bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The European social fund in the Visegrad countries in the 2007-2013 programming phase
Authors: Tomé Eduardo , Tracz-Krupa Katarzyna 
Published: July 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to define the impact of the investment in training in education by the European Social Fund (ESF) in four Eastern countries, namely, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Hungary. Those countries have some political, cultural, social and economic similarities and share some common ground in the human resource development (HRD) sectors.

Design/methodology/approach
The authors use the human capital theory with some extensions to analyze the context, operations and impacts of the ESF in the Visegrad four (V4) countries between 2007 and 2013. The authors use three levels of methodology to access each one of those problems.

Findings
The authors conclude that the ESF helped building the vocational training system in those countries, and to help them get near the equilibrium of high skills of the V4 Western European neighbors, and therefore, this one was a success story. However, quality issues remain to be addressed that may hinder the continuation of the success in the future.

Research limitations/implications
The research could be enlarged in time and space and deepened in terms of methodology. This is one a first clarifying step. Theoretical work should become aware of the dichotomy between absorption and scientific logic.

Practical implications
Detailed and precise evaluation practices must be implemented to guide and assess the policy.

Social implications
Precisely because funds are scarce this paper enlights the dilemma and the tension between quantity and quality in the European HRD policy, this is an important social problem.

Originality/value
The study is original because even if the HRD in those countries had already been studied (Sheehan and Buchelt, 2016), no study analyzing specifically the ESF in those countries has been carried out so far. The authors use an innovative methodology and address questions on context, operations and impact, which are also innovative and very relevant.
Does the pursuit of more complex products contribute to the productivity of exporting firms?
Authors: Varblane Uku , Bormann Sven-Kristjan 
Published: July 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the literature on learning by exporting by investigating whether an increase in the complexity of exported products contributes to higher productivity at the firm level.

Design/methodology/approach
The study implements an empirical analysis for Estonian manufacturing firms involved in exporting for the period 2008–2014, adding product complexity as an explanatory variable in the production function estimation. An increase in product complexity is interpreted as an indirect proxy for an increase in firm capabilities, capturing both tangible and intangible elements of competitiveness and reflecting the learning effects.

Findings
A relatively weak correlation between product complexity and productivity was found using a simple OLS estimation – exporters with higher product complexity have generally higher productivity levels. Somewhat surprisingly, no evidence for the learning by exporting was found among exporters, meaning that the increased complexity does not seem to be a channel for productivity upgrading. This result seems to be robust, irrespective of estimation methods and sampling preferences.

Research limitations/implications
The sample is representative of exporting firms.

Practical implications
The results show that the pursuit to more complex product does not necessarily contribute to productivity for exporting firms. The findings suggest that the firm-level upgrading due to increased export orientation is likely to take place through the other channels like moving up in global value chains and differentiating by product quality.

Originality/value
This is one of the first papers to investigate the effect of product complexity on productivity at a firm level. The results provide new insights into the learning-by-exporting hypothesis, with focus on potential learning among the existing exporters.
The hidden value of intangibles: do CEO characteristics matter?
Authors: Garcés-Galdeano Lucia , García-Olaverri Carmen 
Published: July 2019

Purpose
A great deal of research has examined the relationship between a single CEO attribute and a single measure of firm performance; no attempts have been made to integrate them to create a more global vision of both. Therefore, trying to answer new calls from Wang et al. (2016) or Liu, Fisher and Chen (2018) about a more global vision of the CEO characteristics, the authors are going to take a step forward to combine different CEO characteristics with different firm performance measure in order to show that a certain managerial profile would have an impact on several variables of firm performance. This paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach
Using a sample of 1,236 small firms in high- and medium-high-technology sectors and through the Canonical Correlation Analysis, the authors are able to create different CEO’s profiles that influence on different combinations of firm performance variables.

Findings
The authors obtain different CEO’s profiles that influence on different combinations of firm performance variables. Each CEO profile will enhance or diminish one kind of performance measure. The authors found that on the one hand, young, well-educated with external experience CEO profile will enhance innovative performance and firm growth, and on the other hand, old and more internal and external experience CEO profile will enhance the exploitation of external knowledge.

Originality/value
Through this analysis, the authors will be able to provide a more comprehensive analysis of the predictions about the role of CEOs in small firms.
Age and the new lesbian earnings penalty
Authors: Martell Michael E. 
Published: July 2019

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to observe how the cohabiting lesbian earnings differential in the USA has changed since the early 2000s, a time period during which the lesbian, gay and bisexual rights movement has been very successful.Design/methodology/approachThe author analyzes the 2012–2017 American Community Survey using Mincer-style income regressions.FindingsThe author finds that cohabiting lesbians earn approximately 11 percent less than married heterosexual women. The earnings penalty has emerged as a result of the disproportionately large penalty young lesbians’ experience. While older lesbians (over 45) do not experience an earnings penalty, younger lesbians appear doubly disadvantaged. They now face a lesbian wage gap of approximately 24 percent in addition to the previously documented gender wage gap.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper shows that cohabiting lesbians earn approximately 11 percent less than married heterosexual women. The earnings penalty has emerged as a result of the disproportionately large penalty young cohabiting lesbians experience. While older cohabiting lesbians (over 45) do not experience an earnings penalty, younger cohabiting lesbians face a wage gap of approximately 24 percent.Originality/valueThe study finds, contrary to most previous research, a cohabiting lesbian earnings penalty instead of premium. The findings highlight that there is considerable heterogeneity in the economic experience of cohabiting lesbians, and that young cohabiting lesbians comprise a particularly vulnerable population.
Validation of Arnaud’s ethical climate index by public sector auditors in Malaysia
Authors: Loke Chew Har , Ismail Suhaiza , Fatima A.H. 
Published: July 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to empirically test Arnaud’s (2010) ethical climate index (ECI) of measuring ethical work climate (EWC) in the context of Malaysian public sector auditors (PSAs).

Design/methodology/approach
EWC is conceptualized as four main components with two sub-components. Questionnaires were distributed to the population of PSAs in the Malaysian National Audit Department (NAD). Factor analysis (principal component analysis [PCA]) was used to verify the components of EWC.

Findings
Results from PCA revealed that EWC, indeed, has four main components. Therefore, the findings of this study provide empirical evidence that validates Arnaud’s (2010) EWC model, although tested on PSAs in Malaysia.

Research limitations/implications
This paper has a limited purpose, which is to test whether the ECI could be applied to PSAs in Malaysia to derive the original four main components of Arnaud’s EWC. Thus, this study does not evaluate the EWC of PSAs or determine causal relationships between EWC and other variables; these are left to future studies.

Practical implications
The findings of this study confirm that Arnaud’s (2010) ECI is sufficiently resilient to be applied to the context of PSAs in Malaysia. Hence, future studies could use this index to measure EWC not only in the public sector but also in the private sector. Future research could also further test this index in different contexts.

Originality/value
Arnaud’s (2010) ECI was originally applied in the context of the private sector in a developed country. Hence, this study adds value by extending the ECI to the public sector in a developing country, Malaysia.
Nexus between customer preference and operation of conventional banks Islamic windows in Pakistan
Authors: Shabbir Malik Shahzad 
Published: July 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the nexus between preferences of customers toward operations of Islamic windows from conventional banks. However, financial institution system of any country has a dominant importance for its growth level. This study makes a comparative analysis and nexus among Islamic windows of conventional banks, Islamic and conventional banks.

Design/methodology/approach
A well-designed questionnaire has been made and distributed among three types of bank customers to get their perception and preference regarding services qualities and operations from all three types of financial institutions. This study used statistical package of social sciences software for data analysis.

Findings
The results revealed that customers from Islamic windows have serious dispute on its Shariah-compliant regulation and fifty one per cent (51 per cent) of customer did not trust on the member of Shariah board. The mid age of customers preferred the services of Islamic windows, as it has multi-dimensional options for customers. Finally, customers from almost all three types prestigious that technology has found a significant impact for better service qualities and found a positive change in customer behavior.

Originality/value
This study is a first ever attempt in its nature to investigate that the customer’s preferences and different operations exist in three types of banking system in Pakistan. This study also helps to policymakers regarding customer needs and wants to provide better services.
Three way decisions based grey incidence analysis clustering approach for panel data and its application
Authors: Liu Yong , Du Jun-liang , Zhang Ren-Shi , Forrest Jeffrey Yi-Lin 
Published: July 2019

PurposeThis paper aims to establish a novel three-way decisions-based grey incidence analysis clustering approach and exploit it to extract information and rules implied in panel data.Design/methodology/approachBecause of taking on the spatiotemporal characteristics, panel data can well-describe and depict the systematic and dynamic of the decision objects. However, it is difficult for traditional panel data analysis methods to efficiently extract information and rules implied in panel data. To effectively deal with panel data clustering problem, according to the spatiotemporal characteristics of panel data, from the three dimensions of absolute amount level, increasing amount level and volatility level, the authors define the conception of the comprehensive distance between decision objects, and then construct a novel grey incidence analysis clustering approach for panel data and study its computing mechanism of threshold value by exploiting the thought and method of three-way decisions; finally, the authors take a case of the clustering problems on the regional high-tech industrialization in China to illustrate the validity and rationality of the proposed model.FindingsThe results show that the proposed model can objectively determine the threshold value of clustering and achieve the extraction of information and rules inherent in the data panel.Practical implicationsThe novel model proposed in the paper can well-describe and resolve panel data clustering problem and efficiently extract information and rules implied in panel data.Originality/valueThe proposed model can deal with panel data clustering problem and realize the extraction of information and rules inherent in the data panel.
Synthesis and characterization of novel pigments derived from Red Lake C
Authors: Abdelmaksoud Wael M.A. , Aboaly Mohamed M.M. , Taleb Said M. 
Published: July 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this study is to prepare new pigments derived from Red Lake C (RLC) to be applied in the inks industry and to identify their chemical nature, as well as their physical properties.

Design/methodology/approach
A number of pigments that could be applied in special printing were prepared via the reactions of RLC with appropriate Ni(II) and Zn(II) salts in aqueous and ethanolic solutions. The obtained pigments were prepared as solid compounds and characterized using different instrumental analysis such as Ultraviolet-Visible, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, 1H NMR spectra and magnetic measurements. The physical properties of these pigments were investigated using “American Standard Testing Methods” (ASTM). After that, the pigments were applied in ink formulations to test their performance and open the way to their real applications in the printing inks industry.

Findings
The results of this work revealed that the performance of the new prepared pigments is closer to the performance of the commercial pigments which are already used in ink industry.

Research limitations/implications
Red lake C, as well as the new pigments, can be applied in other different industries such as coated papers, crayons, rubber and baking enamels.

Originality/value
The prepared pigments will be economically feasible and a good alternative to the original expensive commercial pigments which are already used in the inks industry.
The impact of culture, evaluation of store image and satisfaction on purchase intention at supermarkets
Authors: Watanabe Eluiza Alberto de Morais , Torres Claudio Vaz , Alfinito Solange 
Published: July 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the influence of culture in terms of individualism and collectivism (I-C), store image and customer satisfaction, on purchase intention at supermarkets.

Design/methodology/approach
In order to carry out the descriptive and quantitative research, the authors applied 443 questionnaires to consumers in two Brazilian supermarket chains. The authors used structured equation modeling for data analysis.

Findings
Customers’ satisfaction and the evaluation of store image positively affect purchase intention; however, I-C did not show any effect. The cultural dimension slightly influenced the assessment of store image by only 2 percent. Store image positively affects consumer satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications
This study used convenience sampling and omission of vertical and horizontal variations of I-C in data analyses. The authors suggested the use of probabilistic sampling and the inclusion of vertical and horizontal variations of I-C. The relationships investigated herein can still be analyzed in other contexts.

Practical implications
In order to increase satisfaction and purchase intention, it is necessary to prioritize aspects related to layout, service and products’ variety and quality. Still, managers should not worry about I-C, since it does not affect purchase intention.

Originality/value
The authors observed the relevance of the study after carrying out a literature review on the subject. There is a lack of studies that investigate the relationship between I-C, evaluation of store image, consumer satisfaction and purchase intention, either together or in the context of supermarkets.
A rapid prototyping-based methodology for patient-specific contouring of osteotomy plates
Authors: Gomari Behnam , Farahmand Farzam , Farkhondeh Hassan 
Published: July 2019

PurposeAn important challenge of the osteotomy procedures, particularly in the case of large and complex corrections, is the fixation of the osteotomy site. The purpose of this study is to propose a practical and cost-effect methodology for the plate adapting problem of osteotomy surgery.Design/methodology/approachA novel patient-specific plate contouring methodology, based on rapid prototyping (RP) and multi-point forming (MPF) techniques, was developed and evaluated. In this methodology, a female mold is fabricated by RP, based on the geometry of the osteotomy site and estimation of the plate spring back. The mold is then used to configure a MPF die, which is then used for press forming of the factory-made locking plate. The applicability of the methodology was assessed in two case studies.FindingsThe results of implementing the methodology on a femoral and a tibial locking plate indicated very good conformity with the underlying bone, in both the frontal and sagittal planes. The surgical application of the pre-operatively contoured tibial plate facilitated the plate locating and screw inserting procedures, and provided a secure fixation for bone fragments.Practical implicationsThe results are promising and provide a proof of concept for the feasibility and applicability of the proposed methodology in clinical practice, as a complementary to the existing surgical preplanning and patient-specific instrument preparations.Originality/valueThe advantageous features of RP and the MPF were used to provide a solution for the plate adapting problem of osteotomy surgery.
The brand personality of professional football teams
Authors: Papadimitriou Dimitra , Kaplanidou Kyriaki , Alexandris Kostas , Theodorakis Nikos 
Published: July 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to test the psychometric properties of the Team Brand Personality Scale by Blank et al. (2013, 2018) in the context of the professional football clubs in Greece, based on the perceptions of fans for their own team and the rival team. The brand personality team scores of the fans are also used to create a league map presenting the brand personality of the different teams of the Greek football Super League.

Design/methodology/approach
Following a quantitative research design, 724 Greek football fans completed an electronic questionnaire assessing demographics, brand personality, team identification, sport involvement, attitudinal loyalty and game attractiveness.

Findings
The results partially confirmed the psychometric properties of the brand personality scale and suggested that the notion of brand personality influences positively the attitudinal loyalty and game attractiveness of the fans. Based on the results, the personality structure for the football league was also created and discussed.

Research limitations/implications
This study was set to focus only on the brand personality perceptions of the highly identified fans of football teams, known in the literature as realized brand personality. However, a thorough understanding of the particular concept requires also the perspective of sport marketers who may perceive the brand personality in a different manner (i.e. intended brand personality), so as to build a holistic picture of brand personality of football teams.

Practical implications
This research confirms that football teams have already projected a unique personality among their highly identified fans which can be used by marketing practitioners while designing integrated communication strategies.

Originality/value
This paper contributes to the broad brand personality literature by replicating Blank’s et al.’s sport team personality scale to the Greek context and the league level, involving both supporting fans and rivals.
Hip children, good mothers – children’s clothing as capital investment?
Authors: Åberg Erica , Huvila Jarna 
Published: July 2019

Purpose
A growing body of sociological literature defines physical appearance as a form of capital, a convertible resource in contemporary societies. The purpose of this study is to examine the importance of consuming on children’s fashion as a part of this appearance-oriented consumer culture. We investigate if the mothers we interviewed see their children as their extended self and actually are negotiating their own aesthetic capital through their children’s clothing.

Design/methodology/approach
In this study, we utilise 10 semi-structured themed interviews with Finnish mothers who were recruited from a popular Facebook group, focused on discussing children’s fashion.

Findings
Results indicate that women see their children as their extended self, and as such, they can be seen negotiating their own aesthetic capital through consuming practices for their children. Additionally, the investment in the physical appearance of children can be seen as a construction of a contemporary understanding of proper motherhood in the middle-class context.

Originality/value
Although extensive research has been carried out in expenditure on children’s fashion, this research offers a novel approach by combining research on parenting in a consumer culture with the theory of aesthetic capital to explore the materially based construction of parenting in the Finnish context.
Individual variation in plasticity dulls transgenerational responses to stress
Authors: Gillis Michael K. , Walsh Matthew R. 
Published: July 2019

Abstract

Much research has shown that environmental stress can induce adaptive and maladaptive phenotypic changes in organisms that persist for multiple generations. Such transgenerational phenotypic plasticity shrouds our understanding of the long‐term consequences of ongoing anthropogenic pressures.

Here, we evaluated within‐ and transgenerational phenotypic responses to food stress in the freshwater crustacean, Daphnia. We reared 45 clones of Daphnia pulicaria each on high‐quality Scenedesmus and low‐quality (but also non‐toxic) cyanobacteria (generation 1). Offspring produced by generation 1 adults were then reared on Scenedesmus (generation 2), and life‐history traits were measured across both generations.

The results show that Daphnia in generation 1 exhibited reduced fitness (i.e., delayed maturation, lower reproductive output, increased clutch interval) when reared in the presence of cyanobacteria as opposed to high‐quality food. However, maternal stress had no clear influence on the fitness of offspring. That is, Daphnia in the second experimental generation had similar mean trait values, irrespective of whether their mothers were reared on cyanobacteria or high‐quality food.

Signals of transgenerational life‐history effects were obscured, in part, by extensive clonal variation among Daphnia in the direction of transgenerational responses to cyanobacteria (i.e., adaptive and maladaptive plasticity). Further analyses demonstrated that such individual variance in plasticity might be open to selection and potentially offer a means of contemporary adaptation to cyanobacteria. Taken together, our results denote a link between the overall strength of transgenerational responses to the environment and the potential for rapid evolution in populations.

A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.