bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Systematic mechanical design approach for a flexible printed circuit board assemblies (PCBA) rework cell: part I – generic mechanical design procedure
Authors: Geren Necdet , Sarıgül Çağdaş , Bayramoğlu Melih 
Published: September 2011

PurposeThe generic design environment for a flexible printed‐circuit board assemblies (PCBA) remanufacturing cell contains four interrelated complex design domains. Mechanical design domains are really complex and the use of well‐proven mechanical product design methodologies does not help the designer. Hence, this paper aims to develop a generic systematic design methodology for a flexible PCBA remanufacturing cell.Design/methodology/approachThe study investigates the use of conventional mechanical product design techniques for the design of a flexible PCBA rework (remanufacturing) cell. It indicates problems and the weaknesses when conventional product design techniques are used for the development of flexible manufacturing systems (FMS). It then provides a new systematic mechanical design methodology for designing a flexible PCBA rework (remanufacturing) cell. The design methodology is intended to be generic in order to apply successfully to any FMS design.FindingsConventional product design methodology cannot be used directly for the design of a flexible PCBA remanufacturing cell. Hence, two design methodologies were developed: the generic FMS mechanical design methodology and a specific FMS design methodology for a PCBA rework cell. The first one was developed based on the tasks of the conventional product design process integrated with new design tools. The generic design methodology was then extended to obtain the second methodology for a PCBA rework cell design. Both of the methodologies were applied to a flexible PCBA rework cell design problem. Both design methodologies eliminated unusable design solutions at the early design stages of the conceptual design process and made the design process easier.Practical implicationsThe generic and specific design methodologies provide a better design environment, even for less specialized FMS designers.Originality/valueThe design methodologies may help for the commercialization of a flexible PCBA remanufacturing cell that may be used for SM rework and assembly.
Developing quality in female high‐technology entrepreneurs' networks
Authors: Hampton Alison , McGowan Pauric , Cooper Sarah 
Published: September 2011

PurposeDespite recognition of the value of networking, there has been little research into the networks of female entrepreneurial practitioners, particularly in the science, engineering and technology (SET) sectors, viewed traditionally as male‐dominated. This paper aims to provide greater insights into the dynamics and quality of female entrepreneurial networks.Design/methodology/approachInsights were derived through a qualitative, in‐depth, interview‐based study of 18 female entrepreneurs operating SET‐based ventures in Northern Ireland. The use of Nvivo as the data analysis tool imposed a discipline and structure which facilitated the extraction of core insights.FindingsAspects investigated include network type and composition; nature and frequency of engagement; and changes in network composition and networking activities through the business lifecycle. The results focus on implications of the findings for issues of quality in networks and their impact on the value of female networks.Practical implicationsAn understanding of these issues offers opportunities to shape government interventions to assist female entrepreneurs embarking on a venturing pathway in SET‐based ventures, or those already operating in business, to be more effective in building, utilising and enhancing the quality of their networking activities.Originality/valueIn exploring networking and issues of quality for female entrepreneurs operating in SET‐based sectors, traditionally viewed as male‐dominated, the paper considers an under‐researched area of the female entrepreneurship literature.
Challenges in developing sustainable hydropower in Lao PDR
Authors: Jusi Sari 
Published: September 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyse social and environmental sustainability considerations developed in Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) and to identify problems and challenges related to sustainable hydropower planning and development.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is leaning on empirical analysis based on analysing primary and secondary data and information; official government documents and relevant literature, a series of workshops of the Future Resource and Economy Policies in Laos till 2020 Project (FREPLA2020), and interviews with government officials and experts.FindingsTo achieve its socio‐economic objectives, Lao PDR needs to manage its hydropower development to ensure environmental and social sustainability through developing of the legal, institutional and regulatory environment and strengthening of the institutional capacity of the sector, improving knowledge and data management, and developing institutional coordination across the government agencies.Practical implicationsThe paper suggests that the Lao government assesses strategically the hydropower development options, prepares capacity building plans, develops risk assessment and management, and learns from past hydropower developments.Social implicationsThe paper recommends using hydropower development generated revenues to poverty reduction activities and to strengthen participatory approaches.Originality/valueThe paper can act as a discussion awakener, to help and give some guidance to decision makers and actors in the hydropower sector to integrate sustainable development considerations into hydropower development and planning.
Emerging evaluation processes in consortium‐based outsourced system development
Authors: Nurmi Antti , Hallikainen Petri , Rossi Matti 
Published: September 2011

PurposeIn large system development efforts organizational and managerial issues are often more challenging than technical ones. One of the key concerns of managers is the control and evaluation of the overall development effort. The purpose of this paper was to analyze the evaluation of system development process in a setting where there are multiple stakeholders in multiple organizations that develop a common information system (IS). The case is a consortium of universities that has developed a common student registrar system over a period of more than ten years.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used a social process model to analyze the episodes and encounters in the system development and evaluation process. The research approach can be characterized as action case.FindingsThe authors found that in the early stages of system development the evaluation was emergent or even non‐existent. As the system was developed further and issues, such as delays and missing features, arose, there was a need for better control of the process. Thus, the evaluation process evolved through a series of critical encounters into a more proactive one.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors studied only one case so broad generalizations directly from the case cannot be made. However, the results could hold true for similar settings. The authors believe that the results are interesting to both researchers and practitioners since in outsourcing relationships the consortium kind of arrangement is becoming more common.Originality/valueThe authors analyze the evolution of IS evaluation processes in a setting with multiple client and vendor organizations and reveal the complexities of system evaluation in such settings. Moreover, they introduce three new concepts: reactive, transitional and proactive evaluation processes. These concepts can help researchers and practitioners to better understand the nature of the IS evaluation processes and to possibly choose an evaluation approach that has a better “fit” with the development situation at hand.
Business Process Blueprinting – an enhanced view on process performance
Authors: Gersch Martin , Hewing Michael , Schöler Bernd 
Published: September 2011

PurposeIn contemporary times process‐oriented approaches in information management are elementary in meeting business challenges. However, most methods for business process management (BPM) focus on improved performance from only the company's perspective. They neglect the growing importance of value co‐creation between company and customer that typically results from a service‐dominant logic. Modern BPM methods need to focus on the internal performance of processes whilst including the customer's perspective. This paper aims to address these issues.Design/methodology/approachBy combining the market‐oriented approach, service blueprinting, with the syntax of business process modeling, the authors introduce a method that visualizes and analyzes processes simultaneously from the company's and customer's point of view. Within this integrated approach, information management and marketing are linked. A used case illustrates implementation and benefits of this method.FindingsThis paper addresses the gap between marketing and information management sciences. “Business Process Blueprinting” (BP2) provides a conceptual foundation for a further integration of these two scopes of interest.Research limitations/implicationsThe integrated view on processes supports an enhanced understanding of process performance. In its current stage, the method reflects a basic combined approach – further development is needed. Well‐established models and tools from controlling and marketing as well as from other fields can be integrated to open this analysis for service elements.Practical implicationsApplying BP2 to practical process analysis promotes a better understanding of the customer's process perception. This potentially leads to a more efficient and effective process design.Originality/valueThe paper introduces the missing method for the integration of the effectiveness‐driven perspective into business process modeling.
Automatic identification of structural process weaknesses in flow chart diagrams
Authors: Winkelmann Axel , Weiß Burkhard 
Published: September 2011

PurposeFinancial institutions have been engaged in numerous business process reengineering (BPR) projects to make their organizations more efficient. However, the success of BPR projects in banks varies significantly and it remains a challenge to systematically discover weaknesses in business process landscapes. Based on the flow chart notation language this paper seeks to argue for the definition of weakness patterns in order to automatically identify potential process weaknesses.Design/methodology/approachThe authors developed weakness patterns in the flow chart notation language based on design science principles. To systematically derive process weaknesses that can be formalized, they analyzed each element of the flow chart notation as it was used in a real‐life case. They furthermore tested the identified patterns in reality in order to evaluate their validity.FindingsThe authors identified various potential weakness patterns that helped in automatically identifying weaknesses in process models. To some extent these findings are generalizable and transferable to other process modeling languages.Research limitations/implicationsThe pattern‐based approach depends upon how well structural weakness patterns are defined and formalized. Identified problems remain “potential” weaknesses until a manual analysis reveals that the identified potential weaknesses are actually real weaknesses or not, e.g. due to law regulations.Practical implicationsUsing weakness patterns allows for automatically identifying potential process weaknesses in existing flow chart models. This way, this research helps in improving the so far manual analysis of process model landscapes.Originality/valueThe approach is a new way of looking for process weaknesses through process weakness patterns.
Adult safeguarding boards in North West England: the power of positive linking
Authors: Flynn Margaret , Williams Shirley 
Published: September 2011

PurposeAdult Safeguarding Boards are the means by which local authorities in England and Wales seek to work collaboratively to protect adults at risk of abuse. The last two years have heralded the emergence of the role of Independent Chairs. This paper seeks to outline the experience of Adult Safeguarding Boards from around North West England.Design/methodology/approachA general review of the seven Independent Chairs and 15 employed chairs (typically Directors of Adult Social Services) in North West England endorsed the importance of having a virtual network to work on a shared portfolio of interests.FindingsThe review highlighted concerns regarding the independence of Independent Chairs, the challenges to partnership working created by the turnover of managers, the governance of Adult safeguarding Boards, and their performance and practice.Originality/valueThe paper confirms that diversity is the dominant characteristic of Adult Safeguarding Boards in North West England.
Software engineering infrastructure in a large virtual campus
Authors: Cristóbal Jesús , Merino Jorge , Navarro Antonio , Peralta Miguel , Roldán Yolanda , María Silveira Rosa 
Published: September 2011

PurposeThe design, construction and deployment of a large virtual campus are a complex issue. Present virtual campuses are made of several software applications that complement e‐learning platforms. In order to develop and maintain such virtual campuses, a complex software engineering infrastructure is needed. This paper aims to analyse the software engineering infrastructure in the virtual campus deployed at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid.Design/methodology/approachThe software engineering infrastructure is analysed from three perspectives: process model; programming language and computer‐aided software engineering tools and design patterns and architecture.FindingsSoftware engineering infrastructure is a key issue in virtual campuses.Originality/valueThe value of the paper is to make our experience available to a wider audience so that organisations interested in the deployment of a large virtual campus can take advantage of our work.
The implications of trust in relationships in managing construction projects
Authors: Lau Ellen , Rowlinson Steve 
Published: September 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine trust relationships in managing construction projects to determine the trust situations, the psychological perception of trust relationship, and the underlying value of trust. Association is made to project management, project team and strategy implementation for managing construction projects.Design/methodology/approachA case study approach is adopted to collect qualitative data from ten projects. The collected data are analysed with content analysis and discussed with a flow model and interactive model approach.FindingsUsing the real‐life evidence, the findings revealed a diversified meaning of trust, which subsequently confirm the multi‐faceted nature of trust with qualitative data analysis.Research limitations/implicationsFurther research is necessary for multi‐party working as this working style dominates the construction industry and greatly affects the overall project performance, and the effect of such is particularly obvious when managing differences among people. For a better understanding of trust, the moral and social dimensions of trust need to be studied separately.Practical implicationsThe study offers a direction for implementation of relational contracting in project management, project teamwork and strategy implementation. Implications in practice include: project management – time, cost and quality are greatly affected by people implementation and therefore a balance of control and trust is required; project team – trust needs to be cultivated with rules and norms in a multi‐party working team because trust is not self‐generated; and strategy implementation – both interpersonal and inter‐firm trust have to be considered, particularly at the middle management level.Originality/valueThe paper is of value to both practitioners and academics/researchers in the management development of construction projects by providing a different perspective from the human side.
Innovation in China: a patentometric perspective (1985‐2009)
Authors: Luan Chunjuan , Zhang Tienan 
Published: September 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to help people understand innovation and related policies in China over the past 25 years by using and analyzing patent data retrieved from State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) of the People's Republic of China, at: http://www.sipo.gov. cn/sipo2008/tjxx/. Innovation in China attracts attention all over the world. The patent is considered as the fountain of innovation and is widely applied to measure innovation of a country or a region.Design/methodology/approachThis study analyzed the trends of both patent filings and patent grants/registrations during 1985‐2009 and explored the ratio change between them by using data statistical method. Based on the statistically analysis, patent law and related policies were further analyzed. The paper also gives some suggestions on Chinese innovation policy.FindingsThe paper drew the following conclusions: both total patent filings and total patent grants/registration in SIPO appear to have an increase of exponential trends, especially during the years of 2005‐2009; patent filings and patent grants/registration in SIPO also appear to have an increase of exponential trends, but the gap between patent filings and patent grants/registration seems to be widening in recent years; the two revisions of Chinese patent law in the years 1992 and 2000 have had some positive impacts on patent filings and patent grants/registration to some degree; the ratios of patent filings to total patent filings and patent grants/registration to total patent grants/registration in SIPO during the years of 1985‐2009 are comparatively lower by 31.60 percent and 16.37 percent; and Japan and USA are the two leading countries in terms of non‐resident patent grants/registration in SIPO.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is still macroscopic, more detailed analysis should be done in future studies.Practical implicationsThis study takes an overall view of innovation in China in the past 25 years by analyzing patent data and related law and policies. It proposes related institutions perfection, which will enhance innovation development in China.Originality/valueResearch on innovation in China via patentometrics has not been found thus far using all patent data during the period of 1985‐2009 in SIPO.
Innovation in virtual networks: evidence from the Chinese online game industry
Authors: Hu Yimei , Jull Sørensen Olav 
Published: September 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore and highlight the particular innovation characteristics and modes of the Chinese online game industry from a networking perspective.Design/methodology/approachThis research is qualitative. Both primary and secondary data are used, which is collected through desk research on related documents and long‐term participative observation and personal experiences. This paper begins with an overview of the online game industry's innovation process and types; then constructs a framework that contains four innovation modes with different networks to guide the analysis and organization on the empirical findings; finally, the paper proposes some implications for companies and government.FindingsThis paper is an attempt to open the black box of the innovation of the Chinese online game industry. Born as an incomplete and virtual product, the innovation modes evolve from closed to a combination of open and networking ones. Producer‐driven Innovation Network Mode shows that game companies can get innovation resources through its focal network. Producer‐user Interaction Mode shows that players' have tremendous innovation potential. Open Collaborative Network Mode shows that power is distributed and the roles of actors are blurred.Originality/valueThis paper offers an analysis of the Chinese online game industry from the innovation side and partly fills the research gap. Also, this paper emphasized the users' innovation ability and a hybrid of different innovation modes, which can be seen as a successful theory test of user innovation, innovation networks, and open innovation theories in the Chinese context.
Development of social, environmental, and economic indicators for a small/medium enterprise
Authors: Clarke‐Sather Abigail R. , Hutchins Margot J. , Zhang Qiong , Gershenson John K. , Sutherland John W. 
Published: September 2011

PurposeA growing number of companies are measuring the sustainability performance of their businesses. Some companies are using pre‐existing sustainability indicator systems to assess their performance. Other companies are looking beyond measurement of impacts to create their own system of indicators to measure sustainability. Formulating relevant indicators of sustainability performance is a difficult task for any organization, but especially for small/medium enterprises (SMEs) that often lack financial, knowledge, and labor resources. The purpose of this paper is to consider two different sustainability assessment approaches undertaken by a single case study company, a start‐up SME.Design/methodology/approachThe authors developed a method for an SME, Ecologic Designs, Inc., a self‐identified green business that reclaims materials to make bags and accessories, to create its own sustainability indicators without outside expert help. This research chronicles the struggles and triumphs of the SME in measuring its sustainability performance using a pre‐existing system and then using the developed method.FindingsThe SME's managers applied the developed method to create, select, and weight sustainability indicators to help answer a strategic planning decision – where to locate operations and facilities in an expanding supply chain.Originality/valueThe paper describes the struggles and triumphs of a start‐up SME in measuring its sustainability performance using a pre‐existing system and then using the developed method.
Regime switching behavior of the nominal exchange rate in Uganda
Authors: Hisali Eria 
Published: September 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to examine regime switching behaviour of the nominal exchange rate in Uganda to shed light on the necessity (as well as efficacy) of the participation of the central bank market.Design/methodology/approachThe homogenous two‐state Markov chain methodology was employed to investigate the possibility of regime changes in the nominal exchange rate. The maximum likelihood parameter estimates were obtained using the Broyden‐Fletcher‐Goldfarb‐Shanno iteration algorithm.FindingsThe results validate the expectation of the two distinct state spaces characterized as sharp and disruptive but short‐lived depreciations as well as small appreciations occurring through a long period. The central bank intervention actions are shown to be largely successful in mitigating the disruptive effects of the sharp depreciations.Practical implicationsThe paper lends empirical support to the intervention actions of the Bank of Uganda. In face of the numerous disruptions to the short‐term exchange rate process, failure to intervene may cause rational panic and given the nature of investor behavior, this may quickly spread and even cause further disruptions. It is important for the central bank to send signals that these disruptions are temporary.Originality/valueThe homogenous Markov chain specification employed in this study makes it possible to avoid the pitfalls that may arise by attempting to specify a structural model for the exchange rate. In addition, inference about the different possible state spaces is made on the basis of all available information.