bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A global investigation of key turning points in business process maturity
Authors: McCormack Kevin , Willems Jurgen , van den Bergh Joachim , Deschoolmeester Dirk , Willaert Peter , Indihar Štemberger Mojca , Škrinjar Rok , Trkman Peter , Bronzo Ladeira Marcelo , Paulo Valadares de Oliveira Marcos , Bosilj Vuksic Vesna , Vlahovic Nikola
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report on the results of research into the precedence of the maturity factors, or key turning points in business process maturity (BPM) implementation efforts. A key turning point is a component of BPM that stabilizes within an organization and leads to the next maturity level.

Design/methodology/approach

Several years of data from over 1,000 companies in the USA, Europe, China, and Brazil that have completed a BPM assessment are analyzed to identify which components of BPM stabilize, when and in what order. Different analysis methods are employed in order to identify global commonalities and differences.

Findings

The paper identifies key turning points from several different perspectives using several different approaches and develops some conclusions common to all methods used in this research.

Research limitations/implications

The relationship between the components (dependencies) is only suggested but not statistically analyzed. Several data sets are also on the low end of sample size for the methods used and some parts of the research used ad hoc selection of companies of arbitrarily distributed companies into different groups.

Practical implications

The results can be useful for leaders and teams that are attempting the journey to process maturity. The guide‐posts, milestones, and measures can help answer the question “Where am I on this journey and what is next?”

Originality/value

A plethora of maturity models has emerged that claim to guide an organization through the process of building levels of maturity that lead to competitive advantage. To date, there has been a lack of quantitative studies documenting these road‐maps. The paper provides global, quantitative evidence of the critical maturity components associated at each level of maturity.
Global operations management during major change
Authors: Ojiako Udechukwu , Maguire Stuart , Guo Shuting
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the key practical factors that confront global businesses as they attempt to improve all aspects of their operations including emerging areas of the customer experience. The paper focuses on the way various organisational capabilities such as information systems/information technology have been adopted in order to provide an enhanced operational and strategic control over key areas of business.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopts a case‐based participation observation study which explores the global operations of a major restaurant brand. This approach enables it to explore several concepts which examine the behaviour of global operations at a time of major change.

Findings

The paper has focused on the application of change principles in the restaurant and hospitality industry and its importance for business performance and marketing strategy. The paper shows how adapting business strategy to incorporate key cultural sensitivities can pay major dividends for organisations. This strategy appears to be contrary to the general approach of standardisation adopted by other franchises in this key market sector.

Research limitations/implications

It will be necessary to increase the range of this research to ensure any real certainty regarding its implications.

Originality/value

The paper identifies a number of interesting changes to preconceived ideas of standardising product portfolios in the restaurant sector. It shows the need for a balanced “mix” of menu products to satisfy local and national requirements.
An analysis of social capital and environmental management of higher education institutions
Authors: Evangelinos Konstantinos I. , Jones Nikoleta
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the importance of the theory of social capital for the challenges presented during environmental management initiatives in higher education institutions (HEIs). In particular, the paper utilises the fundamental components of social capital theory and assesses a hypothesis that higher stocks of social capital result in benefits for environmental management of HEIs.

Design/methodology/approach

An introduction of the concept of social capital and its components is presented followed by a brief review on its main connections with environmental policy and management in general. An analysis of the influence of each component on several issues occurring during the environmental management of HEIs follows.

Findings

Through the analysis, it is claimed that social capital is a useful concept for the environmental management of HEIs and may significantly facilitate such initiatives.

Research limitations/implications

The paper emphasizes the effect of community social capital in the internal functioning of organizations. Further research could also explore the influence of dealings with external actors.

Practical implications

The paper emphasises the importance of exploring the potential influence of social factors while planning environmental initiatives. Through such assessments, several obstacles may be overcome during implementation procedures.

Originality/value

This is a first attempt to explore the application of the theory of social capital for the functioning of the academic community during initiatives for the greening of HEIs.
E‐learning for the environment
Authors: Bacelar‐Nicolau P. , Caeiro S. , Martinho A.P. , Azeiteiro U.M. , Amador F.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

In recent decades, there has been an increase of public awareness about environmental problems. A simultaneous effort to increase educational course offerings in this area has been made. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the first edition of the blended learning MSc in Environmental Citizenship and Participation that is offered by Universidade Aberta, Lisbon, Portugal. This is the first and only MSc offered in the distance learning mode in Portugal in this scientific area. The Master's programme includes environmental and social sciences contents. Also the programme includes tools and methodologies designed to help the students put into practice their expanded awareness, and knowledge within educational and public participation processes, within environment projects, programs or plans.

Design/methodology/approach

Evaluation is performed with the students using three data sources: a questionnaire survey, personal interviews and assessment materials produced by the students. These data are designed to evaluate course performance in terms of: student motivation, student‐content interaction, student‐student interaction, student‐teacher interaction, learning activities, type of evaluation, and student's environmental citizenship attitudes and behaviours.

Findings

The qualitative analysis indicates a very high level of student motivation and satisfaction with the programme. The course contents, organisation and learning regime allow students to change their attitudes about environmental domains and to feel they will contribute to others change of attitudes and behaviours.

Originality/value

E‐learning brings new dimensions (to traditional education when it comes to adult learning) and increases the motivation to learn about environmental issues (if the e‐learning for environment course allows for new ways of exploring and solving environmental problems in an interactive way). Moreover, it may increase the readiness to learn if the students are allowed to move into new social roles through the course.
Global learning for sustainable development in higher education: recent trends and a critique
Authors: Anderberg Elsie , Nordén Birgitta , Hansson Birgit
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a synopsis of some major trends that have marked discussions on global learning for sustainable development (GLSD) in higher education. The aim is formulated against the background of the complexity represented in GLSD, as well as the fact that sustainable development (SD) is an issue of global interest for universities.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted an overview in recent trends in research on GLSD in higher education over the last 20 years, based on the combination of the keyword higher education for Sustainable Development with global learning (GL) and global education.

Findings

The overview suggests that only relatively limited steps have been implemented to achieve GLSD, and rhetoric still dominates the discussions. It appears that little empirical research has been undertaken on learning in global settings. Several authors have identified the need for a competence‐based curriculum for GLSD.

Originality/value

Universities, professionals and students need to take greater responsibility. How knowledge, values and abilities are formed and developed from the global learner's perspective therefore, remains an open and fundamental question. The paper underlines the crucial role that higher education plays in GL for sustainability.
Key drivers of internet banking services use
Authors: Aldás‐Manzano Joaquín , Lassala‐Navarré Carlos , Ruiz‐Mafé Carla , Sanz‐Blas Silvia
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the determinants of internet banking use, paying special attention to the role of product involvement, perceived risk and trust.

Design/methodology/approach

The impact of trust, perceived risks, product involvement and TAM beliefs (ease of use and usefulness) on internet banking adoption is tested through structural equation modelling techniques. The sample consists of 511 Spanish internet banking services users and the data are collected through an internet survey. Risk is measured as a formative construct.

Findings

Data analysis shows that TAM beliefs and perceived risks (security, privacy, performance and social) have a direct influence on e‐banking adoption. Trust appears as a key variable that reduces perceived risk. Involvement plays an important role in increasing perceived ease of use.

Practical implications

This research provides banks with knowledge of what aspects to highlight in their communications strategies to increase their internet banking services adoption rates. The research findings show managers that web contents and design are key tools to increase internet banking services adoption. Practical recommendations to increase web usefulness and trust, and guidelines to reduce perceived risk dimensions are also provided.

Originality/value

Despite the importance of trust issues and risk perceptions for internet banking adoption, only limited work has been done to identify trust and risk dimensions in an online banking context. We have evaluated the impact of each risk dimension instead of treating risk as a whole. Furthermore, risk has been measured as a formative construct because there is no reason to expect that risk dimensions in online financial services are correlated.
h(k)‐private information retrieval from privacy‐uncooperative queryable databases
Authors: Domingo‐Ferrer Josep , Solanas Agusti , Castellà‐Roca Jordi
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to address the privacy problem associated with the use of internet search engines. The purpose of the paper is to propose and validate a set of methods and protocols to guarantee the privacy of users' queries.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paperh(k)‐private information retrieval (h(k)‐PIR) is defined as a practical compromise between computational efficiency and privacy. Also presented areh(k)‐PIR protocols that can be used to query any database, which does not even need to know that the user is trying to preserve his or her privacy.

Findings

The proposed methods are able to properly protect the privacy of users' queries. When internet users apply the protocols, search engines (e.g. Google) are not able to determine unequivocally the real interests of their users. The quality of the results does decrease with the increase in privacy, but the obtained trade‐off is excellent.

Practical implications

Current private information retrieval (PIR) protocols suffer from two significant shortcomings: their computational complexity isO(n) wherenis the number of records in the database, which precludes their use for very large databases and web search engines; and they assume that the database server cooperates in the PIR protocol, which prevents deployment in real‐life uncooperative settings. The proposed protocols overcome both problems.

Originality/value

This is the first set of protocols that offer practical protection for the privacy of the queries that internet users submit to an internet search engine. The proposal has been implemented and it will be released to the general public soon. It will help to protect the right to privacy of millions of internet users.
Determinants of customer repurchase intention in online shopping
Authors: Chiu Chao‐Min , Chang Chen‐Chi , Cheng Hsiang‐Lan , Fang Yu‐Hui
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand customers' repurchase intentions in online shopping. This study extends the technology acceptance model (TAM) by introducing e‐service quality dimensions, trust and enjoyment in the development of a theoretical model to study customers' repurchase intentions within the context of online shopping.

Design/methodology/approach

Data collected from 360 PCHome online shopping customers provides strong support for the proposed research model. PLS (partial least squares, PLS‐Graph version 3.0) is used to analyse the measurement and structural models.

Findings

The study shows that trust, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness and enjoyment are significant positive predictors of customers' repurchase intentions.

Research limitations/implications

The data are collected from a single online shopping store – the generalisation of the model and findings to other online stores requires additional research. Our findings imply that the five dimensions of e‐service quality are possibly among the most important antecedents of customers' trust in online vendors.

Practical implications

Online vendors should ensure that they provide adequate utilitarian and hedonic value for customers instead of focusing on just one of these aspects in their web site development.

Originality/value

Customer loyalty is critical to the online vendor's survival and success. The study provides evidence that online trust is built through order fulfilment, privacy, responsiveness and contact.
Versioning information goods of multi‐channel publishers in two‐sided markets
Authors: Kim Eunjin , Lee Byungtae , Kim Jae‐Cheol
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper was to identify whether the two‐sided nature of markets in both online and offline channels affects the versioning strategies of multi‐channel publishers in the presence of channel substitutability.

Design/methodology/approach

Using analytical models, the versioning of a multi‐channel publisher is analysed, with consideration of advertising revenue and possible channel substitutability.

Findings

The paper shows that not only the two‐sided nature of the online market but also that of the offline market affects the versioning strategy online. Multiple online versions are desired when the offline advertising market shrinks and the online advertising market proliferates. In a reverse situation, providing one online version (for free) can be optimal.

Originality/value

Previous studies on versioning have mostly considered only the information market per se. However, studies on two‐sided markets have shown that analysis that focuses on a single side leads to analytical error due to inter‐market network externalities. In this context, it is proven that advertising revenue is a critical factor in the publisher's decision whether to provide multiple online versions.
Evaluation of the credibility of internet shopping in the UK
Authors: Clewley Natalie , Chen Sherry Y. , Liu Xiaohui
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the credibility of internet shopping. Credibility, which refers to the believability of information, is an important consideration of internet shopping.

Design/methodology/approach

The evaluation is conducted by incorporating Fogg's 10 Stanford Guidelines for Web Credibility into Nielsen's heuristic evaluation. Furthermore, security and individualisation are considered as additional heuristics. Evaluation criteria are developed based on these 12 heuristics. Three UK car insurance web sites are selected for evaluation, including the AA, Norwich Union and Tesco.

Findings

The results show that the Norwich Union site seems to be the most credible while the Tesco site appears to be the least credible. The most significant credibility problems are found to lie in the areas of “trustworthiness”, “expertise” and “real‐world feel”. In other words, these three areas are key issues for future improvement of these sites.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the literature by providing a set of credibility design guidelines, which can be used to support the improved development of future internet shopping designs, especially car insurance web sites.
Journal ranking and the dreams of academics
Authors: Lamp John W.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to review and comment on the Australian Government's entry into the journal ranking domain.

Design/methodology/approach

A review and reflection on the approach and potential impact of the direction taken.

Findings

This project is arguably the largest of its type and the effects on academic publishing and the survival of journals could be far reaching.

Originality/value

The article draws together current material on the Australian Government's activities and provides details of the scope of the journal ranking project.
The h‐index for countries in Web of Science and Scopus
Authors: Jacsó Péter
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the results of recent experiments in determining the h‐index at the country level for the 10 Ibero‐American countries of South America.

Design/methodology/approach

The three citation index components (Science Citation Index, Social Science Citation Index, and Arts & Humanities Citation Index) of the Web of Science system of Thomson‐Reuters and the Scopus database of Elsevier are used to gauge the comparability of the h‐indexes reported by the two systems.

Findings

The results show that in spite of the significant differences in the content of the two databases in terms of their source base and the extent of cited reference enhancement of records, the rank correlation of the ten countries based on the h‐index values returned by Web of Science and Scopus is very high.

Originality/value

For this sample, in spite of differences between WoS and Scopus in the number of papers from each country, the rank position of the countries by the h‐index is almost the same. There is only a single rank position difference – Scopus rank Argentina second and Chile third, while the order is the reverse in WoS. This reconfirms the robustness of the h‐index at the country level.
Measures for organizations engaged in a knowledge economy
Authors: Rodgers Waymond , Housel Thomas J.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The financial reporting practices of modern day organizations operating in a knowledge‐based economy will eventually change as intangible assets increasingly become such organizations' most valuable assets. Financial reports need to be supported by intangible performance metrics, in order to ensure that the reports are rigorously interpreted and applied, and if any issues or problematic practices exist, they may be identified and resolved in a timely fashion. This paper aims to focus on this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper provides support for the use of knowledge value‐added (KVA) metrics to assist firms in better understanding, evaluating, and reporting intangible assets, and to provide them with more transparency in their operations. Currently, the general consensus seems to be that before any real progress can be made in converging intangible performance metrics with traditional financial reports, modern day organizations need to more actively depict their intangible assets.

Findings

A case study demonstrated how KVA measures support financial ratios of a company as well as providing for a better comparison of one industry with another. Further, from this case study the KVA methodology provided an approach for objectively obtaining information about the performance of knowledge assets as well as a means of benchmarking organizations operating in a knowledge economy.

Research limitations/implications

Future research should empirically test whether an organization's performance and operations is better captured by the added value of intangible measures, such as KVA metrics.

Originality/value

The paper shows that implementing intangible asset measures, along with traditional financial measures may provide a better overall platform that is understandable to managers, creditors, investors, and public institutions.
Indian software and pharmaceutical sector IC and financial performance
Authors: Ghosh Santanu , Mondal Amitava
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This paper seeks to estimate and analyze the relationship between intellectual capital and corporate conventional financial performance measures of Indian software and pharmaceutical companies for a period of five years from 2002 to 2006.

Design/methodology/approach

Annual reports, especially the profit and loss accounts and balance sheets of the selected companies for the relevant years have been used to obtain the data. International literatures on intellectual capital with specific reference to measurement tools and techniques have been reviewed. Value Added Intellectual CoefficientTM (VAIC) method is applied for measuring the value based performance of the companies. Corporate conventional performance financial measures used in this analysis are: profitability; productivity; and market valuation. It is an empirical study using multiple regression analysis for the data analysis. The intellectual capital (human capital and structural capital) and physical capital of the arbitrarily selected companies have been analyzed and their impact on corporate performance has been measured using multiple regression technique.

Findings

The analysis indicates that the relationships between the performance of a company's intellectual capital and conventional performance indicators, namely, profitability, productivity and market valuation, are varied. The findings suggest that the performance of a company's intellectual capital can explain profitability but not productivity and market valuation in India.

Research limitations/implications

The study has been conducted on a small sample of 80 companies belonging to the India software and pharmaceutical sectors. For a better understanding, a larger data set covering all prominent industry segments will be helpful.

Practical implications

Intellectual capital is an area of interest to numerous parties, e.g. shareholders, managers, policy makers, institutional investors. This paper throws some light on the new performance indicator, which Indian managers can use in order to evaluate the corporate performance and benchmark it with global standards. This is useful particularly in the context of the “knowledge economic” environment.

Originality/value

The paper represents a pioneering attempt to understand the implications of the business performance of the Indian software and pharmaceutical sectors from an intellectual resource perspective.
Acquisitions reveal the hidden intellectual capital of pharmaceutical companies
Authors: Boekestein Bram
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to assess to what extent intellectual capital is revealed once a company is acquired.

Design/methodology/approach

The research question was approached by analyzing official accounts of companies, like annual reports and documents provided to stock exchange authorities before and after the acquisition. In its purchase price allocation the acquiring company is providing insight in the total value of the company acquired.

Findings

The mean total value of the companies studied increases approximately six fold on acquisition. This increase is mainly due to the increase in intangible assets (including goodwill), which substantially overlap with intellectual capital. The intangible assets specified are mostly connected to rights‐related and technology‐related items, while goodwill shows more “bias” to expertise and customer‐related items. Thus it is hypothesized that a substantial part of the intellectual capital of the company acquired is revealed in the official accounts of the acquiring company.

Research limitations/implications

This study is limited to companies primarily in the pharmaceutical sector. The situation with respect to intangible assets may deviate from the situation in other industrial sectors. Another limitation is the restriction to public companies with respect to the acquiring party because of the information requirements imposed by the authorities. Further, this study was restricted in time to the last seven years in order to have a group of acquisition situations for which similar recent accounting guidelines apply.

Practical implications

This line of research could have practical implications for future valuation policies in acquisition situations and for intellectual capital valuation strategies.

Originality/value

The paper is a quantitative evaluation of intellectual capital in mergers and acquisitions based on formal accounting records.
Analysis and valuation of intellectual capital according to its context
Authors: Angel Axtle Ortiz Miguel
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze and group the intellectual capital components of worldwide organizations through a humanistic model called CONICCVALTM (contextual intellectual capital components valuation). The study aims to consider the difference of perception on the value of intangible assets according to its context.

Design/methodology/approach

The importance of the context as a key factor to valuate intellectual capital is highlighted. The research developed by a Mexico based Consulting and Research firm in topics related to intellectual capital and corporate strategy (Instituto de Capital Intelectual) is described, to valuate these intangible assets. The sample population in eight geographic regions, 16 types of industries, two types of operations, and three sizes of organizations was analyzed. The research results were analysed using 41 variables and four factors through the Multiple Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) methodology. The analysis of the principal components analysis (PCA) is also described, and a new model to valuate intellectual capital considering the context is proposed.

Findings

It was demonstrated that: the geographic region, the segment of the industry, and the size of the organization, are statistically significant factors that determine the weighing of intellectual capital. It was found that there are ten principal components that shape intellectual capital, and their profiles were identified to measure it according to the context.

Research limitations/implications

A statistically significant sample of 38,000 executive men and women, graduates and students of Master's and Executive Education programs from a top International Management School in the USA was used. They are considered to be a representative sample of a working business community of 12,000 companies in 140 countries.

Practical implications

The main parameter used to valuate intellectual capital in this study was the context. It was concluded that only companies inserted in equivalent contexts could be compared.

Originality/value

The contribution of this paper is that it demonstrates the importance of the context in the valuation of intellectual capital.
Changing behaviors: an activities‐based approach
Authors: Braganza Ashley
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The dual purpose of this paper is to question some of the taken‐for‐granted assumptions that underpin change management approaches and to suggest a framework for implementing change in organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper develops a framework based on qualitative data gathered through action‐based research.

Findings

The paper provides a case study of one organization's experiences to illustrate the framework. The case study shows that managers can focus their actions to bring about changes to behaviors in the context of activities and practices that people perform on a day‐to‐day basis.

Research limitations/implications

The research was undertaken in larger organizations (more than 750 employees) and the extent to which the framework can be applied to smaller organizations is to be demonstrated.

Originality/value

The paper encourages managers to refocus their efforts on the implementation of change rather than just the design of the change. It makes the case for action to be taken in the context of activities and practices that people should be doing rather than expending significant design efforts on what is done currently.
Economic analysis of environmental law: pollution control and nuisance law
Authors: Velentzas John E. , Savvidou Kyriaki K. , Broni Georgia K.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an economic analysis of environmental law.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper focuses on pollution control and nuisance law.

Findings

Regarding the efficiency analysis of nuisance remedies, the paper summarizes the various situations which may be covered by environmental law and their consequences.

Originality/value

The paper offers insights into pollution control and nuisance law.
Health care reform planners and wicked problems
Authors: Raisio Harri
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the planning of the National Health reform – especially the “guarantee for care” reform within it – from the perspective of the concept of wicked problems. This concept asserts that it is of the utmost importance to see the true level of complexity of the problems in order to survive them. The paper tries to the answer the question of how the planners of the health care reforms see the problems they are trying to solve.

Design/methodology/approach

This is an interview study. A total of 12 people who participated in the planning of the examined reforms at some level were interviewed. The interview method was a semi‐structured thematic interview. The research analysis is theory‐originated content analysis.

Findings

The hypothesis is that the planners of the examined reforms do not focus enough on the complexity of the problems they tried to solve. The research, however, shows that the wickedness of the problems was often noticed. Unfortunately it was not taken as seriously as it should have been. In other words, the planners mostly saw that the problems were very complex, but even then the solutions were only like solutions for tame problems or messes.

Originality/value

The paradigm shift from Newtonian science – which sees the world as a deterministic system – to a more complexity‐endorsing view is on its way. The world is a dynamic and open system, which cannot be controlled. The paper makes its own contribution, from the perspective of health care problems and reforms, to advance this paradigm shift.
Risky behaviour and patient safety: a critical culturist perspective
Authors: Linsley Philip , Mannion Russell
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to utilise cultural theory of risk to provide a broad analytic framework for examining how risk is constructed within the dominant discourses around patient safety within the domain of psychiatry. It also seeks to examine notions of blame and to consider the possibility of the creation of a no‐blame culture.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical element of the paper draws on qualitative interviews with a sample of psychiatrists to explore how culture may give rise to different perceptions and responses in respect of “risky behaviour” and “safe practice”.

Findings

The paper discusses how psychiatry may be differentiated from other branches of medicine and concludes that the cultural grouping that appears to be most apposite in respect of psychiatrists is the egalitarian culture. However, changes in the NHS are resulting in the imposition of an individualistic culture on the community of psychiatrists with the effect that behaviours are being adopted as measures to avoid potential blame.

Practical implications

The paper finds that if the NHS is to improve patient safety then it must recognise that it is not possible to create a no‐blame culture and, therefore, it is more important to consider which type of culture will impact most positively on patient safety. It appears that psychiatrists are being compelled to adopt an individualistic culture when an egalitarian culture would be more advantageous for patient safety.

Originality/value

In contrast with the methodological individualism of the current safety orthodoxy which interprets risk as an objective and measurable phenomenon, the paper draws on cultural theory of risk to develop a critical perspective on current safety policy and to explore how “risky” and “safe” practices are socially constructed in the context of psychiatry.
Organizational consciousness
Authors: Pees Richard C. , Hostetter Shoop Glenda , Ziegenfuss James T.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual understanding of organizational consciousness that expands the discussion of organizational analysis, and use a case study to apply it in the analysis of a merger between an academic health center and a regional medical center.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws on the experiences and insights of scholars who have been exploring complex organizational issues in relationship with consciousness.

Findings

Organizational consciousness is the organization's capacity for reflection; a centering point for the organization to “think” and find the degree of unity across systems; and a link to the organization's identity and self‐referencing attributes. It operates at three stages: reflective, social, and collective consciousness.

Research limitations/implications

Translating abstract concepts such as consciousness to an organizational model is complex and interpretive. For now, the idea of organizational consciousness remains mostly a theoretical concept. Empirical evidence is needed to support the theory.

Practical implications

Faced with complicated and compelling issues for patient care, health care organizations must look beyond the analysis of structure and function, and be vigilant in their decisions on where important issues sit on the ladder of competing priorities. Organizational consciousness keeps the organization's attention focused on purpose and unifies the collective will to succeed.

Originality/value

If the paper can come to understand how consciousness operates in organizations, and learn how to apply it in organizational decisions, the pay‐off could be big in terms of leading initiatives for change. The final goal is to use what is learned to improve organizational outcomes.
Green care governance: between market, policy and intersecting social worlds
Authors: Vik Jostein , Farstad Maja
Published: October 2009

Purpose

Green care – the utilisation of farms as the basis for health services – is seen as a promising addition to other health services, and it is seen as a viable diversification strategy for many farm families. However, the number of such services is low both in Norway and in Europe in general. The development of green care seems to have stagnated. This paper seeks to analyze and discuss the case of Norwegian green care in order to reflect on the hindrances to the further development of a viable green care sector.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper analyzes the green care market, green care policies and the interaction of social worlds that are necessary to make the green care sector function smoothly.

Findings

The conclusion is that there is a sound basis for a green care market and that there are sufficient political support and political engagement for the development of green care in Norway. The problem with the green care sector is the interaction between the “social worlds” involved in the sector – the suppliers/farmers, the users, and the (public sector) buyers. It is argued that the development of a green care market is hampered by the lack of an institutional framework and a set of market devices capable of bringing key actors together.

Research limitations/implications

The paper presents an analysis of the Norwegian green care sector. It shows that there are substantial cross‐national differences between health service systems, and therefore comparisons between nations are difficult. However, the principal challenges – diverse social groups, the lack of institutional frames, and immature markets – are shared. Therefore, the need for further research is evident and there are lessons to be learned from cross‐national comparison and case studies.

Originality/value

Within the green care research field, there have been few social science studies that address organisational issues and the governance of this new and emerging business. Theoretically oriented and analytical contributions on organisational aspects of green care services are therefore timely. This paper is such a contribution.
Clinical governance in operation – everybody's business: a proposed framework
Authors: Singh Rajiv Kumar
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe a framework for the implementation of clinical governance (CG) within a mental health and addictions service at all functional levels within the system (consumer, clinician, team, service and unit level). It aims to include and enlarge on the functional subdivisions of CG (as practised in the National Health Service (NHS)) by identifying 11 component domains of interest.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper briefly reviews the varying interpretations of the concept of CG in the literature and associated difficulties in its implementation.

Findings

Several authors have pointed out the difficulties in the implementation of CG at the operational level. In particular, CG is often seen as top‐down, “managerial” in its focus rather than providing clinicians at the coal‐face with a device for quality assurance and improvement.

Practical implications

The framework asserts that the 11 component domains are relevant at all levels within a healthcare delivery system; in fact, conversations already occur around these domains at all levels with variable frequency, with a focus that is relevant to that level, determined by the needs at each level.

Originality/value

The paper describes a practical framework for implementation of CG within a mental health and addictions service that addresses some of the criticism levelled against the concept of CG in the literature. This conceptualisation provides a seamless merging of the so‐called managerial and clinical imperatives around clinical governance.
Is cutting development and training in a recession a good idea? Looking at the IT and ITeS sector in India
Authors: Rao M.S.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The article highlights the importance of corporate training in knowledge sectors like Information Technology and Information Technology “enabled services” sectors during times of recession. It treats recession as a boon not as a bane – as an opportunity for employees to spend time learning and for employers to gain a competitive edge.

Design/methodology/approach

During recessions, organizations should not sack employees but engage their support to battle against recessions. They should find ways and means to cut down on unwarranted expenditure elsewhere; partly through the ideas and ingenuity of the employees themselves. Recession is also the right time to focus on innovation and creativity. An emphasis on greater market research (which is often neglected because of complacency when times are more profitable) would definitely pay off. Creating new products or services can open the gates for new consumers of products or services.

Findings

It concludes that training is only a comma not a full stop. Training is an investment not an expense. Despite any recession, it should be maintained as a continuous process to ensure organizations remain competitive and productive.

Originality/value

The article focuses on IT and ITeS sectors in India, looking at the value of training from a different perspective. It converts the threat of recession to an opportunity. It is aimed at senior executives, busy practitioners, HR executives, training consultants and trainers.
Exploring the vacuum in training evaluation: is this a case of mission impossible?
Authors: Short Tom
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This paper presents research‐based insight on the challenges of evaluating training activities in today's complex organizational settings.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is taken from three case studies conducted in the New Zealand manufacturing sector, as well as sources of relevant literature. The commentary takes a critical‐realist perspective and challenges learning and development professionals to address the poor reputation of training evaluation.

Findings

Human resource practitioners recognise the importance of gaining feedback from learning events, but research reports question the thoroughness of evaluation processes, claiming they rarely happen to the satisfaction of management. Consequently, training budgets become an easy target during periods of rationalization. The problem centres on overcoming the complexity of defining a meaningful cause/effect relationship between the training and resultant benefit. This research discovered the presence of an “evaluation vacuum” and nine thematic areas requiring close attention. The paper offers reasons why the evaluation of training is becoming increasingly difficult.

Research limitations

The findings are contextual and may not fit all settings, but they offer a comparative account of training evaluation in both straightforward and complex learning environments.

Practical implications

The paper has real and practical implications for human resource professionals. Evaluation of training is not a trivial issue and organizations need to get much better at explaining the beneficial outcomes derived from investments in training.

Originality/value

This paper will be of value to human resource professionals and managers, assisting them to think differently about evaluating training. Innovative concepts such as the “evaluation vacuum” and the term “learning bleed” clarify priorities and contribute to a new perspective on evaluation.
The competitive performance benefits of managerial health: five key practices
Authors: Longenecker Clinton O. , Yonker Robert D. , McGoldrick Laura
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the professional benefits of being in good health and construct a development plan to help business leaders learn how to get and stay healthy.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from a sample of 159 “high performance” managers who were identified by their organization as excellent performers over a period of at least five years. The managers were asked for their views on the relationship between health and performance at work. In addition, they were asked what the specific work‐related benefits of being healthy are.

Findings

High performance managers believe that there is a strong link between their health and their effectiveness as leaders. The main work‐related benefits of being healthy were: increased energy and drive; greater physical stamina and endurance; lower levels of stress; increased cognitive and thinking abilities; improved overall productivity and performance; improved confidence and self‐esteem; easier to maintain a positive attitude and personality; setting a good example for others in the organization; strengthened ability to make tough business decisions, and improved quality of personal life.

Originality/value

Given these benefits of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, recommendations are given to managers to help foster the appropriate culture or environment in.
Localising and sustaining poverty reduction: experiences from Ghana
Authors: Ameyaw Domfeh Kwame , Nyigmah Bawole Justice
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to examine poverty and poverty reduction at the local level using the Hohoe Municipality and Sefwi‐Wiaso District, both in Ghana, as a case.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopts a survey method, collecting data from 180 farmers on the various aspects of the topic to form the basis of the study. Questionnaires and focus group discussions were used as the data collection instruments.

Findings

The study found that, although many poverty reduction initiatives have been undertaken in Ghana, their impact on the poor farming communities has been very minimal. The failure of these poverty reduction policies could be attributed to the non‐involvement of local people in the process of policy formation. It also revealed that the number of poor people and the degree of poverty might be higher than the details captured by official statistics and publications.

Research limitations/implications

The paper is biased towards farmers. It did not consider other sectors of the Ghanaian population.

Practical implications

Poverty reduction programmes to be developed and implemented in the future must be designed using bottom‐up approaches and must factor the rural farmer into the equation since the agriculture sector is still the largest employer in Ghana.

Originality/value

The paper discusses poverty and how it can be reduced, relying on what the victims of poverty consider as the main causes of poverty and how its reduction can be achieved.
Sustainable city in the global North and South: goal or principle?
Authors: Parves Rana Masud
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a conceptual framework to analyse whether the global concept of sustainable city, generally produced as a goal in the cities of the global North, will be equally suitable in the cities of the global South or not.

Design/methodology/approach

Research has been based on a review of the literature, which has been collected from books, journals, reports and soft‐materials of the internet. A simple descriptive analytical approach is followed to examine the argument. The paper argues that a sustainable city should not be a goal, but a principle of effective service provisions based on social equity and justice.

Findings

Despite the main premise that a sustainable city is to achieve environmental, social and economic sustainability, the concept is widely criticised due to its disputable application in the cities of the South. The paper suggests that the sustainable city discourse does not include the main problems of the cities in the global South, even though, as a goal, it is efficient and effective in the developed countries of the global North. Thus, the paper concludes that a goal‐based sustainable city discourse of the global North will be misleading and inappropriate for the sustainable urban development in the cities of the global South.

Originality/value

Despite the widespread application of the sustainable city concept in developing countries, cities are facing numerous social, economic and environmental problems. Realising this fact, it is imperative to investigate the root‐causes of the problems. In line with this thinking, the paper offers a conceptual framework to analyse urban development policies in the cities of the global South.