bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ethics in the information exploitation and manipulation age
Authors: Snow Richard , Snow Mary 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to elaborate the need to educate and encourage students to seek an ethical realm in which the researcher not only accurately analyses and documents a problem, but also actually advocates involvement to mitigate negative impacts.Design/methodology/approachGeographic information systems (GIS) applications are used in the paper to demonstrate that data from a stream of diverse sources can be manipulated by selectively stressing certain information, by deliberately excluding pertinent information, or by interlacing statements taken out of context to concoct an entirely different meaning.FindingsThe paper finds that, in response to an escalation of academic misconduct among students and researchers competing for jobs and grants, numerous disciplines have established codes of ethics.Practical implicationsUnderstanding that formal curricula designed to raise an awareness of moral issues and affect ethical reasoning have proven to be successful, a GIS code of ethics and an ethics workshop outline are presented.Originality/valueThe validity of a GIS, or any other depiction of data, should be carefully examined, as data classification schemes can be problematic. This paper emphasises the need for students and researchers to be well versed in the scientific method, which involves self‐awareness combined with honesty, scepticism, and integrity.
EPrints makes its mark
Authors: Stanger Nigel , McGregor Graham 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to report on the impact and cost/benefit of implementing three EPrints digital repositories at the University of Otago, and to encourage others to follow suit.Design/methodology/approachThree repositories were successfully implemented at the University of Otago using existing commodity hardware and free open source software. The first pilot repository was implemented within ten days, and is now a fully functional system that is being championed for institutional‐wide use by the University Library. The other two repositories emerged from different community needs. One is academic, concerned with collecting and researching indigenous content; the other is designed to preserve and manage collective memory and heritage content for a small rural community.FindingsThe paper shows that digital repositories can be established quickly and effectively with surprisingly few resources; readily incorporate any kind of extant digital content, or non‐digital material that is converted to electronic form; meet multifarious needs, from academic institutions seeking to enhance research visibility and impact, to individuals and small communities collecting and preserving their unique memory and heritage records; and establish connectivity with the global community from the moment they go live.Practical implicationsThe technology and global support community have matured to a state where a fully‐featured repository can be quickly and easily implemented.Originality/valueThis paper describes the short history, development and impact of the first live repositories of their kind in New Zealand. Their utility and implications for the unique communities that have given rise to them are also explored, by way of encouraging others to take up the digital challenge.
Herding cats
Authors: Krevit Leah , Crays Linda 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine a pilot program implemented by the Houston Academy of Medicine‐Texas Medical Center Library and The University of Texas School of Nursing at Houston to design the multi‐institutional repository for the Texas Medical Center.Design/methodology/approachThe steps involved in the program are outlined and the lessons learned from the implementation are analyzed.FindingsThe success of the institutional repository depends on appropriate communication with faculty, a deep understanding of the publishing process, identifying appropriate partners, designing a flexible technology infrastructure, and engaging in active collaboration with key players. The Library is the logical center for this activity.Practical implicationsThe paper should assist libraries with the unique activities involved in creating a viable multi‐institutional repository in a research‐intense academic medical environment.Originality/valueThis paper analyzes the challenges inherent in introducing institutional digital repositories to the academic medical community. Currently, institutional repositories are being developed in only a small percentage of the academic medical centers in the USA.
Creating an institutional repository at a challenged institution
Authors: Kelly John C. 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to show how an institutional repository can be successfully created by university libraries with limited financial and technological resources.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper the library's experience creating an institutional repository despite financial and technological limitations is recounted.FindingsThe paper finds that a serviceable repository may be created by focusing on its critical elements, and adapting existing resources, including a proprietary system currently used for other digital resources.Practical implicationsThe paper shows that librarians should not assume that open‐source systems are the only vehicles for providing institutional repositories, or that such a service is necessarily beyond their capabilities.Originality/valueAcademic libraries do not have to follow an involved, idealized process to create an institutional repository based upon open‐source software. Systems already at hand, even if proprietary, may be adapted and real‐world limitations surmounted to create such a resource.
The institutional repository at the University of Nebraska‐Lincoln
Authors: Royster Paul 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a short history of the first year of operation of an institutional repository (IR) at a midwestern state university. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is anecdotal, reviewing aims, rationales, and strategies, and offering advice and some counter‐intuitive lessons.FindingsThe paper finds that voluntary self‐archiving by faculty or campus publishers is exceptional or rare, but there are other ways of populating an IR with valuable content. IR's should seek original material, including new dissertations, as well as previously published articles. IR's should offer a variety of services to make faculty participation as effortless as possible. IR's can increase usage by efforts directed at publicizing their resources and offerings.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper concerns one institution, but the challenges faced are common to all new university institutional repositories.Originality/valueThis paper is a useful source of information for those considering, planning, or operating an institutional repository.
A multifaceted approach to promote a university repository
Authors: Mercer Holly , Rosenblum Brian , Emmett Ada 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe the history of KU ScholarWorks, the University of Kansas' institutional repository, and the various strategies used to promote and populate it.Design/methodology/approachThis paper describes how KU ScholarWorks came into being, and discusses the variety of activities employed to publicize the repository and encourage faculty to deposit their work. In addition, the paper discusses some of the concerns expressed by faculty members, and some of the obstacles encountered in getting them to use the repository. The paper concludes with some observations about KU's efforts, an assessment of the success of the program to date, and suggests some next steps the program may take.FindingsThe paper found that KU ScholarWorks has relied on a “self‐archiving” model, which requires regular communication with faculty and long‐term community building. Repository content continues to grow at a steady pace, but uptake among faculty has been slow. In the absence of mandates requiring faculty to deposit work, organizations running institutional repositories must continue to aggressively pursue a variety of strategies to promote repositories to faculty and encourage them to deposit their scholarship.Originality/valueKU's experience will help other institutions develop institutional repositories by providing examples of marketing strategies, and by promoting a greater understanding of faculty behavior and concerns with regard to institutional repositories.
Engaging our fears: student learning at the center of our practice
Authors: Guerrero Carlos 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThe paper aims to make the case that attention to student learning outcomes provides a pedagogical bridge between the expectations of community college faculty and the performance of underprepared students.Design/methodology/approachCritical examination of research studies in the professional literature and examination of the work of Bob Barr and John Tagg, as well as of Paulo Freire presents a model in which students take responsibility for their learning and faculty attend to that, using clear standards of evaluation.FindingsStudies show clear disparities between faculty expectations of community college students and these students' readiness to meet those expectations and to be active participants in their education. Faculty need to take responsibility for defining student learning outcomes and using them in embedded assessment. The work of Barr and Tagg and that of Freire are key frames in moving toward closing the gap between student preparedness and faculty expectations, because they focus on the conditions within which the students are learning. Their shared emphasis is to translate the goals in a way that creates the conditions under which students can make progress, whatever their goals.Originality/valueThis is a view from the front lines, where educational theory intersects with the realities at Los Angeles City College.
The transformation to a learner‐centered community as a result of university‐wide assessment
Authors: Kieke Michele C. , Moroz Karen , Gort Amy S. 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe the way(s) in which the introduction of systematic outcomes assessment throughout a university has begun to transform its academic culture.Design/methodology/approachThe college is incrementally introducing system‐supported evaluation of student work. It began with general education, working with interdisciplinary faculty committees to define common learning outcomes with shared rubrics, and using these in all courses designated as general education. The use of this approach is now expanding into the majors and specific programs.FindingsThe paper finds that the process by which general education and program outcomes and rubrics have been defined has already led to a change of focus – with more clear emphasis on what students should demonstrate – and a shared sense of ownership in the learning outcomes and rubrics.Originality/valueConcordia University (Saint Paul) is one of the first colleges to methodically introduce this system‐supported approach across the institution.
But can they do it? High tech real time performance evaluation
Authors: Edwards Rich 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe how Kirkwood Community College uses a learning outcomes information system (eLumen Achievement) in any wireless or even nonwireless setting to directly improve student learning by evaluating student performance and providing feedback in real time.Design/methodology/approachThe paper describes how, unlike more conventional users of eLumen Achievement, Kirkwood Community College chose both to engage students in outcomes assessment and to take advantage of the latest technologies.FindingsThe paper finds that both instructors and students are pleased with the new practice.Originality/valueThe authors believe that Kirkwood Community College is the first college in the country to combine the use of a generic learning outcomes information system with wireless tablet PCs to capture and communicate data on student performance evaluation in real time.
Investigating the seasonal structure in the German economy using fractional integration with structural breaks
Authors: Gil‐Alana Luis A. 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to examine the seasonal structure in the German monetary aggregate M1 and output by means of fractional integration techniques.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use a version of the tests of Robinson that permits testing seasonal I (d) models with the possibility of incorporating seasonal dummy variables and structural breaks.FindingsThe results show that there is a strong degree of persistence in their behaviour, especially at the long run or zero frequency, with orders of integration ranging between 1.25 and 1.50.Originality/valueThe main innovation in this work is the use of a new time series approach to the case of seasonality.
Emotional interactions: the frontier of the customer‐focused enterprise
Authors: Heffernan Robert , LaValle Steve 
Published: June 2007

PurposeDescribes how companies can make managing the emotional expectations of customers the frontier of the customer‐focused enterprise.Design/methodology/approachCustomer experiences have emotional characteristics that companies historically haven't been good at delivering. The customer experience is more than an analysis of hard metrics about speed, availability and information. These performance measures are critical, but real progress in shaping the customer experience comes from addressing the emotional aspects of their interactions.FindingsThe key to success is to fully understand the customers' needs and expectations. By doing so, companies can identify what the most important interactions are – key “moments of truth” – and prioritize delivery on these interactions.Practical implicationsBy employing a customer experience framework to prioritize resources according to the impact of particular customer interactions, paying particular attention to emotional experiences, companies can build achievable operational models that create customer advocates.Originality/valueBest‐in‐class companies understand the entire customer experience and use a Customer‐Focused Enterprise model to foster customer advocates while deploying resources effectively and efficiently. The six characteristics of the CFE are: customer authority, customer dialog, integrated execution, solution experience, human performance and customer focused organization.
Empirical performance management research: observations from AOS and MAR
Authors: Stringer Carolyn 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThis paper seeks to respond to Otley's calls for future research to take an integrated and longitudinal approach to examining the operation of performance management in real organizations. The paper reviews 120 field studies published in Accounting, Organizations and Society and Management Accounting Research over the past 15 years.Design/methodology/approachThe Otley's performance management framework is used to classify the field studies in terms of five central issues that relate to objectives, strategies, target setting, reward systems, and information flows.FindingsThe key findings are that only nine field studies examine the integrated performance management framework in any depth, and the research to date is fragmentary with regard to, for example, the performance management issues studied and theories used.Research limitations/implicationsImplications from this research include the need to examine the operation of the integrated performance management framework together with in‐depth research methods to understand the system in use, rather than the intended design of performance management processes. Future theoretical development could also be enhanced by better selection of research sites and building on prior studies. The limitations of this review include journal bias and limitations associated with classifying the diverse range of field studies using any framework, including the Otley's framework.Originality/valueThe novelty of this review lies in using Otley's framework to classify the expansive performance management literature and to document the extent of the integrative nature of the field studies, the depth of the studies, and the diversity of theories applied.
Evidence on Irish financial directors' views about dividends
Authors: McCluskey Thomas , Burton Bruce , Power David 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThis study aims to provide a modern perspective on the role of dividends in smaller developed countries such as Ireland by examining views regarding the determinants of payout levels, the role of taxation and the relevance of conventional signalling theory.Design/methodology/approachThe study employs semi‐structured interviews with the financial directors of 20 leading Irish companies.FindingsThe results suggest support for the notion that dividend policy affects share valuations. However, views regarding this issue – and the role of taxation and signalling theory – vary markedly between quoted and unquoted firms as well as depending on firms' dividend histories.Research limitations/implicationsThe study suffers from the problem that in interview‐based research the participants are necessarily a self‐selecting group. Notwithstanding this point, the evidence suggests that the views of managers in a nation with a small, but highly developed, stock market are in line with those in countries with much larger exchanges. Further research could usefully extend the analysis and establish whether similar views exist in other countries with relatively small stock markets, but where the exchange is in an “emerging” rather than “developed” state.Originality/valueThe contribution of the paper comes from the uniqueness of the Irish setting: the Irish market is relatively small but, unlike many similarly sized markets, it is highly‐developed, with long‐term historical links to the London Stock Exchange. The results, therefore, provide evidence about the extent to which earlier findings based on the world's largest developed markets also prevail in those that are more modestly sized.
Strategic investment decision making: the influence of pre‐decision control mechanisms
Authors: Alkaraan Fadi , Northcott Deryl 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThis paper seeks to explore how aspects of pre‐decision control mechanisms impact managerial decision‐making behaviour with regard to strategic investment projects.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted a mixed‐method research approach. Research evidence was collected using a questionnaire survey of 320 large UK companies and eight semi‐structured follow‐up interviews with financial directors who responded to the questionnaire.FindingsThe study offers insights into the use and impact of pre‐decision control mechanisms such as: organizational strategy and operating objectives; expectations regarding the involvement of organizational personnel; formal approval procedures; financial evaluation requirements; pre‐determined hurdle rates; established authorization levels and the influence of managerial intuition.Originality/valueThis study adds to prior understandings of capital investment practice by employing mixed methods to examine how pre‐decision controls shape the outcomes of strategic investment decision making. Pre‐decision controls have received little attention within the prior literature, which focuses primarily on project financial analysis.
The chairman's statement in Malaysian companies
Authors: Smith Malcolm , Jamil Anita , Chik Johari Yang , Ahmar Ahmad Syahrul 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThe obfuscation hypothesis suggests that under‐performing firms will tend to obscure the meaning of their corporate narratives by deliberately adopting a textual complexity, most readily apparent through poor readability and the use of unnecessarily difficult language. This paper seeks to add to the literature in the area by comparing the textual complexity of corporate narratives, notably the chairman's statement, of main board and second board companies on the Bursa Malaysia (formerly known as the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange), with their financial performance, and also to examine the impact of company size, board membership and degree of statutory regulation on the readability of corporate narratives.Design/methodology/approachFollowing the existing literature this paper uses readability as a proxy for textual complexity, in addition to more direct measures, and seeks to examine relationships between textual complexity and various measures of financial performance.FindingsThe findings suggest that there are significant relationships between corporate language and financial performance, but that these are not consistent with the obfuscation hypothesis.Originality/valueThe findings are consistent with the suggestion that increased regulation and statutory monitoring of disclosures are associated with improved readability of narrative. They do not provide support for the obfuscation hypothesis.
Power and knowledge in the Agricultural Lending Division of the Fiji Development Bank
Authors: Deo Hemant , Irvine Helen 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThis paper aims to expose the gap between rationalist banking theory and actual practice within the Agricultural Lending Division of the Fiji Development Bank (FDB) by focusing on the inter‐relationship between power and knowledge.Design/methodology/approachData for this qualitative research project were gathered from archived documents, interviews, observation and reflection. A Foucauldian theoretical framework was used, which acknowledged the impact of social, economic and political factors within the bank's historical context.FindingsIn practice non‐rationalist factors play a vital role in decision making and the development of mechanisms of accountability within the FDB. The bank's policies and procedures have ultimately had to strike a delicate balance between the Fijian government's development goals, profitability requirements and the formal rationalities of new public management, and the cultural realities of agricultural lending in Fiji's traditional community‐oriented society.Research limitations/implicationsThis study refutes a merely technocratic approach to banking research, opening up possibilities for further studies which focus on power within a socio‐historic context.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study challenge banks to acknowledge the subjectivity of their lending processes and to improve the accountability of lending officers.Originality/valueThis paper demonstrates the credibility and usefulness of a theoretically driven qualitative research study in making visible issues that would otherwise be hidden.