bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The bank clerk in Victorian society: the case of Hoare and Company
Authors: Jeacle Ingrid 
Published: July 2010

PurposeThis paper aims to consider the role of the bank clerk in the Victorian era and to provide insights into clerical life in a London bank during the period.Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws on the archival records of Hoare and Company. Founded in the seventeenth century, it is the oldest surviving independent bank in the UK.FindingsDrawing on the company's archival records, the paper examines issues such as recruitment, house rules, acts of paternalism and the overwhelming concern with maintaining respectability. While Hoare's clerks humorously referred to themselves as the Association of the Sons of Toil, the records support the literature in revealing the relatively cosseted career of the bank clerk within Victorian clerical circles. He generally enjoyed a higher salary, longer holidays and more favourable working conditions than his clerical counterparts. It was therefore a highly sought after position. Only those of impeccable character however, were recruited into its ranks.Practical implicationsThe paper suggests the potential significance of Victorian values to the recruitment and general working conditions of contemporary members of the financial community.Originality/valueThe paper's value lies in supplementing the existing literature with further insights into the life of the Victorian bank clerk.
Industrial engineering the Toyota Production System
Authors: Towill Denis R. 
Published: July 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the manifold linkages connecting the Toyota Production System (TPS) back to the Gilbreths and others, and to determine how these have contributed to enterprise‐wide best practice. Industrial engineering (IE) theory rapidly subsumed method study and thereby made considerable contributions to output in World War II (WWII). The outcome is the positing of “contemporary” IE.Design/methodology/approachConsideration is given to the Japanese Management Association (JMA) personal handshake route originated by Frank Gilbreth in which experiences were handed down in lecture note format by successive generations of industrial engineers. His interaction with the FW Taylor Scientific Management movement is a second theme. The internationally recognised “softer” approach to teaching and coaching due to Lillian Gilbreth is then discussed. Finally the Gilbreth MOI2 Process Chart is examined.FindingsTPS has evolved over an extended period of time to achieve continuous material flow. There has been no single procedure or technical breakthrough. Much of the detail would have been familiar to the Gilbreths. These became evident in the USA and the UK auto industries soon after the First World War. Elements of JIT are recognisable even earlier in the building of the UK Crystal Palace in 1851. However the scenario of the current TPS enterprise would be new to the Gilbreths. Similarly the various ways in which the systems approach has been successfully implemented throughout the organisation would appear strange. This becomes self‐evident via a three‐axis model representation of contemporary industrial engineering.Research limitations/implicationsNewly appointed Toyota executives pursuing the shopfloor based Acclimatisation Course would immediately recognise the method study based waste elimination techniques at work. As Ohno remarked, such removal merely levels the playing field. Knowledge (and above all practice) in their use should be a pre‐requisite skill for employees at all levels. This is a sometimes “hidden” secret of TPS, but dates back to Lillian Gilbreth in 1914.Practical implicationsThe paper supports the view that effective product delivery is best driven via sound industrial engineering expertise operating within an active learning organisation. The four level prism model applied to TPS highlights its system attributes.Originality/valueThe paper confirms there is a continuing role for well established method study techniques to be adapted to face new challenges, and output as “contemporary” industrial engineering.
House‐buyers' expectations with relation to corporate social responsibility for Malaysian housing
Authors: Hong Sharon Yam Lee , Stanley McGreal W. 
Published: July 2010

PurposeThe concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been widely acknowledged by contemporary businesses in the last 20 years. The purpose of this paper is to study how CSR is perceived by house‐buyers in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative approach, by way of house‐buyer focus group, was used to uncover house‐buyers' criteria for housing development, levels of satisfaction, expectations of developers' social responsibilities, and factors influencing their purchase decisions.FindingsResearch findings showed that majority of house‐buyers in Johor Bahru expected a socially responsible developer to provide more CSR features such as more green spaces, recreational parks and facilities, security features, and good infrastructure. However, less wealthy buyers were more sensitive to house price and fulfilling their basic accommodation needs. Thus, developers need to be prudent in pricing products for different purchaser groups. Although all participants indicated their readiness to pay for CSR features, it is less clear as to how much premium house‐buyers would pay for such extras. Clearly, the pricing of CSR features emerges from this study as a key issue and how this varies by property type.Originality/valueMost CSR research has been conducted in developed countries, very little has been documented about practices in developing world. These research findings will be beneficial for developers in developing more socially responsible products to cater for the house‐buyers' increasing expectations.
Work conditions for workers with good long‐term health
Authors: Aronsson Gunnar , Blom Victoria 
Published: July 2010

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to investigate which work‐ and private life factors are associated with long‐term health, operationalized as low sickness absence and low sickness presence.Design/methodology/approachA representative sample of 2,297 individuals responded to a questionnaire on two occasions at an interval of one year. In total, 28 percent were classified as having good long‐term health.FindingsUnivariate and multivariate analyses showed that some quality‐related work environment factors were rather strongly associated with long‐term health. For some variables women showed a clear dose‐response pattern on the three‐level scale alternatives in relation to health, while men had a more asymmetric response pattern. The results are discussed in relation to the symmetry in the work environment factors, i.e. if there are different factors that explain health and illness.Practical implicationsIssues concerning health and health‐enhancing factors are of considerable interest to practitioners concerned with management issues, organizational structure, and rehabilitation.Originality/valueThe paper shows the importance of including a positive health variable within the health research paradigm to supplement the dominance of variables focusing on illness and disease.
Can housing rights be applied to modern housing systems?
Authors: Kenna Padraic 
Published: July 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to outline and examine the growing corpus of housing rights and assess their relevance and applicability to complex contemporary housing systems across the world.Design/methodology/approachThe paper sets out the principal instruments and commentaries on housing rights developed by the United Nations, regional and other bodies. It assesses their relevance in the context of contemporary analysis of housing systems, organized and directed by networks of legal and other professionals within particular domains.FindingsHousing rights instruments are accepted by all States across the world at the level of international law, national constitutions and laws. The findings suggest that there are significant gaps in the international law conception and framework of housing rights, and indeed, human rights generally, which create major obstacles for the effective implementation of these rights. There is a preoccupation with one element of housing systems, that of subsidized or social housing. However, effective housing rights implementation requires application at meso‐, micro‐ and macro‐levels of modern, dynamic housing systems as a whole. Epistemic communities of professionals develop and shape housing law and policy within these domains. The housing rights paradigm must be further fashioned for effective translation into contemporary housing systems.Research limitations/implicationsThe development of housing rights precedents, both within international and national law, is leading to a wide and diffuse corpus of legislation and case law. More research is needed on specific examples of effective coupling between housing rights and elements of housing systems.Originality/valueThis paper offers housing policy makers and lawyers an avenue into the extensive jurisprudence and writings on housing rights, which will inevitably become part of the lexicon of housing law across the world. It also highlights the limitations of housing rights implementation, but offers some new perspectives on more effective application of these rights.
Using banks
Authors: Ball Jane 
Published: July 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to show the different attitudes to bank ownership and regulation, residential lending and eviction in the UK and France, with their effects in the credit crunch and how these factors are connected. UK non‐interventionism stems from a history of private banking, where competition produced plentiful finance but high risks for borrowers, where eviction is certain and fairly quick, but not necessarily disastrous for borrowers within a flexible system. The French history of post‐war interventionism for reconstruction and cautious banking has had successes and failures, culminating in large‐scale special loans to lower‐income borrowers, improving lending liquidity and stability. The French lower lending levels, intervention and caution can be partly explained by the disastrous effects of French debt and eviction processes on borrowers, but with overlay of delay and social protection.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses a historical institutionalist approach, calling on historical materials, statistics (where available) and the law and procedure of banking, mortgages, eviction and insolvency. Quantitative comparison of mortgage evictions is difficult, but procedures illuminate this.FindingsNational approaches to banking are path dependent and this effect is underestimated, particularly concerning attitudes to public intervention and eviction. Awareness of these connected effects could improve comparative research to assist lending to lower income groups, particularly concerning special French loans.Practical implicationsThis can improve open‐mindedness, and promote ideas to house young people rather than simply calling for heavy regulation in the UK, or criticising French interventionism.Originality/valueComparative evictions related to the history of banking intervention are considerably understudied. The paper addresses the issues.
Service quality implementation: problems and solutions
Authors: Sharabi Moshe , Davidow Moshe 
Published: July 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to highlight the problems in the measurement of service quality, why management seems to ignore some of the costs of poor service quality, as well as the repercussions of this, and how to implement service quality correctly in organizations.Design/methodology/approachThe paper defines service quality and highlights some of the main points of the literature. The paper then focuses on developing a matrix to categorize quality costs which offers insights as to why more managers have not fully implemented service quality in their organizations.FindingsUtilizing this quality costs matrix, the paper focuses on describing several of the main problems or pitfalls in service quality implementation.Practical implicationsIn light of these findings, the paper discusses the practical implications and focuses on recommendations how to implement service quality correctly.Originality/valueThe paper suggests a novel categorization of quality costs and suggests recommendations that will assist managers to correctly implement service quality and eliminate the problems of poor quality. There are also future research recommendations to further the knowledge of service quality theory and implementation.
Quality improvement activities in Swedish industry: drivers, approaches, and outcomes
Authors: Poksinska Bozena , Pettersen Jostein , Elg Mattias , Eklund Jörgen , Witell Lars 
Published: July 2010

PurposeThis paper aims to present and discuss the current state of quality‐improvement activities in Swedish companies. The paper focuses on the drivers for quality improvement; types of approaches, tools and techniques, and organizational aspects influenced by quality improvement; and potential areas for improvement.Design/methodology/approachThis paper presents results from a survey on quality improvement work in Swedish industry. Data for this paper were collected using a web‐based questionnaire that was distributed to 800 production managers working in Swedish service and manufacturing organizations. Of the 800 questionnaires sent, a total of 118 questionnaires were filled out, which resulted in a response rate of 16 percent.FindingsThe result shows that the major drivers for quality improvement work in Swedish industry are economical aspects as the need for cost reduction, the need to become more competitive and the wish to increase market share. Drivers such as pressure from shareholders and trends in management have a minor role. The underlying approaches for quality improvement work are standards such as ISO 9000 and ISO 14000. A total of 72 percent of respondents stated that they work with quality management systems; 59 percent, with environmental management systems. The aspects that were most positively influenced by the improvement work were employee motivation, customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, product/service quality, and flow in internal processes.Research limitations/implicationsEmpirical results obtained in Sweden may differ to some extent in other countries.Practical implicationsThis paper is intended as a source of inspiration for researchers, consultants, and managers who are interested in the current trends and future developments in the quality field.Originality/valueThe paper provides valuable insights into the current state of quality improvement activities in Swedish industry, as seen from the perspective of the production manager.
On Islamic branding: brands as good deeds
Authors: Alserhan Baker Ahmad 
Published: July 2010

PurposeThe paper aims to clarify some of the most important issues pertinent to the emerging field of Islamic branding (IB). Namely, it answers the following questions: what does IB mean? Why is it important and what makes it different from conventional branding? What are its types? What is the future of IB?Design/methodology/approachThis is a conceptual research paper that builds on the author's vast expertise and knowledge of the Islamic market and Islamic marketing and branding practices, ethics, and motivations to answer the various research questions.FindingsAlthough IB is qualitatively different from conventional branding, international branding experts still view it from the same perspective and, therefore, use conventional branding techniques when branding to Muslims. The motivations to underlying IB are not fully appreciated and the concept remains bound by an abstract understanding of Halal and Haram.Research limitations/implicationsThis is a conceptual paper and, as such, it is subject to the same limitations surrounding similar conceptual academic works.Practical implicationsThe paper will be of great value to marketers because it will help them improve their branding strategies when targeting the Muslim consumer and engaging the Islamic market.Social implicationsThe IB practices have the potential to add a human touch to the exploitive conventional branding practices common among today's marketers.Originality/valueThis is the first paper of its kind that conceptualizes and clarifies the various facets of IB.
The constructs mediating religions' influence on buyers and consumers
Authors: Muhamad Nazlida , Mizerski Dick 
Published: July 2010

PurposeThere is limited conceptual and theoretical knowledge among marketers and practitioners regarding the measurement of religious influences in consumer market‐place behaviours. The purpose of this paper is to review religious factors that appear to influence buyer and consumer behaviour in the light of findings from marketing and religious psychology.Design/methodology/approachThe paper utilises academic databases to search for marketing and religious psychology papers that deal with influences of religion and constructs that have been suggested to mediate them. Findings from religious psychology are utilised as the backbone for understanding religious influence. The paper also compares and groups terminologies and concepts used in marketing studies, suggesting a holistic view of religion and factors that may mediate religious influences on consumers' market‐place behaviours.FindingsFive factors of religious influence have been identified. These are commitment, motivation, affiliation, knowledge about a religion and awareness of the social consequences of following a religion. The characteristics, importance and applications of these factors are discussed.Originality/valueThe paper applies knowledge from the area of religious psychology to offer a holistic view in understanding factors that tend to mediate religious influences on consumer behaviours.
Is spiritual tourism a new strategy for marketing Islam?
Authors: Haq Farooq , Yin Wong Ho 
Published: July 2010

PurposeSpiritual tourism has recently been accepted as a growing segment of tourism in business and research circles. The purpose of this paper is to suggest a new dimension in Islamic marketing and investigates spiritual tourism as a new strategy for marketing Islam as a religion.Design/methodology/approachIn this exploratory research, convenient sampling was employed to select Muslim spiritual tourists and Islamic organisations arranging spiritual tourism in Australia. A total of 34 face‐to‐face interviews were conducted. Thematic analysis was used to identify factors relevant to the research themes regarding spiritual tourism and marketing Islam.FindingsSome religious organisations used religious gatherings and festivals as spiritual tourism products to market their religion – Islam. These organisations attracted Muslim and non‐Muslim spiritual tourists to the Islamic places, gatherings, occasions, and festivals by promoting them as spiritual tourism products.Practical implicationsThe paper identifies spiritual tourism journeys and events that could be strategically used by religious organisations for marketing Islam.Social implicationsThis paper aims to build bridges for better understanding of Islam among the Australian public. The paper could be replicated to study the marketing of other religions in other geographical locations.Originality/valueThe paper originates in recognising a genuinely new strategy of spiritual tourism that could be used more effectively for marketing Islam. A future quantitative study could be conducted to test the findings of this paper.
Islamic perspectives on marketing
Authors: Arham Muhammad 
Published: July 2010

PurposeThe paper aims to conceptually exhibit modern marketing theory from an Islamic perspective.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is conceptual and qualitative in nature. It originated from two mainstream publications. The first belongs to the ones which discuss Islamic economics and Islamic banking and finance. The second source comes from those which discuss Islamic business ethics. Both sources are essential in developing the conceptual theory of Islamic marketing.FindingsReligious teachings, at least Islam, could be applied in the realm of modern marketing theory. Though not all of its elements could be applied in Islamic society, modern marketing theory will provide some elements which could be utilised in developing Islamic marketing theory.Research limitations/implicationsThe lack of papers on Islamic marketing makes the depth of discussion rather limited.Originality/valueAlthough several papers already exist in discussing Islamic business ethics with some elements of the marketing mix, it could be argued that this paper is the first of its kind which specifically discusses the concept of modern marketing from an Islamic perspective.
Contingency factors influencing the availability of internal intellectual capital information
Authors: Choo Huang Ching , Tayles Michael , Luther Robert 
Published: July 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore several contingency variables, namely environmental uncertainty, business strategy, technological advancement, market to book ratio, size, profitability and industry type in the context of management accounting and the availability of internal intellectual capital (IC) information.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire was developed and posted to the managers of Malaysian companies. A multiple regression statistical technique was employed to analyse the data.FindingsIt is found that business strategy and technological advancement of customer service relate positively to the availability of internal IC information in Malaysian companies.Research limitations/implicationsThe relatively small response of usable replies to the questionnaire survey is a limitation of this paper. The finding implies that companies with more internal IC information are more likely to be those of product differentiators and those who have undergone technological advancement of customer service. Malaysian companies tend to have a strong customer orientation and place great emphasis on managing customer capital (CC). Future research can investigate the types of IC information used by Malaysian managers to manage their CC.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the literature as it examines the relationship between context and IC within a contingency theory framework. Unlike other research which relates to external IC disclosures with firm‐specific variables, this research links contingency factors to internal IC information from related fields (management accounting and external IC reporting).
Comparisons on selected ratios between IFRS and US GAAP companies
Authors: Bao Da‐Hsien , Lee Jooh , Romeo George 
Published: July 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide evidence of the effect of the differences related to reporting inventory, property plant and equipment, intangible assets, and development costs between International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP) companies.Design/methodology/approachBoth univariate tests (t‐tests) and multivariate tests (ANOVA, probit and logit analyses) are used to compare the ratios between IFRS and US GAAP companies.FindingsResults consistently show that IFRS‐country firms have a significantly higher current ratio, a significantly lower asset turnover ratio, and a significantly lower debt‐to‐asset ratio.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper only focuses on inventory, property plant and equipment, intangible assets, and development costs. Other financial variables are not considered.Practical implicationsThe results are useful for individuals who are interested in reporting and investing in countries using different financial reporting systems.Originality/valueThis paper is a timely examination of the recent emphasis of mandating IFRS.