bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
UK construction industry site health and safety management
Authors: Rawlinson Fred , Farrell Peter 
Published: October 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine and evaluate current directions in construction site health and safety management by examination of large UK industry contractors' web sites, revealing the motivators that are potentially informing and driving these directions.Design/methodology/approachA desk study approach examined 20 large UK contractor web sites. Subsequent hermeneutic content analysis established current industry direction, enabled comparison to comparable government and academic directions, and also revealed potential motivators and influences behind recent innovations.FindingsLarge UK contractors have readily adopted corporate social responsibility and placed health and safety under this remit. Industry direction correlates with current government approaches, however academia appears to influence industry through government, rather than direct conduits. Bespoke safety management programmes have been a key innovation, but the influence of marketing was clear and may have led to focus on easily promotable goals, rather than the processes and methods needed to achieve them.Practical implicationsMarketing may overtake practicality in the direction of health and safety management on construction sites; industry innovation focused on the promotable rather than the practical, could stagnate. The lack of direct influence of academia on industry direction indicates a requirement for relationships to be better established in order to inspire continuous improvement.Originality/valueA holistic review of large industry contractor approaches to site health and safety management has not previously been undertaken. Neither has the use of promotional web‐based data been examined; thereby providing a unique insight into the direction of current efforts within industry.
The art of the entrepreneurial marketer
Authors: Fillis Ian 
Published: October 2010

PurposeThe focus of this paper is the interrogation of an artistic approach with the purpose of understanding entrepreneurial marketing.Design/methodology/approachThis is a conceptual paper although the evaluation is grounded in prior quantitative and qualitative research in entrepreneurial marketing, creativity and art.FindingsAn artistic approach to understanding entrepreneurial marketing matches the way in which the owner/manager behaves in practice by constructing a personalised approach to doing marketing.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper calls for more creative ways of understanding entrepreneurial marketing. This involves more experimentation in research methodology. The experimental approach also mirrors entrepreneurial marketing practice.Practical implicationsThe outcomes address existing theory versus practice gaps so that a more meaningful understanding of entrepreneurial marketing practice can be obtained through the re‐imagining of the entrepreneurial marketer as an artist.Originality/valueThis is an under‐utilised approach to understanding entrepreneurial marketing. The approach matches the wider calls for artistic methods in the wider management academy.
Strategic orientation of niche firms
Authors: Toften Kjell , Hammervoll Trond 
Published: October 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to better understand how strategic orientation guides the marketing strategy and marketing efforts of niche firms, by addressing the questions of which strategic orientation niche firms apply and how managers in niche firms handle the potential problems associated with different strategic orientations. Based on these findings, managerial implications are discussed.Design/methodology/approachQualitative research in terms of in‐depth interviews of key informants in six niche firms in the seafood and wine industries.FindingsThe niche firms appear to be product oriented and customer oriented at the same time. They overcome the potential problems related to the respective strategic orientations by focusing on their product‐related strengths, while benefiting from their close and few customer relationships.Practical implicationsManagers in niche firms should focus on high‐quality products, specific product concepts and the continuous improvement of these. In addition, they should initiate and develop close and long‐term relationships with a few trusted business customers.Originality/valueThis research paper is one among very few papers that present findings related to niche firms and their choice of marketing strategy. This paper of strategic orientation can contribute to a better understanding of how niche firms prioritize, allocate resources and choose strategies.
Opportunity entrepreneurship in the rural sector: evidence from Greece
Authors: Zampetakis Leonidas A. , Kanelakis George 
Published: October 2010

PurposeAlthough previous research acknowledges that the process of entrepreneurship is also a regional and a peripheral activity, empirical evidence concerning the personal and contextual factors affecting business start‐ups due to the identification of opportunities in rural contexts is limited. The purpose of the present research is to verify whether prior entrepreneurship theories conducted in urban contexts are useful for predicting entrepreneurial activities in rural contexts.Design/methodology/approachA short, self‐report questionnaire was administered to a random sample of 81 business owners located at a small town in southern Crete, Greece. Bayesian confirmatory factor analysis and logistic regression analysis were the main analytical tools used.FindingsResults suggest that entrepreneurs' personality, prior knowledge, expectation of future social status, and level of education are significant predictors of opportunity entrepreneurship.Research limitations/implicationsThe reported research relied on self‐reports and on a sample from the Greek public sector. Moreover, data are cross‐sectional. Future research should be multinational and longitudinal to test the assumptions of the present study.Originality/valueThe present study provides evidence about the utility of existing opportunity entrepreneurship theories in rural contexts. Results could be of value to policy makers focusing on the development of small businesses and entrepreneurship and the promotion of entrepreneurial and innovative capabilities in rural contexts.
Entrepreneurial marketing and the Web 2.0 interface
Authors: Jones Brian 
Published: October 2010

PurposeThe paper aims to analyse the relationship between marketing and entrepreneurship. It looks at the way in which Web 2.0 technologies are changing the marketing and entrepreneurial landscapes.Design/methodology/approachThe paper explores the impact of Web 2.0 social media for entrepreneurial marketing. It looks at social media as a marketing tool and considers the positive and negative effects it has for entrepreneurs and small businesses.FindingsWeb 2.0 plays a central part in the functioning and delivery of marketing and entrepreneurship. It empowers individual consumers and provides additional communication channels for comment, feedback, and involvement in shaping product and service development and experience. It is also a tool for human empowerment, liberation and advancing the cause of freedom, including the freedom to start a business.Originality/valueThe paper discusses issues of “real‐world” relevance, which entrepreneurs, small business owners and marketing practitioners can use to inform and develop their practice. It argues that Web 2.0 can be used to liberate and further emancipate consumers and further the cause of entrepreneurship.
York's Best Ice Cream Company: building a regional brand
Authors: Woodall Jefrey R. , Azriel Jay A. , Patnode Gerald 
Published: October 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present a case study about a young entrepreneur who is attempting to build a regional ice cream empire, similar to that of the Good Humor Company in the twentieth century.Design/methodology/approachThe case was developed through interviews with the owner, and through secondary research articles on this and related topics.FindingsThe case describes the start‐up of York's Best Ice Cream, and the challenges encountered by a young entrepreneur, who is still building business knowledge and financial credibility. After several years, Devon, the owner, has choices to make about if and how to continue the growth of this company.Originality/valueThe case is well suited for use in undergraduate or graduate courses in entrepreneurship, new venture creation, new venture management, entrepreneurial marketing, or marketing courses such as brand development and management.
Corneal foreign body management in an A&E department
Authors: Feizerfan A. , Winchester S. , Maryosh J. , Liyanage S.E. 
Published: October 2010

PurposeThe aim of this audit was to assess the effect of guidelines on the management of corneal foreign bodies by accident & emergency staff.Design/methodology/approachA prospective case note review was performed to assess local practice in the management of corneal foreign bodies. Changes in practice included the production of a guideline using locally‐agreed standards. The audit loop was continued by a further prospective case note review.FindingsA total of 101 records were audited over a two‐month period. Prior to changes in practice, the department performed well in two criteria. Introduction of the guideline resulted in improvement in the majority of criteria.Originality/valueCorneal foreign bodies commonly present to accident and emergency departments. Inadequate experience and training may lead to reduced clinical outcomes, with unnecessary referral or follow‐up. This audit highlights the difficulties in providing good clinical care in the management of CFBs and shows its effectiveness as a tool for improving clinical practice.
Designing public web information systems with quality in mind
Authors: Birnbaum David , Jeanne Cummings M. , Guyton Kara M. , Schlotter James W. , Kushniruk André 
Published: October 2010

PurposeThis paper aims to describe evolution of a new public information web site, through evaluation‐refinement prototyping cycles.Design/methodology/approachAn expanding range of participants is being engaged in formal evaluations as the site design evolves. The Flesch‐Kincaid Grade Level Score is applied to assess ease of reading in the wording used; the National Quality Forum guideline statements are applied to determine whether the prototyping design process is meeting performance expectations; and then Nielsen's heuristics are applied to evaluate ease of use of the latest prototype.FindingsThe page wordings started at a high reading grade level to be technically correct, with a strategy to progressively reduce levels without losing meaning. Reading level was reduced to an average of two and as much as six grades through editing between the third and fourth‐generation prototypes. None of the National Quality Forum principles were found missing from the development process. The prototype web site was ranked at the middle compared to official public web sites of seven other States' healthcare‐associated infection programs, some of which had been open to the public for more than a year. Many of the heuristic violations that weighed against the prototype were described as being minor and easily fixed. Collaboration between a State health department and a university to advance this evaluation‐refinement process was valuable to both parties, enhancing the ability to produce a new public information web site that is more likely to meet the needs of its intended audience.Practical implicationsIn response to increasing expectations of transparency and accountability, a growing number of public web sites are displaying hospital performance data. Washington State's mandatory public reporting of healthcare‐associated infection rates is a recent example of this trend. The Department of Health is required by law to launch a public information web site by December 2009. The research was based on an evidence‐based approach to understand and meet the information needs of the public.Originality/valueAlthough few studies have evaluated the usage and impact of hospital comparison web sites, these studies uniformly show relatively low usage and disappointing impact. Using the research literature, issues thought to account for poor usage and low impact, and developed design principles that address this poor past performance were identified. Throughout 2008 and 2009, successive prototypes were developed for the web site structure guided by those principles and refined each generation of prototype through focus group evaluations. This paper explains the approach, and summarizes results from the evaluations, leading to improvements before the final design first opens to the general public.
The implications of the introduction of a dedicated plastic surgery trauma list on waiting times and NHS spending
Authors: Exton Rebecca , Schreuder Fred 
Published: October 2010

PurposeNCEPOD (1990) states that we must ensure that all emergency patients have prompt access to theatres, critical care facilities, and appropriately trained staff 24 hours/day, every day of the year. Hospitals providing emergency services must provide a dedicated emergency theatre. Our previous study highlighted potential savings and reduced waiting times, leading to the introduction of a dedicated weekly half‐day list. This purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the extra list on both waiting times and spending.Design/methodology/approachThis research is based on a prospective audit of emergency surgery (Lister Hospital, Stevenage) from October‐December 2006. Delay times from booking time to time of operation were calculated. This was assessed based on a standard of a day surgery unit, where the ideal maximum is a half‐day wait. Findings were compared with data prior to the introduction of a dedicated list.FindingsThere were 186 operations performed. The mean wait for surgery was 0.7 days/patient, compared with 1.3 days/patient prior to the dedicated list. Assuming that the ideal waiting time is a maximum of half a day, 55 per cent of patients achieved this, compared with 22 per cent prior to the introduction of the list.Originality/valueThe introduction of a dedicated day surgery plastic surgery trauma list led to a significant reduction in patient wait time. The dedicated list also achieved a potential reduction of 900‐bed days/annum, thus saving £180,000/annum for the trust.
Delays to appendicectomy within a split‐site hospital
Authors: Ward Stephen Thomas , Strong Sean , Goodchild Rachael Louise , Zafar Zaidi Ahsan 
Published: October 2010

PurposePatients undergoing emergency appendicectomy incur various delays from the time of symptom onset to the time of discharge from hospital. The centralisation of hospital services over recent years has resulted in some patients who attend hospital as an emergency requiring transfer to a different site. An additional delay by way of transfer is thus incurred. The aim of this study was to test for association between various characterised delays with disease and patient outcomes.Design/methodology/approachHospital Episode Statistics (HES) data were used to identify all patients admitted over a one‐year period undergoing appendicectomy. Demographic and time data were extracted from hospital databases and case notes.FindingsA total of 247 patients were identified from HES data; 25 per cent of patients presented to hospital E necessitating transfer to hospital H. There was no evidence of an association between patient delays, surgeon delays or theatre delays with advanced pathology and complicated appendicitis was not associated with a longer post‐operative hospital stay. The delay to be seen by the surgeons was significantly longer if transferred from one hospital to another, but this did not contribute to a significant difference between the overall delay from admission to operation, overall length of stay or advanced pathology.Originality/valueThe individual delays along the clinical pathway in a patient presenting to hospital with acute appendicitis have been characterised. Patients with acute appendicitis can be safely assessed at one hospital‐site and transferred to another with emergency surgery provision without affecting the delay to operation.
Exploiting grid computing, desktop grids and cloud computing for e‐science
Authors: Mustafee Navonil 
Published: October 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine three different, but related, distributed computing technologies in the context of public‐funded e‐science research, and to present the author's viewpoint on future directions.Design/methodology/approachThe paper takes a critical look at the state‐of‐the‐art with regard to three enabling technologies for e‐science. It forms a set of arguments to support views on the evolution of these technologies in support of the e‐science applications of the future.FindingsAlthough grid computing has been embraced in public‐funded higher education institutions and research centres as an enabler for projects pertaining to e‐science, the adoption of desktop grids is low. With the advent of cloud computing and its promise of on‐demand provisioning of computing resources, it is expected that the conventional form of grid computing will gradually move towards cloud‐based computing. However, cloud computing also brings with it the “pay‐per‐use” economic model, and this may act as stimulus for organisations engaged in e‐science to harvest existing underutilised computation capacity through the deployment of organisation‐wide desktop grid infrastructures. Conventional grid computing will continue to support future e‐science applications, although its growth may remain stagnant.Originality/valueThe paper argues that there will be a gradual shift in the underlying distributed computing technologies that support e‐science applications of the future. While cloud computing and desktop grid computing will gain in prominence, the growth of traditional cluster‐based grid computing may remain dormant.
Exploring the importance of citizen participation and involvement in e‐government projects
Authors: Axelsson Karin , Melin Ulf , Lindgren Ida 
Published: October 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to investigate if, and in that case, how and what the e‐government field can learn from user participation concepts and theories in general information systems (IS) research. It aims to contribute with further understanding of the importance of citizen participation and involvement within the e‐government research body of knowledge and when developing public e‐services in practice.Design/methodology/approachThe analysis in the paper is made from a comparative, qualitative case study of two e‐government projects. Three analysis themes are induced from the literature review; practice of participation, incentives for participation, and organization of participation. These themes are guiding the comparative analysis of our data with a concurrent openness to interpretations from the field.FindingsThe main results in this paper are that the e‐government field can get inspiration and learn from methods and approaches in traditional IS projects concerning user participation, but in e‐government, methods are also needed to handle the challenges that arise when designing public e‐services for large, heterogeneous user groups. Citizen engagement cannot be seen as a separate challenge in e‐government, but rather as an integrated part of the process of organizing, managing, and performing e‐government projects. Analysis themes of participation generated from literature; practice, incentives and organization can be used in order to highlight, analyze, and discuss main issues regarding the challenges of citizen participation within e‐government. This is an important implication based on this paper that contributes both to theory on and practice of e‐government.Practical implicationsLessons to learn from this paper concern that many e‐government projects have a public e‐service as one outcome and an internal e‐administration system as another outcome. A dominating internal, agency perspective in such projects might imply that citizens as the user group of the e‐service are only seen as passive receivers of the outcome – not as active participants in the development. By applying the analysis themes, proposed in this paper, citizens as active participants can be thoroughly discussed when initiating (or evaluating) an e‐government project.Originality/valueThe paper addresses challenges regarding citizen participation in e‐government development projects. User participation is well researched within the IS discipline, but the e‐government setting implies new challenges that are not explored enough.
“Monotonized administrators” and “personalized bureaucrats” in the everyday practice of e‐government
Authors: Giritli Nygren Katarina 
Published: October 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyse everyday practices in e‐government from a labour perspective in order to understand how administrative rationalization and citizen service become connected in the organizational restructuring of the labour process, namely job codification and specification and rule observation.Design/methodology/approachThe analysis applies an organizational e‐government implementation perspective and labour process theory to an analysis of a Swedish municipality's implementation of e‐government, using both qualitative and quantitative data.FindingsThe main finding is the formulation of two distinct types of ideal employee – “monotonized administrators” and “personalized bureaucrats” – who carry e‐government work in different directions according to administrative rationalization and the service offered citizens.Originality/valueThe paper extends our knowledge of everyday practices in e‐government from a labour perspective. It offers practitioners as well as researchers new insights by analysing the transformation of practice as an ongoing process, characterized by micro‐political translation processes amongst actors, actions, and meanings in both rhetoric and practice.
Value of people's participation for good governance in developing countries
Authors: Waheduzzaman  
Published: October 2010

PurposeThe objective of this research is to find out the barriers to people's participation for good governance in developing countries. The specific objective is to explore the attitude of stakeholders responsible for ensuring people's engagement with local development programs.Design/methodology/approachTwo rural development projects in each of three local government institutions in Bangladesh were selected for this research study. Qualitative methods were used to investigate how actors related to these projects valued people's participation while implementing and using outcomes of these projects.FindingsThe findings showed that the meaning of the notion of good governance through effective people's participation that has been imported from the developed democratic economies through international aid agencies remains somewhat unclear and ambiguous in a country such as Bangladesh.Practical implicationsThis study has revealed that one of the major barriers to people's participation in local government affairs is the traditional attitude of related stakeholders. This study thus, unlocked the practical knowledge about making people's participation effective in implementing development programs, specifically in the developing countries.Originality/valueThis paper offers originality and new insight into the participatory governance in developing countries.