bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The development of manufacturing safety programme simulator
Authors: Charles‐Owaba O.E. , Adebiyi K.A. 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe manufacturing industry perceives government standards as an attempt to unnecessarily increase production cost. This may be due to lack of acceptable models for demonstrating the associated benefits to industry. It was the goal of this study to develop a simulation model for predicting the performance of a manufacturing safety programme (SP).Design/methodology/approachThe principles of system‐dynamics were applied to identify the relevant safety‐related components and their relationships. A simulation model for evaluating periodic performance of a manufacturing SP was then developed. A set a dynamic equations for predicting factory accidents or preventions and the monetary saving were the performance measures. Two set of factory data: non‐SP (1979) and SP (1991‐2004) were collected from a bottling company. The parameters of the model were estimated using the first set while it was validated with the second and associated monetary saving computed.FindingsSolutions to factory accidents or preventions yielded exponential functions. The means and standard deviations of the predicted and actual accidents were 32 and 5.66; and 30 and 7.46, respectively. The corresponding values for predicted and actual preventions were 55 and 10.47; and 59 and 7.45, respectively. There were no significant differences between the predicted and actual for the accidents and preventions, respectively, at 5 per cent level. The predicted SP saving per annum was 6.96 millions.Originality/valueThe model is a useful tool for setting profitable manufacturing safety standards and effective SP management.
The “business ethics” of management theory
Authors: Schwartz Mark 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the current gap between the subjects of business ethics and pre‐1960 management theory.Design/methodology/approachIn an attempt to achieve the objective of the paper, the business ethics content of three leading management theorists during the first half of the 1900s is examined: Frederick Taylor; Chester Barnard; and Peter Drucker.FindingsThe paper concludes that there are significant business ethics content as well as ethical implications in the writings of each of the three management theorists.Research limitations/implicationsThe analysis focused on only three, albeit significant, management theorists. A more complete discussion would have included other important management theorists as well.Practical implicationsThe analysis suggests that management theory should not be taught without discussing both the business ethics implications and the business ethics content inherent in the theory. In addition, failure on the part of business ethics academics to understand early management theory, the ethical ramifications of such theory, and the business ethics issues explicitly discussed by leading management theorists, may lead to teaching and research in a subject without a proper theoretical foundation.Originality/valueThe paper attempts to address a gap in management literature by demonstrating some of the linkages between business ethics and business management thought, and thereby be of value to management theorists as well as business ethicists in their teaching and research efforts.
Curves in the high road
Authors: Knouse Stephen B. , Hill Vanessa D. , Hamilton J. Brooke 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to trace a history of American codes of business ethics as they evolved from religious bases to legalistic bases to an international emphasis.Design/methodology/approachThe paper describes the evolution of business codes of ethics over the twentieth century in relation to the development of social issues.FindingsIt is found that ethical codes are influenced by the prevailing ideology of the time regarding the social responsibility of business. The earlier part of the twentieth century emphasized religious values governing the treatment of customers and competitors and the responsibility of businesses for the well‐being of their employees by directing their private as well as business conduct. The latter part of the twentieth century stressed legal compliance as government regulation sought to control business behaviors that were harmful to society and to the environment. Entering into the twenty‐first century, we are seeing an increase in international emphases in codes of ethics. We discuss these trends in terms of evolving approaches to corporate social responsibility.Practical implicationsOrganizations writing (and rewriting) codes of ethics should move beyond reactive legal compliance and proactively examine values associated with their stakeholder relationships as well as relationships to corporate social responsibility issues.Originality/valueWhile there have been histories of medical and legal codes of ethics, to the authors' knowledge, this is the first exploration of a history of American business codes of ethics. The paper examines the development of codes of ethics in the context of business needs and social values prominent during those times.
Turn to your customers to solve flat sales and customer churn
Authors: Hall Shelley F. 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThis viewpoint article explores how companies can solve the problems of flat sales revenue and customer churn by conducting an honest self‐assessment of corporate culture, then reinventing or refocusing products and services to provide the value that customers want.Design/methodology/approachUsing examples drawn from real businesses facing real problems, the author describes the process companies can use to reenergize their people and their offerings when flat sales and customer churn are symptoms of a flat culture.FindingsConnecting with customers helps a company develop the roadmap it needs to reenergize and reinvent its products, services, sales reps, and marketing and management teams. The only way to remain on target with customer value needs is to develop systems that communicate with internal and external customers and act upon the knowledge gained – and consistently keep the company in touch with its customers.Practical implicationsIt is recommended that companies start with a situational assessment that includes an exploration of four key customer value determinants: products and/or services, sales representatives, management, and service quality. Healthy companies listen to their customers' concerns and partnership requirements, and then act accordingly.Originality/valueThis article offers practical recommendations to help managers get their companies back on track if flat sales and customer churn are problems.
Leveraging emerging markets for commercial success
Authors: Coleman Gary 
Published: January 2007

PurposeEmerging markets are becoming the catalysts for new product and service innovation. Long‐term success, however, will take far more than simply making minor adjustments to existing products, lowering prices, and developing new sales channels, according to a new report, “Laboratories of innovation: leveraging emerging markets for commercial success” by the Member Firms of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (Deloitte).Design/methodology/approachStudy by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.FindingsThe Deloitte study shows that companies will need to acquire a new set of competencies and organizational structures to generate a continuing stream of innovative products tailored to the needs of consumers and industrial buyers in emerging markets.Practical implicationsCompanies will need to acquire a new set of competencies and organizational structures to generate a continuing stream of innovative products tailored to the needs of consumers and industrial buyers in emerging markets. They will need to allow for local autonomy, for example local R&D and local commercial operations, while taking advantage of their parent company's governance, business processes, and management expertise to offer these products at dramatically lower prices that match the lower purchasing power of most buyers in emerging markets.Originality/valueSuccessful companies are looking beyond traditional strategies to meet the needs of markets with significantly lower per capita GDP.
Successful innovations from an established company
Authors: Kekäle Tauno , Kola‐Nyström Sari 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe article recognizes the problems of successful innovation in big, “established” companies. However, these problems can be overcome; indeed, some companies are quite successful despite having been around for decades in several different businesses.Design/methodology/approachTwo case companies are studied in three stages of a general model of innovation, where innovation consists of an ideation/discovery phase, an engineering/solution phase and a testing/launch phase. Some earlier research is quoted to support the statements.FindingsIn the ideation/discovery phase, the most important thing is novel ideas, which create novel, non‐established minds. In the engineering phase, surviving the turf wars of an established company require a “godfather” who can ensure the resources. In testing/launch phases, the support of real‐life users is especially important for both working solutions and understanding of the use environment.Research limitations/implicationsIn our general understanding, all case studies attempt to show identifiable patterns that may or may not be relevant for the situation of the individual companies of the readers. The amount of detail allowed by the space limitations may also make it difficult to benchmark the practices of the case companies. However, we try to explain the mechanisms that make established companies non‐innovative and possible solutions to them as well as possible in this limited space and just two case studies.Originality/valueThe value of article lies in understanding that the problems of established companies to succeed in innovation are different in different stages of the process, e.g. unestablished ideators do not have sufficient power in the organization to see their ideas through the engineering and testing phases, while the established people will not typically search for such radical new ideas as the “young of mind” do.
The power of platforms
Authors: Jonash Ron , Koehler Holger , Onassis Iason 
Published: January 2007

PurposeEvery CEO has one core mandate from investors – to profitably grow the company. But this is easier said than done. Why have so many undoubtedly great firms like IBM, Digital Equipment, AT&T, GM, McDonald's and Coca Cola to name just a few with such potential been unable to sustain their growth, while the likes of Apple Computer, Pepsi and Starbuck's have been able to virtually reinvent their industries?Design/methodology/approachThis article, based on both primary and secondary research, walks the reader through several case studies of companies we have had personal professional experience with, and some that have been written about widely in the media.FindingsOur findings show that “growth platforms” are a beneficial way for companies to generate sustainable, profitable growth.Practical implicationsThese companies are just a few out of many that have discovered the power of platforms. Not in the old‐fashioned way of using similar parts to enhance their products, on the one hand covering a broad range of the market, while on the other keeping development time and cost low; but these companies are demonstrating the next generation of platform thinking, creating and acting on sustainable growth and innovation opportunities from a combination of well‐established internal capabilities and accessible external market opportunities.Originality/valueBy reading this article, the reader will gain insight into what a growth platform is, how to create one in their own organization, and what other companies' growth platforms look like, and how they bring about real sustainable growth through innovation.
Redefining the paradigm of global competition: offshoring of service firms
Authors: Klaas Jagersma Pieter , van Gorp Désirée M. 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe article discusses offshoring as an irreversible trend that is redefining the paradigm of global competition of service firms, and provides insight and practical advice regarding the offshore behavior of service firms for management professionals.Design/methodology/approachThe offshoring process is applied to service firms including lessons learned. It is largely based on the results of a research study among 247 service firms determining their offshore behavior and illustrated with examples of their offshoring activities.FindingsOffshoring is redefining global competition and service firms should use it as a tool to create a competitive advantage vis‐à‐vis their competitors. In doing so they should careful prepare offshoring in different phases of the process as suggested in the 4M approach. Moreover, they should decide in an early stage on monitoring, reporting and measuring the offshoring process and secure continuous commitment from management.Research limitations/implicationsThe offshoring process referred to in this article as the 4M approach should be further tested among service firms.Practical implicationsProviding insight and practical advice regarding the offshore behavior of service firms for management professionals.Originality/valueResearch in the past has been largely focused on manufacturing firms. This article focuses on service firms and is based on findings of primary research executed by the authors.
What is required for growth?
Authors: Carneiro Alberto 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThis article is concerned with growth processes, growth dimensions and conditions for growth. In it, the author espouses the importance of a strong management mentality capable of providing an appropriate organizational arrangement and supporting competitive growth.Design/methodology/approachOriginal and other research.FindingsOrganizations that are integrated into industries with intensive technologies are more likely to strongly emphasize innovation efforts, flexibility, and growth orientation than firms in industries with long‐linked technologies.Practical implicationsManagement's challenge is to continually try to focalize on organizations' growth, adapting technological capabilities to be in dynamic alignment with the chosen growth dimensions and to take into account business vision and environmental opportunities.Originality/valueSuccessful organizations will be differentiated by their ability to visualize the logic growth dimensions and to leverage technological advances to create an appropriate organizational arrangement to support a competitive growth. The future of technological innovation and advanced manufacturing processes depends on continued investment in cutting‐edge research and development, finding new market segments, and a highly qualified workforce.
The value of seeking strategic direction in ensuring a future pattern of “realistic” growth potential
Authors: Groucutt Jonathan 
Published: January 2007

PurposeBy using the internet search engine Google™ as the primary example, this article illustrates: (1) that some high‐growth expectations are unsustainable over the short and medium term; and (2) that dependency on single revenue streams may provide growth over the short term, but may not be sustainable over the medium and longer terms, and may be a high‐risk scenario. An approach is presented that companies can undertake to critically evaluate current and future positions and consider such options as acquisition and integration as a means of building future growth potential.Design/methodology/approachSecondary research based on the analysis of published data.FindingsDependency on one revenue stream within a volatile market can impact upon growth expectations. Hyper‐growth expectations may be unsustainable, indeed unrealistic, over the medium term. Such growth expectations may be detrimental to the company. Companies who can spread the risk through acquisition and integration through strategic fit may have greater longer‐term growth potential, notwithstanding market and environmental dynamics.Research limitations/implicationsFuture opportunities for research could include, among other areas, how Google™ and similar online companies could use currently free products to generate revenues.Practical implicationsCompanies need to consider the volatility of the marketplace. Dependency on one revenue stream could be a high‐risk scenario, especially in relation to sustainable high growth expectations. Companies also need to consider various strategic options for sustainable longer‐term growth, and continually critically review both internal and external environments, as well as product ranges and revenue streams. Companies should take action to sustain growth, whether that is through new market development, acquisition or even divestment.Originality/valueWhile being flexible companies need to consider a realistic strategic direction for the business. Companies also need to consider realistic growth rates as compared to hyper‐growth expectations that are unlikely to be sustainable over the medium and longer term.
OPTIMAL EXPORT AND HEDGING DECISIONS WHEN FORWARD MARKETS ARE INCOMPLETE
Authors: Pong Wong Kit 
Published: January 2007

ABSTRACTThis paper examines the behaviour of the competitive firm that exports to two foreign countries under multiple sources of exchange rate uncertainty. There is a forward market between the home currency and one foreign country's currency, but there are no hedging instruments directly related to the other foreign country's currency. We show that the separation theorem holds when the firm optimally exports to the foreign country with the currency forward market. The full‐hedging theorem holds either when the firm exports exclusively to the foreign country with the currency forward market or when the relevant spot exchange rates are independent. In the case that the relevant spot exchange rates are positively (negatively) correlated in the sense of regression dependence, the firm optimally opts for a short (long) forward position for cross‐hedging purposes.
SHORT‐ AND LONG‐RUN DECOMPOSITIONS OF UK WAGE INEQUALITY CHANGES
Authors: Huw Edwards Terence , Whalley John 
Published: January 2007

ABSTRACTThis paper focuses on the decomposition of observed increases in UK wage inequality since 1979 into the component factors of competition from low‐wage imports and technological change. Building on recent work by Abrego and Whalley, we argue that the length of production run and degree of fixity of factors is crucial in such analyses. If the response of labour markets to date is a short‐run response, in which factors and output have not adjusted fully, then analysis of the causes of increased inequality is substantially altered relative to a long‐run factors mobile world.
A method for constraining the age of origination of derived characters
Authors: Hermsen Elizabeth J. , Hendricks Jonathan R. 
Published: January 2007

AbstractFossils are the physical records of the history of morphological character evolution on Earth and can provide valuable information concerning the sequence and timing of origination of derived characters. Knowledge of the timing of origination of synapomorphies makes it possible to estimate when unobserved character changes occurred in the geological past. Here we present a method for estimating the temporal interval during which synapomorphies evolved. The method requires either direct inclusion of fossil taxa (with or without extant taxa) in cladistic analyses based on morphological or combined data, or indirectly using the “molecular scaffold approach.” Second, characters of interest are mapped on a most parsimonious tree and “minimum age node mapping” is used to place minimum ages on the nodes of the tree. Finally, characters of interest are evaluated for younger and/or older temporal constraints on the time of their origination; application of the older bound assumes ancestry of fossil terminals included in the tree. A key is provided herein describing the method. Among other applications, this approach has the potential to provide a powerful test of purported evolutionary cause–effect relationships. For example, the method has the ability to discover that derived characters of suggested adaptational significance may considerably pre‐date the cause(s) that are hypothesized to have favored their establishment.© The Willi Hennig Society 2007.
Buprenorphine‐associated gastroparesis during in‐patient heroin detoxification
Authors: Jakobovits Simon L. , Mcdonough Michael , Chen Robert Y. 
Published: January 2007

ABSTRACTBackground  Buprenorphine is a partial mu receptor agonist used in opiate detoxification. It has been shown to cause delayed gastric emptying in healthy volunteers.Case description  We describe a case of clinically severe gastroparesis (delayed gastric emptying due to impaired contraction of the stomach) whose onset coincided with the commencement of buprenorphine‐assisted detoxification.Conclusion  We review the literature on gastric effects of buprenorphine in healthy volunteers, providing proof of the concept that this was the most probable cause of this patient's gastroparesis.
Identifying drunkenness in the night‐time economy
Authors: Perham Nick , Moore Simon C. , Shepherd Jonathan , Cusens Bryany 
Published: January 2007

ABSTRACTBackground  Prohibiting the sale of alcohol to intoxicated patrons by licensees and their staff requires definitions of drunkenness.Aims  To assess the relationship between blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and indicators used in field sobriety tests putatively associated with intoxication.Design, participants, setting, material and methods  A random sample of 314 female and 579 male city centre drinkers. Surveyors scored respondents' and non‐respondents' gait, eyes and speech for signs of drunkenness as well as their drunkenness on a 10‐point Likert scale. Breath analysis was used to determine respondents' BAC.Findings  Combinations of slurred speech, staggering gait and glazed eyes significantly predicted levels of BAC with a staggering gait indicating highest levels of intoxication.Conclusions  Subjective ratings of drunkenness by trained observers corresponded with BAC. Transition BACs denoting observable behaviour change associated with intoxication have been identified. Observations of gait, combined with assessment of slurred speech should be the basis of estimates of drunkenness.
Alcohol and violence: use of possible confounders in a time‐series analysis
Authors: Bye Elin K. 
Published: January 2007

ABSTRACTAims  To assess the aggregate association between alcohol consumption and violence, while controlling for potential confounders.Design and measurements  The data comprise aggregate time‐series for Norway in the period 1880–2003 and 1911–2003 on criminal violence rates and per capita alcohol consumption. Possible confounders comprise annual rates of unemployment, divorce, marriage, total fertility rate, gross national product, public assistance/social care and the proportion of the population aged between 15 and 25. Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) analyses were performed on differenced data. Both semilogarithmic and linear models were estimated.Findings  Alcohol consumption was associated significantly with violence, and an increase in alcohol consumption of 1 litre per year per inhabitant predicted a change of approximately 8% in the violence rate. The parameter estimate for the alcohol variable remained unaltered after including the covariates both in the semilogarithmic and the linear models. Of the seven covariates included in the models, only divorce was associated significantly with violence rate.Conclusions  The results suggest that alcohol consumption has an independent effect on violence rates when other factors are controlled for. The results support the assumption of a causal effect of alcohol consumption on violence, and it appears that alcohol consumption is an important factor when we wish to explain changes in violence rates over time.