bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Customer relationship management in electronic environment
Authors: Jamali Reza , Moshabaki Asghar , Aramoon Hajar , Alimohammadi Akbar 
Published: January 2013

PurposeInternet and electronic networks tend to be used to provide customers with services and to facilitate understanding of common variable demands by which many organizations may increase services' quality from the customers' point of view. In addition, e‐libraries, though in some ways run for noncommercial goals, have been faced with great attention from customers, which makes them maintain and develop their services. The authors have come to a conclusion that the only way to increased financial benefits is through better service. Organizations as a part of the domestic information community therefore, have turned to implementation of new methods such as management of customer relationships. This paper aims to develop a valid and reliable method for evaluating and measuring the management relationship level with customers in e‐libraries. In addition, the research tries to find how successful Yazd University Libraries has been to meet students' expectations, as a guideline to take steps toward improving its services.Design/methodology/approachThe research was conducted among 381 e‐library services users in Yazd University, using a questionnaire comprised of 78 items. Moreover, exploratory factor analysis was used to classify the CRM attributes into latent “CRM factors”. Finally, the study measures the gap between users' expectations and perceptions about each CRM factor at Yazd University.FindingsThe paper found only 37 of 78 items suitable enough to be used for CRM measurement in e‐libraries. Results of factor analyzing show that there are three main factors in e‐libraries' CRM; two of them may need revision for improvement in meeting students' demands.Originality/valueThe concept of customer relationship management assessment and improvement is relatively new among e‐institutions especially libraries, and there is a lack of studies focusing of CRM in the digital world. This is the first study of its kind to survey the CRM scale in digital libraries. In addition, the study provides useful insights and guidance for managers to measure and improve CRM system toward improving customer satisfaction.
Using benefits management to link knowledge management to business objectives
Authors: Pina Paulo , Romão Mario , Oliveira Mírian 
Published: January 2013

PurposeIdentifying and tracking how knowledge management (KM) impacts on organizational performance represents a gap in the research. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to analyze the applicability of adopting a benefits management (BM) approach in order to identify KM benefits and elicit their contribution to the achievement of business objectives.Design/methodology/approachA case study was carried out in a systems and information technology firm in Portugal. The data were collected using interviews and documental analysis. The data were subjected to content analysis.FindingsBM can strengthen KM, not only by identifying the benefits, but also by aiding the process of organizational change required to achieve those benefits, considering the investment objectives, the necessary transformations and the allocation of responsibilities, among other aspects.Research limitations/implicationsThis research was based on a single case study. The findings cannot be generalized.Practical implicationsBecause it can be used to identify the role of KM in the achievement of the business objectives, the BM approach may be of use to managers who need to identify and explain the benefits of KM.Originality/valueThe originality of this research is that it uses the benefits management approach to link knowledge management to business objectives.
Towards the development of a cloud‐based communication technologies assessment tool
Authors: Qumer Gill Asif , Bunker Deborah 
Published: January 2013

PurposeIn distributed adaptive development environments (DADE), a primary concern is that of human communication and knowledge sharing among developers. Developers' task performance will be enhanced when their task needs are aligned with the communication media or technology capabilities of the development environment. What are actual communication needs of developers; and how do we enable developers to self‐assess and select appropriate communication technology for their tasks in the DADE. The purpose of this paper is to investigate and present research based on the developers' needs for communication technologies in the context of DADE.Design/methodology/approachThe authors applied an exploratory qualitative research method to investigate, analyze and integrate survey information sourced from 40 developers, to identify their communication technology needs and, based on this information, the authors then set up a practical tool – communication technologies assessment tool (CTAT) to assist developers in the self‐assessment and selection of appropriate communication technologies for their DADE; and also to share this assessment knowledge with other developers or teams located in various DADEs.FindingsThe results of this research suggest that an effective CTAT should be an integral part of the DADE; and a DADE should have a “single source of information” in order to avoid possible communication inconsistencies and ambiguities.Originality/valueThe study results and the resultant CTAT may help developers to make informed choices about the assessment and selection of appropriate communication tools but it may also help communication tools and technology service providers to develop and improve their communication tools based on the identified developers' communication needs.
Board compensation, holdings and mutual fund expense ratios
Authors: Fricke Eric 
Published: January 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine how board compensation and holdings are related to mutual fund expense ratios. Previous studies find that compensation and expense ratios are positively correlated and argue that this relationship is potential evidence of rent sharing, whereby excessively compensated boards fail to negotiate with fund managers for lower shareholder fees.Design/methodology/approachUsing a dataset of US open‐end mutual funds, the author examines how geographic‐based salary data, director profession, director fund holdings and fund returns might explain the relationship between compensation and fees.FindingsThe results provide additional support for potential rent sharing between fund managers and directors and are robust to alternative measures of director compensation, fund sales loads, director holdings and fund returns.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings are limited by the sample size and the lack of time series data of the hand‐collected dataset. Data are collected from 598 funds in the year 2003.Practical implicationsThese findings suggest that mutual fund expense ratios may be affected by potential agency costs.Social implicationsMutual fund regulatory focus has been predominantly focused on the independence of board chairmen, but this study shows that compensation may also be a significant contributor to fund governance.Originality/valueThis study is unique in its recent focus on fund expense ratios and board compensation and examining potential explanations for this relationship.
Value versus growth in dynamic equity investing
Authors: Blazenko George W. , Fu Yufen 
Published: January 2013

PurposeThe value‐premium is the empirical observation that “value” stocks (low market/book) have higher returns than “growth” stocks (high market/book). The purpose of this paper is to propose a new explanation for the value‐premium that the authors call the limits to growth hypothesis.Design/methodology/approachTo guide the testing, a dynamic equity valuation model was used that has the property that profitability increases risk for value firms in anticipation of future growth‐leverage, whereas, profitability “covers” the capital expenditure costs of growth, which decreases risk for growth firms. Because the authors interpret dividends as a corporate response to growth‐limits, they test for this predicted differential relation between profitability and risk for value versus growth stocks with the returns of profitable dividend‐paying firms.FindingsIt is found that profitability increases returns to a greater extent for dividend‐paying value firms compared to dividend‐paying growth firms, which is consistent with a differential relation between profitability and risk. At the same time, it is also found that growth firms have lower returns than value firms.Originality/valueThe authors use the limits‐to‐growth hypothesis to explain why profitability can either increase or decrease risk. High‐profitability dividend‐paying growth firms have lower returns than low‐profitability dividend‐paying value firms. This value‐premium is consistent with the argument that high profitability “covers” the capital expenditure costs of growth, which decreases risk and, thus, returns. At the same time, profitability increases returns to a greater extent for value stocks compared to growth stocks, which is consistent with the hypothesis that profitability increases risk for value firms in anticipation of future growth‐leverage.
Coping with service failures
Authors: Tsarenko Yelena , Strizhakova Yuliya 
Published: January 2013

PurposeThis study seeks to draw on the theories of personality to investigate antecedents and outcomes of consumer coping in instances of service failure. Specifically, the authors focus on the effects of emotional intelligence and self‐efficacy on three coping strategies – active, expressive, and denial. The authors further investigate the effects of coping strategies on consumer intention to complain.Design/methodology/approachAn online panel of 252 respondents representative of the Australian population participated in this study. Structural equation modelling was used to analyze data and test hypothesized relationships.FindingsEmotional intelligence has a positive association with active and expressive coping strategies but a negative relationship with denial. Expressive coping leads to greater complaining, whereas denial decreases it. Furthermore, consumer self‐efficacy mediates the relationship between emotional intelligence and active coping strategy. In contrast, the effect of self‐efficacy on expressive strategy is negative.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is the first step in investigating relationships between consumer emotional intelligence, self‐efficacy and coping. The authors also investigate which coping strategies facilitate or hinder consumers' decisions to complain. Future research should extend the model to incorporate service provider responses to gain a better understanding of the customer coping process in service failures.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the theory of consumer coping by bridging the current research gap and focusing on antecedents and outcomes of coping. This study advances knowledge of consumer coping by examining consumer emotional intelligence and self‐efficacy as antecedents of coping strategies. Complaining behaviour is examined as an extension of coping strategies.
An eye opener, but mostly for others
Authors: Eriksson Tinghög Mimmi 
Published: January 2013

PurposeThe aim of this study is to examine the rarely heard opinions of participants in alcohol educations – in this case, employees at three workplaces. What opinions were found in relation to the initiative, its content and effects, and what are the underlying notions from which these opinions derive?Design/methodology/approachThe study material consisted of ten group interviews and questionnaire responses (n:298) with both fixed and open response alternatives. The data were analysed using thematic analysis and frequency tables.FindingsThe alcohol educations appear to be perceived as legitimate and relatively unproblematic. Most opinions focused on the basic approaches used in alcohol education programmes at a more general level; there should be no lecturing and no moralizing and the content and lecturer should be trustworthy. One important finding is that education programmes like these are perceived as being useful, but mostly for others. These opinions appeared to be associated with two overarching themes in particular: paternalism and beneficence.Originality/valueThe results of the study provide some idea of the value placed on education programmes of this kind from the perspective of the participants. Alcohol education programmes are perceived as being important and justified since they produce benefits for others, for those at risk. If the education programme is presented as being health promotive rather than risk reducing it is more likely to be perceived as relating to everyone, not only “the others”. The results may be of relevance for those planning and performing many types of health education programmes.
Beliefs on “avoidant cultures” in two French multinational corporations
Authors: Lee Daphnee 
Published: January 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the trajectory of cultural stereotypes on Uncertainty Avoidance emergent from two French multinational corporations. The exploration of respondents' comparisons of their own culture with other cultures illustrates that cultural stereotypes are derived from structural conditions that had developed over time, but came to be (mis)attributed to innate and prevalent cultural habits.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from both primary and secondary sources, characterized by qualitative methodologies. Primary data respondents were predominantly ethnic Chinese Singaporeans, and secondary data respondents were predominantly French. In‐depth interviews were introduced in three phases.FindingsThe stereotype of the “uncertainty avoidant” Chinese Singaporean employees was employed by the top manager in one of the case studies (ECI) to lend legitimacy to the employees' exclusion from top management positions. The converse argument was made that “uncertainty avoidance” is absent among the French, who are hence more qualified as ECI top managers. Both claims were unfounded in this inquiry. Further evidence points to structural factors mediating employee behavior.Research limitations/implicationsStructural factors were found to lend greater credibility in accounting for employee behaviors outlined in this study, more so than cultural ones. Future research surfacing complementary statistical insights will provide more concrete and representative evidence to this exploratory inquiry.Originality/valueAn alternative view of Uncertainty Avoidance through a structural account is proposed, based on evidence from qualitative inquiries.
Effectiveness of virtual models in design for additive manufacturing: a laser sintering case study
Authors: Vaughan Meagan R. , Crawford Richard H. 
Published: January 2013

PurposeAdditive Manufacturing (AM) technologies have conventionally focused on producing prototypes. However, recent trends show that AM is being increasingly used for production parts. With this shift from prototypes to production parts, there is a need to determine whether established engineering design techniques can be applied to AM processes, particularly techniques characteristic of the final implementation phase such as virtual (mathematical) modeling, or whether AM process‐specific adjustments must be made.Design/methodology/approachThe effectiveness of applying virtual models to design problems utilizing AM processes was addressed using two approaches in this research. Literature was first reviewed to determine the current focus of the AM industry on virtual modeling, both analytical and numerical, and its implementation. Second, experiments were conducted to validate virtual models applied to fastener mechanism designs manufactured using laser sintering (LS).FindingsLimited research has been published that demonstrates the effectiveness of applying established design techniques, particularly virtual modeling techniques, to parts manufactured with AM processes. The experimental case study has demonstrated that, for the limited cases considered, design techniques capable of accommodating the complex material properties of LS materials, such as finite element analysis, are effective methods for predicting part performance in accordance with desired outcomes.Practical implicationsThe research indicates that designers can focus on designing quality LS parts with existing technology and methods rather than revamping their design methods due to the introduction of a new manufacturing technology.Originality/valueThis research provides support for the application of established design methods to LS AM processes; validating what has previously been an assumed part of AM.
Shear viscosity measurements on Polyamide‐12 polymers for laser sintering
Authors: Haworth Barry , Hopkinson Neil , Hitt David , Zhong Xiaotao 
Published: January 2013

PurposeLaser sintering kinetics and part reliability are critically dependent on the melt viscosity of materials, including polyamide 12 (PA‐12). The purpose of this paper is to characterise the viscosity of PA‐12 powders using alternative scientific methods: constrained boundary flows (capillary rheometry) and rotational rheometry.Design/methodology/approachVarious PA‐12 powders were selected and characterised by both techniques. Measurement of molecular weight was also carried out to interpret the viscosity data.FindingsResults demonstrate conventional pseudoplastic flow in all PA‐12 materials. Zero‐shear viscosity has been quantified by rotational rheometry; a notable observation is the striking difference between virgin/used PA‐12. This is interpreted in terms of molecular weight and chain structure modifications, arising from polycondensation of PA‐12 held at the bed temperature during laser sintering.Research limitations/implicationsAccurate zero‐shear viscosity data provide scope for use in predictive computational models for laser sintering processes. Careful sample preparation and equipment operation are critical prerequisites for accurate rheological characterisation of PA‐12 powders.Practical implicationsDifferences in flow behaviour and molecular structure allow prediction and deeper understanding of process‐property relationships in laser sintering, giving potential for further optimisation of material specification and in‐process machine parameter control.Originality/valueThis is believed to be the first time that techniques other than melt flow rate (MFR) have been reported to measure the viscosity of PA‐12 in a laser sintering context, noting the effects of pre‐drying and molecular weight, then predicting differences between virgin/used powders in practical sintering behaviour.
Bank failures and regulation: a critical review
Authors: Petitjean Mikael 
Published: January 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to define the key components of an effective regulatory regime.Design/methodology/approachThe paper takes the form of a critical analysis.FindingsRegulatory arbitrage has been one of the major factors contributing to the severity of the crisis. Given the ever more complex set of future regulatory constraints, it may keep generating costly negative spillover effects on the whole economy. Moreover, rules‐based regulation, however carefully constructed, will unfortunately never prevent bank failures. Neither should it attempt to do so. An effective overall regulatory regime must be sufficiently comprehensive and well‐balanced. It must not put too much emphasis on lowering the probability of individual bank failure. The key components of an effective regulatory regime must be: Basel‐type rules robust to off‐balance‐sheet arbitrage; little forbearance in monitoring and supervision by regulatory agencies, with a focus on systemic risk control; automatic and quick intervention as well as resolution mechanisms. While all components are necessary, none is sufficient; and without strong international coordination, none will be effective.Practical implicationsEnhanced supervision of banks.Social implicationsLess costly bank failures.Originality/valueThe paper presents a critical review of current financial reforms in the banking sector.
Setting an institutional and regulatory framework for trading platforms
Authors: Valiante Diego 
Published: January 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a theoretical framework for the legal classification of trading venues in financial markets. Currently, there is no clear definition of when a trading platform should be classified as multilateral or bilateral. This paper builds a theoretical framework that will allow regulators to define the border (with its regulatory implications) between multilateral and bilateral trading venues.Design/methodology/approachThe approach used for this paper focuses on looking at the different trading models available in financial markets and analyzing their key features in order to bring up recurrent aspects that have helped to build the theoretical framework.FindingsMultilateral trading facilities would not only be systems bringing together multiple interests from third parties, but those systems bringing together multiple interests with “no discretion” (ex ante rules) vis‐à‐vis membership, admission of products to trading, and matching of interests. All trading venues that do not meet these three key requirements will be falling under the bilateral trading classification, which implies the application of fiduciary duties, such as conflicts of interest rules and best execution. The paper then advances a proposal to solve the legal classification issue in the revision of the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive in Europe (MiFID). In effect, despite the claim that the Organised Trading Facility (EU) and the Swap Execution Facility (USA) would be equivalent categories, EU and US regulators, respectively, have taken divergent paths on how these venues will ultimately look.Originality/valueThe value of the paper is in its ability to provide a theoretical framework to something that has not been assessed in these terms previously. Today, only the SEC is trying, for the first time, to have a definition of when a RFQ model can be defined “multilateral”. This topic has been rarely discussed before in financial regulation, while it is extensively discussed in market microstructure (but on the market structure implications, rather than its regulatory and policy implications).
Effects of the organization‐public relational gap between experiential and expected relationship outcomes
Authors: Kang Minjeong 
Published: January 2013

PurposeA monopolistic relationship between utilities and their customers creates a unique relational context in which the basic assumption of one's ability to terminate a relationship with an unsatisfactory relationship partner is violated. The purpose of this paper is to examine how attitudinal and behavioral outcomes are influenced by relational gap as the discrepancy between the expected relationships under deregulation and the experienced public relationships under monopolistic completion.Design/methodology/approachWith this purpose, an online survey was conducted with customers of a monopolistic utility provider; a sample of 1,145 adults living in the region was provided from an academic online panel database project for research participants, yielding a response rate of 32 percent.FindingsThe key findings are that, among the four relational outcomes, control mutuality and satisfaction showed the biggest and significant shift to higher levels of performance expectations under competition than under a monopoly. Further, a shift in control mutuality and satisfaction led to more negative attitudes toward the company and a stronger intention to switch.Originality/valueThis study can contribute to the practice and study of communication management by suggesting a sound empirical framework in managing public relationships.