bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The practical wisdom of the Catholic social teachings
Authors: Cornuel Eric , Habisch André , Kletz Pierre 
Published: August 2010

PurposeThis paper aims to focus on business education, which should not exclude strains of religious ethical traditions, e.g. Catholic social thought, and the practical wisdom embodied in them.Design/methodology/approachRecent traditions of social Catholicism starting from the Papal Social Message Rerum Novarum (1891) are summarized. Consequences for management development are drawn.FindingsThe recent tradition of social Catholicism developed as a result of a broad cultural process of adaptation of Christians to the emerging social context of a modern society. New types of ethical orientation have been developed, sometimes in strong opposition to contemporary ideological concepts such as socialism, materialism, or elitist capitalism. Even in the globalized environment of the twenty‐first century these orientations are of continuing relevance, e.g. in organizational behavior, in business and society relations, and in basic concepts of corporate responsibility.Practical implicationsReligious ethical traditions embody elements of “practical wisdom” that are threatened by extinction in the global practice of management development. The current financial and economic crisis – also addressed in a recent document of Pope Benedict XVI – should also be perceived in that perspective.Originality/valueA business ethics evaluation of Social Catholicism and its practical wisdom is executed.
Implementing relationship marketing: supermarkets' perspectives
Authors: Whyatt Georgina , Koschek Ralph 
Published: August 2010

PurposeThere is a stream of literature which implies that for supermarkets, as organisations that operate with low staff‐customer interaction, within a price competitive environment and are dependent on high economies of scale, the return on investment in a relationship marketing (RM) approach does not justify the expense. The purpose of this paper is to explore how supermarkets select and implement RM strategies and seek value from that investment.Design/methodology/approachIn‐depth, semi‐structured interviews were undertaken with senior marketing managers in German and UK supermarkets. The interview themes were drawn from the RM literature. Loyalty frameworks provided guidelines for the data analysis.FindingsThe results suggest that definitions of RM have historically been too narrow due to research having been focussed on the sectors with a high‐service element and undertaken at a time when customer data collection and analysis were more expensive than currently. In addition to those already identified in the literature, further factors into which retailers could invest to build an RM strategy are suggested.Research limitations/implicationsThe marketing perspective of only seven supermarkets was examined. Future researchers should undertake a more exhaustive approach in order to fully establish how the management of RM in one sector differs from that in another.Practical implicationsA “retail RM mix” framework was developed and guidelines for the cost‐effective management of RM are provided.Originality/valueThis is the first study to examine supermarkets' perspectives on RM approaches, by seeking responses from the retailers rather than the customers.
Modeling service experience design processes with customer expectation management
Authors: Hsieh Yen‐Hao , Yuan Soe‐Tsyr 
Published: August 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to propose a conceptual framework of customer expectation management and a reference model of service experience design which are regarded as the basic foundation to model the processes of service experience design for service operation strategies simulating and testing by employing a system dynamics approach.Design/methodology/approachSystem dynamics is the key approach which includes causal loop diagrams and stock and flow diagrams used to build the reference model of experience design. Simulations of the processes of service experience design have also been implemented by Vensim®.FindingsIt is found that the proposed reference model involving customer expectation management can successfully capture the key elements of the service experience design within service operation strategies. The system dynamics approach can effectively enable a macro viewpoint of service experience design for service operation strategies and policies.Practical implicationsWith the proposed reference model of service experience design and the system dynamics modeling approach, service providers cannot only comprehensively examine the processes of service experience design in detail but also accomplish the strategies testing and simulating. Hence, service providers can make correct decisions to achieve the business goals via the simulation results beforehand.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to analyze and combine the idea of customer expectation management with service experience design and give rise to a unique reference model of service experience design that is shown to be valuable to service operation strategies testing and simulating based on the system dynamics perspective.
The development of granular metastructures and their use in a multifaceted representation of data and models
Authors: Pedrycz Witold 
Published: August 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to show that exploiting fundamental ideas of granular computing can lead to further conceptual developments of granular metastructures, which are inherently associated with computing involving a large number of individual datasets; and to show that such processing leads to the representatives of information granules and granular models in the form of metastructures and metamodels.Design/methodology/approachThe formulation of the concept of granular metastructures is provided and presented along with some essential algorithmic developments and associated optimization strategies. The overall methodological framework is the one of granular computing, especially fuzzy sets and fuzzy sets of higher type. Given the structural facet of optimization, the paper stresses the relevance of the use of evolutionary optimization.FindingsThis paper focused on the underlying concepts and while it elaborated on some development aspects and optimization tools, it should be stressed that further refinement and a thorough exploitation of optimization techniques in application to the inherently combinatorial facet of the problem are to be pursued in detail.Practical implicationsThe introduced approach and algorithms could be of interest when solving problems of granular metastructures, in particular those encountered in knowledge‐based systems.Originality/valueThe main aspects of originality concern a formulation of the concept of granular metastructures and their design, based on granular evidence (experimental data) of lower type. A constructive way of forming type‐2 fuzzy sets via the principle of justifiable granularity exhibits a significant level of originality and offers a general way of designing information granules.
Discovering behavioral segments in the mobile phone market
Authors: Kımıloğlu Hande , Aslıhan Nasır V. , Nasır Süphan 
Published: August 2010

PurposeThis paper aims to discover consumer segments with different behavioral profiles in the mobile phone market. For this purpose, it seeks to analyze the decision‐making criteria of 302 mobile phone consumers in Turkey and cluster the sample meaningfully into four behaviorally different groups.Design/methodology/approachFactor analysis is conducted on 32 different attributes to which consumers attach importance in purchasing a mobile phone. Nine major decision‐making criteria emerge from this analysis. These criteria are used for segmenting this consumer market into four behavior clusters, namedly as pragmatic, abstemious, value‐conscious, and charismatic.FindingsPragmatic consumers are found to give high importance to the functional, physical and convenience‐based attributes of the product. The abstemious group also gives importance to functionality along with design. While value‐conscious consumers focus strongly on price, the charismatic segment represents the want‐it‐all group valuing many attributes such as technological superiority, practicality, durability, functionality, and design. The study also includes findings and discussions about the differences these clusters display in terms of their involvement and loyalty styles.Research limitations/implicationsHigh‐tech products such as mobile phones are becoming indispensable in people's lives; thus leading to a high‐involvement decision‐making process. It is crucial for marketers of these products to understand behaviorally different consumer segments that show significant variations in their decision‐making criteria for such products, and approach them accordingly.Originality/valueThe study applies cluster analysis as a behavioral segmentation tool in a high‐technology product market and successfully identifies four distinct consumer groups with alternative decision‐making styles.
Impact of online reviews of customer care experience on brand or company selection
Authors: Karakaya Fahri , Ganim Barnes Nora 
Published: August 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study the impact of customer care experiences voiced online on consumer choice of brand or company when purchasing products and services by including the level of usage of these sites, and consumer opinions about whether or not their comments would make a difference to the actions of companies.Design/methodology/approachThe theoretical framework of word of mouth is extended to an online environment, electronic word of mouth (e‐WOM), when using consumer opinions about customer care, and a model is suggested using structural equation modeling utilizing data from 320 consumers in the USA.FindingsConsumer opinions about customer care in socially‐based web sites impact consumer opinions and consumer engagement and consequently consumer choice of brand or company when making purchases. The web sites, including government/consumer advocacy information sites, company web sites, and information found through search engines, are not considered important in influencing consumers.Research limitations/implicationsThe implications of the study are that companies need to pay attention to the voices of customers on socially‐based web sites and respond appropriately in order to keep customers brand‐loyal. Since this was an exploratory study, it was limited in the number of variables used for testing the hypotheses. The study could be improved by increasing the number of variables that explain online consumer opinions, online engagement and consumer choice of brand or company.Originality/valueThis is an exploratory study focusing on the customer care experience rather than product quality or value provided by companies as discussed by consumers on a variety of web sites. Therefore, it extends the previous works on product quality and value.
Status and implications of promise (wa'd) in contemporary Islamic banking
Authors: Irwani Abdullah Nurdianawati 
Published: August 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyse the status and implications of promise (wa'd) in Islamic banking practices and the extent of its enforceability in the court of law. The analysis highlights the concept of wa'd, its application and limitation in the present practices.Design/methodology/approachAnalysis of conceptual nature and status of promise is made in the light of classical and contemporary juristic rulings (ijtihad and ifta'). Illustrations of three main Islamic banking products structured based on wa'd principle are discussed to shed some lights in understanding the issues surrounded the practice.FindingsThis study reveals that the usage of wa'd is allowed by contemporary jurists as a necessity for the interest of the contracting parties. The paper admits the importance of wa'd which has become an innovative tool in structuring many forward contracts that require flexibility with full commitment of the parties involved without jeopardising the basic principles and maqasid Al‐Shari'ah. The paper also highlights that the right of promissee is well protected in both Shari'ah and civil law, and also enforceable in the court of law.Research limitations/implicationsThe analysis of this study reveals that wa'd has direct implications in determining the Shari'ah compliancy of particular Islamic banking products in two aspects; first, promise‐ and other‐related undertakings are not integral to the main contract; second, the promise should not include a bilateral promise that is binding on both parties, unless if there is an option to cancel the promise which may be exercised by any of the parties. This research will be of interest to both incumbent and potential practitioners as well as researchers in the area of Islamic finance.Originality/valueThe paper presents an objective view on the implication of wa'd in Islamic banking practices based on facts and Shari'ah rulings. It will indeed be a material guideline to the industry player who directly adopts wa'd in many Islamic products.
Strategies to contain the high and rising costs of health
Authors: Hosseini Hengameh 
Published: August 2010

PurposeAfter discussing the high and rising health care costs in the USA, its disparities, and the suggested demand, supply, and managed competition‐side strategies to contain health care costs and their ethical implications, this paper seeks to explore whether or not these strategies will further aggravate the existing health care disparities.Design/methodology/approachThis conceptual paper utilizes various appropriate exiting economic and ethical theories. The economic and ethical theories utilized are relevant to the problem of rising health care costs; to the proposed demand, supply, and managed competition‐side cost containment strategies; and to the existing health care disparities.FindingsThis paper demonstrates that the suggested cost containment strategies do in fact aggravate existing health care inequities and are not always ethical.Originality/valueGiven the present health care reform debate in the USA and various misconceptions about it, the author believes that the paper and its findings should in fact be viewed as a contribution.
Faith‐based model as a policy response to the actualisation of the millennium development goals in Nigeria
Authors: Raimi L. , Bello M.A. , Mobolaji H. 
Published: August 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the appropriateness of faith‐based model (FBM) as a veritable policy response to the issue of poverty alleviation and actualisation of the millennium development goals (MDGs) in Nigeria.Design/methodology/approachThe paper combined qualitative and quantitative date to validate the appropriateness of FBM, to tackling poverty issues in Nigeria. The first section presents a brief introduction on poverty issue in Nigeria. The second section outlines the theoretical and methological approaches adopted in the paper. The third section casts a cursory look at the conceptualisation of poverty in the literature. The fourth section explores poverty‐eradication efforts in Nigeria. The fifth section highlights the failure of previous poverty reduction strategies (PRS) in Nigeria. The sixth section presents a background to MDGs. The seventh section show‐cases application of Islamic economics models (faith‐based model and business system model (BSM)) to MDGs. The eighth section is devoted to data projections, analysis and interpretation. The final section concludes with policy prescriptions.FindingsOn the basis of projection which is hinged on Shari'ah assumptions (minimum zakatable wealth and 2.5 per cent Zakat rate), the paper shows that Zakat and Sadaqat collections from year 2009 to 2015 would amount to N357,038 billions and N31 billion, respectively. These funds would go a long way in helping to alleviate poverty and actualisation of MDGs in Nigeria.Practical implicationsThe faith‐based poverty reduction strategy enriched by BSM as conceptualised in this study can be used to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger (MDG 1), achieve universal primary education (MDG 2), promote gender equality and empower women (MDG 3), reduce child mortality (MDG 4), improve maternal health (MDG 5), combat, HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases (MDGs 6), ensure environmental sustainability (MDG 7) and develop a global partnership for development (MDG 8).Originality/valueThe results of this paper support the Islamic economics view that Zakat and Sadaqat are viable fiscal mechanisms for poverty alleviation where adopted. The FBM as conceptualised in this paper would therefore complement and pose a positive challenge to contemporary PRS in use in many poverty‐ridden nations where economic indicators have justified prevalence of poverty, despite the various PRS put in place by policy makers.
Service quality, trust, commitment and service differentiation in business relationships
Authors: Chenet Pierre , Dagger Tracey S. , O'Sullivan Don 
Published: August 2010

PurposeWhile service quality, trust and commitment are frequently cited as critical to achieving important firm outcomes, the role of service differentiation in this framework is largely unknown. Yet, differentiation is important because a firm's distinctiveness is linked to client‐perceived value, competitive advantage, and a target market focus. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine the role of service differentiation in business‐to‐business relationships.Design/methodology/approachHypotheses were tested using a sample of business clients from a large European financial services firm. The senior primary contact in each client firm was contacted by phone/e‐mail to arrange for completion of the survey. Using the survey instrument, respondents provided information on their relationship with the provider organization.FindingsResults indicated that service quality had an impact on trust, differentiation and relationship outcomes. Trust was found to drive service differentiation. Differentiation, in turn, drove commitment which ultimately had an impact on both satisfaction and word‐of‐mouth. Importantly, it was found that service differentiation is a full mediator of the impact that service quality and trust have on client commitment towards the firm.Originality/valueThe findings clearly show the importance of service differentiation in achieving high levels of relationship commitment and ultimately satisfaction and positive word‐of‐mouth. As the role of differentiation in business‐to‐business relationships has received limited research focus, this paper offers managers new insights into relationship development. Importantly, differentiation is a managerially controlled variable that firms can use to influence relationship outcomes.
Service brand equity and employee brand commitment
Authors: Kimpakorn Narumon , Tocquer Gerard 
Published: August 2010

PurposeThe aims of this article are to measure the brand equity of service firms (luxury hotels) using a customer perspective, to identify factors that predict customers’ brands relationships and to explore the links between service brand equity and employee brand commitmentDesign/methodology/approachTwo surveys were conducted to achieve the research objectives. The first survey objective was to measure brand equity using a sample of 250 international customers of five‐star hotels in Bangkok. The second survey objective was to collect information regarding employee brand commitment in each selected hotel using a sample of 250 employees.FindingsResults show that hotels belonging to the same category have different brand equity and that brand differentiation and brand trust are the variables that have the major influence on customer brand relationships. Perceived service quality and associations related to hotel core services are not related to brand relationships. High hotel brands equity have a stronger level of employee brand commitment that low hotel brands equity.Research limitations/implicationsFor hotel managers the research findings illustrate the importance of brand differentiation and trust for international hotels chains and illustrate the importance of employee brand commitment in the process of building a strong band. Therefore this research has an implication not only for marketing but also for human resource managers and for hotel general managers.Originality/valueThe value of this research resides in the exploration between service brand equity and employee brand commitment. The literature on service marketing emphasizes the link between employee and service quality but to the authors' knowledge little research has explored the link between the service brand and its employees.
A CIT investigation of other customers' influence in services
Authors: Zhang Jingyun , Beatty Sharon E. , Mothersbaugh David 
Published: August 2010

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the different forms of other customers' influence in various service settings.Design/methodology/approachThe critical incident technique (CIT) method was used to collect and analyze the data. A total of 142 critical incidents involving other customers' influence in services were collected.FindingsBased on CIT analysis, nine types of other customers' influence involving positive and negative, direct and indirect customer‐to‐customer interactions emerge. In addition, the researchers find that the degree of other customers' influence varies for different service settings.Research limitations/implicationsMethodologically, there are a number of limitations of the CIT method used in this research. The paper suggests ways to overcome these limitations. Moreover, findings of this research suggest a number of additional directions for future research.Practical implicationsThis research suggests the importance of proactively managing customer‐to‐customer interactions during a service encounter experience.Originality/valueThis paper builds on previous research and provides empirically based analysis of the different forms of other customers' influence across service settings.
Variance analysis
Authors: Butt Maggie 
Published: August 2010

PurposeThis poem aims to use the language of accounting and auditing to examine how we deal with the loss of a loved one. It also aims to juxtapose the vocabulary of a budgeting seminar with the world outside, and the way the “you” of the poem deals with his grief on the first anniversary of his father's death.Design/methodology/approachThis is a free verse poem that uses longish lines of long, heavily punctuated sentences to reflect the slow passage of time in a budgeting seminar, and the waste of the first day of spring, particularly when we consider mortality. The interior description and language counterbalances the activity and brightness of the world outside. The poem deliberately references Naming of Parts by Henry Reed, on the futility of army exercises on a beautiful spring day. It is designed to end with hopefulness.FindingsThe poem uses a newly encountered vocabulary to connect frustration at being cooped up and a partner's grieving. Auditing terminology combines with concrete images of the spring world to convey the movement, growth and vitality outside the room.Research limitations/implicationsIt is possible to mould the language of accountancy into a poem about spring and about grief.Originality/valueThe poem uses accounting jargon, which seems at first disconnected with the subject matter, to emphasise and underscore the timeless poetic theme of mortality.