bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alginate genes are required for optimal soil colonization and persistence by Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf0-1
Authors: Marshall Douglas C. , Arruda Brianna E. , Silby Mark W.
Published: May 2019

Pseudomonas fluorescens

strains are important candidates for use as biological control agents to reduce fungal diseases on crop plants. To understand the ecological success of these bacteria and for successful and stable biological control, determination of how these bacteria colonize and persist in soil environments is critical. Here we show that

P. fluorescens

Pf0-1 is negatively impacted by reduced water availability in soil, but adapts and persists. A pilot transcriptomic study of Pf0-1 colonizing moist and dehydrated soil was used to identify candidate genetic loci, which could play a role in the adaptation to dehydration. Genes predicted to specify alginate production were identified and chosen for functional evaluation. Using deletion mutants, predicted alginate biosynthesis genes were shown to be important for optimal colonization of moist soil, and necessary for adaptation to reduced water availability in dried soil. Our findings extend in vitro studies of water stress into a more natural system and suggest alginate may be an essential extracellular product for the lifestyle of

P. fluorescens

when growing in soil.
The Increasing Importance of Fellowships and Career Development Awards in the Careers of Early-Stage Biomedical Academic Researchers
Authors: Pickett Christopher L.
Published: May 2019

Excessive competition for biomedical faculty positions has ratcheted up the need to accumulate some mix of high-quality publications and prestigious grants to move from a training position to university faculty. How universities value each of these attributes when considering faculty candidates is critical for understanding what is needed to succeed as academic faculty. In this study, I analyzed publicly available NIH grant information to determine the grants first-time R01 (FTR01) awardees held during their training period. Increases in the percentage of the FTR01 population that held a training award demonstrate these awards are becoming a more common component of a faculty candidate’s resume. The increase was largely due to an expansion of NIH K-series career development awards between 2000 and 2017. FTR01 awardees with a K01, K08, K23, or K99 award were overrepresented in a subset of institutions, whereas FTR01 awardees with F32 fellowships and those with no training award were evenly distributed across institutions. Finally, training awardees from top institutions were overrepresented in the faculty of the majority of institutions, echoing data from other fields where a select few institutions supply an overwhelming majority of the faculty for the rest of the field. These data give important insight into how trainees compete for NIH funding and faculty positions and how institutions prefer those with or without training awards.
Self-Organization of Spindle-Like Microtubule Structures
Authors: Edozie Bianca , Sahu Sumon , Pitta Miranda , Englert Anthony , do Rosario Carline Fermino , Ross Jennifer L.
Published: May 2019

Microtubule self-organization is an important physical process underlying a number of essential cellular functions including cell division. In cell division, the dominant organization is the mitotic spindle, a football-shaped microtubule organization. We are interested in the underlying fundamental principles behind the self-organization of the spindle shape. Prior biological works have hypothesized that motor proteins are required for the proper formation of the spindle. Many of these motor proteins are also microtubule-crosslinkers, so it is unclear if the important aspect is the motor activity or the crosslinking. In this study, we seek to address this question by examining the self-organization of microtubules using crosslinkers alone. We use a minimal system composed of tubulin, an antiparallel microtubule-crosslinking protein, and a crowding agent to explore the phase space of organizations as a function of tubulin and crosslinker concentration. We find that the concentration of the antiparallel crosslinker, MAP65, has a significant effect on the organization and resulted in spindle-like organizations at relatively low concentration without the need for motor activity. Surprisingly, the length of the microtubules only moderately affects the equilibrium organization. We characterize both the shape and dynamics of these spindle-like organizations. We find that they are birefringent homogeneous tactoids. The microtubules have slow mobility, but the crosslinkers have fast mobility within the tactoids. These structures represent a first step in the recapitulation of self-organized spindles of microtubules that can be used as initial structures for further biophysical and active matter studies relevant to the biological process of cell division.
TPMS technology to infer biomarkers of macular degeneration prognosis in in silico simulated prototype-patients under the study of heart failure treatment with sacubitril and valsartan
Authors: Jorba Guillem , Aguirre-Plans Joaquim , Junet Valentin , Segú-Vergés Cristina , Ruiz José Luis , Pujol Albert , Fernandez-Fuentes Narcis , Mas José Manuel , Oliva Baldo
Published: May 2019

Unveiling the mechanism of action of a drug is key to understand the benefits and adverse reactions of drug(s) in an organism. However, in complex diseases such as heart diseases there is not a unique mechanism of action but a wide range of different responses depending on the patient. Exploring this collection of mechanisms is one of the clues for a future personalised medicine. The Therapeutic Performance Mapping System (TPMS) is a Systems Biology approach that generates multiple models of the mechanism of action of a drug. This is achieved by (1) modelling the responses in human with an accurate description of the protein networks and (2) applying a Multilayer Perceptron-like and sampling method strategy to find all plausible solutions. In the present study, TPMS is applied to explore the diversity of mechanisms of action of the drug combination sacubitril/valsartan. We use TPMS to generate a range of mechanism of action models explaining the relationship between sacubitril/valsartan and heart failure (the indication), as well as evaluating their relationship with macular degeneration (a common/recurrent adverse effect). We found that a lower response in terms of heart failure treatment is more associated to macular degeneration development, although good response mechanisms can also associate to the adverse effect. A set of 30 potential biomarkers are proposed to identify mechanisms (or patients) more prone to suffering macular degeneration when presenting good heart failure response. As each molecular mechanism can be particular not only of cells but also individuals, we conclude that the study of the collection of models generated using TPMS technology can be used to detect adverse effects personalized to patients.
Dynamic trafficking and turnover of Jam-C is essential for endothelial cell migration
Authors: Kostelnik Katja B. , Barker Amy , Schultz Christopher , Rajeeve Vinothini , White Ian J. , Aurrand-Lions Michel , Nourshargh Sussan , Cutillas Pedro , Nightingale Thomas D.
Published: May 2019

Junctional complexes between endothelial cells form a dynamic barrier that hinder passive diffusion of blood constituents into interstitial tissues. Re-modelling of junctions is an essential process during leukocyte trafficking, vascular permeability and angiogenesis. However, for many junctional proteins the mechanisms of junctional remodelling have yet to be determined. Here we used receptor mutagenesis, HRP and APEX-2 proximity labelling, alongside light and electron microscopy, to map the intracellular trafficking routes of junctional adhesion molecule-C (Jam-C). We found that Jam-C co-traffics with receptors associated with changes in permeability, such as VE-Cadherin, NRP-1 and 2, but not with junctional proteins associated with the transmigration of leukocytes. Dynamic Jam-C trafficking and degradation is necessary for junctional remodelling during cell migration and angiogenesis. By identifying new trafficking machinery we show that a key point of regulation is the ubiquitylation of Jam-C by the E3 ligase CBL, this controls the rate of recycling versus lysosomal degradation.
Cross-modal Suppression of Auditory Association Cortex by Visual Speech as a Mechanism for Audiovisual Speech Perception
Authors: Karas Patrick J. , Magnotti John F. , Metzger Brian A. , Zhu Lin L. , Smith Kristen B. , Yoshor Daniel , Beauchamp Michael S.
Published: May 2019

Vision provides a perceptual head start for speech perception because most speech is “mouth-leading”: visual information from the talker’s mouth is available before auditory information from the voice. However, some speech is “voice-leading” (auditory before visual). Consistent with a model in which vision modulates subsequent auditory processing, there was a larger perceptual benefit of visual speech for mouth-leading vs. voice-leading words (28% vs. 4%). The neural substrates of this difference were examined by recording broadband high-frequency activity from electrodes implanted over auditory association cortex in the posterior superior temporal gyrus (pSTG) of epileptic patients. Responses were smaller for audiovisual vs. auditory-only mouth-leading words (34% difference) while there was little difference (5%) for voice-leading words. Evidence for cross-modal suppression of auditory cortex complements our previous work showing enhancement of visual cortex (Ozker et al., 2018b) and confirms that multisensory interactions are a powerful modulator of activity throughout the speech perception network.

Impact Statement

Human perception and brain responses differ between words in which mouth movements are visible before the voice is heard and words for which the reverse is true.
Synchrotron microcrystal native-SAD phasing at a low energy
Authors: Guo Gongrui , Zhu Ping , Fuchs Martin R. , Shi Wuxian , Andi Babak , Gao Yuan , Hendrickson Wayne A. , McSweeney Sean , Liu Qun
Published: May 2019

De novo structural evaluation of native biomolecules from single-wavelength anomalous diffraction (SAD) is a challenge because of the weakness of the anomalous scattering. The anomalous scattering from relevant native elements – primarily sulfur in proteins and phosphorus in nucleic acids – increases as the X-ray energy decreases toward their K-edge transitions. Thus, measurements at a lowered X-ray energy are promising for making native SAD routine and robust. For microcrystals with sizes less than 10 µm, native-SAD phasing at synchrotron microdiffraction beamlines is even more challenging because of difficulties in sample manipulation, diffraction data collection and data analysis. Native-SAD analysis from microcrystals by using X-ray free-electron lasers has been demonstrated but has required use of thousands of thousands of microcrystals to achieve the necessary accuracy. Here it is shown that by exploitation of anomalous microdiffraction signals obtained at 5 keV, by the use of polyimide wellmounts, and by an iterative crystal and frame-rejection method, microcrystal native-SAD phasing is possible from as few as about 1 200 crystals. Our results show the utility of low-energy native-SAD phasing with microcrystals at synchrotron microdiffraction beamlines.
Synthesis, structure determination and characterization by UV–Vis and IR spectroscopy of bis(diisopropylammonium) cis-dichloridobis(oxalato-κ2
O
1,O
2)stannate(IV)
Authors: Sarr Bougar , Mbaye Abdou , Diop Cheikh Abdoul Khadir , Sidibe Mamadou , Rousselin Yoann
Published: May 2019

The organic–inorganic title salt, (C6H16N)2[Sn(C2O4)2Cl2] or (
i
Pr2NH2)2[Sn(C2O4)2Cl2], was obtained by reacting bis(diisopropylammonium) oxalate with tin(IV) chloride dihydrate in methanol. The SnIV atom is coordinated by two chelating oxalate ligands and two chloride ions in cis positions, giving rise to an [Sn(C2O4)2Cl2]2− anion (point group symmetry 2), with the SnIV atom in a slightly distorted octahedral coordination. The cohesion of the crystal structure is ensured by the formation of N—H...O hydrogen bonding between (iPr2NH2)+ cations and [SnCl2(C2O4)2]2− anions. This gives rise to an infinite chain structure extending parallel to [101]. The main inter-chain interactions are van der Waals forces. The electronic spectrum of the title compound displays only one high intensity band in the UV region assignable to ligand–metal ion charge-transfer (LMCT) transitions. An IR spectrum was also recorded and is discussed.
Physical aspects of Darcy-Forchheimer bidirectional flow in carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs and MWCNTs)
Authors: Khan Muhammad Ijaz , Rashid Madiha , Hayat Tasawar , Khan Niaz B. , Alsaedi Ahmed
Published: May 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the three-dimensional (3D) flow of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) due to bidirectional nonlinearly stretching surface by considering porous medium. Characteristics of both single-walled CNTs and multi-walled CNTs are discussed by considering Xue model. Darcy–Forchheimer model is used for flow saturating porous medium.

Design/methodology/approach

Optimal homotopy analysis method is used for the development of series solutions.

Findings

The authors deal with 3D Darcy–Forchheimer flow of CNTs over a nonlinearly stretching surface. Heat transport mechanism is discussed in the presence of Xue model. The homogeneous and heterogeneous effects are also accounted. The mathematical modeling is computed using boundary-layer approximations.

Originality/value

No such work has been done yet in the literature.
Reasons to switch: empowered vs less powerful bank customers
Authors: Hauff Jeanette Carlsson
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the existing literature of driving and impeding switching factors by operationalizing the catalyst factor of perceived power among customers. Acknowledging the importance of trust in a financial context, a trust-based framework for the analysis is used. The study explicitly analyzes factors of importance for subsequent switching of banks for empowered customers (i.e. savers) and low-on-power customers (i.e. borrowers).

Design/methodology/approach

The study measures factors driving or impeding switch of service provider, together with measures of trust and power using online survey methods. The sample is intended to focus on savers and borrowers, defined quantitatively as well as perception wise. Through a multi-group SEM analysis, differences between the samples of savers and borrowers are analyzed. The dependent variable was in both cases inclination to switch.

Findings

The paper manages to define differences between empowered and less empowered customers, such as borrowers and savers. The mediating effect of trust prevails only for borrowers: here, the only effect on switching behavior stems from a full mediation of stability through trust. For savers, direct influences of both service failure and lack of involvement on trust are of major importance. The importance of trust, however, is lacking; for the sample of savers, the link between trust and switching behavior is insignificant.

Practical implications

The results may be used as a tool box in order to address consumer switching behavior and mobility in the financial services market. The biggest obstacle for switching banks among savers is the low level of involvement. This has clear implications regarding how to increase switching, e.g., by raising interest. Focusing instead on borrowers, stability of the chosen financial institution turned out to be the most important factor.

Originality/value

This paper introduces a view on consumer switching behavior, taking into account differences regarding service provider relations (empowered savers vs less empowered borrowers) and the importance of trust in these two settings. The paper introduces trust as a mediator between switching behavior and four determinants: stability, personal relations, service failure and internet-related issues, and involvement.
Customer centricity in mobile banking: a customer experience perspective
Authors: Komulainen Hanna , Saraniemi Saila
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to increase understanding about how to improve customer value and to make mobile banking services a profitable business for banks and other financial actors. The study explores the user experiences and related value of a new mobile banking service.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is implemented as a case study that is phenomenological in nature and linked to an interpretive consumer study. Empirical data were collected through 14 semi-structured theme interviews and a diary method. The data were analysed by using a content analysis method.

Findings

The findings illustrate the importance of customer centricity in the mobile banking context by identifying customer experience and related value in a new mobile banking service. The study extends current understanding of customer experience as a complex and multifaceted phenomenon by including value related to process, the use situation and the outcome, and it identifies temporality as influencing and connecting all these aspects. The study identifies several aspects that help us to understand what creates value for the customer while using mobile banking services.

Research limitations/implications

As one limitation, this study was conducted in a developed country and the findings could be different in an emerging market context. Another limitation relates to the data, as the interviewees’ age range is quite limited, ranging between 20 and 40 years. However, they represent the consumers who normally use mobile services well and thus provide reliable data about their use experiences.

Practical implications

As the banking industry is currently experiencing rapid and widespread changes and customers become more demanding, it is crucial for banks and other mobile service providers to understand the everyday lives of their customers and to integrate their future services into the customers’ value creation processes as smoothly and inseparably as possible. The findings of this study will help banks and other financial institutions to develop their strategies and operations in regard to customer-oriented thinking, which will further help them to create long-term, profitable customer relationships and improve future viability.

Originality/value

The study contributes to bank marketing research and extends previous research on customer-centred service marketing by providing a framework that identifies the value related to customer experience in a new mobile banking service. It explores the experiences of actual mobile banking service customers’ and the related value, and thus provides original implications for both theory and practice.
The legal, governance and ethical implications of involving service users and carers in research
Authors: Minogue Virginia , Cooke Mary , Donskoy Anne-Laure , Vicary Penny
Published: May 2019

Purpose

Service user and carer involvement in all aspects of the health and care research process, from co-applicant on funding applications to active engagement in a research study, is now a requirement for most research funders. However, as co-production increases and service users and carers take on more responsibilities, this involvement has legal, governance and ethical implications. The purpose of this paper is to raise awareness of the issues and consider potential solutions.

Design/methodology/approach

Experiences of engagement as co-applicants in research funding applications, of involvement as research study team members, and as co-researchers were gathered from a range of service user and carer experts. Consultation and a workshop gathered further evidence from a range of stakeholders across the research management community.

Findings

Service users and carers, who contribute to the research protocol and process, feel a strong sense of responsibility to ensure the high quality of a research study. However, they may be new to their roles, status and key responsibilities when acting as project team members, co-researchers or co-applicants engaging in funding applications. The responsibility of sponsors, grant holding organisations, funders and other members of the research community is to communicate with and support service users and carers in those roles. More needs to be done to understand the contractual, a legal and governance issues and responsibilities that are specific to service user and carer co-applicants, project team members and co-researchers, from both an organisational and individual service user and carer perspective.

Practical implications

The implications of the findings are to raise awareness of the practical, legal and ethical issues arising from this type of involvement and the potential risks arising from lack of cohesion or understanding. The review also highlights the concerns and barriers service users and carers may find in becoming involved.

Originality/value

The findings highlight a range of issues for research regulators, sponsors and investigators to consider to ensure service users and carers can fulfil their responsibilities and be supported in doing so.
Exploring the role of exploration/exploitation and strategic leadership in organizational learning
Authors: Asif Muhammad
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of exploration/exploitation strategies in organizational learning and the impact of strategic leadership on the organizational learning process.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on an extensive review of literature, this paper develops propositions encompassing three key elements: exploration/exploitation, strategic leadership and organizational learning.

Findings

The propositions inform that tension between exploration and exploitation creates opportunities for organizational learning. Further, leadership styles have a differential effect on the role of exploration/exploitation in organizational learning. Transformational leadership positively impacts the role of exploration in individual and group learning but negatively impacts the role of exploitation in institutionalized learning. Transactional leadership positively impacts the role of exploitation in institutionalized learning but negatively impacts the role of exploration in individual and group learning. The alternate use of transformational and transactional leadership styles can facilitate multilevel organizational learning.

Research limitations/implications

The propositions are the first step toward the development of a theory of exploration/exploitation–organizational learning–strategic leadership. For practitioners, this paper elaborates the role of exploration/exploitation and strategic leadership in multilevel organizational learning. The paper also informs about those leadership styles that are counterproductive in the individual/group and institutionalized learning.

Originality/value

This paper is novel in its contribution because exploration/exploitation, organizational learning and strategic leadership have not been discussed in a unified framework in the previous studies. Further, whereas previous studies discuss “organizational learning” mainly as an organizational-level construct, this paper discusses organizational learning at the individual, group and organizational levels. A discussion of the individual, group and institutionalized learning furnishes rich insights into organizational learning dynamics.
The future of globalization: a comment
Authors: Belk Russell
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an afterword to Steenkamp’s reflections on the future of globalization published in this issue of International Marketing Review.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is a commentary.

Findings

Through examples and arguments, the comment emphasizes the need to think locally even when pursuing global strategies, and raises the question of whether global consumer culture is desirable.

Originality/value

The comment builds on Steenkamp’s essay, and asks unique questions that global consumer culture scholars need to reflect upon.
The effect of earnings management and tax aggressiveness on shareholder wealth and stock price crash risk of German companies
Authors: Neifar Souhir , Utz Sebastian
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of earnings management (EM) and tax aggressiveness (TA) on shareholder wealth and on stock price crash risk (SPCR) of German companies.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample comprises 820 firm-year observations of 188 non-financial companies listed on German stock exchanges from 2008 to 2014. The authors apply generalized least square panel regression to overcome autocorrelation and heteroscedasticity problems.

Findings

EM and TA are not related in terms of affecting shareholder wealth and SPCR. EM has no impact on shareholder wealth but significantly affects SPCR. TA has a significant positive effect on shareholder wealth but no impact on SPCR. Thus, EM practices applied within German companies are non-opportunistic, as they do not affect shareholder wealth and decrease SPCR. TA practices are also non-opportunistic, as they increase shareholder wealth and do not affect SPCR.

Research limitations/implications

This study provides insights that can improve managers’ accounting choices (EM vs TA) and alleviate investor concerns about the effect of managers’ manipulation strategies. Considering other variables affecting TA, such as discretionary book tax differences, may add further insights into this discussion. The analysis of and comparison with other markets may shed more light on the validity and generalizability of the results.

Practical implications

This study recommends that investors must take into consideration the accounting variables to ensure better investment decisions and highlight the importance of CEO choices on market reaction.

Originality/value

The investigation of the mutual impact of EM and TA on shareholder wealth and SPCR is novel, and so too is the analysis of whether EM and TA are complementary or substitute for each other in this relationship.
BSC inside a strategic management control package
Authors: Bénet Nathalie , Deville Aude , Naro Gerald
Published: May 2019

Purpose

Kaplan and Norton proposed the strategy map as a way to overcome the weaknesses of the balanced scorecard (BSC), but this approach may not be enough. The purpose of this paper is to present a strategic management control package composed of three systems from strategic management and management control. This conceptual approach operationalizes strategic alignment, which is the core interest of the BSC.

Design/methodology/approach

The rationale for this research is derived from the literatures on business models (BMs), the BSC and management control packages. The authors first identified gaps in the BSC literature, which has underlined the BSC’s insufficient connection to strategy, and the strategic literature, which has criticized the BM as being too conceptual. The authors propose to fill these gaps through contributions from the management control package literature.

Findings

The findings are in line with the current literature on the interdependencies of management control systems. In response to the criticism of the BSC because of its weak strategic foundations, the authors provide a framework comprising three management systems: the BM, the strategy map and the BSC. This framework ultimately promotes two feedback loops that provide a dynamic view of the reciprocal influences of the BSC and strategy.

Research limitations/implications

Several authors note that the BSC suffers from a lack of conceptualization. The underlying assumptions and the conceptual and empirical validity of the cause-and-effect relationships are particularly questioned. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to overcome the criticism linked to the “low” strategic alignment of the strategy map, and then of the BSC, by proposing a conceptual framework based on a package including three management systems: the BSC, the strategy map and the BM. A major limit lies in the purely conceptual dimension of this research, and it will be interesting to empirically investigate the conceptual package through longitudinal case studies.

Practical implications

The authors propose guidelines to develop a strategically aligned BSC through a three-step operationalization process to achieve a non-linear strategic management control. Moreover, the authors suggest empirical research avenues to address the weaknesses of Kaplan and Norton’s BSC and to enhance its connection to strategy through an integrated strategic management control package that includes a BM.

Originality/value

This paper adds value by proposing a package of management systems that includes both strategic management and management control perspectives. The authors, therefore, offer a way to bridge the gap between these research streams and highlight the interest of recent developments in the literature regarding the management control package.
Reading practices in scholarly work: from articles and books to blogs
Authors: Late Elina , Tenopir Carol , Talja Sanna , Christian Lisa
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of reading in scholarly work among academics in Finland. This study analyzes readings from a variety of publication types including books, conference proceedings, research reports, magazines, newspapers, blogs, non-fiction and fiction.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was developed and distributed in Finland in 2016–2017 (n=528). Participants were asked their finding and use of scholarly information resources of all types.

Findings

Scholars read from a variety of publications. Different types of publications are read and used differently. Reading also varies between disciplines, ranks, work responsibilities and type of research performed.

Research limitations/implications

The study was a nationwide study of researchers in Finland; therefore, all findings are within the context of researchers in a single country. All results are self-reported; therefore, the authors assume but cannot be sure that respondents accurately recollect the specifics of their use of scholarly information.

Practical implications

The results of this study are relevant to publishers, research librarians, editors and others who serve consumers of scholarly information resources, design information products and services for those scholars, and seek to better understand the information needs and use of a variety of types of scholarly publications.

Originality/value

This study replicates previous studies in a variety of countries and provides a more up-to-date and single-country contextualized overview of how researchers find and use scholarly information in their work.
Exploring sensings in practice: affect and knowledge sharing
Authors: Leith Dean Vincent
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the nature of knowledge sharing and what is experienced as being shared as knowledge sharing unfolds. In particular, the paper explores affect as a key aspect of knowledge sharing in an organisational context.

Design/methodology/approach

A practice theoretical approach is applied to the study combined with a phenomenological research methodology that focusses on the “lived experience” of participants.

Findings

Knowledge-sharing practice was found to encompass cognitive, social, bodily and affective dimensions. Affect was found to be a significant component of the practice as revealed by participant emotion and the use of conversational humour.

Research limitations/implications

In light of the findings, the researcher recommends a focus on participant sensings in practice theoretical research, in combination with sayings, doings and relatings.

Originality/value

The approach to the study is significant in that, in contrast to previous practice-based research in information studies, it applied a methodology adapted from phenomenology. This combination of approaches opened the investigation to the multi-dimensional experiential nature of knowledge-sharing practice highlighting the significant role of affect in knowledge sharing.
Turnover intention among liquid knowledge workers: a study of Indian insurance professionals
Authors: Ghosh Piyali , Goel Geetika , Dutta Tanusree , Singh Richa
Published: May 2019

Purpose

This study aims to analyze how perceived organizational support (POS), perceived supervisor support (PSS) and perceived co-worker support (PCS) as components of social exchange at work influence turnover intention through affective commitment.

Design/methodology/approach

Perception of sales professionals working in life insurance companies, categorized as liquid knowledge workers, on the study variables was assessed through a questionnaire-based survey. Data on a sample of 212 such professionals across 11 companies were analyzed using structured equation modeling. Maximum likelihood estimate method was used to test the extent of model fit. Mediation has been confirmed through bootstrapping.

Findings

Results reveal a significant direct relationship between PSS and turnover intention. POS and PCS were found to have significant indirect effects on turnover intention, mediated by affective commitment.

Research limitations/implications

Overall results prompt the authors to recommend that organizations in insurance business must invest resources in promoting organizational support and also adopt a supportive work culture in which social exchange can easily occur. Level of withdrawal intention among sales professionals can be lowered by establishing emotional bonding with them. Supervisors may also be provided adequate training in soft skills to support their subordinates.

Originality/value

This study has highlighted that support at workplace is a binding force between an employee and his/her organization, and thus it negatively affects his/her withdrawal intention directly or indirectly via affective commitment. This paper stands out in the multitude of existing research as especially the relation of PCS and turnover intention has been explored less. It also adds to the scarce literature available on turnover intention among liquid knowledge workers in Indian insurance sector.
Branding Rio de Janeiro: a semiotic analysis
Authors: Lima Vitor , Baiocchi Antunes Corrêa Alessandra , Zanini Marco Tulio , Grubits de Paula Pessôa Luís Alexandre , Reis Irigaray Hélio Arthur
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify how a city as a brand discursively conceives and articulates relevant meanings in order to build its identity.

Design/methodology/approach

The study follows a discursive semiotic approach using content from the Visit.Rio website and posts from its Facebook page.

Findings

It was possible to organize the values and meanings that structure the Rio de Janeiro brand in the semiotic square. Narrative schemes that concretize the value proposition guided mainly by contemplation and experimentation situations were identified. The discursive construction of the Rio de Janeiro brand is primarily marked by the relation between nature and culture, where contrasting meanings are explored by the City Hall managers.

Research limitations/implications

This study is limited to the analysis of the enunciator (Rio de Janeiro brand managers) in their process of creating and articulating the city’s meanings. Future research could investigate the enunciate (public) perspective.

Practical implications

Managers should consider the discursive approach since it provides a more holistic perspective on the brand-building process. The findings may contribute to the understanding, selection and articulation of the correct meanings that should be communicated to the public in order to make the city a relevant and desirable place to visit.

Originality/value

This paper is based on the concept of a brand as a set of discourses grounded by meanings that are culturally conceived, which, thus, presents itself as a different approach from the traditional one, especially in research on place branding.
Enhancing rural destinations’ loyalty through relationship quality
Authors: Alves Helena , Campón-Cerro Ana María , Hernández-Mogollón José Manuel
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The literature on the factors generating loyalty towards tourism destinations has seldom focussed its attention on relationship marketing, which has left a gap in the understanding of destination loyalty. This paper aims to examine the influence of relationship quality on rural destination loyalty, approaching this through the variables of trust, attachment and satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a quantitative methodology based on an on line survey conducted in Spain. The sample consisted of 464 tourists who participate in rural tourism. The analysis of the proposed model was carried out based on the partial least squares method.

Findings

The results confirm that the model has a substantial to moderate explanatory capacity for overall satisfaction and loyalty, in which overall satisfaction acts as a mediator between the variables that make up relationship quality in reference to loyalty.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitations of this research arise from the scarcity of works which aim to understand relationship quality in tourism destinations. To broaden results, it should be applied in other tourism destinations, products, services and experiences.

Practical implications

Destination managers should give relationships a special role in their tourism development programmes in rural tourism contexts.

Social implications

Rural tourism destinations and companies are generally small-sized organisations that need managerial tools. These can benefit from developing sustainable relationships.

Originality/value

The significant role played by relationship quality regarding destination loyalty is studied in detail in this model.
The paradox of “family”; creating a family environment without children in luxury accommodation in New Zealand
Authors: Harkison Tracy , Hemmington Nigel , Hyde Ken
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to explore innovative solutions to the challenge of creating a family environment without children in luxury lodges in New Zealand.

Design/methodology/approach

In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with guests, staff and managers in a luxury lodge that excludes children. An interpretivist analysis of interviewees’ comments was undertaken.

Findings

Guests at the childless lodge talked about the serenity and peace they experienced during their stay, and particularly the meal experiences. They thought that not having children on the premises is an advantage for this experience. Lodge managers said that not admitting children is their point of difference for the market that they are targeting.

Research limitations/implications

This research contributes to the emerging research theme of family tourism and extends the concept of family tourism to include family units without children.

Practical implications

There are significant practical implications in terms of industry approaches to creating a family atmosphere in luxury accommodation without children.

Social implications

That a family atmosphere does not need to include children and enables luxury accommodation to cater to a diverse range of family units. There are also implications for social diversity beyond the traditional assumptions of the nuclear family.

Originality/value

The exclusion of children from luxury lodges is certainly not new, but the concept of maintaining a family environment without children is innovative and worth investigating to consider the wider implications of the paradox of family without children.
How likely is your family to visit you?
Authors: Sedera Darshana , Lokuge Sachithra , Perera W. Jayantha M.
Published: May 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate whether digital connectedness between family members, attained through social media, increases the intention to travel overseas to visit family or relatives. In the context of the education sector, this paper specifically investigates the likelihood of a family member traveling to see a family member who is currently studying in Australia, despite their regular interactions on digital social platforms.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper draws on the perspectives of earlier conceptual papers by Chackoet al.(2012) and Solnet and Hood (2008) in an effort to identify root causes and a possible solution. The context of Singapore and the international literature are also reviewed to establish theoretical and practical gaps that need to be filled.

Findings

The study finds that both “perceived media richness” of social media and communication applications and the “perceived connectedness” gained through social media and communication applications have a positive effect on the “intention to travel to the study destination.” Of the two variables measured in the study, perceived connectedness provides the strongest influence with nearly double the path coefficient as compared to the perceived media richness. Overall, an explanation of 32 per cent in one’s intention to travel provides a substantial discovery of travel intentions.

Originality/value

The role that digital social media like Facebook plays in human connectivity is not a foregone conclusion, when one could argue that digital connectivity especially enhanced by the richness of social media has the potential to replace or minimize physical relationships. Yet, this study demonstrates that such associations between the family members are in fact augmented by social media.
Innovation-centric courses in hospitality management education in Dubai
Authors: Nadkarni Sanjay , Morris Stephanie
Published: May 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to provide an overview of how a Dubai-based higher education institution in hospitality management has leveraged the enabling macro-environment for building innovation-centric courses in hospitality pedagogy. The policy-level initiatives focusing on innovation adopted by the UAE, and Dubai, in particular, are analyzed along with their impact on the higher education landscape.

Design/methodology/approach

An exploratory research design with an experimental component based on iterative approach has been adopted in this paper.

Findings

The synthesis of the exploratory analysis with the outcome of the experiment for developing innovation-centric courses and assessments which integrates elements of sustainability underscores the necessity for a scalable roadmap for developing an innovation-driven ecosystem. Implications for stakeholders in deploying the proposed roadmap are discussed.

Originality/value

The experience curated from the design development and delivery of innovation-focused courses with the mandated framework in a specific geography (in this case Dubai, UAE) attests to the originality. The research adds value by proposing an implementable roadmap for stakeholders to foster an innovation-driven socio-economic ecosystem that encompasses elements of sustainability.
Personal care and practical support at home: a systematic review of older people’s views and experiences
Authors: Kwan Irene , Rutter Deborah , Anderson Beth , Stansfield Claire
Published: May 2019

Purpose

Considering the views of service users is important to identify their needs as this helps providers to develop appropriate and responsive services. For older people receiving home care, recognising their needs is the first step towards supporting them to maintain independence and promote wellbeing. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic review was conducted in 2014 to explore the personal experiences of older people in England about the care and support they received at home. Studies published between 2004 and 2013 were identified from bibliographic databases and websites. A total of 17 studies satisfied the inclusion criteria. Data were extracted using a standardised coding tool and narratively synthesised. Study quality was evaluated.

Findings

Nine themes were identified. Older people valued an approach that was person centred, flexible and proactive to respond to their changing needs and priorities, focusing on what they can or would like to do to maintain their independence. Allowing time to build trust between older people and their care workers helped to realise older peoples’ aspirations and goals. Practical help to promote choice and reduce social isolation was perceived to be as important as personal care.

Practical implications

Evidence from this review contributed to the development of a social care guideline on home care, and informed key practice recommendations for care providers in England.

Originality/value

This review highlighted the value older people place in person-centred care incorporating practical help both inside and outside the realm of personal care.
Fulminant type 1 diabetes: The clinical and continuous glucose monitoring characteristics in Chinese patients
Authors: Ying Lingwen , Ma Xiaojing , Lu Jingyi , Lu Wei , Zhu Wei , Vigersky Robert A. , Jia Weiping , Bao Yuqian , Zhou Jian
Published: May 2019

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the clinical characteristics of fulminant type 1 diabetes mellitus (FT1DM) in Chinese patients and to further determine their glycaemic profiles through continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). Thirty subjects who were diagnosed with FT1DM according to the 2012 JDS criteria were enrolled. Clinical characteristics were compared to those reported in Japanese FT1DM. All subjects received retrospective CGM for 3 days after being converted to subcutaneous insulin injection therapy. Chinese FT1DM patients presented with a shorter duration of symptoms (2.84 ± 2.42 days vs 4.4 ± 3.1 days, P < 0.01), worse islet function (fasting C‐peptide, 0.09 ± 0.11 ng/mL vs 0.30 ± 0.21 ng/mL; 2‐hour C‐peptide, 0.13 ± 0.14 ng/mL vs 0.30 ± 0.30 ng/mL, both P < 0.01), lower prevalence of flu‐like symptoms (46.7% vs 71.4%, P < 0.05), and a significantly higher GADA positive rate (23.3% vs 5.1%, P < 0.01) when compared with Japanese patients. The CGM results showed that the mean time in range (TIR) of FT1DM patients was 49.8 ± 22.1%, while mean amplitude of glycaemic excursion (MAGE) and standard deviations of sensor glucose (SDSG) were 7.58 ± 3.59 mmol/L and 3.19 ± 1.22 mmol/L, respectively, with nearly 1/3 participants coefficient of variation (CV) > 36% (all are male), suggesting a large glucose fluctuation. The female patients were further divided into pregnancy‐related FT1DM (PF) and non‐PF (NPF) subgroups (both n = 5), and we found that PF patients had a significantly higher TIR than NPF patients (77.0 ± 16.1% vs 41.0 ± 22.4%, P < 0.05). There were heterogeneities in the clinical characteristics of FT1DM patients, and the CGM results indicated a very low TIR and large glucose fluctuation which needs careful attention.