bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An analysis of viewpoints on education for responsible consumption in higher education
Authors: Gombert-Courvoisier Sandrine , Sennès Vincent , Ribeyre Francis
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to present the authors’ views on education for responsible consumption (ERC) in higher education, and deals with major components to be considered to educate students for responsible consumption.

Design/methodology/approach

– There are three components that seem relevant for ERC in higher education: taught courses should be closely linked with research being carried out into responsible consumption, ERC should focus on a global approach to reducing ecological impacts by changing consumption behaviour and the diversity of situations in terms of specific characteristics of local administrative areas and populations must be properly understood to adapt ERC messages and actions to significant local features.

Findings

– The diversity of modes of consumption and the complexity inherent in responsible consumption mean that the issue of ERC has to be considered from a global, cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspective. In the educational context, the wide variety of students, although creating some difficulties in terms of teaching, is nevertheless a positive factor, as it provides a cultural mix and encourages the appropriation of responsible consumption issues by all. Regarding the effectiveness of this type of ERC in achieving the expected outcome of reducing ecological impacts, assessment tools have to be introduced from student level to the level of the local authority as a whole.

Originality/value

– To reinforce these concepts and recommendations, this article highlights the master’s degree in “Human ecology: environmental challenges of the activities of production and consumption” (University of Bordeaux, France). This course is the only one in France to cover the issues involved in responsible consumption using a cross-disciplinary approach.
Developing sustainable urban transportation
Authors: Béland Daniel
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– Shedding light on urban transportation and, more specifically, the contemporary development of “smart” bikesharing systems (i.e. short-term bicycle rental services), the purpose of this paper is to focus on Montreal's bikesharing experiment. Known as BIXI (a contraction of the words BIcycle and taXI) since its inception in 2009, this system has been exported to other cities around the world, making it especially relevant for the analysis of this innovative and sustainable form of urban mobility.

Design/methodology/approach

– By tracing the policy history of BIXI and the current political debate about its future while using a framework focusing on the role of ideas in public policy, the paper directly contributes to the literature on the growing role of bicycles in sustainable urban transportation. The qualitative analysis is based on a systematic review of government documents and BIXI-related articles published in the Montreal French- and English-language press. To complement this analysis and provide information about behind-the-lesson drawing processes leading to the creation of BIXI, six semi-structured interviews were conducted with officials in charge of bikesharing policy in Montreal, as well as in Boston and London, England, two cities that have adopted (and adapted) the BIXI model.

Findings

– This analysis stresses the role of lesson drawing and framing processes in the development of Montreal's bikesharing system. While it is clear that the technological and policy developments of BIXI illustrate systematic and positive lesson drawing, on the framing and public relations side, the Montreal experiment suggests it is politically risky to boost public expectations about the potential costs of bikesharing systems for taxpayers. In addition to their innovative and sustainable contributions to urban transportation and pro-bike strategies, bikesharing systems are public investments that are not necessary free of costs for taxpayers. Framing these systems as public investments rather than a “free ride” for taxpayers would be a more accurate, and potentially effective, way to promote their development in the context of the current push for sustainable transportation policy in cities around the world.

Originality/value

– What this paper offers is a sociological perspective on an emerging and important policy issue, through an original combination of lesson drawing and framing perspectives on policy development. Montreal's BIXI is one of the most discussed (and exported) bikesharing systems around the world, and this is the first detailed policy analysis devoted to its genesis and politics.
Active entrepreneurs and blue-collar workers. Cultural understandings mirrored in European youth unemployment policies
Authors: Grimmer Bettina , Hobbins Jennifer
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– With a particular focus on cultural understandings and the concepts behind welfare policies, the purpose of this paper is to analyse commonalities and dissimilarities in the patterns of social policy, and more precisely youth unemployment policies, in Sweden and Germany.

Design/methodology/approach

– A document analysis of Swedish and German youth unemployment policies was conducted with regard to how the two welfare regimes’ policies define the underlying problem, the instruments through which this problem is tackled, and the aim of youth activation policies.

Findings

– The findings show congruency concerning the definitions of the problem of youth unemployment, in which the unemployed are regarded as lacking in discipline, as well as in the policies through which the problem is tackled: through conditionality and pastoral power as policy tools. The solution of the problem on the other hand, found in the notion of the ideal worker to be produced, diverges between active entrepreneurs in one country, and blue-collar workers in the other. The authors conclude that the introduction of supranational policy concepts is not a matter of mere implementation, and that concepts like activation are reinterpreted according to differing cultural ideologies and accommodated into the context of particular welfare states.

Originality/value

– This paper provides an innovative framework for the understanding of the influence of cultural understandings on policy making, but also on challenges facing activation governance on the one hand and European Union policy initiatives and transnational policy diffusion on the other.
Unmanned vehicles while becoming smaller and smarter are addressing new applications in medical, agriculture, in addition to military and security
Authors: Bloss Richard
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– Review of the most recent unmanned vehicle show in Washington DC with emphasis on the new robot innovations and applications on display. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– In-depth interviews with exhibitors of unmanned vehicles and suppliers of other related equipment and support services.

Findings

– Unmanned vehicles are moving rapidly into new applications such as agriculture, environmental monitoring and medical along with maintaining their importance in the traditional military and security applications of the past.

Practical implications

– Customers will be surprised at the innovations making these robotic vehicles smaller, smarter and more adaptable to a wide range of new applications.

Originality/value

– A review of some of the latest innovations and applications for unmanned vehicles that one might have seen if they had been on the exhibition floor at the most recent Washington DC unmanned vehicle show.
Running a hospital patient safety campaign: a qualitative study
Authors: Ozieranski Piotr , Robins Victoria , Minion Joel , Willars Janet , Wright John , Weaver Simon , Martin Graham P , Dixon Woods Mary
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– Research on patient safety campaigns has mostly concentrated on large-scale multi-organisation efforts, yet locally led improvement is increasingly promoted. The purpose of this paper is to characterise the design and implementation of an internal patient safety campaign at a large acute National Health Service hospital trust with a view to understanding how to optimise such campaigns.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors conducted a qualitative study of a campaign that sought to achieve 12 patient safety goals. The authors interviewed 19 managers and 45 frontline staff, supplemented by 56 hours of non-participant observation. Data analysis was based on the constant comparative method.

Findings

– The campaign was motivated by senior managers’ commitment to patient safety improvement, a series of serious untoward incidents, and a history of campaign-style initiatives at the trust. While the campaign succeeded in generating enthusiasm and focus among managers and some frontline staff, it encountered three challenges. First, though many staff at the sharp end were aware of the campaign, their knowledge, and acceptance of its content, rationale, and relevance for distinct clinical areas were variable. Second, the mechanisms of change, albeit effective in creating focus, may have been too limited. Third, many saw the tempo of the campaign as too rapid. Overall, the campaign enjoyed some success in raising the profile of patient safety. However, its ability to promote change was mixed, and progress was difficult to evidence because of lack of reliable measurement.

Originality/value

– The study shows that single-organisation campaigns may help in raising the profile of patient safety. The authors offer important lessons for the successful running of such campaigns.
The impact of an integrated care service on service users: the service users’ perspective
Authors: Hu Mei
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of an integration programme on service users from users’ own perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

– Multi-method approach was used. Both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis were employed to uncover and examine service users’ views of the impact of the integration programme.

Findings

– An improvement in the physical functioning of one in three occupational equipment users; a rise in the level of satisfaction of 85 per cent of occupational health and 82 per cent of physiotherapy users; older people with complex problems and high-level needs were able to be helped to live at home; and waiting times for both assessment and for services within two weeks and four weeks were below the national achievement and ministerial targets. The impact of the integration programme on users was complex. Positive outcomes were achieved for some user groups and individuals but not for others. A lack of change outcomes in social care, and service users’ low level of satisfaction with social care services appears to be associated with the impact of agency work and the predominant aim in social work of achieving maintenance and prevention outcomes.

Originality/value

– This paper contributes to knowledge on what and how the total integration in Cambridgeshire has benefited users.
Patient satisfaction and GP trustworthiness, practice orientation and performance
Authors: Van Den Assem Barend , Dulewicz Victor
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the doctor-patient relationship from the patients’ perspective. It tests a number of hypothesized relationships with respect to the interaction inside the doctor-patient relationship including the continuity of care, doctors’ practice orientation and performance, which help enhance the understanding of patient trust and satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

– A quantitative survey using a closed-ended questionnaire provided a useable sample of 372 respondents.

Findings

– There was an overall high level of patient trust in and satisfaction with GPs as well as good patient rapport with their GPs. Patients who were most satisfied with their doctor perceived them to be more trustworthy, were more satisfied with their performance and perceived them to have greater preference for a sharing orientation than those patients who were least satisfied.

Practical implications

– The research findings suggest ways of maintaining and enhancing trust through training, continuing professional development, appraisals and assessments and revalidation of doctors. The skill sets and competencies related to trust and practice are presented in light of current practice trends and changing health care agendas, including the recent Department of Health White Paper, “Liberating the NHS” (2010). Since the questionnaire was able to discriminate between those patients who were most and least satisfied with their doctors, it identified what patients appreciate and are concerned about with respect to GPs and their practice.

Originality/value

– The research provides new insights and understanding of how patient satisfaction in the GP-patient relationship is influenced by GPs’ trustworthiness, practice orientation and performance, for academic and practitioner communities.
A study of Internet service provider industry stakeholder collaboration in Australia
Authors: Vilapakkam Nagarajan Karthik
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine institutional influences on the customer service (CS) and complaints handling (CH) practices of the Australian Internet industry.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study adopted a qualitative research methodology using semi-structured interview as a research method. The study was informed by constructivist/interpretive research paradigm approaches to knowledge. Eleven senior executives from key Internet industry stakeholder organizations were interviewed.

Findings

– Using the neo-institutional theory lens, this study found that the institutional forces (regulatory, customer and competition pressures) played a pivotal role in bringing all Internet industry stakeholders together to address CS/CH shortcomings in the old Telecommunications Consumer Protection (TCP) Code 2007. This led to significant changes to the CS/CH practices detailed in the revised TCP Code 2012. The study findings revealed that frequent and fateful collaborations between central institutional actors have led to the emergence of organizational fields. The actors identified in the emerging organizational fields actively influence the CS/CH practices and the subsequent implementation of the practices in vLISPs.

Research limitations/implications

– The study focused on the functional aspects of service quality (SQ). Technical aspects of SQ is equally important, and future research needs to consider both aspects of SQ when assessing overall performance of vLISPs.

Practical implications

– The study findings encourage vLISP managers to continue collaboration with external stakeholders and develop customer-friendly practices that deliver desirable CS/CH outcomes.

Social implications

– The study findings revealed that when all vLISP industry stakeholders collaborate with each other on a focal issue, there is noticeable progress towards development of CS practices that will contribute to a better CS experience.

Originality/value

– An evidence-based approach was used towards understanding and explaining how and why institutional actors of technology-based service organizations act together. A significant contribution arising from this study is the identification and discussion of emerging organizational fields comprising the central actors in the Internet industry. These emerging organizational fields have the potential to develop into mature organizational fields and inform future CS/CH practices and consumer protection policies in the Australian Internet industry.
Corruption correlates: the case of Cyprus
Authors: Assiotis Andreas , Krambia-Kapardis Maria
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to verify the perceptions of Cypriot society in relation to corruption. In an attempt to do so, 1,521 Cypriots participated between the months of September 2011 and October 2011 in the survey on the level of corruption in Cyprus. The survey was conducted by the organization “Transparency Cyprus”. Participants were 52 per cent female and 48 per cent male, age groups covered by 18 years until retirement, of whom 51 per cent work in the private sector, 16 per cent in the public sector, 24 per cent do not work, while 9 per cent work in semi-governmental organizations. Finally, 34 per cent are high school graduates, 37 per cent had higher education and 29 per cent hold a postgraduate university degree. The survey results show that corruption in Cyprus is considered by the vast majority of participants (86 per cent) as a serious problem and will also increase due to the economic crisis (79 per cent). The majority (93 per cent) of respondents believes that corruption and/or abuse of power for personal benefit exists and is widespread in most national politicians, in government officials in awarding public tenders (92 per cent) and in the police (90 per cent).

Design/methodology/approach

– In an attempt to verify the perceptions of Cypriot society in relation to corruption, 1,521 Cypriots participated between the months of September 2011 and October 2011 in the survey on the level of corruption in Cyprus. To analyze the results of the survey, the statistical package SPSS has been utilized.

Findings

– Seventy per cent consider corruption a major issue in Cyprus, while 60 per cent are being or have been affected by corruption directly. Almost all interviewees (92 per cent) believe that the police are also corrupted. Sixty-one per cent believe that not enough is being done to fight corruption, and in the cases that something was done, it was not enough. Seventy-five per cent blame the government, 67 per cent blame the police and 58 per cent blame the prosecutors and judges.

Research limitations/implications

– On the completion of the upcoming survey (for the year 2013), one can compare these results and identify the associations between the two surveys. Another limitation of this survey is that people could have answered based on their perceptions; therefore, the results should be treated with extra care.

Originality/value

– This research manuscript takes a step further to deepen our understanding of corruption in Cyprus. The findings of the survey performed could serve as policy prescription for the policy-makers who aim to strengthen the institutional environment in Cyprus. To do so, one should examine the current stage of the environment in Cyprus, something that this research paper explores through the survey conducted.
SEC offers relief to M&A brokers
Authors: D. Sacks Russell , Donegan Thomas , S. Gittleman Charles
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– To explain a No-Action letter recently issued by the USA Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) permitting persons who qualify as “M&A Brokers” to facilitate the sale of private companies without registering with the SEC as broker-dealers, subject to a number of restrictions.

Design/methodology/approach

– Explains how persons engaged in merger and acquisition activity have historically been required to register with the SEC, summarizes the conditions to the relief for the newly defined M&A Broker, explains what an M&A Broker can and cannot do, lists 10 criteria an M&A Broker must meet to obtain relief from registration, recommends policies and procedures for companies planning on taking advantage of the exemption from registration, and explains comparable UK legislation that applies to financial advisers advising on investments or arranging deals for M&A transactions.

Findings

– While many questions and considerations remain, including how this guidance will play out in respect of various state law regimes, the M&A Broker designation has the potential to relieve some of the burdens of registration for advisors specializing in private business combinations.

Originality/value

– Practical guidance from experienced securities and financial services lawyers.
A new SEC enforcement direction for 2014
Authors: Fons Randall , Rowe Tiffany
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– To summarize and comment on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC’s) two-day conference, “The SEC Speaks,” held February 21-22, 2014, in which commissioners and senior staff provided thoughts and insights into the most pressing issues currently being considered by the commission.

Design/methodology/approach

– Discusses SEC Chair’s decision to require defendants to admit violations in appropriate cases, the creation of the Financial Reporting and Audit (FRAud) Task Force, new guidelines that will allow staff to bring more enforcement cases as administrative proceedings rather than in federal district court, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) staff goals for 2014, some unfamiliar statutory provisions that are expected to be cited in upcoming enforcement cases, litigation goals for 2014, and other areas of historical concern that will receive continuing emphasis in 2014.

Findings

– Where last year’s conference provided little insight in terms of specificity and direction of the enforcement program, this year’s conference revealed an Enforcement Division that has found its bearings and intends to use new technology, new ideas and new staff to enhance and improve its enforcement program.

Originality/value

– Practical guidance from experienced financial services and securities lawyers.
Preferential treatment in the service encounter
Authors: Söderlund Magnus , Liljander Veronica , Gummerus Johanna , Hellman Pia , Lipkin Michaela , Oikarinen Eeva-Liisa , Sepp Marianne , T. Liljedal Karina
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine reactions when customers in service encounters receive preferential treatment (i.e. something extra in relation to other customers). The examination is conducted in a social context that allows the customer to compare what he or she receives with what other customers receive. The main effect variables are perceived justice and customer satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

– An experimental method is employed to examine the effects of providing customers with preferential treatment. The study involves four treatment groups with various combinations of receiving or not receiving preferential treatment.

Findings

– Customers perceived preferential treatment as relatively unjust. This was true for customers who received the preferential treatment and for those who did not. However, customer satisfaction among those receiving preferential treatment was enhanced, thus signaling that preferential treatment affects perceived justice and satisfaction differently. In addition, different contexts for receiving preferential treatment (i.e. receiving it alone or sharing it with another customer) produced different levels of customer satisfaction.

Originality/value

– The extant research on preferential treatment has failed to acknowledge that this treatment often occurs in the presence of several customers, which is likely to evoke perceptions of justice. At the same time, extant research on perceived justice in service situations has mainly focussed on service failures as antecedents of justice perceptions. This study attempts to extend theory on both preferential treatment and perceived justice in service-encounter settings.
Developing benchmark criteria for assessing community-based social marketing programs
Authors: Lynes Jennifer , Whitney Stephanie , Murray Dan
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– This article aims to propose that increased guidance on the implementation of social marketing principles for sustainability issues can advance both implementation and empirical evaluation. The primary goal of this paper is to ignite further empirical investigation of social marketing for sustainability by first presenting benchmark criteria for one social marketing model – community-based social marketing (CBSM) – and second, applying this framework to the case study of musician Jack Johnson’s “All at Once” (AAO) campaign.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research design is twofold. First, based on Doug McKenzie-Mohr’s CBSM model, a series of 21 benchmarks for assessing the key components of an effective CBSM initiative was developed. Second, this tool was applied to information gathered from Jack Johnson’s extensive outreach promoting AAO initiatives including reports, videos as well as interviews and in-person meetings with the Jack Johnson team.

Findings

– Application of the benchmark criteria to the Jack Johnson case study showed that seven out of the 21 benchmarks were integrated into the AAO campaign; seven were partially integrated and seven were not integrated in the program’s design. In particular, the use of commitments, incentives, norms and social diffusion was clearly present as was a final evaluation of the full-scale implementation of the campaign.

Originality/value

– The CBSM benchmarks are meant as a starting point to further assess and compare the effectiveness of CBSM initiatives. Further research should be done to explore how criteria should be weighted and which of the 21 principles need to be present in the design and implementation of an effective CBSM program.
The association between disclosure of forward-looking information and corporate governance mechanisms
Authors: Al-Najjar Basil , Abed Suzan
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to witness the importance of corporate governance mechanisms and investigates the relationship between the quality of disclosure of forward-looking information in the narrative sections of annual reports and the governance mechanisms for non-financial UK companies.

Design/methodology/approach

– Computerized content analysis using QSR NVivo 8 is used to measure the extent of forward-looking information in the narratives of the annual reports for 238 companies listed in the London Stock Exchange. Cross-sectional regression analysis is used to examine the impact of the corporate governance mechanisms on forward-looking information.

Findings

– The results show that board size and the independence of the audit committee are associated with the level of voluntary disclosure of forward-looking information.

Research limitations/implication

– One limitation of this study is that in controls for the effect of the financial crisis period, by selecting a representative year for a five-year period, 2006. The authors argument in using this year is based on the fact that the main variables of interest do not vary significantly with time, the cross-sectional analysis of the selected period will provide a fair view of the last five year-period.

Practical implications

– The authors report the importance of some governance practices in the UK, such as the role of the board members as well as the importance of audit committee independence.

Originality/value

– This paper contributes to the literature by using computerized content analysis to examine the relation between corporate governance mechanism and disclosure quality of forward-looking information using sample of companies before financial crisis period. The authors also examine governance mechanisms that are under-researched in the field of forward-looking disclosure.
(Un)useful risk disclosure: explanations from the Italian banks
Authors: Maffei Marco , Aria Massimo , Fiondella Clelia , Spanò Rosanna , Zagaria Claudia
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to better understand how mandatory risk categories are disclosed and to provide a better understanding of the reasons why risk disclosure looks less useful than it ought to be.

Design/methodology/approach

– We analyze how Italian banks provide risk information, by focusing on its characteristics to find out any differences between the notes to the financial statements and the public report, both prepared in compliance with the instructions of the Bank of Italy. We assess the risk-related reporting practices of 66 Italian banks, based on a content analysis of the two mandatory reports, and verify whether bank-specific factors explain any differences.

Findings

– Italian banks formally comply with the Bank of Italy’s instructions, but there is discretion to choose the characteristics of the information provided. Despite different risk categories to disclose in each report, disclosure is quite uniform, although banks tend to provide denser information in the notes to the financial statements and the difference in the economic signs between the two reports decreases as the level of risk increases.

Practical implications

– The significance of this study goes beyond the debate taking place in the academic arena, as it can be largely relevant for preparers, those responsible for setting international and national accounting standards, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision and the domestic supervisory authorities, particularly concerning the possible introduction of requirements that are more explicit than the existing ones.

Originality/value

– The Italian setting is very relevant because unlike other countries, Italy adopts “interventionist enforcements”, which are regarded as a critical tool for achieving the minimum disclosure requirements. Moreover, the two sets of disclosure required by the Bank of Italy have never been investigated in a single data set.
Competitive threats, strategic responses and performance of Brazilian B2B firms
Authors: H. Akhter Syed , Fernando Pinto Barcellos Paulo
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– The economic realignment in Latin America has created two clusters, one stagnant in the north and the other growth-bound in the south. This study aims to focus on Brazil, the key player in the growth-bound southern cluster, and address three fundamental questions: how Brazilian executives in four B2B sectors (telecommunications, business equipment, steel, and transportation) viewed the internal competitive developments, how they strategically responded to these developments, and what were the marketing and financial outcomes of these strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data were obtained by interviewing top decision makers such as president, chief executive officer, and director of the companies.

Findings

– Findings show that the intensity of competitive pressures due to globalization varied by sector and so did strategic responses of firms. Marketing and financial performance outcomes also varied by sectors.

Originality/value

– The study adds to the growing literature on competitive market developments, strategic responses and performance outcomes of firms in Brazil, an important emerging economy and the key player in the southern Latin America cluster.
Influence of co-firing process condition on low temperature co-fired ceramics membrane deflection
Authors: Jurków Dominik
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– The paper aims to present the influence of the co-firing process conditions of low temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC) on the deformation of thin LTCC membranes.

Design/methodology/approach

– The statistical design of the experiment methodology was used in the frame of these investigations to reduce the time and costs of the experiments and to ensure easier interpretation of the obtained results. Moreover, this conception permits the rough estimation of the membrane deflection fired at optimal process conditions.

Findings

– The applied design of the experiment methodology allowed the researchers to find the optimal co-firing process conditions and to estimate the membrane deflection at the optimal process conditions. The estimation fits well with the results of real measurement that was conducted to confirm the estimation precision.

Research limitations/implications

– The experiment was conducted for only one type of LTCC, DP951. The precision of the design of the experiment optimization and estimation of the response at optimal conditions depend on the described object. Therefore, the findings of this paper do not have to be generally true for other LTCC tapes, and if other LTCC tapes deformation should be investigated, then similar analysis shall be conducted for them.

Practical implications

– The deformation of LTCC membranes affects the sensitivity and repeatability of LTCC acceleration and pressure sensors. Hence, the decrease of membrane deflection increases the usability of LTCC in such applications.

Originality/value

– This paper presents simple optimization of co-firing process conditions of LTCC devices using statistical design of the experiment.
Tape casting and properties of Pr2O3-doped ZnO multilayer varistors
Authors: Kulawik Jan , Szwagierczak Dorota , Synkiewicz Beata
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to fabricate and characterize ZnO-based multilayer varistors.

Design/methodology/approach

– Tape casting technique was utilized for preparation of multilayer varistors based on ZnO doped with Pr, Bi, Sb, Co, Cr, Mn and Si oxides. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods were used to study the microstructure, elemental and phase compositions, respectively, of the varistors. Dielectric properties were investigated by impedance spectroscopy. Current–voltage (I–U) dependences were measured to characterize nonlinear behavior of the fabricated varistors.

Findings

– XRD, SEM and EDS studies revealed dense microstructure of ceramic layers with ZnO grains sized 1-4 μm surrounded by nanometric Bi-rich films, submicrometer Zn7Sb2O12 spinel grains and needle-shaped Pr3SbO7 crystallites. Praseodymium oxide was found to be very effective as an additive restricting the ZnO grain growth. I–U characteristics of the fabricated multilayer varistors were nonlinear, with the nonlinearity coefficients of 23-27 and 19-51 for the lower and higher Pr2O3 content, respectively. The breakdown voltages were 60-150 V, decreasing with increasing sintering temperature.

Originality/value

– Low-temperature cofired ceramics technology enables attaining a significant progress in miniaturization of electronic passive components. Literature concerning application of this technology for multilayer varistors fabrication is limited. In the present work, the results of XRD, SEM and EDS studies along with the I–U and complex impedance dependences are analyzed to elucidate the origin of the observed varistor effect. The influence of sintering temperature and Pr2O3-doping level was investigated.
Characterization and applicability of Sm0.9Sr0.1CoO3-δ in oxygen sensors
Authors: Cvejin Katarina , Manjakkal Libu , Kulawik Jan , Zaraska Krzysztof , Szwagierczak Dorota
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to investigate different properties of synthesized perovskite Sm0.9Sr0.1CoO3-δ and its potential for application in potentiometric oxygen sensors.

Design/methodology/approach

– The powder was obtained through solid-state reaction method and characterized by thermogravimetric/differential thermal analyzer and X-ray diffraction. It was used for both making a paste and pressing into rods for sintering. The prepared paste was deposited on alumina and yttria-stabilized zirconia substrates, by screen printing. Thick film conductivity, bulk conductivity and Seebeck coefficient of sintered rods were measured as a function of temperature. An oxygen concentration cell was fabricated with the screen-printed perovskite material as electrodes.

Findings

– Electrical conductivity of the bulk sample and thick film increases with the increase in temperature, showing semiconductor-like behavior, which is also indicated by relatively high values of the measured Seebeck coefficient. Estimated values of the activation energy for conduction are found to be of the same magnitude as those reported in the literature for similar composition. An investigation of Nernstian behavior of the fabricated cell confirmed that Sm0.9Sr0.1CoO3-δ is a promising material for application in oxygen potentiometric sensors.

Originality/value

– Gas sensor research is focused on the development of new sensitive materials. Although there is scarce information on SmCoO3-δ in the literature, it is mostly investigated for fuel cell applications. Results of this study imply that Sr-doped SmCoO3-δ is a good candidate material for oxygen potentiometric sensor.
Impact of country of origin and word of mouth on brand equity
Authors: Murtiasih Sri , Sucherly Sucherly , Siringoringo Hotniar
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of the image of country of origin (COO) and word of mouth (WOM) toward brand equity (BE).

Design/methodology/approach

– Questionnaire was deployed to collect data. Prior to data collection, validity, and reliability tests were performed. Valid and reliable questionnaire was distributed to car customer in Jabodetabek region. It was succeeded to distribute 389 questionnaires and completely filled up by respondents. Structural equation modeling further was deployed to analyze the data.

Findings

– COO and WOM significantly influence BE indirectly thorough BE dimensions. WOM exhibited stronger influence toward BE. The influence of COO and WOM toward BE dimension was also investigated. WOM showed stronger influence toward BE dimension, in descending order are brand loyalty (BL), brand association (BAS), perceived quality (PQ), and brand awareness (BA). COO showed weaker influence and different order, in descending order are BA, PQ, BL, and BAS.

Originality/value

– Role of WOM in marketing has been extensively discussed by researchers. It is generally acknowledged playing a considerable role in influencing and forming consumer attitudes and behavioral intentions. However, up to this date role of WOM on BE has not been explicitly studied by researchers. COO in another hand has been related to BE although in a limited references. Those studies were performed outside of Indonesian consumer. Up to this date study of COO of Indonesian consumer behavior remains unaccounted.
Location sharing on social networks: implications for marketing
Authors: Yavuz Ramazan , Toker Aysegül
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the emerging motives behind check-in and location sharing of consumers on social network sites (SNSs). A theoretical model for the emergent motives of check-in behavior is proposed, and implications of location sharing for consumer behavior and marketing are discussed.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data were collected from a convenience sample of 32 respondents, comprising a representative sample of location-based SNS users. In total, 217 unique check-ins, locations, and motives were analyzed, and seven emergent motives were identified through content analysis.

Findings

– This paper identified the key motives behind check-in behavior, including social-enhancement value, informational and social motivation, entertainment value, gameful experiences, utilitarian motivation, and belongingness. Social-enhancement value is the most frequently cited motive, driven mainly by the selective self-presentation efforts of respondents. Gameful experiences are a newly emerging motive contributing to the “uses and gratifications theory” (UGT).

Research limitations/implications

– The proposed model has not yet been formally verified in a quantitative study. A further study with a larger sample size is planned for future work for the verification and generalization of the findings.

Practical implications

– Practitioner approaches on check-in behavior are mainly focussed on consumers giving and receiving recommendations of locations and consumers responding to the promotional efforts of marketers. However, this study suggests consumers have more creative and different motives, such as dating through location-based SNSs or gameful experiences.

Originality/value

– Research into location-based SNSs is a relatively new area in marketing. This study and proposed model are among the first to explain check-in behavior. Additionally, gameful experiences contribute to UGT, a construct that has not been previously identified.
Artificial neural networks: a tool for understanding green consumer behavior
Authors: Chowdhury Prajita , Samuel Mercy S
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to study the usefulness of neural network to explain the gap between behavior intention and actual behavior in the consumption of green products. The paper draws the base from theory of planned behavior (TPB) and social dilemma theory.

Design/methodology/approach

– Artificial neural networks were used to analyze the data. A survey instrument was developed to understand the behavior pattern of customers while purchasing energy-efficient products. The outputs and input variables were identified and the input variables were divided into binary and discreet inputs.

Findings

– The research attempts to identify the factors that drive as well as avoid green consumerism. It also details the measures that can be adapted to address the social dilemma of green consumerism. In general the paper identifies with the literature in eliciting that environmental consciousness does not drive green consumerism.

Research limitations/implications

– The results of the study have important implications for practitioners as well as researchers. It is observed that neural network also provides inconclusive evidence for the intention behavior gap. This can be further explored by identifying different elements of environment consciousness and further testing.

Practical implications

– Marketers need to have strategies interwoven with traditional influencers to promote their green offerings. The consumers expect a clear and measurable benefit to the green offerings that the marketers are marketing.

Originality/value

– The research has its conceptual base in the TPB and social dilemma theory to understand the drivers of purchase behavior while evaluating an electronic product available in both energy efficient non-energy efficient rating scenario.
Multi-response optimization of tribological characteristics of aluminum MMCs using PCA
Authors: Siriyala Rajesh , Gopala Krishna A. , Rama Murthy Raju P. , Duraiselvam M.
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– Since, wear is the one of the most commonly encountered industrial problems leading to frequent replacement of components there is a need to develop metal matrix composites (MMCs) for achieving better wear properties. The purpose of this paper is to fabricate aluminum MMCs to improve the dry sliding wear characteristics. An effective multi-response optimization approach called the principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify the sets of optimal parameters in dry sliding wear process.

Design/methodology/approach

– The present work investigates the dry sliding wear behavior of graphite reinforced aluminum composites produced by the molten metal mixing method by means of a pin-on-disc type wear set up. Dry sliding wear tests were carried on graphite reinforced MMCs and its matrix alloy sliding against a steel counter face. Different contact stress, reinforcement percentage, sliding distance and sliding velocity were selected as the control variables and the response selected was wear volume loss (WVL) and coefficient of friction (COF) to evaluate the dry sliding performance. An L25 orthogonal array was employed for the experimental design. Optimization of dry sliding performance of the graphite reinforced MMCs was performed using PCA.

Findings

– Based on the PCA, the optimum level parameters for overall principal component (PC) of WVL and COF have been identified. Moreover, analysis of variance was performed to know the impact of individual factors on overall PC of WVL and COF. The results indicated that the reinforcement percentage was found to be most effective factor among the other control parameters on dry sliding wear followed by sliding distance, sliding velocity and contact stress. Finally the wear surface morphology of the composites has been investigated using scanning electron microscopy.

Practical implications

– Various manufacturing techniques are available for processing of MMCs. Each technique has its own advantages and disadvantages. In particular, some techniques are significantly expensive compared to others. Generally the manufacturer prefers the low cost technique. Therefore stir casting technique which was used in this paper for manufacturing of Aluminum MMCs is the best alternative for processing of MMCs in the present commercial sectors. Since the most important criteria of a dry sliding wear behavior is to provide lower WVL and COF, this study has intended to prove the application of PCA technique for solving multi objective optimization problem in wear applications like piston rings, piston rods, cylinder heads and brake rotors, etc.

Originality/value

– Application of multi-response optimization technique for evaluation of tribological characteristics for Aluminum MMCs made up of graphite particulates is a first-of-its-kind approach in literature. Hence PCA method can be successfully used for multi-response optimization of dry sliding wear process.
Resistance to weathering of wood-polypropylene and wood-wollastonite-polypropylene composites made with and without carbon black
Authors: Butylina Svetlana , Kärki Timo
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to study natural and accelerated weathering of wood-polypropylene (WF-PP) and wood-wollastonite-polypropylene composites made with and without carbon black.

Design/methodology/approach

– Natural weathering was conducted in Ruokolahti, Finland in the time of year when solar radiation was maximal. The accelerated weathering tests included exposure to a xenon-arc source with and without spray, and a cyclic test consisting of water immersion–freeze–thaw stages.

Findings

– Both the type of weathering and the formulation of the composite determined the degree of change in their properties. Weathering, including xenon-arc exposure with spray resulted in much higher changes of colour of non-pigmented composites compared to natural weathering or xenon-arc weathering without spray. Both UV irradiation and moisture had an adverse effect on the Charpy impact strength of non-pigmented composites. Carbon black containing composites performed better than non-pigmented composites.

Research limitations/implications

– This study is a part of an ongoing research on the development of wood-polymer composites (WPCs) suitable for outdoor applications in Finnish climatic conditions. Outdoor weathering limited to 1,000 h cannot be used for the prediction of the service life of composites and was used here solely for comparative purposes.

Originality/value

– This paper will help to understand the effect of different weathering factors on the behaviour of WF-PP and wood-wollastonite-polypropylene composites made with and without carbon black (as UV stabiliser). The study demonstrated that while accelerated weathering tests provided useful information on the resistance of WF-PP composites to different weathering factors, they cannot be used alone to predict the behaviour of WPCs meant for outdoor application.