bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Direct contacts between extracellular membrane-proximal domains are required for VEGF receptor activation and cell signaling
Authors: Yang Yan , Xie Peng , Opatowsky Yarden , Schlessinger Joseph
Published: January 2010

Structural analyses of the extracellular region of stem cell factor (SCF) receptor (also designated KIT) in complex with SCF revealed a sequence motif in a loop in the fourth Ig-like domain (D4) that is responsible for forming homotypic receptor contacts and for ligand-induced KIT activation and cell signaling. An identical motif was identified in the most membrane-proximal seventh Ig-like domain (D7) of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1), VEGFR2, and VEGFR3. In this report we demonstrate that ligand-induced tyrosine autophosphorylation and cell signaling via VEGFR1 or VEGFR2 harboring mutations in critical residues (Arg726 or Asp731) in D7 are strongly impaired. We also describe the crystal structure of D7 of VEGFR2 to a resolution of 2.7 Å. The structure shows that homotypic D7 contacts are mediated by salt bridges and van der Waals contacts formed between Arg726 of one protomer and Asp731 of the other protomer. The structure of D7 dimer is very similar to the structure of D4 dimers seen in the crystal structure of KIT extracellular region in complex with SCF. The high similarity between VEGFR D7 and KIT D4 in both structure and function provides further evidence for common ancestral origins of type III and type V RTKs. It also reveals a conserved mechanism for RTK activation and a novel target for pharmacological intervention of pathologically activated RTKs.
Passages and Path within the Intertext
Authors: Rastier François
Published: January 2010

Abstract: In promoting the necessary consolidation of the discipline, text linguistics has supplanted the linguistics of languages, as well as language linguistics. For indeed, text linguistics is the branch which makes it possible to integrate the significant contribution of corpus linguistics. In addition, the text has been acknowledged as the main grounds for articulation bewteen internal descriptions – particularly syntactic descriptions –, and external descriptions – particularly pragmatic descriptions. The conception of the text as elaborated within the framework of interpretive semantics is compatible with textometric models and tools. In particular, the assisted characterization of passages enables one to portray textual activity as transformation chains, also known as metamorphisms, as much within the text as within the intertext gathered by the corpus. In order to characterize such transformations, some examples may be provided, namely passages which have been rewritten in a work’s genetic file; similar passages found within several works by a same author; text commentaries regarded as rewriting acts; to conclude, paths resorting to many works for the interpretation of a passage. All this leads us to re-consider text modelization by taking corpora into consideration. It also creates an urge to redefine textuality according to intertextuality.
Text Linguistics and Navigation
Authors: Couto Javier , Minel Jean-Luc
Published: January 2010

Abstract: In this paper we address the problem of accessing text information by text navigation. We present an approach to text navigation conceived as a cognitive process exploiting linguistic information present in texts. We claim that the navigational knowledge involved in this process can be modeled in a declarative way with the Sextant language. Since this language refers exhaustively to specific linguistic phenomena, we define a customized text representation. These different components have been implemented in the text navigation system NaviTexte. NaviLire, an application of NaviTexte is described.
Syntactical Motifs and Textual Structures
Authors: Mellet Sylvie , Longrée Dominique
Published: January 2010

Abstract: A method initially developed to carry out automatic comparisons and classifications of Latin historians texts shows that some well-ordered and characteristic structures, – some syntactical motifs in particular –, can perfectly distinguish a text from the others texts making up the corpus. This paper will establish on which factors the relevance of such a reduction method can be grounded in order to give an account of affinities and distances between texts: recurrence of the chosen motifs, exhaustiveness of the counting, respect of the text linearity both on the local level and on the global level. This will lead to a reflection on the notions of texture and textuality, understood through the properties of linearity and reticularity.
Sur les arguments sémantiques du verbe expliquer et leur réalisation syntaxique
Authors: Nakamura Takuya
Published: January 2010

In this preliminary descriptive research, taking one French verb (expliquer), we explore syntactic possibilities of argument realization. For this verb, at least four types of syntactic constructions are specified for a fixed set of semantic arguments.  When the direct object is realized as a NP (and not as a bare Que P) assuming the role of “object” of explanation, it is observed that the subject can vary between the “agent” and “explanation” roles, in correlation with the change of the origin of “explanation”. This type of difference is to be considered a change of diathesis of the same verb.  An agentive construction with a complement clause object happens to be a marginal one from the point of view of argument realization, functioning accidentally as a variant of a sentence with verbs of saying. This type of complement clause is a bare Que P in the sense that it does not manifest an alternation with a Que P headed by le fait.
Exercise interventions and their effects on physical self‐perceptions of male university students
Authors: Özdemir Recep Ali , Çelik Özgür , Aşçı F. Hülya
Published: January 2010

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of 12‐week exercise interventions on physical self‐perceptions of male university students. The study also aimed to investigate the relationships between the changes in physical self‐perceptions and the changes in some physiological measures after 12‐week exercise programs. Forty‐eight male university students aged from 19 to 25 years were enrolled in this study. Participants were randomly and equally assigned to swimming, running, cycling and control conditions. The Physical Self‐Perception Profile was administered to all participants before and after 12‐week exercise programs. Additionally, strength, maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and body compositions were assessed before and after interventions. Participants in the exercise groups attended swimming, running or cycling sessions for 40 min per day, 3 days per week with 60–70% of their heart rate reserves, while those in the control group did not attend any regular physical activity. The results of 4 × 2 × 5 MANOVA with the dimensions of physical self‐perceptions as within‐subject factor revealed that all groups including the control group revealed better physical‐self‐perceptions from pre‐ to post‐test. Results of 4 × 2 × 3 MANOVA with physiological measures as within‐subject factor revealed that VO2max values of participants in the swimming group improved more than the other groups. On the other hand, no significant differences were observed in strength scores and body fat levels among groups. Furthermore, no significant associations were obtained between the changes in physical self‐perception dimensions and the physiological measures.
The Economic Costs of Indoor Air Pollution: New Results for Indonesia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste
Authors: Arcenas Agustin , Bojö Jan , Larsen Bjørn , Nuñez Fernanda Ruiz
Published: January 2010

Indoor air pollution (IAP) from biomass fuels is clearly linked to acute respiratory infections (ARI) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and there is evidence of links to tuberculosis and lung cancer. Children under 5 years and adult women are particularly affected. The resulting morbidity and premature mortality can be calculated, and assessed in monetary terms through the use of the Cost of Illness (COI), the Human Capital Approach (HCA) and Value of Statistical Life (VSL) analysis. This article presents new results of the economic cost of health impacts for Indonesia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste and discusses policy implications of these findings. These three countries, in which the World Bank recently undertook Country Environmental Analysis (CEA), were selected as they span large differences in income, population, mortality rates, and household prevalence in solid fuel use for cooking.
CD8+ T cell concentration determines their efficiency in killing cognate antigen–expressing syngeneic mammalian cells in vitro and in mouse tissues
Authors: Budhu Sadna , Loike John D. , Pandolfi Ashley , Han Soo , Catalano Geoffrey , Constantinescu Andrei , Clynes Raphael , Silverstein Samuel C.
Published: January 2010

We describe a quantitative model for assessing the cytolytic activity of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells in vitro and in vivo in which the concentration of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells determines the efficiency with which these cells kill cognate antigen–expressing melanoma cells in packed cell pellets, in three-dimensional collagen-fibrin gels in vitro, and in established melanomas in vivo. In combination with a clonogenic assay for melanoma cells, collagen-fibrin gels are 4,500–5,500-fold more sensitive than the packed cell pellet–type assays generally used to measure CD8+ T cell cytolytic activity. An equation previously used to describe neutrophil bactericidal activity in vitro and in vivo also describes antigen-specific CD8+ T cell–mediated cytolysis of cognate antigen-expressing melanoma cells in collagen-fibrin gels in vitro and in transplanted tumors in vivo. We have used this equation to calculate the critical concentration of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells, which is the concentration of these cells required to hold constant the concentration of a growing population of cognate antigen-expressing melanoma cells. It is ∼3.5 × 105/ml collagen-fibrin gel in vitro and ∼3 × 106/ml or /g melanoma for previously published studies of ex vivo–activated adoptively transferred tumor antigen–specific CD8+ T cell killing of cognate antigen–expressing melanoma cells in established tumors in vivo. The antigen-specific CD8+ T cell concentration required to kill 100% of 2 × 107/ml cognate antigen-expressing melanoma cells in collagen fibrin gels is ≥107/ml of gel.
Unpredictable Voters in Ideal Point Estimation
Authors: Lauderdale Benjamin E.
Published: January 2010

Ideal point estimators are typically based on an assumption that all legislators are equally responsive to modeled dimensions of legislative disagreement; however, particularistic constituency interests and idiosyncrasies of individual legislators introduce variation in the degree to which legislators cast votes predictably. I introduce a Bayesian heteroskedastic ideal point estimator and demonstrate by Monte Carlo simulation that it outperforms standard homoskedastic estimators at recovering the relative positions of legislators. In addition to providing a refinement of ideal point estimates, the heteroskedastic estimator recovers legislator-specific error variance parameters that describe the extent to which each legislator's voting behavior isnotconditioned on the primary axes of disagreement in the legislature. Through applications to the roll call histories of the U.S. Congress, the E.U. Parliament, and the U.N. General Assembly, I demonstrate how to use the heteroskedastic estimator to study substantive questions related to legislative incentives for low-dimensional voting behavior as well as diagnose unmodeled dimensions and nonconstant ideal points.
Evaluating the Importance of Stem Canker of Soybean in Iowa
Authors: Lu X. , Robertson A. E. , Byamukama E. Z. , Nutter F. W.
Published: January 2010

The relative importance of stem canker of soybean in Iowa compared with other soybean diseases present in the state was assessed using data collected from over 3,400 soybean fields sampled in the Iowa Soybean Disease Survey that was conducted from 2005 to 2007. Symptomatic plant tissues from soybean plants with stem canker symptoms were cultured on acidified potato dextrose agar. The prevalence of stem canker on soybean in 2005 in Iowa was 2.6%; the disease was not detected in 2006 and 2007. In 2005, 63 isolates with Diaporthe/Phomopsis characteristics were collected. To identify isolates to fungal species and variety, single-spored isolates were subjected to polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Fourteen isolates were identified as D. phaseolorum var. caulivora (northern stem canker) and 49 as Phomopsis longicolla. To quantify and compare the aggressiveness of D. phaseolorum var. caulivora isolates collected in Iowa, nine isolates were arbitrarily selected for components analysis. Incubation period, rate of lesion expansion, final lesion length, and time to plant death for each isolate were quantified. Significant differences in components of aggressiveness were detected among the nine isolates. Results from this work suggest stem canker is a minor disease of soybean in Iowa.
Curcumin alone and in combination with augmentin protects against pulmonaryinflammation and acute lung injury generated during Klebsiella pneumoniae B5055-induced lung infection in BALB/c mice
Authors: Bansal Shruti , Chhibber Sanjay
Published: January 2010

Acute lung injuries due to acute lung infections remain a major cause ofmortality. Thus a combination of an antibiotic and a compound with immunomodulatoryand anti-inflammatory activities can help to overcome acute lung infection-inducedinjuries. Curcumin derived from the rhizome of turmeric has been used fordecades and it exhibits anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, immunomodulatoryproperties by downregulation of various inflammatory mediators. Keeping theseproperties in mind, we investigated the anti-inflammatory properties of curcuminin a mouse model of acute inflammation by introducingKlebsiella pneumoniaeB5055 into BALB/c mice via the intranasal route. Intranasal instillationof bacteria in this mouse model of acute pneumonia-induced inflammation resultedin a significant increase in neutrophil infiltration in the lungs along withincreased production of various inflammatory mediators [i.e. malondialdehyde (MDA),myeloperoxidase (MPO), nitric oxide (NO), tumour necrosisfactor (TNF)-α] in the lung tissue. The animalsthat received curcumin alone orally or in combination with augmentin, 15 daysprior to bacterial instillation into the lungs via the intranasal route, showeda significant (P<0.05) decrease in neutrophil influxinto the lungs and a significant (P<0.05) decreasein the production of MDA, NO, MPO activity and TNF-αlevels.Augmentin treatment alone did not decrease the MDA, MPO, NO and TNF-αlevels significantly (P>0.05) as compared tothe control group. We therefore conclude that curcumin ameliorates lung inflammationinduced byK. pneumoniaeB5055 without significantly (P<0.05) decreasing the bacterial load in the lung tissue whereasaugmentin takes care of bacterial proliferation. Hence, curcumin can be usedas an adjunct therapy along with antibiotics as an anti-inflammatory or animmunomodulatory agent in the case of acute lung infection.
The major PEP-phosphotransferase systems (PTSs) for glucose, mannose and cellobiose of Listeria monocytogenes, and their significance for extra- and intracellular growth
Authors: Stoll Regina , Goebel Werner
Published: January 2010

In this report we examine the PEP-dependent phosphotransferase systems (PTSs) ofListeria monocytogenesEGD-e, especially those involved in glucose and cellobiose transport. ThisL. monocytogenesstrain possesses in total 86ptsgenes, encoding 29 complete PTSs for the transport of carbohydrates and sugar alcohols, and several single PTS components, possibly supporting transport of these compounds. By a systematic deletion analysis we identified the major PTSs involved in glucose, mannose and cellobiose transport, whenL. monocytogenesgrows in a defined minimal medium in the presence of these carbohydrates. Whereas all four PTS permeases belonging to the PTSManfamily may be involved in mannose transport, only two of these (PTSMan-2 and PTSMan-3), and in addition at least one (PTSGlc-1) of the five PTS permeases belonging to the PTSGlcfamily, are able to transport glucose, albeit with different efficiencies. Cellobiose is transported mainly by one (PTSLac-4) of the six members belonging to the PTSLacfamily. In addition, PTSGlc-1 appears to be also able to transport cellobiose. The transcription of the operons encoding PTSMan-2 and PTSLac-4 (but not that of the operon for PTSMan-3) is regulated by LevR-homologous PTS regulation domain (PRD) activators. Whereas the growth rate of the mutant lacking PTSMan-2, PTSMan-3 and PTSGlc-1 is drastically reduced (compared with the wild-type strain) in the presence of glucose, and that of the mutant lacking PTSLac-4 and PTSGlc-1 in the presence of cellobiose, replication of both mutants within epithelial cells or macrophages is as efficient as that of the wild-type strain.
Information sharing practice in multi‐agency working
Authors: Peel Michelle , Rowley Jennifer
Published: January 2010

Purpose

This paper seeks to make a contribution to understanding of knowledge sharing in the public sector, with specific reference to a context in which multi‐agency working is important, and the information being shared is personal case information.

Design/methodology/approach

A literature review summarises previous research on knowledge management and knowledge and information sharing in the public sector, multi‐agency working and information sharing, and the legislative and regulatory context relating to information sharing. A questionnaire‐based survey was conducted within the Trafford Children and Young People's Service workforce in order to explore attitudes toward the sharing of personal information.

Findings

Workers recognise the importance of information sharing to their job role and are willing participants, despite busy work schedules; they also acknowledge that management is committed to information sharing. On the other hand, information systems continue to present challenges in terms of mixed case file formats, suitability and usability of computer software, and the development of staff information technology skills. In addition, the complex legislative and regulatory context guiding information sharing is a source of some lack of confidence in relation to which personal case information may be shared, with who, and under what circumstances.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the limited knowledge on information sharing in the public sector. It is unique in its focus on the sharing of case‐based personal information, a context in which the legal and regulatory framework is an additional factor in information sharing.
How UK academic libraries choose metasearch systems
Authors: Ruddock Bethan , Hartley Dick
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how UK academic libraries choose metasearch systems; the choice processes they use; the main influences on their choices; and whether these choice processes could be made easier.

Design/methodology/approach

The project used a mixture of quantitative and qualitative research methods, consisting of a literature review, two semi‐structured interviews, and an electronic questionnaire, distributed to systems librarians in UK university libraries.

Findings

It was found that many processes are repeated across libraries. It was also found that a prior/existing relationship with vendors has a strong influence on how libraries chose metasearch systems.

Originality/value

There has been no prior research explicitly investigating how a range‐of‐libraries chose metasearch systems. The results could be of value to libraries that are choosing a metasearch system, or other systems such as library management systems. It could also be of value to anyone interested in general choice procedures in libraries.
Acid‐dyes as corrosion inhibitors for mechanically pretreated aluminum
Authors: Tsangaraki‐Kaplanoglou I. , Kanta A. , Theohari S. , Ninni V.
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide acid‐dyes, known for the dyeing of porous aluminum oxide films, as inhibitors of the corrosion of aluminum in neutral chloride solutions.

Design/methodology/approach

Potentiodynamic polarization plots are recorded on mechanically pretreated aluminum using a three‐electrode cell containing 0.01 M NaCl solution with or without 0.025 mM of the acid‐dyes monosulfonic methyl orange (MO), disulfonic chromotrop RR (CH), disulfonic alphazurine A (AZ) and trisulfonic light green SF yellowish (LG). The X‐ray fluorescence technique is used in certain cases for the estimation of sulfur net content of the surface of the probes and thus of the concentration of the adsorbed dye.

Findings

The inhibition efficiency of acid dyes on corrosion of mechanically pretreated aluminum seems to be related more to the presence of a following quinonoid structure which probably contributes more to the formation of mono‐ or bi‐dentate compounds with the aluminum cations in the substrate than to the number of sulfonic groups in their molecule. Thus, the triphenylmethane dyes LG and, to a greater extent AZ, having this quinonoid structure means they are more efficient as corrosion inhibitors in near‐neutral chloride solution than the azo dyes MO and CH, that do not have it.

Practical implications

Selected acid‐dyes such as triphenylmethane sulfonic‐dyes, which have found wide application in the dyeing industry, seem to protect aluminum against the corrosive action of chlorides.

Originality/value

This paper is intended to be the nucleus for the electrochemical studies of the effectiveness of acid dyes as corrosion inhibitors for aluminum.
Influence of short annealing treatment on corrosion behaviour of cryorolled commercially pure aluminum
Authors: Sivaprasad K. , Swarnalatha V. , Ravikumar V.V. , Muthupandi V.
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the corrosion behavior of as‐cryorolled and cryorolled‐short annealed commercially pure aluminum (CP‐Al) in 3.5 percent NaCl solution.

Design/methodology/approach

Cast and homogenized CP‐Al samples are cryorolled from 7 to 0.7 mm at −80°C. Samples are short annealed at 125, 150 and 175°C for 3 min. Transmission electron microscope studies are performed to understand the effect of cryorolling and short annealing on microstructure. Corrosion behavior of these samples in 3.5 percent NaCl solution is evaluated by potentiodynamic polarization studies.

Findings

Though cryorolling adversely affects corrosion resistance of CP‐Al, short annealing can restore the loss in corrosion resistance partially by the recovery process. The extent of restoration of loss in corrosion resistance by short annealing is influenced by the texture.

Originality/value

The results obtained by this investigation help in understanding the effect of cryorolling and short annealing on corrosion behavior of CP‐Al.
Information Literacy 2.0: hype or discourse refinement?
Authors: Špiranec Sonja , Banek Zorica Mihaela
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the term Information Literacy 2.0 as a subset of information literacy, to describe its development and significance and give an outline of its underlying theoretical assumptions.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper first examines the grounds for the possible re‐conceptualizations in the field of information literacy and identifies the current developments in the information universe as the principal drive for perception shifts. Based on a literature review and a descriptive analysis of contrasting features of library user education, information literacy and Information literacy 2.0, the paper highlights the main foci of paradigm shifts.

Findings

The paper found that the new meaning and understanding of the central conceptions in information literacy are shifting the focus of classical information literacy towards Information literacy 2.0. Many of the aspects of current information literacy practices originate from a print‐based culture, which is incongruent with the transient and hybrid nature of digital environments. These radically changing environments are causing the appearance of anomalies in the information literacy paradigm, which could effectively be resolved through the introduction of a sub‐concept of information literacy.

Practical implications

The article specifies the possibilities for putting theoretical conceptualizations of Information literacy 2.0 into practice by determining the range of shifts in information literacy activities and identifying how new practices differ from the earlier approaches.

Originality/value

The study attempts to advance the research field of information literacy by proposing a new outlook on information literacy through the integration of its underlying theoretical conceptions and practical applications.
Robots that are faster or perform in‐mold labeling highlight plastics show
Authors: Bloss Richard
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review the National Plastics Exposition 2009, Plastics Show held in Chicago, IL, with emphasis on robots, end‐of‐arm‐tooling and their application in the plastics industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach takes the form of in‐depth interviews with suppliers of robots, injection molding machines, system integration of robots into plastic processing applications and suppliers of controls and end‐of‐arm‐tooling.

Findings

The plastic injection molding industry is moving to production cells with heavy usage of robot machine tending. The need for very short cycle times drives the interest in very fast agile robots with the ability to integrate easily into the production cell approach. New technologies such as in‐mold labeling also drive the need for suitable robots and competent system integrators to supply successful systems.

Originality/value

The paper shows that robot builders need to continue to develop specialized robots and tooling to match advancements in applications in the plastic industry. Users will need to think of robots as a necessary adjunct to any injection molding application.
Asynchronous demodulation CMOS sensor for object labeling and its application in robotics
Authors: Habibi M. , Sayedi S.M.
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a novel image‐labeling CMOS sensor for modulated marker detection.

Design/methodology/approach

An image scene with multiple objects, each identified by a flashing light‐emitting diode (LED), is captured by the sensor. The LED's frequency is a representation of the object ID‐tag. The sensor detects and labels the objects by identifying the signal frequencies. The processing is performed in‐pixel and, since the object detection task is simplified, power dissipation is reduced. A 64×64 pixel sensor is designed in the 0.6 μm CMOS technology.

Findings

Simulation results show successful object identification. At a frame rate of 250 fps the measured power consumption is 11 mW, which is less than those of the previously reported object detection solutions. The application of the presented sensor is shown in several different robotic fields such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) vision, household robots and industrial robots. It is also explained how the sensor can be used for low‐power localization and position detection of the robot vehicles.

Originality/value

The paper shows that the sensor is a suitable solution for low‐power landmark detection and robot localization.
Supply chain integration and product modularity
Authors: Lau Antonio K.W. , Yam Richard C.M. , Tang Esther P.Y.
Published: January 2010

Purpose

While the beneficial impact of supply chain integration (SCI) and modular product design are generally acknowledged, few empirical studies have examined how an organization can achieve better performance through SCI with modular product design. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between SCI and modular product design, as well as their impact on product performance.

Design/methodology/approach

By surveying 251 manufacturers in Hong Kong, structural equation modelling is used to test the research constructs and the hypothesized model.

Findings

The results confirm that information sharing, product co‐development and organizational coordination are crucial organizational processes within SCI. Companies that have high levels of product modularity appear to be good at product co‐development and organizational coordination directly and at information sharing indirectly. Furthermore, companies that have high levels of product co‐development or product modularity appear to have better product performance.

Research limitations/implications

This paper theoretically and empirically identifies three specific organizational processes within SCI (information sharing, product co‐development and organizational coordination), which affect modular product design and product performance. These more specific findings were previously absent from the literature. However, the study is limited to the cross‐sectional nature of a survey study, the operationalization of SCI and product modularity, and the nature of the product types.

Originality/value

This paper empirically examines the relationships between SCI and product modularity, which has seldom been attempted in previous research. It clearly identifies exactly which processes within SCI are directly and indirectly related to product modularity.
The performance measurement perspectives and causal relationship for ISO‐certified companies
Authors: Wu Shwu‐Ing , Liu Shin‐Yi
Published: January 2010

Purpose

Using opto‐electronic industries as the example, the purpose of this paper is to include: designing reliable performance perspectives and indicators for evaluating ISO‐certified industries; and constructing a performance relationship model of those ISO‐certified industries.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper introduces the concept of the balanced scorecard as the performance measurement for ISO‐certified industries, and adopts structural equation modelling to verify the causal relationship amongst the performance perspectives. The paper takes three opto‐electronic companies in Taiwan as evidence cases. The valid response numbers to the survey are 177.

Findings

The research results indicate that the performance measurement indicators developed by this paper are effective in the ISO‐certified opto‐electronic industries. The evaluation indicators are comprised of five perspectives: finance, customer, internal process, learning and growing, and corporate mission. A causal relationship is found to exist among the five perspectives.

Research limitations/implications

This paper uses only the opto‐electronic industry as the research case. However, different industry types can have different research findings and this will lead to different results.

Practical implications

Applying the proposed measurement indicators and model would aid enterprises to effectively measure the effect of being ISO‐certified, and understanding the causal relationships amongst performance perspectives. Thus, enterprises could identify all determining items of performance and use these results as a basis for further improvement.

Originality/value

This paper aims to establish performance measurement indicators and a relationship model for the manufacturing industry certified by ISO. A set of performance measurement indicators and a relationship model are derived. This paper has made a contribution to the academic and practical areas.
Evaluating the reliability of component‐based software systems
Authors: Chinnaiyan R. , Somasundaram S.
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the reliability of individual software components in terms of the probability that each software component performs its intended functionality successfully. The overall software system reliability is evaluated.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper incorporates the reliability behavior of component‐based software system using Markov process.

Findings

It is found that the component‐based software system reliability increases as the component reliability increases.

Originality/value

This paper explores new directions in evaluating the reliability of component‐based software systems for software reliability and offers practical help to researchers and software industries in reliable software development. The proposed software simulation technique will act as a tool for the software quality assurance team for evaluating the reliability of component‐based software systems.
Managing for results: lessons from public management reform in Malaysia
Authors: Alam Siddiquee Noore
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse Malaysia's shift towards results‐based management in two key areas of the public service: budgeting and human resource management. More specifically, it shows how and to what extent the values of results‐based management have been incorporated in the Malaysian public sector and describes their constraints and challenges.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopts a combination of descriptive and analytical methods and is mainly based on secondary sources of data and information. While it provides a systematic and comprehensive review of recent reform initiatives, it also focuses on the discrepancies between policies and practices in terms of actual implementation.

Findings

Although Malaysia has followed the global trend by introducing results‐based management in public governance, evidence shows that the implementation of the new approach is far from satisfactory. The paper argues that while personnel management and budgetary reforms have helped overcome many of the anomalies of the traditional approach, the current practice in these areas continues to suffer from major inadequacies and limitations.

Practical implications

The issues and challenges identified in the paper and the policy implications proposed should aid the formulation of strategies and measures intended to support results‐based management in Malaysia and other similar contexts.

Originality/value

The paper adds to the limited knowledge in this field. Managing for results is new in Malaysia and hence scholarly literature on the subject is scarce. The findings of the paper and the lessons drawn would be of practical significance to all those interested in this area – especially the policy makers and practitioners in Malaysia's public service. They are also expected to have wider relevance to public governance in other similar contexts.
Combining industrial buyer and seller strategies for international supply and marketing management
Authors: Andersson Svante , Servais Per
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review international industrial purchasing and marketing literature with a focus on portfolio models, to develop portfolio models for buyers' and sellers' international strategies, and to combine the models so that both the buyer and seller perspectives are dealt with simultaneously.

Design/methodology/approach

Literature on international industrial purchasing and marketing is discussed. Dimensions that are important for the buyers' and sellers' strategies are identified. Portfolio models for buyers and sellers are developed and the two perspectives are matched together.

Findings

The paper contributes a specification of features that are important for industrial buyers' and sellers' international purchasing and marketing strategies. These dimensions are used to develop a model of supplier relationship management and a marketing management model for supplier strategies. The consequences for the firm's international activities are discussed. A model combining industrial buyers' and sellers' international supply and marketing management strategies is developed.

Research limitations/implications

This paper provides a deeper understanding of international exchange processes by combining literature on international industrial purchasing and international marketing. Situations are identified where different areas of theory are applicable. The paper also contributes to the discussion on what should be the conceptual domain of international business. Here, it is argued that international exchange is the product of joint decisions made by two or more actors based in different countries. Earlier academic literature reveals a striking imbalance: while one side of the coin – the exporter side – has been extensively studied, the importer side has largely been neglected. In this paper, it is tried to present a balanced view of both sides.

Practical implications

This paper introduces portfolio management models that can be used for both industrial purchasing and marketing management. The paper stresses the importance of finding a fit between the marketing and purchasing strategies within a relationship. If both parties have positioned the relationship in a similar way, there are much greater possibilities for the relationship to create value for both parties.

Originality/value

The paper combines international industrial purchasing and international marketing perspectives as few studies have done before.
Building global football brand equity
Authors: Bodet Guillaume , Chanavat Nicolas
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the perceived brand equity of professional football clubs on foreign markets as these clubs firmly want to expand and reach a global brand status.

Design/methodology/approach

Fitting with an inductive approach, 12 semi‐structured interviews are conducted in order to analyse the perceptions of Chinese fans of four English Premier League clubs.

Findings

The results of this research highlight the fact that the strength of professional football brand equity on the Chinese market is strongly determined by the level of brand awareness and perceived quality but, due to the increasing competition on foreign markets, professional football clubs need to clearly define their strategic marketing in order to improve the two other dimensions of brand equity, which are brand image and loyalty, which represents crucial stake to distinguish themselves.

Originality/value

The results provide useful information for professional clubs in general which want to become global but also provide relevant ways to improve brand equity for the four clubs investigated. This paper is one of the first to analyse perceived brand equity of professional clubs in direct competition among foreign potential or current customers.
Leveraging fans' global football allegiances to build domestic league support
Authors: McDonald Heath , Karg Adam J. , Lock Daniel
Published: January 2010

Purpose

It is not uncommon for sports fans to follow multiple sports teams across different sports and even several teams across different leagues of the same sport. Whereas this might be considered a competitive situation, the purpose of this paper is to examine how interest in overseas football (soccer) leagues played a symbiotic role in the successful development of an Australian national soccer league.

Design/methodology/approach

Results of survey data are presented from two clubs in Australia's newly formed A‐League. Three surveys were conducted over a two year period with over 3,700 season ticket holders. Specific attention is paid to fans' previous interest and exposure to football, which is then related to attitudes and behaviour associated with the new clubs.

Findings

Interest in overseas clubs and leagues is found to be a major antecedent of interest in the Australian league. Those who follow teams in overseas leagues are more likely to be heavy consumers of the new local league than those who follow local leagues or had no prior experience. They also exhibit stronger attitudinal and behavioural loyalty, such as higher attendance and renewal rates of season tickets.

Practical implications

Recognising fan interest in multiple teams/leagues as positive involves a shift in management thinking away from a competitive to a collaborative stance. In this case, rapid adoption of new teams is encouraged by capitalising on strong interest in overseas leagues. This requires careful structuring and branding of the competition that mimicks familiar foreign leagues, while minimising unfavourable comparisons in areas like quality of play.

Originality/value

This study capitalises on the rare opportunity to examine foundation teams in a new national league. The findings highlight the importance and value of taking a “global” perspective to the marketing of sports, and of carefully leveraging the interest in other elite competitions to build interest in new leagues.
Visualising and measuring intellectual capital in capital markets: a research method
Authors: Lock Lee Laurence , Guthrie James
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe a research method successfully used to study intellectual capital (IC) and IC flows through a highly networked marketplace.

Design/methodology/approach

The method integrates computer‐assisted content analysis (CA) and multivariate statistics. The CA is performed on a large source of business and analyst reports. The method is successful in enabling the elements of IC to be related to firm performance, using 156 firms in the global information technology market as a testing ground.

Findings

Computer‐assisted CA techniques could be successfully used to analyse the larger samples of firms for IC attributes like human capital, internal capital and external or relational capital, than have previously been feasible using manual CA methods.

Research limitations/implications

Several limitations of the method are identified and relate to the computer‐assisted CA method used. First, the method relies on the existence of a large body of content, in this case business reports and articles, to create the indices for the IC attributes. A second limitation is that the IC attributes are constructed from public sources (i.e. they represent the view of external reporters, rather than internal to the organisation reporters). The method presented combines and extends the benefits of both qualitative and quantitative methods. The richer source of IC content for a larger sample of firms is made accessible through computer‐assisted CA. The overall method enables insights to be explored in relating firm IC to firm performance in the market place.

Originality/value

The integrated research method presented is the result of original research. The value to researchers is the opportunity it provides to study the IC/performance relationship across markets, rather than be limited to small sample or limited attribute studies.
Situated and transformative learning: exploring the potential of critical reflection to enhance organizational knowledge
Authors: Karalis Thanassis
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss a combination of basic elements of two different and contemporary approaches to learning in enhancing knowledge in organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based mainly on a literature review trying to combine elements of two different approaches of adult learning.

Findings

Although situated learning and transformative learning start from different viewpoints, they can be combined in the making of the reflective practitioner and professional

Originality/value

The proposal presented here shows that critical reflection can assist in developing a more effective gradual entrance for newcomers in a professional environment.
Marketing Planning for Wine
Authors: Spawton Tony
Published: January 2010

The broad area of the wine industry and the marketing of wine, particularly, are focused on with regard to the changing environment in which wine is made and consumed. The marketing process is described in the context of its application in the wine industry and the environment in which it operates: changing consumption patterns in the industrialised nations, new distribution patterns, and different social and environmental issues. The segmentation of the wine market into two distinct areas, fine wines and beverage wines, each operating independently of the other, is described and the marketing mix factors which the wine marketer can deploy in order to maximise opportunities in these markets are detailed, utilising research into wine consumers' behaviour. The factors detailed are the product, its tangible and intangible benefits; the price — market skimming, market penetration, neutral pricing; the communication mix — word of mouth, journalism, sales promotion, advertising; branding and positioning; ranging, and the distribution channels. It is shown that marketing planning is essential for the winemaker, whether a one‐person boutique winery or a large multinational. The steps to take in preparing a marketing plan are described and guidance is given so that the winemaker can make it happen, both to satisfy consumers' needs and to make a profit.
A Tale of Two Wine Regions
Authors: Cholette Susan
Published: January 2010

This article compares the state of the French and Californian wine industries from a business perspective, through a broad survey of recent academic and popular press articles. Although these two wine regions may seem disparate, commonalities (including potential business opportunities and threats) make the comparison relevant. Facets of supply and demand are analyzed, and respective production and distribution regulations are summarized. Several predictions for the future are presented, with suggestions on how to best leverage these trends. Demands will rise as the economic downturn abates and overall non‐cyclic market expansion continues. Segmentation will play an even more important role in how suppliers target their offerings, as will changes within distribution and wine retailing. Regional shares of the domestic and export markets will shift as globalization of the sector, including international mergers and partnerships, continues. In conclusion, suppliers from both regions can take advantage of current conditions and future trends to produce and market wines in a business‐savvy manner.
An Exploration of the Luxury Wine Trade
Authors: Beverland Michael B.
Published: January 2010

Despite the public profile of many luxury brands, little is known about the positioning and marketing of these products, or the consumer interpretations of each brand. This article reports on a two‐part study in an attempt to understand the dynamics of this market. The first study reports on the results of interviews with fine wine consumers, distributors, and retailers in Australia. Results reveal that the interpretation of these brands is a complex process, and that their positioning revolves around a number of product and marketing related features. The second study involves interviews with a number of leading producers of luxury wine brands. Results from these interviews examine the positioning of these brands, the evolution of each firm's strategy, and the challenges and benefits from operating in this market.
Internet Adoption by Australian Wineries: Perceived Benefits and Direct Marketing Practices
Authors: Sellitto Carmine
Published: January 2010

This article reports on research that examined internet adoption by 225 Australian wineries. Findings indicate that this new technology has been widely embraced by the industry and that numerous perceived benefits, especially associated with e‐mail marketing, are being achieved. The study found that many wineries collected e‐mail addresses for marketing purposes, whilst many engage in a high degree of direct marketing using the e‐mail medium to distribute newsletters. Smaller wineries appear to be the main proponents in using the Internet, the study concluding that this group achieved the highest proportion of Web sales. A link was established between small wineries that had a high use of e‐mail permission marketing and increased web sales.