conferred the greatest degree of stability, and by analytical ultracentrifugation we show that the protein is monomeric. A solid‐phase ligand‐binding assay demonstrated that the purified monomeric protein retains high affinity for acetylated and oxidized low‐density lipoproteins. Therefore, no accessory proteins are required for interaction with ligand, and binding is a property of the monomeric fold of the protein. Thus, the highly purified and functional Cd36 should be suitable for crystallization in octylglucoside, and the in vitro ligand‐binding assay represents a promising screen for identification of bioactive molecules targeting atherogenesis at the level of ligand binding.
A high‐resolution solution structure of a trypanosomatid FYVE domain
Authors: Mertens Haydyn D.T. , Callaghan Judy M. , Swarbrick James D. , McConville Malcolm J. , Gooley Paul R.
Published: September 2007

FYVE domain proteins play key roles in regulating membrane traffic in eukaryotic cells. The FYVE domain displays a remarkable specificity for the head group of the target lipid, phosphatidylinositol 3‐phosphate (PtdIns[3]P). We have identified five putative FYVE domain proteins in the genome of the protozoan parasite Leishmania major, three of which are predicted to contain a functional PtdIns(3)P‐binding site. The FYVE domain of one of these proteins, LmFYVE‐1, bound PtdIns(3)P in liposome‐binding assays and targeted GFP to acidified late endosomes/lysosomes in mammalian cells. The high‐resolution solution structure of its N‐terminal FYVE domain (LmFYVE‐1[1–79]) was solved by nuclear magnetic resonance. Functionally significant clusters of residues of the LmFYVE‐1 domain involved in PtdIns(3)P binding and dependence on low pH for tight binding were identified. This structure is the first trypanosomatid membrane trafficking protein to be determined and has been refined to high precision and accuracy using residual dipolar couplings.
Deuterium exchange and mass spectrometry reveal the interaction differences of two synthetic modulators of RXRα LBD
Authors: Yan Xuguang , Pérez Efrén , Leid Mark , Schimerlik Michael I. , de Lera Angel R. , Deinzer Max L.
Published: September 2007

Protein amide hydrogen/deuterium (H/D) exchange was used to compare the interactions of two antagonists, UVI 2112 and UVI 3003, with that of the agonist, 9‐cis‐retinoic acid, upon binding to the human retinoid X receptor alpha ligand‐binding domain (hRXRα LBD) homodimer. Analysis of the H/D content by mass spectrometry showed that in comparison to 9‐cis‐retinoic acid, the antagonists provide much greater protection toward deuterium exchange‐in throughout the protein, suggesting that the protein–antagonist complex adopts a more restricted conformation or ensemble of conformations in which solvent accesses to amide protons are reduced. A comparison between the two antagonists shows that UVI 3003 is more protective in the C‐terminal region due to the extra hydrophobic interactions derived from the atoms in the benzene ring of the carboxylic acid chain. It was less protective within regions comprising peptides 271–278 and 326–330 due to differences in conformational orientation, and/or shorter carboxylic acid chain length. Decreased deuterium exchange‐in in the segment 234–239 where the residues do not involve interactions with the ligand was observed with the two antagonists, but not with 9‐cis‐RA. The amide protons of helix 12 of the agonist‐ or antagonist‐occupied protein in solution have the same deuterium exchange rates as the unliganded protein, supporting a suggestion made previously that helix 12 can cover the occupied binding cavity only with the cofactor present to adjust its location.
Optimization of the inefficient translation initiation region of the cpxP gene from Escherichia coli
Authors: Miot Marika , Betton Jean‐Michel
Published: September 2007

The Escherichia coli Cpx envelope stress system is comprised of three proteins; the periplasmic regulatory CpxP, the inner membrane sensor kinase CpxA, and the cytoplasmic transcriptional activator CpxR. Although misfolded envelope proteins activate the Cpx system, the molecular mechanism by which this signal is sensed remains largely unknown. In an attempt to reconstitute the Cpx system from purified proteins, we failed to produce the small CpxP protein in its natural periplasmic compartment, but a high protein level was achieved when it was produced in the cytoplasm. Silent base mutations in the first codons of the cpxP gene encoding the signal sequence or substitution by two well‐characterized signal sequences, those of MalE and DsbA, resulted in a large increase of the CpxP level in the periplasm. Our results support the hypothesis that periplasmic expression could be inhibited by sequence elements in the early coding signal sequence region of cpxP.
Conformational change of erythroid α‐spectrin at the tetramerization site upon binding β‐spectrin
Authors: Long Fei , McElheny Dan , Jiang Shaokai , Park Sunghyouk , Caffrey Michael S. , Fung Leslie W.‐M.
Published: September 2007

We previously determined the solution structures of the first 156 residues of human erythroid α‐spectrin (SpαI‐1–156, or simply Spα). Spα consists of the tetramerization site of α‐spectrin and associates with a model β‐spectrin protein (Spβ) with an affinity similar to that of native α‐ and β‐spectrin. Upon αβ−complex formation, our previous results indicate that there is an increase in helicity in the complex, suggesting conformational change in either Spα or Spβ or in both. We have now used isothermal titration calorimetry, circular dichroism, static and dynamic light scattering, and solution NMR methods to investigate properties of the complex as well as the conformation of Spα in the complex. The results reveal a highly asymmetric complex, with a Perrin shape parameter of 1.23, which could correspond to a prolate ellipsoid with a major axis of about five and a minor axis of about one. We identified 12 residues, five prior to and seven following the partial domain helix in Spα that moved freely relative to the structural domain in the absence of Spβ but when in the complex moved with a mobility similar to that of the structural domain. Thus, it appears that the association with Spβ induced an unstructured‐to‐helical conformational transition in these residues to produce a rigid and asymmetric complex. Our findings may provide insight toward understanding different association affinities of αβ−spectrin at the tetramerization site for erythroid and non‐erythroid spectrin and a possible mechanism to understand some of the clinical mutations, such as L49F of α‐spectrin, which occur outside the functional partial domain region.