bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Learning characteristics of small business managers: principles for training
Authors: Jeffrey Lynn M. , Hide Sophie , Legg Stephen 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThis paper aims to report on the second half of a two‐part study that identified relevant content for safety audit training in small businesses. The specific aim of the paper is to determine the preferred learning styles and approaches of managers in these businesses in order to identify some principles which could be used to tailor training to meet their particular learning needs.Design/methodology/approachParticipants in the study came from three relatively high‐risk industries – road transport, construction, and the motor trade – producing a sample size of 102. A self‐report questionnaire was distributed via trade magazines.FindingsVery few differences were found between the three industries. Most differences were between road transport and the other two industries. Managers in the road transport industry have a lower preference for learning by listening and are less likely to be sequential learners than managers in the motor trade industry.Practical implicationsSmall business managers are systematic, hard‐working, pragmatic and prefer less formal modes of learning. These characteristics have implications for the structure and context of training programmes and the nature of the training materials.Originality/valueThe four learning profiles that emerged from the analysis in the paper provide a clear picture of the small business managers in the three industries studied.
Can an opportunity to learn at work reduce stress?
Authors: Panari Chiara , Guglielmi Dina , Simbula Silvia , Depolo Marco 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThis paper aims to extend the stress‐buffering hypothesis of the demand‐control model. In addition to the control variable, it seeks to analyse the role of an opportunity for learning and development (L&D) in the workplace as a moderator variable between increased demands and need for recovery.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire was administered to 199 employees (middle managers and clerical workers) at the district court of a region in North Italy during a period of training activities on stress management.FindingsThe results show that control and personal development perform a moderating role in the relationship between workload and the need for recovery by reducing exhaustion.Research limitations/implicationsThe first limitation concerns the cross‐sectional design of the study, which does not make it possible to establish the direction of the causal relations hypothesised. Moreover, further research will be necessary to identify organisational strategies able to develop the personal competence of workers and manage learning at work.Practical implicationsThe understanding of the importance of learning at work has practical implications for strategies of human resources management. Organisations that encourage personal learning by workers at the same time modify themselves, so that they become better able to adapt to changes and external demands.Originality/valueThe paper shows that the importance attributed to learning opportunities has a role in promoting work satisfaction and, specifically, in enhancing the quality of work life.
Learning to be a programmer in a complex organization
Authors: Johnson Maggie , Senges Max 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThis paper seeks to analyse the effectiveness and impact of how Google currently trains its new software engineers (“Nooglers”) to become productive in the software engineering community. The research focuses on the institutions and support for practice‐based learning and cognitive apprenticeship in the Google environment.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a series of semi‐structured interviews with 24 Google stakeholders. These interviews are complemented by observations, document analysis, and review of existing survey and statistical data.FindingsIt is found that Google offers a state‐of‐the‐art onboarding program and benchmark qualities that provide legitimate peripheral participation. The research reveals how Google empowers programmers to “feel at home” using company coding practices, as well as maximizing peer‐learning and collaborative practices. These practices reduce isolation, enhance collegiality, and increase employee morale and job satisfaction.Research limitations/implicationsThe case study describes the practices in one company.Practical implicationsThe research documented in the paper can be used as a benchmark for other onboarding and practice‐based learning set‐ups.Originality/valueThis is the first research that gives insights into the practice‐based learning and onboarding practices at Google. The practices are assessed to be state‐of‐the‐art and the insights therefore relevant for benchmarking exercises of other companies.
Spread decomposition with common spread components
Authors: Henker Thomas , Martens Martin 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThis paper aims to incorporate a market wide buying and selling pressure cost component into a spread decomposition model as spread cost component.Design/methodology/approachThe paper extends a commonly used trade indicator spread decomposition model to include a component common to all stocks of a specialist firm and a market wide component common to all stocks.FindingsStrong evidence is found that specialists consider this common factor cost component when they set bid and ask quotes. Some specialist firms also take the next logical step and specifically manage their firm wide stock inventories. The common factor is in percentage terms largest for securities with the highest trade frequencies.Research limitations/implicationsThe relative importance of the common factor spread component decreases as the pricing grid becomes finer, but remains highly significant under the decimal trading regime.Originality/valueThis is the first study to document not‐security‐specific spread cost components that are common to all stocks for which a specialist firm makes markets and to all stocks in the market. Using the model it is shown that market wide uncertainty translates into spreads of individual securities.
Impact of capital control measures on the Malaysian stock market
Authors: Raghavan Mala , Dark Jonathan , Maharaj Elizabeth Ann 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which the capital control measures implemented by the Malaysian central bank in late 1998 had an influence on segmenting the Malaysian equity market from other major equity markets.Design/methodology/approachThe S&P 500, the Nikkei 225 Index, the STI Index and the KLSE Composite Index are considered. The discrete wavelet transform technique – “Haar” is employed to decompose the series into various time scales during the pre‐ and post‐capital control periods in Malaysia. The decomposed series are then used to estimate the interdependence between KLSE Composite Index with the other three markets at various time scales.FindingsThe empirical findings support three conclusions. First, in the pre‐capital control period, Singapore is the most influential market followed by the US across all time scales in transmitting news into Malaysia. Second, after the imposition of capital controls, the spillover effects from Singapore to Malaysia have declined substantially, suggesting a reduced integration between these two markets. Finally, in the post‐capital control period, all three markets appear to be imparting a similar but moderate level of influence on the Malaysian market.Research limitations/implicationsTo explore the return and volatility spillovers, the use of return and volatility series at different time scales provided a greater level of insight into the dynamics than the standard approaches which employ only one series in the time domain.Originality/valueThe results from this paper will have potential implications for asset allocation, the pricing of domestic securities, the implementation of global hedging and trading strategies and the evaluation of regulatory proposals to restrict international capital flows.
Dividend and debt policies of family controlled firms
Authors: Setia‐Atmaja Lukas 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThis paper's aim is to examine whether board independence influences debt and dividend policies of family controlled firms.Design/methodology/approachThe paper examines panel data on a sample of Australian publicly‐listed firms over the period 2000‐2005 using panel (random effects) regression.FindingsEmpirical test demonstrates that family controlled firms appear to have higher levels of leverage and dividend payout ratios than their non‐family counterparts. More importantly, the result indicates that the positive impact of family control on dividend policy is due to the higher proportion of independent directors on family boards. This underlines the significant role that independent directors play in influencing firm's dividend policies, especially for family controlled firms. The result also supports the notion that independent directors and dividends are complementary government mechanisms. This paper, however, finds little evidence that board independence moderates the relationship between family control and debt.Research limitations/implicationsWhile not all family firms are the same, this research treats them as a homogeneous grouping (i.e. firms are delineated into family versus non‐family). The fact that family firms are difficult to identify and define (reflected in the diversity of definitions in the literature) may also affect the validity of studies of family business. For policy makers, the finding could serve to justify initiatives to encourage more independent directors on boards, especially in family controlled firms.Originality/valueThis paper provides evidence about the relationship between board independence, dividends and debt from a country with higher levels of private benefits of control, strong legal shareholder protection but less significant role of external governance mechanisms compared to the USA.
Optimal timing of relocation
Authors: Azevedo‐Pereira José , Couto Gualter , Nunes Cláudia 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThis paper aims to focus on the problem of the optimal relocation policy for a firm that faces two types of uncertainty: one about the moments in which new (and more efficient) sites will become available; and the other regarding the degree of efficiency improvement inherent to each one of these new, yet to be known, potential location places.Design/methodology/approachThe paper considers the relocation issue as an optimal stopping decision problem. It uses Poisson jump processes to model the increase in the efficiency process, where these jumps occur according to a homogeneous Poisson process, but the magnitude of these jumps can have special distributions. In particular it assumes that the magnitudes can be gamma‐distributed or truncated‐exponential distributed.FindingsParticular characteristics concerning the expected optimal timing for relocation, the corresponding volatility and the value of the firm under the optimal relocation policy are derived. These results lead also to the conjecture that the optimal relocation policy is robust in terms of distributions of the degree of improvement of efficiency that are considered, as long as the expected values are the same.Originality/valueThe paper provides an innovative approach to relocation problems, using stochastic tools. Moreover, the use of the truncated exponential and the gamma distribution functions to model the Poisson jumps is particularly suitable, given the situation under study. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first time that this type of setting is used to tackle a real options problem.
Impact of technology and culture on home economics and nutrition science education in developing countries
Authors: Aburime M.O. , Uhomoibhi J.O. 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine and report on the impact of technology and culture on home economics and nutrition science education in developing countries with a focus on Nigeria.Design/methodology/approachGlobally and most especially in developing countries, the advent of information and communication technologies has meant great changes in the manner of thinking and doing things both at home and in business, in education establishments and in society. For higher education institutions especially in developing countries, there has been the introduction of various types of information systems and the implementation of policies to facilitate the integration of new technologies in teaching and administration of new curricula. This paper examines some of these systems and the process of knowledge engineering management of nutrition science and home economics studies at the Delta State University in Nigeria. A study is undertaken of students' level of technological attainments and study approaches.FindingsThe present study reveals that special requirements for applications are important for successful establishment and use of information systems in higher education. Students need to have adequate expertise in technology to become active learners are reported. This will enhance their ability to solve problems and address system requirements. This must be identified at the knowledge engineering stages during curriculum development and be effectively managed.Research limitations/implicationsThe current investigation focuses on the impact of technology and culture on two subject areas and in one country. Future work intends to extend this to other disciplines and investigate ways of enhancing education provision to meet the diverse needs of learners of mixed technological abilities and from diverse cultures as applied to other comparative countries.Practical implicationsThe paper draws on results obtained from students studying approaches to propose that it is important to design and implement a curriculum that actively promotes the use of systems and technologies that develops such skills as teamwork, communications, project management and lifelong learning.Originality/valueThis work investigates students present technology attainment levels and considers the different learning and studying approaches adopted by students involved in the study of home economic and nutrition science. The learners' attitudes towards engagement with their programmes are examined as well as the impact of technology on learning. Some of the major challenges arising from institutional and individual experiences of the digital divide that permeates all people in developing countries are highlighted.
Investigating the use of Web 2.0 technology by Malaysian students
Authors: Hafiz Zakaria Mohd , Watson Jason , Edwards Sylvia L. 
Published: April 2010

PurposeMany research have uncovered the use of Web 2.0 technology by students from various countries. Yet, limited studies have been done from the context of developing country such as Malaysia. This paper aims to highlight the development of a survey instrument that captured the use of Web 2.0 applications by Malaysian students for learning.Design/methodology/approachSurveys had been used by most studies to gather empirical evidence about the use of Web 2.0 by young generations. The paper discussed how previously used survey instruments were redesigned, modified and constructed. Then, the survey was administered to a total of 217 Malaysian students.FindingsStudents in Malaysia are reasonably well exposed to Web 2.0 applications and comfortable to use them for learning purposes. Results are consistent with similar respondents surveyed elsewhere but varied slightly on specific Web 2.0 tools due to exposure and the nature of use. Malaysian students are also found to be passive rather than active contributors to the construction of knowledge.Originality/valueThis paper provides the insights of how Malaysian students would react towards the incorporation of Web 2.0 technologies into classroom. Studies alike have not been undertaken from the Malaysia perspective.
Exploring international multicultural field experiences in educational technology
Authors: Wilder Hilary , Pixy Ferris Sharmila , An Heejung 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore an online field experience between technology facilitator candidates in the USA and K‐12 teachers in Namibia, to improve candidates' understanding of diversity and equity issues in the successful incorporation of information and communication technologies (ICT) in teaching and learning.Design/methodology/approachA classroom‐based, exploratory action‐research methodology was used. US graduate students in an educational technology course were expected to gain knowledge, skills, and understanding by mentoring (via online communications technologies) Namibian primary and secondary schools teachers in a technology‐integration task.FindingsThrough this effective multicultural field experience for technology facilitator candidates, US participants learned about the digital divide as it exists in developing nations, and the impact of socio‐economic and technological inequities on the incorporation of ICTs in teaching and learning.Research limitations/implicationsThe results of this pilot study warrant further studies which explore this method in a broader population and across a wider range of educational settings. As developing nations increase their access to ICTs, difficulties faced in this study should be minimized in future studies.Practical implicationsThe paper suggests an effective, diverse, technology‐embedded field experience for school professionals preparing to become technology facilitators. Programs that cater to full‐time teachers working in schools which do not meet the diversity requirements set by accrediting organizations such as the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education may consider this approach.Originality/valueOnline international field experiences have the potential to enhance US participants' ability to demonstrate technology facilitator standards in the context of diverse school settings, backgrounds and populations, as well as to aid teachers in a developing country in technology integration knowledge and skills.
Health beliefs related to willingness to accept treatment of pain with potentially addictive drugs
Authors: Marshall Kimball P. , Micich Lisa A. , Cosby Arthur G. 
Published: April 2010

PurposeAlmost 40 years after Zborowski in People in Pain demonstrated that cultural orientations underlie reactions to pain and willingness to accept treatment, and despite documented high US prevalence rates for acute and chronic pain, little is known about health beliefs regarding pain. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how health beliefs toward pain may influence willingness to approve pain treatment with potentially addictive drugs.Design/methodology/approachUsing 633 randomly sampled, general population telephone interviewed respondents from the southern region of the USA, this paper used difference of means and multiple regression analyses to investigate 11 health beliefs toward pain and their relationship to willingness to accept medical treatment with potentially addictive drugs.FindingsThe paper demonstrates that six of the 11 health beliefs about pain have statistically significant relationships to willingness to approve medical treatment for oneself with potentially addictive pain medications.Originality/valueThese health beliefs may prove useful in social marketing programs and in practitioner‐patient communications in clinical settings with the objective of enhancing patients' receptivity to approved medical treatment regimes that involve the use of potentially addictive medications for pain relief.
The relationship between emotional intelligence and customer orientation for pharmaceutical salespeople
Authors: Pettijohn Charles E. , Rozell Elizabeth J. , Newman Andrew 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships between salesperson emotional intelligence, dispositional affectivity, and customer‐orientation levels in pharmaceutical marketing.Design/methodology/approachA total of 71 pharmaceutical salespeople working in the UK provided responses to scales designed to assess emotional intelligence, dispositional affectivity (positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) and customer orientation). The emotional intelligence and dispositional affectivity scores provided by the salespeople were then analyzed to determine the degree to which they related to customer‐orientation levels.FindingsThe findings indicate that salesperson emotional intelligence levels are positively correlated with their customer‐orientation scores. Positive dispositional affectivity levels are also significantly correlated with salesperson customer‐orientation levels. This result suggests that UK pharmaceutical salespeople who possessed more PA tended to also be more positively oriented to the customer. However, NA levels are not significantly correlated with salesperson customer‐orientation levels.Research limitations/implicationsFrom a theoretical perspective, these findings provide a venue for future research in professional sales which could focus on the relationships existing between salesperson behaviors/characteristics that relate to salesperson customer‐orientation, skills, social desirability, and performance.Practical implicationsFrom a practical basis, the findings suggest that pharmaceutical firms in the UK who are focused on increasing the customer‐orientation levels of their sales force would be well advised to assess the emotional intelligence and dispositional affectivity levels of both their potential and current salespeople and use this information in their selection and training activities.Originality/valueThe research reported provides an initial assessment of the relationship between these variables in a pharmaceutical sales situation in the UK.
Management commitment to service quality and service recovery performance
Authors: Rod Michel , Ashill Nicholas J. 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate a model of management commitment to service quality (MCSQ) and service recovery performance in the context of public and private hospitals in New Zealand.Design/methodology/approachIn a cross‐sectional survey grounded in Bagozzi's reformulation of attitude theory, frontline hospital employees (FHEs) were asked about how MCSQ impacted on their service recovery performance in both the public and private sectors.FindingsThe results of the study suggest that the relationship between MCSQ and service recovery performance is mediated by organizational commitment. With the exception of the relationship between MCSQ and organizational commitment, there are no differences between FHEs in the private and public sectors.Originality/valueVery little attention has been given to a comparative examination of those managerial practices critical for improving frontline employee service recovery efforts in a public and private healthcare context. Our research addresses this paucity.