bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The relationship between support, commitment and intent to leave team
Authors: Paillé Pascal 
Published: March 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to address and gain a more complete understanding of the effects on relationships between perceived team support (PTS), team commitment and intent to leave the team.Design/methodology/approachTeam commitment was examined as a mediator between perceived team support and intent to leave the team. To reach this objective, a survey on French white‐collar employee (n=355) was conducted. The procedure of Baron and Kenny was selected for the mediation test.FindingsThe study provides several interesting data. First, data reveal two dimensions for PTS. The first one is labelled PTS toward work, the second one is labelled PTS toward well‐being. Second, while team commitment mediates the relationship between PTS toward work and intent to leave the team, team commitment does not mediate PTS toward well‐being and the intent to leave the team.Originality/valueThe findings extend the understanding of how perceived team support and team commitment are related to intent to leave the team. It was found that team commitment plays a mediating role between perceived team support and intent to leave the team. Because to date, no research has examined the mediating role of team commitment on the relationship between PTS and intent to leave the team, the study provides interesting findings.
Reducing hospital‐acquired infections through knowledge‐sharing in work teams
Authors: Lemmergaard Jeanette 
Published: March 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to analyze the use of a team‐based organizational structure for the purpose of improving the quality of the services provided by the health care system. More specifically, the research aims to investigate the efficiency of a cross‐functional team‐based structure in regard to improving knowledge‐sharing and hereby reducing hospital‐acquired infections (i.e. health‐care associated infections) caused by insufficient hand hygiene.Design/methodology/approachThe findings are drawn from interviews, observations, and desk research conducted in a large Danish university hospital. The paper has applied a case study methodology using grounded theory and has approached the analysis by employing a holistic view.FindingsThe paper identifies the necessity for educating the hygiene teams in regard to team processes. Professional knowledge of proper hygiene behavior is to be combined with knowledge of procurement, processes of change, and teamwork in such a manner that the members of the hygiene teams can implement these tools effectively.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is based on a small sample. The context and process imposed constraints and the findings are context specific; this has implications for the application of the findings to other settings.Practical implicationsKnowledge about proper hand washing is not enhanced through written policies and procedures.Originality/valueThe paper offers insight into means of enhancing hygiene standards by the integration of organizational processes and change with knowledge and knowledge transfer within a hospital.
An empirical examination of the relationships between adult attention deficit, reliance on team mates and team member performance
Authors: Coetzer Graeme H. , Trimble Richard 
Published: March 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of adult attention deficit on team members, the relationships between team members, the task performance dynamics within teams and team member performance.Design/methodology/approachA total of 304 management students working in self managing project teams completed measures of adult attention deficit, difficulty with necessary tasks, general independence, extraordinary reliance on team mates and acceptance of reliance on team mates. A measure of a team member's performance was completed by the other team members upon completion of the team project. Product moment correlations were used to examine associations between the measures, and partial correlations were used to test for mediation effects. The Williams T2 test was used to test for significant differences in correlations between adult attention deficit and related variables.FindingsAdult attention deficit interferes with the ability to perform necessary tasks and constrains the achievement of a general sense of independence. The disorder also promotes extraordinary reliance on team mates and constrains team member performance. Although the disorder promotes extraordinary reliance on team mates, it promotes acceptance of such reliance to a much lesser extent.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research needs to sample a variety of workplace teams. Testing the hypotheses on new samples will also help to confirm the validity and reliability of the measures developed for this study.Practical implicationsOrganizations that are increasingly reliant on the performance of employee teams need to be more aware of the influence of adult attention deficit on team members, their relationships with other team members and their performance. Providing individual training and team interventions that target the cognitive, emotional and behavioral capacity for completing necessary tasks is especially important for team members afflicted with the disorder.Originality/valueThis is the first study to examine the relationship between adult attention deficit, reliance on other team members and team member performance. This research is of value to researchers, organizational development specialists, managers and team members who are trying to improve the performance of team members with adult attention deficit.
Determinants of new product performance in small firms
Authors: O'Dwyer Michele , Ledwith Ann 
Published: March 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the determinants of new product performance in small firms; specifically, the impact of customer orientation, competitor orientation, interfunctional co‐ordination, product launch proficiency and product advantage.Design/methodology/approachBased on previous studies a model was developed addressing determinants of new product and organisational performance (customer orientation, competitor orientation, interfunctional co‐ordination, product advantage, and product launch proficiency). These relationships were explored using data collected from 26 small firms in Ireland.FindingsThe results indicate that competitor orientation and product launch proficiency are strongly linked to new product performance and organisational performance in small firms. Additionally, they illustrate a lack of significant relationships between performance and customer orientation, interfunctional coordination and product advantage, thus suggesting that the existing large firm models explored may not be fully applicable to small firms.Practical implicationsSmall firms need to ensure that they know their competitors, as competitor orientation is linked with both new product performance and organisational performance.Originality/valueWhile the importance of market orientation and new product development to the survival and success of firms is well supported in the literature, the study demonstrates clearly that the measures used, and relationships found, in large firms do not all apply in small firms.
Conceptualising entrepreneurial capital for a study of performance in small professional service firms
Authors: Stringfellow Lindsay , Shaw Eleanor 
Published: March 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a robust theoretical framework for exploring the longitudinal impact of social capital on the performance of small business service firms.Design/methodology/approachThis conceptual paper builds on theories of capital, particularly entrepreneurial capital, to develop a theoretically robust framework within which to consider the longitudinal impact of social capital on small business service firms.FindingsReviewing current literature on entrepreneurial capital demonstrates the difficulty in isolating capital in its various forms due to the convertibility and overlapping nature of different types of capital. Also problematic is the impact of time and the effect which changing amounts and types of capital can have on firm performance. The conceptual model addresses these concerns by exploring social capital in a sector where financial capital presents less of a barrier to entry and where owners' human capital, particularly their educational achievement, is broadly similar. To capture process‐based data, three key stages in the entrepreneurship process are explored: nascent, start‐up, and established.Practical implicationsUnderstanding the changing structure and relational aspects of social capital over time and its impact on performance will assist small business owners in utilising their relationships more effectively. Although the study focuses on small professional service firms it may also be applicable to other sectors, or be used in replicated studies with other professions.Originality/valueThe conceptual framework proposed recognises the overlapping and convertible nature of different forms of capital. Further, it recognises the fluctuating nature of entrepreneurial capital over time and the different outcomes which can emerge from social capital.
Information technology adoption in SMEs: an integrated framework
Authors: Nguyen ThuyUyen H. 
Published: March 2009

PurposeThe aim of this research is to gain a clearer understanding of information technology (IT) adoption in small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) by analysing and contrasting the current literature. Whilst describing how and why SMEs acquire IT, the paper also seeks to highlight the enablers as well as the inhibitors that influence the adoption process.Design/methodology/approachThe method was a review of literature including empirical research and case studies related to IT adoption from various databases such as Business Premier, Science Direct, JStor and Emerald Insight. Supporting material was accessed from reference books regarding similar concepts and theories.FindingsThe literature suggests that SMEs adopt IT for many reasons. In general, the majority of the changes result from pressures from both internal and external sources. In addition to these drivers, there are factors that influence the process either directly or indirectly. Based on these different perspectives the paper proposes a conceptual framework that is composed of those perspectives that are relevant to the adoption of IT in SMEs.Research limitations/implicationsThis conceptual framework for the IT adoption process is based on the existing literature. It is open to and requires empirical testing to determine its relevance and validity in a practical setting.Originality/valueThe paper demonstrates the process of IT adoption in SMEs by combining perspectives from the literature. The framework will help adopters gain a practical overview of the IT adoption process in SMEs.
Do business angels benefit their investee companies?
Authors: Macht Stephanie A. , Robinson John 
Published: March 2009

PurposeEntrepreneurial businesses often face financial and experiential gaps, which can constrain their growth. Business angels (BAs) can provide sources of financial, human and social capital to overcome these gaps. Building on the work by Munck and Saublens, this paper aims to introduce a framework that seeks to provide a detailed understanding of the benefits that BAs can bring to the firms in which they invest.Design/methodology/approachIn order to obtain a detailed understanding of the benefits that BAs bring to their investee companies, semi‐structured, in‐depth telephone interviews were conducted from an investee perspective. The key managers of nine angel‐funded companies were purposefully selected and the transcribed interviews analysed with the help of common qualitative analysis techniques.FindingsAccording to investee managers, BAs provide benefits in all four areas of the proposed framework. Specifically, BAs: help overcome funding gaps; fill knowledge/experience gaps through provision of their own expertise and involvement; provide a wide range of contacts and leverage further funding, including their own follow‐on finance.Research limitations/implicationsThe anonymous nature of the BA market requires convenience sampling, which, in addition to the small sample size used, does not allow for generalisability. The use of telephone interviews instead of face‐to‐face interviews did not allow for observation of non‐verbal cues. Nevertheless, the study identified various areas in need of further research.Originality/valueIn‐depth interview data enabled a detailed exploration of the financial and non‐financial benefits of BA funding from an under‐utilised investee perspective. The paper's main value, however, lies in establishing the usefulness of a framework showing BAs' benefits in a structured manner.
Entrepreneurship in teleology: the variety of the forms
Authors: Katsikis Ioannis N. , Kyrgidou Lida P. 
Published: March 2009

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to define a range of entrepreneurial concepts and provide a critical review of their content in order to map the forms of the entrepreneurial actions within their teleological context.Design/methodology/approachBased on the authors' definition of teleology as the process of heading towards an end, entrepreneurship was categorized into a three‐item typology, namely subject, process and object. The latter served as a platform for the analysis, which reveals some key qualities about research in entrepreneurship.FindingsThe paper provides a categorization of entrepreneurship both at the distinction (subject, process, object) and the contextual level and the commonalities and differences among entrepreneurship's different teleological approaches are analyzed and the potential is offered for further avenues of research to emerge. Additionally, it is demonstrated that the teleological approaches represent distinct approaches to interpret diverse aspects of the entrepreneurial phenomenon and provide insights into the way in which the entrepreneurial process itself unfolds.Originality/valueThe paper provides an innovative categorization of entrepreneurship as subject, process and object while discussing a variety of various entrepreneurial forms through their teleological nature within each of the three categories. The paper is valuable to scholars seeking to further advance their understanding in the various fields of entrepreneurship, understand the function of the particular set of activities to be undertaken, the role of particular individuals/agents involved in the entrepreneurial process, the opportunity identification/exploitation process as well as the particular objective that each entrepreneurial form aims at fulfilling.
The influence of self‐construals on young Korean consumers' decision‐making styles
Authors: Hong Youn Hahn Kim , Kean Rita 
Published: March 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the relationships between self‐construals and decision‐making styles of Korean college students.Design/methodology/approachA total of 872 Korean college students from three different Korean university campuses completed three‐part questionnaires (self‐construal, decision making styles and demographic information).FindingsIt was found that Korean college students' decision‐making styles can vary according to their self‐construals.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough data were collected from three different universities located in different geographic locations, the study was conducted using a convenience sample rather than a random sample. Therefore, a randomly selected, diverse and geographical sampling is recommended to be able to generalize results from such a study to the total Korean college student population.Practical implicationsFindings suggest that high‐end luxury imported goods might appeal to Korean college students with Independent self‐construals. Even though there is an emerging new group of students with an independent self‐construal, the majority of Korean college students still hold a higher interdependent self‐construal than independent self‐construal. Therefore, different marketing strategies should be developed according to the different market segments among the Korean college students based on the different clothing product categories and quality.Originality/valueDespite the growing global market and importance of studying cultural differences, little information about the influence of culture on consumer behaviour is available. The findings of the dual‐self concept within the Korean culture and their close relationship with decision‐making styles contribute to the theoretical knowledge base of contemporary consumer behaviour.
An analytical approach to assessing the competitiveness in the textile industry
Authors: Shafaei Rasoul 
Published: March 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to measure the competitive performance of four major Iranian synthetic fiber‐manufacturing companies, as one of the main sectors in the textile industry, using an analytical approach. The results presented assist in evaluating the competitive performance of a company, while developing recommendations for improving competitive strategy of the firms.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed approach is based on Porter's diamond of competitive advantage (including four main determinants, namely factor conditions, demand, related and supporting industries and firm strategy and rivalry, plus government as an external factor). This approach is based on five determinants, each one consisting of two to six elements, with each element including a number of variables, i.e. 55 variables in total, which were confirmed by the interviewees as important factors affecting the competitiveness of a firm. Accordingly, the results obtained from the interviews confirmed the validity of the proposed approach to assess the competitiveness of a company. In addition the proposed approach is applied to assessing the competitive performance of four companies which manufacture synthetic fibers, in terms of each determinant as well as the overall competitive performance of each company. The data used in this research were obtained from both face‐to‐face interviews and a questionnaire completed by the key managers and engineers at the companies studied. The validity of the results obtained by means of the proposed approach was also correlated by comparing the results with the Export Value and Relative Comparative Advantage index of the synthetic fiber industry in Iran.FindingsThe results reveal that the competitiveness of the four companies is significantly low. Furthermore, of the five determinants, factor condition yielded the highest performance for the firms. The paper also identifies some of the shortcomings affecting the local manufacturers, and provides recommendations on how to improve the competitive performance of the firms.Practical implicationsThe proposed approach provides a good basis for assessing the competitive performance of the companies. This can also help both researchers and practitioners in deciding how best to improve the competitive performance of a company.Originality/valueThe research proposes an analytical method for measuring the competitiveness of companies. This also helps in developing recommendations for improving competitive strategy. In addition, the method evaluates the competitive performance of four companies which play an important role in the Iranian synthetic fiber industry. Recommendations are also made on how to improve the performance. The findings should prove useful for both researchers and practitioners.
Identifying characteristics of consumers who frequently return apparel
Authors: Kang Minjeong , Johnson Kim 
Published: March 2009

PurposeThis paper seeks to investigate relationships between apparel return behavior and fashion innovativeness, buying impulsiveness, and consideration of return policies of US consumers.Design/methodology/approachA convenience sample of 246 undergraduates studying in the USA completed a questionnaire that contained measures of apparel returns, fashion innovativeness, buying impulsiveness, and consideration of return policies. Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analysis were used to analyze the data.FindingsIt was found that apparel return behavior of participants was positively related to buying impulsiveness and to consideration of return policies. These two variables were also significant predictors of frequency of apparel returns. Fashion innovativeness was not significantly related to participants' apparel return behavior. In addition, participants' consideration of return policies was not related to their innovative or impulsive purchase behaviors.Practical implicationsFindings are useful to retailers to better understand characteristics of frequent returners and to make informed decisions about developing optimal return policies that prohibit excessive product returns yet do not inhibit consumers' purchasing.Originality/valueThere is limited research on potential effects of adopting restrictive return policies. The study begins to examine whether leniency in return policy might potentially influence the behavior of innovative or impulsive consumers.
Consumer responses to incomplete information in print apparel advertising
Authors: Lu Hsu Jane , Hsien‐Chen Mo Roxy 
Published: March 2009

PurposeThis paper aims to examine how consumers perceive incomplete information in print apparel advertisements in magazines and whether incomplete information influences decisions.Design/methodology/approachA total of 239 examples of print apparel advertisements in fashion magazines were collected in 2006. Content analysis was utilised to code the types of information in print apparel advertisements prior to the design of the questionnaire in the consumer survey. In the questionnaire, attitudes toward incomplete information in print apparel advertisements, information search, involvement, purchasing intentions, and demographics were included. A consumer survey was administered in Taiwan using stratified sampling. The total number of completed, usable questionnaires returned was 304.FindingsConsumers who thought missing information in print apparel advertising to be important tended to find missing information from other sources like media, word‐of‐mouth, salespersons, and in stores. Information search behaviour positively influenced purchasing intentions. Consumers with higher levels of involvement tended to pay more attention to missing information and were more likely to search information.Research limitations/implicationsPrint apparel advertisements are presented not only in magazines, but on outdoor billboards, in catalogues, on the internet, in newspapers, and in buses. The restrictions of readers of fashion magazines as respondents in the study could limit the applicability of research findings of the study to attitudes toward incomplete information in print apparel advertisements of fashion magazine readers.Practical implicationsPrint apparel advertisements are not a major source for consumers to obtain comprehensive fashion information. Simplified but clear design of print apparel advertising is acceptable for consumers who are prone to ignore missing information. Those who tend to notice missing information in print apparel advertisements would investigate other sources to obtain information for purchase decisions. Print apparel advertisements showing fashion clothing and brand names only are easy for browsing. The attractiveness of print apparel advertising design seems to be more important than detailed information included in advertisements.Originality/valueThe contribution of the study is to reveal attitudes toward incomplete information in print apparel advertising. The results of the study could be beneficial for apparel advertisers and could be valuable for marketers to realise the types of information consumers prefer while searching though the medium of fashion magazines.