bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluating competing theories of informal entrepreneurship: some lessons from Ukraine
Authors: Williams Colin C. , Nadin Sara , Rodgers Peter 
Published: January 2014

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate critically the competing theories of informal entrepreneurship that variously represent such endeavour as a residue from a previous mode of accumulation (modernisation theory), a direct by‐product of contemporary capitalism and survival strategy for those marginalised from the circuits of the modern economy (structuralism), an endeavour voluntarily pursued due to over‐regulation in the formal economy (neo‐liberalism) or a practice chosen for social, redistributive, political or identity reasons (post‐structuralism).Design/methodology/approachTo evaluate these competing theories, a 2005/2006 survey involving face‐to‐face interviews with 298 informal entrepreneurs in Ukraine is analysed.FindingsContrary to previous studies which assert that one single theorisation is universally applicable, this study finds that each theory is valid for different types of informal entrepreneurship, and therefore proposes a typology of informal entrepreneurship that joins together the contrasting theorisations in order to achieve a more accurate and finer‐grained explanation of the complex and heterogeneous configuration of informal entrepreneurship in contemporary Ukraine.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper reveals the need to move beyond treating the competing explanations as mutually exclusive by outlining a typology that combines the contrasting theorisations in order to more fully understand the heterogeneity of informal entrepreneurship.Practical implicationsBy unravelling the heterogeneity of informal entrepreneurship, a more nuanced policy approach is shown to be required which does not seek to simply either eradicate such endeavour, pursue alaissez‐faireapproach or harness such entrepreneurship but instead pursues all these approaches to varying extents in relation to different kinds of informal entrepreneur.Originality/valueThis is one of the first papers to identify and empirically evaluate the competing theories of informal entrepreneurship.
Factors affecting patentees to start‐up new venture: evidence from Greece
Authors: Goniadis Iraklis , Varsakelis Nikos C. 
Published: January 2014

PurposeWhat are the conditions that influence the decision of a patentee to start a new venture? Does the possession of a patent make the individual more likely to engage in the entrepreneurial process? Does the possibility of a provisional monopoly limit the danger and the uncertainty in the decision‐making for commercial exploitation of an idea? Literature has given some light on the decision of individual patentees to establish a new venture but either these studies examine a specific group of patentees or cover national patentees’ population without distinguishing between individual and firm patentees. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to literature which aims at the detection of factors affecting the decision of individual patentees to start a new business using data from a national survey on the population of individual patentees in a less technologically developed country.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses the responses of 434 individuals‐inventors, residents of Greece, from a broader survey conducted by the Greek Organization for Industrial Property in March 2007. Applying the collected data into a logit model, the paper addresses the questions raised in the literature about the source of knowledge, opportunities perception, and the past business experience on the decision of a patentee to start a new business venture.FindingsThe findings of the paper show that financial restraints strongly affect the decision of a patentee to start‐up a new venture. The collaboration with a higher education and research institution does not lead to an invention‐patent with technological opportunity content and this reflects the particularities of Greek academia while the opposite is the perception for the knowledge coming from market (incumbent firms). Finally, the new entrepreneur is more likely to decide to start a new venture in order to exploit commercially its patent rather than the patentee with past entrepreneurial experience. This finding contradicts the previous findings for the US and the authors believe that it may be a consequence of the Greek commercial and financial law and national culture idiosyncrasies.Originality/valueThe originality of the paper is due to the fact that for first time data from a survey of the patentees population is used. In addition, this is the first, to the authors’ knowledge, study for a less technologically advanced country. The findings of this paper have significant policy implications since it provides useful inputs for the design of the entrepreneurship policy.
The post‐investment relationship between a venture capitalist and its investee companies
Authors: Leece David , Berry Tony , Miao Jia , Sweeting Robert 
Published: January 2014

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the key characteristics of the post‐investment relationship between the venture capital firm and its investee companies.Design/methodology/approachThe research is a case study of a major UK venture capital firm using qualitative research to determine the key characteristics of the post‐investment relationship. The study is based on interviews with parties on both sides of the relationship.FindingsWhile the results reflect the findings of the entrepreneurship and venture capital literature they also point to the importance of network growth and development for organizational learning in the venture capital industry, professionalization of investee firms and as a context in which the selection of the entrepreneur and the post investment relationship are set.Research limitations/implicationsThe research has the limitation of most case studies that the results cannot readily be generalized, in this case to the wider population of venture capital firms. Confidentiality issues also limited the extent to which a longitudinal study could be conducted.Practical implicationsA better understanding of the post‐investment relationship can inform entrepreneurs in their pitch for funds and in their anticipation of the post investment relationship. This understanding can also assist venture capital firms in the management of this relationship.Originality/valueThe case study uses data from rare access to a venture capital firm. It also differs by interviewing both parties to the post‐investment relationship, that is venture capitalist and investee firm.
Job characteristics and work‐home interaction
Authors: Hill Carin , Mostert Karina , De Bruin Gideon P. 
Published: January 2014

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is too investigate whether race moderates the relationship between job characteristics (job demands and job resources) and negative and positive WHI (work‐home interaction) in a sample of white and African South African police members.Design/methodology/approachQuestionnaires were distributed to African (n=197) and white (n=222) ranked police members in the North West Province of South Africa. Hierarchical multiple regression and moderated multiple regression analyses were used to analyse the data.FindingsThe results showed that race had moderating effects on the relationship between the positive spill‐over of mood and overload, as well as the relationship between the positive spill‐over of skills and overload. No interaction terms were found significant for the relationships between job characteristics and negative time‐based WHI, or for the relationships between job characteristics and negative strain‐based WHI. It is therefore concluded that race does not moderate the relationship between job characteristics and negative WHI.Practical implicationsThe paper will raising awareness among police members and police management about the effect of job characteristics on WHI. This can provide a platform from which to start addressing issues that could decrease police stress.Originality/valueThis paper shows that although South Africa is working towards uniting all South Africans as a nation, differences between race groups should still be acknowledged and addressed appropriately.
Positioning accuracy characterization of assembled microscale components for micro-optical benches
Authors: Clévy Cédric , Lungu Ion , Rabenorosoa Kanty , Lutz Philippe 
Published: January 2014

Purpose
– This paper aims to deal with the measurement of positioning accuracies of microscale components assembled to fabricate micro-optical benches (MOB).

Design/methodology/approach
– The concept of MOB is presented to explain how to fabricate optical MEMS based on out-of-plane micro-assembly of microcomponents. This micro-assembly platform includes a laser sensor that enables to measure the position of the microcomponent after its assembly. The measurement set-up and procedure is displayed and applied on several micro-assembly sets.

Findings
– The measurement system provides results with maximum deviation smaller than ±0.005°. Based on this measurement system and micro-assembly procedure displayed in the article, it is shown that it is possible to obtain a positioning accuracy up to 0.009°.

Originality/value
– These results clearly show that micro-assembly is a possible way to fabricate complex, heterogeneous and 3D optical MEMS with very good optical performances.
Analysis of buffered assembly line productivity
Authors: Usubamatov Ryspek , Alsalam Alsalameh Abd , Ahmad Rosmaini , Rahman Riza Abdul 
Published: January 2014

Purpose
– The paper aims to study car assembly line, to show its productivity rate, and to derive a mathematical model for the productivity rate of the assembly line segmented into sections with embedded buffers.

Design/methodology/approach
– The paper performs productivity calculations based on data obtained from the assembly processes of a car and shows the maximum productivity of the assembly line. The equations of the assembly line productivity, the optimal number of assembly stations, and the necessary number of the assembly line's sections with buffers are derived via the criterion of maximum productivity.

Findings
– The paper provides the productivity diagram of the assembly line that illustrates various measures of productivity, one that depends on the number of assembly stations, the number of sections in the line, and the capacity of the buffers. The diagram is based on the proposed mathematical equations for the productivity of the assembly line as a function of the assembly technology, number of stations, number of sections, and the capacity of the buffer.

Research limitations/implications
– Solutions towards increasing the productivity of the assembly line are given based on the results of the study and analysis of the assembly processes in real industrial environments.

Practical implications
– The paper includes the equation for the productivity of the assembly line, which is segmented into sections with limited capacity of the buffers, thereby enabling the calculation of its maximum productivity and the optimal number of assembly stations.

Originality/value
– The paper presents an analysis of productivity and a mathematical model for calculating the productivity of the assembly line, which is segmented into sections with embedded buffers of limited capacity. The initial results of the research have been obtained from a real industrial environment.
Dynamic assembly simplification for virtual assembly process of complex product
Authors: Xiao Hong , Li Yuan , Yu Jian-Feng , Cheng Hui 
Published: January 2014

Purpose
– Virtual assembly process plays an important role in assembly design of complex product and is typically time- and resource-intensive. This paper aims to investigate a dynamic assembly simplification approach in order to demonstrate and interact with virtual assembly process of complex product in real time.

Design/methodology/approach
– The proposed approach regards the virtual assembly process of complex product as an incremental growth process of dynamic assembly. During the growth process, the current-assembled-state assembly model is simplified with appearance preserved by detecting and removing its invisible features, and the to-be-assembled components are simplified with assembly features preserved using conjugated subgraphs matching method based on an improved subgraph isomorphism algorithm.

Findings
– The dynamic assembly simplification approach is applied successfully to reduce the complexity of computer aided design models during the virtual assembly process and it is proved by several cases.

Originality/value
– A new assembly features definition is proposed based on the notion of “conjugation” to assist the assembly features recognition, which is a main step of the dynamic assembly simplification and has been translated into conjugated subgraphs matching problem. And an improved subgraph isomorphism algorithm is presented to address this problem.
Configuration of inter-organizational information exchange and the differences between buyers and sellers
Authors: Peng Guangqian , Trienekens Jacques , (Onno) Omta S.W.F. , Wang Wensheng 
Published: January 2014

Purpose– The aim of this paper is to extend the understanding of the configuration of inter-organizational information exchange (IOIE) and the role of each aspect of IOIE in realizing potential communication benefits.Design/methodology/approach– A conceptual framework on the configuration of IOIE was developed by examining the relationships between companies in the poultry supply chain in China. A sample of 165 buying companies and a sample of 96 sellers were analyzed by partial least square modeling.Findings– Communication willingness plays a critical role in improving communication quality and realizing potential communication benefits. Modern media remain as a huge potential opportunity for improving performance. Meanwhile, the power of face-to-face communication should never be neglected, even in the coming Information Age. Higher communication frequency contributes to better understanding of companies' changing requirements and expectations. Taking use of senior managers and staff from different functions helps sellers grasp better changing markets. Communication quality is found as a multi-dimensional concept and plays a critical mediating role in realizing communication benefits.Originality/value– The proposition of the model of configuration of inter-organizational information exchange and the quantitative empirical examination of the model fills an important research gap.
Influence of micro additives on printing and electric parameters of conductive adhesives for printing electronic applications
Authors: Sitek Janusz , Koscielski Marek 
Published: January 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of different micro additives to new compositions of electrically conductive adhesives (ECA) on their printing properties as well as electric parameters expressed in resistivity of joints cured in low temperatures and obtain recommendations for elaboration of ECA appropriate for printing electronic applications.

Design/methodology/approach
– The three different types of silver flakes and two types of micro powders were added to basic matrix of ECA to create ECA composition for investigation. The ECA were printed via stencil on elastic substrate creating the special designed samples which next were cured in 25°C, 50°C or 80°C. The SEM with EDS analysis was utilized for assessment of shapes and sizes of the input materials for ECA. The microscopic observation and resistivity measurements of samples by four-probe method were used for assessment of the influence of ECA compositions on prints quality as well as on electric parameters of adhesives joints.

Findings
– The results show that the quality of the prints made with the use of elaborated adhesive compositions is related mainly with the amount and type of filler used in ECA. The electrical properties of joints were dependent from type of silver flakes and amount of micro-additives as well as curing temperature.

Research limitations/implications
– It is suggested that further studies are necessary for the confirmation of the practical application, especially of the mechanical and reliability properties of the joints obtained with the use of final composition of the elaborated ECA.

Originality/value
– The presented results of analyses provide information regarding the correlation between the composition of ECA, properties of elements creating them and the results of printing and electric parameters of joints produced of them. It showed positive impact of small carbon micro powder addition both on printing results and resistivity of joints. It pointed out also that the purity of silver components of ECA influences significantly on resistivity of ECA's joints. It is valuable information for ECA's designers as well as end-users, from the practical point of view.
Analysis of steady-state and transient thermal properties of cermet, polymer and LTCC thick-film resistors
Authors: Winiarski Paweł , Kłossowicz Adam , Stęplewski Wojciech , Nowak Damian , Dziedzic Andrzej 
Published: January 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to present the results of thermal analysis of cermet resistors made on alumina or LTCC substrate and polymer thick-film resistors embedded in FR-4 substrate.

Design/methodology/approach
– The study was performed using a thermal imaging method. The research was carried out with an additional consideration of such factors as sheet resistance (which depended on the type of resistive paste), the size and topology of element and the kind of contact material (Cu, Ag or Ni/Au). A few key points on the element were specified for which a more thorough analysis was carried out. The results were approximated by physically acceptable function which allowed to determine the influence of different mechanisms of heat transfer and determine their time and thermal constants.

Findings
– The effectiveness of heat dissipation from resistor is determined by the type of substrate material, width of conductive paths, and contact material. The best results were observed for elements with wider conductive paths made of Cu or Ni/Au. The LTCC substrate ensures the fastest achieving of stable temperature on the component. The changes of the temperature gradient in time can be described by a formula consisting of two or three exponent parts, each one presenting different mechanism of change.

Research limitations/implications
– These studies do not include more detailed determination of nature of found mechanisms of change. There has not also been established what form of the formula is more accurate physically description of the results for respective structure.

Originality/value
– The results provide important data of the thermal properties of the chosen materials. This allows to determine their usability for specific applications where heat distribution plays an important role. The used analysis method is proven to provide reliable results and can be considered to be used for further studies in that subject.
Role of perceived organizational support in teachers’ responsiveness and students’ outcomes
Authors: Ahmed Ishfaq , Khairuzzaman Wan Ismail Wan , Mohamad Amin Salmiah , Islam Talat 
Published: January 2014

Purpose– Applying the social exchange theory at educational institution, this research endeavor is aimed to find out impact of organizational (institutional) support on teachers’ responsive behavior, and ultimately outcomes of responsiveness in form of students’ satisfaction and academic performance.Design/methodology/approach– This study was conducted on 20 teachers and 353 students, from the biggest public sector University of Pakistan. These teachers and students belong to ten faculties. A questionnaire was used to elicit response of both the respondent groups.Findings– Findings of the study reveal that provision of supportive environment (high perceived organizational/institutional support) positively influences teachers and they respond well toward the needs of students. This responsive behavior increases both satisfaction and academic performance of students.Originality/value– This research highlights the role of educational institutions in improving the quality of their product (students).
Developing undergraduate social and emotional competencies: a UK/Malaysian comparison
Authors: Carter Stephen , Chu-May Yeo Amy 
Published: January 2014

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to investigate similarities and differences between the UK and Malaysian undergraduates in terms of perceived social and emotional competencies (SEC), their effect on academic performance and to make recommendations on curriculum development or teaching and learning interventions to make students more SEC equipped for the “real” world.Design/methodology/approach– This study employed a positivist approach via a survey instrument to measure the perceived SEC. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including standard multiple regression analyses, were used to test the hypotheses.Findings– The analysis highlighted specifically, individual competencies (e.g. conscientiousness) rather than competency domains. Striking differences were observed between the two data sets, e.g. the regression analysis revealed that among the UK students, “Self-Awareness” domain and “Service Orientation” competency contributed uniquely to academic performance. However, no significant results were found for the Malaysian students.Research limitations/implications– Using GPA scores for performance measurement is complex which might have the potential to affect the accuracy of the comparative results.Practical implications– The findings serve as a practical guide for education providers and employers which they could use to train young and inexperienced undergraduates and provides suggestions for education providers to “build in” specific intra- and interpersonal SEC in their assessment criteria and curriculum activities and modules.Originality/value– The transnational comparison helps to add a new dimension to support the paucity of the SEC effect on academic performance and suggests which specific individual competencies and which competency cluster to emphasise in two different institutions and countries.
Lean manufacturing implementation using value stream mapping as a tool
Authors: Vamsi Krishna Jasti Naga , Sharma Aditya 
Published: January 2014

Purpose
– Value stream mapping (VSM) is a lean manufacturing (LM) tool used for analyzing material and information flow on a specific product family. The purpose of this article is to address the importance of VSM in LM environment in an Indian auto components industry.

Design/methodology/approach
– The case study approach has been used to show the applicability and importance of VSM in an Indian auto components company, in which the current state of manufacturing is mapped with the help of VSM symbols. According to the current state mapping, the study conducted analysis and identifies the area of improvement needed in terms of work in process, lead time and cycle time. The study further implemented kaizen on the current state map and developed future state map while including these kaizens.

Findings
– The study clearly shows that the VSM brings out the positive impact on process ratio, TAKT time, process inventory level, line speed, total lead and process time and reduced man power. It is helping the company in satisfying their customers with respect to quality, cost and delivery.

Research limitations/implications
– The main limitation of the study is the confined focus on a single industry. The case should be extended to other industries in order to support the findings and for the purpose of the wider generalization.

Practical implications
– The results obtained from the study will help other industries and sectors to implement VSM in LM environment.

Originality/value
– The article deals with a real case study, which shows application of VSM for implementing lean principles.