bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The application research of plan view pattern control in plate rolling
Authors: Yao Xiao‐lan , Yu Xiang‐tao , Wu Qing‐he , Liang Qi‐hong 
Published: August 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to reduce the crop losses at two ends and both sides of a plate in the rolling process, to produce a rectangular plan view pattern plate and to enhance the total product yield of the plates.Design/methodology/approachBased on sample data and the unchangeable principle of the slab volume in the rolling process, the predictive MAS control models were set‐up. They are width broad MAS predictive model, width broad MAS control model, gaugemeter automatic gauge control (GM‐AGC) model, and plates tracking model. After the models were tuned, the rolling test was implemented at LinFen Iron & Steel Co., Ltd.FindingsIt is found that by accurately predictive online modeling of MAS methods, the plan view pattern control can be applied in plate mills.Research limitations/implicationsAs the rolling process is in high temperature, the plan view pattern is difficult to be detected. Normally, the real‐time abnormity distortion cannot be obtained.Practical implicationsThe test results showed that the crop losses are reduced and the product yield is greatly increased.Originality/valueThis paper presents an accurately predictive online modeling of MAS method.
Examining network factors: commitment, trust, coordination and harmony
Authors: Rampersad Giselle , Quester Pascale , Troshani Indrit 
Published: August 2010

PurposeIn recent decades, R&D networks have proliferated amongst members of universities, businesses, research organisations and government. Despite increases in the complexity and prominence of these networks, empirical studies investigating their performance are still sparse. The purpose of this paper is to fill this gap by investigating the impact of trust and commitment on network harmony and coordination.Design/methodology/approachThe study applies confirmatory factor analysis, using structural equation modelling, to ascertain the impact of trust and commitment on harmony and coordination within networks. It is based on responses of 124 participants from an Australian biotechnology and nanotechnology network.FindingsThe study reveals that trust has significant impacts on both network coordination and harmony.Practical implicationsThe paper provides managerial implications for organisations involved in innovation networks which can be used to inform the design and coordination of inter‐organisational innovation initiatives across sectors.Originality /valueThe paper is original as it provides a network perspective, as responses include a variety of perspectives from universities, businesses, research organisations and government. Consequently, it serves as a first step towards validating constructs from a network perspective that were previously validated only from organisational or dyadic perspectives.
Problems of distribution and market orientation in the fishery sector in Greece
Authors: Papavassiliou Nikolaos 
Published: August 2010

PurposeThis paper seeks to identify and assess the problems of distribution and logistics that arise in the fishery sector in Greece and to examine the impact of market orientation with regard to these problems.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on the findings of a survey involving 186 companies. Descriptive statistics for each variable were used in order to assess the importance of each problem of distribution and logistics. Cluster analysis was carried out based on the perception of the importance of the problems of distribution and logistics. In addition, “crosstabs”analysis was used to examine the association between distribution problems and the firm characteristics of each cluster. Finally, linear multiple regression analysis was carried out, with each problem of distribution and logistics taken as the dependent variable and each element of marketing and logistics taken as an independent variable.FindingsThe importance of distribution and logistics problems varied widely, as did the market orientation between the groups of participating firms. In addition, certain firm characteristics and infrastructure factors can become so significant that they directly affect the degree of importance of the above problems.Practical implicationsDistribution & Logistics Managers should be aware of the significant influence that certain characteristics of the firms can have on the distribution function. Special attention should be paid to the importance of the distribution problems and the role of market orientation.Originality/valueUnlike earlier research carried out in this domain, this study deals with a much wider range of problems and a broader cross‐section of companies. In addition, it is the first to focus in detail on the degree of importance of distribution problems and the role of market orientation.
De‐constructing the logic/emotion binary in educational leadership preparation and practice
Authors: Bolton Cheryl L. , English Fenwick W. 
Published: August 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to de‐construct the traditional bifurcation of logic and emotion in the preparation of educational leaders which, following regnant business planning and management models anchored in economics, focuses almost exclusively on social science methodology and the tenets of normative decision theory in formal university based‐preparation programmes in the UK and the USA. This dominant approach has many drawbacks and does not reflect how educational leaders actually engage in decision making.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is a conceptual/logical analysis of the apparent weaknesses in traditional preparatory curricula as well as a report of preliminary qualitative research derived from a non‐probability, convenience sample of 13 interviews in the UK and the USA of middle‐level managers in institutions of higher education.FindingsThe major findings lie in the development of an initial schematic that challenges the dominant binary in considered decisions in educational leadership. The binary regarding the separation of logic and emotion simply does not exist as emotion is always a factor in decision making. The schematic proposes a way to make emotion an inclusive part of considering decision making.Practical implicationsTraditional notions of effective decision making should be revised to include how decision makers come to understand the role their own emotions play in rendering educational decisions on the job, and university providers should begin to revamp courses and curricula which more accurately portray them.Originality/valueThe originality of the paper is in the analysis of decision making which suggests that the role of emotion is in fact, logical and rational, as opposed to non‐rational in educational decision‐making contexts. The value of this position is that it restores to decision‐making preparation a more “real world” perspective which is often not present when so‐called non‐rational variables are factored out in problem‐solving training in university preparation programmes.
Is there a place for emotions within leadership preparation programmes?
Authors: Schmidt Michèle J. 
Published: August 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present the argument that leadership preparation programmes in the new millennium should be required to train school leaders emotionally as well as cognitively. A number of scholars have stressed that leaders are increasingly working within roles that are politically sensitive, conflicted and complex, resulting in role anxiety, emotional stress, and professional burnout. Principals and vice‐principals are frustrated because they are being forced to manage the marketplace, curriculum change, and governance factors with an increased emphasis on accountability, marketability, and globalisation, often at the expense of their primary role as educators.Design/methodology/approachSuch a discussion is framed within a sociological perspective of emotions and presents the importance of acknowledging the primacy of school leaders' emotions in leadership preparation programs.FindingsSociological aspects of emotions are examined within a context of the globalisation, marketisation, and accountability confronting Western education and their implications for extant leadership preparation programs; the latent influences of these broader issues; and, more specifically, their effect on the emotions of leaders within a context unique to Western Canada. Recommendations for what apotropaic the role of leadership preparation programmes should play in shielding leaders from being overwhelmed from within a changing educational landscape are also discussed.Originality/valueAn examination of the emotions of school leaders and the importance of acknowledging their emotions within preparation programmes remains an understudied topic in the field of education.
Perceived price fairness and price decay in the DVD market
Authors: Cockrill Antje , Goode Mark M.H. 
Published: August 2010

PurposeThis study aims to examine perceived price fairness, actual pricing and price decay in a short‐life cycle market; namely DVD films.Design/methodology/approachThe prices of six UK retailers for a range of films released over the last 18 months were examined and compared with the perceived perception of fair price of a questionnaire sample of over 500 UK adults.FindingsConsumers perceive a DVD to lose value of more than 50 per cent in the first year, but this price decay is not reflected in the actual pricing of the DVDs. Prices for newer DVDs are relatively consistent between retailers of the same channel type, but there are large price differentials for older and/or more specialised items.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is exploratory in nature, and a larger scale study of the phenomenon of price decay of digital short‐life cycle products such as DVDs is desirable.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest that there is a considerable gap between actual prices and perceived fair prices of DVDs, especially for older items. DVD producers and retailers may need to consider adjusting their prices to bring them more in line with customer expectations. The large gap between actual prices and perceived fair prices also has important implications for brand management.Originality/valueSo far, no research has been undertaken which investigates perceived fair price and actual pricing of DVDs. Furthermore, the issue of consumer‐perceived price decay has largely been ignored in previous research. Both perceptions of price fairness and perceived price decay are important considerations for pricing policies. This study attempts to address this gap.
Reference redivivus
Authors: Fox Robert 
Published: August 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore recommendations for cutting edge reference services in the information age.Design/methodology/approachThis is an exploratory paper.FindingsThis paper explores ways in which reference services can be proactive in their approach to rapidly changing patron expectations in the information age.Practical implicationsReference services are commonly the first point of entry for patrons seeking appropriate resources for their research and study. The information age is revolutionary in many ways, and presents a landscape in constant flux to the library professional. This paper suggests ways in which reference departments cannot only survive, but also thrive, in this volatile culture.Originality/valueThis paper hopefully makes useful recommendations, mainly at the theoretical level, for library reference services to be proactive and thrive in the rapidly changing information age.
Applying best practices in web site redesign: the Queens College Libraries experience
Authors: Mellone James T. , Williams David J. 
Published: August 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the best practices in web site redesign the authors established for its two interconnected parts, the web development process and web design. The paper demonstrates how best practices were applied to coordinate a library web site redesign project and to engineer the web site for optimum usability, resulting in the creation of a new improved web site.Design/methodology/approachA problem‐solution approach was used to analyze how the Queens College Libraries (QCL) fell behind in web technology and how it revitalized its web operations. The paper presents a detailed exposition of a three stage project, and provides reasons for adopting best practices in redesigning each web site area.FindingsIn a resource‐challenged mid‐sized academic library, like QCL, it is still possible to create a fully functional easy‐to‐use web site.Practical implicationsThe QCL experience has lessons for other libraries in similar circumstances. A mid‐sized academic library adopting a best practices approach to web redesign can successfully coordinate an open and inclusive development process and use public web standards to engineer a functional web site responsive to user needs.Originality/valueUnlike other case studies of web redesign projects at academic libraries, this paper focus on both the web development process and web design, explicating the establishment and application of best practices for both areas.
Developing an institutional repository at a private university in Bangladesh
Authors: Hossain Shoeb Zahid 
Published: August 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe the procedure of setting up an institutional repository (IR) at the Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB), using open source software. IUB faculty and research scholars will be able to publish their research output in the proposed IR and make it globally visible.Design/methodology/approachA number of popular IR software packages have been compared. System requirements along with the steps involved in uploading and submitting contents in the IR are also illustrated.FindingsDSpace is preferred as an IR software at IUB. This paper also provides the procedure to set up the IR along with content submission and workflow processes.Originality/valueSystematic storing and access to the research output of IUB will be provided by the IR, which will be cost effective and centrally managed. This paper details the first time that an IR has been instituted in Bangladesh from the librarian and university library perspective. This study no doubt will foster more research on IRs for the improvement of digital content management.
Actions to implement three potent post‐crisis strategies
Authors: Berman Saul J. , Christner Richard , Bell Ragna 
Published: August 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to make suggestions as to how an organization successfully manage uncertainty and complexity and, ultimately, foster growth in the wake of the recent economic crisis.Design/methodology/approachThe paper recommends three main goals that organizations should concentrate their actions around.FindingsThe paper finds that as organizations prepare for a future ripe with uncertainty, there is urgency for companies to take actions to prepare for the key opportunities presented in this post‐crisis environment. Business leaders should start by developing clear scenarios for their industry and the overall situation that can help identify which strategies and business models will best position their organization to succeed across the range of possible future outcomes. By combining an understanding of their current position with a clear set of future scenarios, they can select decisive moves across the three recommendations identified in this studyOriginality/valueThe paper presents useful information on action an organization can make in order to manage uncertainty and complexity and, ultimately, foster growth.
Perception, reflection and communication: an empirical case study within the pharmaceutical industry
Authors: Ulrich Georges , Sachs Sybille , Millett Bruce 
Published: August 2010

PurposeThis paper aims to show how instruments of empirical opinion research can help to provide a basis for interactive communication between a company and its stakeholders via the media, so that important issues can be identified and discussed internally and externally. By doing this, the company can actively participate in the process of forming public opinion and building trust.Design/methodology/approachConcentrating on the company of Pfizer, in order to acquire a comprehensive view, an empirical analysis of the opinions of those stakeholders mentioned in Pfizer's vision was conducted. In a first step, a content analysis of the Pfizer web site, two representative computer‐aided telephone interviews (CATI) surveys with the Swiss public, a content analysis over a period of two years of the five most important daily newspapers, and interviews with the top management team of Pfizer Switzerland were carried out. In a second step, the findings of the analysis were reflected on in a workshop with Pfizer's top management team.FindingsThe role of the media was recognised for its function for informing, and as a platform for initiating dialogues in appropriate areas of interaction. But it was also obvious that the reports published by the media, and the actual perception of the population, were distinctly different. In this realm, opinion research in its function of objectifying information makes a significant contribution to the ability to reflect on the actual situation.Originality/valueThe knowledge of the opinions of the relevant stakeholders based on a high standard of empirical data and the self‐reflection by senior management of its own beliefs provide an additional foundation for stakeholder‐oriented communication.
The impact and interplay of national and global CSR discourses: insights from France and Brazil
Authors: Sobczak André , Coelho Martins Ligia 
Published: August 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to illustrate the interplay between national traditions and international influence on the CSR discourses and practices, in the context of two very different national contexts, namely France and Brazil.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on a literature review as well as on interviews with representatives from companies and other stakeholder groups in France and Brazil.FindingsThe paper highlights the impact of national traditions, such as the strong intervention of the State in France and the lack of monitoring legislation by public authorities in Brazil, on the CSR discourses and practices in both countries. But it also shows that multinational companies, international NGOs as well as international standardization organizations lead to a certain homogenisation of the CSR discourses and practices.Research limitations/implicationsThis exploratory research should be complemented in the future by more in‐depth research, for example by comparing the CSR discourses and practices of multinational companies having activities in both countries.Practical implicationsThe paper highlights the importance for managers in companies having activities in different countries to adapt their CSR discourses and practices to the local contexts, while maintaining a coherent strategy at the international level based on the respect of some universal principles.Originality/valueFew researches have been conducted on the CSR discourses and practices in France and in Brazil. This paper highlights the main characters of the CSR discourses and practices in both countries, while targeting their common points and differences.
Small to mid‐sized nonprofit leadership development initiatives: organizational lessons learned
Authors: Santora Joseph C. , Sarros James C. , Esposito Mark 
Published: August 2010

PurposePresents findings of a recent survey conducted on small to mid‐sized nonprofit organizations about the types of leadership development initiatives they offer employees.Design/methodology/approachSurvey and interview methods used to collect data from nonprofit executive directors who participated in this study.FindingsMost survey participants do not have the financial and other organizational capacities to offer leadership development initiatives to employees. In‐service workshops are the most frequent type of initiative and unfortunately often this learning initiative has a low impact given its limited short‐term exposure to participants. Other leadership development initiatives may be more beneficial to employees in terms of their long‐term impact.Practical implicationsProvides recommendations for small to mid‐sized nonprofit executive directors about ways to fund leadership development initiatives.Originality/valueOffers nonprofit executive directors with suggestions about not investing in leadership development initiatives.
Integrated approach to a multifunctional complex
Authors: Desideri Umberto , Proietti Stefania , Sdringola Paolo , Taticchi Paolo , Carbone Paolo , Tonelli Flavio 
Published: August 2010

PurposeThe achievement of sustainable architectures, including control of energy relations between climate and built environment, in order to optimize energy consumption and reduce environmental impact, requires an integrated planning dealing with a multi‐scale and integral view of building‐plant system. The purpose of this paper is to describe the design of a multifunctional complex, namely “Solaria”.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed integrated approach focuses on comfort and healthy living, sustainability of building process, containment of energy consumption and use of renewable energy sources. The building object of this research has been designed including: a high‐efficiency tri‐generation plant (525kW of electric power) coupled with a distribution network for district heating/cooling; a photovoltaic generation system with 20kW of peak power and solar thermal panels for sanitary hot water production (able to supply over 50 per cent of needs); and passive solar systems (solar greenhouses and “heat cushions”) equipped with sliding brise‐soleils.FindingsThe proposed integrated design approach has enabled the achievement of important results, such as the avoidance of CO2emissions, equal to nearly 500 tons per year. Moreover, energetic and environmental‐achievements have been certified by using various methodologies. Finally, environmental and costs analyses have been carried out in order to compare the proposed approach with traditional ones.Originality/valueThe case study proposed in this research represents a repeatable and practical application of European Directives on the energy performance of buildings (2002/91/EC) and energy end‐use efficiency and energy services (2006/32/EC). As a consequence, this research adds to the current body of knowledge.