bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Temporal hierarchy in enterprise risk identification
Authors: Kmec Peter 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to propose a risk identification method which is a synthesis of existing tools and techniques.Design/methodology/approachRisks are viewed as a temporal hierarchy of major decisions or events at the highest level, projects at the middle level, and routine operations at the lowest level. Furthermore, risks emerge as organizational activities progress over time. The organizational activities, called movements in this paper, typically follow the phases of routine (operations) > major decision/event > project > adjustment > routine which correspond to the chosen temporal hierarchy. Risks are identified by examining the movements in all applicable phases of their development. The method was applied in a case study of an enterprise in the energy sector.FindingsFocus on movements bridges company silos. Risk logs make sense only when supplied with visualization tools. The future state of the enterprise's routines should be modelled early in the decision‐making process. Attention should be paid to changes that major decisions, events, and projects impose on organizational routines.Originality/valueThe method belongs to the minority of approaches which explore risk evolution, relationships, and hierarchy rather than risk likelihood and impact. Risk evolution is explored by choosing movements as the basic units of risk identification. Risk relationships are detected on the level of routines where risk relationships are the least obvious but most important. The chosen hierarchy serves an enterprise‐deep view of risks and makes it possible to be alert for periods when the organization's risks change or new ones emerge.
Antecedents and consequences of corporate diversification
Authors: Liu Heng‐Yih , Hsu Chia‐Wen 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe main purpose of this paper is to introduce a comprehensive model explaining what affects the scope of the firm and also to find out its impact on firm performance.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is based on an empirical analysis of a sample of 312 hardware manufacturing companies in Taiwan.FindingsThe research findings indicate that capability exploitation and upgrading will exert a positive influence on corporate diversification. In addition, corporate diversification will exhibit a curvilinear effect on firm performance.Practical implicationsUnder the logic of capability‐based growth, managers should manage portfolios of capability upgrading and capability exploitation; and then, managers have to conduct econometric analyses to find out a firm's optimal level of corporate diversification for performance maximization.Originality/valueThis study attempts to propose a dynamic capabilities perspective, which suggests that the successful growth of a firm hinges on a strategic logic of capability‐based growth management containing both capability exploitation and capability upgrading, for exploring the antecedents and consequences of corporate diversification.
Business groups and the boundaries of the firm
Authors: Cainelli Giulio , Iacobucci Donato 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to show that the business group – i.e. the set of firms under common ownership and control – is the most appropriate unit to study the behavior and organization of firms and define their boundaries. Particular emphasis is given to notions such as unitary direction – i.e. the influence over strategic decisions – and administrative co‐ordination which allow owners to exercise supervision and authority over the controlled companies.Design/methodology/approachGiven these aims the paper adopts an interdisciplinary perspective that relies on economics, management and law. This multidisciplinary approach is necessary for analyzing the different aspects characterizing business groups in terms of ownership, control, economic synergies between firms and internal organizational mechanisms. To support the propositions, data and information from various sources are used, ranging from official statistics on the firm's population, to sample surveys, case studies and juridical evidence. The use of different sources is justified not only by the interdisciplinary nature of the problem but also by the lack of systematic statistical evidence on the phenomenon of business groups.FindingsThe authors suggest that when a company is part of a group, the business group rather than the individual company is the most appropriate “unit” for analyzing the organization and behavior of firms. This does not deny that in some cases it can be worthwhile using the legal boundary as the appropriate unit; however, most of the empirical analyses about firms consider the legal boundary without considering whether companies are independent or part of a business group.Originality/valueThe authors show that forms of unitary direction and administrative co‐ordination are common in business groups; these forms can be assimilated to the internal organization of firms. For this reason they propose that the group rather than the individual company is the appropriate unit to delimit the boundary of the firm. In this sense, their main conclusion is that not considering the business group underestimates the actual firm boundaries.
Business manoeuvring: a model of B2B selling processes
Authors: Åge Lars‐Johan 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThis study aims at developing a model that captures the reality of complex contemporary B2B selling processes.Design/methodology/approachThe grounded theory methodology was deployed in this study. In‐depth interviews and interactive lectures were used for data collection.FindingsThis study indicates that contemporary B2B selling processes are complex and dynamic endeavours in which various (sometimes conflicting) interests are ultimately managed by the involved actors through a dynamic process best described as “business manoeuvring”.Research limitations/implicationsPossible avenues of future enquiry include investigation of other industrial sectors in which the proposed model's description of selling processes is valid and assessment of the characteristics of companies (in terms of size and profitability).Practical implicationsThe model proposed in this study can be utilised by practitioners to impose a useful conceptual structure on otherwise fluid and intangible processes – thus making them easier to analyse and thereby facilitating strategic corporate decision‐making.Originality/valueBased on the real life experiences of the involved actors, this model describes that complex contemporary B2B selling processes are dynamic processes and not linear or sequential ones.
Gifts in Croatian public and academic libraries
Authors: Hebrang Grgic Ivana 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide information on handling gifts‐in‐kind in Croatian public and academic libraries. It also recommends what should be done to improve practice with gifts for collections.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on the author's research conducted using an anonymous online questionnaire that was sent to Croatian public libraries (n=139) and academic libraries (n=73) in May 2011. After a two‐week period, a total of 84 responses was received (40 public libraries and 44 academic libraries). In statistical analysis, some variables are tested by χ2‐test to show whether differences between public and academic libraries are statistically significant.FindingsThe majority of Croatian libraries do not have gift policy statements. Gifts do have a significant part in collection building, especially in Croatian academic libraries, but are not always handled in the right way (i.e. according to IFLA's guidelines). This paper shows the quantity of gifts in the libraries, librarians' reasons for not accepting some gifts, librarians' methods in dealing with gifts, and their way of communicating with donors or potential donors.Originality/valueThis paper gives results of the first complete study of gift policies in Croatian public and academic libraries. In conclusion, a need for a written gift policy in Croatian libraries is emphasized and some recommendations are given.
Chemistry book reviews: their value, sources, and number
Authors: Hubbard David E. 
Published: October 2011

PurposeChemistry book reviews serve as an aid to collection development, as well as an educational function for bibliographers and subject specialists. This study aims to outline a methodology for locating book reviews for a subject literature and characterizing the books reviewed.Design/methodology/approachThis study utilized UlrichsWeb Global Serials Directory to identify chemistry periodicals containing book reviews. Criteria were applied to limit the periodicals identified to those publishing ten or more book reviews in 2009 and held by 25 or more libraries. The books reviewed by the periodicals were characterized in terms of the quantity, subject coverage, overlap, lag time, and compared to chemistry books published in 2009. Books reviewed by the chemistry periodicals were also compared to general science and other periodicals known to contain chemistry book reviews.FindingsA total of 11 chemistry periodicals met the criteria and collectively they published 445 book reviews in 2009. Three chemistry periodicals accounted for 72.1 percent of the chemistry books reviewed, thus following Bradford's Law of Scatter. The LC Classification of the books reviewed ranged widely and QDs only comprised 41.1 percent of the 380 unique titles reviewed. The overlap was low with only 17.5 percent of the chemistry titles reviewed more than once. Books reviewed were generally representative of the chemistry books published based on publisher. Few, if any, chemistry books were reviewed by general science periodicals.Originality/valueThis paper provides a methodology that is applicable to other disciplines, as well as updating and expanding previous research by characterizing the subject coverage of books reviewed.
Towards life‐cycle focused infrastructure maintenance for concrete bridges
Authors: Nan Yang Ying , Kumaraswamy Mohan M. 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to present approaches towards improving some specific infrastructure maintenance principles, strategies, models and practices, based on a recent study of bridge management systems in Hong Kong. A specific goal is to develop better informed and more systematic approaches to condition assessment, deterioration forecasting, and maintenance decision making over the life‐cycle of the built asset.Design/methodology/approachImproved performance prediction and decision‐making approaches are developed and presented based on a research exercise to formulate a maintenance management framework for concrete bridge elements in Hong Kong. This includes for example, the presentation of decision‐making approaches for optimizing inspection intervals on bridge expansion joints.FindingsThe findings show that judicious integration is needed in incorporating valuable elements of, and lessons learned from, previous practice with proposed new strategies/ principles, models and practices for specific scenarios.Practical implicationsBased on the findings, practitioners' understandings can be deepened as regards the barriers to improving condition assessment, deterioration forecasting, and maintenance decision making over the life‐cycle of the built asset. Furthermore, the results also provide useful information for developing strategies and practices to improve currently used infrastructure management systems.Originality/valueMajor obstacles are overcome in developing better informed and more systematic approaches as above, and in extending current knowledge on condition assessment, performance prediction and decision‐making models by utilizing more pertinent data and addressing some barriers in practical implementation.
Strategies for improving safety performance of repair, maintenance, minor alteration and addition (RMAA) works
Authors: Hon Carol K.H. , Chan Albert P.C. , Chan Daniel W.M. 
Published: October 2011

PurposeManaging and maintaining infrastructure assets are one of the indispensible tasks for many government agencies to preserve the nations' economic viability and social welfare. To reduce the expenditures over the life‐cycle of an infrastructure asset and extend the period for which the asset performs effectively, proper repair and maintenance are essential. While repair, maintenance, minor alteration and addition (RMAA) sector is expanding in many developed cities, occurrences of fatalities and injuries in this sector are also soaring. The purposes of this paper are to identify and then evaluate the various strategies for improving the safety performance of RMAA works.Design/methodology/approachSemi‐structured interviews and two rounds of Delphi survey were conducted for data collection.FindingsRaising safety awareness of RMAA workers and selecting contractors with a good record of safety performance are the two most important strategies to improve the safety performance in this sector. Technology innovations and a pay‐for‐safety scheme are regarded as the two least important strategies.Originality/valueThe paper highlights possible ways to enhance safety of the rather under‐explored RMAA sector in the construction industry.
Synthesizing a nanoparticle distribution in magnetic fluid hyperthermia
Authors: Di Barba P. , Dughiero F. , Sieni E. 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present the synthesis of magnetic fluid characteristics, like diameter of nanoparticles (NPs) and their concentration, in order to obtain a prescribed temperature rate. An evolution strategy algorithm is used in the optimization procedure, while three‐dimensional finite‐element (FE) modelling is used for magnetic field and thermal field analysis in transient conditions.Design/methodology/approachFE analysis has been used in order to compute the magnetic and thermal field in a suitable model of the tumor region. The power density due to NP has been accordingly derived.FindingsThe NP distribution, giving a prescribed thermal response, is synthesized.Practical implicationsThe proposed method can be used to design a therapeutic treatment based on magnetic fluid hyperthermia.Originality/valueThe paper belongs to a streamline of innovative studies on computational hyperthermia.
Numerical simulation and investigation of induction through‐heaters in dynamic operation mode
Authors: Blinov Kirill , Nikanorov Alexander , Nacke Bernard , Klöpzig Markus 
Published: October 2011

PurposeBecause of their widespread use in industry, induction through‐heaters of various metal products must be of high effectiveness not only in “quasi” steady‐state operation but in different transient modes as well. Nowadays, they are usually designed to provide the required characteristics in “quasi” steady‐state operation mode mainly. The purpose of this paper is to examine numerical simulation of transient processes in induction through‐heating lines generally and investigate dynamic temperature fields during the first start of the heaters particularly.Design/methodology/approachThe research methodology is based on coupled numerical electromagnetic and thermal analyses using FEM approach. ANSYS simulations are supported with the developed tools for imitation of mass transfer effects in continuous induction heating lines.FindingsThe results show that transient temperature fields in the heated strip or slab significantly differ from their “quasi” steady‐state descriptions. Local temperature variations acquired in longitudinal as well as transverse flux induction heaters during the first start have been predicted.Practical implicationsThe received results can be used for design of induction through‐heaters and improvement of their characteristics in dynamic operation modes.Originality/valueInvestigation of dynamic characteristics of the heaters in dynamic modes can be only done by numerical modelling based on special algorithms providing a time loop additional to coupling between electromagnetic and thermal analyses. Such algorithms have been developed and used for investigation of two types of induction installations: through‐heaters of cylindrical billets for forging and heating lines of strip or thin slab for rolling mills.
Modeling and optimization of coolant channel cross sections in induction heating coils
Authors: Svendsen K. , Hagen S.T. 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe a model that can be used in the estimation of thermal fatigue limited service life of induction coils.Design/methodology/approachPrevious work indicates that the temperature of the cross section of an induction coil can be used to estimate thermal fatigue limited service life. This paper presents a model for estimating these temperatures based on a coupled model. Joule losses modelled in Flux2D are coupled with cooling modelled in Fluent3D. These models are controlled and combined by Python scripts that iterate the heat transfer and temperatures of heat exchange regions between the two domains.FindingsThe combined model is shown to converge nicely. The model is also applied to an optimization problem where a high power loss, copper region is surrounding a wedge‐shaped cooling channel. The point of the wedge was replaced by a radius that was optimized. The optimum was considered where the thermal fatigue service life is maximized, i.e. where the peak deviation from mean temperature in the cross section was at a minimum. The results show that the optimum corner radii are small, typically 0.25‐0.5 mm.Originality/valueThis is the first paper where the full model is presented and used to optimize specific cases.
An application of the impedance boundary condition for the design of coils used in domestic induction heating systems
Authors: Carretero Claudio , Lucía Óscar , Acero Jesús , Alonso Rafael , Burdío José M. 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to propose a design procedure based on the impedance boundary condition in order to simplify the design of inductors for domestic induction heating systems.Design/methodology/approachAn electromagnetic description of the inductor system is performed to substitute the effects of a component, named system load, for a mathematical condition, the so‐called impedance boundary condition. This is suitable to be used in electromagnetic systems involving high conductive materials at medium frequencies, as it occurs in an induction heating system. Applying this approach, a simplified electrical model arises from the general system.FindingsA considerable reduction in the efforts devoted to design a coil for induction heating purposes is achieved, because the solution considering the variation of three physical parameters are projected to a one‐dimensional space only depending on a single parameter named corrected penetration depth. This proposal assesses the working conditions of standard induction systems.Practical implicationsThis work is performed to achieve a better understanding of the fundamentals involved in the electromagnetic modeling of an induction heating system. The main goal is the definition of a better coil design process because it is probably the most time‐consuming task in the construction of a complete induction system.Originality/valueIn this paper, the so‐called corrected penetration depth is defined. This single parameter allows explaining the influence of the physical parameter of the inductor load and the excitation frequency in the equivalent of the complete inductor system. The numerical results carried out considering the corrected penetration depth instead of the physical load properties have been validated experimentally.
Magnetic field generating inductor for cancer hyperthermia research
Authors: Nemkov V. , Ruffini R. , Goldstein R. , Jackowski J. , DeWeese T.L. , Ivkov R. 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to continue studies previously reported with the primary focus of optimizing an inductor design. The potential benefits of hyperthermia for cancer therapy, particularly metastatic cancers of the prostate, may be realized by the use of targeted magnetic nanoparticles that are heated by alternating magnetic fields (AMFs).Design/methodology/approachTo further explore the potential of this technology, a high‐throughput cell culture treatment system is needed. The AMF requirements for this research present challenges to the design and manufacture of an induction system because a high flux density field at high frequency must be created in a relatively large volume. Additional challenges are presented by the requirement that the inductor must maintain an operating temperature between 35 and 39°C with continuous duty operation for 1 h or longer. Results of simulation and design of two devices for culture samples and for in vitro tests of multiple samples in uniform field are described.FindingsThe inductor design chosen provides a uniform distribution of relatively high magnetic field strength while providing an optimal reduction in the voltage and power requirement. Through development of design and selection of magnetic concentrator, the exposure of the cell cultures to the heat generated by the inductor is minimized.Originality/valueThis method of generating uniform high AC magnetic fields in a large volume is beneficial for the study of hyperthermia in cells for a high throughput, necessary for cancer treatment research.
Online social network acceptance: a social perspective
Authors: Li David C. 
Published: October 2011

PurposeBuilding upon studies of social psychology and information system literature, this study aims to propose and empirically test a research model that incorporates interpersonal motives (sociability and status) and hedonic motive (perceived enjoyment), and the three processes of social influence: compliance, identification and internalisation, to explain one's intention to use social network (SN) web sites.Design/methodology/approachThe data were obtained from an online survey of 274 SN web site users. Structural equation modelling analysis was used to validate the proposed model.FindingsThe results indicate that social influence affects intention directly through the compliance process. Social influence, when exerted through the identification and internalization processes, affects intention indirectly via the two interpersonal motives (sociability and status) and perceived enjoyment. The two interpersonal motives affect intention indirectly via perceived enjoyment.Research limitations/implicationsThis study advances theory by examining how the social influence processes affect one's behavioural intention via the interpersonal and hedonic motives.Practical implicationsThese findings help online SNs to devise strategies to attract and retain users.Originality/valueThis study provides evidence that social influence processes are also operative in one's adoption of information technology in non‐work settings. It also shows that people have two interpersonal motives in mind when they develop an online relationship with others.