bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A small company's dilemma: using search engines effectively for corporate sales
Authors: Kennedy Kristin , Brayton Kennedy Bonnie 
Published: September 2008

PurposeSmaller companies must continually review the pay‐per‐click (PPC) option or an organic listing on search engines. The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of a small manufacturing firm that is beginning to evaluate which search engine, Yahoo or Google, is more cost effective. Ultimately, management would like to identify if PPC advertising is worth the cost to a small company.Design/methodology/approachA one month's section of data from Yahoo and Google was examined. Patterns or indications as to which key word landed a better bid position was determined. Seven consecutive campaigns for click‐through rates (CTRs), average cost per click (CPC) and average position of keywords between the search engines Yahoo and Google were observed.FindingsThe average CPC was higher with Google. Kennedy Incorporated set a budget with Google and Yahoo to stay below a certain dollar limit, thus the total costs were the same. That would make the difference in the average CPC rather significant. Management also noticed a higher CTR on Yahoo than on Google. Thus it appears that Yahoo outperformed Google most of the time in the monthly samples.Research limitations/implicationsLonger historical data need to be studied, to see if these patterns continue. Other statistics that would be interesting to examine are data that would reveal how CTR in Yahoo and Google are affecting conversions to sales.Originality/valueIt appears from this data that Yahoo is outperforming Google for Kennedy Incorporated with a better CTR and a lower variance in average position when listed on the screen by a return from a search. The company has the impression that Yahoo is a better company for PPC advertising when the marketing budget is small.
Environmental sensing: strategies, technologies and applications
Authors: Bogue Robert 
Published: September 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a review of environmental sensing technologies and applications and to consider briefly the research effort.Design/methodology/approachThis paper describes environmental sensing strategies and technologies for air, water quality and other monitoring applications. It concludes with a brief overview of research.FindingsAs a consequence of legislation, a technologically diverse family of sensors are used in a wide range of portable and fixed instruments to determine numerous polluting compounds entering and present in the environment. These play a critical role in protecting the environment, maintaining public health and monitoring global phenomena such as ozone depletion and artificial global warming. There is a widespread and technologically diverse research effort.Originality/valueThis paper provides a detailed insight into the sensors and instruments used in environmental monitoring.
The impact of ethical climate on job satisfaction, and commitment in Nigeria
Authors: Okpara John O. , Wynn Pamela 
Published: September 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of ethical climate on job satisfaction and organizational commitment in Nigeria, and to discover the extent to which unethical practices among managers have impacted upon managerial practices in Nigeria.Design/methodology/approachThe study followed a descriptive research design using survey methods with statistical treatment. Using the business directory of companies in Nigeria, a sample of 409 managers was drawn using a systematic random sampling technique. Multiple regression analysis and Pearson's product moment correlation were used to assess the influence of ethical climate types on job satisfaction and organizational commitment.FindingsThe findings revealed that there was a relationship between organizational ethical climate and facets of job satisfaction. It was also found that ethical climate types explained 58 percent of the variation in overall job satisfaction. Also, the correlation between ethical climate types and organizational commitment was positive and significant. This implies that favorable organizational ethical climate would encourage commitment and job satisfaction.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is limited to four business enterprises – banks, manufacturing, transportation, and construction companies. Thus, the results cannot be generalized to other industrial sectors that were not part of this study. In addition, the assessment of job performance and productivity are beyond the scope of this study.Practical implicationsThe paper offers practical suggestions of how management can improve job satisfaction and organizational commitment by improving the ethical climate of the organization.Originality/valueThe paper examines the impact of ethical climate on job satisfaction and organizational commitment in Nigeria, a sub‐Saharan African country in a sub‐continent that has been neglected and under‐researched. The study draws management practitioners' attention to the fact that they should adopt behavior that can help to improve employees' ethical behavior. From an academic perspective this study provides insight into the relationship between ethics, job satisfaction, and commitment, which should contribute to the future development of this line of research, particularly in developing countries like Nigeria. Furthermore, this topic has not been tested empirically in Nigeria. Therefore, the present study is of significant value to practitioners and scholars alike.
Comparison of synchronous PM machine types for wide constant‐power speed range operation
Authors: EL‐Refaie Ayman M. , Jahns Thomas M. 
Published: September 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a comparison of synchronous permanent magnet machine types for wide constant power speed range operation.Design/methodology/approachA combination of analytical models and finite element analysis is used to conduct this study.FindingsThe paper has presented a detailed comparison between various types of synchronous PM machines for applications requiring a wide speed range of constant‐power operation. Key observations include: surface permanent magnet (SPM) and interior permanent magnet (IPM) machines can both be designed to achieve wide speed ranges of constant‐power operation. SPM machines with fractional‐slot concentrated windings offer opportunities to minimize machine volume and mass because of their short winding end turns and techniques for achieving high‐slot fill factors via stator pole segmentation. High back‐emf voltage at elevated speeds is a particular issue for SPM machines, but also poses problems for IPM machine designs when tight maximum limits are applied. Magnet eddy‐current losses pose a bigger design issue for SPM machines, but design techniques can be applied to significantly reduce the magnitude of these losses. Additional calculations not included here suggest that the performance characteristics of the inverters accompanying each of the four PM machines are quite similar, despite the differences in machine pole number and electrical frequency.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper is targeting traction applications where a very wide speed range of constant‐power operation is required.Practical implicationsResults presented are intended to provide useful guidelines for engineers faced with choosing the most appropriate PM machine for high‐constant power speed ratio applications. As in most real‐world drive design exercises, the choice of PM machine type involves several trade‐offs that must be carefully evaluated for each specific application.Originality/valueThe paper provides a comprehensive comparison between different types of synchronous PM machines, which is very useful in determining the most suitable type for various applications.
DTC of an FSTPI‐fed induction motor drive with extended speed range
Authors: El Badsi Bassem , Masmoudi Ahmed 
Published: September 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze the performance of a new direct torque control (DTC) strategy dedicated to four‐switch three‐phase inverter (FSTPI)‐fed induction motor drives with extended speed range.Design/methodology/approachThe approach is based on the synthesis of a suitable vector selection table in order to reduce torque ripple. The performance analysis is carried out based on three criteria: the total harmonic distortion; the switching loss factor; and the quality factor.FindingsIt has been clearly shown that the introduced DTC strategy offers high performance during both transient and steady‐state operations of the FSTPI‐fed induction motor drive, which are almost the same as those yielded by the Takahashi DTC strategy implemented in the same motor fed by a conventional six‐switch three‐phase inverter (SSTPI).Research limitations/implicationsThe work should be extended by an experimental validation of the simulation results.Practical implicationsThe established results open up crucial benefits from the point of view of cost‐effectiveness and volume‐compactness of induction motor drives especially in large‐scale industries such as the automotive, where electric and hybrid propulsion systems are currently regarded as an interesting alternative to substitute or to assist the thermal propulsion systems.Originality/valueThe paper presents the implementation of a dedicated DTC strategy in FSTPI‐fed induction motor drives with extended speed range. The proposed DTC strategy offers interesting performance compared with that yielded by the Takahashi DTC strategy implemented in the same motor fed by an SSTPI.
Modelling and control of a power electronic cascade for the multi‐DC bus supply
Authors: Bouchafaa F. , Berkouk E.M. , Boucherit M.S. 
Published: September 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe the control and regulation of input DC voltages of nine‐level neutral point clamping (NPC) voltage source inverter (VSI).Design/methodology/approachThe analysis and simulation of a cascade made up of three‐phase five‐level PWM rectifier‐nine levels NPC VSI are treated. This cascade is used to feed a permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM) drive. First, the five‐level PWM rectifier is presented. Then a topology of nine‐level NPC VSI and the associated PWM control strategy are described. In order to discard the problem of DC link voltage fluctuations, a clamping bridge with a PI regulation has been added to the cascade. Then a field‐oriented control strategy has been implemented in the PMSM.FindingsThe obtained results are full of promise to use the inverter in high voltage and great power applications such as electric naval propulsion systems.Originality/valueThe application of the proposed feedback control algorithm to the studied cascade offers the possibility of stabilizing the DC voltages. The studied cascade absorbs network currents with low‐harmonic content and unity power factor. In all, the instability problems associated with use of multilevel inverters are solved.
A test of the validity of Hofstede's cultural framework
Authors: Blodgett Jeffrey G. , Bakir Aysen , Rose Gregory M. 
Published: September 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the reliability and validity of Hofstede's cultural framework when applied at the individual consumer level.Design/methodology/approachMBA students and faculty in the behavioral sciences were asked to review Hofstede's cultural instrument and to indicate which dimension (power distance, individualism/collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity/femininity) each particular item was intended to reflect. Subjects were also asked to respond to each item, thus indicating their underlying values. The reliability of each dimension was computed, and the data were factor analyzed to determine whether the various items loaded in a manner that is consistent with Hofstede's framework, thus providing evidence as to discriminant and convergent validity.FindingsThis study presents evidence that Hofstede's cultural instrument lacks sufficient construct validity when applied at an individual level of analysis. Overall, a majority of the items were lacking in face validity, the reliabilities of the four dimensions were low, and the factor analyses did not result in a coherent structure.Research limitations/implicationsIt is hoped that these findings will eventually lead to a reliable and valid measure that captures the richness of the various cultural dimensions and can be deployed at the individual and sub‐group levels of analysis. Such a measure would be valuable for market segmentation, and for understanding why consumers from diverse regions and cultures react differently to various marketing tactics.Originality/valueGiven the diversity of the world marketplace, it is essential that marketers have a robust measure of culture so that our understanding of consumer behavior can keep pace with a rapidly changing environment.
University selection in Finland: how the decision is made
Authors: Keskinen Esko , Tiuraniemi Juhani , Liimola Anna 
Published: September 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to find out which factors contribute to the decisions of the students when they choose their place of study among the six psychology departments of the Universities in Finland.Design/methodology/approachThe study involved a survey questionnaire. Responses were received from 1,668 people.FindingsIt was found that the major determinants for university choice for applicants in Finland were the special characteristics of the teaching and research in the psychology departments. An aptitude test seems to the applicants like a natural part of the selection process since the lack of one put off some applicants.Practical implicationsPsychology departments have a clear opportunity to influence the applicants' decisions by making their teaching and research characteristics known to the applicants. In practice, that would be possible by collaborating more with upper secondary schools and open universities.Originality/valueThe process of student selection is very important in psychology as the graduating psychologists will operate in a field filled with responsibility and their incompetent conduct may damage their clients.
Brand extension: the moderating role of the category to which the brand extension is found
Authors: Seltene Mehdi , Brunel Olivier 
Published: September 2008

PurposeThe objective of this paper is to evaluate brand extension from a consumer consumption perspective. The most relevant entity becomes both the product and the choice vector. This provides a different aspect of the heterogeneity as it concerns brand extension.Design/methodology/approachNestlé was selected as the brand to be studied and two qualitative studies were carried out on students based on open‐ended interviews. After a pre‐test, two groups of 400 students were selected. The first group was exposed to the diet biscuits in the context of “nibbling” and the second group exposed to the lip applications in the context “protecting my lips”.FindingsThe results confirm the importance of the consumption context in terms of evaluating a brand extension. The study shows that the effects of the context fit and the typicality are more important when the category to which the brand extension is found is sensitive to the consumption context. In contrast, the effect of the association fit is more important when the category to which the brand extension is found is less sensitive to the consumption context.Originality/valueThe paper shows that the category to which the brand extension is found can be defined by its degree of heterogeneity with regard to the consumption context.
Recognizing the rights of consumers as brand co‐owners
Authors: Petty Ross D. 
Published: September 2008

PurposeThis paper aims to assert that trademark law is too restrictive and that consumers should have some rights to a brand independent of the brand owner.Design/methodology/approachThe paper examines the expansive tendency of trademark law and the concept of trademark fair use and the impact of trademark law on customer relationships.FindingsThe concept of trademark fair use offers only limited benefits to brand consumers.Practical implicationsDespite the ability to enforce exclusive ownership rights under trademark law, brand owners need to exert a broad view of customer co‐ownership or they risk less customer involvement with the brand.Originality/valueThe paper proposes policy changes to allow great consumer enjoyment of brands.
Exploring stakeholder knowledge partnerships in a knowledge city: a conceptual model
Authors: Metaxiotis Kostas , Ergazakis Kostas 
Published: September 2008

PurposeKnowledge cities (KCs) are cities in which both the private and the public sectors value knowledge, nurture knowledge, spend money on supporting knowledge dissemination and discovery and harness knowledge to create products and services that add value and create wealth. Knowledge cities fall under a new area of academic research entitled knowledge‐based development (KBD), which brings together research in urban development and urban studies and planning with knowledge management and intellectual capital. The purpose of this paper is to advance the research in the KC area by exploring stakeholder knowledge partnerships in a knowledge city.Design/methodology/approachBased on their previous research, the authors' main discussion highlights the need for more effective local government and stakeholder knowledge partnerships to better support knowledge management (KM) initiatives in a KC and proposes a conceptual model, as a good research starting‐point, to assist local governments develop and capitalize on more effective knowledge‐based stakeholder partnerships.FindingsThe main issues related to local government‐stakeholder partnerships are discussed and several processes are analyzed that can facilitate more effective two‐way knowledge transfers between local government and stakeholders in a KC, which are fundamental for establishing successful knowledge partnerships.Research limitations/implicationsIt would be interesting and useful to deepen the analysis made by the authors and look for more fundamental reasons behind their observations.Originality/valueThe main advantage of this paper is that it proposes a simplified conceptual model for stakeholder knowledge partnerships in knowledge cities.
Measuring e‐government service value with the E‐GOVSQUAL‐RISK model
Authors: Rotchanakitumnuai Siriluck 
Published: September 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study the e‐government service quality and risk perceptions of personal income taxpayers on e‐government service value.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses qualitative in‐depth interview and content analysis to explore the determinants of e‐government service quality and risk dimensions of e‐government service value.FindingsThe findings suggest that perceived value of e‐government service is e‐government service quality, which consists of service design, web site design, technical support, and customer support quality. On the other hand, the three perceived risk concerns are performance, privacy, and financial audit risk.Research limitations/implicationsThe study interviews the small samples of income taxpayers to develop the determinants of e‐government service value, future studies should utilize a quantitative study to strengthen the results. Future researchers could also expand the results to other groups of taxpayers (e.g. corporate tax) to explore and compare factors that contribute to e‐government service value.Practical implicationsThe results can assist e‐government service design not only to increase electronic service quality but also to reduce risk facets in order to enhance e‐government service value and enlarge acceptance from income taxpayers. E‐government service providers can use the research model to detect electronic service weaknesses and risks so that the appropriate resources can be allocated to improve the system more effectively.Originality/valueThis study outlines e‐government service value in terms of e‐government service quality and risk perspectives or the E‐GOVSQUAL‐RISK model which contributes to the different knowledge on e‐government service.
Success in electronic commerce implementation
Authors: Chong Sandy 
Published: September 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a model of electronic commerce (EC) implementation success for small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs), and to present outcomes of a comparative study between two countries to reflect the differences in the adoption strategies and explore reasons behind such variations.Design/methodology/approachPreliminary studies were conducted in both Australia and Singapore prior to a cross‐country survey, which collected the perceptions of small businesses about their experience with internet‐based EC. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to identify the influencing factors that affect success in the implementation of internet‐based EC.FindingsBy regressing overall satisfaction on the 19 influencing factors of EC success, the paper found that five factors: observability; communication channel; customer pressure; supplier pressure; and perceived governmental support, make significant contribution to the adoption of internet‐based EC in Australia; and only three factors: firm size; perceived readiness; and observability, have significant impact in Singapore.Research limitations/implicationsThe exploratory nature of the research means confirmatory or causally directional hypotheses could be generated in the future. It would also be insightful to conduct longitudinal studies to confirm the direction, to help clarify causality and test for feedback effects of adoption decisions. There was also no attempt made to control for industry type, which could tested more intensively in a chosen industry. Generalisability to other geographical context could be achieved if the research model can be tested over several other countries.Practical implicationsThe study has found that the proposed model can be used in investigating drivers of EC implementation in SMEs, and the empirical data has adequately supported the model. The findings show that the organisational and innovation characteristics are necessary, but to provide a more comprehensive picture in explaining the implementation behaviour of SMEs, one needs to consider other factors and contexts especially when testing the model in different countries. Communication methods employed, government support, external pressure from customers and suppliers have been found to be very important for Australian SMEs in this decision.Originality/valueA major contribution of this study is that it provides an understanding of what the organisational, technological, communication, and external environmental drivers of EC implementation are. The findings of this study could also help companies embarking upon cross border activities by illustrating the differences in EC adoption between the two Asia‐Pacific nations. The study also provides a close examination of the inhibiting and facilitating factors which can affect EC adoption success. By knowing the relative importance of these factors, SMEs may be spared from expending their limited resources and energy on less important factors which have limited contribution to EC implementation success.