bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Market power and regulation: the last great US department store consolidation?
Authors: Wood Steve , Wrigley Neil 
Published: February 2007

PurposeTo examine the impact of the merger of the two largest US department store companies on the competitive state of the sector and specifically the anti‐trust implications of the consolidation.Design/methodology/approachBased on semi‐structured interviews with leading US department store executives as well as an ongoing close dialogue with US retail analysts.FindingsThe consolidation raises considerable anti‐trust issues with the creation of a $30bill sales company. However, consistent with previous recent rulings, the Federal Trade Commission has adopted a broad view of the department store market from the standpoint that the consolidation is essentially defensive – in short, the sector is failing because it is not a separate and distinct market. However, the divestiture of 75 stores will give competitors footholds in new markets thereby changing the geography of competition in many catchments. This is likely to be the largest consolidation that the competition authorities will effectively allow, representing the last opportunity for the sector to become a more robust competitor against alternative formats that have intervened in its key product lines.Originality/valueRecent restructuring of the US department store industry has generated a relatively limited academic literature, despite considerable M&A activity, subsequent organisational reorganisation, and sales of $88 billion per year. Transformation of the competitive landscape of the industry raises important issues of market regulation and corporate strategy.
On steady flow of a reactive variable viscosity fluid in a cylindrical pipe with an isothermal wall
Authors: Makinde O.D. 
Published: February 2007

PurposeThis paper aims to demonstrate an application of a novel approximation technique, for a function whose partial series is known, to a problem in thermal ignition in a combustible variable viscosity fluid.Design/methodology/approachAnalytical solutions are constructed for the governing non‐linear boundary‐value problem using regular perturbation technique (RPT) coupled with computer‐extended series solution (CESS) and a special type of Hermite‐Padé approximant.FindingsThe steady state thermal ignition criticality conditions and their dependent on both Frank‐Kamenetskii and viscous heating parameters are accurately obtained. The results also revealed the rapid convergence of the approximation procedure with gradual increase in the number of series coefficients utilized in the approximants.Originality/valueThe analytical and computational procedures utilized in this paper are advocated as an effective tool for investigating several other parameter dependent nonlinear boundary‐value problems.
Professional respect for female and male leaders: influential gender‐relevant factors
Authors: Wolfram Hans‐Joachim , Mohr Gisela , Schyns Birgit 
Published: February 2007

PurposeThe paper aims to test the impact of gender‐relevant factors on professional respect for leaders.Design/methodology/approachThree determinants were analysed: gender constellation (gender match) between leaders and followers, gender‐stereotypic leadership behaviour, and followers' gender role attitudes. A field study with N1=121 followers and their N2=81 direct leaders from 34 German organisations was conducted. Leaders were on the lowest level of hierarchy.FindingsThe data showed that female leaders are at risk of receiving less professional respect from their followers than male leaders: male followers of female leaders had less professional respect than female followers of male leaders. Moreover, gender role discrepant female leaders (i.e. autocratic) got less respect than gender role discrepant male leaders (i.e. democratic). But no difference was found with regard to gender role congruent female (i.e. democratic) and male (i.e. autocratic) leaders. Finally, followers with traditional gender role attitudes were prone to have comparatively little professional respect for female leaders.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research should analyse gender‐relevant factors that influence the granting of professional respect and systematically compare these effects across branches. Furthermore, it would be interesting to see whether followers evaluate leaders from higher levels of hierarchy in the same way as our respondents did.Practical implicationsIn order to promote women in leadership positions, followers' prejudices against female leaders should be reduced.Originality/valueField studies about the evaluation of female and male leaders explicitly considering their followers' gender role attitudes are rare. The results reflect that sexism is well and alive.
The relationship of social support to the work‐family balance and work outcomes of midlife women
Authors: Marcinkus Wendy C. , Whelan‐Berry Karen S. , Gordon Judith R. 
Published: February 2007

PurposeThis paper seeks to examine the relationship of a network of social support for midlife women with their attitudes toward work‐family balance and work outcomes, including job satisfaction, organisational commitment, and career accomplishment.Design/methodology/approachA total of 1,089 women between the ages of 35 and 50 across three organizations were surveyed and then 72 of them interviewed.FindingsResults indicate that the women generally received more personal social support than work‐based social support and more instrumental than expressive support from all sources. Work‐based social support was positively associated with job satisfaction, organisational commitment, and career accomplishment; personal social support was also associated with job satisfaction and organisational commitment. Work‐family balance may partially mediate the relationship between social support and work outcomes.Originality/valueMuch of what is known about work‐life issues centers on the work‐family conflicts of younger women with children. Perceptions are explored of work‐life balance among women at midlife, an understudied population with significant work and personal responsibilities. This study contributes to research by examining the relationships among the full network of social support, work‐family balance, and work‐related outcomes, as well as the nature of this support for working women. The combination of quantitative and qualitative methods provides substantive insights into the complexity of these relationships for women at midlife.
Primary healthcare organizations facing a disaster: the Quebec experience
Authors: Lalonde Carole 
Published: February 2007

PurposeThis paper seeks to evaluate the role and the nature of the interventions by primary healthcare organizations in Quebec during the ice storm of 1998. The two basic questions are: to what extent CLSC perform their socio‐community mission during this disaster? Are there some contingencies factors that explain variation between CLSC in their intervention?Design/methodology/approachData collection is based on face to face discussion held with 19 managers responsible for the disaster's plan for their CLSC, 59 professionals that took an active and direct role in disaster interventions and 25 collaborators from municipalities and diverse community organisms. On top of the face to face discussions, a questionnaire was remitted to all the interviewees.FindingsThe research provides a qualified analysis of the interventions of the CLSCs and identifies what works well (performance factors), what went wrong (non performance factors) and what varies from one territory to another (variance or contingencies factors). The results of this research corroborate most of the reports brought about by the theories of disaster management planning to the look at the importance of plans, the development of a culture of prevention and of civil security, the importance of the training as much for the leaders as for the professionals. Moreover, primary healthcare organizations such as CLSC's in Quebec have a strategic positioning in disaster because of the multidisciplinary functioning of their teams and their knowledge of the local community.Research limitations/implicationsThe research is limited to the interventions of CLSCs and the interventions of other professionals of the health system or from volunteers are not considered.Practical implicationsThe social community mission of organizations such as the CLSC can be optimized using four specific plans: the clientele plan, the training plan, the local consultation plan and the multidisciplinary plan. Specific recommendations on each aspect are identified to help managers and professionals in the attainment of their socio‐communitarian mission.Originality/valueThe research provides interesting data on the contribution of multidisciplinary teams (nurses, doctors, social workers, psychologists, ergotherapists, etc.) as well as from their managers and first line collaborators. It puts in evidence their strengths and weaknesses and identifies ways of improving disaster interventions.
The terrorism threat and managing workplaces
Authors: Howie Luke 
Published: February 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present research findings on how the threat of terrorism to Australia affects managers and employees in workplaces in a large city. It investigates the various workplace impacts of the terrorist threat and examines how this affects organizational efficiency and effectiveness and employee wellbeing.Design/methodology/approachA literature review of the impact of the terrorist threat to workplaces is presented using academic research and journalistic commentary. This review informs research collected in seven organizations via in‐depth interviews of 40 minutes length conducted with staff and management in the administrative, legal, retail, sporting and services sectors. In total, 55 interviews were conducted with an additional 50 respondents who were unavailable for interviews completing surveys.FindingsA number of significant negative impacts of the threat of terrorism on Melbourne workplaces are identified. The most significant were workplace discrimination and diversity management, cultural change to be security oriented, and increased occupational stress.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample population for the research is quite small so the conclusions cannot be considered generalizable. Rather, the research represents specific cases where the impacts are felt and, as such, may exist in other sectors and cities. The results are highly concerning and suggest that terrorism has a detrimental effect at work and on life.Practical implicationsThe findings can assist organizations in preparing management responses and actions in preventing the negative impacts of the threat of terrorism.Originality/valueResearch of this kind is extremely limited yet of the highest importance to organizations in large cities.
Delivering health education: the contribution of social and emotional learning
Authors: Weare Katherine 
Published: February 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to outline the contribution of school‐based programmes of social and emotional learning (SEL) to health education, and outline a recent initiative by the English government, “Secondary SEAL”.Design/methodology/approachThe paper presents evidence for the impact of SEL programmes, and accounts the key principles of the English SEAL programme.FindingsThe paper finds that SEL programmes impact on learning, behaviour, emotional and social wellbeing and physical health, provided that they follow certain key principles.Originality/valueThe paper shows, that for the first time, the English Secondary SEAL programme has been outlined in an international journal.
The Fosby Flop can teach business to soar
Authors: Francis Arthur 
Published: February 2007

PurposeAsks why performance improvement is debated so much more in sport than in business, and whether business has anything to learn from sport techniques.Design/methodology/approachLooks at different performance levels and why it is beneficial to utilise modern techniques.FindingsFinds that a major reason the performance of the average UK firm lags behind that of the average business in the US, France and Germany is that UK senior managers are often failing to use modern management practices.Practical implicationsPoints out that France, Germany and the USA have had business schools since the turn of the twentieth century, but it was not until the mid‐1960s that they came to the UK. But there is now a national network of management scientists, far more numerous than sport scientists. The resource is there, but businesses need to learn how to use it.Originality/valueArgues that if sport scientists can help athletes, business schools and industry need to work more closely together to get the same benefits for firms.
Quality management and enhancement processes in UK business schools: a review
Authors: Hodgkinson Myra , Kelly Mike 
Published: February 2007

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to provide insights into the processes that can be and have been adopted by UK business schools as they attempt to meet the Quality Assurance Agency's concern with the standard of quality management and enhancement.Design/methodology/approachA review of the literature provides interpretations of quality, quality management and quality enhancement. The paper continues by identifying the ways in which priorities in need of improvement are identified. The different “quality” models that are employed are then evaluated in terms of their implementation within business schools.FindingsThe paper concludes with emerging reflections that highlight that the most significant aspect in terms of taking forward different models, processes and approaches is the importance of organisational culture.Originality/valueIt is argued that without an awareness of the existing organisational culture the introduction of any model, process or approach will not in itself create or sustain a quality enhancement culture.
Applying rich picture diagrams to model case studies of construction projects
Authors: Sutrisna Monty , Barrett Peter 
Published: February 2007

PurposeInformation and findings from investigations of construction projects using qualitative methodologies such as the grounded theory methodology (GTM) are inevitably rich. When using multiple case studies, the cross‐case analysis procedure has been found overwhelming and difficult to grasp all at once. Hence, an approach using rich picture diagrams (RPD) has been applied specifically for the purpose of modelling case studies and capturing the richness of the information along the case studies' storylines. This paper aims to explain the reasoning behind and the development process of such diagrams.Design/methodology/approachThe paper investigates the underlying concepts of the GTM, case study approach, and the soft system methodology (SSM) from which the RPD was originally derived. Based on the identified agreement between and consistency of both methodologies, the development of RPD to model case studies in an ongoing research project (using the GTM) is explained. The subsequent cross‐case analysis procedure is also discussed, leading to conclusions.FindingsThe paper demonstrates the applicability of the RPD originating from the SSM as a tool to present the storylines of case studies within the GTM, to improve presentation and enable thorough cross‐case analysis by providing a holistic view of the storylines.Originality/valueIn response to the scholarly challenge to contribute to the further development of the GTM, the paper presents the application of a tool from SSM (i.e. the RPD). Whilst enriching the techniques within the GTM, this application provides a solution for researchers and stakeholders to model case studies of construction projects.
The significant factors causing delay of building construction projects in Malaysia
Authors: Alaghbari Wa'el , Razali A. Kadir Mohd. , Salim Azizah , Ernawati  
Published: February 2007

PurposeThe paper seeks to identify the major factors causing delay in building construction projects in Malaysia.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire survey was used to carry out the study. The questionnaire consisted of 31 factors which were grouped into four major categories by responsibility – contractor factors, owner factors, consultant factors and external factors. The level of importance of the categories was measured and the relative importance of weights was ranked.FindingsThe study finds that financial problems are the main factor and coordination problems are the second most important factor causing delay in construction projects in Malaysia. The results were analyzed to rank the causes of delay and further classify the types of delay.Research limitations/implicationsThe scope of this study is limited to building projects in the Klang Valley area, where major Malaysian cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam and Seremban are located. The data for this study was gathered through a detailed questionnaire survey.Originality/valueBased on the analysis of the ranking and intensity of causes of delay, this paper suggests possible improvements that could be made in order to reduce delays in the construction industry.
G‐ROME: semantic‐driven capacity sharing among P2P networks
Authors: Exarchakos Georgios , Antonopoulos Nick , Salter James 
Published: February 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to propose a model for sharing network capacity on demand among different underloaded and overloaded P2P ROME‐enabled networks. The paper aims to target networks of nodes with highly dynamic workload fluctuations that may experience a burst of traffic and/or massive nodes' failure rates.Design/methodology/approachThe paper shows that when locally available network capacity is not adequate for the workload requirements, the excessive capacity needs to be sought into other networks with more availability. A random flat P2P overlay of the ROME servers is used for the discovery and movement of nodes between two networks. Centralised or decentralised DHT‐based directories of available nodes cannot cope with high workload fluctuations and frequent join/leave actions of nodes. The paper also introduces semantics to refine the answers to the ones with the most appropriate nodes for the requesting network and to find the requested capacity faster and more efficiently. The behaviour of the model is simulated to evaluate with several experiments the model based on some metrics.FindingsThe paper finds that all the user queries of an overloaded underlying network are dropped if G‐ROME is not used but as G‐ROME overlay satisfies the requested capacity of a ROME server, its Chord ring size increases. In case of uniformly distributed and/or plentiful capacity over the overlay, shallow searches may give very good results. On the contrary, deeper searches are required for scarce capacity but the number of messages increases almost exponentially.Originality/valueThis paper provides a model for moving the required resources to the requesting job environment rather than the job and its context to the resource.
The global village: online cross‐cultural communication and HRM
Authors: Fujimoto Yuka , Bahfen Nasya , Fermelis Jan , Härtel Charmine E.J. 
Published: February 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine relational and task dimension of online communication and the associated emotional experience.Design/methodology/approachThis paper examines four categories of work outcomes: emotional experiences of work, work attitudes, work dynamics and work behaviours; and links each to the cross‐cultural online communication context.FindingsIt was found that diversity‐oriented HRM can reduce the cultural fault‐lines between individualist and collectivist (IC) cultures, and thereby positively moderate the relationship between cross‐cultural online communication and affective, cognitive and behavioural outcomes.Practical implicationsDiversity‐oriented HRM can capitalize on an organisation's cultural diversity and avoid cross‐cultural misunderstandings. In a more practical sense, the research purports that combined use of IC HRM practices can produce greater efficiency and effectiveness in online communications worldwide.Originality/valueThe paper provides an insight into the potential implications of increased use of information technology on cross‐cultural communication, and human resource management. The significance of diversity‐oriented human resource management in managing these implications is also highlighted.
A framework for responsive health policy and corporate communication
Authors: Paulo Moreira J. 
Published: February 2007

PurposeThe paper aims to contribute to the development of a systematic framework of analysis pertaining to the relationship between public health crisis (PHC) and scares and corporate communication practice. It aims to clarify the complex relationship between public health policy development and corporate crisis and risk communication issues.Design/methodology/approachLiterature review in the fields of crisis communication, crisis and risk management and public health policy; the multidisciplinary approach provided principles for a framework of analysis.FindingsThe framework proposed identifies fields of intersection between governments, corporations, the media and the experts in the context of risk perception management providing inputs for both public health policy and corporate communication new developments.Research limitations/implicationsThe need for further research arises from the identification of the different areas of intersection between governments, corporations, the media and the experts and further elucidation of its dynamics should be pursued.Originality/valueThe framework builds a bridge between disciplines that have not been articulated for the practice inherent in public health and scares‐related communication issues. It proposes a multidisciplinary framework of analysis applicable to any type of PHC or scare.
Financial sector convergence and corporate governance
Authors: Mullineux Andy 
Published: February 2007

PurposeTo explore the implications of financial sector convergence for corporate governance systems.Design/methodology/approachGlobalisation, regulatory harmonisation and pensions reform are driving convergence of bank and market oriented systems of corporate finance towards a hybrid model (“hybridisation”). Given the importance of financial systems in corporate governance, this may lead to convergence of corporate governance systems; legal traditions notwithstanding.FindingsThe growth in the importance of funds (pension, insurance, mutual, hedge, venture capital) and the decline in the importance of bank as shareholders has the potential for forcing convergence in corporate governance if the funds actively use their shareholder (or proxy) voting rights. Data on financial institution voting patterns is required to test the hypothesis.Originality/valueHybridisation is increasingly widely recognised, although not universally supported by the data. This paper attempts to draw the implication of the hybridisation process for corporate governance given the breakdown of traditional market and bank‐based systems.