bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Buying apparel over the Internet
Authors: Goldsmith Ronald E. , Goldsmith Elizabeth B.
Published: July 2002

Tests ten hypotheses describing characteristics that distinguish consumers who have purchased apparel online from those who have not. A sample of 263 men and 303 women students completed a survey that measured their online and offline buying behavior, attitudes and predispositions. The results showed that the 99 online apparel buyers had more online buying experience in general. Online buyers did not differ from non‐buyers in their belief in how cheap buying online is, in their overall enjoyment of shopping, or in how often they bought clothing by any means. The demographic variables of age, sex and race were unrelated to online apparel buying. A further analysis showed that the online buyers used the Internet more hours per week and were more likely to buy online in the future than non‐buyers. The findings are consistent with previous studies of consumer Internet behavior and with consumer theory and provide guidance for e‐commerce apparel strategies.
Comparing fixed price and discounted price strategies: the role of affect on evaluations
Authors: Suri Rajneesh , Manchanda Rajesh V. , Kohli Chiranjeev S.
Published: July 2002

Price is an important variable because it has a direct impact on a company’s profitability. However, there is limited evidence to support the effectiveness of competing strategies of fixed pricing and discounted pricing. As a result, both strategies are practised extensively in the industry. This paper draws on theories on affect, information processing, and pricing to provide a conceptual framework. The aim is to examine the effect of fixed pricing and discounted pricing on consumers’ affect and evaluation of products. Results from an experiment indicate that a fixed price format elicits more positively valenced thoughts and stronger positive affect than a discounted price format. This affective response, in turn, results in a less thorough processing of price information and, consequently, higher perceptions of quality and value for the fixed price format. Managerial implications of these findings are discussed.
Commentary: A New Formula for Gendering Products and Brands
Authors: Alreck Pamela L.
Published: July 2002

Gendering a product or brand means associating its image with a sex role
stereotype in the minds of consumers. Examines, using research, the
requirements and prohibitions of contemporary masculine and feminine sex
roles and the kinds of consumers who do and do not adhere to them.
Provides ten specific recommendations for choosing a product or brand
gendering strategy, based on target market demographics and the tendency
for different groups to prefer gendered products or brands over those
that are ungendered.
New product development practices in consumer versus business
products organizations
Authors: Hanna Nessim , Ayers Douglas J. , Ridnour Rick E. , Gordon Geoffrey L.
Published: July 2002

Most recent work in the area of new product development has been of
a theoretically prescriptive basis, ignoring, to a large degree, the
current state of affairs in US corporations. The study examines, on a
comparative basis, consumer and business products organizations,
practices being utilized to guide the development process and key
factors influencing the success/failure of the process. Results from an
empirical study reveal that: (1) there is no one best means to structure
the process; (2) top management commitment to and support of the process
is a critical factor; (3) knowledge of markets and customers remains
elusive; and (4) more similarities than differences exist between the
practices undertaken by and the factors influencing success/failure in
consumer versus business products organizations.
Environmental uncertainty and organizational structure: a product
management perspective
Authors: Lysonski Steven , Levas Michael , Lavenka Noel
Published: July 2002

The effectiveness of marketing activities in firms with product
management is, in part, determined by the extent to which the
organizational structure is aligned with the uncertainties in the
marketplace. Investigates the relationship between various dimensions of
firm′s marketing organizational structure (i.e. centralization,
formalization and structural differentiation) and the degree to which
the product manager confronts environmental uncertainty. Claims the
empirical results indicate that the organizational structure which
applies to the product manager is related to uncertainty in the market
environment of the firm and that product managers′ authority is not
matched to the degree of uncertainty in the environment. Discusses the
implications of these results in terms of the product manager′s
performance in varying organizational structures.
Renaissance: a case study in brand revitalization and strategic
realignment
Authors: Ewing Michael T. , Fowlds David A. , Shepherd Ian R.B.
Published: July 2002

The introduction of the original Mazda 323 five‐door into the South
African market in 1977 launched the brand from virtual obscurity to
instant success. The 323 became the top selling derivative in the
country and the brand became a household name. However, during the 1980s
the brand′s equity steadily eroded and it was perceived to be a staid,
boring marque with a poor image. Describes how the brand was
successfully revitalized in the early 1990s. Draws a distinction between
revitalization and the successful “renaissance” advertising
strategy. Reviews the outcome of the renaissance campaign, ini addition
to Mazda′s current performance, concluding that the brand has been
successfully revived – to the point that Mazda′s market share in
South Africa is the highest achieved by the brand anywhere in the world.
Brand assessment: a key element of marketing strategy
Authors: Calderon Haydee , Cervera Amparo , Molla Alejandro
Published: July 2002

The growing importance of the brand in the life of the company and in consumer perceptions has led many authors to base their analysis on brand value rather than the traditional approach in which its definition, its functions and its characteristics were amply developed. It is becoming increasingly obvious that the brand generates value for the company: brand value is the value of the marginal cash flows generated by a product due to the fact that it is identified with a brand. Brand value is generated by a series of multidimensional assets which interact in a complex way: loyalty; awareness; perceived quality; and identity. One of the main problems for a company wishing to develop a brand strategy is how to quantify this value. Studies the different methodologies available for this evaluation and distinguishes between financial and marketing methods. Concludes that marketing methods are worth greater consideration, since they give a wider vision of brand value by considering the consumer’s perspective and not only objective issues.
Surviving patent expiration: strategies for marketing pharmaceutical products
Authors: Agrawal Madhu , Thakkar Nimish
Published: July 2002

The pharmaceutical industry is characterized by high R&D costs and increasing competition. New pharmaceutical products are often provided patent protection to help companies recoup their R&D costs. The end of this period of market exclusivity is a challenging period for these companies. Marketers need to develop creative product, promotional, and pricing strategies for those products nearing patent expiration. First, provides an overview to the history of drug patents. Second, discusses with recommendations the strategies commonly adopted by companies with products facing patent expiration.
Pricing education in the United States of America: responding to the needs of business
Authors: Maxwell Sarah
Published: July 2002

In the affluent 1960s and 1970s, consumers tended to be price insensitive. Business consequently placed a low priority on pricing, and marketing educators in the USA responded by stressing the non‐price elements of the marketing mix. As a result, when consumers became more price sensitive in the 1980s and 1990s, and business became more concerned about pricing, marketing was not involved. Now, however, marketing educators are beginning to respond to the renewed emphasis on price as a key component in consumers’ perceived value. A new study shows an increase from 4 to 13 percent of US marketing education programs now including a course in pricing; another 22 percent are interested in adding one within two years.
Are Australasian brands different?
Authors: Wright Malcolm , Sharp Anne , Sharp Byron
Published: July 2002

Over the last 30 years a range of empirical generalisations has been developed about the performance of competitive brands in frequently purchased product categories. These generalisations have been based mainly on European and US data, and this paper addresses the question of whether they also hold in Australia and New Zealand. We examined consumer panel data from four different markets (supermarkets, department stores and retail fuel in Australia and retail fuel in New Zealand) and found similar patterns to those in Europe and the USA, although there were some minor exceptions, and also some interesting variations between markets. Our results suggest that there is much that Australasian marketers can learn from using models such as the Dirichlet, which was developed in the Northern hemisphere, to identify norms and exceptions in their own markets.
The application of airline yield management techniques to a holiday retail shopping setting
Authors: Coulter Keith S.
Published: July 2002

Most airlines utilize a revenue maximizing technique called yield management (YM), which allows the airlines to allocate their fixed capacity of seats to various fare categories in the most profitable manner possible. The discriminatory pricing goal is to sell only non‐discounted seats to the business travel segment. Suggests that yield management techniques may also be appropriate in certain retail settings where capacity (i.e. product inventory) is not necessarily “perishable” in the same sense as unsold seats on an airline flight however, its value may decline with the culmination of a well‐defined shopping period (e.g. the “Christmas holiday” shopping period). Examines how knowledge of customer price sensitivity as it pertains to this shopping period, coupled with the appropriate use of discount pricing, can maximize the revenue gained from sales of a seasonal product associated with a specific holiday.
Time‐based zones: an alternate pricing strategy
Authors: Phillips Brendan , Sanders Peter
Published: July 2002

Service industries, such as public bus transport, are time‐bound, which makes it impossible to inventory their service output. The potential revenue from an empty seat on a bus is lost for good once the service run is complete. Conversely, when demand for a seat on a service run exceeds supply, the revenue is also lost. As public bus transport has a high fixed to variable cost ratio, these demand and supply imbalances have a significant impact on cost recovery performance. Addresses a number of factors that influence the cost recovery performance of public bus transport using data from one of Australia’s largest operators. It considers the shortcomings of current fare price structures and how these may be changed to reflect operational cost drivers in a way that improves cost recovery performance. The various non‐monetary costs passengers incur when purchasing and using public transport are also considered along with methods of reducing these to increase the revenue‐generating performance of operators’ fixed capacity.
Product evolution: a Darwinian or Lamarckian phenomenon?
Authors: Massey Graham R.
Published: July 2002

Examines the product life cycle (PLC) concept as presented in much of the marketing literature, and the implications of PLC‐based strategic action for marketing practitioners. A range of problems is identified with the PLC, and an evolutionary perspective for product management decisions is considered. Concludes that an evolutionary perspective is more appropriate than PLC‐based approaches, and proposes an evolutionary model known as “Lamarckism”, which is better able to account for the realities of product evolution than the Darwinian model.
The impact of alternative promotion strategies on the spirits category: evidence from the UK
Authors: Fearne Andrew , Donaldson Adam , Norminton Phil
Published: July 2002

There has been a general increase in the use of promotions within UK multiple grocers over recent years, during which the spirits category has grown in both volume and monetary terms. The results from an econometric analysis of weekly cross‐sectional store data and cluster analysis of consumer panel data suggest that promotions have had a slight positive impact on the volume of sales, particularly over the seasonally important Christmas period. However, some promotions, especially multibuys, appear largely to reward loyal buyers, doing little for either volume or monetary growth of the spirits category. Other promotions, such as price and gift offers, appeal more to consumers who do not purchase spirits so frequently and also attract people who are less brand and store loyal. The case study provides clear evidence of the differential impacts which different promotional methods have on sales growth and the need to carefully target different promotional offers to different groups of buyers.
Teaching and research: what is acceptable as research?
Authors: Butler John C.
Published: July 2002

Many universities and colleges seem to be serious about exploring the potential of using technology in the classroom as a way to facilitate the creation of learning environments. Changes in attitudes and policies must take place if these institutions wish to ensure that their best faculty are engaged in the process. Universities usually value original research over research that leads to understanding that produces competence. It is incumbent upon those who would classify themselves as researchers in the latter category to take the lead in defining how one assesses whether students have in fact gained a level of understanding that produces competence. Failure to do so and leave the process up to the university as a whole will probably ensure that the initiative is abandoned or that it dies a slow death because competent faculty are not involved.
Dublin Core use in libraries: a survey
Authors: Guinchard Carolyn
Published: July 2002

An e‐mail survey was conducted by the Dublin Core Libraries Working Group to collect examples of Dublin Core use in libraries, and to provide input for the development of a Dublin Core application profile for libraries. A total of 29 responses were received from nine countries, describing 33 separate implementations of Dublin Core. The most commonly cited reasons for selecting Dublin Core were its international acceptance, flexibility and likelihood of future interoperability. Each of the 15 core elements was in use by between 59 percent and 97 percent of the projects in the survey. There was a high incidence (73 percent) of projects that use metadata elements in addition to the DC elements and approved qualifiers. The two most widely reported challenges involved in implementing Dublin Core were that there are too few elements and qualifiers, and the lack of usage guidelines.
Supporting the e‐business readiness of small and medium‐sized enterprises: approaches and metrics
Authors: Jutla Dawn , Bodorik Peter , Dhaliwal Jasbir
Published: July 2002

Government initiatives are continuously being designed to create stable and supportive environments for developing new industries. Presents a conceptual model for use by governments in creating and sustaining an appropriate climate that facilitates the national adoption of e‐business. It focuses specifically on the needs of small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). Also suggests six categories of e‐business readiness metrics and measures to be used for assessing how a country is performing in terms of providing a positive e‐business readiness climate. Examples of innovative initiatives are provided from Canada, The Netherlands, Norway, and Singapore. Concludes that a balance among attention to infrastructure components has not yet been achieved in these countries.
Influences on the intent to make Internet purchases
Authors: George Joey F.
Published: July 2002

Using the theory of planned behavior as the theoretical base, data collected through a semi‐annual survey of Web users were used to determine if beliefs about privacy and Internet trustworthiness helped determine attitudes towards the Internet, which were thought to affect intent to make Internet purchases. Intent, in turn, was thought to affect actual purchasing behavior. Taking Internet experience into account, general support for the model was found.
Strategy development for the real world
Authors: Sterling John
Published: July 2002

A respected Wisconsin metro newspaper, confronting significant market change and eroding profit opportunities, gathered a broad cross‐section of its management team together a little more than a year ago to take a fresh look at its business strategy. The resulting strategic plan strikes a balance between focusing on key operational targets and creating distinctive editorial products that ensures the paper remains the “indispensable source of news and information” in its markets. This case study examines how The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel used strategic planning to craft a strategy that keeps profits flowing despite in an increasingly competitive market environment. This case demonstrates that even when a company is pushed to improve operational performance it still cannot ignore the need to create a distinctive strategic position in its market. And, even when a company enjoys a leading market position, it cannot afford to relax its commitment to operational excellence.
An evaluation of two qualitative methods (focus group interviews and cognitive maps) for conducting research into entrepreneurial decision making
Authors: Hines Tony
Published: July 2002

Reports on a qualitative approach to conducting research in small firms. Two cases are reported that fall within the EU definition of small firms (with fewer than 99 employees). One case is drawn from the clothing industry and one other from the publishing industry. The clothing company had fewer than 50 employees and the publishing company had fewer than ten employees, the latter being regarded as a micro‐firm. The purpose of the research was to investigate decisions taken by owner‐managers in relation to their future strategies. Consideration is given to alternative methodological approaches before justifying the selection of a combination of focus group interviews and cognitive mapping in each of the cases. Comparisons are drawn that demonstrate the utility of the research methods chosen. The work then identifies issues and considers implications for the conduct of future research into SMEs using these methods. The purpose of the paper is to explain and to evaluate the usefulness of the methods rather than to explain the particular cases in detail.
A grounded theory of beer consumption in Australia
Authors: Pettigrew Simone
Published: July 2002

This study applied the grounded theory method of data collection and analysis to the social phenomenon of beer consumption in Australia. The aim was to explore a popular Australian consumption activity to provide an insight into the consumption process in general, and the consumption of beer in particular. The output is a substantive theory of beer consumption that describes the specific cognitive and emotional processes involved in the selection and consumption of particular brands of beer amongst members of the Australian culture. Image management was found to be the core category pertaining to Australian beer consumption, with the associated properties being monitoring, analysing, and communicating. The implications of the category and properties for current consumer behaviour theories are outlined.
Grounded theory: the missing methodology on the interpretivist agenda
Authors: Goulding Christina
Published: July 2002

There has been considerable discussion in recent years over the application of interpretive methodologies such as phenomenology, hermeneutics, and semiotics within the field of marketing research, particularly consumer behaviour. However, while these approaches have inspired a wealth of publications, scant attention has been paid to the potential of grounded theory. This is attributed largely to misconceptions regarding both the principles of the method and the two distinct approaches associated with the original authors, Glaser and Strauss (1967). The paper outlines the development of the method and explicates the philosophy underpinning its procedures. Finally, it suggests that grounded theory if applied in its true sense has scope and potential for the study of consumer behaviour and consumption experiences given its emphasis on context, theoretical emergence, and the social construction of realities.
Impulse purchasing: a qualitative exploration of the phenomenon
Authors: Bayley Geoff , Nancarrow Clive
Published: July 2002

This paper reviews the literature on unplanned purchasing and impulse purchasing in particular. Various definitions and explanations of the phenomena are examined. Because impulse purchasing may often be deemed socially undesirable, it is argued that a qualitative research approach is particularly appropriate in order to gain maximum insight. A study employing enabling techniques (including self scripts, laddering and pyramiding) demonstrated that interviewees were remarkably consistent in their descriptions of the impulse purchase experience. There were, however, variations of the behaviour which might form the basis of a classification scheme. Most studies have only focused on retail impulse buying. This study explored the subject across both retail and direct buying contexts.
Action research and knowledge creation: merits and challenges
Authors: Grønhaug Kjell , Olson Olov
Published: July 2002

Action research is conducted by researchers from a variety of disciplines, e.g. sociology, psychology, organization theory, management, marketing and accounting. Over the years, action research has been acclaimed and criticized. This paper focuses on controversies surrounding action research, and its specific merits and requirements. Action research as reflected in the literature is briefly reviewed and characterized and contrasted with traditional research. Specific challenges to do high quality action research are emphasized as well.
A guide to the qualitative research process: evidence from a small firm study
Authors: Shaw Eleanor
Published: July 2002

Provides a detailed description of the qualitative research process experienced by the author when undertaking doctoral research. Recognising that there are few articles to guide the qualitative small firm researcher, it is the intention to provide a detailed account of the process and decisions involved when undertaking qualitative small firm research. From a discussion of the factors that convinced the author of the appropriateness of a qualitative approach, to a consideration of the outcomes generated, this paper guides the reader through the process of qualitative data collection and inductive analysis experienced by the author. In so doing, it demonstrates the value of using such an approach when undertaking small firms research.
Growth and the small firm: using causal mapping to assess the decision‐making process ‐ a case study
Authors: Ennis Sean
Published: July 2002

Examines the issue of growth within the small firm and considers the main influences that impinge on the evolution of the enterprise. An interpretative methodological technique, causal mapping, is examined, evaluated and used to analyse the decision‐making processes made by the owner‐manager of a small Irish‐owned electronics firm. This method allows the researcher to trace the positive and negative consequences of the decisions on the subsequent growth and development of the company. The role which business and marketing planning plays in such a process is a recurring theme which is given close scrutiny throughout this paper.
Teamwork and team leadership
Authors: Nurmi Raimo
Published: July 2002

Explores some of the advantages and disadvantages of teamwork, suggesting that in present day companies teamwork is a must for the co‐ordination of departments. Examines four team leadership styles ‐ dictatorial, compromise, integrative teamwork and synergistic teamwork. Outlines the advantages and disadvantages of each. Concludes that synergistic teamwork, wherein the team creates something new and greater than the addition of individual team members’ resources, offers the best percentage outcome.
Gaming techniques to improve the team‐formation process
Authors: Butterfield Jeff , Pendegraft Norman
Published: July 2002

The use of team‐based activities is popular in education and training settings, but such exercises are not without their problems. Examines the group‐formation process and specifically explores the use of games as a means for potential team members to share background information before the groups are chosen. Describes the process used to develop the “circle‐and‐sniff” game and its administration, and presents the results of the study.
Outage planning of electrical power system networks using genetic algorithm
Authors: Chan F.T.S. , Lau H.C.W. , Ko C.C.
Published: July 2002

An electrical company is responsible for the maintenance of a transmission network of high voltage electricity. The maintenance schedule must be planned so as to minimize outage costs, taking into consideration various factors such as system security/reliability, system availability, and manpower utilization. With the rapid growth of organization, planning engineers are required to fulfill additional roles in order to increase productivity. To this end, a fast response and accurate mechanism is required to assist the planning engineers in dealing with the daily operation. This paper describes how a proposed maintenance schedule can be obtained automatically by the adoption of genetic algorithm. The main aim is to determine the maintenance schedule of circuit outage with minimizing the maintenance cost and maximizing the circuit availability under certain unavoidable system constraints. Further, an additional search mechanism called “final tuning search” is developed to enhance the system performance.
Can we make maintenance decisions on risk analysis results?
Authors: Backlund F. , Hannu J.
Published: July 2002

For several branches of industry, an increasingly competitive environment has raised important questions concerning maintenance in plant systems. For example, the 1996 deregulation in Sweden’s electricity sector has resulted in increased competition among the country’s power producers. To survive the competition, suppliers have to reduce maintenance costs, i.e. handle maintenance more efficiently. Risk analysis is one tool decision makers can use to help them prioritise as they plan maintenance actions. There are a number of different approaches to risk analysis. As the results of an analysis must form a reliable basis for decision making, it is important to consider whether the quality of the results will vary significantly with the risk analysis approach chosen. This paper presents a comparative study based on three independent risk analyses performed on a specific hydro‐power plant. The comparison and evaluation of the analyses reveal major differences in performance and results, along with various factors that affect the quality of the analyses. The study establishes the importance of a well‐planned requirement specification and the need to analyse and interpret risk analysis results, before making maintenance decisions.
Development of a generic framework for collecting whole life cost data for the building industry
Authors: El‐Haram Mohamed A. , Marenjak Sasa , Horner Malcolm W.
Published: July 2002

Whole life costing analysis is becoming much more important as long‐term building owners and clients start to demand evidence of what their costs of ownership will be. It is also becoming more important as more private companies invest in private finance initiative (PFI), public private partnership (PPP) and prime contracting (PC) projects. One of the main barriers to the successful implementation of whole life costing (WLC), is the lack of reliable and consistent data on elements of whole life cost (capital, facilities management, and disposal) and the performance of building elements and services. The objective of this paper is to discuss the development of a consistent and flexible framework for collecting whole life cost data for buildings. A description of the taxonomy of the cost breakdown structure is given. The proposed data structure will be of value to all the project team (designer, contractor, facilities manager, supplier, etc.) who might be involved in traditional procurement or PFI, PPP, and PC projects. When the cost data structure is populated, it will provide the foundation from which the whole life costs of different alternatives can be estimated and from which the risks such as the technical and financial risks related to WLC elements, operational risks, etc. associated with, PFI, PPP and PC projects can be assessed and minimised.
Decision theory in maintenance decision making
Authors: de Almeida A.T. , Bohoris G.A.
Published: July 2002

Advances in decision theory have allowed it to make an effective
contribution to the modelling of the decision‐making process. Research
work on maintenance decision making using decision theory, however, has
received little emphasis to date. For this reason, very little has been
done in utilizing two very important decision theory topics, namely
utility theory and multi‐attribute utility theory. Investigates possible
contributions from decision theory to the maintenance area and develops
a framework to solve maintenance decision problems. This framework
includes elicitation of both utility functions and prior probability
distributions, optimization and sensitivity analysis modules. Details
this framework and applies it to a real‐life maintenance problem.
Condition‐based maintenance: tools and decision making
Authors: Tsang Albert H.C.
Published: July 2002

The primary objective of equipment maintenance programmes is to
preserve system functions in a cost‐effective manner. Surveys a wide
variety of techniques commonly used to monitor the condition of
mechanical systems. Reviews some of the decision models designed to
address this type of inspection problem; concludes with some suggestions
for future research directions in this type of decision problem.
The economic design of • and S2 control charts with
preventive maintenance and increasing hazard rate
Authors: Chiu Huan‐Neng , Huang Bo‐Shi
Published: July 2002

Develops the joint economic designs of • and S2 control
charts under four operating policies to monitor the process in a
situation where the occurrence of the assignable cause follows a general
distribution with an increasing hazard rate. The four operating policies
can be chosen by quality controllers to cope with the specific process
situation. Policy I and policy II assume that the process performs the
preventive maintenance programme at equal and decreasing sampling time
intervals, respectively. Policy III and policy IV in turn merely take
samples using the non‐uniform and uniform sampling interval schemes
without preventive maintenance. The derivation of the four models is not
very difficult, so it can be used to derive another model. Offers
numerical examples to compare the economic designs and the total
expected costs per hour of the four models. Finds, from the
computational results, policy II is the best for adoption in the design
of • and S2 control charts. The results also show that the
proposed solution procedure is more accurate and better than Rahim et al.’s and Chung and Chen’s procedures. Concludes with remarks and
some advantages of introducing the periodic preventive maintenance
policy into a process.
Evaluation of overhaul/replacement policy for a fleet of buses
Authors: Zohrul Kabir A.B.M.
Published: July 2002

Presents a case study on overhaul/replacement policy for a fleet of buses owned by a Saudi Arabian transport company. Data on overhaul and operational costs for two types of bus engines have been collected and analysed by standard statistical procedures to establish their functional characteristics and also age dependency of the overhaul costs. Evaluates two major decisions involving overhaul cost limit and number and timings of overhauls. The analysis shows that the existing overhaul policy is similar to the analytically obtained policy.
Aircraft maintenance budgetary and costing systems at the Saudi Arabian Airlines
Authors: Mirghani Mohamed Ali
Published: July 2002

Provides a description and analysis of the Saudi Arabian Airlines’ (SAUDIA) existing budgetary and costing systems from the perspective of aircraft maintenance as a core business activity. Views aircraft maintenance as an integral component of the airlines’ value chain. Highlights deficiencies of the existing systems and makes prescriptions so that aircraft maintenance will contribute positively to SAUDIA’s mission statement. Prescriptions for improving aircraft‐maintenance budgetary and costing systems cannot be made without providing precriptions for improving the budgetary and costing systems for the overall organization.
Operational evaluation of patch repaired combustion gas turbine transition pieces
Authors: Misseijer R.C. , Thabit T.I. , Mattheij J.H.G.
Published: July 2002

The escalating cost and high lead time of combustion (combustion baskets and transition pieces) and hot gas path (turbine vane segments and blades) components are the primary concerns to the operation of most utilities. To reduce maintenance cost and increase availability of the gas turbines, Saudi Consolidated Electric Company (SCECO‐East) engaged in a recycling programme by refurbishing the combustion and hot gas path components. In most instances, satisfactory results have been achieved by refurbishment. However, when standard refurbishment repair was applied to some combustion gas turbines (CGT) transition pieces, results have been less than satisfactory. Transition pieces would prematurely crack extensively between 800‐3,000 hours. ln co‐operation with a repair facility, extensive research was conducted to determine the transition piece failure mode and find an alternative solution that could extend the life of transition pieces. Highlights SCECO‐East’s successful patch repair technique of transition pieces while still maintaining refurbished costs to a minimum.
Mathematical programming approaches for the management of maintenance planning and scheduling
Authors: Duffuaa S.O. , Al‐Sultan K.S.
Published: July 2002

Addresses the problem of maintenance planning and scheduling and reviews pertinent literature. Discusses the characteristics and the complexity of the problem. Advocates mathematical programming approaches for addressing the maintenance scheduling problem. Gives examples to demonstrate the utility of these approaches. Proposes expansion of the state‐of‐the‐art maintenance management information system to utilize the mathematical programming approaches and to have better control over the maintenance scheduling problem.
Co‐ordination of inspections for a group of machines
Authors: Ben‐Daya M. , Duffuaa Salih
Published: July 2002

Models inspection co‐ordination of a group of machines using a non‐linear integer program. The objective of the model is to minimize the expected total cost per unit time, which is a function of a major inspection cost, minor inspection cost and the cost of failure, subject to the restriction that the inspection interval of each machine is an integer multiple of a basic time interval. Proposes a solution procedure to solve the inspection co‐ordination problem. Uses a numerical example to illustrate the model and its proposed solution method.
An SMDP approach to optimal repair/replacement decisions for systems experiencing imperfect repairs
Authors: Love C.E. , Zitron M.A. , Zhang Z.G.
Published: July 2002

Considers a system (machine) that is subject to failure (breakdown). Two characterizations are presented. In the first characterization, the state of the system is described by the real age of the machine and the number of failures incurred to date. In the second characterization, the state of the system is described by the real age of the machine and the virtual age of the machine. In either characterization, upon failure, the unit may undergo a repair which can partially reset the failure intensity of the unit. The degree of reset assumed by the repair is a function of the characterization utilized. The other alternative, at a failure, is to conduct a major overhaul that serves to refresh the failure intensity of the unit. General cost structures, depending upon (real age, number of failures) in characterization one or (real age, virtual age) in characterization two are permitted. The decision, on failure to repair or renew is formulated as a discrete semi‐Markov Decision process. Optimal decisions are of the threshold type. The threshold rules depend upon the characterization.
Stochastic analysis of a robot machine with duplicate safety units
Authors: Dhillon B.S. , Fashandi A.R.M.
Published: July 2002

Points out the steadily growing role of computers in the industrial sector. Highlights some accidents involving robots and touches on safeguards which have been introduced. Presents reliability and availability analysis of a robot machine/system having a redundant safety system. Formulas for system reliability, steady state availability, and mean time to failure are developed. Selective plots of the resulting formulas are shown.
A note on how we should express and interpret the results of stochastic maintenance optimization models
Authors: Aven Terje , Sandve Kjell
Published: July 2002

Today most maintenance optimization models are established and interpreted within the classical statistical framework. There exist true failure time distributions and cost functions which we have to estimate. Using this approach, the results from the analysis are to a large extent disturbed by a discussion of uncertainty of the estimates. In this note we draw attention to an alternative approach: the fully Bayesian approach with focus on observable quantities and using subjective probabilities. We argue that this latter approach is more suitable as a tool for making decisions. The subjectivistic approach provides the framework of coherent use of (expert) judgment, which constitutes a significant (sometimes the only) part of information that is available to us.
Effectiveness of maintenance
Authors: Crocker John
Published: July 2002

This paper pays particular attention to three major areas: inspection effectiveness, repair effectiveness and maintenance induced failures. These three areas are frequently ignored not only in the design of the system but later during the operation of that system. It is often assumed that inspectors are infallible – they will always see a crack if one is present and would never reject a component unless it was in an unsatisfactory condition. However, instinctively, although not necessarily with any mathematical rigour, the most likely time for a computer program/system to fail is shortly after it has been “enhanced”. Although it may be difficult and, in some cases, even impossible, to quantify these effects precisely, it is nonetheless important to be aware that they exist, to understand how they may affect the overall operational effectiveness of a system, and what steps can be taken to avoid them.
Henri Fayol: learning from experience
Authors: Wren Daniel A.
Published: July 2002

Examines the debate about the value of the experiences of
practising managers in building management theory. Henri Fayol, an
advocate of the experimental method, built his administrative theory
from his experiences. Examines the development of Fayol′s ideas before
the publication of his major work, Administration Industrielle et
Générale. A preview of other works reveals new
translations and sources of documentation.
Henri Fayol’s Centre for Administrative Studies
Authors: Breeze John D.
Published: July 2002

Henri Fayol is undoubtedly best known in the English‐speaking world
for his book Administration Industrielle et Générale. His subsequent activities in promoting the development of
management studies and education as a a means of improving both industry
and public service performance are less well known. One of his more
significant initiatives in this area was to establish the Centre for
Administrative Studies (CAS) in 1917. Relates the founding of the CAS to
Fayol′s activities at the time, identifies its goals and activities,
summarizes some of his contributions to the development of what
ultimately became the formalization of management studies in both Europe
and North America and notes the Centre′s demise almost concurrently with
Fayol′s death. Reveals Fayol′s own reasons for delaying the publication
of parts 3 and 4 of Administration Industrielle et
Générale.
Reflections on the history of management thought
Authors: Wolf William B.
Published: July 2002

Presents anecdotes in the development of aspects of the field of management, relating to Lawrence J. Henderson, Chester I. Barnard, Peter Drucker, Kurt Lewin and J.B. Rhine. These suggest that history needs to be viewed in a hermeneutical philosophy where it is seen as presenting the Zeitgeist of its period rather than describing facts or causal relations.
A robust process optimization for a powder type rapid prototyper
Authors: Yao Albert W.L. , Tseng Y.C.
Published: July 2002

Rapid Prototyping (RP) technology is being widely used in diverse areas including mold manufacturing. However, the quality of RP parts is significantly affected by the property of adopted material and process parameters of the rapid prototyper. The aim of this paper is to investigate the powder material and to optimize the process parameters for Zcorp 402 3DP rapid fabricator. Taguchi's method was employed to investigate the possible process parameters including binder setting saturation value (shell & core), layer thickness, and location of made‐up parts. The experimental result shows that these optimal parameters can shorten parts building time and reduce the use of powder and glue about 20 per cent for ZP100 and 10 per cent for ZP11. Additionally, the quality of RP parts is also improved dramatically. The observation of experiments also shows that the parts made by ZP11 powder is difficult to clean up because of its starch‐based property.
Mixed embeddedness
Authors: Peters Nonja
Published: July 2002

Kloosterman, van der Leun and Rath assert they conceptualised the “mixed embeddedness” hypothesis to overcome the shortcomings characteristic of earlier theoretical models of immigrant business enterprise. This article assesses the relevance of this theoretical perspective to explaining immigrant entrepreneurship in a specific host setting with reference to research that spans a number of economic periods and includes both genders and a number of generations. It is argued that, while the “mixed embeddedness” explanation gives a more comprehensive explanation than previous models, it nonetheless fails to explain the wide‐ranging inter‐ethnic variation in entrepreneurial concentration observed among immigrant groups around the world. It contends that the reasons for this are the model’s lack of historical perspective and focus on the lower end of the market. It also demonstrates how the study of immigrant enterprise is advanced by incorporating the agency of individuals into the explanatory process.
From four‐course Peking duck to take‐away Singapore rice
Authors: Leung Maggi W.H.
Published: July 2002

Draws on the concept of “mixed embeddedness” to challenge the popular culturalistic view that Chinese migrants enter the catering business simply because they are Chinese. Based on qualitative interview results and observations from fieldwork conducted in German cities, illustrates first the dynamic nature of the Chinese restaurant trade. Proceeds to explore how important factors such as Chinese migrants’ access to alternative employment, the development of in‐ and out‐migration policies in Germany and East Asia, the changing consumer demand and market conditions, as well as availability of set‐up capital, shape the volume and forms of Chinese restaurant trade, the kinds of food served, hiring practices and other business strategies.
Export behaviour of Asian and indigenous‐owned SMEs in the UK clothing industry: a research note
Authors: Crick Dave , Chaudhry Shiv
Published: July 2002

Although a large body of literature exists on the export activities of small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs), once a criterion for determining the size of firm has been established, e.g. number of employees, there has been a tendency for studies to categorize these firms as homogeneous. This has meant that subsequent quantitative analysis has frequently treated SMEs in aggregate terms without exploring their background characteristics further and therefore these studies are potentially constrained by the limited categorization of the constructs in the research. Addresses the gap in the literature by discussing comparative empirical results from a study which explores differences between SMEs based on the ethnic origin of the owners of the firms. Provides comparative empirical evidence of the export marketing practices of Asian and indigenous (white) SMEs in the UK clothing industry. Claims the results provide a foundation on which future academic work can build in addition to offering managers and policy makers a comparative insight into particular aspects of the behaviour of these firms.
Symmetrical communication: does reality support rhetoric?
Authors: Oliver Sandra
Published: July 2002

Addresses the value‐added benefit to be gained from employee communication costs. Asserts that psychological profiling does not always acknowledge or process identifiable communication variables as competence factors in decision making or for advanced training needs analysis. Supports the notion that information is driven by demand or “pull” rather than supply “push” as a measure of sound communication policy and practice, with implications for HR concepts of internal markets, empowerment and organisational climate. A UK pilot study supports the findings of a major US survey that up to a quarter of middle managers may not feel free to express their views in terms of emotional and intellectual capital that could contribute to enhanced quality assurance and other measurable performance assets. Concludes that lack of symmetrical communication leaves a credibility gap between policy and practice that creates a vacuum and makes the organisation vulnerable, especially during crisis management
Corporate reputation versus corporate branding: the realist debate
Authors: Bickerton David
Published: July 2002

Studies in the fields of marketing and corporate identity are at a crossroads. Changes in the structure of organisations and their operating environments have led to the emergence of the concept of corporate branding and possibly even the development of a new domain of management science. This paper traces the development of brand thinking from both a marketing (customer market) perspective and a multi‐disciplinary (organisation) perspective. Argues that the current transitional period is, in fact, caused by a congruence of thinking in these two fields and that much of the current debate has stemmed from their alternative starting points; a “top down” organisational perspective versus a “bottom up” customer market perspective. Adopts a realist perspective to build a conceptual framework that combines elements of both approaches and describes the application of this framework and a new marketing model to an initial pilot study.