bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Internet abuse and internet addiction in the workplace
Authors: Griffiths Mark 
Published: September 2010

PurposeThis paper seeks to overview the issues, concerns and challenges relating to internet abuse and internet addiction in the workplace.Design/methodology/approachUsing psychological literature, the paper outlines a number of important and inter‐related areas including brief overviews of internet abuse, and the most extreme form of internet abuse in the workplace (i.e. internet addiction).FindingsThe paper reveals that internet abuse is a relatively neglected area of research and that internet abuse is a potentially serious cause of concern for employers. It also highlights that there are many different kinds of internet abuse in the workplace (e.g. cybersexual internet abuse, and online friendship/relationship abuse, internet activity abuse, online information abuse, criminal internet abuse). It is concluded that internet abuse has the potential to be a serious occupational issue.Research limitations/implicationsThe empirical base for the paper was based on a relatively small number of peer‐reviewed papers and relies heavily on the author's own work in the area.Practical implicationsUsing the ﬁndings of the psychological literature, some guidance for managers on the issue of internet abuse in the workplace are presented.Originality/valueResearch on internet abuse and internet addiction is sparse and there is very little in the empirical literature concerning implications internet abuse in the workplace.
Key factors in global supply headquarters‐subsidiary control systems
Authors: Sánchez Loppacher Julio , Cagliano Raffaella , Spina Gianluca 
Published: September 2010

PurposeAccording to the reviewed literature, in order to build effective and efficient global supply (GS) strategies, multinational companies (MNCs) need to define and implement adequate headquarters' control and follow‐up systems for GS management performance in order to guarantee world supply consistence and alignment. The purpose of this paper is to shed some light on how key variables affect GS headquarters‐subsidiary control systems and their complementary behaviours across culturally similar business units.Design/methodology/approachMultiple case study methodology, with a sample including seven Italian MNCs, has expanded their operations to the Mercosur area (Latin America's Southern Common Market) and designed to guarantee theoretical replication in the analysis of the empirical evidence.FindingsIt was found that, although cultural similarities strongly influence MNCs' GS headquarters‐subsidiary control systems, other factors, such as purchasing and globalization sourcing strategy centralization and globalization process evolution, lead companies to implement complementary formal control systems that are consistent with the sharply personalized profile set by cultural proximity.Research limitations/implicationsIn order to expand and deepen these conclusions, further research will be necessary to validate these findings in a wider sample, including companies from various countries of origin and destination. In any case, a longitudinal study could help to shed some light on the evolution of headquarters‐subsidiary relationships within global sourcing strategies.Originality/valueThe paper enables better understanding of the impact of and interactions between key driving factors in GS headquarters‐subsidiary control systems in cases of strong cultural similarities through a multi‐case sample study.
The role of modularity and integration in enhancing manufacturing performance
Authors: Liao Kun , Tu Qiang , Marsillac Erika 
Published: September 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the impacts of modularity‐based manufacturing practices (MBMP) and manufacturing system integration (MSI) on manufacturing performance (MP) using absorptive capacity as an important enabling factor.Design/methodology/approachConstructs were developed through a comprehensive literature review. Structural equation modeling was used to test the research model and hypotheses based on a large sample of 303 US manufacturing firms.FindingsBoth MBMP and MSI have significant impacts on MP. The positive effects of MBMP on MP are stronger than those of system integration. The absorptive capacity of a firm facilitates better use of modularity practices and system integration.Practical implicationsMore attention should be given to modularity practices in resource allocation planning. Also, system integration together with modularity practices can generate significantly higher MP.Originality/valueThe paper is the first large‐scale empirical study to examine the effects of absorptive capacity on MSI and MBMP, which in turn impacts MP. Furthermore, the findings empirically support that a combination strategy of modularity and system integration can help manufacturing firms to achieve higher performance.
Impact of lean strategy on operational performance: a study of Thai manufacturing companies
Authors: Rahman Shams , Laosirihongthong Tritos , Sohal Amrik S. 
Published: September 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which lean management practices are adopted by manufacturing organizations in Thailand and their impact on firms' operational performance.Design/methodology/approachUsing a survey questionnaire, data were collected against 13 lean practices from 187 middle and senior managers belonging to 187 Thai manufacturing firms. Using factor analysis these lean practices were then clustered into three higher level constructs namely just in time (JIT), waste minimization and flow management. The responding firms were categorized into small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and large enterprises (LEs) based on size and Thai‐owned, foreign‐owned and joint venture firms based on ownership. The multiple regression models were employed to investigate the effects of three lean constructs on operational performance in different categories of firms. The operational performance is measured by four parameters such as quick delivery compared to competitors, unit cost of products relative to competitors, overall productivity and customer satisfaction.FindingsThe results indicate that all three lean constructs are significantly related to operational performance. JIT has a higher level of significance in LEs compared with SMEs, whereas for waste minimization there is a higher level of significance for SMEs compared with LEs. Flow management has a much lower level of significance for both SMEs and LEs. With respect to ownership, JIT is highly significant to operational performance for all three ownership groups (Thai, foreign and joint venture). Foreign‐owned companies show a higher level of significance on operational performance for both waste management and flow management than Thai and joint venture companies.Originality/valueThe paper provides insights into the adoption of lean practices in an Asian context and using survey data as opposed to case studies, and provides further evidence that lean practices are significant in enhancing operational performance.
A computer simulation approach to evaluating assembly line balancing with variable operation times
Authors: Das Biman , Sanchez‐Rivas Jesus M. , Garcia‐Diaz Alberto , MacDonald Corinne A. 
Published: September 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a computer simulation model to evaluate the bowl phenomenon and the allocation at the end of the line of stations with either greater mean operation times or higher variability of operation times.Design/methodology/approachThe model was developed on the basis of a realistic case problem and applied to a six‐station assembly line. The evaluation criteria were the: minimization of the total elapsed time; maximization of the average percentage of working time; and minimization of the average time in the system.FindingsThe performance of an assembly line with independently normally distributed operation times could be improved by applying the bowl phenomenon. The allocation of large operation mean times to stations located near the end of the line did not produce improved results. Instead a more balanced allocation proved to be more significantly effective. On the other hand, the assignment of larger variability of operation times to the stations near the end of the line improved the performance of the assembly line.Originality/valueThe investigation contributed to the computer simulation approach to solving assembly line problems that dealt with the impact of normally distributed operation times on the bowl phenomenon and assembly lines with increasing mean operation times and higher variability of operation times at the end of the line of stations.
Food on young children's television in the UK
Authors: Oates Caroline J. , Newman Nicki 
Published: September 2010

PurposeThis paper aims to identify the different types of food featured on children's television in the UK and how frequently they appear.Design/methodology/approachA content analysis of children's television across four popular UK channels (CBBC, CBeebies, CiTV, Five) was carried out in Autumn 2008. All output including programmes, advertisements, sponsorship, trailers and idents was examined for verbal and visual instances of food and drink. Food and drink mentions were classified according to food categories.FindingsThe results showed a high incidence of food across the different kinds of output and across the four channels. In programmes, food mentions were skewed towards healthy (68.7 per cent v. 31.3 per cent) rather than unhealthy foods. The most frequent categories of food were fruit and vegetables, desserts, and grains.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings presented here are based on four channels, and analysis of 84 hours of television content aimed at children. The study represents a qualitative picture based on a limited sample at a specific point in time.Practical implicationsThe results demonstrate that Ofcom's latest UK guidelines on television advertising of HFSS foods are being adhered to during children's programmes, and question whether programming and other types of output offer a positive or negative view of food and whether they too require intervention.Originality/valueThe results widen the debate about obesity and television advertising by considering the importance of editorial content and other marketing communications in terms of food portrayal on children's television.
Shopping with mum – mother and daughter consumer socialization
Authors: Minahan Stella , Huddleston Patricia 
Published: September 2010

PurposeResponding to calls for a greater understanding of consumer socialization in young people, this paper aims to investigate daughters' perceptions of shopping with their mothers. It seeks to provide insights into the significance of the retail shopping experience for young women.Design/methodology/approachThis exploratory study is based on 30 online and three face‐to‐face interviews with young women aged between 20 and 22. The authors asked the young women who they shopped with and why and to recount some of their best and worst shopping experiences. The interviews were coded and analysed to reveal several recurring themes. This paper reports only on data relating to shopping with their mothers.FindingsThe four major themes that emerged from the interviews with the young women were: gaining independence; trust in mother; the bank of mum; quality time with mum.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample is limited to young women in a Midwest university in the USA. Attitudes to consumption and shopping and the mother daughter relationship are culturally derived and may differ in other contexts.Practical implicationsWomen are critical to the retail industry and make the bulk of buying decisions for the family. Daughters represent the next generation of this major market force. Marketers and retailers must be cognizant of the power of this relationship.Originality/valueThis paper is the first to report on the daughter‐mother shopping experience, with daughters' perceptions of this experience and the outcomes of the consumer socialisation that occur.
Magnetism of shopping malls on young Turkish consumers
Authors: Vural Arslan Tulin , Senkal Sezer Filiz , Isigicok Erkan 
Published: September 2010

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to discuss the reasons behind the attractiveness of shopping malls for young consumers in Turkey and then to determine the attractiveness factors of malls for this segment from the consumers' perspective.Design/methodology/approachThe study was carried out through a survey of 621 young consumers (aged between 12‐24) in three out‐of‐town selected shopping malls in Bursa, Turkey. For a general evaluation of the data, factor analysis is applied. It is considered as a valuable tool to reduce dimension and group different characteristics of young consumers' mall usage.FindingsThe study reveals five mall attractiveness factors from the young Turkish consumers' perspective: retail environment, comfort conditions, socializing in a secure environment, accessibility, leisure. The importance of all these factors for this segment are evaluated with a comparative analysis with the findings of many other studies, analyzing the similar issues in relation to different cultures.Research limitations/implicationsThe sampling frame for this research was limited to young consumers in Bursa, Turkey. Study findings, although interesting, are clearly not generalizable to all populations of young consumers or even all Turkish young consumers.Practical implicationsIdentifying mall attractiveness factors for young consumers gives a better understanding about patronage motives than when it is applied to the market as a whole.Originality/valueThis is one of the first studies to provide an insight of mall attractiveness factors as identified by young Turkish consumers from the viewpoint of an urban studies researcher, rather than marketing researchers.
Ethnic advertising: adolescents' attitudes towards target and non‐target advertisements
Authors: Mohsin Butt Muhammad , Cyril de Run Ernest 
Published: September 2010

PurposeThis article aims to explore attitudinal and behavioural differences between target and non‐target groups of ethnic advertisements. It seeks to expand the existing body of knowledge by investigating these differences from the perspective of young consumers in an Eastern context. This helps in testing the established theories of distinctiveness and cultural schemas in an Eastern society.Design/methodology/approachThe study sample consists of 1,600 randomly selected adolescents from different states of Malaysia. Data were analysed using MANOVA, ANOVA and t‐test to explore the group differences between adolescents based on their ethnicity and advertisement type.FindingsThe results indicate a significant group difference between target and non‐target respondents to the advertisement. It also shows that ethnicity is a viable target variable for both majority and minority ethnic groups in Malaysia.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough there are many ethnic groups in Malaysia this research only investigated two ethnic groups. Therefore, the results may not be applicable to other ethnic minority groups in Malaysia.Originality/valueThe study explores the possibility of using ethnicity as a target variable for adolescents in an Eastern context. It investigates the issue in a holistic manner by incorporating views from target as well as non‐target groups.
Regulating child‐related advertising in Nigeria
Authors: Gbadamosi Ayantunji 
Published: September 2010

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the Nigerian advertising environment with children as the target audience in relation to its regulatory system.Design/methodology/approachA comprehensive review of the extant relevant literature was conducted to provide the needed framework for exploring the state of ethics in advertising to children in Nigeria.FindingsWhile it is shown that Nigeria like most other countries of the world has regulations on advertising to children in place, some examples from the industry indicate that some of the advertisers/marketers are not embracing these fully, hence the recommendation for a robust strengthening of how these rules are being implemented.Social implicationsThe regulations will ensure a society which enjoys an ethically acceptable advertising with respect to children and their upbringing and safety, and will consequently be beneficial to all the stakeholders including the international community.Originality/valueThe paper reiterates the complexity inherent in the nature of the relevance of adverting to the life of children. Thus, it acknowledges its roles both as a beneficial tool which informs, educates, and offers social benefits; and the downside which revolves around its major criticism of being adopted unethically largely based on the irregularities in the way some marketers use it in the studied context.
Rental experience and likelihood to purchase rental car insurance among young adults
Authors: Dean Dwane H. 
Published: September 2010

PurposeSeveral studies have demonstrated an inverse relationship between experience in an activity and perceived risk for the individual in the activity. That is, as experience increases, perceived risk decreases. This phenomenon has been labeled risk acculturation. The present study aims to examine prior rental car experience for its effect on estimated odds of an accident and likelihood to purchase rental car insurance.Design/methodology/approachA convenience sample of 19‐24 year old students read a car rental scenario within a questionnaire and responded to questions regarding past risk behavior, car rental experience, perceived risk, likelihood of insurance purchase, and related topics.FindingsCompared to people who had not rented a car before, people with prior rental experience estimated the odds of an accident involving their vehicle to be significantly less likely (a risk acculturation effect). Also, subjects with prior rental car experience were significantly less likely to purchase a collision damage waiver and supplemental liability insurance. Of the variables in this study, only experience significantly predicted both types of insurance purchase. The two variables of estimated odds of an accident and knowledge of existing insurance coverage were not significant predictors for either type of insurance purchase.Research limitations/implicationsRisk acculturation is best documented through a longitudinal study rather than the present cross‐sectional investigation. Although a sample of young adults with limited driving experience was helpful in identifying respondents who had not rented a car before, the results of the present study may not generalize to the broader population of car drivers.Originality/valueThe present study may be the first to identify a risk acculturation effect within an insurance context. However, the effect of experience on insurance purchase is independent of that of risk acculturation, and further research is needed to clarify the mechanism of the effect.
Idolizing sport celebrities: a gateway to psychopathology?
Authors: Hyman Michael R. , Sierra Jeremy J. 
Published: September 2010

PurposeSport celebrities often endorse their team, their sport, and non‐sports‐related products. Increased idolizing of sport celebrities by adolescents is one artifact of this promotional practice. Although seemingly innocuous, adolescents who idolize sport celebrities may, as adults, come to worship such celebrities; this unhealthy obsession may afflict 10 percent or more of adults. If adolescent hero worship of sport celebrities is a gateway to this adult psychopathology, then alerting parents, as well as encouraging social responsibility among advertisers and sport teams/leagues, is critical. This paper aims to address the issues.Design/methodology/approachAfter a brief review of the literature on adolescent hero worship, the literature on the determinants and effects of celebrity worship are explored.FindingsOnce parents, advertisers, sport team/leagues are sensitized to the problem, adolescent hero worship of sport celebrities can be mitigated as a likely gateway to many adults' unhealthy obsession with celebrities.Research limitations/implicationsDirections for future sport celebrity worship research are suggested.Practical implicationsThe incidence of a potentially psychologically damaging affliction can be reduced without harm to advertisers, sport teams/leagues, and athletes.Social implicationsWays to reduce promotion‐induced sport celebrity worship – without eliminating sport promotion per se – are suggested. Recommendations are targeted for sport‐related and non‐sport‐related products as well as teams and leagues/conferences.Originality/valueThis paper is the first to suggest a link between adolescent hero worship of sport celebrities and psychologically dangerous celebrity worship by adults.
Contests: from a young consumer's perspective
Authors: Hongjun Wang 
Published: September 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine how contests can be used to generate interest in a particular brand.Design/methodology/approachThe paper studies the psyche of young consumers and examines the role of social networks and how young consumers rely on this media for new and instant information. It looks at how social networks have emerged as platforms on which entire campaigns are developed, utilizing various online web services to engage participants, getting them to solve problems and puzzles in order to win prizes.FindingsIn summary, when creating a contest for young consumers, marketers should first be able to appreciate the influences that the internet and social media have on their campaign in terms of getting the word out and how conversations may take place during the life of the contest, and factoring them into the equation when creating a contest.Originality/valueThe paper posits that contests, especially those conducted through social media, are a good way to solicit feedback and have genuine conversations with fans.
The state of public research on over‐the‐counter drug advertising
Authors: DeLorme Denise E. , Huh Jisu , Reid Leonard N. , An Soontae 
Published: September 2010

PurposeThe over‐the‐counter (OTC) drug market is highly competitive, and consumer advertising is a prominent influence in OTC drug purchase and consumption. Given current marketplace conditions, it is important to summarize OTC drug advertising research. This paper aims to review the state of the public research literature on OTC drug advertising and provide a research agenda derived from the findings.Design/methodology/approachA literature review was conducted to identify the key themes in OTC drug advertising research and secondary data were collected about the regulation, nature, functions, and scope of OTC drug advertising.FindingsMost pharmaceutical advertising studies have focused on prescription drugs, including the majority of direct‐to‐consumer advertising investigations. OTC drug advertising has received considerably less empirical attention. Since the mid‐1970s, only 24 OTC drug advertising studies have appeared sporadically in the literature. The cumulative findings are interesting and suggestive but dated, fragmented, and incomplete. Though research interest has waned, OTC drug markets and advertising spending have not. Advertising remains a prominent OTC drug purchase and consumption driver, likely spurred on by self‐medication and Rx‐to‐OTC drug switching. The state of the public research, the social and policy implications of self‐medication, and the growing OTC drug market signal that it is time to revisit OTC drug advertising content, processes, and effects.Originality/valueThe paper puts the subject of OTC drug advertising back on the radar of communication, advertising, and pharmaceutical marketing researchers and offers an agenda of research questions derived from the reviewed literature to guide and stimulate future studies.