bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Qualitative research can improve understandings about disaster preparedness for independent older adults in the community
Authors: Tuohy Robyn , Stephens Christine , Johnston David 
Published: May 2014

Purpose– Improving older adults’ preparedness for and response to natural disasters has become an important issue. Population ageing, together with concerns about increasing extreme weather-related events, has added further impetus to the need to reduce older adults’ vulnerability to disasters. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the above issues.Design/methodology/approach– Social and environmental influences on community dwelling independent older adults have not been accounted for in models of hazard adjustment, which have invariably used quantitative research methods.Findings– To date much of the preparedness and response research has focused on organisational responses to preparedness, while perspectives from older adults have received less attention. Furthermore social and environmental influences on community dwelling independent older adults have not been accounted for in models of hazard adjustment.Originality/value– Extending research to include qualitative methodologies, which recognises older adults as active participants in research about themselves, would contribute to increasing understandings about influences on disaster preparedness and response; and inform social policies and prevention programmes.
Organisational features and their effect on the perceived performance of emergency management organisations
Authors: Bhakta Bhandari Roshan , Owen Christine , Brooks Benjamin 
Published: May 2014

Purpose– This study reports on a survey of experienced emergency management personnel in Australia and New Zealand to identify the influence of organisational features in perceived emergency management performance. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the influence of organisational features in emergency response performance and to discuss how this knowledge can be used to enhance the response capacity of emergency services organisations.Design/methodology/approach– Based on a review of the literature, a conceptual theoretical model for organisational performance is first developed based on four organisational features found to be previously important in emergency management organisation. These are, adaptability, leadership, stability (mission and direction) and stakeholder communication. An organisational survey was distributed to all 25 fire and emergency services agencies in Australia and New Zealand which included indicators of these elements. Responses were received from experienced emergency management personnel from fire and emergency services agencies. The sample was stratified into the three main organisational types, namely, established, expanding and extending organisations.Findings– The findings reveal that the predictive significance of organisational features in emergency response performance vary among established, expanding and extending organisations. The predictive significance of stability, adaptability and leadership for perceived success is strong in all organisational types. It is interesting to note that the predictive significance of communication with external stakeholders is low in all organisation types. This indicates the preference of emergency services agencies to look internally within their own operations than externally to build relationships with different specialism.Originality/value– The theoretical model in this study makes a first attempt to understand the role of organisational features in emergency response performance of organisations in Australia and New Zealand. This work contributes to theorizing emergency operations by highlighting how organisations need to manage two orientations simultaneously: their own internal as well as external orientations, together with their processes for managing both mission and direction and the need for change and flexibility.
Selected leadership demographics as predictors of continuity planning
Authors: B. Davison Christopher 
Published: May 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to present the findings that describe any correlations between leadership demographic characteristics with that of the levels of business continuity (BC) and disaster recovery (DR) planning by surveying the academic department's continuity planners at two major research universities in Southern California.

Design/methodology/approach
– The research methodology was a quantitative method utilizing a correlational research design (logistic regression). Survey data from a self-reporting web-based survey were analyzed.

Findings
– Analysis of five leadership demographic characteristics and four covariates reveals one statistically significant predictor of resiliency planning. Furthermore, close to one-quarter of the academic departments were found to have no BC or DR plan. Conversely, having a budget for resiliency planning was not found to be a significant predictor of resiliency planning.

Research limitations/implications
– This study was specifically limited to continuity planners within two major, public, academic research institutions within Southern California. This allows for an in-depth understanding of a specific contingency planning phenomenon: geographically bounded public, research-oriented, higher education institutions. This study could provide a framework for administrative leaders in academic settings to assess their organizations’ capacity for recovery from an unexpected business disruption. This study could assist university administration in identifying personnel to lead resiliency planning within the institution.

Practical implications
– The research indicates that educational institutions lack in organizational resiliency planning. This study could provide a framework for administrative leaders in academic settings to assess their organizations’ capacity for recovery from an unexpected business disruption.

Originality/value
– While there is much literature on the separate topics of leadership in an academic environment and contingency planning, no study exists that attempts to observe any correlations between these concepts.
Managing human resources in Jordanian organizations: challenges and prospects
Authors: Aladwan Khaled , Bhanugopan Ramudu , Fish Alan 
Published: May 2014

Purpose
– The aim of this paper is to highlight and provide a stronger focus on the nature of human resource management (HRM) in Jordan.

Design/methodology/approach
– This paper discusses four practices of HRM: recruitment and selection, training and development, performance appraisal and rewards and benefit; and links these practices with social factors: political environment, economical issues and cultural values.

Findings
– The findings suggest that HRM in Jordan has not yet received due attention. The employee recruitment and selection process is largely inadequate and needs effective attention. In many Arab and more specifically Jordanian organizations, expenditure and time spent on training and development are considered unuseful and unnecessary functions.

Practical implications
– The effectiveness of even skilled and qualified employees will be limited if they are not encouraged and motivated to work, but through HRM practices, they can be encouraged to work harder and smarter. Increasingly, employees' performance and skills can also be influenced by HRM practices, which control the acquisition and development of the organization's human capital.

Originality/value
– Jordanian organizations are facing major problems surrounding the development of human capital, including high turnover rates and a lack of skilled employees. Low spending on research, training and development has fuelled these problems. HRM literature shows that many Arab organizations, including public and private Jordanian organizations, need to devote more attention to their HRM practices.
Employee engagement: a sceptical analysis
Authors: Guest David 
Published: May 2014

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to review the debates and evidence about employee engagement to assess its prospects of becoming a mainstream part of management activity in the long term. It sets out an agenda for policy and practice designed to increase its chances of sustainability.Design/methodology/approach– The paper is based on a review of the research and analytic literature. It outlines the origins, reasons for growth of popularity, main forms and evidence about the antecedents and impact of employee engagement. It draws a distinction between work engagement and organizational engagement. For the former it outlines a research agenda; for the latter, it presents an extensive critique and an agenda to address the issues raised.Findings– A distinction is highlighted between work engagement with its concern to improve employee well-being and organizational engagement with its focus on organizational performance. It is shown that these two approaches operate in “different worlds” and that this reflects a neglect of an evidence-based approach to management of employees since work engagement has much the stronger evidence base.Research limitations/implications– As a review and analysis, the paper is inevitably selective and limited by space restrictions. However, it argues that while work engagement is now well-established among the academic community as a valid and useful construct, the same cannot be said for organizational engagement which lacks clear definition, measurement, high-quality evidence and clear policy implications. The paper therefore sets out a policy agenda and outlines how some of the shortcomings might be addressed.Practical implications– The paper highlights the need for a viable and integrated “engagement strategy” if organizational engagement is to thrive in the future and sets out the core elements of such an approach.Originality/value– The paper highlights the distinction between the two separate “engagement worlds” of work and organizational engagement and also highlights their different core aims. The problems with organizational engagement are analysed and a new agenda to improve its prospects of impact is outlined.
Deposition direction-dependent failure criteria for fused deposition modeling polycarbonate
Authors: Hill Nevin , Haghi Mehrdad 
Published: May 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this study is to explore the dependence of material properties and failure criteria for fused deposition modeling (FDM) polycarbonate on raster orientation.

Design/methodology/approach
– Tension, hardness and density measurements were conducted on a range of specimens at raster angles between 0 and 90° at 15° intervals. Specimens were manufactured so the raster angle was constant throughout each specimen (no rotation between adjacent layers). The yield strength, tensile strength, per cent elongation, elastic modulus, hardness and density of the material were measured as a function of raster angle. The orientation dependence of the properties was then analyzed and used to motivate a failure mechanism map for the material.

Findings
– The properties of the material were found to be highly orientation-dependent. The variations in mechanical properties were explained to first order using a failure mechanism map similar to those generated for fiber-reinforced composites.

Originality/value
– In addition to providing valuable experimental data for FDM polycarbonate, the study proposes micro-mechanisms of failure that appear to explain and capture the angular variation of strength with raster orientation. The fact that analysis methods which have been used for composites appear to apply to FDM materials suggests rich areas for future exploration.
The influence of support base on FDM accuracy in Z
Authors: Volpato Neri , Aguiomar Foggiatto José , Coradini Schwarz Daniel 
Published: May 2014

Purpose
– The aim of this work is to study the influence of the quality (surface profile) of the support base on dimensional accuracy in the Z-axis in fused deposition modeling (FDM).

Design/methodology/approach
– The surface profile of a support base produced using a standard (default) FDM configuration is analyzed experimentally, and two new deposition configurations are proposed. Some parts are built using these approaches, and the influence of the profile on Z accuracy is investigated. The parts are examined using a contact method and measured using a caliper.

Findings
– The surface profile of the support base has a direct influence on FDM part accuracy in Z. The results show that the accuracy in the Z dimension of an FDM prototype can be increased by improving the surface quality of the support base. In cases where accuracy is paramount, this can be achieved by better planning (tuning) of the support strategy.

Originality/value
– A significant component of the Z error in FDM has been identified and studied.
Investigation of audible carbon monoxide alarm ownership
Authors: Kokkarinen Noora , Shaw Andy , Cullen Jeff , Ortoneda Pedrola Montserrat , Mason Alex , Al-Shamma’a Ahmed 
Published: May 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to outline the level of audible carbon monoxide (CO) alarm ownership. In this particular paper the data collected by the fire and rescue services from West Midlands and Merseyside will be analysed, and discussed.

Design/methodology/approach
– Research was conducted in two stages. Using the indices of multiple deprivation identified whether households in the top and bottom four areas owned an audible alarm. In stage two data loggers were placed into homes to take readings every minute for a total period of three days to three weeks.

Findings
– There was a noticeable trend that deprived areas were less likely to own audible CO alarms than homes in non-deprived areas. All homes surveyed in stage two had CO levels >0 which further emphasises that anyone can be under health risk and that perhaps the maintenance of gas appliances and other sources is not being conducted at regular intervals.

Social implications
– This paper aims to raise awareness regarding not only the symptoms during CO poisoning but also the ones that have been reported to occur after treatment. It will also disseminate information as to what areas have low alarm ownership and thus more at risk of poisoning. It is hoped that findings from papers such as this one will promote more stringent maintenance and replacement requirements for gas or solid fuel appliances.

Originality/value
– Pilot study for the comparison of two English cities has not been conducted before and may lead to more studies of this kind.
A decision-making framework for sustainable land use in Hong Kong's urban renewal projects
Authors: Shen Qiping , Wang Hao , Tang Bo-sin 
Published: May 2014

Purpose
– Urban renewal projects provide an effective channel for adjusting land-use allocation and improving land-use efficiency, which effectively increases land supply. The purpose of this paper is to support the decision-making process of sustainable land use in urban renewal projects. A GIS-based framework, consisting of a planning support model and a land information database, has been developed in a typical high-density city – Hong Kong.

Design/methodology/approach
– A qualitative and quantitative combined methodology is designed for this research. Several research methods such as expert interviews, focus group meetings, and case studies and technical approaches such as GIS, MCA, and AHP are adopted in this research.

Findings
– General and sustainability criteria for land-use decision making in urban renewal along with associated data are identified, and an integrated approach to quantitatively assessing land-use suitability is developed.

Research limitations/implications
– The framework was developed in a loosely coupled form rather than a software package installed on a computer, and the development of the land information database was a time-consuming process as a large amount of data were collected, processed, and analyzed.

Originality/value
– Application of the proposed framework is reported by showing analyzed results of land-use suitability. The framework proves a useful tool for both practitioners and researchers involved in sustainable land use for urban renewal.
Landscape diversity moderates the effects of bee visitation frequency to flowers on crop production
Authors: Petersen Jessica D. , Nault Brian A. 
Published: May 2014

Summary

Reductions in natural habitat are implicated in declining honeybee Apis mellifera L. and wild bee populations, thereby threatening crop production. This concern has stimulated interest in identifying landscape‐level impacts on bee‐mediated pollination services, but previous studies have only inferred connections between landscape, bees and yield through generalized linear regressions.

We examined landscape impacts on bee‐mediated crop yield using both a traditional linear regression approach and conditional process modelling, which combined landscape features, bee visits to crop flowers, and the interactions between landscape and bee visits to flowers into a single model predicting crop yield. We used the pumpkin Cucurbita pepo L. system in New York State and recorded bees visiting pumpkin flowers in 2011 and 2012. Landscape diversity and percentage of semi‐natural grassland around each pumpkin field were calculated.

Results from the traditional approach indicated that landscape diversity, percentage of grassland in the landscape, bumblebee Bombus impatiens Cresson and honeybee visitation frequency each positively predicted yield. A common conclusion from these results is that pumpkins grown in highly diverse or high grassland coverage landscapes would have greater yields via bumblebee and honeybee visits to flowers. However, this inference does not preclude the possibility that landscape features may be associated with crop yield, independent of bee visits to flowers.

Results from conditional process modelling indicated that only pumpkins grown in highly diverse landscapes were predicted to have greater yields as a consequence of more bumblebee visits to pumpkin flowers. None of the landscape features predicted greater fruit yields as a consequence of more honeybee visits to pumpkin flowers. This novel analysis indicated that traditional approaches may be misinterpreting the relationships between these variables.

Synthesis and applications. Bumblebees benefited from a diverse landscape, and their visits to flowers positively impacted pumpkin production. Conservation of a diverse landscape should be promoted to support improved pumpkin production. Growers can use this information to decide where to plant pumpkins to improve the potential for high yields, to identify scenarios where landscape diversity could be increased, and where supplementation with bees might be beneficial.
Oral antihypertensive therapy for severe hypertension in pregnancy and postpartum: a systematic review
Authors: Firoz T , Magee LA , MacDonell K , Payne BA , Gordon R , Vidler M , von Dadelszen P ,   the Community Level Interventions for Pre‐eclampsia (CLIP) Working Group
Published: May 2014

BackgroundPregnant and postpartum women with severe hypertension are at increased risk of stroke and require blood pressure (BP) reduction. Parenteral antihypertensives have been most commonly studied, but oral agents would be ideal for use in busy and resource‐constrained settings.ObjectivesTo review systematically, the effectiveness of oral antihypertensive agents for treatment of severe pregnancy/postpartum hypertension.Search strategyA systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library was performed.Selection criteriaRandomised controlled trials in pregnancy and postpartum with at least one arm consisting of a single oral antihypertensive agent to treat systolic BP ≥ 160 mmHg and/or diastolic BP ≥ 110 mmHg.Data collection and analysisCochrane RevMan 5.1 was used to calculate relative risk (RR) and weighted mean difference by random effects.Main resultsWe identified 15 randomised controlled trials (915 women) in pregnancy and one postpartum trial. Most trials in pregnancy compared oral/sublingual nifedipine capsules (8–10 mg) with another agent, usually parenteral hydralazine or labetalol. Nifedipine achieved treatment success in most women, similar to hydralazine (84% with nifedipine; relative risk [RR] 1.07, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.98–1.17) or labetalol (100% with nifedipine; RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.95–1.09). Less than 2% of women treated with nifedipine experienced hypotension. There were no differences in adverse maternal or fetal outcomes. Target BP was achieved ~ 50% of the time with oral labetalol (100 mg) or methyldopa (250 mg) (47% labetelol versus 56% methyldopa; RR 0.85 95% CI 0.54–1.33).ConclusionsOral nifedipine, and possibly labetalol and methyldopa, are suitable options for treatment of severe hypertension in pregnancy/postpartum.
Behavioral syndrome in a native and an invasive hymenoptera species
Authors: Monceau Karine , Moreau Jérôme , Poidatz Juliette , Bonnard Olivier , Thiéry Denis 
Published: May 2014

AbstractRecent studies have focused on the role of behavior in biological invasions. Individuals may differ consistently in time for several behavioral traits (personality) which covary (behavioral syndrome) resulting in different behavioral types, some of them favoring invasion. Social hymenopterans have a strong potential to be invaders and their success depends primarily on the foundresses’ ability to found viable colonies. They are expected to be active, explorative and bold for optimally establishing their nest. In Europe, 2 hornet species coexist: the native Vespa crabro and the invasive Vespa velutina. These 2 species may compete for nesting sites and we suggest that the initial success of V. velutina has been favored by its behavior in outperforming V. crabro for the traits involved in nest initiation. Here, we (i) defined the personality of V. crabro and V. velutina, (ii) tested for the existence of behavioral syndrome in these species, and (iii) compared their performances using an open‐field test. Our results show that V. crabro foundresses behave consistently but not V. velutina; this lack of consistency being mainly due to reduced variance among individuals. This result questions the possibility of detecting consistent behavioral differences in species having recently undergone a strong bottleneck. Both species exhibit the same correlations between activity, boldness and exploration and V. velutina clearly outperforms V. crabro for all traits. Our results suggest that activity, boldness, and exploration are implicated in both hornet nest initiation and invasion process which contributed to explain why social hymenopterans are so successful at colonization.