bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Undergraduate students' interaction with online information resources in their academic tasks
Authors: He Daqing , Wu Dan , Yue Zhen , Fu Anna , Thien Vo Kim
Published: November 2012

Purpose

This paper aims to identify the opinions of undergraduate students on the importance of internet‐based information sources when they undertake academic tasks.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a set of identified typical academic tasks for undergraduate students, three research questions were designed around the students' usage and views of information resources for completing these tasks. Web‐accessible questionnaires were used to collect data from participants in two universities in the USA and China, and the data were analyzed using quantitative methods, which included several statistic methods.

Findings

The results confirm that undergraduate students use different information resources for various academic tasks. In their tasks, online electronic resources including search engines are the most commonly used resources, particularly for complex academic tasks. Social networking sites are not used for the students' individual academic tasks, and traditional resources still play equal or more important roles in certain specific academic tasks. Students in collaborative tasks look for resources that make it easy to share documents. Participants from the two countries also exhibit interesting and important differences in their usage of information resources.

Originality/value

This study examines undergraduate students' usages and views of different information resources in their various academic tasks, and pays special attention to the impacts of being from their different countries. The study also considers both students' individual academic tasks and collaborative tasks. This study is an invaluable addition to the information seeking behaviour literature.
The effect of chemical composition on selective oxidation of bake hardenable steel
Authors: Lins V.F.C. , Madeira L. , Vilela J.M.C. , Andrade M.S. , Buono V.T.L. , Guimarães J.P. , Alvarenga E.A.
Published: November 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of chemical composition on the selective oxidation on the surface of bake hardenable steel, and on the surface of modified bake hardenable steel with titanium addition, annealed at different dew points.

Design/methodology/approach

The subject scope of the paper is the selective oxidation. The methodology used is the annealing of steels at different dew points, and the surface characterization by using atomic force microscopy, X‐ray photo electronic spectroscopy, and glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy.

Findings

The modified bake hardenable steel showed a higher oxidized area than the bake hardenable steel. The optimum condition for annealing of the bake hardenable steel was at 800°C with −30°C dp and −60°C dp as selective oxidation is less voluminous.

Research limitations/implications

One suggestion for future works is the use of transmission electron microscopy for the evaluation of selective oxidation on the steel surfaces.

Practical implications

One practical implication is the determination of the optimum condition for annealing of the bake hardenable steel in the steel plant, decreasing the selective oxidation and increasing the quality of galvanized steels. Another implication is the discard by the steel industry of the development of the modified bake hardenable steel.

Originality/value

The originality of the present work is to use advanced surface analysis techniques to quantify the selective oxidation on the surface of commercial steels. The selective oxidation on the surface of steels must be minimized in order to increase the wet ability of zinc layer on the steel surface.
Big deal and long tail: e‐journal usage and subscriptions
Authors: Schöpfel Joachim , Leduc Claire
Published: November 2012

Purpose

This paper is aimed primarily at academic library managers and acquisition librarians. By analogy to Pareto studying the relationship between clients and turnover, the paper will study subscriptions to e‐journals and usage statistics. The aim is to evaluate the long tail of usage statistics and to compare it with subscription lists of individually selected titles and packages (big deals).

Design/methodology/approach

The paper exploits usage statistics and subscription data from a national usage study of an academic publisher. Data are from 2010.

Findings

Usage statistics are partly shaped by the long tail effect. Individual subscriptions of journals are more selective than big deals, and trend towards a traditional retail curve. Unlike subscriptions through packages, usage and individual subscriptions can be related by a similar inclination. But both types of subscriptions fail to predict the popularity of a title in its usage.

Research limitations/implications

The paper uses data from a national usage study and tries to identify global trends. Thus, it does not distinguish between customer categories, disciplines or activity domains.

Practical implications

The paper considers the opportunity provided by big deal for acquisition policy. Ready‐made big deals sometimes appear as an unbounded and excessive supply, not suited to true and sufficient users' needs, but on the other hand, selective acquisition policy cannot completely anticipate online usage behaviour.

Originality/value

Only a few studies distinguish Pareto from long tail distributions in usage statistics, and there is little empirical evidence on the impact of selected subscriptions versus big deals on these statistics.
Oriental manuscripts in India: a literature survey
Authors: Shafi S.M. , Ishaq Lone Mohammad
Published: November 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review the literature about oriental manuscript collections in India and provide an overview of the area.

Design/methodology/approach

A core set of literature on oriental manuscript collections in India was retrieved after doing a thorough literature search in different databases. Literature on various aspects of this topic was reviewed. The paper is organized based on various themes to make the study fruitful for various sections of society.

Findings

Oriental manuscripts are present in different research libraries, university libraries and public libraries in India but university libraries are leading others in preserving these manuscripts, with few exceptions. Manuscripts are available in different oriental languages but mostly in Sanskrit. Every religious sect in India has contributed immensely in collecting and preserving these manuscripts. The contribution of famous kings of Indian history is also enormous in this regard.

Research limitations/implications

The review does not claim to be exhaustive, as most sources might have been skipped during the study for their non‐availability.

Originality/value

This paper provides a concise overview of manuscripts present in different Indian libraries and research institution/universities and provides a valuable entry point to the field of Indian manuscripts for research scholars, information scientists and other interested parties.
Accessibility of web search engines
Authors: Kerkmann Friederike , Lewandowski Dirk
Published: November 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the aspects to be considered when evaluating web search engines' accessibility for people with disabilities. The authors provide an overview of related work and outline a theoretical framework for a comprehensive accessibility study of web search engines, regarding the principles of disability studies and the idea of inclusion.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on a literature review, and an aggregation of recommended actions in practice, mainly the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative's (WAI) evaluation model.

Findings

A good way to conduct an accessibility study in a comprehensive manner is the WAI methodology consisting of three‐steps: preliminary review to quickly identify potential accessibility problems; conformance evaluation to determine whether a website meets established accessibility standards; and user testing to include real people with disabilities in a practical use. For the use case “web search engines” some special issues have to be taken into consideration.

Research limitations/implications

The paper can be seen as a brainstorming and describes a theoretical concept of how to do. Conclusions about actual barriers of web search engines and criteria of satisfaction for people with disabilities do not exist as of yet; the model is not tested so far.

Practical implications

This paper provides practical implications for researchers who want to conduct an accessibility study, especially of web search engines. Findings of such studies can have practical implications for web search engine developers to improve accessibility of their product. The accessibility of web search engines does not only have implications for people with special needs, but also for the elderly or temporarily handicapped people.

Originality/value

This paper combines findings from web search engine research with aspects of disability studies. Therefore, it provides insights for researches, search engine developers and educators in practice on how important accessibility of web search engines for people with disabilities is, how it can be measured and what aspects need to be considered.
Joining up the fight against undeclared work in Europe
Authors: Williams Colin C. , Nadin Sara
Published: November 2012

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the degree to which there is cross‐national cooperation when tackling undeclared work and how the fight against undeclared work in Europe might be more effectively coordinated.

Design/methodology/approach

A multi‐stage inductive approach is used involving a web survey of 104 senior government officials, trade unions and employer organisations in 31 European countries, 33 follow‐up in‐depth explanatory interviews, four two‐day focus groups in European regions involving 44 stakeholders, and a European‐wide focus group of 20 stakeholders.

Findings

Collaboration between European countries is currently partial and very limited when tackling undeclared work. To more effectively collaborate, the consensus amongst the participating stakeholders is that an inclusive network of experts covering the tax, social security and labour aspects of undeclared work needs to be developed which engages in information sharing, capacity building and operational cooperation not only on the issue of cross‐border undeclared work but also combating undeclared work at the national level.

Research limitations/implications

Until now, the literature on undeclared work has not evaluated the extent and nature of cross‐national collaborations to tackle this phenomenon. This paper fills that gap.

Practical implications

The paper reports the consensus reached amongst pan‐European stakeholders on how to more effectively broker knowledge on a multilateral cross‐national basis to tackle undeclared work.

Originality/value

This is the first evaluation of cross‐national collaboration in relation to tackling undeclared work in Europe.
Participative management and its influence on organizational change
Authors: Pardo‐del‐Val Manuela , Martínez‐Fuentes Clara , Roig‐Dobón Salvador
Published: November 2012

Purpose

This paper aims to deal with the influence of a participatory management style along a change process, specifically in seeking to analyze the effect of participative management style on resistance to change and its effects on change performance.

Design/methodology/approach

After a revision of previous literature, an empirical research is presented to test the existence and signs of the relationships between participation and organizational change. To measure the main concepts, the authors have used scales and other measures already published and through a correlation analysis gain some insight into the relationships among variables.

Findings

Data suggest that participative management might be giving the members of the organization the necessary tools to question aspects that could endanger changes, thus considering participation as a knowledge broker that sheds light along the change process through the increase of resistance to change sources.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitation is the reduced sample, as well as the fact that answers are provided by a single respondent.

Practical implications

This research might help practitioners to look at resistance to change from a positive point of view, therefore, participation might be considered a tool to show potential weaknesses and help change agents to improve change outcomes.

Originality/value

The paper supports the literature that considers resistance to change positively. Moreover, it provides some hints as to what kind of sources of resistance to change are more important depending on the typology of the change itself.
A model for stakeholder classification and stakeholder relationships
Authors: Wagner Mainardes Emerson , Alves Helena , Raposo Mário
Published: November 2012

Purpose

This paper aims to develop a new model of stakeholder classification and a model for explaining the relationship between the organization and its respective stakeholders.

Design/methodology/approach

The new proposed model is based on an empirical study that comprises an exploratory study based on 15 interviews and a confirmatory study based on 684 questionnaires answered by staff of 11 public universities. The main variable deployed is the stakeholder's respective level of influence from the organization's management perspective, that is, their level of legitimacy, power and urgency.

Findings

The new model proposes six stakeholder types (regulator, controller, partner, passive, dependent and non‐stakeholder). To explain the relationship between the stakeholder and the organization, the traditional needs‐satisfaction vision was expanded. The variables of relevance, mutual influence and participation were found to be important in explaining the organization and stakeholder relationship. This study contributes both in simplifying stakeholder classification and in explaining the relationships between parties.

Research limitations/implications

The study proposes a new model for stakeholder classification based on empirical research carried out with public organizations, therefore it is advisable to test this new classification scheme with other types of organizations.

Originality/value

This research proposes a stakeholder classification scheme previously unpublished in the literature, which helps organizations managing the relationships with their stakeholders.
Working together: library and writing center collaboration
Authors: Ferer Elise
Published: November 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to survey the means through which libraries and writing centers are collaborating to determine best practices and applications.

Design/methodology/approach

Examples of collaboration between libraries and writing centers were examined and grouped into similar examples to highlight themes within the literature.

Findings

Many librarians are training writing center staff and tutors in library services and information literacy skills. Reference librarians are sharing space or holding joint office hours with writing centers to help create a one‐stop shop for students. Joint classes and workshops are helping to reinforce the connected nature of research and writing. It is important to survey the environment; some types of collaboration work better at some institutions than others.

Research limitations/implications

This is a review of the literature concerning collaboration and cannot contain every example of library and writing center collaboration.

Practical implications

Using this article, librarians can compile a list of possible ways to collaborate with their writing center.

Originality/value

This article is of value to librarians and writing center staff looking for ways to foster collaboration and ways that they can begin to collaborate.
Performance management under conditions of uncertainty: some valedictory reflections
Authors: Otley David
Published: November 2012

Purpose

This article has two main parts. First, the aim of the paper is to give a brief overview of the major developments in management control over the past 50 years and attempt to draw out some abiding themes that have arisen from the work that has been conducted. Second, it will examine one of the more recent issues in more detail, namely managing under conditions of uncertainty, and outline the contribution that management control systems research can make.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a conceptual paper.

Findings

The primary aim is to suggest areas for research that are likely to be both relevant and fruitful in the future. It represents a personal point of view, and is in no sense a comprehensive review of the literature, but rather attempts to draw out some important themes that are worthy of further study and development.

Originality/value

The paper will be of use to those seeking to design research studies in performance management.
Gender, operational efficiency, population density and the performance of mirofinancing institutions
Authors: Nanayakkara Gemunu , Mia Lokman
Published: November 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to investigate the effect of operational efficiency, gender of the borrowers and the population density on the performance of microfinancing institutions that play a significant role in alleviating poverty in developing countries.

Design/methodology/approach

A model showing the relationships among the variables is first proposed based on the hypotheses developed in the literature review. Then the model is tested with empirical data using multiple regression and path analysis. Data used in the analysis relate to 234 microfinancing institutions across 63 countries.

Findings

The study finds that operational efficiency and gender of the borrowers have a direct impact on the performance of microfinancing institutions. Although population density does not have a direct impact on performance it has an indirect effect through operational efficiency and gender of the borrowers.

Practical implications

The findings of this study reveal to the policy makers and managers of microfinancing institutions the importance of focussing on the three factors analysed (operational efficiency, gender of the borrowers and population density) to reduce poverty.

Originality/value

The study enhances the current knowledge in the literature relating to microfinancing. The findings help to improve the performance of microfinancing institutions resulting in efficient and effective utilisation of hundreds of millions of donor funds originating from tax payers in developed countries.
Commitment to employees, labor intensity, and labor productivity in small firms
Authors: Roca‐Puig Vicente , Beltrán‐Martín Inmaculada , Segarra‐Ciprés Mercedes
Published: November 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyze the potential existence of a concave downward curve between organizational commitment to employees (OCE) and labor productivity in small firms. It also aims to examine the moderating effects of labor intensity on this curvilinear relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses a sample of 819 manufacturing small firms from the Spanish Ministry of Industry and Energy's Survey on Business Strategies, and applies hierarchical regression analysis to test its hypotheses.

Findings

The results support a non‐linear association between OCE investments and labor productivity: the higher the level of OCE, the lower its positive impact on organizational outcomes will be. The results also support the contingent view of strategic human resource management, so that an investment in OCE is more effective in some contexts than in others.

Practical implications

The paper concludes that managers and investors should be aware of the fact that investments in OCE are not always correspondingly beneficial. In the small firm setting, not all firms with large profits apply OCE. A high level of OCE investment may be counterproductive.

Originality/value

The strategic human resource management literature usually assumes a linear relationship between OCE and organizational outcomes; very few empirical studies have considered a nonlinear approach.
Non‐linear careers: desirability and coping
Authors: Schilling Elisabeth
Published: November 2012

Purpose

This paper aims to analyse the question of whether women freely choose to pursue a non‐linear career or whether they are forced by their circumstances to take this path.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi‐structured interviews with older female employees, who had non‐linear careers, were conducted. The qualitative analysis of women's biographical narratives was achieved through adopting a socio‐biographical approach. The subjective view of success in the non‐linear careers was addressed.

Findings

All respondents would have preferred a linear career. However a non‐linear career is accepted as a possibility to follow one's own professional interests and to cope with professional insecurity. Moreover women discover strategies to cope with insecurity, organizational injustice or life course stereotypes, such as networking, additional qualifications, and making the change over to a self‐employed position.

Research limitations/implications

As all interviews were conducted with German professionals and a small qualitative sample, the results need an adaptation for other countries, younger generations and different social strata.

Social implications

The need for social political concepts for non‐linear careers became evident. The risk of the non‐linear careers should be pooled between individuals and organizations.

Originality/value

The study found that some decisions, which aim to avoid professional insecurity (e.g. additional qualification), produce non‐linearity and hence increase the insecurity. The importance of social constraints for individual career decisions has been emphasized in the paper.
Spiritual capital
Authors: Dsouli Ouarda , Khan Nadeem , Kakabadse Nada K.
Published: November 2012

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to investigate how values from within Abrahamic religions could be adopted to improve liberal market economies’ (LMEs’) corporate governance business practices.

Design/methodology/approach

The concept of spiritual capitalism is explained from an Islamic perspective by adopting three universal Abrahamic values to critically analyse LMEs and offer an ethical alternative to current capitalism concerns.

Findings

It is found that LMEs can be improved by considering all stakeholders, putting ethics before economics, and introducing shared risk/reward plus lower debt.

Originality/value

The paper compares LMEs/Co‐ordinated market economies (CMEs)/Islamic countries economies (ICEs) within an ethical framework for LMEs.
Insights of architects’ knowledge of the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) in relation to low carbon housing design and delivery in the UK
Authors: Baba Abiola , Mahdjoubi Lamine , Olomolaiye Paul , Booth Colin
Published: November 2012

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to report research conducted to explore the insights of UK architects on the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) in relation to low carbon housing design and delivery.

Design/methodology/approach

To explore the awareness and knowledge of CSH in low carbon housing design and delivery in the UK, a mixed method approach comprising of interviews with architects in practice and academia were combined with questionnaires to UK sustainable architectural practices.

Findings

The results confirmed that, although UK architects are aware of CSH, it is only very few (11.8 per cent), who have the expert knowledge. This is in comparison to 52.9 per cent of those with some knowledge, and 35.3 per cent of those who are very knowledgeable in the use and implementation of CSH to design and deliver low carbon new homes in the UK.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this study are based only on the sustainable architects in the UK, therefore the findings may not represent the view of other constructional professionals in the UK.

Practical implications

The research focused on investigating the judging criteria and opinions of architects who are strongly identified with sustainable housing design practices in the UK. It explores the insights of architects on the CSH, because their knowledge, use and implementation of it, along with other information on low carbon housing design, from the onset determines how soon zero carbon homes in the UK can be achieved; leading towards tackling energy use in the UK and on a wider level, the European commitment reduction of energy consumption.

Originality/value

The paper is able to expose the weakness of architects in the use of information that is not represented graphically, pictorially or in the recognised Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) plan of work stages familiar to architects and the general construction industry in the UK.
Job search behaviors among African‐Americans
Authors: Schaffer Meline , Anne Taylor Mary
Published: November 2012

Purpose

Research suggests that both internal and external resources are important in determining the level and intensity of job search behaviors among unemployed individuals. Specifically, an external resource, social support, and an internal resource, self‐efficacy, can have positive, facilitative effects on job search efforts. While these relationships are well‐established, the psychological mechanisms that explain the link between these resources and job search behaviors are unclear. This paper aims to explore positive coping and distancing as potential mediators of this linkage in an African‐American sample.

Design/methodology/approach

Participants responded to a survey containing the variables of interest at two job fairs in the Southeastern USA (n=223). Of participants, 70 percent were female and the average age was 39. In total, 37 percent of respondents had an undergraduate degree or a more advanced degree, and the average length of unemployment was 9.9 months.

Findings

Results suggest that the effects of both social support and self‐efficacy on job searches may be due to their impact on positive coping behaviors, which in turn are significantly related to increased search behaviors. Thus, positive coping had a consistent mediational role in explaining how higher levels of social support and more favorable levels of self‐efficacy enhance the intensity of two forms of job search behaviors. Distancing coping had a less significant and less consistent role as a mediator.

Practical implications

This suggests that interventions meant to enhance self‐efficacy and social support of job seekers may have positive effects on actively applying for jobs and on enlisting the help of others in finding jobs among African‐Americans, as well as on the positive coping skills of the unemployed. Interventions should strive to increase these resources while simultaneously providing realistic expectations regarding the probability of finding a job well‐suited for the job seeker. This argues for the potential effectiveness of individually formulated plans for securing employment.

Originality/value

The paper emphasizes the importance of coping strategies used by unemployed individuals as a factor in job search intensity.
The influence of test method, conductor profile and substrate anisotropy on the permittivity values required for accurate modeling of high frequency planar circuits
Authors: Horn Allen F. , LaFrance Patricia A. , Reynolds John W. , Coonrod John
Published: November 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to help high frequency circuit designers understand how to choose the best permittivity value for a laminate material for accurate modeling.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, experimental measurements of the performance of simple circuits are compared to various mathematical and software models.

Findings

Higher permittivity values were obtained using samples with bonded copper foil compared to samples etched free of foil. These higher values yielded better agreement between measured and modelled performance using current automated design software. High profile foil on thin laminates was found to increase the surface impedance of the conductor and change the propagation constant and apparent permittivity of the laminate by 15 percent or more. It was also demonstrated that, under some circumstances, the anisotropy of the substrate could result in differences in measured and modelled performance.

Research limitations/implications

Only a limited number of circuit laminate materials were closely examined. Future work should include a wider variety of laminates.

Originality/value

The paper details the magnitude of the effects of test method, conductor profile and substrate anisotropy on the values of a material's permittivity best suited for circuit design purposes.
Emergent digital services in public libraries: a domain study
Authors: McMenemy David
Published: November 2012

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the emergence of digital services in the public library domain via an extensive study of the websites of all Scottish public library services.

Design/methodology/approach

In a four‐month period all 32 of Scotland's public library authority websites were visited by a researcher. The goal of the researcher was to record the options available from the library homepages in the following way: role of library in providing page content: content provider or access provider; was the page providing a digital service; what was the audience for the page: adult, child, or not specified; description of page content; and any noted usability issues. Each site was only visited to three levels below that of the initial homepage.

Findings

The study found a good standard of innovation in digital services around LMS functions, offering users the ability to keep in control of their borrowing and reserving. In addition there was a consistent set of electronic reference resources subscribed to by multiple libraries, offering high‐quality information both within the library and for library members from their home or workplace. Problems were found with regards to guidance on the usage of these resources, as well as confusion and inconsistency in terminology usage across different library services.

Research limitations/implications

The paper only examines Scottish public library sites, and thus can only claim to be representative of that country. It also can only represent the sites at the time they were examined.

Practical implications

The paper should be of interest to public and other librarians interested in patterns across websites in their sector.

Originality/value

This is the first national study of Scottish public library websites and its findings should be of value as a result.
Does rhetoric impact advertising effectiveness with liking controlled?
Authors: Huhmann Bruce A. , Albinsson Pia A.
Published: November 2012

Purpose

Rhetorical works (schemes and tropes) can increase advertisement liking. Because liking impacts advertising effectiveness, this study aims to investigate if positive processing, brand awareness, and persuasion outcomes previously associated with rhetoric are spurious and chiefly attributable to liking.

Design/methodology/approach

An experiment (n=448) employed natural advertising exposure conditions and a 3 (headline: nonfigurative, scheme, trope)×2 (copy length: long, moderate)×2 (involvement: high, low) between‐subjects factorial design.

Findings

Absent of liking differences, schemes and tropes are robust motivators of available resources devoted to processing (elaboration and readership). Favourable arguments only influence brand awareness and persuasion if processed. Consumers negatively view longer copy. Nonfigurative headlines encourage insufficient processing as copy lengthens. Insufficient processing decreases brand awareness and persuasion. However, schemes and tropes overcome negative copy length effects on brand awareness and persuasion regardless of involvement.

Research limitations/implications

Without the benefit of increased liking, schemes interfere with copy point and brand memory similar to other creative attention‐getters – humour and sex appeals. Instead, schemes focus consumers on advertising style. The results are based on consumer responses; thus, error may make differences harder to detect. Another limitation is the focus on a single low‐risk, informational product, i.e. pens. Future research should investigate effects of rhetorical works with high‐risk and transformative products.

Practical implications

Advertisers should use rhetorical works to motivate processing, especially with longer copy explaining advantages of new, technical, or complex products. Also, effective rhetorical works need not create positive affect.

Originality/value

Isolating advertising rhetoric effects from liking differences explains anomalies in the literature (e.g. scheme versus trope superiority).
The heterogeneous effect of WOM on product sales: why the effect of WOM valence is mixed?
Authors: Yang Joonhyuk , Kim Wonjoon , Amblee Naveen , Jeong Jaeseung
Published: November 2012

Purpose

Previous literature on WOM has consistent findings on the positive and significant effect of WOM volume on product sales, but the literature on WOM valence has been mixed. In this study, the authors aim to explain the reason for the mixed effect of WOM valence on product sales by considering heterogeneous characteristics of products, especially in the movie market, by segmenting products into mainstream and non‐mainstream movies.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses empirical data from the motion picture industry, such as box office revenue, WOM volume and valence, and other variables of movie characteristics. The hypothesis is tested using OLS and panel data analysis in econometric methods.

Findings

The authors find a significant effect of WOM valence on box office revenue only in the case of non‐mainstream movies, which have relatively smaller marketing budgets than mainstream movies. The findings suggest that as marketing communication channels become more diverse, with larger marketing budgets, the effect of online WOM valence on product sales can be diluted. In addition, it is found that the effect of WOM volume on box office revenue is greater for mainstream movies, suggesting that consumers build higher credibility on products with larger sales or WOM volume, especially for experience goods with uncertain quality.

Practical implications

The findings explain the weak relationship between WOM valence and product sales, which has been controversial in the WOM literature, and broaden the understanding of the effect of WOM on product sales.

Originality/value

The relationship between WOM valence and sales and, consequently, the revenue of a good has not been clearly understood, considering the heterogeneous characteristics of consumers in previous literature. In this study, it is found that WOM volume and valence have different effects on product sales, corresponding to differences in product category. The findings suggest a reason for the weak relationship between WOM valence and product sales, which has been controversial in the WOM literature.
Segmentation of Chinese adolescent girls using gender roles and ideal female images
Authors: Chan Kara , Leung Ng Yu
Published: November 2012

Purpose

This study aims to investigate dimensions related to the gender role and identity perceptions of adolescent girls in Hong Kong. It also aims to develop a typology based on the dimensions and to examine its ability to predict brand relationship variables.

Design/methodology/approach

A convenience sample of 355 Hong Kong female secondary school students aged 12 to 19 were asked to answer questions about gender roles and identities, ideal female images, and liking of global brands. A segmentation approach was employed to classify the respondents.

Findings

Four distinct clusters of adolescent girls were identified and profiled. They were Middle of the roaders, Achievers, Conservatives, and Inactives.

Practical implications

Understanding the unique characteristics of the clusters and the similarities and differences among them can enhance the targeting of marketing communication to adolescent girls, including the selection of celebrity presenters and visual images.

Originality/value

This was the first study to segment Chinese adolescent girls using gender roles and ideal female images.
Evidence of a secular trend in attitudes towards the macro marketing environment in India: pre and post economic liberalization
Authors: Lysonski Steven , Durvasula Srinivas , Madhavi A.D.
Published: November 2012

Purpose

India has undergone dramatic changes since the economic liberalization of 1992. This study aims to provide an historical analysis to determine if consumer attitudes towards marketing practices and consumerism in India have changed measurably from 1990 to 2009.

Design/methodology/approach

To measure consumer attitudes towards marketing and consumerism, an established research instrument was administered with 39 Likert scaled items measuring seven dimensions. Two samples were compared: 1990 vs 2009.

Findings

The paper finds that 22 items exhibited significant differences. The mindset of Indians has evolved over the last two decades. Many of the changes were positive. However, the study does not provide a completely clean “bill of health” to the business community.

Research limitations/implications

This paper used an urban sample; a rural sample would also be useful. Future research could examine other emerging economies such as Brazil, China, and Vietnam.

Practical implications

The Indian marketplace is operating in a much more open and uncontrolled way since liberalization. Businesses must heed some of the results of this study and continue to pursue practices that consumers see as fair and as transparent. The authors encourage the Indian business community to remain vigilant about the issues addressed in this paper.

Social implications

These consumer perceptions could be used for decision making by consumer welfare advocates and public policy makers. The lack of improvements in deficient areas may represent possible problems for business in the future. Firms must be concerned about their social responsibility regarding consumerism issues.

Originality/value

The paper offers a longitudinal view of India's consumerism movement. No other research has examined one of the BRICs in this context as this paper has done. Since India is now in the limelight, this research has contemporary value. The paper also provides a very good commentary on the changes in India's consumer markets. The paper has value to marketing managers and public policy advocates.
Interactions between libraries and technology over the past 30 years
Authors: Lynch Clifford , Greifeneder Elke , Seadle Michael
Published: November 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to look back on the last 30 years of technology development for libraries.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents an interview that took place at the American Library Association Annual Meeting in Anaheim, California.

Findings

The paper reveals that many of the developments are slow. There are very few really sudden revolutions in social‐scale technologies. They do not switch on quickly and cannot be sudden because the installed base is too thin.

Originality/value

The paper reveals that there should be some renewed conversation about how libraries can help the public. In the early days of the internet libraries played an enormous uncredited role in teaching the adult population about the internet. There are some opportunities like that now, and one place where we are starting to see signs of it is digital preservation, not as libraries doing it for the cultural record, but helping individuals to do it for their own content.
The 1990s: the formative years of digital libraries
Authors: Arms William Y.
Published: November 2012

Purpose

This article aims to discuss some of the principal digital libraries projects during the 1990s and the impact that they had on modern libraries.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper combines information from contemporary papers about the projects with recollections by the author who was personally associated with many of the projects.

Findings

The paper reveals that, about 1990, computing reached a point where it became economically possible to mount large collections online and to access them over networks. The result was a flurry of experiments and prototypes. Many are almost forgotten, yet the libraries of today were formed by the energy and creativity of these efforts. The paper places some of the most influential projects in context and discusses why some prototypes and experiments succeeded while others fell by the wayside.

Research limitations/implications

Several of the projects were never described formally in the academic literature, and there are no contemporary records to check some of the author's recollections.

Originality/value

The value of this paper is that many of the projects that formed the libraries of today were poorly documented and it is already difficult to find good information about some of them.
TIIARA: the “making of” a bilingual taxonomy for retrieval of digital images
Authors: Ménard Elaine
Published: November 2012

Purpose

This paper aims to present the results of the second phase of a research project aiming to develop a bilingual taxonomy for the description of digital images. The objective of this second stage entailed the formal structuring of the taxonomy. It involved the choices of top‐level categories and their subcategories.

Design/methodology/approach

The taxonomy development process consists of several steps that are iterative in nature, and, as such, an incremental user testing needed to be carried out in order to validate and refine the taxonomy components. For the first validation phase, the card sorting technique was used. To increase the value of the testing, two different sorting exercises were performed by ten respondents, who completed feedback forms to provide comments and suggestions.

Findings

The analysis of the data provided by the card sorting exercises and the feedback forms highlighted the difficulties participants encountered using the taxonomic structure. This step was especially useful in understanding why the cards of a group were classified together. A summary of the decisions that were made following the first part of the validation process, as well as suggestions to improve the final version of the taxonomy, are also included.

Originality/value

The participation of the end‐users is of crucial importance in the taxonomy development. The card sorting method is generally used in domains such as psychology, cognitive science and web usability. For this project, it proved to be an invaluable source to identify difficulties encountered using the taxonomy structure and dynamically suggested ways to improve it.
Strategies for Service Quality
Authors: Fojt Martin
Published: November 2012

That someone can make us feel good is a quality in itself. There has been much talk within British government circles, for example, about “the feelgood” factor, which is constantly reminding us that it is just around the corner! Whether or not we can believe in this is another matter but it
certainly displays an awareness that making other people feel good can also have positive benefits for ourselves. How this can be achieved will differ depending on our particular line of business. Having a good‐quality product does not in itself guarantee success as service quality must also be taken into
account. This is where the feel‐good factor comes into play. It is all very well, for example, going to a restaurant to have a top‐class meal (in that the food was good), only to have it thrown at you. Quality, therefore, must not be seen as a separate entity, but more as a package deal.
Service quality is important if you wish to retain your customer base as acquiring new customers can be both time‐consuming and costly. It quite
often takes very little apart from good manners to keep customer loyalty as in the case of the restaurant. Other factors can, however, start creeping into
the framework such as efficiency, timeliness and good communication. Is there, for example, a time limit on how long you can reasonably be expected
to wait for your meal before it arrives at the table, and if there is a delay is this communicated to you? In other words, we all have expectations as to
what is acceptable and what is not. The clever part is for the organization to learn by what criteria the customer judges its service quality performance.
A requirements engineering analysis of MoReq
Authors: Vieira Ricardo , Ferreira David , Borbinha José , Gaspar Guilherme
Published: November 2012

Purpose

This paper aims to provide an analysis of the MoRe2010 specification while identifying the best practices and techniques of requirements engineering's (RE) body of knowledge that could be applied to improve the quality of this specification.

Design/methodology/approach

Considering the scope of MoReq, the authors describe the most relevant related RE techniques and common practices. Next, they evaluate the potential impact of applying these techniques to MoReq2010.

Findings

Bearing in mind that MoReq2010 is embodied as a textual document, the paper discusses how the structure and the writing style of this document could be improved by adopting: a pre‐defined structure template; standard‐based guidelines; and well‐defined requirements quality criteria. Also considering that MoReq2010 is the result of a collaborative process, it is also suggested how the authoring process could be improved by using traceability, prioritisation, and other requirements management techniques.

Research limitations/implications

The paper only assesses the MoReq2010 specification as it was made public. Thus, although it is considered that requirements discovery approaches are very important for the quality of any final result, the paper does not discuss the techniques that were eventually used to elicit original stakeholders' needs.

Originality/value

The paper synthesizes several recommendations that, if followed, will have a strong impact on the overall quality of MoReq2010. Furthermore, as it is believed that these recommendations are not disruptive, they can be directly applied against the current version of MoReq2010.