bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Merger repair: when M&As go wrong
Authors: Galpin Timothy , Herndon Mark 
Published: January 2008

PurposeThe company closed the deal over two‐years ago, but the organization is still not operating as one company: results are lagging, customers are defecting, and shareholders are restless. Management thought that they checked off all of the right deal actions, including: a thorough due diligence (operations, finances, systems, and people); assigning appropriate integration resources early and keeping them available throughout the integration process; developing and executing detailed integration plans; and measuring, tracking, and reporting implementation progress against the integration plans. But, somewhere, somehow, something went wrong – and it has to be fixed, or else. The transaction itself was completed too long ago for any action now to be truly considered “post‐deal integration.” The situation the company now faces is “merger repair.” Unfortunately, they are not alone. Numerous, well‐intentioned deals have gone sour either due to gross negligence or because of a series of small – but in aggregate very powerful – mistakes and/or delays. This article provides a method to identify whether or not a company is in need of “merger repair,” and an approach (including supporting tools and templates) to perform the needed “repairs.”Design/methodology/approachIn working with numerous clients on merger integration efforts we have identified that, not only do many companies struggle with their immediate M&A integration efforts, but they also suffer chronic performance issues caused by past integration efforts that have been allowed to linger and/or have been managed poorly.FindingsConducting M&A integration efforts poorly creates lasting business performance issues (e.g. poor customer service, lower than desired productivity, lack of cost control, and/or unrealized revenue improvement) long after a deal is closed. Almost half (49 percent) of the respondents to The University of Dallas Graduate School Of Management's, 2006 Mergers and Acquisitions Survey – The Current State of M&A Integration (including 124 executives and managers from 21 different industries), indicated that their company is in need of “merger repair.” There are two key tracks of “merger repair” companies can pursue to first get the business back on track, and then to improve the organization's future M&A integration competency.Originality/valueThis article advances the current theory and practice of post‐merger integration that, up to this point, has focused exclusively on integration activities conducted immediately (i.e. within the first 6 to 12‐months) of deal close. This article also addresses how to identify and address integration issues that still exist two or more years after a deal is closed, by providing pragmatic tools and templates that practitioners can immediately apply to both identify and resolve situations of “merger repair.” Lastly, the approach described has broad application to companies across multiple industries and geographies.
A new model for managing change: the holistic view
Authors: Adcroft Andy , Willis Robert , Hurst Jeff 
Published: January 2008

PurposeIn an age where organizational transformation is becoming more important to both the theory and practice of strategic management, the aim of this paper is to provide a model through which organizational transformation and strategic change can be understood in an holistic manner.Design/methodology/approachIn developing a model to explain organizational transformation, the paper draws on two different theoretical traditions. First, the paper draws on theories of political revolutions and, second, the paper draws on interpretative theories, in particular, speech act theory.FindingsThe paper argues that in order to provide a realistic understanding of how and why an organization has attempted a transformational strategy it is important to consider four issues: the event which triggered the transformation, the program and process through which transformation was attempted, the outcome of the transformational strategy, and the myths which have been built up around the transformation.Originality/valueThe paper takes a novel approach by drawing on non‐management theories to develop an understanding of management phenomena. In doing this the paper generates an original model useful for the post rational explanation of transformational strategies.
Valuing human organs: an application of contingent valuation
Authors: Altinanahtar Alper , Crooker John R. , Kruse Jamie B. 
Published: January 2008

PurposeThis paper aims to estimate a supply response to monetary incentives to donate organs using a survey based on Adams, Barnett and Kaserman.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses bootstrap techniques to estimate the characteristics of individuals and their willingness to accept monetary compensation for an organ donation commitment. It uses the estimates to fuel a simulation that examines the relationship between a market‐clearing price and the usability rate. The usability rate is the proportion of deaths that result in tissues that are viable for transplant.FindingsBy analyzing the relationship between usability rate and market‐clearing price, the paper identifies three important ranges. When the usability rate is about 5 percent, a donation‐only system (zero price) should clear the market. At a usability rate between 2 and 5 percent, modest monetary incentives can attract a supply response that will clear the market. When the usability rate is less than 2 percent, supply becomes sufficiently inelastic so that even large monetary incentives will not solve the shortage problem.Practical implicationsIf the market mechanism were capable of yielding a greater number of organs for transplantation than the current system, then its adoption would save numerous lives and significantly reduce the cost of treating a variety of serious diseases. Also, it is useful in a benefit‐cost analysis framework designed to measure the social value of refinements in the coordination system.Originality/valueBy relating the market‐clearing price of organs to their usability rates, this paper draws attention on the importance of interdisciplinary studies.
Norms and values of the various microfinance institutions
Authors: Hudon Marek 
Published: January 2008

PurposeThe paper aims to study the role of norms and values in the microfinance sector.Design/methodology/approachThe paper provides a combination of narrative with argument and analysis.FindingsA classification of the sector is proposed, mapping the institutions along two axes: the profit motive (profit vs not‐for‐profit) and the decision‐making style (centralized vs un‐centralized). Some microfinance institutions base their interactions on rigid norms or rules; while others are based on values. It is argued that the private sector will tend to produce the operating rules of the microfinance system while the not‐for‐profit institutions that are using an inclusive decision‐making process are more likely to influence the ethical norms in the sector. Nevertheless, this classification is not static as recent events in South‐India shows that norms, such as the interest rates, can be politically and emotionally invested to the point that they are about to become values in the sector.Originality/valueThe conclusions drawn help in understanding the interactions between the various actions in microfinance. Exploiting the full range of the possibilities of those different structures may be valuable for a fully successful development in India.
Socioeconomic determinants of child mortality in Pakistan
Authors: Iram Uzma , Butt Muhammad S. 
Published: January 2008

PurposeThe main purpose of this study is to identify and quantify the relative importance of various socioeconomic factors and maternal care practices which may have significant role in determining child mortality at different level of child ages in Pakistan.Design/methodology/approachThis paper examines the role of household, demographic and environment factors as determinants of early children mortality in Pakistan. A number of individual, household and local characteristics are related to the probability of child mortality. This study employed a sequential model which is based on a sequence of binary choice models for the conditional probability of choosing a higher response category.FindingsThis study identifies that mother feeding protects children from early exposure to diseases and ill‐health in different ways. It also appeared that mother's education is strongly related to neonatal mortality, infant mortality as well as child mortality not only through the improved child caring practices but also through other proximate determinants such as prenatal care, income and environmental contamination.Research limitations/implicationsSocial policies attempting to promote early initiation of mother feeding and utilization of prenatal care could make major contribution to the reduction of under five years mortality in PakistanPractical implicationsHealth care intervention programmes should focus on illiterate mothers whose children have all the cumulative risks due to poor health care utilization.Originality/valueThis could be the first ever effort in describing child mortality status with the help of sequential probit technique for Pakistan.
Trends in literacy rates and schooling among the scheduled tribe women in India
Authors: Mitra Aparna , Singh Pooja 
Published: January 2008

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to highlight the differences in literacy and schooling attainment among the scheduled tribe women in India.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses data from the Census of India, Department of Education in India, and National Human Development Report prepared by the Government of India.FindingsThe high status of women among the tribal groups in the northeastern states has important effects on the literacy rates, enrollment ratios and dropout rates of girls in that region. High‐poverty rates pose to be significant obstacles in attaining literacy and education among tribal women in India. However, large differences in literacy rates in the various states in India show that social and cultural norms, proximity to the mainstream Hindu culture, and the role of women are also important determinants in achieving literacy among tribal women.Originality/valueLiteracy is considered to be an important tool for improving the status of women among the scheduled tribes. Aggregate statistics often paint a dismal picture of the low‐literacy rates and schooling among the scheduled tribe women. This paper shows that such statistics fail to capture the different trends in literacy rates and value placed in schooling among the various tribal groups in India. Differences in economic, social, and cultural backgrounds among the various tribes need to be emphasized in order to understand the differential nature of investments in literacy rates and schooling among tribal women in India.
User experience in the library: a case study
Authors: Sadeh Tamar 
Published: January 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to describe the need for and realization of a new kind of interface for searching and obtaining library materials, an interface designed around user needs and decoupled from, though interoperating with, current library systems.Design/methodology/approachThe paper describes a product that was released in May 2007 – the Primo® system from Ex Libris – as an example of a new solution for the discovery and delivery of library collections. The paper deals with the issues involved in the design of the product, the way in which the product was built to address the needs of both information seekers and libraries, and the use of usability studies to affirm the overall design and help shape fine points of the interface.FindingsThe paper demonstrates how users' expectations, which emanate from the everyday experience on the internet, can be addressed by library software in a way that corresponds to librarians' requirements and suits and libraries' technological infrastructure.Originality/valueUsing a concrete example, this paper demonstrates how the design of a discovery and delivery interface for library materials can satisfy the expectations of users who are accustomed to services on the web and can help libraries attract such users back to the library environment, where they can obtain credible, trustworthy scholarly content.
Citation impact of Open Access journals
Authors: Turk Nana 
Published: January 2008

PurposeThis literature review aims to provide a synthesis of available key information about the citation impact of Open Access journals in LIS and science in general. Citation impact is defined as a surrogate measure of citation counts.Design/methodology/approachBased on a literature review, this paper discusses the methodology of the data collections for citation counts. The literature review is structured to address the literature about citation impact of Open Access journals.FindingsThe literature review indicates that there is quite a uniform way about methodology of citation counts and substantial research about motivation for URL citations to LIS articles.Originality/valueThis literature review is a comprehensive study of the main research about citation impact of Open Access journals, focused on LIS journals.
Competencies and curriculum for IL
Authors: Corradini Elena 
Published: January 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a flavour of the content of International Round Table at the Conference on Competencies and Curriculum for IL held in Milan, Italy in March 2007.Design/methodology/approachA description of the issues, content and speakers of the Round Table is presented in this report.FindingsVarious international perspectives were reported at this round table, covering the themes of IL courses, the curriculum, professional competencies, learning by doing, and who is the right teacher for IL, which ended with a lively discussion and thoughts for the future.Originality/valueThis paper provides a conference report of value to library and information professionals on the role of libraries for education, IL, learning styles, and the new challenges for information professionals working in the learning society.
What do voltmeters measure?
Authors: Bossavit Alain 
Published: January 2008

PurposeThe paper aims at justifying the operational rule “a voltmeter's reading is the electromotive force, as it existed before branching it, along the path γ traced out by the connectors between the contact points”.Design/methodology/approachA simple application of Faraday's law is enough to make the result plausible. Then it is shown that by an asymptotic analysis with the radius of the leads (assumed perfectly conductive) as small parameter that the current derived by the voltmeter is negligible.FindingsThe rule is valid in spite of the considerable modification of the electric field that branching a voltmeter entails.Originality/value“Voltage drop”, between A and B simply does not make sense. The threads of a voltmeter should carefully be placed in order to measure exactly what one has in view. This is explained by a few examples.
Comparison between torque calculation methods in a non‐conforming movement interface
Authors: Antunes O.J. , Bastos J.P.A. , Sadowski N. 
Published: January 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to compare torque calculation methods when a non‐conforming movement interface is implemented by means of Lagrange multipliers.Design/methodology/approachThe following methods are here used for computing the torque in a synchronous machine and in a switched reluctance motor: Arkkio's method (AM), local Jacobian matrix derivative (LJD) method, Maxwell stress tensor method (MST) and co‐energy variation method.FindingsThis paper shows that, the numerical stability produced by Lagrange multipliers yields a stable torque result, even in thin airgap machines if AM, LJD method or MST method are used.Originality/valueThis work presents a comparative study to indicate the performance of the most commonly used torque calculation methods, when a non‐conforming technique is used, considering a small displacement of the rotor, which is necessary for dynamic cases or coupling with circuit.
A t0‐ϕ surface impedance formulation for multiply connected conductors
Authors: Meunier G. , Le Floch Y. , Guérin C. 
Published: January 2008

PurposeTo model magneto‐harmonic devices including solid conductors with holes when the skin depth is very small.Design/methodology/approachThe 3D finite element magnetic scalar potential formulation combined with the surface impedance condition approximation is used. It allows the modelling of thin skin depth effect at low cost.FindingsThe paper shows how to use surface impedance condition for solid conductors with holes, when using the magnetic scalar potential. Specific equations must be added to respect Ampere's theorem. The paper establishes these equations and the coupling with the finite element formulation. The final system of equations is symmetric.Research limitations/implicationsThe formulation allows to treat linear material in the magneto‐harmonic assumption.Originality/valueThe use of surface impedance condition with the 3D finite element magnetic scalar potential formulation is well known. The originality is to take into account holes (multiply connected conductors).
Subdomain perturbation finite element method for skin and proximity effects in inductors
Authors: Dular Patrick , Sabariego Ruth V. , Krähenbühl Laurent 
Published: January 2008

PurposeTo develop a subdomain perturbation technique to calculate skin and proximity effects in inductors within frequency and time domain finite element (FE) analyses.Design/methodology/approachA reference limit eddy current FE problem is first solved by considering perfect conductors via appropriate boundary conditions. Its solution gives the source for eddy current FE perturbation subproblems in each conductor with its actual conductivity. Each of these problems requires an appropriate mesh of the associated conductor and its surrounding region.FindingsThe skin and proximity effects in inductors can be accurately determined in a wide frequency range, allowing for a precise consideration of inductive phenomena as well as Joule losses calculations in thermal coupling.Originality/valueThe developed subdomain method allows to accurately determine the current density distributions and ensuing Joule losses in conductors of any shape, not only in the frequency domain but also in the time domain. It extends the domain of validity and applicability of impedance boundary condition techniques. It also allows the solution process to be lightened, as well as efficient parameterized analyses on signal forms and conductor characteristics.
Investigation of the characteristics of conformal microstrip antennas
Authors: Jacobs Ralf T. , Kost Arnulf , Igarashi Hajime , Sangster Alan J. 
Published: January 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is the analysis of the radiation and impedance characteristics of cavity backed patch antennas embedded in a curved surface. Single patch elements and small scale array antennas are considered. The impact of curvature on the performance of the patch antenna is investigated, and the effect of mutual coupling between the elements in an array is examined.Design/methodology/approachA finite element‐boundary integral procedure has been implemented to accurately determine the performance characteristics of the patch radiators on planar and cylindrical surfaces. Simulated results will be shown to be in good agreement with measurements.FindingsMutual coupling effects between array elements are examined and it can be observed that an active element primarily interacts with the nearest neighbour elements. A comparison of an array element with a single patch radiator shows that the mutual coupling effects cause no significant mismatch between a patch and a feed network in practical applications.Originality/valueThe characteristics of conformal microstrip antennas are investigated for single patch radiators and patch elements in array environments. Simulations are supported by measurements.
Magnetic shielding of buried high‐voltage (HV) cables by conductive metal plates
Authors: Sergeant Peter , Dupré Luc , Melkebeek Jan 
Published: January 2008

PurposeTo study the magnetic shielding of buried high‐voltage (HV) cables by adding conductive metal plates on the ground surface above the cables.Design/methodology/approachThe field is calculated with eight rectangular conductive plates above the cables, positioned with their long edge either parallel to the cables or transversal to the cables. Here, the circuit method is used. In this method, the shield is replaced by a grid of straight filaments in which the unknown currents are searched by solving an electrical circuit.FindingsIt is observed from the calculation results that it is important to have a perfect electrical connection between adjacent plates. In the area above the shield, an “infinite” contact resistance between neighbouring plates results roughly in double field amplitude compared to the situation with contact resistance zero. The positioning of the rectangular plates (parallel or transversal to the cables) has not much influence on the shielding. The shielding efficiency as a function of the shield size is studied as well. The circuit method is validated by measurements on an experimental setup at reduced scale.Research limitations/implicationsThe circuit method is applied to conductive objects and not to ferromagnetic objects.Practical implicationsAs the circuit method is rather fast also for 3D geometries with thin plates, the shielding of HV cables can be evaluated in a computationally more efficient way than by using, e.g. finite elements.Originality/valueThe circuit method is already described in the literature. The originality of this paper is the study – by this circuit method – of the effect of several parameters (size of the shield, contact resistance, orientation of the plates) on the shielding efficiency.
3D micromagnetism‐magnetostatic coupling technique for MR reading heads modeling
Authors: Firastrau I. , Buda‐Prejbeanu L.D. , Toussaint J.C. , Nozières J‐P. 
Published: January 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop an original approach to simulate the reading process for multitrack shielded magneto‐resistive reading (MR) heads.Design/methodology/approachThe shields and the media are of micron size while the sensor has sizes comparable with the characteristic length scales of the magnetic materials which are of the order of nanometer. Because of this large difference of scales between the different parts of the head, the macroscopic shields and the media are described by a boundary element method (BEM) approach, while the sensor is treated by micromagnetism in order to reconstruct the response of shielded multitrack MR head. To select the most favorable approach, several releases were implemented and compared. A technique based on a full‐coupling procedure was found to be the most general but too expensive in time. Appling the perfect‐imaging method directly into the micromagnetic simulator, the authors succeed in accelerating the computation without loosing accuracy.FindingsSolving by BEM the Poisson equation for the scalar magnetic potential only the surfaces interfaces are discretised, saving thus computation time and memory resources. In addition, for multi‐tracks data pattern, the magnetic scalar potential may be estimated with a good approximation by considering a periodic system along the crosstrack direction. By applying the Fourier series expansion for the magnetic charges distribution along the crosstrack direction, the initial BEM 3D problem can be treated as a bi‐dimensional one.Originality/valueThis macroscopic‐microscopic coupling technique allows a full description of the behaviour of the magnetic sensor in its environment, being a useful tool for the design and the optimisation of the multitrack MR reading heads.