bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Quality of Business Ethics Journals
Authors: Beets S. Douglas , Lewis Bruce R. , Brower Holly H.
Published: March 2013

With growth in the quantity of business ethics journals in recent years, assessments of journal quality are helpful to ethics researchers and administrators, as researchers consider available publication venues, and administrators consider the value of faculty research. The few published evaluations of business ethics journals have predominantly utilized two methods of journal quality determination: citation analysis and surveys of active researchers. This study employs a novel method to assess business ethics journals: 83 Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) business schools provided their internally developed journal lists (IDJ lists) that were used to evaluate faculty research, and the submitted lists were then analyzed for the presence and assessment of business ethics journals. This analysis yielded a ranking of 24 business-ethics-centric (BEC) journals, and this ranking reflects the collective judgments of AACSB business school faculties. The results of this study are pragmatic in that the journal evaluation data employed metrics actually used by business schools to determine the quality of business ethics journals. These findings also provide additional impetus for the recognition of business ethics as a distinct business discipline and business ethics research as a unique field of scholarly endeavor. While studies of business ethics may be influential when they are published in non-BEC journals, such studies may be more powerfully impactful when published in BEC journals.
Expanding crossover research: The crossover of job-related self-efficacy within couples
Authors: Neff Angela , Niessen Cornelia , Sonnentag Sabine , Unger Dana
Published: March 2013

This article reports a study that examined the crossover of job-related self-efficacy within working couples, its underlying mechanisms, and its work-related consequences. We proposed that the job-related self-efficacy of one partner (the ‘actor’) can be transmitted to the other partner (the ‘partner’). By building on self-efficacy research (Bandura, 1997), we hypothesized vicarious experience and verbal persuasion to be the mediators underlying this crossover process. We expected that the crossover of job-related self-efficacy would in turn result in the partner’s altered engagement at work. Using a sample of 102 professionals with an academic degree and their working partners, we conducted multilevel analyses using the actor–partner interdependence model. Our analyses offered support for our hypotheses. The actor’s job-related self-efficacy related positively to the partner’s job-related self-efficacy. This relation was mediated by the partner’s perceived vicarious experience and verbal persuasion. Additionally, the actor’s job-related self-efficacy indirectly related to the partner’s work engagement through the partner’s job-related self-efficacy.
Maternal body work: How women managers and professionals negotiate pregnancy and new motherhood at work
Authors: Gatrell Caroline J
Published: March 2013

This article builds on the theorizing of body work through introducing a new concept: ‘maternal body work’. In so doing, it shows how progress towards a feminist politics of motherhood within organizations remains limited. Despite decades of feminist scholarship, dissonances remain between the private worlds of reproduction and public worlds of organization. With regard to this limited progress, the article reveals how, among a sample of 27 mothers (all professionally and managerially employed in the UK), 22 felt marginalized and undervalued at work, experiencing the borders between maternity and organization as unmalleable. By contrast, five women treated borders between reproduction and organization as more fluid than anticipated. Setting a high value on their skills, they developed strategies for parrying unfavourable revisions of their status. The article concludes by considering the potential development of resources for enhancing maternal coping strategies.
Explaining the ‘immigration advantage’ and the ‘biculturalism paradox’: An application of the theory of demoralization
Authors: de Figueiredo John M
Published: March 2013

Background:

Recent immigrants have better mental health than the natives (‘immigration advantage’). Biculturals have better mental health than the monoculturals (‘biculturalism paradox’).

Material:

Mexican immigrants have lower rates of psychopathology than the US population. This is less true for Cubans and not true for Puerto Ricans. The ‘advantage’ also occurs in other groups. Biculturals have better mental health and endorse both cultures.

Discussion:

The theory of demoralization predicts that borrowing values from both cultures and applying them judiciously are more conducive to mental health than indiscriminately subscribing to either culture.

Conclusion:

The findings are consistent with the theory of demoralization.
Analysis of alternative ductile fiber-reinforced polymer reinforcing bar concepts
Authors: Behnam Bashar , Eamon Christopher
Published: March 2013

Steel-reinforced concrete structural components are often associated with significant maintenance costs as a result of reinforcement corrosion. To mitigate this problem, fiber-reinforced polymer bars have been used in place of traditional steel-reinforcement for some applications. The non-ductile response of typical fiber-reinforced polymer bars is a concern, however. To overcome this problem, hybrid ductile fiber-reinforced polymer bars have been developed for use in concrete flexural members with resulting ductility indices similar to sections reinforced with steel. In this study, five different hybrid ductile fiber-reinforced polymer bar concepts are analyzed and compared in terms of ductility, stiffness, and relative cost. Of primary interest is the effect that the number of materials used in bar construction has on performance. Reinforced concrete beam and bridge deck applications are considered for analysis. It was found that all hybrid ductile fiber-reinforced polymer-reinforced flexural members czonsidered could meet code-specified strength and ductility requirements for steel-reinforced sections, although service load deflections were approximately twice that of steel-reinforced sections of the same depth. In general, ductility increased, and overall material cost decreased, as the bar material layers increased from 2 to 4. The four-material continuous fiber bar approach was found to be most promising, with high ductility as well as relatively low cost.
Mechanical properties and dynamics of degradation of polylactide matrix composites with calcium and sodium alginate fibers
Authors: Bartkowiak-Jowsa Magdalena , Kwiatkowska Anna , Będziński Romuald , Pezowicz Celina , Filipiak Jarosław , Szaraniec Barbara , Chłopek Jan
Published: March 2013

In the present article, new polylactide/alginate fibers composites were investigated. Composite pre-pregs were made by solution casting method . The aim of the study was to define physico-mechanical properties of developed materials. The scope of the studies included: examining the static mechanical properties, properties of the surface and their changes during degradation. Moreover, intensity of the release of degradation products to the environment and a change of the mass of examined samples were analyzed. Obtained results were evaluated taking into account possibility to use prepared composited as materials for vascular implants.
Teaching Improvisation in Elementary General Music
Authors: Whitcomb Rachel
Published: March 2013

Improvisation is a vital part of an elementary general music education. While some music teachers successfully include improvisation in music instruction, others have fears and face challenges when attempting improvisational activities in the classroom. This article acknowledges obstacles facing music educators when attempting to incorporate improvisation in elementary general music, such as lack of instructional time, lack of experience improvising as part of personal musicianship, and lack of training to teach improvisation. Suggestions to address these challenges are provided, and practical lesson plans have been designed to help teachers get started with classroom improvisation. Ideas include combining improvisation with other musical skills while maintaining the integrity of all endeavors, starting with simple lesson ideas, setting guidelines that can be loosened as improvisational skills develop, using familiar methods and materials, and connecting improvisational activities with music that is desirable to students outside of school. Lesson plans that can be adapted for various classroom settings are included.
Symbolic Interactionism in Music Education
Authors: Monk Augusto
Published: March 2013

Learning improvisation in music is often treated as the process of gaining skills to spontaneously perform within the conventions of a style. Alternatively, learning improvisation can offer musicians a place to explore sound as it happens in free improvisation. Within the school setting, the former approach is commonly used in the jazz programs, whereas the second approach is often implemented through creative activities. Both approaches to learning improvisation—idiomatic and free—develop important areas in the musical intelligence of learners; the former approach leads to the mastery of stylistic vocabulary, the latter fosters inventiveness. As an alternative, I conceptualize improvisation as a form of interaction. Through improvisational interaction, the material emerges from the musical dialogue that occurs among the individuals involved. To develop these interactive skills in improvisers, I propose a series of strategies that constitute the bases for an alternative approach to teaching improvisation: the eight strategies for collaborative improvisation. This article reviews the theory of improvisational interaction drawing from symbolic interactionism and features strategies for teaching improvisation as a collaborative learning practice, providing examples of how to implement this methodology in the classroom.
Practical Tools to Foster Harmonic Understanding
Authors: Johnson Erik
Published: March 2013

Among the elements required to develop a comprehensive understanding of music is students’ ability to perceive, recognize, and label the harmonies they hear. Harmonic dictation is among the strategies that teachers have traditionally chosen to help students develop harmonic awareness. However, the highly idiosyncratic ways that students approach harmonic dictation have often left music teachers at a loss for well-developed strategies to make this task transparent for students. To help students develop harmonic awareness, this article presents (a) a system of singing arpeggiated chords to guide and increase student accuracy through harmonic dictation exercises, (b) a set of part-writing procedures to help students organize common part-writing strategies, (c) a review of research supporting these strategies, and (d) potential applications of this model in large-ensemble instruction. The ultimate goal of this article is to help teachers demystify the process of teaching harmonic dictation while increasing their ability to use singing and dictation as tools to improve students’ musicianship.
Abstraction of agent interaction processes: Towards large-scale multi-agent models
Authors: Sarraf Shirazi Abbas , von Mammen Sebastian , Jacob Christian
Published: March 2013

The typically large numbers of interactions in agent-based simulations come at considerable computational costs. In this article, we present an approach to reduce the number of interactions based on behavioural patterns that recur during runtime. We employ machine learning techniques to abstract the behaviour of groups of agents to cut down computational complexity while preserving the inherent flexibility of agent-based models. The learned abstractions, which subsume the underlying model agents’ interactions, are constantly tested for their validity: after all, the dynamics of a system may change over time to such an extent that previously learned patterns would not reoccur. An invalid abstraction is, therefore, removed again from the system. The creation and removal of abstractions continues throughout the course of a simulation in order to ensure an adequate adaptation to the system dynamics. Experimental results on biological agent-based simulations show that our proposed approach can successfully reduce the computational complexity during the simulation while maintaining the freedom of arbitrary interactions.
A co-simulation method as an enabler for joint analysis and design of MAS-based electrical power protection and communication
Authors: Li Weilin , Luo Min , Zhu Lin , Monti Antonello , Ponci Ferdinanda
Published: March 2013

Multi-agent system (MAS) protection is under investigation as a potential method for distributed control in modern electrical power systems. The coordination of the MAS is based on local measurements available to each agent’s site as well as on the information exchanged between agents over the communication network. Hence, the communication network should be considered to be a main factor in determining overall system performance.

Numerical simulation is a fundamental tool of the design process. Existing electric power simulation tools can satisfactorily model traditional power systems where power and communication are considered to be decoupled and MAS are not present. Similarly, the simulation tools for communication systems have been developed independently from the application, particularly power system scenarios, so they are decoupled from the actual use of the information. If the loop between communication and power is closed and the coupling is strong, as in MAS-controlled power systems, such a simulation environment may yield unrealistic results.

Aiming at filling this gap, this paper proposes a co-simulation solution for power systems, communication networks, and MAS, based on the extended capability of the co-simulation platform called VPNET. VPNET consists of three parts: Virtual Test Bed for time domain simulation of power systems, OPNET for the simulation of communication networks, and the Co-simulation Coordinator for data exchange and time synchronization between the other two simulators. The Co-simulation Coordinator has been exploited for MAS integration, as the rules of each agent are defined in the modules provided by the Co-simulation Coordinator.

The proposed extended co-simulation platform is tested in the analysis of the performance of the MAS-based protection schemes of a medium-voltage DC shipboard power system. Numerical simulations have been performed for communication testing and protection testing. In the communication test, the network parameters (bandwidth and transmission time) are analyzed to evaluate the performance of the communication network under various conditions; in particular, links failure. The MAS-based protection system was then tested under various operating conditions of the communication network (latency and links failure). From the simulation results it can be seen that the designed MAS protection can handle these conditions successfully. Particularly in the link failure conditions, this co-simulation platform could simulate the re-routing process of the communication network and lead to correct protection performance, which is impossible with individual simulators alone. These simulation results show the utility of VPNET in exploring the design trade-offs between protection strategies and communication in the design phase.
Design and evaluation of mega container terminal configurations: An integrated simulation framework
Authors: Sun Zhuo , Tan Kok Choon , Lee Loo Hay , Chew Ek Peng
Published: March 2013

Operators of busy container terminals need to periodically evaluate options for capacity expansion in order to meet the increasing demands for container handling at their terminals. When planning such capital intensive investments, it is important to find an efficient and effective way to design and evaluate various possible terminal layout and equipment configurations. The issue is further complicated for mega-sized container terminals which consist of multiple berths and yards due to pre-existing geological conditions. This paper proposes an integrated simulation framework to facilitate the design and evaluation of mega container terminal configurations with integrated multiple berths and yards. There are two major components in this framework: a geographical information system (GIS) and a multi-agent system (MAS). The former is used to design specific terminal configurations which can be then simulated and evaluated by the latter. An application of the framework to a real container terminal expansion problem demonstrates the validity of the framework. Results obtained from simulation models generated efficiently by the framework are used to help terminal planners make reasonable decisions.
The Distribution of London Residential Property Prices and the Role of Spatial Lock-in
Authors: Nygaard Christian , Meen Geoffrey
Published: March 2013

Much of mainstream economic analysis assumes that markets adjust smoothly, through prices, to changes in economic conditions. However, this is not necessarily the case for local housing markets, whose spatial structures may exhibit persistence, so that conditions may not be those most suited to the requirements of modern-day living. Persistence can arise from the existence of transaction costs. The paper tests the proposition that housing markets in Inner London exhibit a degree of path dependence, through the construction of a three-equation model, and examines the impact of variables constructed for the 19th and early 20th centuries on modern house prices. These include 19th-century social structures, slum clearance programmes and the 1908 underground network. Each is found to be significant. The tests require the construction of novel historical datasets, which are also described in the paper.
Tourism and GDP
Authors: Castro-Nuño Mercedes , Molina-Toucedo José A. , Pablo-Romero María P.
Published: March 2013

This article provides a meta-analysis of a selected sample of 87 estimates from studies based on panel data techniques published through until 2012. The purpose is to obtain a summary measure of the effects of tourism on economic growth by applying models for both fixed and random effects. The results show a positive elasticity between GDP and tourism, although the magnitude of the effect varies according to the methodological procedure employed in the original studies for empirical estimates. In this sense, when estimates exclude other explanatory variables of economic growth, elasticities are overvalued.
Sign language translation system based on micro-inertial measurement units and ZigBee network
Authors: Shi Guangyi , Li Zhi , Tu Keke , Jia Songtao , Cui Qinghu , Jin Yufeng
Published: March 2013

Chinese sign language has been proved as an effective communication tool for deaf people. In this paper, we present a novel translation system, which can capture human gestures through micro-inertial measurement units (IMUs) and translate the gestures into specific meanings accordingly. Each micro-IMU consists of a 3D accelerometer and gyroscope. A micro-controller and ZigBee network were used to acquire data simultaneously and wirelessly. Ten types of basic Chinese sign language movements including what, how, work, today, happy, please, book, body, clothes and and were collected and stored to form a motion-sensing database. A discrete cosine transform (DCT) was performed to extract the effective features from the original data, while a hidden Markov model (HMM) was used to train the database in order to form an HMM classifier. Testing samples were used to test the HMM classifier. Different sign languages were recognized through the HMM classifier and subsequent translation processes were performed. Experimental results showed that the correct recognition rate ranges from 95% to 100% for the 10 sign language movements, and the overall correction rate is 98%. With more micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) sensing motes adding to the interpretation system, the performance will be enhanced.
Consensus problem of data-sampled networked multi-agent systems with time-varying communication delays
Authors: Xie Dongmei , Chen Jinhuan
Published: March 2013

This paper investigates an observer-based control strategy for networked multi-agent systems with general linear dynamics and time-varying communication delays in a sampling setting. The communication topology is assumed to be directed fixed. Different from a traditional observer-based controller for a single system, the objects that need to be observed here are the state differences between an agent and its neighbours. Using a system transformation method, some equivalent conditions concerning the consensus of multi-agent systems are established. Moreover, we prove that both the connection weights and the communication topology play an important role in the study of multi-agent systems, and establish a linear matrix inequality based observer design method.
Effects of balance training on functional outcome after total knee replacement in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Liao Chun-De , Liou Tsan-Hon , Huang Yu-Yun , Huang Yi-Ching
Published: March 2013

Objective:

To evaluate the effectiveness of additional balance training on mobility and function outcome in patients with knee osteoarthritis after total knee replacement.

Design:

A prospective intervention study and randomized controlled trial.

Setting:

A university-based teaching hospital.

Participants:

Patients who received total knee replacement surgery were recruited sequentially from the orthopedic department. They were randomly assigned to either the experimental group or control group.

Interventions:

The control group received conventional function training for eight weeks. The experimental group not only received the same conventional training as the control group, but also received additional balance exercises in each admission.

Main outcome measures:

Before and after training we took the following measurements: distance of functional forward reach; duration of single leg stance; timed sit-to-stand test; timed up-and-down stair test; timed 10-m walk; timed up-and-go test; and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score.

Results:

58 patients in the experimental group with a mean (SD) age of 71.4 (6.6) years and 55 in the control group with mean (SD) age of 72.9 (7.3) years, completed the study. After eight-weeks intervention with additional balance exercises, the experimental group demonstrated significant changes in 10-m walk ( P < 0.001, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.6 to 4.4 seconds) and in timed up-and-go ( P < 0.001, 95% confidence interval: 2.6 to 3.4 seconds) tests. Significant changes of all other measures and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score were also observed in the experimental group (all P < 0.001).

Conclusion:

Additional balance training exerted a significant beneficial effect on the function recovery and mobility outcome in patients with knee osteoarthritis after total knee replacement.
The type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor signalling system and targeted tyrosine kinase inhibition in cancer
Authors: Haisa Minoru
Published: March 2013

Type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF1R) signalling plays a critical role in normal cell growth, and in cancer development and progression. IGF1R and the insulin-like growth factors 1 and 2 (IGF1 and IGF2) are involved in various aspects of the malignant phenotype, suggesting that IGF1R is a potential target for cancer therapy. IGF1R is particularly important in the establishment and maintenance of the transformed phenotype, in mediating proliferation, and for the survival of tumour cells with anchorage-independent growth. IGF1R also exerts antiapoptotic activity and has a substantial influence on the control of the cell and body size. This property enables transformed cells to form macroscopic tumours and to survive the process of detachment required for metastasis. Pharmaceutical companies are investigating molecules that target IGF1R, including specific low molecular weight tyrosine kinase inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies, both of which possess various advantages and display different activity profiles. This review article focuses on the preclinical and clinical development of low molecular weight IGF1R tyrosine kinase inhibitors. It is critical to pursue a thorough molecular analysis of the metabolic activity of IGF1R to avoid possible side-effects of its inhibition.
A Review of Current State of Knowledge Concerning Perkinsus marinus Effects on Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin) (the Eastern Oyster)
Authors: Smolowitz R.
Published: March 2013

The eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin), is both an important component of our estuaries and an important farmed food animal along the east and south coasts of the United States. Its populations have been significantly diminished in the wild due to decades of overfishing beginning in the 1890s. Unfortunately, in 1950, a new disease in eastern oysters caused by the protistan agent, Perkinsus marinus, was identified. The disease, resulting from infection with this protozoan, leads to high mortality of both wild and cultured eastern oysters. Current restoration efforts are hampered by the disease, as is the aquaculture of this economically important food. The parasite infects hemocytes and causes hemolytic anemia and general degeneration of the tissues, leading to death. Ongoing research efforts are attempting to develop oysters resistant to the disease. Transport regulations exist in may states. Infection with P. marinus is listed as a reportable disease by the World Health Organization.
Gastric stasis in migraineurs: Etiology, characteristics, and clinical and therapeutic implications
Authors: Aurora Sheena K , Papapetropoulos Spyridon , Kori Shashidhar H , Kedar Archana , Abell Thomas L
Published: March 2013

Background

Migraine is a disabling neurological disorder often complicated by gastrointestinal conditions such as gastric stasis. The association between migraine and gastric stasis has received very little attention in the literature, but the existing evidence suggests that they may share a common etiology.

Results

Patients with migraine and those with gastric stasis exhibit abnormal autonomic nervous system function. Furthermore, empirical studies demonstrate that migraineurs experience significant delays in gastric emptying, both during and outside of attacks, when compared to non-migrainous controls.

Conclusion

More research is needed to establish the relationship between gastric stasis and migraine burden and to determine the impact of gastric stasis on migraine treatment.
Productivity Effects on the Wage Premium of Mexican Maquiladoras
Authors: Mollick André Varella , Ibarra-Salazar Jorge
Published: March 2013

The wage premium between skilled and unskilled workers in Mexican maquiladoras has increased, from nearly 2 times in 1981 to nearly 4 or 5 times in 2006, depending on the sector. This increase favoring skilled workers is examined against relative labor supplies within a class of models estimated by dynamic panel methods. Adapting a conventional model of the skill premium to labor supply, we find strong productivity effects. Higher productivity at the maquiladora industry (assumed either exogenous or endogenous to the wage premium) or higher U.S. GDP per worker (exogenous to the industry) are shown to have positive effects on the wage premium. The elasticity of wages to relative labor supply is very stable, implying strong substitution of labor types. We find, however, evidence of structural breaks in the basic model around the start of the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994 and 1995.
How ICT Penetration Influences Productivity Growth
Authors: Wang Yi-Chia
Published: March 2013

Wang, Y.- C. (2015) How ICT Penetration Influences Productivity Growth: Evidence From 17 OECD Countries, Economic Development Quarterly, 29: 79-92. First published on March 5, 2013 doi:10.1177/0891242413478650.

This article was published in error and has been retracted at the request of the author. The author requested the article be withdrawn after publication on Online First but prior to publication in the February 2015 issue, informing the journal that the paper included the original dataset and excerpts from an earlier draft of the paper co-written by the author and colleagues. The research in the paper was funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) and Defense Cyber Investigations Training Academy (DCITA).
Computerized Prescriber Order Entry and Opportunities for Medication Errors
Authors: Jozefczyk Kenneth G. , Kennedy William Klugh , Lin Miranda Jackson , Achatz Julie , Glass Maresa DiMarco , Eidam W. Susie , Melroy Michael J.
Published: March 2013

Purpose:

Predefined error opportunity categories were used as a surrogate for medication errors to assess the impact of computerized prescriber order entry (CPOE) on the potential for error in the prescribing and order entry phases of the medication-use process.

Methods:

This study was performed in a neonatal intensive care unit at a 535-bed tertiary care center. Pre- and post-CPOE implementation incidence of error opportunity was compared by evaluating 500 orders before and after implementation using 18 predefined criteria.

Results:

A total of 14 913 opportunities for error (OE) existed in our sample of 1000 medication orders. The number of orders with zero OE improved from 42% (n = 209) to 98% (n = 480; P < .0001), in the pre- and postgroups, respectively. The odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was 0.058 (0.036-0.094) in favor of CPOE.

Conclusions:

The implementation of CPOE was associated with a reduction in OEs in the prescribing phase or order entry phase of the medication-use process.
Holistic Nurses’ Stories of Personal Healing
Authors: Smith Marlaine C. , Zahourek Rothlyn , Hines Mary Enzman , Engebretson Joan , Wardell Diane Wind
Published: March 2013

The purpose of this study was to uncover the nature, experiences, and meaning of personal healing for holistic nurses through their narrative accounts. The study employed a qualitative descriptive design with methods of narrative and story inquiry. Participants were nurse attendees at an American Holistic Nurses’ Association conference who volunteered for the study. They were invited to share a story about healing self or another. Twenty-five stories were collected; seven were about personal healing, and these are the focus of this analysis. Data were analyzed using a hybrid approach from narrative and story inquiry methods. Eleven themes were clustered under three story segments. The themes within the Call to the Healing Encounter are the following: recognition of the need to resolve a personal or health crisis, knowledge of or engagement in self-care practices, and reliance on intuitive knowing. Themes under the Experience of Healing are the following: connections; profound sensations, perceptions, and events; awareness of the reciprocal nature of healing; inner resolution: forgiveness, awakening, and acceptance; use of multiple holistic approaches; and witnessing manifestations of healing. The themes for Insights are the following: gratitude and appreciation and ongoing journey. A metastory synthesizing the themes is presented, and findings are related to existing literature on healing.
What Motivates Donors to Athletic Programs
Authors: Ko Yong Jae , Rhee Yong Chae , Walker Mathew , Lee Jeoung-Hak
Published: March 2013

In the highly competitive college sport environment, many varsity sport programs have financial systems independent from the academic side of the university. These programs function on multimillion dollar budgets partially funded through ticket sales, licensed merchandise, and television rights. However, donations from alumni and boosters account for the most substantial portion of many athletic budgets. Fund-raising efforts in this environment have not had available models of donor behavior from which to streamline solicitation efforts. Using the Existence Relatedness Growth (ERG) Theory as a guide, this article fills this gap by reporting on the development and testing of an integrated model of college donor motives: A Model of Athletic Donor Motivation (MADOM). Using a sample of college sport donors ( N = 532), the results yield a psychometrically sound eight-factor measurement scale: A Scale of Athletic Donor Motivation (SADOM). Study implications and practical applications of the scale are discussed.
Studies on synthesis and characterization of surface-modified mullite fibre-reinforced epoxy nanocomposites
Authors: Kanimozhi K. , Devaraju S. , Vengatesan M. R. , Selvaraj V. , Alagar M.
Published: March 2013

The present work describes the development of epoxy composites using varying weight percentages (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 wt%) of glycidyl-functionalized mullite (GM) fibre and diglycidyl ethers of bisphenol-A epoxy resin cured with diamino diphenyl methane. The mullite fibre was synthesized via the sol–gel method and its surface was modified with 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane. The glycidyl functionality in the mullite fibre has been confirmed by Fourier transform infrared and thermogravimetric analyses. The data obtained from the thermal, mechanical, dielectric water absorption studies and contact angle showed that the GM fibre had a significant impact in the resultant epoxy nanocomposites compared to neat epoxy matrix. The molecular level dispersion of mullite fibres into the epoxy matrix was confirmed by the scanning electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction analyses.
Gender Differences in Multitasking Reflect Spatial Ability
Authors: Mäntylä Timo
Published: March 2013

Demands involving the scheduling and interleaving of multiple activities have become increasingly prevalent, especially for women in both their paid and unpaid work hours. Despite the ubiquity of everyday requirements to multitask, individual and gender-related differences in multitasking have gained minimal attention in past research. In two experiments, participants completed a multitasking session with four gender-fair monitoring tasks and separate tasks measuring executive functioning (working memory updating) and spatial ability (mental rotation). In both experiments, males outperformed females in monitoring accuracy. Individual differences in executive functioning and spatial ability were independent predictors of monitoring accuracy, but only spatial ability mediated gender differences in multitasking. Menstrual changes accentuated these effects, such that gender differences in multitasking (and spatial ability) were eliminated between males and females who were in the menstrual phase of the menstrual cycle but not between males and females who were in the luteal phase. These findings suggest that multitasking involves spatiotemporal task coordination and that gender differences in multiple-task performance reflect differences in spatial ability.
The evolution and extinction of science fiction
Authors: Hrotic Steven
Published: March 2013

Science fiction literature reflects our constantly evolving attitudes towards science and technological innovations, and the kinds of societal impacts believed possible. The newly popular subgenre ‘steampunk’ shows that these attitudes have significantly shifted. Examined from a cognitive anthropological perspective, science fiction reveals the cultural evolution of the genre as intelligently designed, and implies a cognitive mechanism of group membership reliant on implicit memory. However, such an analysis also suggests that genre science fiction as it was in the 20th century may no longer exist.
Two decades of Nursing Ethics
Authors: Tschudin Verena
Published: March 2013

This short article reflects the author’s engagement with nursing ethics. The experience of the global market is used to highlight the current practice of working to guidelines and laws rather than professional experience. The need for personal and professional responsibility is stressed as a significant counterbalance to instability in people and societies.
Dignity-enhancing nursing care
Authors: Gastmans Chris
Published: March 2013

Starting from two observations regarding nursing ethics research in the past two decades, namely, the dominant influence of both the empirical methods and the principles approach, we present the cornerstones of a foundational argument-based nursing ethics framework. First, we briefly outline the general philosophical–ethical background from which we develop our framework. This is based on three aspects: lived experience, interpretative dialogue, and normative standard. Against this background, we identify and explore three key concepts—vulnerability, care, and dignity—that must be observed in an ethical approach to nursing. Based on these concepts, we argue that the ethical essence of nursing is the provision of care in response to the vulnerability of a human being in order to maintain, protect, and promote his or her dignity as much as possible.
End-of-life experiences and expectations of Africans in Australia
Authors: Hiruy Kiros , Mwanri Lillian
Published: March 2013

The ageing and frail migrants who are at the end of life are an increasing share of migrants living in Australia. However, within such populations, information about end-of-life experiences is limited, particularly among Africans. This article provides some insights into the sociocultural end-of-life experiences of Africans in Australia and their interaction with the health services in general and end-of-life care in particular. It provides points for discussion to consider an ethical framework that include Afro-communitarian ethical principles to enhance the capacity of current health services to provide culturally appropriate and ethical care. This article contributes to our knowledge regarding the provision of culturally appropriate and ethical care to African patients and their families by enabling the learning of health service providers to improve the competence of palliative care systems and professionals in Australia. Additionally, it initiates the discussion to highlight the importance of paying sufficient attention to a diverse range of factors including the migration history when providing palliative and hospice care for patients from African migrant populations.
Aspects of indignity in nursing home residences as experienced by family caregivers
Authors: Nåden Dagfinn , Rehnsfeldt Arne , Råholm Maj-Britt , Lindwall Lillemor , Caspari Synnøve , Aasgaard Trygve , Slettebø Åshild , Sæteren Berit , Høy Bente , Lillestø Britt , Heggestad Anne Kari Tolo , Lohne Vibeke
Published: March 2013

The overall purpose of this cross-country Nordic study was to gain further knowledge about maintaining and promoting dignity in nursing home residents. The purpose of this article is to present results pertaining to the following question: How is nursing home residents’ dignity maintained, promoted or deprived from the perspective of family caregivers? In this article, we focus only on indignity in care. This study took place at six different nursing home residences in Sweden, Denmark and Norway. Data collection methods in this part of this study consisted of individual research interviews. Altogether, the sample consisted of 28 family caregivers of nursing home residents. The empirical material was interpreted using a hermeneutical approach. The overall theme that emerged was as follows: ‘A feeling of being abandoned’. The sub-themes are designated as follows: deprived of the feeling of belonging, deprived of dignity due to acts of omission, deprived of confirmation, deprived of dignity due to physical humiliation, deprived of dignity due to psychological humiliation and deprived of parts of life.
Market Response to the Announcement of Mergers and Acquisitions: An Empirical Study from India
Authors: Rani Neelam , Yadav Surendra S. , Jain P.K.
Published: March 2013

The present article examines the short-run abnormal returns to India based mergers and acquisitions during 2003–2008 by using event study methodology. The present work is based on a sample of 623 mergers and acquisitions. We find that acquisitions by Indian companies significantly create short-term wealth on the announcement day to the shareholders of acquiring companies. Cumulative average abnormal return (CAAR) for Indian companies’ merger and acquisition activities is 2 per cent (significant at 1 per cent) over event window of 11 days (−5, +5). It seems the market perceives the merger and acquisition activities by Indian companies as efficiency enhancing. However, the results indicate presence of high event-induced variance in abnormal return. The present study reports a high event-induced variance in the abnormal return due to the announcement of mergers and acquisition in Indian context.
Advertising on Social Network Sites: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach
Authors: Saxena Anant , Khanna Uday
Published: March 2013

Social networking sites (SNSs) emerged as one of the most powerful media for advertising across the globe. Globally, companies are shifting a larger pie of their advertising budgets towards social networking sites for better reach and interactive platform. The companies are also looking at it as a low-cost model, which could reap results in minimum time possible for the targeted ‘Facebook generation’. These very facts motivate researchers to study the value of advertisements on social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and others. The article is an empirical study to understand the implications of different variables in advertisements on the delivery of advertising value to the respondents. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) has been conducted to test the reliability of instrument being used for data collection. Further, a model has been proposed for measuring advertising value through structural equation modelling. The predicted results confirm the roles of different variables, namely, information, entertainment and irritation, in accessing value of advertisements displayed on social networking sites.
Children’s Choice of Influence Strategies in Family Purchase Decisions and the Impact of Demographics
Authors: Ali Akhter , Ravichandran N. , Batra D.K.
Published: March 2013

The existing literature has shown that children have an influence in family purchase decisions and recognized different influence strategies children use to influence their parents. The present study is based on survey approach and intends to understand children’s choice of influence strategies and the impact of various demographic factors. A sample of 180 children in Delhi was studied by using structured questionnaire from June 2011 to March 2012. The findings of the study reveal that children basically use four major types of influence strategies in family purchases and the choice of a particular influence strategy depends on children, parent and family characteristics.
Sales Performance Management in KRC
Authors: Mukherjee Jaydeep
Published: March 2013

The case is about sales force management challenge of the Regional Manager—North of KRC, a tyre manufacturing and marketing company in India. The performance of one of the long serving sales executive Ramandeep is under the scanner. He had been a very good performer in the past, but is unable to give similar level of performance in the increasingly competitive markets. The dilemma presented here is regarding the impact of the Regional Manager’s decision on the sales performance of Ramandeep, the other sales executives of the branch and the region. It also has long-term impact on the motivation of the sales team across the region as well as overall performance of the region. The case deals with issues related to the changes necessary in the sales force as the industry evolves and becomes more competitive. It highlights the dilemmas regarding the choices to be made and how to implement the sales strategy through a well established distribution system of branch and channel members.
Economic and Business Environment
Authors: Gupta J.L.
Published: March 2013

C. Rowley, J.M. Saha and D. Ang, Succeed or Sink: Business Sustainability under Globalisation. Oxford, Cambridge, Philadelphia and New Delhi: Chandose Publishing, 2012, xxiv + 196 pp., Price not mentioned (Hardback). ISBN: 978-1-84334-634-0
Economic and Business Environment
Authors: Jacob Wallace
Published: March 2013

Bimal Jalan, Emerging India: Economics Politics & Reforms. New Delhi: Viking by Penguin Books India, 2012, xxviii + 307 pp., ₹ 599 (Hardback). ISBN: 9780670085873.
Strategic Management
Authors: Jain Neha
Published: March 2013

Shombit Sengupta, Jalebi Management: All Stakeholders Can Enjoy a Bite. New Delhi: Response Books from SAGE, 2010, 464 pp., ₹ 475 (Hardback). ISBN: 978-81-7829-745-3
General Management
Authors: Kumar Avanish
Published: March 2013

L. Shanthakumari Sunder, Values and Influence of Religion in Public Administration. New Delhi: SAGE Publications India Pvt. Ltd., 2011, 289 p., ₹ 795 (Hardback). ISBN: 9788132105718
Marketing Management
Authors: Arora A.P.
Published: March 2013

D.G. Brian Jones, Pioneers in Marketing: A Collection of Biographical Essays. New York: Routledge, 2012, xv + 192 pp., Price not mentioned (Hardback). ISBN: 978-0-415-89193-6
Human Resource Management
Authors: Saini Debi S.
Published: March 2013

Jayant Mukherjee, Designing Human Resource Systems: A Leader’s Guide. New Delhi: SAGE Publications, 2012, xxvii + 341 pp., ₹ 495 (Paperback).
Career Development Program in Queensland Transport
Authors: Santic Sandy
Published: March 2013

The significant changes in work and workplaces are making organisational career development programs imperative from both an organisational and individual perspective. Queensland Transport has responded to the demand from its employees for career development tools and resources by committing to the development and implementation of a departmental Career Development Program. This paper outlines the Queensland Transport Career Development Program with a particular emphasis on how it came about, what it entails and the challenges faced. Various initiatives have been implemented to date, yet many challenges lie ahead.
A Sociodynamic Perspective for Counselling
Authors: Peavy R. Vance
Published: March 2013

In this article the author outlines the main concepts of SocioDynamic Counselling, a constructivist approach to counselling. The development of the approach is briefly outlined, together with reasons for the need to invent a new counselling method. SocioDynamic Counselling is both a philosophy of helping and a set of counselling procedures designed to meet the needs of contemporary help-seekers. The counselling procedures — dialogical communication, life space description, mapping and cultural tools — are presented as important features of this counselling approach. Mention is also made of counselling contexts in which SocioDynamic Counselling is being introduced.