bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Tourists' satisfaction levels and shopping preferences under the solo travel policy in Hong Kong
Authors: Liu Shuk‐Ching , Choi Tsan‐ming , Tak Lee Wing 
Published: August 2008

PurposeThis paper aims to study the shopping preferences of the mainland Chinese travelers who visit Hong Kong under the solo travel policy (STP), and identify the differences between their expected and actual satisfactory levels towards fashion retailers in Hong Kong.Design/methodology/approachAn empirical research method with surveys was employed. Statistical methods, such as the paired t‐test, were used to analyze the data.FindingsA significant difference between the respondents' actual shopping satisfactions and their expectations was found for several factors. Some shopping preferences and spending patterns of the STP travelers were identified.Research limitations/implicationsOwing to resource constraints, the data were collected at a few locations only. This is a major research limitation of this study.Practical implicationsThe research findings can help fashion retailers to understand better the needs of STP travelers from mainland China. Some specific recommendations are given and managerial insights are generated.Originality/valueThis paper undertakes empirical research to study mainland tourists' shopping behavior towards Hong Kong fashion retailers under the STP. This study is one of the first research works exploring this area.
Associations of unethical consumer behavior and social attitudes
Authors: Callen‐Marchione Karen S. , Ownbey Shiretta F. 
Published: August 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate young adult consumers' (i.e. university undergraduates') evaluations of consumer behavior scenarios as ethical or unethical in relation to the respondents' philosophies of human nature.Design/methodology/approachAn existing ethical decision making model in marketing was applied to consumer ethical decision‐making. Based upon the model, the marketer's solution to ethical dilemmas is influenced by factors such as attitudes. This study focused on a specific type of attitude (philosophies of human nature). Subjects completed a questionnaire that contained philosophies of human nature (PHN) items and three consumer behavior scenarios. Factor analysis was conducted on the PHN scale to assist in factoring items into subscales. One‐way analysis of variance was used to determine if a relationship existed between consumer ethical response scores and responses to the PHN scale.FindingsFor two of the PHN factors, the consumer ethical response scores differed significantly among the low, moderate, and high PHN groups. Subjects who were less believing that people behave dishonestly for personal gain had higher ethical response scores in all of the scenarios than subjects who were more believing. Subjects who were less believing that people will stand by their convictions had higher ethical response scores in the “returned garment after use” scenario than subjects who were more believing.Originality/valueThis study is one of a few that addresses variables related to how consumers make ethically related decisions and the results can be useful to employers in the apparel industry when screening job applicants.
Do social capital and project type vary across career paths in project‐based work?
Authors: Skilton Paul F. , Bravo Jesus 
Published: August 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the extent to which project preferences and social capital constrain mobility in project‐based careers.Design/methodology/approachThe paper analyzes the careers of 352 individuals who entered the motion picture industry between 1988 and 1990. It uses motion picture credit histories to generate role sequence paths. The paper quantifies differences between paths using optimal matching techniques and cluster analysis to classify paths into clusters. It validates the classification by testing hypotheses about differences between path clusters.FindingsIn addition to a large group of individuals who exit the industry after the initial credit, the paper identifies three distinct clusters of career paths that exhibit differences in the sex of individuals on them, in the persistence of relationships with employers, in employer characteristics, and in the nature of subsequent projects.Research limitations/implicationsBecause the paper is exploratory, general hypotheses are tested. Motion picture production may be an extreme example of project‐based production, which would limit generalizability.Practical implicationsManagers, individuals and career experts should recognize that mobility can be constrained and channeled by preferences in project type and by social capital. Employer celebrity appears to play no role in the careers of assistants, but control over many projects plays a significant role.Originality/valueThe paper demonstrates non‐organizational constraints on mobility in project‐based, apparently boundaryless, self‐managed careers.
Development of transparent payment systems
Authors: Motawa Ibrahim , Kaka Ammar , Hong Wong Chee 
Published: August 2008

PurposeSeveral types of pricing and payment systems are used in the construction industry. However, the current practice is failing to utilise the potential of a link between project performance and clients' satisfaction on one hand and stakeholders' cash flow on the other. Therefore, a paradigm shift in cash flow research is both timely and necessary. The purpose of this paper is to promote and facilitate the use of appropriate payment systems that satisfy all project members.Design/methodology/approachThe research first investigates how payment systems are being selected, and the drivers for selecting innovative payment systems. A simulation and selection IT system is then developed that can be used to facilitate project stakeholders' satisfaction by selecting the most appropriate payment system for each project member. The proposed system considers alternative payment terms and conditions across the supply chain and in a transparent and negotiated manner.FindingsThe outcome should result in planning cash flows that satisfy all team members. The planned cash flow profiles are then used to monitor the implementation of the agreed payment system.Originality/valueThe main conclusion of the paper is that appropriate payment systems can act as a performance enabler and the provision of the simulation tool would result in project teams taking a more conscious and rational decision in selecting or designing these systems.
Does multi‐level intervention enhance work process knowledge?
Authors: Leppänen Anneli , Hopsu Leila , Klemola Soili , Kuosma Eeva 
Published: August 2008

PurposeThe aim of this study is to find out the impacts of participation in formal training and development of work on the work process knowledge of school kitchen workers.Design/methodology/approachThe article describes a follow‐up study on the consequences of intervention. In total, 108 subjects participated both in the interventions and in the measurements of work process knowledge before and after the interventions. Two groups of workers participated only in the measurement of work process knowledge – one before and the other after the interventions. They served as control groups.FindingsParticipation in professional training and participation in the development of the work process were both associated with the level of work process knowledge after intervention. Also, the level of work process knowledge before the intervention was associated with the level of work process knowledge in the follow‐up measurement. Participants with a relatively low level of work process knowledge and high participation rate benefited the most from the intervention. Age, position, kitchen type, or team climate were not related to the level of work process knowledge after interventions.Practical implicationsThe study confirmed that work process knowledge in service work where work is carried out in units with only a few workers can be essentially improved by arranging formal training, participative analysis and development of work simultaneously for larger groups of workers from the same organisation.Originality/valueThe paper provides knowledge of the methods to study and improve work process knowledge in changing service work.
Interfirm networks, social capital, and knowledge flow
Authors: Mu Jifeng , Peng Gang , Love Edwin 
Published: August 2008

PurposeResearchers have long been interested in the process of how networking firms share knowledge, what mechanisms firms use to govern knowledge sharing, and what the consequences are for the sharing firms. The purpose of this paper is to attempt to answer these questions from a social network perspective.Design/methodology/approachQualitative method is employed to facilitate deeper understanding of soft variables and key relationships for discovering and mapping non‐formal business practices. The sampling strategy is based on relevance rather than representativeness; data analysis and theoretical analysis stresses an iterative process of theoretical sampling, comparing, and contrasting of samples to build theoretical categories.FindingsThe principal findings highlight how social capital, especially trust‐based‐ties, develops in inter‐firm interaction process, accelerates knowledge flow, and acts as an informal governance mechanism between firms. Weak ties help firms to build initial relationships and strong ties help firms to acquire higher‐quality and fine‐grained knowledge.Research limitations/implicationsThe analysis rests on qualitative studies in a single industry. The paper trades generalizability for richness, thus potentially risking producing theories that are idiosyncratic and not generalizable to the entire population. Longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes are encouraged to develop more precise propositions or hypotheses for testing.Practical implicationsThe identification of the process through which social capital facilitates knowledge flow and consequently innovation enhances the understanding of firms' strategic behavior, and provides managers possible guidelines on how to accumulate social capital in interfirm dynamic interaction to gain competitive advantage.Originality/valueThe paper delineates the strategic roles of social capital in facilitating knowledge flow between firms and further contributes to emerging literature by demonstrating the process of social capital development and its impact on innovation and performance.
Knowledge management for new product development
Authors: Pitt Martyn , MacVaugh Jason 
Published: August 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present a holistic interpretation of the scope of knowledge management processes whose intent is to enhance the effectiveness of new product development (NPD).Design/methodology/approachThe paper reviews key concepts in NPD and knowledge management (KM), leading to propositions about the effective management of NPD‐relevant knowledge. It develops a structured, holistic model of organizational KM including practical mechanisms and processes for managing knowledge transfer.FindingsEffective knowledge management needs to: acknowledge the multiple organizational levels at which knowledge is deployed; support the production, elicitation and exchange of tacit knowledge as well as explicit, codified information; hence accommodate and enable both informal and formal, typically IS/IT enabled knowledge processes.Practical implicationsKM is work‐in‐progress, not a one‐time search for an idealised state. Computer‐enabled information systems are necessary but not sufficient elements of a comprehensive approach to KM. Holistic KM should be integral to the organization, working with not against the grain of its technical, social and cultural processes. Senior managers with titles such as “chief knowledge officer” may be crucial in establishing strategic priorities and change programmes, but all NPD personnel bear responsibility for effective KM.Originality/valueThe paper combines propositions about the effective conduct of KM for NPD with a model of holistic KM that involves multi‐level flux and constructive knowledge transition. It identifies practical mechanisms, IS/IT enabled and otherwise, in this context. It suggests that new research to identify effective KM practices in NPD is a priority for KM researchers.
Investigating the role of knowledge in alliance performance
Authors: Gravier Michael J. , Randall Wesley S. , Strutton David 
Published: August 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to show that following from the premise that knowledge comprises the fundamental source of competitive advantage, this study provides results of a meta‐analysis that examines whether and how alliance performance is influenced by the role knowledge plays in a strategic alliance.Design/methodology/approachMeta‐analysis is employed as the driving methodology in this study. The meta‐analysis approach permits the literature on interfirm knowledge management to be reviewed and synthesized such that the role of knowledge in the alliance, environmental risk, and alliance performance can be thoroughly and validly investigated.FindingsThe findings suggest that the level of risk associated with the environment in which the alliance partners join forces does not moderate the relationship between the various “roles” of knowledge and alliance performance, whereas the magnitude and type of interfirm cohesiveness enjoyed or endured by the alliance participants does materially impact alliance performance. These performance differences suggest that – when the subject is alliance performance – knowledge management strategies matter more than environmental factors.Research implications/limitationsThe environmental uncertainty construct proved the biggest surprise, given conventional views that alliances should prove more effective in turbulent environments. However, implications are limited by observations that suggest the current alliance literature lacks well‐developed and corroborated knowledge and performance constructs. This, in turn, implies researchers should systematically assess the validity of extant knowledge and performance measures.Practical implicationsThe observed positive relationship between increased levels of knowledge interchange, alliance cohesion, and alliance performance is a materially practical implication. This was especially true within industries that are inherently more dependent on vertical supplier or buyer relationships, such as manufacturing and services. Active interfirm knowledge management appears to contribute more to alliance performance than environmental factors.Originality/valueThis paper describes the first study to meta‐analyze the role and influence of knowledge constructs within the alliance literature. As such, the results empirically confirm some presumed conventional wisdoms while calling others into question.
Strategic integration of knowledge management and customer relationship management
Authors: Liew Chor‐Beng Anthony 
Published: August 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to introduce the concept of strategic integration of knowledge management (KM ) and customer relationship management (CRM). The integration is a strategic issue that has strong ramifications in the long‐term competitiveness of organizations. It is not limited to CRM; the concept can also be applied to supply chain management (SCM), product development management (PDM), eterprise resource planning (ERP) and retail network management (RNM) that offer different perspectives into knowledge management adoption.Design/methodology/approachThrough literature review and establishing new perspectives with examples, the components of knowledge management, customer relationship management, and strategic planning are amalgamated.FindingsFindings include crucial details in the various components of knowledge management, customer relationship management, and strategic planning, i.e. strategic planning process, value formula, intellectual capital measure, different levels of CRM and their core competencies.Practical implicationsAlthough the strategic integration of knowledge management and customer relationship management is highly conceptual, a case example has been provided where the concept is applied. The same concept could also be applied to other industries that focus on customer service.Originality/valueThe concept of strategic integration of knowledge management and customer relationship management is new. There are other areas, yet to be explored in terms of additional integration such as SCM, PDM, ERP, and RNM. The concept of integration would be useful for future research as well as for KM and CRM practitioners.
Medium‐size enterprises in industrial districts: an exploratory study
Authors: Zanni Lorenzo , Aquilani Barbara , Magliacani Michela 
Published: August 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the performance evolution of enterprises in Italian industrial districts. In particular, economic performance indicators are analysed for Arezzo goldsmith enterprises, to highlight: differences in the goldsmith local systems performances; the role played by firm size in the evolution trajectories; and the emergence of a medium‐sized nucleus of firms with better performance.Design/methodology/approachThe paper first conducts a brief literature review on medium‐sized firms in Italian industrial districts. Then it examines the economic‐financial indicators of 183 Arezzo goldsmith firms to evaluate firm performance in comparative terms both with other Italian industrial districts and with firm size. Finally it focuses its attention on 15 medium‐sized firms or groups, carrying out a statistical analysis by organizational model comparing the aggregate data of the Arezzo goldsmith district.FindingsThe results regarding the Arezzo experience show: a reduction of competitive capabilities compared with other industrial districts; considerable difficulties for both small enterprises and the historical large firm leader; and the emergence of a medium‐sized firm nucleus which seems better able to manage a changing competitive environment.Research limitations/implicationsThe main implication for researchers and SME (small to medium‐sized enterprises) consultants is that the selection process currently in play among Italian industrial districts and local enterprises appears to reward only certain entrepreneurial categories. Findings of this exploratory study need future research both at an inter‐industry level and with international comparative analysis.Originality/valueMedium‐size firms represent a new area of research on SMEs. Empirical evidence supports the research hypothesis.
Innovation generation process
Authors: Bernstein Boaz , Singh Prakash J. 
Published: August 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the social and behavioral actions, activities and practices in order to group them together to create behavior‐based profiles that characterize the various stages of the innovation generation processes within organizations.Design/methodology/approachQualitative data were collected from nine Australian companies from the biotechnology sector. Using the grounded theory approach to data analysis, labels from Rogers' adopter categorization model were used to broadly identify and classify typical actions, activities, practices and behaviors exhibited within organizations that can be described as being “innovator”, “early adopter”, “early majority”, “late majority” or “laggard” types. Further, Moore's metaphor of “chasm” was applied to explore the nature of difficulties that organizations face in converting innovative ideas into commercially successful products and services.FindingsThe use of the labels from the categories of the adopter categorization model enabled suitable behavior‐based profiles to be developed.Originality/valueThe use of the adopter categorization model provides a fuller and richer insight into the innovation generation process. The model can also be used to assess more holistically the viability of innovations as they progress from inception to commercialization.
The sustainable competitive advantage model for corporate real estate
Authors: Heywood Christopher , Kenley Russell 
Published: August 2008

PurposeThis purpose of this paper is to propose a model for the relationship between corporate real estate management (CREM) practices and an organisation's sustainable competitive advantage. Corporate real estate (CRE) plays an important but poorly recognised role in organisational competitiveness.Design/methodology/approachThe model was developed from the strategic management, organisational competitiveness, and CRE literatures. A total of 162 CREM practices from the literature were connected, where possible, with cost, innovation and differentiation sources of sustainable competitive advantage. Clustering similar practices allowed the summarising of competitive effects in those clusters and each of the sources of sustainable competitive advantage. Technical CREM practices were the focus of analysis as they constitute the traditional core of CREM.FindingsMany gaps were identified in the theoretical connections between practices and sources of sustainable competitive advantage. Overall, cost dominated as the mode of competition most affected by the practices. Cost, innovation and differentiation made roughly equivalent positive contributions, but cost was most negatively affected by CREM practices.Research limitations/implicationsThe model is conceptual and provides a framework for aligning CREM practices with an organisation's competitive strategies, to build CRE‐based strategic capabilities for competitiveness, and to optimise practices' competitive effects. The holistic model directly links core CRE techniques with business outcomes and establishes a framework for further exploration of this important relationship.Originality/valueOrganisational competitiveness, CRE, and CREM are seldom studied. This paper provides a useful connecting framework for CRE researchers and practitioners to research and advance efforts to realise CRE value for organisations.
FM‐SERVQUAL: a new approach of service quality measurement framework in local authorities
Authors: Zahari Wan Yusoff Wan , Ismail Maziah , Newell Graeme 
Published: August 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate the quality of services provided by local authorities (LA) to the public. An FM‐SERVQUAL instrument was developed to meet an appropriate measurement of such services.Design/methodology/approachThe development of FM‐SERVQUAL based on integrated facility management (FM) framework. It involved measurements of 40 elements of human capital components, property, technology and ICT, and working processes of Johor Bahru City Council which is one of the major cities in Malaysia. Primarily, two phases of data collection were carried out, of which 100 and 191 respondents were involved during the first and second phases, respectively.FindingsThe study revealed that, five elements in technology and ICT and six elements of property which were identified below the service quality (SQ) level. On the other hand, 29 elements of other services were achieved with minimum quality level.Practical implicationsThe LA executives recognized FM‐SERVQUAL, as it is very useful to measure the service delivery performance of their organization. Consequently, the elements which are below SQ level can be easily identified.Originality/valueAn FM‐SERVQUAL instrument set under the integrated FM framework was developed through an empirical basis. It is an efficient and effective instrument with a capability to measure the quality of services the delivery system. FM‐SERVQUAL also serves as an essential gauge in policy formulation and future planning of an organization.