bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Changes in the Molecular Epidemiological Characteristics of Methicillin-ResistantStaphylococcus aureusin a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Carey Alison J. , Della-Latta Phyllis , Huard Richard , Wu Fann , Graham Phillip L. , Carp Diane , Saiman Lisa 
Published: April 2010

Objective.To determine whether the molecular epidemiological characteristics of methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) had changed in a level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).Design.Retrospective review of medical records.Setting.Level III NICU of a university-affiliated children's hospital in New York, New York.Patients.Case patients were neonates hospitalized in the NICU who were colonized or infected with MRSA.Methods.Rates of colonization and infection with MRSA during the period from 2000 through 2008 were assessed. Staphylococcal chromosomal cassette (SCC)mecAanalysis and genotyping forS. aureusencoding protein A (spa) were performed on representative MRSA isolates from each clonal pulsed-field gel electrophoresis pattern.Results.Endemic MRSA infection and colonization occurred throughout the study period, which was punctuated by 4 epidemiologic investigations during outbreak periods. During the study period, 93 neonates were infected and 167 were colonized with MRSA. Surveillance cultures were performed for 1,336 neonates during outbreak investigations, and 115 (8.6%) neonates had MRSA-positive culture results. During 2001-2004, healthcare-associated MRSA clones, carrying SCCmectype II, predominated. From 2005 on, most MRSA clones were community-associated MRSA with SCCmectype IV, and in 2007, USA300 emerged as the principal clone.Conclusions.Molecular analysis demonstrated a shift from healthcare-associated MRSA (2001-2004) to community-associated MRSA (2005-2008).
Orally‐based information
Authors: Turner Deborah 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore a new research area: orally‐based information.Design/methodology/approachThe study utilizes a social constructionist approach. The social constructionist meta‐theory, which holds that contributions to knowledge can be made orally, frames it.FindingsThe paper explicates how orality, or word‐of‐mouth transactions, conveys information; describes approaches for investigating orally‐based information; and articulates the need for future information behavior investigations that focus on orality.Research limitations/implicationsThe research exploration focuses on face‐to‐face oral data. It calls for increased attention to orally‐based information, and offers tentative suggestions for accomplishing this goal.Practical implicationsThe results provide insight that assist in understanding how orally‐based information intersects with information behavior, knowledge management, information policy, cultural heritage, and professional development that involves orality.Originality/valueThe paper builds a theoretical foundation for increased understanding of the meaning and functions of orally‐based information.
RFID technology implementation in two libraries in New Delhi
Authors: Madhusudhan Margam 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the use and implementation of RFID technology at the Indian Law Institute Library and National Social Science Documentation Centre Library, New Delhi.Design/methodology/approachA survey was conducted at the two libraries, using a structured questionnaire comprising 20 questions.FindingsIt was found that after implementation of RFID in both the libraries the check‐in and check‐out time is reduced to less than 20 seconds per item, and use of the libraries has also increased. Neither library had calculated the saving of staff time by performing multiple check‐out and check‐in of items. High cost is the most significant challenge faced after implementation of RFID technology.Originality/valueThe paper provides the advantages of RFID technology for libraries and recommends this technology to other libraries for faster and better services to their users.
A report on the 30th Annual Conference of the International Association of Scientific and Technological University Libraries (IATUL)
Authors: Tripathi Manorama 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThe paper aims to report on the 30th IATUL Annual Conference held in Leuven, Belgium, 1‐4 June, 2009Design/methodology/approachThe paper summarises the major themes of the conference as well as giving some specific details of developments at the Indira Gandhi National Open University in India, which supplement the author's presentation at the conference.FindingsThe IATUL conference included a wide gamut of important issues faced by the libraries in the knowledge society of the twenty‐first century. The delegates exchanged ideas and learnt of best practices prevalent in libraries across the globe. The conference provided insights into the issues of innovation, change, benchmarking, quality assurance, Web 2.0 tools, information literacy, free internet resources and so forth.Originality/valueIt was a conference of immense value for library and information professionals. It raised important issues; problems faced by the libraries today and offered tentative solutions.
HRM in the Hungarian SME sector
Authors: Richbell Suzanne , Szerb László , Vitai Zsuzsanna 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThis paper aims to provide an original picture of a selection of human resource management (HRM) activities in the micro, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Hungary and to explore the extent to which these activities can be related to variations in firm size and variations in firm performance.Design/methodology/approachThe study measures the presence or absence of a selection of HRM activities through a questionnaire survey of a large sample of 678 Hungarian SMEs.FindingsHungarian SMEs, in their working relationships, are closer to the “happy family” model of the SME than the “bleak house” model. Employee morale was perceived as high and only one in ten SMEs felt their employees were opposed to change. Owners were reluctant to seek advice from those outside the firm. They also showed reluctance to discuss future plans with their employees although they did tend to consult employees who would be affected directly by any change. Communication within SMEs was predominantly informal. Surprisingly, given the skills shortages highlighted by SMEs in other economies, very few of the Hungarian SMEs identified skills shortages as a problem and formal training programmes were reported only rarely. Variations between micro, small and medium sized firms are highlighted to emphasize the heterogeneous nature of the Hungarian SME sector.Research limitations/implicationsThe HRM activities considered provide a picture of only a small number of HRM activities in Hungarian SMEs but the findings imply the relationships examined here are deserving of further exploration both in Hungary and other transition economies.Originality/valueThe paper provides a detailed picture of selected aspects of HRM in smaller businesses within a transition economy.
Business continuity management in large construction companies in Singapore
Authors: Pheng Low Sui , Liu Junying , Sio Stephen 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThe aim of this study is to determine whether large construction companies practise business continuity management (BCM), the type of crises which companies deem impactful for their organizations and their reactions to certain crises.Design/methodology/approachA survey of 22 large construction companies in Singapore was conducted.FindingsThe survey suggests that, although the importance and usefulness of having BCM are clear, the receptiveness of BCM among large construction firms is far from ideal. In today's unpredictable environment, there is a tendency for catastrophes to occur unexpectedly and to bring about undesired consequences. A large majority of the respondents did not have any form of BCM practices within their organization. This is mainly because they were unaware of what constitutes a business continuity plan.Research limitations/implicationsThe survey was conducted only among large construction companies; as such, the results obtained cannot be used to represent the entire industry. However, focusing on the larger companies is strategically correct for a start, because BCM‐related initiatives, if any, tend to be undertaken by the larger companies, as they have the necessary resources, such as manpower and finance, to do so.Practical implicationsTo be successful in promoting BCM in the building industry, the relevant authorities in Singapore, such as the Building and Construction Authority, should demonstrate to construction companies how beneficial BCM is for the company's operations, so that they can be better equipped to meet future challenges more confidently.Originality/valueAs with all other businesses, an effective business continuity plan is critical to companies in the construction industry. Being in an industry that is constantly subjected to internal and external pressure, construction companies are likely to incur costly errors if they are caught unprepared when a crisis strikes. This is the first ever study of BCM in the construction industry.
A method for action research interventions to improve joint problem solving in operational teams in the Swedish construction industry
Authors: Sunding Lars , Odenrick Per 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to test an intervention technique developed earlier. The technique builds on an action research approach with a threefold aim: to produce change in a practical context, in our case to enhance the problem‐solving capacity in an operational team in an authentic construction project, and at the same time; test the technique and finally, extract additional knowledge about the problem area.Design/methodology/approachThe technique is based on “the Skilled Facilitator” approach and the “krAft” concept, extended with knowledge about unconscious behaviour and focusing on counteracting counterproductive behaviour. The intervention was performed by the first author and studied through joint reflection, in part with the second author and in part with the participants, on documentation from meetings (notes and audio recordings), individual interviews, questionnaires, and observations.FindingsThe intervention technique developed was found to be effective in the aspect of creating efficient learning processes in the operational team. Results show that change occurred compared to the participants' experience from earlier construction projects, and indicates that the intervention was, at least partly, reason for the change. Even though the changes were apprehended both positive and negative, the positive changes were in the majority.Originality/valueThe paper creates new knowledge about how communication problems and other practical problems in the construction industry can be overcome with the help of an interventionist. The concept of the interventionist as a “liberator,” is introduced.
The relative importance of sector and regional factors in the hotel industry
Authors: Giannotti Claudio , Mattarocci Gianluca , Spinelli Luca 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to compare the role of the sector and geographical features in explaining the performance of a hotel structure.Design methodology/approachThe paper constructs a measure of net profit for available room (GOPPAR) for a representative sample of Italian hotels and uses a constrained linear regression model in order to identify the role of sectoral and geographical features. The analysis is released adopting a multiple cross sectional approach and considering not only the average role of sectoral and geographic characteristic, but also the time trend of relation inspected.FindingsResults obtained show that the overall national trend is not significant for explaining the performance of each hotel. Considering geographical and sectoral features, the first of these explain better the disalignment of the performance respect to the national average.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper proposes an analysis of the hotel industry using a standard geo‐sectoral classification. More data about the characteristics of the firms considered in the sample could allow to define a more detailed model that consider also other hotel features that could impact on the demand and supply of the service.Practical implicationsResults could be useful for the hotel chains and for institutional investors specialized in the hotel sector, in order to define a first guideline for the property selection process and diversification portfolio strategy.Originality/valueThe paper represents the first work that analyse the role of regional and sectoral factors in explaining the performance of the hotel industry and supports the thesis proposed with and empirical evidence on world leading market (Italy).
The strategic importance of tacit knowledge management activities in construction
Authors: Chen L. , Mohamed Sherif 
Published: April 2010

PurposeTacit knowledge is perceived as the most strategically important resource of the construction organisation, and the only renewable and sustainable base for its activities and competitiveness. Knowledge management (KM) activities that deal with tacit knowledge are essential in helping an organisation to achieve its long‐term organisational objectives. The purpose of this paper is to provide empirical evidence for the stronger strategic role of tacit KM in comparison to explicit KM.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire survey was administered in 2005 to a sample of construction contractors operating in Hong Kong to elicit opinions on the internal business environment, intensity of KM activities as executed by targeted organisations, and contribution of these activities to business performance (BP). A total of 149 usable responses were received from 99 organisations representing about 38 per cent of the sampling frame. The statistical analyses helped to map the reported KM activities into two groups that, respectively, deal with tacit and explicit knowledge. The sensitivity to variations of organisational policies and strength of association with BP in relation to the two groups of KM activities were also compared empirically. A total of 15 interviews with the managerial and professional staff of leading contractors was undertaken to provide insightful narratives of KM implementations.FindingsThe effective implementation of organisational policies, such as encouraging innovations and strengthening strategic guidance for KM, would facilitate human interactions of tacit KM. Higher intensity of activities in managing tacit knowledge would ultimately help the organisations to achieve economic gain in the long run.Originality/valueThe stronger strategic role of tacit KM is empirically investigated and established within the context of construction organisations.
The use of interorganisational ICT in construction projects: a critical perspective
Authors: Adriaanse Arjen , Voordijk Hans , Dewulf Geert 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThe objective of this paper is to demonstrate how a critical perspective (i.e. critical social theory) can be applied to provide understanding and insights into mechanisms as to why interorganisational information communication technologies (ICT) in construction projects is not used in the intended way.Design/methodology/approachHabermas' critical social theory, in particular his models of action, is used for the critical analysis. From this perspective, the intended and actual use of document management and workflow management systems are studied in two construction projects.FindingsIn construction projects, interorganisational ICT is intended to support instrumental action, communicative action and sometimes also dramaturgical action. However, in practice, this ICT is not used in the intended way because actors adopt strategic action and normatively regulated action as well.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper confirms the importance of analysing the social system and the technical system, and how these interact, to understand how and why actors use interorganisational ICT.Originality/valueThis paper demonstrates how a critical social theory provides insights into mechanisms as to why interorganisational ICT in construction projects is not used in the intended way.
Strategic factors affecting warehouse maintenance costs
Authors: De Marco Alberto , Ruffa Suela , Mangano Giulio 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to determine the fundamental factors influencing maintenance costs of logistic buildings and to provide benchmark indications for designing maintenance efficient warehouses that contribute to the enhancement of business performance.Design/methodology/approachThe relations between factors and indicators of building facilities maintenance costs are examined using regression analysis of a dataset collected from about 100 distribution warehouses leased by a leading global freight provider throughout Italy.FindingsMaintenance cost reduction can only be achieved by making appropriate design decisions on the strategic characteristics of warehouse facilities. In particular, the location and the age of a building are relevant factors of breakdown maintenance, while the monthly volume of freight transiting the warehouse is a significant cost factor of maintenance due to damage.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper is limited to logistic service providing organisations, has local impact, and does not consider operational requirements in suggesting design criteria. Further research may gainfully generalise the model by examining other businesses, geographical areas and industrial operations issues. Leasing and frequently relocating facilities have emerged as appropriate distribution management strategies to control location, size and age of a building, and thus to face dynamic business conditions.Originality/valueThis paper provides maintenance cost benchmarks and supports design decision making of distribution warehouse facilities.
Transformational learning: challenging assumptions in the workplace
Authors: Mathis Daniel 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThe article aims to offer organizational leadership a framework to integrate opportunities for transformation learning into workplace experiences and maximize the personal growth of employees. Transformational learning is a concept often discussed within higher and adult education but rarely considered in the workplace; the article offers an opportunity to conceptualize transformational learning in workplace contexts.Design/methodology/approachTwo summaries of transformational learning theory shape a foundational understanding of transformational learning. The conceptual framework is connected to examples of transformational learning in the workplace and subsequently offers three areas, cross‐cultural experiences, interactive leadership and development, and action research projects, for leaders to integrate into their practice.FindingsTransformational learning can be observed and encouraged within the workplace. Organizational leadership can be intentional about the incorporation of opportunities for transformational learning.Practical implicationsLeaders must re‐frame their approach to cultural diversity, training and development, and action research. This altered perspective does not require an overhaul of existing policies and procedures, but a change to the way leaders think about workplace experiences and communicate with employees.Originality/valueThe article connects a substantial body of literature on transformational learning in a new way – in the context of work. In the process of questioning their assumptions and the assumptions of others, leaders become adept at critical thinking, empathy, and the ability to provide opportunities for the personal growth in the workplace.
Evaluation of nutrient status of different organic wastes along with environmental quality in the different phases of vermicomposting by Perionyx excavatus Perrier
Authors: Chanda G.K. , Bhunia G. , Chakraborty S.K. 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to assess the trend of changes of nutritional status and environmental quality of different decomposing organic wastes in different phases of vermicomposting utilizing an indigenous earthworm's species Perionyx excavatus.Design/methodology/approachFour different organic wastes were selected as basic ingredients for vermicompost production. Dried waste materials (2 kg) of each were mixed with dried cow dung and placed in experimental plastic trays with 60 individuals of selected earthworm species. Samples were collected from each tray at an interval of 15 days. Six trays were used: three were with both wastes, three trays having only wastes were treated as control.FindingsRegression equation has shown the rate of change of nutrients – both in control and experiment vermicomposting units over time – which revealed significant changes of C, N, P and C/N ratio during different phases of vermicomposting.Practical implicationsVermitechnology is now being considered as an eco‐friendly, user‐friendly and cost‐effective biotechnological tool for the conversion of decomposable organic wastes into valuable organic manure, ensuring pollution abatement, self employment and sustainability in agriculture.Originality/valueThe paper helps to identify the potential of locally available earthworm species and organic materials for the mass production of vermicompost involving local peoples and locally available bioresources.
Structuring stakeholder e‐inclusion needs
Authors: Wright David 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThis purpose of this paper is to identify principal stakeholders and needs in e‐inclusion, with particular reference to senior citizens, determining to what extent those needs are being met or could be met by other stakeholders. It considers inclusive stakeholder organisational structures that could address unmet needs.Design/methodology/approachAlthough the European Commission (EC), Member States, local authorities, industry, and researchers have called for greater collaboration and partnerships among stakeholders to overcome the so‐called digital divides, little attention has been giv]en to the form of collaboration. Reviewing various policy‐oriented documents, this paper compiles a list of principal stakeholders and their e‐inclusion needs, reviews existing multi‐stakeholder undertakings and partnership structures as candidates for addressing needs not already met.FindingsMany important e‐inclusion needs are not addressed by any multi‐stakeholder undertaking. Some structured collaboration or partnership should address those needs. A new structure should not merely represent all interested stakeholders, but involve them in decision‐making processes.Research limitations/implicationsThis is a conceptual paper, constrained by length from producing a detailed list of needs. Similarly, although the paper identifies 12 different stakeholder categories, some could be further segmented.Practical implicationsFurther research and analysis could be undertaken sourcing each identified need, perhaps adding others and further segmenting stakeholder categories.Originality/valueThe paper is of value to stakeholders involved or interested in e‐inclusion efforts. It uses a novel, straight‐forward, approach for identifying stakeholders and needs, who can meet those needs and who is addressing those needs.