bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
University-led business support: a case study of a regional programme
Authors: Prochorskaite Agne 
Published: July 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to present a model of a university-led business support programme that ran in the West Midlands region of the UK. The initiative was designed with the specific aim of assisting businesses to grow into the renewable energy technology markets by engaging them in a spectrum of support activities. A distinctive form of university-industry collaboration was used in the implementation of the programme where the leadership and management roles were carried out by Staffordshire University, while technical consultancy was delivered by external industry experts. The effectiveness of this model is investigated through a survey of businesses assisted by the programme.

Design/methodology/approach
– The case study first describes the design and rationale of the support programme and then goes on to present findings from a survey conducted with firms who part took in the support programme (41 per cent response rate, n=54).

Findings
– Respondents’ overall satisfaction with the programme indicate that the university-business collaborative model worked well. However, the survey findings show that businesses preferred group-based activities over one-to-one, direct consultancy type of support. Results suggest that the overall effectiveness of the scheme could have been improved through greater industry focus and better management of companies’ expectations through clearer articulation of the programme's ability and scope for support.

Research limitations/implications
– The survey was carried out with participating businesses only four months after the programme had ended, which may have limited the time for programme-related impacts to mature and/or materialise.

Practical implications
– The presented model of university-led business support programme and recommendations can be of use to other Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) as well as business organisations seeking to establish such collaborative initiatives.

Originality/value
– This paper contributes to the discourse on university-industry relationships and the nature of business support programmes by presenting a “real-world” case study of a university-led business support initiative. The findings and recommendations may be of interest and use to researchers, HEIs, policy makers as well as business support and training organisations.
CyberRx
Authors: Scott Rader Charles , Subhan Zahed , D. Lanier Clinton , Brooksbank Roger , Yankah Sandra , Spears Kristin 
Published: July 2014

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to assess the state of the art in social media and pharmaceutical marketing through empirical analysis of online consumer conversations. Proliferation of social media has significantly changed traditional one-way, marketing-controlled communications. Balance of power has shifted to consumers, who use social networking sites, blogs and forums to obtain extensive brand and product information, often from each other. This prompts companies towards more intimate, transparent and constant two-way consumer engagement. Pharmaceutical marketing and direct to consumer advertising (DTCA) are not immune to this pervasive, disruptive cultural/technological phenomenon, which poses particular challenges given regulatory, legal and ethical constraints on their marketing.Design/methodology/approach– This research uses “netnographic” data collection of online conversations occurring in social media and develops an explanatory framework using grounded theory analytical methods.Findings– This research shows that significantly impactful and pervasive bonding among consumers, bloggers and unofficial “experts” about pharmaceutical offerings is widespread, and occurs regardless (and perhaps in spite of) pharmaceutical companies’ involvement.Originality/value– Considering the structure and nature of online consumer bonding, a way forward is proposed for pharmaceutical companies to implement social media strategies as part of their pharmaceutical marketing and DTCA efforts through an intermediary and interactive online presence arising from disease and health care education.
Fast-fashion consumers’ post-purchase behaviours
Authors: Joung Hyun-Mee 
Published: July 2014

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to explore fast-fashion consumers’ post-purchase behaviours and examine relationships among fast-fashion purchase, disposing, hoarding, participation in recycling, and environmental attitudes.Design/methodology/approach– A survey questionnaire was developed and a total of 335 college students completed it in a classroom setting. Of the data collected, 274 students who purchased fast-fashions were used for this study. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data and Pearson correlations were conducted to examine relationships among the variables.Findings– Results of Pearson correlations indicated that fast-fashion purchase was positively related to disposing and hoarding, but negatively related to participation in recycling. Apparel hoarding was positively related to recycling, but no relationships were found between environmental attitudes and any of the following: fast-fashion purchase, disposing, hoarding, or participation in recycling.Practical implications– Fast-fashion suppliers should encourage consumers’ participation in recycling and should take responsibility for collecting their post-purchase products.Originality/value– This paper provides important contributions to the literature about fashion retailing/marketing and post-purchase behaviours. Although young fashion-oriented consumers easily purchase and dispose of trendy and cheap fast-fashions, little is known about their post-purchase behaviours. Findings of this study showed that fast-fashion consumers had positive attitudes towards the environment, yet they did not participate in recycling. The finding implies that fast-fashion suppliers need to develop a culture to support sustainability of consumption.
Managerial competencies and organizational structures
Authors: Verle Karmen , Markič Mirko , Kodrič Borut , Gorenc Zoran Annmarie 
Published: July 2014

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to determine whether there is a relationship among leadership, action, social, and personal competencies of managers in modern organizational structure types and whether a relationship exists between a company's organizational structure and performance.Design/methodology/approach– A questionnaire was carried out among top managers in Slovene mid- and large-sized companies. The relationship among managerial competencies, the choice of organizational structure type and the company effectiveness were measured with a value-added approach. The method of structural models was used for establishing the affect among individual variables.Findings– The results support the hypothesized effect of managerial competencies on a company's organizational structure type. The effect of a modern, horizontal organizational structure on a company's performance and growth on the market facilitates the achievement of higher value added as well as has a direct impact of managerial competencies on a company's performance.Research limitations/implications– The study was limited to mid- and large-sized companies in Slovenia. Only top managers were included in the study as they are the ones that are responsible and have the largest influence in creating a company's organizational structure.Practical implications– The paper includes implications to those organizations in the process of restructuring and for those companies that are prepared to modify traditional principles of management participation.Originality/value– To the authors knowledge no research studies were found that examined the affect and relation of top management competencies with respect to different organizational structures.
Green innovation in the automobile industry
Authors: Lin Ru-Jen , Chen Rong-Huei , Huang Fei-Hsin 
Published: July 2014

Purpose– Despite the stimulation provided by market demand and green issues on business performance, the exact nature of the relationships among these aspects remains an issue of contention. This study sought to bridge this gap in the research by examining the effects of market demand on firm performance using green innovation and environmental performance as mediators. The paper aims to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approach– The Taiwanese hybrid vehicle industry was targeted as the scope of research. Using random sampling method, survey questionnaires were distributed to retailers, wholesalers, and component sale firms in the industry through post and e-mails. AMOS 5.0 and the structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to test the hypotheses and the theoretical model.Findings– Except for the impact of market demand on environmental performance, all relationships were found to be significant. The mediating effect of green innovation which was proven to be significant, while that of environmental performance remained insufficient.Research limitations/implications– This study has a number of limitations. The use of figures from a single industry partly restricts the generalizability of these findings.Practical implications– These results suggest that firms should make greater efforts to understand customer needs and promote core competencies in the innovation of green products and processes to align green initiatives with consumer values in order to satisfy market demand and ensure sustainable performance.Social implications– This study has important implications for the hybrid vehicle industry in particular and all businesses in general. The results provide guidelines for the enhancement of business performance. Based on the significant impact of market demand on green innovation, this study strongly recommends that firms make greater efforts to understand customer needs and expectations.Originality/value– This study was the first to establish a model for investigating the links among market demand, green innovation, environmental performance, and firm performance in the Taiwanese hybrid vehicle industry. The findings provide effective guidelines for the achievement of market leadership and sustainable performance.
Towards strategic flexibility: social networks, climate and uncertainty
Authors: Fernández-Pérez Virginia , Javier Llorens Montes Francisco , Jesús García-Morales Víctor 
Published: July 2014

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to study how the size of social networks and the strength of their ties can help CEOs acquire understanding and information from external sources to enable their firms to achieve greater strategic flexibility and the moderating role of organizational climate and uncertainty.Design/methodology/approach– The hypotheses were tested using the data provided by 203 managers of medium-sized and large Spanish firms using regression analysis.Findings– The paper shows that firms have higher levels of strategic flexibility when their CEOs’ social networks are larger. Furthermore, CEOs have more incentives to use strong social-networking ties to develop strategic flexibility when there exists a positive organizational climate and a high degree of environmental uncertainty.Practical implications– An understanding of these issues offers opportunities to assist CEOs embarking on a new strategic option or to become more effective in building and utilizing their networking activities or organizational climate.Originality/value– This study explores the paradox over the role of social networks regarding strategic flexibility in uncertain environments. Prior research has presented arguments that uncertainty may be addressed through a wide range of responses, from the promotion of entrepreneurial activities to the adoption of conservative attitudes. The multisector sample reveals evidence of both types of behavior, with each playing a different role with respect to strategic flexibility.
Audit pricing and product differentiation in small private firms: evidence from Thailand
Authors: Zaman Mahbub , Chayasombat Jaravee 
Published: July 2014

Purpose
– There is limited evidence on how differences in economic environments affect the demand for and supply of auditing. Research on audit pricing has mainly focused on large client markets in developed economies; in contrast, the purpose of this paper is to focus on the small client segment in the emerging economy of Thailand which offers a choice between auditors of two different qualities.

Design/methodology/approach
– This paper is based on a random stratified sample of small clients in Thailand qualifying for audit exemption. The final sample consists of 1,950 firm-year observations for 2002-2006.

Findings
– The authors find evidence of product differentiation in the small client market, suggesting that small firms view certified public accountants as superior and pay a premium for their services. The authors also find that audit fees have a positive significant association with leverage, metropolitan location and client size. Audit risk and audit opinion are not, however, significantly associated with audit fees. Furthermore, the authors find no evidence that clients whose financial year ends in the auditors’ busy period pay significantly higher audit fees, and auditors engage in low-balling on initial engagements to attract audit clients.

Research limitations/implications
– The research shows the importance of exploring actual decisions regarding audit practice and audit pricing in different institutional and organizational settings.

Originality/value
– The paper extends the literature from developed economies and large/listed market setting to the emerging economy and small client market setting. As far as the authors are aware, this is the first paper to examine audit pricing in the small client market in an emerging economy.
Ownership structure and innovative behavior
Authors: Omri Waleed , Becuwe Audrey , Mathe Jean-Charles 
Published: July 2014

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to expand understanding of the determinants of adoption innovation in SME context by empirically examining the effect of corporate governance structure on manager's innovative behavior. This was done through exploring whether ownership structure affects managers’ innovative behavior and if so, whether the effect is mediated by board composition.Design/methodology/approach– Using a sample of 197 managers within Tunisian SMEs, hypotheses were tested through structural equation modeling and especially using covariance structure analysis (or LISREL method) with Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) 18.0 software and maximum likelihood estimation method.Findings– The paper found that ownership structure is significantly associated with manager's innovative behavior. Further analysis arising from introducing outsiders’ representation on the board as a mediating variable reveals that the relationship is fully mediated by this variable.Practical implications– This study gives insights to policy makers who are interested in improving board efficacy in emerging economies such as Tunisia. Indeed, the study results should encourage nominating committees and seniors to reflect warily on an effective structuring of board composition by ensuring a certain priority for innovation activities in the firm.Originality/value– This paper extends the understanding of how ownership structure shapes strategic decisions such as innovation in emerging markets. In addition, it fills the literature void by introducing the board composition as a mediating concept between ownership structure and innovative behavior, which was neglected by previous researchers.
Clownpants in the classroom? Hypnotizing chickens? Measurement of structural distraction in visual presentation documents
Authors: Kearns Jodi , C. O’Connor Brian 
Published: July 2014

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to consider the structure of entertainment media as a possible foundation for measuring aspects of visual presentations that could enhance or interfere with audience engagement.Design/methodology/approach– Factors that might account for the large number of negative comments about visual presentations are identified and a method of calculating entropy measurements for form attributes of presentations is introduced.Findings– Entropy calculations provide a numerical measure of structural elements that account for engagement or distraction. A set of peer evaluations of educational presentations is used to calibrate a distraction factor algorithm.Research limitations/implications– Distraction as a consequence of document structure might enable engineering of a balance between document structure and content in document formats not yet explored by mechanical entropy calculations.Practical implications– Mathematical calculations of structural elements (form attributes) support what multimedia presentation viewers have been observing for years (documented in numerous journals and newspapers from education to business to military fields): engineering PowerPoint presentations necessarily involves attention to engagement vs distraction in the audience.Originality/value– Exploring aspects of document structures has been demonstrated to calibrate viewer perceptions to calculated measurements in moving image documents, and now in images and multimedia presentation documents extending Claude Shannon's early work communication channels and James Watt and Robert Krull's work on television programming.
An information meta-state approach to documentation
Authors: X. Faucher Kane 
Published: July 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to bring both Simondonian and Deleuzian insights to bear upon the nature of documents and documentation by viewing them as non-representationalist, and as products of transduction and reticulation that render documents assemblages that are in constant negotiation with an environment as instances of a perpetually renewing problematic.

Design/methodology/approach
– Simondon's work on metastability and transduction can offer particular insights into how the author views documents in terms of their materiality, signification, and possibly to move beyond the phenomenological bias in the treatment of documents.

Findings
– In understanding or describing the process of documentation as a reticulation or unfolding, the author also comes to view the document as an assemblage in perpetual negotiation. This paper adapts Deleuze and Guattari's articulation framework of expression-signification and provides a bit of groundwork towards two registers of information (first and second order) according to the preindividual process of that allows for the individuation of documents.

Originality/value
– This paper makes an original contribution to understanding the process of documentation and the product of documents in a more fluid, interdynamic context by shifting or displacing the traditional view of information.
The impact of mobile tablet devices on human information behaviour
Authors: Burford Sally , Park Sora 
Published: July 2014

Purpose
– Mobile computing devices are a significant access point for information activities. Theories and models of human information behaviour have developed over several decades but have not considered the role of the user's computing device in digital information interactions. The purpose of this paper is to explore the information behaviours of young adults when they are given unlimited access to mobile tablet devices.

Design/methodology/approach
– As information tasks, behaviours and communities shift into digital environments, a researcher of these phenomena is required to mirror that movement with techniques that allow a full exploration of human behaviour and interaction in the online world. Following Kozinets (2009), “netnography” (ethnography in online communities) is applied in this study and all data are collected online from within a community of iPad users, established for the research purpose.

Findings
– This study reveals that access to mobile tablet devices creates significant shifts in the behaviours of young adults whose lives are immersed in digital information. Mobile tablet devices establish the potential for constant access to digital information and that opportunity is grasped by the participants in this research. Extensive use of mobile device applications or “apps” establishes a more selected and restricted view of information than that encountered in the open and expansive World Wide Web.

Originality/value
– This paper invites extension to human information behaviour theories and models to include a consideration of computing access device and of new mobility and constancy of access – all of which changes the circumstances and behaviour of the information actor.
The National Library of Singapore: creating a sense of community
Authors: Lin Hui , Luyt Brendan 
Published: July 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of the National Library of Singapore in the life of Singaporeans.

Design/methodology/approach
– The paper uses historical research. McMillan and Chavis’ theory of sense of community is adopted as the analytical framework to delineate the role of the National Library of Singapore.

Findings
– The paper finds that the National Library of Singapore plays an important role in fostering a sense of community among Singaporeans. The transformation of the library to a truly public institution in 1950s effectively enlarged its boundaries. Upon joining the community of the library, local Singaporeans underwent a bidirectional process of influencing and being influenced. The library made strenuous efforts to meet the needs of Singaporeans in myriad ways, resulting in reinforcement of the sense of community among Singaporeans. A shared emotional connection in the community was engendered as a result of the frequent contact and high-quality interaction.

Originality/value
– While being influenced by various social and cultural frameworks under which it operates, the library actively takes part in and influences the society. The study of the library in the life of the users via the lens of sense of community provides a perspective to further understand the potential and power of libraries and how libraries can positively contribute to the society at large.