bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Social justice and the international flow of knowledge with specific reference to African scholars
Authors: Britz Johannes J. , Ponelis Shana 
Published: September 2012

PurposeIn the globalized world the movement of scholars facilitates the global flow of knowledge and supports the pillars of the knowledge economy as defined by the World Bank. But not all academics are born equal: African scholars face significant barriers with regard to freedom of movement. The purpose of this paper is to describe the processes that African scholars typically have to undertake to participate in the global academic community, to identify some of the potential difficulties in these processes and to articulate the moral concerns that arise from these processes.Design/methodology/approachBoth secondary data analysis to illustrate and support the arguments as well as anecdotal evidence to provide specific examples of African scholars' experiences are used.FindingsJustice is viewed as one of the most important virtues regulating the movement of people in the global knowledge society. It is used as a normative instrument to argue that the international community has a moral and legal responsibility to create a more flexible and fair structure to enable knowledge to flow more freely between African scholars and their counterparts in Europe and North America.Practical implicationsA Global Knowledge Treaty is proposed that will allow African scholars to travel more freely in pursuit of new knowledge and opportunities and platforms to share their knowledge is proposed as a potential solution that seeks to strike a fair balance between rights of nation‐states and the rights of individuals to freedom of movement.Originality/valueThe value of the paper lies in that it highlights a topic of contemporary importance in the knowledge economy that has far‐reaching implications for African scholarship in particular and education and development in African countries in general.
Europe fights back with advanced manufacturing and assembly technologies
Authors: Bogue Robert 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide details of a number of collaborative European projects which seek to improve the performance and capabilities of industrial manufacturing and assembly systems.Design/methodology/approachFollowing a short introduction, this paper discusses a selection of current, collaborative European projects involving the development of advanced manufacturing and assembly technologies.FindingsThis shows that the EU is actively supporting the development of advanced technologies to improve the competitiveness of the region's manufacturing and assembly industries. This is being conducted through a series of collaborative R&D projects.Originality/valueThe paper provides details of six current European projects involving advanced manufacturing and assembly methods.
Application of a new type feedforward‐feedback controller in assembly machine for assembled camshaft
Authors: Lin Bao‐jun , Yu Ge , Yang Shen‐hua , Kou Shu‐qing , Wang Jiu‐he 
Published: September 2012

PurposeAiming at the positioning accuracy control problem in the running of the assembly machine for assembled camshaft, a kind of position controller based on the feedforward‐feedback control of speed and acceleration is designed.Design/methodology/approachIt combines feedforward‐feedback control with the quartic displacement curve acceleration/deceleration algorithm.FindingsThe axial dimension and the phase angle of the cam obtained after being assembled is checked. The result shows that for each type of camshaft, the error of the axial dimension of the cam is less than ±0.2mm and the error of the phase angle of the cam is less than ±30′. In addition, production efficiency is greatly improved (the assembling time is 90‐120S/piece).Originality/valueThe paper combines feedforward‐feedback control with the quartic displacement curve acceleration/deceleration algorithm for the first time.
Analyzing the jamming of parts on the shaft in assembly processes
Authors: Usubamatov R. , Adam S.A. , Harun A. 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the process of jamming of the hollow parts on the shaft and to derive a mathematical model for jamming in an assembly process.Design/methodology/approachThe mathematical model for jamming of parts on the shaft in an assembly process is based on the sizes, geometry, angular declination of part and shaft axes, and the frictional factor.FindingsThe equation for angular positional tolerance of coaxial parts and shafts, based on their geometry and sizes and leading to jamming, was derived.Research limitations/implicationsA mathematical model of parts jamming on the shaft is developed for assembly mechanisms. This research does not consider flexible deformations of components in assembly mechanisms, which results in the axis concentricity of part and shaft in the assembly process.Practical implicationsThe results presented in the form of angular positional tolerance for coaxial parts and shafts based on their geometry and sizes make it possible to avoid the jamming of the parts. The results allow for formulating the angular positional tolerance of the assembly mechanisms that clamp the parts.Originality/valueThe proposed method for calculating the angular positional tolerance of coaxial parts and shafts for the assembly process should allow for increasing the reliability of the assembly process in the manufacturing industry.
Winning in high velocity markets: the case of BSkyB
Authors: Oliver John J. 
Published: September 2012

PurposeMany businesses have seen their markets and competitive set transformed over the past decade. This revolutionary context has created many high‐velocity markets, where rapid change is a constant, and defining the strategic direction of a firm becomes a more complex activity. This paper seeks to argue that organizations can win in high‐velocity markets by adapting their resource base, renewing capabilities and competencies and achieving dynamic capability.Design/methodology/approachAn extensive review of business and management literature is combined with primary research into a number of large media companies.FindingsWinning in high‐velocity markets requires organizations to adapt their resource base, in a compressed timescale, due to the fast changing nature of market conditions.Practical implicationsOrganizations react differently in the same high‐velocity market conditions. Some will look for opportunities that will provide them with a platform for a step change in their capabilities and competitiveness. Others will batten down the hatches and wait for the storm to pass, and in doing so, will lose their competitive edge.Originality/valueThe knowledge on dynamic capability is fragmented and often untested in practice. This paper consolidates various perspectives and illustrates it in a case study from the media industry. It provides CEOs with a strategic recipe to develop dynamic capability in their organizations.
Quantitative assessments of geometric errors for rapid prototyping in medical applications
Authors: Arrieta Cristobal , Uribe Sergio , Ramos‐Grez Jorge , Vargas Alex , Irarrazaval Pablo , Parot Vicente , Tejos Cristian 
Published: September 2012

PurposeIn medical applications, it is crucial to evaluate the geometric accuracy of rapid prototyping (RP) models. Current research on evaluating geometric accuracy has focused on identifying two or more specific anatomical landmarks on the original structure and the RP model, and comparing their corresponding linear distances. Such kind of accuracy metrics is ambiguous and may induce misrepresentations of the actual errors. The purpose of this paper is to propose an alternative method and metrics to measure the accuracy of RP models.Design/methodology/approachThe authors propose an accuracy metric composed of two different approaches: a global accuracy evaluation using volumetric intersection indexes calculated over segmented Computed Tomography scans of the original object and the RP model. Second, a local error metric that is computed from the surfaces of the original object and the RP model. This local error is rendered in a 3D surface using a color code, that allow differentiating regions where the model is overestimated, underestimated, or correctly estimated. Global and local error measurements are performed after rigid body registration, segmentation and triangulation.FindingsThe results show that the method can be applied to different objects without any modification, and provide simple, meaningful and precise quantitative indexes to measure the geometric accuracy of RP models.Originality/valueThe paper presents a new approach to characterize the geometric errors in RP models using global indexes and a local surface distribution of the errors. It requires minimum human intervention and it can be applied without any modification to any kind of object.
Influence of printing parameters on the transformation efficiency of 3D‐printed plaster of paris to hydroxyapatite and its properties
Authors: Suwanprateeb J. , Thammarakcharoen F. , Wasoontararat K. , Suvannapruk W. 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study the influence of changing printing parameters (powder layer thickness and binder saturation) in a three dimensional printing machine (3DP) on the transformation of 3DP printed plaster of paris to hydroxyapatite by low temperature phosphorization.Design/methodology/approachPlaster of paris‐based powder mixture was used to print specimens using different powder layer thickness (0.080, 0.10 and 0.20 mm) and saturation ratio (1 and 2). Subsequently, density, microstructure, mechanical properties, transformation rate and phase composition were analyzed to compare the influence of such printing parameters on properties.FindingsIt was found that printing parameters strongly affect the transformation efficiency and properties of the samples. The sample printed at layer thickness of 0.10 mm and saturation ratio of 1 yielded the highest transformation rate, density and greatest flexural modulus and strength after conversion. This was related to the sufficiently low density structure with good mechanical properties of the as‐fabricated 3DP sample which was suitable for the low temperature phosphorization process. Hydroxyapatite and monetite were found to be the main phases after conversion and the content of each phase depended on the conversion time and on also the printing parameters.Research limitations/implicationsThe optimal printing parameters were true for the materials used in this study. In the case of using other materials formulation, the optimal printing parameters might be different from these values.Practical implicationsThe results presented here can be used as a guideline for selecting printing parameters in 3DP machine for achieving properties as desired for specific applications or post‐processing techniques.Originality/valueThe paper demonstrates the printing parameters that were needed to be considered for efficient phase transformation and high mechanical properties.
Communicating Spanish banks' identities: the role of websites
Authors: Bravo Rafael , Pina José M. , Matute Jorge 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThis paper aims to reveal the key elements of corporate identity through the information provided by entities' websites, and to study the differences in the information transmitted by entities through their websites.Design/methodology/approachThe research develops an analysis of corporate identity in Spanish banking institutions, focusing on the communication of identity elements through corporate websites. A content analysis methodology is employed.FindingsA total of 230 categories related to six dimensions of corporate identity were identified: visual identity, communication, culture, behaviour, strategy and structure. The results show the elements most widely used by financial institutions and the moderating role of different dimensions (market scope, specialisation, etc.).Research limitations/implicationsA natural sequel of this work would involve the analysis of other sources of identity communication, and measurement of the corporate image transmitted to stakeholders.Practical implicationsThe results obtained will allow entities to compare themselves to others in the same sector; likewise companies that are involved in mergers will be able to gain an understanding of the best way to build a new identity.Originality/valueMost literature on corporate identity is theoretical, with no empirical basis. This paper reveals empirically the elements of identity with a focus on banking institutions, and allows differences between entities to be established.
Smart combination of web measures for solving semantic similarity problems
Authors: Martinez‐Gil Jorge , Aldana‐Montes José F. 
Published: September 2012

PurposeSemantic similarity measures are very important in many computer‐related fields. Previous works on applications such as data integration, query expansion, tag refactoring or text clustering have used some semantic similarity measures in the past. Despite the usefulness of semantic similarity measures in these applications, the problem of measuring the similarity between two text expressions remains a key challenge. This paper aims to address this issue.Design/methodology/approachIn this article, the authors propose an optimization environment to improve existing techniques that use the notion of co‐occurrence and the information available on the web to measure similarity between terms.FindingsThe experimental results using the Miller and Charles and Gracia and Mena benchmark datasets show that the proposed approach is able to outperform classic probabilistic web‐based algorithms by a wide margin.Originality/valueThis paper presents two main contributions. The authors propose a novel technique that beats classic probabilistic techniques for measuring semantic similarity between terms. This new technique consists of using not only a search engine for computing web page counts, but a smart combination of several popular web search engines. The approach is evaluated on the Miller and Charles and Gracia and Mena benchmark datasets and compared with existing probabilistic web extraction techniques.
Mediation of TV advertising to children
Authors: Soni Pavleen , Singh Raghbir 
Published: September 2012

PurposeParents are seen to mediate media behavior of their children to protect them from negative and undesirable effects of advertising. In doing so, they either restrict TV viewing by children or actively discuss ad content with children. The nature of mediation strategy to be used depends upon the age of their children. The purpose of this study is to uncover the nature of mediation strategies used by mothers of younger and older children in India. The findings and implications of the study are further discussed.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from three cities of Punjab state of India – Amritsar, Jalandhar and Ludhiana and its capital city of Chandigarh during the period November 2010 to June 2011. The mothers were the basic sampling unit for the present study as they are seen to be the primary caregivers for children. Parents of children in eight schools (two from each city), were approached through the schools. The children were asked to take the questionnaire home and get it filled by their mother. Parental mediation of food advertising was measured through a parental advertising mediation scale developed by Valkenburg et al.FindingsThe results of the present study reveal that mothers of Indian children resort to mediation of ads in general and food ads in particular. The nature of mediation is also governed by age of children. Mothers of older children primarily use active advertising mediation and mothers of younger children use restrictive mediation strategies. It is also seen that mothers mediate the exposure of food ads more strongly in younger children as compared to older children.Originality/valueAlthough vast literature exists about parental mediation of advertising to children, hardly any study has been conducted in India to investigate the nature of parental mediation of advertising to children. The present study adds to the existing literature by delving into this aspect in the Indian settings. More so, as age of children is witnessed to affect nature of parental mediation, this study also sheds light on the way parents in India mediate exposure of children to TV ads.
Hurricane reconstruction in the United States Gulf Coast
Authors: Tatum Mark C. , Terrell Frank 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study construction companies performing reconstruction to better understand the positive and negative effects of hurricanes on the construction industry.Design/methodology/approachConstruction companies with hurricane reconstruction experience in gulf coast states were surveyed to obtain information about their activities from 1999 to 2008. A wide range of company sizes were represented in the collected data, from less than 15 to more than 100 employees, and from less than five to more than 100 million dollars in annual work volume. Specific points investigated include how hurricane reconstruction affects profitability, scheduling, estimating accuracy, and volume of business (both short term and subsequent). Other factors examined were labour availability, labour costs, material prices, material availability and how insurance company involvement impacted work progress.FindingsWhile the rewards of additional work are obvious, this study found that labour shortages, availability of materials, and issues with insurance companies are the main risks construction companies face. Construction companies should have a hurricane construction plan to capitalize fully on so much opportunity. The plan should include contingency pricing to combat the rise in job costs, a geographic region to work into keep from getting over extended, a strong labour force, and a plan for displaced employees. A plan will help mitigate risk and increase the probability of success.Originality/valueThis paper should provide useful information for contractors, government entities and others who are involved with reconstruction efforts after unpredictable disasters, particularly hurricanes.
Strategies for the effective engagement of multi‐national construction enterprises in post‐disaster building and infrastructure projects
Authors: Haigh Richard , Sutton Richard 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify what strategies and mechanisms might be utilised to achieve an effective level of participation by multi‐national construction enterprises in post‐disaster recovery efforts.Design/methodology/approachAn exploratory qualitative research methodology has been utilised. A total of 28 interviews were conducted. The respondents were from multi‐national construction enterprises, international and national humanitarian agencies, construction industry professional organisations, and national government agencies related to disaster management.FindingsThe findings suggest that there is great potential for using the resources of multi‐national construction enterprise resources to fill the professional resource gap in post‐disaster recovery. The best method for achieving this engagement is less clear. Although there are concerns about construction enterprises engaging with a more strategic outlook, there is also recognition that explicit and transparent arrangements would alleviate many of these concerns.Originality/valueThe value of building partnerships with the private sector is slowly being realised, but it remains a niche phenomenon and more research is required. This study provides a better understanding of the nature and extent of the relationship between multi‐national construction enterprises and efforts to reconstruct buildings and infrastructure following a disaster.
Board evaluation in the top Nordic football clubs
Authors: Brunzell Tor , Söderman Sten 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study if and how the evaluation of the boards in the top Nordic male football clubs affects the boards’ composition and work.Design/methodology/approachThe study includes all the clubs in the two top divisions in each of the five Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden). The study makes use of a questionnaire where 66 (out of 145) chairmen answer 17 questions concerning the board composition and work on a five‐point Likert‐scale.FindingsThe responses were related to whether the board is annually evaluated or not. Descriptive statistics demonstrates that more than half of the clubs have an annual board evaluation. Most common is that the Chairman performs the evaluation himself/herself with help from designated board members; the evaluation being performed through informal discussions. A total of 44 clubs have a nominee committee. Almost all of the clubs transfer the result of the board evaluation to its nominee committee, most commonly verbally. Furthermore, results show that board evaluation has a significant positive effect on the following functions of football boards: review of business plan, strategy, objective and budget; discussion on short‐term development; discussion on long‐term development; and work efficiency.Originality/valueThe results of this study are consistent with a similar study of listed Nordic companies. The main difference between the results of the two studies is that clubs, unlike publicly listed companies, almost always perform the evaluation through internal interviews rarely using external consultants and individual anonymous questionnaires.
The innovativeness of family firms through the economic cycle
Authors: Llach Josep , Marquès Pilar , Bikfalvi Andrea , Simon Alexandra , Kraus Sascha 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to understand whether the innovative effort of organizations increases or decreases over time, especially when the competitive environment is changing, as has been the case in the current economic downturn. For this reason, the objective of this article is to gauge the possible differences in innovative behaviour between family firms (FFs) and non‐family firms (NFFs) when the business environment becomes increasingly hostile.Design/methodology/approachThe approach is a natural experiment study, which the authors use to analyse the possible differential behaviour of FFs in the recession context in contrast to the previous growth context. The empirical data for the present study were compiled through the Spanish sub‐sample of the European Manufacturing Survey's (EMS) 2006 and 2009 editions. To test the hypothesis the paper uses a matched‐pairs method that increases the comparability of the available data.FindingsFamily firms have a significant higher reduction of R&D in comparison to nonfamily firms. But contrary to some of the hypotheses, the other innovation dimensions have no significant differences, although most results indicate that family firms systematically and generally reduce their innovation more than NFFs.Originality/valueThis research contains two original features. First, the authors have been able to analyse the change in innovation behaviour of a comparable set of FFs and NFFs. The second relevant feature is the analysis of the specific interaction of FFs’ differential traits with the different types of innovation. The availability of detailed empirical data on innovation adoption enabled this study and is also one of its contributions. This research has also value since the results can be read as a challenge to existing approaches on the preferences and nature of FFs that have either a positive or negative effect on innovation.