bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Students’ demand for smartphones
Authors: Mohd Suki Norazah 
Published: August 2013

PurposeThe study aims to examine structural relationships of product features, brand name, product price and social influence with demand for Smartphones among Malaysian students’.Design/methodology/approachData collected from 320 valid pre‐screened university students studying at the pubic higher learning institution in Federal Territory of Labuan, Malaysia who have experience in using and owning Smartphones, using a structured questionnaire, with closed‐ended questions, employing a convenient sampling technique, were tested against the research model using the structural equation modeling (SEM) approach via AMOS 20.0 computer program.FindingsEmpirical results via SEM divulged that brand name and social influence have an effect on the increasing demand for Smartphones among Malaysian students. The first is confirmed as the most influential factor, followed by the latter. This is according to standardised path coefficients and their statistical signicance.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributes significantly to a more thorough understanding of the determinants of demand for Smartphones among Malaysian students’ by emphasizing the dimensions of product features, brand name, product price and social influence. Students’ demand for Smartphones is highly influenced by aspects of the brand name of the Smartphone itself and social influence from friends and family members.Practical ImplicationsSmartphone providers, manufacturers, application developers and programmers should improve the current ability and performance of Smartphones by upgrading hardware and software driven services for better user interaction and engagement in order to be marketable and sustainable in meeting consumer unlimited needs and wants. They should also emphasize their brand name in advertising to be well positioned in consumers’ minds when making the decision to purchase and own a Smartphone. Positive viral marketing spread via social networking sites could help Smartphone providers to strengthen the competitive advantage of their product brands. The attractiveness of the message content of the advertisement on the social networking sites could improve marketing strategies of the Smartphone brand.Originality/valueThis study provides valuable insight into consumer behavior regarding Smartphones demand by examining the factors that influence students’ demand for using and owning Smartphones, which is not much covered in the literature in Malaysia context. The lessons can also be replicated in other countries for marketing Smartphones.
Research project leadership stipulation system
Authors: Taghavi Mona , Taghavi Hamed , Taghavi Milad 
Published: August 2013

PurposeDue to the increased research funding which academic institutions receive to perform advanced R&D, there is an indispensable need to have a systematic approach for selecting competent academicians capable of leading such projects. This paper aims to propose an approach to develop a system for Research Project Leadership Stipulation in finding such academicians.Design/methodology/approachThe system was developed using a decision tree model for leader selection and a neural network model for leader performance prediction, and validated through quantitative and empirical analysis by exercising it on a Research University's Human Resource dataset.FindingsIn contrast with common perception, the results showed that the level of an academic leadership expertise does not alone determine R&D project success. Managerial and intellectual competencies complemented by soft skills are more influencing factors on the success of a research project.Originality/valueThis paper provides a comparative analysis of selection criteria and influencing factors on research project leader's performance in terms of their hard and soft skills. The developed system by this research, selects and intelligently predicts the performance of an academician who possesses optimum ability to lead projects with a high confidence level of successful delivery.
The effect of absorptive capacity perceptions on the context‐aware ubiquitous learning acceptance
Authors: Lin Hsiu‐Fen 
Published: August 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the impact of absorptive capacity (understanding, assimilating and applying u‐learning) perceptions on behavioral intention to use u‐learning through path analysis and applies the technology acceptance model (TAM) as a theoretical foundation, simultaneously improving the model by adopting prior mobile experience as a meaningful moderator.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 212 students in Taiwan and various relationships in the research model were tested using the partial least squares approach.FindingsThe findings show that perceived usefulness and ease of use are determinants of student acceptance of u‐learning. Absorptive capacity (understanding, assimilating and applying u‐learning) perceptions influence perceived usefulness and ease of use of u‐learning. Additionally, assessment of the moderating effect of prior mobile experience on model relationships reveals insights into the determinants of behavioral intention to use u‐learning.Practical implicationsPersonal absorptive capacity to understand, assimilate, and apply u‐learning affects student perceptions of usefulness and ease of use of u‐learning, which in turn influence usage intentions. Thus, students should be offered demonstrations of how to operate u‐learning. More importantly, training courses on various mobile and context‐aware services should be provided to students to equip them with comprehensive knowledge of u‐learning, improve their real‐world observational skills, reduce anxiety associated with u‐learning, and increase their confidence in using u‐learning.Originality/valueTheoretically, while drawing upon the TAM, this study aims to provide a model that capable of understanding the determinants of behavioral intention to use u‐learning. From the practical perspective, the findings should provide further insight into student behaviors resulting, leading to more effective strategies for developing a u‐learning environment.
Robot selection based on grey‐MULTIMOORA approach
Authors: Datta Saurav , Sahu Nitin , Mahapatra Siba 
Published: August 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to report an efficient decision‐support system for industrial robot selection. It seeks to analyze potential robot selection attributes with a relatively new MCDM approach which employs grey set theory coupled with MULTIMOORA method.Design/methodology/approachUse of interval‐valued grey numbers (IVGN) adapted from grey theory has been explored to tackle subjective evaluation information collected from an expert group; finally MULTIMOORA (multi‐objective optimization by ratio analysis) method has been applied in order to aggregate individual criterion/attribute scores into an equivalent evaluation index towards evaluating feasible ranking order of candidate alternative robots.FindingsAn empirical study has also been shown here for better understanding of the said selection‐module; effectively applicable to any other decision‐making scenarios.Originality/valueThis method is computationally very simple, easily comprehensible, and robust which can simultaneously consider numerous subjective attributes. Grey MULTIMOORA ranking is expected to provide a good guidance to the managers of an organization to select the feasible robot. It will also provide a good insight to the robot manufacturer so that it can improve its product or introduce a new product to satisfy customer needs.
Fitting fathers into work‐family policies: international challenges in turbulent times
Authors: O'Brien Margaret 
Published: August 2013

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the international challenges of fitting fathers into work‐family policies at a time of global economic turbulence.Design/methodology/approachThe paper's design is a comparative policy analysis approach using international working time, paternity, maternity and parental leave data from selected rich, middle and poorer income nations. Leave policies are examined in relation to the place of fathers in the work‐family policy mix between 2010 and 2011.FindingsShort well‐compensated paternity leave provision is emerging in poorer and middle income countries but none offer the range of father‐targeted parental leave innovation observed in some richer nations. A comparison of leave policy changes effecting fathers between 2010 and 2011 showed resilience in face of economic downturn particularly in European countries.Research limitations/implicationsGlobal data on fathers' working hours, paternity leave and men's access to parental leave are difficult to access and more effort in data standardisation is required to build on this study.Practical implicationsInter‐governmental bodies play an important role in the promotion of father‐friendly employment measures even in countries with strong male breadwinner cultures.Originality/valueThis policy analysis extends scholarship on how societies promote and regulate cultural constructions of fatherhood in families and in the workplace. It suggests that drivers to fit fathers into work‐family policies are mixed and do not easily map on to country classifications or policy regimes.
Clouds over Spain: work and family in the age of austerity
Authors: Grau‐Grau Marc 
Published: August 2013

PurposeThis paper aims to contribute to the academic literature in two ways. Firstly, the paper will analyse the impact of the financial crisis on the level of flexibility, autonomy and stress of Spanish employees. Secondly, it aims to identify if the impact of the economic crisis on the work‐family balance differs by sex, educational level, economic sector and regions across Spain.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reviews relevant literature in social policy and work‐family balance. Two databases (2005 Ad hoc Module on work life balance; 2010 Ad hoc module on conciliation between working life and family life) were analysed in order to characterise work‐family balance before and during the economic recession.FindingsThe findings revealed that: economic crisis had a negative impact on the control and autonomy that Spaniards had of their jobs; economic crisis diminishes the level of flexibility at work; and economic crisis had a negative impact on the level of stress among Spanish employees.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper lays out several avenues for further research which would provide additional insight into the relationship between economic crisis and work‐family balance.Originality/valueDespite the explosive growth in the work‐family literature, it is not easy to find empirical evidence showing the relationship between financial crisis and work‐family balance. This paper fills some of the gaps. Moreover, the case of Spain is very interesting given the very specific circumstances of austerity there.
A conditionally heteroskedastic global inflation model
Authors: Morales‐Arias Leonardo , Moura Guilherme V. 
Published: August 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to propose and test empirically an inflation model containing permanent and transitory heteroskedastic components for the G7 countries. More specifically, recent evidences from the literature are gathered to construct a model with a heteroskedastic global component capturing comovements amongst G7 economies. Moreover, evidence of asymmetric generalized autoregressive conditionally heteroskedastic effects both in the transitory and in the permanent components are taken into account, and the time‐varying variance of each component allows their influence over the observable inflation to change over time. Out‐of‐sample forecasting exercises are used to test the model validity.Design/methodology/approachThe model is written in state‐space form and estimation is carried out in one step via quasi‐maximum likelihood using the augmented Kalman filter, which allows us to compute smoothed estimates of permanent and of transitory components of inflation rates. Out‐of‐sample forecasts are compared against a random walk (RW) and an autoregressive (AR) model of order one. The significance of the differences in forecast accuracy is tested using the Diebold‐Marino test, the forecast encompassing test, and the Pesaran and Timmermann test.FindingsThe proposed model fits the data quite well and has good forecasting capabilities when compared to RW and to AR models of order one. The volatility of the global inflation trend extracted from the model captures the international effects of the “Great Moderation” and of the “Great Recession”. An increase in correlation of inflation for certain country pairs since the start of the “Great Recession” is observed. Moreover, there is evidence of asymmetry in inflation volatility, which is consistent with the idea that higher inflation levels lead to greater uncertainty about future inflation.Originality/valueThis article introduces a new global inflation model with permanent and transitory heteroskedastic components incorporating many recent findings of the literature, and proposes a one step estimation procedure for it. The model fits very well the data and produces good out‐of‐sample forecasts.
Determinants of foreign direct investment in OECD member countries
Authors: Alam Abdullah , Zulfiqar Ali Shah Syed 
Published: August 2013

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to get an insight into the potential determinants of foreign direct investment (FDI) for a panel of ten OECD member countries over the period of 1985‐2009.Design/methodology/approachGranger causality tests have been implemented in the study to identify causalities, both in the short‐ and long‐run, between FDI and the variables that emerge as significant determinants of FDI during the regression analysis.FindingsThe fixed effects estimation indicates that market size, labor cost and quality of infrastructure yield significant coefficients in relation to FDI for the panel of countries under study. A bi‐directional short‐run relationship is established between market size and labor costs in the short‐run; whereas quality of infrastructure causes market size and labor costs in the short‐run. For the long‐run deviation of FDI from equilibrium, market size, labor costs and quality of infrastructure all bear the joint burden in the short‐run to re‐establish the equilibrium.Practical implicationsThe research findings have a number of policy implications for the OECD countries in specific and other developed economies in general. Labor costs seem to affect the FDI decision on the part of investors; therefore, the countries with low labor costs are preferred by investors in order to reduce the cost of their business and products. Policies should be devised to reduce the labor costs and improve the equality of infrastructure in the country in order to attract more FDI into the economy and for quick adjustment purposes in case of shock to the system.Originality/valueThis paper investigates the relationship and significance of nine potential determinants of FDI in ten OECD member nations using panel data methods. The practices that are undertaken in developed and established economies are of vast significance to the economies that are in transition stages. The paper uncovers some important factors influencing FDI in the ten countries under study and provide a guide‐map for other developed countries.
Medium secure care: forensic aspects of autism and Asperger's syndrome
Authors: Barkham Elizabeth , Gunasekaran Santhana , Lovelock Caroline 
Published: August 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to offer a general review of care for individuals on the autism spectrum, including Asperger's syndrome within a medium secure setting.Design/methodology/approachThe authors undertook a review of the current literature relating to pathways to care, offending characteristics and treatment interventions. They examined the available evidence and current practice.FindingsAvailable evidence suggests offending characteristics of individuals with autism are different to those of mental disorders such as schizophrenia. Limited evidence in treatment interventions and in risk management for those with autism presents a challenge to clinicians. The heterogeneity makes a strong case for an individualised case formulation approach to treatment and risk management.Originality/valueThis paper offers an overview of the current evidence base relating to the treatment of individuals with autism spectrum disorders within medium secure settings.
“Getting on” and “getting by” underground
Authors: Timothy Phakathi Sizwe 
Published: August 2013

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the interaction between formal and informal organisation of work inside the pit, with reference to the informal working or coping strategy of “making a plan” (planisa).Design/methodology/approachThe research for this paper was ethnographic in nature and the participant observation was the main research technique used in the field.FindingsThe underground gold miners make a plan or engage in planisa to offset the production bottlenecks which affected their capacity to achieve their production targets and increase their bonus earnings. They “get on and get by” underground in order to cope with organisational constraints and management inefficiencies.Originality/valueThe paper highlights the limits of formal organisation of work and the significance of gold miners’ informal work strategy of making a plan (planisa) as an existing and alternative working practice that shapes their subjective orientation, agency and resilience to work structures and managerial strategies. Any strategy designed to improve the health, safety and productivity of underground miners must recognise, elaborate and systematically articulate the workplace culture of planisa as an existing work practice in the day‐to‐day running of the production process down the mine.
The mediating role of perceived organizational support in the effects of interpersonal and informational justice on organizational citizenship behaviors
Authors: Cheung Millissa F.Y. 
Published: August 2013

PurposeOur purpose is to examine whether and how perceived organizational support (POS) mediates the effects of informational and interpersonal justice on organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB).Design/methodology/approachData were randomly collected from 159 matched supervisor‐subordinate dyads of three engineering firms in Hong Kong in different sites and period of time.FindingsResults of structural equation modeling indicated that POS fully mediated the effects of interpersonal and informational justice on citizenship behaviors that are directed at the organization (OCBO) and its members (OCBI).Research limitations/implicationsCross‐sectional research design limits the reveal of causality in variables. The findings theoretically integrate justice with POS literature by distinguishing the unique effects of interpersonal and informational justice on OCBO and OCBI through the mediating role of POS.Practical implicationsThe success of leaders lie in whether they are trained to comply with the informational and interpersonal rules as well as show respect and provide candid information to the employees on a daily encounter. Also, the leaders may help cultivating subordinates’ a favorable perception of POS by passing on clear messages to subordinates that organization cares about and accounted to them.Originality/valueThe use of POS as a mediator on distinguishing interpersonal and informational justice on OCB is unprecedented. Most justice research has been focussed on distributive and procedural justice or situational factors that moderate the justice‐OCB link. But, this study has strength of clarifying the links among interpersonal and informational justice, POS, and OCB on professional employees in a non‐North‐America context.
Perceived risk, usage frequency of mobile banking services
Authors: Chen ChauShen 
Published: August 2013

PurposeThis study discusses the effects of diffusion and adopters of mobile banking services (MBSs), perceived risk, brand awareness, and brand image of MBS providers, on attitude toward using MBSs, and on intention to use MBSs. In accordance with sample usage frequency in MBSs, this study subgroups the sample population into several behavioral segments (frequent/infrequent users) to concentrate sample characteristics and the behavioral models.Design/methodology/approachData from the 610 valid questionnaires collected in Taiwan were analyzed by SPSS and LISREL. In accordance with sample usage frequency in MBSs, this study subgroups the sample population into several behavioral segments (frequent/infrequent users) to concentrate sample characteristics and the behavioral models.FindingsAnalytical results demonstrate that mobile banking users with different behavioral patterns have dissimilar perceptions of innovation benefits and risk. Moreover, brand awareness and brand image of the MBSs provider are crucial exogenous factors associated with attitude and intention to use MBSs. Finally, this study presents several suggestions for researchers, bankers, and marketers.Originality/valueThis study examined MBSs in Taiwan, with an enhanced investigation model includes diffusion of innovation, TPA, second‐order risk sub‐dimensions, and brand effects on attitude and intention. The contributions of this study includes: this is the first study that incorporate brand awareness, and brand image in discussing mobile banking adoption behavior; meanwhile, this study incorporate a five factors risk structure, discussing perceived risk detailed in financial risk, performance risk, time risk, psychological risk, and privacy risk. Furthermore, this study is the first study that has differentiated between different consumer types: frequent and infrequent users. The findings of this study is practical in providing MBS for bankers.
Is maximum customer service always a good thing? Customer satisfaction in response to over‐attentive service
Authors: Ku Hsuan‐Hsuan , Kuo Chien‐Chih , Chen Martin 
Published: August 2013

PurposeTo investigate customer satisfaction with service encounters characterized by an over‐attentive level of service, and the contextual and individual factors moderating the resulting satisfaction scores.Design/methodology/approachThe first of three formal experiments tests the prediction that consumer reactions vary with the margin between actual and expected levels of service. The second examines the influence of the tendency to psychological reactance on participants’ responses to excessive service. The third assesses the effect of a predisposition to suspiciousness on satisfaction scores, in scenarios which, respectively, specify that extremely over‐attentive service or “normal” service are directed at participants personally or is offered to all customers unselectively.FindingsThe first experiment found moderately excessive service to be acceptable to most participants but unexpectedly over‐attentive service to affect satisfaction negatively. The second found the negative impact of extremely over‐attentive service to be limited to participants with a greater tendency to psychological reactance. The third found that a high predisposition to suspicion resulted in lower satisfaction levels whether the scenario specified extremely over‐attentive service that was personal or on offer to all, whereas the satisfaction scores of participants with a lower predisposition to suspicion were not affected in those scenarios.Originality/valueWhereas the relevant literature has focussed on customer reactions to service that falls below expectations, this paper studies service encounters in which it surpasses them. It hypothesizes a counterproductive effect on customer satisfaction and identifies contextual and individual factors that explain and predict that outcome.