bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring the military contribution to KBD through leadership and values
Authors: Bennet Alex , Bennet David , Long Lee Shiang
Published: March 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to present an exploration of the contributions of the military organization to knowledge‐based development within and beyond the boundaries of its home country.

Design/methodology/approach

After first defining knowledge, several frames of reference for considering knowledge are presented. Then the nature of contributions to societal knowledge from military organizations is explored, with a focus on leadership and values as knowledge contributions. A large part of this paper is a case study which introduces the core values of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and looks at SAF's knowledge contributions to the city‐state of Singapore and Singapore's allies and regional neighbors.

Findings

The knowledge and learning that occur in military organizations are entangled with the knowledge and learning of the country they serve, in terms of both individuals moving through the military setting and back into society, and the military organization's larger knowledge contributions made in service to its citizens. Using SAF, specific examples are cited that support the movement of knowledge from the military to the public and private sectors and enhance the growth of knowledge‐based development. The strong values needed for effective military defense clearly carry over to the nation's civilian needs in terms of leadership.

Originality/value

The paper takes a unique approach to exploring the role of military organizations and personnel in knowledge‐based development of the country they serve, intertwining descriptions of military values and knowledge with individual examples of leaders who move from the SAF to the public and private sectors, and stories provided by current and past SAF leaders. A new conceptual model of the relationship between moral values and knowledge is introduced.
Analysis of significant factors in DWDM optical communication systems
Authors: Kaur Gurmeet , Singh M.L. , Patterh M.S.
Published: March 2010

Purpose

The current generation of light wave systems benefit from increased transmission distance by using optical amplification and increased capacity by using dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) technology. The reach of present systems is limited by the noise contributed by the used amplifiers, combined with nonlinear effects from transmission. This paper aims to address these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The nature and extent of degradations in the optical DWDM systems due to these limiting factors have been discussed in this paper.

Findings

It has been learnt that stimulated Raman scattering (SRS), four wave mixing (FWM) and amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) are the important factors in optical DWDM systems. These factors limit the system capacity of the transmission systems drastically.

Originality/value

It can be concluded from the discussion that while designing an efficient DWDM system, an optimization of the channel separation and the amplifier separation is required to minimize the nonlinear effects (FWM and SRS) along with the ASE noise introduced by inline optical amplifications.
Emerging contractors in South Africa: interactions and learning
Authors: Martin Ludwig , Root David
Published: March 2010

Purpose

The South African construction industry is undergoing transformation. Part of this metamorphosis is the explosion in the number of “emerging contractors”. However, emerging contractors have a tendency to fail to develop into sustainable enterprises due to inadequate construction knowledge and lack of experience. These shortfalls can be potentially overcome by learning through appropriate interactions with others who possess the required knowledge and experience but there is an absence of comprehensive data about the form and frequency of such interactions and reliance has tended to be on small scale samples or anecdotal reports. The paper aims to address these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey amongst emerging contractors on interactions in the civil engineering sector was carried out, collecting mainly quantitative but also qualitative data for analysis.

Findings

Significant relations between particular forms of interactions and knowledge perceived to be held by the respondents exist. Interdependencies between interactions and knowledge levels are present. Yet, the findings indicate that these interactions are not fully capitalised on in terms of knowledge gains by the respondents.

Originality/value

Using the conceptual framework of the Basho, as introduced by Nonaka, the knowledge of patterns of interactions with indicators of knowledge‐interaction interdependencies are of interest. Mapping these allows for the relevant existing learning contexts and knowledge transfer mechanisms to be explored and described.
Investigating the cutting forces in heat treated medium carbon steel when turning on a lathe machine
Authors: Alabi A.G.F. , Ajiboye T.K. , Olusegun H.D.
Published: March 2010

Purpose

Developing countries are now fully aware of the importance of the manufacturing sector as a key factor of growth and transformation of their economy. Improved technology and method of manufacturing have produced quality products at reduced cost and this has advanced development. The study uses experimental methods based on orthogonal cutting process to measure the cutting forces using a dynamometer while machining the test specimen with a diamond cutting tool at 5° rake angle. The machining forces for the dry cutting are higher than the wet cutting in the range of 31.2‐44.31, 32.09‐40.67, 29.10‐35.62, 29.21‐45.03 and 29.94‐38.74 percent for “as received”, normalized, tempered, annealed and hardened specimen, respectively. For annealed and hardened test specimen, the cutting speed of 245 rpm is ideal for machining when it gives a fine surface finish. Also for precision machining, dry turning is by far a better cost saver and cleaner option than wet turning. This is because though wet machining is relatively more expensive, it is hazardous to health. Normalized and annealed specimens require lower cutting forces and chip formation is slow. Tempering and annealing medium carbon steel facilitated rapid machining and chip formation is rapid. It is therefore an advantage to temper or anneal medium carbon steel before processing into component parts in the manufacturing industry as it saves cost and gives fine component surface finish. The paper aims to address these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

Tensile samples are prepared from medium carbon steel. These prepared samples were later subjected to heat‐treatment operations (normalizing, hardening, tempering and annealing). Tensile test were carried out to obtain the materials' sensitive properties used in the modeling equations. An experimental method based on orthogonal cutting is adopted to measure the machining forces using techquipment dynamometer.

Findings

It is observed that as tu increases, Fc increases for all conditions, i.e. as tu increases, tool‐chip contact area increases and increasing frictional force, also volume of metal removal increase resulting in increasing energy input. Fc values is highest for the normalized followed by that of the annealed. They are less for hardened and tempered. This is because of the mode of chip formation whereby ductile structures give continuous chips as against discontinuous structure for the hardened and quenched structures. Input energy is high for the former and low for the later. This is confirmed by the m values and observed chips.

Research limitations/implications

There is no limitation, except for the instrumentation. On availability of the appropriate equipment, like the Kystler dynamometer for the correct reading of the experimental results.

Practical implications

The implication is limited to the workshop hazard during the experiment.

Originality/value

The research work is original.
The effect of age on the job satisfaction of construction workers
Authors: Chileshe Nicholas , Haupt Theodore C.
Published: March 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the perceived age differences in job satisfaction of construction workers in South Africa, and how these differences affect job overall satisfaction of young and old workers on construction sites in South Africa.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical study involved construction workers at operational levels comprising younger (age<40 years) and older (age>40 years) in the Western Cape province. A total of 300 questionnaires were sent to potential respondents chosen from construction workers within the Western Cape province. A total of 65 useable questionnaires were returned giving a response rate of 22 per cent.

Findings

Results of this paper indicate that job satisfaction differential does not exist between younger and older construction workers in South Africa. Overall the findings suggest that although both younger and older workers rank the relationship with workmates as being poor, age does not have an influence on the effects of the aspects of work, however, the differences are significant for one of the job satisfaction effects with younger workers reporting higher scores on “indifference”, whereas the younger workers rank poor recognition of abilities as the most effect in comparison to the older workers who reported suffering from a “lack of alertness” as the most ranked effect.

Research limitations/implications

The relatively small sample means that the findings presented are not generalisable to the wider population of workers in the South African construction industry.

Practical implications

The paper offers practical suggestions to the construction industry and management in general on how to minimise the negative job effects arising from lack of job satisfaction. Contributes to the theory building efforts in the discipline of organisation behaviour.

Originality/value

The paper examines job satisfaction related issues in a developing economy and under‐researched area. The Herzberg's two factor theory of motivation which has hitherto been based on white‐collar and its applicability to blue‐collar workers such as construction bricklayers, general workers and site based personnel remains to be tested, more so with the African context.
Examining “response”: video‐based studies in museums and galleries
Authors: vom Lehn Dirk
Published: March 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to use a video‐taped fragment of conduct and interaction in a museum to illustrate the analysis of visitors' interactionally produced response to works of art.

Design/methodology/approach

The method draws on ethnomethodology and conversation analysis to investigate the social and sequential organisation of people's action and interaction. The fragment discussed as part of this paper sheds light on the social and interactional production of people's response to and experience of exhibits.

Findings

The detailed analysis of one video‐fragment illustrates how the analysis progresses from an inspection of the sequential organisation of talk to an examination of the sequential organisation of verbal, visual and bodily conduct. The analysis also makes a small substantive contribution to current debates on people's experience of artwork in museums. In particular, the findings suggest that the experience of works of art is not a subjective and cognitive response to the objects, but arises in and through socially organised, embodied practices at the exhibit‐face.

Originality/value

The paper discusses an innovative way to analyze video‐data, and makes a contribution to the growing body of research in arts marketing and museum marketing on the exhibition floor.
Understanding individual membership at heritage sites
Authors: Slater Alix
Published: March 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present George Kelly's The Psychology of Personal Constructs and to discuss how Repertory Grid Technique can aid a better understanding of friends and members in an arts marketing context.

Design/methodology/approach

The project is a phenomenological study drawing on Kelly's The Psychology of Personal Constructs. The author conducted 16 unstructured face‐to‐face interviews across the UK during 2007 with individuals who were friends or members of at least five heritage supporter groups as part of a larger mixed methods study. The interviews included the building of Repertory Grids.

Findings

Analysis of the Repertory Grids gives a detailed understanding of participants' perceptions of, and involvement in, heritage supporter groups. Five themes emerged from the analysis: Organization; Engagement with the Organization; Involvement; Motivation; and Relationships with other members.

Practical implications

The paper provides a rich understanding of the portfolio of memberships that individuals have and of how they perceive and interact with them.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the arts marketing literature methodologically by illustrating how to use Repertory Grid Technique in an arts marketing context and by focusing on friends and members, whose perspectives the academic literature does not cover extensively.
The adoption of management paradigms in Finnish management research 1937‐2007
Authors: Seeck Hannele , Laakso Aino
Published: March 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to examine when and how the main management paradigms have emerged and prevailed in Finnish management research. It seeks to offer a country‐specific case on the diffusion of management paradigms in the field of management research.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is a historical study that uses quantitative content analysis as a methodology. The data consist of research proposals funded by eight of the largest Finnish funding agencies during the period 1937‐2007. The results obtained from these data are compared to the emergence and prevalence of the paradigms in Finnish academic management education, as depicted by course descriptions obtained from the study guides of eight main Finnish academic institutions that provide graduate level education in management.

Findings

Management research and management education do not seem to follow the same patterns of adopting different management paradigms. Management paradigms seem to experience upswings in their patterns of use, on average a decade earlier in management research than in education.

Originality/value

As the position of formal scientific management knowledge varies greatly across countries and historical periods, the study contributes to this line of research by giving a descriptive account of the paradigmatic development of management research schemes in Finland which can be compared and contrasted to the development of management research in other countries. The relevance of the study for management theory‐building is in contemplating the relationships between the actors creating, diffusing and using managerial knowledge.
Management paradigms in personnel magazines of the Finnish metal and forest industries
Authors: Kuokkanen Anna , Laakso Aino , Seeck Hannele
Published: March 2010

Purpose

The paper seeks to examine the manifestation of management paradigms in personnel magazines of Finnish metal and forest industry corporations from the 1930s to recent years.

Design/methodology/approach

The research data consist of articles of personnel magazines on management. The articles were analyzed by quantitative and qualitative content analysis.

Findings

The findings indicate that normative paradigms, such as industrial betterment, human relations school, and cultural theories, have been discussed in personnel magazines more than rational paradigms, although earlier studies suggest that in general rational management paradigms have been more influential in Finland. The frequent use of normative paradigms can be seen as a tool in enforcing the role of personnel journals in generating a sense of belonging and togetherness among employees. Normative paradigms are also discussed more frequently in the articles that are written from the viewpoint of the worker than those written from the viewpoint of the manager or company.

Originality/value

The study offers empirical evidence on the adoption of management paradigms in different lines of industries. It also shows that personnel magazines provide a rich and interesting source of data that could be used more frequently than has traditionally been the case.
A forgotten history
Authors: Mack Kathy S.
Published: March 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the lessons of globalization from the standpoint of Norwegian seafarers' career experiences. An isolated and multicultural shipboard social milieu provides a unique context for examining the challenges and impacts associated with globalized work.

Design/methodology/approach

Descriptions of the historical contexts of globalization, Norwegian shipping and seafaring are followed by the use of on‐line qualitative methodology to access globally dispersed and mobile informants.

Findings

By studying the historical development of globalization and analyzing seafarers' accounts, the “material realities” of global impacts may be better understood.

Research limitations/implications

The shipboard context provides scholars and practitioners with an opportunity to learn lessons about the economic/social/historical values of certain occupations. Globalization has rendered multicultural workforces both at sea and on land. Seafarers have knowledge claims about managing and working technologically advanced and diverse work environments. “Male‐only” seafarer respondents limit understanding about the availability of Norwegian women seafarers to meet the recruitment and retention challenges faced by the shipping industry.

Practical implications

The IMO has stressed that the human element, seafarer response and cooperation, is critical to the effectiveness of global maritime security initiatives. Norwegian seafarers believe that policy‐makers tend to make decisions that reflect misguided assumptions and age‐old myths about sailors and shipboard organizational life. The paper raises awareness about the “business of seafaring”; which Tony Lane, UK seafarer turned sociologist, once argued is quite different from the “business of shipping”.

Originality/value

Exploration in a maritime context provides information of original value unavailable from other types of organizations.
The price is right: making workplace wellness financially sustainable
Authors: Lee S. , Blake H. , Lloyd S.
Published: March 2010

Purpose

The public health argument for developing and maintaining workplace wellness programmes in organisations is well‐documented, particularly within the healthcare sector which aims to “set the example” for workplace health. However, workplace wellness also makes good business sense, since it is established that investing in employee health can reduce absenteeism, improve job satisfaction and productivity and enhance corporate image. Organisations often place workplace wellness low in their priorities. The purpose of this paper is to present the case for an initial resource investment and top‐level support to pump‐prime a financially sustainable, and even profitable, programme.

Design/methodology/approach

A discussion is presented based on academic literature and practical applications from the authors' experiences in practice.

Findings

The authors use their own in‐house scheme, “Q‐active” as a case example based in an NHS Trust setting, to demonstrate how such schemes can be developed and successfully implemented and maintained in practice. The paper presents the use of the Business Healthcheck Tool for developing a business case for such schemes.

Originality/value

Workplace wellness schemes are financially viable and can become a vital part of a large organisations' infrastructure embedded within policies and internal “health culture”.
Exploring corruption practices in public procurement of infrastructural projects in Ghana
Authors: Osei‐Tutu E. , Badu E. , Owusu‐Manu D.
Published: March 2010

Purpose

While corruption has long been recognized as a destructive social problem, the subject has not yet been given much attention in the literature of the management of procurement of infrastructure projects in Ghana. The purpose of this paper is to explore and discuss corruption practices inherent in public procurement of infrastructural projects in Ghana with the aim of identifying corruption related challenges that must be addressed in order to actualize the expected economic gains of infrastructural projects.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing extensively on existing literature and published data, the methodology adopted for the paper consisted of multi‐stage critical review of pertinent literature; review of 2007 Annual Report of the Public Procurement Authority and review of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663). The study assumes value‐laden axiological philosophy, where the values and experiences of the authors provided the basis for the discussion.

Findings

Conflict of interest, bribery, embezzlement, kickbacks, tender manipulation and fraud are observed corruption practices in the Ghanaian infrastructure projects delivery system. The severity of corruption practices have intensified the search for more innovative means of delivering infrastructure projects that will achieve value for money. In the pursuit to control corruption practices, this would require constitution of a sound procurement system and pro‐social equity policies that would foster good governance, corporate social responsibility, transparency, accountability, judicious public expenditure and national progress. The Public Procurement Act 2003 (Act 663) is observed to proffer solutions for these underlying constructs but not without challenges.

Research limitations/implications

The nature of the research is review and explanatory without any empirical analysis to support the discussions and thus the results cannot be generalized on a broader context of public procurement practice in Ghana.

Practical implications

Implementation of sound procurement performance measurements would be imperative in the bid to curb corruption practices. The paper suggested a number of business approaches to combat corrupt practices in Ghana, which are explained in terms of political, psychological, technical, operational and retaliatory measures. In this paper, it is proposed that knowledge about and debating corruption related issues is just as important to the modern public procurement as are the abilities to creatively and logically introduce monitoring systems when planning, executing and completing projects.

Originality/value

The work is novel providing meaningful insights into conceptual basis for a detailed empirical analysis. Being a pioneering study, further research tailored to compare the extent of corruption practices in various sectors of the economy of Ghana would be novel.
A quantum‐inspired evolutionary hybrid intelligent approach for stock market prediction
Authors: de A. Araújo Ricardo
Published: March 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a new quantum‐inspired evolutionary hybrid intelligent (QIEHI) approach, in order to overcome the random walk dilemma for stock market prediction.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed QIEHI method is inspired by the Takens' theorem and performs a quantum‐inspired evolutionary search for the minimum necessary dimension (time lags) embedded in the problem for determining the characteristic phase space that generates the financial time series phenomenon. The approach presented in this paper consists of a quantum‐inspired intelligent model composed of an artificial neural network (ANN) with a modified quantum‐inspired evolutionary algorithm (MQIEA), which is able to evolve the complete ANN architecture and parameters (pruning process), the ANN training algorithm (used to further improve the ANN parameters supplied by the MQIEA), and the most suitable time lags, to better describe the time series phenomenon.

Findings

This paper finds that, initially, the proposed QIEHI method chooses the better prediction model, then it performs a behavioral statistical test to adjust time phase distortions that appear in financial time series. Also, an experimental analysis is conducted with the proposed approach using six real‐word stock market times series, and the obtained results are discussed and compared, according to a group of relevant performance metrics, to results found with multilayer perceptron networks and the previously introduced time‐delay added evolutionary forecasting method.

Originality/value

The paper usefully demonstrates how the proposed QIEHI method chooses the best prediction model for the times series representation and performs a behavioral statistical test to adjust time phase distortions that frequently appear in financial time series.
MINandMAXoperators for trapezoidal fuzzy intervals
Authors: Megri Faycal , Boukezzoula Reda
Published: March 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine an extension of theMINandMAXgeneral analytical expression for triangular fuzzy intervals to trapezoidal ones when Zadeh's extension principle is considered.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to determine theMINandMAXanalytical expressions, the paper exhibits the conventional interval relations and their extension in fuzzy case where trapezoidal fuzzy intervals are assumed. The formalization and the justification of the so‐built analytical expressions are then detailed where mathematical mappings are proposed. The potential use of these operators in the framework of uncertain aggregation operators and ranking fuzzy intervals is shown with illustrative examples.

Findings

It is discovered that theMINandMAXoperations for fuzzy intervals can be formulated by a general analytical form.

Practical implications

The proposed methodology can be directly applied for ranking fuzzy intervals and implementing a large class of uncertain aggregation operators, especially for two‐additive Choquet integral.

Originality/value

The originality of the proposed technique resides in exploiting the interval relations between supports and kernels to express a general and compact analyticalMINandMAXexpressions for fuzzy intervals.
Masculinisation of the public sector
Authors: Sundin Elisabeth , Tillmar Malin
Published: March 2010

Purpose

The paper aims to explore the consequences of new public management (NPM) inspired reforms in general and outsourcing of traditional public sector responsibilities in Sweden to private organizations in particular. At centre stage are the roles of entrepreneurs, women‐owned small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and socially constructed paradigms of gender in this process. The paper's aim is to explore, through a local‐level case study, the currently ongoing process of gendering and regendering in a female‐dominated sector. This is done by a qualitative real‐time study of the introduction of a customer‐choice system in elder care in a Swedish municipality.

Design/methodology/approach

The formal decision in Spring 2008 to introduce a “customer‐choice model” into home‐based elderly care in the municipality is the formal starting point of the research. The authors are given full access to all relevant information and informants including all questions and suggestions from the potential suppliers who were applying to be “authorized and certified suppliers”. Interviews are the main method but also written material like applications and newspaper articles and “letters to the editor” are studied.

Findings

The outcome of the changes are, from the decision‐makers point of view, disappointing. The consequences so far of the customer‐choice system, that have been examined here, can be labelled increased masculinism or even a masculinization of the elderly care sector. Whether the polarization is a presage of the process to come is too early to tell. If so, the masculinization observed in this paper extends along three dimensions: governing logic, leadership and ownership. These gender consequences are not those expected or intended by the leading local actors.

Research limitations/implications

The study is made in an ongoing process. The politicians are making changes aiming at making better working conditions for SMEs and former employees especially women. It is therefore important to follow up what is going to happen in the future. Comparisons with other municipalities and other regimes, nationally and internationally, would also be valuable.

Practical implications

In this case, the practical implications are, almost, the same as the research implications.

Originality/value

The real‐time research design is used focusing on what is happening in practise at the lower organizational levels of an organizational “experiment” of this kind make this paper unusual and valuable both for researchers and practioners.
Social constructionism and personal constructivism
Authors: Wilson Fiona , Tagg Stephen
Published: March 2010

Purpose

While the entrepreneurship and small business research literature has tended to portray women as lesser than men in identifying the differences between them, little research has looked at how gender is construed in business ownership. The purpose of this paper is to provide a new focus, examining how male and female business owners construe each other.

Design/methodology/approach

The research employs George Kelly's personal construct theory and repertory grids to examine the constructs associated with male and female business owners.

Findings

It is found that there are many constructs used to describe business owners and, counter to predictions from some of the literature review, few differences between the way in which male and female business owners are construed. The paper offers explanations as to why so few differences are found.

Research limitations/implications

The sample is limited to just one area of Britain and the businesses had all been established in the last three years. This will influence the generalizability of the findings.

Originality/value

This paper is able to offer research evidence to demonstrate that male and female business owners do not construe male and female business owners differently.
Research on entrepreneur networks
Authors: Foss Lene
Published: March 2010

Purpose

The paper aims to clarify how a gendered analysis of entrepreneurial networks may benefit by the use of a constructionist (post‐structuralist) perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper makes use of a discourse analysis: first, the paper reviews a selection of empirical research articles from 1980 to 2008 on gender and networks in entrepreneurship research in order to convey the main research question, the hypotheses, the methodology and the main findings. Second, the paper identifies in a broader literature the hegemonic statements that characterize the discourse of gender and networks.

Findings

The main findings of the studies reviewed is that there are no major differences in the networks of female and male entrepreneurs. Research on the significance of gender for entrepreneurial success indicates that there is probably more variation within than between sex categories with regard to network activities. This may be an indication that empiricist feminism and standpoint feminism have outplayed their role as approaches to the study of gender and networks in entrepreneurial settings. The discourse analysis reveals five hegemonic statements: entrepreneurs use social networks strategically, women are disadvantaged compared to men and therefore cannot network effectively, weak ties are the source of men's success; strong ties are women's drawback and, finally, women are inherently relational.

Research limitations/implications

Methodologically, the current status of research on networks, gender and entrepreneurship demonstrates that most of the knowledge is gained through cross‐sectional surveys. Typically, the majority of studies on entrepreneurship, due to the methods chosen, does not allow for first‐hand, real and authentic experiences of entrepreneurial lives. Acknowledging the presence of the speaker can be done in various ways. Entrepreneurs may reveal their thoughts, their experience and reflections only if the relationship between the researcher and the researched is symmetrical. Narrative approaches are suggested in order to “tap” the voice – and thus the stories – of the acting entrepreneurs.

Practical implications

Theoretically, the discourse is limited by the lack of an explicit “gendered” perspective. The analysis of the texts reveals an implicit empiricist feminist approach, resulting in networks and entrepreneurship as well as gender and networks being portrayed in a very special and limited way.

Originality/value

The findings of the discursive approach to research texts on gender and entrepreneurial networks, is that the discourse is limited with regard to both theory and method. This paper has shown that the discourse in the research field is limited, and that the field needs to be challenged by other disciplinary procedures regulating what counts as knowledge.
Moving forward: institutional perspectives on gender and entrepreneurship
Authors: Ahl Helene , Nelson Teresa
Published: March 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a re‐directed and purposeful attention to the design of research on gender and entrepreneurship moving forward.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper questions the value of more studies on the men v. women binary and encourages research on the institutions supporting the gendered construction.

Findings

The paper suggests a re‐framing of gender (to include men, women, femininity, masculinity, etc.) both in topics investigated and in building the cadre of scholars engaged. It asks for discrimination of gender from biological sex in language use and believes that dialogue will be improved if the word “gender” is maintained as a socially constructed phenomenon directed at distinguishing the norms around “what women do” and “what men do”. Researchers, too, must necessarily confront personal pre‐existing ideas and language shaped by the norms and habits of one's upbringing and daily life in societies that are not acute observers of gender in action.

Originality/value

The paper assesses trends in research on gender and entrepreneurship and recommends ideas regarding new directions to create better research and application in practice, teaching, and training.
Inelastic cyclic behaviour of as‐received and pre‐corroded S500s tempcore steel reinforcement
Authors: Apostolopoulos Ch. Alk. , Rodopoulos C.A.
Published: March 2010

Purpose

Seismic loading can induce significant deformations to steel reinforcement. The recent approach suggested by Eurocode 8 indicates that steel reinforcement shall sustain repeated loading well within its elastic region, excluding by definition seismic loading. This paper aims to examine the behaviour of S500s steel reinforcement at strain ranges representing strains corresponding to small/medium earthquakes while significant attention has been paid to cases where the reinforcement has been corroded as this is most representative to aged buildings. The work concludes that the complex behaviour of steel reinforcement under low cycle fatigue conditions can be successfully treated via the use of the viscous stress. The latter is found to be independent to corrosion exposure while it holds the merits of ductility exhaustion on which most degradation models are based.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper establishes a relationship between the cumulative effect of low cycle fatigue and that of the viscous stress.

Findings

The work identifies that the viscous stress follows an exponential growth behaviour which terminates at a plateau. The plateau value is found to be independent to corrosion exposure and strain rate and hence providing a strong potential for being a characteristic indicator of the behaviour of steel reinforcement under realistic inelastic loading.

Research limitations/implications

The study is limited to S500s grade steel. Further study on different steel grades is necessary to increase the potential of viscous stress.

Originality/value

The significance of this paper is the introduction of viscous stress in an area where traditional approaches of cumulative damage are based on a large number of empirical parameters and assumptions.
Crack‐healing behaviour of ZrO2/SiC composite ceramics
Authors: Houjou Keiji , Ando Kotoji , Takahashi Koji
Published: March 2010

Purpose

Zirconia ceramics exhibit high strength and fracture toughness. The purpose of this paper is to research a possibility of crack healing in zirconia ceramics.

Design/methodology/approach

ZrO2/SiC composite ceramics are sintered and subjected to three‐point bending. A surface crack of 100 μm in diameter is formed on each specimen. The cracks are healed and the specimens are tested under bending.

Findings

The paper finds that ZrO2/SiC composite ceramic material had a high crack‐healing ability at a considerably low temperature. For example, a crack of 100 μm in diameter is healed even at 600°C.

Research limitations/implications

The paper provides a low temperature healing and a new mechanism of crack healing.

Originality/value

The paper shows the healing temperature and the minimum time required to heal showed a good proportional relation on the Arrhenius plot at temperatures of 600‐800°C. Moreover, the crack healing is caused by SiO2 cristobalite produced during the healing.
Effectiveness of MMORPG‐based instruction in elementary English education in Korea
Authors: Suh S. , Kim S.W. , Kim N.J.
Published: March 2010

This study investigated the effectiveness of massive multiplayer online role‐playing game (MMORPG)‐based (massive multiplayer online role‐playing game) instruction in elementary English education. The effectiveness of the MMORPG program was compared with face‐to‐face instruction and the independent variables (gender, prior knowledge, motivation for learning, self‐directed learning skills, computer skills, game skills, computer capacity, network speed, and computer accessibility) were examined to see how accurately achievement was predicted in MMORPG instruction. The results indicated that students studying English utilizing online role‐playing games showed higher scores in areas of listening, reading, and writing than those who attended face‐to‐face instruction classes. It was also found that prior knowledge, motivation for learning, and network speed were factors affecting achievement in English learning. These findings suggest that MMORPGs can play an important role in improving English communicative skills.
Current controversies surrounding liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Silva Mauricio F , Wigg Alan J
Published: March 2010

Liver transplantation (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has progressed rapidly over the last decade from a futile therapy to the first choice therapy for suitable patients. Excellent outcomes of LT for HCC can be largely attributed to the use of the Milan Criteria, which have restricted LT to patients with early stage tumors. These criteria may be conservative, and it is likely that a subset of patients with tumors beyond these criteria can have acceptable outcomes. However, there is currently insufficient data to accept more liberal criteria as a standard of care, and a higher quality evidence base must be achieved to prevent poor utilization of valuable donor liver resources. In the future, it is probable that more sophisticated selection criteria will emerge incorporating aspects of tumor biology beyond tumor size and number. Dropout from the waiting list due to tumor progression remains a clinical challenge particularly in regions with prolonged waiting times. Priority allocation using HCC MELD points is a practical and transparent solution that has successfully reduced waitlist dropout for HCC patients. Further refinements of the HCC MELD point system are required to ensure equity of access to LT for non‐HCC patients and prioritization of HCC patients with the highest risk of dropout. Improving the evidence base for pre‐LT locoregional therapy to prevent waitlist dropout is an urgent and difficult challenge for the LT community. In the interim transplant clinicians must restrict the use of these therapies to those patients who are most likely to benefit from them.
Changes in renal function after nephron‐sparing surgery in patients with a normal contralateral kidney
Authors: Park Sung‐Woo , Jung Suk‐Gun , Lee Wan , Chung Moon‐Kee
Published: March 2010

Objectives:  To evaluate the pattern of the recovery of the overall and isolated renal function in patients with a normal contralateral kidney undergoing nephron‐sparing surgery (NSS).

Methods:  Between 2003 and 2006, 62 patients underwent open NSS at our institution. Among them, 35 having unilateral renal tumors smaller than 7 cm and a normally functioning contralateral kidney were included in the analysis. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was checked preoperatively, and 2 weeks, 6 months and 1 year postoperatively, and annually thereafter. Renal scintigraphy was carried out before the procedure, at 6 months and 1 year postoperatively to measure individual renal uptake.

Results:  eGFR was 80.9, 70.8, 76.7, 76.9, 75.8, 76.9, 78.6 and 78.2 mL/min/1.73 m2 preoperatively, and postoperatively at 2 weeks, 6 months, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 years, respectively. Average isolated differential function of the operated kidney decreased 11.6% and 5.6% at 6 months and 1 year after surgery, respectively.

Conclusions:  Within 6 months after NSS, the overall renal function recovered up to 95% by a compensatory increase of contralateral renal function. Thereafter, isolated function of the operated kidney recovered slowly.
Patterns of Attachment and Emotional Competence in Middle Childhood
Authors: Colle Livia , Del Giudice Marco
Published: March 2010

The study investigated the relationship between patterns of attachment and emotional competence at the beginning of middle childhood in a sample of 122 seven‐year‐olds. A new battery of tasks was developed in order to assess two facets of emotional competence (emotion recognition and knowledge of regulation strategies). Attachment was related to the choice of emotion regulation strategies in hypothetical situations; secure children produced the highest frequency of cognitive engagement strategies (e.g., reappraisal), and disorganized children the lowest. Insecure children produced more behavioral engagement strategies and fewer behavioral diversion ones. There was a minor effect of attachment on emotion recognition, with disorganized children scoring lower in the discrimination of facial expression. Consistent sex differences were also apparent in the direction of a female advantage in emotional competence: Girls scored higher in emotion recognition than boys, and in the regulation knowledge task, they produced fewer helpless answers and more cognitive engagement strategies.
Children's Attention to Others' Beliefs during Persuasion: Improvised and Selected Arguments to Puppets and People
Authors: Bartsch Karen , Wade Christine E. , Estes David
Published: March 2010

Until now children's attention to the beliefs of people they wish to persuade has been examined experimentally via tasks that were artificial in important respects. To determine whether such research has underestimated children's psychological perspective taking, two studies that manipulated task elements pertinent to ecological validity were conducted. Children in three age groups (3, 4/5, and 6/7 years) were asked (forced‐choice and open‐ended formats) how best to persuade puppets and people, with differing beliefs, to pet and play with various toy animals. Children offered as many or more belief‐relevant arguments in response to forced‐choice as to open‐ended questions. Only the oldest group attended to beliefs more when persuading a person compared with a puppet. Even on more realistic tasks, significant improvement with age across task formats confirmed a developmental trajectory in line with extant reports of children's belief reasoning. The findings support the idea that enhanced social competence corresponds specifically to children's increasing attention to beliefs in social interactions such as persuasion.
Seeing Eye to Eye: Predicting Teacher–Student Agreement on Classroom Social Networks
Authors: Neal Jennifer Watling , Cappella Elise , Wagner Caroline , Atkins Marc S.
Published: March 2010

This study examines the association between classroom characteristics and teacher–student agreement in perceptions of students' classroom peer networks. Social network, peer nomination, and observational data were collected from a sample of second through fourth grade teachers (N = 33) and students (N = 669) in 33 classrooms across five high‐poverty urban schools. Results demonstrate that variation in teacher–student agreement on the structure of students' peer networks can be explained, in part, by developmental factors and classroom characteristics. Developmental increases in network density partially mediated the positive relationship between grade level and teacher–student agreement. Larger class sizes and higher levels of normative aggressive behavior resulted in lower levels of teacher–student agreement. Teachers' levels of classroom organization had mixed influences, with behavior management negatively predicting agreement, and productivity positively predicting agreement. These results underscore the importance of the classroom context in shaping teacher and student perceptions of peer networks.
Supported Employment for People with Intellectual Disability: The Effects of Job Breakdown on Psychological Well‐Being
Authors: Banks Pauline , Jahoda Andrew , Dagnan Dave , Kemp John , Williams Victoria
Published: March 2010

Background  This paper focuses on the transition to supported employment for people with intellectual disabilities paying particular attention to the impact of job breakdown on psychological well‐being; an issue often omitted from studies.

Materials and Methods  Forty‐nine people with intellectual disabilities were interviewed within 3 months of entering supported employment and 9–12 months later. Data collection involved in‐depth interviews with people with intellectual disabilities, their carers and employers and completion of a self‐report measure of depression and anxiety (an adapted form of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and a self‐report measure of quality of life (the ComQol).

Results  By time of the follow‐up interviews, 13 of the 49 jobs had broken down. Analysis of scores measuring quality of life, anxiety and depression showed no effect for loss of employment. However, interviews with participants indicated that job loss had a considerable impact on those affected.

Conclusions  There were a wide range of reasons for job breakdown, many of which were particular to the circumstances of people with intellectual disabilities. Although job breakdown does not have an impact of anxiety or depression many participants found job loss traumatic.