bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Profitable working capital management in industrial maintenance companies
Authors: Marttonen Salla , Monto Sari , Kärri Timo 
Published: October 2013

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of working capital management on profitability. This connection is further studied in industrial maintenance service companies.

Design/methodology/approach
– Analytical modeling has been used as the research method. The empirical analyses have been made on the basis of financial statements.

Findings
– The paper presents an analytical flexible asset management (FAM) model, which reveals a significant negative correlation between the cycle times of operational working capital and the return on investment. The importance of working capital management is emphasized in the industrial maintenance service sector, because of light fixed assets and good profitability.

Research limitations/implications
– There are some mathematical limitations in the applicability of the model introduced in this paper. These limitations should be addressed in further research.

Practical implications
– The FAM model can be utilized as a tool in decision making in firms, both in the short term and in the long term. On the basis of this paper, the decision makers can consider how important working capital management is in their industry. In the industrial maintenance service business, more attention should be paid to active management of working capital.

Originality/value
– The FAM model is a new decision-making tool. The paper also contributes to the unexplored perspective of industrial maintenance companies. The paper is valuable to service companies, as the research of working capital management has mostly focussed on manufacturing industries.
Is job satisfaction enhancing learning-training transfer relationship?
Authors: Rahim Zumrah Abdul 
Published: October 2013

Purpose
– One important factor that influences the success of transfer of training in the workplace is the employees' learning level following the training. The association between learning and transfer of training has been established by previous studies. However, to date only a few empirical studies have examined the moderating factor that could strengthen the link between these two variables. This study has been conducted to addresses this gap. Specifically, the purpose of this paper is to explore the moderating effect of job satisfaction on the relationship between learning and transfer of training.

Design/methodology/approach
– The data for this study have been collected from two sources: the employees of public sector organizations in Malaysia and their supervisors through surveys.

Findings
– The findings reveal that learning has an important role as a predictor of transfer of training but job satisfaction was found to have no moderating effect in this study.

Research limitations/implications
– The finding illustrate that management in public sector need to ensure that the employee gains new knowledge and skills from a particular training they have attended, in order to maximize return on training investment.

Originality/value
– This study extends the discussion and understanding on factors that influence transfer of training at public sector organizations in a non-Western context, specifically Malaysia, a developing country in Southeast Asia.
Drama-based role-play: a tool to supplement work-based learning in higher education
Authors: Kettula Kirsi , Berghäll Sami 
Published: October 2013

Purpose
– The purpose of this study is to determine how closely an in-class role-play can mirror and capture the features and characteristics of work-based learning with real-life working experiences. The aim is also to discuss the potential and drawbacks of using role-play as a form of work-related learning.

Design/methodology/approach
– This case study relies on qualitative data obtained from learning journals covering learning experiences on a role-play exercise. In total, 16 undergraduate students participated in a course in business-to-business marketing and took part in a series of face-to-face simulations.

Findings
– Compared to the characteristics, features and potential outcomes of work-based learning, role-play can entail several similar learning outcomes. The strengths of a role-play are many. Participants can practise real-life situations in a safe environment; their learning is not restricted to a particular work setting; they are able to learn through reflection, and conflicts between stakeholders can be avoided. The comparative weaknesses include a lack of support from senior colleagues and an unclear contribution to the real world. Furthermore, the method may produce stereotypes or anxiety in the participants.

Research limitations/implications
– Due to the small target group, reliance on one source of data, and the phenomenological nature of findings, further studies are needed with larger target groups and different research approaches.

Practical implications
– The findings reveal that role-play can offer higher education a supplementary tool for work-based learning.

Originality/value
– In higher education, role-play may serve as a tool to reach many of the learning objectives of work-based learning, especially if real workplace experiences cannot be arranged.
What drives the premium labour model, beta instability risk or human capital?
Authors: Soufian Mona , McMillan David , Horsburgh Stuart 
Published: October 2013

Purpose
– The paper examines the conditional capital asset pricing model (CCAPM) of Jagannathan and Wang using the UK data and develops a data-driven measure of beta instability risk that is pertinent to the UK stock market. In contrast to the view that the main part of the Jagannathan and Wang's model is the inclusion of human capital, however, the paper finds that human capital remains insignificant in most tests.

Design/methodology/approach
– Data were taken from the London Share Price Database and Datastream. This paper therefore examines the premium labour (PL) model of Jagannathan and Wang using the UK data, while the paper attaches particular importance to the measure of beta instability as a source of time variation in betas. In analysing the measure of beta instability risk, this study considers a testable measure of instability risk that varies across markets and across time as the interaction between the stock market and the economy varies across different time periods. Hence, this paper develops a data-driven measure of beta instability risk that is pertinent to the UK stock market.

Findings
– The results confirm the premium version of the model, that is, the CCAPM without a proxy for human capital. In particular, the paper finds that over the entire time period of this study, the measure for beta instability risk and market portfolio has significant explanatory power for the variations of returns. More specifically, when using the average earnings index as a proxy for human capital in the PL model, the premium model performs better than the PL model. When total income from employment is used as a proxy for human capital, the performance of the PL model improves for the full period. However, the results for the two sub-periods are less favourable for the PL model as, again, labour income is not priced for these periods. These results indicate that the PL model is sensitive to proxies used for human capital.

Originality/value
– The results revive the importance of beta instability risk in CCAPM of Jagannathan and Wang's model and suggest that the beta instability drives this model.
Demand for sustainable office space in Poland: the results from a conjoint experiment in Krakow
Authors: Zieba Malgorzata , Belniak Stanislaw , Gluszak Michal 
Published: October 2013

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to assess the demand and to estimate the willingness to pay for sustainable (certified) office space in Poland.

Design/methodology/approach
– Due to limited data on sustainable property performance in Poland, the research is based on stated-preference data. The main research tool is conjoint experiment, run on a sample of office tenants in Krakow.

Findings
– Highest utility for office tenants in Poland is linked to BREEAM certificate (highest willingness to pay for having BREEAM certified office space. Slightly lower propensity to pay was observed for LEED certificate. The lowest willingness to pay was estimated for DGNB certificate. One of possible explanations is connected to tenants awareness (BREEAM is the most common certificate in Poland).

Research limitations/implications
– The research results suggest increasing demand for sustainable office space in Poland, reflected by willingness to pay for sustainable office space. The main limitations of the research are twofold: geographical limitation (only one city) and hypothetical nature of choices made by tenants in the quasi-experiment.

Practical implications
– The results of the research can justify the engagement of investors in sustainable property development in Poland and foster the development of this respective sector.

Originality/value
– The paper is unique as it explores the potential for sustainable property development in emerging economies, which is not a common area of scientific interest mainly due to data availability. Traditionally most research focusses on mature markets in North America, and Western Europe, and empirical evidence from less developed markets is scarce. Few papers (if any) use quasi-experimental setting to elicit implicit price of ecological certificates.
Oral history centres and collections: a selective bibliography
Authors: L. Rhodes Gloria 
Published: October 2013

Purpose
– -- The purpose of this paper is to identify unique oral history centres and collections which provide users with training and research methodology techniques necessary to planning an effective oral history programme

Design/methodology/approach
-- This article provides a list of oral history centres and collections with unique oral history programmes. Most centres listed also offer the user detailed instructions on planning oral history programmes and use of the collection in research methodology courses. The bibliography is an international list of oral history programmes and collections.

Findings
-- There are numerous oral history programmes within university departments, museums, and as part of state and regional organizations.

Originality/value
-- This bibliography includes international as well as programmes in the USA. The annotations describe the oral history programmes' subject content, and will be of interest to scholars looking to start and expand on research with an oral history methodology component.
Secured by Design – the story so far
Authors: Brooke Michael 
Published: October 2013

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to provide a commentary on the development of the Secured by Design (SBD) award scheme in the UK.

Design/methodology/approach
– The paper is an invited opinion piece and comment based upon the specialist experience and viewpoint of the author as a Development Officer at the Association of Chief Police Officers SBD.

Findings
– The paper describes the rationale for the development of the SBD award scheme and outlines the key elements which must be achieved to obtain SBD accreditation. The paper refers to the findings from a number of evaluations which have indicated that dwellings built to the SBD standard are less likely to experience crime and disorder compared to dwellings which have not been built to the standard.

Originality/value
– The paper provides a historical review of the development of the SBD scheme and outlines current and future areas of work.
Functional and phylogenetic assembly in a Chinese tropical tree community across size classes, spatial scales and habitats
Authors: Yang Jie , Zhang Guocheng , Ci Xiuqin , Swenson Nathan G. , Cao Min , Sha Liqing , Li Jie , Baskin Carol C. , Slik J.W. Ferry , Lin Luxiang 
Published: October 2013

Summary

Increasingly, ecologists are using functional and phylogenetic approaches to quantify the relative importance of stochastic, abiotic filtering and biotic filtering processes shaping the pattern of species co‐occurrence. A remaining challenge in functional and phylogenetic analyses of tropical tree communities is to successfully integrate the functional and phylogenetic structure of tree communities across spatial and size scales and habitats in a single analysis.
We analysed the functional and phylogenetic structure of tree assemblages in a 20‐ha tropical forest dynamics plot in south‐west China. Because the influence of biotic interactions may become more apparent as cohorts age, on local scales, and in resource‐rich environments, we perform our analyses across three size classes, six spatial scales and six distinct habitat types, using 10 plant functional traits and a molecular phylogeny for the >400 tree taxa found in the plot.
All traits, except leaf area and stem‐specific resistance, had significant, albeit weak phylogenetic signal. For canopy species, phylogenetic clustering in small and medium size classes turned to phylogenetic overdispersion in the largest size class and this change in dispersion with size was found in each habitat type and across all spatial scales. On fine spatial scales, functional dispersion changed from clustering to overdispersion with increasing size classes. However, on larger spatial scales assemblages were functionally clustered for all size classes and habitats.
Phylogenetic and functional structure across spatial and size scales and habitats gave strong support for a deterministic model of species co‐occurrence rather than for a neutral model. The results also support the hypothesis that abiotic determinism is more important at larger scales, while biotic determinism is more important on smaller scales within habitats.
Nectar thieves influence reproductive fitness by altering behaviour of nectar robbers and legitimate pollinators in Corydalis ambigua (Fumariaceae)
Authors: Zhang Yan‐Wen , Zhao Ji‐Min , Inouye David W. 
Published: October 2013

Summary

A pollination system whereby nectar resources are shared by nectar robbers, legitimate pollinators and nectar thieves, with interactions among the various types of flower visitors, was studied in a self‐incompatible ephemeral perennial herb, Corydalis ambigua, in north‐east China.

We conducted a three‐year study in nine populations, using a combination of observations, cages to exclude different combinations of flower visitors, and collars, on flowers to prevent nectar robbing.

The results showed that queens of the bumblebee Bombus hypocrita sapporensis, a robberlike pollinator, had higher pollination efficiency in C. ambigua than the legitimate bee pollinators, Apis cerana and Anthophora melanognatha, which served as pollinators for inflorescences that had nectar thieves.

Midges of the genus Scatopse (nectar thieves) frequently entered host flower spurs to forage for nectar and also mated there. Because nectar robbers avoided visiting nectar‐thieved flowers or inflorescences, the nectar‐thieved inflorescences experienced lower seed productivity. Furthermore, there was a negative relationship between the frequencies of nectar‐thieved and nectar‐robbed inflorescences in the nine natural populations investigated.

Results of controlled experiments showed that the varied flower‐visiting modes by different visitors influenced the plant's seed production.

Synthesis. Although nectar theft is not uncommon, its consequences for pollination have not been well studied, particularly in the context of an interaction web. Our results demonstrate that, especially in systems that include a mix of legitimate pollinators, nectar robbers and nectar thieves, an experimental approach is required to dissect their various effects on plant fitness.
Development, validation and high‐throughput analysis of sequence markers in nonmodel species
Authors: Zieliński P. , Stuglik M. T. , Dudek K. , Konczal M. , Babik W. 
Published: October 2013

AbstractDNA sequences derived from multiple regions of the nuclear genome are essential for historical inferences in the fields of phylogeography and phylogenetics. The appropriate markers should be single‐copy, variable, easy to amplify from multiple samples and easy to sequence using high‐throughput technologies. This may be difficult to achieve for species lacking sequenced genomes and particularly challenging for species possessing large genomes, which consist mostly of repetitive sequences. Here, we present a cost‐effective, broadly applicable framework for designing, validating and high‐throughput sequencing of multiple markers in nonmodel species without sequenced genomes. We demonstrate its utility in two closely related species of newts, representatives of urodeles, a vertebrate group characterized by large genomes. We show that over 80 markers, c. 600 bp each, developed mainly from 3′ untranslated transcript regions (3′UTR) may be effectively multiplexed and sequenced. Data are further processed using standard, freely available bioinformatic tools, producing phase‐resolved sequences. The approach does not require barcoded PCR primers, and the cost of library preparation is independent of the number of markers investigated. We hope that this approach will be of broad interest for researchers working at the interface of population genetics and phylogenetics, exploring deep intraspecific genetic structure, species boundaries and phylogeographies of closely related species.
Effect of short‐duration high temperatures on weed seed germination
Authors: Vidotto F. , De Palo F. , Ferrero A. 
Published: October 2013

AbstractThermal soil disinfestation techniques are effective reducers of weed seedbank and weed emergence. Two experiments (Expt 1 and Expt 2) were conducted to test the effect of brief exposure to varying temperatures on the seed germination of Amaranthus retroflexus, Echinochloa crus‐galli, Galinsoga quadriradiata, Portulaca oleracea, Setaria viridis and Solanum nigrum. To this end, species seeds were moistened with loamy‐sand soil and placed into test tubes. The tubes were heated rapidly and then cooled by dipping them into a hot water bath until target temperatures were achieved. Expt 1 temperatures ranged between 55°C and 85°C at 5°C intervals and Expt 2 ranged between 48°C and 86°C at 2°C intervals. Thereafter, the tubes were dipped into a cooling (1°C) water bath. Exposure to target temperatures ranged between 2 s and 5 s. Soil temperatures were monitored using embedded thermocouples. A log‐logistic dose–response model described the effect of heating on seed germinability; temperatures required for 99% reductions were calculated. On the basis of the predictive model equation used, weed species' germination sensitivity to high temperature exposure can be ranked as follows: E. crus‐galli (79.6°C), S. viridis (75.8°C), S. nigrum (74.6°C), P. oleracea (72.2°C), A. retroflexus (70.9°C) and G. quadriradiata (68.1°C). The interval between no effects to complete seed devitalisation occurred at temperatures varying from 6.5°C to 15.7°C. Seed size and weight varied directly with heat tolerance. Study results not only inform the timing and optimal adjustment for effective thermal soil treatment, but also demonstrate a relatively simple and generalizable methodology for use in other studies.
Aging and sleep deprivation induce the unfolded protein response in the pancreas: implications for metabolism
Authors: Naidoo Nirinjini , Davis James G. , Zhu Jingxu , Yabumoto Maya , Singletary Kristan , Brown Marishka , Galante Raymond , Agarwal Beamon , Baur Joseph A. 
Published: October 2013

SummarySleep disruption has detrimental effects on glucose metabolism through pathways that remain poorly defined. Although numerous studies have examined the consequences of sleep deprivation (SD) in the brain, few have directly tested its effects on peripheral organs. We examined several tissues in mice for induction of the unfolded protein response (UPR) following acute SD. In young animals, we found a robust induction of BiP in the pancreas, indicating an active UPR. At baseline, pancreata from aged animals exhibited a marked increase in a pro‐apoptotic transcription factor, CHOP, that was amplified by SD, whereas BiP induction was not observed, suggesting a maladaptive response to cellular stress with age. Acute SD increased plasma glucose levels in both young and old animals. However, this change was not overtly related to stress in the pancreatic beta cells, as plasma insulin levels were not lower following acute SD. Accordingly, animals subjected to acute SD remained tolerant to a glucose challenge. In a chronic SD experiment, young mice were found to be sensitized to insulin and have improved glycemic control, whereas aged animals became hyperglycemic and failed to maintain appropriate plasma insulin concentrations. Our results show that both age and SD cooperate to induce the UPR in pancreatic tissue. While changes in insulin secretion are unlikely to play a major role in the acute effects of SD, CHOP induction in pancreatic tissues suggests that chronic SD may contribute to the loss or dysfunction of endocrine cells and that these effects may be exacerbated by normal aging.
Did hardening occur among smokers in England from 2000 to 2010?
Authors: Docherty Graeme , McNeill Ann , Gartner Coral , Szatkowski Lisa 
Published: October 2013

AbstractAimsTo assess trends in the prevalence of ‘hardcore’ smoking in England between 2000 and 2010, and to examine associations between hardcore smoking and socio‐demographic variables.DesignSecondary analysis of data from the United Kingdom's General Lifestyle Survey (GLF) and the Health Survey for England (HSE).SettingHouseholds in England.ParticipantsSelf‐reported adult current smokers resident in England aged 26 years and over.MeasurementsHardcore smokers were defined in three ways: smokers who do not want to quit (D1), those who ‘usually’ smoke their first cigarette of the day within 30 minutes of waking (D2) and a combination of D1 and D2, termed D3. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore associations between these variables and calendar year, age, sex and socio‐economic status, and P‐values for trends in odds were calculated.FindingsThe odds of smokers being defined as hardcore according to D3 increased over time in both the GLF (P < 0.001) and HSE (P = 0.04), even after adjusting for risk factors. Higher dependence (D2) was noted in men [odds ratio (OR): 1.19, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13–1.24], those of 50–59 years (OR: 1.94, 95% CI: 1.80–2.09) and smokers in lower occupational groups (OR: 2.11, 95% CI: (1.97–2.26). Lack of motivation to quit (D1) increased with age and was more likely in men.ConclusionsThe proportion of smokers in England with both low motivation to quit and high dependence appears to have increased between 2000 and 2010, independently of risk factors, suggesting that ‘hardening’ may be occurring in this smoker population.