bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Age associated changes in older consumers retail behaviour
Authors: Meneely Lisa , Burns Amy , Strugnell Chris 
Published: October 2009

PurposeAn understanding of consumer behaviour will enable service providers to segment their client base and target specific customer groups with strategies designed to meet their retail needs. Hence, an insight into and understanding of how consumers interact with and evaluate a retail offering will help improve customer service and satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to examine the changes in consumers' food retail behaviour with regard to the demographic variable of age, based on the older population. This paper focuses on food shoppers aged over 60 years living independently in Northern Ireland. The retail geography in Northern Ireland has changed and whilst affecting all consumers has impacted to a greater degree on older consumers. This and the fact that the over 60 age group is increasing demographically illustrate why this consumer segment is worthy of greater consideration.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative methodological approach is employed and data are collected using a consumer questionnaire (n=791). The questionnaire is analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 15.FindingsThe results show that as age increases older consumers' retail buying and food‐related behaviour changes. A decline in patronage of multiple retailers is evident as age increases; as is consumers' perceived value of multi‐purchase promotions and nutritional confidence. Alongside increasing age there is an apparent increase in the use of local shops, the enjoyment gained from shopping, the difficulty experienced in accessing food retail sites and the problems experienced when cooking.Practical implicationsThis paper suggests that age may be used to differentiate between customer groups and retailers must take age into consideration when providing a product offering and in retail provision for the elderly consumer.Originality/valueThis paper fulfils a need for information on older consumers' retail behaviour in Northern Ireland and offers advice to food retailers attempting to better serve this increasingly important consumer segment.
Corporate identity manifested through historical references
Authors: Blombäck Anna , Brunninge Olof 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to focus on how firms draw on historical references in corporate marketing. The paper seeks to analyze the logic behind such efforts from a corporate identity perspective and to propose potential risks and/or benefits of doing so. The paper aims to inspire the understanding of how references to history are used in marketing and the outcome of such use.Design/methodology/approachThe paper mainly draws on literature relating to corporate marketing and the use of history in organizations. Combining these theories, and pointing at empirical examples, the paper clarifies why references to history can be important manifestations of corporate identity. The paper comes up with propositions concerning what consequences the reference to history in corporate marketing can have for firms' marketing strategies and business development.FindingsThe paper outlines a connection among corporate identity, organizational identity, and image through corporate communications. It suggests that among the range of corporate characteristics, historical references can be particular valuable for corporate communications thanks to the reliability age can provide (as opposed to liabilities of newness). Still, elaborations suggest that the planned use of historical references has both pros and cons in terms of business development.Originality/valueDespite the notion that history, as an inevitable and distinctive firm feature, can play an important role in corporate marketing, research on the topic is quite scarce. This paper offers some remedy to this gap by elaborating on the internal and external rationales for applying historical references and how these can be explained in connections between corporate identity and history.
Advertising corporate social responsibility initiatives to communicate corporate image
Authors: Pomering Alan , Johnson Lester W. 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a set of research propositions concerned with how the alignment between socially responsible corporate image and corporate identity might be enhanced through the reduction of scepticism by considering diagnostic dimensions of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) image advertising claim.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reviews corporate image advertising, the tool investigated for informing about the firm's CSR record, discusses the scepticism construct and theoretical explanations of why this communication approach might induce scepticism, considers extant empirical findings that lend support to these theories, and describes several elements of CSR advertising claims considered to be diagnostic and capable of inhibiting scepticism responses to CSR image advertisements among consumers. Research propositions are advanced and discussed.FindingsThe paper provides conceptual insights into reducing consumer scepticism toward CSR‐based corporate identity communicated via corporate image advertising.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper advances four research propositions, and proposes a method for testing these propositions.Practical implicationsThe paper acknowledges the increase in CSR‐based corporate image advertising, discusses why such communication approaches may be prone to consumer scepticism, and considers message elements to inhibit this persuasion‐eroding cognitive response.Originality/valueThis paper suggests a study to understand how corporate identity based on CSR achievements can be more persuasively communicated via CSR‐based corporate image advertising
How money got its tail (not too light; not too heavy; but “just so”)
Authors: Powers Michael R. 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the theoretical basis for heavy‐tailed asset‐return distributions.Design/methodology/approachThrough a simple model of asset‐price formation, one can formulate the asset‐return random variable, ln (Pt/Pt−1), as a constant plus the natural log of a ratio of Bernoulli proportions. This random variable admits of different approximations, whose distributions may be studied analytically.FindingsThe paper finds that for two reasonable approximations to the asset‐return random variable, the tails are approximately exponential. This suggests that the Gaussian assumption provides a poor “starting point” for asset‐pricing models, and empirically validated heavy‐tailed behavior is likely the result of time‐dependent components in the tail parameters.Originality/valueThe editorial offers a theoretical analysis of asset‐return distributions using parsimonious modeling assumptions.
Consolidation of performance measures in a supply chain environment
Authors: Sambasivan Murali , Nandan Tamizarasu , Abidin Mohamed Zainal 
Published: October 2009

PurposeMany researchers have stressed the importance of using the right measures and metrics to manage a supply chain efficiently and effectively and have developed them from different perspectives. The basic purpose of this paper is to consolidate the measures and metrics that have been developed so far, verify the relevance of these measures from the practitioners, produce a usable list with proper classification (database), and demonstrate the use of this database through a case study.Design/methodology/approachAn initial list of metrics and measures is consolidated after analyzing the literature (journals and books) and web sites that deal with supply chains and conducting interviews with industry practitioners. A questionnaire is designed with these measures and metrics and is sent to 300 companies within the electronics industry in Malaysia to obtain feedback from the industry practitioners about the relevance of these measures. A case study is conducted with an electronics manufacturing company to demonstrate the use of the database to identify relevant measures and metrics.FindingsAbout 838 performance measures form the initial list. From these, the practitioners consider 159 important and very important measures and 135 are in use in the industry. The entire list of measures is classified into the following metrics: Fund flow, Internal process flow, Material flow, Sales and services flow, Information flow, and Partner evaluation. These metrics are further classified into different groups of measures using confirmatory factor analysis.Research limitations/implicationsOnly the industry practitioners from electronics industry in Malaysia participate in the study to identify the relevant measures and metrics.Originality/valueThe paper will be valuable to the academicians and practitioners working to develop measures and metrics for manufacturing supply chains.
The impact of enterprise application integration on stock prices
Authors: Roztocki Narcyz , Weistroffer Heinz Roland 
Published: October 2009

PurposeEnterprise application integration (EAI) technologies are critical to functionally integrate diverse corporate computer systems, and as such may be expected to have a positive effect on business value. The purpose of this paper is to examine the market reaction to announcements of EAI investments as a surrogate for investor perceived business value of such technology.Design/methodology/approachAn event study approach is used with 81 announcements of EAI investments between 1998 and 2005, taken from Lexis‐Nexis database.FindingsThe results suggest that investors do not always receive EAI investments positively, especially if the announcements are from financially distressed companies and if market conditions are unfavorable.Research limitations/implicationsLimitations include the possibility of confounding events, possible bias in the identified announcements, and our focus on EAI technology only. Future research may try to better account for confounding events, identify a more comprehensive list of relevant announcements, and also look at other technologies.Practical implicationsManagers should not view EAI technology as a panacea for organizational problems. Financial markets mostly respond negatively to EAI announcements when the announcing company is perceived as an investment risk or the announcement is released during bear market conditions.Originality/valueThis study expands the existing body of knowledge on IT contribution to market value. The focus on EAI technology allows for better comparison of results and testing of hypotheses. Also new is the finding that perceived company risk as well as market conditions play an important role in the reaction to IT investment announcements.
The relationship between benefits of ERP systems implementation and its impacts on firm performance of SCM
Authors: Yang Chyan , Su Yi‐fen 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide managers with a critical insight into the relationship between the benefits of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems implementation and the impacts on firm performance of supply chain management (SCM).Design/methodology/approachThis study proposes a structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze the relationship between ERP benefits and SCM performance. Hypotheses derived from the key benefits of adopting ERP system and related SCM practices presented by previous authors. An empirical survey is conducted to collect data from Taiwanese IT companies listed in the Taiwan Stock Exchanges on several aspects of firm competences and supply chain performance that adopted ERP systems and/or SCM systems.FindingsThe results confirm the operational, tactical, and strategic benefits of ERP for the firm performance of SCM in the internal and external business processes, customer service, and cost management, except for the strategic benefits of ERP are not significant predictors of SCM performance in the external business process. Furthermore, responses show that ERP implementations in these Taiwanese companies have a significant impact on other companies, both small and medium‐size enterprise (SME), within the global supply chain.Originality/valueThis study extends research efforts concerning the relationship between ERP benefits and SCM performance, which the unequivocally positive results are not surprising, yet differ from most of other studies. This fundamental framework is expected not only to aid managers to make better decisions on how they cultivate specific SCM competences but also to conclude that future research can extend the focus to the impact on SCM competences of the aid of external tools such as supplier/customer relationship management, and internet‐based collaborative commerce systems.
Beyond criticism: towards alternatives
Authors: Murphy Jonathan 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to argue for more widespread and consistent engagement of critical management scholars in influencing policy debates on globalisation, social and economic justice, and the proper role of international business.Design/methodology/approachThe paper explores the reasons that critical management studies (CMS) scholars have been relatively absent from the policy debate surrounding the global economic crisis beginning in 2007. It begins by reviewing the opportunities for policy engagement provided by the crisis, and outlining some of the notable contributions to the debate that have been made by critical management scholars. The paper lists and discusses six factors that need to be addressed if CMS is to have a bigger practical policy impact in the future.FindingsThe paper asserts that the critical management scholarly community could have been more effective in the contemporary global economic crisis. Some common policy objectives need to be settled upon, including a global focus on egalitarianism. There is a need to move beyond the exhausted epistemological debate between Marxism and post‐structuralism, and to pay more attention to practical policy impact. CMS scholars should resist academic narrow‐casting, keep a focus on meta‐narratives, and treat each other more collegially.Originality/valueThe paper encourages discussion within the critical management scholarly community on the need for engagement in practical policy debate and advocacy.
The Bologna Process, globalisation and engineering education developments
Authors: Uhomoibhi James O. 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to report on the Bologna Process in the light of globalisation and examine how it affects curriculum and engineering education developments.Design/methodology/approachThe growing need for creative competitiveness and the striving for specific profiles of engineering qualifications that are of high quality whilst taking account of diversity, transparency have resulted in the declaration of the Bologna Process. The qualifications framework proposed involving the cycle systems are examined taking account of globalization, quality assurance, management and diversity of needs. The future opportunities are explored taking account of global expectations.FindingsThe present research reveals that the Bologna Process provides a means through which higher education institutions (HEIs) can be encouraged to provide more attractive curricula for the younger generation for differing cultures whilst catering for the broad range of engineering fields where they could become more active later. The point is made that it serves to re‐invent engineering to meet the needs of the twenty‐first century.Research limitations/implicationsThe present investigation focuses on the Bologna Process and its implications on engineering education in Europe. Future work hopes to extend this to other disciplines and to examine global effects in diverse cultures and also from gender, economic and development perspectives.Practical implicationsThis paper could provoke HEIs outside Europe to evaluating their policies, revise strategies and moderate existing provisions, thereby assessing impact of the Bologna Process on engineering education in different countries and cultures.Originality/valueAccount is taken of the diversity and transparency which have resulted in the declaration of the Bologna Process. The paper discusses and reports on developments, prospects and challenges faced in the engineering curriculum provision following the introduction of the Bologna Process in the culturally diverse European higher education area. The new field of process systems engineering is also reported.
Gap junctions sensitize cancer cells to proteasome inhibitor MG132‐induced apoptosis
Authors: Huang Tao , Zhu Ying , Fang Xin , Chi Yuan , Kitamura Masanori , Yao Jian 
Published: October 2009

(Cancer Sci 2010; 101: 713–721)Proteasome inhibition is a promising approach for cancer therapy. However, the mechanisms involved have not been fully elucidated. Gap junctions play important roles in the regulation of tumor cell phenotypes and mediation of the bystander effect in cancer therapy. Because the degradation of gap junction proteins involves the proteasome, we speculated that altered gap junctions might contribute to the antitumor activities of proteasome inhibition. Incubation of Hepa‐1c1c7 cells with the proteasome inhibitor MG132 elevated the levels of gap junction protein connexin 43 (Cx43) and promoted gap junctional intercellular communication. This was associated with a marked accumulation of ubiquitylated Cx43 and a significantly decreased rate of Cx43 degradation. The elevated Cx43 contributed to MG132‐induced cell apoptosis. This is shown by the observations that: (i) overexpression of Cx43 in the gap junction‐deficient LLC‐PK1 cells rendered them vulnerable to MG132‐elicited cell injury; (ii) fibroblasts derived from Cx43‐null mice were more resistant to MG‐132 compared with Cx43 wild‐type control; and (iii) the gap junction inhibitor flufenamic acid significantly attenuated cell damage caused by MG132 in Hepa‐1c1c7 cells. Further studies demonstrated that MG132 activates endoplasmic reticulum stress. Exposure of cells to the endoplasmic reticulum stress inducers thapsigargin and tunicamycin also led to cell apoptosis, which was modulated by Cx43 levels in a way similar to MG132. These results suggested that elevated Cx43 sensitizes cells to MG132‐induced cell apoptosis. Regulation of gap junctions could be an important mechanism behind the antitumor activities of proteasome inhibitors.
Semiquantitative assessment of the microdistribution of fluorescence‐labeled monoclonal antibody in small peritoneal disseminations of ovarian cancer
Authors: Kosaka Nobuyuki , Ogawa Mikako , Paik David S. , Paik Chang H. , Choyke Peter L. , Kobayashi Hisataka 
Published: October 2009

(Cancer Sci 2010; 101: 820–825)Uniform antibody microdistribution throughout tumor nodules is crucial for antibody‐targeted therapy, because non‐uniform microdistribution leads to suboptimal therapeutic effect, a commonly observed limitation of therapeutic antibodies. Herein, we evaluated the microdistribution of different doses of intraperitoneally injected fluorescence‐labeled full‐antibody trastuzumab (15, 50, and 150 μg) and its Fab fragment (trastuzumab‐Fab: 15 and 50 μg) in a mouse model of ovarian cancer with peritoneal disseminated tumor. A semiquantitative approach (central/peripheral accumulation ratio; C/P ratio) was developed using in situ fluorescence microscopy. Furthermore, we compared the microdistribution of intact trastuzumab with a mixed injection of trastuzumab and trastuzumab‐Fab or serial injections of trastuzumab using in situ multicolor fluorescence microscopy. Fluorescence images after the administration of 15 or 50 μg trastuzumab and 15 μg trastuzumab‐Fab demonstrated antibody accumulation in the tumor periphery, whereas administration of 150 μg trastuzumab and 50 μg trastuzumab‐Fab showed relatively uniform accumulation throughout the tumor nodule. Using serial injections (19‐h interval) of trastuzumab‐rhodamine green and carboxytetramethylrhodamine (TAMRA), it was observed that the latterly injected trastuzumab‐TAMRA was distributed more centrally than trastuzumab‐rhodamine green injected first, whereas no difference was observed in the control mixed‐injection group. Moreover, the mixed injection of trastuzumab and trastuzumab‐Fab showed that trastuzumab‐Fab distributed more centrally than the same amount of co‐injected trastuzumab. Our results suggest that the strategies of increasing dose and using Fab fragments can be used to achieve a uniform antibody distribution within peritoneal disseminated nodules after intraperitoneal injection. Furthermore, serial‐injection and mixed‐injection strategies can modify antibody microdistribution within tumors and have the potential for preferential delivery of anticancer drugs to either the tumor periphery or its center.
Review article: the gastrointestinal complications of myositis
Authors: EBERT E. C. 
Published: November 2009

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 31, 359–365SummaryBackground  The inflammatory myopathies are a group of acquired diseases characterized by a proximal myopathy caused by an inflammatory infiltrate of the skeletal muscle. The three major diseases are dermatomyositis, polymyositis and inclusion body myositis.Aims  To review the gastrointestinal manifestations of myositis.Methods  Over 110 articles in the English literature were reviewed.Results  Dysphagia to solids and liquids occurs in patients with myositis. The pharyngo‐oesophageal muscle tone is lost and therefore patients develop nasal speech, hoarseness, nasal regurgitation and aspiration pneumonia. There is tongue weakness, flaccid vocal cords, poor palatal motion and pooling of secretions in the distended hypopharynx. Proximal oesophageal skeletal muscle dysfunction is demonstrated by manometry with low amplitude/absent pharyngeal contractions and decreased upper oesophageal sphincter pressures. Patients exhibit markedly elevated creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase levels consistent with muscle injury. Myositis can be associated with inflammatory bowel disease, coeliac disease and interferon treatment of hepatitis C. Corticosteroids and other immunosuppressive drugs comprise the mainstay of treatment. Inclusion body myositis responds poorly to these agents and therefore a myotomy is usually indicated.Conclusion  Myositis mainly involves the skeletal muscles in the upper oesophagus with dysphagia, along with proximal muscle weakness.
Diffuse (anergic) cutaneous leishmaniasis responding to amphotericin B
Authors: Morrison B. , Mendoza I. , Delgado D. , Reyes Jaimes O. , Aranzazu N. , Paniz Mondolfi A. E. 
Published: November 2009

Summary
American cutaneous leishmaniasis is an important endemic zoonotic disease in the New World that comprises a spectrum of clinical manifestations. Diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis (DCL) is a rare form of the disease characterized by antigen-specific immunodeficiency that often presents with multiple disfiguring non-ulcerated confluent nodules or plaques that involve large areas of the skin, resembling lepromatous leprosy. Relapse is invariable in advanced stages, despite aggressive chemotherapy, and a plethora of drugs has been tested with unchanging results. We report on a severe an exceptional case that resolved after treatment with amphotericin B, a drug considered only mildly effective, and discuss the therapeutic approach to this disease.