bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A state-wise performance appraisal of the Indian roads using PROMETHEE-GIS approach
Authors: Chakraborty Shankar , Ranjan Rajeev , Mondal Poulomi 
Published: October 2018

Purpose
A road network provides arterial arrangement to facilitate business, transport, social integration and economic progress of any nation. During the last seven decades after independence, road transport infrastructure in India has expanded manifold, both in terms of spread (total length and density of road) and capacity (number of on-road registered vehicles, and volume of passenger and freight traffic handled). But, with the enrichment of road transport network in India, the number of traffic accidents and total cost for maintaining the road infrastructure also keeps on increasing. It becomes necessary to evaluate state-wise performance of the Indian roads using some mathematical tools. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, using preference ranking organization method for enrichment of evaluations (PROMETHEE) and geometrical analysis for interactive aid (GAIA) approaches, an attempt is made to appraise the state-wise performance of Indian roads based on 12 critically important criteria. A geographic information system method and a hue-saturation-value color coding scheme are also employed to identify the influence of individual criterion on the overall rank of 29 Indian states.

Findings
It is observed that amongst all the considered states, the road conditions in the states of Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh are really satisfactory, whereas Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are the lagging states requiring governmental intervention and support to enhance their road network infrastructure.

Practical implications
This analysis would help the decision makers to identify the strengths and deficiencies of each Indian state with respect to its road conditions so that proper promotional and growth actions can be implemented.

Originality/value
From the review of the existing literature, it is quite evident that till date, no research work has been conducted in order to evaluate the performance of roads, and their conditions and characteristic features in the Indian context. In this paper, the state-wise performance of the Indian roads is appraised based on several identified parameters using a combined PROMETHEE-GAIA approach.
Service quality function deployment by the C-shaped QFD 3D matrix
Authors: Hassani Maryam , Shahin Arash , Kheradmandnia Manouchehr 
Published: October 2018

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the application of C-shaped QFD 3D Matrix in comparing process characteristics (PC), performance aspects (PA) and customer requirements, simultaneously and to prioritize the first two sets, respectively.

Design/methodology/approach
A three dimensional matrix has been developed with three sets of PC, PA and customers’ requirements and C-shaped matrix has been applied for simultaneous comparison of the dimensions and prioritization of the subsets of PC and PA. The proposed approach has been examined in a post bank.

Findings
Findings confirm the possibility of simultaneous comparison and prioritization of the three sets of dimensions of this study in post bank services. In addition, “growth and learning” and “bilateral relationship with suppliers” had the first priorities among PA and PC, respectively.

Research limitations/implications
While the proposed approach has many advantages, filling the matrixes is time-consuming. Since illustrating the 3D matrix was not possible, the matrix was separated into five two-dimensional matrixes.

Originality/value
Compared to the studied literature, the proposed approach is practically new in the post bank services.
Numerical investigation for endoscopic and Soret-Dufour effects on MHD peristaltic activity of Carreau fluid
Authors: Hayat Tasawar , Akram Javaria , Zahir Hina , Alsaedi Ahmad 
Published: October 2018

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to emphasize on the impact of endoscope in MHD peristaltic flow of Carreau fluid. Heat and mass transfer phenomena are comprised of Soret and Dufour effects. Influences of mixed convection and viscous dissipation are also accounted. Wall properties and convective boundary conditions are used.

Design/methodology/approach
The Navier–Stokes and energy equations used the lubrication approach. The reduced system of equations is executed numerically. The graphical illustration of velocity, temperature, concentration and heat transfer coefficient for various emerging parameters is discussed.

Findings
The response of Weissenberg number and power law index is decaying toward velocity and temperature. Moreover impression of Soret and Dufour number on temperature is quite reverse to that of concentration.

Originality/value
The titled problem with the various considered effects has not been solved before, and it is of special importance in various industries. The problem is original.
Enhancing reading skills through adaptive e-learning
Authors: Villesseche Julie , Le Bohec Olivier , Quaireau Christophe , Nogues Jeremie , Besnard Anne-Laure , Oriez Sandrine , De La Haye Fanny , Noel Yvonnick , Lavandier Karine 
Published: October 2018

Purpose
E-learning is part of instructional design and has opened a whole world of new possibilities in terms of learning and teaching. The purpose of this paper is to develop an adaptive e-learning platform that enhances skills from primary school to university learners. Two purposes converge here: a pedagogical one – offering new possibilities, especially in terms of teaching scenarios (blended learning); and a research one – confirming the effectiveness of an adaptive e-learning tool in the case of individualized cross-disciplinary competences, such as comprehension of implicit information in written texts (French).

Design/methodology/approach
The case study presented here concerns primary-school learners using the Implicit module of TACIT adaptive e-learning tool over the 2016-2017 academic year.

Findings
This paper gives a first positive answer to the effectiveness of such a tool in this specific context. This pedagogical effectiveness is more pronounced for low-level pupils, especially for girls and for older pupils (CM1/CM2, respectively, fourth/fifth grade).

Originality/value
In this case study, the module comes from an existing platform, created by the TACIT research group. The adaptive environment was created by using the Item Response Theory models and, more precisely, the Rasch model.
The importance of customer’s perception of salesperson’s empathy in selling
Authors: Delpechitre Duleep , Rutherford Brian Nicholas , Comer Lucette B. 
Published: October 2018

Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of salesperson empathy, both cognitive and affective, on business-to-business buyer-salesperson relational outcomes. Specifically, the direct impact of empathy is examined in relation to both the salesperson’s communication ability and customer-oriented behavior. The impact of empathy is then examined as a direct and indirect influencer of satisfaction with the salesperson and commitment to the salesperson.

Design/methodology/approach
To attain the objective of this research, an empirical study was conducted using 248 business-to-business purchasing agents.

Findings
The study found that cognitive empathy and affective empathy had a positive relationship with customer-oriented behaviors, information communication ability and commitment to the salesperson. However, only cognitive empathy was found to have a positive relationship with customer’s satisfaction with the salesperson.

Originality/value
Although empathy has found to have a positive effect on sales, sales research has yet to provide conclusive evidence on whether cognitive empathy and affective empathy would have a similar effect on a salesperson-customer relationship. This study provides evidence that not all facets of empathy influence relational outcomes the same way and differ in magnitude. This provides strong support for the importance of studying the impact of empathy from a faceted viewpoint rather than a uni-dimensional perspective when examining the influence on buyer-seller relational outcomes.
The impact of transaction costs in portfolio optimization
Authors: Chavalle Luc , Chavez-Bedoya Luis 
Published: October 2018

Purpose
This paper aims to analyze the impact of transaction costs in portfolio optimization in Peru. The study aims to compare the transaction costs structure applied in Peru with respect to the ones applied in the USA, and over a few dimensions.

Design/methodology/approach
The paper opted for an empirical study analyzing the cost of rebalancing portfolios over a set period and dimensions. Stocks have been carefully selected using Bloomberg terminals, and portfolio designed then rebalanced using VBA programming. Over a few dimensions as type and number of stocks, holding period and trading strategy, the behavior of these different transaction costs has been compared. The analysis has been done for four different portfolios.

Findings
The paper provides empirical insights about how a retail investor actively trading in Peru can pay up to 14 times more in transaction costs than trading the same portfolio in the USA. These comparatively high transaction costs prevent retail investors to trade in the Peruvian stock market while fueling illiquidity to this market.

Research limitations/implications
The paper deals with a limited amount of Peruvian stocks. Researchers are encouraged to test the proposition further, including other dimensions.

Practical implications
The paper includes implications for any retail investor that wants to invest in Peruvian stocks, giving an insight about how expensive it is to actively rebalance a portfolio in Peru.

Originality/value
This paper fulfils an identified need to study how much it costs to actively invest on the stock market in Peru.
Navigating the tension between scale and school context in digital college guidance
Authors: Corwin Zoe , Maruco Tattiya J. 
Published: October 2018

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to highlight the potential of digital tools to address the significant challenge of increasing access to college and outline challenges and opportunities in effectively implementing a digital intervention across an entire school.Design/methodology/approachThe study encompasses a randomized control trial and comparative case studies. This paper highlights qualitative data focused on implementation.FindingsFindings illustrate impediments and strategies for implementing a school-wide digital intervention.Research limitations/implicationsResearch focused on one particular intervention and is thus limited in scope.Practical implicationsThe study has the potential to assist practitioners in better serving students from low-income and minoritized communities through digital tools.Social implicationsThe study has implications for increasing the number of first-generation and minoritized youth who apply to and enroll in college. The study highlights digital equity issues often overlooked in ed-tech sectors.Originality/valueFew studies exist that examine the implementation of digital interventions at the school level. Focusing on digital equity in the college access space (academic and practice) is novel.
Evasive knowledge hiding in academia: when competitive individuals are asked to collaborate
Authors: Hernaus Tomislav , Cerne Matej , Connelly Catherine , Poloski Vokic Nina , Škerlavaj Miha 
Published: October 2018

PurposeAcademic knowledge work often presumes collaboration among interdependent individuals. However, this work also involves competitive pressures to perform and even outperform others. While knowledge hiding has not yet been extensively examined in the academic environment, this study aims to deepen the understanding of the personal (individual-level) and situational (job-related) factors that affect evasive knowledge hiding (EKH) within academia.Design/methodology/approachA field study was conducted on a nation-wide sample of 210 scholars from both public and private business schools in a European Union member state. A series of paired samplet-tests were followed by hierarchical regression analyses to test moderation using the PROCESS macro.FindingsThe results suggest that scholars hide more tacit than explicit knowledge. The findings also indicate a consistent pattern of positive and significant relationships between trait competitiveness and EKH. Furthermore, task interdependence and social support buffer the detrimental relationship between personal competitiveness and evasive hiding of explicit knowledge, but not tacit knowledge.Originality/valueThe research provides insights into several important antecedents of EKH that have not been previously examined. It contributes to research on knowledge transfer in academia by focusing on situations where colleagues respond to explicit requests by hiding knowledge. The moderating role of collaborative job design offers practical solutions on how to improve knowledge transfer between mistrusted and competitive scholars. The collaboration–competition framework is extended by introducing personal competitiveness and relational job design, and suggesting how to manage the cross-level tension of differing collaborative and competitive motivations within academia.
Linking employer branding and internal branding: establishing perceived employer brand image as an antecedent of favourable employee brand attitudes and behaviours
Authors: Hoppe Daniel 
Published: October 2018

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to establish the symbolic facet of perceived employer brand image (PEBI) as an antecedent of favourable brand-related identification and employee behaviours, namely, corporate brand identification (CBI) and brand citizenship behaviours (BCB).Design/methodology/approachA standardized questionnaire was used. Data collection occurred at a maximum care hospital in Germany (N= 366). Structural equation modelling was used in the data analysis.FindingsA direct link between PEBI and BCB was theoretically derived from social exchange theory and could be empirically confirmed. In addition to a direct relationship, a mediated relationship based on social identity theory was outlined. PEBI influences BCB via CBI. The mediated pathway accounts for 70 per cent of the variance.Practical implicationsUnderstanding the impact of symbolic job offerings on favourable brand-related employee attitudes and behaviours should lead practitioners to focus on increasing employees’ perceptions of the employer’s prestige and sincerity, for example, by strengthening employee target group-oriented communications about corporate social responsibility or increasing out-group salience when communicating organizational achievements.Originality/valueThis paper transfers the concept of organizational attractiveness, organizational identification and favourable employee behaviours to a corporate brand focus. It is the first integration of the symbolic dimension of the instrumental-symbolic framework in an internal branding context.
Multiresolution layered manufacturing
Authors: Fernandez Jose David , de Coninck Joel 
Published: October 2018

Purpose
Two-photon polymerization (TPP) has become one of the most popular techniques for stereolithography at very high resolutions. When printing relatively large structures at high resolutions, one of the main limiting factors is the printing time. The purpose of this paper is to present a new slicing algorithm to minimize printing times.

Design/methodology/approach
Typically, slicing algorithms used for TPP do not take into account the fact that TPP can print at a range of resolutions (i.e. with different heights and diameters) by varying parameters such as exposure time, laser power, photoresist properties and optical arrangements. This work presents multiresolution layered manufacturing (MLM), a novel slicing algorithm that processes 3D structures to separate parts manufacturable at low resolution from those that require a higher resolution.

Findings
MLM can significantly reduce the printing time of 3D structures at high resolutions. The maximum theoretical speed-up depends on the range of printing resolutions, but the effective speed-up also depends on the geometry of each 3D structure.

Research limitations/implications
MLM opens the possibility to significantly decrease printing times, potentially opening the use of TPP to new applications in many disciplines such as microfluidics, metamaterial research or wettability.

Originality/value
There are many instances of previous research on printing at several resolutions. However, in most cases, the toolpaths have to be manually arranged. In some cases, previous research also automates the generation of toolpaths, but they are limited in various ways. MLM is the first algorithm to comprehensively solve this problem for a wide range of true 3D structures.
Corporate social responsibility practices and disclosures in Thailand
Authors: Issarawornrawanich Panya , Wuttichindanon Suneerat 
Published: October 2018

Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the patterns of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices and disclosures of firms listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET).

Design/methodology/approach
A total of 43 CSR indices under the Securities and Exchange Commission’s nine CSR components were used to quantify the CSR disclosures. The nine CSR components are good governance, environment, consumer protections, fair business practices, human rights, labor standards, community and society, innovation and anti-corruption. The common patterns of the CSR disclosures were subsequently identified using factor analysis.

Findings
The factor analysis identified four domains of the CSR disclosures of the SET-listed firms: employee relations, environment, anti-corruption and philanthropic efforts. Importantly, an increasing number of Thai firms are now attaching greater significance to the employee relations aspect of CSR, as opposed to in the past. In addition, an increasing number of the Thai companies have either initiated or participated in the anti-corruption campaigns.

Originality/value
The research offers an insight into the current development in CSR practices and disclosures in Thailand, as compared to a decade ago. To that end, this research conducted a survey on the CSR disclosures in relation to the nine CSR components, and factor analysis was used to establish the patterns of CSR practices. The findings are of great use to regulators in formulating legal frameworks and strategies to engage companies in CSR and also provide further evidence on the CSR practices in an emerging economy. Furthermore, the findings offer businesses and industries a disclosure benchmark, against which firms decide on the nature and extent of CSR information to disclose in the annual statements.
Board composition, ownership structure and corporate social responsibility disclosure: the case of Jordan
Authors: Abu Qa’dan Mohammad Bassam , Suwaidan Mishiel Said 
Published: October 2018

Purpose
This study aims to investigate the extent and nature of corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure in the context of Jordan. It also empirically examines the impact of board composition variables (size, independent [non-executive] directors, CEO/chairman duality, age and gender) and ownership structure variables (board ownership concentration, institutional ownership and foreign ownership) on CSR disclosure level.

Design/methodology/approach
A CSR disclosure index is constructed, and content analysis is used to analyze the extent and nature of CSR disclosure in the annual reports of Jordanian manufacturing companies listed on the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) during the period (2013-2015). Regression analysis using panel data is undertaken to analyze the potential impact of board composition and ownership structure on CSR disclosure level.

Findings
The results reveal that, on average, a listed Jordanian manufacturing company has disclosed 30.8 per cent of the 42 items of CSR information included in the disclosure index. In addition, there was a very slight improvement in the CSR disclosure over the study period. These results suggest there is considerable room for improvement in CSR disclosure. The regression analysis identified board size to be significantly and positively associated with CSR disclosure level. On the other hand, the percentage of independent (non-executive) directors on the board, duality of CEO and chairman positions, director’s age, board ownership concentration and the percentage of shares outstanding held by institutional shareholders were found to have had a significant negative impact on CSR disclosure level.

Originality/value
The study contributes to the literature on CSR practice and disclosure in various ways. First, it demonstrates the extent to which listed companies in developing countries, such as Jordan, take their social role seriously. Second, the study adds to the existing literature on the potential impact of board composition and ownership structure on CSR disclosure by using new variables that have not been tested before using Jordanian data. Third, the study is anticipated to provide feedback to Jordanian regulators in the Jordan Securities Commission and the ASE on the adequacy of current regulations on corporate disclosure requirements in Jordan. Finally, the study raises some issues of interest to other researchers who are currently or intend to conduct research in this area.
Towards a more ethical market: the impact of ESG rating on corporate financial performance
Authors: Landi Giovanni , Sciarelli Mauro 
Published: October 2018

PurposeThis paper fits in a research field dealing with the impact of Corporate Ethics Assessment on Financial Performance. The authors argue how environmental, social and governance (ESG) paradigm, meant to measure corporate social performance by rating issuance, can impact on abnormal returns of Italian firms listed on Financial Times Stock Exchange Milano Indice di Borsa (FTSE MIB) Index, developing a panel data analysis which runs from 2007 to 2015.Design/methodology/approachThis study aims at exploring whether socially responsible investors outperform an excess market return on Italian Stock Exchange because of their investment behavior, testing statistically the relationship between the yearly ESG assessment issued by Standard Ethics Agency on FTSE MIB’s companies and their abnormal returns. To verify the impact of an ESG Rating on a company’s abnormal return, the authors developed a panel data analysis through a Fixed Effects Model. They measured abnormal returns via Fama–French approach, running a yearly Jensen’s Performance Index for each company under investigation.FindingsThe empirical results denote in Italy both a growing interest to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability by managers over the past decade, as well as an improving quality in ESG assessments because of a reliable corporate disclosure. Thus, despite investors have been applying ESG criteria in their stock – picking operations, the authors found a not positive and statistically significant impact in terms of market premium, when they have been undertaking a socially responsible investment (SRI).Practical implicationsThe findings described above show that ethics is not yet a reliable fundraising tool for Italian-listed companies, despite SRIs having a positive growth rate over past decade. Investors seem to be not pricing CSR on Stock Exchange Market; therefore, listed companies cannot be rewarded with a premium price because of their highly stakeholder oriented behavior.Originality/valueThis paper explores, for the first time in Italy, when market extra-returns (if any) are related to corporate social performance and how managers leverage ethics to build capital added value.