bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Excess return sources of active property management: a case study
Authors: Füss Roland , Richt Johannes , Thomas Matthias 
Published: July 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the sources of direct real estate portfolio returns and their relative performance against Investment Property Databank (IPD) benchmark returns. Active property management consists of the concepts of property transaction execution and operational management, which can be classified as the main drivers of excess return sources.Design/methodology/approachUsing a sample of three different portfolios managed by two institutional investors, the paper is able to estimate the relevant factors of active property management on annual excess returns for commercial and residential property sectors via a panel regression technique.FindingsEmpirical evidence shows that property‐specific effects exhibit significant sources of excess returns, but property management cannot be identified as their main driver. Furthermore, the sources of excess returns do not differ significantly across sectors; when controlled for property age and size, it is found that their influence is rather limited.Practical implicationsInformation about the drivers of excess returns and their variations among property types may lead to superior investment decisions during portfolio rebalancing, and thus promote more efficient capital allocation. Information about return factors, i.e. about property and operational management, can substantially improve property selection and market timing in the asset allocation process. Hence, investors basing their property investment strategies on the impact of selected return factors could enhance the risk‐adjusted performance of their property portfolios.Originality/valueThis paper aims to contribute to the existing literature by identifying and quantifying the excess return sources of a given property portfolio over a predefined benchmark. Due to the lack of property‐related data, there is only limited research on the sources of direct property returns, such as property characteristics or active property management. The authors explore three main questions in this paper. First, they examine sources of excess returns over a benchmark index for several property sectors. Second, they analyze whether the drivers of excess returns vary significantly across these sectors. Third, they determine to what extent excess property returns are influenced by the “economic age” and “rentable area” of a building.
Strategic sourcing, sourcing capability and firm performance in the US textile and apparel industry
Authors: Su Jin , Gargeya Vidyaranya B. 
Published: July 2012

PurposeWith the intense competition in the global textile and apparel industry and the uncertainty of the global textile and apparel business environment, sourcing has increasingly assumed a pivotal strategic role in textile and apparel supply chain management. Strategic sourcing is crucial for firms to obtain or sustain competitiveness in world marketplace. The purpose of this paper is to examine empirically how strategic sourcing and sourcing capability impact firm performance in the US textile and apparel industry.Design/methodology/approachEmpirical survey‐based research methodology was implemented to examine the research questions and model. Data were collected from the 152 firms in the US textile and apparel industry.FindingsThe findings show that strategic sourcing leads to greater emphasis on sourcing capability and positively impacts firm performance.Originality/valueThe study contributes to understanding of supply chain management using data from the US textile and apparel industry to investigate the relationships between strategic sourcing, sourcing capability, and firm performance and to test the research hypotheses by quantitative survey‐based research method. The textile and apparel industry is dynamic, global, diverse, and complex, and is a prime exemplifier of globalization. The study clearly demonstrates that strategic sourcing plays a vital role in a firm's business operations and puts greater emphasis on developing the sourcing manager's business capability.
Survey results: are client organizations responding to anti‐offshoring pressures?
Authors: Khan Shaji , Lacity Mary 
Published: July 2012

PurposeGiven the global economic recession, anti‐offshoring political campaign platforms and proposed anti‐offshoring legislation in many developed countries, organizations face pressure to keep jobs in their home country. The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which organizations are responding to anti‐offshoring pressures. It aims to ask whether client organizations are changing their buying patterns for information technology outsourcing (ITO) and business process outsourcing (BPO) services because of anti‐offshoring pressures.Design/methodology/approachA survey was administered to respondents representing 84 client organizations that purchase ITO and BPO services. Nine countries are represented, but the data primarily capture US client responses.FindingsOverall, it was found that client organizations are not changing their buying patterns because of anti‐offshoring pressures. Client respondents report strong satisfaction with offshore outsourcing of IT and business services. In particular, clients favorably reported on the costs savings and increased flexibility with offshore ITO and BPO. Consequently, the majority of respondents have not altered how they select service providers or service locations because of anti‐offshoring pressures.Practical implicationsThe economic recession is prompting at least two pressures on client organizations: reduce costs and keep jobs at home. Based on the authors' findings, the former is more influential. Even though respondents indicated a moderate to high level of uncertainty about possible anti‐offshoring legislation being passed, client organizations continue to source IT and BP services without much consideration to anti‐offshoring pressures.Originality/valueAcademic researchers have conducted very few studies that examine the effects of public pressure on sourcing strategies of client organizations. This research contributes to the body of knowledge by filling that gap. ITO and BPO clients and practitioners, as well as politicians, lobbyists, and labor advocates will find the results pertinent.
“Something in our hearts”: challenges to mental health among urban Mayan women in post‐war Guatemala
Authors: Godoy‐Paiz Paula , Toner Brenda , Vidal Carolina 
Published: July 2012

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the long‐term mental health consequences of war from the perspectives of urban Mayan women in post‐war Guatemala.Design/methodology/approachEthnographic methodologies, namely participant observation and in‐depth qualitative interviews were carried out during 12 months of fieldwork in Guatemala City.FindingsThe findings indicate that urban indigenous women confront a range of unresolved war‐related traumas and psychosocial distress that require specific attention by researchers, policy makers and service providers. It is argued that psychosocial interventions aimed at addressing the traumas of war must take into account present day conditions of post‐war violence, poverty, and social inequity that threaten the health and well‐being of indigenous peoples.Practical implicationsRecommendations are provided for promoting the mental health of urban indigenous women affected by war.Originality/valueResearch that has been conducted on the mental health effects of war has tended to focus on rural areas of the country. This article advances the research on post‐war Guatemala through a focus on urban Mayan indigenous women.
Medication assisted therapy (MAT) and substance use disorders in Tanzania
Authors: Kaduri Pamela , Mbwambo Jessie , Masao Frank , Kilonzo Gad 
Published: July 2012

PurposeSubstance use is among the risk factors associated with both HIV/AIDS and non communicable diseases (NCDs). The aim of this paper is to describe the development of the medication assisted therapy (MAT) in the treatment of substance use disorders and opportunities for further interventions in Tanzania.Design/methodology/approachA review of MAT pilot project documentation, existing published and grey literature on substance misuse in Tanzania was used to describe the scope of this paper. MAT as a program focuses on the treatment of opiod dependent individuals using methadone in a national hospital in Tanzania. It is delivered by a team of trained interprofessionals coordinating with community partners.FindingsThe findings indicate an uptake of pharmacotherapy in the treatment of substance use disorders as an adjunct to traditional counseling approaches in low resource settings. Program acceptability and reach within a short period of time by the opiod dependent individuals is shown.Practical implicationsNational buy‐in is critical for developments of new interventions. Given adequate resources, it is feasible to integrate MAT for the treatment of substance use disorders within health care systems in poor resource settings. To ensure the success of the program, sustainable efforts and scaling up to include alcohol and tobacco dependence treatment is crucial. The local capacity building is required including a need for designing appropriate policies to address alcohol and tobacco use in Tanzania.Originality/valueThe intervention is the only one in sub‐Saharan Africa. MAT may serve as a practice model for other countries in the region.
Building primary health care capacity to address addiction and mental health inequities: lessons from Latin America and the Caribbean
Authors: Khenti Akwatu , Sapag Jaime C. , Garcia‐Andrade Consuelo , Poblete Fernando , Raquel Santiago de Lima Ana , Herrera Andres , Diaz Pablo , Amare Henok , Selick Avra , Reid Sandra 
Published: July 2012

PurposeSince 2002, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Ontario, Canada, has been working closely with partners in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) to implement mental health capacity‐building focused on primary health care. From an equity perspective, this article seeks to critically analyze the process and key results of this capacity‐building effort and to identify various implications for the future.Design/methodology/approachThis analysis of capacity‐building approaches is based on a critical review of existing documents such as needs assessments and evaluation reports, as well as reflective discussion. Previous health equity literature is used as a framework for analysis.FindingsMore than 1,000 professionals have been engaged in various kinds of training in Chile, Peru, Brazil, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Trinidad and Tobago. These capacity‐building initiatives have had an impact on primary health care from both an equity and systems perspective because participants were engaged at all stages of the process and implementation lessons incorporated into the final efforts. Stigma was also reduced through the collaborations.Originality/valueUsing concrete examples of capacity‐building in mental primary healthcare in LAC, as well as evidence gathered from the literature, this article demonstrates how primary healthcare can play a strong role in addressing health equity and human rights protection for people with mental health and/or substance abuse problems.
Globalising mental health: a neo‐liberal project
Authors: Timimi Sami 
Published: July 2012

PurposeThe paper's aim is to review how relevant the World Health Organisation's Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) initiative is to mental health care in non‐Western societies.Design/methodology/approachThe paper provides a review of the programme and its relevance to mental health care by drawing on available literature and evidence.FindingsmhGAP promotes the idea that mental health problems exist as problems within individuals, that they represent a substantial, though largely hidden, proportion of the world's overall disease burden, and that mental health services need scaling up across the globe to improve outcomes. However, mental health outcomes do not appear any better in those countries with the most developed services and the initiative does not seem to properly engage an evidence base that is at odds with the direction of travel the initiative recommends.Originality/valueThe paper explores these contradictions and argues that, whether intentional or not, mhGAP reflects and is part of the global neo‐liberal economic system and functions largely to expand the market for a particularly Western approach to understanding mental distress.
Learning from an Iranian man about CBT for treatment of PTSD
Authors: Bernardes Dora 
Published: July 2012

PurposeExtensive research has been carried out to show the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) intervention approaches to treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, not many studies have been carried out that investigate clients' firsthand accounts of this treatment modality, particularly so amongst ethnic minority populations. This article aims to provide a small contribution towards that end by presenting a case study of CBT treatment for PTSD symptoms with an Iranian client.Design/methodology/approachA combination of quantitative and qualitative data were used to monitor progress and evaluate the treatment approach.FindingsBoth qualitative and quantitative findings highlight that a CBT approach used to treat PTSD symptoms with an Iranian client had some positive effects in terms of the client's general mental health.Research limitations/implicationsDespite limitations concerning a single case study and mixed evidence regarding the efficacy of CBT for PTSD with an Iranian client, this study has some implications for culturally sensitive practice with BME communities.Originality/valueThis article may be of value to clinicians and researchers interested in tailoring CBT approaches working with ethnic minorities.
Analyzing the effect of using international accounting standards on the development of emerging capital markets
Authors: Zeghal Daniel , Mhedhbi Karim 
Published: July 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze the consequences of using international accounting standards (IAS/IFRS) for the development of capital markets located in developing countries (emerging capital markets).Design/methodology/approachThe authors conduct an empirical study using a sample of 38 developing countries with capital markets, starting by comparing the means of the different measures studied before and after the use of IAS/IFRS. A multivariate statistical analysis is conducted based on the estimation of a model of panel data with fixed effects.FindingsThe results show that the development of the emerging capital markets is positively and significantly associated with the use of international accounting standards.Practical implicationsThe paper's findings are of interest to several different parties, primarily the national accounting standardization body, the IASB, many international organizations and international investors.Originality/valueThe paper describes an empirical study, conducted on a group of developing countries, which provides a better understanding of the potential consequences of the use of IASB standards. The paper is also a meaningful contribution to the international accounting literature, as it examines an interesting subject that has not yet been investigated.
Governance and accountability in Australian charitable organisations
Authors: Dellaportas Steven , Langton Jonathan , West Brian 
Published: July 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the perceptions of senior accounting officers on governance, performance and accountability issues in the charity sector.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical data presented in this paper were collected via a mail‐out survey to Chief Financial Officers (CFO) of large charity organisations in Australia.FindingsThe executives surveyed agreed that the public is entitled to receive high quality financial disclosures from charities, favouring “programme accountability”, “fiscal accountability” and “profit” as relevant performance indicators rather than cash surplus/deficit. The respondents also considered that charities warrant a dedicated accounting standard but were less enthusiastic about an independent regulator with stronger control functions.Research limitations/implicationsThe data in this study report the opinions of financial executives which may not represent the view of all managing executives.Originality/valueWhile governance in charities has been examined previously from an organisational or management perspective, this is one of the few papers that emphasises how members of the accounting profession view this important topic.
Optimising errors in signaling corporate collapse using MCCCRA
Authors: Hossari Ghassan 
Published: July 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to put forward an innovative approach for reducing the variation between Type I and Type II errors in the context of ratio‐based modeling of corporate collapse, without compromising the accuracy of the predictive model. Its contribution to the literature lies in resolving the problematic trade‐off between predictive accuracy and variations between the two types of errors.Design/methodology/approachThe methodological approach in this paper – called MCCCRA – utilizes a novel multi‐classification matrix based on a combination of correlation and regression analysis, with the former being subject to optimisation criteria. In order to ascertain its accuracy in signaling collapse, MCCCRA is empirically tested against multiple discriminant analysis (MDA).FindingsBased on a data sample of 899 US publicly listed companies, the empirical results indicate that in addition to a high level of accuracy in signaling collapse, MCCCRA generates lower variability between Type I and Type II errors when compared to MDA.Originality/valueAlthough correlation and regression analysis are long‐standing statistical tools, the optimisation constraints that are applied to the correlations are unique. Moreover, the multi‐classification matrix is a first in signaling collapse. By providing economic insight into more stable financial modeling, these innovations make an original contribution to the literature.
The selfish signifier: meaning, virulence and transmissibility in a management fashion
Authors: Price Ilfryn 
Published: July 2012

PurposeManagement fashions can be, and have been, conceptualized as narrative elements competing for replication and resources in the wider managerial discourse. Most wax and wane through a life cycle. Some achieve an extended place and even a transition to quasi‐ permanent institutions. Facilities/Facility Management (FM) is one such example, the purpose of this paper is to explore this.Design/methodology/approachThe case draws FM's history since 1968 and asks whether it is compatible with recent and classic Darwin, thoughts on cultural evolution as a selection process between competing discourses.FindingsSeveral properties of that history are argued as compatible with the theoretical stance taken particularly the mutation of the syntactic content to suit local circumstances and the dilution of the term's intent. Success attributes in the selective competition include contingency, securing an organizational home and mutability (what was represented became, more operational, less virulent but in the process more transmissible). In spreading globally the signifier/meme FM also proved mutatable to local managerial discourses.Originality/valueThe study supports a developing paradigm that it is possible to view organizations as ecologies of variously, memes, signifiers, narratives, representations or discourses. All five terms are shown to have been used to make similar significations by different authors. It shows how a natural history of narrative memes can be constructed.
Reviving organisational memetics through Cultural Linnæanism
Authors: Sinclair Lord Andrew 
Published: July 2012

PurposeThe initial purpose of this paper is to review the explanatory power that memetics promised for socio‐cultural evolutionary theory, for organisational adaptation, and emergent patterns of traits. Second, to argue that philosophical accusations and premature demands have retarded a science of memetics; regardless, isolated demonstrations of empirical research feasibility suggest a pragmatic resolution. Third, to speculate about practical applications, future advances, and prompt consideration about resuming methodological research initiatives that draw extensively from biology into organisational and managements science.Design/methodology/approachOwing to present methodological immaturity of cultural science then a high conceptual level of meta‐methodology is required. This scope necessarily overlooks specific technical details. Life‐science principles are well known in comparison to the embryonic memetic and cultural sciences. The meme‐gene analogy builds a bridge across which we can draw candidate hypotheses and established methods. However, memetics has inherited the expectations of genetics but without its developmental history. Memetics therefore would benefit from recapitulating the ontogenesis of the more senior science by drawing upon foundational methods.FindingsLinnæan Systematics was elemental to evolutionary theory and genetics; a cultural analogue is proposed. Retreating to description would support emerging objective organisational taxonomies that are laying the methodological foundations for a potential synthesis between organisational replicator and evolutionary theories.Research limitations/implicationsAt the moment, the number of organisational examples are few, which further suggests the fundamental nature of this area of research. They serve to illustrate that a large array of hypotheses and methods can be adapted from the biological domain, opening up a bloom of research implications for the organisational domain.Originality/valueDiscourse about memetics is commonplace, but empirical research has been undermined. Originality stems from reapplying established biological methods to the new organisational domain. The value is in conferring the rigour of natural science to socio‐cultural study.
Ten‐year pattern of red blood cell use in the North of England
Authors: Tinegate Hazel , Chattree Shikha , Iqbal Adil , Plews Dianne , Whitehead Jeni , Wallis Jonathan P. ,   on behalf of the Northern Regional Transfusion Committee
Published: July 2012

BACKGROUND: An understanding of current and changing patterns of red blood cell (RBC) use will help predict future demands and aid future planning for transfusion services. It can also highlight areas where efforts to optimize RBC use are most likely to be productive.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Surveys were conducted in two 14‐day periods of all RBC transfusions in a geographic region of England supplied by a single blood center. Data collection was prospective and used preprinted paper forms. Results were compared with two previous studies covering a period of 10 years.RESULTS: The clinical fate of 8025 units of RBCs was recorded consistent with data on more than 99% of units issued and transfused during the survey period. The overall RBC transfusion rate has decreased from 45.5 to 36 units per 100,000 population from 1999 and 2009. Twenty‐nine percent were used for surgical indications indicating a further decrease in surgical use compared to previous surveys. This decrease was limited solely to recipients of 50 to 80 years of age. Use for medical and obstetric/gynecologic indications has not changed significantly over 10 years.CONCLUSION: Further decreases in surgical RBC use may be achievable but the aging population is likely to demand more blood for nonsurgical indications and efforts should be directed to optimizing use in these recipients. Comparative data on transfusion rates between regions or countries may be a useful tool for improving blood use.