bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Reliability analysis of engine oil using “polygraph approach”
Authors: Sharma B. , Gandhi O.P. 
Published: June 2008

PurposeThe lubricating oil is a non‐renewable source of energy and its useful life is limited due to deterioration during its usage. It is desirable to maximize its use to conserve this scarce resource. At present, continuation or change of the engine oil is decided, based on the manufacturer's recommendation and experience. The suggested engine oil change period is conservative and results in non‐efficient usage of engine oil. This practice needs refinement to include all possible properties/attributes of engine oil and use of appropriate procedure to assess its realistic performance. The paper aims to analyze the procedure.Design/methodology/approachOil reliability polygraph is used to analyze the engine oil performance during operation. Reliability analysis of the engine oil is carried out by comparing the area of oil reliability polygraph at a given operation time with the area for the fresh engine oil. The suggested procedure is illustrated by means of an example.FindingsPhysical and chemical properties responsible for performance degradation of the engine oil are considered as engine oil reliability attributes. The value of these attributes from time to time, obtained by analyzing samples drawn from the system, is analyzed through oil reliability polygraph. In this approach, the engine oil reliability attributes at a given operation time are represented in terms of reliability value to obtain the “oil reliability polygraph”.Originality/valueThe suggested procedure will be helpful for maintenance personnel in taking planned maintenance action.
Employability enhancement of business graduates in China
Authors: Zhiwen Guo , van der Heijden Beatrice I.J.M. 
Published: June 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to provide an assessment of business educational reform requirements in China, in the light of current employability needs.Design/methodology/approachAfter introducing the problem the paper discusses labour market demands for business graduates. The paper continues with a thorough conceptualisation of the concept of employability and current notions on career development, and concludes with proposals for reforming the business education curriculum.FindingsEmployability enhancement should be an integrated activity that is undertaken in close collaboration between different parties, and to eliminate recruitment bottlenecks, policies that affect both graduates' suitability and labour requirements are needed.Practical implicationsThe paper is a useful source of information and advice for educators, employers, and business education students planning to invest in their future employability. The paper is meant to evoke discussion and to stimulate curriculum reform efforts.Originality/valueThis paper focuses on current labour market demands and offers insights for educational institutions engaged in optimizing curricula.
Working to live
Authors: Holmes Valerie 
Published: June 2008

PurposeThe aim of this study is to investigate why students work during their degree programme, what influences their choice of employment and to examine students' perception of their ability to balance work and study.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire was completed by 42 first‐ and second‐year students from a single degree programme at the end of Semester 2.FindingsWithin this group 83 per cent of students worked at some point during term‐time of their degree programme. In total 58 per cent of those students who worked did so to either cover or contribute to basic costs of living. While the majority of students felt they could balance work and study, half of all students questioned felt that working could have a negative impact on their degree classification.Research limitations/implicationsThis is a small study, limited to students from one degree programme. This study did not focus on the positive aspects offered to students by employment.Practical implicationsStudents can no longer be considered as full‐time students, but rather as having dual roles, that of students and employees.Originality/valueThis study examines specifically the primary reason why students choose to, or have to, work during their university degree programme and adds to current knowledge of students' perception of the effect working has on their academic performance.
Keeping it local
Authors: Johnson Larry Alan , Helms Marilyn M. 
Published: June 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to evaluate the inclusion of team case analyses and presentations in undergraduate finance courses that usually focus on analyzing provided financial statement data.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper the authors argue the early use of a local company case can illustrate key course concepts while offering students or participants in an academic or vocational training program a preview of the pedagogical techniques of case analysis. It is also argued that the use of a local company case can be extended to other business courses to improve students' interest and understanding. A survey of student perceptions was conducted at the end of the semester.FindingsOverall, students preferred working on a local company case rather than a textbook case. Most felt the local company case helped them understand the theories and concepts of financial statement analysis from the course and prepared them for future case analysis. The student respondents also perceive a better understanding of the strategic issues facing the industry and of the use of, and interpretation of, financial ratios after completing the case. While the exploratory analysis did indicate student preferences for use of a local company case, further study and analysis is needed to move beyond perceptions of satisfaction to determine the actual improvement in learning of the key course conceptsResearch limitations/implicationsFuture research should study the benefit of using a local company case throughout the business degree and study how it allows students to apply principles learned early in their curriculum to strategic analysis and decision making in capstone courses. Research could determine if students will build upon their previous knowledge of the company and business concepts in much the same way as business managers gain business and industry knowledge as they advance through their career. In addition, the benefit of using a local company continuation case through the upper division courses in the business curriculum should be investigated.Originality/valueThis article highlights the steps involved in preparing a local company case for classroom use and presents an analysis of student perceptions of satisfaction with a case‐enriched course and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the case. The article also discusses ways to create a similar local company case for other business disciplines.
Experiential learning in entrepreneurship education
Authors: Dhliwayo Shepherd 
Published: June 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present a prospective entrepreneurship training model based on experiential learning which will enable the “production” of small business owners or entrepreneurs which is not being achieved by the current methods.Design/methodology/approachThis is a conceptual paper. It analyses the current approaches in use, identifying inherent weaknesses and the gaps that need to be filled. Through literature reviews and case cites it provides a model that integrates experiential learning into entrepreneurship education.FindingsThe paper shows that appropriate experiential training can truly be integrated into entrepreneurship education in South Africa as in disciplines such as engineering or nursing.Research limitation/implicationsThe model needs to be test implemented to find its efficacy. Just like any model, it may need refinement.Originality/valueThe prospective model is an attempt to produce entrepreneurs and small business owners. This is critical in South Africa where entrepreneurs/business start‐ups are in critical shortage. No known study on work integrated learning (WIL) in entrepreneurship in higher education has been conducted in South Africa or such a model presented.
Employee perceptions of organizational change: impact of hierarchical level
Authors: Jones Liz , Watson Bernadette , Hobman Elizabeth , Bordia Prashant , Gallois Cindy , Callan Victor J. 
Published: June 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of organizational level on employees' perceptions and reactions to a complex organizational change involving proposed work force redesign, downsizing and a physical move to a new hospital.Design/methodology/approachParticipants included executives, supervisory and non‐supervisory staff in a major tertiary hospital. Recorded in‐depth interviews were conducted with 61 employees about the positive and negative aspects of the change.FindingsA total of 12 themes were identified from content coding, including emotional responses and attitudes toward the change, issues about the management of the change process and about change outcomes. Supervisory and non‐supervisory staff referred more to conflict and divisions, and expressed more negative attitudes toward the change, than did executives. Executives and supervisory staff focused more on planning challenges and potential outcomes of the change than did non‐supervisory staff. Finally, compared to other staff, executives focused more on participation in the change process and communication about the change process.Research limitations/implicationsThis study examines the organizational change at only one time point in one organization. Perceptions of the change may change over time, and other identities like professional identity may influence perceptions.Practical implicationsThese findings suggest that change agents should consider the needs of different organizational groups in order to achieve effective and successful organizational change.Originality/valueThis study clearly shows the impact of organizational level, identifying similarities and differences in perceptions of change across level.
Attributional theory of leadership: a model of functional attributions and behaviors
Authors: Lakshman C. 
Published: June 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a positive and functional attributional model of leadership, using both leadership perceptions and leadership effectiveness as criteria. Drawing from cognitive complexity theory, and attributional complexity theory, this article identifies attributional accuracy of managers as the fundamental component of the functional model developed here. The model of leadership developed here focuses on such key leadership constructs as leader information processing using complex schemata, leader attributions and their accuracy, leader behaviors that follow their attributions, mediating variables such as subordinate self‐efficacy, satisfaction, and motivation, and outcome variables such as leadership perceptions and subordinate performance. These variables are linked in a process model.Design/methodology/approachThe article depends on a critical review of the literature to build a theoretical model consistent with theory building guidelines.FindingsAccurate attributions and the avoidance of attributional biases are identified as key factors determining effectiveness and leadership perceptions. Leader interactive behaviors, feedback latency, and the development of strategies for improving performance are identified as key consequences of attributional accuracy.Practical implicationsThis article has implications for the ways in which managers are selected and trained to provide leadership in organizations.Orginality/valueThe theory developed here breaks new ground in the investigation of the positive and functional attributional processes of leaders leading to organizational or unit effectiveness. This research contributes to knowledge by pointing to the functional role of accurate attributions and the delineation of the processes through which such attributions can lead to enhancing subordinate motivation and hence leadership effectiveness.
Profiling the Chinese manager: exploring dimensions that relate to leadership
Authors: Selvarajah Christopher , Meyer Denny 
Published: June 2008

PurposeThis paper explores the leadership profile of managers in China and in so doing identifies demographics factors that shape perceptions of what makes an excellent Chinese leader.Design/methodology/approachSummated scales for the importance of Excellent Leader (EL), Personal Qualities (PQ), Managerial Behaviour (MB), Organisational Demands (OD) and Environmental Influences (EI) were developed using most of the items categorised by Selvarajah et al. and several other items rated highly in this study. A structural model was constructed to explain the relationship in excellence in leadership.FindingsThe structural model confirmed that managerial behaviour was the most important construct determining leadership in China and that even with the changes in the political and social systems in the last 60 years, the Chinese belief in Confucianism is highly valued.Practical implicationsChina is undergoing dramatic changes and understanding China within a changing cultural context is important to international participants entering the country.Originality/valueThis paper contextualises leadership within societal‐cultural change
What can we learn from senior leader narratives? The strutting and fretting of becoming a leader
Authors: Turner Jane , Mavin Sharon 
Published: June 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore subjective life histories and leadership journeys of senior leaders, drawing upon elements of an authentic leadership framework (life trigger events, values and emotions). The paper surfaces partial life histories and the often unheard of individual experiences of becoming a leader, offering stories to others as a media for learning and extending authentic leadership theory.Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws upon a qualitative empirical study engaging 22 UK senior leaders in semi‐structured interviews, involving a life‐history approach to generate subjective narratives of how individuals establish and sustain leadership.FindingsThe empirical data highlights that elements of authentic leadership theory resonate in practice. Senior leaders' life histories and in particular negative trigger events are significant to their approach as leaders. The values of honesty and integrity were important to the leaders, with some able to sustain their values uncompromisingly. The leaders openly expressed emotion and vulnerability when re‐telling their stories, but whether they do so as leaders in relationships with others, requires further research. Authentic leadership theory may be over simplified in terms of emotion and vulnerability in practice.Practical implicationsElements of authentic leadership offer alternative understandings of experiences of leaders. The life history approach enables important insights into leaders' subjective realities and should be integral to leadership development approaches.Originality/valueThe paper offers empirical data from UK senior leaders, highlighting the unheard of strutting and fretting of leadership and contributing empirical research to authentic leadership theory.
Scholarly journal ranking(s) in marketing: single‐ or multi‐item measures?
Authors: Svensson Göran 
Published: June 2008

PurposeThe topic of scholarly journals is important to the marketing discipline and the worldwide research communities, due to the way the journals are categorized and judged in available and compiled journal rankings. The purpose of this paper is to describe and discuss the underlying measures of journal rankings in scholarly journals in marketing.Design/methodology/approachIt is limited to the scholarly journals and journal rankings of the marketing discipline.FindingsJournal rankings of scholarly journals in marketing are mainly based upon single‐item measures based upon either citations or perceptions, without any estimates of validity, reliability or generality.Research limitations/implicationsThere is a need to move away from the predominantly “single‐item measure syndrome” that characterizes most of the available and compiled journal rankings in marketing.Practical implicationsBroader approaches should be implemented and applied in journal rankings based upon “multi‐item measures”.Originality/valueRe‐assessment of the activity of ranking journals is long overdue if the ranking lists themselves do not consider a minimum of scientific rigor and soundness as required in other areas of scholarly endeavours. The marketing discipline may be at risk of entering a vicious and irreversible circle of decline and decomposition.
The rise of emerging market multinationals and the impact on marketing
Authors: Fan Ying 
Published: June 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to review and discuss the rise of emerging market multinationals (EMMs), with a special focus on its impact on marketing.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is an invited opinion piece with implicit permission to “think aloud”.FindingsEmerging market countries not only have millions of newly affluent consumers, but they are also the home of a new generation of multinational companies. The rise of EMMs challenges the extant thinking in strategy and marketing, and creates both threats and opportunities for western firms. With unique character and behaviour, EMMs are different from both developed countries multinationals and Japanese and Korean firms. It is imperative to study EMMs in order to win the new competition.Research limitations/implicationsThe topic is currently under‐researched, but has the potential to enrich and further develop the marketing subject.Originality/valueHopefully, the paper draws more attention to the rise of EMMs and encourages more research on the topic.
Understanding and profitably managing customer loyalty
Authors: Gee Robert , Coates Graham , Nicholson Mike 
Published: June 2008

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to draw together the salient issues surrounding customer loyalty and customer relationship management (CRM) into a single coherent discussion. Various schools of academic thought are examined. The paper concludes with practical implications for managers.Design/methodology/approachThe literature surrounding customer loyalty, customer satisfaction, effective CRM and managing loyalty in a profitable manner are all reviewed. The paper allows managers to consider a wide range of material in the context of their business.FindingsThe need for businesses to retain customers is an important issue in today's global marketplace. To retain customers, a business must forge loyal and long‐term relationships with profitable customers. Reasons why customers leave a company are discussed, and preventative strategies are considered. Loyalty schemes are considered and their relative merits examined.Practical implicationsA key implication of this paper is the need to focus attention on managing customer loyalty in a profitable manner. Certain theories hold the view that generating customer loyalty will automatically drive profits. This paper suggests that this is probably not the case. Given this, the paper calls for data analysis and database segmentation to be considered as an integral part of profitably managing customer loyalty.Originality/valueThe paper provides both a broad and in‐depth discussion of all the salient issues surrounding customer loyalty. By drawing together these issues into a single discussion, the paper offers a unique perspective that is not available in the current literature. Holistically considering all of the practical elements of customer loyalty allows academic researchers and marketing managers to compare and contrast different theories and principles.
Anticipating a regrettable purchase
Authors: Sevdalis Nick , Kokkinaki Flora , Harvey Nigel 
Published: June 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present the concept of consumers' erroneous affective self‐forecasts, and discuss the implications of such forecasts for consumer purchasing behaviour and marketing planning.Design/methodology/approachFirst, the literature on inaction inertia – the lowering of the likelihood that a bargain will be taken once a better bargain has been missed – is reviewed. Second, the literature on affective self‐forecasting is reviewed. Finally, the implications that the authors synthesis of the behavioural evidence carries for marketing are discussed.FindingsThe inaction inertia literature implicates the regret that consumers associate with purchasing a discounted item once they have missed a much larger discount on it as a major contributing factor to consumers' unwillingness to purchase the item on the second occasion. The literature on affective self‐prediction suggests that regret (and other emotions) is systematically mispredicted.Research limitations/implicationsThe likely effect of erroneously anticipated regret in inaction inertia situations is depressed purchasing behaviour. The paper argues that because affective anticipations are typically erroneous, their impact on consumer decision‐making processes cannot be deemed rational. It is proposed that marketing should intervene to either increase the accuracy of such anticipations, or to lead consumers to discount them.Practical implicationsPrice promotions can have negative side effects, such as those observed in inaction inertia circumstances. To some extent, these are driven by consumers anticipated regret (and possibly other relevant emotions). Marketing techniques can counteract the disproportionate impact of such emotions.Originality/valueThe paper offers a synthesis of behavioural evidence on inaction inertia and affective self‐forecasting – two quite separate literatures that have yet to be brought together in the present context. In addition, the paper outlines implications for marketing and suggests possible strategies to moderate the discussed effects.
e‐CRM in SMEs: an exploratory study in Northern Ireland
Authors: Harrigan Paul , Ramsey Elaine , Ibbotson Patrick 
Published: June 2008

PurposeRelationship marketing principles have seldom been applied to the small‐ and medium‐sized enterprise (SME). The purpose of this paper is to develop what is a striking link by investigating the role of internet technologies in the customer relationship management of SMEs based in Northern Ireland (NI).Design/methodology/approachThis study took an exploratory outlook and a quantitative approach to data collection was adopted. A self‐completion questionnaire was distributed by post to a sample of 300 SMEs in NI. A response rate of 18.6 per cent was obtained.FindingsThe findings of this study illustrate that SMEs are implementing fundamental electronic customer relationship management (e‐CRM) practices and reaping the benefits from internationalisation. Challenges are few, but centre on a preference for face‐to‐face relationships and a lack of government support.Research limitations/implicationsIt is hoped that this exploratory research has laid the foundation for further examination of e‐CRM in the SME context. Future studies should be able to replicate the process in other countries and on a larger scale. The potential also exists for in‐depth qualitative research.Practical implicationsThe paper concludes that e‐CRM may have to move on to a more strategic and integrated level if SMEs in NI are to compete, both locally and globally.Originality/valueThis exploratory research has shed some light on the marginalised subject of e‐CRM in SMEs. For SMEs operating in a peripheral economy such as NI the benefits to be gained from e‐CRM are lucrative.