bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Systematic mechanical design approach for a flexible printed circuit board assemblies (PCBA) rework cell: part II – conceptual design of soldering and desoldering system
Authors: Geren Necdet , Sarıgül Çağdaş , Bayramoğlu Melih 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to apply the developed systematic mechanical design methodologies, that are obtained in part I, to investigate their success in designing mechanics of a flexible printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) rework cell.Design/methodology/approachThe decision of soldering and desoldering tool, which is the most critical function of a PCBA rework or remanufacturing cell, significantly influences overall design concept. Therefore, the paper starts by applying the design methodology to the soldering and desoldering function. The same study is repeated for the rest of the sub‐functions but only the results are provided.FindingsAn application of rework machine design methodology for the design of a PCBA rework cell has been made available. In addition to this, the embedded knowledge, such as the requirements list, the function structure, the function/means tree, the weighted objective tree and evaluation chart for the soldering and desoldering function are provided.Practical implicationsThe paper is the first work providing both embedded knowledge and the application of the systematic design methodology for the design of a fully automated flexible PCBA rework cell. The methodology leads rework machine designers in a well‐controlled and structured design environment.Originality/valueThe design methodology can be applied to all functions or targeted on key weighted areas to ensure that the designed rework machine meets the key areas of concerns. Furthermore, the methodology is generic and may be used to develop other complex manufacturing sytems.
The fallacy of the service economy: a materialist perspective
Authors: Solberg Søilen Klaus 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this article, which is based in the tradition of critical theory, is to present a number of reasons for preserving a strong production economy given that the aim of the nation state is to work for improved competitive advantage.Design/methodology/approachThe critical theory approach is used in this paper.FindingsThe paper is also an attempt to show why a majority of Western countries have defended the transformation from a predominant production economy to a service economy by explaining the shift as a result of class interests, using new class theory. It argues for why a materialist perspective in economic theory is relevant today.Research limitations/implicationsThe Western world should focus more on the production economy and less on the service economy.Originality/valueTo the author's knowledge, no other paper has gathered as many arguments on the issue before.
Structural equation modeling in social science research
Authors: Babin Barry J. , Svensson Göran 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe and discuss a few principal and crucial steps of “antecedents” and “postcedents” in relation to structural equation modeling (SEM) in social science research.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is based upon a conceptual and reflective discussion of SEM in social sciences research.FindingsSEM is not science per se, but just a tool that is used to extract meaning from the previous steps of research processes in terms of a research phenomenon in focus.Research limitations/implicationsBased upon the steps of validity and reliability discussed in relation to predetermined measurement and structural models in SEM, application implications are provided.Practical implicationsLike many statistical tools, SEM can be misused to manipulate findings and fit of measurement and structural models. Researchers may become more interested in the tool than in the subject matter.Originality/valueUsing SEM does not elevate research to be science or make the researcher a scientist! An area of concern for further debate is whether the widespread and variable applications of SEM in social science (in particular, marketing) research are all science.
Commitment to business ethics in UK organizations
Authors: Whyatt Georgina , Wood Greg , Callaghan Michael 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to determine the commitment to business ethics in UK corporations. This study reports on the responses of those organizations that participated in the survey and possessed a code of ethics.Design/methodology/approachAn unsolicited questionnaire was sent to the top 500 private sector organizations by market capitalization in the UK. A total of 92 companies responded, of which 56 possessed a code of ethics.FindingsThe empirical findings indicate that the processes involved in developing business ethics commitment have begun to be recognized and acted upon at an organizational level. The supporting measures of business ethics commitment appear to be under‐utilized by many of these UK organizations. This suggests that many organizations have not so far developed a strong organizational commitment to embedding their codes of ethics into organizational practices.Research limitations/implicationsWhile the responses provided a rich picture of organizational actions, further research exploring internal culture and attitudes would add to an understanding of organizational commitment.Practical implicationsIt is found that in order to influence practice, it is not enough to have the artefacts of an ethical culture, such as codes, without ensuring that all employees are assisted in understanding what is required of them.Originality/valueDespite a history of business ethics research, there are a limited number of studies seeking to understand UK companies' commitment to ethical codes. The paper provides guidance on steps that organizations can take to develop a higher level of commitment.
Innovation within the Australian outdoor hospitality parks industry
Authors: Brooker Edward , Joppe Marion , Davidson Michael C.G. , Marles Kathy 
Published: June 2012

PurposeTraditional innovation typologies within the extant literature are not compatible with the innovation levels found within the Australian outdoor hospitality parks (OHP) sector, given its tourism and small business characteristics. This paper seeks to introduce an innovation typology specific to the Australian OHP sector.Design/methodology/approachA two‐phase qualitative research method was employed, whereby 30 semi‐structured interviews were conducted with OHP operators/administrators who were identified as being “innovative” by four industry executives. Based on the 30 interviews carried out in Phase 1, six industry individuals who demonstrated a wider and deeper approach to innovation than the others were further interviewed in Phase 2.FindingsA small percentage of Australian OHP industry operators and executive officers showcase a level of innovation that is beyond incremental in character, but is not radical, revolutionary or disruptive. This group of “strategic innovators” are the first to adopt ideas from other sources and adapt them to fit within the Australian context. These new ideas are introduced in three‐ to four‐year increments, providing the individuals with sufficient time to assess the market's reaction to the changes, and to measure increased value to their situation. The three‐ to four‐year time span dovetails with the length of time taken by the majority of competitors to imitate the new concepts.Originality/valueThe paper introduces an innovation typology applicable to the Australian outdoor hospitality parks sector.
Perceived organizational support, career satisfaction, and performance outcomes
Authors: Karatepe Osman M. 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to develop and test a research model that examines career satisfaction as a mediator of the effect of perceived organizational support on service recovery performance and job performance.Design/methodology/approachBased on data obtained from frontline hotel employees with a time lag of one month and their immediate supervisors in Cameroon, the hypothesized relationships were tested using LISREL 8.30 through structural equation modeling.FindingsThe results suggested that the fully mediated model had a better fit to the data when compared to the partially mediated model. As hypothesized, perceived organizational support influenced service recovery performance and job performance only via career satisfaction.Research limitations/implicationsInvestigating the study relationships over a longer period of time than was done in this study would be useful for making causal inferences conclusively. Replication studies with larger sample sizes in different hospitality and tourism settings in Cameroon and other countries in sub‐Saharan Africa would be beneficial for broadening the database for further generalizations.Practical implicationsManagers should make sure that they recognize employees' good work or efforts continuously. They should also ensure that employees participate in decisions that may affect the service delivery process. It is also critical to have a pool of employees with work experience gained in foreign countries. Employees who worked in other hotels in foreign countries would acquire new skills and thus have higher career satisfaction in the current organization.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the hospitality management and marketing literature by examining the mediating role of career satisfaction in the relationship between perceived organizational support and two organizationally valued performance outcomes, i.e. service recovery performance and job performance.
Inter‐organizational trust in franchise relationships and the performance outcomes
Authors: Eser Zeliha 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine performance outcomes of inter‐organizational trust in franchisor and franchisee relationships in the fast‐food industry in Turkey.Design/methodology/approachThe survey was conducted in two major cities in Turkey: Ankara (the capital and second largest city in Turkey) and Eskisehir (a major city 200 kilometers to the West of Ankara). A total of 103 questionnaires were administered to franchisees located at shopping malls in both cities. A total of 87 usable questionnaires were received, yielding a response rate of 84 percent.FindingsTrust is found to be positively related to cooperation and satisfaction, and negatively related to transaction costs. The duration of relationship is negatively related to transaction costs. Levels of trust, cooperation, satisfaction and transaction costs have not differed significantly on the basis of franchisor's origin or respondent's position.Research limitations/implicationsThis empirical study investigates only the perspective of franchisees in the dyadic relationship of franchisor‐franchisee in one industry (fast‐food) in two major cities of a country.Originality/valueThe study contributes significantly to an overall understanding of the function of trust for successful franchise channel relationships, and is the first study to address performance outcomes and trust issues in the fast‐food industry in Turkey.
The market performance of franchise stock portfolios
Authors: Hachemi Aliouche E. , Kaen Fred , Schlentrich Udo 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThis paper's aim is to examine the risk‐adjusted market performance of an overall franchise and three sub‐sector franchise common stock portfolios from 1990 through 2008.Design/methodology/approachFour sets of franchise sector portfolios are constructed, their returns are calculated, and their performances relative to three market benchmarks are evaluated using the Sharpe ratio and Jensen'sα.FindingsThe all franchise portfolio significantly outperformed the three market benchmarks. Among the sector portfolios, the services and restaurant portfolios also outperformed the market benchmarks, but not the lodging portfolio. Results support the theoretical hypothesis that franchising may provide superior advantages to investors and point to a possible “franchising anomaly”. Investors consider franchise firms to be less risky than the average publicly traded firms and therefore require a lower rate of return.Practical implicationsThe results of the study suggest that in the past, franchise managers may have paid a much higher cost of capital than warranted by their firms' risk characteristics. Study results also have positive implications for franchise firms' access to capital and for evaluating franchise managers' compensation arrangements. Investors should consider allocating a portion of their investible funds to franchise stocks. Many lodging firms may not have taken full advantage of the benefits of franchising to reduce their financial risks. Restaurant firms may further improve their financial performance by selling their riskier units.Originality/valueThis is the first comprehensive study of the risk‐adjusted market performance of franchise firms over an extended period of time covering a variety of economic conditions that also analyzes the risk‐adjusted performance of the main business subcategories in franchising.
Developing our understanding of patronizing frontline employees
Authors: Anaza Nwamaka A. , Rutherford Brian N. 
Published: June 2012

PurposeIn an overwhelming portion of the US service economy, the multifaceted responsibilities that frontline employees play as patrons have been overlooked within the academic literature. The notion of employees as customers is a common business practice that garners sizeable benefits to both the firm and its employees; unfortunately, research on this topic is still in its infancy. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of internal marketing and job satisfaction on employee patronage, and the role of patronage on employee engagement in a Cooperative Extension Service System.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey administered to Cooperative Extension employees in frontline service roles was used to test the proposed structural model. Structural equation modeling carried out using the Amos 18.0 software program was employed to analyze the proposed hypotheses.FindingsIt was found that internal marketing is composed of five dimensions, as tested using a second‐order hierarchical structure. Based on the hypothesized linkages, internal marketing and job satisfaction were revealed to be two important factors relevant in determining employee patronage. Furthermore, the results show that employee patronage positively influences employee engagement, thus advancing the benefits of employees in dual roles.Practical implicationsThe findings show that the internal and external role of employees is reflective of the firm's ability to grow two important relationships that are vital to the company's success. To tap into employees as patrons, organizations must carefully and simultaneously implement internal marketing practices most suitable to the structure of their market and firm. Particularly, communicating to employees the favorable qualities of a service through reoccurring training programs also serves as a vital means of building interaction between the firm and its customers.Originality/valueThe value of the paper is two fold. First, it reveals an alternative way of measuring internal marketing, and encourages the future assessment of internal marketing as a multi‐dimensional structure rather than a one‐dimensional factor. Second, this research confirms the presence of employee patronage, while also examining predictors and outcomes of employee patronage in a service industry.
Challenges in serving the mass affluent segment: bank customer perceptions of service quality
Authors: Strandberg Christer , Wahlberg Olof , Öhman Peter 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the possible usefulness of a combined multi‐attribute and Kano model in analysing how service quality is perceived by mass affluent bank customers. More precisely, to identify quality dimensions, attributes, and items in terms of taken‐for‐granteds, proportionals, delighters, and neutrals.Design/methodology/approachUsing a survey, the authors measured how mass affluent customers in one region in a major Swedish bank perceived service quality. Responses were analysed with reference to both multi‐attribute service quality and Kano models.FindingsThe combined model seems to provide some guidance regarding how service quality is perceived by bank customers in the mass affluent segment. The significant number of neutral items reveals potentially wasted resources. The finding of only one delighter item reveals that mass affluent customers are difficult to please. However, substantial heterogeneity exists in customer perceptions of the service quality items investigated.Research limitations/implicationsThis exploratory study examines only one bank in one region in one country, implying a need for additional research applying this combined model and other methods to investigate private banking in the mass affluent segment.Practical implicationsThe significant number of neutrals implies that banks might be more efficient if they avoided spending resources on such items. The conspicuous spread in conceptions of service quality items suggests that bank managers and personal bankers may benefit from co‐creating services with mass affluent customers.Social implicationsBanks are intermediates on financial markets. Improved and customized service quality could make mass affluent customers inclined to invest their resources in ways that promote economic growth.Originality/valueIn addition to traditional measurement models, the Kano model may contribute to service quality assessment in private banking.
Validation of Eventserv‐Short
Authors: Martin David S. , Howell Ryan , Newman Christopher , Martin Kelly 
Published: June 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to validate a shortened measure of consumers’ satisfaction with the service quality at sporting events. The scale's ability to predict both customer satisfaction and future behavioral intentions is also measured.Design/methodology/approachThe measure, entitled Eventserv‐Short, was tested across the five most popular American sports and across two levels (collegiate and professional). An online survey was utilized with a total of 854 respondents.FindingsResults showed that Eventserv‐Short is a reliable and valid measure of satisfaction with service quality that is invariant across various sporting events; also, Eventserv‐Short predicts overall customer satisfaction and future behavioral intentions.Originality/valueThe paper's importance is demonstrated by the measure's consistent performance across the different types of sports and settings. Further, these results show that researchers and managers can now more quickly, reliably, and accurately measure consumers’ satisfaction with the service quality they perceive while attending sporting events.
The impact of financial services quality and fairness on customer satisfaction
Authors: Chen Houn‐Gee , Yu‐Chih Liu Julie , Shin Sheu Tsong , Yang Ming‐Hsien 
Published: June 2012

PurposeCustomer satisfaction in the banking industry has long been measured as a function of service quality by using a variation of the SERVQUAL instrument. The purpose of this paper is to build a broader understanding of the determinants of customer satisfaction throughout the financial services industry by incorporating the perceptions of fairness in service delivery (FAIRSERV) and outlining why and how FAIRSERV is important to customer satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conduct a cross‐sectional questionnaire survey, including samples of 420 customers from the financial services industry in Taiwan. PLS‐Graph is used to evaluate the measures of reliability as well as validities, and to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe results show that fair service not only has a significant impact on customer satisfaction, but also plays a role equivalent to service quality in determining customers’ trust and perceived value, which in turn lead to customer satisfaction.Research limitations/implicationsThe impact of FAIRSERV on customer satisfaction should be emphasized. Future studies examining the impact of service quality on customer satisfaction should incorporate the concept or instruments of fair service as a major contributor.Practical implicationsThe results imply that financial institutions must carefully implement policies and practices to ensure that perceptions of fairness are propagated throughout the organization.Originality/valueThe paper proposes a complementary component to service quality in determining the perceived value and satisfaction. The paper emphasizes the significance of fairness on service, and provides additional insights into the impacts of FAIRSERV on customer satisfaction.
Engaging international students
Authors: Burdett Jane , Crossman Joanna 
Published: June 2012

PurposeAustralia has enjoyed two decades of growth in international student enrolments. This phenomenon, combined with the evolution of quality assurance policy frameworks, has stimulated interest in the social and academic experiences of international students and their educational outcomes. The Australian Universities Quality Agency's (AUQA) second round of quality audits assessed and reported on the performance of Australian universities in the area of “internationalisation”. AUQA findings and recommendations for required action send powerful messages to guide university priorities, practices and strategies in pursuit of quality enhancement in relation to student engagement. This paper seeks to address these issues.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a thematic analysis approach to explore “internationalisation” in 14 AUQA audit reports published between 2006 and 2010.FindingsThis paper identifies three key areas arising from AUQA audit reports that form a basis for discussion in this paper. These areas are: the social and academic engagement of both international and local students, and matters relating to English language standards and support. Observations arising from AUQA university reports direct attention to examples of initiatives that appear to be enriching the quality of the student engagement and indicate where further development may be required.Practical implicationsIn seeking strategies for enhanced student experience, AUQA supports collaboration across universities in devising models for identifying student needs and creating mechanisms that bring about quality student experience, engagement and language outcomes. This analysis of the reports will likely assist those stakeholders working in universities who wish to identify successful approaches to promote the engagement of international students and refine existing useful and positive strategies in implementing and developing ideas in their own individual university contexts.Originality/valueAnalysis of the substantial text of AUQA reports have been underexploited by researchers to date. This paper is likely to be of interest to those stakeholders of international education in universities, not only in Australia but in other national contexts where international students are significantly represented.