bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Numerical Simulation of population development using the function of the age distribution of birthrate
Authors: Tetearing Alexandr N.
Published: November 2015

Numerical model of population behaviour under conditions of full-fed existence of mortal persons in the personal areas, simulated with use the function of age distribution of birth rate in the form of normal (gaussian) distribution. Graphs of historical changes in the function of age distribution of population.
Agent based models to investigate cooperation between cancer cells
Authors: Xavier Joao B. , Chang William K.
Published: November 2015

We present a type of agent-based model that uses off-lattice spheres to represent individual cells in a solid tumor. The model calculates chemical gradients and determines the dynamics of the tumor as emergent properties of the interactions between the cells. As an example, we present an investigation of cooperation among cancer cells where cooperators secrete a growth factor that is costly to synthesize. Simulations reveal that cooperation is favored when cancer cells from the same lineage stay in close proximity. The result supports the hypothesis that kin selection, a theory that explains the evolution of cooperation in animals, also applies to cancers.
Crystal structure of 2,5-bis(diphenylphosphanyl)furan
Authors: Martínez de León Carla , Tlahuext Hugo , Grévy Jean-Michel
Published: November 2015

In the title compound, C28H22OP2, each of the P atoms has an almost perfect pyramidal geometry, with C—P—C angles varying from 100.63 (10) to 102.65 (9)°. In the crystal, neighbouring molecules are linkedviaweak C—H...π interactions, forming supramolecular chains along theb-axis direction.
Crystal structures of 3,5-bis[(E)-3-hydroxybenzylidene]-1-methylpiperidin-4-one and 3,5-bis[(E)-2-chlorobenzylidene]-1-methylpiperidin-4-one
Authors: Eryanti Yum , Zamri Adel , Herlina Tati , Supratman Unang , Rosli Mohd Mustaqim , Fun Hoong-Kun
Published: November 2015

The title compounds, C20H19NO3, (1), and C20H17Cl2NO, (2), are the 3-hydroxybenzylidene and 2-chlorobenzylidene derivatives, respectively, of curcumin [systematic name: (1E,6E)-1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione]. The dihedral angles between the benzene rings in each compound are 21.07 (6)° for (1) and 13.4 (3)° for (2). In both compounds, the piperidinone rings adopt a sofa confirmation and the methyl group attached to the N atom is in an equatorial position. In the crystal of (1), two pairs of O—H...N and O—H...O hydrogen bonds link the molecules, forming chains along [10-1]. The chains are linkedviaC—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming undulating sheets parallel to theacplane. In the crystal of (2), molecules are linked by weak C—H...Cl hydrogen bonds, forming chains along the [204] direction. The chains are linked along thea-axis direction by π–π interactions [inter-centroid distance = 3.779 (4) Å]. For compound (2), the crystal studied was a non-merohedral twin with the refined ratio of the twin components being 0.116 (6):0.886 (6).
Crystal structure of {6,6′-dibenzoyl-4,4′-di-tert-butyl-2,2′-[(ethane-1,2-diyl)dinitrilobis(phenylmethanylylidene)]diphenolato-κ4O1,N,N′,O1′}nickel(II)
Authors: Gupta Abhishek K. , Butcher Ray J. , Sil Anjan
Published: November 2015

The mononuclear title complex, [Ni(C50H46N2O4)], crystallizes in the triclinic space groupP-1, with two molecules in the asymmetric unit (Z′ = 2). Each NiIIatom has a slightly distorted square-planar geometry [ω = 3.91 (5)° and 2.04 (7)°] defined by the two phenolate O and two imine N atoms of the tetradentate Schiff base ligand. The dihedral angles between the central phenolate ring and peripheral phenyl rings are 60.5 (2)/70.0 (2) and 86.4 (2)/56.1 (2)° in moleculeA, and 89.43 (19)/18.0 (2) and 63.87 (19)/68.2 (2)° in moleculeB. The two central phenolate rings are twisted by angles of 19.37 (19) and 19.36 (18)° in the two molecules. The packing is stabilized through intra- and intermolecular C—H...O and C—H...π interactions, forming chains parallel to thebaxis. Thetert-butyl groups in one of the two molecules are positionally disordered with a refined occupancy ratio of 0.707 (13):0.293 (13).
Psychological interventions for adults with autism spectrum disorders: a review
Authors: Spain Debbie , Harwood Laura , O'Neill Lucy
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– Adults who have autism spectrum disorders (ASD) experience a range of core and co-morbid characteristics which impede daily functioning and quality of life. Children and adolescents with ASD derive clinically meaningful benefits from psychological interventions, including those designed to reduce socio-communication deficits and mental health conditions. Relatively little is known about the effectiveness of these interventions for the adult ASD population. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

– A selective search of English language, peer-reviewed publications was undertaken, in order to summarise the empirical data pertaining to psychological interventions for adults with high-functioning ASD (HF-ASD).

Findings

– Thus far, social skills interventions, cognitive behaviour therapy techniques, and mindfulness-based approaches have been researched most extensively. Interventions have primarily sought to: reduce the impact of core ASD characteristics; enhance skills; and improve co-morbid mental health symptoms. Methodological and clinical heterogeneity render it difficult to generalise study findings across population samples, but overall, interventions appear to be associated with reductions in co-morbid symptom severity, and improved functioning.

Research limitations/implications

– Further studies that seek to improve functioning, reduce co-morbid characteristics, and enhance the propensity for attaining and maintaining independence are now needed.

Practical implications

– Adaptations to standard treatment protocols are likely required in order to enhance engagement and optimise treatment gains.

Originality/value

– This is one of the first reviews to focus specifically on psychological interventions for adults with HF-ASD.
Autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and offending
Authors: Sabet Jessica , Underwood Lisa , Chaplin Eddie , Hayward Hannah , McCarthy Jane
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– A wealth of research on autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has led to increased understanding and identification of each of these developmental disorders. Existing literature has sparked controversial discussions regarding whether aspects of ASD and ADHD predispose individuals to criminality. The purpose of this paper is to explore the link between these conditions and offending.

Design/methodology/approach

– A review of the literature on ASD, ADHD and offending was undertaken. This paper looks at the particular focus of the literature on the involvement of individuals with ADHD and ASD within the criminal justice system.

Findings

– There is some evidence of a link between ADHD and criminality. However, the relationship between ASD and offending is a little more difficult to ascertain. Complicating this further is the relatively unexplored subject of comorbid ASD/ADHD and criminal behaviour. This paper found that additional cognitive deficits and conduct problems are associated with comorbid ASD/ADHD, highlighting the need for further research and development of interventions.

Originality/value

– This paper seeks to examine whether predictions can be made with regards to what offending behaviour may look like in an individual with comorbid ASD/ADHD. This paper reviews the literature on offending in relation to both disorders to examine whether predictions can be made with regards to what the offending behaviour of an individual with ASD and ADHD may look like.
The January effect anomaly: effect on the returns-earnings association
Authors: Easterday Kathryn E.
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the January effect, a well-documented capital markets pricing anomaly in which January return premiums are observed to be on average higher than in other months of the year. Extant literature focusses primarily on investor trading behaviors and incentives. This study is different in that it investigates the link between the unusually high returns characteristic of the January effect and accounting earnings, a popular measure that investors use to judge firm value.

Design/methodology/approach

– The empirical model used in this study is derived from the analytical framework of Ohlson (1995) and Feltham and Ohlson (1995), which explains returns as a function of current and future accounting earnings. Isolating firms that exhibit January effect return premiums from those that do not offers a deeper look at the characteristics of the anomaly. Regression analyses are carried out using a modified Fama-MacBeth (1973) methodology. Quarterly earnings and returns data are drawn from Compustat and CRSP.

Findings

– The main finding is that the association between January returns and first quarter earnings is unexpectedly and significantly negative, not positive as predicted by the model. Coefficient signs for the other three quarters behave as expected. Additional analyses highlight a difference in the returns-earnings association between firms affected by the anomaly and those that are not. Robustness checks indicate that the findings are not spurious.

Originality/value

– Rather than applying trading or multifactor economic models that rely on some level of market inefficiency or irrational investor behavior, this study uses an accounting valuation approach that relies on neither. The unexpected negative association between January effect returns and earnings suggests that other factor(s) besides earnings may play into valuation judgments for investors in such firms, and invites further research.
Antecedents to export information generation: a cross-national study
Authors: Souchon Anne L. , Dewsnap Belinda , Durden Geoffrey R. , Axinn Catherine N. , Holzmüller Hartmut H.
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that enhance export decision-makers’ generation of export information, using a non-linear approach and a multi-country context, and so provide export decision-makers with empirically based guidelines on how to maximize their information acquisition efforts.

Design/methodology/approach

– A broad perspective on export information generation is adopted, including marketing research, export assistance, and market intelligence. The model of antecedents to information generation is tested in three studies (USA, Austria, New Zealand, respectively) using structural equation modeling techniques. Multigroup and hierarchical analysis is performed to assess cross-national invariance of relevant measures, and quadratic effects.

Findings

– The findings show that the predictors of export information generation vary across the three countries studied, and that many of the relationships are non-linear.

Research limitations/implications

– This study contributes to the export marketing literature by developing the understanding of how exporters can develop greater knowledge of information sources on which to build export decisions, and the conditions necessary for enhanced export information acquisition activity. The findings highlight that future research should consider non-linear relationships and the examination of the outcomes of export information generation in a cross-national setting.

Practical implications

– The study findings advocate that practitioners (exporters and advisers) tailor their export information generation efforts to the different country needs.

Originality/value

– This research responds to a call for more theoretically based studies on antecedents to export information generation, concurrent with the use of more robust statistical methods.
International brands in emerging markets: the myths of segmentation
Authors: Tanusondjaja Arry , Greenacre Luke , Banelis Melissa , Truong Oanh , Andrews Taylah
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– International brands are expanding their business into emerging markets seeking new consumers for their products. Multiple research studies suggest that there are two key differentiators between developed and emerging markets that managers must take into account. These are that consumers differentiate between local and international brands, and that consumer segments differ between emerging and developed markets. This paper refutes these myths. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors examine large-scale data of purchase behaviour across seven countries and six product categories through telephone or online data collection. Surveys conducted in conjunction with research consulting projects form the basis of data collection, with samples skewing towards middle-income population from urban areas within the emerging markets. The different survey methods used support the empirical generalisability of the findings.

Findings

– The authors find that brand user profiles in emerging markets rarely differ between local and international brands across age, income and gender. Differences in segmentation are related to geography – which is likely a factor of infrastructure differences. When brand users are compared, their attitudes towards the brands are also very similar between local and international brands across several attitudinal measures: “high quality”, “value for money”, “meet/understand my needs”, “affordability” and “trustworthiness”.

Originality/value

– The research highlights that consumers in emerging markets need not be segmented based on their brand purchasing behaviour when it comes to local and international brands. This is in line with a growing body of literature in consumer segmentation and in contrast to a considerable amount of traditional literature on emerging markets.
Knowing me, knowing you: perspectives on awareness in autism
Authors: Yuill Nicola , Parsons Sarah , Good Judith , Brosnan Mark
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to raise important questions from the different perspectives on autism research that arose from a seminar on autism and technology, held as part of an ESRC-funded series on innovative technologies for autism.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper focuses on the roles of technology in understanding questions about different perspectives on autism: how do people on the spectrum see neurotypicals (people without autism) and vice versa?; how do the authors use eye gaze differently from each other?; how might technology influence what is looked at and how the authors measure this?; what differences might there be in how people use imitation of others?; and finally, how should the authors study and treat any differences?

Findings

– The authors synthesise common themes from invited talks and responses. The audience discussions highlighted the ways in which the authors take account of human variation, how the authors can understand the perspective of another, particularly across third-person and second-person approaches in research, and how researchers and stakeholders engage with each other.

Originality/value

– The authors argue that the question of perspectives is important for considering how people with autism and neurotypical people interact in everyday contexts, and how researchers frame their research questions and methods. The authors propose that stakeholders and researchers can fruitfully engage directly in discussions of research, in ways that benefit both research and practice.
TalkBox: a DIY communication board case study
Authors: Hamidi Foad , Baljko Melanie , Kunic Toni , Feraday Ray
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present TalkBox, an affordable and open-source communication board for users with communication or speech disorders. Making and tinkering methods are combined with community engagement and participatory design to create a democratic and accessible approach to assistive technology design.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors employed a community-engaged participatory design methodology where we incorporated input from stakeholders into the design of the interface. Close collaboration with our community partner allowed us to make informed decisions on different aspects of the design from sourcing of the material to testing the prototype.

Findings

– Through describing TalkBox, the paper presents a concrete example of how assistive technology can be designed and deployed more democratically, how collaborations between academia and community partners can be established, and how the design reflects different aspects of the methodology used.

Originality/value

– This paper explores the question of how can open-source technology and making methods contribute to the development of more affordable and inclusive designs through a concrete example.
An error-correction modeling of US consumer spending: are there asymmetries?
Authors: Baghestani Hamid , Kherfi Samer
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate four possible asymmetries in US aggregate consumption and its major components (durables, non-durables, and services) for the period 1990-2013. Understanding the asymmetric behavior of the components is important since the impact of monetary policy on separate consumer spending categories may differ substantially.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors first employ stationarity and cointegration tests to specify and estimate the long-run equilibrium relationship between consumer spending and such variables as disposable income, consumer sentiment, and the expected real interest rate. The authors then specify a structural error-correction model for each spending category to simultaneously investigate such possible asymmetries due to the ratchet effect, psychological negativity bias, interest rate effect, and varying degree of adjustment in eliminating disequilibrium defined as the gap between actual and desired spending.

Findings

– First, consumption and its major components all display asymmetric behavior consistent with psychological negativity bias. Second, consumer spending on durable goods also displays asymmetries consistent with both the ratchet effect and the interest rate effect. Third, non-durables respond asymmetrically to disequilibrium; consumers adjust (increase) spending on non-durables only when actual spending is below desired spending on non-durable goods. Fourth, services also respond asymmetrically to disequilibrium; consumers adjust (reduce) spending on services only when actual spending is above desired spending on services.

Originality/value

– This study provides new insight on the asymmetric behavior of consumer spending. The authors believe that the findings should help with macroeconomic policymaking when such indicators as income, consumer sentiment, and expected real interest rates display significant variations.
Limited higher order beliefs and the welfare effects of public information
Authors: Cornand Camille , Heinemann Frank
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– In games with strategic complementarities, public information about the state of the world has a larger impact on equilibrium actions than private information of the same precision, because the former is more informative about the likely behavior of others. This may lead to welfare-reducing “overreactions” to public signals as shown by Morris and Shin (2002). Recent experiments on games with strategic complementarities show that subjects attach a lower weight to public signals than theoretically predicted. The purpose of this paper is to reconsider the welfare effects of public signals accounting for the weights observed in experiments.

Design/methodology/approach

– Aggregate behavior observed in experiments on games with strategic complementarities can be explained by a cognitive hierarchy model where subjects employ limited levels of reasoning. They respond in a rational way to the non-strategic part of a game and they account for other players responding rationally, but they neglect that other players also account for others’ rationality. This paper analyzes the welfare effects of public information under such limited levels of reasoning.

Findings

– In the model by Morris and Shin (2002) public information is always welfare improving if strategies are derived from such low reasoning levels. The optimal degree of publicity is decreasing in the levels of reasoning. For the observed average level of reasoning, full transparency is optimal, if public information is more precise than private information. If the policy maker has instruments that are perfect substitutes to private actions, the government should secretly respond to its information without disclosing or signaling it to the private sector independent of the degree of private agents’ rationality.

Originality/value

– This paper takes experimental evidence back to theory and shows that the main result obtained by the theory under rational behavior breaks down if theory accounts for the bounded rationality observed in experiments.
Macroeconomic experiments
Authors: Heinemann Frank , Noussair Charles
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to introduce the upcoming symposium on experimental macroeconomics in the November issue.

Design/methodology/approach

– Experimental, survey of articles in the symposium.

Findings

– The paper describes how experiments can be used in macroeconomics.

Originality/value

– The paper discusses the rationale for using behavioral experiments in macroeconomics, and summarizes the papers in the symposium.
Bank lending channel in Zambia: empirical evidence from bank level data
Authors: Simpasa Anthony , Nandwa Boaz , Nabassaga Tiguéné
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of monetary policy on the lending behaviour of commercial banks in Zambia using bank-level data.

Design/methodology/approach

– Dynamic panel data econometric analysis is used to uncover the evidence of monetary transmission mechanism in Zambian banking industry. Other specifications are used as robustness checks.

Findings

– Contrary to received evidence, the authors find that the bank lending channel in Zambia operates mainly through large banks. The effect of monetary policy on medium-sized banks is moderate while it is virtually non-existent for smaller banks. Furthermore, the data does not show evidence of relationship lending for smaller banks.

Originality/value

– Overall, the findings of this investigation suggest that price signals, rather than quantity aggregates, matter the most in the transmission of monetary policy in Zambia. The results therefore lend support to the central bank’s recent shift in monetary policy framework from using monetary aggregates to interest rate targeting as a means to strengthen effectiveness of monetary policy.
Configurations of leadership practices in hospital units
Authors: Meier Ninna
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore how leadership is practiced across four different hospital units.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study is a comparative case study of four hospital units, based on detailed observations of the everyday work practices, interactions and interviews with ten interdisciplinary clinical managers.

Findings

– Comparing leadership as configurations of practices across four different clinical settings, the author shows how flexible and often shared leadership practices were embedded in and central to the core clinical work in all units studied here, especially in more unpredictable work settings. Practices of symbolic work and emotional support to staff were particularly important when patients were severely ill.

Research limitations/implications

– Based on a study conducted with qualitative methods, these results cannot be expected to apply in all clinical settings. Future research is invited to extend the findings presented here by exploring leadership practices from a micro-level perspective in additional health care contexts: particularly the embedded and emergent nature of such practices.

Practical implications

– This paper shows leadership practices to be primarily embedded in the clinical work and often shared across organizational or professional boundaries.

Originality/value

– This paper demonstrated how leadership practices are embedded in the everyday work in hospital units. Moreover, the analysis shows how configurations of leadership practices varied in four different clinical settings, thus contributing with contextual accounts of leadership as practice, and suggested “configurations of practice” as a way to carve out similarities and differences in leadership practices across settings.
New nurse transition: success through aligning multiple identities
Authors: Leong Yee Mun Jessica , Crossman Joanna
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the perceptions of new nurses in Singapore of their experiences of role transition and to examine the implications for managers in terms of employee training, development and retention.

Design/methodology/approach

– This qualitative study was conducted using a constructivist grounded theory approach. In total 26 novice nurses and five preceptors (n=31) from five different hospitals participated in the study. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews and reflective journal entries and analysed using the constant comparative method.

Findings

– The findings revealed that novice nurses remained emotionally and physically challenged when experiencing role transition. Two major constructs appear to play an important part in the transition process; learning how to Fit in and aligning personal with professional and organisational identities. The findings highlight factors that facilitate or impede Fitting in and aligning these identities.

Originality/value

– Although the concept of Fitting in and its relation to the attrition of novice nurses has been explored in global studies, that relationship has not yet been theorised as the dynamic alignment of multiple identities. Also, whilst most research around Fitting in, identity and retention has been conducted in western countries, little is known about these issues and their interrelationship in the context of Singapore. The study should inform decision making by healthcare organisations, nurse managers and nursing training institutions with respect to improving the transition experience of novice nurses.
Managing processes of inpatient care and treatment
Authors: Nilsson Kerstin , Sandoff Mette
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to establish a knowledge bank for the development of overall hospital processes. Description and analysis are used to show how process managers experience their situation and the various possibilities it offers for active management in the context of managing processes of inpatient care and treatment at Swedish hospitals.

Design/methodology/approach

– A qualitative and explorative design with open-ended interviews with 12 process managers at three Swedish hospitals was used. Transcribed interviews were analysed by means of latent content analysis.

Findings

– The two main categories emerging from the analysis were characteristics of process leadership and prerequisites of process management. Quality, relational and knowledge dimensions, and structure, time and information dimensions emerged as their respective sub-categories. The overall theme describes the interdependence between leadership characteristics and the prerequisites necessary for effective process management.

Research limitations/implications

– No generalizations could be made from the results of the qualitative interview studies but a deeper understanding of the phenomenon was reached, which in turn can be transferred to similar settings.

Originality/value

– This study contributes qualitative descriptions of leadership characteristics and the prerequisites necessary for active process management in the context of managing processes of inpatient care and treatment at Swedish hospitals, a subject that has not been investigated earlier.
Strategies to promote practice nurse capacity to deliver evidence-based care
Authors: Dadich Ann , Abbott Penny , Hosseinzadeh Hassan
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– Evidence-based practice is pivotal to effective patient care. However, its translation into practice remains limited. Given the central role of primary care in many healthcare systems, it is important to identify strategies that bolster clinician-capacity to promote evidence-based care. The purpose of this paper is to identify strategies to increase Practice Nurse capacity to promote evidence-based sexual healthcare within general practice.

Design/methodology/approach

– A survey of 217 Practice Nurses in an Australian state and ten respondent-interviews regarding two resources to promote evidence-based sexual healthcare – namely, a clinical aide and online training.

Findings

– The perceived impact of both resources was determined by views on relevance and design – particularly for the clinical aide. Resource-use was influenced by role and responsibilities within the workplace, accessibility, and support from patients and colleagues.

Research limitations/implications

– This is the first Australian study to reveal strategies to promote evidence-based sexual healthcare among Practice Nurses. The findings provide a platform for future research on knowledge translation processes, particularly among clinicians who might be disengaged from sexual healthcare.

Practical implications

– Given the benefits of evidence-based practices, it is important that managers recognize their role, and the role of their services, in promoting these. Without explicit support for evidence-based care and recognition of the Practice Nurse role in such care, knowledge translation is likely to be limited.

Originality/value

– Knowledge translation among Practice Nurses can be facilitated by: resources-deemed informative, relevant, and user-friendly, as well as support from patients, colleagues, and their workplace.
The impact of mindfulness on leadership effectiveness in a health care setting: a pilot study
Authors: Wasylkiw Louise , Holton Judith , Azar Rima , Cook William
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of mindfulness awareness practice (MAP) on mid-level health-care managers’ leadership.

Design/methodology/approach

– In total, 11 mid-level health-care managers in eastern Canada took part in an intensive weekend retreat and a follow-up webinar on mindfulness awareness. Perceived stress and leadership effectiveness were assessed pre- and post-intervention (i.e. four and eight weeks). A control group (n=10) also completed the same measures twice. Additionally, informants (n=28) provided assessments of participants’ leadership pre- and post-intervention. Follow-up interviews were carried out with eight participants 12-16 weeks post-intervention.

Findings

– In comparison to controls, retreat participants showed significant increases in mindfulness and corresponding decreases in stress that were sustained across eight weeks post-retreat; retreat participants reported significant positive changes in their leadership effectiveness that were corroborated by informants. Qualitative data, however, suggest that sustaining a mindfulness practice presents significant challenges to middle managers in a health care setting.

Research limitations/implications

– The findings are useful to management working in health services that are plagued by increasing demands and changes. Despite the small sample and lack of random assignment, the pilot data support the efficacy of MAP in improving leadership.

Originality/value

– Little empirical research supports the claim that MAP enhances leadership. The present study employed a mixed methods approach to address this gap and demonstrates the potential benefits of MAP among mid-level managers.
Evaluating Schwartz Center Rounds® in an urban hospital center
Authors: Deppoliti Denise Irene , Côté-Arsenault Denise , Myers Gina , Barry Jennifer , Randolph Connie , Tanner Brendan
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– Schwartz Center Rounds® (SCRs) bring multidisciplinary caregivers together to discuss authentic patient cases from the social and emotional perspective. The monthly sessions provide a forum to share personal thoughts and feelings. The purpose of this paper is to learn why people attend SCR, understand what is gained from the experience, and identify key elements to use in measuring the program’s effectiveness.

Design/methodology/approach

– This qualitative descriptive study used four focus groups and three telephone interviews for data collection. Purposive sampling resulted in a multidisciplinary sample of 30 participants. Thematic analysis was conducted with complete transcripts by all researchers.

Findings

– All parties viewed SCR as beneficial. Six themes emerged during data analysis: culture change, exposing emotions, walking in another’s shoes, inequality of topics, influence of rules and boundaries, and personal impact. Institutional culture was positively influenced through SCR.

Research limitations/implications

– Limitations include a single institution and restricted data gathered from physicians. Future research should focus on identifying outcome measures to evaluate the long-term impact of SCR on healthcare organizations.

Practical implications

– This study confirms that the SCR program should be continued at the study organization, and expanded to increase availability to all staff. The growth of this program in healthcare organizations across the country is encouraged.

Originality/value

– This research provides support for healthcare organizations to offer SCR and highlights how the emotional aspects of patient care can be acknowledged, explored, and discussed.
Banks and new firm formation
Authors: Backman Mikaela
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to give a nuanced picture of how the local bank sector influences new firm formation and how this differs along the urban-rural hierarchy. Thus, the present paper increases the knowledge concerning the importance of the local bank sector in influencing new firm formation. In this respect, it also sheds light on how banks influence regional growth through their impact on start-ups.

Design/methodology/approach

– The empirical design is based on a cross-sectional approach from 2010, where Swedish municipalities are employed as the unit of observation. To overcome a possible endogeneity problem, an instrumental variable approach is applied. A two-stage least squares approach is employed in which instruments for the local bank sector in 2010 are utilised.

Findings

– The findings present positive relationships among the average size of the bank branches, independent banks per capita, bank branches per capita, bank competition, and the number of local start-ups in Sweden. Hence, access to financial funds is important for new firm formation. When the sample is divided across the urban-rural hierarchy, differences arise concerning the importance of the local bank sector. Independent banks per capita and bank branches per capita tend to have a larger impact on firm formation in rural municipalities.

Originality/value

– This paper is novel in its detailed approach to describing the local bank sector. This topic is important for local and national policy makers, demonstrating the importance of the local bank sector for a growing and healthy regional economy. This study is also the first study on this topic in Sweden.
The usage of digital marketing channels in SMEs
Authors: Taiminen Heini Maarit , Karjaluoto Heikki
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the utilization and goals of digital marketing, and examines factors that influence the adoption and use of digital marketing channels in SMEs.

Design/methodology/approach

– The data comprises semi-structured theme interviews in SMEs among 16 managers and 421 survey respondents in Central Finland.

Findings

– The results of this study reveal that SMEs seem not use the full potential of the new digital tools, and so are not deriving benefit from the opportunities they provide. Furthermore, the results also raise the question of whether SMEs have understood the fundamental change in the nature of communication brought about by digitization.

Research limitations/implications

– The data comes from one region and thus the research context limits the generalizability of the results.

Practical implications

– SMEs seem not to be keeping pace with digital developments, mostly due to the lack of knowledge of digital marketing. Most of the studied SMEs do not apply the full potential of the new digital tools and hence are not benefitting fully from them.

Social implications

– Discussions on the future regional development of SMEs have called for training programmes to help SMEs exploit digitization. This is something that the government should take note of.

Originality/value

– Whereas the adoption process of new technologies such as IT in general and the internet in particular have been examined in the SME literature, this is among the first studies examining adoption and usage of digital tools from the marketing perspective.
Special interest in decision making in entrepreneurship policy
Authors: Bager Torben Eli , Klyver Kim , Nielsen Pia Schou
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of the special interests of key decision makers in entrepreneurship policy formation at the national level. The core question is: what is the role that special interests play in a situation with significantly improved evidence through a growing number of high-quality international benchmark studies on entrepreneurial performance.

Design/methodology/approach

– An ethnographic method is applied to analyse in depth the 2005 decision by the Danish Government to shift from a volume-oriented to a growth-oriented entrepreneurship policy. This decision process is an extreme case since Denmark has world-class evidence of its entrepreneurial performance.

Findings

– Even in such a well-investigated country, which since 2000 has had a pioneering role in the development of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor study and international register-based studies, the special interests of a few top-level politicians and civil servants have significantly influenced the decision to shift the overall policy. These special interests guided the interpretation of the ambiguous evidence provided by these two benchmark studies.

Practical implications

– Policy makers are made aware of the need to take a critical view on international benchmark studies, asking what is studied and how and realising that “the truth” about a country’s entrepreneurial performance cannot be found in just one study.

Originality/value

– The theoretical value of this paper is its challenge to the widespread rationality view in the entrepreneurship policy field and a deepened understanding of how the pursuit of special interests is related to ambiguous evidence and system-level rationality.
Funding accessibility for minority entrepreneurs: an empirical analysis
Authors: Bewaji Tolulope , Yang Qin , Han Yunxuan
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine what factors affect entrepreneurs with minority background to access public financial institutions’ funds in initiating and developing their new ventures. Following the signal theory, social capital theory and the liability of newness perspective, the effect of demographic characteristics of entrepreneurs were investigated and the differences between ethnic minority and non-minority entrepreneurs’ access to financial institutions’ funds were compared.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper draws on the data of 2,119 high technology and non-high technology firms from the Kauffman foundation survey. The empirical analysis was focussed on the characteristics of entrepreneurs of these new ventures and the nature of the financial arrangements of these businesses to test the theoretical framework.

Findings

– This study provides empirical evidence that ethnic minority entrepreneurs are less likely to access loans from financial institutions than non-minority entrepreneurs. Moreover, the education level of ethnic minority entrepreneurs was identified as a key factor to help them to access financial institutions’ funds.

Research limitations/implications

– The main limitation is that the data did not allow us to explore the actual reasons for observed correlations between entrepreneurs’ ethnic background, demographic characteristics and their use of financial institutions’ funds.

Practical implications

– Since the constraints in the access to financial resources greatly impact the success of new ventures, this study indicates through what factors minority entrepreneurs can increase their credence to get more financial support. In addition, it is also helpful for the loan managers of financial institutions to make rational decisions when they assess the application of minority entrepreneurs.

Originality/value

– This study enriches the understanding of minority entrepreneurs in the entrepreneurship literature. First, it aggregates major minorities in the USA and strives to identify systematically different financing behaviors of these minority entrepreneurs; second, it provides empirical investigation on the correlation of ethnic minority background and access to funds from financial institutions and the moderating effect of a set of demographic factors.
Demystifying the benefits and risks of Lean service innovation: a banking case study
Authors: Gong Yiwei , Janssen Marijn
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to demystify Lean for service innovation by investigating its benefits and risks. Lean innovation is a relatively new approach which is advocated in management literature. Little scientific work about its practice exists in the field. Although the Lean innovation principles are clear, there is limited evidence about their impact on service innovation processes.

Design/methodology/approach

– From the knowledge-based view (KBV) of the firm, a framework for understanding Lean innovation is developed. Using this framework, the benefits and risks of Lean innovation are analyzed in a case study.

Findings

– The case study not only shows that Lean service innovation can have many advantages, but also draws attention to the risks. The risks might result in the inability to follow Lean principles and might hamper the realization of the benefits. Using the case studies, study mitigation mechanisms are identified.

Originality/value

– This research offers a new knowledge perspective and a better understanding of Lean service innovation. There are two main contribution of this paper. First of all, it reports on the impact of Lean innovation on a bank’s innovation processes, both its benefit and risks. This has a contribution to understanding the innovation process in service organizations. Second, this paper extends Lean innovation to a service context and contributes to the knowledge basis of Lean innovation.
Investigating employee harassment via social media
Authors: Taylor Mark , Haggerty John , Gresty David , Criado Pacheco Natalia , Berry Tom , Almond Peter
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the process of investigation of employee harassment via social media to develop best practices to help organisations conduct such investigations more effectively.

Design/methodology/approach

– It reviews the technical, managerial and legal literature to develop guidance for organisations conducting investigations of employee harassment via social media.

Findings

– Organisations may not have effective procedures for the investigation of social media misuse, in general, and employee harassment via social media, in particular. This paper provides guidance for organisations to conduct investigation of employee harassment via social media more effectively.

Originality/value

– The paper consolidates the fragmented discussion of investigation of social media misuse with regard to employee harassment via a literature review across technical, managerial and legal disciplines. The paper provides guidance to support organisations for conducting investigations of employee harassment via social media more effectively.
Exploring the influence of electronic word-of-mouth on tourists’ visit intention
Authors: Wang Ping
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to explore the influence of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) on outbound tourists’ intention to visit a destination through a dual-process perspective – the central route of argument quality (AQ) and the peripheral route of source credibility (SC). With the pervasion of Web 2.0 and information and communication technology, user-generated content (UGC) has become popular in the online environment, and it affects consumers’ decisions greatly.

Design/methodology/approach

– A structural model based on Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) and theory of planned behavior (TPB) is proposed in this study to explore the influence of eWOM on outbound tourists’ intention to visit a destination. Empirical data were collected among Chinese outbound tourists via an online survey. The data were analyzed using structural equation model with SPSS Amos 22.0.

Findings

– The research results indicate that tourist’s attitude toward a destination was positively influenced by AQ of eWOM, and intention to recommend the destination before travel was positively influenced by attitude toward destination and SC of destination-related eWOM. Outbound tourists’ intention to visit a destination was positively determined by AQ, attitude toward destination and WOM intention. Several practical and theoretical implications are also discussed in the study.

Originality/Value

– This study contributed to the understanding of individual’s decision-making through a dual-process perspective. Findings indicate that the dual influence process delineated in theory of ELM is also applicable to explain individual’s decision in complicated information source.
The impacts of unique service resources and habit on e-service loyalty in a highly competitive market
Authors: Liu Yong , Deng Shengli , Hu Feng , Chen Xiaoyu
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to seek to quantify how unique service resources and consumer habit affect e-service loyalty (e-loyalty) in a highly competitive market. This study is grounded on Chinese social networking service (SNS) industry. A resource-based view is introduced as an alternative perspective to understand building consumer loyalty in e-service contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

– A research framework is developed by reviewing prior literature. An online survey is conducted to collect research data. Based on 221 valid responses, the research model is tested by using partial least squares path modeling technique.

Findings

– The features of market environments affects the loyalty of consumers to e-service providers. Consumers become mercenary in highly competitive and low differentiation e-service markets like Chinese SNS industry. The interaction of satisfaction and switching cost affects loyalty. Satisfied consumers can be either loyal or not loyal to a service provider depending on their level of switching cost, but unsatisfied consumers will have no loyalty. In addition, users are loyal to a SNS partly because it is their habit to use the service. Our study suggests that relying on consumer satisfaction to build e-loyalty may be problematic and risky.

Originality/value

– The study represents an attempt to introduce the resource-based view to e-loyalty research. The research highlights the importance of habit in building consumers’ e-service satisfaction and loyalty and contributes to new insights on the importance of industry environment in determining e-service satisfaction–loyalty relationship based on studying consumers in a highly competitive market.