bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MuSiC: Identifying mutational significance in cancer genomes
Authors: Dees Nathan D. , Zhang Qunyuan , Kandoth Cyriac , Wendl Michael C. , Schierding William , Koboldt Daniel C. , Mooney Thomas B. , Callaway Matthew B. , Dooling David , Mardis Elaine R. , Wilson Richard K. , Ding Li
Published: July 2012

Massively parallel sequencing technology and the associated rapidly decreasing sequencing costs have enabled systemic analyses of somatic mutations in large cohorts of cancer cases. Here we introduce a comprehensive mutational analysis pipeline that uses standardized sequence-based inputs along with multiple types of clinical data to establish correlations among mutation sites, affected genes and pathways, and to ultimately separate the commonly abundant passenger mutations from the truly significant events. In other words, we aim to determine the Mutational Significance in Cancer (MuSiC) for these large data sets. The integration of analytical operations in the MuSiC framework is widely applicable to a broad set of tumor types and offers the benefits of automation as well as standardization. Herein, we describe the computational structure and statistical underpinnings of the MuSiC pipeline and demonstrate its performance using 316 ovarian cancer samples from the TCGA ovarian cancer project. MuSiC correctly confirms many expected results, and identifies several potentially novel avenues for discovery.
The Rice Monovalent Cation Transporter OsHKT2;4: Revisited Ionic Selectivity
Authors: Sassi Ali , Mieulet Delphine , Khan Imran , Moreau Bertrand , Gaillard Isabelle , Sentenac Hervé , Véry Anne-Aliénor
Published: July 2012

The family of plant membrane transporters named HKT (for high-affinity K+ transporters) can be subdivided into subfamilies 1 and 2, which, respectively, comprise Na+-selective transporters and transporters able to function as Na+-K+ symporters, at least when expressed in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) or Xenopus oocytes. Surprisingly, a subfamily 2 member from rice (Oryza sativa), OsHKT2;4, has been proposed to form cation/K+ channels or transporters permeable to Ca2+ when expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Here, OsHKT2;4 functional properties were reassessed in Xenopus oocytes. A Ca2+ permeability through OsHKT2;4 was not detected, even at very low external K+ concentration, as shown by highly negative OsHKT2;4 zero-current potential in high Ca2+ conditions and lack of sensitivity of OsHKT2;4 zero-current potential and conductance to external Ca2+. The Ca2+ permeability previously attributed to OsHKT2;4 probably resulted from activation of an endogenous oocyte conductance. OsHKT2;4 displayed a high permeability to K+ compared with that to Na+ (permeability sequence: K+ > Rb+ ≈ Cs+ > Na+ ≈ Li+ ≈ NH4  +). Examination of OsHKT2;4 current sensitivity to external pH suggested that H+ is not significantly permeant through OsHKT2;4 in most physiological ionic conditions. Further analyses in media containing both Na+ and K+ indicated that OsHKT2;4 functions as K+-selective transporter at low external Na+, but transports also Na+ at high (>10 mm) Na+ concentrations. These data identify OsHKT2;4 as a new functional type in the K+ and Na+-permeable HKT transporter subfamily. Furthermore, the high permeability to K+ in OsHKT2;4 supports the hypothesis that this system is dedicated to K+ transport in the plant.
A Cytosolic Acyltransferase Contributes to Triacylglycerol Synthesis in Sucrose-Rescued Arabidopsis Seed Oil Catabolism Mutants
Authors: Hernández M. Luisa , Whitehead Lynne , He Zhesi , Gazda Valeria , Gilday Alison , Kozhevnikova Ekaterina , Vaistij Fabián E. , Larson Tony R. , Graham Ian A.
Published: July 2012

Triacylglycerol (TAG) levels and oil bodies persist in sucrose (Suc)-rescued Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) seedlings disrupted in seed oil catabolism. This study set out to establish if TAG levels persist as a metabolically inert pool when downstream catabolism is disrupted, or if other mechanisms, such as fatty acid (FA) recycling into TAG are operating. We show that TAG composition changes significantly in Suc-rescued seedlings compared with that found in dry seeds, with 18:2 and 18:3 accumulating. However, 20:1 FA is not efficiently recycled back into TAG in young seedlings, instead partitioning into the membrane lipid fraction and diacylglycerol. In the lipolysis mutant sugar dependent1and the β-oxidation double mutant acx1acx2 (for acyl-Coenzyme A oxidase), levels of TAG actually increased in seedlings growing on Suc. We performed a transcriptomic study and identified up-regulation of an acyltransferase gene, DIACYLGLYCEROL ACYLTRANSFERASE3 (DGAT3), with homology to a peanut (Arachis hypogaea) cytosolic acyltransferase. The acyl-Coenzyme A substrate for this acyltransferase accumulates in mutants that are blocked in oil breakdown postlipolysis. Transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana confirmed involvement in TAG synthesis and specificity toward 18:3 and 18:2 FAs. Double-mutant analysis with the peroxisomal ATP-binding cassette transporter mutant peroxisomal ABC transporter1 indicated involvement of DGAT3 in the partitioning of 18:3 into TAG in mutant seedlings growing on Suc. Fusion of the DGAT3 protein with green fluorescent protein confirmed localization to the cytosol of N. benthamiana. This work has demonstrated active recycling of 18:2 and 18:3 FAs into TAG when seed oil breakdown is blocked in a process involving a soluble cytosolic acyltransferase.
Professional development for company directors – a strategic leadership opportunity for HR? The case of Air Astana
Authors: Davis Paul J. , Callahan William
Published: July 2012

Purpose

This paper aims to explore potential opportunities for corporate learning and development functions to play a strategic leadership role by meeting the professional development needs of company directors.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted an interview with Mr Dmitriy Larionov, an independent director at Kazakhtelecom and Air Astana.

Findings

The interview revealed that, from the perspective of the interviewee, company directors do have important professional development needs. These needs, however, are not easily satisfied and can go unmet.

Practical implications

Learning and development professionals in listed companies can play a heightened strategic and influencing role in corporate governance by better equipping directors to perform their duties well.

Originality/value

Air Astana is a rapidly expanding company in a highly competitive and universally significant industry. Kazakhstan is a new country without a history of private companies. Kazakhstan is one of the world's fastest developing economies.
Evaluation – training's ignored leverage point
Authors: O'Connor John , Little Bob
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The paper aims to describe the results assessment approach to the evaluation of training and development programmes.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper explains the shortfalls with current approaches to evaluation, outlines the research that led to the development of the results assessment approach, and describes a realistic, pragmatic method to evaluate any training initiative.

Findings

Ultimately, “results” are what training and development professionals' customers need – and want – delivered, yet training and development professionals think and act within the limits of a training expertise that often lacks the necessary business perspective. Yet, the good news is that it doesn't take a huge effort or costly resources to improve things.

Practical implications

The results of every significant development programme must fall into one or more of the following domains: perception, transfer and impact.

Social implications

The results assessment evaluation model can play a key part in ensuring training and development activities are central to an organisation's goal, aims and objectives.

Originality/value

The paper describes a model that challenges current training evaluation practice and by focusing on business results enables “training” to become a core business partner.
Mapping service processes in manufacturing companies: industrial service blueprinting
Authors: Biege Sabine , Lay Gunter , Buschak Daniela
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a process‐modelling method that is based on methods from both operations management (OM) and service operations management (SOM), which complies with the special requirements of servitised manufacturers.

Design/methodology/approach

After a comprehensive literature review of organisational change in servitised manufacturers, the requirements for modelling industrial services are established. In addition, existing business process‐modelling methods from OM and SOM are classified and related to these requirements. A modelling method that is adapted to the needs of servitised manufacturers is proposed, and the practical advantages of this methodology are explored in an exemplary case study of a machine tool manufacturer.

Findings

This paper suggests that existing instruments that have been developed within OM and SOM need considerable adjustment to comply with the needs of servitised manufacturers.

Originality/value

This paper contributes towards mastering the transition from the production of capital goods to the offering of entire solutions by outlining the special requirements of the process structure in a manufacturing company as it turns into a solution‐provider.
Analysis of interaction fit between manufacturing strategy and technology management and its impact on performance
Authors: Ortega Cesar H. , Garrido‐Vega Pedro , Dominguez Machuca Jose Antonio
Published: July 2012

Purpose

Using the matching/difference perspective, the purpose of this paper is to examine the interaction fit between a set of managerial practices from manufacturing strategy (MS) and another set from technology management (TM) and the link of this fit to operational performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper applies multiple statistical methods to a database of an international sample of plants in the auto supplier sector to explore (deviation score analysis/multiple linear regression) and confirm (correlation and variance subgroup analysis) whether a matching model presents organisational disequilibrium, where states of fit are related to effectively higher performance than states of misfit.

Findings

Results from regression show that there were no states of misfit between the levels of both manufacturing practice sets/areas. This means that there are no significant differences in performance that may be tested for matching interaction. However, subgroup analysis provides greater detail on why there might not be any misfits (i.e. state of fit), by illustrating that when grouping by plant type (high/world class performer, HP, and standard performer, SP), the slight lack of significant difference in the correlation between MS and TM was in favour of HP. The implementation levels of MS‐TM found were not significantly different, showing for HP slightly higher levels for both practices (+&+) than for SP, with slightly lower values in both cases (− & −). Therefore, it seems that both groups might perform equally well, due not to interaction but to the presence of a state of MS‐TM fit alone. A state of fit such as this, known as selection or congruency, would be the reason for there being no significant matching interaction originally.

Originality/value

Most of the interaction fit bibliography is from the accounting perspective. Therefore, the impact of the matching interaction fit between MS and TM (as well as its impact on performance) has not been well documented theoretically, and much less, empirically, in production and operations management.
How to assess the corporate parenting strategy? A conceptual answer
Authors: Kruehler Matthias , Pidun Ulrich , Rubner Harald
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The major purpose of this paper is the development of a theoretical framework that can be used by corporate practitioners to understand the implicit parenting strategy of their company, assess its performance, and adjust it for improving the net corporate value creation.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, a three‐dimensional framework is developed that accounts for corporate‐to‐business and business‐to‐business interactions, value‐adding and value‐destroying activities, and strategic and operational levers. The framework is operationalized by assigning a broad set of individual activities to these levers.

Findings

The paper delivers a robust, systematic, and operational framework to assess the net benefits to a given business of being part of a corporate portfolio, and to identify and evaluate implicit parenting strategies in corporate practice. While previous studies mainly focused on broad parenting approaches with low granularity this framework now allows earlier observations to be substantiated, finer distinctions between the applied strategies to be drawn, and the core of superior value added approaches to be investigated.

Practical implications

The introduced framework can be used to analyze the origin and underlying drivers of conglomerate discounts and premia and thus enhance understanding of capital market valuation of multi‐business companies. The developed framework can also be the basis for the derivation of a typology of corporate parenting strategies. In this way, it can support practitioners in portfolio management – which was also the explicit motivation for the development of the original parenting advantage concept.

Originality/value

The outlined framework will facilitate the investigation of structural, strategic, and organizational roots of superior parenting strategies in corporate practice. It may be used to analyze performance differences of multi‐business companies that go beyond the degree of diversification and may finally contribute to solving the puzzle of the conglomerate discount.
The digital challenge for the book industry: a viewpoint of Frankfurt Book Fair
Authors: Song Sandra
Published: July 2012

Purpose

This article seeks to give an overview of important developments in the book and media industry, from the specific viewpoint of the Frankfurt Book Fair.

Design/methodology/approach

The article is a viewpoint, a summary of the studies, market research and surveys which the Frankfurt Book Fair has conducted into the situation of the book market, and which it has used to develop its current profile.

Findings

The content business is opening up new areas of great potential – digital rights and multimedia formats are taking place alongside the international trade in translation rights. Traditionally linear value chains are becoming intermeshed to form multidimensional “value spaces”. The industry focuses today on cooperating with new partners on new multimedia formats and ideas, involving the creative industries of films, games, books as well as the ICT sector. Knowledge and exchange will become relevant factors. At the same time, digitisation is strengthening the situation of authors and other content producers. By consequence, publishers, agents and booksellers are repositioning themselves.

Originality/value

The Frankfurt Book Fair must always anticipate today what will be influencing the book industry tomorrow. Its purpose is to reflect the book industry while at the same time providing orientation in a world where change is becoming a constant. This article examines the Frankfurt Book Fair's own view of the developments and trends in the industry.
Which books are challenged more – classics or contemporary?
Authors: Grace Akers Carly
Published: July 2012

Purpose

This paper aims to compare the American Library Association's statistics on the most frequently challenged books in the years 2000‐2010 that appear on the ALA's “Banned and Challenged Classics” list versus those that are contemporary that are found in the ALA published Banned Book Resource Guide.

Design/methodology/approach

Analyses were made to determine whether classics were challenged more than contemporary books, and if there has been a rise in contemporary challenged books. To find out the similarities and difference in contemporary and classic books, the reasons for challenges were broken down into the categories of: drugs, homosexuality, offensive language, parental permission, racism, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, suicide, unsuited to age group, violence, witchcraft, challenged, and “other”.

Findings

The study found that contemporary books were challenged more than classic books between 2000‐2010, but there has not been a rise in the number of challenges. The similarities and differences show that a small percentage of difference is seen in some of the reasons for the challenges, but the largest percentage for being sexually explicit, and the largest margin of difference in the percentages in racism.

Research limitations/implications

Because the Banned Book Resource Guide was published in 2010, the statistics for challenged books in the year 2010 are incomplete. A suggestion for further research would be conducting the study when a later version of the Resource Guide is available and includes the 2010 statistics.

Originality/value

By examining patterns that have taken place in book challenges over the past ten years, the paper helps those interested in censorship and its many complications to better understand its trends.
In the library: quiet space endures
Authors: Massis Bruce E.
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this column is to present a single snapshot of the modern library. Even though much of the building itself has evolved into a collaborative learning space and a highly visible social environment, the traditional notion of at least a portion of the building as quiet study space must remain in place to support its place, for many, as an enduring exemplar of solitude. For those who are engaged in independent study and quiet contemplation, it is essential that the quiet study spaces in libraries endure.

Design/methodology/approach

The article takes the form of a literature review and commentary on this topic that has been addressed by writers and researchers.

Findings

Data indicate that, even though technology is a paramount request by patrons using libraries, many require a quiet place to study as an integral part of their library experience.

Originality/value

The value in addressing this issue is to consider the substantiation suggesting that even though libraries have and continue to transform to meet the varied technological and other needs of the patron, those needs should include providing quiet study space for them as well.
Interpersonal factors affecting communication in clinical consultations
Authors: Lovell Brenda L. , Lee Raymond T. , Brotheridge Celeste M.
Published: July 2012

Purpose

This study seeks to determine how process and latent errors in the interpersonal, organizational, health system, and public health domains impact doctor/patient communication and patient safety.

Design/methodology/approach

There were 278 physicians from Manitoba, Canada who completed a self‐report questionnaire during 2006. The largest specialty was family medicine, followed by internal medicine and pediatrics. Mean years of practice was 16, and 60 percent of the respondents were male. Respondents indicated the extent to which difficulties were encountered when communicating with patients.

Findings

The study finds that physicians had more difficulties with patients in the 0‐20 year age bracket on 12 of the 18 communication statements. Psychiatry and pediatrics reported more difficulties with language interpreters. Pediatrics reported more difficulties with patients using culturally‐based alternative medicine. Internal medicine had more difficulty with patients not appearing to trust or participate in treatment decisions. Patients in the 41‐60 years age bracket had the highest mean for non‐adherence to treatment plans, health maintenance and needed lifestyle change. The female physician‐female patient dyad had fewer communication difficulties on all statements.

Research limitations/implications

Further research should examine how family structure influences health‐care delivery and health outcomes. Health care organizations can contribute to improving quality of care by seeking out and correcting sources of latent errors, and by supporting professional development and practice interventions.

Originality/value

Few studies exist that have linked communication difficulties to adverse events. This study provides insight on sources of interpersonal errors in communication that directly impact the physician/patient relationship and which may represent threats to patient safety.
Impact of a novel training experience on the development of a customer service culture in a large hospital trust
Authors: Eales‐Reynolds Lesley‐Jane , Clarke Colin
Published: July 2012

Purpose

This study was designed with the intention of exploring the effectiveness of a novel approach to training health services workers to meet the aims of raising awareness of their customer care framework and encouraging a culture of customer service throughout their organisation.

Design/methodology/approach

The impact of the educational intervention was examined using a mixed methods approach involving pre‐ and post‐workshop questionnaires and one‐to‐one, semi‐structured interviews.

Findings

The paper finds that the approach adopted was effective in raising awareness of the customer care framework and in enhancing participant's self‐efficacy in relation to the principles of customer care. Transference to the workplace was dependent on personality and departments having sufficient numbers of staff participating.

Research limitations/implications

Time and resources for the project limited the follow‐up interviews designed to explore if, and to what extent, the learning had had a lasting impact on participants and if it had enabled transference to the workplace. In addition, complications in releasing people from work in order to take part meant that a number of volunteers had to withdraw. This limits the range of data obtained.

Originality/value

This paper describes a novel research‐informed approach to training, involving participants in high fidelity, error‐based simulations and in a research process which facilitated their repeated reflection on the learning. As a result the paper demonstrates large‐scale training of customer care can effectively impact on practice.
Implementation of a quality management system according to 9001 standard in a hospital in the home unit
Authors: Rodríguez‐Cerrillo Matilde , Fernández‐Díaz Eddita , Iñurrieta‐Romero Amaia , Poza‐Montoro Ana
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe changes and results obtained after implementation of a quality management system (QMS) according to ISO standards in a Hospital in the Home (HIH) Unit.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper describes changes made and outcomes achieved. This took part in the HiH Unit, Clinico Hospital, Madrid, Spain, and looked at admissions, mean stay, patient satisfaction, adverse events, returns to hospital, no admitted referrals, complaints, compliance to protocols, equipment failures and resolution of urgent consultations.

Findings

In June 2008, HiH Unit, Clinico Hospital obtained ISO certification. The main results achieved are as follows. There was an increase in patients' satisfaction – in June 2008, assessment of the quality of care provided by staff was scored at 4.7 (on a scale of 1 to 5); in 2010 it has been scored at 4.96. Patient satisfaction rate has increased from 92 percent to 98.8 percent. No complaints from patients were received. Unscheduled returns to hospital have decreased from 7 percent to 3 percent. There were no medical equipment failures. External suppliers' performance has improved. Material and medication needed by staff was available when necessary. The number of admissions has increased. Compliance to protocols has reached 97 percent. Inappropriate referrals have decreased by 8 percent. Six medications‐related incidents were detected; in two cases the incident was not due to an error. In the other four cases error could have been detected before reaching the patient.

Originality/value

Implementations of an ISO quality management system allow improved quality of care and patient satisfaction in a HIH Unit.
Uncovering the common ground in qualitative inquiry
Authors: Gullick Janice , West Sandra
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the use of a common qualitative data set analysed with both a quality improvement tool to facilitate service improvement, and a rigorous research methodology to engage beginning nurse researchers in a mentored project.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative cohort study of the experience of hospitalisation across six diagnostic groups interrogated data from 104 patient and carer interviews using the Picker Dimensions of Experience and Heideggerian Phenomenology.

Findings

The paper reveals that well‐conducted qualitative interviews can provide common ground for service improvement initiatives and rigorous research analysis.

Research limitations/implications

The Picker Dimensions use simple coding methods that push findings towards utility, but at times are overly reductionist and exile any data not related to hospital services. Heideggerian phenomenology is training and resource intensive, but its exploration of the meaning of the illness experience provides a profound backdrop for the subsequent understanding of hospitalisation.

Practical implications

The access that qualitative data provides to the patient and family's perspective is becoming increasingly valued in processes of ongoing quality improvement, clinical redesign and evaluation for hospital accreditation.

Social implications

The intrinsic rewards of deep qualitative analysis for the staff involved are extraordinary. Clinicians were humbled by new understandings, which surprised them despite their long clinical experience.

Originality/value

While quality improvement processes require training, ethics applications and data collection, the same framework can support rigorous qualitative research through use of the data as “common ground”. The researchers experienced a tension, but eventually, a balance between the strengths and limitations of these combined modes of qualitative inquiry.
Co‐creation and learning in health‐care service development
Authors: Elg Mattias , Engström Jon , Witell Lars , Poksinska Bozena
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate a model for patient co‐creation and learning based on diaries for use in health‐care service development. In particular, the study aims to investigate the process of patient co‐creation and different mechanisms through which health‐care service providers can learn from the patient.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on an action research approach. First, a development phase for patient co‐creation and learning leading to a proposed model was conducted. Second, a test phase of the diary‐based method was performed on 53 patients in three cases: orthopaedic care, rehabilitation care and gastroenterology care.

Findings

The study suggests a model for co‐creation and learning in health‐care service development through three learning methods. First, the model may be used as a means for generating and collecting patient ideas; second, a single patient's story can be illustrated and can serve as incentive for health‐care service development and creation of patient‐centred care; finally, a larger number of diaries can be analysed and combined with patient surveys to provide a deeper understanding of how the patient experiences health care services.

Originality/value

This study extends the research on diary‐based methods as an operationalisation of co‐creation in two ways. First, the study offers new and more diverse ways of using the rich material provided by customer diaries in the development of services. Second, the study suggests a co‐creation approach of involving patients in health‐care service development through patient diaries.
How to transform consumers into fans of your brand
Authors: Jahn Benedikt , Kunz Werner
Published: July 2012

Purpose

Brand fan pages on social networks have become very popular online services. However, empirical research on fan pages is still in its infancy. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of fan pages on the customer‐brand relationship and what motivates users to participate.

Design/methodology/approach

For this a framework was developed based on classical concepts of use and gratification theory, customer engagement, and involvement theory. The model is tested using a multi‐step approach of qualitative and quantitative methods.

Findings

The paper can show a significant influence from online service usage behavior on the fan page on the customer‐brand relationship. Furthermore, the paper identifies different values such as functional and hedonic content as drivers of fan‐page participation.

Research limitations/implications

The results are limited by the used data set, which is not representative for all industries and is cross‐sectional. Further research could build up a database over a longitudinal time frame in different industries. The results are interesting for theory and practice. They confirm the positive effect of integration and engagement in general and show that fan pages are more than just tools to connect brand fans. They are also instruments for gaining new fans.

Originality/value

The present study is the first study that not only shows the effect of fan pages on customer behavior, but also analyses the motives for participation and the crucial constructs to manage them successfully.
Customer experience modeling: from customer experience to service design
Authors: Teixeira Jorge , Patrício Lia , Nunes Nuno J. , Nóbrega Leonel , Fisk Raymond P. , Constantine Larry
Published: July 2012

Purpose

Customer experience has become increasingly important for service organizations that see it as a source of sustainable competitive advantage, and for service designers, who consider it fundamental to any service design project.

Design/methodology/approach

Integrating contributions from different fields, CEM was conceptually developed to represent the different aspects of customer experience in a holistic diagrammatic representation. CEM was further developed with an application to a multimedia service. To further develop and build CEM's models, 17 customers of a multimedia service provider were interviewed and the data were analyzed using Grounded Theory methodology.

Findings

Combining multidisciplinary contributions to represent customer experience elements enables the systematization of its complex information. The application to a multimedia service highlights how CEM can facilitate the work of multidisciplinary design teams by providing more insightful inputs to service design.

Originality/value

CEM supports the holistic nature of customer experience, providing a systematic portrayal of its context and shifting the focus from single experience elements to their orchestration.
Service's scientific community: a social network analysis (1995‐2010)
Authors: Esteves Martins Michele , Silveira Martins Guilherme , Mario Csillag João , Carla Farias Pereira Susana
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to characterize and discuss the collaborative network formed by researchers that published about services in the top journals in Operations, Marketing, and Human Resources Management, and provide further comparison with major Service journals.

Design/methodology/approach

The method used was designed documentary research using papers published in the top three relevant international journals specific to Operations, Marketing, and Human Resources from 1995 to 2010. Papers were selected using a search of the ABI/Inform Global (Proquest) database on the word “service” in the title, abstract, or keywords. Additionally, it included two major Service journals. A total of 1,481 papers and 2,457 authors composed the Social Network Analysis (SNA).

Findings

The co‐authorship network revealed that the social structure is highly fragmented. However, its main component can be classified as “small world”, indicating that authors are connected to others outside their group through a small number of intermediaries. This type of structure is favorable both to knowledge flow and development.

Practical implications

The results may be valuable to the community of researchers interested in the theme of Services, as well as in the fields of Operations, Marketing, and Human Resources to identify researchers and research groups. Thus, it can serve as guidance for publishers, colleges, and companies in the search for scholars in the service subject.

Originality/value

The paper uses SNA to investigate the interaction/collaboration of co‐authors using authorship as the unit of analysis.
Development of insurance regulation in Ireland
Authors: Brophy Richard
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to chart the chronology of insurance regulation in Ireland and evaluate the integration within European Union directives.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach used was to chart the development of insurance regulation in Ireland and establish the stakeholders in the insurance industry that are affected by regulation. The various aspects of the EU involvement in regulation were also listed.

Findings

Ireland is one of the few countries that has a single financial regulator that is the Central (Reserve) Bank. The Central Bank is recognised as the Irish national regulator for all insurance activities in the EU and with that carries responsibility for implementing EU directives. In comparing other regulatory systems, there is a mixture of direct government involvement, sector specific regulation, financial services regulation and Central Bank acting as regulator.

Research limitations/implications

Research is based on literature review and data obtained from the EU regarding national regulators. It does not set a standard of regulation or compare different regulators but establishes the different forms of regulation in Ireland and the EU.

Practical implications

The paper establishes Ireland's insurance regulatory environment amongst its European peers. It also charts the development of insurance regulation from solvency to the current model of solvency and consumer protection with the other offices of Financial Services Ombudsman.

Originality/value

The paper is based on research based on literature review and data obtained from the EU regarding national regulators.
Bribery Act 2010: implications for regulated firms
Authors: Yeoh Peter
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The UK responded with Bribery Act 2010 (BA 2010) after various international criticisms. The purpose of this article is to review its implications for UK regulated firms and foreign equivalents.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach adopted is qualitative relying on primary and secondary data analysis. The paper will analyse recent enforcement cases to guide the interpretations of the legal impact of the statute.

Findings

The study suggests five key findings. First, contrary to criticisms, BA 2010 is not without teeth. Second, the UK's position is not particularly unique as the USA and other European jurisdictions have broadly equivalent provisions. Third, BA 2010 contrary to criticisms does not use a one‐size fits all approach as allowance is provided for the use of common‐sense and proportionate approach. Fourth, significant numbers of regulated firms do not appear to implement comprehensive anti‐bribery systems. Fifth, there are some key differences with the better known US Foreign Corrrupt Practices Act (FCPA).

Practical implications

The analysis suggests that regulated firms and others affected by BA 2010 would need to take a more serious view of its legal consequences and respond with more robust anti‐bribery procedures and systems.

Originality/value

Contrary to the earlier alluded criticisms, the terms in the statute are to a large extent clear and accessible. The study reinforces the argument that current regulated‐firms' anti‐bribery procedures are not entirely satisfactory prompting the suggestion for improvements.
Risk management and Basel‐Accord‐implementation in Pakistan
Authors: Masood Omar , Fry John
Published: July 2012

Purpose

Recent events demonstrate that problems in the banking system pose a significant threat to the health of the global economy. Despite several shortcomings the Basel Accord thus emerges as an attempt to protect banking systems. The purpose of this study is to shed light on potential barriers to implementation of the Basel Accord in emerging countries. Several issues of wider interest to risk management and financial regulation also emerge.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper maps implementation of the Basel Accord against the wider regulatory context. Against this backdrop, the Basel Accord appears well‐motivated but is limited by several practical considerations. These factors, amidst other practical implications, are identified as the paper applies rigorous statistical methods to novel primary survey data from risk managers.

Findings

The Basel Accord is generally well‐received due its dual aims of improved capital administration and scientific risk management. Operational risk is a significant barrier to implementation, with a number of further issues only partially addressed (see below). Equally supported by both public and private sector banks the reasons for delay appear due to lack of technical expertise and the level of preparation. Results highlight credit risk, practical implementation issues (IT and HR), minimal capital requirements, data security and operational risk as issues of critical importance.

Originality/value

The originality of the contribution lies in the scientific treatment of novel primary data from risk managers tasked with implementation of the Basel Accord. Findings suggest several important practical implications discussed above.
Derivatives listing strategy
Authors: Karathanasis George , Sogiakas Vasilios , Toudas Kenellos
Published: July 2012

Purpose

Nowadays, a very interesting issue that matters both to academics and practitioners is the necessity and/or the usefulness of financial market regulation. This topic has many alternative dimensions, one of which concerns the derivative listing process. The main objective of the derivative's market regulatory authorities is the profitability of its members and the good performance of the exchange. The purpose of this paper is to investigate empirically the specific criteria that have governed the regulation process with respect to the derivative listing in the Athens Derivatives Exchange (ADEX).

Design/methodology/approach

The econometric part of the paper consists of two steps. The first step, deals with the estimation of the volatility, the default probability and the corporate governance provision index for each candidate firm. The second step consists of the utilization of a logit regression for the determination of the regressors and their significance in explaining which firms should be included into the derivatives and non‐derivatives groups. This analysis is extended through a rolling window technique that captures the time varying characteristics of the estimated coefficients of the derivatives listing strategy implemented by the ADEX.

Findings

According to the empirical findings, the ADEX's regulatory authorities have considered mainly the corresponding firms' capitalization while the creditworthiness and the managerial characteristics of the candidates have been adopted only partially.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors' knowledge, the existing literature is confined to US markets and nothing has been done with respect to European Derivatives Markets. This paper investigates the Greek case, the Athens Derivatives Exchange. In addition to the factors investigated by Mayhew and Mihov and Jennings and Starks, the authors have extended their analysis to include such factors as creditworthiness and managerial characteristics of firms.
Bank failure and deposit protection in the Isle of Man
Authors: Morris Philip
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The Isle of Man, a British Isles offshore jurisdiction located in the middle of the Irish Sea, has experienced three separate bank collapses during a relatively brief 26 year period. These collapses have affected in excess of 20,000 depositors and inflicted significant damage on investor confidence in the Isle of Man as an offshore finance centre. The purpose of this paper is to trace the evolution of deposit protection during this time frame, teasing out the delicate balance required in small offshore jurisdictions between rigorous standards of investor protection on the one hand and the vital importance of remaining competitive with rival offshore finance centres on the other. It critically evaluates the recently enacted Isle of Man deposit compensation scheme (DCS) by reference to this organising principle.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper outlines the nature of the Manx jurisdiction and its offshore development. Focussing on the period 1982‐2010, it discusses the three separate bank collapses and insular regulatory and legislative responses. The focal point of the paper is a critical evaluation of the new Isle of Man DCS including comparisons where appropriate with deposit protection schemes in the Channel Islands offshore jurisdictions of Jersey and Guernsey and discussion of the extent to which the new Isle of Man DCS complies with specific features of recently formulated international best practice standards.

Findings

The paper reports that insular regulatory and government responses to bank collapses have tended to be distinctly short‐term and reactive. Despite being the first small offshore jurisdiction in the world to embrace the principle of deposit protection in 1991, there has been a conspicuous failure in the Isle of Man to develop related financial safety net policies, and the overriding motive for the introduction and indeed continuation of deposit protection has been to repair enduring reputational damage inflicted on its offshore finance centre by successive bank failures. The new Isle of Man DCS conforms to this model, reflecting insular anxieties regarding risks of lost banking business to rival offshore jurisdictions as opposed to rigorous standards of investor protection.

Originality/value

Analysis contained in this paper sheds light on the problem of effective deposit protection in small offshore jurisdictions, including tensions in policy terms between principled investor protection and finance centre reputational and competitiveness concerns. It also highlights, more broadly, the endemic problem of delivering optimum investor protection at (small) jurisdictional level in the context of international banking groups operating on a multi‐jurisdictional basis and deploying entrenched business models which operationalise offshore banking arms as essentially vehicles for the onward transmission of liquid funds to treasury functions located in parent groups' home jurisdictions.
Improving anti‐corruption agencies as organisations
Authors: Doig Alan , Norris David
Published: July 2012

Purpose

Anti‐corruption Agencies (ACAs) have been seen by donors and commentators as a visible and discrete institutional response to a country's commitment to anti‐corruption work. A number of reports have commented adversely on the general effectiveness and impact of ACAs in practice. Much of the concern relates to the environment in which the ACA works, but over which they have limited control, but often fails to address an ACA as an organisation something over which an ACA does exercise much more control. The purpose of this article is to argue that there are common organisational issues that face any new and small institutions in both public and private sectors, that may assist an ACA's development.

Design/methodology/approach

The article reviews the extensive literature to assess what appear to be the key issues facing such organisations in the private sector usually termed small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) – and discusses whether their experiences offer any applicability to an ACA's organisational strategy and development.

Findings

The article argues that a number of organisational issues are generic and ACAs, and those who support and fund them, should draw on the lessons from the wider private sector management and organisational development literature on SMEs for ACAs.

Practical implications

The article provides a framework for ACAs to consider organisational reform and to guide donor support.

Originality/value

ACAs are rarely reviewed as an organisation. Indeed, much of the criticism identified in this article points to this as a significant issue, for which private sector approaches may provide guidance for organisational reform.
Criminal justice capacity building efforts by UNAFEI
Authors: Sakuma Tatsuya
Published: July 2012

Purpose

This is a draft of a keynote speech delivered at the 29th Cambridge International Symposium on Economic Crime. The purpose of the speech was to share the United Nations Asia and Pacific Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders' (UNAFEI's) half century of experience in the field of capacity building in developing countries.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper briefly sketches UNAFEI's various training courses for criminal justice practitioners in developing countries.

Findings

UNAFEI's capacity building efforts contribute to the improvement of criminal justice systems of participating countries; not only developing countries, but also developed countries, are better able to cope with economic crimes of a transnational nature through international cooperation.

Originality/value

UNAFEI's continuous unique efforts are worth consideration.
Can an auditor ever be a first responder to financial frauds?
Authors: Stevenson Smith G.
Published: July 2012

Purpose

A first responder to a crisis acts by stabilizing the situation and preventing further losses to victims. The purpose of this paper is to explore the issue of whether auditors can act as first responders to a financial fraud.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper reviews Securities and Exchange (SEC) regulations and auditing practice pronouncements to identify the role of digital evidence in those statements.

Findings

Auditors will act as first responders if such a role is required in SEC regulations or under the auditors' professional practice guidelines. Recent SEC regulations and practice guidelines are reviewed to determine if any such role exists. The effectiveness of a first responder to financial frauds is dependent on the tools they use to evaluate the crisis.

Originality/value

In order for auditors to act effectively, they must carefully take into consideration fraudulent digital documents.