bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sustainable WEEE management solution for developing countries applying human activity system modeling
Authors: Shah Khan Safdar , Lodhi Suleman A. , Akhtar Faiza 
Published: January 2015

Purpose– Waste of electric and electronic equipments (WEEE) disposal methods adopted by most of the countries are based on adhocism and therefore cannot provide sustainable solution. The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework for sustainable WEEE management based on Human Activity Modeling. The macro model is developed to provide a problem-solving approach for policy makers and to aid them in determining strategic directions in policy making.Design/methodology/approach– Qualitative research paradigm is used to review WEEE management in developed and developing countries and Activity Theory (AT) approach is extended into environmental management domain to design a sustainable system.Findings– The approach recommends that the real world complexity must first be analyzed by “problem modeling” of the contemporary activity in the environment and then based on this mapping “solution modeling” must be carried out to obtain sustainable solutions.Research limitations/implications– The solution recommended is based on theoretical foundations but still a need for experimental evidence is felt to further strengthen the argument. Second further studies are needed to cascade the strategic-level model presented in the study to connect it with the community-level interaction.Practical implications– Strategic policy recommendations are given to modify the role of three major actors identified in the society and resultantly attain socio-economic balance among the actors for obtaining sustainable solution.Originality/value– The study advocates a new paradigm for solving environmental management issues by using AT approach, focussing on redesigning human interaction in socio-cultural perspectives.
Urban trees forest management in Abeokuta Metropolis, Ogun State, Nigeria
Authors: Dare Alaba Modupe , Ayinde Idris Akanbi , Shittu Adebayo Musediq 
Published: January 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to investigate urban tree forest utilisation and management through application of contingency valuation approach in Ogun State, Nigeria.Design/methodology/approach– A total of 120 respondents residing in Abeokuta Metropolis were randomly sampled. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics, probit and Tobit regression analyses.Findings– Results revealed that respondents demonstrated willingness to pay (WTP) monthly for management of urban trees. Larger percentage (94.0 per cent) of the respondents benefited from shade, 48.0 per cent benefited from reduction of pollution while 76.7 per cent benefited from prevention from harsh weather. Results of probit analysis revealed lower probability of WTP for urban tree management among older respondents ( p<0.1); while females respondents had a higher probability of payment for tree management ( p<0.05). In the same vein, younger respondents (p<0.05) as well as higher income earners ( p<0.01) exhibited more WTP for urban trees management.Research limitations/implications– The study concluded that trees were an invaluable environmental asset among urban households, while the households also demonstrated strong willingness to manage and sustain their uses.Practical implications– Older respondents need to be further enlightened on sustainable management of urban trees for environmental stabilisation and provision of aesthetic benefits.Originality/value– This paper introduces an innovative technique to the valuation of urban tree and brought to the fore, importance attached to trees as a non-market environmental commodity.
Carbon reduction knowledge and environmental consciousness in Taiwan
Authors: Hsu Jane Lu , Lin Ting-Yu 
Published: January 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to examine people’s knowledge about carbon reduction, environmental consciousness, carbon reduction intentions, and behaviours in Taiwan. The importance of this study is to reveal whether individuals with higher carbon reduction knowledge level have higher carbon reduction intentions and further take actions.

Design/methodology/approach
– In total, eight questions about the causes and facts of carbon emissions were designed to examine respondents’ levels of knowledge. The New Ecological Paradigm Scale was utilised to measure respondents’ attitudes towards the environment and further to examine how those attitudes were linked to knowledge. Ten questions related to carbon reduction intentions in food consumption, transportation, energy saving, recycling and shopping were designed, another set of ten questions related to carbon reduction behaviours were included in the questionnaire. A formal survey using personal interviews was administered in Taipei, Taiwan following the age and gender distributions of the population.

Findings
– Findings in this study indicate that people with higher knowledge levels about carbon reduction have a stronger environmental consciousness; however, they tend to have higher intentions in carbon reduction but not in actions. Findings in this study reveal that knowledge levels about carbon reduction cannot be used as indicators of carbon reduction behaviours.

Practical implications
– The findings in this study provide information for the veracity of the general public with relatively high education levels and are aware of the severity of the carbon emission issue in Taiwan but not motivated to take actions in carbon reduction. Implications of this study are that although enhancing the general public’s environmental consciousness by building up their relevant knowledge of carbon reduction through education can be essential, encourage individuals to make environmentally friendly purchasing decisions, reduce energy consumption and waste, recycle, and be conservative with materials not easily decomposed naturally is fundamental.

Originality/value
– Due to the fact that people living on islands and in densely populated coastal areas are those affected by climate changes severely, findings in this study provide valuable information for the education of the general public in Taiwan and other countries in the region.
Energy development in Nigeria and the need for strategic energy efficiency practice scheme for the residential building sector
Authors: Hussaini Ibrahim Udale , Abdul Majid Noor Hanita 
Published: January 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to seek ways to improve energy efficiency in the residential building sector of Nigeria. This is necessary so as to promote a wider scope of energy efficiency practice in order to reduce energy demand on the central power supply of the nation and as well-attain reasonable level of energy security.

Design/methodology/approach
– However, the objective of the study is to propose a strategic plan (scheme) of energy efficiency practice for the housing sector of the Nigerian economy. To accomplish this task, a review of the main issues of energy efficiency; the current energy situation in Nigeria; and the challenges to implementing energy efficiency in the country was undertaken.

Findings
– Finally, remedial measures to achieving energy efficiency in the Nigerian households were proffered by the provision of a “strategic scheme” to be accomplished by the government and the housing stakeholders.

Research limitations/implications
– It is evident that a strategic plan or framework must be put in place in order to overcome the challenges of energy efficiency in the residential building sector. And this framework is to adequately address the issues of design practice, the efficiency of appliances in use and the housing occupant behaviour.

Practical implications
– The main goal is the attainment of energy-efficient households in Nigeria through the application of EE practice strategies.

Originality/value
– The study highlights on the energy development level of the country. It has also identified the numerous barriers as well as the principal actors to achieving energy-efficient households in Nigeria. After all, the suggested “plan of action” as provided in the scheme is to serve as a benchmark and reference point to the government, the housing stakeholders as well as the housing occupant for the attainment of energy efficiency.
A strategic diversity manifesto for public libraries in the 21st century
Authors: Mehra Bharat , Davis Rebecca 
Published: January 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this research-based philosophical piece is to present a progressive manifesto for public libraries in the 21st century to address gaps in embracing diversity in its holistic dimensions and representing such information in their strategic planning and web documentations.Design/methodology/approach– Content analysis of public library websites in the USA informed the development of a Strategic Diversity Manifesto that includes the “who”, the “what” and the “how” components to describe and discuss diversity-related matters in their strategic planning and web representations.Findings– The Strategic Diversity Manifesto provides a mechanism for individual public library agencies, in their localized context and environment, to strategically inquire, describe, discuss, reflect, analyze and translate into concretized actions their picture of diversity as grounded in the reality of their representative communities.Originality/value– The Strategic Diversity Manifesto presents a more a comprehensive and consolidated picture of diversity beyond isolated strategies seen in past efforts. It is a broader level of analysis and “picture painting” of the agency’s context, which may not be as detailed as compared to other modes of description, though as a result, it is more holistic instead of fragmentary. The aim is first and foremost to provide a basis for reflective thought and discussion.
A systematic literature review informing library and information professionals’ emerging roles
Authors: Vassilakaki Evgenia , Moniarou-Papaconstantinou Valentini 
Published: January 2015

Purpose– This paper aims to provide a systematic review of the specific roles information professionals have adopted in the past 14 years. It aims to identify the roles reported in the literature concerning developments in the Library and Information Science (LIS) profession.Design/methodology/approach– This study adopted the method of systematic review. Searches were conducted in February and March 2014 on different LIS databases. From a total of 600 papers, 114 were selected, based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. A thorough full-text analysis of the papers revealed six roles that librarians have adopted: teachers, technology specialists, embedded librarians, information consultants, knowledge managers and subject librarians.Findings– New and evolving roles were identified, mainly in the context of academic libraries. Librarians’ educational responsibilities and their active involvement in the learning and research process were highlighted in all role categories identified. Collaboration among faculty and librarians was reported as a way of ensuring successful instruction. Librarians’ personal views of their new and emerging roles were more frequently reported; further research is needed to shed light on academics, students and other users’ perceptions of librarians’ engagement in the learning process.Research limitations– The study considered only peer-reviewed papers published between 2000 and 2014 in English. It focused on information professionals’ roles and not on librarians’ skills and their changing professional responsibilities.Originality/value– This review paper considers the development of the LIS profession in a changing environment and offers an understanding of the future direction of the LIS profession.
Superior performance through supply chain fit: a synthesis
Authors: Hallavo Ville 
Published: January 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to examine how the moderating effect of uncertainty impacts the relationship of operational responsiveness and firm performance. Research on the relationship of supply chain fit and firm performance is discussed in isolation in different streams of research – such as in studies on responsiveness, agility, flexibility, efficiency and lean – without promptly recognising cross-stream contributions. This, at worst, prevents theory development. Therefore, the authors build a synthesis of literature from these streams. Grounded in the synthesis, a well-positioned empirical study that uses best research practices of past studies on the phenomenon is presented.Design/methodology/approach– A cross-sectional survey sample of 875 Russian manufacturing firms was analysed with hierarchical regression.Findings– The findings show that operational responsiveness leads to superior organisational performance if the relationship is moderated by uncertainty and supply chain responsiveness. Additionally, a direct relationship between operational responsiveness and operational performance was found. These results imply that efficiency is a precursor to responsiveness.Originality/value– This paper contributes to the unification of practice–performance studies on lean, agility, flexibility, efficiency and responsiveness into a single stream of research: supply chain fit. The empirical results support contingency theory in the context of supply chain design. This paper also contributes by shedding light on supply chain dynamics of an under-researched national context. For managers, this paper offers concrete advice on decision-making regarding supply chain strategy trade-offs.
The implementation of supply chain management theory in practice: an empirical investigation
Authors: Sweeney Edward , Grant David B. , Mangan D John 
Published: January 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of the research described in this paper is to disentangle the rhetoric from the reality in relation to supply chain management (SCM) adoption in practice. There is significant evidence of a divergence between theory and practice in the field of SCM.

Design/methodology/approach
– Based on a review of extant theory, the authors posit a new definitional construct for SCM – the Four Fundamentals – and investigated four research questions (RQs) that emerged from the theoretical review. The empirical work comprised three main phases: focussed interviews, focus groups and a questionnaire survey. Each phase used the authors’ definitional construct as its basis. While the context of the paper’s empirical work is Ireland, the insights and results are generalisable to other geographical contexts.

Findings
– The data collected during the various stages of the empirical research supported the essence of the definitional construct and allowed it to be further developed and refined. In addition, the findings suggest that, while levels of SCM understanding are generally quite high, there is room for improvement in relation to how this understanding is translated into practice.

Research limitations/implications
– Expansion of the research design to incorporate case studies, grounded theory and action research has the potential to generate new SCM theory that builds on the Four Fundamentals construct, thus facilitating a deeper and richer understanding of SCM phenomena. The use of longitudinal studies would enable a barometer of progress to be developed over time.

Practical implications
– The authors’ definitional construct supports improvement in the cohesion of SCM practices, thereby promoting the effective implementation of supply chain strategies. A number of critical success factors and/or barriers to implementation of SCM theory in practice are identified, as are a number of practical measures that could be implemented at policy/supply chain/firm level to improve the level of effective SCM adoption.

Originality/value
– The authors’ robust definitional construct supports a more cohesive approach to the development of a unified theory of SCM. In addition to a profile of SCM understanding and adoption by firms in Ireland, the related critical success factors and/or inhibitors to success, as well as possible interventions, are identified.
The impact of organizational culture on supply chain integration: a contingency and configuration approach
Authors: Cao Zhi , Huo Baofeng , Li Yuan , Zhao Xiande 
Published: January 2015

Purpose– This study aims to bridge the gap in understanding the effects of organizational culture on supply chain integration (SCI) by examining the relationships between organizational cultures and SCI. The extant studies investigating the antecedents of SCI focus mainly on environments, interfirm relationships and other firm-level factors. These studies generally overlook the role of organizational culture. The few studies that do examine the effects of organizational culture on SCI show inconsistent findings.Design/methodology/approach– By placing organizational culture within the competing value framework (CVF), this study establishes a conceptual model for the relationships between organizational culture and SCI. The study uses both a contingency approach and a configuration approach to examine these proposed relationships using data collected from 317 manufacturers across ten countries.Findings– The contingency results indicate that both development and group culture are positively related to all three dimensions of SCI. However, rational culture is positively related only to internal integration, and hierarchical culture is negatively related to both internal and customer integration. The configuration approach identifies four profiles of organizational culture: the Hierarchical, Flexible, Flatness and Across-the-Board profiles. The Flatness profile shows the highest levels of development, group and rational cultures and the lowest level of hierarchical culture. The Flatness profile also achieves the highest levels of internal, customer and supplier integration.Research limitations/implications– This study is subject to several limitations. In theoretical terms, this study does not resolve all of the inconsistencies in the relationship between organizational culture and SCI. In terms of methodology, this study uses cross-sectional data from high-performance manufacturers. Such data cannot provide strong causal explanations, but only broad and general findings.Practical implications– This study reminds managers to consider organizational culture when they implement SCI. The study also provides clues to help managers in assessing and adjusting organizational culture as necessary for SCI.Originality/value– This study makes two theoretical contributions. First, by examining the relationships between organizational culture and SCI in a new context, the findings of the study provide additional evidence to reconcile the previously inconsistent findings on this subject. Second, by departing from the previous practice of investigating only particular dimensions of organizational culture, this study adopts a combined contingency and configuration approach to address both the individual and synergistic effects of all dimensions of organizational culture. This more comprehensive approach deepens our understanding of the relationship between organizational culture and SCI.
Is drought‐induced forest dieback globally increasing?
Authors: Steinkamp Jörg , Hickler Thomas 
Published: January 2015

SummaryRecently, it has been suggested that forest mortality has been generally increasing because of increasing drought and heat stress. But it is unclear if the observations at the investigated forest sites and regions are representative of forests globally and it has not been tested whether forest models are capable of reproducing these observations. We analysed historical climate data and used a dynamic global vegetation model (LPJ‐GUESS) to assess (i) Which forests globally might have been affected by drought, (ii) If the field observations are representative for all forests and (iii) If the model can reproduce the reported mortality events.Using two climate data sets and three drought indices, we identified no general global drying trend across all forests, but a large spatial variability. We neither detected a general increase in extreme drought events. A weak drying trend and an increase in extreme drought events were only apparent for forests in already dry climates and the locations or regions for which drought‐induced mortality trends have been reported are predominantly in these dry climates.LPJ‐GUESSreproduced 66% of the reported mortality events and in 49% of the reported drought‐induced mortality events drought was apparent in any of the climatologically derived drought indices. However, only in 30% of the cases simulated increased mortality coincided with drought events.Synthesis. Our results indeed suggest that dry forests have been experiencing increasing drought‐induced mortality. However, this does not apply to forests in general and the spatial variability has been large. The poor correspondence between the simulated and reported mortality events indicates that models likeLPJ‐GUESSdriven by standard climatologies, and soil input data do not represent drought‐induced mortality well. But the poor detection of the reported drought events in our climate indices also suggests that drought stress might not be the main driver of all the reported drought‐mortality events.
Plateletcrit: A sensitive biomarker for evaluating disease activity in Crohn's disease with low hs‐CRP
Authors: Tang Jian , Gao Xiang , Zhi Min , Zhou Hui Min , Zhang Min , Chen Huang Wei , Yang Qing Fan , Liang Zhe Zhao 
Published: January 2015

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate whether PLT indices could act as non‐invasive biomarkers for active Crohn's disease (CD).MethodsAltogether 130 CD patients and 130 age‐ and gender‐matched healthy volunteers were retrospectively enrolled in the study. CD patients were further divided into patients with active disease (Crohn's disease activity index [CDAI] >150) and in remission. PLT indices including PLT count, mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), platelet large cell ratio (P‐LCR) and plateletcrit (PCT) were detected. High‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) levels were also determined.ResultsIn active CD, PLT and PCT levels were notably higher but P‐LCR and PDW levels were lower than those in healthy controls and patients in remission. PLT, PDW, P‐LCR and PCT were significantly correlated with CDAI (P < 0.05). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed that with a cut‐off value of 0.28%, PCT achieved a sensitivity of 67% and a specificity of 63% for detecting active CD, with the area under ROC curve (AUROC) of 0.67, which was inferior to hs‐CRP and ESR. For patients with active disease who had hs‐CRP levels lower than 10.0 mg/L, PCT turned out to be the best index for monitoring disease activity (sensitivity 71%, specificity 85%, AUROC 0.77, P = 0.02).ConclusionPCT may act as a specific and sensitive biomarker for determining active CD, especially in patients with an hs‐CRP level lower than 10.0 mg/L.