bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
What women want: barriers to female entrepreneurship in the West Midlands
Authors: Lockyer Joan , George Sharon 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the barriers that inhibit the development of female entrepreneurship in the West Midlands. This region is characterised by pronounced low levels of participation in higher education and entrepreneurship. With the support of funding from the Lifelong Learning Network (LLN), the paper contributes to a re‐evaluation of the current support available to women entrepreneurs and informs and aligns the provision of services to the needs of women across the region and beyond.Design/methodology/approachA study was commissioned by the LLN to identify the main barriers to female entrepreneurship in the Staffordshire, Telford & Wrekin and Shropshire areas. The main business support provision available to assist female entrepreneurs in June 2009 was mapped and these data were used in an online questionnaire to identify the level of awareness of this support provision amongst women in the target area, as part of the larger pilot study. An extensive online questionnaire consisting of 44 questions was designed in Version 1.82 of LimeSurvey, an open source PHP based survey tool. The survey was designed to capture information on the relationship between aspirations to start a business, demographic information, past experience of entrepreneurship, current skills levels, perceived barriers and knowledge of current business support provision.FindingsWhilst for many women accessibility to training was a major issue, an area of greater concern was found to be financial risk and the belief that women are less likely to start a business if they have a friend or family member with a business. The research findings suggested that even vicarious exposure to the pressures of running a business was a positive deterrent to entrepreneurship.Social implicationsThe research findings suggest that the mechanisms (business support agencies) through which information and support are provided to potential entrepreneurs needs to be reviewed. This preliminary research suggests that the existing infrastructure is inadequate and as business support is becoming more streamlined as a result of the public sector spending review, it could inform the nature and range of support provided to women entrepreneurs within the region and beyond.Originality/valueIn addition to contributing to development of strategy within the region, the authors feel that the research could have wider implication for regions with a similar economic profile to the West Midlands.
We don't need no education: the role of mentoring in the wider enterprise eco‐system
Authors: Price Alison , McMullan Lisa 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the role of mentoring in the wider enterprise eco‐system, with a specific focus on the potential of on‐line mentoring for women's enterprise.Design/methodology/approachThe paper offers insights into the approach adopted in taking mentoring experience and practice into a new field as part of a European Commission‐funded project.FindingsFindings to date highlight the need for support amongst women entrepreneurs, across a range of business sectors, in planning for and pursuing business growth. More specifically, the need for bespoke support and advice is highlighted, given that entrepreneurs are not a homogenous group and in light of the additional barriers that women encounter in business start‐up and growth.Originality/valueThe paper describes what is considered to be a unique programme being delivered in the UK, with findings holding wider applicability for policy makers, business support organisations and practitioners across jurisdictions.
Entrepreneurship education: exploring the gender dimension
Authors: Treanor Lorna 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this practitioner paper is to report on a recent discussion workshop exploring gender within entrepreneurship education.Design/methodology/approachThe paper sets out the policy background and extant literature pertaining to the contribution of entrepreneurship education for graduates and employers, which set the backdrop for the workshop.FindingsThe key conclusions and advocated approach and methods for embedding entrepreneurship education within veterinary curricula, in order to benefit entrepreneurial outcomes in a feminising profession, are highlighted.Originality/valueThe issue of gender aware entrepreneurship education is currently limited and so the workshop provided a useful think‐space for entrepreneurship and veterinary educators alike.
Intention to choose Halal products: the role of religiosity
Authors: Mukhtar Arshia , Mohsin Butt Muhammad 
Published: June 2012

Purpose
– Muslims living in multi-religious societies are considered more conscious about the permissibility (Halal) of products and thus the majority of Halal research in the non-financial sector was conducted in multi-ethnic societies. Nonetheless, the global trade is changing the way we perceive the origin of products and brands and their permissibility under Islamic Sharia laws. This apparently has serious implications for international companies operating in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of Muslim attitude towards Halal products, their subjective norms and religiosity in predicting intention to choose Halal products.

Design/methodology/approach
– A structured question was designed to elicit consumer attitude, subjective norms, intention to choose Halal products and degree of inter and intra personal religiosity. Data were collected from 180 adult respondents using a convenience sampling method. Only 150 responses were deemed suitable for further analysis, yielding a response rate of 83 per cent. Stepwise regression analysis was used to test the proposed model.

Findings
– The results indicated that theory of reasoned action (TRA) is a valid model in predicting intention to choose Halal products. The results further indicate that subjective norms (β=0.455, p, 0.001), attitude towards the Halal products (β=0.265, p, 0.001) and intra personal religiosity (β=0.167, p, 0.001) positively influence attitude towards the Halal products. Interestingly, subjective norm appears to be the strongest of all the predictors for choosing Halal products.

Research limitations/implications
– The data collected for the current study investigate global attitude towards Halal products. It would be interesting if future researchers examine consumers
'
attitude towards specific Halal products for specific product categories.

Practical implications
– It is argued in this research that the presence of strong attitude towards Halal products in Muslim consumers might play an important role in exclusion or inclusion of brands, based on their conformance to Halal requirements.

Originality/value
– The paper extends the applicability of the theory of reasoned action model by investigating the role of inter-personal and intra-personal religiosity in intention to choose Halal products.
Researching Muslim consumers: do they represent the fourth-billion consumer segment?
Authors: Ahmad Alserhan Baker , Ahmad Alserhan Zeid 
Published: June 2012

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to establish whether Muslim consumers qualify as a homogenous billion-consumer group and, if they do, ask if they have been researched adequately in comparison to the other established, three-billion consumer groups: China, India, and women.

Design/methodology/approach
– A review of articles and conference papers in the field of Islamic marketing was used to indicate the homogeneity or heterogeneity of the Muslim consumer group. This was followed by counting all of the articles that have been published in marketing journals listed in Business Source Premier database which are related to the consumer groups mentioned above.

Findings
– The article review revealed a near consensus on the homogeneity of the Muslim consumer group. Moreover, the article count revealed that the Muslim consumer segment is under-researched in comparison to all the other major consumer groups. Finally, it was found that only six of the high-ranking Marketing journals ranked within the top ten marketing journals published articles on one or more of the four segments identified in this study. The leading journals were clearly the Journal of International Marketing and the Journal of Industrial Marketing Management, publishing 50 and 49 articles, respectively, a number unmatched by any other high-ranking journal.

Originality/value
– This is the first study of its kind that presents empirical evidence about the amount of research Muslim consumers received within the last eight decades.
Religious beliefs and consumer behaviour: from loyalty to boycotts
Authors: Al-Hyari Khalil , Alnsour Muhammed , Al-Weshah Ghazi , Haffar Mohamed 
Published: June 2012

Purpose
– In a constantly changing and increasingly globalised world, religions still play a significant role in influencing social and consumer behavior. The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual model that explores the link between religious beliefs and consumers
'
boycotts towards particular products. Certain important concepts are linked to boycott, these include: conspicuous consumption of global brands, animosity and country of origin.

Design/methodology/approach
– First, a critical literature review on empirical consumer animosity, conspicuous consumption, religion, and consumption studies is undertaken. Second, qualitative techniques are used to collect the primary data. This is undertaken with reference to the case study of boycotting of the international Danish brands in Saudi Arabia, in order to highlight the relative emphasis of each of the factors that may influence consumer purchase behaviour of global brands.

Findings
– The findings of this study show that there is a strong relationship and a clear link between religiosity in Arabic/Islamic collectivist cultures and consumer behaviour (mainly boycotting). It also shows that consumers in such societies are collectively influenced by these factors when formulating their purchase decisions, particularly for international brands.

Research limitations/implications
– The sample was chosen from Saudi students living/studying in the UK. Hence, caution should be applied when generalising across other cultures. A future, larger-scale survey using questionnaire would be useful to confirm qualitative results drawn from this study. The findings of this paper offer pivotal implications for decision makers and the managers of those multinational companies who are interested in the Middle Eastern market.

Originality/value
– As a result of the increasing gap and cultural conflict between the Western and Muslim worlds, many international companies are negatively affected by the changes in the international environment, which is reflected in consumer behaviour. This is particularly highlighted when these events are related to religious issues. Although the consumer boycott phenomenon has existed for more than a century, only recently has it gained more popularity and motivated researchers to acknowledge it from a marketing/managerial perspective. Also, the paper offers guidance for future research in a field of research that is still in its infancy.
Perceived risks in travelling to the Islamic Republic of Iran
Authors: Reza Jalilvand Mohammad , Samiei Neda 
Published: June 2012

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to identify tourists
'
concerns about perceived risks while travelling to the Islamic Republic of Iran, investigate whether such risks are in any way mitigated by a traveler
'
s prior experience with the Islamic destination, and determine the impact of individual factors on tourists
'
perceived risks.

Design/methodology/approach
– The study examined survey data of 258 international tourists during their visit to Isfahan, Iran. Confirmatory factor analyses and analysis of variance were utilised, in order to find measurement models for each of the constructs and to analyze the relations between these constructs and individual factors.

Findings
– The results reveal that visitors had concerns about physical, financial, and psychological risks. The results also show that respondent
'
s individual characteristics such as gender, nationality, frequency of visits, and purpose of visit influenced their perceptions of risk. However, age and length of stay did not have significant impact on perceptions of risk. Respondents visiting friends and relatives were more likely to perceive Iran as safer than those on business or holiday. In addition, repeat travelers tended to have a more realistic perception about risks than did first-time travelers. The study
'
s findings add to the literature by offering more insight on tourist perceptions of risk in travelling to Islamic destinations.

Research limitations/implications
– Sampling was one of the limitations identified in this study. The fact that convenience sampling was used meant that results were not immediately transferable to other Islamic destinations. The study could be replicated at other visitor attractions in Islamic destinations perceived to have high risks, in order to gain insight into the effects of perceived risk on visitation and visitor behaviour.

Originality/value
– The contribution of the research is to broaden the understanding of tourists
'
concerns in travelling to Islamic destinations and the role frequency of visits, gender, nationality, and purpose of visit play for marketers when providing inbound tourists with facilities.
Bridging the theory and practice gap in emergency services research: a case for a new journal
Authors: Wankhade Paresh , Murphy Peter 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide the rationale underpinning this new journal in addressing the apparent gap and fragmented nature of the emergency services research, to introduce the papers in this inaugural issue and encourage readers and potential contributors to support the International Journal of Emergency Services (IJES).Design/methodology/approachThe paper introduces the new journal, and its intention to challenge the current “silo approach” which isolates the academic and practitioner community. It also outlines the editorial intentions for the journal, linking the theme and selected papers for the inaugural issue to the future editorial direction of the journal.FindingsEmergency function resides with a host of agencies including the three “blue light” services (police, fire and ambulance). IJES is an opportunity to publish up‐to‐date and original research contributions for the benefit of scholars, policy makers and practitioners in these areas, including the interface of policy and practice at national, regional and global level.Originality/valueArticulating the IJES vision in addressing the apparent gaps in emergency services research, including the theory‐practise divide, this paper provides useful knowledge to potential readers who are interested in emergency services research. It also highlights some potential areas for research.
Safety culture in the US fire service: an empirical definition
Authors: Pessemier William L. , England Robert E. 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive model of safety culture for the US fire service.Design/methodology/approachBased upon a modified version of Cooper’s Reciprocal Determinism Model, the research uses two sets of exogenous variables, labeled Safety Management System and Safety Related Behaviors, to explain a dependent variable called Organizational Safety Climate. The model has been used successfully to improve safety performance in other high risk, high performance organizations. Using survey data collected from over 1,000 firefighters in three medium‐sized US municipalities, the theoretical model is tested.FindingsResults from multiple regression analyses provide strong support for the hypothesis that individual perceptions of safety management and safety behavior predict individual perceptions of safety climate, both at the “fire service” organizational level and at the individual department level.Research limitations/implicationsLimitations of the study include a cross‐sectional design, the use of self‐reported perceptions for the variables, and the fact that the three mid‐sized US fire departments from which data were gathered self‐selected to participate in the study.Practical implicationsA practical feature of the theoretical model tested is the ability to create “safety report cards” for each of the 12 dimensions that define the three variables used in the study.Social implicationsThis model holds the promise of reducing firefighter injuries and deaths by identifying managerial and behavioral safety improvement areas within US fire departments.Originality/valueTo the authors’ knowledge, this research represents the first attempt to both identify and test empirically a safety culture model for the US fire service.
Policing for the people
Authors: Barton Harry , Beynon Malcolm J. 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe UK police service has a major challenge to introduce innovative ways of improving efficiency and productivity, whilst at the same time improving public opinion as to their effectiveness in the “fight against crime”. The purpose of this paper is to outline an exploratory study of the ability to cluster police forces based on their sanction detection levels over a number of different offence groups and whether these clusters have different associated public opinions towards them.Design/methodology/approachUsing secondary data and the fuzzy c‐means clustering technique to exposit clusters of police forces based on sanction detection levels, relating them in a statistical analysis with public opinion on the police.FindingsThe clustering analysis shows how police forces can be considered relative to each other, based on their sanction detection levels of certain offence groups, including; burglary, fraud and forgery and criminal damage. Using the established clusters of police forces, in respect of independent variables relating to public opinion, including confidence in police; there does appear to be statistically significant differences amongst the clusters of police force.Research limitations/implicationsThe results demonstrate the connection between the police's attempt to fight crime and public opinion. With the public opinion measures considered post the establishing of police forces’ clusters, the results show the public does notice the level of sanction detections achieved. The identified disconnect of the public with the criminal justice system is something that can be improved on in the future.Practical implicationsDemonstrates that there is a significant link in the relationship between the levels of sanction detection levels of police forces and public opinion about their ability to fight crime.Originality/valueThis paper employs fuzzy c‐means, a modern clustering technique nascent in this area of research.
The quest of marine accidents due to human error, 1998‐2011
Authors: Goulielmos Alexandros M. , Lathouraki Georgia , Giziakis Costas 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to show the link between human error and marine accidents.Design/methodology/approachThe authors carried out field research and also used empirical evidence.FindingsUntil 1998, the human side has been neglected, for centuries, in favor of the technical side. Even after 1998 improper focus did not eliminate marine accidents.Research limitations/implicationsLack of data between human error and marine accidents.Practical implicationsThe paper is addressed to the maritime community and its safety administration in the EU and IMO, to eliminate human error.Social implicationsThere is potential for reduction of human injuries, deaths and marine pollution.Originality/valueThe paper is of value as no prior research, in depth, has been done to see what is behind the standard etiquette “human error” in marine accidents.
Fire and rescue service reconfiguration: a case study in Nottinghamshire
Authors: Murphy Peter , Greenhalgh Kirsten , Parkin Craig 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate the practical implementation of the Integrated Risk Management Planning process through its application within the Fire Cover Review project in Nottinghamshire, in order to identify good practice and recommendations for improving the process and its implementation.Design/methodology/approachThe paper takes the form of an in‐depth case study over an 18 month period using participant observation, documents analysis, interviews with key stakeholders and the response to a public consultation exercise.FindingsRecent public expenditure restrictions manifestly influenced and contextualised the attitude and response from the public and all key stakeholders to the project. It was the first consultation undertaken by the Service which was also significantly affected by the internet and social media. The open and transparent approach adopted reduced misinformation and promoted ownership and accountability of the project, from both the Service and the Authority.Originality/valueThe paper is the first comprehensive review of the reconfiguration of services undertaken during the current financial crisis and in the context of the new coalition government's public sector policy.
Skin sclerosis as a manifestation of POEMS syndrome
Authors: HASEGAWA Minoru , ORITO Hidemitsu , YAMAMOTO Keiko , MATSUSHITA Takashi , HAMAGUCHI Yasuhito , FUJIMOTO Manabu , TAKEHARA Kazuhiko 
Published: June 2012

ABSTRACTWe report a case of a 64‐year‐old man with POEMS (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal gammopathy and skin changes) syndrome that had been previously misdiagnosed as systemic sclerosis. He had typical symptoms of POEMS syndrome, however, the existence of skin sclerosis, contracture of fingers and pigmentation were similar to that of systemic sclerosis. Ten patients, including the patient discussed in this case, visited our department between 1990 and 2011. Among them, five patients had skin sclerosis. Therefore, we compared skin lesions and clinical/laboratory features of POEMS syndrome and systemic sclerosis in an attempt to distinguish these disorders. Regarding the cutaneous and laboratory findings, the existence of hemangioma or hypertrichosis is indicative of POEMS syndrome. By contrast, the existence of systemic sclerosis‐specific autoantibodies, nail fold bleeding, digital ulcer/digital pitting scar or telangiectasia is highly suggestive of systemic sclerosis. To our knowledge, this is the first report to discuss in detail the differentiation between POEMS syndrome and systemic sclerosis.