bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular gastronomy: cuisine innovation or modern day alchemy?
Authors: Cousins John , O'Gorman Kevin , Stierand Marc
Published: April 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the phenomenon of molecular gastronomy by conducting empirical research focusing on renowned chefs.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach taken is a literature review summarising past culinary innovations then the paper focuses on the origins and evolution of molecular gastronomy, followed by 18 phenomenological interviews with a snowball sample of world class chefs from across Europe.

Findings

There is far greater confusion about what molecular gastronomy might be than is implied in previous studies. The term has become wrongly used to describe a possible culinary movement mainly as a result of media influence. Leading chefs, whose new restaurant concepts have become associated with it, reject the term.

Research limitations/implications

With only 20 years of history molecular gastronomy is still a comparatively new phenomenon. This initial research presents a clear picture of its evolution so far and the increasing confusion the use of the term has created. It is still far too early to decide if these are heralding a new gastronomic movement.

Practical implications

Although molecular gastronomy itself may not provide a foundation for a genuine and lasting development of cuisine it is generating fascination with the fundamental science and techniques of cuisine and showy culinary alchemy. As with nouvelle cuisine poor quality copycat chefs could bring into disrepute the reputation and practices of those who are at the vanguard of culinary and restaurant innovation.

Originality/value

This paper is the first widespread primary study, across five countries, into recognised exceptional chefs' understanding of molecular gastronomy. It clarifies that molecular gastronomy was never intended to be the foundation of a culinary movement and identifies four key elements for the development of lasting cuisine movements and trends.
Relationships among hedonic and utilitarian values, satisfaction and behavioral intentions in the fast‐casual restaurant industry
Authors: Ryu Kisang , Han Heesup , Jang Soocheong (Shawn)
Published: April 2010

Purpose

The paper aims to examine the relationships among hedonic and utilitarian values, customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions in the fast‐casual restaurant industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The measures were developed based on a thorough review of the previous literature. Questionnaires were collected in classroom settings at a mid‐western university in the USA. Anderson and Gerbing's two‐step approach was employed to assess the measurement and structural models.

Findings

The findings indicate that hedonic and utilitarian values significantly influence customer satisfaction, and customer satisfaction has a significant influence on behavioral intentions. Utilitarian value shows a greater influence on both customer satisfaction and behavioral intention than does hedonic value. This study also reveals that customer satisfaction acts as a partial mediator in the link between hedonic/utilitarian value and behavioral intentions.

Research limitations/implications

Study findings will greatly help hospitality researchers and practitioners understand the roles of hedonic and utilitarian values in customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions in the fast‐casual restaurant industry.

Originality/value

The paper is the first to explore the relationships among hedonic and utilitarian values and their effect on customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions in the fast‐casual restaurant industry using Babin et al.'s two‐dimensional measure of consumer value.
The role of involvement and variety‐seeking in eating out behaviors
Authors: Beldona Srikanth , Moreo Andrew P. , Das Mundhra Gokul
Published: April 2010

Purpose

Eating out behaviors vary from one individual to another. However, there is no conceptually underpinned typology to explain this phenomenon effectively. This paper aims to develop a conceptually underpinned typology of eating out attitudes and to distinguish differences based on demographics and actual eating out behaviors.

Design/methodology/approach

This study proposes a typology using a 2×2 matrix (high and low levels of involvement and variety seeking) and uses multinomial logistic regression to examine differences between the four groups.

Findings

Age, education, the breadth of culinary exposure, and the extent of eating out are significant differentiators between the four eating out attitudes.

Research limitations/implications

The typology can be investigated in cross‐cultural contexts to expand the understanding of eating out behaviors underpinned by involvement and variety seeking. Both restaurants and destination marketing organizations can use the typology to better understand their customers and build effective communication and product mix strategies.

Originality/value

The paper is the first in the restaurant marketing literature to examine and explain the roles of two important and highly relevant consumer behavior constructs: involvement and variety seeking. Additionally, the study provides key insights pertinent to the fast growing Indian market.
Family structure, mother‐child communication, father‐child communication, and adolescent life satisfaction
Authors: Levin Kate A. , Currie Candace
Published: April 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the association between mother‐child and father‐child communication and children's life satisfaction, and the moderating effect of communication with stepparents.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from the 2006 Health Behaviour in School‐aged Children: WHO‐collaborative Study in Scotland (n=4,959) were analysed using multilevel linear regression analyses.

Findings

There was an association between both mother‐child and father‐child communication and young people's life satisfaction. Relationship with mother was particularly important, especially among girls. Among boys, not living in a traditional two‐parent family was a predictor of low life satisfaction, even when communication with one or more parents was easy. This effect was independent of economic disadvantage. The quality of the relationship with stepparents moderated these associations very slightly and in single father families only.

Research limitations/implications

Strategies at the population level are recommended to enhance an open atmosphere in the home where young people feel they are able to talk to their parents about things that are bothering them. Further work is needed to understand the needs of high risk groups such as boys living in single father households and girls living in single mother and step families.

Originality/value

The mental well‐being of children and adolescents is a priority area for the World Health Organization and the Scottish Government but is a relatively new field with little known and no measures as yet identified. This study considered the impact of determinants related to the family on adolescent life satisfaction. The context of lone father families, an often missed category, was considered, as was the moderating effect of step‐parents.
Assessing the implementation of Ghana's Patient Charter
Authors: Abekah‐Nkrumah Gordon , Manu Abubakar , Ayimbillah Atinga Roger
Published: April 2010

Purpose

This paper seeks to assess the implementation of Ghana's Patients' Charter by investigating the level of awareness and knowledge of the Charter's content, some socio‐demographic factors that may influence awareness and knowledge of the Charter and how providers have discharged their responsibilities under the Charter.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey research approach, sampling respondents from providers and patients in four facilities from the Greater Accra region, was used. Simple frequencies and Chi‐square test were used for analysing responses.

Findings

Study findings show that the majority of patients (53.4 per cent) are not aware of the existence of the Charter of those that know about it, a sizeable minority (33.7 per cent) are not knowledgeable about its contents. Relative to patients, providers exhibit better awareness (61.8 per cent) and content knowledge (61.8 per cent) of the Patients' Charter, but on the whole are not yet carrying out their responsibilities under it. In terms of socio‐demographic factors influencing awareness and knowledge of content, only education was found to be a positive correlate of awareness and knowledge. The relationship between providers and patients is generally cordial and could be used as a platform for improving awareness and knowledge of the charter, which could be crucial for improving service delivery.

Research limitations/implications

This is an initial exploratory research with a limited sample, which was biased towards the educated. Findings are, however, instructive and essential for more extensive and representative research in this area.

Originality/value

Since the Charter was launched in 2002, this study is the first of its kind and therefore provides important information for policy and further research.
Nutrition education: towards a whole‐school approach
Authors: Rowe Fiona , Stewart Donald , Somerset Shawn
Published: April 2010

Purpose

Schools are widely accepted as having the potential to make substantial contributions to promoting healthy eating habits in children and adolescents. This paper aims to present a case study from an Australian school of how a whole‐school approach, planned and implemented through a health promoting school framework, can foster improved nutrition in schools by creating a supportive environment for healthy eating habits.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study approach was used to investigate the influence of a health promoting school approach on improvements to nutrition in the school environment. Data were collected using in‐depth interviews, student focus groups and documentary evidence, such as school planning documents and observations of health promoting school activities.

Findings

This study illustrates how initiatives to promote a healthier school environment increased demand for nutritious food in the school community, which in turn impacted the supply of these foods at the school tuckshop. The study provides insight into the key factors that facilitated these changes in the school, both internally, in terms of organisational change processes within the school, and externally, through support from a health promotion agency. The study also illustrates the centrality of educational leadership in the school context, even in an area typically identified as a “health” issue.

Originality/value

This paper presents qualitative research identifying organisational processes that instigate change in the provision of nutritious foods within the school environment.
Evaluation of health educator consults in primary care
Authors: Maher Stacia , Lopez Patricia , Diane McKee M. , Deen Darwin , Fornari Alice , Fletcher Jason , Blank Arthur
Published: April 2010

Purpose

The paper aims to evaluate a primary care obesity prevention intervention, targeting low‐income minority parents in the USA. The first objective is to describe the barriers to behavior change experienced by families. The second objective is to understand the types of strategies that were used by the health educator to empower families to engage in healthy behavior changes.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative methods were used to conduct a content analysis of the intervention's instruments and health educator's notes on counseling sessions. Demographic data were collected from the patient information system.

Findings

Households were 80 percent Hispanic and 17 percent African American. A total of 26 percent of the children were overweight or obese. Themes identified were poor parenting skills, which included sub themes of picky eating, food‐related tantrums, bottle feeding, and submitting to unhealthy food requests; poor knowledge and skills regarding healthy eating; and psycho/social issues acting as barriers to healthy eating, including sub themes of housing issues, parental unemployment and intergenerational conflict regarding food choices.

Originality/value

There are few family‐based obesity prevention interventions, especially in low‐income minority communities. This study found that parents are interested in improving the intake of healthy foods for their families; however, they face substantial barriers. This study supports enhanced health assessment as part of the preschool preventive visit. The authors also found that a skilled, culturally competent, health educator is essential to extend counseling beyond the brief encounter with physicians, as well as advocacy for systematic and policy level changes, to address the complex context in which behavior change can occur.
The zone of inertia: absorptive capacity and organizational change
Authors: Godkin Lynn
Published: April 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe how interruptions in organizational learning effect institutional absorptive capacity and contribute to organizational inertia.

Design/methodology/approach

An exploratory model is presented as a heuristic to describe how interruptions in organizational learning affect absorptive capacity.

Findings

A number of pivotal factors may result in a zone of inertia hindering organizational learning and process.

Originality/value

This paper describes the concept of a zone of inertia and introduces a model placing the notion in context.
Creating learning organizations: a systems perspective
Authors: Bui Hong , Baruch Yehuda
Published: April 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to offer a theoretical contribution to explicate the various factors and aspects that influence Senge's five disciplines and their outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper develops a conceptual framework for the analysis of antecedents and outcomes of Senge's five disciplines, and offers moderators to explain the prospect associations, employing a multi‐level analysis to explore issues, from the individual level (personal mastery) through the collective level (team learning, mental model) up to the organizational level (shared vision, systems thinking). Based on this theoretical framework, the paper offers a set of propositions in the shape of a causal model that links the constructs of the model together.

Findings

The development of the model manifests wide areas of relevance to the learning organization and points out significant interdependences and interactions among the various constructs associated with Senge's five disciplines of the learning organization.

Practical implications

The paper proposes a causal model that links variables in the learning organization that would be instrumental for organizations to achieve competitive advantage. For academia, it offers a further avenue for research, introducing a number of opportunities to test this model.

Originality/value

The paper provides significant added value both for academics and executives interested in the analysis of the complexity of Senge's five disciplines.
Factors that influence organization learning sustainability in non‐profit organizations
Authors: Prugsamatz Raphaella
Published: April 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to broaden previous work on organizational learning and the factors that influence learning in organizational settings.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative and quantitative research methods that included in‐depth interviews and questionnaire distribution were used. Data gathered were analyzed using qualitative analysis along with statistical Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis.

Findings

Research results indicate that individual motivation to learn, team dynamics, and organization culture practices all have a significant level of influence on organization learning sustainability in non‐profit organizations.

Research limitations/implications

This study provides a better understanding of what influences learning in organizations. The study adds on to existing definitions, theories and concepts and enables another depth of understanding to be explored. A major limitation of this study is its focus on the non‐profit sector and a selected number of organizations thereby limiting its applicability and ability to be generalized.

Practical implications

The findings of the study can help differentiate the learning phenomenon that takes place in organizations. Moreover, non‐profit organizations as well as managers and leaders would be able to better appreciate the learning that takes place in their organizations and create interventions that would enable them to motivate employees to learn effectively, enhance team dynamics, and shape their organization culture to promote their overall learning performance.

Originality/value

More empirical research is needed to better understand the nature of learning in organizations. This research adds to other empirical studies on organization learning while providing a basis for studying the factors that influence an organization's ability to sustain its learning in the long run.
Organisational learning through international M&A integration strategies
Authors: Holland Wayne , Salama Alzira
Published: April 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this research paper is to explore the learning process associated with international mergers and acquisitions (M&A) integration strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper employs a comparative case study methodology, utilising qualitative data through in‐depth interviews with top management responsible for integration strategies. Three pairs of major international firms from the USA and the UK, USA and Sweden and USA and Germany were studied.

Findings

The paper empirically demonstrates that careful and well‐planned integration strategies are responsible for sustainable learning occurring, leading to desirable synergies between firms engaged in a merger process.

Research limitations/implications

The interviews took place at higher/top levels of the organisations. A more comprehensive picture would include other lower levels of each organisation structure.

Practical implications

Based on the data analysis, an integrative model for learning related to M&A is developed. This model would help organisations, planning on engaging in international M&A activity, to maximise the learning from the process.

Originality/value

This is a practical/empirical study, supporting the available theory on the subject in the literature. The research approach was innovative, as it collected relevant data from top executive board members, exploring their own views on the barriers for learning and on the ways to minimise them.
Conflict management styles, emotional intelligence, and job performance in public organizations
Authors: Shih Hsi‐An , Susanto Ely
Published: April 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships among emotional intelligence (EI), conflict management styles (CMSs) and job performance at selected local governments in Indonesia. Specifically, the antecedent of CMSs was investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 300 government employees from two local districts and one province in Indonesia were asked to complete the questionnaire. The final sample consisted of 228 respondents. The multiple hierarchical regression was used to test the developed hypotheses.

Findings

The findings indicate that EI was an antecedent of conflict management styles for integrating and compromising styles. Moreover, they illustrate the direct effects of integrating style on job performance. This study also confirms that integrating style partially mediates the relationship between EI and job performance. Finally, the results demonstrate that EI within public organizations has an impact on job performance similar to that of EI within private organizations.

Originality/value

Previous studies were less focused on the antecedents of conflict management styles on job performance. Further, the effects of two conflict management styles on EI and job performance had previously lacked attention. The paper verifies that EI within public sectors can provide beneficial results as discovered in private organizations.
Explore the impact of collectivism on conflict management styles: a Turkish study
Authors: Ma Zhenzhong , Erkus Ahmet , Tabak Akif
Published: April 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of collectivism on conflict management styles in Turkey and to help conflict management researchers and practitioners better understand conflict and conflict management in an international context.

Design/methodology/approach

Self‐administered questionnaires with the ROCI scale were used in this study. Data were collected by surveying 244 managerial employees from both public and private organizations. Factor analysis and regression analysis were then used to explore the relationships between conflict management styles and different aspects of collectivism. Differences in demographic factors were also discussed.

Findings

This study shows Turkish people are more likely to use collaborating style, instead of compromising or avoiding as expected from a collectivistic culture. Further, different aspects of collectivism have different effects on Turkish conflict management styles: the importance of competitive success leads to preferences for competing style; the value of working alone leads to less collaboration; the norms of subordination of personal needs to group interest are positively related to more collaborating and accommodating; and the beliefs of the effects of personal pursuit on group productivity are positively related to more compromising.

Originality/value

While Turkey has become more important in world markets, very few studies have been conducted to explore Turkish conflict management styles. This paper examines the ranking of preferences in conflict management methods in Turkey, as well as the impact of collectivism on different conflict management styles, which extends the understanding of cross‐cultural differences in conflict management.
Soldiers' negotiations in combat areas
Authors: Ben‐Yoav Nobel Orly , Campbell Donald , Hannah Sean T. , Wortinger Brian
Published: April 2010

Purpose

The aim of this exploratory study is to assess the impact of role clarity and concern for the other party's goals on soldiers' negotiations with members of the local population within a combat zone.

Design/methodology/approach

Following the Dual Concerns Model it was hypothesized that soldiers experiencing high concern for the needs of their Iraqi counterparts would engage in: higher levels of problem solving behavior; report greater trust in their counterparts; and reach more mutually satisfying agreements under conditions of role clarity relative to role ambiguity. A total of 42 officers and non‐commissioned officers serving in Iraq participated in the study.

Findings

The results supported the prediction that role clarity moderates the relationship between concern for the other party's needs and various outcomes of the negotiation process.

Research limitations/implications

The study involved a small convenience sample, cross‐sectional design, and a single source of data for all measures. Nonetheless, the results are consistent with other studies examining the theoretical assumptions of the Dual Concern Model and suggest that role clarity may serve as a useful operationalization of high self‐concern and high resistance to yielding.

Originality/value

The study advances knowledge about soldiers' ability to negotiate mutually satisfying agreements with members of the local population. It points to the need to combine a policy of collaboration with local civilians with the communication of a clear set of overall mission and specific negotiation goals and objectives.
Do logo redesigns help or hurt your brand? The role of brand commitment
Authors: Walsh Michael F. , Page Winterich Karen , Mittal Vikas
Published: April 2010

Purpose

Logos are a critical component of brand aesthetics. Frequently companies redesign their logos, and many redesigns result in more rounded logos. How do such redesigns affect consumers' brand attitudes? The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of brand commitment on consumer response to logo shape redesign.

Design/methodology/approach

This research uses a field experiment with 632 respondents and examines two athletic shoe brands: New Balance and Adidas.

Findings

The greater the degree of change in the roundedness of a previously angular logo, the more likely it is that strongly committed consumers will evaluate the redesigned logo more negatively (in terms of brand attitude). Such logo evaluations, in turn, mediate the joint effect of logo redesign and commitment on overall brand attitude. Conversely, weakly committed consumers react positively to such changes.

Research limitations/implications

The literature on aesthetics and brand attitude are combined to show that not all consumers view changes in brand elements such as logos similarly. Strongly committed consumers view these changes negatively; weakly committed consumers view them positively. An information‐processing approach provides the underlying theory for this finding. Thus, logo evaluation partially mediates this change in brand attitude, but it does not fully explain the change in brand attitude after exposure to logo redesign.

Practical implications

Strong brands gain strength by developing a base of strongly committed customers. Attempts to change brand elements – such as logo redesigns – can affect customers differently depending on whether they are strongly committed, mildly committed, or not committed at all. Thus firms attempting to change brand elements, particularly their logos, should be fully aware of the potentially negative impact on their most important customers – those having the strongest brand commitment.

Originality/value

To one's knowledge very little research has examined the relationship between logo redesign and brand attitude. Henderson et al.'s call to examine consumer responses to changes in design stimuli is followed. Importantly, the study is the first to show that visual elements of a brand (e.g. logo) can differentially impact consumer response based on brand commitment to such an extent that strongly committed customers react more negatively than weakly committed customers to redesigned logos.
Club Med: coping with corporate brand evolution
Authors: Quester Pascale G. , Fleck Nathalie
Published: April 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to identify how community members of a long‐established service brand, Club Med, negotiate the strategic decision made by management in 2002 to substantially alter the brand positioning.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed method approach relied on participant observations, interviews with managers and consumers, and a netnography of an independent website used by Club Med members to exchange information, advice and other holiday tips.

Findings

Brand community members responded differently to the repositioning of the brand, according to the core benefit or value they first sought by attending the Club, from the functional and practical to the emotional or experiential reward. Responses also differed according to whether consumers valued the collective ideals of the earlier Club Med or the individualism advocated in the latest positioning. Hence, the value match between brand and consumers appeared predictive of their response.

Research limitations/implications

Although limited to the case of one iconic service brand, these findings have implications for marketers. In particular, they warn against unilateral decisions made without due consideration of the brand community which may have developed around the traditional meanings associated with the brand.

Originality/value

Given the paucity of evidence of service brand community, validating the existence of service brand community represents a first and important contribution of the paper. Brand communities have intrigued researchers and practitioners by their loyalty and resilience. Moreover, little or no research has examined how such communities cope with dramatic changes in the brand strategy.
How bureaucrats and bean counters strangled General Motors by killing its brands
Authors: Olson Erik L. , Mathias Thjømøe Hans
Published: April 2010

Purpose

This paper seeks to use branding literature to understand the rise and fall of GM's brands.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach takes the form of presenting a case analysis using secondary sources covering GM's brands and products, managerial leadership, and market and financial performance throughout its 100‐year history.

Findings

During much of its first 50 years, GM was led by engineers who pioneered professional brand management, and through intelligent allocation of resources created one of the world's strongest portfolio of brands. Government anti‐trust hearings shifted GM to a cost‐cutting orientation during its second 50 years that had a negative impact on the GM brands and brought the current financial problems.

Research limitations/implications

This is a case study of only one firm, but parallels are drawn with other firms that have had similar brand issues.

Practical implications

Firms with multiple brands need top management leadership to ensure that each brand has a unique mission with minimal overlap and adequate resources for product development, innovation, and communications to achieve its mission. If the mission or resources disappear, non‐core brands need to be terminated. Governments that wish to support well managed firms with strong brands need to be careful in using anti‐trust actions, and should not force firms to make products that are not desired by customers.

Originality/value

The paper takes a novel approach to evaluating the current state of General Motors by examining the factors that led to chronic mismanagement of its brands, which in turn has reduced brand equity, market share, and profits, and that have magnified GM's problems with labor and legacy costs, productivity, and product mix.
Impact of brand personality on three major relational consequences (trust, attachment, and commitment to the brand)
Authors: Louis Didier , Lombart Cindy
Published: April 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to offer a model that incorporates both direct and indirect effects of brand's perceived personality on three major relational consequences of this construct: trust, attachment, and commitment to the brand. In addition to the links between brand personality and its relational consequences, the interdependence links amongst these consequences are also considered.

Design/methodology/approach

The model proposed in this research was tested by means of structural equations modelling. The data were collected from a convenience sample of 348 young French consumers (aged from 19‐23) questioned about the brand Coca‐Cola, which enjoys strong awareness with that target.

Findings

All the nine personality traits of the Coca‐Cola brand studied in this research impact directly on at least one of the three relational consequences under study: trust, attachment, and commitment to the brand. In addition they have an indirect influence (except for the Charming and Ascendant personality traits) on commitment via trust and attachment to the brand.

Research limitations/implications

The model proposed in the research shows the impact of brand personality on three major relational consequences of this construct: trust, attachment, and commitment to the brand. Future research should study the influence of brand personality on other consequences such as satisfaction, loyalty and preference.

Practical implications

The research demonstrates that brand personality affects the type and strength of the relationship that consumers maintain with brands. It is a useful tool for managers to direct or reinforce the lasting relationship they want to develop or maintain between their brands and the consumers they target. Relational paths from brand personality to the variables trust, attachment, and commitment are suggested in this research.

Originality/value

The model proposed in this research refines the overall understanding that researchers and managers have of the direct or indirect impact of each brand personality trait on consumers' relationship with a brand, measured by trust, attachment, and commitment.
Pricing practices in Victorian America: evidence from a satirical point of view
Authors: Holden Alfred C. , Rothenberger Sandra
Published: April 2010

Purpose

This paper seeks to investigate how consumers in Victorian America related prices to quality and value in deliberations about urban life, housing, and a newly‐emerging consumerism. The objectives are to understand pricing practices of firms and the behavior and perception of prices by consumers in Victorian American and to determine whether Victorian pricing practices could provide important insights for twenty‐first century theory and practice.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper conducted a qualitative content analysis of pricing highlighted in a large sample of three cartoons appearing weekly in Puck and Judge. In these preeminent satirical magazines of the 1880‐1910 era, the authors found cartoons to be reflective of pricing practices and resultant consumer behavior of that era.

Findings

The paper confirms even on a satirical research basis that Victorian households indeed experienced price‐related stresses in urban life, housing decisions, and in daily consumption. It also reveals that during industrial revolution, rapid urbanization, waves of immigration, and a stratification of wealth, price is not only money but also time, effort, and psychic energy.

Originality/value

The study confirms that pricing has long influenced consumer decision making and that, even historically, price was perceived primarily as a sacrifice to obtain a product. The study uses archival data to underscore the fact that product prices are evaluated in terms of consumers' everyday life decisions.
Interactions between price and price deal
Authors: Swani Kunal , Yoo Boonghee
Published: April 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the interactive effect of price and price deal. Specifically, it desires to measure how consumers' behavioral intentions toward the brand are affected for a high‐priced brand and a low‐priced brand when a price deal is offered.

Design/methodology/approach

A two (price level: high versus low; between) by two (price deal: absent versus 40 percent off; between) experimental design was used. Study 1 tested the hypotheses for two existing brands, whereas Study 2 did so for a fictitious brand.

Findings

The analysis confirmed a strong interactive effect between price and price deal: price deals do not have a uniform effect across brands but a different effect depending on the price level of the brand. Specifically, for a high‐priced brand, a negative effect of price deals on behavioral intentions (brand equity, brand loyalty, and purchase intention) was found. On the contrary, for a low‐priced brand, a positive effect of price deals on each of the same behavioral intention variables was found.

Research limitations/implications

Future research needs to study different types of products and samples to enhance the external validity of the findings. Real market data that recorded price changes and price deal offerings over time need to be examined to confirm the findings of the study.

Practical implications

A managerial implication is that high‐priced brands should avoid price deals, whereas low‐priced brands could benefit from price deals.

Social implications

When the findings are extended to the public‐sector or governmental services, providing costly services at a discounted price (e.g. universal healthcare) may not be welcome, as that policy is likely to make fellow citizens underestimate the value of the services and doubt the quality.

Originality/value

The study is very original because it does not repeat any past research, but taps into a problem not previously investigated. The value of the study is very straightforward for brand and promotional managers.
Economic volatility and remittances
Authors: Craigwell Roland , Jackman Mahalia , Moore Winston
Published: April 2010

Purpose

Remittances are the fastest growing source of foreign exchange earnings for developing countries. The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of remittances on economic volatility of the receiving country.

Design/methodology/approach

A panel of 95 countries over the period 1970‐2005 is employed in the analysis. To assess the impact of remittances on volatility a multivariate model is estimated using a panel fixed effects approach with cross‐section weights.

Findings

The study reports that remittances can play a key role in mitigating the effect of adverse output shocks but exert no significant influence on consumption and investment volatility. Moreover, important differential impacts exist across the various country groupings.

Practical implications

Countries that are dependent on remittances may have to monitor and forecast future remittance flows and take these projections into account when making changes to either their monetary or fiscal policy stance.

Originality/value

The findings provided in this paper should be of use to policymakers in developing countries.
The economic impact of inbound and outbound labor migration: the case of Jordan (1970‐2006)
Authors: Khaled Magableh Ihab , Baset Athamneh Abdel , Almahrouq Maher
Published: April 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of inbound and outbound labor migration on the Jordanian economy.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a qualitative analysis subsidized by two econometric models, foreign labor and their remittances and the Jordanian labor abroad and their remittances are examined for their impact on main macroeconomic indicators.

Findings

The characteristics of foreign labor and the Jordanian labor abroad, in terms of skills and qualifications are completely different. Productivity of a local worker is found to be higher than of a foreign worker. Thus, replacement of foreign labor is highly recommended but difficult due to “shame culture”. Foreign labor deepens unemployment and negatively affects economic growth through their effect on capital account, total reserve, and investment. Outbound labor migration reduced unemployment and speeds economic growth. They induce investment and increase reserves, but they also put an upward pressure on overall price and induce imported inflation.

Research limitations/implications

Best utilization of these remittances can be achieved if they are mainly used for production rather than for consumption purposes. Remittances of foreign labor must be controlled to reduce leakages of the foreign currencies. Scheduled decrease in demand for foreign labor in Jordan is a must. But it must be accompanied by getting rid of the non‐reasonable “shame culture”, encouraging entrepreneurship, and enhancing quality of jobs.

Originality/value

The paper provides decision and policy makers with informative analysis of the net impact inbound and outbound labor migration. This analysis helps in drafting labor policies and regulations. The households sector is a key player for the success of these policies.
Computer‐assisted roadmapping: a case study in energy research
Authors: Kajikawa Yuya , Takeda Yoshiyuki , Matsushima Katsumori
Published: April 2010

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to develop a methodology of computer‐assisted roadmapping to supplement an expert‐based approach, which is time‐consuming and subjective.

Design/methodology/approach

A computer‐based approach using citation network analysis is used to depict technology trends, and build the first draft of science and technology roadmaps. A case study in energy research is performed, and emerging research domains are tracked in it by citation network analysis.

Findings

The analysis confirms that the fuel cell and solar cell are rapidly growing domains in energy research. The detailed research structures were investigated further by clustering. Each citation cluster has characteristic research topics, and there is a variety of growth trends among the clusters.

Research limitations/implications

Constructing a corpus to analyze is not an easy task and one that affects the results, and therefore further research to evaluate the adequacy and validity of the corpus before citation network analysis is necessary. Including patents and analyzing relationships between academic papers and patents for roadmapping is a challenging future research topic.

Practical implications

While science and technology roadmaps are an attractive tool in R&D management and have been widely used, they are typically constructed by gathering and stimulating expert opinion and therefore highly time‐consuming. As demonstrated in this paper, a computer‐based approach using citation network analysis is a powerful tool to support roadmapping. By using the approach, planners and R&D managers can make decisions on effective investment in promising and emerging technologies, especially under circumstances of limited resources with the broader coverage of scientific and technological research.

Originality/value

By using citation network analysis, we can track emerging research domains among a range of publications efficiently and effectively.
Enhancing business and technology foresight with electronically mediated scenario process
Authors: Piirainen Kalle , Lindqvist Antti
Published: April 2010

Purpose

The study discusses existing scenario methods in business and technology foresight and introduces electronically mediated scenario process in two varieties. The purpose of the study is to discuss the existing practice, position the IDEAS and SAGES methods, and outline their contribution to the state of the art.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper takes the form of a literature study and conceptual discussion, illustrated with a case example of electronically mediated scenario methods.

Findings

Both of the presented scenario methods, i.e. IDEAS and SAGES, are feasible means to compose scenarios. The methods can be positioned respectively to intuitive‐logical and heuristic schools of thought. The contribution to existing practice is that they consume fewer resources than do their more traditional counterparts.

Research limitations/implications

The empirical validation of the presented methods is presently limited to case studies. Thus, the authors invite practitioners and researchers to examine the methods and to discuss the applicability of the results.

Practical implications

The IDEAS and SAGES methods offer tools for practicing managers to conduct scenario planning with practitioners and experts in a flexible and effective manner.

Originality/value

The paper adds to the ongoing discussion on business and technology foresight by presenting the novel scenario methods, and positioning them explicitly to the existing practice.
Empirical research on the technology opportunities analysis based on morphology analysis and conjoint analysis
Authors: Xin Li , Jiwu Wang , Lucheng Huang , Jiang Li , Jian Li
Published: April 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a new hybrid approach based on bibliometrics analysis (BA), morphology analysis (MA) and conjoint analysis (CA) to help identify new technology development opportunities.

Design/methodology/approach

A new hybrid approach based on BA, MA and CA has been conducted to help identify new technology development opportunities. The proposed hybrid process is illustrated with a case example of blue light‐emitting diode (LED) based on GaN.

Findings

In this paper, the proposed hybrid process is illustrated with a case example of document information from a blue light‐emitting diode (LED) based on GaN documents database. The results show that the configuration “Al2O3+MBE+two dimensional photonic crystal” should be given greater attention with respect to R&D activities in future.

Practical implications

This paper is of interest for technology opportunities analysis practitioners and policymakers at the industrial and government levels.

Originality/value

This paper proposes a new hybrid approach of technology opportunities analysis based on bibliometrics analysis, morphology analysis and conjoint analysis methods.
Research on emerging technology selection and assessment by technology foresight and fuzzy consistent matrix
Authors: Lucheng Huang , Xin Li , Wenguang Lu
Published: April 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a new hybrid approach based on technology foresight and a fuzzy consistent matrix to select and assess emerging technologies.

Design/methodology/approach

Through introducing technology foresight into emerging technology selection and assessment, an industrialization potential assessment indexes system of emerging technologies is constructed, and general procedures to assess the industrialization potential of emerging technologies based on technology foresight and a fuzzy consistent matrix are presented.

Findings

In this paper, assessment of the industrialization potential of nine different emerging technologies is provided to illustrate the application of the method. These results show that technology 1 has the best performance on industrialization potential, and technology 2 has better performance on the industrialization potential.

Practical implications

This paper is of interest for emerging technology selection and assessment practitioners and policymakers at the industrial and government levels.

Originality/value

This paper proposes a new hybrid approach of emerging technology selection and assessment based on technology foresight and a fuzzy consistent matrix.
Scenario planning for climate strategies development by integrating group Delphi, AHP and dynamic fuzzy cognitive maps
Authors: Biloslavo Roberto , Dolinšek Slavko
Published: April 2010

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to present the common use of the Delphi method, the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and dynamic fuzzy cognitive maps for the development of a future scenario in correlation with climate warming.

Design/methodology/approach

A combination of the Delphi method, the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and dynamic fuzzy cognitive maps was employed to construct a future scenario as a learning device.

Findings

Based on the data, the future is not going to be so bad but also not very attractive even if it is assumed that human consciousness about global warming issues will remain high. After a few years or so it will be possible to stop negative climate processes but not possible to fix the problem in the sense that the situation we have now can be substantially improved.

Practical implications

This paper is of interest for foresight practitioners and policy makers who want to employ a hybrid approach to scenario development.

Originality/value

The paper is the first to try to use a combination of different methods for scenario development related to climate change.