bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Service quality, service convenience, price and fairness, customer loyalty, and the mediating role of customer satisfaction
Authors: Kaura Vinita , Durga Prasad Ch. S. , Sharma Sourabh 
Published: June 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which service quality, perceived price and fairness and service convenience influence customer satisfaction and customer loyalty for Indian retail banking sector. It further explores the role of customer satisfaction as mediating variable between service quality dimensions, perceived price and fairness, service convenience dimensions and customer loyalty.

Design/methodology/approach
– A cross-sectional research on 445 retail banking customers through questionnaire is conducted. Population of study is valued retail urban customers of banks in Rajasthan, India, who frequently visit bank premises for transactions, have accounts in at least two banks and have availed of at least one information technology-based services. Responses are analyzed using factor analyses and regression analyses.

Findings
– Results reveal that service quality dimensions, perceived price and fairness and service convenience dimensions have positive impact on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. Moreover, customer satisfaction acts as mediating variable between its antecedents and customer loyalty.

Research limitations/implications
– This study has taken into account a specific category of retail banking customers. Thus, it limits generalization of results to other banking population.

Practical implications
– This study explains the importance of customer satisfaction for achieving customer loyalty for Indian retail banking sector.

Originality/value
– The paper underlines the importance of customer satisfaction for achieving customer loyalty. Impact of SERVCON dimensions on customer loyalty is found rare in literature.
The influence of personal values and demographic variables on customer loyalty in the banking industry
Authors: Henrique Jorge Luiz , Matos Celso Augusto de 
Published: June 2015

Purpose
– Even though personal values are considered an important variable in consumer studies, rarely has it been related to customer loyalty, especially in the banking context and considering the different loyalty phases. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of personal values on loyalty phases in the private banking industry, taking into account the moderating influence of demographic variables.

Design/methodology/approach
– After developing a theoretical framework based on the relevant literature, a research model is proposed and empirically tested with data from a survey with 891 bank customers from Brazil. Hypotheses of moderation were tested using structural equation modelling technique.

Findings
– Results suggested that customers that place more importance on growth and achievement as personal values are less loyal to their bank, considering all four stages of loyalty. Moreover, this effect was more pronounced for female, older and high-income consumers, supporting the moderating effect of these demographic variables.

Research limitations/implications
– One of the limitations was that the sample was not probabilistic. To compensate this issue, the authors have used the approach of splitting the sample and use one for calibration and other for estimation. Another limitation was the small subgroups of high and low education, which might be responsible for the nonsignificant finding, due to low statistical power in the z-test. Future studies should consider using quota samples in order to have sample size greater than 150 cases in each category of variables such as age, education and income.

Practical implications
– This study emphasizes the relevance of personal values, especially the dimensions of growth/achievement and security/social affiliation, and demographic variables when considering customers’ loyalty in the private banking industry. Managers should give different treatment for customers in distinct loyalty stages and with different demographics, thus increasing the customer orientation and segmentation efficacy.

Originality/value
– The study tests a theoretical model that analyses the influence of two dimensions of personal values on loyalty, with originality on the loyalty phases (from cognitive to action) and the contingent effect of demographic variables, such as gender, age, education and income. Moreover, the model is tested in a sample of private banking customers from an emerging market, i.e., Brazil.
Continuity and change in housing and settlement patterns in post-earthquake Gujarat, India
Authors: Duyne Barenstein Jennifer Erica 
Published: June 2015

Purpose
– This paper aims to examine people's strategies to regain control over the socio-spatial organisation of their villages and transform their agency-built houses in culturally meaningful places post-disaster. In the aftermath of a disaster, building processes are often taken over by external agencies whose approach towards reconstruction is governed by considerations such as safety, efficiency, cost-effectiveness and – in some cases – also by an explicit will to trigger social transformations. As a result, reconstruction often entails dramatic changes in settlement location and morphologies, housing designs, building materials and construction processes.

Design/methodology/approach
– Based on an ongoing interdisciplinary empirical research project focusing on communities’ patterns of adaptation to post-disaster relocated settlements in India, the paper examines people’s strategies to regain control over the socio-spatial organisation of their villages and to transform their agency-built houses in culturally meaningful places.

Findings
– The paper shows that people are not passive recipients of external agencies’ often culturally insensitive project and that they have the capacity to transform externally imposed notions of appropriate housing to meet their cultural- and livelihood-specific needs. Based on a micro-level case study of a village in Gujarat, it is argued that underestimating communities’ capacity to rebuild their own houses and villages and the failure to recognise the inherent functionality of local housing and building culture often entail not only missing the opportunity to enhance their resilience but also, in some cases, may lead to increasing their vulnerability.

Originality/value
– This paper presents a rare example of longitudinal research, calling attention to the long-term impacts of post-disaster reconstruction. It is of particular interest to scholars and humanitarian agencies concerned about the social consequences of relocation and reconstruction after natural disasters.
Stopping the tragedy before it occurs
Authors: Naja Mohamad , Baytiyeh Hoda 
Published: June 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to offer an assessment of seismic structural vulnerability of a sample of public schools using Lang survey questionnaire. The structural integrity of public schools in Lebanon is a source of deep concern due to their outdated design and deteriorated status, their apparent lack of compliance with seismic design regulations, the unknown status of their safety and stability, their substandard maintenance and their low construction quality. These schools have not undergone any strengthening improvements to enhance their load-carrying capacity or their resistance to earthquake activity.

Design/methodology/approach
– This paper is based on survey questionnaire illustrating the seismic risk exposure of public schools in Lebanon. It offers an assessment of seismic structural vulnerability of a sample of public schools using Lang survey questionnaire. It stresses the needs of retrofitting of public school buildings to enhance their functional capacities against future destructive earthquakes.

Findings
– The findings of the survey emphasize the seismic structural vulnerability of the majority of public schools in Lebanon and call for deeper assessment and investigation that involve government officials for strengthening and retrofitting of public school buildings as part of holistic disaster risk-reduction strategy to prevent the induced serious risk to children in the event of a devastating earthquake.

Originality/value
– This article should alert school administrators, public leaders and government officials regarding the seismic threats and their subsequent effects on the structural safety of public school buildings in Lebanon. The assessment of seismic structural vulnerability has rarely been performed or even discussed in the Lebanese-related literature.
A novel approach to assess resilience of energy systems
Authors: Matzenberger Julian , Hargreaves Nigel , Raha Debadayita , Dias Priyan 
Published: June 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to outline different notions of the term resilience used in scientific disciplines and consequently explore how the concept can be applied to energy systems. The concept of resilience has emerged recently in scientific discourse. The major questions to be addressed are: Which definitions and underlying concepts of resilience are used in the scientific literature? How can resilience be defined with respect to energy systems and which underlying principles can be identified?Design/methodology/approach– Building on this understanding, characteristics of the resilience concept used in various contexts are described and a methodology for selection of an indicator set for an energy resilience assessment is presented. The methodology for a resilience assessment outlined in this paper requires definition and clustering of a set of indicators describing a resilient system. It contributes to understanding system properties and supports the theory of how to improve system resilience.Findings– It is argued that resilience can be defined as a function of vulnerability and adaptability, therefore increasing adaptability or reducing vulnerability can cause higher system resilience. Further attributes, determinants and properties of resilient systems to guide indicator selection and classification are suggested.Originality/value– Definitions of resilience, vulnerability and adaptability are very much interlinked. A novel framework is proposed to foster the understanding of the interlinkage between these three terms and to cluster indicators to assess energy system resilience.
Improving performance in project-based management: synthesizing strategic theories
Authors: Cullen Karessa , Parker David  W. 
Published: June 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to explore benefits and issues of integrating the theory of constraints (TOC), resource-based view (RBV) and resource-dependence theory (RDT) with conventional project-based management frameworks.

Design/methodology/approach
– Extant literature is used to develop a conceptual framework of an integrated model that will be tested for applied robustness. The model has been applied to published projects to identify its strengths and weaknesses.

Findings
– The work shows important implications for improved success of projects from the use of TOC, RBV and RDT.

Research limitations/implications
– While TOC, RBV and RDT are well established in the context of organization theory, there is limited application in project management. Moreover, the model has yet to be applied in the field. The hypotheses identified in this research are currently being tested using empirical investigation.

Practical implications
– The research falls short in addressing some resources, e.g. innovation, tacit knowledge and decision-making methods in traditional project management context. Therefore, identifying these critical resources in future work and exploiting them as the means of improving project performance would enhance the success of project-based management.

Social implications
– Project management is an emergent discipline and a project is temporary in nature. Therefore, new ideas and development of theories for project management practices are required. This innovative research, for example, may change the way projects are executed in future.

Originality/value
– This paper examines the components of a successful project according to the iron triangle, i.e. scope, quality, time and cost. However, through the application of TOC, RBV and RDT into an integrated project-based management framework gives new insights to resources management.
Dynamics of strategic interventions with firm’s performance
Authors: Yadav Neetu , Taticchi Paolo , Sushil - 
Published: June 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationships between strategic interventions with firm’s performance using flexible strategy game-card (FSGC) approach in the context of one of the Indian telecom service providers.

Design/methodology/approach
– The paper adopts the case research methodology and follows the seven-step mechanism of implementing FSGC for designing performance management system (PMS) for case company.

Findings
– The paper adopts an evolving performance management framework for development of PMS in the context of Indian enterprise, where there is limited work done in this field. It showcases identification of strategic factors from enterprise perspective, and subscribers’ perspective; defining measures, targets, strategic directions; alignment of strategic actions with strategic directions; executing strategic actions; and review and feedback, thus, the process of PMS development covers the entire cycle of strategy formulation and implementation.

Research limitations/implications
– The findings of case analysis is limited to the context of the study, which cannot be generalized, but the mechanism of PMS development can be taken as an exemplary for development of FSGC in the context of any enterprise.

Originality/value
– The paper makes a contribution to the body of knowledge of performance measurement and management in terms showing its linkages with strategic interventions, and thus it leads to develop an effective PMS. The case illustration in context of the Indian enterprise makes a sectoral contribution.
Performance agreement in Thai public sectors
Authors: Srimai Suwit 
Published: June 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to examine use of the performance agreement (PA) as well as the diagnostic control system that has been implemented at the provincial level of the Thai government.

Design/methodology/approach
– This is a qualitative study. Two qualitative methods – focus group and in-depth individual interviews – were employed. In addition, documents such as performance reports, forms, provincial strategic plans, and work manuals, were examined.

Findings
– Implementation of the PA at the provincial level has encountered some unexpected difficulties. Results of this study indicate that the PA and performance target-setting may contradict the “controllability” principle. In using the diagnostic control system, the two main challenges are: what to monitor and how to report it.

Practical implications
– This study is intended to be used as a guide in the use of the existing PA and diagnostic control system. The study also points to areas in which improvements can be made to increase the effectiveness of the PA in future use.

Originality/value
– This study calls for reconsideration in the implementation of the PA at the provincial level of the Thai government. Results show that the notion that “what gets measured gets done” is only half true at best.
Supply chain practices
Authors: Gorane S. J. , Kant Ravi 
Published: June 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to perform content analysis in empirical research in supply chain practices (SCPs) over the last 16 years. The research also aims to identify implications for future research in the area of SCPs.

Design/methodology/approach
– The review of SCPs research is based on 382 papers published from 1997 to 2012 in the 16 selected journals. The state of research is assessed by examining the empirical research growth of SCPs in selected journals, empirical research growth of SCPs, country of sample industry, sample industry, issues discussed in SCPs literature, purpose/objective of research, research method, response rate and data analysis techniques. The research gap is identified through reviewing the selected practices and framework for future development is proposed.

Findings
– The empirical research in SCPs predominantly performs in the developed countries like USA, UK and Spain. A significant percentage of articles contribute towards the effect of SCPs on organizational performance, but majority of authors employed performance analysis for at firm level only. Hypothesis testing is seemed to be very a common method of defining research question. From the content analysis, it is found that the response rate for the survey research is very low. The trend in survey research is shifting from descriptive statistics’ to framework building and testing.

Research limitations/implications
– This paper focuses only the identifications of SCPs and content analysis in empirical research. Further empirical study can be undertaken to find out the relationship between different SCPs and their effect on the organizational performance.

Practical implications
– The methodological review will provide better understanding of the current state of research in the area of SCPs.

Originality/value
– Many literature reviews aim at critical examination of supply chain management (SCM), but none of them focused the empirical research in SCPs. Another unique feature of this paper is that, it represents 382 articles from 16 selected journals over the past 16 years.
Logistics firms performance: efficiency and effectiveness perspectives
Authors: Wong Wai Peng , Soh Keng Lin , Chong Chu Le , Karia Noorliza 
Published: June 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to assess the efficiency, effectiveness and performance of logistics companies in Singapore and Malaysia which are the growing logistics hubs in Asia by using a triangular data envelopment analysis (DEA). It also identifies various factors that significantly affect the efficiency, effectiveness and performance of the Singaporean and Malaysian logistics companies and proposes ways to improve their competitiveness.

Design/methodology/approach
– First, this study employs a triangular DEA to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the companies. Second, Tobit regression is used to explore the factors that affect logistics performance. Third, the managerial decision-making matrix is addressed and suggestions made to help logistics managers improve performance.

Findings
– The results reveal that small firms, on average have more potential than the large ones. The results also demonstrate that investment influences firm performance significantly.

Originality/value
– This paper is the first attempt to apply a triangular DEA-based approach by decomposing performance into efficiency and effectiveness for logistics companies in Singapore and Malaysia.
The development of an objective wine knowledge scale: the item response theory approach
Authors: Velikova Natalia , Howell Roy D. , Dodd Tim 
Published: June 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to address the issue of objective knowledge operationalisation with specific focus on varying levels of scale items’ difficulty. The ultimate goal of the study was to develop a scale to measure objective wine knowledge, which would address the domain of wine knowledge and differentiate varying levels of consumer wine knowledge.Design/methodology/approach– The process of items’ development was guided by recommendations suggested by DeVellis (2003) in his influential work on theory and application of scale development. Examination of items’ performance was conducted through a series of field tests with consumer samples (N= 756) in a US wine region. Item response theory (IRT) approach was applied for items’ testing. The developed items were analysed using the two-parameter logistic model in Mplus Version 5.Findings– The study offers a 44-item test suitable for assessing wine knowledge across a broad spectrum of expertise. For example, if the goal is to assess wine knowledge differences among relatively knowledgeable respondents, a subset of more difficult items could be chosen. Alternatively, a test for novices could be constructed from easier scale’s items.Research limitations/implications– For researchers, the study offers conceptualisation of the wine knowledge domain, suggests a parsimonious instrument to measure the construct, offers a valid and reliable measure for use in testing theories of consumer knowledge and provides empirical evidence of the value and usefulness of the developed scale.Practical implications– For professionals, the proposed test may be used to test consumer knowledge and to help assess a prospective employee’s general knowledge of wine. The test can also be given at hospitality programs, outreach and continuing education programs.Originality/value– The current paper takes an alternative approach to classical test theory and offers an objective wine knowledge scale tested through IRT. This approach avoids shortcomings associated with classical measurement and offers an original scale that can discriminate among respondents with different levels of wine knowledge.
Effect of starting time on hydro-viscous drive speed regulating start
Authors: Meng Qingrui 
Published: June 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to reveal the effect of starting time on hydro-viscous drive speed regulating start.Design/methodology/approach– The modified transient Reynolds equation, thermal energy equation and temperature–viscosity equation were solved simultaneously by using finite element method. And then variations of the oil film load capacity, variations of temperature and variations of the torque generated by the oil film during the starting process were obtained.Findings– The results show that during the starting process, both the oil film load capacity and the temperature show an upward trend, the torque increases during the beginning period and then decreases during the latter part of the starting process. When the starting time is less than 60 s, variations of the oil film load capacity and temperature show fluctuations, which decrease with the starting time. For any output speed, the corresponding oil film load capacity, temperature and torque decrease with the starting time, and the decreasing amplitude also decreases with the starting time.Originality/value– This paper indicates that the starting time can be set to 60-90 s to obtain a perfect starting process. The simulation results are verified by the speed regulating start experiments. Research findings of this work provide theoretical basis for the design and practical application of the hydro-viscous drive equipments.