bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Secondary organic aerosol formation from the oxidation of a series of sesquiterpenes: α-cedrene, β-caryophyllene, α-humulene and α-farnesene with O3, OH and NO3 radicals
Authors: Jaoui Mohammed , Kleindienst Tadeusz E. , Docherty Kenneth S. , Lewandowski Michael , Offenberg John H.
Published: June 2013

Environmental context
Sesquiterpenes, chemicals emitted by terrestrial vegetation, are oxidised in the ambient atmosphere leading to the formation of secondary organic aerosol. Although secondary organic aerosol can have significant effects on air quality from local to global scales, considerable gaps remain in our understanding of their various sources and formation mechanisms. We report studies on the oxidation of sesquiterpenes aimed at improving aerosol parameterisation for these reactions for incorporation into future air quality models.

Abstract
A series of sesquiterpenes (SQT) were individually oxidised under a range of conditions, including irradiation in the presence of NOx, reactions with O3 or reactions with NO3 radicals. Experiments were conducted in either static mode to observe temporal evolution of reactants and products or in dynamic mode to ensure adequate collection of aerosol at reasonably low reactant concentrations. Although some measurements of gas-phase products have been made, the focus of this work has been particle phase analysis. To identify individual products, filter samples were extracted, derivatised and analysed using gas chromatography mass spectrometry techniques. The results indicate that secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is readily formed from SQT oxidation. The high reactivity of these systems and generally high conversion into SOA products gives rise to high SOA levels. SOA yields (ratio of SOA formed to hydrocarbon reacted) averaged 0.53 for ozonolysis, 0.55 for photooxidation and 1.19 for NO3 reactions. In select experiments, SOA was also analysed for the organic matter/organic carbon (OM/OC) ratio, and the effective enthalpy of vaporisation (ΔHvapeff). The OM/OC ranged from 1.8 for ozonolysis and photooxidation reactions to 1.6 for NO3 reactions, similar to that from SOA generated in monoterpene systems. ΔHvapeff was measured for β-caryophyllene–NOx, β-caryophyllene–O3, β-caryophyllene–NO3, α-humulene–NOx and α-farnesene–NOx systems and found to be 43.9, 41.1, 44.9, 48.2 and 27.7 kJ mol–1. Aerosol yields and products identified in this study are generally in good agreement with results from several studies. A detailed examination of the chamber aerosol for the presence of chemical tracer compounds was undertaken. Only β-caryophyllinic acid, observed mainly under β-caryophyllene photooxidation and ozonolysis experiments, was detected in ambient aerosol. Chemical analysis yielded compounds having oxygen and nitrogen moieties present, which indicates continued evolution of the particles over time and presents high dependence on the SQT–oxidant system studied. This study suggests that SOA from laboratory ozonolysis experiments may adequately represent ambient aerosol in areas with SQT emissions.
Evaluation of aromatic oxidation reactions in seven chemical mechanisms with an outdoor chamber
Authors: Parikh Harshal M. , Jeffries Harvey E. , Sexton Ken G. , Luecken Deborah J. , Kamens Richard M. , Vizuete William
Published: June 2013

Environmental context
Regulatory air quality models used to develop strategies to reduce ozone and other pollutants must be able to accurately predict ozone produced from aromatic hydrocarbons. In urban areas, major sources of aromatic hydrocarbons are gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles. Our findings show that the representation of aromatic hydrocarbon chemistry in air quality models is an area of high uncertainty

Abstract
Simulations using seven chemical mechanisms are intercompared against O3, NOx and hydrocarbon data from photooxidation experiments conducted at the University of North Carolina outdoor smog chamber. The mechanisms include CB4–2002, CB05, CB05-TU, a CB05 variant with semi-explicit aromatic chemistry (CB05RMK), SAPRC07, CS07 and MCMv3.1. The experiments include aromatics, unsaturated dicarbonyls and volatile organic compound (VOC) mixtures representing a wide range of urban environments with relevant hydrocarbon species. In chamber simulations the sunlight is characterised using new solar radiation modelling software. A new heterogeneous chamber wall mechanism is also presented with revised chamber wall chemical processes. Simulations from all mechanisms, except MCMv3.1, show median peak O3 concentration relative errors of less than 25% for both aromatic and VOC mixture experiments. Although MCMv3.1 largely overpredicts peak O3 levels, it performs relatively better in predicting the peak NO2 concentration. For aromatic experiments, all mechanisms except CB4–2002, largely underpredict the NO–NO2 crossover time and over-predict both the absolute NO degradation slope and the slope of NO2 concentration rise. This suggests a major problem of a faster and earlier NO to NO2 oxidation rate across all the newer mechanisms. Results from individual aromatic and unsaturated dicarbonyl experiments illustrate the unique photooxidation chemistry and O3 production of several aromatic ring-opening products. The representation of these products as a single mechanism species in CB4–2002, CB05 and CB05-TU is not adequate to capture the O3 temporal profile. In summary, future updates to chemical mechanisms should focus on the chemistry of aromatic ring-opening products.
Glyoxal secondary organic aerosol chemistry: effects of dilute nitrate and ammonium and support for organic radical–radical oligomer formation
Authors: Kirkland Jeffrey R. , Lim Yong B. , Tan Yi , Altieri Katye E. , Turpin Barbara J.
Published: June 2013

Environmental context
Atmospheric waters (clouds, fogs and wet aerosols) are media in which gases can be converted into particulate matter. This work explores aqueous transformations of glyoxal, a water-soluble gas with anthropogenic and biogenic sources. Results provide new evidence in support of previously proposed chemical mechanisms. These mechanisms are beginning to be incorporated into transport models that link emissions to air pollution concentrations and behaviour.

Abstract
Glyoxal (GLY) is ubiquitous in the atmosphere and an important aqueous secondary organic aerosol (SOA) precursor. At dilute (cloud-relevant) organic concentrations, OH• radical oxidation of GLY has been shown to produce oxalate. GLY has also been used as a surrogate species to gain insight into radical and non-radical reactions in wet aerosols, where organic and inorganic concentrations are very high (in the molar region). The work herein demonstrates, for the first time, that tartarate forms from GLY+OH•. Tartarate is a key product in a previously proposed organic radical–radical reaction mechanism for oligomer formation from GLY oxidation. Previously published model predictions that include this GLY oxidation pathway suggest that oligomers are major products of OH• radical oxidation at the high organic concentrations found in wet aerosols. The tartarate measurements herein provide support for this proposed oligomer formation mechanism. This paper also demonstrates, for the first time, that dilute (cloud or fog-relevant) concentrations of inorganic nitrogen (i.e. ammonium and nitrate) have little effect on the GLY+OH• chemistry leading to oxalate formation in clouds. This, and results from previous experiments conducted with acidic sulfate, increase confidence that the currently understood dilute GLY+OH• chemistry can be used to predict GLY SOA formation in clouds and fogs. It should be recognised that organic–inorganic interactions can play an important role in droplet evaporation chemistry and in wet aerosols. The chemistry leading to SOA formation in these environments is complex and remains poorly understood.
Aggression in conversational storytelling performance
Authors: Norrick Neal R.
Published: June 2013

This article explores the forms and functions of aggression in conversational narrative performance based on a range of corpora representing a wide variety of storytelling types, speakers and contexts. The primary teller of a conversational narrative may report aggression and hostility in story content, while storytelling also provides a forum for the expression of aggression by all participants toward features of story content. Moreover, recipients and co-tellers may display antagonism toward the primary teller, including contradiction, correction, finding fault with the telling performance and direct assault on the teller as well as denying the relevance of the story. The interaction of aggression with humor in conversational storytelling will be investigated to round out the picture.
Conceptualizing conflict in Arab economic news reporting
Authors: Domaradzki Mikolaj
Published: June 2013

The present article is a corpus-based study that aims to shed some light on the use of conflict metaphors in Arab economic news reporting. When examining the conventionality and functions of various metaphors for conflict, the paper offers the following empirical findings. First, conflict metaphors are highly entrenched in Arab economic journalism. Second and relatedly, the different linguistic conceptualizations of these metaphors can be used interchangeably. Finally, the analyses described herein show that Arabic and English have a great deal in common as far as the cognitive and pragmatic aspects of conflict metaphors are concerned. Thus, these metaphors (1) provide the users of both languages with a very useful frame for understanding and evaluating various social phenomena, (2) are frequently used for highly comparable reasons of persuasion, and — finally — (3) create very similar networks of entailments which, in both languages, structure the readers’ interpretation accordingly. Having discussed the commonalities between Arabic and English, the paper goes on to hypothesize that they might reflect certain fundamental and presumably universal human experiences.
What is Old English?
Authors: Ringe Don
Published: June 2013

Though Old English (OE) was never completely uniform, it was demonstrably the language of a single speech community (in a broad sense) until about the 8th century CE. It therefore makes sense to treat OE as a single language for philological purposes.
Die Anfänge des Altsächsischen
Authors: Krogh Steffen
Published: June 2013

Die vorliegende Studie geht von der Annahme aus, dass die historisch belegten altgermanischen Einzelsprachen, darunter auch das Altsächsische, sich aus der urgermanischen Einheit ausgliederten, indem für jede von ihnen eine jeweils unterschiedliche Auswahl aus alten Allomorphen in der Flexion getroffen wurde. Das Hauptargument für das hohe Alter des erwähnten Vorgangs ist die Tatsache, dass die Allomorphauswahl in jeder altgermanischen Sprache jeweils überdialektal durchgeführt wurde. Diese These wurde schon bei Krogh (1996) vorgelegt und ist seitdem teils auf Zustimmung, teils auf Skepsis gestoßen. Anhand einer Durchsicht der besonders aussagekräftigen Merkmale sowie neuer Ansätze aus der modernen Dialektkontaktforschung im Bereich hochgradig flektierender Sprachen wird versucht, auf die wesentlichsten Kritikpunkte zu antworten und damit die These in einer neuen, überarbeiteten Form zu präsentieren.
Zum r-Plural im Westgermanischen
Authors: Klein Thomas
Published: June 2013

Im Wgerm. hat sich die germ. s-Deklination zu einer r-Plural-Deklination entwickelt, in der sich das Stammbildungssuffix -( )r- < germ. *-( )z- < idg. *-es-/-os- auf den Plural beschränkte und so als Pluralmarker reanalysiert werden konnte. Dem ahd. Typ kelb-ir-Ø mit umlautbewirkendem -ir- steht im übrigen Kontinentalwestgermanischen, einschließlich des Mittelfränkischen, der umlautlose Typ kalv-(e)r-e gegenüber, der ae. cealf-r-u, calf-er-u entspricht. Welche Art von Suffixablaut diesem Typ zugrunde liegt, bleibt eine schwierige Frage. Während die r-Plural- Klasse im (außerfriesischen) KWgerm. durch frühen Zuwachs dauerhafte Stabilität gewinnt, enthält sie im Ae. und Altfries. nur drei bis fünf Wörter und ist daher sehr instabil. Dies und der Konkurrenzdruck von Seiten der “überstabilen” Pluralmarker -s bzw. -en wird für den Untergang der r-Plural-Deklination im Englischen und Westfriesischen verantwortlich sein.
The Germanic Root *heuf- 'lament' and its Reflexes in Old English
Authors: Bammesberger Alfred
Published: June 2013

Old English heofon (Christ and Satan, 343b) must not be interpreted as preterit in the plural, and therefore the form provides no support for positing a reduplicating verb OE hēafan ‘lament’ (< Gmc. *hauf-). The form heofon represents the infinitive OE hēofan. The Old English evidence fully agrees with a reconstructed root Gmc. *heuf- > OE hēofan. An alternative root Gmc. *hauf- is unsupported and should not be posited. The form hof (Genesis, 771a), a relic of the Old Saxon vorlage, evidences the strong preterit *hauf for West Germanic. The strong verb *heuf-, reliably attested in West Germanic, ultimately died out in the further development of the individual languages.
A corpus-based approach to emotion metaphors in Korean
Authors: Türker Ebru
Published: June 2013

The major goal of this study is to investigate conceptual emotion metaphors of Korean, particularly those of ANGER, HAPPINESS, and SADNESS, by utilizing a corpus-based analysis. The universality of conceptual metaphors continues to be a controversial topic in cognitive linguistics and thus, more cross-linguistic and language-specific studies are needed to support the theoretical framework of the Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT). To this end, the current study identifies and examines Korean metaphorical expressions through a conceptual analysis, supported by both quantitative and qualitative methods, and aims to find out the types of concepts with which ANGER, HAPPINESS, and SADNESS are associated, and thus, to what extent these associations comprise primary (universal) and complex (cultural) metaphors, as suggested by the current view of the CMT. I argue that while it is important to distinguish between universal and cultural metaphors, the hierarchical mapping of variation also describes the characteristics of a language vis-à-vis universality or cultural specificity. Furthermore, I claim that the characteristics of metaphorical expressions should also be determined based on analysis of their occurrences in language use. The data suggest a positive correlation between frequency and productivity. Understanding the frequency and productivity of emotion metaphors through analysis of their occurrence in actual language use will allow better understanding and provide a basis for further investigation of native speakers’ cognitive styles and cognitive tendencies.
A socio-cultural history of the machine metaphor
Authors: Glebkin Vladimir
Published: June 2013

In Michelangelo Antonioni’s film Blow-up, a scene of affection, after enlarging the negatives, transforms into a scene of an attempted or an actual murder. It seems a good image to characterize the change of the initial view of conceptual metaphor from a more precise perspective. The conceptual metaphor theory emerged with the claim that primary metaphors, such as Categories Are Containers, More Is Up, Affection Is Warmth, and even Time Is Money, were determined by the fundamental constants of our perceptual experience; hence, they could not change or evolve, and had no history. Later, however, plenty of studies have provided strong evidence that such metaphors, being much more complicated structures, essentially rest on the cultural-historical ground. The article can be considered as a step in this direction. It addresses the machine metaphor as a cultural-historical phenomenon examining its development from Antiquity to Early Modernity. The author reveals that conceptual machine metaphor appears in the Middle Ages, long before Newton and the Industrial Revolution, in the wake of the transformation of basic elements of the cultural model from Antiquity to the Middle Ages.
Polarisation assessment in an intelligent argumentation system using fuzzy clustering algorithm for collaborative decision support
Authors: Arvapally Ravi Santosh , Liu Xiaoqing (Frank)
Published: June 2013

We developed an on-line intelligent argumentation system which facilitates stakeholders in exchanging dialogues. It provides decision support by capturing stakeholders’ rationale through arguments. As part of the argumentation process, stakeholders tend to both polarise their opinions and form polarisation groups. The challenging issue of assessing argumentation polarisation had not been addressed in argumentation systems until recently. Arvapally, Liu, and Jiang [(2012), ‘Identification of Faction Groups and Leaders in Web-Based Intelligent Argumentation System for Collaborative Decision Support’, in Proceedings of International Conference on Collaborative Technologies and Systems] earlier developed a method to identify polarisation groups. These groups, however, tend to overlap to a certain degree; each stakeholder may be a member of multiple polarisation groups to varied degrees. Quantifying stakeholders’ membership in multiple polarisation groups is an important issue in the argumentation for collaborative decision-making, which is not addressed earlier. We present a novel approach using fuzzy clustering algorithm to address this issue in this article. The method is evaluated using data sets produced from the discussions of 24 stakeholders. Experimental results indicate that our method is effective for both identifying polarisation groups and quantifying stakeholders’ degree of membership in each polarisation group.
Moving Forward (and Beyond) the Modularity Debate: A Network Perspective
Authors: Colombo Matteo
Published: June 2013

Modularity is one of the most important concepts used to articulate a theory of cognitive architecture. Over the last 30 years, the debate in many areas of the cognitive sciences and in philosophy of psychology about what modules are, and to what extent our cognitive architecture is modular, has made little progress. After providing a diagnosis of this lack of progress, this article suggests a remedy. It argues that the theoretical framework of network science can be brought to bear on the traditional modularity debate, facilitating our progress in articulating a good theory of the human cognitive architecture.
Does an Adequate Physical Theory Demand a Primitive Ontology?
Authors: Ney Alyssa , Phillips Kathryn
Published: June 2013

Configuration space representations have utility in physics but are not generally taken to have ontological significance. We examine one salient reason to think configuration space representations fail to be relevant in determining the fundamental ontology of a physical theory. This is based on a claim due to several authors (Allori, Dürr, Goldstein, Tumulka, and Zanghì) that fundamental theories must have primitive ontologies. This claim would,if correct, have broad ramifications for how to read metaphysics from physical theory. We survey ways of understanding the argument for a primitive ontology in order to assess the case against configuration space realism.
Observation and Quantum Objectivity
Authors: Healey Richard
Published: June 2013

The paradox of Wigner’s friend challenges the objectivity of quantum theory. A pragmatist interpretation can meet this challenge by judicious appeal to decoherence. Quantum theory provides situated agents with resources for predicting and explaining what happens in the physical world—not conscious observations of it. Even in bizarre Wigner’s friend scenarios, differently situated agents agree on the objective content of physical magnitude statements while, normally, quantum Darwinism permits agents equal observational access to their truth. Quantum theory has nothing to say about conscious experiences. But it does prompt us to reexamine the significance of everyday claims about the physical world.
The Functional Sense of Mechanism
Authors: Garson Justin
Published: June 2013

This article presents a distinct sense of ‘mechanism’, which I call the functional sense of mechanism. According to this sense, mechanisms serve functions, and this fact places substantive restrictions on the kinds of system activities ‘for which’ there can be a mechanism. On this view, there are no mechanisms for pathology; pathologies result from disrupting mechanisms for functions. Second, on this sense, natural selection is probably not a mechanism for evolution because it does not serve a function. After distinguishing this sense from similar explications of ‘mechanism’, I argue that it is ubiquitous in biology and has valuable epistemic benefits.
Hypothetical Pattern Idealization and Explanatory Models
Authors: Rohwer Yasha , Rice Collin
Published: June 2013

Highly idealized models, such as the Hawk-Dove game, are pervasive in biological theorizing. We argue that the process and motivation that leads to the introduction of various idealizations into these models is not adequately captured by Michael Weisberg’s taxonomy of three kinds of idealization. Consequently, a fourth kind of idealization is required, which we call hypothetical pattern idealization. This kind of idealization is used to construct models that aim to be explanatory but do not aim to be explanations.
Potential impacts of ocean acidification on the Puget Sound food web
Authors: Busch D. Shallin , Harvey Chris J. , McElhany Paul
Published: June 2013

Busch, D. S., Harvey, C. J., and McElhany, P. 2013. Potential impacts of ocean acidification on the Puget Sound food web. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 70: 823–833. Ecosystem impacts of ocean acidification (OA) were explored by imposing scenarios designed to mimic OA on a food web model of Puget Sound, a large estuary in northwestern USA. The productivity of functional groups containing mostly calcifiers was decreased while still allowing other species groups to respond to the scenarios in a dynamic way through indirect effects. Results focus on changes in ecosystem services and structure. Sometimes the direct and indirect effects of OA countered each other due to interactions between predators and prey within the food web, leading to little change in the food web. In other cases, direct and indirect effects caused greater change in the food web than anticipated from direct effects alone. Results were strongly affected by the group on which OA was directly imposed, with changes in copepod productivity being the most influential. While there is much uncertainty in our predictions, focusing on the complex interactions among species, and between species and their environment, will yield better understanding of how ecosystems may respond to OA.
Defining trends and thresholds in responses of ecological indicators to fishing and environmental pressures
Authors: Large Scott I. , Fay Gavin , Friedland Kevin D. , Link Jason S.
Published: June 2013

Large, S. I., Fay, G., Friedland, K. D., and Link, J. S. 2013. Defining trends and thresholds in responses of ecological indicators to fishing and environmental pressures. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 70: 755–767. Both fishing and environmental forces can influence the structure of marine ecosystems. To further understand marine ecosystems and to implement ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM), an evaluation of ecosystem indicators is warranted. In this context, it is particularly important to identify thresholds where fishing and environmental pressures significantly influence ecological indicators. We empirically determined numerical values of environmental forces and fishing pressure that significantly altered the response of ecological indicators for the Northeast Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem. Generalized additive models predicted a non-linear relationship for each pressure–response pairing. With this smoother, 95% confidence intervals (CI) for estimated first and second derivatives for each relationship were determined via parametric bootstrap. A significant trend or threshold was noted when the CI for the first or second derivative was greater or less than zero, delineating the level at which pressure variables influence the rate and direction of ecosystem indicator responses. We identify reference levels where environmental forces and fishing pressure result in ecosystem change by collectively examining the responses of multiple ecological indicators. Individual indicators showed unique responses to pressures, however, similar values for the pressures were associated with significant changes for multiple indicators. These reference levels establish a foundation for implementation of EBFM.
Realizing Improved Patient Care through Human-centered Operating Room Design
Authors: Palmer Gary , Abernathy James H. , Swinton Greg , Allison David , Greenstein Joel , Shappell Scott , Juang Kevin , Reeves Scott T.
Published: June 2013

Background:

Human factors engineering has allowed a systematic approach to the evaluation of adverse events in a multitude of high-stake industries. This study sought to develop an initial methodology for identifying and classifying flow disruptions in the cardiac operating room (OR).

Methods:

Two industrial engineers with expertise in human factors workflow disruptions observed 10 cardiac operations from the moment the patient entered the OR to the time they left for the intensive care unit. Each disruption was fully documented on an architectural layout of the OR suite and time-stamped during each phase of surgery (preoperative [before incision], operative [incision to skin closure], and postoperative [skin closure until the patient leaves the OR]) to synchronize flow disruptions between the two observers. These disruptions were then categorized.

Results:

The two observers made a total of 1,158 observations. After the elimination of duplicate observations, a total of 1,080 observations remained to be analyzed. These disruptions were distributed into six categories such as communication, usability, physical layout, environmental hazards, general interruptions, and equipment failures. They were further organized into 33 subcategories. The most common disruptions were related to OR layout and design (33%).

Conclusions:

By using the detailed architectural diagrams, the authors were able to clearly demonstrate for the first time the unique role that OR design and equipment layout has on the generation of physical layout flow disruptions. Most importantly, the authors have developed a robust taxonomy to describe the flow disruptions encountered in a cardiac OR, which can be used for future research and patient safety improvements.
The effect of funding status on duration of stay for inpatients with dementia
Authors: Simpson Steve , Craven Janet , Weekes Rebecca
Published: June 2013

Purpose

This study is a follow‐up to a previously published paper, by Ball et al. in 2004. The purpose of the study was to examine the factors that influenced the discharge outcomes and duration of stay over the three years since the introduction of the National Framework for Continuing Health Care (CHC) provision in October 2007.

Design/methodology/approach

This study examined consecutive dementia patients (n=175) admitted to an organic elderly mental health assessment ward over a three‐year period between January 2008 and December 2010. The majority of patients in the study had vascular dementia (34 per cent) or Alzheimer's disease (31 per cent) with an average score of 11.5 in the Mini‐Mental State Examination. The assessment tools used in this study were good indicators as part of the dementia care pathway to predict the rehabilitation outcome.

Findings

The mean duration of stay of patients was 8.4 weeks but this was extended to 18.3 weeks for the 15 per cent of patients subject to CHC funding. Patients who require CHC funding can expect to stay in hospital for more than ten weeks before a placement is made. Duration of stay was longer for those patients with behavioural and psychological complications, but the strongest independent predictor of duration of stay was CHC funding which accounted for 23 per cent of the duration of stay in hospital, independently of any clinical parameters in the patient.

Originality/value

This study provides evidence of the effect of current funding procedures in the discharge of inpatients with dementia from an assessment ward.
Sourcing effective scenarios for use in business ethics training
Authors: Bradshaw Katherine
Published: June 2013

Purpose

Ensuring that ethical values are embedded into day‐to‐day working practice is a challenge for multinational organisations. Training on the subject can be dull and can fail to engage staff in the issues, but using scenarios helps to convey ethical messages and gives staff the tools to identify and deal with ethical dilemmas. The purpose of this paper is to summarise the case for business ethics training and the role of scenarios. It seeks to suggest ways to develop effective scenarios and to describe a case study of how one company incorporated them into its training.

Design/methodology/approach

This article is based on the Institute of Business Ethics' experience of developing scenarios for its subscriber organisations.

Findings

The paper shows that scenarios give employees practice at applying ethical frameworks and company standards to workplace situations. Scenario training is an opportunity for a “dry run” so that employees will know what to do when confronted with a real situation.

Practical implications

This work assists organisations with the development of effective training and communications to support their commitment to high ethical standards.

Originality/value

A more in‐depth examination of the subject is published in the IBE's Good Practice Guide Developing and Using Business Ethics Scenarios (available from www.ibe.org.uk). The study draws on original research to incorporate good practice in this area.
Obstacles to upgrading customer value‐in‐use in retail banking
Authors: Lähteenmäki Ilkka , Nätti Satu
Published: June 2013

Purpose

Improving capability to generate value for customers is seen as a way to create a new competitive edge, but developing the related organisational capabilities involves facing several obstacles that stem from the producer‐orientation of the retail‐banking business. This paper aims to focus on defining and describing those obstacles.

Design/methodology/approach

An in‐depth, qualitative single case study of a European retail bank was conducted.

Findings

A retail bank can find it challenging, first, to understand the deepest meaning and character of customer value and, second, to harness the organisational attributes to deliver that value. The main barriers lie in the strong producer‐oriented way of doing business, a lack of employee commitment, a strong product and sales orientation, a restrictive network, difficulties in seeing the profitability aspect of a new mindset, lack of conceptualisation and proper segmentation, and finally, silo‐style bank organisations.

Research limitations/implications

The research is focused on the retail‐banking industry, while the findings are transferable to other retail finance businesses.

Practical implications

Enhancing value creation may provide a competitive edge, but developing that edge means facing several obstacles, which may jeopardise the calculated positive return on investment. For management, understanding the value of the banking service in the customer's own context is critical.

Originality/value

Developing customer experience and value‐in‐use has been suggested as a good starting point for customer orientation. However, research on its implications for organisations and potential obstacles to implementation remains scarce. This paper offers a detailed view on the organisational development necessary to generate value‐in‐use in a retail‐banking context.
Managing variability in ocean shipping
Authors: Harrison Alan , Fichtinger Johannes
Published: June 2013

Purpose

The paper aims to explore the relationship between time‐related variables in global ocean transportation networks (GOTNs) and the shipper's inventory management performance. The authors modelled fill rates with daily and weekly sailings, and analysed the impact of variability on these on the shipper's inventory management system.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted simulation modelling of the above variables, and supplemented these by means of interviews with executives in a number of liner operators, 3PLs, freight forwarders and a large automotive shipper.

Findings

Improvements in variability have different impacts, depending on the source of the variability and the frequency of the shipments. The highest inventory reduction potential arises from a combination of high reliability and improved frequency.

Practical implications

The paper demonstrates the potential advantages of reduced variability and improved frequency of sailings. Port‐to port (P2P) has been positioned in the context of door‐to‐door (D2D) supply chain movements.

Originality/value

The paper develops clear quantitative analyses of time‐based factors in operating GOTNs.
Assessment of empty container repositioning policies in maritime transport
Authors: Dong Jing‐Xin , Xu Jingjing , Song Dong‐Ping
Published: June 2013

Purpose

Empty container repositioning is an important issue in the liner shipping industry. Generally stated, two groups of mathematical models have been proposed to tackle this issue. The first group aims to derive time‐dependent origin‐destination matrices that specify the number of empty containers to be repositioned at a decision epoch; the second group aims to develop effective state‐feedback control policies consisting of dynamic decision‐making rules. There is, however, a lack of research into the comparison of these two groups, especially with regard to realistic cases subject to uncertainties. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and compare the performances of some typical repositioning policies from these two groups and to shed light on their relative merits and suitability in various realistic scenarios.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a literature review, the paper classifies the current empty container repositioning policies into two categories: origin‐destination (OD) based solutions and state‐based dynamic rules. Typical policies are selected from these two categories and then evaluated using a simulation tool. A range of scenarios are designed based on realistic cases considering the stochastic and dynamic nature of liner services. A comprehensive set of simulation experiments are conducted and analysed; and the relative merits and suitability of the repositioning policies are identified.

Findings

Through a carefully designed comparative study, several research findings are obtained with regard to how the performances of different types of empty container repositioning policies are affected by various factors such as structure of service route, uncertainty of daily demands, and parametric optimisation methods.

Originality/value

The study makes a good attempt to analyse the suitability of different empty container repositioning policies in different scenarios. This is an area that has lacked investigation. The research findings can help shipping companies and other relevant stakeholders better understand the relative merits of different empty container repositioning policies and better tackle the challenges in operating the container shipping system.
Slow steaming in container liner shipping: is there any impact on fuel surcharge practices?
Authors: Notteboom Theo , Cariou Pierre
Published: June 2013

Purpose

Slow steaming has been implemented by the main liner shipping companies since 2008. The reduction in vessel speed affects fuel consumption and should be reflected within the fuel surcharges paid by shippers. The purpose of this paper is to assess if this was the case for the main outbound European container trades from the port of Antwerp.

Design/methodology/approach

Through an extensive analysis of liner service characteristics, fuel costs and fuel surcharges this paper provides an answer to three research questions: how significant are slow steaming practices in container liner shipping?; what is the impact of slow steaming on fuel consumption and liner service characteristics?; and to what extent has slow steaming changed the relation between fuel costs and fuel surcharges imposed on shippers by shipping lines?

Findings

It is found that slow steaming practices are not implemented on all trade routes, but depend on operational aspects such as distances covered and the characteristics of the ships deployed. While it could be expected that the reduction in vessel speed should be reflected within the fuel surcharges paid by shippers, the empirical results show that on most trade routes slow steaming did not fundamentally change the relation between fuel costs and fuel surcharges imposed on shippers by shipping lines.

Practical implications

The paper has practical relevance to actors active in global ocean freight logistics, particularly since its results can be used as input for ongoing debates between shipping lines and shippers on pricing and surcharges in container shipping.

Originality/value

This paper is the first extensive study that makes an explicit link between slow steaming practices and fuel surcharge policies of shipping lines. A method was developed to estimate fuel consumption levels of ships at various speeds and to link the associated fuel costs to real‐life bunker surcharges imposed on shippers by shipping lines.
Improving the service operations of container terminals
Authors: Hsu Wen‐Kai K.
Published: June 2013

Purposes

In the relevant literature about container terminals (CTs), most studies focused on the internal operational management of CT operators. In practice, for improving the performance of CT operators, the external customers’ requirements should also be considered. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the improvement of service operations of CTs from users’ requirement perspectives.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the customer requirements for container terminal are first examined. Based on the customer requirements, a quality function deployment (QFD) model is then constructed to translate the customer requirements into service operations of the container terminals, by which CT operators may make policies to improve their service operations. As an empirical study, the container terminal of Yang‐Ming Shipping Line (YML CT) at Kaohsiung Port and its users were investigated to validate the model.

Findings

The result proposes 19 customer requirement attributes from users’ perspectives and 15 service operations from CT operators’ perspectives. Further, the top five customer requirement attributes by importance degree are: consistency of bill of lading; accuracy of dynamic information on cargos; accuracy of EDI information for receiving and releasing of containers; professional ability of operators to deal with cargo damage; and cargo safety.

Practical implications

The results indicate the top five service operations in need of improvement for the YML CT are: storage operation in depot; outbound container operation; hazardous container storage; inbound container operation; and T1 arrangement.

Originality/value

In this paper, a QFD model was constructed to improve the service operations of CTs. The proposed model may provide valuable references for future research on container terminals.
PCS interoperability in Europe: a market for PCS operators?
Authors: Baron Marie‐Laure , Mathieu Hervé
Published: June 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the evolution of local port community systems (PCS) towards a vast network of interlinked locations in Europe.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is conceptual. It builds on the findings of platform theory and the analogy between the market for cargo information and the payment system industry to discuss the potential outcomes and shapes of a European port community. A number of interviews were also conducted with PCS market participants.

Findings

As a result, insight is given into the stages of building a European maritime information network, the growing part played by PCS operators and the way competition and the market are organizing, as well as into some institutional difficulties.

Research limitations/implications

The paper makes various inroads into the subject of PCS operation that call for further research. One particular field concerns the possible impact of PCS interoperation on port competition, which is not sufficiently clear at this stage of the research.

Originality/value

The paper enlightens a hot topic in an original way and provides a useful benchmark for all concerned parties, professionals and public authorities alike. It also opens many prospects into future research on how information systems may contribute to shaping the cargo industry.
Training and capabilities in French firms
Authors: Subramanian Dilip , Zimmermann Bénédicte
Published: June 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this tri‐sectoral comparative study is to analyze the scope and content of vocational training policies, and their practical implications and outcomes for employers and employees at three French‐based companies, one in the pharmaceutical sector, the second in the consultancy and information technology sector, and the third in the automobile industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is a qualitative study and relies on a cross‐fertilization of methods valorizing the triangulation approach: in‐depth informal interviews with different categories of personnel, participant and non‐participant observation, and documentary investigation.

Findings

Our results show that though the three companies investigated rank as training friendly organizations both in terms of the level of financial investments and training densities, these statistical regularities mask significant qualitative differences. The focus, goals, opportunities and outcomes of training policies at the three firms share few common attributes. The paper goes on to propose a typology identifying three types of training organisations: skill up‐dating, learning, and capability enhancing.

Originality/value

The paper demonstrates that product specificities and the technology associated with it matter less than the system of work organisation and the mode of management in determining the scope and content of training programmes as well as their outcomes in matters of professional development. Whereas researchers have invariably monopolized the term of learning organizations to designate service‐sector corporations, staffed by highly skilled workforces, operating at the core of the knowledge economy, our findings shows that even neo‐taylorist industrial firms can justifiably qualify to be learning organizations. Finally, the paper proposes a comprehensive analytical grid to facilitate further qualitative research in the field of vocational training.
Individual pathways of prior learning accreditation in France
Authors: Lecourt Anne‐Juliette
Published: June 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze employees’ trajectories within the Accreditation of Prior Experience Learning process (APEL) in France. It seeks to understand how candidates implement this right, the resources and supports required to manage this implementation, and how employer‐employee relationships impact on the end result.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws on a new national survey of more than 3,000 employed APEL candidates, most of whom are women working in the care sector.

Findings

The paper argues that individual pathways within this process are influenced more by the socio‐economic issues at stake in a given sector, its certification policies, environmental incentives and employer‐employee joint investments than by individual characteristics. All these elements go to configure a “capability pathway”, comprising individual resources, rights, and environmental, social and individual conversion factors.

Practical implications

A better understanding of employers’ role and the support they provide during the course of the overall process can help increase the efficiency of lifelong learning. Spaces of mediation at candidates’ disposal and real freedom at work, such as exercising one's right to voice and aspiring to development, are determinant.

Originality/value

Not much is known about how corporate policies affect individual employee pathways within the framework of the Accreditation of Prior Experience Learning (APEL) process in France. The paper contributes to this literature by using a recent survey econometrically investigating the impact of joint employer‐employee investment.
A capability approach to restructuring processes
Authors: Bonvin Jean‐Michel , Dif‐Pradalier Maël , Moachon Eric
Published: June 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine to what extent and under which conditions restructuring processes allow workers to effectively voice their concerns, with a view to influencing the restructuring logic and transforming its outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

In‐depth case studies with semi‐structured interviews, documentary analysis and a survey, all conducted at firm‐level (taking also into account the impact of the European Workers’ Council when relevant).

Findings

Both settings (be it the Swiss flexible labour law and collective labour agreements or the protective professional status enjoyed by the French workers) do not guarantee the enhancement of workers’ capability set in restructuring processes. Whatever the entitlements and the cognitive and political resources available to the workers, two conditions are crucial to enhancing their capability for work and for voice: workers’ ability to re‐build collectives; and an adequate regulatory framework imposing on employers and shareholders the duty to negotiate.

Originality/value

The paper suggests another way of assessing restructuring processes and outcomes based on the capability approach, and demonstrates its greater relevance compared to economic or managerialist views of restructuring, based on efficiency and profitability.
Institutionalizing performance management in Asia: looking East or West?
Authors: Koike Osamu
Published: June 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the features and impact of performance management reforms implemented in the bureaucracies of several Asian states.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws on government reports, reports of international bodies, and the data produced for various governance indicators, as well as scholarly analysis of performance management and new public management.

Findings

After the 1997 Asian financial crisis, many Asian countries, including developed and developing, have introduced a variety of performance management systems into their bureaucracies. This has been encouraged by international agencies as part of their “good governance” agendas. Despite this, the goal of achieving efficient and workable public administration has still not been realized in many cases. Anti‐corruption measures are not effective, and efficiency and service delivery in public organization has not significantly improved. However, political leaders must recognize that the building of rational legal bureaucracy in which patronage influence is reduced, creating networked governance, allowing engagement with civil society, and fostering high employee motivation, are the other prerequisites for achieving efficient and accountable government. Only then will performance management contribute to this aim.

Originality/value

The value of this paper is to show that within the context of Asian bureaucracies, performance management is not a panacea to guarantee improvements in public administration. Other requirements are necessary, as indicated above, especially the creation of rational legal bureaucracy.