bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The modified differential transform method for investigating nano boundary‐layers over stretching surfaces
Authors: Mehdi Rashidi Mohammad , Erfani Eemaeel 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the nano boundary‐layer flows over stretching surfaces with Navier boundary condition. This problem is mapped into the ordinary differential equation by presented similarity transformation. The resulting nonlinear ordinary differential equation is solved analytically by applying a newly developed method. The authors consider two types of flows: viscous flows over a two‐dimensional stretching surface; and viscous flows over an axisymmetric stretching surface.Design/methodology/approachThe governing equation is solved analytically by applying a newly developed method, namely the differential transform method (DTM)‐Padé technique that is a combination of the DTM and the Padé approximation. The analytic solutions of the nonlinear ordinary differential equation are constructed in the ratio of two polynomials.FindingsGraphical results are presented to investigate influence of the slip parameter and the suction parameter on the normal velocity and on the lateral velocity. The obtained solutions, in comparison with the numerical solutions, demonstrate remarkable accuracy. It is predicted that the DTM‐Padé can have wide application in engineering problems especially for boundary‐layer problems.Originality/valueThe resulting nonlinear ordinary differential equation is solved analytically by applying a newly developed method, namely the DTM‐Padé technique that is a combination of the DTM and the Padé approximation. The analytic solutions of the nonlinear ordinary differential equation are constructed in the ratio of two polynomials.
E‐learning as an alternative strategy for tourism higher education in Egypt
Authors: Afifi Galal M.H. 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThis research aims to be one of the earliest studies to investigate tourism e‐learning in Egypt, thus, it will initially shed light on the current standing of e‐learning in Egypt before proceeding to: identify the present status of e‐learning in Egyptian tourism higher education; explore the potential advantages and drawbacks of using e‐learning in tourism higher education; and explore the suitability of e‐learning for tourism higher education.Design/methodology/approachData for this research have been collected by adopting a combination of “content analysis” and “semi‐structured interviews”. However, a pilot study was initially conducted before applying the main methods of research.FindingsDespite the relative newness of the Egyptian e‐learning experiment, the Egyptian government has succeeded in establishing the required infrastructure for e‐leaning. However, deficiencies still exist especially regarding qualifying the Egyptian academics to participate efficiently in the e‐learning process. Regarding application, tourism e‐learning is applied to a limited extent in Egypt at the present time, as only seven public colleges are currently providing some e‐learning services, which are mostly of a simple nature. Tourism private colleges are currently languid concerning the application of e‐learning despite the potentiality of success especially with regard to serving international students.Originality/valueDespite the importance of both tourism and tourism education for a country such as Egypt. this research is the first to investigate the applicability of tourism e‐learning in Egypt.
Quality perception within corporate e‐learning providers in Catalonia
Authors: Sangrà Albert , Fernández‐Michels Pedro 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe paper seeks to describe the Catalan corporate e‐learning providers from the perspective of quality perception, quality assessment and quality control.Design/methodology/approachA literature review reveals key aspects of the definition of quality in e‐learning. The results of the review constitute the basis for exploratory research into the way quality is perceived and handled within the Catalan corporate e‐learning sector.FindingsIt was found that the organisations studied attribute major importance to quality dimensions related to any kind of teaching/learning, whereas other dimensions with clear relation to e‐learning receive lower priority. The study also reveals certain incoherence between the dimensions of quality and the applied strategies of quality assessment and control.Research limitations/implicationsThe presentation of pre‐defined quality indicators could have led to a distortion in the answers given to the questionnaire presented. It would be interesting to compare and contrast the findings using interviews addressed to quality managers and focus groups in organisations representative of the sector.Originality/valueThe paper integrates the discussion of theoretical approaches and models for quality in e‐learning with the description of important players in the field of e‐learning that had not yet been studied from the perspective of quality perception and quality control. It can be understood as an exploratory step towards further studies in order to contribute to an improvement in the quality policies applied in the corporate e‐learning sector.
Does LibQUAL+TM account for student loyalty to a university college library?
Authors: Helgesen Øyvind , Nesset Erik 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to find out whether LibQUAL+TM can account for student loyalty to the library of an institution of higher education. LibQUAL+TM is a marketing tool that is used to measure perceived service quality of libraries, and the present analysis aims at validating this service quality instrument within a more comprehensive theoretical satisfaction‐image‐loyalty framework.Design/methodology/approachThe data source is a survey among students at the bachelor's level of a university college in Norway. The analysis is based on structural equation modelling.FindingsThe three LibQUAL drivers (information control, affect of service and library as a place) account for 85 per cent of the variation in student loyalty.Research limitations/implicationsThis research has been applied to a specific university college. The research should be expanded to other institutions offering higher education.Practical implicationsThe study gives practical insight to managers regarding drivers of student loyalty for decision making and strategic control. The library as a place has the greatest impact on loyalty in this study.Originality/valueRelationship marketing and management have become increasingly important for higher education managers. By identifying drivers of student loyalty regarding image building and satisfaction creation, and by allocating resources to activities that are important for students regarding these two processes, managers may obtain increased student retention, thus helping to ensure future public funding.
Becoming a learning organization
Authors: Filstad Cathrine , Gottschalk Petter 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to investigate the extent to which espoused values among police managers in the Norwegian police force are compatible with those of a learning organization.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire was developed and administered to police managers in two police districts in Norway. A set of values was developed to measure police culture and their significant correlation with those of a learning organization. All values were believed to represent cultural dimensions of potential importance to law enforcement performance.FindingsIt was found that police managers espoused values of informality and empowerment rather than authority and hierarchical order. These values are the only police values that are found to be significantly correlated with those of a learning organization. Moreover, these findings contradict the previous literature within policing, which describes a police culture of hierarchy, authority and closeness. Also, these values only represent two of the eight values that were found to be crucial for becoming a learning organization.Research limitations/implicationsThere is a need for police managers to both espouse and enact values in accordance of those of a learning organization, but this study only investigates espoused values. Hence, further research is needed to investigate the possibilities for the Norwegian police force to become a learning organization.Originality/valueThe paper provides empirical research to generate insights into espoused values of the Norwegian police force and identifies those values that are crucial for their possibilities of becoming a learning organization.
Impact of knowledge management on learning organization practices in India
Authors: Chawla Deepak , Joshi Himanshu 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to report the preliminary findings of the difference in learning organization (LO) practices across industries. It also reports the impact of knowledge management (KM) dimensions on LO and whether this impact is different across manufacturing, IT and IT‐enabled services (ITES) and power generation and distribution in India.Design/methodology/approachIn this exploratory study, a convenience sample of 51 respondents from Indian manufacturing, IT/ITES and power generation and distribution industries are taken. Based on the literature, a number of hypotheses are formulated and tested to illustrate whether KM and LO practices vary across industry groups.FindingsAn inference to the research questions suggests that IT and ITES industry score highest on most of the LO dimensions. Testing of hypothesis reveals that most of the KM dimensions have a positive impact on LO. Type of industry did not have any statistical differential impact on the dimensions of LO in most cases.Research limitations/implicationsThe study includes 15 responses from ITES and eight from power generation and distribution. A larger sample from these two industries would have been desirable.Practical implicationsFindings of the study can serve as input to organizations to integrate the two disciplines by developing KM best practices to create a LO for improving performance.Originality/valueWhile KM has been studied in the Indian manufacturing, pharmaceutical and IT industries, its comparison across industries has not been carried out.
Exploring the implications, challenges and potential of new media and learning
Authors: Conway Maree 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThis viewpoint paper aims to provide an overview of this special issue of On The Horizon on new media and learning. An integral framework which can be used to inform thinking about factors to consider when integrating new media into existing learning approaches is also discussed.Design/methodology/approachThe paper highlights the messages emerging from the papers in this issue, and places those messages in the context of an integral framework that can be used when considering how to integrate new media into existing learning approaches.FindingsHigher education is in transition, from the traditional model of learning to a new, socially mediated model. The exact form and nature of that model are as yet unclear, and can be shaped now if people are able to change the way they think and move beyond current assumptions about the “right way” to teach and the “best way” to learn.Practical implicationsThe integral framework presented in this paper provides a holistic approach for both individual staff and institutions to explore how to integrate new media into learning today.Originality/valueThe application of an integral approach to learning and new media provides the originality for this paper.
Wise machines?
Authors: Allen Colin , Wallach Wendell 
Published: October 2011

PurposeIn spite of highly publicized competitions where computers have prevailed over humans, the intelligence of computer systems still remains quite limited in comparison to that of humans. Present day computers provide plenty of information but lack wisdom. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether reliance on computers with limited intelligence might undermine the quality of the education students receive.Design/methodology/approachUsing a conceptual approach, the authors take the performance of IBM's Watson computer against human quiz competitors as a starting point to explore how society, and especially education, might change in the future when everyone has access to desktop technology to access information. They explore the issue of placing excessive trust in such machines without the capacity to evaluate the quality and reliability of the information provided.FindingsThe authors find that the day when computing machines surpass human intelligence is much further in the future than predicted by some forecasters. Addressing the problem of dependency on information technology, they envisage a technical solution ‐ wiser machines which not only return the search results, but also help make them comprehensible ‐ but find that although it is relatively simple to engineer knowledge distribution and access, it is more difficult to engineer wisdom.Practical implicationsCreating computers that are wise will be difficult, but educating students to be wise in the age of computers may also be quite difficult. For the future, one might explore the development of computer tools that demonstrate sensitivity to alternative answers to difficult questions, different courses of action, and their own limitations. For the present, one will need to train students to appreciate the limitations inherent in the technologies on which they have become dependent.Originality/valueCritical thinking, innovation, and wisdom require skills beyond the kinds of answers computers give now or are likely to provide in the coming decade.
OERs: new media on the learning landscape
Authors: Bossu Carina , Tynan Belinda 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe main aims of this viewpoint essay are to raise awareness and to provoke discussion regarding important issues surrounding open educational resources (OERs) as a new media for learning.Design/methodology/approachThe issues discussed are based on the authors' critical analysis of a select review of the body of knowledge available.FindingsThe discussions here led to the conclusion that, despite the challenges brought by this recent movement, OER resources are here to stay. They have the potential, among other things, to further incorporate Web 2.0 applications in learning environments and to bridge the gap between non‐formal, informal and formal education.Originality/valueThe reflections of the challenges and benefits of OERs presented here can assist government bodies, educational institutions, decision makers and educators in general whether they are considering adopting this movement or not.
An information literacy perspective on learning and new media
Authors: Martin Crystle 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate an information literacy perspective on learning and new media, specifically virtual worlds and online affinity spaces. It aims to cover the potential of information literacy as an educational linchpin in the age of new media education.Design/methodology/approachThis conceptual paper explores an information literacy perspective for learning and new media through previous research and prediction.FindingsInformation literacy provides a framework for addressing the explosion of information available, as well as a way to encourage self‐sufficient learners in the digital age.Originality/valueWhereas previous studies have neglected information literacy as a lifelong skill, this paper recognizes the importance of research in virtual worlds which unveils the potential of new media as sites of learning independent from formal spaces. Recognizing the impact of information literacy on an information‐dependent society, it contributes to a body of literature about individual practices which allows for the creation of new instructional strategies.
Conditions for self‐organizing and creativity in blended learning environments
Authors: Poutanen Petro , Parviainen Olli , Åberg Leif 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe the conditions that give rise to and support self‐organizing learning and creativity in blended learning environments. Particular attention is given to theoretical and practical suggestions and the roles of on‐ and offline working environments.Design/methodology/approachIterative grounded theory methodology is used to provide a case analysis of a course held at the University of Helsinki in 2010 in conjunction with theoretical discussions.FindingsPractical advice is provided for organizers of blended learning courses and a theoretical model for self‐organizing in blended learning settings is proposed. Three key considerations of self‐organizing – space, knowledge, and agency –were located and each of them is discussed with a focus on practical recommendations.Research limitations/implicationsMore research is needed, especially in a “classroom” context, in order to further clarify the links of different on‐ and offline learning environments and to reach a better understanding of the interplay between them.Practical implicationsThe approach presented here can be useful for implementing web‐based blended learning methods in universities and other educational organizations.Originality/valueTechnology‐ and teacher‐oriented views of learning are not successful in the context of blended learning. Conditions for self‐organizing and creativity are needed.
Strategic sourcing: a combined QFD and AHP approach in manufacturing
Authors: Ho William , Dey Prasanta K. , Lockström Martin 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to develop an integrated analytical approach, combining quality function deployment (QFD) and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) approach, to enhance the effectiveness of sourcing decisions.Design/methodology/approachIn the approach, QFD is used to translate the company stakeholder requirements into multiple evaluating factors for supplier selection, which are used to benchmark the suppliers. AHP is used to determine the importance of evaluating factors and preference of each supplier with respect to each selection criterion.FindingsThe effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated by applying it to a UK‐based automobile manufacturing company. With QFD, the evaluating factors are related to the strategic intent of the company through the involvement of concerned stakeholders. This ensures successful strategic sourcing. The application of AHP ensures consistent supplier performance measurement using benchmarking approach.Research limitations/implicationsThe proposed integrated approach can be principally adopted in other decision‐making scenarios for effective management of the supply chain.Practical implicationsThe proposed integrated approach can be used as a group‐based decision support system for supplier selection, in which all relevant stakeholders are involved to identify various quantitative and qualitative evaluating criteria, and their importance.Originality/valueVarious approaches that can deal with multiple and conflicting criteria have been adopted for the supplier selection. However, they fail to consider the impact of business objectives and the requirements of company stakeholders in the identification of evaluating criteria for strategic supplier selection. The proposed integrated approach outranks the conventional approaches to supplier selection and supplier performance measurement because the sourcing strategy and supplier selection are derived from the corporate/business strategy.
Risk management models for supply chain: a scenario analysis of outsourcing to China
Authors: Olson David L. , Wu Desheng 
Published: October 2011

PurposeA key process involved in supply chains is a priori evaluation of potential partners, not only in terms of expected cost (which includes exchange rate risk), but also in terms of other risks. These risks can include product failure, producing company failure (such as bankruptcy), and even political risk. This paper aims to compare tools to aid supply chain organizations in measuring, evaluating, and assessing risk in this environment.Design/methodology/approachThe authors demonstrate the use of DEA, followed by a DEA simulation model and also a Monte Carlo simulation using a risk‐adjusted cost concept. Once non‐dominated partners are identified by DEA, simulation analysis is applied to compare expected performance of vendors, and the range of expected outcomes can be identified, aiding supply chain core organizations to better select producing partners.FindingsThe authors consider strategies of outsourcing to China, as well as other nations under various forms of risk. A scenario analysis using risk management models indicates outsourcing to Great China is a good strategy.Originality/valueThe authors conducted a thorough review of supply chain risk management and identified criteria and various risk performance measures for outsourcing under risk and uncertainty in a supply chain. The benefit of outsourcing to China is discussed. The authors have designed an international outsourcing problem, where foreign exchange risk, product failure, organizational failure, and political risks are considered.
The use of poetry in the construction of meaning in cognitive behavioural psychotherapy and mental health studies
Authors: Roe Caroline , Garland Anne 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThis paper is a shared endeavour between client (Caroline) and therapist (Anne) which aims to examine the use of poetry in the construction of meaning in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy (CBP).Design/methodology/approachThe paper is a narrative account of the early stages of therapy and the role poetry played in developing an effective therapeutic relationship and in shaping the CBP formulation, which guides treatment. The text is illustrated with examples of poetry and song lyrics that have been used to construct meaning in the therapy and the authors' own reflections on this process. The paper begins with a brief outline of the theoretical principles of CBP and then moves on to discuss the use of metaphor as part of the therapy and its role in the development of a productive therapeutic relationship.FindingsThe paper provides a reflective narrative from the perspective of client and therapist and invites the reader to consider making links between the science of evidence based practice and the artistry necessary and inherent to the practice of CBP.Originality/valueThe interacting cognitive subsystems model (Teasdale and Barnard, 1993) from cognitive science is introduced as a theoretical rationale to provide an account of the efficacy and effectiveness of poetry in this context. This is the first time an evidence based theory from cognitive science has been used as the basis for an account of the utility of poetry in constructing meaning in CBP.
“What will I do?” – Depression and the trick to keep breathing
Authors: Pannen Imke 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThis paper seeks to analyse a popular novel with regard to the topic of depression.Design/methodology/approachThe paper provides a parallel account of psychological and literary interpretation of a novel depicting a patient suffering from depression.FindingsThe paper gives an account of a patient with experience of suffering from depression.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitation of this paper lies in its analysis of only one novel with regard to depression.Practical implicationsThis novel could be used for people suffering from depression.Social implicationsThis is an account of life/socio‐cultural experience of a patient.Originality/valueGreater insight into proceedings and the experience of a patient could mean possible usage for psychotherapists.