bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Retail in 2010: a world of extremes
Authors: Gagnon Joseph L. , Chu Julian J. 
Published: January 2007

PurposeAdvises retailers that traditional strategies will not be adequate to cope with trends such as unprecedented customer diversity, market polarization and dominant mega‐retailers. Explains what capabilities will retailers need to remain relevant to demanding customers. Suggests how retail executives should begin preparing to embrace fundamental change and become truly customer‐centric.Design/methodology/approachUsing scenario techniques to examine retailing in 2010, the authors explore a “world of extremes”. In it retailers will face a consumer marketplace defined by unprecedented social diversity, competitive intensity and market complexity.FindingsAs the marketplace polarizes across a variety of dimensions, corporate thinking needs to shift from “bell curves” – where firms try to serve a generic mass market but do not meet anyone's needs particularly well – to “well curves” – where companies drive growth by applying distinct business models in each part of their business to deliver the greatest value to explicitly defined groups of customers. In 2010, retailers will succeed to the extent that they abandon the undifferentiated middle and focus their organizations on serving the extremes of the demand curve, even if they play both sides.Research limitations/implicationsThis is one scenario from a set of possible futures for retailing in 2010.Practical implicationsBy learning how the world of extremes scenario is being shaped by long‐running social and industry trends which, when added together, will bring about fundamental changes in the retail market, business can anticipate what steps they must take now to prepare for survival and success in 2010. These include: Craft an exceedingly focused, distinctive brand proposition; Drive customer‐valued innovation through deeper insight; Optimize core activities through systematic intelligence; Realign the organization to operationalize customer centricity.Originality/valueBased on research at the IBM Institute for Business Value and work with clients worldwide, IBM Consulting identified five key “mega‐trends” that are redrawing the rules of competition for retailers: Customer value drivers fragment; Customers become more guarded; Information exposes all; Mega‐retailers break the boundaries; Partnering becomes pervasive.
Pricing strategy and execution: an overlooked way to increase revenues and profits
Authors: Davidson Alistair , Simonetto Mike 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThis article advocates putting pricing strategy on the CEO's agenda and considers the new concept of pricing execution – the development of pricing strategy and the implementation of the strategy through a combination of leadership, management practice, and software – from the point of view of the senior management team.Design/methodology/approachNew software tools give companies a new way of setting, optimizing, and enforcing pricing changes within the organization.FindingsThere has been an explosion of applications in the pricing management space. Pricing execution offers both growing and mature companies a lower‐risk approach to revenue, margin, profit, and shareholder‐value growth than innovation and acquisitions.Research limitations/implicationsA proprietary 2005 Deloitte study of the available applications concludes that no one vendor offers a complete integrated solution.Practical implicationsUsing software to improve pricing measurement, combined with better pricing execution, can help many organizations generate revenue rapidly.Originality/valueCEOs and other leaders can use the article to educate the senior management team on the opportunity that pricing management represents.
Using scenarios to create common understanding across different cultures
Authors: Ringland Gill 
Published: January 2007

PurposeA High Level Expert Group (HLEG) was set up to consider the topic of converging technologies and to propose to the European Union how to approach it. But the group soon developed communications problems. A few members of the group proposed using scenario methodology to develop a common language.Design/methodology/approachThe HLEG decided that creating four scenarios for Europe in 2020 would provide an explicit framework for discussing the contribution of converging technologies to society and the economy, and thus would ameliorate the communications problems that plagued the group.FindingsUsing scenarios to create alternative worlds allowed different views of desirable and acceptable futures to be set in context. The net result was a useful report presented to the European Commission.Research limitationsThis case study reports on four scenarios for Converging Technologies for the European Knowledge Society (CTEKs) in the year 2020.Practical implicationsManagers of diverse groups could use the same techniques to promote effective communication.Originality/valueManaging diverse groups – such as networked communities – is becoming an important management skill and so is using scenarios to facilitate communication and learning among them.
Defying marketing sovereignty: voluntary simplicity at new consumption communities
Authors: Bekin Caroline , Carrigan Marylyn , Szmigin Isabelle 
Published: January 2007

PurposeTo broaden the scope of our knowledge of collective voluntarily simplified lifestyles in the UK, by exploring whether voluntary simplifiers achieve their goals by adopting a simpler life.Design/methodology/approachRadical forms of voluntary simplifier groups were explored through participant‐observation research. The methodology can be broadly classified as critical ethnography, and a multi‐locale approach has been used in designing the field.FindingsAlthough for some of these consumers voluntary simplicity seems to have reinstated the enjoyment of life, certain goals remain unfulfilled and other unexpected issues arise, such as the challenges of mobility in the attainment of environmental goals.Research limitations/implicationsThis is an ongoing research, however many opportunities for further research have arisen from this study. Quantitative research could be undertaken on the values and attitudes buttressing voluntary simplicity specifically in the UK. The extent to which such communities influence mainstream consumers could be studied both quantitatively and qualitatively. Mainstream consumers' attitudes to the practices of such communities could prove useful for uncovering real consumer needs.Practical implicationsDespite these communities position in the extreme end of the voluntary simplicity spectrum, their role in shaping the practices and attitudes of other consumers is clear.Originality/valueThis paper provides new consumer insights that can re‐shape policy‐making and marketing practice aimed at achieving a sustainable future.
Customer relationships in the e‐economy: mutual friends or just a veneering?
Authors: Ayios Angela , Harris Lisa 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to investigate whether technological developments can be used in call centre environments to build trust and hence lasting customer relationships beyond the usual focus on efficiency gains through automation.Design/methodology/approachDraws upon depth interviews with management and staff in three very different types of call centre to critically examine the ways in which caring attitudes and competent behaviour of call centre staff can contribute to building durable bases for customer trust.FindingsWhile one of the case studies exemplifies a purely economic rationale for call centre operations, the other two demonstrate that a truly optimal application of technology creates a shared system of which customers and employees form an integrated part. Employees' knowledge of the system and the product it underpins are applied in a positive way to create relationships and trust with the customers with whom they transact.Practical implicationsArgues that competitive advantage can be gained if the customer perception is of an organisation that is concerned with building relationships based on competence or empathy to meet individual needs – features which stand out clearly in an industry sector often associated with standardised services, “sweatshop” working conditions and control‐based management practices focused on a purely economic rationale.Originality/valueDemonstrates that multi‐channel environments for customer interaction offer potential for competitive advantage beyond short‐term efficiency gains when the convenience of channel choice is creatively combined with competent and empathetic customer service.
Smart community networks: self‐directed team effectiveness in action
Authors: Albert Sylvie R. , Fetzer Ronald C. 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this research paper is to study the governance of smart/intelligent community projects through an analysis of the level of team effectiveness of collaborative telecommunication networks.Design/methodology/approachThe research is based on a census of all Canadian smart community projects. A high‐performance team effectiveness instrument identified, through a performance score, whether smart community teams (board of directors or steering committees) are functioning as high‐performance teams. A total of 76 networks were found and 28 responded. Each network is managed by three to nine board members and therefore the researcher received 72 valid questionnaires.FindingsTeams, in highly innovative and transformational environments, and involving a variety of community stakeholders, face more challenges in their ability to perform as a high‐performance team. They tend to perform reasonably well in assigning roles and goals, but are having more difficulty managing feedback, establishing a good structure, solving problems and managing relationships.Practical implicationsSmart/intelligent communities are reuniting several organizations to improve their community or region in social and economic terms. Their level of effectiveness could impact the achievement of group goals and thus impact all citizens within their geographic area.Originality/valueThe research provides additional information on the weaknesses that smart/intelligent communities are facing in managing their teams, which could lead to better solutions for network governance and collaboration within a multi‐organizational structure.
Improving team performance using repertory grids
Authors: Boyle Todd A. 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThis paper seeks to explore how repertory grids can be used to address IT team performance issues. The technique is introduced along with the process of creating and analyzing repertory grid data.Design/methodology/approachTo explore the application of the repertory grid technique to team performance issues. An example focused on eliciting the essential soft skills needed by programmers to effectively interact with IT team members is illustrated.Research limitations/implicationsTo researchers, the main benefit of this paper is that it introduces a technique that is easy to use, enables the researcher to easily determine the relationship between constructs, is free from researcher bias, and can be applied to a wide variety of team‐related research studies.Practical implicationsThis research presents a means by which human resource managers, hiring personnel, and team leaders can easily determine essential skills needed on the IT teams of the organization, thereby deriving a “wish list” from key IT groups as to the desired non‐technical characteFristics of potential new team members.Originality/valueShows how repertory grids can be used to address IT team performance issues.
Generation X: acceptance of others and teamwork implications
Authors: Yrle Augusta C. , Hartman Sandra J. , Payne Dinah M. 
Published: January 2007

PurposeSeeks to conduct serious academic study of the Generation X phenomenon.Design/methodology/approachConsiders how the literature (primarily the popular press) has viewed the contrast between Generation X and its predecessor, the Baby Boomer generation. Uses Fey's acceptance of others scale to consider what differences may exist between these individuals and those who preceded them.FindingsThe popular literature and anecdotal evidence from practicing managers hold that the impact of a new, radically different generation, often referred to as Generation X, is just now beginning to be felt in US organizations as well as in society as a whole. Many observations and informal reports from practicing managers describe how different the “new breed” of employees is and how difficult they are to manage. Finds that issues of trust and independence surface repeatedly. Interprets the results as providing some evidence that generational differences may exist.Research limitations/implicationsConsiderable future research will be required to clarify the extensiveness of the differences and their significance.Originality/valueConsiders the impact of a radically different generation on US organizations and on society as a whole.
The complexity of leading
Authors: Rabey Gordon 
Published: January 2007

PurposeWith an awareness that the literature is replete with material on leadership, and accepting that the exercise of it is seen as a finger‐post towards personal success, this study aims to establish that one should still recognise that leadership is multi‐faceted, that it is both situational and transient, and that it is only one of the core skills needed by those holding in‐charge positions.Design/methodology/approachTo consider leadership in a variety of positions and to see both the potential and the limitations arising from and imposed by other factors which can and do influence performance.FindingsIt is not always recognised that the outcomes of leadership action are seldom predictable, that individuals may respond quite differently from the expectations of their performance, and that if the occasion so warrants the influence of the leadership role may be replaced by the authority of management – with the one in charge demonstrating competency in both roles.Research limitations/implicationsInfluence arises from many sources and at all levels, it is episodic rather than a constant, and is demonstrated more frequently by those in positions of responsibility. In the latter it shows itself in leadership and in the individual motivation and group morale of the led. In the context of a in loco parentis similarity: managing and leading are conjoined in the persona of the one in charge.Originality/valueTo gain value in one's own environs it is suggested that salient points be the subject of ongoing discussion.
A random shock model for a continuously deteriorating system
Authors: Eun Lim Kyung , Seon Baek Jee , Yong Lee Eui 
Published: January 2007

PurposeA random shock model for a system whose state deteriorates continuously is introduced and stochastically analyzed. It is assumed in the model that the state of the system follows a Brownian motion with negative drift and is also subject to random shocks. A repairman arrives at the system according to a Poisson process and repairs the system if the state has been below a threshold since the last repair.Design/methodology/approachKolmogorov's forward differential equation is adopted together with a renewal argument to analyze the model stochastically. The renewal reward theorem is used to obtain the long‐run average cost per unit time.FindingsAn explicit expression is deduced for the stationary distribution of the state of the system. After assigning several costs to the system, an optimization is also studied as an example.Practical implicationsThe present model can be used to manage a complex system whose state deteriorates both continuously and jumpwise due to the continuous wear and random shocks, such as a machine and a production line in a factory. The model can also be applied to an inventory which supplies the stock both continuously and jumpwise, such as a gas station and the distribution center for a franchise, if the continuous wear and random shocks are considered as demands for the stock.Originality/valueThe present model is quite complicate, however, more realistic than the previous models where the state of the system is subject to either one of continuous wear and random shocks.
Failure rate prediction with artificial neural networks
Authors: Bevilacqua Maurizio , Braglia Marcello , Frosolini Marco , Montanari Roberto 
Published: January 2007

PurposeTo suggest that a multi layer perception based artificial neural network (MLP‐ANN) is a practical instrument to evaluate the expected failure rates of 143 centrifugal pumps used in an oil refinery plant.Design/methodology/approachA MLP is adopted to weigh up the correlation existing among the failure rates and the several different operating conditions which have some influence in the occurrence.FindingsDuring the training phase, it is possible to discriminate among those variables closely significant for the final outcome and those which can be kept off from the analysis. In particular, the neural network automatically calculates and classifies the centrifugal pumps in terms of both the failure probability and its variability degree, giving a better analysis instrument to take decisions and to justify them, in order to optimise and fully support an eventual preventive maintenance (PM) program.Originality/valueAids in decision‐making to reduce the necessity of reactive maintenance activities and to simplify the planning of PM ones.
Wear characterization by fractal mathematics for quality improvement of machine
Authors: Ghosh S. , Sarkar B. , Saha J. 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe objective of the present work is to find an alternative approach for gearbox condition monitoring using wear particle characterization incorporated with image vision systems.Design/methodology/approachIt is a quite well‐known phenomenon that wear generates whenever two metallic bodies have contact with each; other hence the present work tries to investigate the effect of improper lubrication in the gearbox due to wear particle generation between gear wheels. Since the identification of wear for machine condition monitoring needs much expertise knowledge and is time‐consuming using the conventional process, fractal mathematics with image morphological analysis has been utilized to overcome this situation in the present work.FindingsThe type of wear has been found for the present method by utilizing the lubricant used in the system ferrographically and a great deal of image processing has been done to characterize the type of particle so that the proper maintenance strategy can be undertaken.Originality/valueWear particle characterization is a quite common method in maintenance engineering, especially when fault diagnosis of any equipment is concerned. In the present work, the CCD acquisition of the images has been done for different particles, but one analysis amongst them has been shown in this paper. Among all other methodologies, the new technique of fractal mathematics has been used in the present work to minimize the imaging hazards and to make the system more user‐friendly.
Expert system for aircraft maintenance services industry
Authors: Cheung Angus , Ip W.H. , Lu Dawei 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to propose an approach to facilitate the allocation of labor resources, which is a complex and fuzzy problem in nature existing in the aircraft maintenance services industry. On the other hand, the shortage of experienced and qualified engineers makes the labor allocation process even more difficult.Design/methodology/approachVarious approaches can be used to solve this personnel‐planning problem: mathematical programming is the common modeling approach; however, it is found to be inappropriate where there are many intangible factors. The other approach is analytical hierarchy process (AHP), a decision support method which can facilitate labor allocation. In this paper, the authors propose a decision support system with fuzzy AHP in weighing the importance of different intangible criteria; an extent analysis approach is used to overcome the uncertainty of subjective perception.FindingsIn the allocation of labor resources, the personnel plans have to consider the aviation authority regulations and safety laws, qualification of the employees and customers' requirements, as well as other intangible variables. The analysis results have shown that the fuzzy AHP approach‐based system provides better resource management and higher productivity for the aircraft industry.Originality/valueSince limited studies have been found to be concentrated on manpower allocation problems in the aircraft maintenance industry, this study can provide important findings and references to the academicians and practitioners in the related areas.
Rapid prototyping and industrial design practice: can haptic feedback modelling provide the missing tactile link?
Authors: Evans Mark A. 
Published: January 2007

PurposeTo investigate the potential to employ tactile form‐shaping as a prerequisite to the production of physical industrial design models by rapid prototyping.Design/methodology/approachUsing a haptic feedback device to allow the designer to “feel” 3D virtual geometry as part of the evaluation and sculpting process. To maintain a close association with professional practice, this was undertaken as part of a product design case study in which a haptic feedback/rapid prototyping strategy was compared and contrasted with the more traditional workshop‐based shaping of Styrofoam by hand.FindingsThe use of a haptic feedback device facilitated the production of rapid prototype components that had been defined through feel and sculpting, albeit prior to the build process. Despite shortcomings in the ability to replicate activities undertaken in a workshop environment, other creative opportunities emerged that could not have effectively been produced using any other methods.Research limitations/implicationsWhilst based on generic industrial design methods, the findings are drawn from only one case study.Practical implicationsA useful evaluation for those wishing to undertake further research into haptic feedback modelling or employ such a system during professional practice.Originality/valueThe study moves forward the debate into the merits and application of virtual and physical modelling techniques and provides useful case study evidence of direct comparison.
Evaluation of 3D printing for dies in low volume forging of 7075 aluminum helicopter parts
Authors: Shivpuri R. , Cheng X. , Agarwal K. , Babu S. 
Published: January 2007

PurposeTo investigate the ProMetal 3D printing technique for its application to dies, for low volume hot forging of 7075 aluminum helicopter parts.Design/methodology/approachThermo‐mechanical and tribological behavior of the ProMetal 3D printed tools were characterized by hot upset and ring tests. Finite element simulations of the test application were conducted using special purpose metal forming simulation software FORGE3. Results obtained from the tests along with finite element analysis were used to validate behavior of the printed dies during forging trials.FindingsProMetal‐printed materials exhibited relatively low thermal conductivity and high friction. Cavities were printed, machined and evaluated in hot forging trials. Dies exhibited substantial settling during the manufacturing (3D printing) process. Some collapse of dies was also observed at locations where forging pressures were high.Practical implicationsAfter initial plastic settling, the printed dies provide satisfactory part tolerance for die temperatures and pressures up to 338°C and 689 MPa, respectively. Low thermal conductivity observed indicate a potential to forge aluminum with cooler dies. Coating or secondary polishing is necessary to achieve acceptable surface finish for forging of aluminum.Originality/valueThis paper demonstrates a need in RP industry to methodically match capabilities of the rapid prototyping process to the needs of the intended application through the use of finite element method and some fundamental characterization.