bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Exploring soft versus hard factors for TQM implementation in small and medium‐sized enterprises
Authors: Lewis W.G. , Pun K.F. , Lalla T.R.M. 
Published: September 2006

PurposeThis paper aims to rank the emphasis placed on critical factors and quality management principles that determine the success of total quality management (TQM) as it applies to quality management system implementation in small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs).Design/methodology/approachThis paper is a synthesis of the literature on TQM implementation in SMEs operating in a developing environment and identifies critical factors. These factors are prioritised according to the frequency in which they appeared by number of articles. The compliance requirements of the ISO 9001:2000 standard is mapped to one or a combination of quality management principles (QMPs) on which the standard is based. These principles are grouped as soft and hard and ranked in terms of the number of compliance requirements they represent.FindingsThe paper identifies critical factors of TQM implementation for SMEs operating in a developing economy. Although exploratory in nature, evidence shows that, while researchers have placed more emphasis on the “soft” factors, the compliance requirements of the ISO 9001:2000 standard stress more on the “hard” factors.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper shows that the possibility of enriching the theories and practices of TQM implementation and extending the knowledge and applications of “soft” and “hard” factors need to be explored. Contrasting the eight QMPs of ISO 9001:2000 with the evaluation criteria of quality excellence awards needs to be addressed.Practical implicationsThis paper reviews the relative importance of “soft” and “hard” factors, and relates the QMPs and compliance requirements of ISO 9001:2000 to TQM implementation in SMEs. It identifies strengths and weaknesses of the standard, and provides a source of information for top management of SMEs interested in implementing a quality management system.Originality/valueThe findings in this paper link the compliance requirements of ISO 9001:2000 to QMPs, and point to areas that tend to be least addressed by the ISO 9001:2000 standard. The paper also advocates a holistic approach to safeguard proper TQM implementation and continual improvement of people, product and processes in SMEs.
Jobs that matter: Butler's “performativity” in the Dutch police force
Authors: Halsema Annemie , Halsema Lilian 
Published: September 2006

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to examine the use that critical philosophical concepts can have within management studies.Design/methodology/approachThe paper introduces the notion “performativity” from the American philosopher Judith Butler and shows its fertility for organisation theory. It applies the notion to a case of the introduction of a job evaluation system within the Dutch police.FindingsAlthough the notion of “performativity” has a broad range, its effects for gender are especially significant. The paper identifies what meanings are reproduced in the job evaluation system; examining what are the consequences of the system for women and how does it influence the gender division. Job evaluation, it is concluded, creates an organisational reality, which produces.Practical implicationsUsing philosophical reflection processes of meaning making in practice are revealed and clarified. Gender bias in job evaluation is made visible.Originality/valueEngagement with Judith Butler's work in critical management studies reveals how philosophical “moves” lead to concrete insights.
Taking ideology out of ethics: from failed business strategies to new cross‐cultural platforms
Authors: Dickerson David B. , Kouzmin Alexander , Korac‐Kakabadse Nada 
Published: September 2006

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to engage and provoke thought amongst strategists that their frameworks are bound by their cultural mindsets. The paper aims to explore the need for a new ethical model that accounts for the cultural differences of the participants from Western and Eastern EuropeDesign/methodology/approachThis paper applies the varied expertise of the three authors to provide an exploratory study of ethics and strategy within different cultural frameworks. Dilemma theory, the chosen methodology that has been recognized by cross‐cultural management scholars, is applied to illustrate the need to resolve a cultural problem between a Latvian and Russian as a means to creating a unified strategic ethical framework.FindingsThe demonstration of Russia's cultural past perceptions of the west illustrates the need for crafting a new ethical platform that allows for all cross‐cultural participants to apply dilemma theory as a prescriptive approach to unite their differences into a new strategic framework.Research limitations/implicationsThe main limitation of the study is related to the methodology. In further research longitudinal data could be potentially collected and mined to actually elicit the real dilemmas existing between those participants from the west, the Baltics and Russia that are involved in the strategy formulation process that creates the proposed ethical framework.Practical implicationsMany of the people representing companies in the Baltic States are finding themselves reconciling the cultural differences between themselves, members of neighboring Baltic States, Russia, European countries, the USA and Asia. Special attention should be paid to the importance of being a trans‐culturally competent manager in the Baltics by building the bridge from the West to the East.Originality/valueThe main value of the paper is the challenge that it provides to all western management scholars to think outside their own mindset when endeavouring to lecture the Eastern European mentality on how to be “ethical”. Moreover, it provides Russian management scholars with a voice and argues the need for a new platform that incorporates their cultural values and thinking.
Finnish managers' careers in ICT and paper business sectors
Authors: Heilmann Pia 
Published: September 2006

PurposeThe purpose of this research paper is to examine managers' careers, describe and compare career paths between the two most important business sectors in Finland: ICT industry and paper industry. The main research question of this study is: how do the managers construct their careers in ICT and the paper business sectors? Attempts to find out if there exists some regularity in how their careers unfold in these different working environments. What are the main factors in manager's life that direct their careers? Do they differ depending on the business sector? These questions are approached with the help of metaphors, career anchors and career ladders.Design/methodology/approachThe primary research data were gathered in 2002 by interviews in Finnish ICT and paper companies where 30 managers were interviewed. The interviews were held in three companies from ICT sector and three companies from paper industry. Every interview used also a short questionnaire concerning career anchors.FindingsAccording to the research data there can be noticed three types of career paths. These paths are path of a general manager, specialist and project manager. The career in both sectors begins in a position of specialist then directs towards one of these three paths. When comparing eight career anchors between ICT and paper sectors it was surprising that the greatest difference between the sectors existed concerning the security/stability anchor. Secure employment and compensation were more important to ICT managers than to paper managers. Security and stability matters seemed to be more self‐evident for the paper managers.Research limitations/implicationsThe research group consisted of only 30 managers and, therefore, no generalizations to a more extensive group of managers can be made. This paper concerned only two business sectors. The results of this paper cannot be transferred directly to other business sectors.Practical implicationsThis approach can be useful in the area of career research. For example, it has already benefited a career research concerning women ICT professionals. This paper can also benefit managers in ICT and paper sectors.Originality/valueThis paper cover enlighten career researchers about the importance of the business sector.
A worker's group selection problem
Authors: Gomes Orlando 
Published: September 2006

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study the behavior of a worker within an organization. There are two groups inside the firm that develop their work in different ways (sharing different codes). The worker will choose to converge to one of those groups, through an investment in learning the correspondent languages and skills.Design/methodology/approachThe convergence process is analyzed under an optimality setup. Also, the choice among investment alternatives is addressed.FindingsThe framework allows the determination of steady state points for both investment alternatives; it is not optimal to converge to a full identification with one group, given that the worker benefits from the proximity to both groups, and therefore, the steady state is found to be an intermediate point somewhere in between the groups’ locations. Under a discrete choice setup, where adaptation and entropy are considered, one observes that the least likely investment process might be chosen (there is a positive probability associated with such an option).Originality/valueThe paper considers a firm where two groups share different codes and cultures. It shows that the groups develop activities that are useful for the organization and that give rise to individual rewards.
Location/allocation and routing decisions in supply chain network design
Authors: Lashine Sherif H. , Fattouh Mohamed , Issa Abeer 
Published: September 2006

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to present an integrated model for the location of warehouse, the allocation of retailers to warehouses, and finding the number of vehicles to deliver the demand and the required vehicle routing in order to minimize total transportation costs, fixed and operating costs, and routing costs.Design/methodology/approachThe model assumes that the number of plants has already been determined and answers the following questions: what is the number of warehouses to open? How warehouse are allocated to plants? How retailers are allocated to warehouses? Who are the retailers that will be visited and in what order? How many vehicles are required for each route? What are the total minimum costs?FindingsThe model was formulated as a mixed integer linear programming model and solved using Lagrange relaxation and sub‐gradient search for the location/allocation module and a traveling salesman heuristic for the routing module. The results for the randomly selected problems show that the deviation in objective function value ranges between 0.29 and 2.05 percent from the optimum value. Also, from the CPU time point of view, the performance was very good.Originality/valueAn attempt is made to integrate location, allocation, and routing decisions in the design of a supply chain network.
The double‐X factor: harnessing female human capital for economic growth
Authors: Jones Linda , Snelgrove Alexandra , Muckosy Pamela 
Published: September 2006

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present MEDA programs in small enterprise development – value chain and microfinance projects – to illustrate that the human capital of even hard to reach women can be harnessed for a community's and even a nation's economic growth.Design/methodology/approachThe paper provides evidence, in the form of case studies, demonstrating that with a relatively low investment of resources, women are empowered to contribute to the growth of the small business sector which is a cornerstone of a robust private sector.FindingsWorking with disadvantaged populations that have been relegated to the bottom of the socio‐economic heap has challenges. Program design must overcome a host of constraints including illiteracy and innumeracy, lack of technical and business skills, and the psycho‐social consequences of generations of disenfranchisement. Yet, case after case has proven that these seemingly intractable obstacles diminish with appropriate project interventions. Whether or not the program “targets” or “mainstreams” women should be based on the context and an understanding of women's situation. MEDA has had varying degrees of success with these two approaches, and preliminary findings suggest that value chain projects derive greater benefit from targeted activities than do microfinance programs. The impact of business women's efforts extends well beyond their own businesses, to finance family enterprises, educate children, improve household nutrition, organize community groups, and build more equitable social structures. These “indirect” benefits of the economic empowerment of women will serve any nation committed to the growth of trade and commerce. In fact, some would argue, the authors included, that they are necessary conditions of sustainable wealth creation.Originality/valueThe paper presents original case material from a number of MEDA value chain and microfinance projects, both past and present, to illustrate the concept, and share project design and implementation learnings.
A Consensus Data Mining secondary structure prediction by combining GOR V and Fragment Database Mining
Authors: Sen Taner Z. , Cheng Haitao , Kloczkowski Andrzej , Jernigan Robert L. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThe major aim of tertiary structure prediction is to obtain protein models with the highest possible accuracy. Fold recognition, homology modeling, and de novo prediction methods typically use predicted secondary structures as input, and all of these methods may significantly benefit from more accurate secondary structure predictions. Although there are many different secondary structure prediction methods available in the literature, their cross‐validated prediction accuracy is generally <80%. In order to increase the prediction accuracy, we developed a novel hybrid algorithm called Consensus Data Mining (CDM) that combines our two previous successful methods: (1) Fragment Database Mining (FDM), which exploits the Protein Data Bank structures, and (2) GOR V, which is based on information theory, Bayesian statistics, and multiple sequence alignments (MSA). In CDM, the target sequence is dissected into smaller fragments that are compared with fragments obtained from related sequences in the PDB. For fragments with a sequence identity above a certain sequence identity threshold, the FDM method is applied for the prediction. The remainder of the fragments are predicted by GOR V. The results of the CDM are provided as a function of the upper sequence identities of aligned fragments and the sequence identity threshold. We observe that the value 50% is the optimum sequence identity threshold, and that the accuracy of the CDM method measured by Q3 ranges from 67.5% to 93.2%, depending on the availability of known structural fragments with sufficiently high sequence identity. As the Protein Data Bank grows, it is anticipated that this consensus method will improve because it will rely more upon the structural fragments.
NMR characterizations of an amyloidogenic conformational ensemble of the PI3K SH3 domain
Authors: Ahn Hee‐Chul , Le Yen T.H. , Nagchowdhuri Partha S. , DeRose Eugene F. , Putnam‐Evans Cindy , London Robert E. , Markley John L. , Lim Kwang Hun 
Published: September 2006

AbstractAmyloid formation is associated with structural changes of native polypeptides to monomeric intermediate states and their self‐assembly into insoluble aggregates. Characterizations of the amyloidogenic intermediate state are, therefore, of great importance in understanding the early stage of amyloidogenesis. Here, we present NMR investigations of the structural and dynamic properties of the acid‐unfolded amyloidogenic intermediate state of the phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K) SH3 domain—a model peptide. The monomeric amyloidogenic state of the SH3 domain studied at pH 2.0 (35°C) was shown to be substantially disordered with no secondary structural preferences. 15N NMR relaxation experiments indicated that the unfolded polypeptide is highly flexible on a subnanosecond timescale when observed under the amyloidogenic condition (pH 2.0, 35°C). However, more restricted motions were detected in residues located primarily in the β‐strands as well as in a loop in the native fold. In addition, nonnative long‐range interactions were observed between the residues with the reduced flexibility by paramagnetic relaxation enhancement (PRE) experiments. These indicate that the acid‐unfolded state of the SH3 domain adopts a partly folded conformation through nonnative long‐range contacts between the dynamically restricted residues at the amyloid‐forming condition.
Insights into the architecture of the Ure2p yeast protein assemblies from helical twisted fibrils
Authors: Ranson Neil , Stromer Thusnelda , Bousset Luc , Melki Ronald , Serpell Louise C. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThe protein Ure2 from baker's yeast is associated with a heritable and transmissible phenotypic change in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Such prion properties are thought to arise from the fact that Ure2p is able to self‐assemble into insoluble fibrils. Assemblies of Ure2p are composed of full‐length proteins in which the structure of the globular, functional, C‐terminal domain is retained. We have carried out structural studies on full‐length, wild‐type Ure2p fibrils with a regularly twisted morphology. Using electron microscopy and cryo‐electron microscopy with image analysis we show high‐resolution images of the twisted filaments revealing details within the fibrillar structure. We examine these details in light of recent proposed models and discuss how this new information contributes to an understanding of the architecture of Ure2p yeast prion fibrils.
Folding and misfolding mechanisms of the p53 DNA binding domain at physiological temperature
Authors: Butler James S. , Loh Stewart N. 
Published: September 2006

Abstractp53 modulates a large number of cellular response pathways and is critical for the prevention of cancer. Wild‐type p53, as well as tumorigenic mutants, exhibits the singular property of spontaneously losing DNA binding activity at 37°C. To understand the molecular basis for this effect, we examine the folding mechanism of the p53 DNA binding domain (DBD) at elevated temperatures. Folding kinetics do not change appreciably from 5°C to 35°C. DBD therefore folds by the same two‐channel mechanism at physiological temperature as it does at 10°C. Unfolding rates, however, accelerate by 10,000‐fold. Elevated temperatures thus dramatically increase the frequency of cycling between folded and unfolded states. The results suggest that function is lost because a fraction of molecules become trapped in misfolded conformations with each folding‐unfolding cycle. In addition, at 37°C, the equilibrium stabilities of the off‐pathway species are predicted to rival that of the native state, particularly in the case of destabilized mutants. We propose that it is the presence of these misfolded species, which can aggregate in vitro and may be degraded in the cell, that leads to p53 inactivation.
Characterisation of dic(9;20)(p11–13;q11) in childhood B‐cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia by tiling resolution array‐based comparative genomic hybridisation reveals clustered breakpoints at 9p13.2 and 20q11.2
Authors: Schoumans Jacqueline , Johansson Bertil , Corcoran Martin , Kuchinskaya Ekaterina , Golovleva Irina , Grandér Dan , Forestier Erik , Staaf Johan , Borg Åke , Gustafsson Britt , Blennow Elisabeth , Nordgren Ann 
Published: September 2006

SummaryAlthough the dic(9;20)(p11–13;q11) is a recurrent chromosomal abnormality in paediatric B‐cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (BCP ALL), occurring in approximately 2% of the cases, its molecular genetic consequences have not been elucidated. In the present study, high‐resolution genome‐wide array‐based comparative genomic hybridisation (array‐CGH) and fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) were used to characterise the 9p and 20q breakpoints (BPs) in seven childhood BCP ALLs with dic(9;20), which was shown to be unbalanced in all of them, resulting in loss of 9p13.2‐pter. Five of the cases had loss of 20q11.2‐qter, whereas two displayed gain of 20cen‐pter. All BPs on 9p clustered in a 1.5 Mb segment of the sub‐band 9p13.2; in three of the cases, the 20q BPs mapped to three adjacent clones covering a distance of 350 kb at 20q11.2. Thus, the aberration should be designated dic(9;20)(p13.2;q11.2). One of the ALLs, shown to have a complex dic(9;20), was further investigated by FISH, revealing a rearrangement of the haemapoietic cell kinase isoform p61 (HCK) gene at 20q11. The disruption of HCK may result in a fusion gene or in loss of function. Unfortunately, lack of material precluded further analyses of HCK. Thus, it remains to be elucidated whether dic(9;20)(p13.2;q11.2) leads to a chimaeric gene or whether the functionally important outcome is loss of 9p and 20q material.
Little evidence for climate effects on local‐scale structure and dynamics of California kelp forest communities
Authors: HALPERN BENJAMIN S. , COTTENIE KARL 
Published: September 2006

AbstractClimatic variables such as temperature and precipitation play an important role in controlling local and regional scale differences in population dynamics and species distributions, and large‐scale climatic events such as El Niño southern oscillation (ENSO) have been shown to affect population dynamics of key species in many ecosystems, particularly in kelp forests. Few studies have been able to evaluate the consequences of climate variables on the structure and dynamics of biological communities, in large part because the lack of data at appropriate spatial and temporal scales has made it difficult to adequately address local‐scale responses of species and communities to such events over relevant time scales. Here, we combined an unprecedented dataset of kelp forest species' abundances from the Channel Islands, California with data for several local, regional, and global scale climatic variables to evaluate the temporal and spatial scale at which one can detect community‐wide effects of climate variables, in particular ENSO events. We found large and significant local‐scale differences in community structure, but these differences were not related to differences in climatic variables. Moreover, giant kelp abundance, which has been shown to be highly sensitive to water temperature and storm disturbance, was a poor predictor of community differences, and all communities tended to decline in abundance over the 20‐year sampling period, suggesting a press perturbation to the system such as PDO cycles or sustained fishing pressure. Although ENSO events can have dramatic impacts on the abundance and distribution of giant kelp itself across the range of the species, such events appear to have little effect on local‐scale kelp forest community structure or dynamics.