bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Spatial effects of the property sector investment on Greek economic growth
Authors: Benos Nikos , Karagiannis Stelios , Vlamis Prodromos 
Published: May 2011

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to identify the importance of property sector investment in regional economic growth in Greece.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses regional accounts data, including investment and employment for all Greek industries. The standard Cobb‐Douglas specification is used. The authors apply random effects and GMM estimators for dynamic panel data and employ two model specifications (aggregate and disaggregate).FindingsThe results indicate a positive relationship between investment in real estate services and hotels and restaurants and regional growth. Also, investment in the energy sector, which is closely linked to construction and consequently to housing activity, appears to have a positive and significant growth effect.Practical implicationsThe authors believe that these results are useful, make a contribution to the existing knowledge, and provide firm justification that the property sector has a considerable effect on regional economic growth in Greece.Originality/valueOne of the distinctive features of the paper is that it discusses critically the extent to which the Greek property sector, as part of a broader nexus of domestic and global dynamics, affects regional economic growth – either directly or indirectly. To the best of the authors' knowledge, none of the existing studies in this area provides a systematic treatment of the property sector as a contributory factor in explaining the growth performance of Greek regions. The authors believe that this is an important empirical issue, especially given the spatial disparities that characterise Greek economic growth.
Seasonal and spatial hedonic price indices
Authors: Karaganis Anastassios N. 
Published: May 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to deal with the construction of seasonal price indices for the housing market, based on Rosen's hedonic equations and using spatial econometric autoregression (SAR) techniques.Design/methodology/approachMore precisely, the hedonic equations are estimated using disaggregated data, and the extracted indices are averaged over zip code areas. Then the seasonality, which is considered deterministic, is extracted after eliminating the spatial effects. The data set used consists of 8,685 valuations of dwellings, detached dwellings and detached houses that took place in Attica on behalf of a commercial bank during the period 2000‐2009.FindingsThe paper concludes that evidence exists to support the hypothesis that property prices are affected by seasonal and spatial effects beyond structural effects and the effects of the general economic situation. Property valuations are strongly connected with deterministic exogenous variables, such as the size, age and location of the property, the general economic situation, and to a lesser effect the spatial system and the season during which the valuation took place. The estimated spatial effect is positive and quite large in value, indicating a landscape consisting of large homogeneous sub‐areas, while the results demonstrate a seasonal upturn during the first semester and downturn towards the end of the year.Originality/valueThis paper provides a framework for incorporating spatial and seasonal effects in property price index construction.
Property risk premia and deferment rates
Authors: Wyatt James 
Published: May 2011

PurposeAll property valuation is based on comparative analysis to determine the relevant discount rates. However, this implicit approach fails to recognise the difference in risk between the early term income and the riskier reversion. It uses the same rate throughout. As such, it ignores the risk of a highly illiquid reversionary property interest and uses a deferment rate that is much too low. This paper aims to address this issue.Design/methodology approachThe paper analyses the required risk premia for liquidity in relation to the risk free rate. Historic evidence is used to determine an appropriate deferment rate.FindingsIt would seem sensible that the long‐term deferment rate is set at a level that is similar to the long‐term return on equities with dividends reinvested.Practical implicationsThe continued use of low deferment rates over‐values the reversionary interest of the property asset.Originality/valueThe paper seeks to stimulate debate on the current use of low deferment rates.
Mobile termination benchmarking: the case of Namibia
Authors: Stork Christoph 
Published: May 2011

PurposeThis paper seeks to contribute to the debate about the regulation of termination rates in the context of Africa.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology is based on analysis of secondary data and a case study of a regulatory intervention in Namibia and its impact.FindingsMobile call termination is a monopoly and not one side of a two‐sided market. Cost‐based termination rates increase competition between operators and lead to lower prices, more subscribers and more investment.Research limitations/implicationsThe case of Namibia is presented as an example of termination rate benchmarking as an alternative regulatory strategy to overcome regulatory and institutional bottlenecks in Africa.Practical implicationsAfrican regulators are presented with a tool for removing market distortions.Social implicationsCost based termination rates will lead to lower retail prices and allow more people to use mobile phones.Originality/valueThe paper presents theoretical and empirical evidence against the waterbed effect and the two‐sided market argument.
Are mobile phones replacing the use of public phones in Africa?
Authors: Stork Christoph 
Published: May 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to examine whether mobiles are replacing the use of public access telephones (mobile or fixed) in Africa.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses data from nationally representative household surveys from 17 African countries to explain public phone usage.FindingsMobile use is often in conjunction with public phone use for some sections of the population. At lower levels of income, increases in income are associated with a higher likelihood of payphone use due to income related barriers such as the inability to afford a mobile handset and the minimum recharge amounts for mobile minutes. At higher levels of income use of public phones tends to decline, while high‐income users do not use public phones at all. The latter is in keeping with the expectation of a gradual switch to mobile use with rising incomes.Practical implicationsThe main policy recommendation that follows from the study is the need to ensure that public pay phones continue to exist as a communication safety net.Originality/valueThe empirical research explains public phone usage in terms of individual characteristics like income, age, gender representation for 17 African countries.
Development outcomes of internet and mobile phones use in Kenya: the households' perspectives
Authors: Nyambura Ndung'u Margaret , Waema Timothy M. 
Published: May 2011

PurposeUsage of internet and mobile phones has promoted and sometimes hindered various aspects of development bringing radical changes to Kenyan households in the last couple of years. The rapid spread of mobile phones, mobile broadband and internet usage at the household level has increased the potential of these technologies leading to development outcomes. This paper aims to focus on these issues.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on primary data collected through two surveys and is part of ongoing PhD work. A rigorous methodology was designed and used to conduct the research. Starting with the research problem that outlined the key areas for the study, research objectives were developed following a background review of the study. The paper establishes the development outcomes associated with the rapid spread and usage of the internet and mobile phones and explores if the wide usage expands or shrinks the capabilities of the households.FindingsThe analysis indicates that a high value is attached to the new technologies and in particular mobile phones. It also reveals that the new technologies enabled some capabilities and hindered others leading to diverse development outcomes. Use of internet and mobile phones led to positive and negative development outcomes in low income households in Kenya. Households' choices were based on their perceptions of the role that the new technologies played in enhancing their quality of life. Internet access and usage was limited and restricted to urban areas while mobile phone usage was distributed across the country. However, increased use of mobile internet is expected to change the situation. The paper notes that the social, economic and knowledge status of individuals, coupled with the choices they make, determines the development outcomes derived from use of these technologies.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper makes recommendations for further research on the effects of new technologies on quality of life.Originality/valueThe paper examines the extent to which usage of the internet and mobile phones enhances or hinders households' capability to achieve development in social, economic and knowledge dimensions.
Using BPM governance to align systems and practice
Authors: Doebeli Gaby , Fisher Ron , Gapp Rod , Sanzogni Louis 
Published: May 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to propose a business process management (BPM) governance model that sets BPM decision making, along with roles and responsibilities. The setting context of the study is a government‐owned corporation operating in Australia.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative case study examined and analysed organisational documents using a content analysis approach. Results of document analysis are used to inform a series of in‐depth interviews of key stakeholders in the organisation. Interviews are analysed using a constant comparison method to derive themes and build categories of description.FindingsA BPM governance model is proposed. Results of thematic analysis are interpreted against the framework of the BPM governance model, leading to findings that include implications for theory and practice.Practical implicationsIn practical terms, the research shows how BPM practice can be aligned and integrated with the corporate governance and management systems in the selected case study organisation.Originality/valueDespite research identifying the importance of governance, along with associated capabilities, there has been little progress on how the abovementioned capabilities can be effectively deployed across an organisation. This paper addresses a gap in the literature relating to how to deploy BPM governance in an organisation.
Process orientation: conceptualization and measurement
Authors: Kohlbacher Markus , Gruenwald Stefan 
Published: May 2011

PurposeAttention to processes has increased, as thousands of firms have adopted the process view of their organization. Process orientation (PO) means focusing on business processes rather than emphasizing functional structure or hierarchy. Despite the huge growth in the business process management literature, a methodological gap still remains about a certain ambiguity in the definition of the construct specifying its theoretical domain and dimensionalization. The aim of this paper is to contribute to the literature on PO through the creation and validation of a model to measure the key dimensions of the PO construct.Design/methodology/approachThe authors derive from literature several dimensions which shape the concept of PO. In a second step, the study includes factor analysis on a sample of 152 Austrian manufacturing companies to verify that the model is empirical valid.FindingsThe paper provides insight in the concept of PO. It concludes that PO is a multidimensional construct, consisting of the following dimensions: design and documentation of business processes; management commitment towards PO; the process owner role; process performance measurement; a corporate culture in line with the process approach; application of continuous process improvement methodologies; and process‐oriented organizational structure.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample used in this work only included Austrian firms operating in manufacturing industry. Generalizability of the findings to other industries or other countries is open to scrutiny.Originality/valueSeveral studies into process management use proxy variables as an indicator for PO (e.g. ISO 9000 certification). Other studies treat the construct as a unidimensional measure. However, unidimensional measures meet with increasing criticism, as they turn out to be insufficient to capture the richness of such a complex construct. This paper attempts to rectify the content deficiencies in the literature on the construct by specifying its theoretical domain and dimensionalization.
Doing research on education for sustainable development
Authors: Reunamo Jyrki , Pipere Anita 
Published: May 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe the research preferences and differences of education for sustainable development (ESD) researchers. A model with the continuums assimilation‐accommodation and adaptation‐agency was applied resulting in quantitative, qualitative, theoretic and participative research orientations.Design/methodology/approachReunamo's general model of agentive perception was used to design the 32‐item questionnaire, Research for ESD so as to reveal the degree to which the researchers are accommodating their thoughts and actions to real phenomenon, and considering their research as having theoretical or practical agency. The questionnaire was administered to 83 ESD researchers, mainly from European countries.FindingsThe most valuable discovery was the desire of ESD researchers to contribute to societal development. The results describe the first continuum of research activity with the need for opening up to the requisites and possibilities of environmental change while applying the existing prerequisites of scientific rigour and validity. The second continuum highlights the research as a knowledge resource for just political or individual choices on the one hand, and the direct application of the models and actions for needed change on the other hand.Research limitations/implicationsIt would be difficult to create a reliable register of ESD researchers worldwide. Thus, the opportunity sample of ESD researchers available to the authors was used in the study.Practical implicationsThe model, after adjustments, appears to be a promising tool in the study of research orientations. To study complex and controversial subjects such as sustainable development, the researchers need to be aware of their preferences and orientations.Originality/valueThe paper shows the possibilities of the agentive perception model in the case of ESD researchers.
Education for sustainable development and global citizenship
Authors: Glover Alison , Peters Carl , Haslett Simon K. 
Published: May 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to test the validity of the curriculum auditing tool Sustainability Tool for Auditing University Curricula in Higher Education (STAUNCH©), which was designed to audit the education for sustainability and global citizenship content of higher education curricula. The Welsh Assembly Government aspires to incorporate sustainability across all sectors and required an audit of all higher education curricula within Wales. The paper also discusses responses to the auditing process, findings at an institutional and national level and proposes recommendations for improvements.Design/methodology/approachThe University of Wales, Newport, provides the case study to test the validity of the STAUNCH© software.FindingsThe quality and effectiveness of the curriculum content was not identified by the audit. The audit identified what the curriculum offered but did not necessarily reflect that studied by students. Modules offered on more than one course were awarded credit within the “cross‐cutting” criteria of the audit and this distorted the final results. The audit enabled curriculum managers to identify programmes of study which exhibited strengths and limitations in this area. Utilising a common auditing tool across the Welsh higher education sector allows for future developments to be collective and collaborative.Practical implicationsA general consensus of opinion from a network of Welsh higher education institutions regarding any future use of this auditing tool is currently one of uncertainty as far as any validity the tool may bring to driving the sustainability agenda forward. Alterations to the STAUNCH© software and auditing process are proposed if possible future audits are to be more effective. Nevertheless, within a relatively short time span education for sustainable development and global citizenship within Welsh higher education is gaining momentum. Amendments have been made to university documentation, staff‐training initiatives developed and the potential impact of curriculum development in this area is beginning to be realised.Originality/valueThis paper discusses the application of a new sustainability curriculum‐auditing tool and the validity of the tool in progressing sustainability within the higher education sector.
College and university dining services administrators' intention to adopt sustainable practices
Authors: Chen Chao‐Jung (Rita) , Gregoire Mary B. , Arendt Susan , Shelley Mack C. 
Published: May 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine college and university dining services administrators' (CUDSAs) intention to adopt sustainable practices.Design/methodology/approachThe theory of planned behavior (TPB) including constructs of subjective norm (SN), attitude, perceived behavior control, and personal norm (PN), formed the theoretical framework. A web‐based questionnaire was developed, pretested, and distributed to 535 CUDSAs in the USA.FindingsResults indicated that SN (pressure from others) had the most influence on CUDSAs' intention to adopt sustainable practices, followed by attitude and PN. Including the PN construct in the TPB model reduced unexplained variance by 33.48 percent.Research limitations/implicationsLimitations of this research are generalizability of results due to use of a sample of US members of a professional organization (National Association of College and University Food Services) and low response rate.Practical implicationsResults suggest that pressure from college administrators and students has the greatest impact on CUDSAs' decisions to adopt sustainable practices.Originality/valueThe question of why some university dining operations are models for sustainability and others have few sustainable practices has not been explored. The dining services' director plays a key role in determining sustainability efforts for that operation. This research explored factors influencing a director's intention to adopt sustainable practices.
Intangible assets and performance
Authors: St‐Pierre Josée , Audet Josée 
Published: May 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to shed light on the nature of intellectual capital in small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) and how it is linked to strategy and performance.Design/methodology/approachUsing structural equations, a multivariate model is presented where multiple relations are tested between different components of intellectual capital and performance. The model is tested first on a unique sample of 267 SMEs and second on two subsamples where SMEs are grouped according to their strategic profile.FindingsFindings confirm that SMEs that adopt different strategies organize their intellectual capital in a particular and adapted way. When an attempt is made to link intellectual capital components to performance, it is noticed that the latter is strategy specific, just as the variables that influence performance. Prospectors dominate defenders on most intellectual capital components.Research limitations/implicationsUse of secondary data may provide less precise results that could make an incentive to conduct other studies with specific determinants of intellectual capital and try to make clear definition and measurement of this concept and its components.Practical implicationsEven if the results have an exploratory nature, they confirm that SMEs organize and develop their intellectual capital in conjunction with their needs and strategic profile, revealing their heterogeneity. This has implications on the ability to generalize specific behaviors to all SMEs, and could prevent government from developing public policies that are supposed to fit all SMEs.Originality/valueMost research on intellectual in capital SMEs is conducted on specific sectors linked to activities requiring high levels of knowledge or technology. But these results concern a small proportion of SMEs. This study expands those analyses to a much broader variety of sectors, revealing some links between specific components and performance taking into account strategic orientation. This is the first study on manufacturing SMEs that considers various non‐technological sectors and strategic profiles.
Organizational culture, climate and IC: an interaction analysis
Authors: Nazari Jamal A. , Herremans Irene M. , Isaac Robert G. , Manassian Armond , Kline Theresa J.B. 
Published: May 2011

PurposeThis study aims to empirically investigate the role of organizational culture and climate in supporting intellectual capital (IC) management systems. Specifically, it seeks to investigate the relationship between organizational characteristics (culture and climate) and IC management systems in the Middle East (Iran and Lebanon) and Canada.Design/methodology/approachData were gathered via a survey instrument and statistical analysis was used to test for significance between dependent and independent variables. Then a two‐stage hierarchical multiple regression was used to test for the nature and effects of country of origin as a moderating variable.FindingsThe findings suggest that both culture and climate play significant roles in developing management systems for IC. In addition, for country, when organizational climate improves, Middle Eastern respondents perceived an even greater improvement in IC management systems compared to their Canadian counterparts.Originality/valueThere is limited research that has been undertaken to compare developed and developing countries with regard to the influence of organizational characteristics on IC management systems. This research is timely given the recent publication of the Arab Human Development Report and the Arab Knowledge Report. This study provides insight into the ability of organizations in the Middle East to develop a knowledge base and reduce the knowledge gap between the Arab world and countries currently classified as knowledge intensive.