bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Leadership and spirituality
Authors: Burke Robert 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThis paper seeks to suggest that effective leadership can be achieved by, and can drive, an integral spiritual connectedness between governments, organisations and society as a whole.Design/methodology/approachA literature search to map the history and the underlying philosophies that have led to the current popular concept of leadership, and to suggest a different worldview to bring about a change to these underlying philosophies in order to enhance leadership effectiveness.FindingsEffective leadership is multi‐disciplinary, involving not only those disciplines of sociology, psychology and technology, but that of spirituality as well. This new approach is effective because of the different ways it offers of gaining deeper insights into a leader's own spiritual self, but also beyond this to others with whom the leader interacts, and others who are affected by the results of their leadership.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper is not an exhaustive literature search and is primarily limited to selected authors of futures studies, psychology, psychotherapy, economics and business.Practical implicationsThe paper proposes steps to guide how organizational leadership can lead to more effective workplaces as well as benefiting the global society as a whole.Originality/valueThe paper is current in today's environment and offers a practical epistemological explorative approach into what effective spiritual leadership could mean and to consider the impact of leadership decisions and actions as a result.
Humanizing work: surviving in the culture of technology
Authors: Renesch John 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the trends toward work being more suitable for machines than people, which promotes more addictive lifecycles. This paper suggests ways people can reverse this trend to cut them off from their humanity and create ways of working that are more natural, uplifting, life‐affirming and healthier for people.Design/methodology/approachThe approach is to cite evidence of growing dysfunction, including facts and studies that support the trends; to explain how this has occurred; to describe how systems behave and misbehave; and to call for transformation.FindingsThis paper finds that people are suffering more stress, experiencing a reduced quality of life, getting sick more often and are less happy. And most of them don't realize why they are less happy because they seem to have so much (material wealth) to be grateful for. The findings include a way to reverse these trends and return to a life more suitable to human beings.Practical implicationsThe practical implications are that people will start working in ways that are consistent with these new values and consciousness, finding newfound excitement and enthusiasm for their work, and reawakening their passions for living and working. This will produce happier people, more effective organizations and a healthier society.Originality/valueThe value of this paper is to provide a “wake‐up call” to those who find themselves entranced by convention and numbed by pressures from the systems they live and work in, so they start thinking less obsessively, working less mechanically and demanding more people‐friendly work and ways of living.
Four scenarios towards more ethical futures: a case study in nanoscale science and technology
Authors: Smadja Emmanuel 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThis paper aims to provide a better understanding of the ethical issues associated with nanoscale science and technology (NST).Design/methodology/approachThis paper suggests the use of scenario planning (SP), an approach already widely utilized in strategy and decision making. Scenarios are systemic tools, which can help express, discuss, and evaluate different possible futures. To illustrate this point, this paper provides an example of SP applied to NST ethics.FindingsProvides an SP template framework which can be used by various stakeholders to discuss ethical matters pertaining to NST. Stakeholders will be brought to decide on the direction and extent of NST development.Research limitations/implicationsThe presented framework admittedly has an idealistic side to it. In fact, a democratic and transparent process for choosing the future can never truly be accomplished, and even if it is accomplished, it does not constitute a guarantee for a more ethical future.Practical implicationsA very useful thought experiment and decision aid tool for any group interested in NST.Originality/valueThis work adapts a traditionally business‐oriented tool (SP) to the field of NST ethics. It then addresses under‐examined topics within the field of NST ethics.
Public forecasting and futures studies in Germany
Authors: Hérault Bruno 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThis paper seeks to present the key actors in Germany in the field of public forecasting and futures studies.Design/methodology/approachTaking into account the highly decentralized nature of German institutions, and the reforms carried out since the reunification, it analyses the contributions of the main economic institutes and foundations of the country. It gives a detailed account of their methods, means, topics of research, and impact on public debate, together with up‐to‐date links to the main web sites.FindingsThe dominant approach tends to be economic forecasting, carried out by major institutes that rely on academic logic. Societal futures studies are not so well served and are less recognized.Originality/valueProvides an insight into the state of futures research in Germany and its characteristics.
Challenging the implementation of corporate sustainability
Authors: Seitz Margarete A. , Wells Peter E. 
Published: January 2007

PurposeTo provide in‐depth insights into one specific product recovery operation (remanufacturing) in the automotive sector, taking the example of original equipment manufacturers (OEM).Design/methodology/approachThe research was undertaken within the engine remanufacturing facilities of a major European car manufacturer. The main data collection methods were open‐ended, non‐directive interviews and process observation. In addition, secondary data (internal company reports and documentation) were collected. Overall, a total of 64 interviews were conducted within the engine remanufacturing plant.FindingsThe case study revealed that the remanufacturing processes included challenges that have been traditionally investigated within “conventional” operations and supply chain management, such as high inventory levels or process through‐put times. It was also found that product take‐back and recovery in the automotive sector do not necessarily stem from a company's mission statement that includes (sustainable) responsibility, but are based on other motives. These motivations include the long‐term supply of spare parts, for example.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings are limited to one specific European car manufacturer and may therefore not necessarily apply to the independent automotive remanufacturing sector or to other OEM remanufacturers.Practical implicationsThe case study gives an in‐depth insight into the issues within automotive product take‐back and recovery, the types of obstacles that may occur as well as how these may be overcome in the real world.Originality/valueThe findings provide new, real‐world insights for academia, but also feedback to industry by providing an in‐depth account of current automotive remanufacturing practices undertaken by the OEM.
Energy service companies as a component of a comprehensive university sustainability strategy
Authors: Pearce Joshua M. , Miller Laura L. 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThis paper aims to quantify and critically analyze the best practices of a comprehensive environmental stewardship strategy (ESS), which included a guaranteed energy savings program (GESP) that utilized an energy service company (ESCO).Design/methodology/approachThe environmental and economic benefits and limitations of an approach utilizing an ESCO are critically analyzed in the context of implementing a comprehensive university sustainability strategy.FindingsA GESP, which utilized the technical and financial expertise of energy service companies, improved the operational efficiency, decreased the ecological footprint, and reduced the operating costs of the university.Practical implicationsEnergy‐saving projects are “win‐win” situations, addressing both economy and ecology. Utilizing energy service companies in the university setting is a useful method to catalyze university administration to support sustainability initiatives and accelerate the implementation of comprehensive sustainability strategies.Originality/valueThe current waste rampant at most universities provides a large number of opportunities to improve environmental stewardship while reducing operating costs. This paper provides a new model utilizing energy service companies to capitalize on these opportunities to move universities towards sustainability.
Education for sustainability in university studies
Authors: Geli de Ciurana Anna M. , Leal Filho Walter 
Published: January 2007

PurposeTo report on a project involving European and Latin American universities, focusing on curriculum greening.Design/methodology/approachThis paper presents the experiences gained in connection with the “ACES Project” which is a model of the implementation of sustainability principles in higher education, with a special emphasis on curriculum greening. This paper presents the principles and main results of the project, which involved 11 European and Latin American universities, with financial support from the ALFA programme of the European Commission.FindingsThe paper identifies ten characteristics of the initial model of curriculum greening which were validated in the process and were interpreted in the paper.Research limitations/implicationsThe type of action‐oriented research carried out in the context of the ACES Project, by means of cooperative efforts and the accumulation of diverse fields of knowledge, presented working difficulties which are different from those experienced by more homogeneous groups. Nevertheless, the knowledge generated is very consistent in response to environmental issues and problems and reflects the need for collaboration between all areas of knowledge in order to preserve and improve environmental conditions.Practical implicationsThe paper introduces not only the results obtained with the ACES model, but also ten components which characterise curriculum greening and may be used elsewhere.Originality/valueThe approach used and the emphasis on international cooperation illustrate ways in which a multi‐stakeholders project may be successfully undertaken.
Developing research priorities with a cohort of higher education for sustainability experts
Authors: Wright Tarah S.A. 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the results of a Delphi exercise used at the Halifax Consultation in which 35 experts representing 17 countries gathered to develop research priorities for the emerging field of higher education for sustainability (HES).Design/methodology/approachThe Delphi technique was used to elicit the opinions of a group of experts in order to achieve a consensus position on a research priority list through a series of questionnaires interspersed with controlled feedback.FindingsThe final stages of the Delphi exercise revealed 19 research theme areas that were ranked by the group to develop a final priority list.Research limitations/implicationsThe results from each round of the Delphi give an interesting perspective on experts conceptualizations of what constitutes important research in the field. Further, the final results can be used to develop research programs and projects in the future.Practical implicationsReflections on the use of the Delphi in developing research priorities can aid in the future use of this technique. Further, the results have been used as the foundation for further consultations with researchers and practitioners in this field in creating action plans for the United Nations decade of education for sustainable development.Originality/valueThe Halifax Consultation represents the first international meeting to focus on HES research. It is hoped that the results of the Delphi exercise conducted at the meeting will contribute to the tremendous work efforts to come and will prove to be an important component in the process of furthering the field of HES in the future.
The sustainability asymptogram
Authors: Onwueme Inno , Borsari Bruno 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present a mathematical model that can be used as an educational tool to reflect the philosophical aspects of sustainability.Design/methodology/approachThis is a descriptive paper.FindingsEveryone carries a sustainability deficit. Therefore, opportunities to reduce this deficit abound. Education is an excellent vehicle to achieve sustainability.Practical implicationsHelping individuals with extremely high sustainability deficit to make minimum improvements is more beneficial than a further reduction of the “deficit” by those who have it already low. Further action is certainly encouraged, especially to quantify the sustainability index.Originality/valueThe paper fulfils the need of providing an original model upon which educators may lean to, in order to enhance learning in sustainability.
Sustainable disposal of edible food byproducts at university research farms
Authors: Baldwin Sherill , Chung Kimberly 
Published: January 2007

PurposeResearch at agricultural universities often generates food crops that are edible by‐products of the research process. The purpose of this paper is to explore the factors that affect decision‐making around the disposal of these crops. Understanding decision‐making suggests how universities might include food crop production into campus sustainability assessments.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative, ethnographic approach is used as, little is known about decision‐making on edible crops at universities; decision‐making was expected to be highly location‐specific and complex. In‐depth interviews with operations staff and participant observation were used.FindingsDecision‐making is decentralized and often reflects the values of individual staff regarding the value of the food. Staff use an informal cost‐benefit analysis that reflects the economic, social, environmental trade‐offs of their perceived disposal options. Many decisions reflect a sustainability ethic regarding the higher use‐value of food crops while others reflect instrumental concerns about disposing of unwanted waste products. The complexity of decision‐making suggests it would be difficult to develop a quantitative instrument that would provide meaningful data for a campus sustainability assessment.Practical implicationsFood production provides another opportunity to improve campus sustainability efforts. Also, qualitative work may be useful to understanding such systems.Originality/valueThe paper highlights a part of the campus food systems that is rarely studied: the campus as a food producer. It also provides an in‐depth illustration of how qualitative methods may be used to inform the design of campus assessments.
COUNTER: usage statistics for performance measurement
Authors: Shepherd Peter T. 
Published: January 2007

PurposeUsing COUNTER‐compliant statistics, the purpose of this study is to conduct an in‐depth analysis of usage of online journals in a group of major UK universities.Design/methodology/approachThe paper describes in detail developments, as well as other progress made on COUNTER since the 2003 Northumbria conference. It also addresses the practical challenges faced by vendors and librarians in implementing COUNTER, and concludes with future plans for the project.FindingsThe study team has successfully collected and validated a considerable set of journal usage, subscription and cost data and has assisted in the testing and validation of the “successful full‐text article request” as a possible unit of measurement of “usage” that can be applied consistently and reliably across all publishers.Originality/valueThe paper shows how usage relates to costs, institution profile and subject spread and develops a set of measures that are likely to be used more widely as indicators of the value of online journals.
One size does not fit all: user surveys in academic libraries
Authors: Creaser Claire 
Published: January 2007

PurposeUser surveys in academic libraries are not generally widely publicised. The purpose of this paper is to analyse and comment on the results of a variety of user surveys and draw together some of that work.Design/methodology/approachThe paper describes the work of LISU at Loughborough University, which has analysed two main instruments – the LibQual+ surveys as they have been applied in the UK, and the standard Society of College, National and University Libraries (SCONUL) user survey template. The paper considers the implications of different response rates and sample sizes on the validity of results and issues concerning benchmarking with user survey data.FindingsOne aim of user surveys must be to improve the services provided to users. High overall satisfaction levels are good for publicity, and may persuade institutional management that all is well with the library, but they should not lead to complacency within the service. It is important to drill down into the detail of the results, to make comparisons within or between services, and to investigate examples of good practice.Originality/valueThe paper provides a useful overview of UK academic library user survey methods.
Structural analysis of chat messages for topic detection
Authors: Dong Haichao , Cheung Hui Siu , He Yulan 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to study the characteristics of chat messages from analysing a collection of 33,121 sample messages gathered from 1,700 sessions of conversations of 72 pairs of MSN Messenger users over a four month duration from June to September of 2005. The primary objective of chat message characterization is to understand the properties of chat messages for effective message analysis, such as message topic detection.Design/methodology/approachFrom the study on chat message characteristics, an indicative term‐based categorization approach for chat topic detection is proposed. In the proposed approach, different techniques such as sessionalisation of chat messages and extraction of features from icon texts and URLs are incorporated for message pre‐processing. Naïve Bayes, Associative Classification, and Support Vector Machine are employed as classifiers for categorizing topics from chat sessions.FindingsIndicative term‐based approach is superior to the traditional document frequency based approach, for feature selection in chat topic categorization.Originality/valueThis paper studies the characteristics of chat messages and proposes an indicative term‐based categorization approach for chat topic detection.
Cluster‐analysis attack against a PRivAte Web solution (PRAW)
Authors: Elovici Yuval , Shapira Bracha , Meshiach Adlay 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to prove the ability of PRivAte Web (PRAW) – a system for private web browsing – to stand possible attacks.Design/methodology/approachAttacks on the systems were simulated, manipulating systems variables. A privacy measure was defined to evaluate the capability of the systems to stand the attacks. Analysis of results was performed.FindingsIt was shown that, even if the attack is optimised to provide the attacker's highest utility, the similarity between the user profile and the approximated profile is pretty low and does not enable the eavesdropper to derive an accurate estimation of the user profile.Research limitations/implicationsOne limitation is the “cold start” problem – in the current version, an observer might detect the first transaction, which is always a real user transaction. As a remedy for this problem, the first transaction will be randomly delayed and a random number of fake transactions played before the real one (according to Tr). Another limitation is that PRAW supports only link browsing, originated in search engine interactions (since it is the most common interaction on the web. It should be extended to include concealment of browsing to links originating in the “Favourites” list, that users tend to browse regularly (even a few times a day) for professional or personal reasons.Practical implicationsPRAW is feasible and preserves the privacy of web browsers. It is now undergoing commercialisation to become a shelf tool for privacy preservation.Originality/valueThe paper presents a practical statistical method for privacy preservation and proved that it is standing possible attacks. Methods usually proposed for this problem are not statistical, but cryptography oriented, and are too expensive in processing‐time to be practical.
Open access ready reference suites
Authors: Jacsó Péter 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to examine open access ready reference suites.Design/methodology/approachThe paper discusses various reference sources represented in the open access domain of the web.FindingsThe paper finds that, in spite of the variety of open access reference suites mentioned, it is still advisable to be on the lookout for new developments, as some highly relevant sources are not available in any of them, especially some of the best open access subject encyclopaedias in the sciences and social sciences.Originality/valueThe paper provides useful reviews of various open access reference sources.