bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Measuring Croatian public and academic library culture
Authors: Petr Balog Kornelija
Published: December 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to present the results of interviews conducted with public library directors and academic Chief Librarians on various topics connected with library quality in order to determine the library culture in those libraries.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with ten library directors.

Findings

These interviews represent some of the findings of the project “Evaluation of library and information services: public and academic libraries”. The project investigates library culture in Croatian public and academic libraries and their preparedness for the introduction performance measurement activities. The interviews reveal that library culture has changed positively over the last few years and that library leaders now have a positive attitude towards quality and evaluation activities.

Research limitations/implications

The findings from the interviews with ten library directors form only a small part of the results of a much larger and comprehensive data gathering exercise (including survey and statistical data).

Originality/value

Library culture in Croatian libraries is a relatively new concept and as such has not been actively developed and/or created. This article brings the newest update on views, opinions and atmosphere in Croatian public and academic libraries.
Personal knowledge management
Authors: Razmerita Liana , Kirchner Kathrin , Sudzina Frantisek
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss new approaches for managing personal knowledge in the Web 2.0 era. The paper questions whether Web 2.0 technologies (social software) are a real panacea for the challenges associated with the management of knowledge. Can Web 2.0 reconcile the conflicting interests of managing organisational knowledge with personal objectives? Does Web 2.0 enable a more effective way of sharing and managing knowledge at the personal level?

Design/methodology/approach

Theoretically deductive with illustrative examples.

Findings

Web 2.0 plays a multifaceted role for communicating, collaborating, sharing and managing knowledge. Web 2.0 enables a new model of personal knowledge management (PKM) that includes formal and informal communication, collaboration and social networking tools. This new PKM model facilitates interaction, collaboration and knowledge exchanges on the web and in organisations.

Practical implications

Based on these findings, professionals and scholars will gain a better understanding of the potential role of Web 2.0 technologies for harnessing and managing personal knowledge. The paper provides concrete examples of how Web 2.0 tools are currently used in organisations.

Originality/value

As Web 2.0 has become integrated in our day‐to‐day activities, there is a need to further understand the relationship between Web 2.0 and PKM.
The structural evolution of the Web 2.0 service network
Authors: Hwang Junseok , Altmann Jörn , Kim Kibae
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to empirically analyse the structure of the Web 2.0 service network and the mechanism behind its evolution over time.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the list of Web 2.0 services and their mashups that is provided on Programmableweb, a network of Web 2.0 services was constructed. Within this network a node represents a Web 2.0 service with an open API, and a link between two nodes represents the existence of a mashup service that uses the two nodes.

Findings

The findings suggest that the evolution of the Web 2.0 service network follows the preferential attachment rule although the exponent of the preferential attachment is lower than for other networks following a preferential attachment rule. Additionally the results indicate that the Web 2.0 service network evolves to a scale‐free network but the exponent of the power law distribution is lower than for other networks.

Originality/value

The research applied social network analysis to the Web 2.0 service network. It showed that its network structure and the evolution mechanism are different from those found in similar areas, e.g. the world wide web (WWW). The findings imply that there are factors which lower the exponent of the preferential attachment equation and the power law distribution of the degree centralities.

Research limitation/implications

This paper did not investigate the factors responsible for the low values of the exponent of the preferential attachment equation and the exponent of the power law distribution. However, it is suggested that it could be correlated with the fact that the interconnection between nodes depends on the property of the nodes.
Assessing metasearch engine performance
Authors: Sadeghi Hamid
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a new method for evaluating the performance of metasearch engines (MSEs), which was used in the reported study to investigate which of eight popular MSEs (Clusty, Dogpile, Excite, Mamma, MetaCrawler, Search.com, WebCrawler and Webfetch) is the best.

Design/methodology/approach

This research evaluated the performance of eight MSEs. For each MSE the average of closeness degrees between its ranked result list and those of its underlying search engines (SEs) was measured. Next, these measures were compared to each other to determine which MSE gives the best performance. Furthermore the experiment was repeated ten times with ten different queries to reach a stable result.

Findings

The findings revealed that Dogpile outperformed all the others, followed by MetaCrawler, Excite, Webfetch and then Mamma. MetaCrawler and WebCrawler had almost the same performance and occupied the next positions. Clusty and Search.com performed poorly in comparison to the others.

Practical implications

The findings of this research would be useful for MSE designers as well as helping the numerous users of MSEs to choose a truly effective one.

Originality/value

This paper provides a novel method for assessing the performance of MSEs and valuable experimental results on eight popular ones.
Building trust in m‐commerce: contributions from quality and satisfaction
Authors: Shao Yeh Yung , Li Yung‐Ming
Published: December 2009

Purpose

Mobile commerce (m‐commerce) represents a new area of business opportunity. Past research has often focused on customer acceptance and its antecedents, rather than factors that build trust in m‐commerce. The purpose of this paper is to provide an explanation of factors influencing customer trust towards vendors on the mobile internet.

Design/methodology/approach

M‐commerce relies on mobile technology and well‐maintained service quality. This paper has applied the service quality model (SERVQUAL) and technology acceptance model (TAM), coupled with proposed quality factors in relation to m‐commerce that, according to the literature, influence customer trust, to empirically test the formation of trust. The proposed model was empirically evaluated using online survey data from 212 experienced m‐commerce customers.

Findings

The results showed that despite customisation, brand image and satisfaction all directly affecting customer trust towards the vendor in m‐commerce, customisation and brand image equally had a stronger direct effect on trust formation. In addition, interactivity and responsiveness had no direct impact, but had an indirect impact via satisfaction on trust towards the vendor.

Practical implications

This paper contributes a theoretical understanding of factors that activate the development of trust towards the vendor. For vendors in general the results enable them to better develop customer trust in m‐commerce.

Originality/value

The paper verifies the effects of satisfaction and proposed quality factors on customer confidence in m‐commerce. Moreover, this article validates the determinants of satisfaction.
A wiki as intranet: a critical analysis using the Delone and McLean model
Authors: Trkman Marina , Trkman Peter
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the benefits and challenges of using a wiki as an intranet/content management system in a company.

Design/methodology/approach

Combined with elements of action research, a longitudinal case study of implementing a wiki in a department of a Slovenian company was conducted. Interviews, surveys and a log analysis were used for the data collection. The Delone and McLean information systems success model was the underlying theoretical approach to explore the information, systems and service quality.

Findings

While a wiki may bring important benefits and change to a company's information/knowledge management, the main challenges remain the same as with earlier technological solutions. Additional problems arise due to cultural issues, the lack of control over quality and the fact that service quality largely depends on the users.

Research limitations/implications

A single case study within one company was conducted.

Practical implications

The findings are important for any manager or developer intending to implement a wiki as an intranet solution as they identify and classify potential challenges.

Originality/value

As one of the first longitudinal case studies of implementing a wiki, several new challenges of Web 2.0 applications and of creating online environments for knowledge sharing are identified, while well‐studied problems concerning other projects seeking to develop information systems also apply. A novel extension to the Delone and McLean model is proposed.
The effect of product presentation mode on the perceived content and continent quality of web sites
Authors: Flavián Carlos , Gurrea Raquel , Orús Carlos
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of different product presentation modes on consumers' perceptions of web site quality. Specifically the paper identifies the perceived degree of usability as the continent quality and the perceived quality of the information as the content quality of the web site.

Design/methodology/approach

An experiment was conducted with a sample of 86 individuals. Changes in the presentation of the information were made in terms of mode (paragraph or schema) and arrangement (list or grid).

Findings

Users perceived a higher degree of usability and a higher quality of information when the information was presented in a schematic way than when it was presented as a paragraph. However, no significant effects were found regarding the spatial arrangement of the products. Regarding the possible interaction effect, the combination of schematic information displayed in a list produced the greatest effects on users' perceptions.

Research limitations/implications

Consumers show a greater preference for those web sites that provide them with efficient tools for acquiring information and forming knowledge about the alternatives available. Specifically, when products are displayed on the computer screen, designers should focus on presenting the information in a schematic way. Moreover, if this information is organised in a list or table where all the products can be assessed consecutively, the perceptions about the web site may be enhanced.

Originality/value

This is one of the first studies that explains the main factors that affect the perceived quality of a web site from the users' perspective. The analysis of the users' perceptions and the marketing viewpoint could help designers to create web sites that best match their users' information needs.
A simple method for excluding self‐citation from the h‐index: the b‐index
Authors: Brown Richard J.C.
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this conceptual paper is to present a simple, novel method for excluding self‐citation from h‐index values – the b‐index.

Design/methodology/approach

The work described assumes that relative self‐citation rate is constant across an author's publications and that the citation profile of a set of papers follows a Zipfian distribution, and from this derives a simple mathematical expression for excluding self‐citation from h‐index values.

Findings

It is shown that this new index is simply equal to the integer value of the author's external citation rate (non‐self‐citations) to the power three quarters, multiplied by their h‐index. This value, called the b‐index, does not require an extensive analysis of the self‐citation rates of individual papers to produce, and appropriately shows the biggest numerical decreases, as compared to the corresponding h‐index, for very high self‐citers.

Practical implications

The method presented allows the user to assess quickly and simply the effects of self‐citation on an author's h‐index.

Originality/value

This paper provides a simple and novel method for excluding self‐citation from the h‐index and should be of interest to those interested in bibliometrics and databases of scientific literature.
Image retrieval from the web using multiple features
Authors: Vadivel A. , Sural Shamik , Majumdar A.K.
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The main obstacle in realising semantic‐based image retrieval from the web is that it is difficult to capture semantic description of an image in low‐level features. Text‐based keywords can be generated from web documents to capture semantic information for narrowing down the search space. The combination of keywords and various low‐level features effectively increases the retrieval precision. The purpose of this paper is to propose a dynamic approach for integrating keywords and low‐level features to take advantage of their complementary strengths.

Design/methodology/approach

Image semantics are described using both low‐level features and keywords. The keywords are constructed from the text located in the vicinity of images embedded in HTML documents. Various low‐level features such as colour histograms, texture and composite colour‐texture features are extracted for supplementing keywords.

Findings

The retrieval performance is better than that of various recently proposed techniques. The experimental results show that the integrated approach has better retrieval performance than both the text‐based and the content‐based techniques.

Research limitations/implications

The features of images used for capturing the semantics may not always describe the content.

Practical implications

The indexing mechanism for dynamically growing features is challenging while practically implementing the system.

Originality/value

A survey of image retrieval systems for searching images available on the internet found that no internet search engine can handle both low‐level features and keywords as queries for retrieving images from WWW so this is the first of its kind.
Calculating the h‐index and other bibliometric and scientometric indicators from Google Scholar with the Publish or Perish software
Authors: Jacsó Péter
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to is to discuss the results of recent experiments in calculating the h‐index and other bibliometric and scientometric indicators from Google Scholar with the Publish or Perish software.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper discusses the Publish or Perish (PoP) software and finds that is a swift and elegant tool to provide the essential output features that Google Scholar does not offer.

Findings

It is found that PoP allows the user to edit the result lists presented in a compact, efficient grid‐format. It facilitates the identification and removal of duplicate entries by offering dynamic sorting of the set by eight metadata elements, un‐checking items and instant recalculation of the indicators.

Originality/value

Some changes are recommended to enhance this useful utility by allowing users to clean and edit the erroneous entries in the result set, and then back‐load it to PoP for the recalculation of the indicators. It is also suggested that the option to upload into PoP the result lists produced in CSV format from Web of Science and Scopus (which have much more reliable and reproducible data than Google Scholar) should also be offered.
Determining a conceptual framework for green FM intellectual capital
Authors: Baharum M.R. , Pitt M.
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to consider how a facilities management (FM) organisation can strategically manage its intellectual capital with regard to environmental management services and to suggest a conceptual strategy for determining FM intangible assets' competitiveness and performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on a literature review of published work within the industry in relation to environmental issues and FM knowledge management, forming a basis for a further research paradigm.

Findings

Building on the resource‐based view of the FM organisation, the FM intellectual capital framework is referred to emphasize the significance of green strategy in its knowledge components.

Research limitations/implications

This paper emphasizes the importance of FM intellectual capital in achieving overall sustainability and profitability to an organisation. However, due to limitations of experience within the FM knowledge perspective, it will take a while before significant results can be provided in proof of this.

Practical implications

This paper establishes an imperative approach about FM knowledge capital capability to drive a greater environmental effectiveness and to reduce liability from a pertinent environmental directive.

Originality/value

This paper theoretically evaluates the importance of FM intangible assets to the development of environmental management by an FM firm.
The application of supply chain management and collaborative innovation in the delivery of facilities management services
Authors: Nazali Mohd Noor Mohd , Pitt Michael
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to define supply chain management (SCM) in facilities management (FM) and in generic business context, and extensively review critical elements to ensure the success of SCM and collaborative innovation in FM as a service delivery system.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper employs comprehensive literature reviews from a number of publications retrieved from electronic databases, journals and books.

Findings

SCM helps organisations to execute strategic purchasing for sustainable market position in a rapidly changing and competitive environment. Facilities will be effectively managed by adopting strategic alliances in SCM with FM suppliers through faster service delivery, increase in service efficiency and cost savings.

Research limitations/implications

Limited literature available on SCM in FM prevents comprehensive results, underlining further discussions on the critical aspects that can be adopted to ensure success in SCM in the context of FM service delivery.

Practical implications

This paper provides an in‐depth analysis of SCM and the significance of adopting critical elements within SCM to ensure the success of a business in an environment that is constantly changing due to various expected or unexpected factors.

Originality/value

This paper presents literature updates on the needs of SCM in ensuring an organisation's sustainability, and in creating effective business collaborations to obtain profits through a common objective in FM.
Cost decision making in building maintenance practice in Malaysia
Authors: Shah Ali Azlan
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The main purpose of this paper is to systematically identify important factors that are considered in decision making of maintenance cost and discuss how these factors affect maintenance performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper employs triangulation technique, which combines quantitative and qualitative approaches. The paper starts with the identification of dominant factors through literature reviews followed by semi‐structured interviews with ten building managers and questionnaire survey. A set of questionnaires are distributed to 200 selected buildings managers in Malaysia. The results from 62 completed questionnaires form a database for the quantitative analysis.

Findings

This paper concludes that the maintenance performance suffers from the insufficient allocation of maintenance cost. The main factors that are usually considered by the building managers in allocation of maintenance costs are availability of funding, client's preference, and economic situation. Associative test results reveal that variance in maintenance cost could be improved by considering condition of building and complaint about building performance during decision making of maintenance cost.

Practical implications

This paper provides information for building manager on important factors that need to be considered during decision making of maintenance cost allocation. This would help the manager improve effectiveness and accuracy in preparing a maintenance budget.

Originality/value

With the building maintenance sector in Malaysia being conditionally driven and usually carried out only when there is money, it is critical that organization make effective decisions on priority. This paper determines the most important factors in decision making of maintenance budget.
Exploiting town planning factors in land development
Authors: Mohd Ibrahim , Ahmad Faizah , Norazriyati Wan Abd Aziz Wan
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how planning factors affect urban housing development in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. The paper encompasses planning approval process, legislative provisions, and planning decisions.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper analyses published literatures on land‐use planning to unveil diverse negative effects on property development, particularly on urban housing supply. Primary data are gathered through questionnaire surveys to 137 private housing developers and in‐depth interviews with seven local planning authorities to obtain feedback on the issues affecting urban housing development.

Findings

The paper establishes that some components of the town planning control can be exploited towards achieving the housing aspiration of a nation.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this paper are based on planning controls on urban housing development in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Practical implications

The paper attempts to encourage public policy makers and local authorities to undertake a more active role in providing better quality of urban housing through utilisation of town planning tools such as development plans, development control, and planning decision.

Originality/value

The paper provides information on how the government can utilise town planning controls to achieve urban housing policy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Cropping systems as water harvesting techniques for barley production in arid and semi‐arid areas in Jordan
Authors: Abu‐Nukta Ali , Sertyesilisik Begum , Alkhaddar Rafid
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the application of water harvesting techniques as a sustainability measure of the cropping system for barley production in the Fa'a farming area located in the Northern part of Jordan.

Design/methodology/approach

Usually, the farmers plant barley to feed their animals. The climate of the area is semi‐arid to arid. Annual average rainfall in the area is not enough for the survival of barley and farmers are usually grassing barley instead of harvesting. Overgrazing and mismanagement contribute to land degradation in the area, which affect the production system in the area.

Findings

The paper investigates the runoff collection system which is framed with two different sizes in three different land uses: cultivated with barley; fallow and rangeland. Data are collected in all of five stormy events. The total soil sediment is measured for these land uses. The amount of water collected from runoff is also measured for the same areas. The ploughing against the slope with planting barley can reduce the runoff and soil sediment increasing soil moisture and reducing soil erosion. The barley production as biomass is highest using strip cropping as opposed to zero ratio control site or conventional cultivation. The plants' lengths were also higher in strip cropping ranging between 26 and 28 centimetres in the different strip cropping ratios compared to 23 centimetres in the conventional cropping system.

Originality/value

By using the results from this new research to such an area, surface runoff from the uncultivated land can be used to supplement the rainfall to the cultivated land. This increases the share of runoff on the cultivated land to the degree where barley can be harvested.
Direct offsets in international trade as a remedy for asymmetric information
Authors: Baranowska‐Prokop Ewa
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The main purpose of this paper is to investigate whether purchases of capital goods through direct offset transactions (OTs) could be a more beneficial form of trade than conventional market transactions (MTs).

Design/methodology/approach

An original model of trade is offered where a company from a less‐developed country plans to acquire an advanced technology embodied in capital goods from a developed country's firm. The quality of technology is unknown to the buyer. The model is used to analyse the choice of transactional form made by the purchasing firm.

Findings

It is shown that, in the case of substantial uncertainty about the quality of the acquired technology, direct offsets could be the preferred form of exchange. Direct OTs serve as an insurance against the technology of low quality. They become a credible signal of capital goods' quality in the situation of asymmetric information between the seller and the buyer. It is a rational reaction to market imperfections.

Practical implications

The findings imply that, under asymmetric information about the quality of acquired technology, the rational decision makers should replace the conventional MTs with the direct offsets.

Originality/value

The results of the paper contribute to the discussion on the motivation for the use of direct offsets as a transactional form of international trade. The paper should be of interest to practitioners as well as to academics specialising in international business transactions.
Smuggling via e‐commerce: effect on tax revenue
Authors: Viboonthanakul Sittiphol
Published: December 2009

Purpose

In recent years, economists have begun to investigate the impact of internet shopping (e‐commerce) on smuggling and the associated loss in tax revenues. The evidence thus far has been mixed, with some studies concluding that the tax loss is substantial, while others find little impact on tax revenues. The purpose of this paper is to take a new approach to analyzing the impact of internet shopping on smuggling and the associated loss in tax revenues.

Design/methodology/approach

Unlike previous studies, the paper uses disaggregated panel data and econometric methods to estimate the effect of e‐commerce on the smuggling of various types of commodities.

Findings

The paper finds that e‐commerce has led to the increased smuggling of some commodities, but not others, which may help explain the mixed tax‐loss results that have been obtained in previous studies (which use aggregate data).

Practical implications

The paper identifies those commodities that are more susceptible to smuggling via e‐commerce. This information should be useful to policy makers.

Originality/value

The paper takes a new approach to estimating the impact e‐commerce has on tax revenues. It also helps explain the mixed results obtained in previous studies.
Determinants of EU antidumping actions against East Asian countries
Authors: Zhou Weifeng , Cuyvers Ludo
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the trends of antidumping actions targeting East Asia and to examine the macroeconomic determinants of European Union (EU) antidumping actions against East Asian countries including China, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

Design/methodology/approach

A Negative Binomial Regression approach is used to estimate the macroeconomic determinants (exchange rates, gross domestic product (GDP) growth, and unemployment rates) of EU antidumping actions against East Asian countries.

Findings

The empirical estimation results suggest that the macroeconomic determinants (exchange rates, GDP growth, and unemployment rates) significantly affect antidumping initiations against a particular country in a particular year; in addition, the changing competitive structure and environment in international trade play a role in prompting antidumping actions, and the countries which are larger sources of EU imports are more likely to be hit with antidumping actions.

Originality/value

This is the first paper to examine the macroeconomic determinants of EU antidumping actions targeting East Asian countries and the empirical estimation results provide strong evidence. It also finds that the changing competitive structure and environment in international trade prompt antidumping actions.
Conversations at the top: the tone of the independent chief compliance officer
Authors: Sobol Rob
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to clearly set forth before fund business leaders certain current relevant investment management compliance regulatory issues, to communicate the necessary areas of expertise and duties of a chief compliance officer (CCO), and to reinforce the need for effective communication and tone at the top.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper explains the general requirements of independent and proactive investment company CCOs and other compliance professionals, including required areas of knowledge, and the tasks associated therewith, illustrations of enforcement actions and other practical difficulties in day‐to‐day conduct of compliance activities, practical guidance regarding communication techniques and problem‐solving, and a bottom‐line assessment of the responsibilities of a fund CCO.

Findings

Fund CCOs must have extensive experience in the investment management business and bring a “best practices” perspective to their responsibilities. They will know the letter of the law and yet also have a real world perspective on how regulations will impact the firm or the fund. They should be independent‐minded, giving a fund or advisor's board and their investors an objective perspective on regulatory compliance. They should be able to proactively communicate effectively, rendering complex compliance requirements into manageable and executable policies, processes and procedures that investment professionals can work with. Lastly, the investment managers they work with must remain well‐informed and highly‐motivated to understand and assist their strong and independent CCO in ensuring that their firm's compliance tone starts at the top but does not end there.

Originality/value

The paper discusses recent enforcement actions with real‐world consequences for business leaders and CCOs, speaks to the actual types of difficulties that CCOs face every day in executing their responsibilities, and gives practical and insightful guidance on problem‐solving.
Short sale developments: “close‐out” requirement made permanent and additional regulatory initiatives expected from the Securities and Exchange Commission
Authors: Yim Soo J. , Silva Timothy F. , Nicolas Stephanie , Smith Tiffany J.
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explain the SEC's final rule, issued on July 27, 2009, making the “close‐out” requirement in Interim Temporary Final Rule 204T permanent and eliminating the short sale and position reporting requirements in Form SH.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper explains certain limited modifications to the Temporary Rule, including Rule 204(a)(1), which permits borrowing of securities to close out a fail to deliver position; Rule 204(a)(2), which defines an extended‐settlement provision for fail to deliver positions resulting from the sale of an equity security a person is “deemed to own”; Rule 204(b), which eliminates an exception for market makers; Rule 204(e), which permits a broker‐dealer to borrow a security for an early close‐out to claim a “pre‐fail credit”; and Rule 204(f), which explicitly prohibits “sham close‐out” practices. It explains the SEC's decision to eliminate the weekly requirement for certain managers to file weekly short sale and short position information on Form SH and instead to work with self‐regulatory organizations (SROs) to make short sale volume and transaction data available on their web sites.

Findings

The paper finds that the SEC intends to host a public roundtable in September 30, 2009 to discuss securities lending, pre‐borrowing and possible additional short sale disclosures.

Originality/value

The paper provides practical guidance from experienced securities lawyers.
Short‐selling: progress on international harmonization and forthcoming changes in the UK
Authors: Ng Leonard , Hunter Tom
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to highlight a number of important developments regarding the regulatory framework for the short‐selling of securities.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors consider steps being taken at a global, EU, and UK level to enhance controls on short‐selling, namely: the International Organization of Securities Commissions' principles of effective regulation of short‐selling; the Committee of European Securities Regulators' proposals for an EU‐wide harmonized short‐selling regime; and the UK Financial Services Authority's planned new rules.

Findings

The paper reveals that firms will need to track these developments and, in due course, establish and adapt systems to ensure compliance. That task should be less onerous if a greater degree of harmonization can be achieved.

Originality/value

This paper raises awareness of these important developments and provides a helpful update on progress.
Court holds that adviser recommending that its clients invest in Bayou Funds, which turned out to be Ponzi schemes, is not liable for violating Federal Securities Antifraud Statute
Authors: Cauley Thomas , Rauscher Scott
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to address the potential liability of investments advisers who recommend investments that are later revealed to be Ponzi schemes.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper considers a recent opinion issued by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, as well as a recent enforcement action taken by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission relating to a recent large Ponzi scheme.

Findings

The paper finds that the court held that the investment adviser was not liable for federal securities fraud because the plaintiff failed to prove the investment adviser acted with the requisite state of mind.

Practical implications

The paper highlights potential outcomes for investment advisers when private investors or the government seek to hold advisers liable under various statutes and regulations.

Originality/value

The paper will be valuable to any investment adviser, and particularly to those who recommend investments that are later revealed to be Ponzi schemes.
The regulation of private placements in France
Authors: Cafritz Eric , Genicot Olivier , Ternon Benoit
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explain a recently adopted Ordinance (the “Reform Act”) and amendments to the General Regulation of the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) intended to improve the competitiveness of the French financial market and to harmonize the French regulatory definition of a public offering with the European Union definition under the Prospectus Directive.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper explains requirements of the European Union Prospectus Directive, related provisions of the French Reform Act, and certain clarifications provided by the Committee of European Securities Regulators (CESR); discusses the scope of the private placement exemption in France, including definitions of “qualified investors” and a “restricted group of investors”; explains the role of financial intermediaries and how their marketing activities must be structured to avoid losing the benefits of the private placement exemption; interprets loosely defined AMF policies on the resale of securities under the private placement exemption; details exemptions for investment service providers providing asset management for third parties and for “local” offerings; and explains limitations on the private placement exemption posed by the French public offering rules.

Findings

France has recently amended its public offering regime to further harmonize it with the Prospectus Directive and make the French financial market more attractive to foreign issuers. Additional amendments to the EU Prospectus Directive are expected, which will result in further changes to French private placement regulation.

Originality/value

The paper provides practical guidance from experienced corporate and securities lawyers.
Implementing the new summary prospectus rule: done right it will save both time and money; done wrong and look out for the bottom line
Authors: Levering Jeff
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to recommend a print distribution and web site disclosure strategy that is both cost effective and compliant with the SEC summary prospectus rule.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper explains the economics of offset printing versus digital printing on demand (POD) and printing prospectuses at the traditional printer's site versus creating print‐ready PDFs electronically and making them available to fund distributors so they can print and deliver “on demand” on site. It provides a checklist of web site disclosure requirements for a fund to be compliant with the summary prospectus rule.

Findings

The paper finds that, by establishing a rock‐solid web strategy, coupled with new thinking on their printed prospectuses, firms can comfortably maximize their savings and establish a rational framework for investor disclosure envisioned by the SEC.

Originality/value

The paper provides cost effective guidance for compliance with the SEC summary prospectus rule.
eLearning: from social presence to co‐creation in virtual education community
Authors: Katernyak Ihor , Ekman Sten , Ekman Annalill , Sheremet Mariya , Loboda Viktoriya
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an example of how the synergy of different competences in students' teams, out‐of‐the‐box thinking style and various motivation factors in a culturally diverse learning environment is the foundation for knowledge construction, driven by the idea generation process and co‐creation – the so‐called Medici effect, one of the benchmarks for excellence in eLearning.

Design/methodology/approach

Developing this case study in the area of eLearning and Virtual Education Community (VEC) involves passing through various stages: from providing social presence and cooperation of students to co‐creation in the eLearning environment by contriving “e‐students” in the VEC whose profiles and learning processes are managed by pairs/teams of real students with different experiences and types of behaviour.

Findings

The paper presents outcomes of the research focused on the formation of the VEC for students who are motivated in sharing common passions and principles, in developing good communicator‐and‐listener techniques, in studying and creating situations of success.

Practical implications

In order to use and promote this pedagogical approach, enhancement of the desk‐top technology is needed in terms of a user‐friendly interface for creating a VEC where everyone, including people with special needs, feels comfortable, interested, and motivated to communicate, learn, construct, and share knowledge.

Originality/value

The original “4A” (attention, actualization, attraction, and action) pedagogical model applied in eLearning is aimed at ensuring students' social and cognitive presence through their e‐profiles for self‐assessment and positioning, adjusting learning trajectories and monitoring learning results, as well as assessing progress and final outcomes of learning.
Applying TSOI hybrid learning model to enhance blended learning experience in science education
Authors: Fie Tsoi Mun
Published: December 2009

Purpose

Research on the nature of blended learning and its features has led to a variety of approaches to the practice of blended learning. The purpose of this paper is to provide an alternative practice model, the TSOI hybrid learning model (HLM) to enhance the blended learning experiences in science education.

Design/methodology/approach

The Piagetian science learning cycle model and Kolb's experiential learning cycle model are used to structure the theoretical framework of this model. This HLM which is research evidence‐based represents learning as a cognitive process in a cycle of four phases: Translating, Sculpting, Operationalizing and Integrating. A major feature is to promote active cognitive processing in the learner for meaningful and engaged learning proceeding from inductive to deductive and also addressing the learner's individual learning style. Thus, it is inclined towards constructivism.

Findings

The paper provides students' responses in terms of blog and wiki.

Practical implications

An application of this HLM to enhance blended learning experiences in science education is illustrated with an authentic example on understanding multimedia learning design in an e‐learning environment for pre‐service teachers. Outcomes, feedback and implications will be discussed in the context of blended learning in science education.

Originality/value

The HLM contributes as an alternative practice model to a new paradigm shift in designing and enhancing blended learning experiences.
Blended teaching and learning in the School of Science and Technology of UniSIM
Authors: Toon Andrew John , Samir Attallah , Huang Mui Kheng Jennifer , Kin Chew Lim , Vythilingam Moorthy , Low Wee Kiat Stephen
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the blended learning preferences under which adult students study mathematics, electronics and industry certificate examinations like project management and e‐SAP (systems, applications and products).

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on four case studies in mathematics, electronics and industry certificate examinations like project management and e‐SAP. Case studies are developed based on observations and feedback from students who have undergone different types of blended learning. The four different blended learning models used are: the complete e‐learning self‐study; the instructor‐led programme blended with self‐study e‐learning; the live e‐learning centred with other media added; and the simulation and laboratory‐centred model.

Findings

It is found that unmotivated adult learners may not necessarily like e‐learning courses that are unguided. The e‐learning self‐study model suits the highly motivated students who aim for industry‐based certifications like the project management or the e‐SAP certifications. Using simulation and virtual laboratory sessions does help to reduce the cost of setting up the full‐fledged laboratory and also make it more accessible to the students. In the blended learning model, the instructor and the subject matter expert are the two most important people in programme design and delivery, not the developer or the technologist.

Originality/value

This paper is useful to adult educators and those dealing with an open university type of education where there are less face‐to‐face interactions.
Placement testing: man and machine, doing the best we can?
Authors: McPherson Douglas
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe how and why Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ) has developed a system aiming to effectively place students in freshman and developmental English programs. The placement system includes: triangulating data from external test scores, with scores from a panel‐marked hand‐written essay (HWE), written at the University under proctored conditions, and also data from a range of computer based tests, including a computer assessed essay. This is discussed within the broader context of placement testing in general.

Design/methodology/approach

Notes on the evolving process have been kept for the last three years, and this case study is written by a “placement evaluator”, using these notes as a starting point.

Findings

TAMUQ has found an integrated approach to placement testing to be effective.

Originality/value

The number of institutions integrating internal and external testing for placement is growing. TAMUQ's perspective may be of value to many academic institutions. The paper outlines the types of assessments used at TAMUQ in order to appropriately place students in classes. It describes the strengths and shortcomings of both external test data and placement software, and argues that relying on either alone (or in conjunction) to decide starting points for students in English programs is a flawed approach. The need for integrating authentic HWE samples and opinion from English faculty is discussed.
Use of WebCT in online and blended modes
Authors: Yuen Allan H.K. , Deng Liping , Fox Robert
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to compare the use of WebCT in support of online and blended learning in the Faculty of Architecture of a Hong Kong university.

Design/methodology/approach

Paper questionnaires are used to collect students' experiences, perceptions and attitudes towards the online course they have undertaken. Focus group interviews are conducted with two groups of students at the end of the semester. In addition, both formal and informal interviews are conducted with the instructor to understand his perceptions and perspectives.

Findings

In general, students prefer to have course management systems (CMS) as a supplement to face‐to‐face lectures rather than as its replacement. They perceive WebCT as mainly a platform for downloading materials and submitting assignments rather than a platform for teaching and learning. Learning fully online is perceived as self‐learning. The traditional lecture is considered more effective and efficient by many students to grasp concepts and principles.

Research limitations/implications

This is an exploratory study at a Hong Kong university. However, it provides initial evidence to shed light on issues concerning the use of CMS in support of online and blended learning.

Practical implications

In order to ensure a more engaging and rewarding online learning experience, teacher's online presence should be strengthened. Other than teacher presence, the cognitive presence could be fostered through engineering the student‐to‐student interaction in co‐located settings.

Originality/value

The paper usefully demonstrates how the blended mode of learning that combines face‐to‐face and online learning has become increasingly popular, while the courses conducted entirely online are comparatively rare at universities in Hong Kong.