bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Are proposed African monetary unions optimal currency areas? Real, monetary and fiscal policy convergence analysis
Authors: Asongu Simplice 
Published: April 2014

Purpose– A spectre is hunting embryonic African monetary zones: the European Monetary Union crisis. The purpose of this paper is to assess real, monetary and fiscal policy convergence within the proposed WAM and EAM zones. The introduction of common currencies in West and East Africa is facing stiff challenges in the timing of monetary convergence, the imperative of central bankers to apply common modeling and forecasting methods of monetary policy transmission, as well as the requirements of common structural and institutional characteristics among candidate states.Design/methodology/approach– In the analysis: monetary policy targets inflation and financial dynamics of depth, efficiency, activity and size; real sector policy targets economic performance in terms of GDP growth at macro and micro levels; while, fiscal policy targets debt-to-GDP and deficit-to-GDP ratios. A dynamic panel GMM estimation with data from different non-overlapping intervals is employed. The implied rate of convergence and the time required to achieve full (100 percent) convergence are then computed from the estimations.Findings– Findings suggest overwhelming lack of convergence: initial conditions for financial development are different across countries; fundamental characteristics as common monetary policy initiatives and IMF-backed financial reform programs are implemented differently across countries; there is remarkable evidence of cross-country variations in structural characteristics of macroeconomic performance; institutional cross-country differences could also be responsible for the deficiency in convergence within the potential monetary zones; absence of fiscal policy convergence and no potential for eliminating idiosyncratic fiscal shocks due to business cycle incoherence.Practical implications– As a policy implication, heterogeneous structural and institutional characteristics across countries are giving rise to different levels and patterns of financial intermediary development. Thus, member states should work towards harmonizing cross-country differences in structural and institutional characteristics that hamper the effectiveness of convergence in monetary, real and fiscal policies. This could be done by stringently monitoring the implementation of existing common initiatives and/or the adoption of new reforms programs.Originality/value– It is one of the few attempts to investigate the issue of convergence within the proposed WAM and EAM unions.
Economic growth and poverty alleviation in Africa – linking hard and soft economics
Authors: Kuada John 
Published: April 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this editorial is to provide a quick glance at the dominant issues that have characterized the developing economics debate during the past five decades. It seeks to offer a backdrop for the papers in the present volume of AJEMS.

Design/methodology/approach
– It is based on a review of a selection of literature that highlights the dominant perspectives in development economics.

Findings
– It draws a distinction between soft and hard economics, arguing that economic growth must be converted into social change that benefits poor for it to be described as development-oriented.

Originality/value
– It provides a direction for future research into issues of economic growth and poverty alleviation in Sub-Sahara Africa.
Income diversification strategies among rural households in developing countries
Authors: Senadza Bernardin 
Published: April 2014

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to examine the income strategies adopted by rural households in Ghana and analyzes the determinants of households’ choice of income portfolio.Design/methodology/approach– A multinomial logit approach is employed by the paper to investigate the determinants of various income strategies adopted by households in rural Ghana.Findings– Results indicate that household characteristics, location and infrastructure all play a role in explaining the adoption of income strategies other than a purely on-farm strategy by households. Education is a key determinant of income strategies involving non-farm wage employment, while access to credit and electricity play important roles in non-farm self-employment income strategies.Practical implications– The findings of the paper call for a promotion of off-farm income opportunities to complement farm incomes and to enhance access of rural households to these sources of income.Originality/value– The paper models rural household income portfolios into mutually exclusive categories which enables the application of the multinomial logit approach. The paper deviates from mainstream rural income diversification literature that has focussed on assessing the determinants of income shares.
Australasian university management, gender and life course issues
Authors: Neale Jenny , White Kate 
Published: April 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to explore the issues arising for women and men in senior management in New Zealand and Australian universities where life course and career trajectories intersect, and analyses how the stereotypical masculinist culture of universities can create additional problems for women.

Design/methodology/approach
– The data presented here comes from 47 interviews undertaken with women (27) and men (20) senior managers – a total of 26 interviews from New Zealand universities and 21 from Australian universities. “Senior Management” was defined in this study as those academic managers with university wide responsibilities, who were currently in senior management positions.

Findings
– Life-course issues for women aspiring to senior management roles in universities are framed around hegemonic constructions of masculinity; notions of academic careers subsuming personal life in professional roles; and structural constraints making rational choice impossible for many women. Furthermore, the excessive hours worked in such roles equate with the definition of extreme jobs. The paper concludes that the way in which women and men in senior HE endeavour to balance work and family life differs but creates issues for them both.

Research limitations/implications
– The structure and operation of Australian and New Zealand universities make gender diversity and management difficult to operationalise, given the competing imperatives of work and other life course trajectories. It is crucial to reframe life course and career intersections are conceptualised to ensure that diversity can be maximised.

Originality/value
– This paper focuses on women and men in senior management positions in New Zealand and Australian universities, but the findings can be generalised to other countries with HE systems based on the British University model. In discussing how institutional culture affects the intersection of career and life course trajectories, this paper highlights the detrimental outcomes for individuals and the resultant lack of diversity in the sector.
Weight bias in US candidate selection and election
Authors: V. Roehling Patricia , V. Roehling Mark , Brennan Ashli , R. Drew Ashley , J. Johnston Abbey , G. Guerra Regina , R. Keen Ivy , P. Lightbourn Camerra , H. Sears Alexis 
Published: April 2014

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to use data from the 2008 and 2012 US Senate elections to examine the relationship between candidate size (obese, overweight, normal weight) and candidate selection and election outcomes.Design/methodology/approach– Using pictures captured from candidate web sites, participants rated the size of candidates in the primary and general US Senate elections.χ2 analyses,t-tests and hierarchical multiple regressions were used to test for evidence of bias against overweight and obese candidates and whether gender and election information moderate that relationship.Findings– Obese candidates were largely absent from the pool of candidates in both the primary and general elections. Overweight women, but not overweight men, were also underrepresented. Supporting our hypothesis that there is bias against overweight candidates, heavier candidates tended to receive lower vote share than their thinner counterparts, and the larger the size difference between the candidates, the larger the vote share discrepancy. The paper did not find a moderating effect for gender or high-information high vs low-information elections on the relationship between candidate size and vote share.Research limitations/implications– Further research is needed to understand the process by which obese candidates are culled from the candidate pool and the cognitions underlying the biases against overweight candidates.Social implications– Because of the bias against obese political candidates, as much as one-third of the adult US population are likely to be excluded or being elected to a major political office.Originality value– This study is the first to use election data to examine whether bias based on size extends to the electoral process.
Action learning and the pedagogy of professional doctorates
Authors: Bourner Tom , Simpson Penny 
Published: April 2014

Purpose– This paper is about action learning and the pedagogy of professional doctorates. The purpose of this paper is to explore the pedagogical problems of the relatively new professional doctorates and consider whether action learning offers potential solutions.Design/methodology/approach– This conceptual paper seeks to answer the question: how good is the fit between the learning processes of action learning and the learning goals of professional doctorates?Findings– The main conclusions of the paper are that action learning can support the learning of students enroled on professional doctorates by helping them realise the following three key learning outcomes, namely, the capacity to contribute to the advancement of knowledge, that is relevant to professional practice; their own personal and professional capabilities as practitioners; and their capacity to bring about change that directly enhances professional practice, i.e. they can make a direct contribution to professional practice, e.g. through some successful project that they undertake.Research limitations/implications– While this paper is not based on research, the main implication is that action learning can offer a valuable pedagogic approach in supporting the learning of professional doctoral candidates towards their goal of making an original contribution to the advancement of professional practice.Practical implications– A second implication is the need for many of those university academics responsible for leading and managing professional doctorates to become more familiar with the theory and practice of action learning. A third implication is the appreciation of the need to weigh up cost against the benefits of using action learning as a pedagogic process on professional doctorates.Originality/value– This conceptual paper is original as it explores the fit of action learning with pedagogic issues of professional doctorates.
Examining the use of interactive video to enhance just in time training in the workplace
Authors: Tiernan Peter 
Published: April 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to examine the development and implementation of interactive video in an organisational setting, with a view to enhancing the quality of just in time training provided.

Design/methodology/approach
– The paper uses a small but focused research approach which builds on current literature to inform the design and implementation of interactive video. Qualitative data is used to evaluate staff perceptions of training materials.

Findings
– Findings indicate that the use of interactive video can greatly enhance the quality of training in the workplace.

Practical implications
– Findings reinforce previous research on interactive video, demonstrating its ability to provide worthwhile and engaging content. This study demonstrates that investing in innovative and learner focused approaches to training can increase the effectiveness and flexibility of training materials.

Originality/value
– While the use of video in education is widely researched, there is a comparative lack of literature around the use of interactive video in workplace training environments. This paper provides a unique look at the implementation of interactive video in a workplace setting and the staff perceptions of its impact. The study also provides an insight into the use of just in time training to solve a specific training problem.
What happiness at work is and how to use it
Authors: Pryce-Jones Jessica , Lindsay Julia 
Published: April 2014

Purpose–Change management, organizational, team and leadership development is often conducted through frameworks that do not meet expectations. This paper aims to look at how the science of happiness at work delivers strategic outcomes when used in a bottom-up and top-down approach.Design/methodology/approach–While the idea that happiness is an important concept outside work is now prevalent, there is little research or practice to show how it can be used to drive organizational success or deliver return on investment. The case study shows how to deploy the approach in an organization-wide strategic intervention.Findings–The science of happiness at work delivers return on investment and strategic outcomes when properly implemented.Practical implications–This new approach is a powerful methodology which offers traction at individual, team and organizational level: it opens up a different evaluation and development methodology that positively fast-tracks change and growth.Social implications–There is huge potential for making teams and organizations better places to work by using a simple, practical and aligned framework rooted in something that matters intuitively to everyone.Originality/value–This paper provides an understanding of the theory and application of the science of happiness at work. It shows how strategic issues can be addressed within a short space of time and highlights the benefit of an approach which encompasses personal, social and organizational issues simultaneously.
Values based leadership
Authors: Frost John 
Published: April 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of the paper is to explore the power of values based leadership in connecting colleagues and clients to an organisation and in doing so creating sustainable business success.

Design/methodology/approach
– The paper is based on a model of values based leadership and case study examples of where the model is being successfully used in organisations.

Findings
– It was found that the organisations cited in the article who are using a values based approach such as Apple and Unilever create a connection with their organisations, that has a significant impact on organisational performance.

Originality/value
– The paper uses a new model of values based leadership to demonstrate its impact on organisational performance. The different elements of the model are explored using current successful organisational case studies. It will therefore be of value to anyone using or considering a values based approach to developing an exciting and successful leadership culture.
Apprenticeships: silver bullet or hard slog?
Authors: Sloman Martyn 
Published: April 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to review apprenticeship policy in the UK and to present examples of good practice.

Design/methodology/approach
– The approach takes the form of a review of three cases.

Findings
– Apprenticeships are not an easy option. An apprenticeship scheme, and indeed any training initiative, will not command support within an organisation unless it can be seen to assist the business in economic terms. Context is critical.

Practical implications
– The paper argues for a more realistic assessment of the role of apprenticeship at the level of government policy and in the organisation.

Originality/value
– The paper offers a different and more measured perspective on apprenticeships, which contrast with current uncritical hype and over-selling.
Using politeness to model the psychosocial dynamics of power in organizational interaction
Authors: A. Morand David 
Published: April 2014

Purpose– The purpose is to show how actors' relative power or parity is dynamically instanced in discrete speech behaviors that are exchanged throughout everyday organizational interaction.Design/methodology/approach– Politeness theory, rooted in the dramaturgical theories of Erving Goffman, details a set of linguistic indices used to show regard for others' face. This conceptual paper draws on politeness theory to model the unfolding of power relations within face-to-face verbal interchange in organizations. The paper presents a number of propositions suggesting how power differentials (or parity) are reflected in a set of common speech behaviors used to defray threats to face throughout organizational interaction.Findings– This article extends and applies politeness theory to organizations by exploring specific motives and linguistic outcomes of high and low power actors, describing the behavioral egalitarianism associated with organic organizations, and suggesting how the demand characteristics of face-to-face interaction create oligarchic tendencies that militate against the success of workplace participation. Politeness' role in the social construction of power, and in distortive processes within hierarchical communication, is also discussed.Research limitations/implications– This paper enables researchers to understand the specific linguistic features associated with power-related roles, and it shows how the social distribution of certain speech behaviors is a function of power and dependency relations.Practical implications– The findings provide managers a fine-grained understanding of how power affects speech, and an understanding of how such speech patterns may stymie attempts to stimulate organizational empowerment and employee voice.Originality/value– Prior scholarship has neglected this most important topic.
Surveying organizational culture to explore grid-group cultural theory
Authors: Wouters Kristel , Maesschalck Jeroen 
Published: April 2014

Purpose
– The aim of this study was to develop a valid and reliable measurement instrument for organizational culture on the basis of grid-group cultural theory (GGCT).

Design/methodology/approach
– The study consisted of three phases. In a first phase, the literature was reviewed and experts on GGCT were consulted in order to design an item pool for the typology. In a second phase, a pilot study was done in two organizations of the Belgian federal government to evaluate this original item pool. The third phase consisted of the actual data gathering in seven organizations within the Belgian federal government.

Findings
– The study showed that it is possible to measure organizational culture based on GGCT. The authors used confirmatory factor analysis to examine the underlying structure of the data and found support for the existence of four culture scales. Scale reliabilities in the third phase of the study were satisfactory and ranged between 0.703 and 0.848.

Research limitations/implications
– The current research was not specifically designed to evaluate content validity. Further research is needed to explore this issue. It would also be interesting to develop a GGCT-based measurement instrument for the team level.

Practical implications
– The measurement instrument can be used by practitioners to describe and assess their organizational culture.

Originality/value
– This study introduces a novel way to measure organizational culture, using a promising theoretical framework.
Public relations education in Australia, 1950-1975
Authors: John Gleeson Damian 
Published: April 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to explore the foundation and development of public relations education (PRE) in Australia between 1950 and 1975.

Design/methodology/approach
– This paper utilises Australian-held primary and official industry association material to present a detailed and revisionist history of PR education in Australia in its foundation decades.

Findings
– This paper, which locates Australia's first PRE initiatives in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide in the 1960s, contests the only published account of PR education history by Potts (1976). The orthodox account, which has been repeated uncritically by later writers, overlooks earlier initiatives, such as the Melbourne-based Public Relations Institute of Australia, whose persistence resulted in Australia's first PR course at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in 1964. So too, educational initiatives in Adelaide and Sydney pre-date the traditional historiography.

Originality/value
– A detailed literature review suggests this paper represents the only journal-length piece on the history of PRE in Australia. It is also the first examination of relationships between industry, professional institutes, and educational authorities.
Impact of political events on stock market returns: empirical evidence from Pakistan
Authors: Sajid Nazir Mian , Younus Hassan , Kaleem Ahmad , Anwar Zeshan 
Published: April 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between uncertain political events and Pakistani Stock Markets from May 1999 to December 2011.

Design/methodology/approach
– Using the mean-adjusted return model and event study methodology and by comparing the market efficiency between the two government style, i.e. autocratic and democratic, the authors determined that how uncertain political events are affecting Pakistani Stock Markets.

Findings
– The empirical result shows that political events have an impact on the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) returns. Moreover, the paper derives from the results that the KSE is inefficient for a short span of time, after 15 days KSE absorbs the noisy information. The political situation in Pakistan was more stable in autocratic government structure than in democratic structure but it is difficult to state that the stock markets are more efficient in Autocracy because only few events took place during an autocratic regime and magnitude of events was not same in the autocratic and democratic government structure.

Originality/value
– This study is unique in its nature as it examines the effect of multiple political events on stock market returns in Pakistan simultaneously and is expected to contribute significantly in the capital market literature of Pakistan in particular.
Tracing the evolution of the Dubai Government Excellence Program
Authors: Ahrens Thomas 
Published: April 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to report on the development of the excellence awards of the Dubai Government Excellence Program (DGEP). The programme reports directly to the Dubai government cabinet. The paper traces how changing priorities have over time been reflected in an evolving portfolio of excellence award categories.

Design/methodology/approach
– The study followed a qualitative research approach, relying on interviewing within the DGEP, analysis of DGEP presentations and publicly available documents, informal conversations with senior UAE public sector managers, and ad hoc observations of the nature of public sector management and government in the UAE and Dubai.

Findings
– The DGEP exhibited three key rationales since its inception in 1997. They were rationalisations of excellence, measured effectiveness, and efficiency. They overlapped with one another and were also overlain with additional rationales, such as e-government and teamwork. This evolution of rationales has been reflecting political priorities and global trends in public sector management.

Originality/value
– The paper adds to the knowledge of successive rationales for the evolution of the excellence awards scheme of the world's first integrated, whole-government excellence initiative.