bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Creating dialogue by storytelling
Authors: Pässilä Anne , Oikarinen Tuija , Kallio Anne 
Published: March 2013

PurposeThe objective of this paper is to develop practice and theory from Augusto Boal's dialogue technique (Image Theatre) for organisational use. The paper aims to examine how the members in an organisation create dialogue together by using a dramaturgical storytelling framework where the dialogue emerges from storytelling facilitated by symbolic representations of still images.Design/methodology/approachThe study follows the lines of participatory action and art‐based research. The data are collected from 13 dramaturgical work story storytelling sessions in four different organisations. The research design belongs to the tradition of research‐based theatre, which implies artful inquiry, scripting and performance in research.FindingsThe paper presents a model for organisational dialogue. The model illustrates the dramaturgical storytelling of work story which influences problem shifting in a positive way.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitations of this study are related to the scope of the research. The Scandinavian cultural context facilitates an open, bottom up process. More case studies in different kinds of environments should be conducted. In the future it might be advantageous to conduct more longitudinal studies on how organisations can nurture continuous dialogue.Practical implicationsWork story as a dialogue practice facilitated members from the same occupational groups to share experiences with each other and construct common interests by investigating unstructured and uncertain social situations at work.Originality/valueThe paper combines research fields that explore art‐based initiatives within organisations, workplace learning and innovation research.
Assessing the quality of the learning outcome in vocational education: the Expero model
Authors: Cervai Sara , Cian Luca , Berlanga Alicia , Borelli Massimo , Kekäle Tauno 
Published: March 2013

PurposeThis paper aims to present an innovative model to evaluate the quality of the learning outcome in vocational education and training (VET) considering a wide approach that includes, in particular, stakeholders' expectations and perceptions.Design/methodology/approachThe Expero model was implemented in various kinds of vocational schools and educational institutions in different European countries.FindingsThe model was validated through review by several international experts and by translation into a quality standard certification model.Research limitations/implicationsExpero needs a larger testing phase in non‐European countries to validate its appropriateness. Different vocational systems in non‐EU countries could enrich and widen the model in terms of transferability and sustainability as well as fostering cross‐educational requirements and needs that may impact the quality of the learning outcome. The Expero model is mainly dedicated to vocational education and, in its current form, is not suitable to be applied to other levels of education (i.e. primary or secondary). Meanwhile, it seems promising in terms of its application in higher education institutions, in workplace learning, and in continuous professional training.Practical implicationsExpero permits analysis of the quality of the learning outcome, which constitutes the prior mission of a school. Being dedicated to the vocational sector, Expero is based on stakeholder evaluation, including school personnel, trainees, industries, companies and external bodies interested in a school's results. Applying the Expero model, a school can analyse its strengths and weaknesses in a systematic way; strengthening – or even creating – a collaborative network with its stakeholders finalised in improving learning outcome.Originality/valueAmong the various opportunities a school has to perform a quality assessment (ISO 9000, EFQM, CAF), Expero is the first model focused on the quality of the learning outcome based on multi‐stakeholder data analysis.
A value case methodology to enable a transition towards generative health management
Authors: van Scheppingen Arjella , Baken Nico , Zwetsloot Gerard , Bos Ellen , Berkers Frank 
Published: March 2013

PurposeHealth is a main resource for human functioning. Embedding generative health management within organisations, therefore, is useful for health and productivity reasons. Generative health management requires a change in the thinking and actions of all stakeholders, and should be regarded as a system transition that may be supported by a value case. In this study, a value case methodology is described and piloted. The aim was to investigate the efficacy of the value case methodology for generative health management within organisations.Design/methodology/approachThis paper takes the form of a case study, in which the interactive value case methodology is piloted within a research foundation in The Netherlands.FindingsThe different perspectives from the internal stakeholders on generative health management were made explicit, and revealed a strong relation between organisational development and health. The interactive value‐case methodology has initiated a process in which stakeholders jointly defined the full value of generative health management. During that process, some stakeholders developed an active personal commitment towards the transition.Research limitations/implicationsThe research was only carried out in one case. The value case methodology is potentially also useful for other transitions (long‐term complex developments or system innovations). The case study provided a broad view on the relevance of health for all stakeholders within this single case, and contributed to ownership of the transition.Practical implicationsA value case presents stakeholders' multi‐perspective visions and preferences with regard to health and organisational development. The participative approach opens up ways to an active commitment of relevant stakeholders who are willing to support transitions.Originality/valueThe methodology to assess the full value of complex transitions is still of an explorative nature. The value case methodology may offer innovative ways to support transitions in individuals, organisations and society as a whole.
The analysis of intellectual capital evolution: a perspective on research
Authors: Ienciu Nicoleta Maria , Matiş Dumitru 
Published: March 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a conventional analysis of the content of researches published in high quality academic journals, specifically in the accounting area, with particular emphasis on intellectual and human capital, in order to provide guidance for authors on research paper characteristics that influence the journal's acceptance decisions.Design/methodology/approachThe paper provides a quantitative analysis of the additional characteristics (the main characteristic considered by default is the quality of the journal's contents) that could increase the chances for publishing a research paper in a high quality journal.FindingsThe findings indicate several additional characteristics which may influence the journal's acceptance decision during the publication process. These characteristics relate to the journal's origin, type of research, presentation of literature within the research paper and the type of research approaches, characteristics that should be considered by any researcher from the beginning of the process of writing the research paper.Originality/valueThe present paper contributes to the existing literature by analyzing the research characteristics deemed important for the publication of a research paper related to intellectual capital in a high quality journal. The study identifies a pattern for the researches published in this field, in order to provide benchmark for further researches, thus being the first study conducted in this area of interest.
Practices of literary tourism: an Australian case study
Authors: Carson Susan , Hawkes Lesley , Gislason Kari , Martin Samuel 
Published: March 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present the results of tests for the development of literary trails for domestic visitors and tourists in Brisbane, Queensland, and to situate these findings in the context of recent state government policy changes in relation to culture, community engagement and the environment.Design/methodology/approachBroadly cultural studies: the article analyses changes in international and national cultural tourism and Queensland‐based issues before presenting the research findings.FindingsA gap in tourist and cultural development models exists for the implementation of a network of sustainable literary trails in Brisbane – this model can be extended to regions around the state to meet the demands of the new tourist.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper highlights Queensland weather and Australian distance, which will require a regional approach that networks with transport and community hubs.Practical implicationsThe research has produced new software for the use of self‐guided walks; the locations for two specific area trails; and the involvement of the State Library of Queensland as a “hub” for the trails. Substantial support exists for further development in advanced locative media and gaming.Social implicationsThe research demonstrates the importance of developing a sense of place that relates to culture, literary history and community for tourists, as well as the potential for community engagement.Originality/valueCurrently no paper‐based or new media literary trail exists in Brisbane. The proliferation of online delivered, self‐guided trails in other parts of the world reflects a demand for this type of cultural and environmental experience.
Tourist experience expectations: questionnaire development and text narrative analysis
Authors: Sheng Chieh‐Wen , Chen Ming‐Chia 
Published: March 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a questionnaire on tourist experience expectations, and to conduct a qualitative study to analyze the factors and related texts of the questionnaire.Design/methodology/approachA content analysis on travel diaries written by museum tourists was conducted to develop a questionnaire of tourist experience expectations (TEE). The survey results were analyzed by factor analysis.FindingsThe tourism experience expectations include five factors: experience expectations of easiness and fun; cultural entertainment; personal identification; historical reminiscences; and escapism. In addition to these factors, this study reorganized the travel diaries to extract representative texts for narrative analysis, in order to develop the situational factors of tourist experiences.Research limitations/implicationsThis study only investigated museum tourists in Taiwan, and thus the scope for wider application of the results is limited.Practical implicationsThe study findings revealed that during a trip, appropriate situational factors – including satisfying tourists' curiosity and intimate locations or events that trigger tourists' active participation – resulted in pleasant experiences for the tourists and could possibly lead to future experience expectations.Originality/valueThe paper explores museum tourists' experience expectations in Taiwan.
Sailing away: the influences on and motivations of George Caspar Homans
Authors: Muldoon Jeffrey , Liguori Eric W. , Bendickson Joshua 
Published: March 2013

PurposeHow do social factors motivate and influence scholars when they theorize? By exploring the life of George Homans, this paper aims to illustrate that theories are the products of the theorist, and as such are influenced by individual life experiences.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on a plethora of archival sources including many personal and autobiographical accounts, this manuscript synthesizes these sources thus providing clear insight into how personal factors and experiences impacted Homans's social exchange theory.FindingsThis research concludes that Homans's journey into theorizing was an act of providence; that his early career, personal background, and social capital interacted with several factors beyond his control thus leading to his interest in social exchange processes.Originality/valueThis is the first research endeavor exploring the context, sentiments and motivations of George Homans as he began to lay out social exchange theory.
Evergreens of excellence
Authors: de Waal André A. 
Published: March 2013

PurposeAt the end of 2007, theJournal of Management Historypublished a special issue on the topic of excellence, titledOur Dreams of Excellence. In this issue, Guest Editor Dahlgaard‐Park stated that research into excellence had taken a high flight in recent years despite the fact that there was no unanimity yet about a definition of or the factors that lead to sustained excellence. Agreement on the notion of excellence is all the more important as economic times have changed considerably since the special issue was published. However, according to Mintzberg the activities that managers perform have basically not changed over time. If this is true, it could be hypothesized that the factors that create excellence also change little over time. The purpose of this research is to examine these factors and compare them through time to establish whether they are “evergreens of excellence”. These evergreens are defined as characteristics that are always important for creating and maintaining an excellent organization, and that managers always have to take into account when devising actions to lead their organization to excellence and superior results.Design/methodology/approachResearch studies into excellence, conducted before and after 1995, were compared to evaluate whether factors of excellence stayed the same over time.FindingsThe research results show that nearly 90 percent of the factors that create excellence found in studies done in and before 1995 are also found in studies done after 1995. Although the attention given to certain characteristics of factors may shift from time to time, on the whole the factors found do seem to qualify as “evergreens of excellence”, factors that are always important for creating and maintaining a high performance organization.Research limitations/implicationsThe research results should not be seen as offering a recipe that, if followed, will produce a successful organization. Rather they provide design exemplars for practitioners which have to be translated to a particular situation in place and time.Originality/valueContradictory findings in the literature raise questions about the validity of the outcomes of the excellence studies which have become increasingly popular these past decades. The results of this study for the first time provide factors of excellence which stay valid over time.
The Canadian hotel industry: innovative solutions to secure the industry's future
Authors: Jayawardena Chandana (Chandi) 
Published: March 2013

PurposeThis paper aims to present practical answers to the strategic question: “What innovations are needed in the Canadian hotel industry and how might they be implemented to secure the industry's future?” It aims to capture the essence of conclusions of seven papers written by 23 experts on aspects related to the hotel industry of Canada for the Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes (WHATT) issue on Canada in 2013.Design/methodology/approachThe approach of this paper is to integrate all solutions suggested in these seven papers and to seek a succinct response to the strategic question.FindingsWhile providing a helicopter view of the key trends and challenges of the hotel industry of Canada, this paper proposes implementable and practical solutions to those challenges. Using the 2012 WHATT Roundtable discussion in Ottawa, Canada as the foundation, this paper addresses some of the most significant issues affecting the hotel industry of Canada today. In conclusion, 12 key suggestions are made.Practical implicationsThe paper reviews past concepts and industry practices as well as current practices to identify practical, effective and innovative approaches for the future.Originality/valueThis paper provides fresh perspectives on many relevant issues by analysing inputs, viewpoints, comments, and suggestions of many subject experts. Readers with interests in the hotel industry in Canada or similar tourism destinations around the world would benefit from reading this paper.
A new conceptualization of service innovation grounded in S‐D logic and service systems
Authors: Edvardsson Bo , Tronvoll Bård 
Published: March 2013

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to conceptualize service innovation through a service‐dominant logic (S‐D logic) lens and a service system foundation.Design/methodology/approachThis conceptual paper offers a service‐dominant logic lens and a structuration theory approach emphasizing an actor perspective on service innovation. Since the value of innovation unfolds in practice, this paper will use customer to denote the key actor in co‐creating value in context.FindingsThe paper shows how a resource constellation in a service system is reconfigured and thus explains service innovation from the lens of S‐D logic, emphasizing customers' value co‐creation of value in practices. The focus is on the interdependencies between the configuration of resources in a service system and schemas that shape customers and other actors when integrating resources and co‐creating value.Research limitations/implicationsThere is a need to discuss service innovation in a social constructivist view to better understand the guiding principles or schemas that enable actors to co‐create value.Originality/valueService innovation is understood as sourced by changes in either resources or schemas (norms and rules) or a combination, resulting in structural changes in a service system. The conceptualization provides: a new definition of service innovation; a new framework describing the interdependency between changes in resources and schemas as a basis for an innovative configuration or reconfiguration of a service system; and three propositions illustrating the relevance of this new framework.
Customer involvement in service production, delivery and quality: the challenges and opportunities
Authors: Dadfar Hossein , Brege Staffan , Sarah Ebadzadeh Semnani Sedigheh 
Published: March 2013

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to explore the role of customer involvement in service production and its possible effects on the quality of service delivery as well as customer satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachSince the nature of the study is exploratory, the case study approach was adopted. The paper focusses on customer involvement in the context of service production and delivery system in service organization rather than in the context of customer organization. The authors looked at supplier involvement as well, due to the fact that a lack of sufficient information from a supplier or lack of proper training may inhibit customers' successful involvement. A detailed case study was carried out on a sample of four service providers: a general contractor, a chemical process engineer, a software developer and a language institute as well as a service buyer case – a Petrochemical Holding Company. In total the paper includes five cases.FindingsThe study reveals that even though co‐production of the customers with the service provider is a must, however, it has different effects on the quality of service produced depending on the situation and the nature of services offered. In the cases of the complex engineering services – general contractor and chemical engineering – that service requirements and technical specifications were provided by the customers, and service providers were chosen by open bidding process, there were instances where the co‐production could lead to malfunction of the service. This was evident in the cases when the inappropriate technical specifications and requirements were provided by the customer hindering the service provider to deliver services smoothly. On the other hand, in the cases of new software development process and language institute, it had been evident that the involvement of customers – with a sound customer involvement management – has tremendous positive effects and lead to greater productivity and customer satisfaction. In the case of the petrochemical company and international service providers, educating the suppliers/service providers by the buyer, to a large extent, could solve the service quality problems in terms of on time delivery, costs and technical conformity as stressed by buyers.Originality/valueThe study provides empirical evidence regarding customer involvement in the service production and its possible effects on the quality of service delivery as well as customer satisfaction and sheds light on the situations that customer involvement is a success or a threat. The research also contributes to the understanding of how the nature of services, the level and scope of customer involvement as well as building relationship and trust amongst the customer and the service provider affect the outcome of customer‐service provider co‐production.
Is intangible cultural heritage able to promote sustainability in tourism?
Authors: Giudici Ernestina , Melis Claudia , Dessì Silvia , Francine Pollnow Galvao Ramos Bianca 
Published: March 2013

PurposeThis paper aims to focus on evaluating the rich cultural intangible heritage of Sardinia Island, and how such a heritage can contribute to the implementation of tourism during the low season. The purpose is also to verify whether the enhancement of intangible heritage attractors, could be a driver for the sustainability of the island's tourism.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative approach is used in order to explore a multiple case study: the multifaceted expressions of the Holy Week. This is a cultural event that constitutes a part of the Christian festivity of Easter, which is characterized by traditional processions and ancient rituals widespread in various towns and cities around the island.FindingsIntangible cultural heritage provides an additional opportunity to increase the level of tourism in Sardinia Island.Research limitations/implicationsThis study has its limitations: it focuses only on a specific typology of event. Further studies should be taken into consideration in order to explore whether even other kinds of events are able to increase tourism in the low season, and to promote it on a sustainable perspective.Originality/valueThis study about heritage tourism in islands provides information about which little has been written. Moreover, it could offer a framework for other island destinations in the Mediterranean and elsewhere.
Economic freedom, the cost of public borrowing, and state bond ratings
Authors: Calcagno Peter T. , Benefield Justin D. 
Published: March 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to show that state economic policies, in addition to state economic performance, impact state bond ratings.Design/methodology/approachUsing a sample of 39 states over the period 1998‐2008, regression analysis is employed to determine whether various measures of economic freedom contribute to state bond ratings.FindingsAfter controlling for common factors such as state per‐capita income, unemployment, the ratio of tax revenue to income, state debt as a percentage of government revenue, and public corruption, results suggest that greater economic freedom is associated with higher bond ratings. For example, a one standard deviation increase in Area 2 of the Economic Freedom of North America index (Takings and Taxation) would be associated with a 0.36 increase in Moody's bond rating for that state, which translates to approximately a $247 lower cost per million dollars of debt.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the empirical state bond rating literature by highlighting that states with greater economic freedom have higher bond ratings and, therefore, pay lower borrowing costs than their counterparts with lower economic freedom index scores.