bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Serological evidence of West Nile virus, Usutu virus and Sindbis virus infection of birds in the UK
Authors: Buckley Alan , Dawson Alistair , Moss Stephen R. , Hinsley Shelley A. , Bellamy Paul E. , Gould Ernest A.
Published: September 2003

The introduction and rapid dispersal of the African flavivirus West Nile virus (WNV) throughout North America, and the high fatality rate due to encephalitis in birds, horses, other wildlife species and humans, has attracted major attention worldwide. Usutu virus, another flavivirus, came to prominence in 2001, when it was identified as the agent responsible for a drop in the bird population in Austria; previously this encephalitic virus was found only in birds and mosquitoes in Africa. Sindbis virus, a pathogenic alphavirus that causes arthritis, is widespread throughout Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia, infecting a range of arthropods and vertebrates and is genetically related to encephalitic viruses in North America. Currently there is no evidence that any of these viruses cause disease in the UK. Here the presence of virus-specific neutralizing antibodies is reported in the sera of resident and migrant birds in the UK, implying that each of these viruses is being introduced to UK birds, possibly by mosquitoes. This is supported by nucleotide sequencing that identified three slightly different sequences of WNV RNA in tissues of magpies and a blackbird. The detection of specific neutralizing antibodies to WNV in birds provides a plausible explanation for the lack of evidence of a decrease in the bird population in the UK compared with North America. The potential health risk posed to humans and animals by these viruses circulating in the UK is discussed.
The ability of a bymovirus to overcome the rym4-mediated resistance in barley correlates with a codon change in the VPg coding region on RNA1
Authors: Kühne Thomas , Shi Nongnong , Proeseler Gerhard , Adams Michael J. , Kanyuka Konstantin
Published: September 2003

The genome difference(s) that enable the European pathotype 2 isolates of Barley yellow mosaic virus (BaYMV-2) to infect barley genotypes with the rym4 resistance gene were investigated. Stable deletions of different sizes occurred in RNA2 of laboratory isolates of the common pathotype (BaYMV-1) and BaYMV-2. After mechanical inoculation of susceptible or rym4 genotypes with a mixture of both isolates, immunocapture-RT-PCR with RNA2-specific primers flanking stable deletion regions was used to detect and distinguish the two pathotypes. Individual leaves contained RNA2 of either or both isolates, showing that RNA2 of BaYMV-1 can replicate and move systemically in rym4 plants when co-inoculated with BaYMV-2. In contrast, sequences of RNA1-specific RT-PCR fragments showed that in resistant plants these were always BaYMV-2, suggesting that the pathogenicity determinant was on RNA1. The complete ORFs of RNA1 of three BaYMV-1 and four BaYMV-2 isolates from the UK and Germany were sequenced, and the RNA2 sequences of one BaYMV-1 and two BaYMV-2 isolates from the UK were also determined. All sequences were very similar to one another and to the published German BaYMV-1 isolate. The only consistent amino acid difference between the BaYMV-1 and BaYMV-2 isolates was in the RNA1-encoded polyproteins and this was confirmed by sequencing the relevant region of eight further German isolates. All BaYMV-1 isolates had lysine at aa 1307, whereas BaYMV-2 isolates had asparagine (or, in one isolate, histidine). The polymorphism occurred in the central region of VPg, which has been shown to be required for pathogenicity on genotypes carrying recessive resistance genes in several potyvirus/dicotyledonous plant pathosystems.
Chimeric pneumovirus nucleocapsid (N) proteins allow identification of amino acids essential for the function of the respiratory syncytial virus N protein
Authors: Stokes H. L. , Easton A. J. , Marriott A. C.
Published: September 2003

The nucleocapsid (N) protein of the pneumovirus respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major structural protein which encapsidates the RNA genome and is essential for replication and transcription of the RSV genome. The N protein of the related virus pneumonia virus of mice (PVM) is functionally unable to replace the RSV N protein in a minigenome replication assay. Using chimeric proteins, in which the immediate C-terminal part of the RSV N protein was replaced with the equivalent region of the PVM N protein, it was shown that six amino acid residues near the C terminus of the N protein (between residues 352–369) are essential for its function in replication and for the ability of the N protein to bind to the viral phosphoprotein, P.
Virions of Pariacoto virus contain a minor protein translated from the second AUG codon of the capsid protein open reading frame
Authors: Johnson Karyn N. , Ball L. Andrew
Published: September 2003

Virions of the alphanodavirusPariacoto virus(PaV) haveT=3 icosahedral symmetry and are assembled from multiple copies of a precursor protein that is cleaved into two mature capsid proteins after assembly. The crystal structure of PaV shows that the N-terminal ∼30 amino acid residues of the subunits surrounding the 5-fold axes interact extensively with icosahedrally ordered regions of the encapsidated positive-sense genomic RNAs. We found that wild-type PaV particles also contain a minor capsid protein that is truncated by 24 residues at its N terminus. Reverse genetic experiments showed that translation of this protein initiated at the second AUG of the capsid protein open reading frame. When either the longer or shorter version of the capsid protein was expressed independently of the other, it assembled into virus particles and underwent maturational cleavage. Virions that lacked the shorter capsid protein retained infectivity for cultured insect cells andGalleria mellonellalarvae.
Spontaneous excision of BAC vector sequences from bacmid-derived baculovirus expression vectors upon passage in insect cells
Authors: Pijlman Gorben P. , van Schijndel Jessica E. , Vlak Just M.
Published: September 2003

Repeated baculovirus infections in cultured insect cells lead to the generation of defective interfering viruses (DIs), which accumulate at the expense of the intact helper virus and compromise heterologous protein expression. In particular, Autographa californica multicapsid nucleopolyhedovirus (AcMNPV) DIs are enriched in an origin of viral DNA replication (ori) not associated with the homologous regions (hrs). This non-hr ori is located within the coding sequence of the non-essential p94 gene. We investigated the effect of a deletion of the AcMNPV non-hr ori on the heterologous protein expression levels following serial passage in Sf21 insect cells. Using homologous ET recombination in E. coli, deletions within the p94 gene were made in a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) containing the entire AcMNPV genome (bacmid). All bacmids were equipped with an expression cassette containing the green fluorescent protein gene and a gene encoding the classical swine fever virus E2 glycoprotein (CSFV-E2). For the parental (intact) bacmid only, a strong accumulation of DIs with reiterated non-hr oris was observed. This was not observed for the mutants, indicating that removal of the non-hr ori enhanced the genetic stability of the viral genome upon passaging. However, for all passaged viruses it was found that the entire BAC vector including the expression cassette was spontaneously deleted from the viral genome, leading to a rapid decrease in GFP and CSFV-E2 production. The rationale for the (intrinsic) genetic instability of the BAC vector in insect cells and the implications with respect to large-scale production of proteins with bacmid-derived baculoviruses are discussed.
Design Issues in Audit JDM Experiments
Authors: Trotman Ken T.
Published: September 2003

This paper outlines the purposes of audit judgment and decision making (audit JDM) research and explains the basic principles of experiments and experimental designs. Choices of dependent and independent variables are discussed, together with choices of manipulating variables within and between subjects. The use and effectiveness of randomization to control for extraneous variables is discussed together with various internal validity threats that can exist. Finally, four design choices affecting internal validity are addressed. These design issues relate to the use of control groups, manipulation checks, controlled experiments and incentives. Many of the choices raised in this paper are discussed in more detail in subsequent papers in this issue of the journal.
Theory and Experimentation in Studies of Audit Judgments and Decisions: Avoiding Common Research Traps
Authors: Peecher Mark E. , Solomon Ira
Published: September 2003

In this article, we identify and discuss four research traps into which behavioral audit scholars sometimes fall: (1) The Rush to the Explanatory Research Stage Trap; (2) The Mundane Realism Trap; (3) The Measured Variable Trap; and (4) The Audit Practitioner as Participant Trap. Throughout our discussion of these traps, we emphasize the role of theory and highlight the comparative advantages of experiments. Our discussion is designed to help aspiring researchers carefully design and execute auditing research programs.
Design Considerations for Research on Analytical Procedures
Authors: Asare Stephen K. , Wright Arnold
Published: September 2003

This article discusses research design considerations for conducting behavioral research on auditors' performance of analytical procedures (APs). With the trend in practice towards increasing reliance on APs, it is essential that auditors are proficient in completing such tests. Therefore, research to understand and improve auditors' performance of APs is important.

Once an unexpected fluctuation is identified, APs involve three phases: generation of plausible hypotheses (likely causes); gathering evidence to examine plausible hypotheses; and identification of the most likely cause followed by appropriate follow‐up actions. Although prior research has focused on these phases in isolation, they are, in fact, interrelated. Important research design issues and trade‐offs for each of the phases of APs are discussed. For instance, in examining hypothesis generation there are choices as to the amount and nature of case background information, number of ratios or accounts to explain; ex‐post evaluation of the quality of the hypothesis set; and instructions on number of causes that account for the fluctuation. Significant considerations are identified for making informed decisions among design choices.
Methodological Issues in Measuring Knowledge Effects
Authors: Tan Hun‐Tong
Published: September 2003

The impact of knowledge on auditor performance has been a dominant theme in auditing research in the past two decades. This paper discusses some methodological issues to observe in designing a study that attempts to determine knowledge effects. It first describes some of the common research methods that can be used to determine knowledge effects, and then identifies ways in which knowledge can be operationalized and measured. It also discusses proxies for performance, as well as methodological issues related to the choice of subjects, task, and incentives.
Incorporating Context into the Study of Judgment and Expertise in Public Accounting
Authors: Gibbins Michael
Published: September 2003

This paper argues for context‐sensitive research in the public accounting setting and examines numerous issues that need to be addressed in doing such research. The issues include research objectives, theory, design and method.

Context is significant in shaping auditors' expertise, and a major reason for studying public accountants' (usually auditors') judgment is that their judgment therefore differs from general human judgment or the judgment of other experts. Contextual factors such as incentives, time pressure, professional standards, decision aids and interpersonal relationships make the public accounting setting distinctive and interesting. Research that examines contextual influences on judgment is valuable in understanding this setting.

Context‐sensitive research depends on theory about the context, as well as on careful pilot testing and other procedures to define and incorporate context. Field research using experiential questionnaires is one useful way to get at contextual variables and assess their effects on judgment. Using such questionnaires raises various questions about research design, participants and data analysis. This paper outlines answers to those questions as suggestions about creating high‐quality research.
Issues and Opportunities in Archival Audit Research
Authors: Mock Theodore J. , Turner Jerry L.
Published: September 2003

This paper encourages audit researchers to consider archival research methodologies and assists in designing an effective research project. Archival research offers many benefits and presents many challenges not existing in other forms of research as actual audit workpapers provide a rich depiction of the actual audit process. Differences in audit methodologies and workpapers, however, create issues such as the measurement of variables and definitional inconsistency. Other issues with archival studies include relatively less control over the research process, confidentiality of data, and difficulty in obtaining audit firm cooperation. Suggestions for resolving these issues are offered and analysis of three successful archival studies is provided to demonstrate how archival research designs were adapted to the needs of the project.
The Game of Loyalt(o)y: Diversions and Divisions in Network Society
Authors: Lury Celia
Published: September 2003

This paper maps the biography of a new media product as a way of exploring how a network society is emerging. While Castells identifies the importance of the spirit of informationalism, he leaves the ethics of this culture relatively under-developed. Focusing on the development of a computer game for employee training purposes, the paper argues that some of the characteristics of play – its holding or hooking power, its ability to break down the distinction between pretence and belief, and its role in the development of gaming skills – may be relevant here. It further suggests that play has the potential to contribute to divisions as well as to diversions, and in this way contribute to the dis-embedding and re-embedding of individuals, and to changes in relations of power and inequality.
Re-Instating the Vague
Authors: Schofield Barry
Published: September 2003

From medicine and military warfare to the practices of modern management, we have come to pursue the ideal of precision in order to generate the knowledge necessary to organise our social, cultural and economic lives. Underpinning this valorisation of the ideal of precision is a repulsion for its opposite – vagueness – which is habitually treated as a synonym for chaos, uncertainty and uselessness. Yet vagueness, understood here as a condition of radical uncertainty or open possibility, is inescapably imbricated in the triumphs of precision. This paper challenges this neglect by arguing that, once stripped of its pejorative connotations, vagueness can be understood as the silent but often salient partner in a marriage of opposites. Tracing the conceptual pairing of these contrasting terms, the paper goes on to suggest that instead of prising them apart we need to recognise their mutual reciprocity. By holding vagueness and precision in dynamic tension, it is suggested, we can develop a critical exploration of contemporary thinking in public policy formulation with its predilection for ‘joined-up thinking’ and a general ‘blurring of boundaries’.
The Quality of Manhood: Masculinity and Embodiment in the Sociological Tradition
Authors: Witz Anne , Marshall Barbara L.
Published: September 2003

This paper argues for the need to revisit classical sociological texts with a view to excavating the masculinity that inheres in these texts and saturates the concept of the social. Primarily through an examination of Durkheim and Simmel, it explores the strategies whereby masculine individuals could be released from corporeality and granted the sort of embodiment that allowed them to transcend their particularity and become social agents. It is argued that male embodiment is deeply sedimented in the sociological imaginary as the very condition of social action and the constituent of social agency. Thinking through the conceptual lenses of corporeality, embodiment and agency exposes some of the ways in which the analytical scaffolding of ‘the social’ rests on a deeply gendered ontological foundation. While the sociological tradition may indeed have continued salience for contemporary sociologies of the body, a relatively unreflexive recuperation of these texts is problematic. This paper challenges those who seek to rehabilitate the classics in the service of an embodied sociology to produce a much fuller accounting of the truncated corporeal terrain upon which classical sociology developed, and one which explicitly recognizes its gender.
The Rise and Fall of the Fact/Value Distinction
Authors: Davydova Irina , Sharrock Wes
Published: September 2003

The paper addresses the problem of the conceptualisation of morality in sociology. The traditional sociological conception of morality was based upon the acceptance of a fact/value dichotomy, implying that sociology portrays the factual nature of morality, which thereby becomes equivalent to group conformity

The opposition of fact and value was brought into question by trends of thought that followed from, respectively, Alfred Schutz and Ludwig Wittgenstein. The line from Schutz's ideas led towards their reformulation by Harold Garfinkel, who to large extent integrated the ‘moral’ with the ‘cognitive’. Wittgenstein's influence, through, especially Peter Winch, John W. Cook and Alfred Louch undercut the idea that sociological descriptions were themselves purely factual, rather than integrally evaluative. A third stream is represented by Alasdair MacIntyre and Charles Taylor, who adopt the idea that morality must be understood in its social and historical context, and explicitly reject the separation of fact and value in moral inquiry.

The fact/value distinction is the source of chronic problems for the sociology of morality. Specifically, a sociological account of morality, that would define the correct understanding of the nature of morality – ie identify what substantive character and content is appropriate to it – is not possible. The disintegration of the fact/value dichotomy also means that the idea that the social context can itself be described independently of normative considerations is an illusion.
Moving to ‘Our’ Common Ground – a Critical Examination of Community Cohesion Discourse in Twenty-First Century Britain
Authors: McGhee Derek
Published: September 2003

The paper focuses on the discourses, recommendations and programmes for facilitating community cohesion in the UK as recorded on the pages of an archive of documents such as: The Community Cohesion Review Team Report (2001), The Bradford District Race Review (2001) and The Local Government Association's Guidance on Community Cohesion (2002). These documents were commissioned in relation to the disturbances in the city of Bradford and in the towns of Oldham and Burnley in the north of England in the spring and summer of 2001. The facilitation of community cohesion, it shall be revealed in this paper, is a rather sociological enterprise involving the problematization and modification of the forms of sociation in communities and especially the structures of interaction between different communities. Community, civil society and social capital are central to this community cohesion discourse, and the towns of Oldham, Burnley and the city of Bradford are at the epicentre of this unfolding social project of attempting to alleviate disorder, disharmony and discord in these areas characterized by multi-ethnic, multi-faith and multi-cultural communities.

However, despite the best of intentions, the process of community cohesion facilitation as read off the pages of this archive of documents will be presented here as being blighted by three inter-related factors; (1) the practical problems associated with attempting to formulate a public policy of community cohesion on the assumption that common principles and shared values can be founded in multi-ethnic, multi-faith and multi-cultural societies; (2) the relative de-emphasis of material deprivation and socio-economic marginalization in community cohesion facilitation programmes in favour of concentrating on inter-community relationships; and (3) with special reference to Bradford, the criminalization of young male British-Asian ‘rioters’ in the city is shown to be inconsistent with the rebuilding and re-orientation of social capital from defensive ‘bonding’ to inclusive ‘bridging’ in the judicial aftermath that is currently gripping this city.
Working at a Marginal ‘Career’: The Case of UK Social Science Contract Researchers
Authors: Collinson Jacquelyn Allen
Published: September 2003

Contract researchers constitute a significant occupational group within the UK higher education system, and the products of their labour are crucial to the research profile of the institutions in which they work and to the sector as a whole. Given the ‘marginality’ of the contract researcher role, with its attendant insecurities and inferior employment conditions in comparison with ‘permanent’ faculty, it is perhaps not surprising that relatively few individuals manage to sustain any continuity of employment resembling a career path. The fact that some researchers do succeed in achieving this is therefore worthy of investigation. This paper examines and charts some of the ways in which contract researchers manage their everyday work routines and construct a presentation of self in order to maximise opportunities for ‘staying in the game’.
Educational Inequality
Authors: Azuma Yoshiaki , Grossman Herschel I.
Published: September 2003

Abstract. This paper develops a theoretical model of the inequality in wages and salaries associated with differences in years of schooling (educational inequality, for short). Our model assumes that in the long run individual decisions to become more educated equalize the lifetime earnings of more educated workers and comparable less educated workers. Given this assumption, our model implies that innovations that increase the relative demand for more educated labor, and which cause short‐run increases in educational inequality, in the long run induce offsetting increases in the relative supply of more educated labor. But our model also has the novel implication that innovations that increase differences between the wages and salaries received by workers with the same years of education who are more or less able (ability premiums, for short) cause a smaller fraction of workers to choose to become more educated. Consequently, innovations that increase ability premiums in the long run also cause educational inequality to be larger than otherwise. In applying our theory to recent changes in educational inequality in the USA, we suggest that, to the extent that innovations that increase ability premiums are contributing to educational inequality, the increases in educational inequality during the 1980s and 1990s are unlikely to be reversed soon.
Does Future PC Use Determine Our Wages Today? — Evidence from German Panel Data
Authors: Anger Silke , Schwarze Johannes
Published: September 2003

Abstract. Using 1985–99 data from the German Socio‐Economic Panel Study (GSOEP) we confirm the hypothesis that existing computer wage premiums are determined by ability or other unobserved individual characteristics rather than by productivity effects. In addition to the conventional longitudinal regression analysis, the two competing hypotheses were tested by employing future PC variables in the wage regressions in order to obtain a further control for worker heterogeneity. The finding that future PC variables have a statistically significant effect on current wages leads us to conclude that computer wage differentials can be attributed to worker heterogeneity rather than to computer‐induced productivity.
The Structure of Wages in the Netherlands, 1986–98
Authors: Ter Weel Bas
Published: September 2003

Abstract. For many OECD countries an increase in wage inequality has been documented since the early 1980s. This is often attributed to a general rise in the demand for skilled workers resulting from recent technological change. Using the Organization for Strategic Labour Market Research (OSA) Labour Supply data, this paper studies the wage structure in the Netherlands over the period 1986–98 and demonstrates that wage inequality did not increase to any significant extent in the Netherlands. Using the accounting framework proposed by Juhn et al. (Journal of Political Economy 101: 410–442, 1993), it is shown that the relatively stable wage structure until at least the late 1990s can be attributed mainly to returns to observable components, such as education and experience, while residual wage inequality is found to be of minor importance in explaining the Dutch wage structure. These estimates suggest that the demand for skill in the Netherlands is likely not to have been rising to the extent it did in many other countries over this period.
Unemployment Insurance and the Timing of Layoffs and Recalls
Authors: Jurajda Štěpán
Published: September 2003

Abstract. This note provides the motivation to fill a gap in the empirical literature by showing that the optimal firm response to workers’ job search behaviour (Mortensen, Industrial and Labor Relations Review 30: 505–517, 1977) is to lay off those workers with high unemployment insurance and recall workers as they approach expiry of their benefits.
Explaining Labour Turnover: Empirical Evidence from UK Establishments
Authors: Martin Christopher
Published: September 2003

Abstract. This paper investigates the determinants of labour turnover using establishment‐level survey data for the UK. The main contribution of our paper is that it estimates the impact of wages, unionization, training and other aspects of working conditions on labour turnover. Our main findings are: (i) turnover is inversely related to the relative wage; (ii) unionism reduces turnover: this is due mainly to the ability of unions to improve conditions of work rather than the voice‐exit model of Freeman; (iii) there is a complex relationship between turnover and training; and (iv) turnover is lower in the ‘high‐tech’ sector.
Regional Labour Market Matching Functions and Efficiency Analysis
Authors: Ilmakunnas Pekka , Pesola Hanna
Published: September 2003

Abstract. Stochastic production frontiers are used for estimating regional matching functions where unemployment outflow is ‘produced’ by the unemployed and vacancies. The frontier is estimated using regional panel data from Finland from 1988 to 1997 and the Battese and Coelli frontier model, where the explanatory factors are included in the inefficiency term. The stochastic frontier matching function has constant returns, whereas in OLS estimation with fixed effects the returns are slightly increasing. Unemployment and vacancies in neighbouring regions have a spillover effect on efficiency. Excess job reallocation in a region deteriorates matching efficiency. The decomposition of total factor productivity change in matching to efficiency change and change in matching technology is also investigated by interpreting the matching frontier as a distance function and using Malmquist indexes. There is a downward trend in the technology, but short‐term variations are dominated by cyclical changes in efficiency.
Are Married Women in Turkey More Likely to Become Added or Discouraged Workers?
Authors: Başlevent Cem , Onaran Özlem
Published: September 2003

Abstract. The purpose of this study is to examine the labour market outcomes of married couples to find out which of the added and discouraged worker effects is dominant in urban Turkish families. Using household labour force survey and province‐level data from 1988 and 1994, we look for evidence regarding the dependency of the labour force participation decisions of wives and the employment status of their husbands. On yearly and pooled samples of married couples in their prime ages, bivariate probit estimates indicate that the two decisions are negatively correlated. However, the correlation is found to be statistically significant only in the economic crisis year of 1994. We interpret this finding to mean that the added worker effect dominates the discouraged worker effect.
Applicant reactions and their consequences: review, advice, and recommendations for future research
Authors: Chambers Brad A.
Published: September 2003

Recent years have seen an abundance of research addressing applicant reactions to personnel recruitment and standard selection procedures. However, most of this research focuses on isolating the determinants of these reactions rather than on their consequences. For example, just because an individual perceives a selection procedure as unfair, does this actually have any impact on the organization? In an attempt to fill this void in the literature, the current paper focuses on the outcomes and consequences of applicant reactions to personnel selection procedures. Specifically, the current paper (1) reviews the extant research on the consequences of applicant reactions, (2) advances a summative model of existing theory and research, (3) provides recommendations to organizational leaders who are concerned about the impact of applicant reactions to their personnel selection procedures, and (4) discusses directions for future research that will better substantiate these recommendations given to organizational leaders.
The Cadbury Committee recommendations on corporate governance – a review of compliance and performance impacts
Authors: Dedman Elisabeth
Published: September 2003

In December 1992, the Cadbury Committee published their Code of Best Practice. The recommendations, which largely reflected perceived best practice at the time, included separating the roles of CEO and chairman, having a minimum of three non‐executive directors on the board and the formulation of audit committees. The Code also advocated that a more active role be taken by institutional investors in the promotion of good practice in corporate governance. This paper discusses how agency problems may be (partially) resolved by corporate governance, reviews the evidence on compliance with the Cadbury Code and examines the relationship between board structure and firm performance, looking for evidence that the Code has enhanced board performance. While there is no empirical evidence of an association between board structure and firm value, there is some evidence that compliance with the Cadbury recommendations enhances board oversight with respect to the manipulation of accounting numbers and the discipline of the top executive.
Supply system structure, management and performance: a conceptual model
Authors: Webster Margaret
Published: September 2003

This paper contributes to the debate within the supply chain management field on the structure, operational management and performance measurement of supply systems. It draws on influential work from these fields in order to support the presentation of a conceptual model. This represents a synthesis of the ideas and concepts discussed, and acts as a focus for subsequent discussion. After presentation and explanation of the model, the structure of supply systems is considered. The relationships are explored between this and both the type of product that is exchanged and the nature of the demand profile. Conclusions are drawn that suggest that the architecture of the supply network should be determined once those factors are clarified and understood in the context of specific supply situations. The role of intermediary organizations within supply systems is discussed. It is then argued that a number of key variables influence the success of the management of the supply system and of its performance. Issues relating to these variable classes are discussed. Conclusions are drawn that highlight directions for further research.
‘Spatializing’ knowledge communities: towards a conceptualization of transnational innovation networks
Authors: Coe Neil M. , Bunnell Timothy G.
Published: September 2003

In this article we seek to move beyond existing conceptualizations of innovation systems in two key respects. First, we identify the need for a shift away from research that focuses on discrete scales as the locus for understanding innovation towards that which places more emphasis on network relationships operating between and across different scales. Second, we illustrate the need for approaches that recognize the significance of innovative networks that extend beyond firms and, in particular, those associated with the movement of knowledgeable individuals. By synthesizing recent insights from three literatures on ‘communities’ of varying kinds — namely communities of practice, knowledge communities and transnational communities — we propose a conceptualization of transnational innovation networks based around three overlapping and mutually constitutive domains. In addition to the much‐studied ‘corporate‐institutional’ domain, we also identify ‘social network’ and ‘hegemonic‐discursive’ domains that may be important components of transnational innovation networks operating across different localities.
Developing compliance and resistance: the state, transnational social movements and tribal peoples contesting India's Narmada project
Authors: Gandhi Ajay
Published: September 2003

In this article I conceptualize a conflict over the Narmada damming project in central India by highlighting particular spatial fields and larger trajectories of political interaction. The Narmada project's maintenance and destabilization is evinced in a range of processes, including conflict over afforestation in tribal villages, protest narratives over resettlement in regional centres, and transnational lobbying of donor agencies. The interpenetration of social practices by different scales, and the mobility of discourses are emphasized. Further, I examine how organizational and social decisions such as implementing a rehabilitation programme, accepting state compensation and participating in public protest point to the contingent nature of power, revealing both complicity and disarticulation between involved parties. Descriptive points and commentary focus on the Indian riparian states implementing the project; the Narmada Bachao Andolan (Save the Narmada Movement); and affected adivasi (tribal) communities in the Narmada Valley.
An ethnographer in the global arena: globography perhaps?
Authors: Hendry Joy
Published: September 2003

In this article Hendry addresses the difficulties and apparent contradictions of applying the qualitative rigour of the ethnographic research method to fieldwork carried out in a global context. While pursuing a discourse evidently shared by people indigenous to many different parts of the world, the author reflects on why she feels the work she is doing still draws on elements of the qualitative strength of the method first developed by her own discipline of social anthropology. This subject is now somewhat unfashionable for reasons precisely associated with the discourse she is following, namely a status inequality seen as implicit in the representation of ‘other’ peoples. In the article she argues against throwing the baby out with the bathwater, however, and seeks to demonstrate how the value the ethnographic method gleaned from social anthropology offers an important contribution to understanding local aspects of global issues.
The global clothing production system: commodity chains and business networks
Authors: Hassler Markus
Published: September 2003

The global organization of the clothing industry has been the prime example of buyer‐driven commodity chains. However, previous empirical studies to substantiate Gereffi's assertion have been highly Western centric and predominantly based on the empirical evidence of American retailers and brand name companies. In this article I demonstrate that any clothing commodity chain has various influential factors, such as the national and global regulatory framework, the societal context of the leading firm, the fashion context of the products, as well as the actual brand ownership. Thus, the organization of clothing firms in the global economy can develop diverse intra‐sectoral commodity chain coordinations. Using a hypothetical clothing commodity chain as an example, I attempt to identify the individual commodity chains within which Indonesian clothing firms are embedded. Furthermore, I outline the ways in which Indonesian clothing firms were affected by the economic crisis of the late 1990s.
Cartographies of Cape Verdean transnationalism
Authors: Carling Jørgen
Published: September 2003

In this article I explore the geographical structure of transnational practice by means of cartographic representations of statistical data. Using the case of Cape Verde, data on emigrant relatives, remittances, and migration aspirations are combined to produce a visual representation of a transnational social field. A second figure employs remittance statistics to show how the geography of transnational connections varies from island to island within the archipelago.
Emerging Industries and the Burnout of Pioneers*
Authors: Olleros Francisco‐Javier
Published: September 2003

During the past decade, the public has become fascinated both by the impact of technological change on our daily lives and also by the management of the companies working to create these changes. Perhaps no other issues in current business practice have been discussed so frequently in the mass media. Francisco‐Javier Olleros has taken an insightful look at an interesting yet much ignored phenomenon, namely, the frequent demise of firms which pioneer the commercialization of radically new technologies. Against the background of today's high‐tech fever, the discussion presented here should help us develop a more realistic and sober view of new, emerging industries and of the merits and limitations of technology‐driven competitive strategies.
A Diagnostic Tool for Identifying Disharmonies Within Corporate Innovation Networks
Authors: Mensch Gerhard O. , Ramanujam Vasudevan
Published: September 2003

In an article in the previous issue of JPIM, Vasudevan Ramanujam and Gerhard Mensch introduced the concept of mismatches in the perceptions and priorities of various functional specialists, staff and line managers, and senior managers. These mismatches highlight lack of agreement among key participants in the innovation management process within a given company and indicate problems that could hinder performance of the whole management interaction system. Here Mensch and Ramanujam explore the use of a new managerial instrument that can help technology driven companies that are caught in a stalemate in technology. The technique is designed to improve new product development and commercialization of new technology by diagnosing discrepancies in awareness, sense of urgency, and opinions on technological choices which may exist within the organization.
Modeling New Product Screening Decisions
Authors: Baker Kenneth G. , Albaum Gerald S.
Published: September 2003

A variety of systematic procedures have been proposed to manage the task of evaluating potential new products at various stages of the development process. Kenneth Baker and Gerald Albaum have chosen to contrast the performance of several different types of screening models using the actual evaluations of 86 new product managers employed by 76 Fortune 500 companies. Managers were briefed on six lighting products actually developed by another manufacturer, and they evaluated all six products using 33 criteria. The screening models were used to predict the success or failure of each of the product concepts, and these predictions were compared to the actual results experienced by the original manufacturer. Thus, the study provides insights on the accuracy of screening models.
Focus Groups and the Development of New Products by Technologically Driven Companies: Some Guidelines
Authors: McQuarrie Edward F. , McIntyre Shelby H.
Published: September 2003

Manufacturers of consumer goods frequently have used focus group discussions to learn about consumers' reactions to both new and existing products. Typically, results of these discussions have led to the exploration of new concepts and the identification of new opportunities. Edward McQuarrie and Shelby McIntyre have developed a series of practical guidelines to help industrial and technological companies use focus groups during the process of concept development and refinement. The group's discussion provides insight into how the product may be received by buyers in the marketplace.
Creativity Workshops in Product Innovation
Authors: Geschka Horst
Published: September 2003

The process of creative thinking has long been a concern of both researchers and managers alike. Recently, the business press has begun to address a variety of approaches being taken to enhance creativity. One of the current structures which incorporates the use of a variety of specific techniques is the Creativity Workshop. It structures a collective group effort designed to solve a complex problem. Horst Geshka has led a number of Creativity Workshops and has summarized his experiences for the growing number of managers who recognize the importance of giving special attention to the process of creative thinking.
Ideas About Thinking: Excerpts from Edward de Bono's “Letter to Thinkers”
Authors: de Bono Edward
Published: September 2003

How often do we stop to think about how we think? For years, Edward de Bono has been getting us to think about thinking. It was Dr. de Bono, for example, who coined the term "'lateral thinking" where, he says, richness is what matters, compared to vertical thinking where Tightness matters. In his periodic Letters to Thinkers, he stimulates lateral thinking by the way he gets his readers to turn problems around and look at them from a fresh perspective. This article is made up of excerpts from his Letters to Thinkers, published by Cower Publishing Company Limited, with permission.
An Investigation into the New Product Process: Steps, Deficiencies, and Impact
Authors: Cooper Robert G. , Kleinschmidt Elko J.
Published: September 2003

In a comprehensive study of 252 new product histories at 123 firms, Robert Cooper and Elko Kleinschmidt looked critically at the new products management process. Each company was shown a set of 13 activities which formed a general “skeleton” of a new product process. This article examines how this structure was modified by the companies and how well various stages of the process were reportedly executed. The results show a variety of practices among the surveyed companies. While the presence of activities cannot guarantee successful new products, certain activities were singled out as particularly weak. Firms should consider placing more emphasis on market studies, initial screening activities, and preliminary market assessment. The article provides a thoughtful assessment of the level of implementation of current practices in new products management.
Pretest Market Models: A Critical Evaluation
Authors: Shocker Allan D. , Hall William G.
Published: September 2003

Pretest marketing models are increasingly being used by consumer products firms for evaluating new products prior to test market. The reasons for this are many, but include considerations of cost, risk, and fear of premature competitive disclosure. Allan Shocker and William Hall discuss the concept of a pretest market and assess its value. They contrast and critically evaluate four of the most frequently used models for projecting pretest market results. The strengths and limits of these models complement each other and provide useful additions to available methods for predicting new product performance and for refining marketing plans prior to test marketing.
Do Firms Need a Custom‐Designed New Product Screening Model?
Authors: de Brentani Ulrike
Published: September 2003

Organizations have traditionally taken a variety of approaches to screening new product ideas. The use of a formal evaluation process to support screening decisions can reduce the costs and risks associated with product development. Although making good new product choices is vital, many managers have not applied analytical screening models because these models have not been customized to reflect the particular character of their firm and industry. In a study of how managers from different types of companies screen new product proposals, Ulrike de Brentani finds that the essential criteria determining new product selection do not differ radically among firms. This indicates that managers can potentially benefit from applying an existing formal evaluation model that encompasses the critical factors generally applied when making new product evaluation decisions, even if that model has not been customized for their specific application.
The Role of Objective In Vivo Testing in the Product Development Process
Authors: Drozdenko Ronald , Weinstein Sidney
Published: September 2003

New products managers are continually confronted by the challenge of coordinating flows of complex information during the product development process. Among the issues faced are unique problems in relating technical design of product attributes to customers' reactions, leading to an improvement of the product's benefits. Ronald Drozdenko and Sidney Weinstein describe a variety of tests which help to assess customers' reactions to products, thus providing information to improve the design or to substantiate advertising claims. The term “objective in vivo” is given to a category of tests which is employed to quantify consumers' evaluation of specific product attributes under controlled, simulated use conditions. This helps to bridge the gap between tests which are designed to measure the physical or functional aspects of new products and tests which measure the consumers' self‐reported, subjective reactions. A test categorization model, illustrative case studies, and test selection criteria are presented.
The Dissemination and Use of Innovative Knowledge
Authors: Johnson Neville , Brown Warren B.
Published: September 2003

A growing body of research has documented the role of select users and customers in influencing the design of new products. A major impetus for this study was the observation that practitioners, as well as professionals in research and development groups, are an important source in the production and dissemination of knowledge for innovation. Neville Johnson and Warren Brown carried out a field study in a medium‐sized school district to examine the innovative practices and use of innovative knowledge by practitioners, in this case, junior and senior high school language arts teachers. The article concludes with a series of recommendations to improve the innovation performance of professional groups.
Business and University Technical Research Cooperation: Some Important Issues
Authors: Snyder Don R. , Blevins David E.
Published: September 2003

As their product life cycles continue to shorten even further, high‐tech firms can be expected to seek more external product research and development assistance. At the same time, as university budgets tighten, aggressive universities will seek more industry funds. These trends lead Don Snyder and David Blevins to predict more business–university cooperation. A nationwide U.S. survey indicates that universities that successfully attract industry funds promote both their willingness and capability to develop new commercial products. They do not insist on a minimum project size and are willing to delay publication of research results. There are, however, some ethical issues that need resolution. Commercial laboratories operated on a for‐profit basis have questioned such ventures, citing unfair competition and an inappropriate interpretation of the role of universities.