bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Standardization through process documentation
Authors: Ungan Mustafa C. 
Published: July 2006

PurposeConsistency in operations is necessary for an organization's survival and growth. It is difficult to achieve consistency because of the employees' different ways of performing the same task. Employees' education, experience and skill levels determine their own styles and differences in their styles cause variations in process output. If process master's (best performers in a process) ways of performing their own tasks can be well documented, then a company will be able to standardize its operating procedures in their best forms. And, when employees follow these procedures, variations will be minimized and best quality products or services will be offered to customers. However, documenting such procedures is far from easy. The purpose of this paper is to propose a step‐by‐step framework on how to create process documents for standardization purposes.Design/methodology/approachQualitative research was adopted for this study. Published works in the process improvement, knowledge management (KM), and project management literatures were used to build the proposed framework.FindingsThe roles of KM, semantics, and metadata schema were found very significant in creating process documents for standardization purposes.Practical implicationsServes as a guide to practitioners who desire to standardize their operations.Originality/valueA review of academic and business sources indicated that work on process standardization is conspicuously absent. This paper makes a contribution to fill this gap.
Relationships and online consumer communities
Authors: Farquhar Jillian , Rowley Jennifer 
Published: July 2006

PurposeTo explore, through a case study approach, relationship and community development in online consumer communities.Design/methodology/approachA case study‐based analysis of three organizations that are supporting online community creation and development is used as the basis for grounded theory development. Two of these organizations, the Consumers Association, and Emerald Group Publishing Limited, are publishers, and are building on established community. The third case study, Letsbuyit.com seeks to bring together a consumer community in pursuit of the good deals with suppliers. Online communities are analysed in terms of relationships, including the nature and types of relationships, the role of value creation and commitment, customer‐to‐customer interaction, and relationship lifecycles.FindingsThese case studies demonstrate that whilst communication, content and commerce are often associated with consumer online communities, each e‐business needs to develop its own model of community building activities.Originality/valueCommercial organizations need to translate customer relationships that have been created in traditional business environments into the virtual marketplace, and to use online communities to strengthen these relationships. This paper contributes to the limited empirical research in this area, and provides some models, and an agenda for future research into online consumer communities.
Sustainability in the education of industrial designers: the case for Australia
Authors: Ramirez Mariano 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe paper intends to determine the extent to which environmental sustainability issues are integrated in the curricula of industrial design programs in Australian universities.Design/methodology/approachIndustrial design lecturers and program heads were invited to participate in a web‐based survey on their university's industrial design curricula. Online university handbooks were also examined to determine which courses cover sustainability aspects. Survey results were then tabulated and analysed using descriptive statistics.FindingsThe study shows that, while there is a concern that sustainable development issues are important and relevant to design courses, the permeation of environmental sensitivity through most industrial design curricula, and indeed among design academics, is only starting to gain ground. Comparative examination of the curricular structures in Australian universities offering degree programs in industrial and product design revealed that, on average, 12 out of every 100 credit points earned have sustainability content.Practical implicationsThe paper informs industrial design academics that much more work has to be done in order to educate the next generation of designers about their responsibilities to the planet and its people. It tells them where we currently are and the gaps that we have to bridge in order to achieve environmental sustainability.Originality/valueThe paper is original in the field of Australian industrial design education, and builds on work in other disciplines about incorporating sustainability aspects in tertiary education.
Dubious hit counts and cuckoo's eggs
Authors: Jacsó Péter 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to discuss dubious hit counts in search results.Design/methodology/approachUses not only traditional databases and search engines but also unique citation databases to gain informative hit figures.FindingsSearches are finding materials that are clearly not scholarly materials.Originality/valueShows the importance of a more defined search, thus less distortion of counts.
Metadata and semantics research
Authors: Sicilia Miguel‐Angel 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe purpose of this Guest Editorial is to introduce the papers in this special issue.Design/methodology/approachA brief summary of the main contributions of the papers included in this issue is provided.FindingsThe idea of this special issue was an outcome of the organization of activities of the First Online Conference on Metadata and Semantics Research (MTSR'05).Originality/valueThe emphasis on “semantics” addresses the importance of the languages in which metadata records are created, their adequacy for the functions to be enabled and their modular design to adapt to present and future requirements.
Quality in metadata: a schema for e‐commerce
Authors: Manouselis Nikos , Costopoulou Constantina 
Published: July 2006

PurposeAn issue of increased interest in metadata research concerns finding ways to store, in the metadata of an information resource, data regarding the resource's quality. The purpose of this paper is to present a metadata schema that facilitates representation and storage of data related to the quality of an e‐commerce resource, the e‐commerce evaluation metadata (ECEM) schema.Design/methodology/approachA study of quality approaches that can be applied for the evaluation of e‐commerce resources is provided. The ECEM schema structure and elements are described. To demonstrate how ECEM can be used, two indicative examples are given: describing an e‐commerce quality approach, and storing quality evaluation results. A discussion about the validation and implementation of ECEM is also provided.FindingsIt has been demonstrated that ECEM can be effectively used to describe e‐commerce quality approaches. ECEM also facilitates the structured representation and storage of quality evaluation results. It is recommended that ECEM metadata be encoded using the eXtensible markup language (XML); thus, a corresponding XML schema has been produced.Originality/valueMetadata about resources' quality has been developed ad hoc, according to the needs of each particular application domain, and cannot be applied in other contexts. E‐commerce is one application domain where no such contributions currently exist. ECEM is a step towards the reusable and interoperable storage of quality information in metadata. It is expected to facilitate a large number of potential applications, such as quality‐oriented search of e‐commerce resources and reusable storage of evaluation results.
Making use of upper ontologies to foster interoperability between SKOS concept schemes
Authors: Sanchez‐Alonso Salvador , Garcia‐Barriocanal Elena 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to introduce a mapping of the Simple Knowledge Organization Systems (SKOS) Core metadata to an ontology‐based model, whose main aim is to foster the semantic interoperability of different concept schemes.Design/methodology/approachResearch objectives have been achieved through the introduction of a common ground for the definition of concepts, based on shared definitions included in widely used upper ontologies. This effort makes use of a particular upper ontology: OpenCyc, the open source version of Cyc, which is currently one of the most complete general knowledge bases.FindingsAn in‐depth study of the SKOS vocabulary has suggested its extension, with the aim of correcting the shortcomings related with SKOS schemes semantic interoperability. However, although such an extension would help avoid ambiguities and enable inter‐thesaurus interoperability, the paper is focused on using a non‐invasive contribution. Non‐invasive in that the SKOS Core should not be modified as a result of this activity, but also, non‐invasive in that current SKOS schemes would not require modifications.Originality/valueThe use of formal representations to provide the SKOS terms with computational semantics, as well as the introduction of an intermediate ontology‐based model built on the SKOS information. Although both proposals stand on one upper ontology (OpenCyc), they could be easily adapted to others, which provides an added value to this research work.
Deflated, inflated and phantom citation counts
Authors: Jacso Peter 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to clarify some issues regarding citation indexing, analysis and searching.Design/methodology/approachThe paper begins with a discussion on an article in the D‐Lib Magazine and then focuses on deflated citation counts and inflated and phantom citation counts.FindingsThe combination of the inflated citation count values dispensed by Google Scholar (GS) with the ignorance and shallowness of some GS enthusiasts can be a real mix for real scholars.Originality/valueThe paper offers insight into deflated, inflated and phantom citation counts.
Indicators: on visualizing, classifying and dramatizing
Authors: Catasús Bino , Gröjer Jan‐Erik 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThis study aims to follow the development of human intellectual capital indicators over a six‐year period and to bring forward the production, transmission and reception of indicators in order to interpret the ambitions and technological and programmatic properties that characterize the development of the indicators. The case builds around an organization that collects human resource data from various organizations and redistributes indicators for benchmarking purposes.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on a case, complemented with a survey. The design of the study is labeled as a case story, since it does not emphasize the organization itself, but rather the empirical material is analyzed to illustrate the production, transmission and reception of human capital measurements. The study thus follows the evolution of indicators in an organization specializing in human intellectual capital indicators.FindingsThe main conclusion of the study is that indicators may legitimize, serve as a heuristic tool for learning or mobilize the organization. The paper also suggests that human intellectual capital indicators may be produced, transmitted and received differently in relation to their technological and programmatic logics.Research limitations/implicationsThe study suggests that there is a need to develop a theory of indicators.Originality/valueBy emphasizing that not all that gets measured gets managed the paper's classification makes it possible to understand how indicators may contribute to the organization in different ways.
Close to the edge: notes from the Green Zone, Baghdad
Authors: Kupisz Richard 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to highlight the key issues that need to be taken into consideration when establishing an office, facility or project in a conflict situation, with particular reference to the International Zone in Baghdad, Iraq.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses a descriptive approach, setting out the main aspects of setting up and running an office facility or project in Baghdad and highlighting the various options available, with particular reference to the security implications. The analysis is based on the author's personal experience in Baghdad and information on the experience of other organisations working there.FindingsWorking in Baghdad, and by implication other conflict zones, is difficult but not impossible. Security permeates every aspect of existence and as a result any task will cost a lot more and take a lot longer to complete than it would elsewhere. If this can be factored into the preparations for any project there is no reason why the opportunities here, whether to rebuild the country, make a profit or simply to survive unscathed, cannot bear fruit.Practical implicationsThe paper provides a practical guide to establishing a project, facility or office in a conflict zone and provides useful information to anyone considering doing so.Originality/valueThe paper describes practical situations and options that are currently being experienced or used today, rather than proposing anything new or untested. It will, therefore, be of great value to any person or organisation considering establishing an office or facility in a conflict one and particularly in Iraq.
Outsourcing in public hospitals: a Greek perspective
Authors: Moschuris Socrates J. , Kondylis Michael N. 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to investigate the extent of outsourcing, the decision‐making process, the impact of outsourcing, and the future trend of outsourcing in public hospitals in Greece.Design/methodology/approachA survey instrument was designed and mailed to a random sample of 100 public hospitals in Greece and 43 usable questionnaires were received, representing a response rate of 43 percent. The survey instrument focused on the extent to which public hospitals outsource services, the decision‐making process for choosing an external service provider, the impact of outsourcing, and the future trend of outsourcing in public healthcare organisations.FindingsPublic hospitals in Greece outsource a variety of activities. Cost savings and customer satisfaction are the main factors affecting the outsourcing decision. The cooperation with a contract service provider has led to significant improvement in service quality levels. Most users are satisfied with the performance of these companies and believe that there will be an increase in the usage of these services in the future.Practical implicationsIt provides a decision‐making framework regarding outsourcing in public healthcare organisations.Originality/valueThis research fills the gap in the area of outsourcing in public hospitals in Greece.
Filling the assessment gap
Authors: Abu Omar Mayeh 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to describe an action research project that proposed, monitored and evaluated the introduction of a learning portfolio used to replace examinations that were formerly used to assess the core courses.Design/methodology/approachAn action research project was undertaken to find out whether the introduction of a portfolio was successful and what could be improved in the process of its implementation.FindingsThe findings indicate that portfolios are effective to support and assess the academic development of international students.Originality/valueThe introduction of a portfolio to replace written examinations in the NCIHD was welcomed by all concerned.
The impact of competition on the importance of conforming to social norms
Authors: Kirby Eric G. 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThis study focuses around the central question of whether or not the relative importance of conformity to institutional norms varies as markets become more competitive.Design/methodology/approachUsing data gathered for 187 managed health care plans in the US, this study uses hierarchical regression analysis involving blocked variables.FindingsThis study finds that conformity to technical environmental requirements has a significant impact on performance at all levels of competition. However, the importance of conformity to institutional norms increases as markets becomes more competitive.Practical implicationsFrom the perspective of MCOs, this means that managers need to carefully monitor the prevailing technical and institutional environmental forces and match their responses according to the competitiveness of their individual markets. From a societal perspective, this study suggests that improved health care delivery is likely to result from increased competition in the managed care market.Originality/valuePrior research has shown that conformity to social norms is important for MCO performance. However, this is the first study to examine the whether the importance of conformity to social norms varies as a function of market competition.
Overseas nurses' experiences of equal opportunities in the NHS in England
Authors: Alexis Obrey , Vydelingum Vasso , Robbins Ian 
Published: July 2006

PurposeTo explore the experiences of overseas black and minority ethnic nurses in the National Health Service (NHS) in the south of England.MethodsSemi‐structured in‐depth interviews were conducted with 12 overseas black and minority ethnic nurses. All interviews were taped, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. All transcripts were read and re‐read to elicit general themes.FindingsQualitative data analysis was undertaken using Van Manen framework and this enabled a number of themes to be identified that were part of overseas black and minority ethnic nurses' experience, however, two main themes would be discussed in this study. Firstly, unequal opportunities in career advancement and secondly, unequal opportunities for skill development and training. Both themes affected overseas nurses chances of promotion in the NHS.Research limitation/implicationsThe study has identified a notably gap in the implementation of equal opportunity policies and suggests that a more transparent implementation of such policies is needed in the NHS in the UK where this study was conducted. Additionally, more research is needed to determine whether overseas nurses in other areas experience similar problems.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study could encourage managers to re‐examine their equal opportunity policies in the light of these findings. Although this study has explored overseas nurses experiences, the findings cannot be generalised to the wider population.Originality valueThe differences experienced by overseas nurses in relation to career opportunities and skill development and training.
Developing cancer services strategy in primary care in England
Authors: Leese Brenda , Heywood Phil , Allgar Victoria , Walker Reg , Darr Aamra , Din Ikhlaq 
Published: July 2006

PurposePrimary care cancer lead clinicians (PCCLs) act strategically in primary care trusts (PCTs) in England to improve communication and understanding of cancer across primary and secondary care and provide a link between Cancer Networks and primary care. The aim is to evaluate the first three years of the initiative.Design/methodology/approachA postal questionnaire was sent to all PCT chief executives in all PCTs in England and some were passed on to other PCT managers for completion. The response rate was 61 per cent. PCT directors of public health were the largest group of respondents (29 per cent). Most (74 per cent) PCCLs were GPs and 22 per cent were nurses.FindingsPCCLs were most likely to focus on palliative care and preventive services. Key achievements were identified as raising awareness of cancer, developing relationships and promoting primary care. The personal skills of the PCCLs were important as was support of colleagues at all levels. Lack of time was a major barrier to achievement, as was a lack of understanding of the role from others. Links with the Cancer Networks were being developed. About 85 per cent of managers wanted the role to continue.Originality/valueThe paper illustrates that PCCLs are at the forefront of improving cancer services in primary care. They are particularly important in view of the priority of reducing premature deaths and promotion of healthy lifestyles.
Being patient‐centred: creating health care for our grandchildren
Authors: Squire Sarah , Greco Michael , O'Hagan Bridget , Dickinson Kathy , Wall Debbie 
Published: July 2006

PurposeTo provide an overview of the learning from four practical programmes that explore different aspects of patient participation in healthcare provision.Design/methodology/approachTo describe the origin and rationale for each project or programme, and to summarise the learning from it.FindingsAt a variety of levels, involving patients in the design of care services can provide new insights, and leads to more patient‐focused and locally appropriate solutions. Engaging patients appropriately is not a trivial exercise, and those that are engaged need appropriate support, but the resulting solution is often more widely applicable than is first anticipated and can be cost‐neutral.Originality/valueThe active participation of patients in the design and provision of care is a widely voiced public and professional aspiration, but is genuinely realised only rarely. The paper describes the principles, benefits and learning common to four practical expressions of that aspiration.
The Expert Patients Programme
Authors: Squire Sarah , Hill Patrick 
Published: July 2006

PurposeTo describe the purpose, establishment, work and achievements of the Expert Patients Programme (EPP) of the NHS Modernisation Agency's Clinical Governance Development Programme.Design/methodology/approachThe Expert Patients Programme (EPP) is one initiative of the Clinical Governance Support Team (CGST) which provides support for health professionals in implementation of the NHS Clinical Governance Programme arising out of the early work of the Patient Experience Team (PET). “Expert patients” are those with experience of self‐management of long‐term conditions and the programme centres on developing a model of peer support for patients with similar conditions. The EPP team has built on work at Stanford University in the USA where patients and their carers provide peer advice and support – an initiative termed “lay‐led self‐management”. The EPP team developed a six‐week course facilitated by trained lay people based on the Stanford “Chronic Disease Self Management Course” (CDSMC). This course was incorporated in a pilot study which ended in 2004 and in which the NHS collaborated with accredited voluntary organisations. A total of 98 per cent of Primary Care Centres in the UK took part. The methodology and benefits of the support programme are outlined.FindingsEvaluation by questionnaire confirms data from other countries on showing improvement in patients' conditions and a decrease in their use of health services. Access to the EPP programme is to be widened and will be available throughout the NHS by 2008.Originality/valueAn account of the formation, activities and outcomes to date of the EPP programme are provided.