bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of trust climate in virtual teams
Authors: Brahm Taiga , Kunze Florian
Published: August 2012

Purpose

Research testing a complex process model, incorporating moderating and mediating mechanisms associated with virtual team (VT) performance, remains rare. This paper aims to introduce trust climate as a crucial boundary condition for high performance in VTs. It also aims to propose a moderated‐indirect model such that the relationship between team goals and task performance is mediated by task cohesion and the relationship between team goals and task cohesion is moderated by trust.

Design/methodology/approach

Hypotheses are tested using a longitudinal design with a sample of 50 teams.

Findings

The proposed moderated‐indirect model is confirmed. The model explains the indirect relationship between team goal setting and performance transmitted through task cohesion, which is dependent on the level of trust climate.

Research limitations/implications

Although hypotheses were tested in a longitudinal setting, common source bias might be a potential problem for some of the observed relationships. Future research could build on this model for further investigations on more complex theoretical models for VT performance.

Practical implications

This research suggests that managers should emphasize the development of team trust at early stages of collaboration in a VT to reach high performance outcomes.

Societal implications

For VTs, trustful working environments should become even more important in the future, supporting team members' satisfaction in working in VTs.

Originality/value

Through this study, a complex process model for VTs was developed and trust climate established as a prominent context factor for VT success.
Notes from the field on organizational shadowing as framing
Authors: Vásquez Consuelo , Brummans Boris H.J.M. , Groleau Carole
Published: August 2012

Purpose

Shadowing is becoming an increasingly popular method in management and organization studies. While several scholars have reflected on this technique, comparatively few researchers have explicated the specific practices that constitute this method and discussed their implications for research on processes of organizing. The purpose of this article is to address these issues by offering a conceptual toolbox that defines shadowing in terms of a set of framing practices and provides in‐depth insight into the methodological choices and challenges that organizational shadowers may encounter.

Design/methodology/approach

In this article, the authors explicate the specific framing practices in which researchers engage when taking an intersubjective approach to organizational shadowing. To demonstrate the value of viewing shadowing as framing, the paper grounds the theoretical discussion in actual fieldwork experiences, taken from three different ethnographic studies.

Findings

Based on a systematic and critical analysis of fieldwork experiences, the paper argues that organizational shadowing is constituted by three interrelated framing practices: delineating the object of study; punctuating the process/flow of a given organizing process; and reflecting on the relationship between researcher and the object(s) or person(s) being observed. These analytical constructs highlight specific activities with which shadowers are confronted in the field, namely foregrounding and backgrounding particular aspects in defining a given object of study, trying to keep this object in focus as the fieldwork unfolds, and making decisions about the degree to which the relationship with shadowees should be taken into account in understanding this object.

Originality/value

This article provides an in‐depth reflection on the subtle practices that constitute organizational shadowing. It offers a useful conceptual toolbox for researchers who want to use this method and demonstrates its operational value to help them understand how knowledge construction is the outcome of a coconstructive process that depends on a series of decisions negotiated in ongoing interactions with the actors under study.
Meaningfulness‐making at work
Authors: Vuori Timo , San Elina , Kira Mari
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to increase understanding of the ways workers can actively make their own work experiences more meaningful.

Design/methodology/approach

The data consist of 29 interviews with people from three professions. The authors analyzed the interviews by coding the statements into first‐ and second‐order categories, and then aggregating them into theoretical constructs; and by recognizing relations between the constructs.

Findings

Workers try to increase the proportion of positive cues extracted from work to make their work more meaningful. The three main tactics for increasing the proportion of positive cues are cognitively emphasizing the positive qualities of work, developing competencies to be better able to produce positive outcomes and positive reactions from others, and influencing the work content.

Research limitations/implications

This model provides a preliminary understanding of meaningfulness‐making, based on cross‐sectional interview data. Future research should use alternative methods, and verify and elaborate the findings.

Practical implications

Managers can promote workers’ sense of meaningfulness by coaching and enabling meaningfulness‐making tactics identified in this paper.

Originality/value

This paper presents alternative ways to achieve work meaningfulness that complement the previously recognized job crafting and sensemaking routes.
Reading between the vines: analyzing the readability of consumer brand wine web sites
Authors: Mills Adam J. , Pitt Leyland , Sattari Setayesh
Published: August 2012

Purpose

Many audiences might view wine brand web sites as complex or unapproachable. Wine drinking is no longer a pastime of the affluent and elite; rather, it is increasingly popular among younger consumer groups and those from broader socio‐economic backgrounds. In order to communicate effectively with newer consumer demographics, wine brand web sites must first and foremost be understandable and readable. The purpose of this paper is to investigate this issue, aiming to answer the question of whether the web sites of popular wine brands are readable or not.

Design/methodology/approach

To investigate the readability of consumer brand wine web sites, web site copy from the 20 most popular wine brands in the USA was calculated across multiple readability indices employing content analysis.

Findings

The findings suggest that, while certain target demographics may be assumed by grouping wine brand web sites based on readability measures, there are marked differences in readability across wine web sites of a similar nature that only serves to reinforce consumer confusion, rather than help remove it.

Originality/value

There is scant literature on readability in the wine business literature in general, and with regard to the readability of wine web sites in particular. The research highlights the need for those who communicate with a broad audience of wine consumers to give attention to web site content, and readability in particular. This is for two reasons: less sophisticated consumers will not respond to wine marketing messages they cannot understand, and more sophisticated wine drinkers will react more positively to messages that are clear and well‐written. Readability is equally important for these more sophisticated consumers.
A sweet face man: using Chernoff faces to portray social media wine brand images
Authors: Farshid Mana , Chan Anthony , Nel Deon
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The rise of social media and its resultant impact on brand management has become a critical factor in guarding the reputation of the firm. Consumer‐generated content has the potential to spread rapidly over social networks and the implications are that advertising as traditionally used by brand managers, now offers little control over the communication message. Brand managers need a better tool to gauge the changing mood in social media conversations. The purpose of this paper is to suggest a powerful method, Chernoff Faces, to compare six Sauternes wine brands based on social conversation measurement.

Design/methodology/approach

This study describes a source of data relating to wine brand visibility in social media, and then presents a simple yet powerful graphical tool for portraying this information. This tool facilitates the communication, understanding, and assimilation of the relevant information.

Findings

The findings of this paper are presented in six social media wine faces. Facial features are allocated to eyes, facial line, hair density and others to reflect “Social Mention” data measuring brand strength, positive and negative sentiment and related elements such passion for the brand. A brief subjective interpretation of the differences between the wine brands offers a match between Chernoff faces representation and historical data on the brands being compared.

Research limitations/implications

The paper has some limitations related to the dynamic nature of social media. This study provides more of a snapshot in time rather than an ultimate set of results. Future research could be done by closely monitoring the results for a set of brands over a period. A new option to overcome this by using longitudinal data is offered as a option in future research.

Originality/value

Since social media are multi‐dimensional and attempts to understand conversations it requires tracking different measures simultaneously. It is important to find the best way to portray and communicate this data so that wine marketing decision makers can quickly and easily compare changes in brand images. Using faces to accomplish this is an easy and novel way compared to more demanding multidimensional scaling techniques.
Trust building in wine blogs: a content analysis
Authors: Doyle James D. , Heslop Louise A. , Ramirez Alex , Cray David , Armenakyan Anahit
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify trust‐building signals and signaling patterns of commercial and non‐commercial wine bloggers within a trustworthiness framework and assess prominence of balanced versus unbalanced resource‐based or compensatory approaches for the management of consumer trust beliefs and the facilitation of positive trust intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

Development and validation of theory‐based signal‐classification scheme and two‐stage content analysis of trust‐building signals embedded in wine blogs.

Findings

It is found that wine bloggers manage consumer trust beliefs using an unbalanced signaling approach emphasizing ability over character. Ability sub‐dimension signals vary by commercial orientation. Also, character signaling varies with commercial orientation.

Research limitations/implications

Only English‐language wine blogs were studied. Limitations of content analysis procedures preclude direct evaluation of signal efficacy in absolute or contextualized terms.

Practical implications

Bloggers must secure reader trustworthiness to be effective communicators. Readers are likely to possess latent concerns about the bias of commercial bloggers and abilities of non‐commercial ones. Bloggers recognize the importance of ability signaling but may not be fully exploiting their positions of perceived advantage nor fully compensating for their distinctive inherent perceived weaknesses.

Social implications

Trustworthiness signaling in wine blogs has implications for bloggers in other contexts, including consumer and non‐consumer information environments and not‐for‐profit and governmental communicators. Blog and blogger trustworthiness must be addressed by these communicators to effect audience persuasion.

Originality/value

The paper discusses deductive development and validation of a novel signal classification scheme applied to trust building by bloggers that, through analysis of signal content, sheds light on behavior of commercial and non‐commercial information sources in emerging product information environments.
Subjective knowledge, product attributes and consideration set: a wine application
Authors: Viot Catherine
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to show that consumers' expertise of a product influences the number of attributes considered as important, the importance given to the attributes as well as the size and the content of the consideration set (CS).

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative empirical study was carried out with 287 French wine consumers.

Findings

The results show that the attributes which were considered as important by the novices differ from those considered important by the experts and that the number of important attributes given by the novices (2) is lower than those given by the experts (7). Furthermore, the results show that the size of the CS itself is also influenced by subjective knowledge. On the other hand, this is not the case for the content of the CS.

Research limitations/implications

The empirical study only focuses on one product category. The data were collected on the basis of statements rather than observations, which is liable to distort the results.

Practical implications

The paper shows that the visual attributes, such as the design and the packaging, are not sufficient to sell wine to French consumers, even if they are novices in this field.

Originality/value

While most research devoted to the effects of the CS focus on a single dimension of it, this paper tests simultaneously the effects on the size and on the variety of the CS, which is analyzed according to both a qualitative and quantitative approach.
Integrating greenness into a balanced scorecard in a food processing company
Authors: Länsiluoto Aapo , Järvenpää Marko
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how and why a case company integrated an environmental management system (EMS) into a performance management system (PMS), specifically a balanced scorecard (BSC).

Design/methodology/approach

This interpretative case study utilized qualitative methods in semi‐structured interviews, internal documents and e‐mails.

Findings

The company integrated its environmental measures into the process perspective in its BSC. The integration centralized its fragmented PMS, stimulated its strategic control and complemented its financial reporting. This integration also crystallized the causality between the company's environmental actions and financial performance. Therefore, the integration enabled improvements to environmental performance and strengthened the finance‐oriented culture of the company.

Research limitations/implications

The study has general limitations associated with the qualitative methods used.

Originality/value

The paper shows that environmental measures are worthwhile elements to integrate into the process perspective of a PMS if a company is in an industrial sector. Environmental measures can be worth selecting due to the way the measures affect a company's financial performance, if the company has a very finance‐driven culture. BSC can be useful for different purposes, such as for centralizing a fragmented information system, legitimizing environmental actions and for strengthening corporate culture.
Applying the ISO 9001 process approach and service blueprint to hospital management systems
Authors: Ru Chen Hsiang , Cheng Bor‐Wen
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to integrate the ISO 9001:2008 and blueprints by using a process approach, to have systematic regulation in hospital quality management.

Design/methodology/approach

This study promotes a process approach when developing, implementing, and improving the effectiveness of hospital service quality to enhance patients’ satisfaction by meeting their requirements. This study completes the hospital’s blueprints with the process approach by using case study research methods such as in‐depth interviews with relevant personnel, on‐site observations, and experts’ advice.

Findings

The results of hospital blueprints described in this study comprise five‐plane lines to have systematic regulations. The ISO 9001:2008 process approach and service blueprint are not merely a technological application for medical healthcare services, but rather a fully patient‐driven, technologically integrated, and diligently implemented programme.

Practical limitations

Because of organisational financial confidentiality, this study does not consider the financial performance of the case hospital, and the results of blueprints may be revised afterward.

Originality/value

This paper promotes the adoption of a process approach when developing, implementing, and improving the effectiveness of a hospital outpatient service management system, to enhance outpatients’ satisfaction by meeting their requirements.
The perceptions and perspectives of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) practitioners
Authors: Jayaraman K. , Leam Kee Teo , Lin Soh Keng
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The electronic manufacturing service (EMS) industry recognizes Lean Six Sigma (LSS) as an effective business strategy to strive for cost reduction and improve the profitability and growth of a company. There are many factors affecting the success of an LSS program to meet desired profitability and growth. The purpose of this paper is to identify the critical success factors (CSFs) in successful LSS programs and to evaluate the CSFs’ impact on company performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is carried out using the quantitative survey method containing structured questionnaires. The study population comprises the six multinational EMS industries in Malaysia that have successfully implemented LSS programs. The LSS practitioners, namely the holders of the Master Black Belt (MBB), the Black Belt (BB) and the LSS champions of the various international manufacturing sites of the six multinational EMS in Malaysia form the respondents.

Findings

The significance of this research is the identification of CFSs for the successful implementation of LSS within the EMS industry. It has identified management engagement and commitment as the most critical to the success of implementing the companies’ LSS programs. Moreover, an effective LSS training, an established LSS dashboard, a frequent communication among all value streams of organizations and a supportive organizational culture are also found to be essential ingredients for the implementation of LSS.

Practical implications

The paper advises of the nurturing of appropriate CSFs for successful implementation of LSS in the EMS industry and to evaluate its impact on the company performance.

Originality/value

This research adds a new body of knowledge containing factors in the implementation of LSS that are significant in their relationships with operational and organizational performances in the EMS industry, using primary data. The results would provide the EMS industry and other Malaysian SME companies with guidelines for the successful implementation of Lean Six Sigma with the intention to remain competitive.
Quality in the public procurement process
Authors: Rönnbäck Åsa
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate four dimensions of how to integrate quality in the public procurement process from three perspectives. The study was carried out in the public transportation industry where service provision has been outsourced.

Design/methodology/approach

An explorative case study was carried out using two data collection methods. The first involved a document study that considered the integration of quality in the public procurement process. This led to the second method, which involved conducting in‐depth interviews to follow up on the procurement and the role of quality with the participants.

Findings

The findings provide insights into how quality can be included in the public procurement process and, in particular, how self‐assessment can be used to evaluate the “best quality practice”. The quality maturity of the industry also has an influence on three dimensions: the choice of quality model, the weighting between price and quality and how the tenders perform their self‐assessments.

Research limitations/implications

The study focuses on one case and presents explorative findings. This has implications for future research, for which the set of procurement decisions regarding the integration of quality must be analysed.

Practical implications

The integration of quality in the public procurement process involves choosing a future business partner according to the “best quality practice”, not just the lowest price. Including quality in the public procurement process can help facilitate the delivery of high‐quality services to customers when service provision has been outsourced.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the service quality literature by empirically investigating how quality can be integrated in the public procurement process, which is a prerequisite for contracting a desired service supplier.
Fuzzy assessment of FMEA for rotary switches: a case study
Authors: Vinodh S. , Aravindraj S. , Sathya Narayanan Ravi , Yogeshwaran N.
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report a research in which fuzzy assessment of failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) was examined on the design of rotary switches.

Design/methodology/approach

In the case study reported in this paper, fuzzy FMEA of a rotary switch was analysed, starting from its individual components to subsystems. Failure modes were identified and the effect of these modes was studied, then the results before and after taking actions were compared.

Findings

The usage of fuzzy FMEA enabled the reflection of real situation for determining the interdependencies among failure modes and effects of rotary switches with the incorporation of knowledge and expertise of experts.

Research limitations/implications

The assessment has been attempted on a single rotary switch assembly. In future, this method can be applied in complex systems.

Practical implications

The paper shows that the method enabled the decision makers to share information from various working groups.

Originality/value

The case study has been conducted in a rotary switches manufacturing organisation and the results before and after improvement have been compared.
Measuring dynamic effects of advertising: a case study in India
Authors: Baidya Mehir , Maity Bipasha , Ghose Kamal
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to estimate the relative contributions of individual marketing mix variables to sales as well as short‐term and long‐term effects of advertising in India.

Design/methodology/approach

Time‐series data on sales and marketing mix variables have been collected for two brands. Two double‐log regression modes have been fitted on data to estimate the relative contribution of each effort as well as to isolate the amount of sales due to advertising only. In addition, a log‐linear partial‐adjustment model has been fitted on adjusted sales and advertising data to estimate both short‐term and long‐term effects of advertising.

Findings

Results reveal that all the marketing mix variables have significant relative contributions to sales in both the cases. It is also found that advertising does have significant short‐term and long‐term effects on adjusted sales for both the brands.

Practical implications

Findings provide a deep insight in dynamic perspective of advertising that make them eminently suitable in the process of allocation of budget to achieve both the short‐term and long‐term goals of advertising.

Originality/value

This research made a notable contribution to the literature due to lack of quantitative modeling works on marketing data reported in the field of advertising in India.
Interdependence between experience marketing and business strategy
Authors: Gupta Seema
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The extant literature on experience marketing takes a narrow functional approach engaging with issues like defining an experience brand and recommending strategies for creating a unique customer experience. The purpose of this research is to focus on the cross‐level interdependencies in the organization and examine interrelatedness between business strategy and experience marketing.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on the extant literature on business strategy and experience marketing and investigating an in‐depth case study on experience marketing this article arrives at strategic principles of experience marketing. It uses an in depth analysis of a case study of an experience hotel brand covering multiple facets of its business strategy in all its complexities. Data were collected from six sources of evidence: documents, archival records, interviews, direct observation, participant‐observation and physical artifacts. A total of 17 interviews lasting from one to several hours each were conducted with senior management. Analysis of the benchmark case was combined with extensive review of literature on business strategy to draw strategic principles of experience marketing which are amenable to further evaluation for enhanced generalizability.

Findings

The six dimensions of business strategy: customer orientation, unique company capabilities, barriers to imitation, internal marketing, employee empowerment, and visionary leadership were found to be interrelated with experience marketing. This article also brings focus on research on cross‐level dependencies by outlining a detailed agenda for future research and operationalizing the constructs.

Originality/value

The linking of experience marketing with business strategy is a novel perspective as the extant literature deals with the subject only in the context of the functional area of marketing.
DSC‐backstepping based robust adaptive LS‐SVM control for near space vehicle's reentry attitude
Authors: Zhang Jingmei , Sun Changyin , Huang Yiqing
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a robust control scheme for near space vehicle's (NSV's) reentry attitude tracking problem under aerodynamic parameter variations and external disturbances.

Design/methodology/approach

The robust control scheme is composed of dynamic surface control (DSC) and least squares support vector machines (LS‐SVM). DSC is used to design a nonlinear controller for HSV; then, to increase the robustness and improve the control performance of the controller. LS‐SVM is presented to estimate the lumped uncertainties, including aerodynamic parameter variations and external disturbances. The stability analysis shows that all closed‐loop signals are bounded, with output tracking error and estimate error of LS‐SVM weights exponentially converging to small compacts.

Findings

Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method is effective, leading to promising performance.

Originality/value

First, a robust control scheme composed of DSC and adaptive LS‐SVM is proposed for NSV's reentry attitude tracking problem under aerodynamic parameter variations and external disturbances; second, the proposed method can achieve more favorable tracking performances than conventional dynamic surface control because of employing LS‐SVM to estimate aerodynamic parameter variations and external disturbances.
EMMAE failure detection system and failure evaluation over flight performance
Authors: Qiu Yueheng , Zhang Weiguo , Liu Xiaoxiong , Zhao Pengxuan
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the research into fault detection and isolation (FDI) and evaluation of the reduction of performance after failures occurred in the flight control system (FCS) during its mission operation.

Design/methodology/approach

The FDI is accomplished via using the multiple models scheme which is developed based on the Extend Kalman Filter (EKF) algorithm. Towards this objective, the healthy mode of the FCS under different type of failures, including the control surfaces and structural, should be considered. It developed a bank of extended multiple models adaptive estimation (EMMAE) to detect and isolate the above mentioned failures in the FCS. In addition, the performances including the flight envelope, the voyage and endurance in cruising are proposed to reference and evaluate the process of mission, especially for UAV under failure conditions.

Findings

The contribution of this paper is to provide the information not only about the failures, but also considering whether the UAV can accomplish the task for the ground station.

Originality/value

The main contribution of this paper is in the areas of the structural and control surface faults researching, which are occurred in the mission procedures and emphasized the identification of those failures' magnitudes. The FDI scheme includes the performance evaluation, while the evaluation obtained through the extensive numerical simulations and saved in the offline database. As a consequence, it is more accurate and less computationally demanding while evaluating the performance.
Chattering‐free sliding mode control with unidirectional auxiliary surfaces for miniature helicopters
Authors: Fu Jian , Chen Wen‐hua , Wu Qing‐xian
Published: August 2012

Purpose

This article proposes a chattering‐free sliding mode control scheme with unidirectional auxiliary surfaces (UAS‐SMC) for small miniature autonomous helicopters (Trex 250).

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed UAS‐SMC scheme consists of a nested sequence of rotor dynamics, angular rate, Euler angle, velocity and position loops.

Findings

It is demonstrated that the UAS‐SMC strategy can eliminate the chattering phenomenon exhibiting in the convenient SMC method and achieve a better approaching speed.

Originality/value

The proposed control strategy is implemented on the helicopter and flight tests clearly demonstrate that a much better performance could be achieved, compared with convenient SMC schemes.
Co‐authorship patterns in East Asia in the light of regional scientific collaboration
Authors: Li Jizhen , Xiong Hongru , Zhang Si , Jull Sorensen Olav
Published: August 2012

Purpose

Various forms of regional cooperation in East Asia have greatly increased in the past two decades. Scientific collaboration is beneficial for both scientifically lagging countries (SLCs) and scientifically advanced countries (SACs) with respect to their S&T capacity and thus economic prosperity. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive description of intra‐regional scientific collaboration in East Asia from 1985 to 2008 with the 10+3 (ASEAN ten plus China, Japan and South Korea) framework.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses co‐authored articles embodied by Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI‐Expanded) to indicate cross‐border scientific collaboration.

Findings

Data show that heterogeneity in the publication output across East Asian countries is decreasing. Intra‐ASEAN, intra‐ Northeast Asia, as well as ASEAN and Northeast Asia scientific collaboration greatly improved since 1997.

Originality/value

This paper discusses factors influencing international scientific collaboration and focuses on explaining the impact of regional integration. Finally, it offers further suggestions on East Asian integration from the perspective of scientific collaboration.
High‐tech industry clustering in less favoured areas
Authors: Siddivò Marisa , De Chiara Alessandra
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that synergy between firms and local institutions may lead to success even in an economic environment which cannot offer competitive advantages to high tech industrial clustering. However, the condition for such a complex result is convergence between cluster‐based regional development policy, the related industry national strategy and the central government preferential policy for less developed areas.

Design/methodology/approach

The experiences selected as case studies are the Xi'an National Civil Aerospace Base in Shaanxi Province (China) and CampaniAerospace in Campania region (Italy). As information was gathered both through policy documents (China and Italy) and direct interviews to cluster's stakeholders (Italy), the outcome is, according to the criteria suggested by Eisenhardt and Yin, a qualitative research. Comparing economic data provided by the respective countries' Statistical Offices, the authors assessed that Shaanxi Province and the Campania region share a “peripheral” position within their respective national context. Starting from this, the authors analyzed the formal documents which reported the experience of the two clusters.

Findings

The finding is that the outcome (the status of cluster which is assumed as “a value in itself”) of the convergence between firms' will to gain agglomeration advantages and the policymakers' plan to redress interregional economic disparities is definitely not an efficiency‐driven process. In the high tech sectors which are very sensitive to the increasing competition for technology on the international market, the pursuit of efficiency may, on the contrary, be dissipated.

Originality/value

As attested by the comparative literature, aims and performance of industrial clusters differ in accordance with the stage of economic development as well as the institutional and regulatory framework. The paper demonstrates, however, that in the take‐off stage, it is the position occupied by the host region within the national context which determines the behaviour of the actors concerned as well as the outcome of their commitment.
Policy watch: fighting stigma and discrimination
Authors: Corlett Sophie
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The Policy Watch series reflects on recent and forthcoming developments in mental health policy across the UK. This paper aims to review recent trends in the stigmatisation of, and discrimination against, people with mental health problems in Great Britain.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper summarises and comments on recent policy documents and initiatives.

Findings

The paper suggests that while anti‐discrimination campaigns have had some impact in reducing discrimination, progress on public attitudes have reversed. Hardening of attitudes towards vulnerable groups during times of recession, as well as negative media coverage on welfare benefits, may have contributed to this reversal.

Originality/value

The paper updates knowledge of recent and forthcoming mental health policy and initiatives.
Remarkable lives: Peter Bullimore in conversation with Jerome Carson
Authors: Bullimore Peter , Carson Jerome
Published: August 2012

Purpose

This paper seeks to offer a profile of Peter Bullimore, one of the most dynamic lived experience speakers and trainers in the mental health world.

Design/methodology/approach

A profile of Peter is built up through an in‐depth interview by psychologist Jerome Carson. Areas covered include: his experience of hearing voices; his work in Australia and New Zealand; stigma; recovery; inspiring individuals in mental health; his personal illness and medication; the media; and changes and challenges.

Findings

Peter tells us that hearing voices are signs of a problem not an illness, and are often linked to trauma. He feels British work on recovery is in advance of that in Australia and New Zealand. He sees a day when it will no longer be necessary to use the term schizophrenia. Instead of recovery people should be thinking of discovery.

Originality/value

For too long the only voices that have been heard in the mental health field have been the professional voices. Peter's is one of many new inspirational voices to have emerged from the developing service user movement.
The philosophy of greencare: why it matters for our mental health
Authors: Haigh Rex
Published: August 2012

Purpose

This paper aims to demonstrate the confluence of thinking across several areas, in their critique of modernity, with potential solutions in the mental health field.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses case and organisational examples related to relevant theory and clinical practice to demonstrate relevant contradictions and paradoxes in “modernised” mental health care. This is based on the author's experience as a public sector psychiatrist specialising in “personality disorder” to lead a government programme of new service developments in the field.

Findings

Modern methods of management, focusing on measurement, prediction and control – in the service of efficiency and economy – are not sufficient to meet the needs of a population with high incidence of “personality disorder”. A major change of attitude is required, to an authentic biopsychosocial approach, including spiritual and other non‐verbal considerations.

Research limitations/implications

Hitherto, research has not combined these elements in a way that has made it easy to capture and analyse them. New methodologies and paradigms may be called for.

Practical implications

Mental health care should not be considered an entirely rational process that can be measured and manualised; considerations of how to better manage complexity and uncertainty are urgently needed.

Social implications

Destigmatisation and normalisation of mental distress and “illness” should occur.

Originality/value

The paper introduces two new terms to mental health discourse: “greencare” and “biopsychosocialism”.
Rainbow redemption: mental health takes centre stage
Authors: Wilson Latoya
Published: August 2012

Purpose

This article seeks to share and celebrate the experience of using drama to demystify and destigmatise mental illness.

Design/methodology/approach

The article provides a descriptive account of a drama project from the perspectives of participants and the author. The innovative use of drama to promote mental wellbeing, the diverse partnerships that underpinned the production, and the positive impact on performers and audience are outlined.

Findings

Drama can be an effective way of increasing mental health awareness. It can also be an enjoyable way of getting across the message that even those who lack mental wellbeing have dreams and can achieve them.

Practical implications

Key to success was good joint working between a range of health, social care and community agencies, as well as local service users. Financial resources for putting on the production provided by the local mental health trust were also crucial.

Social implications

The drama promoted mental health and thereby potentially helped to reduce stigma and ill‐health. The partnership process involving diverse participants including mental health service providers, service users and people with different ethnic backgrounds was itself beneficial.

Originality/value

The article illustrates that the production was innovative in its broad partnership and use of drama to get its message across to mixed audiences.
The role of self‐help groups in promoting well‐being: experiences from a cancer group
Authors: Visram Nazira , Roberts Adrian , Seebohm Patience
Published: August 2012

Purpose

This article aims to describe how a self‐help group for people with cancer helped members regain mental well‐being. It is set within the context of the ESTEEM project which aims to develop guidelines for health and social care professionals on how to support self‐help groups.

Design/methodology/approach

The article is based on personal experience of belonging to the self‐help group. It also draws on a participatory qualitative study of 21 self‐help groups concerned with a range of health and social issues, carried out for the ESTEEM project.

Findings

Group members regained a sense of control over their lives, developed supportive relationships and participated in collective activities. They saw other members redefine their identity, not as victims but as people with a purpose in life. Early findings from the ESTEEM project suggest that other self‐help groups similarly promote social inclusion and mental well‐being.

Research limitations/implications

ESTEEM is a three stage programme still underway and conclusions are not yet finalised. Interview questions did not focus on well‐being; the association emerged during analysis.

Practical implications

The authors argue that the member‐led nature of self‐help groups is safe and effective in promoting well‐being. Top‐down monitoring and evaluation requirements are unhelpful.

Social implications

This article and the ESTEEM project aim to increase the options available to commissioners and professionals wishing to promote mental well‐being.

Originality/value

Self‐help groups are seldom mentioned in the literature on well‐being. This article starts to fill this gap.
Flying high – using trapeze to promote recovery, employment and social inclusion
Authors: Rixom Joanne
Published: August 2012

Purpose

This paper aims to describe and explore the effects of integrating physical exercise (trapeze work) into a mental health individual placement and support (IPS) programme.

Design/methodology/approach

The project offered between six and twelve trapeze lessons on a weekly basis to individuals diagnosed with a range of mental health conditions. A breadth of quantitative and qualitative data were gathered with participants about their experiences. Methods included: reflexive journals; feedback questionnaires; film and photographic footage; and clinical assessment measures.

Findings

Participants reported a range of psychological benefits including enhanced self esteem, greater motivation, and ability to overcome mental barriers such as fear. This was highlighted by improvements in clinical measures. Significant psychological progress was made towards work, including confidence to work and motivation for job seeking. This also resulted in practical outcomes such as finding employment.

Practical implications

Although the project was not set up as a research investigation, programme outcomes support adopting a broad, holistic approach to mental wellbeing and employment support. IPS employment programmes could benefit from offering a portfolio of interventions which include physical exercise.

Originality/value

There have been limited studies assessing the impact of physical exercise combined with employment support; the IPS model does not incorporate supplementary activities such as exercise. This paper contributes to learning as to how employment support programmes might be optimised, a particularly pertinent issue in the current climate of high unemployment.
Flight to liquidity due to heterogeneity in investment horizon
Authors: Lei Qin , Wang Xuewu
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide some rational perspectives for the flight‐to‐liquidity event rather than simply attributing it to the change in investor sentiment.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper builds a model to highlight the inherent difference in investors' investment horizon, and thus their sensitivity to changes in transaction costs in the stock and bond markets. When stock market deterioration results in higher trading costs, the existing marginal investor shifts wealth to bonds instead of remaining indifferent between stocks and bonds. At the new equilibrium, there is a higher fraction of bond ownership and a longer average investment horizon among stock holders. The paper then empirically tests the model predictions using data in the US stock and bond markets.

Findings

The authors find evidence strongly supporting this paper's theoretical predictions. Days with high stock illiquidity, high stock volatility and low stock return are associated with high yield spread in the bond market. This contemporaneous linkage between the stock market and the bond market is even stronger during periods with strong net outflows from stock mutual funds and strong net inflows to money market funds. The paper also demonstrates the existence of a maturity pattern that the predicted effects, especially the effects of stock illiquidity, are much stronger over shorter maturities.

Originality/value

The finding of this model that the investment horizon of the marginal investor (and thus the equilibrium price impact in the bond market) responds to changes in market conditions contributes to the theoretical debate on whether transaction costs matter. The flow evidence strengthens our understanding of the asset pricing implications of portfolio rebalancing decisions, and the maturity effect bolsters the case for flights to liquidity/quality due to heterogeneity in investment horizon without resorting to investor irrationality or behavioral attributes. In fact, it is arguably difficult to reconcile with a behavioral explanation.
Stamp characteristics and long‐term return after issuance: evidence from new China stamps
Authors: Chen Xin , Chen Xian
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine long‐term return of new China collectible stamps after their issuance and how stamp characteristics affect the return.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors construct a model to analyze the determinants of stamps' long‐term return and test their hypotheses empirically in a sample of 1,201 sets of Chinese collectible stamps issued between 1949 and 2008.

Findings

The paper finds Chinese stamps provide decent returns for collectors in terms of exceeding comparable one‐year savings rates. Among factors affecting annual excess returns of Chinese stamps, variables related to usage are the most important; quantity issued has significantly negative impact on returns of early stamps, but its coefficient has weak economic implications and it is not significant for BianNian stamps issued in more recent years. In general, variables related to topic have weak influence on stamp returns, but the topics about the most significant events of China in recent years have huge impact on stamp returns; in addition, variables related to design and printing can influence stamp returns to some extent.

Research limitations/implications

Overall, the results reveal that variables related to usage are the most important determinants of long‐term stamp return.

Practical implications

There have been fierce disputes among stamp collectors about how stamp features affect returns. Nevertheless, no systematic empirical studies exist about the issue. This paper sheds light on the disputes by providing the first piece of empirical evidence.

Originality/value

Moreover, existing studies of stamps treat them as one asset, but often ignore different characteristics within the group. This paper systematically investigates the influence of stamp characteristics to stamp return, and thus fills the caveat in the literature.