bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Service loyalty: accounting for social capital
Authors: Jones Tim , Taylor Shirley F. 
Published: February 2012

PurposeTo the extent that customer relationships with service providers provide value to service firms suggests that these relationships can be viewed as social capital. This paper seeks to use social capital as a theoretical framework to examine the effect of these relationships on customer loyalty.Design/methodology/approachData were collected using an online survey of 342 adult consumers of services.FindingsResults of structural equation modeling analyses indicate that social capital variables explain unique variance in customer responses. The effect of each of the three forms of social capital – structural, cognitive, and relational – are contingent on whether the service is personal (e.g. hairstylist, medical services) or non‐personal (e.g. mechanic, banker).Research limitations/implicationsThis research suggests that customer relationships can be viewed as social capital and that the form and content of such relationships are important in terms of influencing customer loyalty.Practical implicationsManagers can build “social capital” by focusing on its three forms – structural, cognitive, and relational social capital. The paper provides prescriptions for such relationship building activities. Such social capital translates into firm value/profits through customer loyalty.Originality/valueThis study uses a theoretical framework from research in social capital to help explain the value of customer relationships with individual service providers to the firm. The idea of social capital is compelling to service managers since it implies that investments in relationship building tactics have real results for firm profitability.
Institutional framework, key stakeholders and community preparedness for earthquake induced disaster management in Balochistan
Authors: Ainuddin Syed , Routray Jayant Kumar 
Published: February 2012

PurposeBalochistan is one of the earthquake disaster prone areas in Pakistan. Earthquakes adversely affect people and their economy, therefore disaster preparedness especially at the community level is imperative to avoid future damages. The purpose of this paper is to examine the issues associated with community preparedness in earthquake prone areas and recommend upgrading the community preparedness, and improving coordination between provincial and national agencies during disasters and seismic emergencies.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on field visits. Observations, key informant interviews and group discussions were conducted to analyze the preparedness, both at community and organizational levels.FindingsDisaster impacts are still handled by provincial level organizations in Balochistan. Disaster management authorities do not implement any activities related to preparedness at local levels, and focus more on reactive and top‐down approaches. On the other hand, community is vulnerable to multiple hazards associated with earthquakes. The study reveals that the available institutional framework does not meet community needs. Both the government institutes and communities are not well prepared, therefore communities get affected from time to time due to earthquake hazards in Balochistan.Practical implicationsDisaster management authorities should implement projects and activities at the local levels to empower communities for disaster preparedness and for disaster risk reduction.Originality/valueThe paper concludes that for efficient preparedness the coordination should be improved between the provincial and national level agencies and community preparedness needs to be enhanced for upgrading people's awareness and defensive mechanism for safeguarding their lives with reference to seismic emergencies.
Perceptions of pet owners in urban Latin America on protection of their animals during disasters
Authors: Hesterberg Uta W. , Huertas Gerardo , Appleby Michael C. 
Published: February 2012

PurposeInclusion of animals in emergency contingency planning is not yet common practice in many countries. The purpose of this paper is to assess the need for and viability of such inclusion in Latin America.Design/methodology/approachThe study surveyed 1,882 pet owners in urban areas in Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico to evaluate perceptions of pet owners with regard to their animals in emergencies.FindingsOverall 74.5 percent (confidence interval 72.5‐76.5) said they would take their animals if evacuated. Only 16 percent (14.5‐17.8) would leave their animals behind. Regular vaccination was carried out by 70.5 percent of owners (68.0‐72.5): from 63.6 percent (60.8‐66.2 percent) in Mexico to 87.5 percent (84.3‐90.0) in Colombia. People in lower socio‐economic levels were less likely to take animals to the vet, or to vaccinate or identify them, and more likely to leave their animal behind during evacuation.Practical implicationsResults indicate both the need and the likely success of an animal contingency planning process in urban areas of Latin America.Originality/valueThis is the first survey of its kind concerning disaster preparedness for pets in developing countries, and counters the common perception that in such countries owners are less attached to their pets and that inclusion of animals in emergency contingency planning is not important.
Securing disaster supply chains with cryptography enhanced RFID
Authors: Baldini Gianmarco , Oliveri Franco , Braun Michael , Seuschek Hermann , Hess Erwin 
Published: February 2012

PurposeHumanitarian logistics is an essential element of disaster management and it presents many challenges due to the unique disaster relief environment. The paper describes the main features and challenges of humanitarian logistics and the potential role of technology. Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology has been increasingly considered to improve the efficiency of supply chain management. Security is an important requirement for disaster management. The purpose of this paper is to propose and describe the application of secure RFID technology to improve the management and security of relief supply chains.Design/methodology/approachThe paper describes the challenges of disaster of supply chains and how secure RFID can address them in the overall framework of disaster management.FindingsThe paper describes the efficiency of the crypotgraphic algorithm used in the design of the secure RFID, the system architecture and the deployment workflow.Practical implicationsThe establishment of a logistics tracking framework based on secure RFID has the potential to greatly increase the effectiveness of future emergency crises response operations.Originality/valueThe originality of the paper is to present the application of secure RFID to the context of disaster management, where the security of supply chains is often not addressed.
Assessment of fire hazard in Pakistan
Authors: Masood Rafi Muhammad , Wasiuddin Syed , Hameed Siddiqui Salman 
Published: February 2012

PurposeThere is an acute shortage of infrastructure to deal with fire hazard in big cities in Pakistan. Consequently, fire hazard poses a serious threat to economic and social activites in these cities. Unfortunately, the scale of this threat is not fully recognised in Pakistan despite the fact that recent fire incidences in different cities of Pakistan have resulted in considerable economic and life losses. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a survey which was conducted in one of the largest cities of Pakistan to determine the nature and level of this threat. A critical evaluation of available resources with the Fire Brigade Department (FBD) to deal with the fire hazard in the city confirmed a lack of infrastructure facilities and adequate training. A conceptual framework model for fire risk management is proposed to reduce the level of this threat.Design/methodology/approachThis study is based on a survey of fire exposed buildings in Karachi (one of the largest cities of Pakistan) and the analysis of available resources and infrastructure of FBD. A total of 13 sites were visited and interviews were conducted. Fire stations in the city were visited and an inventory of available resources was prepared. The data of fire incidents and human and economic losses were collected and analysed. Based on the findings, a conceptual framework model was suggested for fire risk management in the city.FindingsThe survey of the fire exposed structures indicated that negligence, violation of building codes, unawareness of safety measures, carelessness, and lack of training were the major causes of fire incidents. An acute shortage of facilities and infrastructure for fire fighting was noted. The recording mechanism of data related to fire incidents was found to be inadquate.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper is a small but original contribution to identify a potential hazard which is faced by the businesses and community in the city. This is the first attempt (to the best of authors’ knowledge) to mitigate the effects of fire hazard.Practical implicationsThe suggested model can be employed by the authorities as a guideline to mitigate fire hazard in the country.Originality/valueThe paper provides valuable information on the fire incidents and human and economic losses in Pakistan. The suggested model can become helpful in reducing fire hazard in Pakistan.
Significance of building heights for urban environmental safety
Authors: Woon Nam Chang 
Published: February 2012

PurposeA natural gas pipeline accident could prove to be a dangerous fire source in city centers. Taking the explosive danger caused by natural gas leakage as an example, the purpose of this paper, based on the box model, is to examine how such an environmental hazard can be hindered by the variation of building heights in the context of urban safety design and land‐use decision making.Design/methodology/approachThe box model measures the concentration of pollutants within a defined box in which a mixture of pollutants with air and their transport by wind take place. A street surrounded by tall buildings in the city center is a good example for the application of such a model, and the building heights shape the box size and the mixing height. Under the consideration of atmospheric conditions this study identifies how the constellation of physical factors shaping the city‐street box and its change affect the elapsed time to reach the lower explosive limit (LEL) and the upper explosive limit (UEL) of natural gas.FindingsCeteris paribus higher building heights expand the time span between initial gas leakage and reaching LEL, in which appropriate safety measures should be taken before ignition, but more rapidly increases the elapsed time to reach UEL, making the time scope for potential explosive danger in the city center even larger.Originality/valueIn the past, the aspect of preventing explosive dangers caused by natural gas leakage has been largely ignored in the building height regulations related to urban safety design and city center development.
Is school participation good for children? Associations with health and wellbeing
Authors: de Róiste Aingeal , Kelly Colette , Molcho Michal , Gavin Aoife , Nic Gabhainn Saoirse 
Published: February 2012

PurposeThere is increasing recognition of children's abilities to speak for themselves. School democracy, as demonstrated by genuine participation, has the potential to benefit both teachers and students; leading to better relationships and improved learning experiences. The aim of this study is to investigate whether participation in schools in Ireland is linked with perceived academic performance, liking school and positive health perceptions.Design/methodology/approachData were collected via self‐completion questionnaires from a stratified random sample of 10,334 students aged 10‐17 years in Irish schools. The questions included encouragement to express their views in class, participation in the organisation of school events; taking part in making school rules; liking school, perceived academic performance, self‐rated health, life satisfaction and self‐reported happiness. Associations between school participation and other measures were expressed by odds ratios from logistic regression models, conducted separately for girls and boys.FindingsMore than 63 per cent of participating students reported that they were encouraged to express their views in class, 58 per cent that they were involved in organising school events and 22 per cent that they had been involved in making school rules. All forms of participation were lower among older students. Participation in school was significantly associated with liking school and higher perceived academic performance, better self‐rated health, higher life satisfaction and greater reported happiness.Research limitations/implicationsThese data are all cross‐sectional and relationships cannot imply causality.Practical implicationsThese findings underscore the relevance of school participation for students in Ireland.Originality/valueThe paper illustrates that, in general, positive relationships between school participation and health and wellbeing are demonstrated among Irish children.
Health literacy as a learning outcome in schools
Authors: Paakkari Leena , Paakkari Olli 
Published: February 2012

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to define health literacy as a learning outcome in schools, and to describe the learning conditions that are relevant for targeting health literacy.Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws on theoretical and empirical educational literature, and also the experiences of the authors.FindingsHealth literacy is defined as consisting of five core components: theoretical knowledge, practical knowledge, critical thinking, self‐awareness, and citizenship. The first three components are rather similar to the commonly‐accepted health literacy concept, but the definition given in this paper expands the concept via two additional – but essential – components. It is emphasized that when one is aiming to develop students' internal capacity to construct their own meanings regarding health topics, these two additional components are called for. The paper argues that one of the main aims of health teaching in schools should be to foster students' ability to define their own beliefs, identity and social relations. Moreover, if it is desired that students should become responsible citizens, acting in an ethically responsible way, competencies such as ethical reflection skills should be developed in schools. The paper also highlights the fact that the development of certain health literacy components calls for particular kinds of learning conditions.Originality/valueThe paper identifies the core components of health literacy as a learning outcome and gives practical examples of means to achieve a particular target.
Moving from health education to health promotion
Authors: Ioannou Soula , Kouta Christiana , Charalambous Neofytos 
Published: February 2012

PurposeThis paper seeks to discuss the rationale of the newly reformed health education curriculum in Cyprus, which aspires to enable not only teachers, but also all the school personnel, to work from the perspective of health promotion. It is a curriculum which moves from the traditional approach of health education focusing on individual lifestyle/behaviour modification into approaches that recognise and tackle the determinants of health.Design/methodology/approachThe paper critically discusses the structure and the content of the learning objectives of this curriculum that encourages teachers to work in a health promoting way.FindingsThe central goal of this curriculum is to enable students and schools to act as health agents, addressing the structural determinants of health and promoting environmental changes. The optimum level for all topics of the curriculum is achieved through learning objectives, which concern three interconnected levels. These are: “investigating determinants of health”, “practising action competency skills for health” and “achieving changes in favour of health”. All levels are means as well as end products in terms of the curriculum objectives.Practical implicationsThe outcome of the development of the health education curriculum acts as a guide for school interventions, through a methodological framework, which encourages participants to identify and promote environmental changes that facilitate healthy choices. This is of significance to those working in the field of health promotion and who seek to establish a new language of health promotion that goes beyond the pervasive discourse of individual lifestyles.Social implicationsThe implementation of the particular health education curriculum will promote not only health in the school community but also in the local community. This is because a key principle which underlies the curriculum is the involvement of the students, school staff, family and community in everyday health promotion practice. It also promotes the development of partnerships among them.Originality/valueThis is an innovative curriculum for Cyprus, based on health promotion and health education principles, but at the same time taking in account the local socio‐cultural and political perspective. This curriculum may be applicable to other European countries.
The impact of introducing a pre‐close on the New Zealand share market
Authors: Pinfold John F. , He Danyang 
Published: February 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the July 2007 introduction of a pre‐close call auction on the New Zealand stock market and its effect on share pricing quality and market manipulation.Design/methodology/approachMarket quality was tested using the methodology of Pagano and Schwartz, which is based on changes in market model R2s. Closing price manipulation is detected by comparing mean bid‐ask spread characteristics of the periods before and after the introduction of the pre‐close call auction.FindingsThe closing call auction improves the quality of share pricing and reduces the incidence of market manipulation.Practical implicationsThe paper confirms the effectiveness of the changes made to the method of closing the market for all firms in the market.Originality/valueThe paper extends knowledge of the effectiveness of closing call‐auctions. It is the first study in a low‐liquidity market and of shares with very low liquidities. Such markets have lower pricing quality and are more vulnerable to market manipulation. The study establishes the effectiveness of closing auctions in this environment.
The older the better!
Authors: Matthijs Bal P. , Smit Priscilla 
Published: February 2012

PurposeThe aim of this paper was to investigate the role of emotion regulation and age in reactions to psychological contract breach towards positive and negative affect. The authors expected that in the context of contract breach, reappraisal emotion regulation mitigate the negative relation with affect. Moreover, based on lifespan theory, suppression emotion regulation was expected to be important for younger workers, because older workers have learned how to express themselves appropriately at the workplace. Consequently, suppression would mitigate the relations of contract breach with well‐being only among younger workers, while it strengthened the relation for older workers.Design/methodology/approachData were collected among 163 employees working in various Dutch organizations. Moderated regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses.FindingsReappraisal mitigated the relation of contract breach with positive affect, and suppression mitigated the relations of contract breach with positive affect only among younger workers, while for older workers with high suppression the relations were accentuated. It was also found that contract breach was more strongly related to negative affect for younger workers than for older workers.Research limitations/implicationsReactions towards psychological contract breaches are influenced by the emotion regulation strategies people employ. Especially reappraisal is important to maintain optimal levels of affect, while suppression is detrimental especially for older workers.Originality/valueThis paper is the first study in which emotion regulation strategies are investigated in the context of psychological contract breaches. The paper presents novel insights into how reactions to contract breaches are modified through emotion regulation strategies and age.
Attitudes towards aging and older people's intentions to continue working: a Taiwanese study
Authors: Lu Luo 
Published: February 2012

PurposeThe aim of this research is to examine attitudinal correlates of older adults' (aged 60 and above) intentions to continue working in older age.Design/methodology/approachStructured questionnaires combined with home interviews were used to collect data from a sample of community older people (n=289) in Taiwan.FindingsThe study found that positive attitudes towards aging held by older people themselves and perceived subjective norm were related to stronger intentions to continue working in older age, as predicted by the Theory of Reasoned Action, in addition, more positive daily personal experiences with non‐older people enhanced intentions to continue working in older age through fostering more positive attitudes towards aging, as predicted by the contact hypothesis. Finally effects of some known demographic correlates of aging and work were also demonstrated in the structural model, namely, age, sex, current employment status, and personal health were all associated with intentions to continue working in older age.Originality/valueThis is the first study in Taiwan testing hypotheses derived from well‐established social psychological theoretical models explaining links between attitudes and behavioral intentions of working in older age with a non‐Western (Chinese) sample. The results highlight the importance and urgency of more concerted research to inform public and organizational policies to facilitate continued employment and better management of careers of older adults in an aging developing society.
Recognition of knowledge and skills at work: in whose interests?
Authors: Berglund Leif , Andersson Per 
Published: February 2012

PurposeWork‐place learning takes place in many settings and in different ways, resulting in knowledge and skills of different kinds. The recognition process in the work place is however often implicit and seldom discussed in terms of recognition of prior learning (RPL). The aim of this paper is to give examples of how the knowledge/skills of employees get recognition in the workplace and to discuss what the consequences of such recognition processes might be.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is based on a study in two companies and two municipalities, where 21 interviews were conducted with human resource managers, team leaders and union representatives. The research questions concerned the ways skills were recognised among employees and how the logics of these actions could be understood.FindingsThe findings show that both companies and municipalities have their own ways of assessing knowledge/skills, mostly out of a production logic of what is needed at the workplace. However, certain skills are also made “unvisualised” for the employee. This employer‐controlled recognition logic is important to understand when RPL models are brought to the work place in order to obtain win‐win situations for both employers and employees.Practical implicationsIt seems important to identify an already existing system for assessment of knowledge/skills at the workplace when bringing RPL processes to the workplace.Originality/valueThe approach to understand assessment processes in these companies and municipalities from an RPL perspective has not been widely covered before.