bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
E‐learning in LIS education: an analysis and prediction
Authors: Islam Shiful , Kunifuji Susumu , Hayama Tessai , Miura Motoki 
Published: August 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze the significant factors which encourage and motivate the library and information science (LIS) academics to respond to and embrace e‐learning (EL), to explore how EL tools and technologies support the LIS education process, and to measure weights of factors constraining the use of EL in LIS education. It also reports perceptions of how LIS academics manage EL‐knowledge resources, the problems they face in managing those resources, the ways to solve those problems, and their predictions about future usage of EL in LIS education.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology includes a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. The authors used an exploratory online e‐mail interview method to gather experiences and data from LIS academics worldwide. The authors also used (www.docs.google.com) to prepare a questionnaire, and sent a link to the questionnaire to 85 LIS academics globally to gather their perceptions regarding EL in LIS schools.FindingsThe findings confirmed that EL overcomes location and time constraints, provides opportunities for employed and/or busy people, etc. is a driving force in education, which encourages and motivates LIS academics to respond to and embrace EL in LIS education, and EL accelerates accessibility of a wide range of knowledge, supports the process of exchanging knowledge, and increases knowledge storage capacity to enhance the LIS education process. This paper concludes that the respondents hold highly positive perceptions regarding the future of EL in LIS schools.Originality/valueThe paper explores the original perceptions of LIS academics, and their predictions regarding future usage of EL in LIS schools.
Crisis of professionalism in public services
Authors: McGuigan Glenn S. 
Published: August 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to address dimensions of crisis as applied to the profession of librarianship from a public administration frame of reference. For librarians to retain professional status, the human element of librarianship must be promoted through an emphasis on their educational mission, inspired by public administration's professional code of ethics. Within this process, librarians must promote themselves as educators, embracing the concept of information literacy as their field of jurisdiction.Design/methodology/approachReflecting an interdisciplinary approach, literature from public administration and library science is used to support these points.FindingsA robust professional education and affiliation with professional associations reinforces the informational asymmetries of professionals through specialized instruction and knowledge sharing, which will lead to not only a strengthened profession, but also to opportunities for leadership.Practical implicationsTo reinforce professionalism, the human element of librarianship must be promoted through an enhanced emphasis on the educational mission of librarians within the ethical framework of the profession. The place for this to occur is within schools of graduate education and professional associations.Originality/valueThis discussion addresses dimensions of crisis as applied to the profession of librarianship from a public administration frame of reference. The rationale for this approach is that library and information science can benefit from elements of the public administration school of thought regarding professionalism, in general, and ethical codes, in particular.
Building factory fitness
Authors: Ferdows Kasra , Thurnheer Fritz 
Published: August 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to introduce the notion of fitness in production as something different from leanness and show that building fitness puts a factory on a course of developing cumulative capabilities and improving its ability to respond to changing market and business conditions.Design/methodology/approachThe paper examines the process of design, launch, and management of a fitness program in 42 factories of the Hydro Aluminum Extrusion Group on five continents between 1986 and 2001. The design was based on the “sandcone model” proposed by Ferdows and DeMeyer but the sequence of capabilities was modified to improve safety, reduce process variability, codify and share tacit production know‐how, improve responsiveness, and improve labor and machine efficiency.FindingsMost factories showed improvements higher than industry average in these capabilities during the 15 years. Moreover, they improved the capabilities listed earlier in the above sequence faster than those listed later, indicating that they were becoming more fit.Research limitations/implicationsObservations were in only one company and industry, which limits general applicability of the model. However, measurements were taken over a relatively long period, factories were spread on five continents, and the authors had access to the actual data during the 15 years, which together provided a unique opportunity to gain deep insights from this case. Future research should test the applicability of the model in other industries and companies.Practical implicationsA fitness regimen provides a roadmap for improving core capabilities in a factory. It is different from building leanness. Fitness helps the factory become leaner, but the opposite is not always true. A factory can become too lean but never too fit.Originality/valueThis paper is the first, to the authors' knowledge, to introduce the notion of fitness in production in the literature. Results observed in this case suggest that a better understanding of how factories become fitter provides insights into some of the deeply ingrained practices of superior manufacturers, especially those that stay competitive over long periods.
Now, let's make it really complex (complicated)
Authors: Geraldi Joana , Maylor Harvey , Williams Terry 
Published: August 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to contribute to operations management (OM) practice contingency research by describing the complexity of projects. Complexity is recognised as a key independent (contingent) variable that impacts on many subsequent decisions in the practice of managing projects.Design/methodology/approachThis paper presents a systematic review of relevant literature and synthesises an integrated framework for assessing the complexities of managing projects.FindingsThis framework comprises five dimensions of complexity – structural, uncertainty, dynamics, pace and socio‐political complexity. These five dimensions present individuals and organisations with choices about how they respond to each type of complexity, in terms of business case, strategic choice, process choice, managerial capacity and competencies.Originality/valueThe contribution of this paper is to provide a clarification to the epistemology of complexity, to demonstrate complexity as a lived experience for project managers, and offer a common language for both practitioners and future empirical studies considering the individual or organisational response to project complexities. The work also demonstrates an application of systematic review in OM research.
Gendered forms of othering in UK hospital medicine
Authors: Tsouroufli Maria , Özbilgin Mustafa , Smith Merryn 
Published: August 2011

PurposeAttempts to modernise the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK involve promoting flexible approaches to work and training, restructuring postgraduate training and increasing control and scrutiny of doctors' work. However, the medical community has responded with expressed anxiety about the implications of these changes for medical professionalism and the quality of patient care. This paper aims to address these issues.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on literature on nostalgia, gender, identity and organisations, the paper explores the narratives of 20 senior NHS hospital doctors to identify ways in which doctors use nostalgia to react to organisational and professional challenges and resist modernisation and feminisation of medicine.FindingsThis paper illustrates how senior hospital doctors' nostalgic discourses of temporal commitment may be used to constitute a highly esteemed professional identity, creating a sense of personal and occupational uniqueness for senior hospital doctors, intertwined with gendered forms of othering and exclusionary practices.Practical implicationsNostalgia at first sight appears to be an innocuous social construct. However, this study illustrates the significance of nostalgia as a subversive practice of resistance with implications for women's career and identity experiences. Change initiatives that seek to tackle resistance need also to address discourses of nostalgia in the medical profession.Originality/valueThe main contribution of this study is that we illustrate how supposedly neutral discourses of nostalgia may sometimes be mobilised as devices of resistance. This study questions simplistic focus on numerical representation, such as feminisation, as indicative of modernisation and highlights the significance of exploring discourses and head counts for understanding resistance to modernisation.
Multi‐layered analysis of Turkish Cypriot female solicitors' career trajectory in North London
Authors: İnal Gözde , Karataş‐Özkan Mine 
Published: August 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the career experiences of Turkish Cypriot women solicitors in Britain, by examining their choices of employment or self‐employment.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopts a critical realist approach considering the macro‐contextual and micro‐agentic aspects of Turkish Cypriot women's career development. Applying “the instrumental case study” approach, it explores the career experiences of four Turkish Cypriot women solicitors. Case study material was collected through semi‐structured interviews.FindingsThe paper argues that one cannot talk of ethnic enclaves in positive or negative terms, without considering layered individual experience. Their life and career trajectory is marked by their ethnicity and migration that is characterised by dual processes of break with tradition and later return to tradition during which identities are tested and usually reaffirmed where Turkish Cypriots may rediscover their Turkish Cypriotness.Originality/valueThe study reveals that macro‐, meso‐ and micro‐effects are responsible for the polarisation of opportunities in the ethnic enclaves.
The influence on corporate entrepreneurship of technological variables
Authors: Martín‐Rojas Rodrigo , García‐Morales Víctor J. , García‐Sánchez Encarnación 
Published: August 2011

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to highlight the importance of different technological aspects of organizations on Spanish high‐technology firms' performance.Design/methodology/approachThe relationships studied are confirmed empirically using a structural equation model to demonstrate our hypotheses. The sample was selected from the database “Dun & Bradstreet España” in the year 2005 and includes 201 Spanish firms. CEOs were our main informants.FindingsThe results obtained show that support from top managers will directly influence the organizational learning (OL) process and technological distinctive competencies (TDCs) (antecedents of corporate entrepreneurship) and that corporate entrepreneurship finally influences organizational performance.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper is exploratory in character, and its goal is to show whether interrelations exist between the variables. The main limitations are: the sectors chosen refer only to Spain; the analysis is cross‐sectional in character; the study uses a single method and self‐reports (CEOs).Practical implicationsTo obtain perfect adaptation of the firm to its environment, it is crucial that managers develop corporate entrepreneurship to improve high‐technology sector firms' performance. The paper shows the important role of the top manager's support in developing TDCs and OL. Success in such issues is of vital importance to corporate entrepreneurship in the firm.Originality/valueThe paper seeks to stimulate new lines of research on one variable (TDCs) and to relate it to other constructs, producing new relationships and observing their repercussions for the firm.
Evolution of technology dependence among leading semiconductor companies
Authors: Wang Chun‐chieh , Huang Mu‐hsuan , Chen Dar‐zen 
Published: August 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the characteristics and evolution of the technology‐dependence networks of leading semiconductor companies. By comparing and contrasting technology‐dependence networks in the 6‐, 8‐ and 12‐inch chip eras, this study clarifies the differences among integrated device manufacturers (IDMs) and foundries, and among each company in different eras.Design/methodology/approachLeading companies were identified by technological crowdedness and technological prestige to avoid massive actors. Strong ties were extracted to avoid too many relationship ties at the company network level. Strong ties represented directional technology relationships among companies whose citation counts and relative citation rates were higher. The technology‐dependence network of leading companies in three chip eras was examined by social network analysis.FindingsTechnology dependence among IDMs was the weakest, and their technology dependence upon foundries decreased in the 12‐inch chip era. The highest technology interdependence appeared among foundries and the reduction of their dependence upon IDMs. Technology dependence is expanded primarily by foundries, significant among GlobalFoundries, TSMC, UMC, and VIS.Practical implicationsIDM could invite foundries with technology dependence to form a strategic consortium. That way, the foundries could monitor potential competitors with relationship of technology dependence; in an advanced sense, the foundries could make use of the network to practice commercial maneuvers and create competitive advantage. Scholars may also observe semiconductor manufacturing technology's evolving into the maturity stage of product life cycle by interpreting foundries' highly technology interdependent relationships.Originality/valueThis is the first study to use strong ties in patent citation networks to represent technology‐dependence relationships.
E‐publishing readiness assessment in Iranian publishing companies
Authors: Toufani Samrand , Montazer Gholam Ali 
Published: August 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is first to construct an e‐publishing model and then to implement the model in Iranian publishers.Design/methodology/approachThis article critically tries to evaluate Iranian publishing companies involved in e‐publishing based on a new model which is made in this paper. Moreover, it has tried to investigate the readiness of the society and the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance as a legislator toward e‐publishing. Furthermore, some suggestions to remove challenges toward e‐publishing based on the findings will be made.FindingsA new e‐publishing readiness model is made based on e‐readiness prior models. Based on the new model, the e‐publishing readiness level of Iranian publishing companies is evaluated. It was found that, to improve e‐publishing, it is necessary to have a holistic view toward the model in a way that considers all dimensions of e‐publishing. Furthermore, it was found that in some constructs like technical infrastructure, social, and economical and financial constructs, Iranian publishers did not enjoy a good status, while in other factors this was better. Consequently, based on these finding, some suggestions are made toward improving the e‐publishing readiness level of Iranian publishers.Originality/valueThis research is probably the first to support the perspective of critical issues regarding e‐readiness assessment in publishing companies based on macro models. It will give a good insight which it is expected could be helpful for managers to consider the critical issues with respect to e‐readiness assessment of their organization in an effective way.
Bridging the gap between print and electronic resources at a multi‐campus university library
Authors: Premchand‐Mohammed Sharon 
Published: August 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe the challenges and examine the impact of the transition from print to electronic resources at a medium‐sized academic library at a multi‐campus Caribbean university, The University of the West Indies (UWI), with particular reference to the St Augustine campus.Design/methodology/approachThrough a review of the literature on the shift from print to electronic resources, the paper uses the experiences of The UWI St Augustine to provide a model that can be used by other libraries.FindingsLibraries have successfully built a “hybrid” collection of print and electronic resources despite challenges with information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure, balancing costs, licencing model and strategies for selection, acquisition and management of electronic resources. There are some key steps which libraries can follow when transitioning from print to electronic resources.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper focuses on the experiences and lessons learnt in moving a collection from print to a hybrid of print and electronic resources. However, this by no means encapsulates all the issues associated with any such undertaking.Practical implicationsThe paper provides some key steps that a library can take in transitioning its collection from print to a print‐electronic hybrid.Originality/valueAlthough the literature speaks to different aspects of implementing electronic resources, this paper provides a roadmap for similar libraries with the lessons learnt and simple steps that a library should take when considering to move its collection from print to some level of electronic resources.
Harvesting knowledge from computer mediated social networks
Authors: Ogunseye Oluwafemi S. , Adetiloye Philip K. , Idowu Samuel O. , Folorunso Olusegun , Akinwale Adio T. 
Published: August 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to focus on how the advantages of computer mediated social networks (CMSN) can be effectively harnessed to create value for organizations in the form of ready knowledge and quick solutions to problems.Design/methodology/approachA knowledge capture technique – the Delphi technique – was fused into the social networking process. A model was designed to help show how this can be achieved and further illustrated through a case study of the dotCSC intranet portal – a social networking project conceptualized and designed by the authors for the Department of Computer Science, in the authors' university. An online survey was carried out to determine the efficacy of the prototype dotCSC.FindingsThe results show that, though computer mediated social networks are regarded as major sources of social capital development and potential sources of knowledge capital, there is still room for improvement in their present design if they are to be effectively used for knowledge creation and management attaining their optimum potential. Conversely, the bad spells and pitfalls of KM acceptance and deployment in organizations tend to be reduced when it is amalgamated with SN. The survey conducted showed that the users of the dotCSC enjoyed using the prototype as they would any other CMSN and that the strategies employed in the development of the dotCSC was effective in problem solving, knowledge creation, capturing, and indeed, management.Research limitations/implicationsThis improvement strategy is by no means exhaustive of the creative ways that knowledge capturing and management concepts can be combined and applied in the actual design of CMSNs for the benefit of organizations. It is meant to be an eye opener, a clarion call to developers and IS managers. It will also serve as a starting point into the future of objective KM oriented CMSN. Possible response bias from some respondents can be considered a primary limitation of the research.Originality/valueLooking through existing documentation and literature would show that this research presents a novel approach/model in the design of CMSNs. It is able to aid knowledge generation or synthesis in organizations by objectively structuring staff conversations through the CMSNs to facilitate knowledge management. It can also help organizations leverage the success and appeal of CMSN in their design of KMSs.
Sharing digital resources globally: the China‐North America Library Conference
Authors: Li Zhang Sha 
Published: August 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to report on the China‐North America Library Conference held in Beijing, China. The conference theme is Sharing Digital Resources: Challenges and Opportunities. Six sub‐themes are also intertwined with the conference theme: Resource sharing policies and perspectives; Digital infrastructure and repository technology; Research data sharing; Sharing digital preservation methods; and Shared digital access, retrieval and use.Design/methodology/approachThe paper summarizes several important presentations at the conference.FindingsThe shared projects in this report include: National Cultural Information Resource Sharing Project; Multicultural Canada Project; Data Conservancy; National Library Digital Exchange Services; and Digital Museum Platform.Originality/valueThis is an original conference report which would help those who are interested in sharing digital resources on a global scale to understand the challenges, issues, and opportunities on that aspect.