bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Authentic and congruent leadership providing excellent work environment in palliative care
Authors: Johansson Gunilla , Sandahl Christer , Andershed Birgitta 
Published: May 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to describe the perceptions of registered nurses (RNs), enrolled nurses (ENs), and leaders (i.e. the first‐line nurse manager, F‐LNM and the substitute F‐LNM) as to what characterises an excellent work environment in a palliative care unit and the involvement of leadership in that environment.Design/methodology/approachData were collected using two separate instruments: a questionnaire, group interviews with nurses and leaders, and documents at a palliative care unit. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the material.FindingsAccording to the participants, the most important component at the palliative care unit was to accomplish the vision of good palliative care. Congruence in leadership, mature group functioning, adequate organisational structures and resources, and comprehensive and shared meaningfulness were all identified as essential components for fulfilling the vision.Originality/valueThis study indicates that fulfilling the vision of good palliative care may function as a buffer against stress in such a workplace
Mentoring in the twenty‐first century
Authors: Bamford Christine 
Published: May 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to describe NHS Wales' strategic intent to increase leadership capability through mentoring. The pressure on budgets and geography forced the adoption of a technology solution to reduce time away from the workplace and travel costs.Design/methodology/approachThe design was based on the following: reflective questioning; Kolb learning design and double loop learning; mentoring competences to facilitate self‐assessment and personal development; blended use of face‐to‐face and technology devices; measurable impact on job; responsiveness to generational needs and social networking.FindingsThe evaluation studies by Strathclyde University Business School indicated the following key findings: more e‐mentoring should be available at all levels; gave opportunity for reflection despite pressures of work/life; increased skill sets; supported behavioural change and confidence; reduced time away from work and minimised travel; facilitated fluency with technology.Practical implicationsAlthough the model was based on traditional learning models, the use of technology in mentoring was not well researched. The author and team undertook proof of concept trials as a practical way of generating own research material.Social implicationsThe paper delivers improvements to patient care.Originality/valueThe e‐mentoring concept has received many awards for technology innovation and originality. NHS Wales is able to put a monetary value on the reduced cost of delivering e‐mentoring versus traditional. However, the real value is the increased skill sets for health care leaders/professionals and improvements to patient care.
Competitive information logistics
Authors: Klaas Jagersma Pieter 
Published: May 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to understand the specific components of effective information logistics.Methodology/design/approachA total of 44 interviews were carried out with executives responsible for information logistics‐related issues such as IT/IS, knowledge/information management, R&D, purchasing/supply chain management, operations management and market research.FindingsThe journey towards successful information logistics can be divided into phases, the main phases and steps of which are outlined in the article. The research indicates ten key tasks which the survey companies tended to do effectively, and which – in combination – represent the building blocks of excellence in information logistics.Research limitationsA selection has been made of 20 companies who enjoy a reputation for excellence in information logistics. Consequently, the results of the study do not represent a large statistically valid sample, but should be considered as interpretations and considered opinions.Practical implicationsInformation logistics helps to improve processes, promote employee learning, improve the speed and quality of services to customers, underpin new forms of commercial activity, and, can go even further by generating entirely new value propositions for customers. Companies such as Goldman Sachs, Merck, HSBC and Bain & Company thrive through successful information logistics strategies.Originality/valueIn today's fast changing markets, the key to “better” is to bring the full force of an organization's information to bear on the effort. Information logistics as a new management technique helps integrate, coordinate and distribute information to where it can best be applied.
Executive directors' contracts: poor performance rewarded
Authors: Dandira Martin 
Published: May 2011

PurposeTo help companies find ways of reducing costs when an executive director leaves an organisation because of poor performance or at the end of a contract.Design/methodology/approachThe author has conducted research in organizations that have executives on contracts for three to five years, identifies how executive directors are heavily rewarded when their contract ends voluntarily or involuntarily. Researches in organisations have shown that if you sign a contract as an executive director there is no incentive for excellent performance because most contracts of executives are designed in such a way that poor performance can be rewarded indirectly.FindingsVery few executives in Zimbabwe work through their contracts up to the end especially in parastatals due to what is perceived as poor performance but they are always met with a “golden handshake” as they call it though they have not contributed much except the demise of the organisation.Practical implicationsWays are provided for organisations to follow and try to mitigate the costs of paying executives when they leave organisations unceremoniously or when their contracts end without renewal.Originality/valueThis paper gives practical advice from situations in organizations and helps organisations to take into account the costs implications involved when an executive director leaves the organisation before the end of contract or poor performance.
The political economy of revenue pressure and tax collection efficiency
Authors: Das Satya P. 
Published: May 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a political‐economy model to show how political imperatives lead to reforms in administering direct tax collection.Design/methodology/approachA static, political‐gain approach was used to model employment in the tax collection sector and then the implications of an increase in revenue pressure were derived through a comparative statics method.FindingsAs revenue pressure increases, the “political value” in terms of granting employment falls and thus efficiency resulting from purely political motives decreases.Originality/valueThis paper is an original work.
Club‐convergence and polarization of states
Authors: Kar Sabyasachi , Jha Debajit , Kateja Alpana 
Published: May 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study the dynamics of the distribution of per capita income of Indian states in the post‐reform period, in order to identify trends towards convergence‐club formation, polarization or stratification during this period.Design/methodology/approachThe authors adopt the “distribution dynamics” framework that involves estimating kernel density functions, stochastic kernels and ergodic distributions in order to identify these trends.FindingsThe results show that there is polarization in India in the post‐reform period and this is due to the contrary growth dynamics of the middle‐income states resulting in the “vanishing middle” of the distribution.Originality/valueThis is the first study that highlights the contrary growth dynamics among the middle‐income states as the driving force behind the polarization of Indian states in the post‐reform period.
Office sustainability: occupier perceptions and implementation of policy
Authors: van de Wetering Jorn , Wyatt Peter 
Published: May 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this research was twofold. First, to investigate the views of occupiers in a typical UK city on the importance of various sustainability issues, their perceived impact of different sustainability drivers and willingness to pay. Second, the environmental and social performance of existing buildings in that city was examined.Design/methodology/approachThe research focuses on buildings of 10,000 feet2 or more that have been constructed in the Bristol city‐region in the UK over the past 50 years. The buildings in the sample are located in the city centre and in out‐of‐town business parks. A questionnaire survey investigated the views of occupiers and follow‐up interviews looked more closely at the sustainability performance of the existing stock.FindingsThe findings indicate that, as far as occupiers are concerned, the strongest drivers are consumer demand and staff demand. Green features of a building appear to rank low in the overall building selection preference structure and a willingness to pay a premium for green features was indicated. The interviews uncovered barriers to progress as well as initiatives to reduce both energy consumption and the environmental impact of office space.Practical implicationsThe paper identifies progress and issues which could form obstacles to improving the environmental performance of office buildings. It is argued that there is a need to focus on energy efficiency.Originality/valueThis paper explores the linkage between the perception and use of office space by occupants and how this affects the environmental performance of this space.
How important is that footnote on page 3?
Authors: Constantinescu Mihnea 
Published: May 2011

PurposeThe failure of the efficient market hypothesis has a direct bearing on the Geometric Brownian Motion model of asset returns. The current paper aims to investigate the effect that the autocorrelation in the time‐series of returns has on the calculation of expected shortfall (ES) for an asset‐liability investor.Design/methodology/approachThe regression model is selected according to the Akaike and the Schwarz information criterion. A series of tests are used to insure the stability of the autocorrelation parameters. Autocorrelation‐adjusted formulas for volatility and cross‐asset correlations are then employed for the computations.FindingsThe presence of autocorrelation changes the values of most of the correlation parameters used in the calculation of the ES of the risk bearing capital (RBC) – in some cases the cross‐asset correlation parameters double. Once the presence of smoothing is accounted for, the ES increases by 1 per cent in relative value.Research limitations/implicationsOther asset classes may also feature smoothed time‐series requiring thus an account of their autocorrelation structure and their interaction with the property asset. An analysis of the time stability of the cross‐asset correlations may also improve the estimation of the optimal RBC.Originality/valueThe proposed method focuses on the proper calculation of the RBC through the judicious estimation of the relevant risk measure for an investor who, while not having access to the underlying data pool from which the property index is computed, cannot adjust the index for the potential presence of temporal aggregation and market illiquidity.
Reflections on “Locks and keys to the boardroom”
Authors: Vinnicombe Susan 
Published: May 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a reflection on the author's earlier paper published in Gender in Management: An International Journal (formerly Women in Management Review) in 2003 titled “Locks and keys to the boardroom”.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is examined in the context of current research and writing on women on boards.FindingsThe 2003 paper built on the authors' previous research and writing and informed their current research activities. In addition, the 2003 paper reflected an emerging interest in women on boards and the factors leading to their success.Practical implicationsThe paper finds that the organisation featured in the original article did not turn out to be a tipping point in terms of women appointed to directors. Very little progress has taken place in the past eight years in terms of numbers of women on top boards, but the Davies report (2011) should prompt change.Originality/valueThe paper indicates that a great deal of research has developed since 2003 studying women on boards.
The valuation of privately held firms and litigation: a case study
Authors: Martins Antonio 
Published: May 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to discuss the questions arising from the use of discounted cash flow (DCF) method in the context of the valuation of a Portuguese subsidiary of a German firm. The process ended up in courts. Expert valuation was called. Two points are of particular relevance. First, given the past performance of the company and the external environment it faced, what would be a reasonable growth rate for free cash flow in the residual value period. Second, what questions arise form the assumption of seeing the subsidiary as a going concern, given that the German parent company had been opening new factories in India, China, Romania and Slovakia, and its presence in Portugal was far from guaranteed.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on case study which rests on a real legal and financial business situation. The case is used to illustrate the conceptual questions related to the use of the DCF method in valuing closely held firms, particularly the very significant impact of terminal value in the process of equity valuation.FindingsIt was found that very small variations in the growth rate assumed for the residual value period make a great difference in share valuation. Thus, the work of experts had to be very finely balanced, and the judge, when deciding on the fair value to be paid to the plaintiff based on expert opinion, should give careful consideration to scenarios.Practical implicationsA relevant point of the paper is to highlight the effect on business valuation of potential growth rates forecasted for the perpetual growth phase. That rate is, in this case influenced by eventual location changes that can result from globalization of industrial activity. Portuguese shareholders in foreign controlled joint ventures, and all the other stakeholders are facing important challenges from a new world economic order, and this case clearly illustrates some characteristics of this trend.Originality/valueThe paper is useful for managers that deal with business valuation cases that end in courts, by highlighting cash flow based methods and its central assumptions, and exploring critical areas that influence the final outcome of a lawsuit that is based on differences of hypothesis used in financial forecasting.
Special legal features of the Islamic wa'd or pledge
Authors: Wisham Ismail , Muneeza Aishath , Hassan Rusni 
Published: May 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to theoretically assess the legal position of the Islamic doctrine of wa'd (or pledge) in relation to 'aqd (within the sphere of Islamic finance), and compare it with the conventional viewpoint, while discussing the several modes/means/usages in terms of applied Shariah.Design/methodology/approachThe paper utilizes a doctrinal approach to focus on the theoretical aspect of the concept while attempting to suggest practical adaptation and structuring, enabling smoother and more efficient use. The status quo was dependent on the wa'd being an operational instrument in today's world and further development in terms of bridging the understanding was the approach.FindingsBefore invoking the legal validity of wa'd in a court, it is important to view the practice of wa'd to be a dominant ideology utilized in Islamic finance. The first advocate who called for the practice of the binding promise in commutative financial contracts was probably Sheikh Mustafa Al‐Zarqa who adopted the position that if it was admissible, for the unilateral promise (wa'd) to be binding in donations, then, in his view, it was even more justifiable for the wa'd to be binding in commutative contracts. According to the preponderant opinion among Maliki scholars, a unilateral promise is as binding as a contract if the reason was mentioned in it or the contract was initiated based on the promise, a view shared by scholars such as Imam Bukhari. The other point of view, according to contemporary jurists such as Al‐Syntiqi and Dr Muhamed Sulaiman opine that a unilateral promise would not create any liability upon the promisor and it also does not confer any right to the promisee, although from religion point of view, it is recommended to fulfill it.Practical implicationsFully understanding the modus operandi of a wa'd in key as today, wa'd has established itself within the domain of several transactions under Islamic banking and finance, such as replicating conventional short selling, structuring FOREX markets option and even operating in a double wa'd structure.Originality/valueThe paper would prove useful and informative on the theoratical aspect of the concept especially to students starting out in Islamic finance. For those already well versed or immersed in the field, the paper would certainly provide ideas and exploratory suggestions into the development of the concept in terms of enhancement.
Managerial relevance of internal audit
Authors: Alič Milena , Rusjan Borut 
Published: May 2011

PurposeIn order to stimulate the interest of company management in the business perspective of internal audit this paper aims to investigate the possibilities of using internal audit as a helpful managerial tool and describes the benefits of such use.Design/methodology/approachThe benefits of IA as a managerial tool are investigated on a review of the relevant literature. Theoretically based findings are tested analytically using evidence from empirical research and empirically by a case study research.FindingsInternal audit outcomes and benefits for management depend on the purpose of internal audit and on managers' support and expectations about it. The paper shows that in order to use internal audit as an effective managerial tool, internal audit has to be appropriately integrated within a strategic management system. The greatest benefits can be achieved by companies that are internally motivated to introduce the QMS which have a mature quality culture and QMS and their quality objectives linked to the business ones.Practical implicationsDiscussing internal audit benefits from a managerial point of view is not a common approach in the professional literature on this topic. However, covering managers' needs by using quality tools is one of the most important issues companies should understand in order to make these tools attractive and beneficial. Showing the results of a real‐life case can convince managers from other companies that benefits of using IA as a managerial tool are tangible.Originality/valueInternal audit purpose and results have been theoretically integrated within a broader managerial system of the company. This enables identification of possible business benefits resulting from appropriate implementation of internal audit itself and possible business benefits related to QMS and strategic management system of the company that can be affected through appropriate IA implementation.
Competitive strategic grouping for hospitals
Authors: Yasin Mahmoud M. , Gomes Carlos F. , Miller Phillip E. 
Published: May 2011

PurposeIn this research, hospitals with varying type, size and operational characteristics are grouped into distinct strategic groups. The competitive methods emphasised by these groups are studied. Also, the extent of effective implementation of quality improvement tools is examined. The purpose of this paper is to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approachUtilizing a sample of 109 hospitals, cluster analysis is used to accomplish the objective of this study.FindingsFour strategic groups of hospitals were identified. These groups tended to emphasize different competitive methods and quality improvement efforts implementation profiles.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings of this study have important implications for the relationship between operational performance and strategic effectiveness in a hospital operational environment.Practical implicationsThe findings of this research tend to emphasize the importance of patient's service and satisfaction to strategic effectiveness. Also, the findings stress the importance of clinical effectiveness at the operational level.Originality/valueThis study empirically examines operational and strategic performance‐related issues in a hospital operational environment.
ISO 9000 as an organisation development intervention
Authors: Srivastav Avinash Kumar 
Published: May 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the nature of ISO 9000, illustrate how ISO 9000 can be implemented in face of strong resistance to change, and demonstrate how comprehensive work redesign for higher organisational effectiveness can be realised through ISO 9000 implementation.Design/methodology/approachA novel model and process for ISO 9000 implementation in an Indian public sector manufacturing industry have been described. After successful implementation in several production units, the model was examined for congruence with well‐known frameworks in Organisation Development (OD).FindingsThe model has congruence with several OD frameworks. It complements OD by harnessing organisational knowledge through creative involvement of organisational members, adopting three‐tier working to involve the organisation at different levels, employing three‐phase execution to sustain organisational members' motivation throughout the programme; and realising comprehensive work redesign while attaining ISO 9000 certification.Originality/valueThe study show‐cases ISO 9000 as an excellent OD intervention.
Herding, information uncertainty and investors' cognitive profile
Authors: Fernández Beatriz , Garcia‐Merino Teresa , Mayoral Rosa , Santos Valle , Vallelado Eleuterio 
Published: May 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze the interaction between the availability of financial information and individuals' cognitive profiles to explain investors' herding behavior.Design/methodology/approachThe authors designed and conducted an experiment to observe the behavior of subjects in three settings, each with a different level of information.FindingsResults confirm that a dependence relation exists between information, investors' behavioral biases and the herding phenomenon. Moreover, the experiment shows that information concerning the number of previous transactions in the market is particularly relevant to explain herding propensity among investors. The findings indicate that the cognitive profile of investors is more relevant as the availability of information increases and the number of previous transactions in the market is low.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research should examine further the best way to measure the individual's cognitive profile and its interaction with information limitation in financial markets. The presence of high levels of uncertainty favors herding behavior regardless of inter‐individual differences, and only when the availability of information is high and the number of transactions is low does the subjects' cognitive profile explain the investors' herding behavior. Finally, it is observed that not all public information receives the same attention by investors. The attractiveness of public information requires further attention.Social implicationsThe herding phenomenon is difficult to anticipate because there are factors of a very diverse nature that intervene.Originality/valueThe research described in this paper measures investors' cognitive profile to identify the interaction between availability of information, cognitive profile and herding.