bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Illinois White Paper
Authors: Gunsalus C.K. , Bruner Edward M. , Burbules Nicholas C. , Dash Leon , Finkin Matthew , Goldberg Joseph P. , Greenough William T. , Miller Gregory A. , Pratt Michael G. , Iriye Masumi , Aronson Deb
Published: June 2007

Our system of research self-regulation, designed to provide internal checks and balances for those who participate in research involving human subjects, is under considerable stress. Much of this crisis has been caused by what we call mission creep, in which the workload of IRBs has expanded beyond their ability to handle effectively. Mission creep is caused by rewarding wrong behaviors, such as focusing more on procedures and documentation than difficult ethical questions; unclear definitions, which lead to unclear responsibilities; efforts to comply with unwieldy federal requirements even when research is not federally funded; exaggerated precautions to protect against program shutdowns; and efforts to protect against lawsuits. We recommend collecting data. We also call for refinements to our regulatory system that will provide a set of regulations designed for non-biomedical research. This will enable IRBs to direct attention to the areas of greatest risk while intentionally scaling back oversight in areas of lesser risk. We recommend removing some kinds of activity from IRB review altogether. Our system, if not broken, is seriously straining at the seams. It is imperative that we have a respected and effective system in place to protect human research subjects, so that much-needed research into the causes and prevention of disease and other research expanding the boundaries of knowledge can proceed. We hope that this White Paper will further the discussion about what reasonable procedures can be instituted to help get IRBs back on track and do what they were originally meant to do—protect the rights and welfare of human subjects while allowing the research enterprise to progress and its benefits to society to accrue.
New Perspectives on Assessing Amplification Effects
Authors: Souza Pamela E. , Tremblay Kelly L.
Published: June 2007

Clinicians have long been aware of the range of performance variability with hearing aids. Despite improvements in technology, there remain many instances of well-selected and appropriately fitted hearing aids whereby the user reports minimal improvement in speech understanding. This review presents a multistage framework for understanding how a hearing aid affects performance. Six stages are considered: (1) acoustic content of the signal, (2) modification of the signal by the hearing aid, (3) interaction between sound at the output of the hearing aid and the listener's ear, (4) integrity of the auditory system, (5) coding of available acoustic cues by the listener's auditory system, and (6) correct identification of the speech sound. Within this framework, this review describes methodology and research on 2 new assessment techniques: acoustic analysis of speech measured at the output of the hearing aid and auditory evoked potentials recorded while the listener wears hearing aids. Acoustic analysis topics include the relationship between conventional probe microphone tests and probe microphone measurements using speech, appropriate procedures for such tests, and assessment of signal-processing effects on speech acoustics and recognition. Auditory evoked potential topics include an overview of physiologic measures of speech processing and the effect of hearing loss and hearing aids on cortical auditory evoked potential measurements in response to speech. Finally, the clinical utility of these procedures is discussed.
MED-EL Cochlear Implants: State of the Art and a Glimpse Into the Future
Authors: Hochmair Ingeborg , Nopp Peter , Jolly Claude , Schmidt Marcus , Schößer Hansjörg , Garnham Carolyn , Anderson Ilona
Published: June 2007

Cochlear implantation is an accepted treatment method for adults and children with severe to profound hearing loss. Confidence in technology has led to changes in individuals who can receive a cochlear implant and changes in expected benefit with a cochlear implant. This article describes the research and development activities at MED-EL, which make possible the implementation of new speech-coding strategies as well as the application of acoustic and electric stimulation via a combined speech processor in MED-EL devices. Research on benefits from bilateral cochlear implantation and electric-acoustic stimulation are also reviewed. Finally, the potential of drug delivery systems is considered as a way to improve cochlear implant outcomes, and results from preliminary evaluations of a hybrid cochlear implant system with drug delivery capabilities are reported.
Marketing Private-Duty Home Care Services
Authors: Orsini Merrily
Published: June 2007

As the private-duty industry continues to grow at a rapid rate, the need for agencies to distinguish their business and separate themselves from the competition is more necessary than ever. With a carefully researched and thoughtfully planned marketing strategy, private-duty providers can rise above their competitors and successfully grow their businesses. This article covers the basics of marketing for the private-duty industry and how to develop a strategic marketing plan. In addition, the article provides tips on building successful sales and using lead-generation strategy and provides readers some ideas for marketing success.
Protecting Consumers from the Pitfalls of Home Care
Authors: Socol Christy
Published: June 2007

This article examines the growing number of Americans who are turning to home care as an alternative to nursing homes and institutionalized care. As more and more Americans seek in-home care, the chances for abuse and fraud increase. It is important for consumers to be informed about the various types of home care and the legal and physical responsibilities for the patient that go along with each. There are financial and legal ramifications that could result when hiring a home care worker from a registry. The alternative to registry home care workers is to hire an individual through a home care agency that employs and takes responsibility for their workers. This article provides the key differences between the types of home care and includes checklists and tables to assist the consumer in understanding the private-duty arena.
Online cognitive engagement of boys with ADHD
Authors: Whirley Kristen S. , Lorch Elizabeth Pugzles , Lemberger Clarese C. , Milich Richard
Published: June 2007

The present study was designed to examine the role that attentional problems may play in accounting for difficulties in story comprehension experienced by children with ADHD. A secondary task methodology was used to examine whether or not online variations in cognitive engagement with a televised story were related to the continuity of central or incidental information.

Twenty-two 9- to 11-year-old boys with ADHD and 36 of their nonreferred peers watched a television program and responded to auditory probes presented at preselected points during continuous sequences of central or incidental information. The reaction times to the probes for nonreferred boys showed the expected linear increase in cognitive engagement (i.e., the RTs increased) as central, plot-relevant sequences continued. In contrast, boys with ADHD showed the expected increase in RTs relatively late in the central sequences.

The results were discussed in terms of how delays in engaging with central information may contribute to the academic difficulties experienced by boys with ADHD.
Boredom proneness and sleep disorders as predictors of adult attention deficit scores
Authors: Kass Steven J. , Wallace J. Craig , Vodanovich Stephen J.
Published: June 2007

This study examined the extent to which boredom proneness and sleep disturbances were related to attention deficit scores in college-aged adults.

In a sample of 148 college students, Attention scores on the Adult Behavior Checklist were best predicted by Boredom Proneness (BP) subscale scores, which assess one’s inability to maintain internal stimulation and feelings of constraint, and scores on the Epworth Daytime Sleepiness Scale and Athens Insomnia Scale ( R 2 = .57). Hyperactivity scores were best predicted by the BP subscales, which assess one’s need for a stimulating environment, the perception of time passing slowly, and feelings of constraint, and the Epworth Scale ( R 2 = .51).

The findings contribute to the understanding of the symptomatology of attention deficit in adults and provide further evidence of the validity of this measure.
Knowledge and attitudes about Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A comparison between practicing teachers and undergraduate education students
Authors: Bekle Bruna
Published: June 2007

The knowledge and attitudes of practicing teachers regarding ADHD were compared with those of undergraduate education students. Key elements of studies of American and Canadian teachers by Jerome, Gordon, and Hustler (1994) and Jerome, Washington, Laine, and Segal (1999) were replicated. Information was gathered about participants’ demographic background (training in ADHD), attitudes towards ADHD, and knowledge about its diagnosis and treatment.

Results confirmed the existence of some knowledge gaps, although both practicing teachers and undergraduate education students possessed sound information about ADHD. Misconceptions about ADHD primarily concerned dietary treatment. Attitudes and knowledge were significantly correlated and most participants regarded ADHD as a valid diagnosis with implications for the school setting, and expressed a desire for comprehensive training. Despite similar results for both samples, teachers achieved higher accuracy on knowledge-based questions. These results are discrepant from those of Jerome et al. (1999) who found teachers and students to be similar in factual knowledge. Implications of these findings for curriculum development in academia and in-service teacher training are highlighted.
Quality of life of adolescent males with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Topolski Tari D. , Edwards Todd C. , Patrick Donald L. , Varley Patti , Way Margaret E. , Buesching Don P.
Published: June 2007

Most psychosocial research on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has focused on deficits in school, family, or behavioral functioning without incorporating perceived quality of life (QoL) or the adolescents’ perspective. The Youth Quality of Life Instrument—Research Version (YQOL-R), was used to assess self-perceived QoL in a community sample of adolescents aged 11—18 years.

Fifty-five adolescent males with a clinical diagnosis of ADHD were compared to a group of 107 adolescents with no chronic conditions (NCC) and a group of 52 adolescents with mobility impairments (MI). The adolescents with ADHD reported significantly lower perceived QoL scores, particularly in the Self and Relationship domains, than the NCC group. Their scores were similar to those from the group with MI, a group previously shown to have a substandard QoL. Interventions to improve self-esteem and social interactions might use QoL outcomes in evaluating effectiveness.
Neurological Complications of Aortic Surgery
Authors: Harrington Deborah , Wong Carl H. , Bonser Robert S.
Published: June 2007

Surgery of the aortic arch involves an inherently high risk of neurological complications. A number of factors have been identified which may predispose the patient to brain injury, and various techniques employed in an attempt to counteract these are outlined. In particular the vulnerability of the brain to ischemia has led to the development of three adjunctive cerebral protective techniques, hypothermic circulatory arrest, retrograde cerebral perfusion and selective antegrade cerebral perfusion, all based upon brain cooling and metabolic inhibition. The relative merits and disadvantages of these techniques are therefore discussed. Finally, pharmacologic adjuncts and potential future developments in aortic arch surgery are discussed.
Is Off-pump Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery Cost-Saving?
Authors: Hollenbeak Christopher S. , Morris D. Lynn , Sinclair Michael C.
Published: June 2007

One of the challenges in comparing the cost of off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery to conventional coronary artery bypass graft surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass is that most data are from observational studies, not randomized controlled trials. Thus, cost differences observed between groups may not be attributable to the difference in surgical technique, but to the underlying patient characteristics that ultimately led the patient to be selected to receive one procedure or another. The purpose of this study was to control for patient selection effects in observational data and estimate reductions in costs and length of stay attributable to the off-pump coronary artery bypass procedure. We studied 1172 patients (245 off-pump coronary artery bypass and 927 coronary artery bypass graft) undergoing coronary bypass graft surgery via a median sternotomy at the Lehigh Valley Hospital between January 1, 1999 and June 30, 2000. Propensity scores were used to match patients who received off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery to similar coronary artery bypass graft surgery patients. Logistic regression was used to estimate propensity scores and select 181 patients from the coronary artery bypass graft group for comparison to patients in the off-pump coronary artery bypass group. Statistical comparisons of continuous outcomes were made using the Student t test after a transformation to natural log scale to correct skewness. Patients in the off-pump group tended to be treated by surgeons with more experience with off-pump surgery (p=0.0001), relatively older (p-0.001), had fewer diseased vessels (p=0.0001), did not have previous coronary artery bypass graft surgery (p=0.01), and had elective (p=0.0002) or urgent (p=0.002) surgery rather than emergent or salvage surgery. Propensity score matched coronary artery bypass graft patients had significantly longer total LOS (p=0.02), postoperative length of stay (p=0.03), and total costs (p=0.016) than patients who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery. After correcting for selection effects, off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery was associated with 12% lower total costs, 14% fewer total and postoperative hospital days. This suggests that coronary artery bypass surgery without cardiopulmonary bypass is cost-saving at a large academic community medical center. Future research should consider whether off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery is also cost-effective.
Beating Heart Versus Conventional Cardiopulmonary Bypass: The Octopus Experience: A Randomized Comparison of 281 Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery With or Without Cardiopulmonary Bypass
Authors: van Dijk Diederik , Diephuis Jan C. , Nierich Arno P. , Keizer Annemieke M. A. , Kalkman Cor J.
Published: June 2007

In the Octopus Study, 281 coronary artery bypass surgery patients were randomized to surgery with or without cardiopulmonary bypass. The primary objective was to compare cognitive outcome between off-pump and on-pump coronary artery bypass surgery. Before and after surgery, psychologists administered a battery of 10 neuropsychological tests to the patients. Cognitive decline was defined as a decrease in an individual’s performance of at least 20% from baseline, in at least 20% of the main variables. According to this definition, cognitive decline was present in 21% in the off-pump group and 29% in the on-pump group, 3 months after the procedure ( P = .15). At 12 months, cognitive decline was present in 31% in the off-pump group and 34% in the on-pump group ( P = .69). These results indicated that patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery without cardiopulmonary bypass had improved cognitive outcomes 3 months after the procedure, but the effects were limited and became negligible at 12 months. The same definition of cognitive decline was also applied to 112 volunteers not undergoing surgery. The definition labeled 28% of the control subjects as suffering from cognitive decline, 3 months after their first assessment. This suggests that the natural fluctuations in performance during repeated neuropsychological testing should be included in the statistical analysis of cognitive decline. Using an alternative definition of cognitive decline that takes these natural fluctuations in performance into account, the proportions of coronary artery bypass surgery patients displaying cognitive decline were substantially lower. This indicates that the incidence of cognitive decline after coronary artery bypass surgery has been overestimated.
Hypertension and the Heart
Authors: Mancia Giuseppe , Scopelliti Francesco , Grassi Guido
Published: June 2007

The interactions linking high blood pressure with hypertensive heart disease are reciprocal. Hypertension can be regarded as a source of adverse effects on myocardial structure and function by favoring the development and progression of left ventricular hypertrophy and of left ventricular dysfunction and failure in the advanced phases of the disease. Conversely, the heart can be regarded as a source of reflex influences on the cardiovascular system, which appear to be deranged in the hypertensive state. The clinical relevance of this reflex dysfunction is based on the evidence that these alterations may favor the occurrence of an increased sympathetic vasoconstrictor drive, thereby promoting the development of the1 hypertensive state. Both phenomena have important clinic and therapeutic implications potentiating the cardiovascular risk profile of the hypertensive patient.
Genomics Basics: DNA Structure, Gene Expression, Cloning, Genetic Mapping, and Molecular Tests
Authors: Tefferi Ayalew
Published: June 2007

Genomics is the study of the structure and function of the human genome including genes and their surrounding DNA sequences. The over 3 billion base pairs of the human genome have now been sequenced and approximately 25 000 genes acknowledged. However, only 1% of the entire genome has been assigned to protein coding and decades more work is anticipated to define the functional relevance of noncoding DNA as well as the basis and consequences of sequence variations among individuals. For medical scientists, the focus remains on discovering both disease-causing and disease-susceptibility genes. For pharmaceutical companies, the opportunity to develop molecularly targeted therapy is not going unnoticed. For the practicing physician, the prospect of genomic medicine that incorporates molecular diagnosis and pathogenesis-targeted therapy requires basic understanding of terminology and concepts in molecular biology and the corresponding laboratory tests.
Genetics of Coagulation: Considerations for Cardiac Surgery
Authors: Morozowich Steven T. , Donahue Brian S. , Welsby Ian J.
Published: June 2007

Genetic variants in the coagulation system have been known since antiquity. Today, because of modern improvements in diagnosis and medical management, the clinician is likely to encounter a spectrum of coagulation factor deficiencies and identified polymorphic variants in the surgical population. Because perioperative hemorrhagic and thrombotic complications are potentially serious, it is important to understand the role that these defects and variants may play in predicting risk and optimizing patient management. The implications of coagulation genetics on the perioperative management of the cardiac surgery patient are reviewed.
Anesthetic Management for the Pediatric Patient Undergoing Deep Hypothermic Circulatory Arrest
Authors: Schlunt Michelle L. , Brauer Stanley D.
Published: June 2007

Early definitive repair of complex congenital heart defects is now advocated. For the completion of many of these repairs, the use of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) is an absolute necessity. Unfortunately, there is undeniable neurologic morbidity, as well as other complications associated with DHCA. Anesthesiologists can aid in minimizing these unfortunate complications with the appropriate anesthetic management. Areas of current controversy in managing pediatric patients undergoing DHCA, which will be covered in this article, include cardiopulmonary bypass strategies (low-flow cardiopulmonary bypass versus DHCA), arterial blood gas management, hemodilution effects, glucose management, and the use of steroids, barbiturates, and antifibrinolytics. Every institution varies in their techniques, and there is always some new insight to be gained from discussion of these differences. At this time, anesthesiologists and surgeons alike are striving to gain further understanding of what truly occurs with the use of DHCA and in turn apply this clinically to provide better care for all pediatric patients undergoing this unique management.
Brain Monitoring and Protection During Pediatric Cardiac Surgery
Authors: Williams Glyn D. , Ramamoorthy Chandra
Published: June 2007

With advances in medical care, survival after cardiac surgery for congenital heart disease has dramatically improved, and attention is increasingly focused on longterm functional morbidities, especially neurodevelopmental outcomes, with their profound consequences to patients and society. There are multiple reasons for concern about brain injury. Some cardiac defects are associated with brain anomalies and altered cerebral blood flow regulation. Brain imaging studies have demonstrated that injury to gray and white matter is quite frequent before heart surgery in neonates. Cardiopulmonary bypass and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest are associated with shortand longer-term adverse neurologic outcome. Additional brain injury can occur during the patient's recovery from surgery. Strategies to optimize neurologic outcome continue to evolve. With new technological developments, perioperative neurologic monitoring of small children has become easier, and data suggest these modalities usefully identify adverse neurologic events and might predict outcome. Monitoring methods to be discussed include processed electroencephalography, near infrared spectroscopy, and transcranial Doppler ultrasound. Alternative perfusion techniques to deep hypothermic circulatory arrest have been developed, such as regional antegrade cerebral perfusion during cardiopulmonary bypass. Other neuroprotective strategies employed during open-heart surgery include temperature regulation, acid-base management, degree of hemodilution, blood glucose control and anti-inflammatory therapies. Evidence of the impact of these measures on neurologic outcome is examined, and deficiencies in our current understanding of neurologic function in children with congenital heart disease are identified.
A Review and Analysis of the Policy-Capturing Methodology in Organizational Research: Guidelines for Research and Practice
Authors: Karren Ronald J. , Barringer Melissa Woodard
Published: June 2007

Policy-capturing has been employed extensively in the past to examine how organizational decision makers use the information available to them when making evaluative judgments. The purpose of this article is to provide researchers with guidelines for enhancing the reliability and validity of their studies. More specifically, the authors identify issues researchers may want to consider when designing such studies and offer suggestions for effectively addressing them. They draw on a review of 37 articles from 5 major journals to identify “best practice” and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of alternative approaches to resolving the various issues. The key issues are (a) the realism of the approach and its effect on both internal and external validity, (b) the limits of the full factorial design, (c) the need for orthogonal cues, (d) sample size and statistical power, and (e) the assessment of reliability. The analysis also includes comparisons with conjoint analysis, a similar methodology used in the marketing research literature.
Refining Lodahl and Kejner’s Job Involvement Scale with a Convergent Evidence Approach: Applying Multiple Methods to Multiple Samples
Authors: Reeve Charlie L. , smith carlla S.
Published: June 2007

Lodahl and Kejner’s Job Involvement (JI) measure has been and continues to be heavily used despite known measurement deficiencies. Using a convergent evidence approach, the authors examine the psychometric properties of that scale and offer a refined version that accurately taps the JI construct. Based on a combination of five methodologies (qualitative content analysis, classical item analyses, item response theory analyses, partial confirmatory factor analyses, and discriminant validity analysis) applied to five samples, results indicate that numerous items function inadequately as indicators of JI, whereas a core of items have superior item statistics and conceptually match the definition of JI. The advantages of using a convergent evidence approach are discussed.
Modeling the Impact of Organizational Change: A Bayesian Network Approach
Authors: Anderson Ronald D. , Lenz R. Thomas
Published: June 2007

Bayesian networks offer a mechanism for diagnosing the key changes necessary for system improvement and for predicting the impacts of potential change actions. A review of the fundamentals of Bayesian networks is presented, with a discussion of strengths and weaknesses. A model is constructed to assess the impact of potential changes in the decision-making process of a large global manufacturing organization. The procedure for building a network structure, estimating conditional probabilities, assessing internal consistency, and conducting probabilistic inference are provided by the application.
Toward a Further Understanding of and Improvement in Measurement Invariance Methods and Procedures
Authors: Vandenberg Robert J.
Published: June 2007

Recognizing that measurement invariance was rarely tested for in organizational research, and that it should be, Vandenberg and Lance elaborated on the importance of conducting tests of measurement invariance and proposed an integrative paradigm for conducting sequences of measurement invariance tests. Building on their platform, the current article addresses some of the shortcomings in our understanding of the analytical procedures. In particular, it points out the need to address (a) the sensitivity of the analytical procedures, (b) the susceptibility of the procedures to contextual influences, (c) how partial invariance affects the tests of substantive interest, and (d) the triggers or causes for not supporting invariance. In the hopes of stimulating further research on these topics, ideas are presented as to how this research may be undertaken.
Correction for Unreliability of Multifactor Measures: Comparison of Alpha and Parallel Forms Approaches
Authors: Rogers William M. , Schmitt Neal , Mullins Morell E.
Published: June 2007

Coefficient alpha is a widely used and useful index of reliability, but it provides an inappropriate estimate of reliability when used with multidimensional composites. The problematic nature of this inappropriate usage varies primarily as a function of the prominence of distinct factors in a composite and to a lesser extent as a function of the length of the measure. Implications for use of coefficient alpha estimates of reliability as the basis for correcting observed correlations for unreliability are described for a variety of levels of multidimensionality and measure length. Researchers should correct for unreliability to estimate construct interrelationships but must exercise care as to how they conceptualize errors of measurement and how they estimate reliability.
A Picture of the Frame: Frame Analysis as Technique and as Politics
Authors: Creed W.E. Douglas , Langstraat Jeffrey A. , Scully Maureen A.
Published: June 2007

In this article, the authors make the case for using frame analysis, an analytical tool commonly used in empirical work on social movements and social policy debates, as a strategy for organizational research. Using two sample texts—representing opposite stands on how the socially responsible investing movement should view investing decisions based on corporate handling of lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgendered workplace issues—they illustrate several important methodological and epistemological concerns for organizational scholars considering this technique. They examine four key issues in particular that arise in thinking about how and why to use frame analysis: (a) using frame analysis to sort out underlying logics; (b) situating frames in context; (c) surfacing politics, subjugated voices, and implicit ideologies; and (d) making mindful choices as organizational researchers. They give special attention to the problem of how our reflexive positions and claims about knowledge have implications for conducting and reading frame analyses.
Interpretation—Appropriation: (Making) an Example of Labor Process Theory
Authors: Wray-Bliss Edward
Published: June 2007

In this article, the author explores ethically problematic relations that may be reproduced within a genre of interpretive organizational research: namely, (U.K.) labor process theory (LPT). Although the author endorses LPT’s critical and explicitly antioppressive values, he argues that interpretive practices employed by core authors contradict the genre’s value base and function to silence and appropriate challenging empirical elements to affirm LPT’s valued interpretive schema. The author draws out deeply problematic implications of such appropriation through highlighting parallels between interpretation, appropriation, and colonization. The author ends by considering the nature of, and possibility for, more ethical “critical” interpretive organizational research.
On Average Deviation Indices for Estimating Interrater Agreement
Authors: Burke Michael J. , Finkelstein Lisa M. , Dusig Michelle S.
Published: June 2007

In this investigation, the authors report the results of two studies designed to investigate the efficacy of two proposed indices of interrater agreement based on average deviations from the mean and from the median (ADM and ADMd , respectively). Using survey response data collected from 6,549 sales employees in 119 stores of a national retail company, Study 1 compared the results of six interrater agreement indices across four types of Likert-type response scales (i.e., 5-, 6-, 7-, and 11-point scales). The results indicated that the AD indices were highly correlated with an index of proportional agreement and with within-group interrater agreement indices. Study 2, based on survey data collected from 4,158 sales employees in 109 other stores of this company, constructively replicated Study 1 and examined the consistency of interrater agreement decisions across six indices with respect to a priori decision rules. Study 2 results also supported the use of AD indices. Practical issues concerning the use of AD indices for estimating interrater agreement and future research directions are discussed.
Fitting Parametric Fixed Effect Categorical Models to Effect Sizes: A Neglected Meta-Analytic Approach in Organizational Studies
Authors: Stajkovic Alexander D.
Published: June 2007

Hedges and Olkin’s meta-analytic procedures for fitting parametric fixed effect categorical models to effect sizes have been widely used in research in experimental, social, and educational psychology. However, to date, this meta-analytic approach has been largely absent from the management literature in general and organizational behavior literature in particular. This article summarizes Hedges and Olkin’s meta-analytic method by (a) outlining the specific step-by-step analytical procedures, (b) using a simplified notational system, and (c) providing methodological and conceptual rationale for each analysis. The use of this approach can add considerable methodological power and provide a relevant meta-analytic alternative to the study of organizational behavior and management.
Ν2: A Proportional Variance-Accounted for Index for Some Cross-Level and Person-Situation Research Designs
Authors: Lance Charles E. , James Lawrence R.
Published: June 2007

The authors present a new “relative effect size” statistic (n2 ) that indexes the proportion of criterion variance accounted for by (some set of) measured variable(s) relative to the proportion of criterion variance that could potentially be accounted for by the entire class of variables of which the measured variables are a subset. Statistical rationale, estimation procedures, inferential statistical tests, and research examples are presented for n2 for the cases of situational variables, person variables, and person situation interactions.
Radiative Properties of High and Low Density Fiberglass Insulation in the 4-38.5 km Wavelength Region
Authors: Roux J. A.
Published: June 2007

Previously work was performed to determine radiative properties of low density fiberglass insulation in the 4-18.5 mm wavelength region; these properties were determined from directional-hemispherical reflectance data. This present work expands on the properties previously available by yielding the radiative properties of not only low density fiberglass insulation but also of high density fiberglass insulation in the extended wavelength region of 4-38.5 mm. Also these properties were determined from both directional-hemispherical and hemispherical-directional reflectance data. An inversion method was used to determine the spectral radiative properties by coupling the experimental data and theoretical reflectance values via the nonlinear least squares method for determining the radiative properties. The theoretical reflectance values were computed from the discrete ordinates solution to the radiative transport equation. These spectral radiative properties are important for conducting realistic radiative heat transfer computations associated with commonly used fiberglass insulations.
Customer knowledge management in the travel industry
Authors: Gamble Paul , Chalder Melanie , Stone Merlin
Published: June 2007

Despite the increasing importance of customer knowledge management, the concept appears to be ill-defined by companies across the travel industry. The aims of this research were twofold: first, to determine how some leading companies within the travel industry were managing their customer relationships; and second, to ascertain how they intended to proceed in a changing market environment. Using a qualitative research approach, semistructured interviews were held with a convenience sample of ten respondent companies. Several major issues were identified, including strategic vision, customer knowledge/needs, and the role of technology. While most respondents acknowledged the strategic importance of customer relationship management, they were found to be struggling, to varying degrees, with its integration into service delivery.
A qualitative study of the current practices of ‘no-frills’ airlines operating in the UK
Authors: Gilbert David , Child David , Bennett Marion
Published: June 2007

The no-frills carriers, through clearly articulated strategies, have successfully challenged the power and dominance of major carriers, and have contributed to the identification of a market segment attracted by low air fares and efficient airline service. The rapid development of Europe’s ‘low-cost’ carriers has found Southwest and Valuejet to be valuable models to follow. This study is based upon qualitative research with marketers in the UK no-frills sector. The results indicate differences in the marketing approach and also the way the marketplace has responded, with the more traditional airlines embarking upon cost-cutting and alliance strategies. Regarding the future, as the European airline industry increases in competitiveness the opportunities for ‘low-cost’ competition may become restrictive. Further problems, such as those of Debonair and a reoccurrence of US-style bankruptcies and mergers, could lead to a reconfigured industry and a higher range of European fares.
Comparative performance analysis: Tourists’ perceptions of Turkey relative to other tourist destinations
Authors: Yüksel Atila , Yüksel Fisun
Published: June 2007

As a result of ever-intensifying competition, destination managers are increasingly in need of comparative information in order to identify their relative product strengths and weaknesses, a critical step in formulating appropriate competitive actions. It is highly likely that tourism destinations failing to pay attention to the performance delivered by their competitors, not knowing their own potential shortcomings in service delivery, and overlooking the improvement of tourist experience and satisfaction stand to lose their market share. Focusing on Turkish tourism, this study aimed to provide destination managers with exploratory insights into what tourists regarded as the components of a satisfying holiday experience and how tourists perceived the destination performance relative to other destinations. A modified experience-based framework was adopted in order to understand tourists’ perceptions of the destination relative to other destinations, and whether experiences with other destinations affected their present holiday evaluation. The study found that tourists might judge the destination’s performance on a set of attributes, some being more tangible, and some being relatively more important. The relation found between tourists’ perceptions of other destinations and their evaluation of the current holiday suggests that what other destinations have to offer might affect tourists’ current satisfaction judgments and their future behavioural intentions. Managerial implications of the study are discussed.
The degree of congruency between roadside billboard advertisements and sought attributes of motels by US drive tourists
Authors: Shanahan Kevin J.
Published: June 2007

Almost a quarter of all recreational trips over 60 miles (95km) are taken in private vehicles, but there is a scarcity of studies in the tourism literature covering the topic of drive tourism. This paper attempts to augment the paucity of literature on this important and burgeoning market. As a study of billboard advertising targeting drive tourists, this paper seeks to determine if there is an attempt to differentiate motels via attributes advertised on roadside billboard advertising, to identify the attributes sought by drive tourists and to compare them with the offerings communicated to them by roadside billboard advertising for motels. Content analysis and survey results suggest motels can improve on the mix of attributes they are advertising in attempts to attract drive tourists seeking lodging along the interstate highway system. The author offers suggestions to enrich advertising strategy for both independent and chain motels.
The world at our fingertips — How online travel companies can turn clicks into bookings
Authors: Gianforte Greg
Published: June 2007

Even just a few decades ago, the thought of arranging and booking a major holiday merely by making a couple of quick clicks on a mouse, would have been inconceivable. Now, it is increasingly common both to plan and to book a trip online.

But many travel firms are not making the most of these opportunities. Their websites make it difficult for users to find information quickly. These businesses could boost sales by following straightforward best practices regarding design and navigation. Travel companies must learn how to prevent potential customers from giving up on their website, or becoming frustrated at chaotic pre- or post-sales support.

The last year has seen a generally unsettled market, hit by terrorism, SARS and an overall economic turndown, resulting in a fiercely competitive arena. In this environment, providing exceptional online end-to-end user experience is not an added extra; it is vital. Failing this, surfing elsewhere online will ultimately lead online customers to ride the waves at someone else’s resort.
Relational network brands: Towards a conceptual model of place brands
Authors: Hankinson Graham
Published: June 2007

This paper develops a conceptual model of the place brand which goes beyond the conceptualisations currently to be found in the literature and, it is argued, reflects more closely the reality faced by those who market places as destinations. The paper begins with an analysis of the classical branding literature and a review of the emerging literature associated with the relational exchange and the network marketing paradigms. Four streams of thought are identified as regards the nature of brands. These include the brand as a communicator, the brand as a perceptual entity or image, the brand as a value enhancer and the brand as a relationship. A review of the place marketing literature suggests that the focus to date has been on brands as perceptual entities or images. The paper argues that such conceptualisations seriously limit the development of place brands in general and destination brands in particular. A model of the place brand is presented based upon the concept of a brand as a relationship with consumers and other stakeholders, focusing on behaviours rather than communications and reality rather than image. The practical implications of this approach are discussed.
Festival tourism in the United Arab Emirates: First-time versus repeat visitor perceptions
Authors: Anwar Syed Aziz , Sohail M. Sadiq
Published: June 2007

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been making incessant efforts to promote tourism in order to attain the avowed objective of economic diversification and growth. It has organised a number of events, including the oft-quoted Dubai Shopping Festival, to attract tourists in the UAE. The festival has been a prime mover behind tourism marketing, taking advantage of the perceived positive international business image enjoyed by the country far and wide. Using survey data, an attempt is made in this study to analyse the perceptions of first-time visitors and of those repeating their visits to the festival and other related events and sites in the UAE. The results provide interesting insights into an assessment of festival tourism provided by the tourists for policy makers willing to expand the tourism sector in the vibrant and diversifying economy of the UAE. The study shows that tourist perception in the UAE is multidimensional, in line with conventional wisdom, and highlights that it is influenced by all the festival tourism-related facilities and environment.
Marketing Nepal in an uncertain climate: Confronting perceptions of risk and insecurity
Authors: Baral Aditya , Baral Sumit , Morgan Nigel
Published: June 2007

Tourism is a significant foreign currency earner for Nepal and during the 1990s its tourism industry enjoyed an unprecedented period of growth. During 2001-2002, however, international arrivals fell by over 20 per cent in the wake of a highly publicised airline hijacking in 1999, a series of internal political crises culminating in a declaration of a state of emergency in 2001 and the aftermath of 11th September. This paper discusses the damaging consequences of the resultant media coverage of Nepal as an unsafe destination and examines how the Nepal Tourism Board is currently addressing the image challenge.
Making hotel brands work in a competitive environment
Authors: Cai Liping A. , Hobson J. S. Perry
Published: June 2007

Despite the hotel industry looking to develop global brands, the industry must be careful that these global chains do not become price-based commodities. This paper explores the importance of an integrated approach to brand development in the hotel industry. It identifies that an integrated brand message can only come from companies being able to ‘say it, do it and confirm it’ with their markets and that they must also internalise such messages with their employees. Acquisition by corporate entities and the subsequent problem of de-branding of established brands is also examined. In order to develop a long-term sustainable advantage, this paper identifies that an integrated branding approach is a strategy that can work providing it clearly differentiates the chain from its competition.
Consuming the countryside: Marketing for ‘rural tourism’
Authors: Roberts Lesley , Hall Derek
Published: June 2007

Common perceptions of ‘rural tourism’ industries are influenced by a range of terms (such as ‘green’, ‘nature’, ‘eco-’) that position them as small-scale, low-impact activities offering an alternative to mass tourism. Their perception as ‘niche’ markets further reinforces such views. This paper explores the nature of niche markets and argues that the application of niche marketing may have a place for some traditional activities that are ‘pure’ forms of rural tourism but not for the greater part of rural visiting, better described as ‘tourism in rural areas’, and characterised by large numbers of visitors and contemporary consumption patterns that render the rural location far less important than the activity and sometimes almost irrelevant to it. This is more than a question of semantics because the labels used influence perceptions that shape the nature of policy issues and management practices. The paper concludes that both the rural environment and the small tourism businesses that depend on it will benefit from a better understanding of contemporary rural tourism consumption and marketing.
Korean inbound tourism to Australia — A study of supply-side deficiencies
Authors: Kim Sang Mu , Prideaux Bruce
Published: June 2007

This paper discusses the need for supply-side analysis of inbound tourism and argues that reliance on demand-side only projections of market trends is insufficient. The paper discusses the results of a survey of 351 Korean visitors returning from Group Inclusive package holidays to Australia.

Visitor characteristics and their reaction to their experiences in Australia were gathered and are assessed. Findings of the survey are analysed from the perspective of identifying and classifying visitor responses to the Australian tourism industry’s supply of visitor goods and services. Deficiencies such as language, transport deficiencies, itinerary construction and shopping are identified and discussed, and possible remedial measures highlighted. Findings indicate that these issues will need to be addressed if Australia’s expectations of continued large annual increases in Korean inbound tourism is to be maintained over the next decade.
Assessing the validity of questionnaire scales designed to assess the organisation of nursing in acute care hospital wards
Authors: Hale Claire Anne , Quinn Helen , Bond Senga
Published: June 2007

This study was carried out to assess the validity of a nurses' opinion questionnaire designed to measure organisational features of hospital wards. Data collection tools were developed for an asessment of the physical environment, observation of nurses and patients, and observations of ward rounds and handovers. Data from the study were compared with the responses from questionnaires completed by ward staff. The findings were encouraging but not conclusive. Although a degree of support for the initial criterion validation of the scales of the nurses' opinion scales was evident, further studies are advisable. The study raises issues relating to the assessment of criterion validity, and these are discussed.