bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cost decision making in building maintenance practice in Malaysia
Authors: Shah Ali Azlan 
Published: December 2009

PurposeThe main purpose of this paper is to systematically identify important factors that are considered in decision making of maintenance cost and discuss how these factors affect maintenance performance.Design/methodology/approachThis paper employs triangulation technique, which combines quantitative and qualitative approaches. The paper starts with the identification of dominant factors through literature reviews followed by semi‐structured interviews with ten building managers and questionnaire survey. A set of questionnaires are distributed to 200 selected buildings managers in Malaysia. The results from 62 completed questionnaires form a database for the quantitative analysis.FindingsThis paper concludes that the maintenance performance suffers from the insufficient allocation of maintenance cost. The main factors that are usually considered by the building managers in allocation of maintenance costs are availability of funding, client's preference, and economic situation. Associative test results reveal that variance in maintenance cost could be improved by considering condition of building and complaint about building performance during decision making of maintenance cost.Practical implicationsThis paper provides information for building manager on important factors that need to be considered during decision making of maintenance cost allocation. This would help the manager improve effectiveness and accuracy in preparing a maintenance budget.Originality/valueWith the building maintenance sector in Malaysia being conditionally driven and usually carried out only when there is money, it is critical that organization make effective decisions on priority. This paper determines the most important factors in decision making of maintenance budget.
Exploiting town planning factors in land development
Authors: Mohd Ibrahim , Ahmad Faizah , Norazriyati Wan Abd Aziz Wan 
Published: December 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine how planning factors affect urban housing development in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. The paper encompasses planning approval process, legislative provisions, and planning decisions.Design/methodology/approachThe paper analyses published literatures on land‐use planning to unveil diverse negative effects on property development, particularly on urban housing supply. Primary data are gathered through questionnaire surveys to 137 private housing developers and in‐depth interviews with seven local planning authorities to obtain feedback on the issues affecting urban housing development.FindingsThe paper establishes that some components of the town planning control can be exploited towards achieving the housing aspiration of a nation.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings of this paper are based on planning controls on urban housing development in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.Practical implicationsThe paper attempts to encourage public policy makers and local authorities to undertake a more active role in providing better quality of urban housing through utilisation of town planning tools such as development plans, development control, and planning decision.Originality/valueThe paper provides information on how the government can utilise town planning controls to achieve urban housing policy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Cropping systems as water harvesting techniques for barley production in arid and semi‐arid areas in Jordan
Authors: Abu‐Nukta Ali , Sertyesilisik Begum , Alkhaddar Rafid 
Published: December 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the application of water harvesting techniques as a sustainability measure of the cropping system for barley production in the Fa'a farming area located in the Northern part of Jordan.Design/methodology/approachUsually, the farmers plant barley to feed their animals. The climate of the area is semi‐arid to arid. Annual average rainfall in the area is not enough for the survival of barley and farmers are usually grassing barley instead of harvesting. Overgrazing and mismanagement contribute to land degradation in the area, which affect the production system in the area.FindingsThe paper investigates the runoff collection system which is framed with two different sizes in three different land uses: cultivated with barley; fallow and rangeland. Data are collected in all of five stormy events. The total soil sediment is measured for these land uses. The amount of water collected from runoff is also measured for the same areas. The ploughing against the slope with planting barley can reduce the runoff and soil sediment increasing soil moisture and reducing soil erosion. The barley production as biomass is highest using strip cropping as opposed to zero ratio control site or conventional cultivation. The plants' lengths were also higher in strip cropping ranging between 26 and 28 centimetres in the different strip cropping ratios compared to 23 centimetres in the conventional cropping system.Originality/valueBy using the results from this new research to such an area, surface runoff from the uncultivated land can be used to supplement the rainfall to the cultivated land. This increases the share of runoff on the cultivated land to the degree where barley can be harvested.
Direct offsets in international trade as a remedy for asymmetric information
Authors: Baranowska‐Prokop Ewa 
Published: December 2009

PurposeThe main purpose of this paper is to investigate whether purchases of capital goods through direct offset transactions (OTs) could be a more beneficial form of trade than conventional market transactions (MTs).Design/methodology/approachAn original model of trade is offered where a company from a less‐developed country plans to acquire an advanced technology embodied in capital goods from a developed country's firm. The quality of technology is unknown to the buyer. The model is used to analyse the choice of transactional form made by the purchasing firm.FindingsIt is shown that, in the case of substantial uncertainty about the quality of the acquired technology, direct offsets could be the preferred form of exchange. Direct OTs serve as an insurance against the technology of low quality. They become a credible signal of capital goods' quality in the situation of asymmetric information between the seller and the buyer. It is a rational reaction to market imperfections.Practical implicationsThe findings imply that, under asymmetric information about the quality of acquired technology, the rational decision makers should replace the conventional MTs with the direct offsets.Originality/valueThe results of the paper contribute to the discussion on the motivation for the use of direct offsets as a transactional form of international trade. The paper should be of interest to practitioners as well as to academics specialising in international business transactions.
Smuggling via e‐commerce: effect on tax revenue
Authors: Viboonthanakul Sittiphol 
Published: December 2009

PurposeIn recent years, economists have begun to investigate the impact of internet shopping (e‐commerce) on smuggling and the associated loss in tax revenues. The evidence thus far has been mixed, with some studies concluding that the tax loss is substantial, while others find little impact on tax revenues. The purpose of this paper is to take a new approach to analyzing the impact of internet shopping on smuggling and the associated loss in tax revenues.Design/methodology/approachUnlike previous studies, the paper uses disaggregated panel data and econometric methods to estimate the effect of e‐commerce on the smuggling of various types of commodities.FindingsThe paper finds that e‐commerce has led to the increased smuggling of some commodities, but not others, which may help explain the mixed tax‐loss results that have been obtained in previous studies (which use aggregate data).Practical implicationsThe paper identifies those commodities that are more susceptible to smuggling via e‐commerce. This information should be useful to policy makers.Originality/valueThe paper takes a new approach to estimating the impact e‐commerce has on tax revenues. It also helps explain the mixed results obtained in previous studies.
Determinants of EU antidumping actions against East Asian countries
Authors: Zhou Weifeng , Cuyvers Ludo 
Published: December 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the trends of antidumping actions targeting East Asia and to examine the macroeconomic determinants of European Union (EU) antidumping actions against East Asian countries including China, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.Design/methodology/approachA Negative Binomial Regression approach is used to estimate the macroeconomic determinants (exchange rates, gross domestic product (GDP) growth, and unemployment rates) of EU antidumping actions against East Asian countries.FindingsThe empirical estimation results suggest that the macroeconomic determinants (exchange rates, GDP growth, and unemployment rates) significantly affect antidumping initiations against a particular country in a particular year; in addition, the changing competitive structure and environment in international trade play a role in prompting antidumping actions, and the countries which are larger sources of EU imports are more likely to be hit with antidumping actions.Originality/valueThis is the first paper to examine the macroeconomic determinants of EU antidumping actions targeting East Asian countries and the empirical estimation results provide strong evidence. It also finds that the changing competitive structure and environment in international trade prompt antidumping actions.
Conversations at the top: the tone of the independent chief compliance officer
Authors: Sobol Rob 
Published: December 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to clearly set forth before fund business leaders certain current relevant investment management compliance regulatory issues, to communicate the necessary areas of expertise and duties of a chief compliance officer (CCO), and to reinforce the need for effective communication and tone at the top.Design/methodology/approachThe paper explains the general requirements of independent and proactive investment company CCOs and other compliance professionals, including required areas of knowledge, and the tasks associated therewith, illustrations of enforcement actions and other practical difficulties in day‐to‐day conduct of compliance activities, practical guidance regarding communication techniques and problem‐solving, and a bottom‐line assessment of the responsibilities of a fund CCO.FindingsFund CCOs must have extensive experience in the investment management business and bring a “best practices” perspective to their responsibilities. They will know the letter of the law and yet also have a real world perspective on how regulations will impact the firm or the fund. They should be independent‐minded, giving a fund or advisor's board and their investors an objective perspective on regulatory compliance. They should be able to proactively communicate effectively, rendering complex compliance requirements into manageable and executable policies, processes and procedures that investment professionals can work with. Lastly, the investment managers they work with must remain well‐informed and highly‐motivated to understand and assist their strong and independent CCO in ensuring that their firm's compliance tone starts at the top but does not end there.Originality/valueThe paper discusses recent enforcement actions with real‐world consequences for business leaders and CCOs, speaks to the actual types of difficulties that CCOs face every day in executing their responsibilities, and gives practical and insightful guidance on problem‐solving.
Short sale developments: “close‐out” requirement made permanent and additional regulatory initiatives expected from the Securities and Exchange Commission
Authors: Yim Soo J. , Silva Timothy F. , Nicolas Stephanie , Smith Tiffany J. 
Published: December 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explain the SEC's final rule, issued on July 27, 2009, making the “close‐out” requirement in Interim Temporary Final Rule 204T permanent and eliminating the short sale and position reporting requirements in Form SH.Design/methodology/approachThe paper explains certain limited modifications to the Temporary Rule, including Rule 204(a)(1), which permits borrowing of securities to close out a fail to deliver position; Rule 204(a)(2), which defines an extended‐settlement provision for fail to deliver positions resulting from the sale of an equity security a person is “deemed to own”; Rule 204(b), which eliminates an exception for market makers; Rule 204(e), which permits a broker‐dealer to borrow a security for an early close‐out to claim a “pre‐fail credit”; and Rule 204(f), which explicitly prohibits “sham close‐out” practices. It explains the SEC's decision to eliminate the weekly requirement for certain managers to file weekly short sale and short position information on Form SH and instead to work with self‐regulatory organizations (SROs) to make short sale volume and transaction data available on their web sites.FindingsThe paper finds that the SEC intends to host a public roundtable in September 30, 2009 to discuss securities lending, pre‐borrowing and possible additional short sale disclosures.Originality/valueThe paper provides practical guidance from experienced securities lawyers.
Short‐selling: progress on international harmonization and forthcoming changes in the UK
Authors: Ng Leonard , Hunter Tom 
Published: December 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to highlight a number of important developments regarding the regulatory framework for the short‐selling of securities.Design/methodology/approachThe authors consider steps being taken at a global, EU, and UK level to enhance controls on short‐selling, namely: the International Organization of Securities Commissions' principles of effective regulation of short‐selling; the Committee of European Securities Regulators' proposals for an EU‐wide harmonized short‐selling regime; and the UK Financial Services Authority's planned new rules.FindingsThe paper reveals that firms will need to track these developments and, in due course, establish and adapt systems to ensure compliance. That task should be less onerous if a greater degree of harmonization can be achieved.Originality/valueThis paper raises awareness of these important developments and provides a helpful update on progress.
Court holds that adviser recommending that its clients invest in Bayou Funds, which turned out to be Ponzi schemes, is not liable for violating Federal Securities Antifraud Statute
Authors: Cauley Thomas , Rauscher Scott 
Published: December 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to address the potential liability of investments advisers who recommend investments that are later revealed to be Ponzi schemes.Design/methodology/approachThe paper considers a recent opinion issued by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, as well as a recent enforcement action taken by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission relating to a recent large Ponzi scheme.FindingsThe paper finds that the court held that the investment adviser was not liable for federal securities fraud because the plaintiff failed to prove the investment adviser acted with the requisite state of mind.Practical implicationsThe paper highlights potential outcomes for investment advisers when private investors or the government seek to hold advisers liable under various statutes and regulations.Originality/valueThe paper will be valuable to any investment adviser, and particularly to those who recommend investments that are later revealed to be Ponzi schemes.
The regulation of private placements in France
Authors: Cafritz Eric , Genicot Olivier , Ternon Benoit 
Published: December 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explain a recently adopted Ordinance (the “Reform Act”) and amendments to the General Regulation of the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) intended to improve the competitiveness of the French financial market and to harmonize the French regulatory definition of a public offering with the European Union definition under the Prospectus Directive.Design/methodology/approachThe paper explains requirements of the European Union Prospectus Directive, related provisions of the French Reform Act, and certain clarifications provided by the Committee of European Securities Regulators (CESR); discusses the scope of the private placement exemption in France, including definitions of “qualified investors” and a “restricted group of investors”; explains the role of financial intermediaries and how their marketing activities must be structured to avoid losing the benefits of the private placement exemption; interprets loosely defined AMF policies on the resale of securities under the private placement exemption; details exemptions for investment service providers providing asset management for third parties and for “local” offerings; and explains limitations on the private placement exemption posed by the French public offering rules.FindingsFrance has recently amended its public offering regime to further harmonize it with the Prospectus Directive and make the French financial market more attractive to foreign issuers. Additional amendments to the EU Prospectus Directive are expected, which will result in further changes to French private placement regulation.Originality/valueThe paper provides practical guidance from experienced corporate and securities lawyers.
Implementing the new summary prospectus rule: done right it will save both time and money; done wrong and look out for the bottom line
Authors: Levering Jeff 
Published: December 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to recommend a print distribution and web site disclosure strategy that is both cost effective and compliant with the SEC summary prospectus rule.Design/methodology/approachThe paper explains the economics of offset printing versus digital printing on demand (POD) and printing prospectuses at the traditional printer's site versus creating print‐ready PDFs electronically and making them available to fund distributors so they can print and deliver “on demand” on site. It provides a checklist of web site disclosure requirements for a fund to be compliant with the summary prospectus rule.FindingsThe paper finds that, by establishing a rock‐solid web strategy, coupled with new thinking on their printed prospectuses, firms can comfortably maximize their savings and establish a rational framework for investor disclosure envisioned by the SEC.Originality/valueThe paper provides cost effective guidance for compliance with the SEC summary prospectus rule.
eLearning: from social presence to co‐creation in virtual education community
Authors: Katernyak Ihor , Ekman Sten , Ekman Annalill , Sheremet Mariya , Loboda Viktoriya 
Published: December 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present an example of how the synergy of different competences in students' teams, out‐of‐the‐box thinking style and various motivation factors in a culturally diverse learning environment is the foundation for knowledge construction, driven by the idea generation process and co‐creation – the so‐called Medici effect, one of the benchmarks for excellence in eLearning.Design/methodology/approachDeveloping this case study in the area of eLearning and Virtual Education Community (VEC) involves passing through various stages: from providing social presence and cooperation of students to co‐creation in the eLearning environment by contriving “e‐students” in the VEC whose profiles and learning processes are managed by pairs/teams of real students with different experiences and types of behaviour.FindingsThe paper presents outcomes of the research focused on the formation of the VEC for students who are motivated in sharing common passions and principles, in developing good communicator‐and‐listener techniques, in studying and creating situations of success.Practical implicationsIn order to use and promote this pedagogical approach, enhancement of the desk‐top technology is needed in terms of a user‐friendly interface for creating a VEC where everyone, including people with special needs, feels comfortable, interested, and motivated to communicate, learn, construct, and share knowledge.Originality/valueThe original “4A” (attention, actualization, attraction, and action) pedagogical model applied in eLearning is aimed at ensuring students' social and cognitive presence through their e‐profiles for self‐assessment and positioning, adjusting learning trajectories and monitoring learning results, as well as assessing progress and final outcomes of learning.
Applying TSOI hybrid learning model to enhance blended learning experience in science education
Authors: Fie Tsoi Mun 
Published: December 2009

PurposeResearch on the nature of blended learning and its features has led to a variety of approaches to the practice of blended learning. The purpose of this paper is to provide an alternative practice model, the TSOI hybrid learning model (HLM) to enhance the blended learning experiences in science education.Design/methodology/approachThe Piagetian science learning cycle model and Kolb's experiential learning cycle model are used to structure the theoretical framework of this model. This HLM which is research evidence‐based represents learning as a cognitive process in a cycle of four phases: Translating, Sculpting, Operationalizing and Integrating. A major feature is to promote active cognitive processing in the learner for meaningful and engaged learning proceeding from inductive to deductive and also addressing the learner's individual learning style. Thus, it is inclined towards constructivism.FindingsThe paper provides students' responses in terms of blog and wiki.Practical implicationsAn application of this HLM to enhance blended learning experiences in science education is illustrated with an authentic example on understanding multimedia learning design in an e‐learning environment for pre‐service teachers. Outcomes, feedback and implications will be discussed in the context of blended learning in science education.Originality/valueThe HLM contributes as an alternative practice model to a new paradigm shift in designing and enhancing blended learning experiences.