bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The consumer competence of young adults: a study of newly formed households
Authors: Grønhøj Alice 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThe consumer competence concept is loaded with ambiguity in the academic as well as in the public use of the term. The purpose of this paper is to examine the concept theoretically and empirically.Design/methodology/approachConsumer socialization theories were compared and combined for the theoretical background, and a mixed‐methods methodology was applied for the empirical part. The study included young adults aged 18‐25, who had recently established their first household. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to explore the way in which young consumers establish their first household, particularly with respect to how new, complex buying decisions are managed.FindingsGuidance from family and friends was found to be of major significance as regards complex consumer decisions made in the transition period from home to first household. The young adults did not display very high levels of consumer competence in actual consumption decisions, however, more competent approaches were reported when respondents were faced with hypothetical purchase situations. The young consumers' own understanding of what consumer competence requires showed some degree of correspondence with traditional notions of “desirable consumer socialization,” but also added a fundamental consumer competence to the list: to carefully consider one's need to make a purchase.Research limitations/implicationsThe study included only a certain segment of young consumers. Future studies of consumer competence may include consumers of other age groups, consumers at different transitional life stages, or consumers with other cultural backgrounds to make comparative studies of the consumer competence of different segments of the population and across nations.Originality/valueThe study highlights a concept of importance to both consumers and marketers, which has previously been largely overlooked or only implicitly referred to.
Concept articulation and web research: a case study using quali‐quant methods
Authors: Moskowitz Howard , Rabino Samuel , Beckley Jacqueline 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to show how consumer researchers have used experimental design of ideas to understand emotions.Design/methodology/approachThe approach was “quali‐quant,” mixing the insights of qualitative research with the numerical rigor of quantitative research. Consumers were presented with small, easy to understand test concepts created by experimental design to obtain their reactions. The paper looks at the impact of emotion‐language on acceptance, through individual‐level regression modeling.FindingsModels were developed for each respondent. It was found that the emotion elements are not key drivers of interest in the product. The paper did, however, find individuals who were sensitive to some emotion elements, but not to others, leading to the conclusion that responses to emotion in concepts may emerge out of the interaction of individual respondents and the concept elements.Research limitations/implicationsThe key limitation of this type of research is that it requires a specific internet‐based program (IdeaMap.Net) which does all the combinations, acquires the data, and then analyzes it.Practical implicationsThe paper shows how to better understand the role of emotions in written concepts.Originality/valueThe paper presents a totally new treatment of emotion, by looking at emotion in terms of the stimulus and the respondent together. It shows that emotion is an emergent or new entity, not inherent in the predisposition of a group of individuals, nor in the nature of the stimulus.
Projective techniques for brand image research
Authors: Hofstede Anouk , van Hoof Joris , Walenberg Natascha , de Jong Menno 
Published: June 2007

PurposeSince it is hard for consumers to express their feelings and views regarding brand images, market researchers increasingly use projective and enabling techniques to collect rich and meaningful data. The purpose of this paper is to describe the development and use of two methods of brand image research based on personification. Both methods were used to investigate the personality of four beer brands.Design/methodology/approachThe first method was based on mood boards: participants were asked to make collages of celebrity photographs representing the beer brands (n=16). The second method used a job‐sorting task: participants were asked to connect jobs with the beer brands (n=100). The results of both methods were related to a list of brand personality traits.FindingsHolistic interpretations of the mood boards and the jobs associated with the beer brands reveal highly similar results among the two methods, which strongly discriminate between the four beer brands. A translation of these findings to scores on personality dimensions further underlines the similarity of the two methods used, but does not convincingly distinguish between the four beer brands.Research limitations/implicationsThe similarities in the results underline the congruent validity of the two methods. The observation that the two methods lose their discriminating value when holistic impressions are translated to personality dimensions scores calls for more research into the way projective research data may be interpreted and used.Originality/valueThis study is a first attempt to compare the results of two different but related projective techniques for brand image research. It demonstrates the importance of methodological research in this area.
Teamwork and defining group structures
Authors: Miklavčič Šumanski Martina , Kolenc Igor , Markič Mirko 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThe paper is based on the presumption that sustainable organisational performance cannot be achieved without continuous organisational development as well as continuous development of the employees. The paper is of the opinion that, in a company or any other organisation, creating the conditions for knowledge development is of utmost importance. These conditions should enhance innovation processes fostered by employees. The paper aims to investigate this premise.Design/methodology/approachThe basic idea for the research in the paper arose from the findings that proved that organisational structures do substantially facilitate creativity processes. The main part of the paper focuses on researching team cohesion and obtaining information on interpersonal relationships as a starting‐point for new knowledge to emerge.FindingsThe main finding of the qualitative case study, conducted on 172 employees of a certain manufacturing company, are that interpersonal relationships in smaller groups of people are of better quality than those in larger groups.Originality/valueAs a consequence of research on the company involved in the case study, suggestions in terms of improving knowledge management were made and concrete measures were taken.
Leadership for collective thinking in the work place
Authors: Ringer T. Martin 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThe intention of this paper is: first, to raise awareness in organizations of the ubiquitous nature of thinking in teams and informal groups; second, to provide the reader with conceptual tools for understanding the subtle dynamics of “team‐level” thinking; and third, to offer some practical suggestions to leaders and consultants on ways of actively working to increase the quality of collective thinking in work places.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is largely theoretical and extends current theory about the utilization of knowledge and intelligence in teams and organizations.FindingsThe four core elements to effective collective thinking are proposed as: shared clarity of purpose; emotionally and psychologically mature functioning on the part of key players; the necessity for psychologically safe “thinking spaces”; and shared responsibility for building, maintaining and utilizing the thinking space. It is further proposed that many essential influences on collective thinking exist outside the usual limits of awareness – that is, they occur as unconscious processes – and so developing powerful collective thinking requires that attention be paid to symbolic, non‐rational and intuitive patterns in teams and organizations.Practical implicationsThe paper provides theoretical and practical frameworks that enable members of organizations directly address factors influencing the quality of collective thinking in the systems in which they are involved.Originality/valueThe fresh contribution of this paper is largely that it integrates intuitive, subtle and unconscious dynamics with rational logical principles so as to create powerful new principles to enable leaders and consultants to enhance organizational effectiveness.
Communication openness, conflict events and reactions to conflict in culturally diverse workgroups
Authors: Ayoko Oluremi B. 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThis research paper aims to advance the understanding of the circumstances under which diversity may be beneficial or detrimental for quality group process. Especially, the paper seeks to argue that communication openness is antecedent to the differing group members’ reactions to conflict events, which, in turn, are proposed to impact group's task and social outcomes in culturally diverse workgroups (CDWs).Design/methodology/approachUsing social identity theory as the springboard, we built on existing literature to hypothesize the proposed relationships among variables. These relationships were tested quantitatively using multiple regression.FindingsThere are a couple of significant findings from the current research. Direct effects include groups with low levels of communication openness were linked with increased destructive reactions to conflict, bullying behaviors and emotional reactions to bullying; and destructive reactions to conflict were associated with emotional reactions to bullying. Moderating effects include: high levels of communication openness moderated high levels of productive reactions to conflict for decreased bullying behaviors in groups; communication openness made a difference on bullying when destructive reactions to conflict higher; and lower levels of communication openness moderated destructive reactions for increased emotional reactions to bullying.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is limited by its reliance on data that focused on primarily on cultural diversity consequently, the impact of gender, age, and other forms of diversity has not been controlled. Future research should consider the impact of age and other forms of diversity in teasing out the effect of communication openness on bullying behaviors.Practical implicationsThe results from this study have implications for leaders of CDWs. A leader who is able to manage the reactions to conflict, especially destructive reactions to conflict by increasing communication openness may be able to reduce the perception of bullying behaviors and emotional reactions to bullying. These actions should, in turn, lead to increased group task outcomes.Originality/valueFirst, this current paper is one of the first few studies that quantitatively examined bullying in organizational workgroups and in particular, culturally heterogeneous workgroups. Secondly, the paper is also one of the first few papers to examine the role of communication openness and reactions to conflict in workplace bullying and emotional reactions to bullying. Consequently, the paper will be useful for group members and managers as well as leaders of workgroups that experience conflict and bullying. Specifically, such leaders will need not only to manage conflict skillfully but also manage the group member's reaction to conflict to reduce bullying and emotions of bullying in their workgroups.
Cross‐cultural management: six perspectives
Authors: Fontaine Rodrigue 
Published: June 2007

PurposeDifferent researchers look at cross‐cultural management from different perspective. By identifying six perspectives, this study aims to help researchers identify lacuna and helps the field by identifying under‐researched areas.Design/methodology/approachThrough a literature review of papers directly or indirectly linked to cross‐cultural management, cross‐cultural psychology and studies on stereotyping.FindingsThe paper starts with a riddle. Why has the UK, a culturally homogeneous society, experienced 18 racial riots since the 1980s whereas Malaysia, a culturally heterogeneous society, has experienced none? This fact can be understood through six perspectives. These are named the classical approach, the anthropological approach, the psychological approach, the stereotyping approach, the knowledge management (KM) approach and the systems thinking approach.Originality/valueThere are three key points. First, understanding perspectives allows researchers and practitioners to know where they and others are coming from. Second, it allows researchers to identify under‐researched areas. Third, the point is made that classical studies were focused on understanding the past while emerging fields (KM and systems thinking) is more geared towards shaping the future.
Cultural distance asymmetry in expatriate adjustment
Authors: Selmer Jan , Chiu Randy K. , Shenkar Oded 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThe current literature implicitly assumes a symmetric impact of cultural distance (CD) on expatriate adjustment. By using distance as a predictor of adjustment, the literature has rendered the direction of the flow irrelevant: a US expatriate in Germany is presumed to face the same hurdle as a German expatriate in the USA. Not only is there no evidence to justify that suggestion, but logic and related findings suggest just the opposite. The aim of the present paper is to test the proposition that such impact is asymmetric, that is, the impact of CD is contingent on the direction of the assignment.Design/methodology/approachUsing a two‐flow sample of US expatriates in Germany and German expatriates in the USA, we examine and compare the psychological and socio‐cultural adjustment of each group of executives.FindingsControlling for the length of assignment, we find that German expatriates in the USA were better adjusted, both socio‐culturally and psychologically, than American expatriates in Germany. These results support the asymmetry hypothesis and call into question previous findings attesting to the relationship between CD and expatriate adjustment.Originality/valueThe paper offers new insights into the concept of CD and the findings may amount to a potentially fundamental contribution to the literature with important implications for the theory and practice of international human resource management.
Prediction of system reliability for single component repair
Authors: Sun Yong , Ma Lin , Mathew Joseph 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to present a new split system model (SSM) that predicts the reliability of complex systems with multiple preventive maintenance (PM) actions in the long term.Design/methodology/approachThe SSM was developed using probability theory based on the concept of separating repaired and unrepaired components within a system virtually when modelling the reliability of the system after repairs. After theoretical analysis, a case study and Monte Carlo simulation were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the newly developed model.FindingsThe model can be used to determine the remaining life of systems, to show the changes in reliability with PM actions, and to quantify PM intervals after imperfect repairs.Practical implicationsSSM can be used to predict the reliability of complex systems with multiple PM actions, and hence can be used to support asset PM decision making over the whole life of the asset, such as scheduled PM times and spare parts requirements. An asset often has some vulnerable components, i.e. where the lives of these components are much shorter than the rest of the asset. In this case, PM is often conducted on these vulnerable components for maximising the useful life of the asset. The specific formulae derived in this paper can be used to predict the reliability of the asset for this scenario.Originality/valueThe proposed model uses a new concept of split systems to predict the changes of reliability of complex systems with multiple PM actions. Asset managers will find this model to be a useful tool in the optimisation of their asset PM strategies.
Evaluation of the uncertainty affecting reliability models
Authors: Basile Olivier , Dehombreux Pierre , Riane Fouad 
Published: June 2007

PurposeReliability models are generally estimated from small samples. This paper seeks to calculate the uncertainty affecting reliability parameters in function of the sample size.Design/methodology/approachThe confidence intervals are calculated on the basis of Monte Carlo simulations and using the variance‐covariance matrix; the two methods are compared.FindingsNumerical results for the estimation of uncertainty have been obtained for standard reliability models, non‐homogeneous Poisson process and generalized renewal process.Originality/valueFor the generalized renewal process, the article points out the influence of the age correction factor on the number of repairs authorized and on uncertainty. The surface plot of the likelihood function with respect to parameters is a convenient tool to interpret the uncertainty.
Real‐time degradation monitoring and failure prediction of pulse energy conversion systems
Authors: Kolokolov Yury V. , Monovskaya Anna V. , Hloindo Adjallah Kondo 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThe paper aims to present a new approach for safe operation, and maintenance cost reduction, regarding electrical and electromechanical systems of power production, power conversion and power transmission, primarily in industrial units.Design/methodology/approachThe paper adapts a theoretical approach to real‐time monitoring of pulse energy conversion systems (PECSs), and prediction of abnormal dynamics incipient and developing failure. The approach utilizes the preliminary bifurcation analysis results and the geometrical interpretation of the fractal regularities in PECS dynamics, to reveal degradation development.FindingsIt turns out that this new approach enables one to fill the joint requirements of real‐time failure prediction of the high frequency power control devices, and of the relating failure symptoms to cause parameters. Discussions are led on the fundamental outcomes of numerical and experimental investigations of a DC‐DC buck voltage converter with pulse‐width‐modulation (PWM) control.Practical implicationsThe real‐time monitoring of incipient abnormal dynamics in key nonlinear devices of electrical and electromechanical systems constitutes a mean to predict and prevent failures. It provides invaluable information for deciding and planning predictive maintenance actions, from the insurance of optimal operating conditions to abnormal operating prevention, either by means of modification of controlled parameters and control laws or, in the worst case, by change of the power components' structure.Originality/valueAbout “failure prediction”, this paper proposed to pay attention, not to identification of the dynamics evolution specific reason, but real‐time monitoring of this reason consequence – incipient abnormal dynamics in the electrical and electromechanical systems – that can lead to failure. The advantage of this approach consists in the possibility of taking into account PECS operating conditions of models ambiguity of both disturbing parameter changes and PECS behavior.
Maintenance alternative integration to prognosis process engineering
Authors: Muller Alexandre , Suhner Marie‐Christine , Iung Benoît 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThis paper proposes the extension of a prognosis process by means of the integration of maintenance alternative impacts in order to develop a maintenance decision‐making tool.Design/methodology/approachThe deployment of this extended prognosis process follows a methodology based both on probabilistic and on event approaches.FindingsThe importance of the maintenance function has increased due to its role in keeping and improving the system availability and safety but also the product quality. To support this new role, the maintenance concept has undergone several major developments to lead to proactive considerations mainly based on prognosis process allowing one to select the best maintenance plan to be carried out.Practical implicationsStudies over the last 20 years have indicated that around Europe the direct cost of maintenance is equivalent to between 4 and 8 per cent of total sales turnover. The indirect cost of maintenance is likely to be a similar amount. Thus, in the countries where modern maintenance practices have yet to be well adopted by industry, the potential savings from modern maintenance are massive. These modern and efficient maintenances imply identifying the root‐cause of component failures, reducing the failures of production systems, eliminating costly unscheduled shutdown maintenances, and improving productivity as well as quality. It means, for the companies, migrating from their traditional reactive approach, which is “fail and fix”, to “predict and prevent”. The advantage of the latter is that maintenance is performed only when a certain level of equipment deterioration occurs. This “proactive” maintenance is mainly based on prognosis process often considered as the Achilles heel, while its goal is fundamental for implementing anticipation capabilities. This paper looks into this issue by proposing the development of an innovative prognosis process integrating the modelling of maintenance actions and their impacts on system performances. It leads to offering a maintenance aided decision‐making tool cable of assisting the decision‐maker in selecting the best maintenance plan to be carried out.Originality/valueThe feasibility of this new prognosis is experimented on the manufacturing Tele‐Maintenance (TELMA) platform supporting the unwinding of metal bobbins.
Efficient cooling with tool inserts manufactured by electron beam melting
Authors: Rännar L‐E. , Glad A. , Gustafson C‐G. 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present a comparative study, regarding cooling time and dimensional accuracy, of conventional injection mold cooling channel layouts, using straight holes and a baffle, and free‐form fabricated (FFF) layout, manufactured by the direct‐metal rapid tooling (RT) method electron beam melting (EBM). Many other methods have been proven useful for RT, but the authors have not found any publications where EBM has been used to manufacture injection molding tools.Design/methodology/approachA test part was designed in order to replicate a common and important issue: inadequate cooling in deep cores. The part and the different cooling layouts were analyzed in an injection molding simulation software and the numerical results were compared with corresponding experimental results.FindingsThe analyses showed an improvement in both cooling time and dimensional accuracy in favor of conformal FFF cooling channels manufactured by EBM. The experimental results correlate well with the numerical tests, however with some discrepancies.Research limitations/implicationsThe results presented are based on the direct‐metal RT method EBM, and they were obtained using a specific test part.Originality/valueThis paper can be a useful aid when designing mold tools and especially when considering the usage of FFF cooling channels versus conventional cooling design. It can also serve as a reference when comparing the efficiency in terms of cooling time and dimensional accuracy between different layouts.