bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Discourse structure differences in lay and professional health communication
Authors: Abrahamson Jennie A. , Rubin Victoria L. 
Published: October 2012

PurposeIn this paper the authors seek to compare lay (consumer) and professional (physician) discourse structures in answers to diabetes‐related questions in a public consumer health information website.Design/methodology/approachTen consumer and ten physician question threads were aligned. They generated 26 consumer and ten physician answers, constituting a total dataset of 717 discourse units (in sentences or sentence fragments). The authors depart from previous LIS health information behaviour research by utilizing a computational linguistics‐based theoretical framework of rhetorical structure theory, which enables research at the pragmatics level of linguistics in terms of the goals and effects of human communication.FindingsThe authors reveal differences in discourse organization by identifying prevalent rhetorical relations in each type of discourse. Consumer answers included predominately (66 per cent) presentational rhetorical structure relations, those intended to motivate or otherwise help a user do something (e.g. motivation, concession, and enablement). Physician answers included mainly subject matter relations (64 per cent), intended to inform, or simply transfer information to a user (e.g. elaboration, condition, and interpretation).Research limitations/implicationsThe findings suggest different communicative goals expressed in lay and professional health information sharing. Consumers appear to be more motivating, or activating, and more polite (linguistically) than physicians in how they share information with consumers online in similar topics in diabetes management. The authors consider whether one source of information encourages adherence to healthy behaviour more effectively than another.Originality/valueAnalysing discourse structure – using rhetorical structure theory – is a novel and promising approach in information behaviour research, and one that traverses the lexico‐semantic level of linguistic analysis towards pragmatics of language use.
Oral documents in concept and in situ, part I
Authors: Turner Deborah 
Published: October 2012

PurposeAlthough research indicates the importance of oral information, our understanding of it remains limited. This paper accordingly aims to suggest that some utterances are oral documents and explore how to identify them.Design/methodology/approachThis study analyzes certain oral artifacts through: exploring how research in social constructionism, information behavior, document studies and allied literatures facilitate the articulation of the concept of an oral document; and reporting on an investigation that operationalizes the properties of documents to facilitate empirically observing an oral document.FindingsThe results reveal an oral document observed in situ, which further validates the concept. Additionally, the results indicate that the method used, however systematic, prevents a full understanding of data gathered and that subsequent study of that data would generate further understanding of the oral document concept (presented in Part II).Research limitations/implicationsThe method utilized limits the research results to identifying a single oral document identified within a small sample of face‐to‐face oral data.Practical implicationsThe reification of oral documents broadens the scope of information science and implies a need to understand them better, in order for practitioners to carry out their professional responsibilities to collect, describe, organize and preserve them.Originality/valueThis paper conceptualizes a major new object of study for the field – an oral document. This paper also presents recommendations for research that expands on the method used herein, and suggestions for continued analysis. Some of these techniques will likely also prove valuable in analyzing some informal online communication, which shares some characteristics with oral documents.
Celebrating excellence in practice: an interview with Jan Ginneberge and Martine Plompen
Authors: by Gareth Bell Interview 
Published: October 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to provide an interview with Jan Ginneberge and Martine Plompen.Design/methodology/approachThe paper provides an interview with Jan Ginneberge and Martine Plompen of the EFMD.FindingsThe paper outlines the purpose of the EFMD's Excellence in Practice Award, discusses how the Award has developed since its foundation, and gives further detail on the 2012 awards.Originality/valueThe interview discusses the EFMD's Excellence in Practice Awards 2012.
A survey of reward management practices in the Swedish real estate sector
Authors: Azasu Samuel 
Published: October 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to ascertain and explain the prevalence of financial and non‐financial rewards in Swedish real estate firms.Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws upon insights provided by agency theory, social exchange theory and resource dependence theory to explain the results of a questionnaire survey of reward practices of Swedish real estate firms.FindingsDifferences in the types of financial rewards are exacerbated by differences in the benefits used at various levels of the firm. The adverse impact of that is limited by government provided social welfare protections. Learning and development programs, coupled with flexible work hours are social exchanges that could drive reciprocal discretionary effort by employees.Originality/valueThis paper provides the first comprehensive description of reward management in the Swedish real estate sector.
Improving building safety in property maintenance
Authors: Chan KH 
Published: October 2012

PurposeProperty defects and building safety have been major concerns for many years in Hong Kong. The local government intends to launch a Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme (MBIS) for owners of aged buildings; and instigate necessary defect rectification to enhance building and public safety (HKSAR BD, 2010). This study aims to examine the effects of the proposed enforcement actions, attain major stakeholders’ views, and to establish any unidentified problems.Design/methodology/approachThe investigation will be comprised of three stages, i.e. first, a thorough review of some target buildings having received repair orders from government; second, dispatch a structured questionnaire to major stakeholders to solicit their respective views for such potential building; and third, analyze such collected data with statistical tools with proposed solutions and conclusion.FindingsIt is anticipated that this research will explore the fundamental concerns, threshold, constraints and actions to be implemented to enhance for better building safety for a potential long‐outstanding problem in Hong Kong.Originality/valueThe research is based on quantitative studies with originality and value attributed to major stakeholders.
Innovation in small business: comparing face‐to‐face with virtual networking
Authors: Hardwick Jialin , Cruickshank Doug , Anderson Alistair R. 
Published: October 2012

PurposeThe paper aims to better understand the process of networking by small business with their customers to achieve innovations. In particular the relative roles of face‐to‐face and virtual interaction are to be investigated.Design/methodology/approachInitially a week of participant observation was undertaken then 17 in‐depth interviews were conducted and analyzed. The biotechnology sector was used for the sample.FindingsNetworking interaction could be categorized into stages. A deepening of the relationship developed on two fronts: increasing exchanges of technical information but necessarily supplemented by increased sharing of social information to facilitate tacit knowledge exchanges. As the relationship continued to develop, virtual modes could be used in an increasing capacity. The paper developed a stage model and identified the role of face‐to‐face and virtual exchanges at each stage.Research limitations/implicationsGeneralizability is unproven. However the issues appeared typical of any technology or science‐based sector and suggest broader applicability.Practical implicationsBusiness people cannot assume that all steps in the process of generating an innovation with a customer can be achieved virtually. The stage model provides guidance to practitioners on the appropriate interaction modes to avoid wasteful face‐to‐face meetings and ineffective virtual exchanges.Originality/valueWhile the usefulness of networking by small business is well recognized, little is known about the process of networking and in particular the potential role of virtual communication and what can and cannot be achieved. The paper sheds light on these issues and develops an explanatory framework.
Service excellence models: a critical discussion and comparison
Authors: Gouthier Matthias , Giese Andreas , Bartl Christopher 
Published: October 2012

PurposeAs customer expectations expand and as product offerings hardly differ from each other, service excellence has gained in importance as a means of enhancing customer loyalty. The aim of this paper is to focus on expanding and extending what companies can do to achieve service excellence by comparing and evaluating three popular approaches to excellence.Design/methodology/approachThe authors compare three of the most commonly used excellence models, Johnston's conceptualisation of service excellence, the EFQM Model as a representative of national quality award models and the Kano model, and their respective applicability and specific perspective on service excellence. The evaluation is based on theoretical arguments, criteria and on a qualitative expert study.FindingsCombining the selected models provides a comprehensive approach to service excellence. Since all models are compatible and complementary with each other, the analysis provides an enhanced understanding of service excellence and also explains in which context it is most feasible to apply any of the respective approaches. Furthermore, the requirement for a genuine service excellence model becomes evident.Research limitations/implicationsBy focusing on three specific excellence models, others such as the Canadian Quality Award and the Australian Quality Award are not considered. Furthermore, a study across industries could reveal how service excellence is achieved in each industry to then transfer this knowledge into other sectors.Practical implicationsBy comparing the selected models, benefits of merging the individual approaches are identified. The resulting combined perspectives offered by the individual models present a more detailed insight into what management can undertake to ensure service excellence.Originality/valueAs no prior research has examined the relationship between the selected excellence models and their implications for providing service excellence, this present research offers an innovative approach and thus yields new insights into the conceptualisation of service excellence.
Supply chain conflict detection with coloured petri nets
Authors: John Franklin R. , Prasad P.S.S. 
Published: October 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present and test a methodology, extending the concept of hierarchical Petri nets, to discover conflicts in a distribution channel.Design/methodology/approachThe approach involves linking different levels of the supply chain and detecting conflicts occurring when the single entities, each optimized for its own operations, are combined together in a supply chain. Specifically, a methodology is proposed for synthesizing individual Petri Net models combined with matrix equations in order to detect and manage conflicts in a supply chain. These conflicts may stem from differing goals, planning and resources.FindingsThe methodology offers the user the ability to investigate the potential for conflicts in the system and manage the system to avoid such conflicts before they occur. The proposed approach holds promise for both the short term and long term for effective supply chain management and design. This would enable the supply chain to put sufficient protection (e.g. buffers) in strategic locations relative to the potential conflict or contingency plans in place to handle the conflict when it occurs.Originality/valueWhile the ability to discover and pre‐empt conflicts would be a valuable asset to the management and design of supply chains, there is little insight found, to date, in the research on effective methods to realize detection. The current paper provides a systematic approach through the development of a hierarchical Petri net extension to detect conflicts prior to occurrence in an integrated supply chain system.
Cross‐national outcomes of stress appraisal
Authors: Kożusznik Małgorzata , Rodríguez Isabel , Peiró José M. 
Published: October 2012

PurposeThe present study aims to analyze the role of the appraisal of stressors as harmful and threatening (distress) and/or as opportunities and challenges (eustress) in inducing negative (burnout) and positive (engagement) effects. It compares appraisal of occupational stressors in Poland and Spain and looks for differences between these countries in the associations between different types of appraisals and their positive and negative outcomes.Design/methodology/approachThe study analyzes the equivalence of relations across cultures by constraining structural equation models to be equivalent across the Spanish (n=603) and Polish (n=147) data sets of social care services employees. Multigroup analysis was used to test the invariance of the model for the two samples.FindingsThe results showed that the constrained model is robust, stable and invariant across the Spanish and Polish samples, which means that the structural properties of the model do not differ between the two countries. Also, Spanish and Polish workers obtain similar average results on the levels of the appraisals of distress and eustress. Polish social workers have a significantly higher level of burnout and a significantly lower level of work engagement than Spanish employees.Practical implicationsThe confirmation that in both countries eustress has beneficial outcomes on psychological health in the form of work engagement suggests that employees should be taught to perceive work in a more positive way to increase work engagement. The roles that leadership and cultural factors play in this process need to be taken into consideration. Cross‐cultural comparisons of stress are especially relevant for expatriates and for managers in charge of multicultural teams.Originality/valueThe study goes beyond a mere comparison of general stress levels across countries or the relationship between the appraisal of distress and burnout, and it takes into account both negative and positive appraisals of stressors, as well as the strength of their relationships with their outcomes.
Board versus TMT international experience: a study of their joint effects
Authors: Rivas Jose Luis 
Published: October 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to test the relationship between board and top management team (TMT) members' international experience and CEO multinationality, with their firm's degree of internationalization. Through the lenses of upper echelon theory, on a sample of 108 European and US firms, the author tests the variables “international experience” and “CEO multinationality”, at the board and at the TMT levels.Design/methodology/approachA longitudinal research design is used to examine director's individual attributes in 2001 and firm's degree of internationalization in 2003‐2008. The sample comprised directors of the 108 largest European and US service and industrial firms by market capitalization, as listed in the Financial Times (FT) Global index of 2007.FindingsA positive effect is found on internationalization for international experience of both boards and TMTs; also a positive relationship is found between CEO multinationality of TMTs and internationalization.Research limitations/implicationsIt is acknowledged that the use of a diversified set of large US and European public firms could add unnecessary variance due to the different contexts involved in a sample of just 108 firms. Most of the sampled firms are already international so the study does not argue for board and TMT composition as a triggering mechanism for firm internationalization but, instead, as a tool that can enhance an international expansion process. The fact that international experience is a binary variable also limits the validity of the results. Either a direct survey of directors or a continuous variable that measures the amount in years of international experience would have yielded richer data. Data availability constraints limited the scope of this variable. The chosen operationalization just measures the presence and not the depth of executive's international experience. Additionally, it is acknowledge that just eliminating supervisory board members that represent unions/workers does not completely homogenize boards from the different countries in the sample.Practical implicationsPractitioners could use these findings to improve their selection and training processes of both top managers and board members.Originality/valueThe paper extends upper echelons theory to the board of directors. The comparison of boards and TMTs will facilitate the differentiation of corporate elites. It also introduces a new study variable: CEO multinationality and finally, it uses a mixed geographical sample of large European and US firms.
Corporate communication and corporate marketing
Authors: Illia Laura , Balmer John M.T. 
Published: October 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explicate the natures, histories, similarities and differences of, and between, corporate communication and corporate marketing.Design//methodology/approachThe modus operandi of the article is to map these two territories and, by this means, afford assistance to scholars and practitioners within the communications and marketing domains who share the authors' intellectual and instrumental interests in these two territories. As such, the article seeks to provide a general introduction to the nature of these two fields along with their bases and rationales.FindingsWhilst there are significant differences between corporate communication and corporate marketing, the authors also found similarities in terms of the importance accorded to identities (an identity‐based view of the corporation can be significant here) and are mindful of the impact of ethics and note common grounds in their analytical focus. Both areas are also inextricably linked by virtue of their foci on corporate‐level concerns rather than product‐related concerns that have, for the main, predominated vis‐à‐vis traditional modes of communication/PR and marketing.Research limitations/implicationsFrom a theoretical point of view the paper invites to explore the synergies between these two disciplines. From a practical point of view practitioners are invited to rethink their communications under the lens of corporate marketing and corporate communication.Originality/valueThe contribution of the paper is to provide an extensive literature review of the two fields that uncovers the theoretical backgrounds of both disciplines, their nature and analytical focus. Also, the value is to compare these two fields one with the other.
Consistency in behavior of the CEO regarding corporate social responsibility
Authors: Elving Wim J.L. , Kartal Damla 
Published: October 2012

PurposeWhen corporations adopt a corporate social responsibility (CSR) program and use and name it in their external communications, their members should act in line with CSR. The purpose of this paper is to present an experiment in which the consistent or inconsistent behavior of a CEO was studied.Design/methodology/approachIn this experiment the authors offered materials about an organization that has an extensive program on sustainability. In the consistent condition the authors presented a CEO who traded in his sports car for a hybrid car (which actually happened), whereas in the inconsistent condition the authors presented material in which the CEO kept his sports car.FindingsThe hypotheses were not supported. Inconsistent behavior did not lead to a significantly different attitude towards the company or lower purchase intentions.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample consisted of students who were maybe not familiar with the particular company, the CEO of the company and/or with the sustainability programs of the company. The materials developed in the experiment might be too weak.Originality/valueAlthough the expected results were not found, the authors certainly think that consistent behavior of the CEO and other organizational members might decrease skeptical responses of stakeholders when they are confronted with CSR communication.
Communicated identities of regional cluster firms
Authors: Zamparini Alessandra , Lurati Francesco 
Published: October 2012

PurposeThis paper presents the results of exploratory research aimed at understanding how firms operating in regional clusters use the clusters' collective identity in their external communication and combine it with the communication of their individual identity. In particular, the paper aims to detect different behaviors among different types of firms.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative exploratory content analysis is performed on the websites of the wineries of the Franciacorta wine cluster (Italy). A two‐step cluster analysis is used to identify differences in identity communications.FindingsThe results suggest the existence of two groups manifesting different patterns of identity communication. Larger firms communicate their individual identity through symbols, but they consistently communicate collective values. The other group (on average smaller firms, but including some of the biggest) seems to exploit collective identity symbols, without giving prominence to collective values.Practical implicationsThis study provides an understanding of how companies communicate collective symbols and values promoted by cooperative institutions; this understanding can be beneficial for future developments of collective branding projects.Originality/valueThis research contributes to broadening the debate on cluster identity as a strategic resource by adopting a communication perspective as well as providing empirical data on how different types of clusters' firms actually combine a collective cluster's identity and their firm's identity to shape their external image.