bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Economic role of politics and corporate governance: reforms captured in Malaysia’s setting
Authors: Jamil Nurul Nazlia 
Published: October 2017

PurposeThis study aims to examine the economic role of politics on corporate governance reforms in one of emerging market, namely, Malaysia.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based upon a literature review analysis.FindingsThe Malaysian economic, political and social settings have resulted in undue state and detrimental political influence on business, and yet the corporate governance reforms undertaken seemed not be able to resolve the matter. It is suggesting that it would be beneficial for Malaysia to have more independent regulatory bodies representing a wide variety of stakeholders to improve the transparency and accountability to ensure that the reforms are effectively enforced without conflicting with the political agenda. Legal institutional reforms also may be needed to improve the structure, capacity and performance of judicial system, as it is capable to capture reliance of economic role of politics and promoting accountability in Malaysia.Research limitations/implicationsThe economic role of politics on corporate governance reforms is merely to broaden the political strategy in the corporate sector as the change in politics can improve the effectiveness of corporate governance reforms. Moreover, the economic role of politics raises the tone of the corporate governance reforms, and it implies that policymakers need to have effective corporate governance strategy in dealing with the reforms initiatives in areas that have strong political interventions.Originality/valueRegulatory and judicial implications are offered as a means to improve corporate governance in Malaysia.
The relation between voluntary carbon disclosure and environmental performance
Authors: Giannarakis Grigoris , Konteos George , Sariannidis Nikolaos , Chaitidis George 
Published: October 2017

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of environmental performance on the environmental disclosure level.Design/methodology/approachCarbon disclosure leadership index score is considered as a proxy of carbon disclosure level, while greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as a proxy of environmental performance. In addition, six control variables are used: return on assets, financial leverage, company’s size, CEO duality, board size and percentage of independent directors on board. The sample comprises 102 companies from a population of Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) companies over a five-year period, 2009-2013.FindingsResults revealed that higher pollution levels in terms of GHG emissions affect negatively the dissemination of carbon disclosure information, suggesting a positive relationship between environmental performance and environmental disclosure level. In addition, companies with good environmental performance in relation to their average environmental performance disseminate more carbon information in their disclosures. Thus, the carbon disclosure level is indicative of environmental performance consistent with the voluntary disclosure theory.Practical implicationsThe managerial behavior regarding the relation of environmental disclosure and environmental performance is explained. In addition, the findings should be of use to those investors interested in finding carbon emission information so that they assess investments and evaluate their current portfolios in terms of environmental sustainability.Originality/valueIt is intended to ascertain the reliability level of carbon disclosure regarding carbon emission information by incorporating the carbon disclosure leadership index score and GHG emissions.
Corporate governance and non-bank financial institutions profitability
Authors: Ofoeda Isaac 
Published: October 2017

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the influence of corporate governance structures of non-bank financial institutions (NBFI) on their profitability.Design/methodology/approachThe analysis is performed using data derived from the Bank of Ghana database during a nine-year period, 2006-2014. Correlated panels corrected standard errors model is used to estimate the regression equation. The study uses board size, board independence, gender diversity, CEO duality and tenure and board meetings as proxies for corporate governance. Audit committee size, independence and meetings are used as measures of audit committee activity. The study also uses the return on assets as measures of NBFI profitability.FindingsResults of the study show that there exists positive relationship among board size, audit committee size, meetings of the audit committee and profitability. However, board composition, gender diversity, board meetings and audit committee independence show a negative relationship with NBFI performance. From the findings of the study, it is evident that there are mixed results regarding corporate governance mechanisms and profitability of Ghanaian NBFIs. The results imply that the Ghanaian NBFI industry have unique characteristics and may react differently to corporate governance structures.Originality/valueThe value of this study is in its contribution to the extant literature on corporate governance and profitability of NBFIs.
Oral history and farmworker studies
Authors: Hagood Jonathan , Schriemer Clara 
Published: October 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore three sociocultural themes common to migrant and seasonal farmworkers and to demonstrate the value of incorporating oral history into healthcare practice and quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods research programs, as oral history is a culturally sensitive approach to working with vulnerable populations.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper examines 17 oral histories from farmworkers residing in Ottawa County, Michigan, in the late summer of 2014. The theoretical framework section has two aims. First, it explains the significance of “cultural sensitivity” and “deep structure” to the practice of effective healthcare. Second, it introduces oral history as a form of deep structure cultural sensitivity.

Findings
Three themes emerge from the collected oral histories: stress/anxiety of undocumented status, honor/worth of honest work, and the importance of educating migrant children. Undocumented status is found to be the hub of farmworker health inequities while worth of work and education are described as culturally sensitive points of conversation for healthcare workers engaging with this population. Finally, oral history is found to be a useful method for establishing the deep structure of cultural sensitivity.

Originality/value
This paper gives a voice to farmworkers, an inconspicuous population that disproportionately suffers from health inequities. In addition, this paper acts as a case study promoting the use of oral history as a novel, culturally sensitive research method.
Stakeholder influence strategies in China: the case of Beijing’s MasterCard Center
Authors: Xue Hanhan , Mason Dan 
Published: October 2017

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine influence strategies in organization-stakeholder relationships, by examining the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Anschutz Entertainment Group’s (AEG) involvement in the operations of MasterCard Center in Beijing, China.Design/methodology/approachUsing Frooman’s model of stakeholder influence strategies, a case study of AEG and the NBA China was undertaken, relying on archival sources and interviews with key stakeholders.FindingsThe study produced two major findings. First, Bloomage employed different influence strategies to press the NBA and AEG to further reduce their involvement in the MasterCard Center’s operations. Second, Bloomage used cultural differences to justify the need to reduce its reliance on the NBA and AEG.Originality/valueThe study adds to the literature on stakeholder theory and sport organizations by examining organizations establishing themselves in foreign markets, and the influence strategies employed by key local stakeholders.
The experiential offering system of museums: evidence from Italy
Authors: Pencarelli Tonino , Conti Emanuela , Splendiani Simone 
Published: October 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a new management approach to analyse the processes of museums in the experience logic and, on the basis of such a model, to study the management processes of the National Gallery of the Marches in Urbino, one of the most important museums in Italy.

Design/methodology/approach
This study adopted a qualitative methodology and a descriptive-exploratory approach. The proposed model, which aimed to create and manage experiences and transformations in museums, was tested in the National Gallery of the Marches by adopting the case study method.

Findings
The empirical research underlined the partial application of the proposed model in the museum under examination and the potential for the museum to improve the offering value to its visitors.

Research limitations/implications
Although a single case was investigated, the present work offers a preliminary theoretical contribution, which is useful for perfecting the conceptual framework and applying it to a wider number of cases.

Practical implications
The management of the National Gallery of the Marches should first plan a greater number of more detailed experiences and transformations around the theme of the Renaissance, and promote the active role of visitors. Second, it should improve the communication of the offer, especially through social networks. Third, personnel (especially front office) should be motivated and trained to create value for visitors.

Originality/value
The paper aims at developing a new management approach for the museums to create value for the visitors and museums by bringing the insight of the experience logic into the field of cultural heritage management.
“Let the community decide”? The vision and reality of soundness-only peer review in open-access mega-journals
Authors: Spezi Valerie , Wakeling Simon , Pinfield Stephen , Fry Jenny , Creaser Claire , Willett Peter 
Published: October 2017

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to better understand the theory and practice of peer review in open-access mega-journals (OAMJs). OAMJs typically operate a “soundness-only” review policy aiming to evaluate only the rigour of an article, not the novelty or significance of the research or its relevance to a particular community, with these elements being left for “the community to decide” post-publication.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reports the results of interviews with 31 senior publishers and editors representing 16 different organisations, including 10 that publish an OAMJ. Thematic analysis was carried out on the data and an analytical model developed to explicate their significance.FindingsFindings suggest that in reality criteria beyond technical or scientific soundness can and do influence editorial decisions. Deviations from the original OAMJ model are both publisher supported (in the form of requirements for an article to be “worthy” of publication) and practice driven (in the form of some reviewers and editors applying traditional peer review criteria to OAMJ submissions). Also publishers believe post-publication evaluation of novelty, significance and relevance remains problematic.Originality/valueThe study is based on unprecedented access to senior publishers and editors, allowing insight into their strategic and operational priorities. The paper is the first to report in-depth qualitative data relating specifically to soundness-only peer review for OAMJs, shedding new light on the OAMJ phenomenon and helping inform discussion on its future role in scholarly communication. The paper proposes a new model for understanding the OAMJ approach to quality assurance, and how it is different from traditional peer review.
Under-promising and over-delivering: pleasing the customer or strategic blunder?
Authors: Topaloglu Omer , Fleming David E. 
Published: October 2017

Purpose
The paper aims to provide a theoretical and empirical examination of the relationship between service expectation management, expectation inducing agent and customer satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach
Based on the disconfirmation paradigm in services and the promise-keeping premise in psychology, the hypotheses are developed and empirically tested using three experiments that manipulated expectations, expectation inducing agent and service outcome.

Findings
The findings provide reconciliation to the previous studies in services and show that effectiveness of expectation management strategy depends on the individual expectation thresholds and the expectation inducing agent. If customers patronize a firm expecting more, then over-delivering on the service promise results in a significant benefit. However, for those customers whose mental expectation threshold is exceeded, keeping promises is as effective as exceeding promises.

Practical implications
The practical implication of this paper is that services managers should be cognizant of the mental expectation threshold of customers and be wise in utilizing the under-promise, over-deliver strategy.

Originality/value
Using a threshold approach, this paper introduces a new perspective to service practitioners who are trying to manage expectations in a highly variable business environment. It also benefits service researchers who are trying to enhance the understanding of service expectation management.
An exploratory study of online review management in hospitality services
Authors: Niu Run Hong , Fan Ying 
Published: October 2017

PurposeMore and more customers refer to online reviews before making any purchasing decisions thanks to the increasing popularity of social media and online shopping. This phenomenon has caught the attention of business managers who are increasingly aware that online reviews provide great opportunities to connect with current and potential customers. However, both practices and research on online review management from the businesses’ perspective are fragmented. The purpose of this paper is to develop an integrative framework that includes the key dimensions of an online review management system.Design/methodology/approachBased on the Grounded Theory approach, the authors conducted a multiple case study by analyzing the interviews with 11 hospitality services.FindingsThe authors found that an online review management system should go beyond the current norm of response management to incorporate key dimensions of formality, centralization, specialization, response customization, integration and review analytics.Practical implicationsThe study provides a systematic guideline for online review management practices. The framework can be used as a tool for a business to evaluate existing online review management practices and develop/refine its online review management system.Originality/valueThe study contributes to online review management literature by developing a comprehensive framework to understand the structure and processes of online review management. The key dimensions of an online review management system identified in this study provide an initial measurement model for the online review management construct. Furthermore, the study provides a springboard for future empirical validation and refinement of the key factors for effective online review management.
Is saltmarsh restoration success constrained by matching natural environments or altered succession? A test using niche models
Authors: Sullivan Martin J. P. , Davy Anthony J. , Grant Alastair , Mossman Hannah L. 
Published: October 2017

Abstract

Restored habitats, such as saltmarsh created through managed realignment, sometimes fail to meet targets for biological equivalence with natural reference sites. Understanding why this happens is important in order to improve restoration outcomes.

Elevation in the tidal frame and sediment redox potential are major controls on the distribution of saltmarsh plants. We use niche models to characterize 10 species’ responses to these, and test whether differences in species occurrence between restored and natural saltmarshes in the UK result from failure to recreate adequate environmental conditions.

Six species occurred less frequently in recently restored marshes than natural marshes. Failure of restored marshes to achieve the elevation and redox conditions of natural marshes partially explained the underrepresentation of five of these species, but did not explain patterns of occurrence on older (>50 years) restored marshes.

For all species, an effect of marsh age remained after controlling for differences in environmental conditions. This could be due to differences in successional mechanism between restored and natural marshes. In recently restored marshes, high‐marsh species occurred lower in the tidal frame and low‐marsh species occurred higher in the tidal frame than in natural marshes. This supports the hypothesis that competition is initially weaker in restored marshes, because of the availability of bare sediment across the whole tidal frame. Species that establish outside their normal realized niche, such as Atriplex portulacoides, may inhibit subsequent colonization of other species that occurred less frequently than expected on older restored marshes.

Synthesis and applications. Niche models can be used to test whether abiotic differences between restored sites and their natural counterparts are responsible for discrepancies in species occurrence. In saltmarshes, simply replicating environmental conditions will not result in equivalent species occurrence.
The electoral connection in staggered parliaments: Evidence from Australia, France, Germany and Japan
Authors: WILLUMSEN DAVID M. , STECKER CHRISTIAN , GOETZ KLAUS H. 
Published: October 2017

AbstractThis article explores whether differential time horizons in legislative chambers that result from staggered membership renewal affect legislative behaviour. The analysis focuses on patterns of bill initiation and the introduction of amendments in the upper chambers of Australia, France, Germany and Japan – all four of which contain two or more classes of members that face re‐election at different times. Drawing on original comparative data, clear evidence is found of over‐time variation in legislative activity levels in the upper chambers. Approaching elections lead to increased activity levels, with increases in the introduction of bills, but also, to a lesser extent, amending activity. Such variation is found not only for those members facing the most proximate election, but for all members of the chamber. Importantly, there are no significant differences in legislative behaviour between those members up for re‐election and those not facing the electorate in the most proximate election. These patterns are interpreted tentatively as evidence of the paramount importance of political parties in parliamentary systems.
Molecular characterization, spatial‐temporal expression and magnetic response patterns of iron‐sulfur cluster assembly1 (IscA1) in the rice planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens
Authors: Xu Jing‐Jing , Zhang Ying‐Chao , Wu Jian‐Qi , Wang Wei‐Hong , Li Yue , Wan Gui‐Jun , Chen Fa‐Jun , Sword Gregory A. , Pan Wei‐Dong 
Published: October 2017

AbstractThe mechanisms of magnetoreception have been proposed as the magnetite‐based, the chemical radical‐pair and biocompass model, in which magnetite particles, the cryptochrome (Cry) or iron‐sulfur cluster assembly 1 (IscA1) may be involved. However, little is known about the association among the molecules. Here we investigated the molecular characterization and the mRNA expression of IscA1 in different developmental stages, tissues and magnetic fields in the migratory brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens. NlIscA1 contains an open reading frame of 390 bp, encoding amino acids of 129, with the predicted molecular weight of 14.0 kDa and the isoelectric point of 9.10. Well‐conserved Fe‐S cluster binding sites were observed in the predicted protein. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated NlIscA1 to be clustered into the insect's IscA1. NlIscA1 showed up‐regulated mRNA expression during the period of migration. The mRNA expression of NlIscA1 could be detected in all the three tissues of head, thorax and abdomen, with the highest expression level in the abdomen. For the macropterous migratory Nilaparvata lugens, mRNA expression of NlIscA1 and N. lugens cryptochrome1 (Nlcry1) were up‐regulated under the magnetic fields of 5 Gauss and 10 Gauss in strength (vs. local geomagnetic field), while N. lugens cryptochrome2 (Nlcry2) remained stable. For the brachyterous non‐migratory Nilaparvata lugens, no significant changes were found in mRNA expression of NlIscA1, Nlcry1 and Nlcry2 among different magnetic fields. These findings preliminarily reveal that the expression of NlIscA1 and Nlcry1 exhibited coordinated responses to the magnetic field. It suggests some potential associations among the putative magneto‐sensitive molecules of cryptochrome and iron‐sulfur cluster assembly.
Field efficacy of insect pathogen, botanical, and jasmonic acid for the management of wheat midge Sitodiplosis mosellana and the impact on adult parasitoid Macroglenes penetrans populations in spring wheat
Authors: Shrestha Govinda , Reddy Gadi V. P. 
Published: October 2017

AbstractThe wheat midge, Sitodiplosis mosellana, is a serious pest of wheat worldwide. In North America, management of S. mosellana in spring wheat relies on the timely application of pesticides, based on midge adults levels caught in pheromone traps or seen via field scouting during wheat heading. In this context, biopesticides can be an effective alternative to pesticides for controlling S. mosellana within an Integrated Pest Management program. A field study using insect pathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana GHA, nematode Steinernema feltiae with Barricade polymer gel 1%, pyrethrin, combined formulations of B. bassiana GHA and pyrethrin, Jasmonic acid (JA) and chlorpyrifos (chemical check) was performed to determine to which extent they affect midge larval populations, kernel damage levels, grain yield, and quality, and the impacts on adult parasitoid Macroglenes penetrans populations. The results indicated that biopesticides JA and S. feltiae were the most effective in reducing larval populations and kernel damage levels, and produced a higher spring wheat yield when compared to the water control at both study locations (East Valier and North Valier, Montana, USA). Increased test weight in wheat had been recorded with two previous biopesticides at East Valier but not for North Valier, when compared over water control. These results were comparable in efficacy to the chlorpyrifos. This study also suggested that B. bassiana and pyrethrin may work synergistically, as exemplified by lower total larval populations and kernel damage levels when applied together. This study did not demonstrate the effect of any treatments on M. penetrans populations.