bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Returns to costly pre‐bargaining claims: taking a principled stand
Authors: Ostaszewski A.J. 
Published: July 2006

PurposeTo model a bargaining environment where the tactic of qualitative commitment (staking a principle) can have a demonstrably strong effect.Design/methodology/approachAmend the two‐person alternating offers model due to Rubinstein to include simultaneously pre‐announced stakes, and a mechanism for altering agents' utilities by reference to substantial costs of “surrendering a principle” (capitulation costs). Identify all stationary, pure strategy equilibria. Isolate subgame perfect Nash equilibria (SPNE).FindingsSPNE is unique and offers efficient re‐allocation. For high enough capitulation costs, gains at equilibrium (relative to the bench‐mark game without commitment) result to the first‐mover. The shift in the equilibrium allocation is linear in cost.Research limitations/implicationsSymmetric fixed capitulation costs were assumed. Surrender of principle required introduction of discontinuities in the cost function (zero or fixed cost). No gradation of the cost was considered. Future directions could involve discovering what distortions are created by asymmetric costs, by gradations and from smoothing out of the discontinuity.Practical implicationsPractical implications at best point to the potential rewards available from identifying and introducing a high‐cost commitment tactics in a bargaining context.Originality/valueThe innovation is in the use of an explicit bargaining apparatus to examine the commitment tactic (previous research used an axiomatic treatment of bargaining), and in offering a model for the notion of a qualitative commitment. The result about the qualitative shift in the equilibrium is also new. The paper is thus a contribution to the understanding of how an agent may seek to influence the outcome of a game such as “divide the pie (the resource)” through the manufacture/introduction of a factor outside the original game.
Six Sigma: a vital improvement approach when applied to the right problems, in the right environment
Authors: Lee‐Mortimer Andrew 
Published: July 2006

PurposeSeeks to detail key issues, raised by a specialist training organisation, concerning the implementation of Six Sigma within manufacturing.Design/methodology/approachDescribes the benefits that can be gained from implementing a Six Sigma programme, with some manufacturing examples, but also highlights a number of the “when and how” factors that must be addressed if any Six Sigma implementation is to deliver the expected gains.FindingsThe potential benefits of Six Sigma are well proven. But the methodology is no “quick fix” and many companies, as examples show, might find that they are just not ready to introduce the methodology without first undertaking some extensive ground work. Even if companies are “ready”, a successful programme relies on considerable management input and support.Originality/valueBrings to the attention of managers some of the key Six Sigma implementation issues gained from considerable experience in working with both large and small European manufacturers.
BMW innovates at new Leipzig assembly plant
Authors: Kochan Anna 
Published: July 2006

PurposeTo look at BMW's latest assembly plant in Leipzig and identify new processes and techniques.Design/methodology/approachVisited BMW's Leipzig plant, viewed new assembly lines, and interviewed key managers.FindingsInnovations at BMW's Leipzig plant include new work structures that raise productivity and increased use of outsourcing.Originality/valueGives an indication of production trends in the automotive industry.
Library development for Texas A&M at Qatar: maximum access/minimum holdings
Authors: Gilreath Charles L. 
Published: July 2006

PurposeTo discuss the challenges of developing a branch library of Texas A&M University Libraries to serve the faculty and students in a new degree‐granting program as part of Education City in Qatar. The goal of the program is to provide students in Qatar an authentic “Aggie” education and experience.Design/methodology/approachDiscusses the development of this new branch library to support undergraduate degrees in electrical, mechanical, chemical and petroleum engineering.FindingsLibrary service in support of these degrees was developed so that duplication of resources and size of collections that had to be managed in Qatar were minimized. The TAMUQ library has successfully provided a full range of information services in support of this innovative collaboration between the university and the government of Qatar.Originality/valueThis paper provides a model for the development of a branch library using the resources of the main campus as much as possible.
Library service at the “paperless” information center
Authors: Grace Xu F. 
Published: July 2006

PurposeBy reflecting the historical transition of the University of Southern California (USC) social work departmental library, the article aims to share challenges and solutions of the library collection and services in the electronic environment and to facilitate a discussion about the future of library services.Design/methodology/approachThe author conducted a literature review about departmental libraries, and a historical review of the USC social work library collection and services. Direct observation, surveys, reference statistics and the web visiting data were employed in the research analysis. A new vision and service model were created.FindingsThe USC social work students rely on both the print and electronic resources for their research and study. The decentralized social work library collection and the students' inadequate information literacy skills are the major challenges for the librarian. Information literacy instruction, web‐based collection management and library outreach are beneficial for the access service at the new information center.Research limitations/implicationsSome findings may not be compatible with other user groups in academic libraries. The established service model is applicable in other departmental libraries and information centers.Practical implicationsThe solutions employed by the USC social work librarian are applicable in other departmental academic libraries.Originality/valueThis paper combines research and library service practice at the information center.
Fire safety evaluation of motor fuel dispensing facilities
Authors: Hassanain Mohammad A. , Al‐Mudhei Ali 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe increasingly improved automotive vehicle production technology has allowed consumers to purchase passenger cars and commercial vehicles at reasonably affordable prices. This has resulted in greater demands for the construction and installation of motor fuel dispensing facilities, or simply “gas stations”, in virtually all urban districts worldwide. However, unlike most consumer products, which are designed to be fire resistant, highly flammable gasoline dispensed at these facilities is intended and formulated to burn. Therefore, fire safety of motor fuel dispensing facilitates becomes a major concern since these facilities form one of the greatest fire hazards that millions of people visit everyday. This paper seeks to address this issue.Design/methodology/approachThis paper reviews the current international and local legislation and requirements on fire safety in gas station facilities, and presents the findings of a case study conducted to evaluate fire prevention measures and fire protection equipment in five gas station facilities located in the growing City of Al‐Khobar, Saudi Arabia, where dispensing of motor fuel is carried out in an outside shaded area by station attendants.FindingsThe evaluation revealed that none of the five gas stations is complying with all fire safety regulations. Recommendations are made to improve fire safety at such facilities by regular inspection and evaluation.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the results are limited to Saudi Arabia the approach taken could be extended to other geographical areas.Practical implicationsThe paper is of practical value to facility managers responsible for day‐to‐day operations of gas station facilities.Originality/valueThe paper reviews literature from North America as well as that pertaining to the legislation in the country where the case study facilities are located.
The improvement journey: an interview with Joe Goasdoué
Authors: by Kim Foster Interview 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to discover what the British Quality Foundation is, what they represent, and what they can offer UK businesses and organizations.Design/methodology/approachThis interview of Joe Goasdoué, Chief Executive of the British Quality Foundation, was prepared by an independent writer.FindingsThe British Quality Foundation advises businesses how to achieve best practice in terms of all their functions. They publish the excellence model, and also hold the annual UK Business Awards.Practical implicationsProvides details of how businesses and organizations can source help when looking to improve their organization.Originality/valueThis is a one‐to‐one interview which covers the Chief Executive of the British Quality Foundation's opinions on all things quality.
Online auctions prove their staying power
Authors: Armes David 
Published: July 2006

PurposeExplores how the growth of online auctions is affecting businesses.Design/methodology/approachThis briefing is prepared by David Armes, Co‐founder of Ivo Business Solutions.FindingsOnline auctions are the latest tool being used by organizations to reduce costs and improve margins with a wider supply base. The auctions work by pitting invited companies against each other to obtain the lowest price from suppliers. Some commentators believe that auctions may ultimately supersede traditional buying meetings.Practical implicationsHighlights the benefits that online auctions can bring to businesses.Originality/valueExplains online auctions and how they have and can affect businesses. Presented in a condensed and easy‐to‐digest format.
A vision‐based system for inspecting painted slates
Authors: Ghita Ovidiu , Carew Tim , Whelan Paul 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThis paper describes the development of a novel automated vision system used to detect the visual defects on painted slates.Design/methodology/approachThe vision system that has been developed consists of two major components covering the opto‐mechanical and algorithmical aspects of the system. The first component addresses issues including the mechanical implementation and interfacing the inspection system with the development of a fast image processing procedure able to identify visual defects present on the slate surface.FindingsThe inspection system was developed on 400 slates to determine the threshold settings that give the best trade‐off between no false positive triggers and correct defect identification. The developed system was tested on more than 300 fresh slates and the success rate for correct identification of acceptable and defective slates was 99.32 per cent for defect free slates based on 148 samples and 96.91 per cent for defective slates based on 162 samples.Practical implicationsThe experimental data indicates that automating the inspection of painted slates can be achieved and installation in a factory is a realistic target. Testing the devised inspection system in a factory‐type environment was an important part of the development process as this enabled us to develop the mechanical system and the image processing algorithm able to perform slate inspection in an industrial environment. The overall performance of the system indicates that the proposed solution can be considered as a replacement for the existing manual inspection system.Originality/valueThe development of a real‐time automated system for inspecting painted slates proved to be a difficult task since the slate surface is dark coloured, glossy, has depth profile non‐uniformities and is being transported at high speeds on a conveyor. In order to address these issues, the system described in this paper proposed a number of novel solutions including the illumination set‐up and the development of multi‐component image‐processing inspection algorithm.
Querying non‐uniform image databases for biometrics‐related identification applications
Authors: Zhang Zhongfei (Mark) 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThis research project focuses on developing techniques and technologies for automatically identifying human faces from images in the situations where face sample collections in the database as well as in the input query images are “as is”, i.e. no standard data collection environment is available. The developed method can also be used in other biometric applications.Design/methodology/approachThe specific method presented in this paper is called scale independent identification (SII). SII allows direct “comparison” between two images in terms of whether the two objects (e.g. faces) in the two images are the same object (i.e. the same individual). SII is developed by extensively using the matrix computation theory and in particular, the singular value decomposition theory.FindingsIt is found that almost all the existing methods in the literature or technologies in the market require that a normalization in scale be done before any identification processing. However, it is also found that normalization in scale not only adds additional processing complexity, but also may reduce the identification accuracy. In addition, it is difficult to anticipate an “optimal” scale in advance. The developed SII complements the existing methods in all these aspects.Research limitations/implicationsThe only limitation which is also the limitation for many other biometric identification methods is that each object (e.g. individual in human face identification) must have a sufficient number of training samples collected before the method works well.Practical implicationsSII is particularly suitable in law enforcement and/or intelligence applications in which it is difficult or impossible to collect data in a standard, “clean” environment.Originality/valueThe SII method is new, and the paper should be interesting to researchers or engineers in this area, and should also be interesting to companies developing any biometrics‐based identification technologies as well as government agencies.
Consolidated data acquisition and management for first responders
Authors: Vidacic Dragan , Melnyk Pavlo , Krstovski Kriste , Messner Richard A. , Hludik Frank C. , Kun Andrew L. 
Published: July 2006

PurposeTo design an efficient and integrated framework for automated and simple data acquisition and processing targeted for first response scenarios.Design/methodology/approachUtilizes existing software/hardware integration tools and primarily off‐the‐shelf components. Use the modular system architecture for development of new applications. System construction is preceded by the analysis of currently available devices for specific data acquisition and processing.FindingsThe development and integration of data acquisition and processing tools for first responder scenarios can be rapidly achieved by the modular and already existing software/hardware integration platform. Data types processed by this system are biometrics, live video/audio and textual/command data. The data acquisition is followed by the prompt dissemination of information from the incident scene thus overcoming interoperability issues.Practical implicationsIntegration of new modules is achieved through simple system upgrades – new applications are created and integrated while the rest of the platform remains intact. Off‐the‐shelf components used eliminate the need for specialized hardware development. The speech user interface allows simple interaction with the system in an eyes‐off, hands‐off manner.Originality/valueThe system represents an efficient platform for integrated data acquisition and processing specially targeted for first response. The test‐bed flexibility allows for straightforward integration of devices/applications handling new data type as required by the user.
Design and microfabrication of a hybrid piezoelectric‐capacitive tactile sensor
Authors: Dargahi Javad , Kahrizi Mojtaba , Purushotham Rao Nakka , Sokhanvar Saeed 
Published: July 2006

PurposeTo measure the force applied to the tissue, the traditional endoscopic graspers might be equipped with a kind of tactile force sensor.Design/methodology/approachThis paper presents the design, analysis, microfabrication and testing of a piezoelectric and capacitive endoscopic tactile sensor with four teeth. This tactile sensor, which is tooth‐like for safe grasping, comprises a Polyvinylidene Fluoride, PVDF film for high sensitivity and is silicon‐based for micromachinability. Being a hybrid sensor, employing both capacitive and piezoelectric techniques, it is possible to measure both the static and dynamic loads. Another feature, to be considered in its design, is the ability to detect pulse. The proposed sensor can be integrated with the tip of any current commercial endoscopic grasper without changing its original design. It is shown that using an array of sensor units, the position of the applied load can still be determined.FindingsThe static response of the sensor is obtained by applying a static force on the tooth and measuring the change in capacitance between the bottom electrode of the PVDF film and the electrode deposited on the surface of the etched cavity. The dynamic response of the device is determined by applying a sinusoidal force on the tooth of the sensor and measuring the output voltage from the PVDF film. The experimental results are compared with both analytical and finite element results. The sensor exhibits high sensitivity and linearity.Originality/valueCapaciyive and piezoelectic are used to obtain both dynamic,pulse, and static loads. The sensor micromachined so, it can be used in various endoscopic applications.
Interferometric measurement of workpiece flatness in ultra‐precision flycutting
Authors: Marsh Eric , Arneson David , Van Doren Matthew , Blystone Scott 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to show how an ultra‐precision manufacturing process (flycutting) can be improved through interferometry.Design/methodology/approachThe paper presents a theoretical model of the machine tool cutting system and then uses interferometer measurements to validate the results. The model is then used to show some general findings relating process conditions to workpiece quality.FindingsA realistic cutting model can predict the workpiece flatness with excellent accuracy and closely match interferometer measurements. The process parameters in precision flycutting should be chosen such that the flycutting tool is in contact with the workpiece for an integer number of vibration cycles. The machine tool stiffness and structural damping will affect the workpiece quality, but the most significant improvements are made through thoughtful selection of the flycutter spindle speed as it relates to the machine dynamics.Originality/valueThis paper presents a math model that accurately matches results obtained by experimental verification and extensive testing. Interferometry is shown to be an extremely useful tool in optimizing the process conditions in a flycutting manufacturing operation. Furthermore, the results are of general use to practitioners using flycutting in a variety of industrial applications.
Safety concerns drive the automotive sensor markets
Authors: Bogue Robert 
Published: July 2006

PurposeTo give a background to the automotive sensor industry and consider recent developments in sensors used in vehicle safety systems.Design/methodology/approachThis paper describes the early development of the automotive sensor industry and gives examples of present‐day applications. It subsequently discusses development in advanced vehicle safety systems.FindingsThe advent of cost‐effective electronics in 1970 led to the development of numerous automotive systems such as electronic engine management which use a diversity of sensors. Since, the 1990s, safety has emerged as a major consideration and features such as traction control, ABS, stability control systems and air bags have been applied across a wide sector of the industry. New active safety systems which respond to passenger weight and position, as well as collision avoidance systems which can sense the vehicle's external environment are being developed and applied widely. These are fuelling the automotive sensor market which is forecast to reach 2.24 billion units per annum by 2010.Safety system integration is a major theme of present developments.Originality/valueThis paper shows that customer demands for enhanced safety have driven the development and rapid adoption of advanced vehicle safety systems. This has boosted the markets for automotive sensors.
Not a glass ceiling more a lead roof
Authors: Bagilhole Barbara 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThis study of women “pioneer” priests in the Church of England was to gain further information on women in a non‐traditional, male‐dominated occupation. Uniquely prior to 1994, women were barred from entry to the priesthood altogether, and are still debarred from the top of the Church hierarchy.Design/methodology/approachA national conference for all Diocesan Advisers in Women's Ministry offered the opportunity of surveying 31senior and experienced women priests from across England. They completed an extended open‐ended questionnaire. Agreeing to take up these posts made these women somewhat self‐selecting and not necessarily representative. Also it would be useful to gather data on male clergy experiences for comparison.FindingsGiven their long bitter struggle to be ordained, these women were older, and had more experience than other women in non‐traditional occupations. They did experience a deeply gendered organisation, both through structural disadvantage and cultural hostility. However, most report that becoming a priest has impacted positively on their self‐confidence and positive identity. They see themselves making changes to the gendered regime of the Church, challenging what it means to be a priest through their presence, language, and symbols.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study have important policy implications. The Church's recruitment and selection processes need to change to ensure openness, fairness and transparency. Family friendly policies need to be introduced, including flexible working and job sharing possibilities open to both women and men. Also, the Church needs to make clear its disapproval of discrimination and unacceptable behaviour towards women priests.Originality/valueThe paper provides information on women working in a non‐traditional male‐dominated occupation.