bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Workplace trends in office space: implications for future office demand
Authors: G. Miller Norm 
Published: November 2014

Purpose– This study aims to examine the trends in space per office worker and the influence of a number of factors on the ability to reduce space per worker. These trends are important in that they impact future office demand along with property values.Design/methodology/approach– Using both survey and empirical data a simulation model is used to examine the impact on space per worker over the course of a typical lease. Factors considered include the length of lease, the worker growth rate of the firm, turnover and time to fill positions, the type of organizational management hierarchy, whether dedicated or non-dedicated space is utilized and firm policies toward working out of the traditional office.Findings– Space per worker will continue to decline over time, yet collaborative work environments and the effects of traditional management and cultural momentum suggest that downsizing will take time. Counter to the initial hypothesis, growing tenants do not over-consume space in the early years but rather tend to renegotiate leases when growth spurs the need for more space.Research limitations/implications– It appears that modest economic growth is sufficient to offset downsizing trends, but some markets will be more affected than others. Portfolios dominated by larger than average tenants or U.S. Federal Government tenants will be affected much sooner by downsizing efforts compared to smaller private sector tenants. The mix of occupant types and age also matters, and this study does not delve into significant occupant-type differences by market. This study also does not directly consider design influences on productivity other than those mentioned through surveys: natural light, air quality, temperature control, noise and the presence of collaborative space.Practical implications– Forecasters of office space demand must input an estimate of the growth in professional employment and then apply a space per worker assumption. This assumption in most markets will be declining, by as much as 30 per cent over several years. Washington DC is already being affected by downsizing, yet most markets with reasonably good economic growth will be able to offset most of this transition to more intensively used space.Social implications– Much of the existing stock needs to be rebuilt. Much of how the authors work and where is changing. This requires new perspectives on how productivity is measured and how remote workers are measured.Originality/value– This is the first paper to try and reconcile the views of commercial real estate owners and operators with those of corporate space planners, both of who have opposite sides of the same lease. It is also the first to point out the explicit reasons why downsizing efforts are sometimes not as effective as expected.
The concept of information and questions of users with visual disabilities
Authors: Tomáš Stodola Jirí 
Published: November 2014

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the functionality of the particular epistemological schools with regard to the issues of users with visual impairment, to offer a theoretical answer to the question why these issues are not in the center of the interest of information science, and to try to find an epistemological approach that has ambitions to create the theoretical basis for the analysis of the relationship between information and visually impaired users.Design/methodology/approach– The methodological basis of the paper is determined by the selection of the epistemological approach. In order to think about the concept of information and to put it in relation to issues associated with users with visual impairment, a conceptual analysis is applied.Findings– Most of information science theories are based on empiricism and rationalism; this is the reason for their low interest in the questions of visually impaired users. Users with visual disabilities are out of the interest of rationalistic epistemology because it underestimates sensory perception; empiricism is not interested in them paradoxically because it overestimates sensory perception. Realism which fairly reflects such issues is an approach which allows the providing of information to persons with visual disabilities to be dealt with properly.Research limitations/implications– The paper has a speculative character. Its findings should be supported by empirical research in the future.Practical implications– Theoretical questions solved in the paper come from the practice of providing information to visually impaired users. Because practice has an influence on theory and vice versa, the author hopes that the findings included in the paper can serve to improve practice in the field.Social implications– The paper provides theoretical anchoring of the issues which are related to the inclusion of people with disabilities into society and its findings have a potential to support such efforts.Originality/value– This is first study linking questions of users with visual disabilities to highly abstract issues connected to the concept of information.
Knowing and actional information in web based weight maintenance services
Authors: Maaria Askola Kreetta , Känsäkoski Helena , Huotari Maija-Leena 
Published: November 2014

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to increase understanding of the role of information and knowledge in the context of health behaviour change.Design/methodology/approach– As internet use in Finland is among the highest in Europe, two Finnish web-based weight management services were analysed regarding their weight maintenance information by using a theoretical approach constructed for the purpose. The approach combines the elements of web-based weight maintenance information and the typologies of knowing and actional information. The approach was tested by examining the services deductively with theory-based content analysis.Findings– The approach indicated differences between the profiles of the two analysed information environments, which focus on factual and tailored information and their relation to pragmatic, provisional and contested knowing and the initiation, maintenance and recovery of actional information. Both services support weight maintenance; the other slightly more due to its rich social features.Research limitations/implications– The examination was focused on the free content of two Finnish weight management services. Further research should include the role of socially interactive information and further testing of the approach with more services.Practical implications– The proposed approach sheds light on the relationship between the types of weight maintenance information and the dimensions of the typologies of knowing and actional information. The approach has the potential to be applied when designing the information environment of new web-based weight management services.Social implications– The approach has potential to be applied when designing the information content of new web-based weight management services to support health behaviour change. The approach could be elaborated further by focusing on enabling social support required in long-term weight maintenance.Originality/value– The study adopted a novel approach to studying typologies of knowing and actional information, thus providing new viewpoints in both information behaviour and organisational knowledge. The study enables further research on weight maintenance information use by proposing a theoretical background.
A scale for measuring the applicability of lean practices in IT support services
Authors: Kumar Kundu Goutam , Bairi Jayachandra 
Published: November 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to present research that was conducted with an objective to conceptualize and develop an instrument for the measurement of the perception of IT support service practitioners about the applicability of lean concepts in IT support services.

Design/methodology/approach
– Scale items were identified from current literature and the survey instrument was used to collect data from IT support service practitioners. The constructs’ measurement models were tested and the scale was validated by using statistical tools.

Findings
– The results of the study indicate that the operational measures developed here satisfy the criteria for unidimensionality, reliability and validity.

Research limitations/implications
– While selecting and excluding measurement items for the survey, the researchers have followed established principles of survey research; but it may have been affected by the personal bias of the author. The sample for the survey was drawn from IT support service companies located in India, thus the results are generalizable only to the extent that these businesses represent the population of all businesses. Another limitation is that no prior survey/case studies were carried out to collect IT service practitioner's perception about the applicability of lean practices.

Originality/value
– This paper provides a new measurement instrument for measuring the applicability of lean practices in IT support service environment.
Analyzing critical success factors of total quality management by using fuzzy cognitive mapping
Authors: Can Kutlu Ahmet , Kadaifci Cigdem 
Published: November 2014

Purpose
– Total quality management (TQM) is a process and philosophy to achieve customer satisfaction in long term by improving the products, processes and services effectively and efficiently. TQM implementation is turning into a complex practice due to the increasing number of effective factors and key elements labelled as critical success factors (CSFs). The purpose of this paper is to analyse the relations between CSFs of TQM and to provide decision makers has a clear picture of relations by determining the most affecting – both the number of CSFs which this factor affects and the its effect degree on relevant CSFs are higher comparing to other factors – of this factors affected factors – both the number of CSFs and their effect degree on these factors are higher – that influences a successful TQM implementation.

Design/methodology/approach
– The paper refers to fuzzy cognitive maps (FCMs) that allow dynamic modelling of a system in consideration of a complex network structure and the effects of factors to each other. The method demonstrates causal representations between CSFs under uncertainty to represent the relations and interaction between them and performs qualitative simulations to analyse the factors that have the highest impact on continuous improvement of quality management process. The evaluations are performed by five academicians whose professions are on both the areas of TQM and FCM.

Findings
– FCM analysis shows how the most affecting and affected factors influence the other CSF in order to manage a successful TQM implementation.

Originality/value
– The critical factors of TQM implementation are in the focus of most of the empirical studies in the literature. However, none of them considers the dynamic interactions between the factors. This study employs FCM to explore the CSFs that influence the TQM implementation process considering the relations among them to observe the most affecting and affected factors based on the changes of determined CSFs.
Understanding customer relationship management technology adoption in small and medium-sized enterprises
Authors: Newby Michael , H. Nguyen Thuyuyen , S. Waring Teresa 
Published: November 2014

Purpose– The customer relationship management (CRM) technology adoption process in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is an under-researched area and the purpose of this paper is to extend the knowledge and offer greater understanding of the CRM adoption process through an empirical study in the USA.Design/methodology/approach– In this study it is hypothesized that the likelihood of CRM technology being adopted is dependent on management characteristics, organizational characteristics and management's perception of CRM technology. To investigate the proposed model a survey of SMEs in the retail, manufacturing and services sectors was conducted in Southern California, USA.Findings– The results indicate that management characteristics significantly influence a firm's perception of CRM technology specifically innovativeness and positive attitude to CRM. Organizational characteristics such as the employee, information technology (IT) resources, a firms’ innovativeness influence the likelihood that CRM technology will be adopted and the extent to which CRM technology will be implemented.Research limitations/implications– First, the industries focused on were in retail, manufacturing and services. Second, the sample was geographically specific to Southern California. Third, the sample size in this study was relatively small, although it is within the testable range. Finally, only one respondent was surveyed from each firm.Practical implications– Management regardless of gender, age or education level, must be supportive, innovative and have a positive attitude towards the new IT application, as positive perception will likely to lead to decision to adopt. In addition, there must be innovation within the organization and the firm must have the ability to absorb knowledge and to use it. There must be an availability of IT resources, both infrastructure and skills to support the change.Originality/value– The results of this study have implications for CRM adoption in SMEs. More importantly, they suggest a framework which demonstrates the necessary linkage between organizational characteristics and CRM adoption process.
Influences of gender, need for affect, and tolerance for risk-taking on use of information sources
Authors: Cho Siwon , E. Workman Jane 
Published: November 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to examine gender, need for affect and tolerance for risk-taking as influences on consumers’ use of information sources.

Design/methodology/approach
– A survey was conducted using a convenience sample of 171 male and 180 female US college students. Data were analyzed using PASW Statistics 18 and Analysis of Moment Structure (AMOS) 18.

Findings
– Results showed that consumers may be characterized by their use of information sources. First, consumers who use internal information sources are women. Second, consumers who use personal external information sources are women and individuals who enjoy processing feelings. Third, consumers who use impersonal external information sources are women, feeling processors, and risk-takers. Consumers in the third group may find the market-dominant information more useful than the personal opinions of reference groups, indicating that they may tend to be pro-active in exploring and getting what they want rather than allowing their reference groups to suggest ideas to them.

Research limitations/implications
– Results of the current study cannot be generalized to the larger population of other consumer groups. This research affirms and extends the Consumer Decision Process Model (Blackwell et al., 2005) regarding individual difference variables (e.g. gender, need for affect, tolerance for risk-taking) related to consumers’ use of information sources in apparel shopping.

Practical implications
– Results of the study suggest that apparel marketers who provide information through impersonal sources pay special attention to women and risk-takers because they are more likely to be the group of consumers on the other side of the communication link. Marketers may want to focus on promotional strategies that stimulate consumers’ emotions and valence toward products, brands, and/or stores thereby responding to customers’ need for affect. It is also recommended that marketers consider which categories of impersonal sources best fit their target customers.

Originality/value
– This study is the first to investigate the effects of consumers’ gender, need for affect, and tolerance for risk-taking on their preference of using information sources in clothing shopping.
How cosmopolitan are Indian consumers?: a study on fashion clothing involvement
Authors: Khare Arpita 
Published: November 2014

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to examine affect of cosmopolitanism and consumers’ susceptibility to interpersonal influence on Indian consumers’ fashion clothing involvement. Moderating effect of demographics was studied.Design/methodology/approach– Survey technique through self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection in both metropolitan and non-metropolitan cities in India.Findings– Utilitarian, value expressive factors of normative influence and cosmopolitanism influence Indian consumers’ fashion clothing involvement. Type of city, income, and education moderated influence of normative values and cosmopolitanism on fashion clothing involvement.Research limitations/implications– One of the major limitations of current research was that it had a large number of respondents in the age group of 18-40 years. Future research can attempt to reduce age biasness.Practical implications– The findings can prove helpful to international apparel brands marketing luxury and fashion clothing in India. However, since conformance to social norms was important for Indians, clothing manufacturers should use reference groups, opinion leaders, and celebrities to generate awareness. A blend of global and local lifestyle should be used. International luxury brands can customize their products to combine ethnic tastes.Originality/value– Fashion clothing market promises immense growth opportunities in India. There is limited research to examine influence cosmopolitanism on Indian consumers’ consumption behaviour. Knowledge about influence of global lifestyle, brands, mass media, and services on Indian consumers’ behaviour can help in targeting them effectively.
Repurchase loyalty for customer social co-creation e-marketplaces
Authors: M. Kang Ju-Young 
Published: November 2014

Purpose
– Social co-creation refers to the process of using social media as a vehicle to carry out customer co-creation engagements. By allowing many customers to contribute to a specific co-creation initiative, social media makes co-creation platforms more efficient. The purpose of this paper is to examine: first, whether usability and information quality, visual appeal and image, interactivity, and web innovativeness, as perceived web site quality dimensions, were related to value equity; second, whether value equity was related to commitment and repurchase loyalty to social co-creation; and third, the moderating effects of aesthetic appreciation and fashion opinion leadership.

Design/methodology/approach
– The conceptual foundation was based on the Quality-Value-Satisfaction model. Data were collected from US online apparel shoppers (n=691) using a consumer panel via an online survey. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the proposed model and research hypotheses.

Findings
– Usability and information quality, visual appeal and image, interactivity, and web innovativeness had indirect influences on commitment and repurchase loyalty, mediated by value equity of social co-creation.

Originality/value
– This proposed model may provide useful insights for apparel e-retailers to use in order to differentiate their e-strategies and develop successful social co-creation web sites. Furthermore, the proposed strategies will enable apparel e-retailers to fulfill customers’ increasing demand for more interactive and online social shopping experiences that utilize the customer's own creativity.
Reputation risk management in financial firms: protecting (some) small investors
Authors: Saleuddin Rasheed 
Published: November 2014

Purpose– This paper aims to provide an explanation and evidence for the recent lack of retail financial product failures in Canada in the face of a (formal) regulatory failure.Design/methodology/approach– The paper applies the literature on self-regulation and reputational risk management to a detailed investigation of the marketing of financial products to Canadian retail investors. Internal approval processes for many different players in the retail financial industry were analyzed in detail primarily using interviews.Findings– The author was able to identify associations between structures and policies at financial firms and outcomes for retail investors. Knowing that prevention is more effective than mitigation, marketers of financial products would generally welcome increased state intervention in terms of more and better information disclosures.Research limitations/implications– The research contributes to our understanding of self-regulation in financial markets, specifically addressing what firm characteristics may be related to positive and negative outcomes for small investors in complex structured financial products.Practical implications– Regulators may be able to imply the research findings in selectively allocating scarce resources to policing firms that may be more inclined to participate in riskier behavior. Financial firms may be able to influence the decisions relating to how regulations are designed and implemented and which products are sold to which clients to minimize reputation risk.Originality/value– This is the first time, to the author's knowledge, that the reputation risk management channel has been analyzed in terms of influencing outcomes for retail (small) investors.
An overview of humanitarian relief supply chains for victims of perennial flood disasters in Lagos, Nigeria (2010-2012)
Authors: Soneye Alabi 
Published: November 2014

Purpose
– Lagos is flooded perennially due to its low-lying coastal location. Empirical studies on the impacts of the disaster and humanitarian relief for the victims are scanty. The purpose of this paper is to assess the causes and severity of the floods, the aids to victims and the supply chains in six flood-prone local government areas (LGAs) of the metropolis comparatively.

Design/methodology/approach
– Data were collected using a questionnaire instrument that was administered to 292 victims and/or residents of 42 flooded neighborhoods in six LGAs of Lagos in the years 2010-2012. The administration was some few weeks after major incidences were reported for the respective years.

Findings
– The results show that floods are recurrent in the areas during every wet season (between May and October), emanate from both natural and human-induced causes and lead to large-scale human displacement and loss of assets. Humanitarian reliefs are from neighbors, spiritual homes and relatives mostly and are supplied directly to victims. These suggest gloomy implications for sustainable disaster management, humanitarian services and supply chains. Areas for further studies are highlighted.

Originality/value
– Studies in humanitarian relief and supply chains are scanty in the part of the world. The paper is original and not been considered for publication elsewhere.