bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
IT‐enhanced communication protocols for building project management
Authors: Ahuja Vanita , Yang Jay , Shankar Ravi 
Published: February 2010

PurposeBuilding project management requires real time flow of information between all the project team members or the supply chain members. In the present scenario, when project participants are geographically separated, adoption of Information Communication Technology (ICT) enables such effective communication. But strategic adoption of ICT requires that all the supply chain members follow the accepted methods of communication or the communication protocols. The majority of the construction organizations are small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This research, therefore, proposes to focus on developing IT‐enhanced communication protocols for building project management by SMEs.Design/methodology/approachThe research adopts a sequential mixed methods approach, where data collection and analysis are conducted in both the quantitative and qualitative phases of research.FindingsThe protocols are proposed as a “Strategic Model for Enhancing ICT Diffusion in Building Projects”. The framework for the model is discussed at three levels of study, i.e industry, organization, and people.Practical implicationsWhile the research was conducted in an Indian context, the research outcome is envisaged to be widely applicable in other countries with due considerations.Originality/valueThe developed framework has implications for national level bodies and academic institutions, organizations, people or project managers and is applicable at the international level after due considerations.
Books, books everywhere, but nary a one in print
Authors: Medeiros Norm 
Published: February 2010

PurposeThis paper seeks to review Cushing Academy's recent decision to withdraw the majority of its print book collection in favor of electronic books.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is designed to conjure thoughts regarding the role of books and their digital future, particularly in light of the Kindle and Google Books project.FindingsThe paper suggests that eliminating print books from a secondary school library may not serve well students who go on to attend universities where print books predominate.Originality/valueThe paper calls attention to the challenges libraries and institutions face in transitioning to electronic books.
Applied digital library project management
Authors: Cervone H. Frank 
Published: February 2010

PurposeThis paper seeks to define and describe decision tree analysis as a method for decision making when there are multiple, linearly or hierarchically related decision points that must be considered when determining the optimum choices within a project.Design/methodology/approachUsing theory and example, the paper relates the use of decision tree analysis to the successful selection of decision points in complex, multistage digital library projects.FindingsDecision tree analysis is useful as a method for both determining the various courses of action within a project and visualizing these choices in an easily understood format. Decision tree analysis can help a team understand the relationships between issues in a project as well as the consequences of various courses of action.Originality/valueThe paper fills a gap in the digital library project management literature by providing an overview of a tool used in operational research that helps identify an optimal course of action within a complex system of interrelated decisions.
A cross‐Pacific partnership
Authors: Sakaguchi Eiko , Shimada Kenichiro , Wasserstrom Amy 
Published: February 2010

PurposeThis paper aims to describe the Prange Children's Book Reformatting Project as an example of bi‐national cooperation to provide the broadest possible access to a collection of historical significance to both nations, when most of the materials are still under copyright.Design/methodology/approachThe paper examines the joint project between the University of Maryland Libraries' (UM Libraries) and the National Diet Library of Japan (NDL) to preserve and provide access to the children's books in the Gordon W. Prange Collection. It highlights the unique aspects of the project, including its international component, and describes the project's access tools and service products.FindingsThe access tools developed as part of this reformatting project – an online digital collection for the UM Libraries and color microfilm for NDL – each have their limitations. Used in combination, however, these tools can support in‐depth research.Originality/valueThe comprehensiveness of the project (all 8,000 titles are being scanned), the use of digital‐to‐color microfilm technology, and the use of the color microfilm as an access point make this project unique.
Aluka: digitization from Maputo to Timbuktu
Authors: Ryan Deirdre 
Published: February 2010

PurposeThis paper aims to describe experiences of collaborative effort to digitize a wide range of scholarly materials from and about AfricaDesign/methodology/approachA brief description of Aluka is followed by two examples of capacity building in Africa, first in Maputo and second in Timbuktu.FindingsSuccess in international digitization projects can only be achieved through close collaboration.Originality/valueThe paper highlights a unique project to digitize materials at holding institutions in Africa.
Fashion collaboration or collision?
Authors: Ahn SooKyoung , Kim HaeJung , Forney Judith A. 
Published: February 2010

PurposeThis study aims to exploit the match‐up effect to fashion collaborations by distinguishing the consumers' fit association at a cognitive and attitudinal level. It seeks to investigate the mediating role of the match‐up perception by identifying the antecedents of match‐up perception and the attitude formation in co‐marketing alliance.Design/methodology/approachA total of 273 Korean women were surveyed to compare the product/brand associations, and assess the level of match‐up perception and overall attitude toward the two fictitious co‐marketing alliance cases.FindingsThe study argued that the match‐up perception mediated between framing criteria and the attitude toward co‐marketing alliance. Usage situation, user identity, and perceived brand equity were valuable factors in the perception of alliance match‐up. This match‐up perception at a cognition level is a necessary condition prior to consumer attitude at an attitudinal level.Research limitations/implicationsThe research stimuli are limited to two fictitious alliance cases. Expanding cases to diverse product categories and brands' stimuli enhances the empirical validity. The cross‐cultural approach with diverse regions is further considered for enhancing research reliability.Originality/valueThe study exhibits an innovative fashion collaboration phenomenon. On empirically demonstrating the mediating effect of match‐up perception in the context of co‐marketing alliance, the study suggests the theoretical and practical insights in the Korean and global fashion industries.
US textile sector job loss
Authors: Nelson Hodges Nancy , Lentz Holly M. 
Published: February 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences of displaced female textile sector workers.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative approach to data collection and interpretation forms the methodological basis of the study. In‐depth interviews were conducted with 14 female employees who were laid off from a large textile manufacturing facility in a southeastern state. Participants were selected through the local community college where they returned to school after losing their jobs.FindingsA phenomenological interpretation of the responses led to the development of three emergent thematic areas connecting similarities and differences that surfaced across the participants' narratives. Key issues within the thematic areas point to the need for each participant to come to terms with the job loss, both emotionally and financially, and to decide where she would go from there.Research limitations/implicationsThe study focuses on women employed at a single manufacturing facility and within a single state in the southeastern USA. Implications of the meanings of participants' experiences for their community and for the future of employment in the US textile sector are considered.Practical implicationsThe study provides an interpretation of the impact of textile sector dynamics on the lives of displaced workers and the local community.Originality/valueThe paper offers insight into the human side of industry dynamics and declining manufacturing employment figures. It also sheds light on the extent to which some displaced textile sector workers have pursued the educational options made available through government programs designed to provide assistance with education and retraining.
The relationships of fashion leadership, fashion magazine content and loyalty tendency
Authors: Bailey Lauren R. , Seock Yoo‐Kyoung 
Published: February 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the influence of fashion magazine content on consumer loyalty behavior and to analyze the differences in fashion magazine content preference and loyalty tendency toward fashion magazines among the identified fashion consumer groups according to their level of fashion innovativeness and opinion leadership.Design/methodology/approachA structured questionnaire was developed to collect data on the variables in the study. The data analysis consisted of exploratory factor analysis, multiple regression, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), analysis of variance (ANOVA), and descriptive statistics including means, frequencies, and percentiles.FindingsSix fashion magazine content dimensions were identified. The results revealed that fashion magazine content was significantly related to loyalty tendency toward a fashion magazine. In addition, respondents' preference for fashion magazine content and their loyalty tendency varied according to fashion consumer group and their level of fashion innovativeness and opinion leadership.Research limitations/implicationsThe study has practical implications for fashion magazine editors and marketers regarding how to incorporate fashion magazine readers' wants and needs in relation to the magazine's content, how to position their magazines for targeting different groups of shoppers, and how to allocate the features of fashion magazines in order to promote readership and loyalty toward the fashion magazine.Originality/valueDespite the importance of fashion magazines as an information source, little research has been conducted to analyze fashion magazine content and its influence on loyalty tendency.
Tall women's satisfaction with the fit and style of tall women's clothing
Authors: Jones Michelle R. , Giddings Valerie L. 
Published: February 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assess tall women's satisfaction with the fit and style of apparel for tall women.Design/methodology/approachA total of 75 US women, who were at least 5 feet 8 inches and between 18 and 54 years old, were asked to rate their level of satisfaction with misses‐size and tall‐size apparel, in general, and with seven garment categories (jackets/blazers/coats, button‐up blouses, pullover tops/sweaters, skirts, jeans, pants, lingerie).FindingsT‐tests revealed that participants were more satisfied with the fit of tall‐size apparel than with the fit of misses‐size apparel, but were more satisfied with the style of misses‐size than with the style of tall‐size apparel. In addition, participants most frequently used the misses‐size designation to purchase clothing and rated style as more important than fit. Despite reported dissatisfaction with the fit of misses‐size apparel, participants appeared willing to sacrifice fit to have the desired styles.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was limited to US women in Southwestern Virginia. Thus preferences affected by regional product offerings may be reflected in the responses.Practical implicationsThe paper provides discussion on implications of mass customization in resolving the conflict tall women report between the desire for properly fitting apparel and the desire for current style trends.Originality/valueNo existing empirical research has examined tall women's satisfaction with products specifically designed for their special anthropometric and style preference needs. This research serves as the foundation for extending research for the market segment from an applied and basic research approach.
Estimation of total factor productivity in the Indian garment industry
Authors: Joshi R.N. , Singh S.P. 
Published: February 2010

PurposeThe Indian garment industry has witnessed a significant change since the inception of the New Textile Policy 2000 that suggests removing the industry from the list of small‐scale industries with a view to improving its competitiveness in the global market. As productivity is the driving factor in enhancing the competitiveness of any decision‐making entity (firm), a study of total factor productivity (TFP) and its sources can provide vital inputs to a firm for improving its competitiveness. Keeping this as a backdrop, the paper attempts to measure the TFP in the Indian garment‐manufacturing firms; identify sources of the TFP; and suggest measures for the firms to enhance their productivity.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on the firm‐level panel data collected from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy for the years 2002‐2007. One output variable, namely, gross sale and four input variables, namely, net fixed assets, wages & salaries, raw material, and energy & fuel, have been selected. The DEA‐based Malmquist Productivity Index (MPI) approach has been applied to measure the TFP.FindingsThe Indian garment industry has achieved a moderate average TFP growth rate of 1.7 per cent per annum during the study period. The small‐scale firms are found to be more productive than the medium‐ and large‐scale firms. The decomposition of TFP growth into technical efficiency change (catch‐up effect) and technological change (frontier shift) reveals that the productivity growth is contributed largely by technical efficiency change rather than by technological change.Originality/valueEarlier studies on the Indian garment industry have applied the partial factor productivity approach, which has several limitations. This paper measures the TFP and identifies its sources through applying a non‐parametric DEA‐based MPI approach. Through this approach, the productivity growth is decomposed into technical efficiency change and technological change. Further, an attempt has also been made to study the variation in the productivity growth rates across location, scale‐size and type of garments.
Virtual knowledge sharing in a cross‐cultural context
Authors: Li Wei 
Published: February 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify what factors impact employees' online knowledge sharing in a cross‐cultural context.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative research design was used. Data were collected from 41 in‐depth interviews with Chinese and American employees who worked for a multinational Fortune 100 company.FindingsThe research discovered that three categories of factors were critical in impacting Chinese and American participants' online knowledge sharing: organizational issues, national cultural differences, and online communities of practice (CoPs). Organizational issues, including performance expectancy, compatibility based on work practice, knowledge‐sharing culture and time pressures, were identified as being important factors that strongly influenced both Chinese and Americans' knowledge sharing. Three major national culture‐related differences emerged as significant: language, different thinking logic, and different levels of perceived credibility of voluntarily shared knowledge. These cultural differences made Chinese participants contribute knowledge less frequently than their US peers. Online CoPs showed both advantages and disadvantages in facilitating knowledge sharing among globally distributed members, and these factors influenced both cultural groups in similar ways.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings were based on a single case study from one business sector. Only US and Chinese participants were included in the study.Originality/valueResearch on knowledge sharing among geographically distributed and culturally diversified employees through online systems is still in its infancy. The paper integrates research from multiple disciplines (organizational studies, national culture and online CoPs) to address the literature gap. The findings will assist knowledge management managers to make global knowledge sharing more fruitful in multinational organizations.
Explaining and developing social capital for knowledge management purposes
Authors: Manning Paul 
Published: February 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to review the growing literature bridging social capital (SC) and knowledge management (KM). The paper seeks to identify the causal factors for this recent research into the connection between SC and KM, and also to explicate the relationship between the most relevant neo‐capital theories and KM. Further, the paper aims to argue that Granovetter's and Coleman's socially embedded understanding of market activity is the most relevant for examining the SC and KM interface. Finally, the paper seeks to offer guiding approaches drawn from SC literature for enhancing KM performance.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reviews the SC literature from a KM perspective.FindingsFirst, interest in SC from KM scholars is driven by a number of inter‐linked causal factors. Second, SC is significant for KM purposes and can be understood as being complementary to and parallel with other intangible capitalisations, such as human capital (HC) and intellectual capital (IC). Third, there are a number of guiding notions that organisations can adapt to construct and enhance SC for KM purposes. However, SC processes are complicated and context‐dependent and therefore resistant to micro‐management and “one size fits all” prescriptions.Originality/valueThe paper examines the broader context of the SC and KM interdisciplinary meeting place. It argues for an “embedded” theoretical understanding of SC that is most relevant for KM performance, and also explicates the parallel nature of neo‐capital theories from a KM perspective. The paper also suggests a number of guiding approaches that organisations can adapt to analyse and develop their SC for KM purposes.
Modeling enablers for successful KM implementation
Authors: Anantatmula Vittal S. , Kanungo Shivraj 
Published: February 2010

PurposeGiven that it is difficult to establish monetary benefits for KM initiatives, this paper aims to present a model that consists of a set of enablers and barriers for successful KM implementation to obtain desired results. The contributions of the research effort should also support organizations in making decisions about improving organizational performance using KM initiatives, and understanding the directional relations among KM factors.Design/methodology/approachIn the research study, using a literature review, the authors identify a set of enablers of and barriers to successful KM implementation. Using this set of factors, a questionnaire is developed by applying the interpretive structural modeling (ISM) methodology to determine the underlying relations among these factors and to develop strategies for the successful implementation of KM initiatives. As a result of the ISM methodology, the paper presents a model to show its findings.FindingsThe research study findings help to identify important strategies for implementing KM successfully. Further, the study suggests methodologies for KM implementation.Originality/valueKnowledge is recognized as a critical resource to gain and sustain competitive advantage in business. While many organizations employ knowledge management (KM) initiatives, research studies suggest that it is difficult to establish return on investment of such efforts; however, desired results can be obtained through successful implementation. The paper presents approaches to successful KM implementation.
Uncovering cultural perceptions and barriers during knowledge audit
Authors: Levy Meira , Hadar Irit , Greenspan Steven , Hadar Ethan 
Published: February 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to introduce and illustrate the importance of uncovering tacit perceptions during knowledge management (KM) audit, in order to identify cultural barriers that may interfere with KM initiatives. The goal of such KM initiatives is to leverage a firm's capacity to efficiently produce value from knowledge held by employees and embedded in processes. Current audit practices analyze the explicit information gained through interviews and questionnaires, focusing on the organization's culture, existing KM processes and the improved KM processes it wishes to implement. The paper seeks to suggest an approach for uncovering and analyzing tacit perceptions identified through interviews and discussions as an inherent part of KM audit.Design/methodology/approachThe research was conducted during a KM audit in a large international software development organization. The research methodology was composed of two disciplines. The first, used for data collection, was a knowledge‐engineering and management methodology – the CommonKADS. The second, used for qualitative data analysis, was the grounded theory approach.FindingsThe KM activities currently taking place in the organization include creation, sharing, access, usage, and maintenance. In interviews and discussions, access was the most emphasized activity. The cultural barriers that were identified relate to the KM roles and responsibilities that occur in daily work. A business process analysis revealed different perspectives of KM from different stakeholders.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings of this study are based on a large, multi‐located and highly distributed, yet single organization. Additional research needs to be conducted in order to further validate and generalize the findings.Practical implicationsThe principle of identifying tacit perceptions and cultural barriers illustrated in the study may be beneficial in any organization. Identifying the issues that need to be addressed before implementing a KM solution is critical for a successful implementation.Originality/valueThe paper introduces the concept of uncovering tacit perceptions in order to identify cultural barriers that may interfere with a KM initiative. For this purpose, an analysis method was developed and used during a KM audit. Using this audit practice prior to a KM project will enable a better understanding of the risks and challenges that need to be managed to ensure success.