bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Value-based perspectives of stakeholders' building requirements in low cost and government subsidised housing projects in South Africa
Authors: Olukemi Windapo Abimbola , Goulding Jack
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– South Africa still has a considerable housing shortage. Government has tried to overcome this situation by creating programs to provide affordable housing to poor people. However, such housing is either often rejected by the beneficiaries or these express considerable dissatisfaction. This paper thus examines how value is constructed by key role players by looking at the building requirements that they promote, and asks whether there are any significant differences between the perceptions of housing providers and that of end-users, based on building requirements and location indicators. The rationale for the paper stems from the detection that low cost housing projects provided by government housing departments in South Africa (specifically, within the Western Cape Province) are either abandoned or considered non-satisfactory by beneficiaries and, therefore, seemingly not valued by them. This leads to the perception that low cost housing developments are unsustainable.

Design/methodology/approach

– The methodology used in the paper is based on value management, and urban and social studies literature, and on a multi-case study comprising of three low-cost housing developments.

Findings

– Results show that there are significant differences between the perception of key role players regarding what are important building requirements and location indicators and the corresponding end-user preferences based on location of the development.

Research limitations/implications

– Following the qualitative research approach used in the research, the main study limitations encountered include communication, because the low cost housing beneficiaries are predominately non-English speaking and have low level of literacy. This required the use of oral interviews, interpreters and translation of a significant number of the surveys into English. The data collected are therefore limited to the accuracy of the translations made by the translator.

Practical implications

– Results suggest that end-user preferences must be taken into consideration by the government and the design team when planning low-cost housing developments in South Africa, and that this could be achieved by involving the end-users in decision-making during the low-cost housing development process.

Originality/value

– This paper is of value to the national and provincial government in South Africa because it outlines the reasons for the lack of happiness and satisfaction among the poor and disadvantaged members of the community in the low cost government subsidised housing, and it suggests steps that can be taken by government to mitigate the housing problems. The paper is also of value to other key stakeholders such as the design consultants, contractors and government officials involved in the housing delivery process.
Computation of the general carrying capacity of slewing bearings
Authors: Kania Ludwik , Krynke Marek
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to discuss the calculation problem of the real carrying capacity of slewing bearings. The selection of slewing bearing to heavy-duty machine according to catalogue carrying capacity and also according to locally determined real carrying capacity is insufficient and it can be the cause of the damage of machine during exploitation.

Design/methodology/approach

– The concepts of the local, total and general capacities is defined. The general capacity is a logical product of the local capacities. It is particularly useful in an analysis of slewing bearings incorporated into machines with complex structures. The FEM is applied in computations. The formation method of the mathematical model of a bearing is presented.

Findings

– The computations of the local capacities and general capacity of a bearing for the limiting load of the bearing traces and the limiting tension of the bolts fastening the bearing were carried out. Considerations were illustrated by an example of the bearing of a mobile crane.

Practical implications

– The paper presented in the methodology of the calculation of general bearing carrying capacity and the obtained results of calculations can be used already by designers of bearings and machine engines to elimination of the potential damages of machine on the stage of projecting.

Originality/value

– The general capacity of a bearing into machines with complex and irregulars structure is considerably lower than the bearing catalogue capacity and then the local teal capacity. The reasons for the differences between the catalogue capacity and the general capacity of slewing bearings were given.
Numerical simulation of two dimensional quasilinear hyperbolic equations by polynomial differential quadrature method
Authors: Kumar Vikas , Jiwari Ram , Kumar Gupta Rajesh
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to propose a numerical technique based on polynomial differential quadrature method (PDQM) to find the numerical solutions of two-space-dimensional quasilinear hyperbolic partial differential equations subject to appropriate Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions.

Design/methodology/approach

– The PDQM reduced the equations into a system of second order linear differential equation. The obtained system is solved by RK4 method by converting into a system of first ordinary differential equations.

Findings

– The accuracy of the proposed method is demonstrated by several test examples. The numerical results are found to be in good agreement with the exact solutions. The proposed technique can be applied easily for multidimensional problems.

Originality/value

– The main advantage of the present scheme is that the scheme gives very accurate and similar results to the exact solutions by choosing less number of grid points and the problem can be solved up to big time. The good thing of the present technique is that it is easy to apply and gives us better accuracy in less numbers of grid points as comparison to the other numerical techniques.
Modification of iterative methods for solving linear complementarity problems
Authors: Saberi Najafi H. , Edalatpanah S.A.
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present the efficient iterative methods for solving linear complementarity problems (LCP), using a class of pre-conditioners.

Design/methodology/approach

– By using the concept of solving the fixed-point system of equations associated to the LCP, pre-conditioning techniques and Krylov subspace methods the authors design some projected methods to solve LCP. Furthermore, within the computational framework, some models of pre-conditioners candidates are investigated and evaluated.

Findings

– The proposed algorithms have a simple and graceful structure and can be applied to other complementarity problems. Asymptotic convergence of the sequence generated by the method to the unique solution of LCP is proved, along with a result regarding the convergence rate of the pre-conditioned methods. Finally, a computational comparison of the standard methods against pre-conditioned methods based on Example 1 is presented which illustrate the merits of simplicity, power and effectiveness of the proposed algorithms.

Research limitations/implications

– Comparison between the authors' methods and other similar methods for the studied problem shows a remarkable agreement and reveals that their models are superior in point of view rate of convergence and computing efficiency.

Originality/value

– For solving LCP more attention has recently been paid on a class of iterative methods called the matrix-splitting such as AOR, MAOR, GAOR, SSOR, etc. But up to now, no paper has discussed the effect of pre-conditioning technique for matrix-splitting methods in LCP. So, this paper is planning to fill in this gap and the authors use a class of pre-conditioners with iterative methods and analyze the convergence of these methods for LCP.
Workplace learning as a linchpin of Europe's lifelong learning policy
Authors: Ogunleye James
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which workplace learning forms a building block in national lifelong learning policies by obtaining evidence, first-hand, from mental health practitioners about their perceptions of their individual country's national lifelong learning policy and, in particular, its application to adults with long-term mental illness.

Design/methodology/approach

– Text analysis: review of relevant literature and European Union policy documents and survey questionnaire.

Findings

– It is evident that the use of workplace learning as a linchpin in national strategies for lifelong learning in Denmark and France is clear and empirically supported.

Research limitations/implications

– Comparative evidence of evaluations of impact and effectiveness of workplace lifelong learning provision in the two countries examined is patchy at best raising further questions about the “value” of investments in both workplace learning and lifelong learning in these countries.

Practical implications

– There is a risk that by focusing on jobs and workplace learning, the specific needs and desires of people with mental illness who, in the main, might want to engage in lifelong learning for reasons other than jobs and workplace learning, may end up being disadvantaged as their (non-economic) needs go unmet.

Originality/value

– Until now there has been little or no attempt to examine Europe's conception of lifelong learning policy and its application to a multiple disadvantaged group such as mental health service users. This is a major attempt to remedy current dearth of research in the area.
Introducing enterprise – research into the practical aspects of introducing innovative enterprise schemes as extra curricula activities in higher education
Authors: Burrows Karen , Wragg Nick
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– Enhancing student opportunity and providing an outstanding learning experience within an increasingly competitive market requires a multifaceted approach to learning. This paper aims to show how a social enterprise initiative can help students differentiate their offering to the workplace and in doing so develop skills that promote elegant self-management.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research is a continuous project to gather data to evaluate on the effectiveness of enterprise activities and will incorporate both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, through what is largely an action research study.

Findings

– This paper presents one approach to the challenge of student engagement, by encouraging choice and being proactive in adding value to CV's, through student led practical initiatives. Lecturers assist in managing student expectation and embedding realism; the realism of the need for transferable employability skills, and the challenges and opportunities faced during times of change. By enthusing students (and feedback suggests this is happening in our current project) a virtuous circle is created, manifested in increased graduate student employment and a competitive edge.

Originality/value

– This is an experiential project of creating an enterprise committee which enhances the learning experience, teaches students how to take theory and apply it in real situations, and builds their confidence. By linking vocational and reflective modules’ to entrepreneurial skills, a balance is struck not just between academia and employability but also work and life, addressing the contemporary challenge of not just teaching students business theory or employability skills but of practical self-management.
A “contingent” view of leadership: 360 degree assessments of leadership behaviours in different contexts
Authors: Manning Tony
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– Much popular thinking on leadership assumes that there is some “essence” of effective leadership, that there are “universal” leadership traits and/or behaviours associated with success in all situations. This article aims to challenge such views, providing evidence showing that 360 degree assessments of different leadership behaviours vary according to the context. This article seeks to present evidence that supports a “contingent” view of leadership.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research described looks at the degree of correlation, and its statistical significance, between self-assessed leadership behaviour and 360 degree assessments of performance. Evidence is presented showing that results vary in different contexts.

Findings

– Statistically significant relationships were found between leadership behaviours and 360 degree outcomes. These relationships varied according to the context, including the individual's seniority, control over resources and line management responsibility, as well as the size of the organisation and rate of organisational change.

Research limitations/implications

– The research uses one outcome measure, is based on managers in the UK public sector and explores a limited number of contextual variables. Further research using other outcome measures, based on other populations and considering other contextual variables would be useful. Some of the sub-samples are also quite small and there is a need for further research in small organisations, organisations undergoing limited change and with individuals line managing large numbers of staff. Research using more objective measures of organisational size would also be useful.

Practical implications

– The research findings highlight the fact that, in order to be effective, leaders need to tailor their behaviour to the specific situation. Inappropriate behaviour reduces personal effectiveness and, in consequence, organisational effectiveness. Providers of leadership training and development need to be more aware of the “contingent” nature of leadership. This means abandoning “universal” leadership models and prescriptions.

Social implications

– This paper has implications for individuals in leadership roles, for individuals providing leadership training and development, and for purchasers of leadership training and development solutions. All need to recognise the “contingent” nature of leadership.

Originality/value

– This paper provides an evidence-based challenge to the widely held view that there is some “essence” of leadership, that there are “universal” leadership traits and/or behaviours. While there are some published examples of such “contingency” research into leadership, they are limited in number, and little known and seldom used in the world of training and development.
Response of managers to the challenges of globalisation
Authors: J. Hurn Brian
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– This article aims to emphasise the increasing need for managers operating in international business to respond effectively to the challenges of globalisation and to provide suggested responses and training of global international managers.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper summarises the main driving forces behind globalisation and, in particular, the increasing influence of Brazil, Russia, China and India (the BRICs). It analyses the main challenges and associated political and economic factors.

Findings

– Main challenges include strategic, geopolitical issues, working effectively in multinational teams, ethical and environmental considerations, the vulnerability of global supply chains and the ever-present requirement for wider understanding of the cultural background. Training required includes language skills, special competencies and the development of global leadership skills.

Research limitations/implications

– The paper was written against a background of swiftly changing circumstances and inherent problems in interpretation of governments' statistics.

Practical implications

– Practical implications are the difficulty of assessing change in a period of general sluggish growth in a global recession and a basic lack of business confidence.

Social implications

– Social implications include the rise in the potential spending power of developing countries, especially the BRICs, who now have a sizeable affluent middle class. This is against a background of latent social unrest as the gap between the rich and poor is tending to increase.

Originality/value

– This paper is an attempt to summarise the key challenges and the current economic factors which can threaten the successful operation of international management in the globalised economy.
Applying the motivation-opportunity-ability (MOA) model to reveal factors that influence inclusive engagement within local community festivals
Authors: Jepson Allan , Clarke Alan , Ragsdell Gillian
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to debate on community engagement and participation in local community festivals and events by empirically analysing the factors which either inhibit or facilitate engagement. The application of the motivation-opportunity-ability (MOA) model to the analysis of community festivals is an important contribution.

Design/methodology/approach

– Recognising the complexity associated with community participation in festivals produced a set of four research questions which are addressed via a mixed methodology research design. The model was then tested using four key data collection methods including the interviews and the questionnaires analysed within this paper.

Findings

– The MOA model can be seen as an appropriate framework with which to analyse community engagement in a local community festival setting, in the case of “The Utcazene-Fesztival”, a Street Music Festival in Veszprém, Hungary. Community participation is often interpreted quite simply as a way of involving local people in community planning and development. However, within the realm of community festivals and events the reality reveals a multitude of stakeholder webs and interconnected decision-making processes within a multi-faceted phenomenon. The paper reflects on the value of the MOA model to guide analysis within event studies and further considers the methodological challenges that the study brings to events studies.

Research limitations/implications

– This paper presents two key data sets as part of a broader study of the MOA model. Due to size restrictions only the primary data derived through qualitative interviews and quantitative questionnaires are analysed here.

Originality/value

– Currently there is limited understanding, agreement and research within community engagement remains an increasingly important area of academic enquiry. This particular paper explores the central concepts of inclusivity and engagement which can be considered as fundamental to the creation of successful community festivals and events. The paper begins by defining community festivals and events; it builds on Jepson and Clarke's (2012) work on developing inclusive community festivals and events through inclusive participation within the planning and decision making process.
Hidden complexity in housing markets: a case for alternative models and techniques
Authors: Wyman David , Worzala Elaine , Seldin Maury
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this exploratory paper is to examine the lack of reliability of traditional neo-classical models and to argue that it is due to the hidden complexity and non-linearity that may operate at times in residential housing markets. As a result, market efficiency may be a special case, rather than the prevailing rule. An alternative framework that incorporates the higher order concepts of complexity – based on the non-linear, emergent behavior of multiple agents – is required to model discontinuities and imbalances in the housing markets.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper examines the building block concepts required to model the complexity of the housing market and analyzes their implications. These implications can be counter-intuitive and help explain the failure of policy makers to model the recent bust in global housing markets.

Findings

– The paper finds that policy makers need to adopt an analytical framework that incorporates non-linearity, emergence and other building blocks of complexity in order to construct representative financial models that help understand systemic imbalances that may afflict residential housing markets.

Originality/value

– This is the first paper to one's knowledge that argues that policy makers should adopt an alternative theoretical framework based on complexity concepts in order to create more effective financial models; such models should include indicators that provide early warning signals of potential discontinuities in housing markets.
Corporate entrepreneurship and debt financing: evidence from the GCC countries
Authors: H. Chowdhury Reza , Maung Min
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member countries have recently given tremendous emphasis to corporate entrepreneurship. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the lack of entrepreneurship in publicly listed GCC firms affects their ability to acquire debt financing.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using stochastic frontier approach, the paper estimates an optimal revenue function given labor costs, operating expenses, and existing physical infrastructure of an organization. The paper estimates the difference between the optimal and actual level of firm revenues from a revenue frontier function, which can be partially resulted from managerial inefficiency due to the lack of corporate entrepreneurship. The paper uses fixed-effect panel regression and simultaneous equations system to determine the effect of such inefficiency on firms’ debt financing.

Findings

– The main finding is that as entrepreneurial activities increase, firms’ ability to borrow from banks also increases. Results also indicate that increased borrowing improves internal governance practices and indirectly compel the management to become more efficient.

Research limitations/implications

– Results exhibit how improving entrepreneurship affects firms’ access to external financing when the financial markets are underdeveloped and are plagued with information asymmetry and agency problems.

Practical implications

– The paper provides insights for policy makers in the GCC and other emerging countries where entrepreneurial activities are becoming a priority.

Originality/value

– The paper develops a new proxy measure of entrepreneurship in public firms and advances our knowledge about the importance of entrepreneurship in finance.
Determinants of international telecommunications alliance form in emerging markets
Authors: Tsai Dungchun , Chen WeiWei
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to attempt to explore how host governmental restriction and interfirm trust influence telecommunications operators (telcos) to choose international telecommunications alliance forms among equity alliances, relational alliances and recurrent alliances in three emerging markets: China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study utilizes multiple discriminant analysis to analyze 111 international alliances established in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan during 1993-2004.

Findings

– This study finds that host governmental restriction exerts greater influence on the choice of alliance form than interfirm trust. Telcos tend to develop non-equity alliances when governmental restriction is strong. In addition, they tend to develop equity and relational alliances when interfirm trust in high.

Research limitations/implications

– Two limitations are: this study only explores the impacts of a number of factors (host governmental restriction and interfirm trust) on alliance form choice, and it only focuses on bilateral alliances in telecommunications services industry. This study suggests that future study should explore other strategic factors (e.g. firms' capability, competitors' strategy) and multi-lateral alliances.

Practical implications

– This study provides three managerial suggestions. First, when international telcos establish alliances in emerging markets, they should primarily evaluate host governmental restrictions, and second assess interfirm trust. In addition, if local telcos intend to build relational and equity alliances to acquire international telcos' technology and marketing know-how, they should enhance interfirm trust with them. Lastly, when host governments attempt to attract foreign equity investment, they should remove restrictions on foreign ownership and provide support and friendly regulatory institutions.

Originality/value

– Most literature about telecommunications service industry focuses on developed markets and uses descriptive or case analysis. To fill these research gaps, this study conducts an empirical research by analyzing the international alliances in three emerging markets: China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The findings not only provide suggestions to international telcos, local telcos and host governments in these markets but also can be applied to other emerging markets.
Concise process improvement definition with case studies
Authors: Cox Steven , Garside John , Kotsialos Apostolos , Vitanov Valentin
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the efficiency and objectivity of current Six Sigma practices when at the measure/analyse phase of the DMAIC quality improvement cycle.

Design/methodology/approach

– A new method, named process variation diagnostic tool (PROVADT), demonstrates how tools from other quality disciplines can be used within the Six Sigma framework to strengthen the overall approach by means of improved objectivity and efficient selection of samples.

Findings

– From a structured sample of 20 products, PROVADT was able to apply a Gage R&R and provisional process capability study fulfilling the pre-requisites of the measure and early analyse phases of the DMAIC quality improvement cycle. From the same sample, Shainin multi-vari and isoplot studies were conducted in order to further the analysis without the need of additional samples.

Practical implications

– The method was tested in three different industrial situations. In all cases PROVADT's effectiveness was shown at driving forward a quality initiative with a relatively small number of samples. Particularly in the third case, it lead to the resolution of a long standing complex quality problem without the need for active experimentation on the process.

Originality/value

– This work demonstrates the need to provide industry with new statistical tools which are practical and give users efficient insight into potential causes of a process problem. PROVADT makes use of data needed by quality standards and Six Sigma initiatives to fulfil their requirements but structures data collection in a novel way to gain more information.
Experiences of TQM elements on organisational performance and future opportunities for a developing country
Authors: Meftah Abusa Fuzi , Gibson Peter
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent of total quality management (TQM) implementation in Libyan manufacturing companies (LMCs), and its impact on organisational performance (OP). The paper further investigates the impact of TQM implementation on OP, both in the presence or absence, of ISO 9000.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper examines the extent of TQM implementation in LMCs, and its impact on OP. The paper further investigates the impact of TQM implementation on OP, both in the presence or absence, of ISO 9000.

Findings

– The results on the level of TQM implementation in the 56 companies surveyed revealed that Libyan companies are still struggling to embark effectively upon TQM. Data analysis indicated that each TQM element, except supplier quality management, was significantly correlated with at least one of the nine OP improvements. The results of the regression analysis showed that each OP measure was only predicted by one TQM element. However, process management and top management commitment were found to be the most important TQM elements in terms of their impact on OP. This study investigated the impact of TQM implementation on OP in both the presence and absence of ISO 9000 Certification. It was found that there were no significant differences between ISO 9000-certified companies and their non-ISO 9000-certified counterparts in OP, except in exports growth.

Research limitations/implications

– This study did not examine OP in relation to how long the company had implemented TQM. Other limitations of this research are related to the unrevealed effect of the type of industry on OP, and also to the limited number of key performance indicators used.

Originality/value

– This empirical study is the first to examine the relationship between all the proposed TQM elements and OP in the Libyan Industrial Sector (LIS). It further adds to the TQM literature on the impact of ISO 9000 Certification on various dimensions of OP. This research highlights the implications, and recommendations for LMCs to effectively adopt TQM elements and increase their OP, which in turn, will assist development of the Libyan economy.
Maintenance practices in an economic downturn: the Irish experience-survey results
Authors: D. Naughton Michael , Hardiman Frances , Mansbridge Emma
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of the current original research is to determine the effect that the current period of economic recession has had on maintenance practices in Ireland.

Design/methodology/approach

– A survey, which was aimed exclusively at senior maintenance management level, was designed to assess the impact that this period of recession and subsequent austerity has had across three chosen indicators-technical, personal and economical-from a maintenance perspective.

Findings

– It was determined that maintenance practices in Ireland, irrespective of the origin of the organisation, were not immune from budget reductions and reductions in the levels of maintenance personnel. The survey suggests that retrenchment was the option of choice for organisations with 19 per cent increasing maintenance intervals and 11 per cent reporting a decrease in machine availability as a result. An analysis was also undertaken to accept or reject the hypothesis that the maintenance practices of indigenous Irish organisations have been more adversely affected than those of their non-indigenous Irish-based counterparts. The hypothesis was accepted.

Research limitations/implications

– Although the analysis is based upon simple descriptive statistics-it provides invaluable information to maintenance policy decision makers.

Originality/value

– The work is entirely original. Any work from other authors is duly referenced.
Student satisfaction with hostel facilities in Nigerian polytechnics
Authors: Toyin Sawyerr Patricia , Yusof Nor'Aini
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– This paper aims to ascertain the adequacy of the facilities provided in the students' hostels and to also investigate the level of satisfaction of the students to the available facilities.

Design/methodology/approach

– A total number of 250 questionnaires were distributed to the respondents. A cluster sampling method was used in the data collection in which attempt was made to get a fair representation on each floor of the hostel blocks. The data collected were then analysed using descriptive statistics such as the mean score and standard deviation.

Findings

– The result showed that students were generally dissatisfied with the hostel facilities with a mean score of 2.42 on a five-point scale which represents 66.6 percent dissatisfaction level. The result also showed that not all the necessary facilities as noted by other researchers were provided for the student in the hostel.

Research limitations/implications

– This result points to the need for a pragmatic and dynamic approach towards providing adequate and relevant facilities in the hostel accommodation to meet the minimum standard as obtained in other higher institution as this will invariably enhance the image of the institution and make it a top institution of choice to prospective students'.

Originality/value

– Previous studies have always tended to focus on the management and administrative aspects of students housing, this paper provides the students perspective of the housing facilities thereby giving room for continuous improvement in student housing.
From words to action
Authors: C. Buttigieg Sandra , Cassar Vincent , W. Scully Judy
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The following case study aims to explore management's, health professionals' and patients' experiences on the extent to which there is visibility of management support in achieving effective interdisciplinary team working, which is explicitly declared in the mission statement of a 60-bed acute rehabilitative geriatric hospital in Malta.

Design/methodology/approach

– A total of 21 semi-structured interviews were conducted with the above-mentioned key stakeholders.

Findings

– Three main distinct yet interdependent themes emerged as a result of thematic analysis: “managing a team-friendly hospital”, “interdisciplinary team components”, and “interdisciplinary team processes”. The findings show that visibility of management support and its alignment with the process and content levels of interdisciplinary teamwork are key to integrated care for acute rehabilitative geriatric patients.

Research limitations/implications

– The emerging phenomena may not be reproducible in a different context; although many of the emerging themes could be comfortably matched with the existing literature.

Practical implications

– The implications are geared towards raising the consciousness and conscientiousness of good practice in interdisciplinary teamwork in hospitals, as well as in emphasizing organizational and management support as crucial factors for team-based organizations.

Social implications

– Interdisciplinary teamwork in acute rehabilitative geriatrics provides optimal quality and integrated health care delivery with the aim that the older persons are successfully discharged back to the community.

Originality/value

– The authors draw on solid theoretical frameworks – the complexity theory, team effectiveness model and the social identity theory – to support their major finding, namely the alignment of organizational and management support with intra-team factors at the process and content level.
Are healthcare middle management jobs extreme jobs?
Authors: A. Buchanan David , Parry Emma , Gascoigne Charlotte , Moore Cíara
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the incidence of “extreme jobs” among middle managers in acute hospitals, and to identify individual and organizational implications.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper is based on interviews and focus groups with managers at six hospitals, a “proof of concept” pilot with an operations management team, and a survey administered at five hospitals.

Findings

– Six of the original dimensions of extreme jobs, identified in commercial settings, apply to hospital management: long hours, unpredictable work patterns, tight deadlines with fast pace, broad responsibility, “24/7 availability”, mentoring and coaching. Six healthcare-specific dimensions were identified: making life or death decisions, conflicting priorities, being required to do more with fewer resources, responding to regulatory bodies, the need to involve many people before introducing improvements, fighting a negative climate. Around 75 per cent of hospital middle managers have extreme jobs.

Research limitations/implications

– This extreme healthcare management job model was derived inductively from a qualitative study involving a small number of respondents. While the evidence suggests that extreme jobs are common, further research is required to assess the antecedents, incidence, and implications of these working practices.

Practical implications

– A varied, intense, fast-paced role with responsibility and long hours can be rewarding, for some. However, multi-tasking across complex roles can lead to fatigue, burnout, and mistakes, patient care may be compromised, and family life may be adversely affected.

Originality/value

– As far as the authors can ascertain, there are no other studies exploring acute sector management roles through an extreme jobs lens.
Mission statements readability: an insight into Islamic banks
Authors: Ahmed Ishfaq , Zeeshan Shaukat Muhammad , Islam Talat
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– A mission statement is an important tool for organizational communication, as it speaks to all stakeholders. It should be readable and comprehensible. The main objective of this article is to determine the readability of mission statements from selected Islamic banks.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study was conducted using simple counting techniques (total words, total sentences and number of words per sentence) and readability analyses. The mission statements from 169 Islamic banks were taken from their respective web sites between March and April 2012.

Findings

– The findings reveal that the mission statements of Islamic banks are difficult to read and comprehend and require 17 years of formal education before they can be fully understood.

Research limitations/implications

– Future studies should consider a comparative analysis that looks at how the origins of a bank can affect mission statements as well as examining different division of the financial sector such as insurance companies and other financial institutions.

Practical implications

– The findings of this study revealed that banks have a great deal of work to do on their mission statements in order to make them readable and understandable to a wide range of stakeholders.

Originality/value

– This article is first of its kind as it focuses on an area that has not been investigated by earlier researchers.
Islamic perspective of management accounting decision making techniques
Authors: Abdul-Baki Zayyad , Bukola Uthman Ahmad , Aliu Olanrewaju Atanda , Aramide Ibrahim Solihu
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– This paper aims to argue that the methodologies adopted by the conventional management accounting in selecting between or among two or more alternative courses of action, both in the long-term and the short-term decision making endeavours conflict with the overall objective ( falah) of Islamic enterprises.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper explores relevant literatures (including the Qur'an and the Hadeeth) to ascertain the objective of an Islamic enterprise and suggest an alternative approach, in making a choice among alternative courses of action, that aligns with the Islamic socio-economic objective ( falah).

Findings

– The paper suggests that both in long-term and short-term decision making endeavours, cost-benefit comparison (where cost includes negative externalities) rather than discounted cashflow techniques or contribution margin should be adopted in making a final choice among alternatives to achieve falah.

Research limitations/implications

– The paper has not considered other objectives that may be pursued by an organisation beside profit maximization whether short-term or long-term.

Practical implications

– The paper expands the frontiers of knowledge in Islamic accounting by exposing the inadequacy of the conventional management accounting decision making methods.

Originality/value

– This paper explores the Islamic perspective of the conventional management accounting which is rare among scholars of accounting.
Festival spaces as third places
Authors: Jon Hawkins Clayton , J. Ryan Lee-Anne
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– Given the rise in popularity of festivals globally, the purpose of this paper is to examine two case studies to identify whether festival spaces could be identified as third places. This paper argues that third places are not vanishing but that new and emerging third places can be identified through applying the essence of third place theory.

Design/methodology/approach

– The primary case study for this paper is The Falls Music and Arts Festival in Marion Bay, Tasmania, Australia that was the focus of a two year study into the interrelationships between informal leisure, social capital and place characteristics. 30 semi-structured interviews, participant observation and 937 surveys were conducted. To support this paper, findings from a smaller third place case study of six semi-structured interviews and participant observation at the “Festival of Lights” held in Pukekura Park in the New Plymouth, New Zealand are reflected upon.

Findings

– Third place characteristics were elucidated in the Falls study. Essential characteristics of third places such as access to conversation, the evidence of “regulars”, the chance meeting of a “friend of a friend” and a playful mood were identified. The location was an important meeting place for users to create, maintain and strengthen relationships. Repeat visits to this place was found to be integral to social networking and a feeling of “home”. Insights from the Festival of Lights study support these findings.

Research limitations/implications

– Identifying festival spaces as third spaces contests traditional third place theory. It offers scope for festival organisers to explore more deeply the intangible aspects of the experiences they afford. More case study research needs to be conducted to explore this potential further as this is only a start at linking festivals to the essence of third place theory.

Originality/value

– This paper pushes third place theory forward. It responds to calls for exploration of new and emerging third places in contemporary society. This research adds a new take on this exploration by affording an Australasian perspective.
Governance, type of blockholder, and negotiating power in takeovers
Authors: Harris Oneil , Madura Jeff , Glegg Charmaine
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– Agency theory suggests that if managers are not monitored, takeover negotiations may be contaminated by agency conflicts, which may weaken a firm's bargaining position. This paper argues that some blockholders are more effective monitors than others, and tests whether the negotiating power of a target or bidder is influenced by their respective blockholder composition. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper classifies target and bidder outside blockholders as either aggressive monitors or moderate monitors, and tests whether the degrees of monitoring effectiveness influence a firm's share of the total wealth created by the takeover (a proxy for bargaining power).

Findings

– This paper finds that firms that have the types of outside blockholders with a greater tendency to monitor managers elicit higher takeover gains. This suggests that negotiating power in takeovers is conditioned on the types of blockholders that monitor the target and bidder. The results support the premise that better monitoring leads to higher gains for shareholders in a takeover. In particular, the findings suggest that the greater the tendency of outside blockholders to monitor managers, the lower the level of takeover-related agency conflicts and the stronger a firm's relative bargaining power.

Originality/value

– These findings imply that agency conflicts on either side of a takeover bid may be reduced by better monitoring, but especially among bidders.
Competitive strategy and industry contagion following traditional Chapter 11 bankruptcy announcements
Authors: Hunsader Kenneth , Delcoure Natalya , Pennywell Gwendolyn
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of bankruptcy announcements on the bankrupt firm's competitors' stock returns.

Design/methodology/approach

– Starting with a sample of Chapter 11 bankruptcies from 1980 through 2008, the authors use event study methodology to examine the returns of bankrupt firm's rivals around the filing date. The authors employ a t-test of means across groups to check for differences in returns based on a competitive strategy measure (CSM). The CSM classifies industry rivals into strategic complements or substitutes. The authors also separate the sample based on traditional or non-traditional bankruptcies and conduct explanatory regressions on the abnormal returns using economically important independent variables such as the CSM, leverage and the Herfindahl index.

Findings

– Similar to previous research, the paper finds that less concentrated industries and industries with high leverage suffer greater negative wealth effects when a firm within the industry announces a bankruptcy. Extending current research, the paper finds strategic interaction within the industry is an important factor in determining industry portfolio returns. Rivals characterized as strategic complements exhibit significant negative valuation effects while rivals characterized as strategic substitutes do not. Finally, the paper finds that this strategic effect is dominant when the future cash flows and outcome of the reorganization is more uncertain as substantiated by the difference between traditional and non-traditional bankruptcy filings.

Originality/value

– This is believed to be the first empirical article to examine how the CSM affects the returns of bankrupt firms' rivals.
The importance of step-down programmes: the Imago group
Authors: D. Williams Anna , Bickford-Smith Elizabeth , King Claire , Tagg Alex
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The Imago group was developed in 2010 as a step-down group for members of the Winterbourne Therapeutic Community (TC) who had completed their treatment. This paper aims to review the usefulness of the group by reflecting on service user and staff feedback.

Design/methodology/approach

– An opportunity sample of all current and ex-members of the Imago group (n=17) were approached and a mixed methods design was used to gain a wide collection of data. A self-report questionnaire was designed to access the opinions of members and staff about the Imago group. In total, 71 per cent of Imago members and 90 per cent of staff responded.

Findings

– Results show that “staff being familiar”, “reconnecting with fellow ex-TC members” and alternating days were the top three most helpful aspects of the group, whereas “having at least 4 weeks away from the TC before attending the Imago Group”, “style of session” and “venue” were found to be the least helpful aspects.

Research limitations/implications

– Limitations of the study centre round data collection. There were comprehension problems with the instructions for completing the quantitative scale and a small sample size meant that interpretations were tentative.

Originality/value

– The Imago group is deemed a valuable part of the service for many of the service users (and staff), helping to aid recovery and re-integration into life after therapy. Elements of the group which were rated as least helpful require more thinking about.