bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluating Perry’s structured approach for professional doctorate theses
Authors: Charles Michael , Farr-Wharton Ben , von der Heidt Tania , Sheldon Neroli 
Published: January 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate examiner reactions to doctorate of business administration (DBA) theses at an Australian university applying Perry’s structured approach to thesis presentation, which had its origin in the marketing discipline, but is now widely applied to other business disciplines.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper examines 49 DBA examiner reports relating to 19 DBA theses using the structured Perry approach, with emphasis paid to comments relating to thesis structure and presentation. Only those theses that acknowledged Perry or demonstrated Perry-like characteristics were interrogated.

Findings
The use of Perry’s structured approach can lead to DBA theses that place excessive emphasis on description rather than practical outcomes, as should occur with a professional doctorate, and also fosters excessive repetition and scaffolding that unduly interferes with the candidate’s “story telling”. Many examiners found theses using Perry’s structured approach problematic, particularly with respect to a lack of integration with the literature and reflection on the findings in relation to previous studies.

Research limitations/implications
The use of Perry’s structured approach potentially acts as a further barrier to DBA theses, and other professional doctorates by extension, sufficiently differentiating themselves from PhDs. This has implications for the examination of such theses, which are sometimes viewed as lower-quality PhDs instead of professional doctorates.

Originality/value
Applying a traditional PhD thesis structure, such as the model advocated by Perry with its use of five chapters, to DBA theses potentially exacerbates existing professional doctorate “image” issues, thereby leading to ambiguity for examiners and the candidates themselves.
“Competence” and occupational standards: observations from six European countries
Authors: Lester Stan , Religa Jolanta 
Published: January 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review the use of “competence” as a concept and through the use of occupational competence standards in six European countries.

Design/methodology/approach
Partners in an Erasmus+ project in each of the six countries prepared a review of the use of “competence” in their countries using a common template. The authors of this paper reviewed additional literature, summarised the individual country reviews and provided an analysis and commentary.

Findings
“Competence” is becoming a widely used concept across Europe, but its interpretation and application both vary. Between them, the countries in the study illustrate the use of separate occupational standards, both as a national strategy and developed by self-governing professions; as well as competence embedded directly in qualification and training specifications. The use of separate standards as a mandatory component in national vocational education and training systems is questioned, while the use of appropriate standards for licensing and qualified status is largely endorsed.

Research limitations/implications
The country reviews were conducted principally from the perspective of informing the developments taking place in the project, so were not comprehensive and also differed in emphasis between countries.

Practical implications
The study points to the need to avoid promoting any particular model of occupational competence at a European level, as opposed to seeking common ground that will aid mutual recognition of qualifications. It also cautions against the uncritical transfer of models and policies from one national system to another.

Originality/value
The paper provides additional evidence against “policy borrowing” without careful consideration of context, and contrasts the use of competence standards as part of a system-wide strategy with their tailored application for specific purposes.
Role of employers in the formation of educational programs and resources for training of specialists in service sphere
Authors: Zaytseva Natalia , Larionova Anna , Zhukov Vadim , Pervunin Sergey 
Published: January 2017

Purpose
Actuality of this subject is predetermined by the fact that global competitiveness and expansion of exchange of knowledge made employers not only increase requirements to factual results of the study at all levels of education but also announce the necessity of formation of new qualities with graduates. The purpose of this paper is to develop a complex of recommendations for employers’ participation in the formation of educational programs for preparing specialists in the service sphere, aimed at improving education quality and the demand for graduates in the labor market.

Design/methodology/approach
A method which leads to the study of this problem is desk methods of research. For an evaluation of the results of realization of educational programs and use of educational resources for training of specialists in the service sphere, the authors conducted a survey of employers (representatives of service sphere); the selection constituted 300 people.

Findings
The paper determines scientifically substantiated directions of activities for the participation of employers in the formation of educational programs and resources for training of specialists in the service sphere. The authors developed a model of interconnection of purposes and results of employers’ participation in the realization of educational programs, formation, and use of educational resources.

Originality/value
The practical significance of this research consists in the fact that received results and offers could be used by educational establishments, employers, and professional associations.
Mechanism of determination of effectiveness of spending assets of endowment funds on the basis of mathematical models
Authors: Sazonov Sergey , Kharlamova Ekaterina , Chekhovskaya Irina , Polyanskaya Elena 
Published: January 2017

Purpose
Economic problems of the system of education were the object of interest of classics of economic science – A. Smith and A. Marshall – who viewed education as a source of public capital, and acquired skills and competences – as a part of national wealth. These ideas were further developed in the theory of human capital by T. Schultz, G.S. Becker, G. Psacharopoulos, P. Teixeira, and R. Solow. At that, specifics of modernization economic processes in the sphere of education, peculiarities of modern functional and financial state require conceptual consideration and provision of development of working mechanism of effectiveness of spending assets of endowment funds. The purpose of this paper is to determine the mechanism of effectiveness of spending assets of endowment funds on the basis of mathematical models.

Design/methodology/approach
The paper offers a mechanism of determination of effectiveness of spending of endowment funds.

Findings
Effectiveness of an endowment fund’s effectiveness depends on the results of fund-raising activities, supporting relations with donators, and financing of targeted programs and directions of activities. This information is key information during the determination of results of endowment fund’s activities for current and potential donators. That is why it should provide reports in the order of formation of endowment, received revenue from trust management, and direction of usage of revenues from endowment, for which a donator has given his assets, on a regular basis.

Originality/value
In the modern system of higher education, the issue of search for new sources of financing for the purpose of improvement of quality of education and educational process, growth of wages of academic staff, attraction of foreign lecturers and specialists with practical experience of work from various spheres of production, and increase of stipends of the best students remains actual. The paper offers a mechanism of determination of effectiveness of spending of endowment funds.
Formation of professionalism of executives
Authors: Gerasimov Kirill , Gerasimov Boris 
Published: January 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present the results of the research in the sphere of education and preparation of Russian executives in view of mentality and elements of national model of management.

Design/methodology/approach
The research consisted in analysis of modern developments in the sphere of HR management in socio-economic systems. The authors used the materials on structuring and classification of managerial activities from various points of view. The research is based on recent tendencies in the sphere of application of intensive educational technologies.

Findings
Ten levels of managerial activities were distinguished on the basis of the performed research. Each of these levels is a new step of qualitative significance and complication of managerial activities. In order to achieve new and higher levels of professionalism, a model of professional development of executives was created, which consists of several blocks, which stimulates obtaining the knowledge and acquisition of certain skills in this sphere. The structure of problem and situational game “Professionalism of executives” and methodology of evaluation of activities of game participants are given.

Practical implications
Using game modeling for determination of the level of professional activities will allow evaluating specialists, in particular, executives, and determine qualitative evaluation of the level of their competence in various aspects of their activities.

Originality/value
The research possesses a value for lecturers, managers, and consultants of educational establishments who perform training, additional training, and development of professional competence of executive in organizations of any profile in view of national mentality.
High-priority directions of modernization of university education in innovational society
Authors: Sergeev Nikolai 
Published: January 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to verify the offered hypothesis and to determine high-priority directions of modernization of university education in an innovational society by the example of modern Russia.

Design/methodology/approach
During the empirical study of connection between university education and innovational development of economy, the author uses the method of correlation and factor analysis.

Findings
As a result of the research, the author has come to the conclusion that under conditions of transition to innovational society, there is transformation of the role of university education from the means of transition of knowledge and skills, necessary for practical activities, to a platform for the creation of innovations. The author analyzed the peculiarities of innovational society and found out that innovations that are the key driver of its development are provided by the system of university education.

Practical implications
Practical value of the work consists in a possibility for use of the developed recommendations for modernization of university education in the innovational society in modern Russia and other countries with similar problems.

Originality/value
Theoretical importance and scientific value of the performed research consists in the development of innovational society and innovations-oriented economy, as well as the concept of university education.
Analysing supermarket performance with the high-performance organisation framework
Authors: de Waal André , van Nierop Erjen , Sloot Laurens 
Published: January 2017

Purpose
The Dutch supermarket industry is dominated by a small number of powerful companies which capture the majority of sales and which compete fiercely with each other. This competition is mainly quality based, in the sense of offering increasingly more products of higher quality and striving for better distribution mechanisms. Interestingly there does not seem to be much attention for the quality of the internal supermarket organisation, i.e. quality of people, internal processes, and performance reporting. Thus there seems to be a gap in both current literature and the quality improvement attention of supermarkets which needs to be addressed, to uncover new sources of improvement. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, the authors introduce the high-performance organisation (HPO) framework, a validated technique for evaluating the strength of the internal organisation of companies and for proposing quality improvements. The aim of the research is to test whether the HPO Framework can be used to analyse the strength and performance of supermarkets and to come up with recommendations for improvement. A questionnaire into the drivers of success of supermarkets was constructed which was send to 400 supermarket franchisers, and the received data were subsequently analysed.

Findings
On average the participating supermarkets are well-performing but they cannot yet be classified as high performing according to the HPO Framework. The supermarkets with the highest HPO scores indeed achieve better financial results (both in terms of revenue and margin achieved) than those of supermarkets with lower HPO scores. Finally, the authors find that larger supermarkets (in square metres floor area) outperform smaller supermarkets on all HPO factors.

Research limitations/implications
As the HPO Framework is shown to be useful for not only analysing the performance of the supermarkets but also to generate recommendations for improvement of those supermarkets, individual supermarkets should evaluate their performance and operations using the HPO Framework to come up with improvement recommendations tailored to their own situation.

Originality/value
The HPO Framework has been applied during the past years in many sectors but not yet in the supermarket industry. Thus this research provides a unique insight in this industry. In addition academic researchers can use the HPO Framework to further investigate specific areas and factors of the supermarkets, in order to add to the literature on the quality of supermarkets.
Librarians and compensation negotiation in the library workplace
Authors: Farrell Shannon L. , Geraci Aliqae 
Published: January 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to report on survey results from a study about librarians’ experience with compensation (salary and benefits) negotiation in the library workplace in order to provide data that will inform professional discourse and practice.

Design/methodology/approach
A primarily quantitative survey instrument was administered via Qualtrics Survey Software and distributed through listservs and social media channels representing a range of library types and sub-disciplines. The survey was explicitly addressed to librarians for participation and asked them questions related to their work history and experience with negotiating for salary and benefits.

Findings
A total of 1,541 librarians completed the survey. More than half of survey respondents reported not negotiating for their current library position. The majority of those who did negotiate reported positive outcomes, including an increase in salary or total compensation package. Only a very small number of respondents reported threats to rescind or rescinded offers when negotiating for their current positions. Respondents cited prior salary and prior work experience and/or education as the top information sources informing negotiation strategy.

Originality/value
There is minimal discussion of salary and benefits negotiation by individuals in the library literature and prior surveys of librarians’ experience with compensation negotiation do not exist. This is the first paper that tracks negotiating practices and outcomes of librarians in library workplaces of all types.
Using ethnographic research techniques to find out the story behind international student library usage in the Library Impact Data Project
Authors: Sharman Alison 
Published: January 2017

Purpose
Phase two of the JISC funded Library Impact Data Project (LIDP) identified low library usage amongst Chinese students in comparison to their UK peers. Further research was needed to help the authors delve deeper and find out the story behind the data. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire was distributed to all international students in the Business School to learn about their information retrieval behaviours. The response was high but the survey was deliberately designed to only produce quantitative data, and the paper highlights the limitations of this data. More research using qualitative ethnography research techniques was needed to gather qualitative data to create a broader picture of student practice. Methods utilised included the retrospective process interview and cognitive mapping (both used by Andrew Asher in the ERIAL project). Questions from the survey were sometimes used as prompts in the qualitative process.

Findings
The data are still to be coded and analysed but one of the main findings is that students are unaware of the research help that they can get from their academic library. Ethnographic research methods gave more inroads into finding the story behind the LIDP than quantitative research methods.

Originality/value
Ethnographic research in libraries is still in its early days in the UK. It could help those library professionals who are hoping to practice similar research methods.
Possibility and imagination: a personal exploration of research and librarianship
Authors: Byrne Alex 
Published: January 2017

Purpose
Libraries and research have a symbiotic relationship. Researchers depend on libraries and the collections and information services we curate and libraries depend on researchers and writers, and their publishers, to deliver the stuff that we make available. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between research and practice.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper reports the author’s perspective as a librarian with nearly four decades in practice who has undertaken a variety of research throughout his career.

Findings
Identifies the need for a more systematic relationship that will encourage better practice in research and lead practitioners to draw on the findings of more reliable research to inform their practice, test possibilities and stimulate imagination.

Originality/value
Tracing the intertwining of research and practice through one career, the paper presents a uniquely detailed perspective.
A night soil collection point: the public toilets in Hong Kong, 1860s-1920s
Authors: Chong Yuk-sik 
Published: January 2017

Purpose
This paper aims to understand the implication of night soil selling at the public toilets for the shared interests between colonial state and business in nineteenth-century Hong Kong. More specifically, this paper attempts to look at the ways the toilets were sustained by the sharing interests over night soil profits between state and business sector.

Design/methodology/approach
It is argued from the political economy perspective that the night soil profit determined the public toilet development.

Findings
The successful emergence of the modern state of colonies was generally attributed to colonial modernization, a force that was widely recognized for having introduced hygienic modernity. It was easily assumed that the public toilets would be provided by colonial government. Instead, sanitary problems during the early colonization of this colony were addressed by the privately-owned public pail toilets provided by big Chinese landowners through the selling of night soil. Based on this quasi-commercial mode, these toilets, which served as night soil collection points, were certainly inefficient; they however survived for half a century into the early twentieth century.

Originality/value
The paper challenges the long-established assumptions of binary relations and hierarchical public roles that put them into zero-sum competition of capacity. It rather argues that the interests aligned with each other.
Taking stock: the establishment of a distinctive criminological tradition
Authors: McLaughlin Eugene 
Published: January 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to offer an insider account of the establishment of Hong Kong University (HKU’s) Master of Social Sciences in Criminology.

Design/methodology/approach
The paper is biographical in approach, based on the author’s recollections and departmental documentation relating to the establishment of the MSocSc criminology degree.

Findings
The author argues that for all the practical complications, a distinctive criminological tradition was forged in the early years that has had a lasting influence. The paper concludes by considering the challenges faced by criminology in contemporary Hong Kong.

Originality/value
The paper provides an account of the origins and development of academic criminology in Hong Kong.
Implementing policy and good practice in services for people with learning disabilities: factors influencing commissioning and service provision
Authors: Kerrigan James Colman , Hopper Caroline 
Published: January 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the implementation of learning disability (LD) policy among LD commissioners and managers in Kent (South East England) and a neighbouring area.

Design/methodology/approach
Participants’ views were elicited by semi-structured interviews focussed on two key national policy documents: Valuing People (DH, 2001) and the Mansell report (DH, 1993; 2007a).

Findings
Valuing People had a significant impact at the time of publication but initial enthusiasm and impetus faded over time. The Mansell report was thought to have had little impact on local services. Good progress was reported with respect to the development of more integrated services. Limited progress was identified with respect to the development of local mental health and challenging behaviour services. Factors influencing policy implementation were identified.

Originality/value
The similarity of findings to those of McGill et al. (2010) suggest their more general relevance. In the light of the subsequent investigation into Winterbourne View, common themes from both studies are considered in relation to the current Transforming Care programme in England.
The zone of parental control, the “gilded cage” and the deprivation of a child’s liberty: getting around Article 5
Authors: Horowicz Edmund Marcus 
Published: January 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to specifically analyse whether parents should have the legal authority to authorise a deprivation of liberty for children with a learning disability. As a result of parental consent being recognised as holding legal authority, these children have their right to liberty under Article 5 engaged. It will be argued that the courts’ failure to support this view stems from the confusing concept of the “zone of parental control”.

Design/methodology/approach
A doctrinal methodology is used, examining domestic law and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), with analysis of relevant literature.

Findings
Decisions regarding deprivation of liberty in children under the age of 16 should undoubtedly include parental consent. The concern expressed here is the sovereignty of parental consent over all else. The law is confusing. In one respect rights under the ECHR are universal. However, both UK and European courts have accepted the premise that it is entirely within the zone of parental control to effectively deprive a child of liberty without procedural or judicial review. Furthermore, there are wider potential issues for children being considered to be deprived of liberty following Cheshire West.

Originality/value
The paper is a discussion piece that is critical of the existing law and uses the literature and original opinions to recommend an alternative approach.