bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Optimization of TiO2 concentration effect for a chemical humidity sensing mechanism
Authors: Kouda Souhil , Dibi Zohir , Meddour Fayçal , Barra Samir , Dendouga Abdelghani 
Published: January 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to propose a new approach to optimize the TiO2 concentration on a resistive‐type humidity sensing mechanism (RHSM) based on artificial neural network.Design/methodology/approachFirst is the modeling of the sensing mechanism. Using neuronal networks and Matlab environment to accurately express the output of the sensing mechanism, this model thus takes into account the parameter, non‐linearity, hysteresis, temperature and frequency; furthermore, the TiO2 concentration effect on the humidity sensing properties in the model is investigated. In a second step, the Matlab environment is used to create a database for an ideal model for the sensing mechanism, where the response of this ideal model is linear for any above parameters value.FindingsAn analytical model for the sensing mechanism “SM” and the ideal model “IM” has been created. The bias matrix and the weights matrix were used to establish the SM model and the IM on performance simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis simulator, where the output of the first is identical to the RHSM output and the output of the last is the ideal response.Originality/valueThe paper proposes an electrical circuit used to optimize the TiO2 concentration of a resistive humidity sensing mechanism.
Embedded wireless strain sensors based on printed RFID tag
Authors: Merilampi Sari , Björninen Toni , Ukkonen Leena , Ruuskanen Pekka , Sydänheimo Lauri 
Published: January 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a wireless strain sensor for measuring large strains. The sensor is based on passive ultra high‐frequency radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and it can be embedded into a variety of structures.Design/methodology/approachSilver ink conductors and RFID tags were printed by the screen printing method on stretchable polyvinyl chloride and fabric substrates. The development of the strain‐sensitive RFID tag was based on the behavior of the selected antenna and substrate materials. Performance of the tags and the effect of mechanical strain on tag functioning were examined.FindingsThe results showed that large displacements can be successfully measured wirelessly using a stretchable RFID tag as a strain‐sensitive structure. The behavior of the tag can be modified by selection of the material.Research limitations/implicationsNew tag designs, which are more sensitive to small levels of strain and which have a linear response will be the subject for future work. Tag performance under cyclic loading and in a real environment will also be investigated. Future work relating the investigation of practical applications and the system designing for the strain sensor will also be required.Practical implicationsPrinting is fast and simple manufacturing process which does not produce much waste or material loss. The sensor is a new application of printed electronics. It also provides new opportunities for system designers.Originality/valueThe paper provides a new kind of wireless strain sensor which can be integrated into many structures (i.e. clothes). The sensor is a new application of printed electronics and it is made from novel materials.
Initial studies into the use of ultrasound to reduce process temperatures and chemical usage in the PCB desmear process
Authors: Cobley Andrew J. , Edgar Lindsay , Goosey Martin , Kellner Rod , Mason Timothy J. 
Published: January 2011

PurposePrevious studies have proven that, under optimised ultrasonic conditions, a range of materials used in electronic manufacturing can be sonochemically surface modified using benign solutions at low temperature. The purpose of this paper is to focus on a specific process, namely, the desmearing of through holes in printed circuit boards (PCB). The objective was to determine whether the introduction of low frequency ultrasound (20 kHz) to the “etch” stage of a standard “swell and etch” desmear system could enable reduced temperature processing and the use of less chemistry in the permanganate solution.Design/methodology/approachThe study was divided into three main stages. In the first “screening” phase, the effect of ultrasound in the etch solution was studied by measuring the weight loss after desmear on a PCB laminate material (Isola 370HR). Factors such as etch temperature and concentration of permanganate (including permanganate‐free) were varied. In stage 2, confirmatory runs were carried out on the most promising conditions from the screening work and through holes in a four‐layer multi‐layer board (MLB) were assessed for smear removal using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Finally, a four‐layer MLB was desmeared through the most promising ultrasonic process and then metallized at a PCB manufacturer. Thermal shock testing was subsequently carried out and sections from the board assessed for inter‐connection defects (ICDs).FindingsThe initial screening study indicated that, whenever ultrasound was used in the etch stage of the desmear process, significantly higher weight loss was achieved compared to a standard “silent” process. This effect was most pronounced when permanganate was removed from the etch solution and, in this situation, weight loss could be an order of magnitude higher than the silent equivalent. Further testing on through holes suggested that smear‐free inner‐layers could only be guaranteed if permanganate was present in the etch solution but that ultrasound again improved smear removal. Final testing under semi‐production conditions confirmed that, if ultrasound was employed in the etch part of the desmear process, then a reduction in processing temperature from 85°C to 60°C could be achieved and the permanganate concentration halved (65 to 33 g/L) whilst still achieving ICD‐free boards.Originality/valueThe paper indicates the feasibility of using ultrasound to reduce temperatures and chemical concentrations used in the permanganate etch solution, whilst still producing through holes with no ICDs.
Understanding managerial effectiveness: a Chinese perspective
Authors: Wang Jia 
Published: January 2011

PurposeThis study seeks to examine the managerial behavior of Chinese managers, as observed by their superiors, subordinates, and peers in a state‐owned enterprise in China. Specifically, this study aims to explore two questions. First, what managerial behaviors are perceived as being effective in the Chinese state‐owned enterprise? Second, what managerial behaviors are perceived as being least effective or ineffective in the Chinese state‐owned enterprise?Design/methodology/approachAn exploratory qualitative study was conducted using critical incident (CI) interview techniques. From 35 managers of one large state‐owned telecommunication company in Western China, 230 usable CIs were collected. In total, 31 themes were identified from the thematic analysis, of which 14 related to effective managerial behaviors and 17 related to ineffective behaviors.FindingsAn effective Chinese manager is perceived as being supportive, caring, fair, engaging, self‐disciplined, unselfish, responsible, and knowledgeable. While findings of the study highlight the continuing influence of the traditional Chinese culture on the perceived effectiveness of managerial behaviors, they also suggest a clear shift from traditional values that emphasize authoritarian management to Western values that encourage participative management.Research limitations/implicationsWhile the small sample may limit the generalizability of the study, findings expand the current knowledge base of Chinese management and can be useful for further empirical testing.Practical implicationsThis study provides some parameters for benchmarking and evaluating Chinese managerial practices. The identified indicators of effective and ineffective managerial behaviors can be incorporated into the development of a Chinese management competency model or instrument, and a more targeted management development intervention.Originality/valueThis study taps an under‐explored research territory – China, and is one of the first attempts at identifying effective managerial behavior indicators of Chinese managers using the CI technique. By adopting an inductive approach this study provides rich qualitative data that can be useful for developing an indigenous tool appropriate in the Chinese context.
Formal and integrated strategies for competence development in SMEs
Authors: Kock Henrik , Ellström Per‐Erik 
Published: January 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to increase understanding of the relationships among the workplace as a learning environment, strategies for competence development used by SMEs and learning outcomes. Specifically, there is a focus on a distinction between formal and integrated strategies for competence development, the conditions under which these strategies are likely to be used, and their effects in terms of individual learning outcomes.Design/methodology/approachThe study was based mainly on questionnaire data collected through a survey of 14 SMEs that had received support from the European Social Fund's Objective 3 programme. In addition, data collected through interviews and analyses of documents were used.FindingsThe results indicate interactions between the strategy of competence development used by the firms (formal vs integrated) and the type of learning environment in the workplace (constraining vs enabling). The use of an integrated strategy in an enabling learning environment was the most successful combination in terms of learning outcomes, while the use of an integrated strategy in a constraining learning environment was the least successful combination.Research limitations/implicationsThere is a need to elaborate the theoretical and empirical basis of the distinction between formal and integrated strategies for competence development, and to study the effects of the two types of strategy, not only for individual learning outcomes, but also for effects at an organisational level.Practical implicationsHRD practitioners need to question a traditional reliance on formal training, as the presented results indicate the importance of using competence development strategies that are based on an integration of formal and informal learning.Originality/valueThe study indicates that the effects of competence development efforts are likely to be a function not only, nor primarily, of the training methods and strategies that are used, but also of the characteristics of the learning environment of the workplace.
Smoke and mirrors and performance management
Authors: Dereli Cynthia 
Published: January 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to initiate debate about the tension between ideologies being played out in local government, as illustrated by the case of the empowerment agenda.Design/methodology/approachThe paper considers a range of evidence from: academic research; government documents; personal perspectives from the author's experience as an elected member in local government; and semi‐structured interviews with a number of senior managers in local authorities in England.FindingsThe paper suggests that the development of performance management frameworks for community engagement has been a means to shift the agenda away from democratic representation to a governance agenda around empowerment. This now includes giving a role to the voluntary sector both as the voice of the people and as providers of public services. It is argued that this illustrates a tension between ideologies at work behind the facade of performance management in local government.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper can only sample both the extensive range of government output on the community agenda and the academic work in this area over the last few years. Nor is it examining a finished product, as the government is setting up more agencies to develop the work further. The implications of this paper are that there is a need for future academic work to relate accountability and democracy locally to new public management and its connection to the global ideology of neoliberalism.Originality/valueParalleling recent work in critical management studies, the paper links the consideration of local/national issues of democratic representation, community engagement and the role of the voluntary sector to the impact of the global ideological framework of neoliberalism.
The customer experience: a road‐map for improvement
Authors: Johnston Robert , Kong Xiangyu 
Published: January 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to respond to the call to help organisations to systematically engineer their customer experiences. Its objective is to investigate how organisations actually go about designing and improving their customer experiences.Design/methodology/approachA total of four organisations were chosen for this exploratory study; one business‐to‐business company, one business‐to‐consumer company, one utility, and one public sector organisation. This longitudinal study over a period of four years collected data from participant observation, discussions, internal reports and from secondary data.FindingsDespite the differences between the four organisations they appear to have taken, independently, the same approach to bring about improvements to their customer experiences. This paper proposes a ten‐stage “road‐map” to improvement which develops the existing models.Research limitations/implicationsMain limitations were that the in‐depth, longitudinal study covered just four organisations and from a mix of sectors. Additional work is needed to further test the findings in more organisations.Practical implicationsThis study identifies the critical importance of mindset change in the design of customer experience improvement programmes and the ways in which customers can be directly engaged in the design and improvement process. Importantly, it provides a road‐map that organisations can use as a base for improving their customer experiences. It also suggests that it is useful to have clear objectives in three areas: customer; staff; and cost‐efficiency; and use them to assess the benefits of improving the customer experience.Originality/valueThe study organises the current literature on the customer experience, distinguishes between “service” and “experience”, and provides a research‐based road‐map for improving the customer experience.
E‐service attributes available on men's and women's apparel web sites
Authors: Kim Minjeong , Kim Jung‐Hwan , Lennon Sharron J. 
Published: January 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine whether service attributes available on women's apparel web sites differ from those available on men's apparel web sites in relation to the nine dimensions of E‐A‐S‐QUAL (E‐S‐QUAL for apparel).Design/methodology/approachUsing three separate sources, 97 women's and 97 men's apparel web sites were selected, which constituted a variety of apparel retail web sites that are a fair representation of available US retail apparel web sites. ANOVAs and chi‐square analysis were performed.FindingsThe results of content analysis suggest that differences exist between women's and men's apparel web sites in providing online services that improve e‐service quality in such a way that women's web sites provided more service attributes that improve e‐service quality than men's web sites.Practical implicationsThe results of content analysis suggest that the distribution or availability of almost half the e‐service attributes analyzed significantly differed between women's and men's apparel web sites. For the further growth of men's apparel shopping via the internet, e‐retailers of men's apparel need to provide e‐services at a more sophisticated level.Originality/valueThis study provides valuable information to both men's and women's apparel e‐retailers to understand their current performance in delivering e‐service and areas for improvement.
Antecedents and effects of engaged frontline employees
Authors: Slåtten Terje , Mehmetoglu Mehmet 
Published: January 2011

PurposeThe aim of this study is to examine factors related to employee engagement in frontline jobs in service firms.Design/methodology/approachA conceptual model was developed and tested on a survey in which 279 hospitality frontline employees participated.FindingsThe findings show that employee engagement is closely linked to employees' innovative behaviour. Accordingly, the study clearly reveals the value of having an engaged frontline workforce. Moreover, the results show that perceptions of role benefit, job autonomy, and strategic attention were all significantly related to greater employee engagement.Research limitations/implicationsThis study limits its examination to the antecedents and effects of employee engagement for two types of service organizations.Practical implicationsThe study has demonstrated the importance for managers of having an engaged workforce. In particular, it is important for managers to notice that engagement is a major driver to innovative behaviour. Consequently, one general and key practical implication from this study is the importance for mangers to measure regularly the engagement of their workforce.Originality/valueThis paper enhances one's knowledge of factors linked to employee engagement.
Dear Mr Chocolate
Authors: Zarantonello Lia , Luomala Harri T. 
Published: January 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to advance theory‐building in the area of food consumption research, by exploring how consumers experience chocolate consumption in different contexts and by viewing these inductive findings in the light of the relevant existing body of knowledge.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative study is conducted on a non‐student sample of Italian consumers. The qualitative diary research technique is used as it is particularly suitable to capturing sensations, feelings, thoughts, and behaviours related to various chocolate consumption contexts. Content analytical and interpretive principles are followed in the production of the study findings.FindingsChocolate generates rich and complex consumption experiences as a function of various contextual forces. Seven main contextual chocolate consumption categories are identified: context of physiological need, context of sensorial gratification, context of memories and nostalgia, context of escapism, context of materialism, context of chocoholism, and context of interpersonal and self‐gifts. On the basis of these chocolate consumption categories and ideas from past consumer behaviour research, four more general contextualized chocolate consumption experience types are extracted: chocolate consumption experience as medicine, as mind manoeuvring, as regression and as ritual enhancement.Originality/valuePast research has not explored how different chocolate consumption contexts shape and define these experiences, even though contextual variation in food consumption experiences is recognized as important. The nuances of chocolate consumption in various contexts are explored to the unprecedented depth, a conceptually novel typology of contextualized chocolate consumption experiences is presented, the field of application of self‐congruity theory is expanded and the profiles of chocolate consumer segments identified by past research are enriched.
Safeguarding reputation through strategic, integrated and situational crisis communication management
Authors: Thiessen Ansgar , Ingenhoff Diana 
Published: January 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to address the often missing theoretical foundation of crisis communication from an integrated perspective on the micro, meso and macro level. Based on the theory of structuration, a systematic, integrative framework is developed for safeguarding organizational legitimization and multidimensional reputation through communication during crisis situations which is applicable both for profit and non‐profit organizations.Design/methodology/approachGidden's theory of structuration was chosen as a basis to develop the integrative model of crisis communication that proposes a communicative impact on reputation on a situative level of message strategies (micro level), an organizational level (meso level) and a societal level (macro level). A well‐organized crisis communication management on all of these levels is seen as the key communicative driver to safeguard long‐term organizational reputation.FindingsThe paper shows that successful crisis communication management must be conceptualized and addressed on distinctive levels of complexity. While on a message level (situative crisis communication) it creates meaning, crisis communication must be seen as management task on an organizational level (integrative crisis communication). However, in order to fully safeguard reputation in the long term and trustworthiness in the short term, crisis communication has also a societal component when addressing moral standards and norms (strategic crisis communication).Research limitations/implicationsThe paper is a conceptual contribution which build the basis of a follow‐up empirical, experimental study where the proposed model is successfully tested.Practical implicationsFor PR managers, this paper gives reasons to conceptualize crisis communication management, not only on a message strategy level, but also to take into consideration the organizational and societal levels.Originality/valueThe paper stands in line with the theoretical discourse of organizational crisis communication. So far, few approaches conceptualize organizational crisis communication thoroughly on an integrated level of different perspectives so that the paper provides an important input, pushing the discussion forward.
Does communicating corporate parent brand heritage help spin‐off stock performance?
Authors: Bhat Subodh , Burg Camilla Jane 
Published: January 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine whether communicating a corporate parent brand's heritage in the form of the name, slogan or other reference helps a corporate spin‐off increase its post‐divestiture stock market value.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collected stock market valuation data on spin‐offs in the USA during the period 1992‐2004 both on the spin‐off date and a year from that date and compared the change in the spin‐off's stock market valuation to a change in a broad stock market index, the S&P 500.FindingsIt was found that a spin‐off did not outperform a broad market index over the one year after divestiture. Second, spin‐offs that relied on parent brand heritage did not outperform those that did so. Third, using a parent brand's name, a more direct reference to parent brand heritage, did not result in higher spin‐off valuation than using other parent identifiers such as tag lines or slogans.Research limitations/implicationsA major implication of the findings is that shareholders and investors may not be considering a corporate parent's brand equity in evaluating the investment value of a spin‐off, in stark contrast to repeated findings of the importance of a parent brand's equity in a consumer's evaluation of a brand extension.Practical implicationsThe results suggest that corporate managers need not be concerned with communicating parent brand associations to investors at the time of a spin‐off, at least for the purpose of boosting its future stock valuation.Originality/valueThis paper analyses the importance of corporate brand equity in investors' evaluation of spin‐offs, the first extension of traditional branding research into the domain of investors and the use of effects like stock valuation.