bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Job satisfaction and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB)
Authors: Foote David A. , Li‐Ping Tang Thomas
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a model in which team commitment in self‐directed teams moderates the relationship between job satisfaction and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB).

Design/methodology/approach

Survey questionnaires measuring team commitment, OCB, and job satisfaction were administered to 242 full‐time employees who were involved in self‐directed teams at three geographically diverse manufacturing facilities. After carefully testing the psychometric properties of the scales, hierarchical multiple regression was used to test hypotheses.

Findings

The relationship between job satisfaction and OCB was shown to be significant, as was the relationship between team commitment and OCB. Most importantly, the relationship between job satisfaction and organizational citizenship behavior was moderated by team commitment, such that the relationship was stronger when team commitment was high.

Research limitations/implications

Due to heightened salience of self‐directed team functioning in our sample, generalization of results may be limited.

Practical implications

The findings indicate that the usefulness of self‐directed work teams may be limited in situations where employees lack team commitment. Besides implementing self‐directed teams and assigning performance goals, researchers and practitioners need to identify efforts that work toward increasing commitment of team members, thereby increasing organizational citizenship behavior in the organization.

Originality/value

It is believed that this research makes a significant contribution to understanding the relationship between job satisfaction and organizational citizenship behavior, a relationship that has long been known but not well defined. Moreover, the paper develops what appears to be a valid and reliable measure of team commitment, based on goodness of fit using cross‐validation, confirmatory factor analysis, and reliability tests.
The expanding role of intangible assets of the brand
Authors: Gupta Suraksha , Grant Susan , Melewar T.C.
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The objective of this paper is to highlight the human representatives of the brand (brand relationship representatives), as an important enabler in achieving effective supply chain synchronization via the transfer of information on product availability and planned promotions between the brand and resellers in business‐to‐business markets, and therefore ultimately an influence in achieving customer requirements.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on integration of theories from marketing, psychology and operations management.

Findings

The findings indicate that brand representatives when linked to reseller for developing satisfaction becomes a motivating factor. This results in an effective and synchronized supply chain process for the organization.

Research limitations/implications

The theory developed after a review of literature, should be tested using triangulation method as it will provide deeper analysis to both academic researchers and practitioners.

Practical implications

This theoretical research tries to investigate the affects of brand representation on resellers in a business‐to‐business setting. It can support the practitioners in the planning and operational stages of their marketing communication campaigns for an effective and synchronized marketing and supply chain process.

Originality/value

The application of this paper is based on the model of brand‐reseller relationship of strong brands and contribute to the literature as theories available on the subject are limited.
Management development of senior executives
Authors: Suutari Vesa , Viitala Riitta
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discover the preferences for management development methods used in the development of senior managers, and to discover the perceived effectiveness, as well as strengths and weaknesses, of different methods.

Design/methodology/approach

The study can be classified as a quantitative internet‐survey study, which also benefits from qualitative data through open‐ended questions. The sample of the study consisted of 2,500 senior managers of which 878 participated in the study.

Findings

The results indicate that the dominance of traditional short‐term management development activities continues while more longitudinal methods emphasizing experience‐based learning were reported to be more effective in supporting the development of senior managers. In addition, various key strengths and weaknesses of different methods were identified.

Research limitations/implications

In future research, more in‐depth and longitudinal qualitative analysis of different management development methods would be useful to complement the understanding of such methods and their effectiveness.

Practical implications

Through the empirical analysis of the effectiveness of the management development methods, as well as their strengths and weaknesses, the paper provides useful information to organizations and experts about providing management development programs at the senior management level.

Originality/value

The paper provides latest information concerning the use of different management development methods, and increases the understanding about the characteristics and effectiveness of different management development methods at the senior management level.
Graduates' career orientations and strategies in corporate Greece
Authors: Mihail Dimitrios M.
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the evidence that suggests how working graduates' careers are actually being managed in corporate Greece. In order to shed some light on this issue, this empirical study aims to investigate the changing nature of careers from the employee's perspective, in various business contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire. Participants in the survey were 238 graduates working for firms across all sectors of the economy. Factor analysis was used to form career anchors/orientations, and career strategies from graduates' attitudes and statements reported in the survey. Regression analysis was applied for assessing the impact of alternative career orientations on career self‐management behaviors.

Findings

The main findings indicate that the primary source for shaping surveyed graduates' career strategies is their own career anchor/orientations. Other personal and organizational characteristics such as gender, age, work experience, field of specialization, economic sector and activity, firm size, and employment contract, seem to not have a persistent effect on respondents' personal career strategies. Furthermore, despite an emerging “new” career anchor, the traditional career of internal promotability still motivates graduates and leads them to pursue human capital accumulation and networking strategies.

Research limitations/implications

Further research to extend the current investigation to employers and managers would allow for a more articulated discussion of the main sources of the influences on employees' career self‐management behaviors.

Originality/value

Given the dearth of empirical research on the changing nature of careers in corporate Greece, this study contributes to debates in the wider academic community on the issue of analyzing career self‐management behaviours empirically. The importance of combining the human capital perspective with the social capital perspective in modeling career development, is stressed by the present study.
The impact of individual and shared employee perceptions of HRM on affective commitment
Authors: Sanders Karin , Dorenbosch Luc , de Reuver Renee
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to answer the question of whether individual perceptions of an HRM system – distinctiveness, consistency and consensus – and shared perceptions of HRM (climate strength) are positively related to affective commitment in the organization. In addition, the paper examines if climate strength has a mediating effect in the relationship between the individual perceptions of an HRM system and affective commitment.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey study with data from 671 employees, 67 line‐managers and 32 HR‐managers within four hospitals was used.

Findings

Results of two‐level analyses (department, employee) showed that the perception of distinctiveness, consistency and climate strength, as expected are positively related to affective commitment. Instead of a mediating effect of climate strength a moderator effect was found: the relationship between consistency and affective commitment is stronger when climate strength is high.

Research limitations/implications

The study offers researchers some recommendations to focus on the process of HRM (in terms of distinctiveness, consistency and consensus), and on the importance of shared perceptions within a department.

Originality/value

This study shows the impact of aspects of the process of HRM on the individual level, and shared perceptions of high commitment HRM on the department level on affective commitment of employees.
Situational judgment tests: a review of recent research
Authors: Lievens Filip , Peeters Helga , Schollaert Eveline
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to give an empirically‐based review of the strengths and weaknesses of situational judgment tests (SJTs).

Design/methodology/approach

The features, history, and development of SJTs are discussed. Next, a computerized search (from 1990‐2007) is conducted to retrieve empirical studies related to SJTs. The effectiveness of SJTs is discussed in terms of reliability, criterion‐related validity, incremental validity, construct‐related validity, utility, adverse impact, applicant perceptions, fakability, and susceptibility to practice and coaching effects.

Findings

Strengths of SJTs are that they show criterion‐related validity and incremental validity above cognitive ability and personality tests. SJTs have also less adverse impact towards minorities (especially if the cognitive loading of the SJT is low). Furthermore, applicant reactions towards SJTs are positive and SJTs enable to test large applicant groups at once (through the Internet). In terms of weaknesses, SJTs might be prone to faking, practice, and coaching effects. There is also debate about what constructs are measured by SJTs.

Research limitations/implications

Five avenues for future research are discussed: construct‐related validity of SJTs, utility of SJTs vis‐à‐vis other predictors, impact of SJT features on validity and adverse impact, examination of alternative stimulus and response formats, and cross‐cultural transportability of SJTs.

Practical implications

Practitioners receive evidence‐based information about the features, development, and strengths and weaknesses of SJTs.

Originality/value

Apart from the USA, SJTs have not made strong inroads in selection practice in Europe and other parts of the world. This evidence‐based paper might highlight the value of SJTs.
On‐the‐job learning in the nursing profession
Authors: Berings Marjolein , Poell Rob , Gelissen John
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to gain more insight into employees' on‐the‐job learning. Its specific purpose is to develop and validate a classification of on‐the‐job learning activities and learning themes, focusing on the nursing profession in particular.

Design/methodology/approach

Two successive studies were conducted for this purpose. In the first study in‐depth interviews with 20 Dutch nurses were analysed using a grounded theory approach. The content validity of the categories found in the first study was investigated in the second study by interviewing 17 supervisors and eight educators from different hospitals in The Netherlands.

Findings

The paper finds that the main categories of learning activities are: learning by doing one's regular job, learning by applying something new in the job, learning by social interaction with colleagues, learning by theory or supervision, and learning by reflection. First‐order learning activities and second‐order learning activities can be distinguished. The main categories of on‐the‐job learning themes are: the technical‐practical domain, the socio‐emotional domain, the organisational domain, the developmental domain, and a pro‐active attitude to work.

Research limitations/implications

The validation study was conducted by the same researchers as the first study. The findings are based on one profession (nursing) in one country (The Netherlands).

Practical implications

The categories can be used by nurse educators and health sector managers/trainers to develop comprehensive and structured intervention methods for the improvement of on‐the‐job learning which do justice to the complexity and diversity of on‐the‐job learning by nurses. HR (development) professionals can use the classification as part of a competence management and development system.

Originality/value

The study provides a detailed, complete and multi‐dimensional explication of nurses' on‐the‐job learning activities and learning themes, grounding the classification and framework in empirical data and using multiple data sources.
Successful turnaround strategies
Authors: Donald Hopkins H.
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to help CEOs pick the best turnaround strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews a key research study on firms in turnaround situations.

Findings

The study finds that turnaround strategy must fit the cause of the firm's problem.

Practical implications

The paper is useful in helping senior managers avoid a common problem.

Originality/value

The paper focuses attention on the key to turnaround success. It highlights an academic research study with a rare nugget of insight for CEOs. This paper has not been published elsewhere.
Using adaptive resonance theory and data‐mining techniques for materials recommendation based on the e‐library environment
Authors: Tsai Chwei‐Shyong , Chen Mu‐Yen
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to illustrate the use of artificial neural network (ANN) and data‐mining (DM) technologies as a good approach for satisfying the requirements of library users.

Design/methodology/approach

This research presents the Intelligent Library Materials Recommendations System (ILMRS) which uses the adaptive resonance theory (ART) network to distribute readers into different clusters according to their personal background. When clusters of related personal background have been established, the Apriori algorithm is used to discover the suitable materials in which readers are interested and which they may need.

Findings

The investigation results indicate that the ART and Apriori mining techniques can be used to improve the accuracy of the recommendations for reading materials in the library. Moreover, readers can be divided by means of demographic variables into three segments. Finally, the questionnaire survey proved that the proposed recommender system will be a suitable approach for stimulating the readers' motivation and interest. Research limitations/implications – This research is limited by its datasets from a digital library of a university in Taiwan, and it is applied by ART and Apriori mining techniques to recommend materials of readers.

Originality/value

Today, digital information is becoming ever more popular. The huge quantity and the diversity of digital information are its main features. Therefore, readers are interested in obtaining useful information in an efficient manner. In this research, a digital library can use this approach to anticipate a reader's needs in advance based on the mining results.
A knowledge engineering approach to developing e‐libraries for mobile learning
Authors: Chu Hui‐Chun , Hwang Gwo‐Jen , Huang Shu‐Xian , Wu Ting‐Ting
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an innovative approach that is proposed for developing e‐libraries with metadata to meet the need of training observation and classification skills in a mobile learning environment.

Design/methodology/approach

A knowledge engineering approach is proposed to assist teachers in defining metadata of e‐libraries to meet the need of training observation and classification skills. Based on the innovative approach, an e‐library of butterfly and ecology has been developed. Moreover, an experiment was conducted from March‐April 2007 on the science course “Butterfly and Ecology” at an elementary school in Taiwan. There were two teachers and 35 students participated in the experiment.

Findings

Experimental results showed that the e‐library developed with the innovative approach is able to effectively support the training of observation and classification skills for elementary school students.

Research limitations/implications

Currently, the innovative approach has only been applied to the training of observation and classification knowledge. Further studies will be needed to assist teachers in defining metadata of e‐libraries for other educational objectives, such as “analysis” (the ability to separate material or concepts into component parts so that its organizational structure may be understood), “synthesis” (the ability to put parts together to form a new whole) and “evaluation” (the ability to judge the value of material for a given purpose).

Originality/value

With the innovative approach, personalized supports can be provided as a guide for students' learning. Moreover, students are allowed to face the real objects with technology‐rich supports during the learning process.
An architecture for e‐learning system with computational intelligence
Authors: El Alami Marc , Casel Nicolas , Zampunieris Denis
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new kind of learning management system: proactive LMS, designed to improve the users' online (inter)actions by providing programmable, automatic and continuous intelligent analyses of the users' behaviours, augmented with appropriate actions initiated by the LMS itself.

Design/methodology/approach

Proactive systems adhere to two premises: working on behalf of, or pro, the user, and acting on their own initiative, without the user's explicit command. The proactive part of the LMS is implemented as a dynamic rules‐based system, and is added next to the initial LMS. They both use the same database as their source of information on the users, their activities, the available resources and the current state of the whole system.

Findings

How the proactive part of the LMS was implemented on the basis of a dynamic expert system is shown. Also how it looks like from a user's point of view is sketched. Finally, examples of intelligent analysis of users' behaviours coded into proactive rules are given.

Research limitations/implications

Future work should include the design and the implementation of sets of rules (packages) dedicated to common users' needs, enabling useful proactivity on the basis of elaborated intelligent analysis.

Originality/value

Current learning management systems (virtual educational and/or training online environments) are fundamentally limited tools. Indeed, they are only reactive software: these tools wait for an instruction and then react to the user's request. Students using these online systems could imagine and hope for more help and assistance tools: LMS should tend to offer some personal, immediate and appropriate support as teachers offer in classrooms. The proactive LMS can, for example, automatically and continuously help and take care of e‐learners with respect to previously defined procedures rules, and even flag other users, like e‐tutors, if something wrong is detected in their behaviour.
Effective e‐learning recommendation system based on self‐organizing maps and association mining
Authors: Wen‐Shung Tai David , Wu Hui‐Ju , Li Pi‐Hsiang
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to propose a hybrid system to combine the self‐organizing map (SOM) of a neural network with the data‐mining (DM) method for course recommendation of the e‐learning system.

Design/methodology/approach

This research constructs a hybrid system with artificial neural network (ANN) and data‐mining (DM) techniques. First, ANN is used to classify the e‐Learner types. Based on these e‐Learner groups, users can obtain course recommendation from the group's opinions. When groups of related interests have been established, the DM will be used to elicit the rules of the best learning path. It is ideal for this system to stimulate learners' motivation and interest. Moreover, the hybrid approach can be used as a reference when learners are choosing between classes.

Findings

In order to enhance the efficiency and capability of e‐learning systems, the SOM method is combined to deal with cluster problems of DM systems, SOM/DM for short. It was found that the SOM/DM method has excellent performance.

Research limitations/implications

This research is limited by the fact that its participants are from a business college of a university in Taiwan, and it is applied by SOM/DM to recommend courses of e‐learners. This research is useful in the domain of the e‐learning system.

Originality/value

The results of this research will provide useful information for educators to classify their e‐learners or students more accurately, and to adapt their teaching strategies accordingly to retain valuable e‐learners subject to limited resources. The experiments prove that it is ideal to stimulate learners' motivation and interest.
Modeling agent‐based performance evaluation for e‐learning systems
Authors: Chiu Hsiao‐Ya , Sheng Chieh‐Chung , Chen An‐Pin
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to show how rapidly evolving information technology has dramatically changed the knowledge dissemination process. However, many of them lack a generic evaluation process to verify the system's performance. In an attempt to solve this problem, this study seeks to propose an agent‐based model to provide a dynamic, flexible framework for performance evaluations of e‐learning projects.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper proposes an agent‐based model which comprises a learning model, balanced scorecard and option‐pricing approach to evaluate the performance of an e‐learning project.

Findings

E‐learning could be the paradigm shift of traditional education. Thus, the paper provides organizations with a methodology to deliberately evaluate their e‐learning projects by treating it as a continuous improvement process.

Originality/value

The original contributions in this paper are: application of a balance scorecard to weigh different perspectives; application of a real options approach for risk management of e‐learning projects; construction of an agent‐based system for autonomous qualitative/quantitative information gathering.
Arab universities on the web: a webometric study
Authors: Elgohary Amgad
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the Web Impact Factor of Arab universities.

Design/methodology/approach

The study included 99 universities representing 20 Arab countries. The advanced search facility of AltaVista was used for data collection. Two rounds of data collection were conducted to retrieve the links as well as the web presence of the included universities.

Findings

Jordanian universities represent 40 per cent of the top ten universities with the revised web impact factor. However, this was not the case in terms of the universities' web presence. Results indicated a strong correlation between external links and web presence.

Research limitations/implications

The variability of search engine results and the unavailability of some university web sites are limitations to the study.

Originality/value

By investigating, for the first time, the Web Impact Factors of Arab universities as well as the relation to other variables such as language, the paper will provide universities with some measure of how they are viewed by the outside world.
Preserving digital local news
Authors: Allen Robert B. , Johnson Kirsten A.
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore issues and approaches for collection and management of born digital local news. Much local news – important documentation of local history – is being lost. The fact that a lot of news media is now available digitally presents new opportunities but also new challenges for such preservation.

Design/methodology/approach

Several specific bottle‐necks for implementing this project are examined. For instance, the size of the problem is estimated by approximating how much local news is generated in one US state. Then the difficulties in capture, storage requirements, selection, access, and sustainability are considered, focusing on difficulties in selection. Finally, a number of business models for handling these challenges are explored.

Findings

Currently, there is no large‐scale effort under way to preserve local television and newspaper news stories, and as a result this part of history is being lost. Many practical difficulties to a comprehensive system have been found but there would be value even in a system which was not the ideal. Newspaper web sites and streaming radio stations should be downloaded. The possibility of capturing video from cable distribution points could be explored.

Originality/value

While none of the business models offers an ideal solution for the preservation of local news, especially not for multimedia sources, it is believed that some of them provide partial answers which should be tried.
User‐friendly web application for bibliographic material processing
Authors: Belic K. , Surla D.
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is implementation of a software system for bibliographic material processing which does not require knowledge about any format for bibliographic data input. This means that the input can be done not only by librarians, but also by other persons such as authors of bibliographic units, students, employees, etc.

Design/methodology/approach

An object‐oriented methodology for developing information systems by means of computer‐aided software engineering (CASE) tools and software components is used. The software architecture is multi‐layered and web‐based. The implementation is done in Java environment.

Findings

The result is a web application by which users can catalogue bibliographic material without being familiar with the corresponding format. Nevertheless, the bibliographic record is formed in accordance with the given format for bibliographic material processing (MARC21, UNIMARC, etc.).

Research limitations/implications

Automatic generating of screen forms for the chosen set of data for bibliographic material processing is not provided in the presented version of the application. In order to eliminate this limitation, there are preset solutions that can be integrated into the application.

Practical implications

The application is primarily intended for research institutions aiming at forming their electronic catalogue and/or bibliographies of researchers or institutions.

Originality/value

The originality of the paper lies in the software architecture of the application related to the middle layer, i.e. the one of business logic. This layer implements a mechanism by which different sets of input data are mapped to persistent data by means of the unique object model of an accepted format for the bibliographic material processing (MARC21, UNIMARC, or others).
Achieving OAI PMH compliancy for CDS/ISIS databases
Authors: Kaloyanova Stefka , Luigi Betti Gian , Castellani Francesco , Keizer Johannes
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The main purpose of this paper is to present the work recently carried out by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with Associazione per la documentazione le biblioteche e gli archivi (DBA) in Italy to make web CDS/ISIS‐based applications compliant with the OAI‐PMH. CDS/ISIS is an Integrated Storage and Information Retrieval System of Unesco, which is widely used especially in Latin America and Africa. There are hundreds of CDS/ISIS‐based application systems managing bibliographical reference, ensuring high quality content through the use of built‐in authority files, data entry guidelines and validations. It also allows for metadata export in many different formats.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology adopted included study, analysis and evaluation of three existing solutions for exposing metadata from the CDS/ISIS database repositories to the OAI framework.

Findings

The implementation did not include the development of automatic procedures for incremental harvesting from CDS/ISIS databases nor the normalization of the harvested data. However, a lot of experience in implementation of OAI was gained which will be useful for future development of non‐CDS/ISIS systems.

Research limitations/implications

The research and development work demonstrates the importance and implications of this work for the whole CDS/ISIS community and specifically for the participating centres from the AGRIS network.

Originality/value

It proposes an open source, easily parametrizable plug‐in tool, which can be adapted to expose metadata from a general structure CDS/ISIS database using the OAI‐PMH protocol. This work assures that semantically rich metadata for agricultural science and research publications based on the “AGRIS Application Profile” can be handled by the OAI protocol. This in turn allows for further creation of additional services based on the exchange of knowledge on agricultural science and technology publications world‐wide.
The legal problems of document supply by libraries: an international perspective
Authors: Mueller Harald
Published: June 2008

Purpose

This paper seeks to describe the current copyright environment from an international perspective, particularly as it relates to the supply of document surrogates.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper describes the current situation in Canada, Australia, the UK and in particular the current saga of Subito and publishers in Germany. It addresses licences and copyright law generally and the impact of open access. Two specific court cases in Canada and Germany are described and their implications considered.

Findings

International copyright is complex and publishers are establishing new restrictions on “fair use” provision through the imposition of licences. National and international laws lag behind in clearly addressing “fair use” in the electronic environment.

Originality/value

The paper is one of the very few that addresses the issue of national and international copyright specifically in relation to document supply.
JSTOR and the changing digital landscape
Authors: Spinella Michael
Published: June 2008

Purpose

This paper seeks to describe the development and current operation of JSTOR, and to identify in particular the cost benefit of JSTOR in terms of cost per article.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is descriptive. Amidst ongoing and dramatic changes to digital communications, JSTOR serves as a microcosm for observing the trends affecting how researchers, teachers, students and librarians access and use information for scholarly purposes. This paper provides background and reports progress on JSTOR's mission to preserve scholarly works and facilitate broader access to them. It also examines usage patterns over the years of JSTOR's operation to discern shifting expectations of users, and consider the impact of Google indexing on broadening the visibility of content both within the scholarly community and beyond it. Finally, the paper analyzes trends in cost per use experienced by a selection of institutions at the high, median, and low levels of usage, as a means to consider the value of shared digital resources.

Findings

JSTOR usage has expanded exponentially. Key drivers have been: continuously increasing the amount of content in the archive; growth in the number of participating institutions; greater breadth of discipline coverage, drawing in more users at participating institutions; and an expanding array of linking partners, including Google. Google indexing has had the further impact of exposing the content to a very much broader audience, creating a new set of opportunities and challenges for the organization.

Originality/value

The paper gives an up‐to‐date description of the development of the first organization to provide a service giving access to complete back runs of digitized journal titles. It also provides metrics for analyzing usage trends and determining value for cost that may help librarians manage the increasingly complex demands on library space and budgets.
A costing study of the document supply service at a Chinese research library: the case of Wuhan University Library
Authors: Liu Xia , Lei Ting
Published: June 2008

Purpose

This paper aims to report on a cost study of document supply at Wuhan University Library, and to investigate the difference in costs over time and the cost‐effectiveness for the university.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative approach is employed.

Findings

The borrowing unit cost and lending unit cost decreased by 27 percent and 60 percent, respectively, between 2002 and 2004, but showed a small increase in 2006.

Originality/value

The paper reveals the cost of document supply in a Chinese research library and proves that the cost could be lowered rapidly by taking effective measures. The paper also demonstrates that document supply is an effective way to resolve the library budgetary crisis as well as satisfying end‐users' needs.
Scholarly communication and co‐operation between Korea and Japan: document supply trends and services between KERIS and NII
Authors: Won Lee Ji , Kim Heejung
Published: June 2008

Purpose

This paper sets out to investigate current trends and services of document supply between KERIS (Korea Education & Research Information Service) in South Korea and NII (The National Institute of Informatics) in Japan.

Design/methodology/approach

Data during 2004 to 2007 were collected comprehensively from reports related to the KERIS‐NII document supply services, including interview results with practitioners in charge of these services. The data collected were analyzed and interpreted.

Findings

The management system of KERIS‐NII document supply was mediated (agent‐dependent) in 2004, but is now unmediated (direct) document supply due to system enhancements that began in April 2007. After the change to the direct system, the numbers of requests have increased and the time from request to provision has decreased. Therefore, the direct system has brought about more efficient cooperation and user services.

Originality/value

The KERIS‐NII document supply service is important, being the first official cooperation network between university libraries in two Northeast Asian nations, South Korea and Japan.
Interlending and document supply: a review of the recent literature: 63
Authors: McGrath Mike
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the most recent literature concerning document supply and related matters.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach is based on the reading of over 150 journals as well as monographs, reports and web sites.

Findings

It was found that fundamental debate on the direction of scholarly publishing continues intensely. Electronic books remain a minority market but the literature at least remains optimistic. The mass digitisation of books continues apace and print on demand is becoming big business. Open access continues to grow but with continuing and widely differing views on its impact. Recent mandating decisions will mean a step change in the establishment of institutional and subject repositories. Publisher pay‐per‐view is starting to stir.

Originality/value

The paper represents a useful source of information for librarians and others interested in document supply and related matters.
eBook Loans: an e‐twist on a classic interlending service
Authors: Woods Bronwen , Ireland Michael
Published: June 2008

Purpose

In April 2007, the Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information (CISTI), in collaboration with Ingram MyiLibrary, launched the eBook Loan Service. The paper describes the management of challenges associated with the project as well as the background and context of the aims to eBook Loan Service model. Conclusions and future activities by the partners with regard to e‐book lending are discussed.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper addresses two main topics: how the eBook Loan Service model was developed, the challenges and risks, the outcomes and benefits; and to evaluate whether a project stretching across boundaries of geography and time as well as between public and commercial partners can be managed successfully. Through a literature review, the context of the e‐book lending model for libraries is addressed, as well as the challenges of virtual project management.

Findings

The challenges and risks associated with implementing the new service were resolved and the project was a success.

Originality/value

The new service delivered by this project underlines the richness of new ideas emerging in the library community to improve access to scholarly literature in the digital age. With this model of affordable short‐term access to scholarly e‐books, libraries will be in a better position to serve the just‐in‐time needs of users in the electronic environment and end‐users will have better access.
Resource Sharing for the Future: Building‐blocks to Success A report of the 10th Interlending and Document Supply Conference, National Library Singapore, 29‐31 October 2007
Authors: Patterson Avril
Published: June 2008

Purpose

This paper seeks to report on the 10th ILDS Conference held in Singapore.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is descriptive in approach.

Findings

The conference was very successful and, contrary to rumours, interlending and document supply is alive and well throughout the world.

Originality/value

The paper is a report on the only international conference held on the subject of interlending and document supply.
Developing critical reflection in professional focused doctorates: a facilitator's perspective
Authors: Sambrook Sally , Stewart Jim
Published: June 2008

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the challenges and opportunities for expediting critical reflection in management education and development to highlight particularly how critical reflection has been facilitated within the context of a professionally focused doctoral programme.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws on empirical research conducted for a broader project, focusing here on two awaydays for DBA supervisors (n=25 in 2005 and n=16 in 2006) and a UFHRD workshop in 2007 (n=12) for members involved and/or interested in doctoral programmes in HRD, where the empirical research findings were presented and discussed. The paper presents selected findings from the perspective of staff through their own critical reflections, drawing on the data from the two awaydays and the UFHRD workshop. Detailed handwritten notes were taken and transcribed, in addition to flipchart material provided by the participants. These qualitative data are analysed using thematic analysis. The quotations presented are as accurate as possible (verbatim) and any ambiguous notes have been deliberately excluded.

Findings

Emerging findings include the need to clarify the concept for both staff and students, and embed critical reflection from the beginning of the programme and throughout written assignments. Insights into how staff perceive critical reflection within a DBA programme are offered, including how staff might assume (incorrectly) that advanced practitioners arrive with a high level of maturity to engage in critical reflection, and yet advanced practitioners “worry” about critique and perceive it as negative and/or failure.

Research limitations/implications

It is acknowledged that the subjective experience of student participants is not central to this discussion, and, whilst a limitation of this paper, this presents an avenue for further research.

Practical implications

The paper presents a critical and reflexive account from a facilitator's perspective and offers practical suggestions for incorporating critical reflection within a DBA programme.

Originality/value

Given the dearth of literature of facilitating critical reflection in the context of professionally focused doctoral programmes, this paper makes a small and initial contribution to this field.
Let's not get too personal: critical reflection, reflexivity and the confessional turn
Authors: Swan Elaine
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to ask how we can think about critical reflection as a pedagogical practice given the “confessional turn”. By the “confessional turn” the author refers to the idea that “subjective, autobiographical and confessional modes of expression” have expanded exponentially across a wide range of social spheres, including education, the legal system, the media and the workplace. Examining these developments, this paper asks what these debates on critical reflection and confession mean for pedagogical practice.

Design/methodology/approach

The main approach is a review of key debates in the literature on critical reflection and also in the wider social sciences.

Findings

The discussion compares different debates. Thus it shows that for critics, the turn to the “first person” technologies is narcissistic, psychologistic and de‐politicising. On this view, critical reflective practice might be understood as an individualistic and individualising pedagogy in spite of its claims to be critical. The paper discusses how in contrast, others see this move to talk about the subjective and the self as an extension of the feminist project of the personal is political – i.e. that personal stories, feelings and issues have social and political roots and consequences. For them, reflection can be critical, leading to political consciousness‐raising, i.e. a new awareness about social, political and personal processes. It finishes by examining the view that the idea of reflexivity might help us out of the conflict between these debates.

Practical implications

The paper poses a number of questions in relation to critical reflection that can be taken up by practitioners in the field.

Originality/value of paper

The paper brings new literature to bear on the practice of critical reflection and raises important questions relevant to academics and practitioners.
Concurrent software‐hardware optimisation of adaptive estimating, identifying and filtering systems
Authors: Platonov Anatoliy
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the methods of concurrent optimization of the analogue and digital parts (software‐hardware) of estimating, identifying and filtering systems with adaptively adjusted analogue parts – adaptive estimation systems (AES).

Design/methodology/approach

Concurrent (complete) optimization of AES permits the determination of the most efficient algorithms for computing the estimates and the controls adjusting analogue units of AES in the way maximally improving the quality of observations delivered by them to the digital part. Performance of AES is assessed by the mean square error (MSE) of estimates which is constructed employing the models of input excitation, analogue and digital parts. Global extremum of MSE is searched by Bayesian methods taking into account the always bounded input range of AES and its possible overloading.

Findings

There are determined upper boundaries of potentially achievable accuracy of estimates, as well as optimal estimating and controlling observation units' algorithms, ensuring their achievement. New effects appearing in completely optimal AES are analysed.

Research limitations/implications

The paper presents the backgrounds of new and analytically complex approach. To clarify basic ideas and methods, the simplest but useful for applications single input‐single output and single input‐multiple output models of ASE were considered. The obtained results create wide field for further investigations.

Practical implications

The results of the paper can be applied in the development of new classes of high‐efficient adaptive data acquisition, measurement, controlling, communication and other systems.

Originality/value

Concurrent optimisation of AES is important task having no general solution until now. Known approaches allow only the separate optimisation of the analogue and digital parts. Presented original approach enables the correct formalisation and solution of this task that permits the design and realization of systems with characteristics close to theoretically achievable ones and exceeding the characteristics of the known systems of similar predestination.
High‐precision state feedback control systems for linear and non‐linear plants
Authors: Łozowicki Adam , Łozowicka Stupnicka Teresa , Łozowicka Dorota
Published: June 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide the high‐precision robust control method for plants given by a high order of differential equations. This method is useful for linear and non‐linear plants. Considering the problem of minimization of energy consumed in the world is very important and very actual.

Design/methodology/approach

For theoretical solving of the problem, the functional analysis and methods of the Banach spaces H2 and H∞ are used. Next the conditions for controllability with ε‐accuracy are given. For the non‐linear plants additionally two methods are used – method based on van der Schaft inequality and harmonically linearization.

Findings

Provides state feedback control systems with sufficiently large gain (called Tytus feedback). Such systems can perform a high‐degree accuracy (called there ε‐accuracy).

Practical implications

The considerations have many practical applications. For example, solving the problem of a high‐precision robust control for a ship track‐keeping and designing of a robust controller for a non‐linear two‐benchmark problem.

Originality/value

This is an original theoretical method of obtaining a high‐precision performance for feedback control systems. System presented in the paper enables controlling with ε‐accuracy the stable or unstable plants P described by high‐degree differential equations. Paper regards a robust control of stable as well as unstable plants with uncertainty.