bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Work conditions as moderators of the relationship between western expatriates’ commitment and retention in international assignments
Authors: Nguyen Phuong , Felfe Jörg , Fooken Insa 
Published: October 2014

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to first, examine the role of multi-dimensional commitments of western expatriates to a local operation in sustaining retention in international assignments. Second, the study also attempts to investigate the work conditions in which dimensions of local operation commitment are more effective in predicting retention.Design/methodology/approach– Data were collected by questionnaire from 471 western expatriates currently working for the subsidiaries of multinational companies in Vietnam, and from this, five hypotheses were formulated and tested using hierarchical regression, moderated regression analyses and plots of two-way interaction effects.Findings– The results indicated that all three components of local operation commitment (affective, normative, and continuance commitment) positively predicted retention. The findings also revealed that job autonomy, leader support, and remuneration were found as moderators, which increase the effects of the three components of local operation commitment on retention.Practical implications– By understanding and managing the multi-dimensional nature of expatriate commitment to a local operation as well as their working conditions (job autonomy, leader support, and remuneration), multinational companies can reduce the rate of premature return for western expatriates. It is the interaction between local operation commitment and these factors that most positively influences retention.Originality/value– The first contribution of this research is the identification of the important role of multi-dimensional commitments to a local operation in predicting retention. Second, the moderating effects of work conditions found in this study partially explain why the relationship between local operation commitment and retention is reported unstable in previous studies. Therefore, controlling work conditions is recommended to enhance the local commitment-retention relationship.
Investigation of using Calabrian pine cone dust and borax in brake pads
Authors: Sugozu Ilker , Can Ibrahim , Oner Cengiz 
Published: October 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to investigate use of calabrian pine (pinus brutia) cone (CPC) dust along with borax (BX) to assess the effect of friction coefficient. Despite the number of research studies completed on the mechanism of friction in automotive brake lining materials, the phenomenon is still not fully understood. Complex mechano-chemical processes occurring on the friction interface of a composite friction material make it difficult to understand the correlation between the formulation of brake lining and the frictional performance.

Design/methodology/approach
– In this study, the use of CPC dust along with BX has been investigated for assessing the effect on friction coefficient. CPC has resin in it. BX is a boron production which is widely used in boron glass production and in ceramic industry for increasing the heat- resistant and -forming abrasion resistant. Newly formulated brake lining material with five different ingredients has been tested under Friction Assessment and Screening Test. Friction coefficient, wear rate and scanning electron microscope for friction surface were examined to assess the performance of these samples.

Findings
– Analysis of the experimental results shows that the brake lining material containing CPC and BX significantly improved the stability of the friction coefficient, fade and wear resistance.

Originality/value
– Several investigations have been conducted to use different materials in brake pads. The brake pad standards have been provided in previous studies, as well as the aims for economical and sustainable production. In the present study, production of brake pads by CPC dust and BX has been executed. Parallel results have been presented between previously reported and present study, in view of brake characteristics and wear resistance. Use of the lower cost and productive organic sources of material are the main improvement of the present study.
Optimization of chemical mechanical polishing parameters on surface roughness of steel substrate with aluminum nanoparticles via Taguchi approach
Authors: Peng De-Xing 
Published: October 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of abrasive contents, oxidizer contents, slurry flow rate and polishing time in achieving a mirror-like finish on polished surfaces. Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is now widely used in the aerospace industry for global planarization of large, high value-added components.

Design/methodology/approach
– Optimal parameters are applied in experimental trials performed to investigate the effects of abrasive contents, oxidizer contents, slurry flow rate and polishing time in achieving a mirror-like finish on polished surfaces. Taguchi design experiments are performed to optimize the parameters of CMP performed in steel specimens.

Findings
– Their optimization parameters were found out; the surface scratch, polishing fog and remaining particles were reduced; and the flatness of the steel substrate was guaranteed. The average roughness (Ra) of the surface was reduced to 6.7 nm under the following process parameters: abrasive content of 2 weight per cent, oxidizer content of 2 weight per cent, slurry flow rate of 100 ml/min and polishing time of 20 min.

Originality/value
– To meet the final process requirements, the CMP process must provide a good planarity, precise selectivity and a defect-free surface. Surface planarization of components used to fabricate aerospace devices is achieved by CMP process, which enables global planarization by combining chemical and mechanical interactions.
Examining the relevance of Graham's criteria in Indian stock market
Authors: Singh Jaspal , Kaur Kiranpreet 
Published: October 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to examine the applicability of stock selection criteria of Benjamin Graham in Indian capital market to determine which rules specifically can help the investors to augment their return on investment.

Design/methodology/approach
– The independent sample t-test has been employed to examine the stock return differences among the companies which fulfill maximum number of the criteria and the companies fulfilling minimal number. The significance of the excess returns yielded by the criteria is assessed through one sample t-statistics. Further, the applicability of each and every criterion is examined using pooled OLS regression analysis.

Findings
– The mean market adjusted returns of the companies which fulfill maximum number of the criteria are significantly different from the companies which fulfill minimal number. The companies those are able to fulfill at least any five criteria, yield excess returns to the investors. However, regression analysis makes it evident that all the criteria are not applicable in present economic environment.

Research limitations/implications
– The study recommends that an investor should give due importance to variables mainly high earnings yield, discount to tangible book value and net current asset value, lower leverage and stability in earnings in order to screen value maximizing securities.

Originality/value
– This paper extends discussion on application of Graham's stock selection criteria in Indian stock market. The study also enriches the literature on value investing strategies by extending discussion on reasons for the applicability/inapplicability of the Graham's stock selection criteria.
Documentary letter of credit fraud under criminal law regime in England and China
Authors: Zhang Yanan 
Published: October 2014

Purpose– The purpose of this paper mainly is to examine the relevant rules concerning documentary letter of credit (L/C) fraud under criminal law in England and China.Design/methodology/approach– The paper analyses the regulations about such crime and relevant literature.Findings– The similarities and differences of such rules have been identified briefly. L/C fraud is considered a conduct crime; and unspecific or vague provisions concerning this crime may cause difficulties of application in judicial practice in both England and China. But the possible punishment for L/C fraud criminals under Chinese criminal law seems more severe than that under English law. Dealing with L/C fraud in international trade under national criminal laws is not effective. Regional and international efforts on legal assistance in cross-border criminal cases still remain to be improved.Research limitations/implications– The limitation is that it examines merely relevant substantial rules in legislation. This opens the paths to future research on the approach towards L/C fraud demonstrated in court cases in England and in China.Social implications– The research underlies the need to take serious attitude and make more effective efforts towards cross-border criminal cases, although different countries may have different rules concerning specific economic crimes.Originality/value– This paper fills the gap of a comparative study on how L/C is regulated under criminal law regime in England and China.
Dynamic efficiency: intellectual capital in the Chinese non-life insurance firms
Authors: Kweh Qian Long , Lu Wen-Min , Wang Wei-Kang 
Published: October 2014

Purpose– This paper aims to investigate the effect of intellectual capital (IC) on the operating efficiency of non-life insurance firms in China.Design/methodology/approach– The authors use a dynamic data envelopment analysis model called dynamic slacks-based measure (DSBM) model to estimate the operating efficiency of 32 Chinese non-life insurance firms. Using a panel data set for the period from 2006 to 2010, the authors run ordinary least squares (OLS) regressions to find the relationship between IC and efficiency performance.Findings– The authors find that the insurers have almost monotonically decreasing efficiency for the period from 2006 to 2010. Regression results show that human capital, structural capital and relational capital are significantly and positively related to operating efficiency.Research limitations/implications– This study suggests that managers of the Chinese non-life insurers should devote attention to the investments in IC to stay sustainable.Originality/value– This is the first paper to examine the impact of IC on operating efficiency in the Chinese non-life insurance industry. This study differs from prior studies in that the authors use the DSBM model proposed by Tone and Tsutsui (2010) for evaluating the operating efficiency using a dynamic process.
Knowledge management practices for innovation: a multinational corporation’s perspective
Authors: Jiménez-Jiménez Daniel , Martínez-Costa Micaela , Sanz-Valle Raquel 
Published: October 2014

Purpose– This paper aims to assess the importance of different knowledge management practices to promote organizational innovation in multinational companies. The links among internationalization, reverse knowledge transfer and social capital and organizational innovation are analyzed.Design/methodology/approach– Structural equation modeling was used to check the research hypotheses with a sample of 104 multinational companies.Findings– The results show that internalization has no direct effect on organizational innovation but a indirect effect trhrough the transfer of knowledge from external subsidiaries to the headquarter. Furthermore, this knowledge and other that comes from internal and external social capital is essential for the development of innovations.Research limitations/implications– Self-reporting by the CEOs may be the most significant limitation, as a single key informant provided the data; multiple informants would enhance the validity of the research findings. A second limitation is the cross-sectional design of the research that does not allow observation of the short- and long-term impact of the relationships among the variables.Practical implications– Organizational innovation is not an easy task. However, those multinational companies which foster knowledge management practices that generate new knowledge from external subsidiaries, internal or external social relationships, will facilitate the generation of innovations. In consequence, these companies should foster the generation of knowledge from different sources.Originality/value– The focus of the study in this paper is on multinational companies and the possibility to acquire knowledge from different sources (inside organization, external local environment and international context). Specially, focus on the transfer of knowledge from subsidiaries to headquarters (reverse knowledge transfer), as it is insufficiently investigated by current literature.
Directions of external knowledge search: investigating their different impact on firm performance in high-technology industries
Authors: Cruz-González Jorge , López-Sáez Pedro , Emilio Navas-López José , Delgado-Verde Miriam 
Published: October 2014

Purpose
– The aim of the paper is to identify the different directions of external knowledge search and to investigate their individual effect on performance at the firm level.

Design/methodology/approach
– The empirical study is based on survey data gathered from two distinct informants of 248 large- and medium-sized high-tech manufacturing Spanish firms. In dealing with concerns on simultaneity and reverse causality, perceived time-lags among dependent and independent variables were introduced. Quantitative methods based on questionnaire answers were used.

Findings
– Findings reveal six distinct external search patterns and indicate that, while market sources such as customers and competitors are positively associated with performance, knowledge acquired from general information sources, other firms beyond the core business and patents and databases have no significant effect. Moreover, knowledge obtained from science and technology organizations and from suppliers displays an inversed U-shaped effect on firm performance.

Research limitations/implications
– Conclusions can only be generalized to high-tech manufacturing firms from developed countries and, although well-established methodological procedures were followed, the nature of the study remains cross-sectional. Yet, an important implication emerges from this work: more openness to external knowledge is not always better. It is necessary to carefully evaluate the potential gains and pains of each type of partner and source.

Practical implications
– This research provides guidance to managers about how to shape their companies’ inter-organizational networks, i.e. the specific external agents on which they should focus, as well as the efforts they should devote to each of these key partners.

Originality/value
– By considering distinct directions of external knowledge search instead of a single dimension, the paper contributes to shed some more light to the mixed results reported by the scarce empirical studies that have investigated the effect of openness towards external knowledge on performance at the firm level.
Conflict and learning in inter-organizational online communities: negotiating knowledge claims
Authors: Ferguson Julie , Taminiau Yvette 
Published: October 2014

Purpose– The purpose of this article is to analyze how learning occurs in inter-organizational online communities, despite highly diverse even conflicting knowledge claims among participants.Design/methodology/approach– We compared two inter-organizational communities in the domain of development aid through inductive qualitative case study.Findings– We found that diverse communities proved more likely to yield conflicting knowledge claims in terms of expertise, value consensus and formal position. However, they were also better positioned for enabling mutual learning, than communities with a more uniform representation.Research limitations/implications– We provide theoretical insights for knowledge management by showing how the negotiation of knowledge claims facilitates mutual learning in inter-organizational online communities.Practical implications– The findings are practically relevant for managers of knowledge-intensive organizations by showing how knowledge is shared in diverse online communities. The research also shows that the recognized challenges which diverse communities can yield are likely to be outweighed by their benefits: enabling mutual learning, generating useful expertise and a stronger negotiating position.Social implications– The paper conceives of a development approach that is more inclusive of non-dominant perspectives and solutions in decision-making processes, contributing to improved participation of marginalized people in decision-making processes.Originality/value– We add a new dimension to knowledge management literature, showing how conflict and learning can be a mutually reinforcing process. Contrary to prior knowledge-based views, we found that a diverse community, with a higher concentration of conflicting knowledge claims, facilitated mutual learning more adeptly than a more uniform community. This is important for knowledge management theory and practice because it shows how inter-organizational communities can benefit from heterogeneity, and how conflict can enable and even strengthen mutual learning.
Dynamics of ultra-organizational co-opetition and circuits of knowledge: a knowledge-based view of value ecology
Authors: George Carayannis Elias , Depeige Audrey , Sindakis Stavros 
Published: October 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to analyze important theoretical work conducted in the research streams of co-opetition and value creation. While innovation is acknowledged as a desirable and empirically verified outcome of co-opetition between firms, academic research has not systematically examined value creation outcomes of intra-firm co-opetition. This study aims to explore the nature of co-opetitive relationships within the firm. Processes of knowledge creation, differentiation and evolution are presented in the paper.

Design/methodology/approach
– The paper examines and compares co-opetitive dynamics in different contexts, by adopting a multi-level approach to help understand and analyze the complex phenomenon of intra-organizational co-opetition. Value creation in an ecology perspective is discussed to enhance the conceptualization of the Quintuple Helix.

Findings
– This paper highlights the role of knowledge differentiation as a driver of value creation. In particular, intra-firm co-opetition dynamics are investigated in relationship with knowledge evolution. A theoretical model is proposed via the Dynamics of Ultra-Organizational Co-opetition and Circuits of Knowledge (DUCCK) framework.

Research limitations/implications
– This paper attempts to provide new perspectives on the growing academic field of co-opetition and knowledge creation. It complements previous research in intra-organizational settings and offers an alternative knowledge-based view of organizational value creation.

Practical implications
– The paper contributes to develop managers’ practices in understanding potential benefits of intra-organizational co-opetition. The paper also brings additional insights for knowledge management (KM) practitioners, by considering the impact of co-opetition on knowledge dynamics.

Originality/value
– This paper explores, adds to the existing theoretical knowledge and contributes to the under-researched topic of intra-organizational co-opetition. This is the first attempt to link internal co-opetition to firm’s KM practices.
Knowledge creation and exploitation in Italian universities: the role of internal policies for patent activity
Authors: Romano Marco , Del Giudice Manlio , Nicotra Melita 
Published: October 2014

Purpose– This paper aims at identifying factors that might affect academic patent activities. It investigates the characteristics of universities acting on the number of academic patents, thus classifying elements of differentiation among universities able to determine the level of patent activity.Design/methodology/approach– Three hypotheses are tested through a regression analysis, considering various academic variables.Findings– Results demonstrate that the patent activity is mainly influenced by the presence of universities’ internal policies that regulate such a field. The adoption of a regulation is a signal for academics of the university inclination and attempt to develop an environment conducive to patent activities, and to offer structured support to inventors in the different phases of the patenting process.Research limitations– The study, as it focuses on a single country, Italy, may reflect some peculiarities of the national system. Future research may extend it to different geographical areas in which institutional and environmental factors are different, or, maintaining the geographical location, study the impact of institutional factors to the change over time in the rate of patenting universities.Originality/value– Unlike the great number of studies which focus on institutional factors affecting university patent activity, the present study explores the academic elements able to valorize and exploit scientific knowledge, providing also a practical guidance for university governance.
Knowledge sharing and exchange of information within bank and firm networks: the role of the intangibles on the access to credit
Authors: Rosaria Della Peruta Maria , Campanella Francesco , Del Giudice Manlio 
Published: October 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to theoretically develop the idea that the intangible value of the collaboration between firms and the banking system can influence the probability of default (PD) on the part of firms and, therefore, their rating. The authors also propose that collaboration between banks and firms has a positive effect not only on the access to credit but also on the innovation activities and on the intervention of foreign capital in the ownership of Italian businesses.

Design/methodology/approach
– As pointed out by the literature on smaller businesses finance, investments widely rely on credit availability. Tests using data on a sample investigation involving 5,587 firms, operating in 17 manufacturing sectors in Italy, support the majority of the proposed ideas.

Findings
– The empirical investigation shows that only some aspects of the collaboration between enterprises and banks influence the PD, the investments in R&D and the internationalisation of ownership of the enterprises. In particular, the three stated variables are positively influenced both by the intensity of the credit relationship and by the level of information exchange with the credit system.

Research limitations/implications
– Further development of this research, as more empirical data become available, should allow explaining why the level of information exchange with the credit system has the greatest influence on the dependent variables analyzed.

Originality/value
– This paper aims to extend the current understanding on how the local banking system is developed and is able to increase access to credit after gathering all the information about firms asking for funds.