bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The quest for quality at Safeway Australia
Authors: Sohal Amrik S. , Lu Edmund
Published: July 2002

Reports on the quality initiative undertaken by Safeway, the
largest supermarket chain operating in Victoria, Australia and part of
the Woolworth’s group. Illustrates the impact that a
“converted” chief executive can have on an organization, and
how the organization has been changed through his tremendous energy and
conviction. Also illustrates how service organizations typically
perceive quality management, especially in an environment highly
oriented towards people and customer service. Safeway readily
acknowledges that there is still much that can be done within their
organization to adopt quality management practices, but they are eager
to share their experiences with others. Indeed, it is one of the few
service organizations which have made significant progress in this area.
Benchmarking and project management: a review and organizational model
Authors: Ramabadron Ramamurthy , Dean James W. , Evans James R.
Published: July 2002

Explains that benchmarking ‐ the process of identifying superior performance or practices of other organizations and internalizing such knowledge for competitive advantage ‐ is performed typically on a project‐by‐project basis. Argues that a better understanding of benchmarking at the project level would help to reveal reasons for successful benchmarking at the organizational level. Develops a conceptual model to address the question of how characteristics of benchmarking teams and partner organizations impact on benchmarking project outcomes. The model focuses on the interaction of key teamwork and organizational variables, and provides a basis for empirical testing of benchmarking project implementation effectiveness.
Benchmarking at Shorts
Authors: Zairi Mohamed
Published: July 2002

Notes that Shorts initiated a total quality programme in 1987 in response to a crisis following privatisation of the company. Points out that the company has found strategic benchmarking particularly useful in efforts to increase competitiveness. Looks at the Focus 2000 benchmarking initiative which represents Shorts’ vision of the future. Considers in depth the way the company carries out its benchmarking activities and outlines key benefits.
Methodological strategies for benchmarking accounting processes
Authors: Beretta Sergio , Dossi Andrea , Grove Hugh
Published: July 2002

In this article it is contended that methodological issues implicit in benchmarking studies have to be clearly appreciated by management in assessing the reliability of performance gaps and the identification of sound practices that can be successfully adopted by other firms. There is no doubt that organisational design aspects of the benchmarking process are crucial to the success of the project. However, there are at least four methodological issues, extremely critical to the success of benchmarking projects, that have not yet been adequately analysed. These four methodological issues are: how to define the performance measures; how to achieve comparability of performances; how to identify best practices; how to evaluate the transferability of best practices. Strategies are developed to address these benchmarking issues. Then, these strategies are summarised in the components of a benchmarking model linking performances and best practices.
Best practices in the food and drinks industry
Authors: Mann Robin , Adebanjo Oludotun , Kehoe Dennis
Published: July 2002

In June 1996, Leatherhead Food Research Association launched the “Food and Drinks Industry Benchmarking and Self‐Assessment Initiative” with the support of the Department of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. As part of this initiative, nine food companies that excel in terms of the European Business Excellence Model were selected for visits. This paper reports on the best practices used by these companies in terms of the results they have achieved (in people satisfaction, customer satisfaction, impact on society and business results) and the way in which they have achieved them (through effective leadership, people management, policy and strategy, process management and resource management). For the food industry to move forward, it needs to take on board the best practices shown in this report. In particular, more food companies should consider using self‐assessment as a method for identifying improvement opportunities and assessing their progress towards business excellence.
An empirical analysis of critical factors of TQM
Authors: Thiagarajan T. , Zairi M.
Published: July 2002

This paper discusses an empirical analysis of total qulaity management (TQM) critical factors using an adaptation of a questionnaire used previously in the USA. Since the context of this analysis was the Malaysian approach to TQM implementation, the measuring scale was designed so that it can not only capture the degree of perception and understanding of each critical factor, but also measure the order of criticality of each factor. A total of 22 critical factors in all were found to predominate and these were classified in three separate tiers, thus giving them a structure. The findings were very compatible with those highlighted in the literature and also covered by similar studies. An index of comparative criticality was developed, leading to the proposal of a self‐assessment tool which can be used for a variety of purposes such as self‐assessment for developing an improvement plan and also for benchmarking the degree of implementation of each critical factor against the index produced as a standard.
A quality competitiveness index for benchmarking
Authors: Kumar Ashok , Motwani Jaideep , Douglas Ceasar , Das Narayan
Published: July 2002

The operations strategy literature has identified four primary dimensions on which a firm competes with another. These are: price, quality, flexibility, and delivery dependability. Of these, quality is perhaps the most critical dimension in terms of the impact on the degree of competitiveness imparted to a firm by a competitiveness dimension. In this paper, we propose a quantitative measure – quality competitiveness index (QCI) – to determine the degree to which a firm’s quality practices and policies are instrumental in improving its competitiveness. The QCI can be effectively employed for benchmarking among competing firms. More importantly, however, the process leading to the determination of QCI is itself an educative one – the weaknesses and strengths of a company with respect to its quality practices and policies come right to the fore and the company can usefully employ this information to improve competitiveness for quality.
Benchmarking quality management
Authors: Godfrey Jayne M. , Godfrey Peter J.
Published: July 2002

This paper describes the extent to which Australian university alumni offices currently apply benchmarking principles. Not surprisingly, there is considerable diversity in the way that the offices measure, evaluate, and progress their operations. Benchmarking has been adopted by only half of the respondents to a survey of management practices. To some extent, the differences reflect differences in alumni officers’ perceptions of the primacy of various customer groups, and the extent to which the top echelons of the universities advocate quality management practices. Resource constraints and concerns about meeting target performance measures are key deterrents to the adoption of benchmarking. Those associations that adopt benchmarking out‐perform those that do not on the following dimensions: commitment to quality management practices; communication with employees; continuous improvement, emphasis on customer satisfaction; and participative management. Organisations that have adopted quality management principles vary according to how they implement benchmarking, including the types of benchmarking partners adopted.
Competitive benchmarking in the air cargo industry: Part I
Authors: Lobo Ingrid , Zairi Mohamed
Published: July 2002

This is the first of a series of three papers discussing a major benchmarking initiative in the air cargo freight industry sector. The project itself focused on nine major competitors in the cargo industry and included organisations known to be leaders in the areas of service excellence. The methodology used for establishing comparisons was an adaptation of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) (1996 version). A questionnaire was used with prompts covering various areas of quality management, people involvement in continuous improvement, service excellence aspects, customer focus and satisfaction aspects and finally business and operational performance aspects. Paper 1 discusses the changes that are taking place in the air cargo freight industry and sets the scene by presenting profiles of all of the competitors used in this study.
The practice of real estate valuation in Portugal
Authors: dos Santos Reis Vítor M. , Lou Downie Mary , Fisher Peter , Fernandes António
Published: July 2002

The globalization of trade and markets requires international standards governing accounting and associated activities including valuation. The EU Financial Services Action Plan and the revised banking supervision rules both spotlight the need for consistent standards. Valuation standards exist at the international (IVSC), European (TEGoVA) and professional (RICS) levels. Differences of tradition and approach nevertheless still exist covering fundamental issues such as bases of value. Traditional valuation practice in many EU states therefore faces a process of swift harmonization. This paper examines, for one EU country, the degree of variation between valuation standards and current practice. Results are presented of the first ever survey of the professional practice of Portuguese valuers. Survey results reveal a largely part‐time profession, which appears to be poorly equipped to meet the challenge outlined above.
Quality and Property Performance
Authors: Baum Andrew
Published: July 2002

Quality and profit are often considered to be connected. The property
market is one in which the concept often arises. For example, the
definition of prime property is a quality judgement. In property
development, the production of high‐quality property may be thought to
improve returns, or to reduce risk. Considers the question whether (and
if so, how) quality in property development (excluding site factors) is
likely to lead to high returns. Recently published work defines quality
as resistance to depreciation, where depreciation is defined in purely
financial (return) terms. Fully considers this work, which concentrates
on offices and industrials. Extends this work, describing new research
which considers the application of the relevant concepts and quality
definitions to shopping centres. Quality and cost are also considered to
be connected. In property development, high construction costs may be
expected to produce quality. This produces a complex subsidiary question
concerning this relationship, which is also addressed here.
Rental Valuations with Inducements: An Update
Authors: Bond Sandy
Published: July 2002

Over the past two years, the use of rental inducements has increased in
response to a softening leasing market for office space. The methods to
employ for analysing the induced rentals have been uncertain. However,
owing to a number of recently contested arbitrations, methodologies are
now being applied which are gaining general acceptance. Despite this,
not all of the issues have gained total unanimity and require further
analysis. These include: (1) the treatment of tax; (2) the treatment of
the benefit arising from an unratched lease; and (3) the quanitifying of
indirect inducements. The resolution of these issues is essential to
achieve a fully equitable rental assessment. These issues are discussed
and methodologies suggested to address them. In future the need to deal
with such issues may subside as a result of the growing trend towards
lower stated rentals and away from the use of inducements.
The use of simulation in property investment analysis
Authors: MacFarlane John
Published: July 2002

Simulation is a powerful analytical tool which facilitates an
investigation of financial risk through the examination of repeated
outcomes from the same model. It is not, however, an easy matter to use
simulation in a property investment context due to the existence of
complex relationships between the fundamental components (such as the
periodic cash flows, vacancy rates, letting up periods and
capitalization rates). Seeks to examine a simple investment scenario in
which the variations in net annual cash flows and final capitalization
rate determine the overall viability of the investment. Shows that the
relationship between these two variables and between the net annual cash
flows over time significantly increases the investment′s risk. The use
of asymmetric variables to describe these property characteristics is
also discussed as are the interpretation of “expected”
outcomes as either the “average” and the “most
likely” result. These are all critical considerations if the
simulation model is to provide a reasonable representation of the true
investment situation and for the simulation results to be useful in the
investment decision‐making process.
Reinvestment rate risk analysis: a comment
Authors: Schuck Edward
Published: July 2002

In a recent article, Dr Michael J. Crean (1993) asserts that
reinvestment rates of interest must be explicitly taken into account
when using internal rate of return (IRR) to compare mutually exclusive
investment opportunities. To that end and to measure the risk perceived
to be associated with reinvestment, Dr Crean presents two new concepts,
namely the combined result of externally averaged numbers (CREAN) and
the reinvestment rate risk ratio (R4). Presents a response to Dr
Crean′s article. Begins by showing that the bulk of Dr Crean′s analysis
is a reproduction of research that appeared in the finance literature
more than two decades ago. It is also shown that variants of IRR which
explicitly take reinvestment opportunities into account are of low
economic validity. Such measures offer no benefit to naïve
investors, since they are forced to assume that the spot rates of
interest determined in the financial markets already incorporate a
consensus view of future reinvestment opportunities. Selective investors
are also not well served by such measures as the CREAN, as they (just
like IRR) cannot be used as an absolute measure of investment
attractiveness or to compare mutually exclusive alternatives in the
absence of information on the market price of risk. Concludes by taking
issue with Dr Crean′s assertion that duration and the R4 should
both be used to gauge and compare the attractiveness of investments.
Price formation, mispricing and investment analysis in the property market
Authors: Baum Andrew , Crosby Neil , MacGregor Bryan
Published: July 2002

Responds to “A note on ‘The initial yield revealed: explicit valuations and the future of property investment’” published in an earlier issue of the Journal of Property Valuation & Investment. Addresses issues raised and develops and extends the organizations of the original paper, in particular: definitions of certain concepts; the determination of value; the need for explicit valuations; price formation in the property market; and the influence of valuation on price. Reiterates the purposes of the original worked example of valuations; produces a corrected version; and in an appendix presents extended solutions and a fuller discussion of the central issues.
Turnover rents: comparative valuation issues
Authors: McAllister Patrick
Published: July 2002

Turnover rents have become an accepted part of the retail property market, particularly in managed shopping centres, airports, motorway service stations and railway stations. Relates to their use for managed shopping centres. Their relative merits have been a source of debate among retailers and property professionals. However, the issue of valuation methodology for retail properties let on turnover leases has not been discussed. Examines the types of turnover lease in the UK and their investment characteristics. The limitations and problems of current valuation approaches are explored. The property market where retail turnover leases are most common ‐ the USA ‐ is also examined in order to assess whether any lessons can be learned. Concludes that turnover leases in the UK are likely to produce complex and varying income flows. Moreover, the usefulness of current valuation techniques will be limited, owing to a lack of comparables and the inherent inflexibility of the techniques themselves.
Contaminated land and other forms of environmental impairment: an approach to valuation
Authors: Syms Paul
Published: July 2002

The valuation of properties affected by environmental impairment presents valuers with many problems, not least of which is the identification of those properties which may be so affected. Offers a list of land use activities, together with the types of contamination which may be found. Proposes a method of valuing impaired properties, taking account of present and future costs of treatment. Discusses the question of stigma and describes a method of assessing the valuation impact. Concludes with a proposal to establish an Environmental Impairment Databank, so as to assist valuers in the preparation of valuations and the advice which they provide to clients.
Comparative analysis of market performance in European cities
Authors: Adair Alistair , Berry Jim , McGreal Stanley
Published: July 2002

Examines diversification focusing on international and cross‐border investment. Extends the concept of regional diversification to European planning regions and discusses the potential implications of a “Europe of the regions” on property investment. Uses cross‐sectional analysis to identify the criteria influencing property investment performance across a number of European cities. Model outcomes indicate the importance of local factors in particular market size. Also provides, in this analysis support to the hypothesis concerning linkages between real estate returns, GDP and employment characteristics.
Will investors standardize appraisal practices in the European Union?
Authors: Hordijk Aart C. , Condit James C.
Published: July 2002

For ages, the diverse histories and cultures of European nations have challenged professionals and politicians who have attempted to refine international co‐operation and trade. The turbulent history of the attempts to develop a single European market and European currency attests to that. Efforts to standardize appraisal practices have been no less challenging. Three groups have been prominent in this effort: Inter‐European appraiser organizations, professional organizations, and the real property investors. Experience with the ROZ/IPD Index (a comparative data analysis) indicates that the investors are forcing the creation of national and international appraisal standards in order to accomplish their investment goals and minimize risk.
Clustering retailers by store space requirements
Authors: O’Roarty Brenna , McGreal Stanley , Adair Alastair
Published: July 2002

This paper utilises cluster analytical techniques to examine the relationship between store space requirements, micro‐style property selection and retail function. Analysis of survey data infers that retail function is the most important dimension in determining retailers’ behaviour with respect to store space requirements. Suggests that variation across a range of factors pertinent to the valuation of shop premises cannot be explained by store space requirements. Concludes that application of unit area values derived from the comparison of properties of different size and layout in any assessment of retail rental values is potentially flawed.
Money illusion in consumer perception of housing transactions
Authors: Raftery John , Runeson Goran
Published: July 2002

Money illusion is a bias in the assessment of the real value of economic transactions, induced by their nominal evaluation. By definition, money illusion may only be manifested in the presence of inflation. This paper presents the results of an experiment which shows that the actual behaviour of subjects departed from theoretical expectations and that the subjects failed to recognize the underlying real values and instead made nominal evaluations. The evidence has the further implication that, in the absence of some house price escalation, there may be a tendency for vendor’s asking prices to be “sticky”. Thus, in these circumstances the asking price of the property will tend to function less well as a signal of relative scarcity in the marketplace.
Scenario planning: strategic interviews and conversations
Authors: Ratcliffe John
Published: July 2002

The future cannot be measured. foresight is largely a matter of conjecture, and at the heart of conjecture lies conversation. Organizations are essentially networks of personal interconnections based on conversation. Thus, in enabling complex adaptive organizations to look ahead, conversation, in one form or another, becomes a key component of strategic planning. This article describes the range of interview methods from structured to more active and creative methods and the emergence of “the strategic conversation”. The use of this technique is illustrated by examples.
Interconnect outcomes: to impose or negotiate – the experiences of Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea and Australia
Authors: Roehrich Nico , Armstrong Mark
Published: July 2002

This article surveys the recent experience of resolving access and interconnection issues in four quite different economies in East Asia: Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea and Australia. It suggests that there are some important questions that decide how interconnect issues are resolved in practice: clarity of the rules; national priorities; regulator activism; emphasis on negotiation by the parties and the overall pricing model. The overall finding is that the degree of regulatory intervention required to make interconnect regimes work has largely been underestimated.
Re‐engineering the specification process
Authors: Hvam Lars , Have Ulrik
Published: July 2002

Notes that rapid IT development changes the way of handling product data in sales, design and methods engineering (the specification process), and raises the important question, how to engineer systems for managing product data in order to utilise the IT possibilities. Presents, as a result of a project and a case study, concepts and methods for analysing the specification process and setting up a vision for an improved process. The theory bases for the project are; systems theory as applied in Wickam Skinner’s “manufacturing task”, concepts and methods from business process re‐engineering, and product data technology. The task concept is used for developing the specification process, where the functional demands to the specification process are outlined during an analysis of the so‐called “specification task”. As the task concept is used for another domain new descriptional dimensions for describing the specification task will be presented. Based on an analysis of the specification task the specification process is re‐engineered and a vision for the future process to be is formulated, evaluated, and a plan for the implementation set up.
The perceived benefits of an environmental management standard
Authors: Holt Diane
Published: July 2002

An exploratory pilot study identifying the perceived benefits of accreditation to an environmental management standard, BS 7750, in 13 UK companies. This paper begins by exploring the benefits of “going green”, followed by a description of the different environmental management standards. Then the methodology of the study is explored, including the structure of the questionnaire and the sample breakdown. The results section follows, detailing the broad results at each of the three stages of the questionnaire. Main findings are summarised in the conclusion followed by an indication of the future direction of the work. The paper concludes by identifying that the main benefit for companies in gaining an environmental management standard would appear to be the ability to quantify and identify elements of the environmental management process in the company, allowing a company to measure, manage and audit within a structured, recognised format.
Just‐in‐time manufacturing
Authors: Swanson Christine A. , Lankford William M.
Published: July 2002

JIT manufacturing is a philosophy by which an organization seeks continually to improve its products and processes by eliminating waste. Organizations wanting to use the JIT approach to manufacturing must have several building blocks in place. The building blocks include: company‐wide commitment, proper materials at the right time, supplier relationships, quality, and personnel. The JIT system runs smoothly with no peaks or valleys. The typical inventory system, on the other hand, is fraught with peaks and valleys that represent costs to the organization in the form of inventory holding costs, back order and stock‐out costs, overtime and idle time labor costs, and waste of materials and space.
Systems analysis and business process mapping: a symbiosis
Authors: Bond T.C.
Published: July 2002

Although systems analysis for designing information systems shares much in common with business process mapping there are critical differences. Systems analysis methodology produces a logical model, which omits all extraneous detail (in a somewhat similar spirit to business process re‐engineering). The approach is based on two views: entity‐relationships for data modelling and data flow diagramming for representing functions (which is used in a similar context to process in BPR terminology). A third view using an event driven process network, which serves as a macro representation complementing the other two views, is advocated.
Research agenda for agile manufacturing
Authors: Vernadat F.B.
Published: July 2002

Manufacturing agility can be defined as the ability to closely align manufacturing enterprise systems to changing business needs to achieve competitive performance. Agility has therefore three fundamental dimensions: organisation, technology and human, in addition to financial aspects. The paper discusses organisation, technological and human aspects of agility with respect to product design, manufacturing system design and innovation management.
Applications of QFD within a concurrent engineering environment
Authors: Harding J.A. , Omar A.R. , Popplewell K.
Published: July 2002

Companies needing to establish competitive advantage must ensure their products are brought to market quickly, with the quality features sought by potential customers. Concurrent Engineering techniques can reduce time scales, but quality issues are more difficult, as customers’ needs are not readily available to the project team throughout the design process, so design effort may focus on satisfying a functional specification, imperfectly translated from customer requirements, rather than on satisfying the real customer needs as perceived in the market. The research reported here demonstrates how a Concurrent Engineering environment and Quality Function Deployment techniques can be brought together to provide an extended design team with valuable, shared information throughout the design process.
Exploring inter‐organisational systems and flexibility in Ireland: a case of two value chains
Authors: Golden William , Powell Philip
Published: July 2002

This paper explores the use of inter‐organisational systems (IOS) and the impact they have on flexibility. The experiences of ten organisations that constitute two value chains enrich and extend previous survey findings. The paper first defines flexibility, arguing that it has four dimensions: temporal, range, intention and focus. It then investigates inter‐organisational systems, assessing how they impact on organisational flexibility. The paper also demonstrates how the case firms perceive flexibility. Next the types of IOS used are outlined, followed by a discussion on how IOS technology affects flexibility. An analysis of the impact of IOS on the flexibility of the complete value chain is presented and conclusions drawn.
Developing model licenses for electronic resources: cooperation in a competitive world
Authors: Cox John
Published: July 2002

The development of model licenses for use in the procurement of electronic journals is part of a necessary streamlining of an unfamiliar and burdensome process. Copyright law is inadequate to deal with the scope and accessibility of online journals, the interests of journal owners, or the specific needs of the serials community. Licensing is taking its place. A suite of model licenses is now in the public domain for use as part of the process of negotiating the purchase of electronic journal content for individual libraries and for consortia. These model licenses can help reduce the negotiation and administration for both publishers and librarians. They do not predict the outcome of negotiation or specify best practice; but rather are tools in a new and rapidly changing, information environment.
The OhioLINK approach
‐ Records and holdings for print and electronic serials in the OhioLINK central catalog
Authors: Gilliland Anne
Published: July 2002

Since 1992, when OhioLINK’s central catalog was first implemented, the consortium’s union listing and serials holdings activities have shifted from an emphasis on print holdings in individual libraries for traditional inter‐library lending to dealing with holdings for electronic serials purchased with group licenses and with related issues for linking catalog records, abstracting and indexing data. Current work centers on using one record or separate records for multiple versions of a serial (especially print and electronic), the most comprehensible display for resources owned by the consortium as a group instead of by separate libraries, information about and display of holdings information for the electronic version of serials, and consistent metadata.
Academic library consortia in contemporary South Africa
Authors: Darch Colin , Rapp Joan , Underwood Peter G.
Published: July 2002

Academic library consortia in South Africa are indeed beasts whose time has come at last, although whether they constitute a second coming for our profession or our end‐users remains to be seen. They can probably be described as a group of diverse entities, rough and as‐yet unsure of their destination. In this descriptive text, we attempt to outline, for a mainly North American audience, the specifics which distinguish the developing consortia in a newly democratic and newly globalised South Africa from those in other more economically advantaged parts of the world. It remains to be seen whether the center will in fact hold. Letting go reluctantly of this literary conceit, for the time being at least, we describe the all‐important social and political background in which our institutions must operate, moving on to an analysis of the impulse to cooperate and the obstacles that have emerged to stifle that impulse. In our conclusion we risk some predictions about where academic library consortia may be headed in our part of the world.
Patient education and emergency room visits
Authors: DeSalvo Alyson , Binda Rest Sandi , Knight Tammy , Nettleman Mary , Freer Steve
Published: July 2002

Patients visit emergency rooms for urgent and non‐urgent care. Because emergency room visits are more costly than visits to primary care clinics and are less likely to involve preventive care, third party payers and institutions have always tried to shift patients away from the emergency room and towards primary care clinics where appropriate. Hypothesizes that an intervention based in an adult primary care clinic might enable this, especially if it involved patients who used both the clinic and the emergency room. Surveys patients to determine why they used the emergency room and to identify barriers to using the primary care clinic instead. Based on the survey results, an intervention was developed to facilitate use of the primary care clinic. Discusses the methodology used in the survey and analyses results. Concludes that it is difficult to change patient behaviour to fit the demands of the health care system. Possibly, it would be better to change the system to fit the behaviour patterns of the patients.
Information requirements for clinical governance
Authors: Sanderson Hugh
Published: July 2002

Clinical governance requires three main types of information – guidelines, policies and treatment options for clinicians and patients; information about the care given; and information about how the systems work. There are other key issues which impact on the above – legal issues, national standards, sophisticated analytical tools and packages and the requisite training and development of staff.
Transportation information: a review of grey literature by format, language and availability
Authors: Osif Bonnie A.
Published: July 2002

This article describes a research study that was replicated to confirm the research methodologies and search strategies of transportation engineers in their primary databases as the formats for access changed due to electronic releases in CD‐ROM and via the Internet. An empirical snapshot of the available transportation literature recognizing how much of it is described as grey literature is demonstrated by the retrieval of five search statements replicated in the TRIS and TRANSPORT databases. Recommendations include that libraries increase their participation in TAG and working with government agencies to encourage them to electronically publish their data for end‐user searching and that more continue to participate in cooperative collection development ventures.
Internet activism: NGOs and the Mine Ban Treaty
Authors: Rutherford Kenneth R.
Published: July 2002

When the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines international awareness was heightened about the efforts of NGOs worldwide to ban landmines. The international Mine Ban Treaty was signed on March 1, 1999 after serious use of the Internet to communicate how critical this was to global safety. The methods of sharing information between foreign governments and being able to track this critical communication is central to understanding how the treaty gained visibility and how NGOs created coalitions to assure the success of this work. This article talks about global communications and sharing that could not have taken place with speed, worldwide coverage, efficiency and cost‐effectiveness, if the Internet had not been born.
Using education indexes to map research trends
Authors: Holbrook Allyson , Findlay Margaret , Misson Sebastian
Published: July 2002

This paper primarily examines the potential of the Australian Education Index (AEI) as a tool to map and monitor educational research. The authors provide a range of analyses that identify the thrust of research publications in Australia between 1984 and 1997. Key findings pertain to differences in the thrust of theses compared to other publications and to the overall stability in the pattern of research at the global or macro level. The authors also identify the strengths and weaknesses of the AEI with respect to its immediate use in monitoring research trends.
Recent Internet developments in the People’s Republic of China: an overview
Authors: Tang Jinhong
Published: July 2002

Points out the emergence of networked society and its major features. Introduces a series of high‐tech projects in the People’s Republic of China in response to networked society.
Access to distributed environmental databases with ICIx technology
Authors: Görlitz Otmar , Neubert Ralf , Benn Wolfgang
Published: July 2002

The Internet has become a favoured medium for the presentation and exchange of environmental and chemical data. To search for relevant information, the user either has to know the direct address of the Internet site, or has to use search engines and meta information repositories. In the latter case, the desired resource is described by a number of keywords, or descriptors. However, if too few descriptors are given, the answer set is immensely large. If too many or too specific descriptors are given, valuable information might be sorted out, because it lacks a particular descriptor. The Intelligent Cluster Index (ICIx) technology can remedy this situation. It generates a clustering of documents by their content characteristics. Applied in the described scenario this results in a grouping of Internet resources with comparable content. ICIx offers a similarity search facility based on the clustering. It allows the search for an arbitrary combination of descriptors. If an exact match is required, the result contains only documents matching all descriptors. In the similarity search, documents with comparable content – identified by the similarity clustering – can be included in the result set, even if they do not match all descriptors. Thus ICIx offers a wider range of relevant information in the answer than standard full text search provides.
Difficulties in diffusion of tacit knowledge in organizations
Authors: Haldin‐Herrgard Tua
Published: July 2002

To manage intangible assets such as knowledge is perceived as an important capability for competition. One of the main matters for managing knowledge resources is diffusion of knowledge within organizations. Knowledge management needs different forms according to the possibility to code knowledge. Internal individual processes like experience and talent obtain tacit knowledge that is difficult to code. Therefore it cannot be managed and shared as explicit knowledge. To rely on personal tacit knowledge is risky. Conversion of tacit knowledge to explicit or at least ability to share it offers greater value to an organization. But what are the difficulties related to sharing tacit knowledge? Different difficulties are to be found related to perception, language, time, value and distance.
Where does knowledge management add value?
Authors: Wen Chong Chee , Holden Tony , Wilhelmij Paul , Schmidt Ruth A.
Published: July 2002

This survey of senior managers at 25 international organizations tackles the key question: “Where does knowledge management add value?” The findings indicate that only a very limited number of organizations have a mechanism to track the return on investment in knowledge‐based competencies or related intangible assets. The majority were not able to determine the business value of their investment in this area. Most respondents agreed though that they had lost business opportunities as a result of poor knowledge practice. The results of this survey have led to the requirements of a conceptual model for the assessment of the return on investment in core knowledge‐based competencies.
Navigating with new managerial tools
Authors: Lövingsson Fredrik , Dell’Orto Stefano , Baladi Peter
Published: July 2002

Ericsson Business Consulting has placed much effort in trying to find better ways to measure and manage the company’s intangible assets. Illuminates how the company has worked with three modern management concepts: balanced scorecard, knowledge management, and intellectual capital. For Ericsson Business Consulting, the three concepts are closely related and represent different stages in a development process that can be described by five logical steps: categorisation of the intangible assets; transforming strategy into actions; management and communication of the intangible assets; capturing the dynamics of the intangible assets; and looking into future developments. For each development step, the article will describe a number of key learning points based on the company’s experiences.
The value creation index
Authors: Low Jonathan
Published: July 2002

The Cap Gemini Ernst & Young Center for Business Innovation (CBI) has conducted a series of studies on the role of intangibles in creating value in the modern corporation and developed a rigorous, comprehensive model – the value creation index – of value creation for progressive companies, one that enables users to measure the impact of key intangible asset categories on a company’s market value. By devising a set of standardized measures, weighted according to their relative impact, managers have the tools to better drive and monitor their company’s future performance. At the same time, if disclosure rules change in parallel, investors will be armed with a more uniform, less subjective and more robust way of evaluating companies. Over time, the value creation index will evolve, continuing to identify value creation drivers, while remaining sufficiently flexible so it can adapt to the constantly changing nature of companies in the connected economy.
A conversation with Jim Botkin, President of InterClass
Authors: Chatzkel Jay
Published: July 2002

Conversations create the wealth of knowledge organizations. This conversation with Jim Botkin explores a variety of issues on how knowledge is changing how organizations create value as knowledge‐based enterprises. Jim Botkin argues that the knowledge framework is actually the larger context for organizations and that e‐business is actually a subset of its operations. Botkin also shares how knowledge has come to be a new factor of production in organizations. This is true for both “new economy” organizations and “old economy” legacy organizations. Even so, the acceptance of the knowledge movement is still tentative. The very name “knowledge management” still often implies information technology “applications” to key organizational visionaries and is not always well received. The controversies over nurturing knowledge communities within the framework of knowledge initiatives are also examined in the dialogue.
The management, measurement and the reporting of intellectual capital
Authors: Guthrie James
Published: July 2002

The rise of the “new economy”, one principally driven by information and knowledge, international competitiveness and changing patterns of interpersonal activities is attributed to the increased prominence of intellectual capital (IC) as a management and research topic. There is indeed much to support the assertion that IC in the new century will be instrumental in the determination of enterprise value and national economic performance. Stemming from this awareness of the value of know‐how is a drive to establish new metrics that can be used to record and report the value attributable to knowledge within an organisation. The task has been given impetus by the fact that early work appearing in the accounting financial reports of Swedish companies involves the application of non‐financial metrics and focuses on intangible assets. This represents a significant departure from traditional financial and management accounting orthodoxy.
A conversation with Sharon L. Oriel of The Dow Chemical Company
Authors: Chatzkel Jay
Published: July 2002

Conversations create the wealth of knowledge organizations. This conversation with Sharon Oriel focuses on the evolution of the capture and leverage or intellectual capital assets at The Dow Chemical Company. Ms Oriel is the Director of the Global Intellectual Capital Management Technology Center and Government Contract R&D at Dow. Ms Oriel discusses the journey to become an organization that has come to understand how to value, develop and manage its intangible assets, by making intangible value visable. Part of that has involved the creation of an intellectual capital network across the organization. Reframing the culture as a global organization sensitive to local situations is key to that initiative. This requires extensive collaboration which is facilitated by the integration of the Internet. Ms Oriel also comments on the increasing value globally of intellectual property and its impact as an engine of change on accounting and valuation practices.
The family of toxin‐related ecto‐ADP‐ribosyltransferases in humans and the mouse
Authors: Glowacki Gustavo , Braren Rickmer , Firner Kathrin , Nissen Marion , Kühl Maren , Reche Pedro , Bazan Fernando , Cetkovic‐Cvrlje Marina , Leiter Edward , Haag Friedrich , Koch‐Nolte Friedrich
Published: July 2002

ADP‐ribosyltransferases including toxins secreted byVibrio cholera, Pseudomonas aerurginosa, and other pathogenic bacteria inactivate the function of human target proteins by attaching ADP‐ribose onto a critical amino acid residue. Cross‐species polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and database mining identified the orthologs of these ADP‐ribosylating toxins in humans and the mouse. The human genome contains four functional toxin‐related ADP‐ribosyltransferase genes (ARTs) and two related intron‐containing pseudogenes; the mouse has six functional orthologs. The human and mouseARTgenes map to chromosomal regions with conserved linkage synteny. The individualARTgenes reveal highly restricted expression patterns, which are largely conserved in humans and the mouse. We confirmed the predicted extracellular location of the ART proteins by expressing recombinant ARTs in insect cells. Two human and four mouse ARTs contain the active site motif (R‐S‐EXE) typical of arginine‐specific ADP‐ribosyltransferases and exhibit the predicted enzyme activities. Two other human ARTs and their murine orthologues deviate in the active site motif and lack detectable enzyme activity. Conceivably, these ARTs may have acquired a new specificity or function. The position‐sensitive iterative database search program PSI‐BLAST connected the mammalian ARTs with most known bacterial ADP‐ribosylating toxins. In contrast, no related open reading frames occur in the four completed genomes of lower eucaryotes (yeast, worm, fly, and mustard weed). Interestingly, these organisms also lack genes for ADP‐ribosylhydrolases, the enzymes that reverse protein ADP‐ribosylation. This suggests that the two enzyme families that catalyze reversible mono‐ADP‐ribosylation either were lost from the genomes of these nonchordata eucaryotes or were subject to horizontal gene transfer between kingdoms.
Electrostatic contributions to protein–protein interactions: Fast energetic filters for docking and their physical basis
Authors: Norel Raquel , Sheinerman Felix , Petrey Donald , Honig Barry
Published: July 2002

The methods of continuum electrostatics are used to calculate the binding free energies of a set of protein–protein complexes including experimentally determined structures as well as other orientations generated by a fast docking algorithm. In the native structures, charged groups that are deeply buried were often found to favor complex formation (relative to isosteric nonpolar groups), whereas in nonnative complexes generated by a geometric docking algorithm, they were equally likely to be stabilizing as destabilizing. These observations were used to design a new filter for screening docked conformations that was applied, in conjunction with a number of geometric filters that assess shape complementarity, to 15 antibody–antigen complexes and 14 enzyme‐inhibitor complexes. For the bound docking problem, which is the major focus of this paper, native and near‐native solutions were ranked first or second in all but two enzyme‐inhibitor complexes. Less success was encountered for antibody–antigen complexes, but in all cases studied, the more complete free energy evaluation was able to idey native and near‐native structures. A filter based on the enrichment of tyrosines and tryptophans in antibody binding sites was applied to the antibody–antigen complexes and resulted in a native and near‐native solution being ranked first and second in all cases. A clear improvement over previously reported results was obtained for the unbound antibody–antigen examples as well. The algorithm and various filters used in this work are quite efficient and are able to reduce the number of plausible docking orientations to a size small enough so that a final more complete free energy evaluation on the reduced set becomes computationally feasible.